《System Change》 Chapter 1: Into the Portal Chapter 1: Into the Portal ¡°Derek, get ready! The portal will be up in five minutes.¡± Silvi was expending all of her mana to provide this one chance for Derek to portal over to the others and maybe just safe them from being killed, or captured, by one of the ¡°intruders¡± that came with the new system. ¡°You¡¯re only going to have a few minutes once you get there to find them and bring them back. You should be ported close to Ali, I¡¯m using my mana sense to lock on to her.¡± Derek rubbed the back of his head and sighed. How did I end up in this mess? I barely even know these people, now I have to risk my life to save this group? Why did I help them again, I don¡¯t even remember. Derek was really questioning his choices leading up to this point. Up until now, he had been a loner in this weird apocalypse. Preferring to go it alone rather than team up. Hell, I¡¯ve even refused to establish bases and cities. The system just keeps throwing them at me like I¡¯m some Main Character that¡¯s supposed to save humanity from alien invaders¡­ pfft¡­ At least I got a Title from refusing. Derek was really struggling with what he was about to do. ¡°Are you even listening to me!?¡± Silvi yelled at Derek. ¡°Stop daydreaming and get ready!¡± Derek jumped. Why is she so commanding? Whatever¡­ ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m ready whenever.¡± And he was, he just didn¡¯t want to do it. He thought about what he was about to do. Status, he thought to himself. Status Name: Derek Hunt Level: 79 Class: Bronze Tank Race: Human HP: 4750 MP: 2380 Stamina: 5790 Defense: 150 (196) [264 with Impenetrable Skin] Attack: 139 (166) Stats STR: 275 (343) [412 Solo] DEX: 210(241) [294 Solo] END: 351(491) [579 Solo] VIT: 297(400) [475 Solo] INT: 177(203) [247 Solo] WIS: 170(195) [238 Solo] Free Stat Points: 0 Titles First of Many: Not only have you obtained your first kill, you were also among the first on your planet to obtain a kill. +10% to all stats. I Have Class II: You survived to level 75 and upgraded your class. +35 to all stats. Lone Wolf III: You feel free when you are alone. You have spent so much time alone that you are better when not in a pack. +10% to all stats when alone. Meat Shield III: You have taken an incredible amount of damage and yet still continue to look for more. You have taken over 100,000 damage and lived. +15% END and +10% VIT. Monster Bane III: You are not scared to fight the strong. Single handedly slayed a monster 50 levels or more above your own. +10% STR, +10% END, +10% VIT. Not Dead Yet: You have taken a fatal wound, yet you are still alive. +25 VIT +15 END. Rare: You have obtained a Rare class. Now you can live like a one percenter. +25 to all stats. Slayer III: You have slayed more monsters than you can count. +15 STR +10 END. Solo King IV: You enjoy the feeling of fighting alone. You stand one versus many. +25 to all stats. +15% to all stats when fighting alone. Stat Collector: You have acquired over 1000 total stat points. Here, have some more. +25 to all stats. Unacceptable: You have been asked to build a safe haven for those of your kind, but have refused on multiple occasions. +25 to all stats. Uncommon: Your class is a step above most classes. +15 to all stats. Upgraded: Somehow, you were able to upgrade an Uncommon class into a Rare class, though not unheard of, it is still a feat. +5% to all stats. Skills Glaive Mastery (3): You feel more comfortable with glaives and other polearms. Efficiency +15%. Heavy Armor (4): Slow but steady, the armor you wear is like yourself. Heavy armor scales based on your END stat. +8% of END is added to armor DEF stat. Heavy Blow (7): You put all of your might into a single blow. Attack deals 70% more damage. Heavy Weapon (5): You choose to wield weapons that most cannot even lift. +10% of STR is added to ATK stat when using heavy weapons. Identify (8): You have looked beyond the surface of many things. You can identify targets up to 80 levels above your own. Impenetrable Skin (7): You have been battered and bruised by all sorts of weapons. Defense increased by 35% when active. Iron Stomach: There is not much that can harm you when it comes to food. Decreased chance of food borne illness. Meditation (10): Become one with yourself. Recovery of HP, MP, and Stamina increased by 100% while meditating. Wide Sweep (11): You project a sharp edge half a circle, up to 5 meters in front of you. Deals 55% of Attack damage. I wonder how I compare to others of my level. Derek sighed as he looked over his status, preparing to go on this rescue mission that he still didn¡¯t know why he was going on it in the first place. ¡°This portal that you¡¯re making is safe, right?¡± Derek asked Silvi. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve survived quite a bit by myself and all, I don¡¯t really want to be done in by a faulty portal.¡± Did I just give myself a death flag? I think I did, maybe I should just leave. ¡°Yes Derek, it¡¯s perfectly safe. You just jump in and it takes a couple seconds to get from the opening to the exit. While you¡¯re inside you are in something like a space tunnel, nothing can harm you while you¡¯re traveling at least. I¡¯ve used it hundreds of times and nothing has ever gone wrong.¡± Silvi explained to Derek while channeling her mana into her portal spell. ¡°The only thing you have to worry about is not coming back before I run out of mana, which is why you only have a few minutes to get the others and get back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost done. Get ready!¡± Silvi yelled as a blue oval crackling in what seemed to be electricity, but Derek knew that it was just another physical form of mana, started growing. The oval grew slowly but then began to pick up pace. Soon it was bigger than Derek was and was stabilizing. ¡°It¡¯s open, go, go, go! Remember, you just have a short window to find them and get them to the portal.¡± Silvi was worried about her friends and longtime team. If only I hadn¡¯t gotten injured, I would have been over there to help them. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Derek may be cautious and hesitant, but when he finally decided to do something, he did not take half measures. Derek leapt into the portal and prepared to face whatever was on the other side. She was right, it¡¯s like I¡¯m in some kind of dark tunnel and all I can see is the exit. Looking around, Derek noticed that everything around him was pitch black and there was a small light ahead that was rapidly getting bigger and bigger. Then it hit him. ¡®Pop¡¯ A portal flashed open and a man covered head to toe in some type of dark metal armor flashed out of it. Everyone stopped fighting to look at the new arrival. First, Derek saw Ali, she was right next to the portal. He ran over to her and picked her up. ¡°Who are you, what are you doing.¡± Ali was kicking and screaming not knowing what was going on. First I was barely surviving, now I¡¯m being taken hostage. Ali knew this was it, she had already watched John and Andrea die, now she was being captured. ¡°Shit! Stop kicking me and shut up. It¡¯s Derek, I came to try to get you all back to Silvi. She ported me over from camp.¡± Can¡¯t blame her though, this is the first time she¡¯s seeing me in my armor, I do look rather scary. ¡°Hehe.¡± Derek chuckled to himself before raising Ali up and chucking her into the portal. ¡®Thud¡¯ An arrow bounced off of the back of Derek¡¯s head and fell to the ground. Derek turned and looked at the archer nocking another arrow. He scanned the rest of the area and found John¡¯s head lying a couple meters away from his body and Andrea was on her back with a dagger sticking out of her chest, blood pooling around her body. Finally, he saw Gerard surrounded by a bunch of warriors with swords and shields. Looks like they¡¯re toying with him. Derek sighed and took off toward the makeshift fighting ring. The warriors were all watching him with wary eyes as he approached. Two of them turned from the show and got in a fighting stance. Derek summoned his glaive from his spacial bracelet and thrust forward. The man on the right didn¡¯t even have time to react before the blade pierced his front and ran all the way through his back. ¡®Splat¡¯ The blade was forcefully removed from the heart of the warrior. ¡®Clink¡¯ The other warrior swung his sword at Derek, but Derek reflected it with his armored bracer, then choked up on his glaive, and using it like a sword, slashed it across his attacker¡¯s throat. The man fell to his knees holding at the new opening, but it was pointless, he was already dead and just didn¡¯t know it. ¡°Gerard! The portal, run!¡± Derek rushed into the circle and pushed Gerard towards the hole he just made. ¡°Hurry! There¡¯s not much time left, I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± Gerard rushed out of the encirclement, moving as fast as his maimed leg would let him. Hobbling towards the portal, he released a sigh as he got closer and closer. ¡®Whoosh¡¯ Gerard turned and seen four men split at the waist, their torso falling from their legs. Holy shit! He swore as he could see Derek chopping his enemies down one by one. Four by four even. I¡¯m glad we found him, or he found us. Gerard made it to the portal and took one last glance around. Seeing Andrea and John lifeless on the ground, tears started forming in his eyes. They had all been together since the first week of this so called apocalypse, but this wasn¡¯t the first friend he had seen die. And it won¡¯t be the last. He thought. He looked again at Derek about to break out of the mass of people, then jumped into the portal. ¡°It¡¯s Gerard!¡± Ali screamed. ¡°We thought you were dead, like Andrea and¡­¡± She trailed off mid-sentence. John had been with Ali since before the start of this sick game. So Gerard knew that it was going to take a long time for Ali to be right again. ¡°Where¡¯s¡­ Derek?¡± Silvi muttered, voice tired from holding the portal open. ¡°I¡¯m almost¡­ out¡­ of mana.¡± Sweat was dripping from her brow as she was using everything she had to keep the portal from closing. ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± Silvi mumbled and dropped to her knees. Derek could see the portal shrinking and becoming translucent as he made his way towards it. He wasn¡¯t damaged or injured, but he was about out of stamina and mana. Getting close to the portal, he jumped in. ¡®Plop¡¯ The small light in the space tunnel that was supposed to get bigger and bigger vanished. ¡°Ah, fuck me!¡± Chapter 2: Into the Void Chapter 2: Into the Void ¡°Ah, fuck me!¡± The words echoed into the darkness. Derek knew he shouldn¡¯t have doubted the portal back then, he knew that just by voicing his doubts, something would go wrong. It¡¯s just like when someone says ¡®at least it can¡¯t get any worse.¡¯ It always gets worse. Looking around at what used to be the portal from the camp to the battle, Derek couldn¡¯t see anything other than darkness. There was no light anywhere, no way of finding out which way went where. Maybe when Silvi opens up another portal I¡¯ll be able to use it. I mean, I am stuck inside her portal after all, it has to connect to her. Derek was trying to be optimistic about his situation. I might as well make myself comfortable, there¡¯s no telling when she will use another portal. Derek summoned some meat and wine from his bracelet and began to eat. He ate and hummed a tune, not knowing what was going to happen to him in the future. He just figured that he should live in the moment. And like this, time passed¡­ A glaive sliced through the darkness at a horizontal angle, then, slicing through the air, the glaive came down from up high. Then all movement in the area stopped. ¡®ding¡¯ Glaive Mastery has reached level 8. Finally. I¡¯ve been swinging this thing for days now¡­ I think. I don¡¯t even know how long I¡¯ve been in this hellhole. Derek reached up to his chin and started caressing his beard. Hah, a beard. I can¡¯t believe I have a beard now, and not one of those small ones either. Even during the worse days of the so called ¡®apocalypse¡¯ Derek still managed to shave his face every so often. Now, it really didn¡¯t matter. At least with a new beard, he could understand a little about how long he had been in the darkness. Not saying I ain¡¯t already insane, but if it wasn¡¯t for my meditation skill, it would definitely be much, much worse. Derek fumbled around with his now back length hair, wondering if it was still coal black like it had always been, or if maybe the stress of being alone and in the dark with nothing more than himself to keep him occupied had given him some grey streaks. Derek checked out his meditation skill. Meditation (18): Become one with yourself. Recovery of HP, MP, and Stamina increased by 180% while meditating. If nothing else, it lets me swing my glaive more. Derek thought as he checked out the new skill and title his time in this ¡®tunnel¡¯ had brought him. Enhanced Perception (6): By not using your sight, your other senses become stronger. Your ability to use other senses while choosing to not use another enhances those senses by 30%. Yeah, a lot of good that has done me. 30% of no sound is still no sound. Pacifist II: After countless days of slaughter and pools of blood spilled, you have remained passive for an extraordinary amount of time. +25 WIS ¡°Heh, heh, heh!¡± Derek started chuckling. This one gets me every time. Nothing like becoming wiser by sitting in the dark for months on end. Eventually, Derek calmed down. He may have really been losing it, but at least the system provided some form of comfort to him. He had lost hope in Silvi being able to get him out, so the system was the only real attachment he had left to let him know that he was still progressing. While meditating, Derek''s eyes shot open with a start at the new system messages. Error¡­ System detected host moving out of range of system area. Error¡­ Host losing connection with system controlled area. Error¡­ System connection lost. Please move back into range of system controlled area as soon as possible. ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± Derek was frantic. What does this mean? Have I been traveling this whole time? How fast was I moving through the portal to get to that battle? It took a couple seconds at most. How far were the portals from each other? It was at least 100km. If I was moving that fast, and I remained at that speed when the portals closed, how far would that be? No, that can¡¯t be right. Even then, being generous, it would still be less than a few billion kilometers. That would still be in our solar system and still be within the area of the system. What if the speed slowed in the portal while it was active? How much faster would the tunnel be when it was closed? ¡°This sucks!!!¡± Derek screamed through the tunnel as loud as he could. What the hell? I¡¯m totally and completely stuck now, huh? With my Endurance and Vitality, I don¡¯t even really have to eat anymore, so at least I won¡¯t starve. Status. Status Name: ERROR Level: ERROR Class: ERROR Race: ERROR ¡­ Skills ERROR Oh! No. Does this mean that I¡¯ve lost the system too? ¡°Fuuuuuuck!!!!!!!!! Why can¡¯t I kill myself?¡± Derek had already given up on any chance of being rescued now. He had no idea how long had passed since he left the range of the system. Apparently, even though the system no longer responded to him, he still had all of his stats, buffs, and skills. Also, unfortunately for him, his defense was higher than his attack was, and he couldn¡¯t even kill himself. He had tried to use his Heavy Blow skill, but apparently, his body healed just as fast as the stamina it took to use the skill recovered. He tried starving himself, but he was right. His body really didn¡¯t need much food with his endurance at what it was. Starving was actually an awful experience for him. It wasn¡¯t like he just got hungrier and hungrier. No, once his body entered a starving state, it started drawing its sustenance from him. This made him lose health, but that healed immediately. So, in theory, his body was an all you can eat buffet that regenerates its food upon consumption. It was hell. Derek wasn¡¯t even sure how old he was now. He was 27 when he got trapped in the portal. What was he now? 30? 40? There really wasn¡¯t any way for him to tell. He had gotten to the point where he would just enter a deep state of meditation and let the time pass. Only awakening every so often to make sure that nothing had changed. ¡°Failed attempts at suicide doesn¡¯t make me crazy, does it? No, any rational person would try to off themselves if they went through this. Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Perfectly fine. I wish I had a volleyball or something to talk to. At least it has a round shape. I¡¯m stuck with Glaivey. Either way, nothing talks back. Ah, look at me, rambling again. Sorry Glaivey, you were saying?¡± Derek may have lost it. Years of total silence and darkness had really done him in. It wasn¡¯t so bad when he still had the system there. It at least showed that he was making progress. Now, he was talking to a pointy stick, and it was apparently talking back to him. ¡°No, no Glaivey. I¡¯ll let you take watch now. I¡¯m going to go meditate for a while. Wake me if anything fun happens.¡± Derek allowed his eyelids to fall and slowly slipped back into his meditative trance. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± Looking throughout the infinite darkness, Derek noticed that something seemed to change. Nope, I¡¯m just crazy, my eyes are playing tricks on me¡­ again. Still, Derek stared into the distant darkness. Suddenly, he appeared to hear a banging noise in the distance. This wasn¡¯t as new as one would think as Derek had begun hallucinating quite a while ago. Even then, he closed his eyes and focused his enhanced hearing toward the drum-like noise. Yeah, it¡¯s still there. Even when I focus on it. Either my hallucinations are getting worse, or there is actually something out there. For the first time in who knows how long, Derek was feeling some excitement, some hope even. The banging noise was getting louder and louder, he no longer had to focus his hearing to make it out. Out of nowhere, another crash sounded out, only this time, it seemed to bring with it a crack in the darkness. Like spider webs, the crack grew with each thump. The cracks started splitting off in different directions, not unlike a rock hitting a windshield of a car while speeding down the highway. Behind the new fissures in the darkness were just the faintest traces of light. As the cracks increased, so too did the illumination behind them. This is it! Finally! A chance to escape, or die, or¡­ both even. He quite literally did not care anymore. There was finally some kind of change in the dark tunnel and he would not miss his chance of doing something different. Derek summoned his glaive and his armor, at least the armor from the neck down as the helmet no longer fit on his head with his giant beard and crazy hair. He took off toward the cracks in the darkness, prepared for anything, from death to freedom. He finally got to the part in the darkness, not knowing what to do next. Well, doing something is better than doing nothing. Derek slammed his glaive into the spider-web like cracks. Nothing happened. Not giving up, he came down with a Heavy Blow at the center of the fractures. Still, nothing happened. It was almost like he couldn¡¯t do anything from this side of the darkness. Then he got an idea, not a smart idea, but an idea nonetheless. He choked up on his glaive and took the bladed end and tried sticking it in one of the cracks. Whoa! This is kinda working. The blade actually sank into the opening just a little. Using the bladed end as a makeshift crowbar, Derek began trying to pry the cracks open. It wasn¡¯t doing much, but it was doing a little. Finally, a rectangle like piece fell off and landed by his feet. Eager, he put the blade in the next crack and continued. Like this, hours passed. The banging continued, the cracks grew, and the pieces fell to the ground. Derek finally removed enough pieces of the darkness to see what was on the other side. It looked like a fist hitting an invisible wall. A gigantic black fist. With claws and all kinds of other kill me bits. AWESOME! Derek tried to use Identify on the creature. Name: Error Level: Error Please move back to a system designated area to use this skill. Should have expected that. Derek still didn¡¯t care. This gentlemanly creature was his ticket out of this hellhole, and by god, he wasn¡¯t going to look a gift horse in its mouth. Finally, the clawed hand pushed through the invisible wall and reached into the darkness with Derek. It took its hand out before putting both of them in the hole it made. It began pulling the darkness out piece by piece until there was a hole big enough for its body. It stuck its head inside and started hauling the rest of its body in. Standing in front of Derek, the three meter tall, solid black creature looked at him with fire red eyes. ¡°Hey man! Thanks for making me a door. It was really starting to get boring in here.¡± Derek walked up to the monster and patted it on the shoulder. The back of the creature¡¯s hand hit Derek dead center on his chest, leaving his armor dented. ¡°Hey, that wasn¡¯t very nice.¡± Derek stood up and used a Heavy Blow on the creature¡¯s arm. The blade stopped without breaking the skin, making the sound of steel crashing against steel. The monster glanced at Derek, fang-like teeth beginning to show and a low growl radiating through the tunnel. ¡°Calm down now. That¡¯s just how people like me say hello. I mean, you hit me, I hit you, now we¡¯re besties.¡± In his peripheral Derek could see the opening the creature made slowing, repairing, and closing. ¡°Anyway, it was nice to meet you. My name is Silvi, yes, Silvi with an I. Make sure to look me up if you ever get the chance. I¡¯m moving to go ahead and get out of here. Bye, bye!¡± Derek dashed towards the opening, feeling the wind streak across his hair as he ducked under a blow from the monster. He dove through the makeshift door and he was out. ¡°Freeeeedom!!!!¡± He shouted as he fell. Chapter 3: The Kind Stranger Chapter 3: The Kind Stranger ¡°Ooomph!¡± Derek landed hard and started tumbling end over end down a vast hill until he finally came to an abrupt stop by smashing into a boulder. Looking around, Derek noticed that the grass was pale, the wind was stale, and the overall quality of the land at which he arrived was just in very poor condition. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± He said with a glint in his eye, a tear threatening to descend onto his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s all I could have ever hoped for.¡± Derek choked out, his voice becoming gravely. He wiped at his eyes to remove any tears that had somehow made it out. Standing up, brushing himself off in the process, Derek checked the System again since he was finally out of the void. Stat¡­ ERROR¡­ Pleas¡­ Err¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Derek wailed in pain, almost as if something within his brain had broken. A massive headache threatened to overtake his consciousness. I haven¡¯t gotten a headache since the damn System took over the world. Why now all of a sudden? Derek inwardly groaned. Wondering why his absurdly high Endurance and Vitality was not working yet. I guess I¡¯ll just deal with it. I can survive being stabbed in the heart. A little headache like this won¡¯t kill me¡­ I think. What I would give for a pain killer right about now. He had not had to take anything for pain well before the System arrived. He usually just suffered whatever ailment came along during his days until it went away on its own. Oh well, let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on here. Derek looked up at the sky. He could just see the outline of where the monster had shattered space to go into the void. The remnants slowly closing at a rate visible to the human eye. Unexpectedly, a wave of gratitude washed over him. Gratitude to the monster who had freed him of his endless torment. More tears pooled in the corners of his eyes. This time, not caring about his appearance, Derek let the tears flow as he smiled wistfully at the cracks that had finally sealed, leaving no sign that there was ever anything there to begin with. If I ever meet that kind stranger again, I have to make sure to treat him to a coffee, or tea, or whatever beverage this place has to offer. As he was thinking, he looked around again, noticing that while there were trees and there were signs that there could have been a luscious forest once upon a time, it was hard to actually call it a forest. Weird, looks like all the greenery was diseased or something. The temperature was not too cold or too hot, the sun was out and about, illuminating everything. All things considered, this should have been the ideal location for a forest. The trees were at the cusp of dying, or already dead, but it did not look like extreme heat or extreme cold caused it. Suddenly, a rustle was heard from some nearby shrubbery. Derek did not bother turning around to see what it was, everything indicated that all of his stats and skills were still working. If anything could approach him fast enough for him to not be able to take action, he was already as good as dead. Besides, I still have my armor on. The kind stranger was only able to dent it, and if I have to fight something as strong as him, or uh, it, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to fight back. Finally, the rustling in the bush quieted. Light footsteps made their way closer and closer to Derek. He turned his head, slowly as to not scare whatever was approaching. Seeing what was behind him, he grinned. It was a little boy, no older than ten, with dirt around his face and tears staining his cheeks. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was brown. Or blonde, really, really dirty blonde. Derek chuckled to himself. The chuckle must have scared the hell out of the boy because his eyes widened and he turned to escape. Damn it, I have no clue what I look like and I haven¡¯t showered in ages, literally ages. Of course I¡¯m going to scare any child I come across. Not to mention that my armor is not the most accepting piece of equipment. Hell, I had it made to look menacing in the first place. ¡°Boy! Stop, I¡¯ll help you. I need to find out where I am.¡± Derek yelled at the boy. The boy slowed for just a second, long enough to turn his head around and see the demonic looking figure again. He let out a yelp and started running faster than before. What the hell? I said I¡¯d help. Kids these days, not trusting menacing looking complete strangers. Derek sighed and started walking after the boy. He may have been running as fast as he could, but to Derek, it was not very fast at all. Tripping over a tree branch, the boy fell, making his already tattered clothing even dirtier. He reached for his knee and grabbed it with both hands. Derek could hear sobs coming from the boy. He must have hurt himself. Derek continued lumbering toward the boy. Soon, the boy realized his mistake. If he was not moving, then that meant that he wasn¡¯t getting any further away from the demon. He turned again, only to find the evil creature towering over his body. He shrieked, rolled to his back and started to feverishly crawl backwards on his hands and feet. Derek almost could not hold in his laugh. I feel like I¡¯m some villain in a b-grade horror film. All I need now is a hockey mask and a machete. Finally, Derek could not hold it in and let out a loud belly laugh. The boy stared at him in shock and horror, a puddle of liquid appearing underneath him as his eyes rolled back in his head and he went limp. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Feeling ashamed, Derek did not quite know what to do. Maybe that was a little too much. He looked down. Damn, he pissed himself. Good job Derek, the first actual person you see in¡­ well, in forever and not only do you scare him, you make him soil his clothing and pass out. Who knows, those trousers may have been the last pair of pants that his grandma sewed him before she passed, and now you¡¯ve gone and made him ruin them. Derek berated himself as he bent down to pick up the boy. Not wanting to get bodily fluids on his armor, Derek picked the boy up by the neck of his shirt with one hand as he strolled back to the boulder he smashed into. The two cut a striking image as they moved through the dilapidated forest. The image was not a good one. It could be described as a crazed demon bringing his prey back to camp to be eaten. They don¡¯t pay me enough for this shit. Derek complained as he got closer to his ¡°camp.¡± A few seconds later, he arrived at the boulder and set the boy down, allowing him to lean on the rock. After settling the boy in, Derek went back out to gather some wood for a fire. Who knows how cold it gets at night. Derek looked up at the sky. Or if there is even a night. He pondered while looking towards the sun. Derek was not subtle. Instead of gathering the dead branches and twigs that were already on the ground, he went to a decently sized tree and summoned his glaive out of his bracelet. He launched a Heavy Blow onto the tree. It was overkill as the blade sliced right through and the tree fell. While watching the tree fall Derek¡¯s head abruptly felt like someone had gone in with a pair of scissors and started chopping on his brain. It was worse than the previous headache by far. Derek could not help but wonder about the cause of these new, sudden headaches. Derek leaned against the newly made tree stump and closed his eyes. He did not enter Meditation because he did not want to be defenseless in this new world just yet. After a while, the headache cleared, and he stood. Grabbing the felled tree, he began dragging it back to his camp while pondering. The headaches never happened with the System before, and they didn¡¯t happen while in the void tunnel either. No, wait, I did have one headache similar to this one on Earth. The day the System was introduced. I was driving my knife down into that catfish when I felt it, and it lasted a few minutes. Derek was thinking about his previous interactions with the System. The first headache happened when I tried to view my status after landing on this world. The second happened after I used a System skill to chop down the tree. Does that make the System a taboo on this world? Or maybe it is trying to integrate and get used to this new world. Yeah, I¡¯ll just go with that for now and limit the use of my skills. Derek got back to camp with the tree and dropped it on the ground. Summoning a dagger out of his bracelet, he went to work shaving down the tree so he could have some good kindling to start a fire. After getting enough shavings, he put the dagger back into his bracelet and summoned his glaive again. This time, instead of using Heavy Blow to chop at the tree, he did it with normal strikes. Good, one normal strike is still enough to go through the tree. After chopping the tree into eight pieces, then halving them all again, he started to really examine the wood. Yep, it¡¯s pretty much dead. Great for firewood, bad for forest. After the dead firewood was arranged neatly on the ground Derek continued towards the shavings, grabbing and placing them down in an open area a few meters away from the boulder. What else should I do? Bashing and banging sounds could be heard from deep within the forest. Drawing in close, it was Derek with a hammer busting up some rocks he had found. That should be enough to make a pit. Everything around me is already so dead, I don¡¯t want the fire to grow out of control. This should contain it. Carrying the broken stones back to camp, Derek placed them by the stack he had already made. Then, taking the stones one by one and placing them, the beginning of a circle formed around the kindling. He walked back and grabbed some firewood and sat it beside the fire pit. After summoning what looked like a small stone out of his bracelet, he dropped it onto the kindling. The stone started heating and finally began to glow red. Smoke started rising, then the kindling ignited. Derek hurriedly placed a piece of the wood onto the small fire. After a few seconds, it was set ablaze, and he placed a couple more pieces down. The red rock stopped glowing, then turned to ash. Another firestone gone. Derek thought as he stared into the fire, then sat down on one of the remaining cuts of wood and closed his eyes. Not long after, Derek could hear whimpering coming from across the fire. Opening his eyes and glancing in the boy¡¯s direction, was the boy with his tear-stained face and runny nose. Derek tried to be as gentle as he could as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s alright boy, I¡¯m not gonna hurt you, sorry for scaring ya earlier.¡± The crying stopped and the boy observed Derek. The boy was still frowning, but this time it was not a frown full of sadness, it was one of confusion. He furrowed his brow and started to speak to Derek. The language was foreign, and Derek had no clue what the boy said. This is going to be¡­ Derek began to think as the System showed a new message. New Language Detected Trans¡­ System interference detected¡­ Analyzing interference¡­ Invading system detected¡­ ELIMINATING THREAT ¡°WHAT!¡± Derek screamed and everything went black. Chapter 4: Thomas Chapter 4: Thomas ¡°What just happened?¡± Thomas was talking to the scary man when the man¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell, creating a loud crash as dust and pebbles flew in every direction. More curious than brave, Thomas warily ambled toward the man. Arriving close to the unconscious man, his mind blanked, all thought leaving. After standing next to the foreigner for an unknown amount of time, he suddenly snapped to. What am I doing? He was chasing me earlier. Who knows what he was going to do to me. Thomas started backing away, no longer curious about the man. Thomas made it back to the rock and slid down into a sitting position. Just realizing his situation, he frowned. Why are my pants wet? He thought back to when he was running for his life from the demon-like man and his gruesome smile. Did I really wet myself and pass out? Embarrassed and not just a little scared after remembering the face of the man as he was chasing him, Thomas pondered on the situation he had gotten himself into. Why didn¡¯t I stay with the group? Pa told me not to leave their sight. How long ago was that, two, three days? A rumble could be heard from below him. He looked down with a sad smile. I¡¯m starving, I¡¯ve never been this hungry before. This was the first time in days that Thomas could calm down and assess his situation. My pants are drenched, my shirt ruined, belly empty, and my mouth is so dry that I can¡¯t stand it. Thomas began sobbing to himself. What am I going to do? I¡¯m alone. Thomas looked at the pile of armor and hair lying face down across from him. Well, not alone I guess, but being with him may be worse than being by myself. I don¡¯t even know how I managed to stay alive for as long as I have. Thomas thought about how things had ended up the way they were. *** Thomas was traveling with his grandfather and some villagers from a neighboring village back to his own. He turned away from the group because he thought he saw a medicinal plant that his grandma had told him to always be on the lookout for. When he got to the plant, he realized that it was just a regular weed. He turned back around and walked back toward his group, only to find that they were already gone, or he had walked back in the wrong direction. He decided to go back to the plant, but while canvassing the area, he realized that there were weeds all around him that looked the same. He was gone for just a few minutes, but he had already gotten lost. He screamed as loud as he could for his grandpa, but after a couple of screams, he looked in the distances only to see a pair of scarlet red eyes staring back at him with terrible murderous intent. The scarlet eyes staring back at him were all it took for him to become dead silent. He slowly shrank away, body trembling, heart racing, before turning to flee for his life. As Thomas darted through the forest, crunching leaves and warping tree branches made way to his ears. The light pattering of whatever beast that thought to make Thomas its dinner drawing closer and closer, Thomas knew his end was near. He was out of stamina, his heart still racing, feeling like it was on the cusp of exploding. Thomas slowed, legs no longer able to keep the blistering pace through the forest. Then it hit him. I¡¯m dead. I can¡¯t keep running. I give up. It was clear he was a goner, no hope left for survival. Once accepting this, his heart calmed and his body stopped shivering. He had made peace that he was never to meet his family or friends again. They¡¯ll be better off without me anyway. One less mouth to feed this winter. His sprint became a jog. He turned his head back to take one more look at his future murderer. It was a wolf, a beautiful wolf, jet black fur glistening from whatever sunlight was able to hit it through the broken and diseased forest. Saliva flying from its gigantic maw as it crashed towards him through the forest. Its jaw could likely break bone with one bite, but if the strength of the jaw did not snap the bone, the razor-like teeth would have no problem stripping off his flesh. As these different ideas of how he was going to die flashed through his mind, he caught a vine with his foot and lost his balance. Thomas turned back to his front just in time to see that he was on the edge of a cliff-like hill and he would soon fall. Well, it may be better than getting eaten alive by a wolf at least. Hope reached him as maybe the fall would just snap his neck and it would all be over with. He fell, but the fall was nowhere near as long as he had imagined. He soon slammed into the slope of the hill and began his descent, tumbling end over end, barbs from the bushes ripping through his clothing, dirt and mud staining his hair and body. It felt like he had been falling for ages, getting glimpses of the sun every second or so as his body rolled. Then, after an unknown time, the tumbling ceased. Thomas stared up at the sky from the flat of his back, wondering how he was still alive. He rolled, body creaking and aching from the pain of the fall. After an unknown amount of time, he managed to push himself up enough to finally sit up. He stared at the top of the hill where he came from. To his utter horror, he could see the wolf glaring back at him. At least it didn¡¯t follow me down here. He shifted, righting himself up on both legs. After wobbling and stumbling a few times, he was able to stand straight, though never allowing his eyes to leave the top of the hill. Please, just leave. I¡¯m too much trouble for you, just leave, go find something else to kill. He silently prayed to himself over and over. Shocking him, the head staring over the valley slowly backed away. Finally, it completely disappeared. It left, I can¡¯t believe it. His prayers seemingly answered, he began patting his body up and down, assessing his condition. I think I¡¯m completely fine. A few cuts on my legs, and some places that will definitely show bruising soon, but I¡¯m OK. He did not know what was more insane, that he fell the entire way down the mountain-like hill and survived practically uninjured, or the wolf leaving him alone. Either way, Thomas did not plan to question it. He was alive. Alone, but alive. That said, he was still lost. He had no idea how far away from his grandpa and the rest of his group he had gone. Because of all the running and not paying attention to where he was going, he also did not know which way he should walk to try to meet back up with them. I don¡¯t really have much of a choice. It¡¯s not like I can climb back up the hill. Heck, I wouldn¡¯t climb up it even if I could, there¡¯s no telling if the wolf is waiting for me or not. Thomas looked around again. To his right was the hill he fell from, and to his left were the bushes and broken trees of the forest. In front and behind was surprisingly clear, only some stones here and there. Thomas decided to just follow the path forward, staying just within the tree line so he would not be out in the open. He crept forward, trying to make as little noise as possible. He moved along, hours passing. Eventually, night came and darkness overwhelmed his vision. He crawled under a big bush and tried to rest while it was dark, not wanting to venture out while he could not see. Sleep never came to the boy. All the night brought to him was creepy noises from the forest and an extremely cold chill. He could survive through the night, but because of how cold it had been and him having no proper shelter, he knew that he would not make it if he had to spend the night like that many more times. Desperate, the boy kept moving forward, hoping to find something, anything that may help him survive. He did not. He only found night again, freezing, unable to fall asleep and worrying that if he were to fall asleep, he would be unable to wake back up. The next morning, he moved faster, not caring about the noise he made. He trudged on, almost void of emotions, entering the state he had been in while being chased by the monstrous creature. Then he saw it. In the distance was a humanoid figure. Hopefully human. He mused. The blurry figure seemed to be wearing a thick black armor, his head tilted back, like he was focusing on the sky above. It¡¯s got to be a human, he¡¯s wearing armor, and he has hair growing from his head. And, he¡¯s big, that rules out a lot of other creatures. Overjoyed, Thomas crept closer to the figure. Trying to be silent, but too tired to care about making noise. He got closer, close enough to see the figure. It is a man, it has to be. The boy moved out of the bushes and towards the man. Finally, having some hope again. The man turned, glaring at Thomas. The boy stopped, appraising the man. Then, the man laughed, it was the evilest laugh Thomas had ever heard. Thomas felt it again, the same fear he felt when the wolf was staring at him. Demon, he¡¯s a demon! Thomas could not turn and run away fast enough. At least with the wolf, I would just die. If I get caught by a demon, he¡¯ll skin me and eat me slowly while I¡¯m still alive. All kinds of errant and rampant thought flashed through the boy¡¯s mind. He ran. Body bruised, tired, and hungry, Thomas ran faster than he ever had in his life. He heard the demon scream something in its devil tongue. He could not understand it, so he ran even faster. Why did he have to be so young, why did the Great System not allow humans to level until they were 13? Thomas would give anything if he was just born a year earlier. At least then he would have some levels and perhaps some extra stamina and agility. But he was only 12, and small for even a 12-year-old. And now he had a demon chasing him. The demon yelled again. Thomas turned, shocked that the demon was lumbering so close to him and not even running. No longer looking ahead, he tripped. I¡¯m dead. Thomas thought. He rolled over to see the demon towering over him. The demon let out a thundering laugh. It was all Thomas could handle after the last few days he¡¯d had. Darkness overcame him and he was out. *** Thomas came to, not believing all that had gone wrong over the last few days. He looked over at the unconscious body again, trying to decide what to do. Eventually, his decision was made for him. A screeching howl came from the forest. It was the same red eyes he had seen before. The boy knew that the wolf had finally caught up. Panic-stricken, the boy looked for a way out, a way to survive once again. His gaze landed on the strange man¡¯s body, specifically his armor. Without hesitation, he ran to the body and, with all he had in him, managed to roll the body over enough that he could hide underneath. With what vision he had left of his surroundings, he saw the wolf pounce. Chapter 5: Awake Chapter 5: Awake ¡°Ugh.¡± Derek groaned as a slight pressure hit his armor encased body. Still out of it, Derek was just beginning to awaken. It had never taken Derek so long to acclimate after waking. Everything was fuzzy in his head, and though he could make out some noise in the distance, he could not figure out what was actually happening because of his nonlucid state. ¡°Ugh, stop it, give me a few more minutes.¡± Derek finally managed to mumble. There was a tugging on his hand that he did not understand. ¡°Let go of me.¡± He shooed whoever was trying to pull him up from his bed, but the tugging continued, becoming even fiercer. ¡°I said stop!¡± This time, he slapped at the person messing with him, not coherent yet, he was unable to contain his strength. ¡®Awoo!¡¯ A loud cry broke through the foggy barrier of his mind. His eyes shot open. Derek shifted his head around, taking in everything that was going on. What the hell happened? He wondered. Shifting his gaze to the animal in front of him, he got excited. ¡°A puppy! Come here, boy,¡± Derek exclaimed after studying the snarling creature. Derek sat up, then furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He shifted his body over a little and noticed the little boy lying underneath him, shaking. ¡°It¡¯s not that cold yet. Why are you shivering? Did you use me as a blanket?¡± Derek asked, confused. ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t,¡± The boy said. It seemed to be the only thing the boy could say. Wait! I can understand him now. What the hell? Now Derek was really confused. He could not figure out how one minute the boy was speaking gibberish, then the next minute, he was speaking English. ¡°Boy! How are you speaking English now? Were you toying with me earlier?¡± Derek asked the boy. His memory was still fuzzy and all he could remember was that the boy was staring at him from across the fire. ¡°I uh, I don¡¯t, what¡¯s English?¡± The boy finally managed to say. Suddenly, the wolf pounced at Derek again. Derek let the wolf latch on to his bracer while still staring at the boy. ¡°English is what you¡¯re speaking, it¡¯s a language.¡± The boy looked incredulously at Derek, who was now rubbing the top of the wolf¡¯s head with his gloved hand. ¡°N-no, we¡¯re speaking the language of the Great System. It¡¯s pretty much the only language we use. Everyone has the Great System, so we don¡¯t really use other languages.¡± The boy explained to Derek. Still terrified of the beast, but even more so of the man that was treating it like a pet. Great System language? Derek still could not wrap his head around it. There¡¯s no universal language from the System. If you want to understand other languages, you have to spend an ungodly amount of time leveling up the Linguistics skill, and I certainly did not level up that skill. While Derek was thinking, the wolf charged his face. He quickly grabbed it from the bottom of its mouth. Noticing that the fangs on the right side of its face were missing, Derek asked, ¡°Aw, what happened to you? Was somebody mean to you?¡± Derek cooed quietly to the wolf. Seeing the wolf still tearing at the man¡¯s gloved hand, but the man treating it as if it was playing, Thomas got the courage to speak. ¡°I think you knocked its teeth out when you slapped it away while you were waking up.¡± ¡°Awe, I sowwy, did I hurt it?¡± Now, Derek was baby-talking the monstrous beast. Thomas could not believe what he was seeing. Is this man OK? Is he crazy? What have I gotten myself into? He just could not take his eyes off the strange scene. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s this Great System language?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It¡¯s the language of the Great System.¡± Thomas answered back as if it was the most common knowledge a person could know, and it was. He was beginning to feel like this man was as much an idiot as he was crazy. ¡°No shit, asshole. I¡¯m asking what it IS, why is there a system language.¡± The way the kid was looking at Derek did not escape him, even though all his focus was currently directed toward the wolf. Seeing the man¡¯s attitude shift to being annoyed, Thomas stammered, ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. The language of the Great System has been here for as long as the Great System has been. And nobody knows how long that is. I mean, I¡¯ve heard my grandma say something about ancient languages, and there supposedly being a time before the Great System, but that¡¯s just fairy tales and myths that every kid hears when they are little.¡± Derek did not expect much coming from a ten-year-old boy, but was actually surprised. The boy seemed to be much more mature than he looked. This was much more information than the ¡®I dunno¡¯ that he was expecting. ¡°So, the system comes with its own language then,¡± Derek muttered. I wonder what else is different from the system on Earth. Derek was already shocked that there was a place with a different system than the one he was used to. He was thinking about different questions he had, and whether or not the little boy would be able to answer them. ¡°Hey, kid. What level are you anyway, why are you so scared of this little guy, he can¡¯t be too high of a level?¡± Something that he did not understand was how the kid, even as young as he seemed, was not able to be a high enough level to take on the wolf. The way it sounds, this planet has had a system for centuries. It took me and many others only a couple of years with our system to be able to beat a monster like this. Hell, we had ten-year-olds that could kill this wolf in one punch. ¡°Level? I¡¯m level zero. I¡¯m not old enough to properly use the Great System yet. I¡¯m a few months away from being 13. Even then, leveling isn¡¯t exactly easy, you know?¡± Thomas was confused by the questions the man was asking. He¡¯s much older than me. Maybe he lost his memory. Thomas stared at the man. Maybe he¡¯s always been by himself. He doesn¡¯t seem to even have the manners of someone from my village. ¡°Oh, so you can¡¯t be indoctrinated into the system until your thirteenth birthday then?¡± Derek was starting to get interested in these new system rules. ¡°Yes, 13 is the age at which the Great System will accept a person,¡± Thomas said. ¡°So, when you turn 13 the system just says what? ¡®Congratulations, you survived 13 years without becoming monster chow, have some levels.''¡± Derek couldn¡¯t really understand why this new system would not allow people to be able to defend themselves for a whole 13 years when the system he was from allowed everyone full access as soon as they could understand how to use the interface. ¡°Not exactly. When you turn 13, you are given the chance to use the Great System. There are many who never unlock the ability to level and get powerful.¡± Derek¡¯s lack of basic knowledge made Thomas feel like he was teaching a student. ¡°Oh? How does someone access the system then?¡± Derek looked at the boy in a bit of a panic. Does this mean that I will be one of those who are unable to use this system? His thoughts were drifting to the worst possible scenarios. ¡°Well, everyone can pull up the interface of the Great System by just thinking ¡®Status.¡¯ So everyone can at least check their stats and ailments. But in order to be able to go past that, the requirements are both easy and difficult.¡± Thomas said, trying to think of the simplest way to explain the process to Derek. Hearing the kid say that, Derek went ahead and thought, ¡®Status,¡¯ like he had done thousands of times before. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 0 Experience N/A Class N/A Race Human (Modified) Health 4000 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 400 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 0 Skills No Skill Learned Skill Points Remaining 0 Awards No Awards Achieved ¡°What!¡± Derek was looking over his stat sheet and had to do a double-take. ¡°How the holy fuck am I 29 years old! Is this a fuckin¡¯ joke to you? I was in there for decades if not centuries. How the fuck are you going to say that I was only in there for two years. You fucking shitty ass motherfucking piece of shit!¡± Derek lost it when he saw that this new system had only shown that he was 29 years old, meaning that he had only aged two years while he was trapped in the void. Thomas was staring at Derek with his jaw on the ground. He had seen people have outbursts before, but this was on a whole new level. The crazy man is¡­ getting crazier. The unexpected outburst that came out of nowhere cemented Thomas¡¯s opinion of Derek being absolutely insane. After a lengthy amount of time went by, Derek finally calmed down. Think rationally, how could I have only aged two years? Was I only in there for two years, was I just hallucinating for the majority of the time I spent there? No, that¡¯s not it. Maybe time flows differently in the void. That¡¯s the only thing that makes sense. But still, even if it¡¯s like that, I still would have aged, right? Ahh! I¡¯m going to go crazy thinking about this. Let¡¯s just put it on the back burner and circle to it later. Derek looked over his ¡®Status¡¯ again just to see what had changed. No level yet. That¡¯s to be expected, it is a new system. I wonder what ¡®Modified¡¯ means. Maybe it¡¯s taking into account how my body was changed by the old system. At least I know now that the system really affected me on a physical level. If not, I would have lost my stats along with the system. Derek frowned while going over everything. Thomas was speechless. He had never seen so many emotional changes in such a short amount of time. First, the man was screaming mad, but all of a sudden, he calmed down and put on a thoughtful look. Then, his eyes would furrow and he would frown, which shortly changed to him nodding his head. Then he smiled, grimaced, then smiled again all within 30 seconds. It seems he¡¯s checking his ¡®Status,¡¯ but what could his status have in it to make him show so many emotions. Thomas couldn¡¯t wrap his head around what he was seeing. Derek studied his ¡®Stats¡¯ for a period of time. It seems like my base stats are my overall stats, including my Titles, other than ¡®Solo King.¡¯ It makes sense since I¡¯m with the kid right now. Derek suddenly had a thought. ¡°Hey kid, stay right there and don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡­¡± Thomas started, but Derek was already kicking up dust, wolf cradled in his arms. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Thomas yelled, but he could only see Derek¡¯s back getting smaller and smaller in the distance. So fast. After running a few kilometers away, Derek checked his ¡®Status¡¯ again. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 0 Experience N/A Class N/A Race Human (Modified) Health 4000 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 400 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 0 Skills No Skill Learned Skill Points Remaining 0 Awards No Awards Achieved Fuck! It¡¯s the same. He had expected that once he put some distance between the boy and himself, his ¡®Solo King¡¯ title would kick in and all of his stats would rise by 15%. This was not the case. Dammit! So this means that I actually don¡¯t have the titles anymore, and whatever buffs I had when I went unconscious became my permanent base stats. Still, for base stats, that¡¯s gotta be good. Derek turned back to head to camp. He still had many questions to ask the boy. Like what his name is. Haha. Chapter 6: Unlocking the System Chapter 6: Unlocking the System Thomas was still staring in awe at how abrupt the man¡¯s departure was. Eventually, he could see the man walking back towards camp, wolf in hand. He looks a little mad. After getting a good look at the man, Thomas noticed that he was wearing a slight frown and was not nearly as enthusiastic as he was before. The man returned to camp and sat a few feet away from Thomas, not taking his eyes off of him. What did I do? Thomas was getting nervous. The man was at least talking to him before he left. Now he just glared. Finally, the man broke his silence. ¡°Kid, what¡¯s your name?¡± Thomas released a breath he had not known he was holding and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s Thomas.¡± Thomas was relieved to see that the man¡¯s sullen expression was lessening. ¡°Alright Tommy, I¡¯m Derek.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Thomas, not Tommy.¡± Thomas muttered, seemingly upset that Derek was calling him Tommy. ¡°That¡¯s what I said. Anyway, Tommy, you were talking about the requirements that a person has to meet to unlock the use of the system.¡± Derek didn¡¯t care if Thomas didn¡¯t like being called Tommy. You lost me 15% of my stats, I¡¯ll call you whatever I want. He was still pissed that his ¡®Solo King¡¯ title had not been activated at the time that the new system had taken over. ¡°It¡¯s Thomas.¡± The boy quipped, but seeing the deadpan stare he received back, he knew that arguing with Derek was a lost cause. ¡°Fine, you¡¯ve clearly already checked your status and were able to see your level and relevant stats, correct?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Derek answered, still looking expectantly at Thomas. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what level you are, but those that have not unlocked the ability to use the Great System are all level 0.¡± Thomas did not really feel like explaining this. Clearly he has already unlocked the Great System and is a relatively high level. Thomas could not help but think of how easily he had been handling the ferocious wolf. Derek did not say anything in return. He just continued staring at the boy. ¡°Anyway, like I said, it is both easy and hard to unlock the Great System, depending on who you are.¡± Thomas began lecturing Derek. ¡°In order to unlock the Great System, you have to kill something, it can be anything, as long as it is above level 0. Also, you must be the only person to inflict damage.¡± ¡°Nobles have it easy when it comes to unlocking the Great System. They will have their guards go out and capture a beast. Then they will cage it or tie it up so the noble can get the kill without chance of injury.¡± As Thomas said this, Derek noticed the loathing in Thomas¡¯s voice every time he said the word ¡®noble.¡¯ Thomas continued. ¡°There are many adult level 0s. This is because not all people have the courage or ability to hunt a monster by themselves. There is no one that is going to provide them with the same treatment as a noble. That is, unless there is a strong person in their family willing to risk it.¡± Thomas got excited as he continued. ¡°My grandpa said he would find a monster that¡¯s level ten for me to kill to unlock the Great System. That will allow me to get awarded a skill point before I choose a class. Then¡­¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Derek cut him off. ¡°What do you mean ¡®get awarded a skill point?¡¯¡± Derek had seen the ¡®Awards¡¯ row when studying his stat sheet and was curious. ¡°Oh, if you kill an enemy ten levels above your own, you get a kill award called ¡®Lesser Giant Slayer¡¯ that grants you a free skill point. There¡¯s one for killing an enemy 25 levels above your own too, that¡¯s the ones that the higher nobles try to get. I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s one for 50 levels, but it¡¯s just hearsay, I¡¯ve never heard of anyone actually doing it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Derek was excited to try this out. So, the only reason I haven¡¯t unlocked the system is because I haven¡¯t killed anything yet. The ¡®Awards¡¯ seem to be like ¡®Titles,¡¯ but they give skill points instead of bonuses, or maybe just this award gives skill points. Thoughts were racing through Derek¡¯s head. ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Derek said. "Can other things besides skill points be awarded?" ¡°Of course. Though, I don¡¯t know specifically. I think if you kill enough monsters at or above your own level, you can get awarded a bonus to Endurance even.¡± Thomas was excited to talk about the ¡®Award¡¯ system. Derek became quiet, deep in thought. So, ¡®Awards¡¯ are like ¡®Titles¡¯ but with more diversity. I wonder¡­ A dagger suddenly appeared in Derek¡¯s hand and he jabbed it into the wolf¡¯s neck. The wolf let out an agonizing scream before going silent. Thomas jumped up and backed away, falling over a log along the way. ¡°What!¡± Thomas¡¯s mind was racing, not understanding what just happened or why. ¡°Why did you kill it? You were playing with it.¡± He found himself unknowingly standing up for the beast that had been trying to kill him for days. Derek looked at Thomas like he was an idiot. ¡°Kid, I thought you were smart for your age. Turns out you¡¯re still na?ve.¡± He shook his head and continued. ¡°Do you have a Beast Master class, or a Tamer class, or any class with a taming skill? Because I sure as hell don¡¯t. This little guy was still trying its hardest to rip me apart. What do you think would have happened if I would have let it go?¡± Thomas realized that he had been defending a monster. His face turned red in embarrassment, but he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Then why were you treating it so nice earlier? I thought you were going to tame it.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just been a long time since I¡¯ve seen any kind of animal, much less a dog-like one. I was messing around with it, gauging its strength, and it was fun playing for a bit, but I never planned on letting it go.¡± He smiled at the boy. ¡°Now, hold on and give me a second.¡± Derek noticed that there were now notifications in his vision. He thought about them and they popped up. Congratulations! You have unlocked the Great System! Level Increased to 1 The first notification that greeted him was a basic message introducing the system. You have killed level 53 Forest Wolf. 347 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up 105/139 Experience to Next Level From the one kill, Derek leveled up twice, increasing his level to 3. He checked his next notification. You have earned 20 Stat Points. Current Stat Points 30 Derek guessed that he got an automatic 10 Stat Ponts for reaching level 1. It¡¯ll be nice getting Stat Points from Level 1 again. Derek went to the next message. Congratulations! You have slain a creature 10 levels above your own. Congratulations! You have slain a creature 25 levels above your own. Congratulations! You have slain a creature 50 levels above your own. Award ¡®Giant Slayer¡¯ Unlocked 3 Skill Points Received Derek was excited to see what he could use these ¡®Skill Points¡¯ on, but he noticed that there were still more notifications that remained unopened. Invading system contained¡­ Eliminating invading system¡­ Failure to eliminate threat¡­ Suppressing threat¡­ Threat Successfully Suppressed Oh shit. So it wasn¡¯t able to completely eliminate the other system. I wonder what would have happened to me if it would have? Derek was glad that the other system was still there but dormant. He feared that he would have lost all of his stats if it was completely erased. He decided that it¡¯s better not to dwell on it and decided to check his ¡®Status.¡¯ Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 3 Experience 105/139 Class N/A Race Human (Modified) Health 4000 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 400 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 30 Skills No Skill Learned Skill Points Remaining 3 Awards Giant Slayer Derek focused on ¡®Giant Slayer¡¯ and a new window appeared. Giant Slayer: Awarded for slaying a creature 50 or more levels higher than your own. 1 Skill Point awarded for each increase in tier ¡°Hey, kid. What¡¯s the name of the award for killing something 25 levels above you? You said that it was called ¡®Lesser¡¯ for 10 levels, right?¡± Derek asked Thomas, hoping to understand tiers better. ¡°I think they call it ¡®Minor Giant Slayer.¡¯¡± Thomas answered his question. So, there¡¯s a lesser and minor, I got the award with no modifier, I¡¯m guessing the others are greater and major, that¡¯s all that makes sense. There may be more, or it could only go up to tier three. Derek pondered over the ¡®Award¡¯ system. Derek had noticed that his new ¡®Status¡¯ sheet had added tabs for Experience, Skill Points, and Stat Points. I don¡¯t really know much about this system, so I¡¯ll save the Stat Points for now. I need to see what the kid knows about Skill Points. In my old system, you just purchased skills from the System Shop, then leveled them by using them. Derek was going to ask Thomas about skills when he heard a growl come from the kid. ¡°You hungry?¡± Derek asked. He said he¡¯s been out here for days, I doubt he¡¯s had much to eat or drink. ¡°Starving!¡± Thomas was ecstatic at the question. He was starving two days ago, he doubted there was a word for what he was now. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll throw the wolf on the fire and let it cook while we chat. Prolly won¡¯t taste great, but it¡¯s food.¡± Derek took his dagger, sliding it up the belly of the deceased wolf, careful not to puncture any of the organs and taint the meat. After, he pulled the innards out and put them in a pile. Soon, the wolf had been cleaned and he was making a spit that could be used to roast it over the campfire. Derek moved his hands, and a bottle appeared. He cleaned his mouth with the liquid inside. Noticing the boy staring at the bottle, he tossed it to him. ¡°Drink,¡± He said. Not holding back, the boy turned the container up and drank, not stopping until there was nothing left. Realizing that he had drunk all the water, he looked up sheepishly, preparing to be scolded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I got more if I need, but you probably shouldn¡¯t drink so much at once like that, you¡¯ll get sick.¡± Derek held his hand out and received the empty bottle. ¡°Now, while the meat¡¯s cooking, tell me what you know about Skill Points. Skill Points. Thomas thought to himself. ¡°Skill Points are used to buy skills from the Great System. One Skill Point can buy one skill, though I¡¯ve heard that some skills require more points. When you¡¯re looking at your Status, concentrate on the points to see what skills you can buy.¡± Thomas stopped talking, thinking about skills. ¡°Some ¡®Awards¡¯ give points, and you usually get five points every time you upgrade your class. Five points for getting your class at level 10, five for your level 25 upgrade, and five for your upgrade at level 50, other than that, I¡¯m not sure.¡± He tilted his head up trying to remember more of what his grandparents had told him. ¡°Oh, there are two types of skills you can get. General Skills and Class Skills.¡± ¡°What are General Skills?¡± Derek asked. ¡°General Skills are skills that can be learned by all classes. Skills like Meditation and Identify are General Skills.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Meditation.¡± Derek muttered. It¡¯s probably one of, if not, the most useful skills I used to have. I¡¯ll test out this new system by spending one of my points on it, no matter what, it should be useful as long as it¡¯s anywhere near as good as the other. Derek opened his ¡®Status.¡¯ Chapter 7: Skills Chapter 7: Skills Derek viewed his status sheet. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 3 Experience 105/139 Class N/A Race Human (Modified) Health 4000 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 400 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 30 Skills No Skill Learned Skill Points Remaining 3 Awards Giant Slayer Derek opened his ¡®Status¡¯ page and scrolled down to Skills. After focusing on his Skill Points, a new window opened. Current Skill Points Available to Spent: 3 Class Skills N/A General Skills Alchemy Armorer Barter Blacksmith Carpentry Cooking ¡­ Identify Intimidation ¡­ Meditation Merchant Mining ¡­ Weapons Mastery Weapon Smithing Weaving Woodworking No class yet, so no class skills makes sense. Derek pondered. That¡¯s a lot of General Skills. Derek looked through the dozens of skills encompassing the General Skills list. Looks like all the Crafting Skills fall under General Skills too. Never was one for crafting, but it might make sense to get a Blacksmithing skill to repair my gear later. Anyway, Identify. Derek focused on the Identify skill and a new window popped up. Identify The ability to appraise objects and entities. The higher the level of the Identify skill, the better the appraisal. Cost: 1 Skill Point Would You Like to Learn Identify? No. Derek thought. Seems about right for the Identify skill. Slightly different description than I¡¯m used to, but it all amounts to the same thing. Now for Meditation. Derek exited the Identify tab and focused on Meditation. Meditation The ability to clear your mind and obtain an emotionless state. Increases recovery of Health, Mana, and Stamina while in this state. Recovery rate increases as Meditation skill increases in level. Cost: 1 Skill Point Would You Like to Learn Meditation? Same old Meditation. Derek thought about leaning Meditation. He had another look at the other skills available. Well, no time like the present. He pulled Meditation back up, focused on the question, and thought. Yes. A small amount of energy flowed within Derek, leading towards his mind. The energy settled and he knew the skill. I already know the skill though. Derek couldn¡¯t help but think, as nothing really changed much once the energy settled. He went over the new notifications he had received. Meditation Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 2 Derek closed all tabs and decided to focus on meditating. Suddenly, a pain shot through his head, like the previous pains before. A new window forced its way into Derek¡¯s vision. Dormant skill similar to Meditation found¡­ Merging skills¡­ Skills successfully merged¡­ The pain went away and Derek opened a new notification. Congratulations Meditation skill has reached level 20 Meditation ready for upgrade Spend 1 Skill Point for Upgrade? WHAT! Derek was both flabbergasted and jubilant. So I never lost my skills, they just went dormant with the system. Immediately after seeing the upgrade, Derek agreed. Meditation Upgraded New Skill: Greater Meditation Derek focused on Greater Meditation. Greater Meditation The ability to clear your mind and obtain an emotionless state. Increases recovery of Health, Mana, and Stamina while in this state. Recovery rate increases as Greater Meditation skill increases in level. Greater Meditation allows the individual to enter a meditative state while moving. Moving recovery rate is increased as the skill level increases. Skill Points Remaining: 1 Holy Shit! Does this mean that I¡¯ll be able to fight while meditating? First, Derek entered a meditative state while sitting. Through this, he noticed that he was able to keep his awareness. Before, he was only able to subtly sense what was going on around, but now, he did not even have to close his eyes. This is already better than I could have imagined. Derek stood and slowed his breathing, activating Greater Meditation. He began to move around and noticed that the faster he moved, the harder it was to keep in a meditative state. So, it¡¯s not viable for combat yet, but I can still use it to travel while not running out of Stamina. Who knows, as I level it, it may become second nature while fighting. Despite the skill not being perfect, Derek was still beyond happy. Thomas had been sitting close to Derek watching his shenanigans with a confused look. No matter how I look at it, this guy is super weird. One minute he is asking basic questions, the next minute he''s doing a little jig with a scary smile on his face. Thomas did not know what to think. Eventually, he worked up some courage and asked, ¡°Derek, you OK?¡± Derek stopped moving and looked toward Thomas, just now realizing what he must have looked like to Thomas. ¡°Ah, yeah, just getting a little exercise, you know. Stretching and stuff, we¡¯ve been sitting for a bit, so I needed to move around.¡± Derek made an awful excuse before going back and sitting down. He stretched out his hand and checked the roasting wolf. ¡°Still needs a bit before it''s ready.¡± He said to Thomas, changing the subject. While Derek was talking, he was still wondering about all of his dormant skills. I wonder if there will be a Glaive Mastery skill. Derek had noticed that there were Heavy Weapons Mastery and Weapons Mastery skills in the General Skills tab, but no skill specific to a single type of weapon. I bet that Heavy Weapons Mastery would merge with my old Heavy Weapon skill if I bought it. Derek looked at his one remaining Skill Point and realized he had a decision to make. I really want Identify though. It¡¯s just so useful, especially in a new place. Not to mention that Heavy Weapon was so hard to level that I only ever got to level 5. If this wolf was any indication, it¡¯s not like I really need any extra combat ability for now. Derek made his choice and went with Identify. Would You Like to Learn Identify? Yes, learn. The same energy went through Derek and into his mind. Identify Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 0 There goes my last Skill Point. Derek lamented. Then, he summoned his glaive out of his bracelet and used Identify. Before the stats of his glaive were able to come up, the pain in his head struck again. Dormant skill similar to Identify found¡­ Merging skills¡­ Skills successfully merged¡­ Congratulations Identify skill has reached level 8 Same level as it was before. Makes sense as I was not able to identify anything new the entire time I was stuck in the void. Derek used his newly updated Identify skill on his glaive. Black-Steel Glaive (Glaivey) Attack: Durability: 140 225/250 The Black-Steel Glaive was custom made by a Weapon Smith of at least Intermediate skill. The Smith was able to draw out much of the Black-Steel¡¯s dormant power to allow for an increased Durability. Damn right! I paid a pretty penny for Glaivey. Derek was rubbing the blade of the glaive with a menacing grin. Thomas, on the other hand, was staring at the glaive in shock. He had seen Derek pull a dagger and some water out of nowhere before, but the polearm was the most amazing weapon he had ever seen before. It was solid black from end to end, made seemingly out of the same material through and through. An intricate pattern was woven at both ends, leaving the middle perfect for gripping. The blade was long, longer than any polearm blade he had seen. It was as if a scimitar was stuck on the end of a spear. There were two black strips of cloth on the non-bladed end of the staff, flowing in the wind. Derek noticed Thomas with his chin on the ground, staring at his weapon. ¡°What do you think, kid? You like Glaivey? We¡¯ve been through a lot together.¡± Hearing Derek speak broke Thomas out of his trance. ¡°Glaivey? What kind of weapon is that? I¡¯ve never seen a polearm like it before.¡± Truth be told, Thomas had not seen many polearms before, only the mass produced ones that some soldiers he had seen carried with them. ¡°And how do you keep pulling things out of thin air? Do you have a legendary storage ring?¡± This question had been on Thomas¡¯s mind for a long time now. First, he thought he was seeing things, then Derek had pulled out the container of water out of nowhere. ¡°This, this is a glaive. It was always my favorite weapon type growing up, so when I was able, I made sure to get one, then, I eventually had Glaivey here custom made for me.¡± Derek rubbed his hand down the staff of the blade. ¡°As for the storage ring.¡± Derek pointed to his bracelet. ¡°I don¡¯t have one, but this is a spacial bracelet. It has a separate space inside that can be used to store things.¡± Derek¡¯s two most prized possessions were his bracelet and his glaive. ¡°Spacial bracelet, I¡¯ve only ever heard of the storage rings that high class nobles have.¡± Thomas could not help but wonder what kind of background the man in front of him had. I hope I didn¡¯t offend him when I was talking about nobles earlier. Thomas was acting strange again, so Derek checked on the meat to ease the situation. ¡°It¡¯s done enough to eat now.¡± Derek put his glaive back into storage and withdrew a dagger. He heated the dagger over the fire to clean it better. Don¡¯t want the kid getting dysentery. He shook his hand and two plates appeared. Cutting some of the meat off of the wolf, he put it on one of the plates and handed it to the boy. ¡°Eat.¡± Derek said. Thomas looked at the plate strangely wondering why Derek would keep something like that in a priceless storage item. Maybe he is a noble. Thomas thought that some of the weird things he had seen Derek do could be because he was raised as a noble. He decided he would ask while his guard was down and he was eating. ¡°Hey, Derek¡­ uh, Sir. Are you a noble?¡± Thomas finally stammered out. Derek gave Thomas an incredulous look then burst out laughing. ¡°Kid, what about me says noble? And call me Sir again and you¡¯ll take the place of the wolf next.¡± Derek playfully threatened. Thomas¡¯s eyes went wide as they shot toward the wolf hanging over the fire. ¡°No¡­ I...uhh¡­¡± ¡°Stop. I was kidding kid. Learn to take a joke.¡± Derek said with a grin. Thomas calmed down and thought. What joke? How am I supposed to know if you¡¯ll kill me or not. You were just playing with the wolf then¡­ snap. How do I know if that will be me next? ¡°It¡¯s just, you have a storage item, which only nobles are supposed to have. And you have custom made weapons and armor. It all points to you being a noble.¡± ¡°Oh, is that all? I worked hard as hell to get these. I¡¯m no noble, and I¡¯m not going to kill you like I killed the wolf.¡± Derek could tell that Thomas was thinking about what happened to the wolf, and wanted to reassure him that he was safe. Unfortunately, that had the opposite effect on Thomas. Oh no, he has mind reading abilities. I¡¯m done for, I was calling him crazy earlier. ¡°Kid, eat. Your food¡¯s getting cold. And stop thinking about stupid things. You¡¯re just making yourself worry about nothing.¡± Derek was in a good mood after finding out that he had not lost his skills, but the boy was beginning to irritate him. As the sun began to set, Thomas could finally fill his belly. After eating, a wave of exhaustion fell over him. It was like all the trauma and excitement came crashing into him all at once. Derek was able to see that the kid was about out of it. ¡°Kid, get some sleep. We got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.¡± Chapter 8: A Close Shave Chapter 8: A Close Shave Derek watched as Thomas¡¯s head fell and his breathing went lax. That didn¡¯t take long. Derek summoned a sleeping bag from his bracelet and placed it on the ground close to the fire. He then picked Thomas up and carefully put him in the sleeping bag and zipped it up. That¡¯s better. After getting Thomas settled, Derek began to think about what he needed to do. I don¡¯t really have a plan. There aren¡¯t any Invaders I need to fight or any goals I need to work towards. I guess I just need to level and learn more about this world. First, I should see to it that the kid gets home safe. It¡¯s the least I can do. Derek put a few more logs on the fire to keep it burning through the night. Then he sat close to Thomas and went deep into meditation. With the level of the skill, Greater Meditation was much more refreshing than sleeping. Time passed as the two rested through the night. Only the crackling of the fire could be heard coming from the camp. Eventually, the sun broke over the horizon. A new day had begun. Derek had been deep in meditation, but with his new upgrade, he could still maintain awareness of his surroundings. He had heard some rustling through the night, but the noise never grew any louder, so he never confronted whatever it was. Derek opened his eyes to look at the remains of the fire. He had not fed it all night, and there was not much left other than hot coals. As the fire dimmed, the rustling had gotten louder, with the fire now out, Derek knew that whatever creature was in the forest would no longer stay back. Derek closed his eyes and concentrated on his hearing. I really can¡¯t tell if my old Enhanced Perception skill is working or not. I¡¯ve never been able to test it since unlocking it during my time in the void. Maybe I need to find some type of perception based skill in this system. Though, my perception has always been good, so it¡¯s really not a priority. Derek listened as the rustling stopped and lumbering footsteps started approaching. He opened his eyes and saw that Thomas was stirring awake. ¡°Hey kid,¡± Derek said. ¡°You sleep well? You were really out of it last night.¡± Thomas¡¯s eyes were open and he sat up, just noticing that he was in a sleeping bag. His mouth moved as he was about to answer, but his eyes widened and he was unable to get anything to come out. Derek grinned as he knew that Thomas had seen whatever creature was ¡°stalking¡± them. He finally turned to see a giant bear creeping towards them, about 25 meters away. Something was off about the bear, as it looked sickly. Derek decided to test his Identify skill on the bear and see if the bear was close enough to be identified. Dark Bear(Diseased) Level 48 A Dark Bear native to the forest. A disease has set in, and it is slowly converting into an undying species. Ew. So something is fucking with the forest and causing disease to everything in it. Derek summoned his glaive, stood up, and began walking towards the bear. Being provoked by Derek, the Dark Bear roared and began its charge. Derek moved faster, getting within reach of the bear. The bear swung its clawed paw at Derek¡¯s armored chest. Ducking under the swing to avoid getting a scratch on his armor, Derek moved behind the bear. Without looking, Derek swung his glaive in an upward arc, feeling it bite into something, then release. He turned to look at his work. The head of the Dark Bear landed before its body even had a chance to fall. If this thing is going to turn into a zombie soon, you gotta go for the head. Derek walked over to the motionless head and ran his glaive through its brain. ¡°Double-tap bitches.¡± Derek said, remembering some of his favorite movies back on Earth. Derek viewed the notifications he received after beheading the bear. You have killed level 48 Dark Bear(Diseased) 277 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up 90/169 Experience to Next Level Derek was now a level 5, 79 experience away from level 6. Derek unsummoned his glaive and walked back over and sat by Thomas. ¡°Hey, Tommy. What¡¯s the deal with this forest? That bear was diseased, and my skill said that it was in the process of turning into an undying creature.¡± Thomas was shocked. He had heard people talking about the strange things happening to the forest, but never thought it was affecting the monsters too. ¡°You said that it was changing to undying? That¡¯s bad, real bad.¡± Thomas clenched his fists. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then none of the villages by the forest are safe.¡± Thomas was thinking about his own village. It was not too close to the forest, but it was not far enough away to be unaffected. And his friends from the other villages would be doomed. ¡°Ok, but how has it gotten this bad without anyone knowing what was going on? Surely the forest didn¡¯t die overnight.¡± Derek could not understand how the villages could let this happen without investigating the problem. ¡°It¡¯s not that nobody noticed. The forest has been getting bad slowly since before I was born. Years ago, Torith sent some high level adventurers to investigate, but they didn¡¯t find anything. They just said that it seemed like the forest was dying naturally and would eventually completely die off¡± Thomas answered. ¡°Torith?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Torith is the name of the city closest to the forest and villages. If we absolutely need to go into a city, Torith is where we go. It is still so far away that it takes months of travel just to get there and back. I¡¯ve never been there, but my grandpa went there with my father when he was young.¡± Thomas stopped talking for a moment, thinking about what his grandpa had told him. ¡°Also, the city is named after the lord and his family. Rydan Torith is the current city lord.¡± Sounds like some adventurers didn¡¯t take this job very seriously. ¡°If all the creatures turn undying, how will it affect the city?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It will affect all of the villages anywhere near the forest. Those people will probably journey to the city to look for help. There already isn¡¯t enough room in the city, so with all the people moving there, it should get worse.¡± Thomas said. ¡°It will probably be bad on the city lord¡¯s reputation if others find out what happened to a forest in his domain. He wouldn¡¯t care about the starving people in the city, but a hit to his reputation would anger him.¡± ¡°Do you know of how something like this happens?¡± Derek asked Thomas. ¡°I don¡¯t. You¡¯ll have to ask my grandpa or an elder from another village, they may know.¡± Thomas was not sure of a cause. He had only heard stories of undying creatures before, never thinking that he may have to experience it firsthand. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t do anything right now anyway, no use in worrying about it.¡± Derek put the undying creature out of his mind for now. ¡°We¡¯ll leave soon to look for a village, then we can get you home. But first.¡± Derek pulled a mirror out from his spacial bracelet. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Derek could not help to shout at the figure staring back at him through the mirror. ¡°How are you even talking to me when I look like this? Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± He was a mess, literally. His hair went everywhere and his beard looked like a birds nest. He was still surprised that there were not any grey streaks in his hair though. Derek looked at the kid. ¡°First things first.¡± Derek summoned a small black device with an odd blade on the end. He used Identify to make sure it still worked. Mana Clippers Attack Durability 5 120/125 An unknown magical weapon made by an unknown blacksmith. Costs 5 mana per minute to use ¡°Kid, you got mana right?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yeah, I have the base 10 wisdom that gives everyone 100 mana. Why, what is that?¡± Thomas replied. ¡°This is a magic weapon, it costs 5 mana per minute to use. You can use magic weapons as a level 0 right?¡± Derek answered and asked another question. ¡°Yeah, it should be no problem.¡± Thomas was confused again. It seems like I¡¯ve spent more time being confused with this man that I have the entire rest of my life. ¡°Good, catch.¡± Derek threw the Mana Clippers over to Thomas. ¡°Now channel your mana into the weapon.¡± Thomas did as told and the blade on the end started glowing blue and vibrating. Is he giving me this magic weapon to defend myself? Magic weapons cost so much, even the basic ones. Thomas could not help getting excited. He was holding a magic weapon, his grandparents had never even held a magic weapon before. ¡°Now, think about the guard on the back of the blade leaving about 8 millimeters.¡± Derek gave Thomas instructions. Thomas focused on what Derek said and to his surprise, the odd attachment on the blade moved forward, covering the blade. ¡°Good, now come stand behind me.¡± Derek commanded. Thomas did as told again. ¡°Alright, now, run the clippers through my hair and give me a haircut.¡± Derek finally told Thomas what he was doing. Thomas stumbled, almost falling. ¡°You said haircut?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes, those are hair clippers, I never leave home without them. Now, get cutting, move from front to back until my hair is all the same length.¡± Derek said. Thomas gave in. All that excitement and expectation, and now I¡¯m just a glorified hairdresser. Thomas did not know whether he should laugh or cry. He ran the clippers through Derek¡¯s hair and the hair fell off smoothly, leaving all that remained the same length. Although he thought doing this was rather demeaning, especially after the buildup, Thomas could not help but be fascinated at how the magical weapon worked. He was entranced seeing the guarded blade glide through the man¡¯s unkempt hair and leaving only a small but perfectly even amount of coal black hair on the man¡¯s head. Thomas did not know how long had passed, but when next he looked down, he was finished. The man¡¯s hair was all 8 millimeters long. ¡°Good, now give me the clippers back.¡± Derek demanded. Thomas reluctantly handed the magic weapon back to Derek. How amazing was that? That is so much easier than using a blade to cut hair. What else does this man have in that storage device? Thomas wondered. Derek reactivated the clippers and handed Thomas the mirror. ¡°Here, hold this in front of me and be still.¡± He said. Thomas accepted the mirror and did as asked. Can¡¯t trust the kid not to fuck up my beard, I got to do this myself. Derek took the clippers and cut his beard off, leaving a small amount covering his face. Then he changed the guard length and cut at it some more. I love having high Dexterity. Derek mused. Soon after, his face was shaven and only a stylish beard remained, Derek never being one for a mustache. ¡°Alright kid, good job. Give me the mirror back.¡± Thomas was spaced out, not hearing Derek. He was staring at a completely different person sitting in front of him. He just realized that Derek was young. He¡¯s not even as old as my father would have been. Derek repeated himself and Thomas broke out of his trance. ¡°Yes, here.¡± He stammered as he passed the mirror back to Derek. ¡°Thanks. Now I just need to find a river for a bath, then we can get you home.¡± Derek put everything back into his spacial bracelet, sleeping bag included. "Come on, let''s go." Chapter 9: Through the Forest Chapter 9: Through the Forest Thomas stood up beside Derek, ready to finally be able to go home. He missed his village and couldn¡¯t imagine how distraught his grandma would be after learning of his disappearance. Derek began walking and he followed. Derek stopped. ¡°Uh, kid¡­ Which way to your village?¡± Derek just realized that he had no clue as to where they were going. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think that way goes deeper into the forest though.¡± Thomas pointed to the side of the clearing with the diseased trees and bushes. ¡°The wolf chased me off of the top of a hill, then I walked down this clearing for a long time before I saw you.¡± Thomas motioned to the hill side as he spoke. ¡°Alright, so up the hill we go.¡± Derek said. Thomas looked at the hill. It¡¯s more like a cliff, we can¡¯t climb it. ¡°Are we going to look for a way around? Or try to find a spot that isn¡¯t as steep?¡± Thomas questioned. Suddenly, Thomas heard Derek shout, ¡°Yoink!¡± Then he was in the air. He looked down, only to see the ground getting further and further away. He¡¯s actually climbing the hill. This ride was jarring to say the least, finally unable to stand it, Thomas closed his eyes and tried to ignore being tossed around. After a few seconds, the movement stopped. Thomas opened his eyes and looked around. He made it. He thought just before he went freefalling. Derek dropped Thomas on the ground. ¡°Ok, we¡¯re on the hill. Which way do we go from here?¡± Derek looked around. Everything in the whole damn forest looks the same. Well, I guess that¡¯s just how forests work. ¡°I think if we just head away from the hill, we will eventually make it out of the forest. I don¡¯t know how far I ran into the forest, but it can¡¯t be that far.¡± Thomas gave Derek somewhat of an answer, wondering the same thing himself. ¡°Sounds good to me. Let¡¯s go.¡± Derek began walking in the direction opposite the cliff-like hill. ¡°So, what¡¯s the name of this precious village of yours anyway?¡± Derek asked as Thomas began trudging on behind him. ¡°Villages don¡¯t really have names around here, unlike cities. We usually just call it ¡®the village¡¯ or ¡®our village.¡¯ The villages are really small, only a couple hundred people in all. But, if people are looking for it specifically, they tend to identify it by the village chief. Right now, Rayna is the village chief, so it could be called Rayna Village, I guess. A decade ago the chief was Darius, but he died in the forest. The names change, but if you know or knew any of the previous chiefs, you would be able to find it.¡± Thomas gave a lengthy response. ¡°Jesus, why not just pick a name and stay with it?¡± Derek could not help but criticize the way they named their villages. ¡°Well, we¡¯re not allowed to have an official name, so that¡¯s just how it¡¯s always been. The strongest person in the village is chief, and the village becomes known as theirs. It¡¯s only fair since the chief will be the person protecting the people the most.¡± Thomas spoke like it was common and there was not anything to talk about. ¡°So, this Rayna, is he strong? What level is he? What class?¡± Derek got a little excited about meeting a strong person from this new world. ¡°Rayna is a she. She is very strong, maybe stronger than you. Last I heard, she had already leveled up to 30. Also, asking about classes is rude. People like to keep their classes secret, even though it''s likely that they have the same common class as millions of others.¡± Thomas corrected Derek. He had an almost reverent look in his eyes when talking about Rayna. Derek was confused. I literally just killed a level 53 wolf and a level 48 bear, how could this kid think that a person that¡¯s level 30 could possibly be stronger than me. ¡°Tommy, why would you think that this Rayna is stronger than me? You did see the wolf and the bear, right?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well yeah, but wolves and bears are common. I¡¯m sure Rayna killed dozens of wolves while guarding our village before becoming village chief.¡± Thomas acted like wolves were a common occurrence. A level 30 being able to kill level 50 creatures? That¡¯s interesting, maybe meeting her will be worth it after all. But how is she only a level 30? Derek pondered, then asked. ¡°If she¡¯s killed so many level 50 creatures, why is she only a level 30? I know that gaining experience is hard, but fighting that many higher leveled creatures should net a lot of levels, right?¡± He decided to just ask Thomas instead of wasting brain cells thinking about it. Thomas stopped in his tracks. Hearing the footsteps behind him come to an abrupt halt, Derek turned, only to see Thomas staring at him with his eyes wide. I swear, every time we talk, he stops mid conversation and gives me this same dumbass deer in the headlights look. ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°Y-you said level 50 creature?¡± Thomas gulped. ¡°What do you mean level 50? The wolves are always level 10, or level 15 at the most powerful.¡± Thomas could not believe what he was hearing. ¡°Hmm? No, that Forest Wolf was like, level 53, I think. And that Dark Bear I killed this morning was level 48.¡± Derek said nonchalantly. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! This has never been a high level forest. Sure, the closer you get to the center, the higher the level of the monsters get, but there¡¯s no way we¡¯re that deep into the forest. Besides, the wolf that chased me was near the edge of the forest. I¡¯ve never heard of a creature at the edge of the forest being above level 20.¡± Thomas frantically explained to Derek, still staring at him like he was a monster. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what to tell you kid. The bear and wolf were both around level 50. Maybe it has something to do with the disease that¡¯s spreading. The wolf wasn¡¯t diseased by the way, maybe it was at the edge of the forest so it could avoid becoming sick.¡± Derek thought that this was the only rational explanation as to why a creature of that level would be roaming around the outer skirts of the forest. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then we need to hurry. I have to warn the village chief. If stronger monsters start appearing outside the forest, then the traders will be in danger.¡± Thomas no longer stood still staring at Derek, now he was running in front unable to stay calm. ¡°Woah there kid.¡± Derek caught Thomas by his collar, halting his movement. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to get anywhere if you run ahead and get yourself killed. Besides, you don¡¯t have the Stamina to keep that pace, you¡¯ll be exhausted in minutes. You have to remember that slow and steady is oftentimes faster than sprinting.¡± Derek reassured Thomas that everything would be OK as long as they made steady progress. Like this, the two ventured through the forest. They passed dying plants and trees, but weirdly, they never passed any more monsters. It was an oddly silent journey. As they continued, the flora slowly looked as if it was regaining life. Seemingly confirming that whatever was happening to the forest was happening from deep within. It¡¯s no wonder that healthy monsters would run to the edge of the forest. It¡¯s not nearly as affected as deeper within. Derek was musing to himself when he finally heard what he had been hoping for, the sound of water running, crashing against rocks. He had finally found a river, or stream. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Derek shouted at the boy, picked him up and took off towards the sounds of flowing water. ¡°Ahh!¡± Thomas¡¯s breath was taken away due to the unexpected loss of ground and change of pace. Soon, they were at the river. It¡¯s small, but it will do. Derek dropped Thomas. ¡°Stay here.¡± He commanded as he approached the flowing river. Thomas watched as Derek moved away from him. Suddenly, the black armor on Derek¡¯s body disappeared, revealing a black shirt and blue pants. Then, those clothes also disappeared, showing Derek¡¯s toned back muscles. But what Thomas was focused on was the scars. Why does he have scars? With a healer, wounds won¡¯t even leave scars, and even after a wound is scarred, a healer can still remove them. Eventually, Thomas chalked it up to another oddity of the man. Derek hopped into the river and scrubbed the years away. My first bath in I don¡¯t know how long. The refreshed feeling that the cleaning brought Derek was unlike anything he¡¯d felt before. As Thomas watched Derek bathe, he began to look over himself. He noticed all the dirt and grime he picked up over the last few days. Maybe I should jump in too. Thomas walked toward the river, planning to go in. Derek noticed Thomas. ¡°Stop!¡± He yelled, and Thomas stopped, giving him an inquiring gaze. Derek reached down and pulled a fish out of the water. It was only the size of a palm, but had razor-like teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t think you could handle company.¡± Derek teased. The boy scampered backwards, away from the water. Derek laughed. ¡°It¡¯s OK.¡± Derek began walking from the river, on his way, he summoned a large bucket and filled it with water. When he arrived close to Thomas he sat it down and said, ¡°Use this.¡± Thomas did a quick wash and they were ready to head out again. Derek smiled at Thomas. ¡°Who knew that you would actually be blonde?¡± It was the first time Derek had seen Thomas without mud dying his hair. Thomas¡¯s clothing could still use a good wash, but there was nothing they could do about it right now. This time, Derek kept his armor inside his bracelet, opting to wear just his t-shirt and jeans. From what he had gathered, there couldn¡¯t be many creatures in the forest that would be able to harm him, and he did not want to give up his newly found comfort. The two continued their travel through the forest. At night, they set up camp and slept, then continued the next morning. At midday they finally came to the end of the forest. Thomas was beside himself with joy. I can finally go home! Chapter 10: Escape Chapter 10: Escape Brandi was walking home with her mother who was carrying a basket of wet clothing. They had recently finished washing their clothes in the stream at the back side of the village. ¡°Do you think that dad and Chief Leon will have a good hunt?¡± She was always worried when her father went out on hunting trips. Sometimes, he would be gone for days, when that happened, the anxiety and stress would set in. But he always came back. ¡°They just went out this morning, I¡¯m sure they will be back with meat and skins, like always.¡± Brandi¡¯s mother tried not to show her worry. But she had noticed the monsters around the edge of the forest were growing in number and becoming more aggressive. The duo made it home and began hanging their clothes to dry. ¡°We really do need more skins. Our old ones are getting worn down, maybe they will hunt a bear this time.¡± Brandi was excited at the chance to help work on making new leathers. Brandi had just recently unlocked the Great System. She used her one skill point she earned on the Leatherworking skill. She was lucky to receive the extra skill point at all, so she wanted to pick a skill that would help the rest of the village. If she could help make leather armor for the hunters, she would be doing her part for the village. Brandi was a squeamish little girl, and the sight of blood churned her stomach. She was unable to eat for the entire day after she had to kill the level 10 bunny. It did not help that the bunny was cute and fluffy. It also looked like the stuffed animal that she had been sleeping with since she was seven. ¡°Do you think daddy will let me tan the hide on anything they hunt? I want to increase my skill so I can help more.¡± Brandi asked her mother, hoping she would help talk her father into letting her help. ¡°That depends, are you willing to skin the animal too? That can be considered a part of Leatherworking.¡± Her mother jested, looking to see what kind of reaction the girl would give. Of course, Brandi lost all color thinking about having to deal with an animal carcass. ¡°Momma, do you think that I should have spent my skill point on something else? I only wanted to help, but wasn¡¯t thinking about having to touch dead animals.¡± Brandi was worried that she had wasted a skill point now. Her mother giggled. ¡°You will be fine dear, you will grow used to it later. Almost every little girl has the same reaction to killing monsters for the first time. It didn¡¯t help that your dad had to find the cutest level 10 beast I¡¯ve ever seen either.¡± She and her husband had fought about him bringing back the bunny, but she conceded that it was not simple to find such an easy level 10 creature to kill. She continued. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I threw up and was unable to eat after my first kill too. Now look at me, I handle it fine. I guess that¡¯s what happens when you marry a hunter.¡± Brandi¡¯s mother seemed genuinely happy when talking about her husband. As the two were talking, they heard a loud crash. They looked in the direction of the sound, only to see the front gate swinging closed and some of the villagers straining to keep it closed. Then, Brandi could see a man running towards them, blood running down his chest. ¡°Daddy!¡± Brandi yelled out, seeing that the injured man was her father. ¡°Mal! Take Brandi, gather the other non-fighters and group up at the back of the village.¡± Brandi¡¯s father had no time to calm Brandi as he directed his wife, Malorie. ¡°What happened?¡± Malorie asked as she ran inside to get a medicinal salve to help her husband¡¯s wounds. ¡°No time to explain, but beasts are attacking. Do what I said and someone will meet you to let you know what to do next.¡± He took the salve, smiled towards Brandi, then ran back to the front of the village. Malorie picked Brandi up and took off running in the opposite direction of her husband, not willing to question her husband any further. While being carried, Brandi still had a good view of the front of the village, specifically the closed gate. She could see her father meeting up with another man. Chief Leon. Brandi was able to recognize the chief of the village coming into view from the right side of the gate. He looked as bad, if not worse than her father had looked when he found them. ¡°Mom! It¡¯s Chief Leon, he¡¯s hurt too!¡± Brandi let her mother know about her worries. ¡°Dad said that there are beasts, do you think there¡¯s a lot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure everything will be fine.¡± Malorie said to herself more than to her daughter. If it¡¯s bad enough to have all of us move to the back of the village, either there are way more monsters than they can handle, or there are high levels. ¡°I¡¯m sure Chief Leon and your father will be able to handle whatever happens.¡± Malorie said, trying to keep Brandi from worrying. Soon, the duo arrived at the back of the village with others who were already waiting. Malorie noticed that Sana, the wife of Chief Leon, was among those already there. ¡°Sana, did Leon tell you anything? All that Travis said before running off was that there was a beast attack.¡± Malorie explained. ¡°Leon said that there were at least 30 beasts attacking, possibly more. All from the forest and coming at the front gate. Leon thinks that the beasts are all around level 20. He wants us all to gather here in case we need to slip out of the back and try to get away.¡± What she did not say was that there was no way they would be able to defend the village and that Leon, Travis, and the others were there to try to buy enough time for the others to escape. Malorie knew what Sana was implying. She felt a wave of sadness wash over her, but did her best to hide it from Brandi and the other kids. ¡°When do we leave and where are we going.¡± She asked. ¡°Marshall will be here soon, he will guide us away from the village and the beasts. If possible, we will go towards Rayna¡¯s village, she should be strong enough to help. If we can¡¯t make it to Rayna, then we¡¯ll go to Phillip¡¯s village since it¡¯s not much further away.¡± Sana explained the plan to everyone there. ¡°Right now, we need to gather enough water to last us, but not more than we can carry.¡± Everyone went and collected water while waiting for Marshall to arrive. Brandi could hear all the older people whispering to each other. Her worry for her father grew greater and greater with every passing second. Finally, after waiting for what seemed like ages, Brandi saw Marshal heading their way. Brandi picked up a small water skin to carry and joined everyone else. ¡°Quiet everyone!¡± Marshall yelled, but in a hushed tone. The murmurs and whispers came to an instant halt. ¡°Ok, listen. Chief Leon and the other hunters are doing what they can to keep the gate closed. A few of the smaller, more agile monsters have been able to jump the gate, but they were taken care of. If it keeps going like this, they may be able to whittle them down and get away.¡± Marshall was trying to boost the morale of everyone there. Higher morale meant moving faster. ¡°Still, we are going to go ahead and escape to Rayna¡¯s village. If we move fast enough and there are no problems, we should be able to get there in less than a week.¡± Marshall¡¯s gaze shifted to the adults. ¡°I know this group doesn¡¯t have many fighters, but some of you are decent. I will do my best to escort everyone, but if needed, you may have to help.¡± Marshall looked at Sana and Malorie and nodded. They nodded back in understanding, making sure their small, but able weapons were fastened tightly to their bodies. Noticing that everybody was as ready as they were going to get, Marshall moved to the small exit gate and opened it. ¡°Alright everyone. It¡¯s as clear as it¡¯s going to get. It¡¯s now or never, let¡¯s go.¡± Marshal was the first out of the gate. He continued to keep a vigilant eye on his surroundings, in hopes that his small band of escapees made it out alive. The group of villagers kept a brisk, but quiet pace as they escaped. Soon, they were a good distance away from the village. The fighting was becoming barely audible. Finally, unable to take it anymore, Brandi whispered to her mother. ¡°Mom, is daddy going to be OK? He¡¯ll make it back to us, right?¡± Brandi was visibly distressed. ¡°He¡¯ll catch up to us, now hush.¡± Malorie knew that the chance of survival for the others was low, especially with the number of monsters that were said to be attacking. All she could do to not think about it was push forward. The group kept moving and time passed. Once they were a few kilometers away from the village, the tension started easing. With the tension gone, the gloom began to set in. All the adults had already come to the conclusion that those left behind would probably not make it back. So, though the tension had lessened, the quiet march continued. It went like this for hours until one of the older female villagers finally dropped to her knees and began hyperventilating. ¡°They¡¯re gone, they¡¯re all gone!¡± She cried out. ¡°Andrew, Jack, they¡¯re dead, both dead.¡± Both her son and her husband were left back at the village. They had stayed behind to give the escapees a chance at survival. The hours of silently thinking about them had finally broken her. With the older woman¡¯s cries, others began to break. The children started crying out. Brandi was doing her best to stay strong and believe in her father and Chief Leon, but with the adults breaking down, it was all she could do to hold back her tears. The morale was broken and the quiet escape had turned into a sad trudge. The group was no longer in silence. Marshall was walking at the front with a frown, his eyes and ears listening for anything abnormal. He heard a rustle from the forest in the distance. When he turned, he saw two wolves break out of the tree line and dart to their group. ¡°Everybody behind me!¡± Marshall yelled as he unsheathed his sword. He took a fighting stance, ready to confront his assailants. But, just as the two wolves drew near, two more appeared. ¡°We¡¯ve got four wolves coming our way, I¡¯ll hold them off, run!¡± Marshall decided. Marshall lunged forward at the leading wolf, thrusting his sword. It connected. The sword went through the right shoulder of the wolf. When his momentum stopped, Marshall pulled the blade out, ripping through the skin of the wolf. They¡¯re not too high of a level, I may be able to do this. Seeing that his sword was able to do a moderate amount of damage, Marshall was relieved. Malorie was carrying Brandi as she sprinted away from the battle. Occasionally, she would take a glance at what was happening behind her. When she saw that Marshall was not being overrun, she let out a breath. Then, to her horror, another wolf came out from the tree line, and it was much bigger than the four before. Sana also saw this sight at the same time. They glanced at one another, an agreement made. Malorie put Brandi on the ground, giving her a sad smile in the process. ¡°You run ahead, we¡¯re going to help Marshall. We¡¯ll catch up.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Brandi refused to leave without her mother. ¡°Be a good girl and go. You¡¯ll only make it harder on us if you stay.¡± Malorie¡¯s tone got heavier as she commanded Brandi. ¡°Now!¡± She yelled. Brandi sniffled a few times, but, in the end, turned to run toward the rest of the group. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sana said, and the duo ran back towards Marshall. Not long after the group broke apart, Brandi saw two figures in the distance, one big, one small. After some time, she was able to make out one of the figures. ¡°Thomas!¡± She yelled. Chapter 11: Become an Asshole Chapter 11: Become an Asshole Derek and Thomas stepped out of the forest. After traveling alone for days, then longer with Derek, Thomas finally felt that he would actually make it home. The wave of relief that washed over him was substantial. ¡°Which way now?¡± Derek asked Thomas. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think it matters. As long as we follow the tree line, we¡¯re bound to end up at a village. From there, we can get directions to my village.¡± Thomas was not sure which way would be faster, but he did not care. He knew that he would eventually be home. ¡°I guess let¡¯s just go this way.¡± Thomas turned to his left and started walking. ¡°Fine by me.¡± Derek had not made any plans since arriving in this new world, so it made no difference whether he wasted some time or not. He was in no hurry. As they traveled, Derek and Thomas talked about some less personal things. Thomas had realized early that Derek did not want to talk about where he had come from. Derek would occasionally get caught up talking about something he enjoyed, but other topics were of no interest and he did not enjoy small talk. He had just about fished out as much information from the 12 year old boy as he could. After a while, the duo just walked in silence. Derek, ever vigilant, noticed some silhouettes approaching them. He was unsure if it was monsters, or people. ¡°Hey kid, we¡¯re going to have company soon, stay a couple steps behind me just in case they aren¡¯t friendly.¡± Derek motioned at the incoming figures. Thomas squinted, but he was unable to see any of the figures that Derek had mentioned. Still, he kept his eyes trained in that direction. Soon, though, he was able to make out the shadowy figures. ¡°I see them.¡± He let Derek know. ¡°They aren¡¯t monsters. They¡¯re human.¡± Thomas was barely able to see anything while Derek had already identified them as human. ¡°Looks like a small group, maybe traders?¡± There were around 15 people that Derek could make out. ¡°No, wait. Seems that the group is mostly non-fighters and children.¡± He noticed the group¡¯s composition as they drew closer. One thing that the duo both noticed was that the other group was getting closer at a rapid pace. ¡°They are moving fast. Maybe running from something, or towards something.¡± Derek picked up his pace, and the two moved closer. As the figures became clearer to Thomas, he realized some things about the group. ¡°They look familiar, I think I know them.¡± Thomas told Derek his suspicions. ¡°I think they are people from Leon¡¯s village.¡± His speculation was proven correct when he saw a small, tan girl with dark hair running mid pack. What is Brandi doing all the way out here? And where are her parents? Thomas wondered. At the same time that Thomas noticed the girl, she noticed him as well. ¡°Thomas!¡± The little girl yelled from a distance. Then, she sped past the rest of the group. ¡°A friend of yours?¡± Derek asked the boy while motioning to the dark haired girl. Instead of replying to Derek, Thomas yelled, ¡°Brandi!¡± Then ran forward to meet her. Derek kept pace with Thomas, not letting him get a dangerous distance away. He had promised to take Thomas home safely, and he was going to do just that. Thomas and Brandi met and questions began pouring out of the boy¡¯s mouth. ¡°Why are you out here? Where are your parents? Where are the hunters? Why aren¡¯t they escorting you?¡± Thomas voiced his concerns, not bothering to take a breath in between questions. ¡°Daddy, he¡­ he¡¯s at home. Momma, she¡­ she¡­¡± Brandi was already crying and Thomas could not make out what she was trying to tell him. Fortunately, one of the women in the group caught up not long after Brandi. She ignored Thomas, instead looking at the weirdly dressed young man beside him. She sighed, then spoke. ¡°Our village was attacked by a horde of monsters. All the hunters and fighters stayed back to let us escape.¡± She paused for a second to catch her breath, then continued. ¡°But we don¡¯t have time right now, we have to run. Marshall, Mal, and Sana are behind us holding off a pack of wolves. We need to go. Now!¡± She motioned behind her, then waited for the rest of the group to catch up. Hearing what the woman said, Thomas looked to Derek, his plea showing in his eyes. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. Be right back.¡± Derek said and started walking through the group. ¡°Wait!¡± The woman from before yelled. ¡°You¡¯ll die, we need to run.¡± Thomas, having as much faith as possible in Derek, told the woman. ¡°It¡¯s OK, he¡¯s much stronger than he looks.¡± Once he was through the group, Derek began running. He followed the trail left by the group, and not long after, he could see, and hear, the battle. In front of him were two women and a man. The women were each fending off two small wolves, while the man was fighting against a bigger wolf. As he studied the battle, he soon came to the conclusion that, though they were holding their own, eventually, the man would no longer be able to hold the bigger wolf back. Once the man lost his footing, their efforts would collapse like a house of cards. He moved into the battle. Instead of jumping in, he yelled at the fighters. ¡°You mind if I join in?¡± He still had suffered kill steals before, and though the group looked to be losing, and badly, he still asked, as they were not currently in immediate danger. Marshall quickly glanced Derek¡¯s way, not knowing when the odd looking young man had arrived. ¡°Help would be much appreciated.¡± Marshall did not turn him down. ¡°K.¡± Was all that Derek said. He summed a dagger from his bracelet and charged towards the bigger of the five wolves. Marshall, seeing the man charge towards the alpha wolf, jumped back. He¡¯s fast. Was all Marshall could think before the man inserted his dagger into the unsuspecting beast. The wolf did not make a sound as it fell to the ground, never moving again. ¡°You want to go help those two? The experience is probably good for them, so I won¡¯t interfere unless you want.¡± Derek pointed to the two women and remaining wolves. ¡°No, we don¡¯t have time. We need to end this as quickly as possible.¡± Marshall said. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Derek took his bloody dagger by the blade, aimed and tossed it at one of the wolves that the woman on the left was fighting. He summoned another dagger immediately and tossed it toward a wolf on the right side. The daggers hit. Penetrating the wolves necks at the base of the skull. Severing their spines almost simultaneously. The wolves fell, leaving both women fighting one on one. ¡°Think that¡¯s good enough.¡± Derek smiled at Marshall. Marshall, on the other hand, could only stare at Derek, before nodding. Malorie was fighting against the wolf that had already been maimed by Marshall, so, after Derek took care of the healthy wolf, she made short work of the other. After she killed her wolf, she ran to the wolf that Sana was fighting and the two women overwhelmed it. It was not long before it was no longer moving. ¡°OK, let¡¯s get back to your group now.¡± Derek commanded. Not saying anything to the newcomer, the three could only follow him. Before long, the four returned to the refugees. The little girl broke out of the group again, this time yelling, ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. We¡¯re fine.¡± She comforted her daughter. ¡°Alright, well, I¡¯m taking this kid back to his village. You¡¯re all welcome to join us. We needed a guide anyway.¡± Derek pointed at Thomas before motioning to Marshall. ¡°Derek. Their village.¡± Thomas looked at Derek with pleading eyes. ¡°I said I would take you home. I didn¡¯t say I would go out of my way to try to save an already destroyed village, besides.¡± Derek looked at Marshall. ¡°How long has it been since your village was attacked?¡± Marshall looked at his feet, knowing what Derek meant. ¡°Hours.¡± Was all he answered. Derek looked back at Thomas. ¡°You see, even their own people don¡¯t think that anyone is left alive. Not to mention the time it would take for us to get there.¡± Derek did not sugarcoat anything he said. ¡°Also, with what we know about the condition of the forest, it would be in everyone¡¯s best interest to stay away from border villages.¡± This caught the attention of the rest of the group. Sana looked to Derek. ¡°What do you mean? Did you figure out what¡¯s wrong with the forest?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain it all one time, and to Rayna. No point in explaining it over and over.¡± Derek brushed off her questions. He was only talking to Thomas at this time. Thomas was deep in thought. He knew that it was all but futile to go back to the village. But, everytime he looked at Brandi in her mother¡¯s arms, now crying, he could not help but want to go back. Finally, his eyes firm, he looked to Derek. ¡°We should go anyway. Someone could still be alive. They could be hiding in the village. There¡¯s always a chance.¡± ¡°Boy, that hero complex is going to get you killed some day.¡± Derek grinned. ¡°You said ¡®we¡¯ should go. Are you going to fight too? Can everyone here help me fight a horde of monsters? No, I¡¯ll be the one fighting.¡± He paused. ¡°I saved you in the forest, you helped me a little, so I promised to take you home. That¡¯s the end of our contract.¡± ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m so strong? Why I¡¯m even still alive? It¡¯s because I don¡¯t rely on others, and I don¡¯t do stupid heroic deeds. All of my near death experiences have come from sticking my nose where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡± Derek explained to Thomas. Everyone was now looking at the two as they argued. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter! You¡¯re strong now, you should help people.¡± The rational Thomas was now showing his emotions. ¡°Spoken like a true 12 year old.¡± Derek scoffed. Hearing that, Thomas calmed, but did not back down. ¡°So what if you¡¯ll be the only fighter, you won¡¯t be risking your life. Nothing that attacked their village would be able to harm you. You''re just being an asshole!¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Assholes live in this world, heroes die. One day, I hope you can become a proper asshole.¡± Derek had already planned on going to the village if asked, but he wanted to teach Thomas a lesson before that. There was no denying that he was an asshole, but he had a soft spot for the kid. Thomas shut up. He did not know how to respond. He looked at Brandi, then at the ground, tears threatening his eyes. Derek put his hand on Thomas¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Be an asshole, get strong, then be a hero. You can¡¯t save others if you¡¯re already dead.¡± He picked Thomas up and threw him over his shoulder. ¡°Wha¡­ what are you doing?¡± Thomas screeched. ¡°We¡¯re going to save what¡¯s left of the village.¡± Derek held Thomas close and started running in the direction of the village. The others looked in awe as the duo disappeared in the distance. Not believing how fast they were going. Chapter 12: Bloody Village Chapter 12: Bloody Village Thomas had never experienced such a feeling. The scenery was flying by, he could barely make out the trees and landmarks they passed. Somehow, he was able to keep conscious throughout the entire trip. Soon, Derek came to a halt. They had arrived a short distance from the village. Thomas felt his feet on the ground and staggered, trying to remain standing. ¡°Look.¡± Derek pointed to the village in front. ¡°You wanted to come here, so here we are. What do you see?¡± Thomas looked ahead at the village, the sounds of fighting that he expected were unheard. He realized that Derek was right, they were too late. ¡°There are no sounds. It¡¯s quiet for a village just attacked by monsters. Maybe somebody is alive inside.¡± He still had some hope left. Derek had a much higher perception than a regular person. He could hear the beasts roaming around inside the village. He was unable to count how many, but he knew that there were a lot. ¡°I¡¯m going to take you to the front. Then, I¡¯m going to go in and clear out what¡¯s inside.¡± Derek picked Thomas back up and took him to the broken gate at the front of the village. When Thomas caught a glimpse of what was inside, he was disgusted and shocked. His face went shades lighter and he began to retch. It was a mess, a bloody mess. Not only was there blood and body parts of wolves, bears, and other forest creatures, there was an occasional arm or leg of a human being gnawed on by the remaining monsters. He finally knew why Derek did not want to go with all the others, and why he brought Thomas along. He knew that it was going to be like this, and he wanted me to see it. Thomas was smart for a boy not quite 13, and realized Derek¡¯s intentions as soon as he was able to think again, after seeing the gruesome sight. ¡°This is what happens when you¡¯re not strong enough. There¡¯s no saving this village anymore, just recovering what¡¯s left.¡± Derek looked at Thomas, then at his bracelet. ¡°Here, wear this while I go take care of whatever¡¯s left in there.¡± Derek summoned his black armor and had Thomas put the ill fitting gear on. It was quite comical seeing the twelve year old boy in a set of armor many sizes too big for him, but Derek stayed serious. ¡°This too.¡± He summoned his helm and pushed it down onto Thomas¡¯s head. Once the full set was on Thomas, Derek patted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything around here that can hurt you in my armor. You should be safe while I go clean up. At least safer than staying behind with a group that can¡¯t even handle a few wolf pups.¡± Derek started walking into the village. At least I¡¯ll get some experience, if nothing else. Derek looked down and saw his shirt that he had brought from home. No sense in ruining one of the few t-shirts I have left. He was not worried about anything hurting him with his current Vitality, so he moved his shirt into his bracelet. He looked at his jeans. Nope, not fighting in my boxers, it¡¯s a sacrifice I¡¯ll have to make. He laughed to himself and summoned his glaive. Derek surveyed his surroundings and used Identify on the creatures around him. Well, the highest level is 27, but it seems like most are in the low 20s. How are people who live around here not strong enough to deal with these beasts? Have they gotten complacent having this system for so long? Is there no sense of urgency? Derek had many questions and concerns, but they were for a later date. From Thomas¡¯s perspective, he saw Derek walk forward and remove his shirt, revealing his scarred back once again. Why did he do that? Some bonus for fighting unarmored? Thomas wondered. Then he saw Derek¡¯s glaive appear in his hands while he was scanning his surroundings. Derek stilled then started shaking his head. Is he disappointed? Thomas could almost feel the disappointment radiating off of Derek, but he could not understand it. Derek went straight for the level 27 bear he had found earlier. Once beside it, he swung his glaive vertically once and continued on to his next victim. Before the first monster had a chance to die, another was sent packing. As Thomas watched Derek make quick work of the enemies within the village, he understood something about himself. He wanted to be strong, like Derek. He wanted to be able to protect his loved ones and others that needed it. But, he did not know how. Looking at Derek, he found his answer. He would need to adventure to get stronger, he could not just stay in his village, slaying a monster here and there while guarding villagers. He needed to seek danger, seek monsters to hunt. As Derek mopped up the remaining monsters, he did his best to avoid being spattered with the blood from his foes. He succeeded for the most part, only being hit with the occasional droplet that came from swinging his glaive. Derek rushed for the last remaining monster, driving his blade through the skull of the unsuspecting bunny. After Derek finished his tasks, he could see the notifications trying to appear. No time for that, I¡¯ll check them later. He dismissed the notifications and went back to the gate to fetch Thomas. I¡¯m going to have to look into getting some new shoes once I find a proper city. His boots were fine, but as they were part of his armor, they did not provide much comfort. ¡°Alright boy, now we search. If there is anyone left alive here, we¡¯ll find them.¡± Derek said as he reached Thomas. ¡°Stay by me and don¡¯t venture off. The last thing we need is a monster jumping out from a closed door and killing you.¡± He warned. After Derek took back his armor, the two began walking down the center of the village, avoiding the body parts and puddles of blood while looking. They went back and forth between houses, but were unable to find anyone living. ¡°I don¡¯t know kid. It¡¯s not looking good.¡± As they got closer to the back of the village, Derek suspected that no one had been able to hide. ¡°Let¡¯s keep looking. I don¡¯t see Chief Leon or Brandi¡¯s dad anywhere. They were the strongest in the village, there¡¯s still a chance.¡± Thomas did not want to give up. As the duo reached the end of the village, they heard a growl coming from just outside the back gateway. The two rushed out, Thomas still on Derek¡¯s hip. By the stream were two men being attacked by a small wolf. The wolf was snarling and nipping at one of the men. He did his best to hold the wolf off with his forearm, but he was in rough shape. Derek threw a dagger and ended the confrontation. He and Thomas made their way towards the two injured villagers. The man that was fighting the wolf looked up, confused. Then, recognition seemed to hit him. ¡°Thomas! What are you doing here? Run, the village is under attack.¡± It had not registered to the older man that there was no longer any noise coming from their direction, not to mention that the wolf he was struggling against was taken out so easily. ¡°Chief Leon! It¡¯s OK, me and my friend, Derek, came to help after running into Brandi and the others.¡± Thomas explained. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Derek is really strong. He already took care of all the monsters in the village. We¡¯ve been looking for survivors for some time now.¡± Leon finally noticed the young man crouched down, digging his dagger out of the deceased wolf¡¯s head. ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± Leon said. ¡°Did you find anyone else alive?¡± He could only hope. ¡°We didn¡¯t. Just the two of you. Is he¡­¡± Derek motioned to the man on the ground behind Leon. ¡°Is he alive?¡± He asked. ¡°For now, but I doubt he¡¯ll make it.¡± A sad glint appeared in Leon¡¯s eyes. They were finally rescued, but it looked like only he would make it out today. ¡°That¡¯s Brandi¡¯s dad, Travis.¡± Thomas recognized the man. Derek looked at the man and used Identify. Human Male Level 23 State: Dying Time Remaining: 1hr 15min Derek moved his hand over his bracelet, brows furrowed, lost in thought. He¡¯s in a Dying state. It¡¯s been awhile since I¡¯ve last seen that. Derek looked towards Leon. ¡°He¡¯s in a Dying state, do you have a healer or a potion to allow him to recover?¡± Derek had two potions left that could recover someone from a Dying state, but he was hesitant to use one. They were outrageously expensive where he came from, and he did not even know if potions like them existed on this new planet. ¡°No. It takes a level 75 Healer to cast Recovery, unless it¡¯s someone with a rarer class. And, though I¡¯ve heard of alchemists being able to create Recovery Potions, you wouldn¡¯t be able to find one unless you were in the Capital, even then, you wouldn¡¯t be able to buy one with money.¡± Leon answered. Hearing this, Derek sighed and fought back the urge to use one of his remaining potions. He had initially been able to afford four potions back on Earth, but since, he had already used two, so he knew better than most how important these potions were, especially to someone like him, who prefers to hunt alone. Leon noticed Derek¡¯s hesitation, but did not say anything. He knew that they were strangers and if he was in the same position, he would not waste a priceless item on a low leveled villager. Thomas also noticed Derek running his hand over his bracelet, but was not sure why. ¡°He¡¯s got just over an hour left to live.¡± Derek bluntly said. ¡°Do you think you can get him conscious?¡± He asked. Instead of answering, Leon moved to Travis and gently shook him. He awoke groggily. ¡°I can run get your wife and daughter to say goodbye if you want, but that is all I can offer.¡± This is all I can do to make up for not using one of the potions. Derek knew that he technically was not doing anything wrong, but it still did not sit well with him. The man¡¯s eyes lit up and he nodded. ¡°Put this on again.¡± Derek had Thomas armor up for a second time, not trusting the injured Leon to protect Thomas. "I¡¯ll be back soon." At the speed he ran with Thomas, they were able to make it in under 30 minutes, so he figured that it would not be a problem to get to the escapees and back in under an hour. Derek sped off. While he was gone, Leon tried to get information about Derek from Thomas, but Thomas knew that Derek did not like talking about himself or his past, so he answered as vaguely as possible. Soon, Leon gave up and just looked after Travis. Around 45 minutes later, Derek returned with a body over each shoulder. The two had just as hard a time getting their feet back under them as Thomas had. Once they caught their balance, the mother and daughter duo saw Travis and rushed to him. Derek went over and lended Leon an arm to help him walk and motioned to Thomas. ¡°Let¡¯s move over there.¡± The trio moved and left the family alone to say their final goodbyes. Chapter 13: Level Up Chapter 13: Level Up Derek, Leon, and Thomas moved further down the stream to let the grieving mother and daughter have some alone time with their dying loved one. Derek found a small boulder and used it as an impromptu seat. He could tell that Thomas was having a hard time with the scene playing out in front of them. ¡°Kid, this happens more than you would think. It¡¯s something you will have to get used to if you plan on doing anything other than living in one of your villages.¡± Derek was not going to coddle Thomas and tell him that everything would be alright, no, he had too much respect for the kid to treat him like one. ¡°It doesn¡¯t get any easier, ever. You just learn to hide your emotions from others, and yourself, better. I know it¡¯s harder because they are people you are familiar with, but, unless you go out and die soon, they won¡¯t be the last.¡± Thomas sighed. ¡°I know. I grieved when I realized that my parents were probably never coming back. In some ways, I¡¯m even envious that they are getting to say goodbye.¡± This was the first time Thomas had opened up about his parents. Derek had a few questions, but decided not to push. He¡¯ll tell me about them when he¡¯s ready, or not. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s not my business anyway. As the silence resumed, Derek finally decided that it was time to clear out the notifications from the system. He started with the older ones, from the wolves that he helped Marshall, Sana, and Mal with. You Have Assisted in Killing level 22 Forest Wolf You Have Assisted in Killing level 18 Forest Wolf You Have Assisted in Killing level 18 Forest Wolf 48 Experience Gained 128/169 Experience to Next Level Damn, I guess the shared XP is real with this system. Derek inwardly scoffed at the system''s attempts to make his life harder. I should have gotten full experience for most if not all of the beasts I killed in the village though. He continued to view the messages. You Have Killed level 27 Dark Bear You Have Killed level 27 Forest Wolf You Have Killed level 24 Razorback You Have Killed level 24 Razorback You Have Killed level 24 Dark Rabbit You Have Killed level 24 Toxic Boa ¡­ ¡­ You Have Killed level 17 Dark Bunny 1290 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up Level Up Level Up Level Up 375/??? Experience to Next Level (Must Choose Class to Level Beyond 10) Derek had killed a total of 32 different monsters in the village. Not bad, five levels and I need to choose a class. Damn, this is always the hardest part. Looks like I got the full experience from the wolf gnawing on Leon¡¯s arm too. Derek decided to check his Status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 10 (Choose Class) Experience 375/??? Class N/A (Please Choose) Race Human (Modified) Health 4000 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 400 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 90 Skills Greater Meditation Lv 1, Identify Lv 8 Skill Points Remaining 0 Awards Giant Slayer Derek really wanted to avoid having to choose a class currently. He looked around to see if anyone needed him. Thomas and Leon were talking quietly and the family was currently huddled up together, sobbing. Damn, let¡¯s do this. Derek focused on the Class tab in his Status menu. Classes Abjurer Uncommon Acrobat Uncommon Aeromancer Uncommon ... Archer Common ... Holy fucking shit! How can I choose from this many classes, there¡¯s got to be over 100 of them. Derek could not believe what he was seeing. When he had been faced with the task of choosing a class with his previous system, there were only a couple dozen classes, and most were common, with only a few uncommon classes. He was very confused. He looked over to Leon. I bet he¡¯ll know something about this. He¡¯s got to have more information than a twelve year old kid. ¡°Hey, Leon!¡± Leon turned from his discussion with Thomas to look at Derek. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few questions for you.¡± ¡°Whatever you need to know, ask. It¡¯s the least I can do for you saving my life.¡± Leon replied curtly. ¡°OK, if the questions get too personal, let me know and I won¡¯t keep poking around.¡± Derek said, wanting to make sure that Leon knew that he had a choice as to whether or not to answer. ¡°First, if you don¡¯t mind, when you were choosing your first class, how many different classes did you have available to choose from?¡± Derek went right to the main issue. Leon was confused, not unlike Thomas had been when Derek had asked him about some basic questions. ¡°Uh, well, I was a little better than most, I had at least 20 different classes I could choose from when I hit level 10.¡± Leon answered. ¡°Oh, so 20 is a good amount then?¡± With that answer, Derek was more confused than before. ¡°Out of those, how many of them were common, uncommon, rare, and the like?¡± Derek got to his next question. ¡°Rare? I only know of a couple people who have been able to select rare classes, I was extremely lucky to have been able to receive one uncommon class. Most people have to settle for common classes their whole life.¡± Leon explained some of the situation to Derek. ¡°In fact, even in the big city with the nobles, it¡¯s considered good to have an uncommon class, and you¡¯re considered a prodigy if you can unlock a rare class on your initial selection.¡± ¡°I see.¡± If that¡¯s the case, then what¡¯s up with all these different classes and rarities? Finding something suitable is going to take me forever. ¡°Say, do you know what the determining factor is when it comes to class selection? Like, why the system would allow some to choose a rare class while others only get common?¡± Leon¡¯s eyes opened wide after Derek spoke. He was alarmed at Derek¡¯s use of the word system. Leon was raised where it had been blasphemous to not refer to the system as the Great System. Still, he answered. ¡°Well, I know that there are a lot of theories, but the main theory is that it has to do with the person. Most people all receive the choice of the same basic classes, like Archer or Hunter. Then there are some that can choose higher rarity classes. It seems like if a person makes his child focus on a certain skill extensively before he or she unlocks the Great System, then there is a chance that a higher rated class related to that skill will be available to choose at level 10.¡± Leon paused to let Derek take the information in. ¡°It is also theorized that the Great System takes into account the personal stats of the person. The average person has a base 10 in all of his or her stats to begin with. Some children, however, can be different.¡± He paused and looked at Thomas. ¡°Thomas, what is your Dexterity at right now?¡± Thomas jumped, not expecting to be called out all of a sudden. ¡°Uh, my Dexterity is at 14 and my Endurance is at 12.¡± He offered a little extra information, proud to be above average in two stats. ¡°See, when Thomas is able to choose a class, I have no doubt that he will be able to choose an uncommon class based on Dexterity or Endurance.¡± Leon praised Thomas. ¡°Some also think that the Great System also takes into account a person¡¯s disposition. For example, even if someone has a high Wisdom or Intelligence, the Great System may not offer an upgraded magical class if one abhors magic. In contrast, if someone has less than average Strength, but absolutely adores greatsword users, the Great System may offer up a heavy weapon class. Really, classes come down to whatever the Great System wants.¡± Derek thought about what Leon said. So except for my Wisdom, all of my base stats are above 200 already, which I¡¯m sure unlocked a ton of classes for me to choose from. With that, plus my disposition towards halberds, specifically glaives, there has to be an almost perfect class for me to choose from. Derek sighed again, knowing that sorting through all of the classes was going to give him a headache. Then, he was sure he would constantly wonder if he had chosen the right class. He did after selecting his class from the previous system, and there were much fewer classes for him to choose from there. He spoke to Leon again. ¡°So, if you take a common class at level 10, can you upgrade it to rare later on? What happens when you hit 25?¡± Again, Leon was shocked at these questions coming from a guy who was obviously many levels higher than himself. ¡°Well, some classes can be upgraded from one rarity to another, but not many people get that opportunity. The classes upgrade at 25, but usually not in rarity. The upgrades involve getting more class skills, or upgrading existing class skills. Usually, if someone can choose a higher rarity class down the line, they will jump on it, switching classes. Switching classes is another problem people have to deal with too. Some class skills may carry over if the new class has them in common with your old class, but most get lost.¡± Leon wondered if he would have the guts to switch classes if the opportunity arose. ¡°Those who start with high rarity classes are truly blessed.¡± Derek could see the envy radiating from Leon¡¯s eyes. Leon continued. ¡°At some point, the loss of skills and skill points becomes too detrimental, even with the extra skill points from higher rarity classes.¡± Derek interrupted Leon. ¡°Extra skill points?¡± He questioned. ¡°Yes. Common classes all get five skill points at each class upgrade. Uncommon classes get seven, and rare classes get ten. I¡¯m unsure about epic or legendary classes. But, say you reach your level 50 upgrade, do you want to possibly lose up to 10 skills, including the skill points used for purchase, just to upgrade from a common to uncommon class?¡± Leon asked. ¡°If the class description sounds similar, it may be worth it, as some of your skills may carry over, but if not, that¡¯s a hard hole to dig yourself out of.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Thanks for answering my questions Leon.¡± Derek was grateful that Leon seriously answered the questions that must have seemed dumb to him. ¡°Not a problem.¡± Leon replied. Derek inwardly groaned and decided that there was no time like the present. Alright, let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t sort this shit out. Chapter 14: Choosing a Class Chapter 14: Choosing a Class Derek pulled his Status back up and focused on his class. The same list of classes as before came back up. Classes Abjurer Uncommon Acrobat Uncommon Aeromance Uncommon ... ... Archer Common ... ... I¡¯m getting nowhere with this. He was still completely overwhelmed with the process of choosing a class, one that would most likely be permanent. I wonder if I can sort in some way other than alphabetically. Derek focused on doing that, and by some miracle, it worked. He was now looking at a list of classes sorted by rarity instead. Classes Arcand Knight Epic Arch Sage Epic Blade SInger Epic ... ... Sword Dancer Epic ... ... Now this is more like it. Still, there were many classes that Derek deemed unsuitable for him to choose. I¡¯m not choosing any faith based class. He was easily able to remove classes such as Divine Abjurer and Holy Knight. OK, so far, my Endurance and Vitality haven''t failed me yet. Unless I include the fact that I was unable to output enough damage to kill myself while I was in the void. Derek did not like remembering that failure, or anything about being trapped in the void. It¡¯s not likely that I¡¯ll end up in that situation again. In fact, it was unlikely that Derek would ever allow himself to be anywhere remotely close to an open portal, or even a mage with the ability to open a portal. Derek¡¯s mind worked overtime thinking about what he needed from his new class. I was lucky that I never came across anything that could do major damage via spells. His tank class had an amazing amount of protection from physical attacks, but it was only mediocre when it came to magic protection. Through this reasoning, Derek eliminated classes that seemed to do with Dexterity. He moved fast as it was. His bonuses from the other system had given him a good amount of Dexterity already, so he did not think he would need any skills related to it. He was not going to choose a class like Blade Singer or Sword Dancer, even though he loved the name of the classes. After spacing out while imagining being able to move swords fast enough through the air to make them sing a melody, he regained his focus. No more daydreaming. He chided himself. What now? Oh, I can get rid of any of the ranged classes too. Culling the ranged classes lightened his available classes greatly. When all was said and done, he was left with a total of four epic classes and two rare classes to choose from. Classes Arcane Knight Epic (Growth) Champion of the Void Epic (Growth) Elemental Berserker Epic Eternal Guardian Epic Chaos Glaive Rare Shadow Brawler Rare Derek felt that he had made a very compelling list of classes. Now, he was going to thoroughly comb over all the details of each class. He started with the rare classes. Shadow Brawler You have become one with the darkness. Shadows can be bent to your will. Move with shadows to unleash the darkness unto your foe. Shadow Brawler is a rare class that uses bare hands and dark magic. Three skills will be available upon class selection. For each level you will obtain two stat points into Strength and Vitality and one stat point into Wisdom. You will still receive ten free stat points per level. Damn, that doesn¡¯t sound too bad. If I wasn¡¯t a sucker for my glaive and other weapons, I wouldn¡¯t mind trying it out. Maybe one of the skills could even allow me to hide in the shadows. That would definitely increase my survivability. Derek thought as he looked over the class description. Onto the next class. Chaos Glaive Your glaive is a part of you. Your will is its will. You are chaos personified. Only destruction will be known to enemies who come across your blade. Chaos Glaive is a rare class that uses polearms as its main weapon, specifically, glaives. Three skills will be available upon class selection. For each level you will obtain two stat points into Strength and Vitality and one stat point into Intelligence. You will still receive ten free stat points per level. I really love my glaive. Derek could imagine all of the new glaive related skills he might receive if he was to choose this class. Still, he moved up his shortlist. Eternal Guardian You are eternal, near immortal. You have been ravaged by enemies, yet still live. You are your own guardian. Eternal Guardian is an epic class that uses heavy weapons and has great Vitality. Four skills will be available upon class selection. For each level you will obtain four stat points into Strength and Vitality and two stat points into Endurance. You will still receive ten free stat points per level. Derek stopped on this class. Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Eternal Guardian checks pretty much all my boxes, except for a focus on magic defense. But still, with the extra Endurance and Vitality, my magic defense would be boosted naturally. Still, Derek was not so impatient as to jump the gun and choose without at least viewing the remaining classes. Elemental Berserker You fight. With the elements by your side, you fight. As you bleed, you fight harder. Elemental Berserker is an epic class that uses the four elements along with heavy weapons, specifically greatswords. Four skills will be available upon class selection. For each level you will obtain four stat points into Strength and Endurance and two stat points into Vitality. You will still receive ten free stat points per level. You fight, you bleed¡­ That doesn¡¯t sound fun at all. Pass. This was one class that Derek could quickly dismiss. Now he viewed Arcane Knight. Arcane Knight You are a Knight. The perfect balance between offense and defense. Your armor will keep you safe while your sword will eradicate your foes. But, you are not just any Knight, you are a Knight of the Arcane, and Arcane is said to be a magic in its purest form Arcane Knight is a growth type epic class that uses swords and Arcane magic. Four skills will be available upon class selection. This is a growth type class. There is a possibility of its rarity being increased in the future. For each level you will obtain four stat points into Strength and Vitality and two stat points into Intelligence. You will still receive ten free stat points per level. Woah. The class sounds kind of basic, but the description is crazy. And a growth type class, does that mean that I may be able to have a legendary class in the future? Derek could not help but do a double take at this class. He would get more defense, and that would go on top of his over 80 levels of defense from his other class. But what he loved was that he would get more attacking power and be able to use Arcane magic. Even in his other system, Arcane magic users were legends. But, he calmed down. There was one other class that he needed to look at. He had avoided this class. He did not want anything to do with the void after being trapped in it for countless years. However, it was also a growth type class, so he needed to at least read the description before choosing Arcane Knight. Champion of the Void You have lived within the void, and the void has chosen you as its champion. Unlike others, you will no longer become trapped in the void. The void is your ally. Champion of the Void is a growth type epic class. Preferences for this class are unknown. Two skills will be available upon class selection. You will receive 20 free stat points per level for allocation to your choosing. Derek read, re-read, then read again the class description. What? Two skills? While the other epic classes have four. I mean, what the fuck. The 20 free stat points are nice though. Really, Derek thought his choice was clear. He wanted to back out and choose Arcane Knight, but something kept him from doing so. It was like a small itch in the back of his mind. Ahh! I don¡¯t know. I knew this was going to happen. Doing this is a pain in the ass. Derek kept remembering the agonizing days he spent alone in the void. He went over the line that said, ¡®you will no longer become trapped in the void¡¯ over and over. His plan was to never get anywhere near the void again. But what if I can control it. I wouldn¡¯t have to fear it ever again. Still, only receiving two new skills was a real kick in the balls. Well, maybe this is a case of quality over quantity. With that, he made his decision. Would you like to select ¡®Champion of the Void¡¯ as your class? Note: This cannot be undone. He mentally said. Yes. Chapter 15: Champion of the Void Chapter 15: Champion of the Void After mentally agreeing to his choice, a new window appeared in his vision. Congratulations You are now a ¡®Champion of the Void.¡¯ That¡¯s it? Just a single message, and nothing different? Derek closed the message, only for another to pop up. For obtaining an epic rarity class, you have received 15 skill points. You have received 20 stat points. Now that¡¯s more like it. Status! Derek checked his new status screen. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 10 Experience 375/545 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 4000 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 400 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 110 Skills Greater Meditation Lv 1, Identify Lv 8 Skill Points Remaining 15 Awards Giant Slayer Hmm. Not enough XP for another level. I could have sworn that my remaining experience would have been more than enough for at least one more level, if not two. Derek was having a difficult time understanding his lack of experience points. Either the XP needed jumps at class selection level, or something else is going on. Derek decided that he might as well get more information out of Leon. ¡°Yo, Leon.¡± Leon looked back over to Derek. ¡°You said that you have an uncommon class, right?¡± Derek got straight to the point. ¡°Yes, I have the ¡®Forrester¡¯ uncommon class. It¡¯s a small step up from a ¡®Hunter¡¯ class. I was able to receive seven skill points for the upgrade, though there are some skills that cost me two skill points to buy.¡± Leon did not hold any information back. ¡°Interesting. So, did you find it hard to level your uncommon class?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s harder to level an uncommon class than a common class. It is quite well known that the higher the rarity of the class, the more experience it takes to level. My uncommon class isn¡¯t too bad to level, but a rare class is said to take 50 percent more experience than a common class.¡± Leon explained. Derek sighed. Of course it¡¯s like that. Now I have to get what, twice as much XP to level? And this is with this greedy ass system. Derek was lamenting his bad luck when something else Leon had said struck him. ¡°You said that your class skills cost more than usual?¡± Derek then glared at Thomas. ¡°I thought you said that skills cost one skill point.¡± ¡°N-no, I said that some skills may cost more.¡± Thomas corrected. He did not like the look he was getting from Derek. Derek thought back to their conversation by the campfire. He did say that. He remembered. He moved his gaze back to Leon, waiting for an answer. ¡°Thomas is right. Some skills from higher rarity classes require more points to buy. There are also Awards and Dungeons that reward skills upon completion, but you still have to spend the skill points in order to use them.¡± Leon saw his gaze and speedily answered. ¡°Cheap ass system¡± Derek muttered under his breath. Thomas and Leon looked at each other, eyes wide at Derek¡¯s remark. Derek did not notice the actions of the two, his mind was stuck on Leon¡¯s last sentence. Dungeons. I wonder if they are anything like the dungeons from my old system. Derek was going to ask Leon more questions, but decided that they could wait. Derek believed he was going to be flush with skill points, but now he dreaded looking at his new skills. Well, let¡¯s get to it then. He gritted his teeth and looked at the first skill. Channel Void Channel the void through your body. Using void energy, attack or defend. The higher the level of the skill, the easier it becomes to manipulate the void, also reduces the amount of mana needed to use. Uses 200 mana/s Cost: 5 Skill Points Derek flinched at the cost of the skill. This better be worth it. Would You Like to Learn Channel Void? Yes. Derek responded internally, and the notification disappeared before being replaced by a new message. Channel Void Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 10 Derek still felt the same as before, but he had not tried to activate his new skill yet. Here we go. He thought about the skill, then willed it to activate, as he had done before with his old skills. Thomas and Leon were in the middle of a discussion when they noticed Derek acting strangely. They hushed, and both curiously stared at the young man, wondering what this odd person was now doing. Thomas had already seen some unimaginable things happen around Derek, so he was not too worried at first. Soon, however, he became concerned, very concerned. As he was staring at Derek, everything around the three of them stilled. Almost as if they were in the eye of a hurricane. It was even getting harder for Thomas to breathe. He backed away a bit, just enough to allow him to catch his breath. Leon did not seem as troubled by the atmosphere as Thomas was, but Thomas could tell that it agitated him. The still atmosphere around Derek seemed to draw into him, like he was magnetic. Once the atmosphere was normal around the other two, a thin layer of purple light began forming around Derek. Soon the light pressed into his skin and vanished. Everything seemed back to normal, so Thomas let out a breath. He looked up towards Derek, waiting for him to open his eyes so he could find out what happened. But when Derek opened his eyes, no words were able to escape Thomas¡¯s lips. Staring back at Thomas were not the light blue eyes that he was used to seeing from Derek, but a deep purple. Not just the irises either, both of his eyes were a solid purple, almost black. If Derek would have had eyes like this when he first met, he would still think he was a demon. In fact, he was beginning to doubt his previous judgement. Fortunately, the new eyes did not have the same effect on Leon. He had been to the city and had previously seen a mage channel lightning. Though, the effect that the spell had on that mage paled in comparison to what was occurring with Derek. Still, Leon was much less concerned now that he had an idea of what was going on. It seems that the atmospheric change around Derek happened because he had yet to get control of the spell. What surprised Leon the most was Derek¡¯s ability to get what was clearly a new spell under control so quickly. I really want to know more about this young man. The entire spectacle happened within ten seconds. Actually, that was as long as Derek was able to have the spell activated. ¡°Ah!¡± Derek clutched at his head. Shit! That hurts. Derek complained inwardly. ¡°Haha, mana deprivation, I presume?¡± Leon chuckled and asked Derek. ¡°Yeah, new spell. I wasn¡¯t thinking about my mana. Fuck, 200 mana a second is insane.¡± Derek muttered offhandedly. What? Did he say 200 mana per second? That means his Wisdom has got to be around the 200 mark. Leon thought back to the few things he had seen Derek do. The speed in which he brought Brandi and Mal back, plus his stamina and Strength to carry them for such a distance. Not to mention the fact he fought off that horde of monsters without any armor on. Wisdom is probably one of his lowest stats. Leon was finally getting to know just how big of a monster Derek was. What happened next, however, shocked him to his core. Derek closed his eyes and cast Greater Meditation. Four minutes later, he used Channel Void. Ten seconds later, he scrunched up his face and held his head. He repeated this cycle a few more times. Derek was in love with his new skill. There was a power flowing within him, threatening to escape. The more he channeled the void, the more he understood it. He was able to direct the flow, focusing it all at one point. He had no clue what kind of damage it would do if used to attack, but he knew it would not be light. He focused with all his willpower, finally managing to bring a small ball of purple out of his body, into his hand. The ball was no larger than a pea, but he knew there was an incredible power sealed within. If I hit something with this, what will it do? I don¡¯t even know what properties void has. I mean, fire would burn, lightning would shock, what will void do? Null? Erase? He could not wait to find out. Derek was no longer mad that the skill had cost so much to learn. Leon thought he was going insane. He knew Derek was using Meditation in between casts, but what he was seeing was impossible. Five minutes, no, maybe less. He¡¯s recharging his mana in less than five minutes. What level has this monster¡¯s Meditation skill reached? Leon had previously thought he would have something to talk to Derek about when he realized Derek was learning a new skill. But seeing what Derek was doing now, he did not dare speak. And he¡¯s letting his mana go dry every time. Masochist, he¡¯s a masochist. Thomas was oblivious to Leon¡¯s thoughts. He had calmed down after hearing Leon¡¯s words. He was getting impatient, so he interrupted Derek. ¡°What are you doing? Is that Meditation?¡± He asked. ¡°Oh, sorry. Yeah, it¡¯s Meditation. I¡¯m using a skill I just picked up, then using Meditation to refill my mana. I¡¯m trying to learn how to best use the new skill.¡± Derek had a soft spot for Thomas, so he did not mind explaining to him. ¡°In fact, when you finally unlock your system, the first skill point you use should be put into Meditation. Meditation is one of if not the best general skill to get. If you level it up enough, you can use it without losing your senses. Hell, if you upgrade it, you can activate it while moving, possibly while fighting.¡± Derek did not know how valuable the information he had given the boy actually was. Leon, however, did know. Finally, he could not restrain himself anymore. His village was in ruin, friends that he had known for ages were torn apart, and his best friend was lying in the arms of his family, dying. But all of that fled him, and he could only focus on Derek. ¡°You said Meditation can be used without loss of one¡¯s senses? And you can upgrade the skill?¡± Derek squinted his eyes at Leon, starting to realize how eager Leon was for this information. Well, it¡¯s not like he hasn¡¯t helped me. ¡°Yep, it can be upgraded to Greater Meditation. I suspect that most skills can be upgraded. It takes an extra skill point and level 20. I¡¯m not sure about other skills.¡± ¡°So, do you have this Greater Meditation? Can you meditate while moving?¡± Leon knew how rude it was to ask these questions, but he could not hold back. Derek smiled, but did not respond. Leon knew that was all he was going to get out of Derek, so he did not ask anymore questions. He ruefully smiled, then looked over to the grieving family. Travis¡¯s time was almost up. Derek, on the other hand, went back and looked at his remaining skill. Void Call Call to the Void Cost: 7 Skill Points What, what kind of description is that? And 7 skill points, this system is trying to rob me blind. I mean, I guess it has to be amazing, right? Channel Void seems like it will come in handy and it only cost me 5 points, this costs 7. Derek had already forgotten his previous complaints about the cost of Channel Void. Now he was looking at this new, more expensive, skill with fire in his eyes. Would You Like to Learn Void Call? Chapter 16: Void Call Chapter 16: Void Call Would You Like to Learn Void Call? Derek stared at the message. Finally, he gritted his teeth and accepted the price of the costly skill. This better be good. Void Call Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 3 What a hit. Derek was heartbroken to have lost seven skill points on a skill with almost no description. But, for an epic class with only two available skills to learn, Derek did not want to give up the possibility of another great skill like Channel Void. OK, no time like the present. He knew that Travis had little time remaining, and that once he passed, it would be time to travel again. He did not know how long it would be before he could test his skills again. Derek sucked in a deep breath and focused his mind on using the skill. He once again felt his body fill with now familiar void energy. This time, however, his mana bar was not depleting. That¡¯s strange. He seemed to be unable to control the void energy that came with his new skill. What started to worry him was the pressure. The pressure from the void energy was building within his body at an extremely alarming pace. He felt as if he were a soda and someone had just shaken him up to the point of explosion. From Thomas¡¯s view, Derek looked like he did when he was practicing his other skill. He could not tell the difference between the two. Thomas continued to feel uneasy when he looked at the dark purple eyes of Derek, but other than that, he did not detect that anything was wrong. At least until Derek¡¯s head began emitting a startling purple glow. Then, the purple glow thickened until it shot up, like a beam, into the sky. The beam passed through the clouds then disappeared. Thomas looked back over to Derek, wanting to ask him what had just happened. What he saw when Derek came into his vision was the man slumped over, seemingly unconscious. Derek was not unconscious, however. He was in a deep meditative state, healing himself. As the pressure from the void energy built up, it caused damage to his organs, specifically his heart, lungs, and brain. Luckily for Derek, he had a vast amount of Vitality and Endurance, and pressure was unable to cause fatal injuries. In fact, Derek had already entered Greater Meditation before the void energy left his body, and the injuries the energy had caused were mostly healed already. Whew, things got scary there for a minute. Derek joked to himself, relieved. Then he realized what happened, or rather what did not happen. What the fuck did the skill even do? This is bullshit! It tries to kill me, then shoots into the sky and does nothing. Derek went from relieved to angry in no time at all. ¡°Derek, what was that all about?¡± Thomas asked once he saw that Derek was fine. ¡°I¡¯d like to know too. I was testing a new skill, like the other one, but then what you just saw happened. The energy built up in me, then shot to the sky. I don¡¯t even know what the skill is good for, the description sucks ass. And on top of it all, it damaged me just casting it. It¡¯s a scam, a total scam.¡± Derek let the other two know his feelings. Then he looked up at the sky and screamed. ¡°Give me my skill points back, you asshole system!¡± Not seconds after Derek¡¯s yell, a loud pounding came from the sky. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve finally done it. You have blasphemed the Great System one too many times, we¡¯re doomed.¡± Leon was scared witless. I should have told him to stop blaspheming the Great System while I had a chance. We¡¯re going to die. He saved us just to get us killed by the Great System itself. While Thomas and Leon were out of sorts, Derek was actually happy. He had heard that pounding before. It was the same pounding that led to him escaping the void. This pounding was music to his ears. As Derek expected, a part of the sky, where the void energy had passed through, began cracking. The cracks stretched out like spiderwebs, then splintered off, creating holes in the sky. A dark fist with long claws came out from one of the holes. The hand was smaller than the one Derek remembered, but looked just as menacing as before. Derek was ecstatic. I can¡¯t believe this. Is Void Call like a summon spell? Am I able to summon one of these creatures from the void and command it. Derek was giddy with excitement as he watched the beast break its way out of the void. Behind him, Thomas and Leon were watching the scene unfold. As the creature''s head made its appearance Leon whispered. ¡°Void Beast.¡± He had heard legends about the creatures, but he never imagined that one day, he would be witness to one breaking out of the void. Unfortunately for Leon, he knew what the consequences of a Void Beast appearing were, death and destruction. The Void Beast would maim and kill anything in its way until it was chased back into the void, or got bored and left. In Leon¡¯s mind, their chance of surviving a Void Beast was worse than when he thought it was the Great System getting revenge. Meanwhile, Derek was thinking of all the help the monster would be. He was no longer angry with the system scamming him. I wonder what I¡¯ll call it? Leon called it a Void Beast. I think I¡¯ll call it Asher, yeah, it looks like an Asher. All dark and grey with those same kill me bits. Derek was already treating the Void Beast like it was a new pet he picked up at a shelter. Thomas was as confused as ever. He would look at the terrifying beast, then to the genuinely happy Derek, then to Leon, who seemed to be muttering a prayer to the Great System. He did not know whether to be happy with Derek, or terrified with Leon. What is going on? He had never heard of a Void Beast, but it seemed that both adults had, and both had extremely opposite reactions to it. Finally, the dark beast made it out of the void and began its fall to the ground. As before, the cracks in the sky seemed to repair themselves instantaneously. By the time the Void Beast had landed, the cracks were barely visible. ¡°We¡¯re going to die!¡± Leon shouted at the top of his lungs. His day had been one full of ups and downs. His village being attacked and ravaged left him in despair, but Derek and Thomas arriving and saving him had given him hope. Seeing his best friend¡¯s family getting to say goodbye was bitter sweet. Then there was everything that had happened with Derek. That was a new ride altogether, one filled with confusion, elation, and now, utter terror. Leon reached over and grabbed Thomas. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve gotta get out of here, now!¡± He pulled Thomas to his chest and started sprinting towards Brandi and Malorie. ¡°Stop!¡± Came a yell from Derek. He was looking at the duo. ¡°Everything is fine.¡± He pointed towards the Void Beast, who was beginning to stand after falling to the ground. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not going to hurt anyone. We¡¯re safe.¡± Derek comforted Leon and Thomas. Leon remained skeptical. Derek acted like he was in control of the Void Beast, but he had never heard of anyone being able to control one. There were a few people who could fight with one, but to control a Void Beast, Derek had to be insane. Then again, I¡¯ve only heard stories of Void Beasts. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve ever been able to study or research anything about them. Who am I to say that he can¡¯t control one? Then a thought suddenly struck Leon. Was that void energy that Derek was channeling earlier? When he shot that beam of energy into the sky, was he summoning the Void Beast? Now, Leon knew that Derek was insane, but insane in a completely different way than before. The only magic Leon knew of that used void energy was portals. But it was a taboo to use portals. In the early days, portals were widely used as a way to quickly travel a long distance, and the skill was easily learnable, and did not cost many skill points. Many mages invested in the Create Portal skill. Soon, though, the Void Beasts began to exit out of open portals. Then it was realized that the portals connected to the Create Portal skill were connected to the void. And the void was where the Void Beasts lived. So now, seeing that Derek actually used a legitimate form of void magic, Leon¡¯s nervousness lessened a great deal. ¡°Are you saying that you can control a Void Beast?¡± Leon asked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure. I think that skill I used before summoned it. Besides, I met another Void Beast a few days ago. It wasn¡¯t a bad fellow at all, in fact, it helped me out a great deal. You¡¯ve got nothing to fear.¡± Derek answered as he stood up and walked forward to the awaiting Void Beast. I knew this skill was going to be awesome. Oh, Great System, thank you for this blessing. Seeing Derek walking towards it, the Void Beast lumbered in his direction. When Derek was in range of the beast, he opened his arms and spoke to the beast. ¡°Welcome, I¡¯m going to name you Asher, is that OK with you?¡± Derek reached out to pat the creature on its shoulder. Derek¡¯s hand reached the shoulder of the Void Beast. Seeing nothing bad happening when Derek touched the beast, Leon could finally breathe easy. That was when the monster backhanded Derek in the chest with its iron like fist and razor-sharp claws. A crimson liquid flew from Derek¡¯s mouth as he flew through the air. Landing four meters away from the monster, Derek looked up, blood dripping from his lips. He turned his head towards Leon and Thomas and yelled. ¡°Run!¡± Chapter 17: Battle Chapter 17: Battle ¡°Run!¡± Derek shouted at Leon and Thomas. Malorie and Brandi had noticed the commotion and had previously been ignoring it to be with Travis. Now, hearing the frantic shout, they looked up to see what was going on. Soon, their vision found Thomas and Leon running towards them. Leon picked up Travis in an instant. ¡°I¡¯ve got him, we have got to get as far away from here as possible!¡± The other three did not argue and followed closely behind Leon. Thomas was having a hard time leaving Derek, but Derek had kept him safe, so if he said ¡®run,¡¯ Thomas would. *** Derek watched as Thomas and his companions escaped. Sitting on the ground with blood dripping out of his mouth, he smiled. I can¡¯t believe I bit my fucking tongue. When Derek was first hit, he was extremely worried, but after taking the blow, he realized that this smaller Void Beast was nowhere near as strong as the previous one. Nowhere near as strong, but still strong enough for him to have to take seriously. The problem is that slap was just a casual wave, like when the one in the void hit me. Though, this one wouldn¡¯t have dented my armor. With these thoughts, Derek stood. Then he touched his bracelet and focused on equipping his armor. Soon, he was dressed from head to toe in a dark metal armor. Now, battle ready, Derek observed the creature before him. The monster stood a good two-and-a-half meters tall, with dark red eyes promising death. It had fang-like teeth on both the top and bottom parts of its mouth. With those teeth, Derek expected a snout, but its face was more human than canine. The monster''s arms were long, much longer than a human''s. On the end of both arms and legs were the same razor-like claws. Muscles seemed to be threatening to break out of the beast¡¯s dark grey skin. It was quite a sight to behold. This fucker definitely never missed a day at the gym. Derek looked down towards his own abdomen in comparison, only seeing the giant dent in his armor left by the other Void Beast. ¡°Looks like I get to take the anger over my armor out on you. That¡¯s good, as your friend helped me out and I don¡¯t really want to fight him.¡± Yup, that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to fight him. Not because he¡¯d kill me in one hit, but because he helped me. Derek was almost trying to convince himself. The Void Beast, hearing Derek talking to it, tilted its head in confusion, almost like it was wondering why the ant it crushed was still alive. Then, as if coming to a decision, it let out a screech and readied itself to charge. Identify. Derek thought, wanting to get a bit more information before the fight began. Unknown Entity Unknown Level This creature is not of the Great System. Destroy for further information. Say what now. How the fuck did Leon know it was a Void Beast if the system doesn¡¯t even know? Derek had some questions for Leon later, but now, it was time for a fight. The beast¡¯s screeching stopped, and it charged. Derek advanced. They met. Derek¡¯s closed fist was driven into the gut of the beast, while the beast swiped its hand at Derek. The creature clearly was not expecting Derek to be so fast. Its forearm connected with Derek¡¯s side. Fuck! It¡¯s like punching steel. Derek¡¯s punch had done nothing to the monster. Derek, however, felt like he was inside a bell that had just been rung. While the strike did not harm Derek¡¯s armor much, the impact left Derek¡¯s organs shaken. Okay, so trading blows with an apparently legendary monster wasn¡¯t the smartest idea. Derek thought as he backed away. He dove in again, this time doing his best to dodge any incoming strikes. He ducked under a strike and delivered a liver blow with his left hand. Other than some pain from his hand, he received no other results. Dammit, that hurt. This fucker probably doesn¡¯t even have a liver. Derek complained internally. Well, if that¡¯s as fast as this thing moves, I got it beat on speed. Derek had been observing the beast¡¯s actions during their brief encounters, hoping to get a gauge on its strengths and weaknesses. Derek shot away, out of range of the beast¡¯s next attack. Okay, so it¡¯s strong as shit, and fast to back it up, but slower than me. It has crazy Endurance and possibly Vitality, I can¡¯t even damage it with my Strength. Luckily for me, it doesn¡¯t seem to have any magic, unless it just hasn¡¯t decided it needs to use magic yet. That would be fan-fucking-tastic. Derek summoned his glaive in preparations for his next assault. Derek moved until his glaive was in range of the monster. The distance happened to be just out of the creature¡¯s long reach. Good. Derek mused. Derek moved clockwise, doing his best to dodge and attack with his glaive. Swipe, dodge, swipe, dodge, this attack pattern continued for a short while. This isn¡¯t getting me anywhere. Derek was getting tired. The Void Beast was standing still, only using its arms to attack Derek. It was as if Derek was a fly, but the beast did not want to expend the energy to kill it. Derek looked at the results of his work. He had repeatedly sliced at the same spots with his glaive, but other than leaving some marks, he had not even broken the skin of the beast. Dammit! I can¡¯t get any power behind my attack if I¡¯m worried about dodging all the time. Derek made a decision. He gripped his glaive with both hands, stepped toward the monster, and swung towards its neck with all of his might. He knew a blow was coming from the Void Beast, but he had decided to trade another blow, just to see if he could even break past the monster''s defense. Derek watched as his blade fell towards the creature¡¯s neck, time seemingly in slow motion. Then, he caught the look on the face of the monster. Is that a smile? Oh, fuck! The thoughts instantly raced through his mind. The Void Beast moved faster than it had before. With its left hand, it caught the glaive at its blade, chipping it in the process. It pulled, sending Derek flying into its range. The beast¡¯s right arm wrapped around the armored Derek, squeezing. Luckily for Derek, his armor held strong. Finding that it could not squeeze the human to death, the Void Beast became enraged. Derek was pinned, he could move neither of his arms, and his legs were dangling off the ground. He tried kicking the beast, but he was unable to muster enough force to do any harm. The beast, though intelligent for a monster, had not thought of its next actions. Finally, much to the dismay of Derek, the Void Beast came to a conclusion. It used its head, literally. It bashed its steel-like head into Derek¡¯s helmet. This time, Derek was the bell being rung. His helmet held, but the impact to his brain worsened with each crash. Derek released the end of the glaive he held, allowing his right hand to be freed. He balled his fist and tried punching the beast in the face. When that failed, he played dirty. Derek took his thumb and aimed for the opened eye of the beast. He strained, putting in as much effort as he could to gouge the creature¡¯s left eye. The Void Beast screamed in pain and tossed the glaive it was holding. It grabbed hold of Derek¡¯s right arm and drew it away from its eye. It was pissed, it had allowed an ant to injure it. The head bashing continued, this time fiercer and faster. Derek was on the cusp of losing consciousness. He knew that the moment he blacked out would be the moment he never woke up. He had to come up with an idea, a plan. The first thing he did was enter Greater Meditation. He had not tried meditating while in a fight, but he was mostly still, so he thought he might have a chance at succeeding. The stars must have aligned because he could sense the recovery effect kicking in. It was repairing the damage to his brain as it happened. The recovery was great, but it could only just keep up, it could not repair the damage already caused. This at least gave Derek more time to think of a plan. Maybe if I play dead, it will get tired and throw me away. He knew that it would not. He had enraged it, and it would not stop until he was dead. Derek viewed his Status, focusing on his stat points. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 10 Experience 375/545 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 4000 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 400 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 110 Skills Channel Void Level 1 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Greater Meditation Level 1 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Identify Level 8 Appraise objects or entities. Void Call Level 1 Call out to the Void. Skill Points Remaining 3 Awards Giant Slayer I need more Vitality to help Greater Meditation recover my injuries. Derek grit his teeth and spent 60 of his stat points, putting them into Vitality. He instantly felt his regeneration kick it up a notch. Now, with the help of his increased Vitality, Greater Meditation was able to not only repair the damage he received from each headbutt but also some previously sustained damage. While recovering, Derek continued to think of a plan. Alright, so I should be good on injuries as long as my helmet can hold out. Derek tried to move around in the monster¡¯s arms. I can move my legs, and my left arm below the elbow. Even if I escape, I still need to be able to either damage him or run away. Derek was still looking at his Status screen. I don¡¯t think more Strength will help with anything. Derek gazed down and saw his remaining skill points. Ah, that¡¯s an idea. He raised his head and looked for his glave. It was on the ground a few meters away from him. He thought back to all of the training he had done with his glaive while he was in the void. I hope this works. Derek searched through his skill and stopped on Heavy Weapons Mastery. Would You Like to Learn Heavy Weapons Mastery? Yes. Derek thought. Heavy Weapons Mastery Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 2 C¡¯mon, do it! Derek waited for the combination message he had gotten for Meditation and Identify. Finally, a message came, but it was not what he expected. Multiple dormant skills similar to Heavy Weapons Mastery found¡­ Merging skills¡­ Skills successfully merged... Multiple skills? What? Derek went through what he remembered from his previous skills. It must be Heavy Weapons and Glaive Mastery. That¡¯s the only possibility. Then he checked his next message. Congratulations Heavy Weapons Mastery skill has reached level 17. Damn, that¡¯s hard to level up. Derek knew that it leveled quicker when used against an opponent, but he thought that all of that time spent swinging his glaive in the void would have at least earned him an upgraded skill. Oh well, it¡¯s better than nothing. Now to find a way to get free of this fucker. Derek looked at his Status and his eyes fell on Channel Void. Time to see if this was worth all those skill points. Hey everyone! I had some slides drawn, Webtoon like, of chapter 1. I''ll post them in a spoiler at the bottom of the next few chapters. Thanks for reading! Chapter 18: Strength of the Void Chapter 18: Strength of the Void Derek had no other plans for escape. He knew what he would do once he broke free, but breaking free was a different story. He concentrated, channeling the void within him. The Void Beast¡¯s forehead came crashing down onto his helmet. Derek lost his concentration, unable to keep Channel Void and Greater Meditation active at the same time. Fuck! What now? Greater Meditation had been integral in keeping his brains from coming out of his nose, but it would still take too long for the skill to completely recover his previous injuries. Maybe if I upped my Vitality more. Derek could feel the difference in protection provided from his helmet. When the beast first started bashing its head into him, his helmet provided almost complete protection, but now, he could feel that protection waning. Judging from what I know, my helmet isn¡¯t going to last much longer. Derek sighed and spent his remaining stat points on Vitality. With his Vitality reaching 510, it became Derek¡¯s highest stat. In fact, breaking 500 stat points made Derek feel like he had broken through a threshold. His new Vitality, plus his Greater Meditation skill, greatly increased his current rate of recovery. He could sense his previous head injuries healing at a much quicker pace. That might do it. Derek¡¯s health was rapidly climbing up to 5100 HP, it had already passed his previous health pool of 4000 HP. With his health nearing full, he waited for the perfect time to use Channel Void. The creature¡¯s head crashed into his own. Immediately after, he stopped Greater Meditation and began channeling the void through his body. His left arm was semi-mobile, so he channeled as much of the element as possible into his fist. Here we go. Derek¡¯s fist, coated in a dark purple glow, was driven into the abdomen of the beast. The punch was much lighter than his previous attacks, as he could not get the leverage for a decent strike. The Void Beast paused mid headbutt. Confusion plastered on its face. Then it made a low, almost imperceptible, growl. Derek did not know exactly what happened when he struck the beast, but whatever it was made the beast cease attacking, if only for a moment, and that was a very good thing. Derek, with seven seconds left of his skill, continued striking the Void Beast in the same spot. In the entire ten seconds it took for Derek to expend all of his mana, the beast never attacked once. Derek slipped back into Greater Meditation to recover his mana and observed the beast. He was just able to look down and see the location where all of his strikes landed. Nothing, not even a mark. What the hell is going on? Confusion set in. The beast¡¯s abdomen looked completely healthy, but its actions contradicted that analysis. Bringing his head back up, Derek looked at the Void Beast¡¯s face. There, he could see the small droplet of blood rolling down the cheek of the beast. So, it¡¯s being injured internally. Now, Derek only needed his mana recovery to outmatch the Void Beast¡¯s health recovery. A few minutes later, Derek¡¯s mana was fully recovered, and he channeled the void into his fist again and struck. The previously small amount of blood dripping from the monster¡¯s mouth was now flowing in an almost steady stream. About halfway through Derek¡¯s next attempt at recovering his mana, it seemed to Derek that the creature had come to a decision. The beast roared. Derek¡¯s view changed from him looking at the creature to staring at the sky. Then he was slammed full force into the ground. Pain ran through his body as his organs were all shaken. The incoming strike that Derek had expected never came. He raised his head and looked around. The beast had its back to Derek and looked as if it wanted to run. That¡¯s not going to fucking happen. Derek thought. He jumped up, out of the imprint his body had made in the earth. The beast ran. Derek took a small detour and grabbed his glaive before chasing after the beast. It did not take long before Derek was catching up. The beast jumped over the small stream, Derek followed. The chase had not lasted long when Derek found himself in striking distance. He was anxious to find out how his new mastery skill had improved his use of the glaive. Derek struck, his glaive falling between the beast¡¯s shoulders. The blade connected. This time, instead of the dull ring of metal striking metal, Derek heard tearing flesh. He felt it too. Finally. Derek let out a sigh of relief, his blade could finally hurt the beast. The beast turned around and lunged at Derek, no longer attempting to flee. Derek smiled a cruel smile. Payback¡¯s a bitch. He moved, the same motion as before. This time, however, wherever the blade landed, a cut formed. As Derek circled the enraged beast, small lacerations appeared all over the left side of the creature¡¯s body. Derek could see that the cuts were not doing a great amount of damage, but he knew that the loss of blood would soon slow the creature down. Not long into this skirmish, the Void Beast began panting heavily. With its exhaustion building, Derek no longer had to dodge as much, and was able to put more power into his blows. The injuries built, new wounds overlapping with old. The only problem was that Derek was also beginning to run low on stamina. Derek knew by the toughness of the beast¡¯s skin that it had to have a massive amount of Endurance. This meant that the beast would have an extremely high amount of natural stamina recovery, much more than Derek. The only possible way for Derek to match the monster¡¯s recovery would be to use Greater Meditation, but Derek was unable to use the skill while moving so much. Derek knew that the only reason he was able to turn the tables on the beast was because of luck, and nothing else. If the beast had decided to beat Derek after throwing him to the ground, instead of trying to flee, it would have been the end. His helmet was on the verge of falling apart, and his glaive had been chipped. This had turned into quite the costly battle for Derek. I have to finish this soon. Like Derek, the beast could also tell that the both of them were exhausted. It switched from trying to counterattack to pure defense. Derek could see that when the beast defended, the wounds inflicted by his glaive lessened. Fuck, what now? His light attacks were barely leaving marks, and his heavy attacks were just breaking the skin now. Derek looked at his Health, Stamina, and Mana pools. His health was fine as he had barely been injured since being slammed to the ground. His stamina was dangerously low, however, below 20%. He did have over half of his mana pool left. The skill said I can channel void energy into my attacks, does that mean that I can channel it into my glaive? Derek had an idea. Derek began channeling the void through his body. Okay, I only have five or six seconds to get this right. He moved the void from his body into his right hand. He focused, projecting the energy into his glaive, up to the blade. The purple glow appeared around the blade, Derek was elated. Derek could see the panic in the Void Beast¡¯s eyes. It had seen the same glow before, in the fist that ravaged its insides. It knew that it could not escape or dodge Derek¡¯s blows, so its only hope was to defend until he ran out of stamina or magic. Derek swung the blade down, aiming at the beast¡¯s chest. The beast raised both arms in an attempt to block the enchanted blade. The blade struck the outer arm of the beast, not breaking its skin. Nothing seemed to happen. Dammit! Derek cursed. Then, out of nowhere, the beast¡¯s right arm fell to its side, hanging limp. What just happened? Derek was still confused, but he was not going to let this chance go. He swung again. Once again, the beast blocked, this time with its left arm, and once again, that arm went limp, hanging to the side. The Void Beast¡¯s chest was wide open at this point. Derek let one more attack fall, this time landing on the chest of Void Beast. He ran out of mana halfway down the beast¡¯s abdomen and the skill canceled. The familiar faint feeling and headache returned to Derek, he was experiencing mana exhaustion again. The scene went quiet. Neither Derek nor the Void Beast moving. They stared at one another. Then, as if a puppet with its strings cut, the beast fell face first. On the ground, blood poured out of the mouth of the beast, turning the dirt into a bloody mud. Derek stared at his felled foe. Then looked closely at his glaive. Fuck, how am I going to get this shit fixed. There was a small chip in the middle of the blade. Derek looked back at the monster. Serves you right. The beast let out one final breath, then died. Derek got the notification. You have successfully destroyed a creature not belonging to the Great System. New Award Earned Thanks for reading. Here is the second slide. Chapter 19: After the Battle Chapter 19: After the Battle You have successfully destroyed a creature not belonging to the Great System. New Award Earned Derek was excited to see that he would be getting something new from slaying the Void Beast, and that it was not all for nothing. I hope it¡¯s a passive increase. I really miss those Titles from the other system. That system was so nice. I wouldn¡¯t mind something else cool, though. A new skill or something wouldn¡¯t be bad. Or a new weapon¡­ Derek looked at his glaive. Seeing the chip in the blade saddened him. No, not a new weapon. This one is just fine. Derek prepared himself and brought up his next notification. Lesser Slayer of the Unknown You have slain a creature unknown to the Great System. This is a rare feat only achievable by few people. Not only are Unknown Entities strong, but it is rare to encounter one. You will be awarded with the following: 1 Skill Point 20 Extra Stat Points 3 Skill Upgrade Points Automatic Level Up Slay more creatures unknown to the Great System to earn more rewards. He stared at the window in front of him. Something seemed off about this Award. That is a much better explanation from this system than I¡¯m used to receiving. Derek wondered if the system had an invested interest in eliminating these creatures. If it did, it would make sense why it had finally properly explained something. The rewards aren¡¯t too bad. Stat Points are always needed, and it¡¯s good to have an extra Skill point in my back pocket. Derek looked at the ¡®Automatic Level Up¡¯ reward. Dammit. Why couldn¡¯t it have waited until it was hard for me to level before I got this? That would be a fantastic reward if I was level 100 or 200, but from 10 to 11¡­ Derek shook his head, sighing in disappointment. He focused on the Skill Upgrade Points. The kid and Leon never said anything about Skill Upgrade Points. It¡¯s kind of self explanatory, let¡¯s see. A window related to Skill Upgrade Points appeared in his vision. Skill Upgrade Point Choose any skill you currently own and upgrade said skill. This upgrade will boost the skill by one level. Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 3 Derek had the compulsion to put all three Skill Upgrade Points into Heavy Weapons Mastery right then and there. Eventually he took a breath and calmed down. That would be dumb. These should be saved for my higher-level skills like Greater Meditation. I¡¯m sure that Heavy Weapons Mastery won¡¯t take too long to hit its upgrade. Derek continued to convince himself to save the points. He was finally able to move on from the Skill Upgrade Points by checking his next notification. Congratulations Heavy Weapons Mastery has reached level 18. This notification made Derek relieved. Yup, not spending the points is the way to go. He moved on through the next notifications. Congratulations Channel Void has reached level 3. Oh? Two levels in one fight, nice! Derek still did not completely understand what Channel Void did exactly, he had his suspicions, but no matter what, he knew the skill was very powerful. He stopped on the skill, wanting to take a look to see how the extra levels upgraded the skill. Channel Void Channel the void through your body. Using void energy, attack or defend. The higher the level of the skill, the easier it becomes to manipulate the void, also reduces the amount of mana needed to use. Uses 184 mana/s There was no change in description, but the mana that the skill used was less. Could have been better, but I can¡¯t complain. It¡¯s already a powerful skill, so the longer I can use it, the better. Derek wanted to get a better idea of what the skill actually did. He looked down at the slain creature. Reaching down, he rolled the Void Beast¡¯s corpse over onto its back. He looked at the faint mark drawn down the creature¡¯s chest, the one left by his final blow. Didn¡¯t even puncture the skin. He thought. Derek took a dagger from his bracelet and tried to slice the chest open. He could not get the dagger to cut. Holy shit! The skin is still as strong as it was before. Derek had thought that the creature may have been enforcing its skin with a skill. He had seen it before. Most creatures with great defense had some kind of passive skill supporting their Endurance. But once the monster was killed, that passive skill would disappear and it would make the creature much easier to dismantle. Shit! Why have I still not picked up the Dismantle skill. Derek had gotten by previously with just his Strength and Dexterity. When he dismantled a monster, the parts never looked as good as those gotten from others who had the skill. This did not matter much to Derek, as he had never cared for the bonuses received for selling an undamaged hide or a perfectly intact gallbladder. What he did like about the Dismantle skill was the buffs received when dismantling a corpse. If he had the Dismantle skill leveled up to a decent level, he would have no problem dismembering the corpse in front of him. I¡¯m such a fucking idiot. Such a cheap and basic skill that I could have bought from the system shop at any time, and I refused to buy it because I didn¡¯t need it. Well, I need it now. He knew that even if he had it before, he would still have to spend a Skill Point on it to have it with the new system. He did not care about that, what pissed him off was the levels that he had missed, so he would have to start with the basic level 1 skill here. Well, no time like the present. Derek pulled up the list of General Skills and looked for Dismantle. There it is. He was initially scared that it would go by some other name and he would have to spend a lot of time looking for it, but it was still called Dismantle. Dismantle Dismantle is a General Skill used to skin, dismember, and dress deceased organic life form. Precision and ease to dress a life form increased with each level increase. Cost: 1 Skill Point That¡¯s it. Would You Like to Learn Dismantle? Yes. Dismantle Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 2 Damn, now I¡¯m running low on Skill Points again. Derek took his dagger again and tried to slice the chest of the beast open. He was still unable to get through. He was not disappointed, though. Can¡¯t be helped. I can¡¯t expect a level 1 Dismantle skill to help that much. He had thought about using his glaive to cut the creature open, but he knew that the beast¡¯s skin would make great armor, and he wanted to keep it in as good a condition as possible. He gave up on his makeshift autopsy and stored his dagger and glaive. Then he reached back down and stored the body of the Void Beast as well. He looked back to where the village was. Before I leave, I¡¯m going to have to go get as many corpses as possible so I can level up the Dismantle skill. With his new plan in mind, he checked his remaining notifications. Congratulations Void Call has reached level 2. Fuck you! Next. He looked at his next notification. Level Up Must be from the auto level reward. He moved on to the final notification. You Have Killed Unknown Entity Entity Not Part of Great System No Experience Gained 0/600 Experience to Next Level You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me. Fucking stingy ass system. No XP, none? What¡¯s this 0/600 shit? Don¡¯t tell me that the ¡®Automatic Level Up¡¯ reward just filled up the amount of experience I need to get to the next level. Derek was livid. He continued cursing the new system for some time. Finally, he got control of his emotions. Whatever, I shouldn¡¯t expect anything more from this scam of a system. He viewed his status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 11 Experience 0/600 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 5100 Mana 1950 Stamina 4910 Defense 49 (Armor + 135) Attack 46 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 343 Dexterity 241 Endurance 491 Vitality 510 Intelligence 203 Wisdom 195 Stat Points Remaining 40 Skills Channel Void Level 3 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Dismantle Level 1 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 1 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 8 Appraise objects or entities. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Skill Points Remaining 2 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 3 Awards Giant Slayer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown Not bad. Derek still got a kick out of looking at his stats, then his level. Not bad at all for a lowly level 11. Derek walked back towards the abandoned Village. When he reached the back gate, he went inside. He whistled as he strolled through, storing corpse after corpse in his bracelet. Bunny, bunny, wolf, wolf, bear¡­ nah, too big. He ended up storing 23 monster corpses in his bracelet. When he focused on his bracelet he frowned. Damn, looks like the things beginning to get full. He walked out of the front gate, his gaze landing towards the direction of the refugees. Well, I got a kid to find and get home. He left. Slide 3! Chapter 20: Regroup Chapter 20: Regroup Thomas was anxious. He did not quite understand what was happening, but from Leon¡¯s words and Derek¡¯s seriousness, he knew that it could be bad. He had never seen Derek get serious before, so when Derek shouted at him to run, he ran. The group of five had made it a good distance away from the battle. They made sure to run in the direction the others had initially fled. Eventually, Leon stopped running and stilled. Thomas, seeing Leon as the makeshift leader of the group, stopped too. ¡°What are we doing? Why did you stop?¡± The first to ask the question was Malorie. Thomas watched as she anxiously shifted her body from side to side. ¡°Is it¡­¡± She trailed off and did not continue to speak. Leon smiled a sad smile. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s gone.¡± Travis, being held by Leon, had finally succumbed to his fate. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Leon laid Travis¡¯s body on the ground. Thomas watched the sombrous scene. Brandi ran over to Travis and fell to her knees. She wept uncontrollably. Seeing this, he was reminded of losing his own parents. The difference was that Brandi had gotten to say goodbye, but Thomas had not even been able to see their corpses. All he knew was what he was told. Two years ago, his parents had both reached level 24. They were warriors of the village and had gone to the nearby dungeon to obtain the skill reward. The dungeon was for those under level 25 and offered a few different common skills as rewards for completion. It allowed no more than five people in at a time and was considered easy among the known dungeons. Rayna, the village leader, had gone solo and had no problem completing it. So, with his mother and father both going, there was no worry in the village. Unfortunately for Thomas, the two never returned. Thomas snapped out of his daze and continued watching. He looked over to Leon, who had backed away to give the mother and daughter some space. Then he approached. ¡°Chief Leon?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes?¡± Leon turned away from the grieving pair and gave his attention to Thomas. ¡°That thing from the sky, you said that was a Void Beast? And Derek summoned it? Is that even possible? Do you think Derek is okay?¡± Thomas could not control himself and rapidly spit out question after question, his anxiety and stress increasing with every new question. ¡°Slow down, boy.¡± Leon halted Thomas. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know much about your ¡®friend¡¯ Derek.¡± Thomas could see wariness from Leon when he mentioned Derek. ¡°Legends describe how Void Beast¡¯s appear and leave. Usually, they come through an open portal, then leave by breaking the void in the sky and entering. I don¡¯t know how it happened, but the Void Beast we just saw broke the void to get out.¡± Leon gulped. ¡°This means that portals aren¡¯t the only ways for a Void Beast to appear.¡± Thomas could see the fear in Leon¡¯s eyes when talking about the Void Beast. ¡°So, do you think that Derek will make it out okay?¡± He asked again. ¡°Boy, I don¡¯t know. If he doesn¡¯t, it serves him right. He had no business messing with things he doesn¡¯t understand.¡± Leon took a deep breath. ¡°Even if he does live, it¡¯d be better off if we never saw him again. A man like that will only bring the village trouble.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A voice from behind the two rang out. They both spun, just to see a smirking Derek standing behind them. *** Once Derek left the abandoned village, it did not take him long to catch up with Thomas and the others. After seeing the dead Travis, he had waited to approach, not wanting to disturb Malorie and Brandi. He casually eavesdropped on the conversation between Leon and Thomas. He heard Leon¡¯s words and felt his apprehension from his voice. Well, I guess I can¡¯t blame the guy. His village was destroyed, and he lost most of his people. Also, he probably knows that I could have saved Travis, and even if he understands why I didn¡¯t, it would give him some reservations about me. And to top it all off, I summoned a legendary monster from the void that is known for its destruction. Oh well, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll get over it. Derek approached the two and made his presence known. ¡°Is that so?¡± He said, scaring the daylights out of the man and boy. The two turned to him, both with different expressions. Leon looked scared and embarrassed, like he had been caught doing something he should not have. Thomas looked scared too, but that quickly changed to relief, then happy once his mind processed what he was seeing. ¡°Derek! You¡¯re okay!¡± Thomas ran forward, hugging Derek by his waist. ¡°The way Leon talked about that monster made it sound like there was no chance.¡± Thomas¡¯s eyes were reddening, and tears threatened to form. Derek had not expected this outburst of emotions from Thomas. He had observed Thomas as emotionally strong. Well, except for when he was sure that I was going to kill him. But even an adult would have had a hard time in that situation. Derek peeled Thomas off. ¡°You okay, kid? You seem a little¡­ off.¡± ¡°I¡­ Um¡­ I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re alive.¡± Thomas backed off, his cheeks turning rosy from embarrassment. Derek looked to Leon, who was standing off to the side, brow furrowed. Looks like he¡¯s trying to figure out what to say. Derek¡¯s smirk turned into a smile. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you. I somehow made it back.¡± Leon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No, I¡¯m not disappointed. I was just speaking without thinking. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Derek had never seen somebody backpedal as fast as Leon was. He just chuckled and continued. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand your reservations. Earlier was completely my fault. Your Great System gave me a new skill, but it did not have much of a description. I should not have tested it out with people around. Just know that I don¡¯t believe anything like that will happen again, unless I use the skill. And based on what I now know of the skill, I don¡¯t see myself using it anytime soon.¡± Derek hoped what he was saying would calm the man down. Leon let out a sigh. ¡°No, I was still wrong. You saved me, you saved Thomas, hell, you saved everyone who is left from my village. You didn¡¯t¡­¡± Leon looked towards Thomas, then to the body of Travis. ¡°Couldn¡¯t save Travis, but that¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯ll trust that you will control your new skill and won¡¯t endanger anyone. You¡¯ve done much more good to us than harm. I¡¯m sorry for what I said.¡± Derek nodded to Leon in understanding. He looked over to the mother and child. He breathed deep and asked Leon. ¡°Would you like me to store his body so he can have a proper funeral once we get to Thomas¡¯s village?¡± Leon was taken aback. ¡°You would do that? I¡¯m sure Mal would be very grateful.¡± Leon answered. Derek nodded to Leon. With a sad smile on his face, he walked over to the women. ¡°You¡¯re Malorie? Brandi? I¡¯m sorry for your loss. If you like, I can store his body so you two can give him a proper send off once we reach where we are going.¡± Brandi still sobbed, but Malorie looked up at Derek. She smiled. ¡°Thank you. We would like that very much.¡± Derek kneeled down next to the body and placed his hand on top of its chest. He looked at Brandi, who was still clutching Travis¡¯s hand. ¡°Please release your father¡¯s hand so we can bring him with us.¡± He said in as gentle of a tone as possible. Brandi let go, and the body disappeared. ¡°Okay everyone, it¡¯s time to catch up with the others. The longer we¡¯re here, the higher the chance of something bad happening to them. And you¡¯ve all already lost enough people for one day.¡± Derek gave the group a warning, letting them realize that what he said was true. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± Leon said. Derek looked at Leon skeptically. He was still quite injured from before, and it would take some time before he was fully healed. ¡°No, it would be better if I led. You¡¯re still injured.¡± Derek thought for a second before taking a small container out of the bracelet and tossing it to Leon. ¡°Here, apply the paste on your wounds and you will heal faster.¡± Leon caught the container. He looked inside, then nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Brandi, seeing the healing supplies, started to say something. Seeing this, Derek knew what she was going to say. ¡°It¡¯s not enough to bring someone back from the dying state. It¡¯s only good enough for superficial wounds like cuts and bruises.¡± Brandi did not say anything. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± *** It was already evening when the group of five set out, so soon it was nighttime. Derek had the group walk through the night, so they could catch up to the remaining refugees. The children could not keep up, so Derek carried Thomas for most of the night, while Leon and Malorie took turns carrying Brandi. Derek could have arrived much sooner if not for the group, but at the pace they were setting, it was not until the next morning that they came across the remaining villagers. After arriving at the group, Derek decided to camp for some time so the children could rest. With him there, they would not have to worry about being attacked. While doing so, he let Leon explain everything that had happened to the villager. Derek could not help but be saddened by the atmosphere of the crowd after Leon¡¯s information. Looks like everyone lost somebody there. He looked over to see Leon with his wife, Sana. They looked happy to be together, but Derek could see the guilt reflected in their eyes. That¡¯s going to be tough on Leon for the foreseeable future. Survivor¡¯s guilt was a crushing thing. Later, Leon and Sana came and sat close to Derek. Thomas had already awoken from his nap and was beside Derek. ¡°So, what happened with that monster?¡± Thomas asked. It surprised Derek that it had taken so long for anyone to ask about the Void Beast. He had expected the question to come from Leon, but his conversation from earlier had probably put a halt on any questioning. Both Sana and Leon perked up their ears after hearing the question. ¡°Oh, that thing? It was nothing. I¡¯m sure that there are a ton of people around that could take care of one. Once it saw that it could not do much damage to me, it jumped back into the sky and broke back into the void.¡± Derek paused for a second, giving the group some time to digest what he had said. ¡°I think the legends are a bit overrated. Sure, it''s tough, and hits like a trai¡­ hits really hard. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worthy of a legend. I¡¯m sure a high enough level person would be able to slaughter them by the dozens. At least if they are all the same strength as the one I fought.¡± ¡°I have seen one that appeared to be stronger than the one I fought, so maybe we got lucky and I only summoned a weak one. I don¡¯t know. All I know is that I¡¯m not planning on using that skill again for a very long time.¡± Derek explained. ¡°It left? Just like that?¡± This time, it was Leon asking the question. ¡°Yup. Just as soon as it knew it couldn¡¯t kill me. Pretty smart if you ask me.¡± Out of the corner of his eye, Derek noticed Brandi stirring from her slumber. ¡°Okay. Since everyone is awake, it¡¯s time to get going.¡± Slide 4! Chapter 21: Home Chapter 21: Home The group hurriedly packed up their camp, which took very little time as they had to leave their village in a hurry and were unable to bring much. Once everyone was ready, Derek took the lead and continued walking towards the direction Leon had given him. They were making great pace with Derek in the lead. They no longer had to move cautiously. Without having to worry about ambushes and fights, it would only take them a few days to travel to Rayna¡¯s village. As Derek was walking, he was getting more and more bored. He had wanted to use Greater Meditation to try to level it up, but he decided it would be best to wait until he was not leading a group of survivors to level it. Then, he thought about channeling the void through his body to try to level his Void Channel skill. But after looking at Leon, he figured that the man would lose his mind if he saw him channeling the void again. Finally, he decided to level up his Dismantle skill. He pulled a rabbit out of his bracelet and began the process of skinning it. With a quick and fluid motion, he removed the head and feet of the rabbit. Then he made a cut down the front of the body, making sure not to puncture the stomach. With one tug, the skin of the rabbit was off. Huh, that was way smoother than before. And that was while walking. He looked at the rabbit in one hand and the skin in the other. I really don¡¯t want this stuff taking up the space in my bracelet. He looked down beside him to see Thomas looking at the rabbit. ¡°You want this kid?¡± He asked. ¡°No, I was just surprised to see you do that all of the sudden.¡± Derek realized that he had misinterpreted Thomas¡¯s gaze. ¡°Oh, well, what should I do with this.¡± He motioned to the skin and the rabbit. ¡°I guess since we don¡¯t have much food, we can cook up the meat the next time we stop, but what about this?¡± He held up the skin. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ Can I have it?¡± A shy voice sounded out from behind the two. Derek turned to see Brandi walking close behind them with her head down. ¡°Don¡¯t see why not, I¡¯m not going to use it. Heads up.¡± Derek tossed the skin to Brandi, who was barely able to bring her head up in time to see the rabbit skin flying towards her face. She shrieked and raised her hands, stopping the flying skin just before it hit her in the face. Derek put his ¡®dinner¡¯ back inside the bracelet, and took out another corpse, this one a small wolf. He soon made quick work of it. When he was finished, he heard the shy voice again. ¡°Can I have that hide too?¡± Brandi asked. ¡°Sure.¡± Derek was going to toss the wolf hide over, but stopped after seeing her small stature. He held his hand out. ¡°Here, give me the rabbit hide.¡± The girl pouted and slowed her pace. ¡°I¡¯m not going to keep it, I¡¯m just going to store it. I¡¯ll give it back when we get to Thomas¡¯s home.¡± After the clarification, the girl regained her spirit and gave Derek the skin back. ¡°Why do you want the skins, anyway?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I¡­ I put my skill point in Leatherworking, I want to help make armor for the village so that...¡± She stopped, tears forming in her eyes. ¡°So that they can be safe.¡± She finished. Derek smiled. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck, I have a bunch of these things and I didn¡¯t know what I was going to do with them. I guess when you get settled, I can just give the things to you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She asked. ¡°Yup, they¡¯re yours if you want them.¡± *** The group continued on at a moderately fast pace. During travel, they had only come across two small packs of low-level wolves, which Marshall made quick work of, and a single level 18 bear, which Derek allowed Leon and Marshall to handle. Derek used Dismantle on the wolves and bear to gain more experience with the skill. When the final corpse in his bracelet was dismantled, the familiar notification popped up in Derek¡¯s vision. Derek focused on it. Congratulations Dismantle skill has reached level 4 I guess getting the skill to level four in this short amount of time isn¡¯t too bad. I doubt it will help much with the Void Beast¡¯s body yet, though. Since Derek was out of things to Dismantle, he decided to just stay up front and focus on getting the refugees to the village for the rest of the trip. Their pace was quick, and without having to travel cautiously, the estimated week-long trip only took a little more than three days. *** Thomas was giddy with excitement when he saw his village in the distance. He had tried to maintain his calm, but the closer the group got to the village, the more he felt like he was going to burst. He had only been away from his grandpa for less than two weeks, but it had felt like ages. With all that he had experienced, he was ready to be home. Mostly, he wanted his grandma and grandpa to know that he was safe. He was sure that his grandma would be sick with worry. Finally, unable to contain himself, he took off in a sprint towards the village. If someone would have asked him earlier, he would have said that he did not have the energy to run after the long days of travel. He made it to the front of the village, where there was an open gate. He dashed in. ¡°Thomas?¡± He heard a voice coming from the gate, but it was not the voice of his grandpa or grandma, so he ignored it and kept running. Soon, he was in the middle of the village. He changed directions and made a B-Line to a small residence, made from mud and brick. Thomas slammed the door open and ran inside the home. ¡°Grandma! I¡¯m back. Where are you?¡± He called out. The residence was small, with only two bedrooms and a common area. His eyes instantly shot to a lady sitting on a bed in one of the rooms. Her hair was just beginning to grey. She had only a few wrinkles, but the bags under her eyes made her look much older than she was. It seemed that she had been suffering from a lack of sleep recently. Seeing his grandma in such a condition, Thomas ran over and enveloped her in a big hug. She had not been able to say anything from the moment the door swung open, to the moment Thomas was in her arms. After a long hug, the two finally regained clarity. ¡°Thomas! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay.¡± The woman¡¯s face was already drenched in tears. ¡°Where have you been? How did you get back?¡± The woman asked. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell everyone later.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Where¡¯s grandpa? I have to tell him that I¡¯m okay.¡± He paused for a couple seconds. ¡°And we have guests.¡± The woman wiped her tear-stained face with the back of her hand. ¡°Your grandpa has been worried sick. As well he should. He should have never taken his eyes off of you.¡± The woman reached over to her right shoulder with her left hand and then moved her right arm in a circle. ¡°I gave him a good beating when he showed up without you.¡± She smiled. ¡°He should be meeting with Rayna right about now. And what do you mean guests?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯ll see, c¡¯mon, we¡¯ve got to go.¡± Thomas grabbed his grandma¡¯s hand and pulled her up from the bed. The two exited the house and Thomas raced to the Chief¡¯s residence, his grandma struggling to keep up. Thomas barged into Chief Rayna¡¯s house too, not spending any time on etiquette. Three heads turned at the commotion. Two men and a woman. On recognition, one of the men jumped to his feet, grabbed Thomas and lifted him into the air. He spun him around once before holding him out in front. ¡°Thomas! Thank the Great System, you¡¯re alive! What happened, why did you run off?¡± The man peppered Thomas with affection and questions. ¡°Put me down.¡± Thomas struggled against his grandpa. ¡°Put me down.¡± He said again. He was finally released from his grandpa¡¯s grasp. Thomas¡¯s cheeks turned rosy from being embarrassed in front of the chief of the village. Thomas turned to Chief Rayna and cleared his throat. ¡°Chief Rayna, Chief Leon should be arriving at the village soon, with the¡­¡± Thomas¡¯s words trailed off, and he looked towards the ground. He looked back up at Rayna with a frown and continued. ¡°With the remaining survivors of his village.¡± He finished. The attractive woman with pale skin, long blonde hair, and green eyes pursed her lips and squinted. ¡°Survivors? What happened to the village?¡± She asked. ¡°They will be here soon. They will be able to tell you more than me.¡± Thomas answered. He was still shy around Rayna, but the days with Derek and the others had hardened him and he had grown. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Rayna stood and walked out of residence. Thomas, his grandparents, and the other man trailing behind. *** Derek watched as Thomas took off towards his village. He did not stop him as he did not sense or see any danger. As Thomas went to the village at full speed, he casually dropped back beside Leon. ¡°You know the people here, so you can go ahead now.¡± Derek fell in behind Leon, with the rest of the group. He ended up walking beside the little girl who wanted the hides. ¡°What level are you?¡± He asked. Startled that Derek would talk to her, she answered shakily. ¡°I¡¯m only a level one. I just turned 13 not long ago.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°I see, well, you¡¯re going to need to level up. Who knows, maybe the Great System will reward you with some kind of Leatherworking or crafting class.¡± Derek felt sorry for the little girl who had lost her father, and he was impressed at her drive to help her villagers. ¡°It will be a long time, but I will definitely be able to help my friends and family someday.¡± Brandi said with resolve. Behind the two, Malorie could only smile a sad smile. *** The group soon reached the gates of the village with Leon in the front. When they arrived, they found five people there waiting for them. Derek looked over the people. There were two men and two women. Thomas was the fifth. He was standing in between the older man and woman, while they all seemed to yield to the beautiful blonde in front. Making no small talk, the woman got straight to the issue. ¡°Leon, what happened?¡± Here''s the final slide for chapter 1. Chapter 22: Meeting Chapter 22: Meeting ¡°Leon, what happened?¡± Rayna asked. Leon shuffled from one leg to the other, nervously. He had been going over in his head what he was going to say when he arrived at Rayna¡¯s village. When he was finally asked the question, he froze, unable to answer the question. Leon knew the answer, he knew what to say, but once it was said out loud, it would all be real. He took a moment to gather himself. He took a deep breath in and let it out. Finally, he slowly raised his head to look Rayna in the eyes. ¡°I failed. The village is gone.¡± He made a simple statement that summed everything up. ¡°It was overrun by a horde of monsters.¡± Leon turned and his gaze fell over each of the surviving villagers. ¡°This is all that¡¯s left. Nobody else made it out.¡± He could see the pitying look in Rayna¡¯s eyes, but he did not say anything. ¡°Rayna, will you take us in? Our village is lost, and our people are dead. We have nowhere else to go.¡± The hard part over, he waited for Rayna to give her reply. Rayna looked over the group of survivors, taking in everything that Leon had said. She had been put on the spot, but there was really only one answer. ¡°Of course. You are all welcome here.¡± She saw the relief wash over many of the refugees in the crowd. There were not many survivors left, so adding them to her village would not be a problem. ¡°Thank you so much. I will forever be in your debt.¡± Leon said, then lowered his head as if ashamed. ¡°Raise your head. There is no reason to feel shame. There will always come a time when you must rely on others.¡± Rayna consoled Leon while scanning the crowd again. There was a man that she had noticed earlier that seemed off. What a strange dress. She thought while examining the man¡¯s t-shirt and jeans. It looks like he is daydreaming. Almost like none of this concerns him. The oddly dressed man was just staring with his head tilted up. Occasionally, he would furrow his brow or nod to himself. It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s interacting with the Great System. Maybe he¡¯s slow. She stared directly at him, but he did not seem to notice. That has to be it. Though, I don¡¯t remember anyone like that from Leon¡¯s village. Derek was standing in the middle of the refugees, letting Leon and Rayna talk. None of what was going on mattered to him, anyway. Hmm¡­ So, leveling is slow with this scam system, and there seems to be a sharp drop off of experience when killing higher leveled beasts. I do need to find something over one hundred levels above me to kill so I can get the next Giant Slayer award. I bet it¡¯s just another Skill Point, but every point is needed when it comes to this stingy system. He furrowed his brows, then relaxed. I bet if I go deep enough into the forest, I could find something one hundred levels above me. He nodded his head, not noticing the stare that he was receiving. I should probably do that soon. He thought, then he frowned again. I have to be careful though. I really want to go do that dungeon that Thomas was talking about. I need to stay under level 25 to do that though. Dammit, I don¡¯t even know if Identify will be able to show me the levels of anything over level 100. It¡¯s level 8, so I think it will only show me enemy levels up to 80, plus my current level, so... 91. I¡¯m really going to need to level it. I guess I can just wander around and Identify different things until it gets to level 11 or so. Derek nodded his head twice now that he had somewhat of a plan. I wish that Void Beast would have had levels. It was definitely above level 100. He finally snapped out of his thoughts and looked around. He saw Thomas standing beside who he guessed were his grandparents. Maybe I should take the kid to that dungeon when I go. If it¡¯s the way it sounds, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem with the two of us entering together. The discussion between Leon and Rayna seemed to have finally come to a conclusion. The woman turned around. ¡°Follow me. We¡¯ll find a place for you all.¡± She said as she started walking into the village. Derek watched the pretty blond woman as she fell in beside Leon and began chatting. ¡°What¡¯s with the oddly dressed person in your group.¡± She whispered to Leon, but Derek was close enough that with his stats, he was able to hear the conversation if he focused. ¡°Oddly dressed person?¡± Leon looked back, his eyes fell on Derek. A slightly surprised look appeared on his face as he turned back around. ¡°I think you¡¯re talking about Derek. That¡¯s another thing we have to discuss, but I would prefer to do it in private.¡± He said. ¡°Very well, though I don¡¯t see why we need to discuss it in private. He looks odd, and he was staring out in space earlier when we were talking about the future of your people. Is he slow? Mentally challenged?¡± Rayna let her suspicions be known. Derek¡¯s eyelid twitched at that statement. Mentally challenged? I¡¯ll show her mentally challenged. Leon had turned just in time to see Derek¡¯s facial expression change. ¡°Slow¡­ No! No, he¡¯s not slow at all.¡± Leon moved even closer to Rayna and whispered something as lightly as he could. This time, Derek was unable to make out what was said, but he could guess by the reaction Rayna made. Her head rapidly turned back to look at Derek. This time a look of shock appeared on her face. He could not stop himself from smirking ever so slightly. Hmm¡­ Serves you right for calling me slow. *** The group eventually stopped about midway into the village. Here, Rayna made an announcement. ¡°Okay, everybody, listen up. Davis here.¡± She pointed to the other man that had been with the group that greeted the villagers. ¡°Davis is going to help you all get situated. We¡¯ll figure out more in the upcoming days.¡± ¡°Okay, follow me.¡± Davis led the refugees away, leaving only Rayna, Leon, Derek, Thomas and Thomas¡¯s grandparents. With the six of them alone, Rayan spoke. ¡°My residence is just up this way, I think we have a lot to discuss. Leon, Richard¡­¡± She paused and looked at Derek. ¡°Derek, if you will follow me.¡± The older woman reached for and grabbed Thomas¡¯s hand and began leading him away. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Thomas. I¡¯m sure they have very important things to discuss.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Derek called out. ¡°The kid¡¯s coming too. I need to talk to him once we¡¯ve finished.¡± The woman frowned and looked at Rayna, who slowly nodded her head. ¡°Relax, the boy will be fine. You¡¯re his grandma, you might as well come too.¡± Derek said, to the older lady¡¯s relief. Rayna led the group to one of the bigger buildings in the village. When inside the building, she showed them to a room with a table and chairs. ¡°Let¡¯s all have a seat.¡± She gestured towards the furniture. Without ceremony, Derek pulled out a chair and let his body fall into it. ¡°Whew, actual furniture, it¡¯s been awhile.¡± He moved around on the chair. ¡°Though, it could really use a cushion or something.¡± He remarked. The others all stared for a moment until Rayna took the initiative and sat down at the head of the table. The rest, including a very nervous looking Thomas, soon followed. The six people sat at the table in silence, Derek was waiting for someone else to speak. Finally, Rayna broke the silence. ¡°Derek, you already know Leon, and little Thomas.¡± She gestured to the man and boy. ¡°Beside Thomas is his grandpa, Richard. He is one of my aides and the head trader of the village. And beside Richard is his wife, Delilah, who is Thomas¡¯s grandma.¡± Derek looked over and nodded to the two. ¡°I¡¯m sure the both of them will be very grateful to you by the time this meeting is over.¡± Rayna continued. ¡°From what Leon has told me, which is not much, you are the reason that both Thomas and the survivors of Leon¡¯s village are still alive. This was all I could get out of Leon, it seems that you have made quite the impression on him.¡± Rayna looked over to Leon and smiled. Derek chuckled, amused at the way Leon was acting. He had been very reserved with Derek ever since he came back from fighting the Void Beast. He focused his attention on the chief. ¡°Well, there¡¯s not much of a story to tell. I was in the forest when Thomas ran into me, apparently after being separated from his companions. He was being chased by a wolf, which I took care of.¡± ¡°After that, Thomas helped me out a bit, so I agreed to bring him home.¡± He looked over to Richard. ¡°You have quite the grandson by the way.¡± He spoke to Thomas¡¯s grandparents, then continued. ¡°We made it out of the forest, and soon after we saw the small group of villagers. Thomas knew them, so he asked me to help. I did, and now we are here.¡± Leon looked as if there was something more that he wanted to add, but he did not make a sound. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Rayna appeared doubtful at Derek¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah, pretty much. There were some beasts and fights in between, but other than that, that¡¯s all. Found the kid, saved what was left of the village, brought them here. That¡¯s the cliff notes.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Cliff notes?¡± Rayna asked. Derek laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯s just a saying where I come from.¡± ¡°And where do you come from?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good question, but I have a better one.¡± Derek paused for dramatic effect. ¡°What do you plan on doing about your forest problem? If what I¡¯m thinking is correct, it won¡¯t be long before all the villages in the area end up like Leon¡¯s.¡± He stared deep into Rayna¡¯s eyes. Chapter 23: The Problem Chapter 23: The Problem ¡°The forest problem? Do you know what¡¯s going on with it?¡± Rayna blurted out. Derek could see the intrigue swelling in her eyes. ¡°I have some ideas.¡± Said Derek. ¡°First, I¡¯m sure you all have noticed that monsters are migrating towards the edge of the forest.¡± ¡°We have, it is very odd.¡± Richard replied. ¡°You must have also noticed that the creatures near the edge are beginning to be advanced in their level. Right now, it seems to be creatures at around level 20, but I have a feeling that this will soon change.¡± Derek stopped talking, allowing what he had just said to sink in. Rayna was the first to respond. ¡°What makes you think this?¡± She asked. Derek looked to where Richard and Delilah were sitting. ¡°You heard that Tommy there was chased by a wolf, correct?¡± Derek waited for the two of them to nod. ¡°What you haven¡¯t heard is that the wolf that chased him was level 53.¡± He explained. Hearing that, the room went silent. Nobody could believe what they had just heard. Finally, Rayna broke the silence. ¡°Thomas, how far into the forest did you go?¡± Thomas startled, but answered. ¡°We...well, I didn¡¯t go very far at all. I thought I saw some herbs for medicine and went to look at them. Then the wolf came and chased me deeper into the forest.¡± Rayna looked at Derek. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that a level 53 wolf chased Thomas from the edge of the forest, all the way to where you were? How was he able to escape from a wolf of that level?¡± Derek could hear the skepticism in her voice. Derek snorted, amused. ¡°I don¡¯t know, you¡¯d have to ask the wolf. Maybe it enjoyed the hunt, or it was full and just toying with him. All I know is that it ended up in our stomachs.¡± He patted his belly as if he was stuffed. Rayna scoffed. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right and it was level 53. Why was it so close to the edge of the forest?¡± ¡°Now that is the question.¡± Derek paused. ¡°I believe that the stronger creatures are being driven to the outer parts of the forest, which also drives the weaker monsters completely out of the forest. This ends up with a beast horde attacking a village, just like what happened to the village Leon came from.¡± ¡°Fine, so something is causing all of this then. Do you know what it is?¡± Rayna asked. ¡°Well, I know part of what is causing the beast problem.¡± Derek looked at Thomas, then spoke. ¡°When the kid and I were getting ready to head out of the forest, a bear attacked our camp. It was a higher level, just like the wolf, but it looked sick. After inspecting the bear, I learned that it was diseased, and was on the verge of turning into an undying creature.¡± Derek stopped talking to let the others digest this information. Derek continued. ¡°Now, I know that a disease is spreading throughout the forest, but I do not know what is causing the disease. I¡¯m not a native to this region, so I don¡¯t have a lot of information, but I have a couple theories of what is happening.¡± Rayna looked at Derek, her face now completely serious. ¡°If everything you¡¯re saying is true, then we have a big problem. No, not just us, even City Lord Torith will have to get involved.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°What are your theories? What do you believe is the cause of all of this?¡± Seeing the atmosphere becoming so serious, Derek decided that he had messed around enough. He had been acting haughty ever since he heard the woman call him slow. He leaned forward in his chair and looked directly into the village chief¡¯s eyes. ¡°From what I heard from Thomas, this city lord of yours dispatched some adventurers to look into the problem, correct?¡± Rayna answered. ¡°Yes, they poked around in the forest for a bit, and questioned a few villages, but from what I gather, they couldn¡¯t find any real problems.¡± ¡°Interesting. Either the adventurers that took on the mission were complete idiots and awful at their jobs, or they didn¡¯t even bother trying to figure out what was happening. The second I arrived here, I could tell that there was something serious happening to the forest, and it only took me a day to figure out part of it. Surely the adventures that came were high enough of a level to take out some monsters at level 50, right?¡± Derek asked. ¡°From what I know, there were three of them, and they were all level 50 or higher. We know this because of all the bragging they were doing.¡± Rayna answered. ¡°Well, it was most likely the latter, they didn¡¯t even try.¡± Derek shook his head, he was not a big fan of helping people, but if he took a mission or made a promise, at least he kept it, or tried to keep it. He changed the subject. ¡°So, I have two theories about what is going on. The first is that some kind of undying creature wandered into the forest a long time ago, and it has taken this long for the disease to spread.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a possibility.¡± Said Richard from across the table. ¡°Though it seems unlikely. If something like that happened, the disease should have spread much faster. And the monsters would have become diseased first, instead of the forest.¡± ¡°And this leads me to my second theory.¡± All the eyes in the room were staring at Derek. ¡°A dungeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rayna questioned. ¡°If there was a dungeon, we would have known about it.¡± ¡°That may be so, but who says that there can¡¯t be new dungeons?¡± He questioned, then looked at Richard, who seemed to be the most knowledgeable of the group. ¡°Is it possible? Can new dungeons just appear?¡± He stopped for a second, thinking. ¡°And what happens to a dungeon if it isn¡¯t cleared for a long time?¡± In the system that Derek came from, dungeons could appear anywhere except for safe zones, and if a dungeon was not cleared in an appropriate amount of time, they would overflow. Richard did not respond for a while. Finally, he nodded his head. ¡°New dungeons appearing are rare, but not unheard of. It is possible that a well-hidden dungeon could have spawned deep in the forest, where not many adventurers go.¡± He paused. ¡°If that were to have happened, and it was left alone, it could have caused an overflow after some time. If the dungeon is one with undying properties, it would explain everything that is happening.¡± ¡°So, we possibly have a hidden dungeon that has overflowed, leading to disease spreading throughout the forest. This is driving the healthy monsters away from the dungeon, and towards the edge of the forest, which is driving the lower level creatures out of the forest and causing them to attack villages.¡± Rayna recounted all that she had heard. ¡°It seems far-fetched, but it¡¯s the only thing that currently makes sense.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Now that you understand your dire situation. You should probably find a way to fix it. Who knows, maybe this city lord of yours will send someone competent this time.¡± Derek made to get up. He had finished his explanation and let the villagers know how serious of a problem they had. It was time for him to leave the village and go find something 100 levels higher than him to kill. ¡°Wait!¡± Rayna spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re strong, at least level 90. Why don¡¯t you help us? It should be easy enough for you.¡± ¡°Level 90? What made you get that idea?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I can¡¯t Identify you. Which means that your Identify skill is higher than mine, and mine is level 6, or you are a higher level than what I can Identify. I can see up to level 91, and you are just question marks. Either way, it means that you are strong.¡± Rayna explained her theory. ¡°That may be so, but I have no reason to help you further. I already saved your refugees and let you know of the forest problem. Hell, the only reason I did this much is because I find the kid over there...¡± Derek nodded at Thomas. ¡°I find him interesting. Besides, you don¡¯t need me. This is a problem that the city lord will want to see eliminated, and fast. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± With that, Derek finished standing up and started walking to the exit of the house. ¡°Tommy, walk with me. I need to find out where that little girl ended up going.¡± He motioned for Thomas to follow him. *** ¡°He¡¯s right, you know.¡± Richard spoke after Derek and Thomas exited the building. ¡°I know, but he doesn¡¯t have to be so upfront about it.¡± Rayna said. Her mind was still racing while thinking of all the new information she had received. ¡°We need to figure out what to do, and do it fast.¡± ¡°Our only option is to send someone to the city to report to the lord. Derek was right in that regard.¡± Richard replied. ¡°I¡¯ll send Davis. He can take a few hunters with him. They should be able to make the trip relatively quick.¡± This was all Rayna could do in their current situation. What she really wanted to know was how powerful Derek was. She looked at Leon. ¡°Leon, you¡¯ve spent a lot of time with that man, now that he¡¯s gone, what¡¯s your take on him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s sarcastic, funny, and moody. And, he asks a lot of basic questions. I can¡¯t figure him out. But he¡¯s strong, much stronger than you think.¡± Leon paused, as if debating on what to say next. ¡°I think he can control the void.¡± He dropped a bombshell. ¡°What!¡± Rayna was shocked. ¡°How is that possible? Are you sure?¡± ¡°I saw him playing around with his elemental powers. It was an element that I have never personally seen before.¡± He paused again, then sighed. ¡°I think he accidentally summoned a Void Beast too.¡± Rayna did not know what to think. She was caught off guard by Leon¡¯s first statement, but the second made her speechless. Luckily, Richard spoke up. ¡°Did he open a portal?¡± Richard asked. ¡°No. He channeled his element, then shot it into the sky. After that, a Void Beast broke through.¡± Leon responded. Rayna was finally able to speak. ¡°If a Void Beast was there, how did any of you make it out alive.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing. He stayed back to fight it and sent us away. Soon after, he caught up. No worse for wear. He said that he chased it away, which makes sense according to what I know of Void Beasts. But I don¡¯t know, I think he may have killed it.¡± Leon finished. The room was silent until a voice that had not spoken rang out. ¡°What does he want with my Thomas?¡± Delilah asked. *** Derek and Thomas were walking through the village. ¡°So, kid, when will you unlock the system?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I turn thirteen in around a month.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°What are your plans? Do you plan on staying in the village?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I had wanted to be a trader, like my grandpa. But with everything that has happened, I want to get strong. I want to be able to protect people, and I don¡¯t want to have to be protected by others.¡± Thomas answered. Derek could see the fire in Thomas¡¯s eyes as he spoke. ¡°If you want that, you¡¯ll have to leave. You¡¯ll have to adventure, fight, and kill. Are you up for it? Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t rather have a nice and peaceful life in the village?¡± Derek pushed. Thomas halted his steps. Derek turned and waited for his reply. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± This was the only response that Derek received. The duo continued walking. Soon, Derek saw someone that he recognized. ¡°Davis, right?¡± The man stopped walking and replied. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You took the refugees somewhere. I need to find that little girl and her mother. Brandi and Malorie.¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯re just up ahead.¡± Davis pointed in a direction. ¡°Thanks.¡± Derek and Thomas started walking again. Soon, the duo found the girl and her mother. ¡°Did you get settled?¡± Derek asked. Malorie¡¯s head darted toward Derek. When she saw Derek and Thomas there, she smiled. ¡°Yes. We will be staying in this residence with some others for the time being.¡± She pointed at a building. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Do you have a place for me to put him?¡± He asked. ¡°This way.¡± Malorie led Derek over towards a blanket spread out on the ground. Brandi and Thomas followed. Derek focused, and Travis¡¯s body appeared in his arms. He gently laid him on the blanket. ¡°Thank you.¡± Malorie said. Derek nodded and looked at Brandi. ¡°And these are for you.¡± He summoned the hides from the monsters he had dismantled and laid them on the ground. Brandi looked at the pile of hides with wide eyes. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± She ran up to Derek and hugged him. He patted her head, and she let go. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Then he turned to Thomas and summoned the Mana Clippers. He handed them to the kid. ¡°Take these and practice. I expect an amazing haircut when I get back.¡± He started walking away. He looked over his shoulder, back at Thomas. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t unlock your system until I get back, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chapter 24: Anomaly Chapter 24: Anomaly In the center of the System Universe¡­ Seven days after Derek¡¯s arrival to a new system¡­ Darvin was floating back and forth. With his just over one meter form, he hovered centimeters off of the ground. He had news of the system¡¯s actions, and he was waiting for his guests to arrive. Darvin was a System Watcher, no, he was THE System Watcher. He had been alive for millennia and had been the System Watcher for centuries. According to the records, which only he had access to, there could be only one System Watcher alive at a time. When he was offered this legendary class at his level 250 upgrade, he had not known what to think. Of course, he accepted. With his acceptance came information. Information passed down from previous System Watchers. If he were to say that he was the second most knowledgeable person from the system, no one would claim to be first. He stopped pacing and looked into a mirror. He was a member of a race of psionics known as the Malaxis. Before the system arrived in his land, he and many others had already unlocked their psychic prowess. Adjusting to the system was no great feat. His race thrived during the five-year introduction phase. And when their five years were up, they were already considered a powerful force in the system. Darvin was a typical Malaxi. Humanoid with a small stature, purple skin from head to toe, with no hair to be found. His solid green eyes stared back at him from the mirror. He was wearing his usual green dress robe with a purple trim. Darvin checked his system to see the time. Would it kill them to arrive early for once? There was an anomaly in the system, so he had called a meeting of the heads of various system regions. A meeting of the strongest, or most respected. He had called a meeting like this once before, centuries ago, but that was to organize a system-wide tournament. This was to discuss a problem with the system that he had never seen or heard of before. Finally, he heard the familiar hum of the teleporter ring out. He relaxed. At least someone has some decency to show up on time. He moved to the head of a table with 11 seats. He had invited ten figures to discuss the problem, and one had finally arrived. He stared at the teleporter. Finally, it flashed and a giant of a woman stepped out. She stood nearly three meters tall with a head full of dark hair. Her skin seemed to almost glow a fire red. She was a member of the Ascarian race. He had to admit, she was as beautiful as she was intimidating. ¡°Ah, Amelia, you are the first to arrive. Welcome. Please have a seat while we await the others.¡± Darvin offered the woman a seat towards the head of the table. She nodded and sat down, not saying anything. The two sat in silence, waiting for the others to arrive. Soon, the teleporter flashed again. This time, a creature with eight legs stepped out. The creature had a black exoskeleton and mandibles. It was a member of one of the insectoid races. ¡°Xephos. How nice to see you again.¡± Darvin greeted the creature. ¡°Darvin, it¡¯s a pleasure as always.¡± Xephos strode forward towards the meeting table. He shifted his body as he crawled onto a chair. He looked at Amelia. ¡°This must be the beauty, Amelia. It¡¯s an honor.¡± Amelia gazed at the insectoid and nodded. As time went by, more and more figures arrived. Soon, a total of nine beings, including Darvin, had taken a seat in the meeting room. On Darvin¡¯s left side were Amelia, the Ascari, Holcom, the Malaxi, the lizard-like Wri, the Ulaixian, and Awery, the Centaur. On the right side of the table sat Xephos, the Ul¡¯oc, Kelvin, the Human, the cat-like Briya, the Taji, and a blue humanoid Trischa, the Ivali. Darvin waited for the other two to arrive. He kept checking his system time. He was becoming impatient. After some time, Kelvin spoke up. ¡°Can we get on with it? I¡¯ve things to do.¡± Darvin sighed and nodded. ¡°Jakis is young and may not know the importance of such a meeting, so he may have ignored the summons. Cuthos, however, is not. He will need a good explanation avoid punishment¡± He picked up a remote from the table in front of him and pushed a button. The teleporter in the room shut off. ¡°So we aren¡¯t interrupted.¡± ¡°Alright, first things first.¡± Darvin hit a button on his remote and the table changed to a screen. He moved his hand to the screen and pushed a sequence of buttons. When he finished, a hologram shot up from the table. Darvin signaled to the hologram. ¡°As you may know, this is a model of the entire system universe.¡± He spun the hologram to give everyone a good view. Afterward, he hit a few buttons, and the model began expanding. ¡°As you can see, over the centuries, the system has extended at a constant rate in all directions.¡± ¡°We know this. What does it matter?¡± Kelvin interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll soon get to that. Please be patient.¡± Darvin motioned again, and the expanding of the model stopped. ¡°This is the amount of the universe that the system had covered as of seven days ago.¡± The model was a perfect sphere. The system seemed to have a perfectly uniform expansion. ¡°Now watch as I show you these past seven days.¡± Darvin motioned again and the uniform expansion stopped. Then, a portion of the sphere began growing at a rapid pace. ¡°This is the anomaly that I brought you all here to discuss.¡± ¡°How interesting.¡± Xephos mused. ¡°It seems like by focusing all of its energy in one direction, it¡¯s able to grow at an extreme pace. But the question is, why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hunting.¡± Amelia spoke up for the first time. ¡°Oh, would you elaborate?¡± Asked Xephos. Amelia looked at Xephos, then at Darvin, but said nothing. Darvin nodded at Amelia. ¡°I believe that Amelia is correct. As for what it is hunting, I do not know. But, in the days that I have monitored the situation, I have found what may be a clue.¡± Darvin spread his arms, and the model disappeared. He made another motion and a picture of a human male popped up from the table. The man had coal black hair and light blue eyes, he was wearing black steel armor and holding a glaive in his right hand. ¡°This human is Derek Hunt. He is from planet C-186, which the residents call, Earth.¡± Darvin motioned again, and a list of Derek¡¯s stats popped up. ¡°Hmm. Level 79. If I remember correctly, this ¡®Earth¡¯ is under my territory.¡± Kelvin spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad level, but Earth¡¯s five years is almost up, the strong should be at least level 90 by now.¡± Kelvin paused for a moment. ¡°I will say that he has magnificent stats compared to his level. Can we see his Titles?¡± ¡°We cannot. My power is limited to any beings level and stats. I cannot show their Titles or Skill unless I am within a certain range of them, even then, it is limited.¡± Replied Darvin. ¡°So what¡¯s the big deal with this human?¡± Kelvin asked. ¡°He vanished almost two years ago. What you are seeing is his status from then.¡± Said Darvin. Xephos spoke. ¡°There¡¯s nothing strange about someone vanishing. It¡¯s possible for a being to leave the system¡¯s range. I know a few who have.¡± ¡°You are correct, and two years ago¡­¡± Darvin moved his hands and another image with Derek¡¯s face on it popped up. ¡°The system designated him as ¡®Out of System Range.¡¯ Now, when a person is out of range of the system, the system can offer no more ¡®help,¡¯ but it is still able to locate the general direction of a person.¡± Darvin then brought up another image. ¡°This is Derek¡¯s system status from seven days ago.¡± The ¡®Out of System Range¡¯ had changed to ¡®System Suppressed.¡¯ ¡°I have no clue what this means, but the day his status changed was the day the system began growing exponentially in a singular direction. This could be a coincidence, but I do not believe so. I have scoured the system records, and I could not find anything related to this anomaly. I think that the system is hunting Derek Hunt, or whatever it was that suppressed it.¡± A fairy-like voice rose up. ¡°This is interesting. Do we know what happened to the human in the first place? How did he leave system range? It may be easy for some, but his planet was still in the introductory stage. There should not have been many ways to leave the planet, much less the system.¡± Trischa made her thoughts clear. Darvin sighed. ¡°Yes.¡± He looked over at Kelvin. ¡°It seems that humans still jump head first into things without a modicum of research. I mean, really. ¡®Things to Avoid in the System¡¯ is basically free in the system shop and the first chapter is all about portals.¡± Darvin shook his head and Kelvin giggled. ¡°It seems that a female human named Silvi Jacobs has been particularly lucky with her portals. Not a single beast has broken through. Though after she lost most of her team and her portal closed with Derek Hunt still inside, she has not done much of anything.¡± ¡°Oh? So he was trapped in the void?¡± Holcom, the other Malaxi spoke up. ¡°Two years in the void. I wonder how he¡¯s still alive. How long would that be for the person inside?¡± He asked. ¡°We do not know. Time in the void is always fluctuating. It could have been days, or decades.¡± Darvin replied. He turned to look at Kelvin. ¡°Kelvin, once the introductory phase on this ¡®Earth¡¯ is over, you are to gather Silvi Jacobs and the remnants of her team, and find whatever information you can on Derek Hunt.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Kelvin tapped a few times on a device fastened on his wrist. ¡°I will go personally in two months when ¡®Earth¡¯ finishes its introduction.¡± Chapter 25: At the Edge Chapter 25: At the Edge After Derek said his goodbyes to Thomas, he left. After passing through the gates, he surveyed his surroundings. Well, I guess I should just go into the forest. Maybe I can find some high-level creatures close to whatever is causing the disease in the forest. With that, Derek began walking. He traveled towards the tree line until he finally was at the edge of the forest. Before he began his ¡®mission¡¯ he decided to do a quick check on his stat points. Hmm¡­ 40 stat points, two skill points, and three skill upgrade points. Derek remembered the extra boost of regeneration he felt after his Vitality broke 500 points. I really like having spare stat points for worse case scenarios, but maybe spending a few won¡¯t hurt. Derek started at his stats and decided how to spend his points. First, he spent five points in Wisdom, just to get it up to 200. With that, he received a notification, which he promptly ignored. Next, he decided to round out his stats, as they had been bugging him. He spent two points on Intelligence, four points on Dexterity, and two points on Strength. He knew that he probably should not do this, but the numbers were driving him crazy. Finally, he spent nine stat points on Endurance. After spending that, he received another notification on his screen, which again, he ignored. Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll get to it in a minute. Okay, so¡­ I have 18 stat points left. Derek frowned. Well, whatever. He had never been too compulsive about his stats with the old system, how could he with the percent increases that his Titles had given him. With the new system, however, he did not have any percent increase Titles, so he was in full control. After finishing up with his stat points, he decided to check the two notifications he had received. He thought it was odd to receive a notification for spending skill points. You have succeeded in increasing all of your basic stats to 200 points. New Award Earned Oh? Now that¡¯s unexpected. Derek looked at his new Award. Jack of All By spreading your stat points through all basic stats, you have shown that you understand their worth. You will be awarded with the following: 2 Skill Points +15 Stat Points to each basic stat. Note: This is a one-time Award and cannot be upgraded. Derek clicked his tongue. Not bad. Sucks that I can¡¯t upgrade it, but that was almost five free levels, plus some skill points. After seeing this Award, Derek could not wait so see what the other notification was for. He focused on it. You have succeeded in increasing both your Endurance and Vitality to 500 points. New Award Earned That got Derek¡¯s attention. This is going to be great. He checked the new Award. Meat Shield You thrive on the physicality of the fight. You are a glutton for punishment. In order to survive your masochistic ways, you have focused on defense and recovery. You will be awarded with the following: One Defensive Skill (Please Choose) One Restorative Skill (Please Choose) Note: This is a one-time Award and cannot be upgraded. Derek looked towards the sky. There is a god! Actual combat skills. Derek was beside himself with joy. After the flop that was Void Call, he had been stuck with only one usable non-general skill. Sure, he wasn¡¯t getting a new attack skill, but a defensive skill would be nice, and he knew that the only reason he had been able to use Greater Meditation during his fight with the Void Beast was because of the unusual circumstances. He excitedly viewed his possible defensive skills. Current Available Skill Points: 5 Note: One skill point is required to unlock any of the skills below. If you do not have any skill points, you may choose to unlock a skill at a later date. Available Defensive Skills Counterattack Guard Harden Magic Resistance Physical Resistance Reflect Stoneskin Taunt Thorns Transfer Damage Oh, ten skills to choose from. Derek was a little irritated that the skills were not free, but he had come to expect it from the stingy system. He read through the list of skills one by one, hoping to find the perfect skill. Counterattack¡­ Nope, not something I would use. Guard¡­ Requires a shield, pass. Harden¡­ Maybe. Magic Resistance¡­ 1.5% per level, passive¡­ Maybe. Physical Resistance¡­ Same¡­ Maybe. Derek went on reading the list in his mind until he settled on four skills, Magic Resistance, Reflect, Thorns, and Transfer Damage. He took a closer look at them. Magic Resistance Increase your natural resistance to all magic related skills. Each level will increase the resistance by 1.5%. Passive Cost: 1 Skill Point Damn. That¡¯s 30% full magical resistance at level 20. If it can be upgraded after level 20, then I could become practically immune. He looked at the next skill. Reflect Reflect a certain amount of damage back at the attacker. The higher the level, the greater the damage is reflected back. Cost: 1 Skill Point Not bad. Thorns A small amount of damage is dealt to your attacker for every attack received. The higher the level, the greater the damage dealt. Passive Cost: 1 Skill Point Derek looked at Thorns, then he did a double take. That says passive. That Void Beast probably would have killed itself if I would have had that ability. After confirming the ability, Derek was very interested in it. Transfer Damage Cast this upon an ally to transfer the damage they receive onto yourself. The higher the level, the more damage you can transfer. Cost: 1 Skill Point Ooh, I could save so many people¡­ Nope. Not my kind of skill. After thinking, Derek was considering either Thorns or Magic Resistance. Ah man, both are perfect for me. Thorns would add a ton to my offense, but Magic Resistance would increase my survivability by so much. Finally, Derek came to a conclusion. I sure do hope I¡¯m able to choose more of these later. Would you like to learn Magic Resistance? Yes. Magic Resistance Learned Successfully. Skill Points Remaining: 4 Derek felt the familiar feeling of learning a skill, but not much after. What would I expect? It¡¯s a defensive passive. I wonder if Harden or Stoneskin would have combined with my old Impenetrable Skin skill. Oh well, I need magic defense. With his new defensive skill learned, he looked at the restorative skills. Current Available Skill Points: 4 Note: One skill point is required to unlock any of the skills below. If you do not have any skill points, you may choose to unlock a skill at a later date. Available Restorative Skills Cure Heal Life Leech Rejuvenation Remove Curse Wait, why are there only five skills on this list. Derek sighed. Stingy system. Derek looked through the list. How is Life Leech a restorative skill? Damn, all of these skills seem too basic. Derek frowned, he wanted a skill that combined well with his fighting style, but he didn¡¯t like how basic the skills were. I guess the defensive skills were kind of basic too, but they fit well with me. Derek first ruled out Cure. Only cures poison, waste of a skill. Don¡¯t need Remove Curse either. Finally, after a bit of thinking, he crossed Heal off of his list. Too much mana for not enough healing. After that, he was left with Life Leech and Rejuvenation. Life Leech After casting on a user, a percent of any damage dealt will be returned to the user as health. The higher the level, the more health will be returned, the longer the spell will last, and the less mana it will cost. 2% Damage Returned as Health Skill Lasts 30 Seconds Costs 250 Mana Cooldown: 5 Minutes Cost: 1 Skill Point Maybe. Derek looked at Rejuvenation. Rejuvenation After casting on a user, user will receive a percentage of health restored over a set period of time. The higher the level, the higher the recovery and less cost. 5% HP Recovered Over 30 Second Costs 250 Mana Cooldown: 5 Minutes Cost: 1 Skill Point Derek really wanted to get Life Leech, but he could see how Rejuvenation could become extremely powerful after leveling up. This decision was harder than his previous one. Well, either skill is better than none. What really made his decision for him was the percent heal from Rejuvenation. Would you like to learn Rejuvenation? Yes. Rejuvenation Learned Successfully. Skill Points Remaining: 3 I hope I don¡¯t regret this. Derek started thinking about how he would level his new skills up. Rejuvenation should be easy, but I need to find a monster that uses magic to help me level up my resistance. Hmm¡­ Maybe the kid will get a Sorcerer class or something. With all of that settled, Derek viewed his new status sheet. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 11 Experience 0/600 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 2150 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 135) Attack 49 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 360 Dexterity 260 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 220 Wisdom 215 Stat Points Remaining 18 Skills Channel Void Level 3 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Dismantle Level 4 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 1 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 8 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 1 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 1 Restores 5% HP over 30 seconds. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Skill Points Remaining 3 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 3 Awards Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Meat Shield Well, only three skill points left. I think that¡¯s enough spending for one day. Let¡¯s go look for some giants. Derek walked into the forest. Chapter 26: Legendary Beast Chapter 26: Legendary Beast Derek walked into the forest. Thinking about his Awards and new skills. For the most part, he was happy with his new skills. Still, he wished that he could have picked more than one from each category. Really, he missed his Heavy Blow and Wide Sweep skills. He was still able to use the skills, albeit with a massive headache, when he first arrived at the new planet, but ever since his new system suppressed the old one, he was unable to. He was really hoping to have a chance to obtain some sort of heavy weapons offensive skill. By his calculations, his Wide Sweep skill would be level 20, or at least closing in on it by now. If he could find the right skill to combine with it, he may be able to receive another upgraded skill, and this time it would be an area of effect attack skill. But all of that would have to come at a later date. For now, he had a plan. He needed to increase his Identify skill and find something over 100 levels above himself to kill. He figured that if he found any injured creatures along the way, he could cast Rejuvenate on them to help level his new restoration skill. Or is it a spell? They both take mana to use, but some sounds more like spells than skills. Oh well, I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter. Derek kept walking into the forest, making sure to cast Identify on everything he could. He was identifying trees, plants, rocks, basically, if he could not remember using the skill on it, he tried to Identify it. For a long while, he did not find anything other than rocks and flora. Though, he knew from experience that some plants could be as dangerous as any monster. Finally, a little bunny hopped in front of him. He quickly used Identify and was shocked by what he saw. Horned Rabbit Level 54 A rabbit native to forests and other lush areas. Damn, what¡¯s the odds that the first monster I come across is a level 54. And it¡¯s the legendary horned bunny. It must be fate. Derek approached the bunny cautiously, but it had already taken note of him. However, it did not flee or move. Soon, Derek was within arm''s reach of the creature. He squatted down. ¡°Hey there little fella, what are you doing out here in these big bad woods.¡± He reached out to pet its head, then the bunny jumped. ¡°Ow! Shit!¡± Derek jumped back, holding his nose. It had launched itself at him the moment he reached his hand out. Derek had not taken much damage, but getting head-butted in the nose by a level 54 jumping animal at full force still hurt, and it was not like he had any increased pain tolerance skills. Derek removed his hands, checking them for blood, seeing that there was not any, he looked at his HP. Ha, 26 points of damage to me. To Derek, this was nothing. But then he thought about Thomas and shivered. That would have been over a quarter of his health. No, he doesn¡¯t have any Endurance, so that probably would have one shot him. If I end up taking him anywhere, we¡¯re going to have to be extra careful. Derek thought about everything that he¡¯d learned so far. The fact that his bunny is as near to the edge of the forest as this is crazy. I¡¯m not even sure that Ms. Village Chief herself would be able to take this little guy... Derek looked at the rabbit sideways. This little girl on. He shook his head and kept walking. After about 50 meters, he felt something hit him in the back. He turned and saw the bunny sitting there, looking up at him. Does it have a grudge against me? Derek walked forward for some time before the rabbit hit him again. He looked at the cute creature again and chuckled. He continued on. It was not long before Derek came across another creature. It was a level 34 fox. Derek kept walking, not bothering to be stealthy. The fox raised its head to look at him. It seemed timid, but not afraid enough to run. Then, it seemed to notice the bunny hopping along behind him. Instantly, the fox was terrified and fled for its life. At that time, a little grey rocket flew past Derek. ¡°Woah!¡± He laughed out as the bunny caught up to the fox. Holy shit. He watched as the bunny landed in front of the fleeing fox and, without any hesitation, launched itself into the fox¡¯s head. It was a one hit knockout. Derek scanned the fox again and noticed that it was not dead, but only incapacitated. He waited to see what the bunny would do. Sure enough, the bunny backed up and flew towards the unconscious fox. This time, the fox was not as lucky, and it died on the spot. ¡°This little thing¡¯s a daredevil.¡± He said out loud as he watched the scene in front of him. He watched as the little grey bunny ripped into the fox, tearing out chunks of flesh. I thought rabbits and the like were supposed to be herbivores. He thought, then he remembered the condition of the forest. Maybe it has had to become a predator to survive in a diseased forest. That would explain why it has such a high level. Derek got an idea. I wonder if it injured itself at all. He cast Rejuvenate on the bunny. The bunny hopped backwards and shook its head. Then it turned and looked at Derek. It tilted its head, then cautiously approached its kill. It looked back at Derek, who did not do anything, then continued gorging itself. Instead of continuing on, Derek decided to wait until the bunny was finished. Soon, the bunny hopped away. Derek walked over to the animal carcass. No sense in letting this go to waste. He quickly dismantled what remind of the fox. He stored what was left of the hide in his bracelet. I bet that girl would want this. He left the rest of the fox there and continued walking through the forest. It was not long before he heard rustling from a bush. He turned and looked, ready to use Identify, but when he saw what it was he laughed. The bunny was sitting there, staring at him. I guess this thing is going to keep at me then. He walked forward, and the bunny flew at his face again. This time, instead of taking it on the nose, Derek tilted his head and avoided the flying rabbit altogether. ¡°You¡¯re going to keep trying to take me out, huh? Did I murder your family or something?¡± Like this, man and bunny traveled deeper and deeper into the forest, his bunny nemesis constantly trying to smash into his back. Hours later, the sun began to set. Derek did not have any problems traveling at night, but it was harder to see, and therefore, Identify. Anyway, he was in no hurry. His only plan at the moment was to unlock the next level of his Giant Slayer Award, and level up Identify. He did not want to take much longer than a month, because he did want to help Thomas unlock his system. But he doubted it would take more than a month to find something at a high enough level for him to hunt. Derek made a small clearing and went to gather some wood. Soon, he brought it back and started a fire. He was running low on firestones, so he started the fire the old-fashioned way, with a zippo. Once the fire was stared, he took a bird out of his bracelet to roast. I can¡¯t believe that damned bunny launched itself high enough in the air to take out this hawk. Just thinking about the flying bunny head-butting a bird out of the air caused Derek to chuckle. Once the hawk was killed, Derek had rushed over and stored it in his bracelet before the bunny could mutilate it like it had other monsters. The creature had not taken kindly to Derek stealing its prey, so it launched a series of attacks on the man, which Derek took in full. Other than the entertainment, there were some more pluses to traveling with his hot-blooded companion. His Dismantle skill had reached level 5, and his Rejuvenation skill had leveled all the way to level 3. He had to admit, the bunny was an idiot. Most monsters were dumb, but the bunny was a special kind of dumb. It would attack any living thing it saw. Which was clearly demonstrated by it taking on a level 60 boar. Derek was sure it would have died if he hadn''t hit it with multiple Rejuvenation casts during its fight. This was also how Derek found out that he would not share in the experience gain of something he healed during a fight. He did not know if this was because he had no intent to kill the other creature, or if it was just because he did not have a healing class. Either way, it allowed him to be quite liberal with Rejuvenation, which is why it was already at level 3. Not to mention that the skill already recovered 15% HP over 30 seconds. With his calculations, Rejuvenation would completely recover one''s health when it reached level 20. Also, the skill would be extremely cheap to use in terms of mana. His only problem with the skill was the long cooldown time. Derek removed the feathers from the hawk and put it on a spit over the fire. The gluttonous bunny was looking back and forth between the roasting bird and Derek. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll let you have some too.¡± He was enjoying traveling with the creature, especially after it stopped trying to murder him every two seconds. The bird was soon done roasting, and Derek took a bite. Ah¡­ Tastes like chicken. Man, I¡¯ve really missed chicken. Derek took another bite. Then the bunny flew into his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, I know, I didn¡¯t forget. Stop being so damn impatient.¡± He ripped a big chunk of meat off of the roasted hawk and tossed it to the bunny. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re getting. If you wanted more, you should have killed a bigger bird.¡± With this, the two enjoyed their meal. Once he was finished eating, Derek slipped into Greater Meditation. He had spent more nights like this than he could count, especially after his stint in the void. In fact, he preferred spending most nights like this as it left him refreshed and helped him level his skill. Apparently, the bunny decided that this would be a good time for it to sleep too. So, like this, the man and beast spent their night, waiting on the sun to rise to start their day. Chapter 27: Growth Chapter 27: Growth Derek rose from his meditative state at sunrise. He took in a deep breath and let it out while stretching. Meditating is so much better than sleeping. It¡¯s much easier to enter a meditative state than it is to fall asleep. Plus, if I were to enter deep enough, I could sit there for days or weeks without feeling time passing by. Derek could not help but to appreciate his Greater Meditation skill. It was his favorite skill and the one that he could not do without. After stretching, he looked around at the clearing he made the night before. All that was left of his campfire were some still smoking coals, but no fire. The bunny was already up and bouncing around. Derek was kind of surprised that the creature had chosen to stay rather than up and leaving. It probably thinks of me as an easy meal ticket. He pondered. Finally, Derek began his slow trek through the forest once again. The horned rabbit fell in behind them and they walked. Soon, they fell into a rhythm. Derek would Identify anything he saw, while the bunny would attack. Then Derek would heal his makeshift companion. If needed, he would help the bunny out in its fight. As long as he did not damage the monster, directly or indirectly, he would receive no experience. After the fight, he would Dismantle what was left of the bunny¡¯s opponent. Derek made sure that he was constantly heading into the part of the forest with the most disease. With the duo taking their time, days passed, then weeks. *** Two weeks after entering the forest, the notification that Derek had been waiting for appeared. Congratulations Identify skill has reached level 10 Finally! Now I can be sure that a monster is at least 100 levels above me. With the Identify skill reaching level 10, he could finally Identify any system creature at level 111 or lower. This meant that if question marks came back, the enemy was over one hundred levels above him, and that he could go for the kill. His Dismantle and Rejuvenation skills also leveled up in his two weeks of travel. Dismantle leveling all the way up to level 8, and Rejuvenation hitting level 5. So far, this trip has been super successful. Two new skills, and a lot of skill levels. Now, all I have to do is get the damn Award, then I can get out of here. Derek used Identify on the horned rabbit again. Horned Rabbit Level 59 A rabbit native to forests and other lush areas. I can¡¯t believe that this little fella has already gained five levels. He could tell that the rabbit was hitting harder based on the occasional thud he felt in his back. Maybe the little fellow invested some stat points into Intelligence. It hasn¡¯t been acting near as stupid as it was before. He smiled and shook his head, then kept trudging through the forest. As Derek walked, he could feel that he was getting closer to the center of the diseased area. His rabbit companion had begun acting timidly. It was no longer hopping along happily, but cautiously following behind Derek. He could tell that something was making it wary. For the past days, Derek had not run into any animal that did not have a ¡®diseased¡¯ modifier attached to its name. The monsters were, however, of a much higher level than before, the highest one so far being a level 94. The bunny was smart enough to not want anything to do with these diseased monsters, opting to stay far away. Derek also avoided the higher level monsters, not because he was afraid, but because he did not want to accidentally gain any more levels. Derek noticed that the sound of the rabbit that was usually behind him had stopped. He turned and looked. The horned rabbit was just sitting there, not moving. ¡°Are you coming?¡± He asked. The rabbit made no moves. Derek sighed. Looks like I finally hit the point in the forest where it will no longer follow. Derek was a little sad that he would be losing his travel companion, but he had known that their partnership would not last long. He had no beast taming abilities, and the rabbit liked to headbutt anything it saw. If it was to follow him out into civilization, it would commit a massacre by complete accident. He turned back and headed deeper into the diseased forest. He heard the rustling behind him and took a glance. The bunny had fled back the way they came. Good luck, buddy. As Derek continued, he surveyed the forest. Withered, dead trees were fallen everywhere. There was not a green plant in sight. In fact, the forest had been nothing but shades of grey and brown for days now. It was a wonder that the horned rabbit stuck with him as long as it did. Where Derek was, it was quiet. There were no birds chirping or animals rustling. It was like he had been moving closer and closer to the eye of a hurricane. It seemed like something straight out of a horror film. He had a feeling like something would pop up and try to kill him at any second. Derek did not like that feeling, so he increased his speed. After days and weeks of walking through the forest at a turtle¡¯s pace, he began speeding along, not caring about any noise he made along the way. Previously, he was avoiding any contact with monsters because he did not want to accidentally earn experience. Now, there did not seem to be any monsters for him to avoid. He rushed past wilted shrubbery and jumped over fallen trees. Then he saw it. A pale grey ball of¡­ something. The sphere was the size of a giant beach ball from his old world, being about a meter and a half tall and wide. The sphere was floating about half a meter off the ground. It was moving in changing patterns, never rotating the same way for too long. At first, Derek thought that the ball of what he assumed was some kind of energy was a portal. But after studying it for some time, the differences between the portals he had seen on Earth, and what he was seeing now were clear as night and day. Derek was sure of one thing though, this object was the cause of the disease in the forest. Really wish I would have gotten more information about dungeons before I took off. If this is a dungeon entrance, then it is nothing like the entrances to the dungeons that I am used to. Derek made a note to seek out Thomas¡¯s grandfather and get any information about dungeons that he could from the man. Rookie mistake Derek, rookie mistake¡­ With the way Robert had explained the dungeons and their overflow, Derek had just assumed that they would be similar in look. Hell, I don¡¯t even know if this is a dungeon or not. My theories and hypotheses from before may have just been completely wrong. He tried to use Identify on the orb, but it had no effect. Why can¡¯t things ever just be easy? Now, I¡¯m going to go over and it¡¯s going to suck me in and make me spend years trapped in a space again. He shook his head and removed the scary thoughts from his mind. Derek calmed himself and worked up the courage to move forward. He slowly approached the floating orb, cautiously proceeding towards it, step by step. When he was near it, he was able to make out an almost imperceptible humming sound coming from it. He finally got within arm''s reach and slowly stretched out his right arm, all the while chanting in his head. Don¡¯t trap me, don¡¯t trap me, don¡¯t trap me. Finally, his hand hovered centimeters from the orb. He held his breath, then rested his hand on it. Huh¡­ Nothing? And here I was expecting to be sucked in or blown away. The most odd thing about the whole situation was that the ball was still rotating below his hand, but he could feel no movement. It was like his hand was on a solid surface. Well, that was a letdown. He released his breath and pulled his hand back, or at least tried to pull his hand back. His hand was stuck and could not move. Fuck, I knew something was going to happen as soon as I relaxed. He was stuck. No matter how hard he pulled or moved, he could not get his hand off of the orb. Finally, he stopped resisting and thought about what he was going to do. I wonder if my high Vitality can grow back limbs. He looked at his right hand and shuddered. Let¡¯s keep that as a last resort. Why is it only my right hand, why can my left hand touch it without problem? He reached out and rested his left hand beside his right, just to compare the differences. While he was deep in his thoughts, a system message appeared directly in front of him, instead of going to the norm place at the bottom right of his vision. Dungeon Countdown Timer Depleted Participants: 1/5 View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Oh. Well, that¡¯s much less scary. Chapter 28: Dungeon Chapter 28: Dungeon Derek looked at the three options given to him. View. He thought. Dungeon Status Dungeon Level 100 Dungeon Type Undying Dungeon Status Extreme Overflow Dungeon Rewards Unknown(Never Completed) Max Participants 5 Oh, that¡¯s informative. He thought as he viewed the different aspects of the dungeon. Level 100. Derek frowned. I wonder if the adventurers that Torith is going to send will be able to do a level 100 dungeon. I wonder what the levels actually look like in a big city. Surely the lord has to be at a super high level. Derek pondered. Well, at least it¡¯s an undying dungeon, just as I thought. I wonder if my Rejuvenation spell hurts undying creatures. It didn¡¯t say anything about being a holy spell or anything, so I doubt it. Derek made a note to check it out later if possible. So, it¡¯s level 100 and undying, that¡¯s going to make it much harder to complete for whoever goes in. It¡¯s probably packed full of enemies too, based on the extreme overflow. Derek was beginning to feel bad for the adventurers that were going to be sent. At least I know that I should be able to find something over level 100 around here. If it¡¯s that overflowed, something strong has to have come out. Derek looked at the final two pieces of information. I wonder if the first person to complete a dungeon gets anything special, maybe every participant will get something good. Derek was very tempted to enter the dungeon and complete it. Damn, I wish I didn¡¯t care about my level right now. I¡¯d probably come out a level 50 or something if I solo¡¯d it right now. Derek lamented. No sense in dwelling on it. I¡¯ll just go look for something to kill. Derek decided to leave the dungeon alone for now, and go do what he had set out to do in the beginning. He closed the Dungeon Status window and the Dungeon Interface appeared back in his vision. This time, he focused on the leave option, and just like that, the interface closed and his hand fell free from the orb. Before Derek did anything else, he noticed a new notification at the bottom of his vision. Hmm¡­ I wonder what this will be. He focused on it and it popped up. You have discovered a previously undiscovered dungeon. New Award Earned Oh, sweet! I never expected a new Award to come out of this. This system seems to be just giving them away. Maybe it isn¡¯t as greedy as I thought. Then, Derek thought of everything that had happened since he arrived. No, you¡¯re still a super stingy system. I won¡¯t fall for your blatant attempts to win me over. Derek dismissed his notification and looked at his new Award. Lesser Explorer By being the first to discover an important location, you have proven your love for exploration. You will be awarded with the following: New Skill Continue to explore the land to increase the tier of the Award. Awesome! I hope I can choose from some awesome skills this time. Derek focused on the new skill. Enhanced Movement Speed The ability to move at a faster pace while out of combat. 1% increase in movement speed per level. Cost: 1 Skill Point What? Would you like to learn Enhanced Movement Speed? Hell no! What a useless skill. You want me to spend a precious skill point on being able to walk a little faster when there isn¡¯t anything around me? I mean, if I could use it while running for my life, it would be different. Derek narrowed his eyes. Good one system. You almost had me. I would rather spend the skill point on Cooking. Derek closed the notifications. The skill remained with the Award, so if he ever decided that he wanted it, it would still be there. Derek turned around and walked a good distance away from the dungeon. Okay, time to find this elusive high level. He started circling the area close to the dungeon, making as much noise as possible as he moved outward. This method seemed to have some decent results as many different diseased beasts approached him. There were bears, wolves, bunnies, and all kinds of other animals, all decaying. Derek made sure to Identify each and every living, or nonliving, thing that approached him. So far, the highest level creature that he had found was a level 102 Forest Wolf. So close, just ten more levels. Derek really wished that he could help the wolf level by helping it kill all the monsters that had begun to gather, then kill it for the Award. But alas, there was only one dumb bunny. Derek continued his ridiculous strategy for some time. The sun had already set, but he was in no position to rest. He had to keep at a fast pace to avoid the now horde of monsters trying to kill him. Solo, none of them would be a challenge for him, but if they all jumped him while he was meditating, he may be able to escape, but he would definitely not escape uninjured. A couple hours after the sunset, he got a notification after using Identify on a new addition of the horde telling him that the skill had reached level 11. That¡¯s better than nothing. It was now dark, and Derek was still running around. His massive amount of Endurance made it where he was still not close to being exhausted. Fighting was much more taxing on him, but he could run around for hours. Finally, his eyes caught onto a glowing yellow pair of eyes slowly approaching him. Another bear? He wondered. Derek used Identify on the new addition. Acidic Ghoul Level 115 A monster spawned from an Undying Dungeon, then released due to overflow. The Ghoul is never full and is always looking for fresh flesh to consume. Due to its condition, any contact with it would leave acid on the user. That is what I¡¯m talking about. Derek was excited because he had finally found his target. It was stumbling towards him. So, a zombie then. Derek glanced at the wave of monsters still following him. Better make this quick. Let¡¯s go for the head. Derek held his right arm out, and his glaive appeared in his hand. He took off toward the glowing set of eyes. When he got within five meters of the ghoul, it lunged. Whoa, it¡¯s quick. Instead of cutting off the creature''s head as planned, he was only able to swipe at its chest. Shit, I wasn¡¯t expecting that. Derek thought about it. There was no way that this creature was as strong as the Void Beast, but he had been too lax and finally decided to take it seriously. Especially since the horde of monsters were drawing closer and closer. Derek focused on his bracelet and his armor appeared on his body, all except for his helmet, as it was in a poor condition and he could barely see out of it. He touched his chest and felt the dents caused by the Void Beast. I¡¯ll have to repair this sooner or later too. Derek dashed back in, this time focusing. The Putrid Ghoul swiped. This was what Derek was waiting for. He stepped backwards. The ghoul''s hand slid across his chest armor, and Derek channeled the void into the end of his glaive. Once the ghoul ended its attacking motion, Derek attacked. A purple glow was left behind as the glaive flew towards the head of the ghoul. The blade met with the left ear of the ghoul. Derek felt a slight resistance, but the blade continued. Soon, the blade was freed from that rancid head. It had not been sliced off, but it was enough. Derek saw the notifications stack up at the bottom of his vision. Not wanting to stay around, Derek stored his glaive and was about to dart through the forest. However, before he could, he felt a sharp sting on his chest. Fuck, it was that potent? Derek had decided that the chance for a quick kill was worth the risk of the acid on his armor. He had not expected the acid to eat through his armor at all, much less this fast. Derek did a quick take and grabbed the first diseased animal he could find, which was a wolf with dim red eyes. He brought it up to his chest and used it as a makeshift napkin. The wolf wailed as he tossed it aside and ran. He stored his armor, not knowing its current state. Then, he removed his shirt, and wiped his chest, tossing the remains into the forest. Fuck, that¡¯s another t-shirt down. I really don¡¯t want to have to wear one of those fucking tunics. Derek could still feel the acid eating into his chest. Even with my Endurance, it¡¯s doing this shit. He did a quick view of his HP. Holy fuck! A thousand points already. Now that was unexpected. Derek had only channeled the void for a couple seconds, so he still had plenty of mana. He cast Rejuvenation on himself. I¡¯m glad I got some levels in this before I got here. At 25% health over 30 seconds, Derek would recover over 1300 HP. He could feel himself healing, but he could also feel the acid still eating away. Fuck! This is ridiculous. Derek had been running at full speed through the forest and had lost the horde of monsters by now. 30 seconds passed and Derek looked at his health again. It was at 4812 and ticking down fast. Derek found a still standing tree and sat down with his back to it. Let¡¯s see if this works. He entered a meditative state and activated Greater Meditation. He could feel it working just like Rejuvenation, but he did not have to worry about Greater Meditation ending. After ten minutes, Derek checked his health status again. It was full, so he left his meditative state while keeping an eye on his HP. It¡¯s still going down, but at a much slower rate. Derek let out a deep breath. Whew¡­ That sucked. He cast Rejuvenation, then slipped back into meditation to continue his healing. He had wanted to feel his chest with his hand, but did not want to chance getting any of the acid on his fingers. Ten minutes later, he sat back up and checked on everything again. His health was full and no longer going down. Derek looked around, not seeing much in the dark, but also not seeing any monster. I¡¯ll rest here til morning. I have to go back to the dungeon tomorrow anyway so I can get my bearings and figure out which way to go to leave this forest. Derek leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. Chapter 29: Accident Chapter 29: Accident Derek got up the next morning after a restful night of meditation. With the sun finally out, he could make sense of all that had happened. First, he did a quick once over of his chest to see if there was any residual damage remaining. Fortunately for him, it seemed that either his multiple Rejuvenations or his Greater Meditation had been able to completely heal him without allowing any scarring to occur. In fact, as he looked over his chest, he realized that there was actually less scarring there than there used to be. I guess the acid ate through the original scars and when the healing fixed my chest, it went ahead and put me together anew. Damn, I actually like having the scars. I¡¯ll definitely have to watch out for creatures that use acid from now on. Next, Derek decided that he had to do what he had been dreading since last night. He had to see the damage caused to his chest armor. With a shake of his hand, his chest piece was on the ground beside him. With his hand, he flipped it over to view the front side. Dammit! He cursed internally. Not only was the chest piece terribly damaged, but the acid was still on it, eating through. If he could not think of something to do, the armor would become an irreparable piece of scrap metal. For the time being, all he could do was store the armor again to prevent further damage. Derek grabbed the shoulder of the armor and it vanished back into his bracelet. Derek thought about and looked at different things stored inside his bracelet. He needed to know if he had something that could help. He had some rags, bedding, and clothes, but he knew based on his shirt from the previous night that trying to wipe the acid off with cloth would have next to no effect on it. Eventually, he decided that he would wait until he could find a stream to try to wash the acid off. With his armor taken care of for now, he pulled a new shirt out of his storage and wore it. It was another solid black, cheap cotton shirt, one that he used to be able to buy for just a few dollars at any supermarket. I wish I would have bought more of these. Derek imagined himself in the same style tunic that Thomas was wearing and shuddered. Now it¡¯s time to reap my rewards. Derek began going through all the notifications he had received after killing the Acidic Ghoul. You have killed level 115 Acidic Ghoul. 4,345 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up Level Up Level Up Level Up 680/965 Experience to Next Level Wow, that was a quick five levels. I could probably hit level 80 in no time there. Derek really wanted to stay under level 25 so he could enter those dungeons. He shook his head and checked his next notification. Congratulations! You have slain a creature 100 levels above your own. Award Updated Derek looked at his newly updated award. Greater Giant Slayer By slaying a creature 100 levels above your own, you have shown courage beyond comparison. Your current Award has been upgraded. You have received the following: 1 Skill Point 1 Skill Upgrade Point Oh? I thought I was only supposed to get the one extra skill point. Another upgrade point is a big surprise. Derek was starting to think that possibly losing his armor was not going to be worth the reward, but with the extra skill upgrade point, it made the blow hurt much less. Hmm? Why do I have more notifications? Derek was confused. He could not think of a reason that he would have more notifications other than maybe a skill leveling, but he could still see multiple messages waiting for him to read. He opened the first one. You have assisted in killing a level 84 Forest Wolf (Diseased). 1509 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up 163/1170 Experience to Next Level What¡­ The¡­ Fuck¡­ Derek was speechless. He thought back to everything that he remembered happening. Finally, it hit him. The fucking wash cloth. Of course, Derek was thinking about the wolf he picked up and used as a makeshift wet wipe. Holy shit! I¡¯m glad the shirt I threw didn¡¯t land on a monster. How come it¡¯s hard to get levels when you need them, but easy when you don¡¯t want them? Finally, Derek opened up the last notification. Congratulations Greater Meditation has reached level 2 Now that is nice. He still could not help but imagine a time when he would be able to fight with Greater Meditation active. Overall, I would say it was a very profitable trip. Derek was still sad about his armor, but when he thought about how it was made by a level 125 Blacksmith from some planet in the other system, it made sense that the acid would damage it. Hell, I¡¯m lucky that it held up against that Void Beast. It had to have been around level 150 or something. Now that he had fought a true level 115 beast, he could finally compare something to the Void Beast. Finally, it was time to return to the village. But, in order to return, Derek had to make his way back to the dungeon so he could recognize the way he came from. He trudged slowly towards the more diseased part of the forest. The same as he did when he was initially going in. Soon, he found the grey orb again. He checked his surroundings, looking at the damage he had caused the night before. He chuckled. Looks like a tornado hit the place. The area was destroyed worse than it had been previously. The damage was all in a circular pattern from when he used his ¡®farming mobs¡¯ strategy. He had wondered why he had not seen anyone other than him implement this strategy yet. It was a well-known method in RPGs to gather and kite around as many monsters as possible before killing them all at once. It saved a ton of time, and he had been using the same method since he first received the system. Of course, the Wide Sweep skill had a great part in the strategy actually working for him. I guess everyone doesn¡¯t have a good area of effect skill, or the speed to make it work. While looking at the damage, he saw something in the distance. Oh, is that the ghoul? It was odd because, while it seemed to be at the right distance, there seemed to be more than the ghoul there. He went over to see what happened. To his surprise, there were at least a dozen dead beasts laying at or around the body of the Acidic Ghoul. Derek trembled with horror at the amount of experience that could have very well went to him. I dodged a bullet on that. It seemed like the beasts had run over the acid covered corpse while chasing Derek after he dispatched the ghoul. He would have tried to dismantle some of the corpses, but the potent acid had made the hides unsalvageable. Derek stopped thinking about it and walked back over to the dungeon entrance. From there, he looked around and got a good idea of where he had come from. Then he began his long trek back. I wonder if that damned bunny is still hanging around here. He still decided that there was no need to hurry because there was plenty of time remaining before the boy¡¯s birthday. He traveled leisurely, still making sure to use Identify every chance he got. The higher the level his Identify skill was, the less he had to worry about anyone discovering his secret. Hours later, he found one of the fire pits he had made the night before he found the dungeon. Not seeing a reason to waste it, he gathered wood and started up another fire. Derek took a flask out of his bracelet to relieve his thirst, then closed his eyes and entered meditation. Halfway through the night, a slight smile appeared in the corner of his mouth. In the morning, he opened his eyes and looked at the sun beaming through the trees. Then he looked past the dead fire to see a little bunny snoozing on the ground. ¡°Hey! Wake up!¡± He yelled at the stupid rabbit. The bunny shot at least 3 meters into the air before landing and looking over at Derek. He could see that the rabbit did not find his antics funny. After staring at him for a moment, the bunny shot over the fire pit directly into Derek. This time, instead of Derek dodging, the bunny hit him in the chest and bounced off. ¡°You better cut that shit out. I need a level 50 monster to take back with me, and right now you¡¯re looking like the prime candidate.¡± Derek warned the little rabbit. He did not know if the bunny understood or not, but it hopped a couple meters away and waited. ¡°Now, you can stay with me while I¡¯m in the forest, but when I leave the edge, you will have to stay in the forest.¡± Derek told the bunny, but the bunny just stared back at him dumbly. ¡°Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?¡± It just stared at him. Derek let out a sigh. ¡°Well, I¡¯m tired of calling you bunny, rabbit, and dumbass. Let¡¯s give you a new name. What do you think?¡± Silence. Derek shook his head and thought about a name. ¡°Hmm, we can call you Snowball, or Bella.¡± Derek laughed at the names. ¡°Yeah, I know, there is no way I would give anything such a generic pet name. Let¡¯s see. You¡¯re stupid, have silver gray fur, and are always trying to kill me¡­ Ding Bat? No¡­¡± Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Derek¡¯s head. ¡°I got it, the perfect name. From henceforth the bunny known as dumbass will now be referred to as¡­ Silvi.¡± With that, Derek stood up and began walking through the forest. ¡°Come on, Silvi, there are things that need head-butting.¡± The man and beast continued their journey in the forest. Chapter 30: Return Chapter 30: Return It had been over a month since Derek left on his quest to upgrade the Giant Slayer Award. Now, he could tell that he and the bunny were drawing closer and closer to the edge of the forest. During their travels, Silvi was just as aggressive towards any creature as before, however, she had relented, and no longer attacked Derek. Derek had done a remarkable job at not earning any more experience since leveling to 18. In fact, he was so worried about getting more experience that he did not support the bunny in her fights as much as usual. What troubled him the most was the level 25 dungeons that he wanted complete. At level 18, he was not sure if he would be able to enter and complete more than one, maybe two. Of course, he did not know how many beasts he would have to slay in a dungeon, but he figured that it would not be a small amount. As the duo traveled, the forest was slowly getting more lush and vibrant. They had reached the point of the forest where the undying disease had not had much impact. Other than the creature struggling under his arm, the levels of the creatures around them were now only in the mid to upper 20s. This was not much for the bunny anymore, but she did not seem to care, still attacking any and all other beasts. Derek did not mind this either, as he was able to increase his Dismantle skill at a rapid pace. In fact, Derek had made great progress in the last couple weeks. His Dismantle skill had leveled up to 10, Identify had made it to level 12, and Rejuvenation had leveled again, making it level 6. He could now actually cut into the Void Beast¡¯s corpse with his dagger. He had not dismantled it yet, as he wanted to do it in a quiet place with no possibilities of interruptions. As he approached the end of the forest, he began to wonder how Thomas had been while he was gone. Though, thinking about it, his interest in the kid was irrational and unlike him. But, for some reason, he wanted to get back to the village and the villagers too. He was there for less than a day, but he was strangely excited to be returning. When he left the village initially, it was with his previous mindset. Sure, he planned on returning and helping the kid get a few extra skill points, and maybe running him through a dungeon or two, but as he traveled alone again, a weird feeling seemed to be growing in the pit of his stomach. At times, the feeling made him uneasy and even almost caused him to panic. He had decided to just ignore it and try not to think about it. Finding the bunny and traveling with it had actually lessened the weird feeling he had, but it had not gone away. The reason that he was thinking about this now was because the feeling seemed to be lessening with every step he took towards his return. For the first time in over a month, he actually picked up his pace. *** Thomas had had a very interesting month. After Derek left, leaving him the Mana Clippers, his grandpa had come to find him. For the second time in a single day, he had found himself in the village chief¡¯s residence. There, he had been asked question after question about Derek. Now, he did not actually know very much about Derek, but even answering the most basic questions had left him feeling slimy. Eventually, he had just decided to answer with ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ or he just shook his head. During the light interrogation, the Mana Clippers in his hands had been spotted by Rayna and the others. He flat out refused to let anyone handle them. Of course, if the others had wanted, he knew he would not be able to keep them. Luckily, dropping Derek¡¯s name was enough to cause everyone to back off. After leaving the interrogation, he had spent his days playing with the Magic Weapon and counting down the days to his birthday. He had given himself the same haircut that he gave Derek when they first met and had kept cutting his hair every few days. Also, he had talked his grandpa and some other villagers into allowing him to cut their hair. His greatest accomplishment was talking Brandi into a haircut. She had so much hair, and he was able to experiment with the clippers over and over before she had run out. He still winced when thinking about the slap he received once Brandi looked at herself in a mirror. He had to admit, he had gotten carried away. That was two weeks ago, at least now, she had a modicum of hair back, but she was still close to bald. Right now, Thomas was sitting on a small bench outside of Brandi and her mother¡¯s residence. He was watching Brandi experiment on a hide. This was a hobby of his. When he was bored, he would always come and watch her work on the hides. Even with all the hides that Derek had left, she had gone through them multiple times, taking previously completed works and deconstructing them, then making something else out of the material. He had asked her what her Leatherworking level had risen to, but she only answered him with a gleaming smile and shook her head. He had no doubt that if she could ever make it to level 10, there would be some kind of Leatherworking class waiting for her. And once she was able to get her hands on a crafting class, she would be able to level up based on her work instead of killing monsters. Thomas had fun messing around with the Mana Clippers, but he could not help but feel envious of the passion she had for her craft. She was so focused on Leatherworking that he had seen her miss meals and completely ignore anything happening around her. Thomas shook his head and sighed. He had turned 13 two days ago, but Derek had yet to return. On his birthday, his grandpa had brought him a level 11 frog to kill, but he refused. Sure, he wanted to unlock the Great System as soon as possible, but he had promised Derek that he would wait until he returned. He knew that his grandpa was disappointed in him, but he held a certain amount of faith in Derek. A smack to the back of his head pulled him out of his daydream. He turned to look at the culprit and was surprised to see Brandi standing next to him. ¡°Why did you stop crafting?¡± He asked her. Brandi frowned at his question and pointed to her crafting area. ¡°I think I¡¯ve done everything I can with the hides Derek gave me. I¡¯ve deconstructed them to death, I don¡¯t think I have a single hide left that would survive another try.¡± She sighed and continued. ¡°What about you? Why are you moping around here?¡± Thomas could see the frustration in her eyes. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯ll do now that she can¡¯t craft anymore. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering when Derek will get back. He told me to wait on him to unlock the Great System, but I don¡¯t know how long that will be. What are your plans now that you¡¯re out of hides?¡± Brandi pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I need to level up, but it¡¯s scary out there right now. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be able to get a class.¡± She seemed genuinely worried about that possibility. ¡°It will be fine. If your mom isn¡¯t able to help you, I¡¯m sure grandpa will. Or, Chief Rayna will, she¡¯s nice enough and it would be much easier if she helped.¡± He knew that, without her father, she would have to rely on others to help her reach level 10. ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right.¡± *** At this time, Derek had finally made his way to the edge of the forest. He walked out of the treeline and breathed in a deep breath while looking to the sky. Finally. He thought, then looked at the chipmunk squirming in his arms, then at Silvi. He could tell that she had been angry at him ever since he captured the chipmunk instead of letting her kill it. She can¡¯t come to the village with me. She¡¯ll cause a massacre. ¡°Silvi!¡± He yelled at the dumn animal to get its attention. ¡°Stay in the forest.¡± He pointed towards her, as she had not left the forest yet. He started walking forward. Good, it seems like she doesn¡¯t want to leave anyway. He walked further and noticed that the bunny had still not moved. He nodded and yelled at her. ¡°I¡¯ll come back in a few days. If you¡¯re still here, you can keep following me.¡± He stared at the bunny and waited. Soon, Silvi turned and hopped back deeper into the forest. Hmm¡­ Maybe she¡¯s smarter than I thought. Derek surveyed the area. ¡°This way.¡± He said and started walking. Luckily, he was able to exit the forest close to where he entered. This was made possible because of all the camps that he had made along the way. It had not taken long at all for Derek to be able to see the village gates. As he got closer, he noticed that the gates were closed up tight. I guess that makes sense, especially with everything that¡¯s going on. He saw some guards looking out from the top of the gate. They had not spotted him yet. He continued walking until one of them saw him. He saw the two discussing something and one of them climbed down. ¡°Halt!¡± The remaining guard yelled. ¡°Who are you, what do you need?¡± There was no contempt directed at Derek, the guard was just direct. He decided to answer. ¡°I¡¯m Derek, you may have heard of me. I¡¯m back for a bit. No need to go through the trouble of opening the gate.¡± Derek spoke, then jumped from where he was standing. Landing next to the guard on the gate. The guard jumped and nearly fell from Derek''s sudden manoeuvre. Derek chuckled and patted the guard on the shoulder. ¡°Keep at it.¡± He said and jumped down into the village. After surveying the village, Derek took off towards where Brandi had been staying. First, I have to empty my spatial bracelet. Chapter 31: Gifts Chapter 31: Gifts Derek went in the direction where Brandi and her mother had been relocated to before he left. He was hoping that they were still at the same spot. If not, he would just have to go ask the chief. Soon, he arrived at the area where he was surprised to find Thomas. He was sitting on a bench with his back turned to Derek. Oh, I wonder who that boy is. It looks like Thomas has a friend. Derek looked at the shorter boy patting Thomas on the back. It seemed that he was trying to comfort him. Soon, Derek¡¯s face had an odd expression. They seem to be kind of¡­ close. Hmm¡­ I never suspected¡­ The boy with the shaved head had put his arm around Thomas and sat beside him. Derek chuckled. Well, whatever, good for him. Finally, he decided to make his appearance known. ¡°Oi! Thomas. I¡¯m back.¡± With that, the two boys jumped off the bench and turned around. He saw Thomas¡¯s face as normal, but when the other boy turned around, he realized who it was. Holy shit, Thomas! What did you do to the poor girl? As soon as he recognized Brandi, he had known that Thomas must have talked her into letting him use the Mana Clippers on her. Pushing down his laughter, he tried to act as casually as possible. ¡°Uh, Thomas¡­ Brandi¡­ How are the two of you?¡± He asked. Thomas was clearly excited to see him, but the nearly bald Brandi was the first to act. She ran up to Derek and began telling him about the last month. ¡°Guess what? I got my Leatherworking skill all the way up to level 5. That¡¯s almost the highest in the village. I ran out of hide, but I was able to break my crafts down and reused them over and over. I can¡¯t do that anymore because none of the hides can withstand doing it again, but still, isn¡¯t that great? It is, right? Right?¡± Brandi unloaded on Derek. He was waiting to finally get another word in. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s fantastic! You didn¡¯t have a hard time working with the higher level hides?¡± He asked. ¡°Oh, that? Well, I did. But after straining and finally completing a craft, my skill leveled, and it became easier for me to work. I don¡¯t have any good knives, so I had to go slow in the beginning until the skill leveled.¡± She answered with enthusiasm. ¡°Ah, I should have thought about that.¡± Derek shook his hand and one of his many knives appeared in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not made for Leatherworking, but it was made by a level 85 smith, and it¡¯s sharp, so it should help you for now.¡± He handed the common-looking knife to Brandi. ¡°Be careful.¡± He warned. Excited, she ran over to one of her finished products and tried cutting it. It sliced through the odd-looking pants like it was nothing. ¡°Oh my System!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°This is amazing! it¡¯s so sharp.¡± She looked back at Derek. ¡°Can I really keep it?¡± ¡°Of course, I gave it to you, so it¡¯s yours.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Besides, it will probably help you a lot with these.¡± He shook his hand and a pile of hides appeared on the bench she was previously sitting on. ¡°No way!¡± She ran over to the hides. ¡°I can have them? Really?¡± After looking at all of them, she asked. ¡°What level are they? More 20s? Maybe 30s?¡± Derek shook his head, seeing her running around with the knife. He had told her to be careful, but seeing how excited she was, he could not say anything. ¡°There may be a few 20s or 30s.¡± He paused to see the sparkle in her eyes, then dropped the bomb. ¡°But most are around level 50, and there are some 60s and should be even on level 70 hide.¡± The sparkle in her eyes turned into a greedy gleam as she sucked in a breath and stared at the hides. Finally, she came back to herself and ran over to Derek, this time giving him a big embrace. He quickly moved the creature in his hand away from the girl. ¡°Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!¡± Derek felt the knife stab on his thigh, but it didn¡¯t break his skin, so he did not say anything. Well, some people like wearing jeans with holes in them. Beggars can¡¯t be choosers. Brandi finally broke away, and he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what. If you can get your Leatherworking skill above level ten, I¡¯ll help you get a class. Then, once you have a crafting class, I have a special project you can help me with.¡± He stuck out his hand. ¡°Deal?¡± Brandi looked at his hand curiously. ¡°Um¡­ You grab a hold and shake it. It¡¯s how we make deals where I¡¯m from.¡± Derek said. Brand nodded her head violently. She reached out with her free hand and shook. Finally, Derek looked over to Thomas. ¡°What about you, boy? You¡¯ve been real quiet over there.¡± Thomas woke up from his trance. ¡°Ah¡­ Uh¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± He said. Then Brandi chimed in. ¡°He¡¯s not fine! His birthday was days ago, but he¡¯s been sulking because he was waiting on you to get back to unlock the Great System. Also, he¡¯s a maniac.¡± She pointed to her head. ¡°This is a trim! He said that I had so much hair that I wouldn¡¯t miss a little. By the time he was finished, this is all I had left. And I¡¯m not the only one.¡± Derek watched as Thomas¡¯s cheeks turned red, and he looked at the ground in embarrassment. ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry. I got carried away, is all.¡± Thomas spoke while staring at his shoes. ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done.¡± Derek got closer to Thomas and bent down to whisper in his ear. ¡°Never mess with a woman and her beauty. You¡¯re lucky you can even walk after pulling that.¡± He warned. Thomas nodded his head in understanding. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, never again. It was really scary.¡± He whispered back. Derek backed away and gave Thomas a serious look. Thomas¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the change. ¡°Did you think more about what we talked about before I left?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Thomas replied with no hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m going to become an adventurer. I have to get strong. I can¡¯t stay in this village forever.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Follow me.¡± He looked at Brandi. ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon. Have fun.¡± He walked towards the closest village wall. Luckily, it was not too far from where they were. Once standing at the wall, Derek picked Thomas up and jumped over the wall. Then he started to run. *** A dozen kilometers away from the village, Derek stopped running and put Thomas down. This is as good a spot as any. Derek backed away to let Thomas reorient himself. When Thomas was finally stable again, Derek spoke. ¡°Thomas. You have made it clear that you plan to leave the safety of your village and grow stronger. I¡¯ve been alone for a very long time, and honestly, it¡¯s getting pretty old. When I leave, would you like to come with me?¡± Thomas was in shock. Adventure with Derek? Is he serious? He was very emotional at the moment. What would grandpa say? What about Grandma? Finally, Thomas was able to rein in his emotions. ¡°You would let me travel with you?¡± He asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have asked if that weren¡¯t the case.¡± Derek replied. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ Of course.¡± How strong would I be able to become with Derek? The possibilities were flowing through Thomas¡¯s mind as he spoke. ¡°Good. But before that, there are some things that you will need to agree on.¡± Derek spoke. Thomas stared at Derek, waiting for him to speak. Derek nodded his head. ¡°Traveling with me, you will learn many secrets about me, and other things. I need to know that you won¡¯t share these things with anyone.¡± Derek said seriously. ¡°Of course.¡± Said Thomas. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you understand. The things you may learn will be world shaking. I don¡¯t want some half-assed answer. Really think about it. You may learn some things that others will kill you for.¡± Thomas thought for a bit. What kind of things does he know? It doesn¡¯t matter, he can help me get strong. ¡°I want to go with you.¡± This time, Thomas said so with resolve. ¡°Another thing, I will help you, and try to save you when needed, but you will need to fight and kill like you¡¯re by yourself. I don¡¯t want you to rely on others. The only person you can count on in this world is yourself.¡± Derek warned. ¡°I know. I want to get stronger so I won¡¯t have to rely on other people.¡± Thomas said. ¡°Good. If I tell you to do something, you do it. Is that understood? No questioning me.¡± Thomas did not reply immediately. He was thinking about whether Derek could ask him to do something bad. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not evil, I¡¯m not necessarily good, but definitely not evil. If I tell you to do something, there is a reason for it.¡± This comforted him more. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Derek took out a dagger and tossed it on the ground in front of Thomas. ¡°Pick it up. It¡¯s made by the same person that made my glaive.¡± Thomas slowly reached down and picked up the blade. When he had the blade in hand, he looked back at Derek. ¡°Now what?¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°Now, we unlock your system.¡± He held out the chipmunk-like creature. ¡°But before that. Derek cast Rejuvenation on the monster. ¡°Got to top it up, so it has full health when you kill it.¡± After 30 seconds passed, Derek held the creature up with both hands. It was struggling, but not enough to hurt itself. ¡°Kill it.¡± Thomas nodded. He did not waste any time and drove the dagger into the chest of the creature. It was not easy. Even with the sharp blade, once it pierced the skin, it moved slowly. Pushing with all his might, the dagger finally broke through the creature¡¯s defenses. Soon, Thomas let go of the blade. He just looked up at Derek in stunned silence. ¡°Well, did it work?¡± Derek asked. Thomas slowly nodded. ¡°I-it was over level 50. H-how was I able to kill it?¡± Thomas asked. Derek smiled. ¡°Like I said, that blade was made from the same smith that made my glaive. It¡¯s my sharpest one.¡± Derek pulled the blade from the chipmunk and proceeded to Dismantle it. ¡°So, how many skill points do you have?¡± ¡°I have three.¡± Thomas replied happily. ¡°Good, you¡¯re only going to have one soon.¡± Said Derek, confusing Thomas. Derek smiled. ¡°Like I said, do what I say. One point on Meditation and one on Identify.¡± He waited. After a couple of minutes, Thomas finally replied. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t feel bad. Meditation is one of the most powerful skills available in the system and Identify lets you keep your stats private.¡± Derek tried to cheer Thomas up. ¡°Now, do you know what kind of class you want? Tanky with big weapons and armor. Swift and agile. Mage. What are you thinking?¡± Derek asked. Thomas was silent for a while. ¡°I want to be fast. To be able to hit things and not be hit back.¡± This was his answer. ¡°Oh, alright. Then you should spend your last point in Light Weapons Mastery. This will let you be more proficient with knives, daggers, and even short swords. But, make sure that is what you want, you won¡¯t be able to change it. Though, you will probably end up with a few extra skill points down the line, it is still better to try not to waste any.¡± Thomas nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what I want. I want to use daggers.¡± ¡°Oh, plural? You want to dual wield?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no dual wielding mastery in general skill, so you¡¯re going to have to hope for a good class for that. Now, you¡¯re level three. Put 15 points in Vitality and in Endurance. You need to be able to survive before you can kill. This isn¡¯t a video game, you can min-max, but not at the beginning.¡± Derek said with confidence. ¡°Video game? Min-max?¡± Thomas stared dumbly. ¡°Uh, don¡¯t mind that.¡± Derek said. ¡°Once you¡¯re done, we¡¯re heading back to the village.¡± Chapter 32: A Day in the Village Chapter 32: A Day in the Village Thomas took a deep breath and then let it out. ¡°Woah¡­ Okay, I¡¯m done.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Those first stat points invested are a hell of a thing, huh? An instant increase of over two times is quite the feeling.¡± Derek remembered the first stat points he invested. He had only gained one level, so it could not have been as dramatic as what Thomas felt, but it was still memorable. Thomas smiled back at him. ¡°Yeah, it was something. It¡¯s almost like it¡¯s easier to breathe.¡± ¡°Yup, that would be the Endurance and Vitality working on your organs. Your heart is pumping better, and your lungs are filtering better. It¡¯s a pretty neat feeling when it first happens.¡± Derek explained. ¡°Anyway, we better get back before we give your grandma a heart attack.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yeah, that would be bad.¡± Thomas walked up to Derek. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pick me up and take me back?¡± Thomas seemed confused. ¡°Haha, no. You have some Endurance now, so you need to get used to it. We¡¯re running. Keep up.¡± With that, Derek took off at a slow jog back towards the village. *** The duo arrived by the village wall. Derek looked over at Thomas, who had his hands on his knees, gasping for air. ¡°Oh, come on. It was just a few kilometers, you should have been able to handle it fine, much less with your new stamina.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°It¡­ would¡­ have¡­ been¡­ fine¡­¡± Thomas panted between the words. He took a deep breath in, then fired the rest out like a shotgun. ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t have ran so fast.¡± ¡°Eh. Whatever, let¡¯s go in.¡± With that, Derek grabbed Thomas and brought him back over the wall, into the village. They soon arrived back at Brandi and her mother¡¯s residence, only to find a commotion. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®he took him?¡¯¡± Thomas¡¯s grandma had her hands placed on Brandi¡¯s shoulders. She was upset and seemed to be in a state of panic. ¡°He¡¯s fine. Derek took him to do something. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Brandi comforted the older woman. Behind the two, watching the scene, were Rayna, Richard, and Leon. Richard had worry in his eyes, while the other two were standing there with their brows furrowed. Thomas ran forward after seeing the scene. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m okay. You don¡¯t have to worry. Why are you here, anyway?¡± Thomas asked. Rayna was the one to answer. ¡°Well, a guard came running and notified us of someone at the gates. When we arrived at the gates, the other guard, who is still scared by the way, let us know that someone jumped over the gate and ran into the village. From what he described, the individual seemed to fit Derek¡¯s description.¡± Rayna looked over to Derek. Richard took over from there. ¡°Since Thomas hasn¡¯t been able to stay quiet about your return, we figured that you may have come over here. It looks like we were correct.¡± Derek put his hand on the back of his neck and chuckled a little. ¡°I acted a bit on impulse with Thomas. I wanted to help him unlock his system, so we were a little impatient.¡± Derek looked at Delilah and continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I guess I should have left a note or something.¡± Richard¡¯s ears perked up at that. ¡°You said you helped him unlock the Great System?¡± Thomas ran over to his grandpa. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re not going to believe it. I got three skill points from the Giant Slayer award¡­ Three!¡± He excitedly said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Richard trailed off. ¡°Yeah, it was over level 50. How amazing is that?¡± Thomas continued. Finally, Delilah calmed down and spoke to Derek. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fine, gave me another scare is all. Be careful with him, he¡¯s just a child.¡± ¡°Grandma. I unlocked the Great System. I¡¯m not a kid anymore. I could try to become a city guard if I lived in the city.¡± Thomas corrected his grandma. ¡°Ah phooey.¡± She spat. ¡°You¡¯re always going to be a child to me.¡± At this time, Malorie came from around the corner of the residence with a basket of clothes. ¡°Oh, hello. Chief Rayna, Chief Leon.¡± She looked around at everyone until her eyes landed on Derek. ¡°Derek, it¡¯s good to have you back. Brandi has been working hard and talking about you nonstop.¡± Brandi¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°I haven¡¯t talked thaaat much about him.¡± She countered. Then, her eyes shot towards the pile of hides and she ran to them. ¡°Look! He brought me new hides to work with. He said that some of them are even level 70.¡± She ran her hand over the top hide in satisfaction. ¡°Thi-This is too much, Derek.¡± Malorie said. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s fine, I have no real use for them. They were just taking up room in my storage, so she might as well use them to increase her skill. Who knows, maybe she will get a good crafting class when she levels to 10.¡± He answered. Malorie spoke again. ¡°These hides are too precious for her to ruin. If you went to the city, they could fetch a very high price.¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t had the need for any money lately. Besides, if need be, I can always go hunt more. Just let her have them, you can see it as an investment.¡± Derek said. He watched as different thoughts went through the group''s heads. Rayna¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Anyway. Derek, what are your plans now?¡± She asked. I see she¡¯s still wary of me. ¡°Well, I thought I might stay and rest a few days this time, if you have room. There are some things that I should probably discuss with you later. But first, I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to a warm bath, one can only wash themselves in streams so much.¡± Before anyone else could answer, Brandi yelled out. ¡°Thomas, come fetch water with me.¡± She looked at Derek. ¡°You can have a bath in our house, we¡¯ll prepare the water. Let¡¯s go, Thomas.¡± The kids took off running. Derek shook his head and looked over to Malorie. Before he said anything she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s the least we can do for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He nodded to the woman, then looked back at Rayna. ¡°That fine with you? Talk tomorrow?¡± Rayna released a long breath and squinted her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s with the new attitude? You¡¯re asking for permission now?¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t called me mentally challenged today.¡± Rayna stared wide eyed at Derek. ¡°Y-you heard that?¡± She asked. ¡°Yup. Anyway, meeting tomorrow?¡± He asked again. Rayna nodded. ¡°That will be fine.¡± With that, everyone left. Only Malorie and Derek remained. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you to the bath.¡± Malorie said. They headed to her home. *** Derek was standing in a small room with a wooden bath inside. He watched as Thomas dumped the final bucket of steaming water into it. Thomas looked up at Derek and smiled oddly. ¡°We may have heated it a little too long.¡± He said. ¡°No worries, this is perfect.¡± Derek said. Before he began undressing, he heard Malorie¡¯s voice from the other room. ¡°If you give Thomas your dirty clothes, I¡¯ll go ahead and wash them¡± ¡°You think she would mind washing more than one set?¡± He asked Thomas. ¡°If she does mind, Brandi wouldn¡¯t.¡± Derek nodded, and three shirts and two pairs of jeans fell onto the floor in a pile. Then, he removed what he had on and sat in the steaming bath. Thomas began picking up the clothes. ¡°Ah, hold on.¡± Derek shook his hand and a small pod appeared. ¡°Have them use this for the wash. It¡¯s called a laundry pod where I come from.¡± Thomas nodded and put it in his pocket. Then, he gathered the rest of the clothes and left the room. Derek laid his head back and checked his stats. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 18 Experience 163/1170 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 2150 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 0) Attack 49 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 360 Dexterity 260 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 220 Wisdom 215 Stat Points Remaining 158 Skills Channel Void Level 3 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Dismantle Level 10 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 2 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 12 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 1 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 6 Restores 30% HP over 30 seconds. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Skill Points Remaining 4 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer Not bad. I can probably get one or two dungeons in before 25. Derek wanted to use his stat points to level all his stats to at least 500 after he obtained the Meat Shield award. Dex and Strength should give me some sort of attack skill, and Wisdom and Int would surely give me some attack spell or buff. Hmm¡­ What to do? Derek sighed and closed his status. For the first time in a long time, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep instead of meditating. *** Derek opened his eyes, unaware of how long he had been asleep. The water in the tub was already room temperature, so he guessed that it had been awhile. He quickly summoned some soap and washed himself. After, he got up, dried off, and dressed himself with a fresh set of clothing, which was another black tee and a pair of jeans. He walked into the living area and saw Malorie stirring something in a pot. ¡°Dinner is in 20. I hope you like rabbit stew. Could you go fetch Brandi and tell her to wash up?¡± ¡°Uh, okay.¡± Derek replied awkwardly. He went outside and around back to see his laundered clothing drying on some wire. He found Brandi hanging up a hide. ¡°How long was I out?¡± He asked. Brandi jumped, then turned around. ¡°It¡¯s been a few hours, your clothes should be almost dry. What was that soap? It smells sooo good.¡± She answered. ¡°It¡¯s just some soap specially made for clothing where I¡¯m from.¡± Derek looked up. It would soon be getting dark. He walked over to his hanging jeans and felt them. After seeing that they were dry, he stored them into his bracelet. ¡°Oh, what are you doing with the hides?¡± He asked, motioning to the hanging hide. ¡°I¡¯m trying out tanning them. I just used the hides raw last time, I couldn¡¯t wait to tan them because it takes too long. Now that I have more, I wanted to try it.¡± She answered. ¡°I see. Good luck.¡± He replied. ¡°Malorie said to go clean up. Dinner is almost ready.¡± He told the girl. ¡°Ah, are you going to eat with us?¡± She asked excitedly. ¡°Uh, I think so.¡± He said. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to love it. My mom makes the best food. She has the Cooking skill at a really high level.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool.¡± He said. I really could use something good to eat. *** Derek leaned back in his chair after finishing the stew in front of him. ¡°That was great. The best thing I¡¯ve eaten in years. After that, I may have to pick up the Cooking skill.¡± He could feel his Vitality surging after the meal. Must increase my health regeneration. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that good. My skill is only level 8.¡± Malorie replied with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short.¡± He said. Then he stood. ¡°Thank you for the meal. I think I¡¯m going to get going. I wouldn¡¯t want to overstay my welcome.¡± He excused himself. He looked at Brandi. ¡°I¡¯ll come by tomorrow and see how your Leatherworking is coming along. With that, he walked to the door. ¡°Have a good night.¡± He opened it and left. He walked back around the house and sat on the bench and sighed. He had noticed that Malorie was hiding behind her smile during dinner. She was definitely taking the death of her husband harder than Brandi. Brandi had something to focus on in her Leatherworking. Derek shook his head. Let¡¯s see. Thomas said that there was a place to stay at the center of the village. He stood up and walked that way. He found the building that Thomas had talked about. It was still only one floor, but it was wider and longer than the buildings around it. He walked in and looked around. One side had a few tables and a small bar, while the other side was a hallway with what he assumed were rooms. Quaint He chuckled. There were not many villagers inside. He walked over to the bar. A tall, balding man behind the bar squinted. ¡°What you need?¡± He asked. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m looking for a room for a night or two.¡± ¡°Six copper a night.¡± The man answered. Oh, yeah. Money. Derek looked through his storage. Finally, he spotted the skin from the creature Thomas had killed. He pulled the hide out. ¡°You take trade? Level 52 small hide. Pretty good condition.¡± The man looked at Derek skeptically. ¡°Hold on.¡± He said, then walked through a door to the side. After a few minutes, he came back out with an older lady by his side. ¡°That it?¡± The lady pointed at the hide in Derek¡¯s hand. The man nodded, and the woman looked deeply at the hide. ¡°He¡¯s not lying, level 52.¡± She nodded to Derek, then turned to the man. ¡°Now, leave me alone.¡± She walked back through the door. The man let out an embarrassed laugh. ¡°The old lady.¡± He leaned forward and whispered. ¡°That¡¯s her being nice.¡± He leaned back. ¡°What do you want for it?¡± Derek smiled at the man¡¯s antics. ¡°Dunno. Is it enough for a room for a few days? Maybe a drink or two?¡± He asked. ¡°Not going to lie. You could get a few silver for it in the city, but I don¡¯t need it. Ol¡¯ Tristen would probably give you a couple of silver if you went to him. He¡¯s the local Leathersmith.¡± The man said. ¡°Too much trouble. How bout I give it to you, and you give me a tab of one silver? That work?¡± Derek asked. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with that, it¡¯s fine.¡± The man said. Derek gave him the hide. The man put it somewhere under the bar, then held out his hand for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m Bart. The local¡­¡± He looked around. ¡°Innkeeper? Bartender?¡± He said as if he did not know. ¡°The guy who runs whatever this is.¡± Derek let out a hearty laugh and took his hand. ¡°Derek. The non-local guy who I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about by now.¡± ¡°Ah, that Derek. For the most part, it¡¯s all good things. Nice to meet ya.¡± Bart said. ¡°Let me show you to your room.¡± He walked out from behind the bar and took Derek to the other side of the big room. He walked to one of the doors and opened it. ¡°Here you go. It¡¯s not much, and it will probably get loud later.¡± ¡°Fine by me.¡± Derek replied. ¡°I think I¡¯ll just call it a night for now. The noise won¡¯t bother me. It was nice to meet you.¡± He said, then walked into the small room. It was about two and a half by two meters. Just big enough for a small bed and table beside it. ¡°Have a good night.¡± Bart said and walked away. Derek shut the door, then sat on the bed. He began meditating. Chapter 33: The Next Day Chapter 33: The Next Day Derek opened his eyes and looked around the small room. He stood up and stretched, letting out a deep breath in the process. He checked the system for the time. They should be awake. Might as well go get this meeting business over with early. With that, Derek opened the door and headed to the bar. Bart was wiping the bar down with a rag, and there was a young woman setting the tables and moving the chairs into their positions. Derek walked over to Bart. Bart looked up. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t by any chance have coffee would you?¡± Derek asked. Bart looked at him questioningly. ¡°Coffee? Never heard of it.¡± He answered. ¡°Damn, figures. You got any boiling water?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Bart walked to the back and brought back a steaming kettle-like pot. He sat it on a cloth on top of the bar. Derek let out a sigh. ¡°Beggars can¡¯t be choosers.¡± He muttered. Then, he brought out a small pan and a coffee canister from his bracelet. He poured the water into the pan and scooped some coffee grains into it. He immediately covered the pot with a lid. He had made coffee many times like this while camping back on Earth. It was not the best or cleanest way to make coffee, but it got the job done. While he was doing all of this, Bart was staring at him with confusion in his eyes. Derek laughed. ¡°Got a couple cups?¡± He asked. Bart nodded and walked to the back again, bringing out what looked like a bigger version of a teacup. While waiting, Derek decided to ask Bart a couple of questions. ¡°So, what are people saying about me?¡± Bart looked up from the pot. ¡°Mostly nice things. I think I¡¯m the first local that¡¯s met ya. It¡¯s mostly the villagers you brought in that talk about ya. How you saved them and brought them here.¡± I guess Leon or the others haven¡¯t said anything about the Void Beast yet. I guess that¡¯s good. ¡°The only person I really saved was Leon. I think Marshall would have ended up besting the wolf that attacked them, and they probably could have made it here without much danger.¡± Derek explained. ¡°Did you really give a little girl a bunch of high-level hides?¡± Bart asked. ¡°I mean, I gave her hides, but they aren¡¯t really high level. The highest was around 70.¡± ¡°Ha. Level 70 and not a high level.¡± Bart scoffed. ¡°A level 70 could become a silver ranked adventurer at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in the city. We¡¯ll be lucky to get a couple level 70s for this dungeon problem in the forest.¡± ¡°Oh? You know about the dungeon?¡± Derek was surprised. He had thought that Rayna and the others would keep quiet about it until they knew for sure. ¡°I know about it. And few others outside of Chief Rayna and Richard know about it, including you. That¡¯s all, though. I guess you could consider me an elder of this place.¡± Bart answered. Well, if some level 70s go to the dungeon, I guess there will be fewer adventurers in this Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Derek checked the pot. ¡°Look like it¡¯s ready.¡± He took a ladle out of his bracelet and filled the two cups. ¡°I guess this is your first cup of coffee. I like it black, but a lot of people prefer it with sugar and milk.¡± Derek explained to Bart. ¡°Not much of a sweets person myself.¡± Bart answered and picked up the cup. He took a sip and closed his eyes. He opened his eyes and nodded. ¡°Now that¡¯s some good stuff. Better than any tea I¡¯ve had.¡± ¡°Yup, I¡¯ve never been a big fan of hot tea. Unfortunately, I only have a couple cans left.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°I wish I had some seeds to grow the plants. I have a feeling that it¡¯s going to be a long time before I go back home.¡± Derek muttered the last part. ¡°Where¡¯s home?¡± Bart must have heard Derek. Derek shook his head. ¡°Where indeed?¡± He said. Derek finished his cup of coffee and poured another. He drank the second cup quickly. ¡°You have something to pour the rest in?¡± He motioned to the pot. ¡°You can just put the rest in the kettle. I¡¯ll have Sam clean it out later. You sure ya wanna leave the rest?¡± Bart asked. ¡°Yup, enjoy. I got to get to the chief¡¯s. Tell her where the dungeon is.¡± Derek answered. He figured that since Bart knew about what they had discussed last month, there was no need to keep quiet about the dungeon. ¡°Oh, you found it?¡± Bart finished pouring the coffee out. Derek took his pot and ladle back. ¡°Yup, it¡¯s probably going to be a pain in the ass for the city to maintain.¡± He stood up and walked to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be back tonight. Maybe I¡¯ll try some of your finest alcohol.¡± Bart grunted. ¡°I got ale, and there ain¡¯t nothing fine about it, but you¡¯re free to try it.¡± Bart said as Derek walked out the door. *** Derek walked to the same residence where he had met with Rayna and the others before. He had waited a while at the bar with Bart just to give them some extra time. He walked to the door and knocked. After a few seconds, the door was pulled open. It was Richard. ¡°Ah, Derek, welcome. Come in.¡± He spoke. As the two walked, he continued. ¡°Thomas will not stop talking about getting three skill points from that Award. He told me you had him invest in Meditation and Identify?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Of course, those are two of the most crucial General Skills one can get. I¡¯m sure Leon told you about my Meditation skill, right?¡± They reached the table, where Rayna was already sitting. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Rayna spoke. The two sat. Richard continued their conversation. ¡°He did. It¡¯s still hard to believe that a skill can upgrade, at least I¡¯ve never heard of it. I¡¯m sure some of the nobles have, but nobles have a way of keeping secrets.¡± He spat the last part out. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the same tone Thomas has when he talks about nobles.¡± Derek smiled. He saw Richard''s eyes widen. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I told Thomas when we met, I am not a noble.¡± He watched Richard let out a breath. ¡°But yes, my Meditation skill can recover my health, mana, and stamina in minutes. If one is serious about surviving as an adventurer, using Meditation and Identify every chance you get is a must.¡± Derek stopped, then continued. ¡°In fact, yesterday was the first time I¡¯ve slept in months. Get Meditation high enough and it leaves you more refreshed than a good night¡¯s sleep. As for Identify.¡± He looked at Rayna. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that if the skill is high enough, it will block others from using it on you.¡± Rayna¡¯s face contorted a bit. ¡°Yeah, I know the look people get when they use the skill and it doesn¡¯t work.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°You probably know, but people are more of a danger than any beast. Having Identify leveled can help keep the trash from trying something.¡± Derek watched as both of them put on a sad expression. ¡°I¡¯m guessing neither of you thought Meditation was worth the point?¡± He asked. Rayna nodded. ¡°Yes. Now I wonder if it will still be worth getting it.¡± ¡°Sure it will, just use it every chance you get. Losing all your senses is disturbing at the beginning, but you start getting them back as it levels. Just have someone nearby to break you out of the trance when needed.¡± Derek explained. ¡°Now, is this it? Should I begin?¡± He asked. Richard answered. ¡°Leon should be here soon. Let¡¯s wait for him.¡± Derek nodded, then decided to ask something that had been on his mind for a while. ¡°Rayna, why are you not at a higher level? You¡¯re what, level 31? There are tons of level 25 or so creatures around the outside of the forest right now. I don¡¯t know what class you have, whether it¡¯s common or epic, but anyway you look at it, you could have gotten like 5 levels easy in the month I was gone. From what I know, you could get a level just by killing 20 or so monsters at that level.¡± Derek was judging this based on the kills he had gotten in Leon¡¯s village. Rayna was silent, she looked like she was in deep thought. Finally, she answered. ¡°My class is Tempest Blade. It is a rare class, so it takes quite a bit longer to level than others. Until recently, the creatures at the edge of the forest would barely even give me experience if I killed them. My blade has seen better days too.¡± She motioned to a broken sword in the corner of the room. ¡°The swords made in the village don¡¯t last long against higher leveled creatures, especially when I channel the wind through them. Trust me, I do want to try to level, but I am the chief of the village, and the information you brought has left me wanting for time.¡± She said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You can¡¯t really do anything about it. You have to wait for that guy to deliver the message in the city. You might as well go level, nothing under level 30 should be much of a challenge.¡± Derek paused. ¡°You said wind? So you can use magic?¡± ¡°Uh, yes?¡± She said quizzically. Derek pulled a sword out of his bracelet. He had kept an arsenal with him at all times. Mostly coming from the invaders he had slain. If the weapon looked good, he would take it. In fact, the reason his bracelet was always nearing full capacity was because of all the weapons he had. He even had a couple spare glaives, though not nearly as good as his custom one. The sword was not as good as his glaive or many of his daggers, but it was made out of the same black-steel as his glaive, which meant that it was durable enough to channel magic through without damage. Derek spoke. ¡°I¡¯m planning on doing a little training with Thomas for the next couple days. This is yours if you come train with us. Your skill will be very important to me.¡± Rayna finally picked her jaw up off the ground. She reached and gripped the hilt of the sword. ¡°Really, just come train with you and I can have it?¡± She asked. ¡°Yup, it¡¯s yours. Also, if you have any spare skill points, you should buy Meditation. You''ll need it for training.¡± He said mysteriously. Seeing her eyes still on the sword, he spoke again. ¡°You can go ahead and take it.¡± He gestured for her to take the sword. ¡°And, you will probably benefit from this training too.¡± She hurriedly picked up the sword and ran to the corner where she took the sheath from her old sword. The new sword fit almost perfectly. She strapped it to her waist and answered Derek. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there.¡± About that time, the front door opened and closed. Soon, Leon walked into the room. Richard spoke. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this meeting started.¡± Chapter 34: Meeting Chapter 34: Meeting Leon pulled out a chair and had a seat. Now, sitting at the table was Derek, Rayna, Leon, and Richard. Rayna spoke. "Okay, now that we are all here, let''s get down to business." Derek could still the glow in her eyes that she had from receiving her new sword. She turned to Derek. "You wanted this meeting. The floor is yours." Derek nodded. "First, I wanted to ask you all something." Derek waited for the group to nod before carrying on. "I had an interesting conversation with Bart earlier. While we were chatting, he informed me that the most likely candidates to be sent from the Adventurer''s Guild will be of silver rank. Is that correct?" He asked. Richard was the one to answer. "That is likely the case, yes. And that is if Davis gets lucky in convincing them that the need is dire. It is also possible that he ends up returning with adventurers of the bronze rank." He said. "Hmm..." Derek trailed off. "If that''s the case, then they will die." "What do you mean, ''they''ll die?''" Rayna asked. "Well, on my journey, I found the dungeon. I say that the silver ranked adventurers will die because the dungeon was level 100." Derek explained. With that, the room was quiet. They did not appear to be shocked, but the looks on their faces said it all. This was a worst case scenario. Leon broke the silence. "Gold, we need a team of gold ranked adventurers." "Davis has most likely made it to the city by now. He may already be on his way back to the village." Rayna said. Derek spoke. "I fought one of the creatures that came out of the overflow. It was an Acidic Ghoul at level 115. I''m not sure of the levels inside the dungeon, but it makes sense that it was at level 100 when it broke out, and leveled up outside the dungeon. If there are more of these monsters in the dungeon, and they are at level 100, even a full group of gold ranked adventurers will have a problem." "Ghouls." Richard muttered. "So, it is a dungeon with undying properties." "Yes, and it is in a state of extreme overflow. That means that there are likely more undying creatures outside of the dungeon. Though, it will probably be pretty clear around the dungeon for a while. The fight between the ghoul and me ended in quite a few casualties." Derek responded. "Anyway, you have the information. Do with it what you will. I suggest sending whatever adventurer comes back to the city to request aid. Though, I don''t know if they will believe anything you tell them without proof." Derek hoped the adventurers would heed the warning, but he seriously doubted it. From what I know of the majority of guild members, they will not give any thought to what ''lowly'' villagers say. Hopefully, there will be no noble adventurers sent out. "That''s all we can do for now." Rayna sighed. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss?" She asked Derek. "Actually..." Derek looked at Richard. "You wouldn''t by any chance have a map of the surrounding area? Maybe one with dungeons on it?" He asked. "I do, it''s not very detailed, but it has some of the level 25 and 50 dungeons on it. I''ve also marked where the villages are on it too. If you give me a few minutes, I will go get it." Richard responded. Derek nodded. "Go ahead." Richard stood up and dismissed himself. While waiting, Derek spoke to Rayna about their upcoming training session. "Did you have enough skill points to purchase Meditation?" He asked. "I did. My class allows for some extra skill points on upgrade, so I had been saving a couple of them. I hope this skill is worth it.¡± She answered. ¡°Oh, it will be.¡± Derek thought for a moment. ¡°You use wind magic, correct? Are your magical skills at an advanced level?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you would consider advanced, but the three that I have are at level 5 or 6.¡± That was slightly disappointing, but still fine for what he was planning. ¡°That¡¯s good enough, I guess. You will probably benefit more than anyone with what I¡¯m planning.¡± ¡°Oh, and what is it that you are planning?¡± Rayna asked. Derek just gave her a mysterious smile. ¡°Wait!¡± Leon interjected. ¡°Training? What are the two of you talking about?¡± He asked. ¡°Oh, I just invited the chief here.¡± Derek motioned toward Rayna. ¡°To a little training with me and Thomas.¡± ¡°Thomas too?¡± Leon asked. Derek could feel the worry radiating from the ex-chief. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they will both be fine. In fact, I¡¯m sure that they will both appreciate it.¡± Derek tried to assuage Leon¡¯s concerns. ¡°The kid wants to use daggers, so I figured I¡¯d see if he has what it takes to not die in such close range. I happened to find out the Miss Chief over there has some wind magic, and it will be rather useful to me.¡± Leon stopped speaking. He did not seem entirely convinced, but he had no choice but to accept it, anyway. About that time, Derek heard the door open. Richard entered the room with a rolled up parchment in his hands. This time, he was not alone. Thomas was trailing behind him. ¡°Thomas wanted to know if I had seen Derek today. I told him that you were here, so he insisted on coming along.¡± Richard laid the map onto the table and began to spread it out. ¡°That fine, I was going to look for the kid once we were finished here, so bringing him just saved me the trouble of hunting him down.¡± Derek gave Thomas a knowing look. ¡°Though, I suspect it wouldn¡¯t be hard to figure out where he was.¡± Richard smiled at that. ¡°Not hard at all. He¡¯s spent more time with that little Leatherworker than he has with me or Delilah since he got back.¡± Both Derek and Richard chuckled at Thomas¡¯s red face. ¡°Here is the map. As you can see, it¡¯s not the best in the world, but it has been useful to me over the years.¡± The map was crudely drawn, but easy enough to make out. Derek saw the marking indicating the villages. There were a few with lines through them. ¡°I assume that these villages no longer exist?¡± He asked Richard. Richard scrunched up his face and nodded his head. Derek found Leon¡¯s destroyed village, then found the one he was currently at. ¡°Is this map to scale? Is the distance used in the forest the same as what is used between villages?¡± He made his question clearer. Richard nodded. ¡°Yes, though, as you can see, there is only a portion of the forest on the map, as it is vast.¡± The map had most of the right side covered in forest. It ended a little before reaching the bottom of the map. At the bottom was a drawing that said ¡®Torith¡¯ over it, it was the location of the city. There were small, filled in circles dotted throughout the map, drawn in after it was originally purchased, these were the nameless villages. Surprisingly, there were fewer than Derek thought. Closer to Torith were a few house-like drawings, they also had names. These had to be the villages that were recognized by the city lord. Then, there were red X¡¯s with some writing underneath. Derek focused on these markings. Derek looked at the one closest to Rayna¡¯s village. 25¡­ Insects¡­ Support Skill¡­ 6 People¡­ Derek read the words. ¡°So, I assume this is a dungeon?¡± He asked. After receiving a nod, he continued. ¡°So, it¡¯s level 25 with insect monsters, and the reward for clearing it is a support skill?¡± ¡°Yes, that is one of the favorite dungeons of adventurers. The insects are easy to fight, and the reward is great¡­ if you have the skill points to buy it after unlocking it. It¡¯s also the dungeon that I lost my son to.¡± Richard spoke the last part with a waver in his voice. Derek looked at Thomas to see his eyes beginning to fill with tears. ¡°I see.¡± Derek pulled out a red marker from his bracelet. ¡°May I?¡± He motioned to the map. Richard nodded. Derek focused on Rayna¡¯s and Leon¡¯s villages to get a sense of the distance. Then he traced his hand into the forest, remembering the directions that he traveled to get to the undying dungeon. Finally, his hand stopped moving and he marked it with an X. Underneath, he wrote: 100, Undying, ???, and 5. ¡°This should be pretty accurate, but I may be off by a little.¡± He said. ¡°No worries¡± Richard replied. ¡°The ones that I have marked are only estimates too.¡± Derek pulled out a large sheet of paper and began placing marks along it, the size was smaller than the map, but he reduced his drawing to scale the best he could. Under the dungeons, he only wrote the level and rewards. He was no artist, so the result of his drawings looked like something a parent would hang on their refrigerator. But, others did not have to understand it, only he did. Richard was looking at him oddly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the best I can do. It will have to do until I can get to the city and buy a real map.¡± He said, embarrassed. After thinking for a minute, Derek asked a question to the table. ¡°So, I imagine, other than a few rich people or nobles that are carried, not many people are able to complete more than one dungeon. At say, level 25, if you go into a dungeon, you would surely level up while inside. I mean, it takes what, 10 kills of something the same level as you to level up if you have a common class? So, how do dungeons with shitty rewards keep from overflowing?¡± He pointed to a dungeon which read: 25, beasts, lesser mana potion. Richard smiled at that. ¡°Lesser mana potions are still somewhat valuable to mages. But, I get what you¡¯re saying. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild gives out quests to clear those dungeons every once in a while. Since the adventurers will be giving up the opportunity of clearing a dungeon with a great reward, the rewards that the guild offers are usually quite nice.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± Derek stored his makeshift map inside his bracelet. ¡°Well, is there anything else?¡± He asked everyone. ¡°Nothing that I can think of.¡± Richard spoke. ¡°Thank you for the information, and for that.¡± He pointed to the new marking on his map. Derek stood up. He looked at Rayna. ¡°Are you ready for some training?¡± Chapter 35: Training Chapter 35: Training Rayna stood along with Derek. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not going to regret this.¡± She mused. Derek looked at Thomas. ¡°Are you ready to see if you really want to use daggers? It¡¯s much easier to get yourself killed with short weapons like that.¡± He warned. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Thomas seemed resolute in his decision. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Derek led the group out of the residence. Then he turned back to Rayna. ¡°Uh, we should probably not do this inside the village.¡± Then he looked at Leon and Richard. ¡°Or with an audience.¡± Rayna nodded, then turned to Richard and Leon. ¡°You two go try to think about what we¡¯re going to do about the dungeon. I¡¯ll be back when we finish. If you need me, we¡¯ll be¡­¡± She paused and looked at Derek. Derek understood what she was asking. He pointed in a direction. ¡°We¡¯ll be around 5 kilometers that way.¡± Leon and Richard nodded. Richard put his hand on Thomas¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Be careful.¡± Thomas smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Derek¡¯s going to be there.¡± That did not seem to reassure Richard, but he nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Derek walked towards the gate and his two trainees followed. *** ¡°Aright, this should be good enough.¡± Derek halted his steps. They were around five or six kilometers away from the village. They could still make it out in the distance, but this would be good enough for their training. The land had short grass and was relatively flat. ¡°Okay, what is this amazing training that you want to do?¡± Rayna asked. Derek smiled. Well, I don¡¯t want to destroy my clothes. ¡°Turn around for a second.¡± He said. Derek checked his bracelet¡¯s storage space. Ah, that will work. Rayna shook her head, then turned around. Quickly, he swapped out his current clothes for a pair of shorts that he happened to still have. ¡°Okay, you can turn back around. It¡¯s PG-13 again.¡± Rayna turned with a face full of confusion, then the confusion turned to shock after seeing Derek. He was standing with nothing but a pair of red basketball shorts. ¡°W-what are you wearing?¡± Rayna managed to say. He looked down at his piece of clothing. ¡°Um¡­ Shorts?¡± He responded. ¡°But why?¡± She asked. ¡°So I don¡¯t ruin any more clothes that I like.¡± He spoke as if it was such an obvious reason. Before letting anyone else speak, he pulled a small stool out of his bracelet and sat it on the ground. He pointed at Rayna. ¡°You¡¯re going first. Thomas, have a seat.¡± Thomas walked over to the stool and sat. Derek went over to Rayna. ¡°Okay, first, what are your skills that use magic?¡± Rayna furrowed her brows. ¡°Wind Blade, Wind Walk, and Razor Edge.¡± ¡°And what do they do?¡± She sighed. ¡°Wind Blade allows me to send a blade of wind at an opponent, it¡¯s level five. Wind Walk lets me channel wind into my feet and walk on air, but it takes a lot of mana, it¡¯s level five. Razor Edge is a weapon buff that makes my sword sharper, it¡¯s level six.¡± ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t need Wind Walk or Razor Edge for this. How much mana does Wind Blade use? How much mana do you have? Does it have a cooldown?¡± Derek asked. He figured that since she already revealed everything else, she would not mind revealing this. ¡°It costs 40 mana per cast, and it doesn¡¯t have a cooldown.¡± She paused. ¡°I have 1200 mana¡­¡± ¡°Oh, so you can use the skill around 30 times. That¡¯s good. What upgrades when it levels? Mana cost?¡± He asked ¡°No, activation speed, velocity, and damage.¡± She answered. Derek nodded. ¡°Good.¡± He jumped backwards. ¡°Ready?¡± Seeing Derek retreat a distance, Rayna was not sure what he was planning. ¡°What would you like me to do?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Attack me with your Wind Blade until you run out of mana.¡± The man replied. He¡¯s crazy. She thought. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Seeing him nod, she let out a breath. ¡°Okay, here I go.¡± With that, Rayna drew her new sword and activated the skill. A blue-green glow appeared on the blade. She slashed down in an arc, not using her full force. She was not sure of Derek¡¯s defense, so she held back as best she could. A blue-green crescent flew from her sword towards Derek. Even with her holding back, the spell still moved at a rapid pace. Within a fraction of a second it had reached the man. He crossed his arms to block. The wind magic collided with Derek¡¯s arms. He held strong, not being pushed back a millimeter. Soon, the magic waned and the crescent blade grew smaller and small until it vanished. Rayna looked at the man that so casually took her magic. She was shocked. She did not know his level, but even high ranked adventurers would not dare take a magic blade with no form of defense. Derek rubbed his arm before looking down and smiling. Rayna could barely make out a small line on his forearm. The spell was not even enough to break his skin. He¡¯s a monster. The man looked back up to her. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m guessing that wasn¡¯t the best you can do either. Now you know that you don¡¯t have to hold back. Come on, hit me with your best shot. No holding back.¡± Rayna felt a tinge of irritation at the man¡¯s words, but she did as he asked. She let loose another blade, this time swinging with all her heart. Derek did not choose to block this strike with his arms, instead, he took the full blow to his chest. A small smile lingered on his face the entire time. Again, the spell left but a mark. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stop. Keep them coming.¡± He said. Rayna began launching Wind Blades one after another. In minutes, she found her mana empty and a terrible headache formed from lack of mana. ¡°Out of mana?¡± Derek asked. Rayna flinched and nodded her head. ¡°Okay, trade places with the kid. Use Meditation until you¡¯ve recovered. Once you¡¯re full up, we¡¯ll continue.¡± Rayna thought about saying something, but gave up. She went over to the now empty seat and sat down. She tried Meditation for the first time, trusting that Derek would not let anything happen while she was out. Derek watched as Thomas moved to where Rayna previously stood. ¡°W-what are we going to do?¡± The boy asked. ¡°Well, you¡¯re pretty persistent about using daggers, so I thought we would see if you were cut out for it.¡± With that, Derek summoned two daggers from his bracelet. Then, he tossed them at the ground in front of the kid¡¯s feet. He laughed as Thomas jumped back. ¡°Pick them up.¡± Thomas walked forward and picked the daggers up. ¡°Now, come on. Do your best to kill me.¡± Derek commanded. Thomas stared wide eyed. ¡°Kill you?¡± He asked. Derek sighed. ¡°You literally just saw me take 30 Wind Blades to the chest. What, you think that you and your puny strength will be able to hurt me?¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°Your ¡®training¡¯ is going to be much tougher than hers. Now, come on, kill me.¡± Thomas finally seemed to understand. With daggers in hand, he ran up to Derek. Using the dagger in his right hand, he slashed in a wide, clumsy arc. Derek watched as the blade came towards him, then¡­ missed. ¡°Oi, kid. Are you serious? You missed a still target.¡± He was flabbergasted. He didn¡¯t have a problem stabbing the monster. Is he just this bad at fighting? Derek wondered. ¡°S-sorry.¡± Thomas said with a face full of embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, do it again. With a swing like that, you would already be dead. If you don¡¯t take this seriously, I can take you back home right now.¡± Derek explained. ¡°N-no. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Then attack me.¡± Thomas moved forward again. Swinging his blade in another wide arc. This time, the blade barely managed to touch the still Derek. Still disappointed, Derek lightly backhanded Thomas on the back of the head. Thomas stumbled to the side and fell over. ¡°What are you doing? You want to use daggers, but you are scared to get in close? Get up and go again.¡± Derek¡¯s hit did not cause much damage to Thomas, but he cast Rejuvenation just to be on the safe side. This left Thomas staring at Derek again. ¡°A healing spell?¡± He blurted out. ¡°Yes, now get up and come on.¡± He motioned for the kid to stand again. Thomas stood and tried again. But he still balked when he got close. ¡°Kid, I don¡¯t think ultra-close ranged weapons are for you.¡± Derek said. Then he retrieved a short sword from his bracelet. ¡°Try this instead.¡± He tossed it down in front of Thomas. ¡°But I want to use daggers.¡± Thomas complained. ¡°Remember what we discussed? Do as I say.¡± Thomas sighed and picked up the short sword, giving the daggers back to Derek in the process. The two began to spar again. This time, Thomas did much better. After a while, Derek pulled a different weapon from his bracelet, a longsword. The two continued sparring. Occasionally, Derek would have Thomas change weapons to see what he was best at. He would also punish Thomas occasionally when he got the feeling that the boy was taking the training lightly. After some time passed, Rayna finally opened her eyes. Derek pulled the spear away from Thomas and stopped the boy¡¯s attack. He looked at Rayna. ¡°You ready to go again?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The chief answered. Like this, the trio fell into a routine. In between training sessions, Derek would venture out into the forest and bring back a mid-level beast for Thomas to kill. He wanted Thomas to have a class before he took him anywhere. They did this for days. Rayna had thanked Derek during this time. She had told him that her Wind Blade had grown two levels and her Meditation skill had already reached level 3. He had focused on Thomas and learned that, though the boy was not good with daggers, when a short sword was put into his hands, his attacks remarkably improved. The same was true of a spear too. Other weapons weren¡¯t suitable for the kid, though. Glaives and halberds were too robust for him to use accurately, and Derek could swear that the boy wouldn¡¯t be able to hit a house with an arrow from two meters out. Unfortunately, Thomas kept insisting on using daggers throughout the entire training process. Derek later found out from Richard that Thomas¡¯s father had used daggers and guessed that this was the reason for the kid¡¯s stubbornness. Derek just hoped that when it came time to choose a class, the system would offer Thomas a decent class for swords or a spear, and the boy would have no choice but to change his mind. Finally, that day came after Thomas killed one of the creatures that Derek found in the forest. Derek was excited to see what options the system gave Thomas. This was not only because he wanted the boy to get a good class, but he also wanted to see how their actions had affected the possible outcomes. Derek waited while Thomas chose his class. Chapter 37: To the Dungeon Chapter 37: To the Dungeon After the duo left the confines of the village, Derek stopped and pulled out his makeshift map and looked at various dungeons. Hmm¡­ This dungeon gives a support skill. Maybe I could get a beast taming skill or something, and I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Silvi killing everyone we meet. We¡¯ll probably only be able to run two of the level 25 ones before I out level them. Derek put the map away. He seemed to have made a decision. We¡¯ll go to the support one first, then the skill point one if I haven¡¯t broken 25 yet. After that, is the level 50 scrolls dungeon. That could give anything from a one time use spell, to a hidden skill. Derek looked at Thomas. ¡°Follow me. We¡¯re moving fast, so try to keep up.¡± He started jogging, which was basically a sprint to Thomas. ¡°We¡¯re going to make use of every last point that you put into Dexterity.¡± The dungeon they were traveling to was not too far away from Rayna¡¯s Village. It was not in the forest, though. It was to the northwest, supposedly in the grassy plains. It was also the dungeon where Thomas¡¯s parents had met their doom. According to Richard, the city led expeditions twice a year to this dungeon for the nobles and others who paid. It was quite the popular dungeon. Luckily, it was not time for one of the expeditions, so the chance of running into any others looking to complete the dungeon was small. What he was most worried about was people claiming a dungeon and charging for use. Derek had seen this too many times on Earth. When he mentioned his concerns to Richard, the man assured him that he did not have to worry. As long as he was in the Kingdom of Cydaria, it was illegal for an individual or organization to use a dungeon to profit off of others. The only time there would be guards around a dungeon would be to prevent an overflow from wiping out the surrounding areas. So this only happened with relatively high level dungeons. Derek also found out that dungeons could be completed more than once, but one would only receive the completion reward for their first completion, and the enemies in the dungeon would not give full experience to those who had already completed it. People who completed the dungeon could not ¡®carry¡¯ others through it, either. If there happened to be somebody who had already run the dungeon was in a group, the entire group would fail to receive a reward at the end. This was just another thing that Derek chalked up to the stinginess of the ¡®Great System.¡¯ Derek also found out a bit about the kingdom during his downtime in the village. The kingdom¡¯s name was Cydaria, along with the capital city of the same name. Torith was only a sub city within the kingdom. It was currently in a state too big to be considered a town, and too small to be a city. Throughout the kingdom, there were 6 cities, and 22 sub cities, along with one capital city. Each city was connected to the other cities by teleportation circles, and the sub cities were all close enough to a city that they did not warrant a costly teleportation circle. Being a sub city, Torith only held branches of different guilds and organizations, with the headquarters being in the nearby city. Derek also learned that the lord of Torith was one of the weakest among the lords, but because of his father, who was an official in the capital, no one said anything. After traveling at a quick pace for seven hours, taking only two breaks for Thomas in between, they had arrived at the dungeon. It was as Richard had said, there was nobody else around at this time. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Derek said. He turned to look at Thomas, only to see a range of emotions play on his face. I guess he figured out where ¡®here¡¯ is. He thought. ¡°W-why are we here.¡± Thomas asked with a crackling voice. Derek smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re going to run a dungeon.¡± He said, and Thomas¡¯s sadness seemed to evaporate, being replaced by shock and confusion. ¡°We?¡± He asked. ¡°How are you going to run a level 25 dungeon?¡± ¡°Remember those secrets that you can¡¯t tell anyone? Well, you¡¯re about to see the first one. Come on, place your hand on the sphere.¡± Derek said, then walked over and put his hand on the dungeon orb. Thomas hurried over and place his hand on it too. The two waited until the notification popped up. Dungeon Countdown Timer Depleted Participants: 2/6 Derek Hunt: Level 18 Thomas Stewart: Level 10 View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Derek chose ¡®View Dungeon.¡¯ Dungeon Status Dungeon Level 25 Dungeon Type Insect Dungeon Status Stable Dungeon Rewards Support Skill Max Participants 6 So this is what an already completed, normal dungeon looks like. He put away the dungeon status, then spoke to Thomas. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°H-how? How are you only a level 18? There¡¯s no way.¡± Thomas interjected. Then, the boy mumbled incoherently to himself for a moment. He seemed to think of something, then it was as if a bright light went off in his eyes. ¡°This means you can run all the lower level dungeons. And at your strength, there won¡¯t be any trouble.¡± Derek grinned. ¡°Who said I was going to be the one running them. I¡¯m just going in to watch, you will be the one doing everything. No better training than fighting something that will kill you if it has the chance.¡± Derek laughed as the boy¡¯s eyes dimmed and the glee he had before changed to horror. ¡°I will be fighting?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°What are you so scared for? You¡¯re carrying high level daggers, and you have armor on that was made from higher level hides. And if you have been taking my suggestion, which I¡¯m not sure about after your little class selection fiasco, you should have enough Vitality to survive a couple of clean hits. Don¡¯t worry, I need to raise my Rejuvenation skill, anyway. So, it¡¯s a win-win for both of us.¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°So, like I asked. Are you ready?¡± Thomas seemed to blank out, but after a few moments he finally nodded. ¡°Okay, here we go.¡± Derek said. Anxious to see what a dungeon in this new world was like. He focused on ¡®Enter Dungeon.¡¯ A message popped up, asking if he was sure. He selected yes, and a new notification popped. Derek Hunt: Ready Thomas Stewart: Not Ready ¡°Focus on ¡®Enter Dungeon.¡¯ Let¡¯s go.¡± Derek commanded. Soon, Thomas¡¯s name changed to ¡®Ready,¡¯ and a countdown began. Entering Dungeon in 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ A white light flashed, and the duo disappeared. *** After the blinding light, Thomas found his footing. He looked around to see Derek standing beside him, acting like nothing had happened. They were standing in a cave-like chamber. It was warmer inside the dungeon than it was outside. Thomas was able to see well enough with the glowing stalactites. The chamber was around 10 by 10 meters and connected to a door directly in front of them. Beside him, Derek spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to use Inspect on everything that you can. It¡¯s a good skill to level.¡± Thomas could only nod at that. I can¡¯t believe he expects me to clear this dungeon. He thought. Thomas was still shaken because of the weird day he was having. First, he disappointed Derek, which led to some harsh words. Then he found out that Derek was only level 18, which he still could not wrap his head around. Now, he has to fight in a dungeon 15 levels above himself. ¡°You will probably gain levels quickly in here. So, the first thing I want you to do is figure out how you want to spend your stat points so you don¡¯t get caught with your pants down and so you are always as strong as possible.¡± Derek explained. Thomas assented and began to think. I definitely need more health in the beginning. I already get 4 Dexterity and 3 Endurance per level. For the future, I think I¡¯ll go 2 Strength and 3 Vitality with my free points. ¡°Okay. I know what I¡¯m going to do.¡± Thomas explained his plan to Derek. After earlier, he did not want to disappoint him even further. Derek nodded. ¡°Mhm¡­ That¡¯s fine.¡± He continued. ¡°Check your equipment. Make sure everything is properly equipped and doesn¡¯t hinder your movement much.¡± Thomas did just that. The hide armor was a little loose, so he tightened it the best he could. He drew his two daggers from his hips. Then, he looked at Derek. ¡°I think I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go through the door first, just to make sure there are no traps to instant kill you, but after that, the rest is all yours.¡± Derek walked up to the door and pushed it open. Then, he disappeared inside. After a second, he poked his head through the door. ¡°Seems fine to me.¡± He smiled that menacing smile that always sends chills up Thomas¡¯s spine. ¡°Man, you are going to have so much fun in here.¡± He chuckled and disappeared from Thomas¡¯s sight once again. Thomas took a deep breath and walked forward. He walked through the door into the next room. He nearly squealed at what he found waiting for him. The cave was much bigger than the one he started in. This time though, it was full of enemies. Black ants were crawling along the floor, and beetles creeping along the walls. Other than the clicking noises being made by the beetles, the most disturbing thing was the size of the insects. The ants were the size of both his fists together, and the beetles were twice that size. Thomas gulped, then felt a slap on his back. ¡°Like I said, you are going to have so much fun.¡± Chapter 38: In the Dungeon Chapter 38: In the Dungeon Thomas reached for his daggers on his hips. With slow movement, he drew them from the sheaths created by Brandi. Looking at the disgusting insects creeping and crawling ahead of him, he tightened his grip on the weapons. Thomas¡¯s thoughts were racing. So much so, that the boy himself could not keep track of them. He was going to have to fight these things. Derek was only there to protect him from catastrophe. Thomas knew that there was almost no chance of him dying, but the chance of him being hurt or injured was great. In fact, looking at the bugs, he knew that he was going to be injured. He also knew that he would be healed, then injured again. Just thinking about what he had gotten himself into sent chills down his spine. He looked over to Derek, who was still standing there with a smirk on his face. ¡°A-are you r-really not going to help fight?¡± He asked, a small tinge of hope still in his voice. He was looking for reassurance, reassurance that Derek would help him before it came to injury, before he got hurt. All he got in return was confirmation that he was basically on his own. ¡°I told you before. This is your fight. Like I said, you will not die, but you will suffer. And, because of your choice of weapons, and ignoring my advice, you will suffer greater. You will not be able to rely on reach with your daggers, as you would have been able to with a spear. You will have to get in close, and with the way you swing your daggers and the bad habits you have when fighting close, you will get hurt. But, I will not allow you to die, and you will go in again, and again, until you clear the room.¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, I already think we will be in here for a long time. Who knows, if you take too long, all the work you do may respawn. You don¡¯t want that, do you? Suck it up and fight. The quicker you fight, the quicker you get stronger, and the faster we get out of here.¡± Derek¡¯s words made sense to Thomas, but he still had a hard time bringing himself to initiate the attack. Thomas breathed in deep and let it out. He surveyed the room, looking for an opportunity to attack. Soon, he found it in an ant that had wandered away from the group. He used Identify, which was currently level 2, on the ant. The skill allowed him to see the insect¡¯s basic information. Level 21 Soldier Ant. Thomas read the information. If he could have gripped his daggers any tighter, he would have. The ant being 11 levels above his own did not seem like a giant hurdle when he thought about it, but when he thought about how it was over double his level, he was scared, no, he was terrified. He would be relying on his equipment and basic training, or beatings, that he had gone through with Derek. ¡°What are you waiting for.¡± Thomas jumped at the voice. It breaking him out of his thoughts. Finally, Thomas summoned what courage he could and slowly paced towards the lone ant, not noticing Derek shaking his head in disappointment behind him. Soon, he arrived at the insect that was almost 20 centimeters long, and half that in width. Up close in the dimly lit cavern, he could make out the fuzz covering the ant¡¯s body. Luckily for Thomas, the ant seemed to have not noticed his approach. This is a chance. Thomas lunged forward at the unaware monster. Thinking this the opportunity he was looking for, a slight smile formed on the boy¡¯s face. Unfortunately, with Thomas¡¯s lunge, came noise, and with noise came vibrations, which alerted the ant. His dagger was centimeters away from the abdomen of the creature when it reacted. It turned faster than Thomas could imagine, and Thomas¡¯s weapon, which was about to make contact, missed the abdomen of the ant and sliced through its antenna. He was off balance after delivering the blow. Thomas had been expecting his dagger to bite into the creature, so when there was no tension with his blow, he lost his footing. Soon, Thomas was face down on the cold floor of the cavern. Realizing his mistake, and the ramifications, he quickly rolled to his side. Then, staring directly at his face was the ant. The giant mandibles protruding from its head made Thomas scream internally. The ant dashed towards Thomas¡¯s face. Again, caught off guard by the speed of the creature, Thomas was barely able to raise his arm up to block. The ant did not care what it met. With its antenna cut and senses a mess, it was pissed. The bite found purchase on Thomas¡¯s armored forearm. The armor did well in not allowing the mandible to break through, but it was not able to prevent the pressure of the mandibles coming together. A crack was heard, and a blinding pain shot up Thomas¡¯s arm. He screamed. Frantically, he gripped the dagger in his left hand and stabbed at the ant. He stabbed over and over, well past the notification appearing in his vision. He was still screaming when his body was lifted in the air and then dropped. The pain was still blinding, but he finally was able to return to his senses. He surveyed the room. Both of his weapons were on the ground beside him, and Derek was leaning against the door with a frown on his face. That was when he noticed that he was in the room they first spawned in. Embarrassed at his performance, but more concerned about his arm, Thomas grabbed at his injury. The armor on his forearm was coated in a greenish brown liquid, which confused Thomas. Still, he grabbed at the armor and loosened it, only to see a monstrously swollen forearm. He touched it and whimpered. Derek was looking at the boy whimpering over his broken arm. He had expected an injury like this to happen sooner or later, but the speed at which Thomas accomplished it was mind blowing. In fact, he did not know where to begin when thinking about the ¡®fight.¡¯ On a scale of ¡®A¡¯ to ¡®F,¡¯ I would have to give the kid an ¡®F.¡¯ And that¡¯s only because the scale doesn¡¯t go any lower. The boy chose the lone ant as his first opponent. This was the only good decision that he had made. The reason Derek was shaking his head as soon as the boy began his approach was because he had not even thought to activate his Stealth skill. If he would have done so, even with his clumsy lunge, there was a chance that Stealth would have reduced the vibration coming from him, and he still would have landed a blow. Then, he thought about the placement of the blow, which was on the abdomen of the ant. Sure, the dagger was big enough to deal serious damage if he would have hit, but Derek did not believe that it would have been instantly fatal, Derek knew that some ants could live on for hours, even days after losing their abdomen. The ant still would have been able to turn and attack, unless Thomas got lucky and pinned the creature. Thomas should have gone for one of the connecting points of the ant. If he would have aimed between the thorax and head, it would have died instantly if he connected. But none of that mattered, because the boy missed. Thomas was so sure of his hit that he put everything he had into it. This was a fatal mistake which caused him to fall and allowed the ant a counterattack. Then, Thomas took too long on the ground and ended up being attacked in the head, by an ant that was not even 20 centimeters long. Derek just shook his head at this. If the falling was not enough to get him killed, then the scream he released because of his injury was. What Thomas obviously did not see was the attention he attracted because of it. While the boy was stabbing away at the ant¡¯s corpse, a dozen more ants, and even a few beetles, had begun gathering around him. That was when Derek finally decided to step in and save the boy. The boy was still whimpering and holding his arm. A broken arm which barely caused him any damage to his overall health, it only crippled him a bit for the battle. Derek figured this had gone on long enough. ¡°Stop crying.¡± He said. Then, he cast Rejuvenation on the kid and the bone healed right away. With Thomas¡¯s current Vitality, it would have only taken 10 or so more minutes before it healed naturally, anyway. The pain must have stopped, because the boy started moving his arm and stopped sobbing. He looked up at Derek. ¡°Now, we are going to go over that spectacular performance you just gave. Really, it was to notch.¡± Thomas furrowed his brows, but before he could say anything, Derek spoke again. ¡°What do you think is the first thing you did wrong?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I put too much into my swing?¡± Thomas answered. ¡°Are you asking me or telling me?¡± ¡°T-telling you. Yes, I put too much in my swing which left me off balance when I missed.¡± ¡°You are wrong.¡± Replied Derek. ¡°You were wrong before you even got to the ant. You have the Stealth skill, yes?¡± Derek waited for Thomas¡¯s nod. ¡°Then fucking use it. That¡¯s what skills are for. You were approaching a single enemy from behind. There is no better opportunity to use the skill, but you just dove right in.¡± Thomas¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°I-I forgot I had it.¡± ¡°You forgot about the only real skill you have? From the class you chose against my suggestion? Are you serious?¡± Derek was indeed flabbergasted. Thomas did not say anything, he just looked at the ground. Derek shook his head and continued. ¡°Well, you won¡¯t forget about it again, will you? But yes, the other thing wrong was your swing and choice of attack. The ant¡¯s abdomen is vital, but they can survive for a very long time without it, they can survive without a lot of things, so, with a sneak attack, you really need to make sure you go for the right place.¡± ¡°Finally, after you started screaming, do you know what happened?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No, I was just trying to get my arm back.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Oh, then you didn¡¯t see the dozen other insects coming to kill you then? Good vigilance, kid. Top marks.¡± Derek said sarcastically. ¡°Okay, good review. Time to go again.¡± Thomas paled. Chapter 39: Dungeon Run Chapter 39: Dungeon Run Thomas sat with his back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. He had almost grown numb to everything over the last several days. The armor that Brandi had painstakingly crafted him was not in good condition anymore. There were holes and cuts where the mandibles of the ants had finally been able to break through. He had thought that the ants would have been tougher than the beetles, but after fighting the first one, he realized his mistake. As long as he was able to sneak up on a beetle it was not a problem to deal with it, but if he made a mistake, which he did often, the outcome was painful. The beetle, while not fast, had great acceleration. And, unfortunately for Thomas, it had a very sharp horn on its head. Thomas had properly used his Stealth skill on the first few beetles he targeted. He was able to take them down without much effort. But eventually, he slipped up. He had been slowly approaching one beetle, not noticing the other hidden behind a stone close by. He stabbed both daggers through the creature¡¯s head and received the kill notification. This caused him to relax. As he turned to look at Derek, the previously unknown beetle caught him directly in his side. The beetle was around half a meter in length and two-thirds that in girth. The rhino-like horn on its head was at least 15 centimeters in length. When it hit him, the horn penetrated his armor and burrowed into his side. The armor had slowed the beetle down, but over half of the horn still made it through. If Thomas had thought the ant breaking his arm was painful, then he could not even describe the pain caused by the horn ripping through his kidney. Luckily, Derek was there, and he made short work of the beetle and had used his healing spell almost the moment the attack was complete. The attack by the beetle had been a wake up call for Thomas. He had settled into a rhythm and had become too comfortable, letting his guard down. This was another lesson Derek allowed him to learn the hard way. As Thomas sat against the wall, he could only reflect about everything that had happened so far. He had entered the dungeon as an inexperienced level 10 child that could not even face a single ant, which he greatly overpowered, without almost dying. Now, as he looked at his stats, he was level 17 and had faced death dozens of times, only to be saved at the last second by Derek. In the last few days, he had begun berating himself because of his stupid class decision. He had woken up. No matter how many insects he killed, he could not feel himself growing stronger with the daggers. His overall ability had grown stronger, but when he slashed or stabbed with his weapons, the action still felt foreign to him. The only thing he liked about the class he so foolishly chose was the Stealth skill. But, after all the sneaking and assassinating the insects, he knew that it was not for him. The closer he got to an enemy, the harder his heartbeat, and the harder it was for him to stay calm. Stealth would be great for him as a way to escape an enemy or trek through the wilderness undetected, but he was not cut out for assassination. He had come to two conclusions over the last several days of torture. The first was that he would not be missing out on anything when, not if, he changed his class at level 25. The second was that Derek completely changed when he became serious about something. On the second day in the dungeon, Thomas had cried and begged Derek to bring him out and take him home. Derek refused, saying that he was willing to stay in the dungeon for weeks or even months, waiting for Thomas to clear it. Thomas had actually gotten angry at Derek then, yelling and throwing a fit. It was something that he would be embarrassed about for the rest of his life. Thomas was finally able to work himself back up enough to continue after his tantrum. It was not until two days later that he realized how valuable this experience was to him. Every time they made it back to the spawn room, Derek would explain to him, in detail, everything he did wrong, and right. Now, he was nothing but thankful. He was thankful that the pain was numbing instead of the previous agony. The same broken arm he had on the first day, that basically rendered him unconscious, was nothing to him now. He could even fight with his broken arm if needed. He had not known what to think when he received an Award for all his suffering. It was a lesser award and only offered two skill points, but it was a sign that everything he was doing was not for nothing. When he had told Derek about the Award, and how it was awarded for greatly increasing his pain tolerance, Derek just laughed and mumbled something about not ever being able to get it. About that time, Derek walked over. ¡°Are you ready? You got all the insects in two rooms, and I think all that¡¯s remaining is the boss in the next. It¡¯s a level 25 Zephyr Mantis, I¡¯ll let you have a go at it, but I¡¯m pretty sure it could slice your head off in one swipe, so I¡¯ll end up killing it. Just make sure you get a hit on it so we split the experience, I don¡¯t want it all.¡± Thomas nodded his head. ¡°Alright.¡± The duo walked through the two empty rooms. Thomas looked around, he was relieved that no more enemies spawned in after being killed. Soon, they made it to what they thought was the door to the final cavern. Derek pushed the door open and walked in. Thomas followed after him. As soon as he entered the room, a wind blade, not unlike the one Rayna used, was humming towards him at a rapid pace. Derek stepped in front of the blade, and using his bare arm, batted it away. He turned to Thomas. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going to hold it, you hit it, then I¡¯ll kill it. No sense in taking the risk.¡± With that, Derek dashed towards the meter and a half tall mantis. He sidestepped the two blade-like arms that came together like a guillotine. Then he was behind it. He held it in a bearhug, pinning both of its arms to its sides. ¡°Hit it.¡± He said. Thomas walked up to the mantis and slashed at its thorax, just above the creature¡¯s arms. Because of the quality of daggers, he did massive damage. After the blood started flowing, he heard a snap, a notification popped up, and Derek dropped the bug to the floor. Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, I get to leave this hell. Derek dropped the corpse on the ground. He turned and saw an orb of light appear. I guess that¡¯s the dungeon exit. He had stayed in the dungeon longer than he wanted, but Thomas needed it, especially after his showing in the first few days. He was not impressed with the boy¡¯s growth. If anything, it was average. But Thomas¡¯s mindset had improved, and that was something Derek could work with. He was still a little envious of the pain tolerance Award that Thomas had received. Thinking about his current pain tolerance, he did not believe that it could be increased much more. He was happy that he was able to increase his Rejuvenation skill to level 8 and his Dismantle skill to level 11, though, with the latter, he was only able to get some carapaces from the beetles. He was not sure if Brandi would be able to use them. His biggest gain in the time they were in the dungeon was with Channel Void. He had not used it to fight, other than secretly killing a bug or two while Thomas was resting, but he used the skill every chance he got. Exhausting his mana over and over again. He had received more than a few confused looks from Thomas over it. ¡°Well, looks like it¡¯s time to leave.¡± Derek walked up and pat Thomas on the back. ¡°It was a pretty nice vacation, eh?¡± He asked. ¡°You call that a vacation? That was hell. Do you know how many bones I broke?¡± Thomas shook his head. Derek laughed. That was another thing that improved over the nearly two weeks in the dungeon. Thomas addressed him much more casually, and his constant stuttering was all but gone. It was a nice change. ¡°Ah, stop being so whiny, I¡¯ve broken a hell of a lot more than you. Besides, you got that Lesser Pain Tolerance Award.¡± ¡°Are we going to another dungeon?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°No, I had planned to, but that took longer than I thought. Brandi may have her Leatherworking skill up to 10 by now, so I¡¯m going to keep my promise. Besides, I¡¯m sure your granny is worried sick about you. Luckily, my Rejuvenation keeps scars from forming. Could you imagine her face?¡± Derek snickered. ¡°Yeah, if I showed up with a back full of scars like you, she would have a heart attack. You still haven¡¯t told me how you got them, by the way.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t plan on it.¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s time to get our rewards and leave the dungeon.¡± Derek stopped, thinking for a second. Then, he put on a leather armor set from his storage. It wasn¡¯t great, but it was something he had worn in the past and did not look too different from what he had seen in this world. He also pulled out two facemasks. ¡°Put this on, we¡¯ve been in here for two weeks, if anyone is outside waiting for us to leave, I don¡¯t want to show our faces.¡± He handed one of the masks to Thomas. ¡°Let¡¯s get our rewards.¡± Derek walked up to the orb and placed his hand on it. Thomas did the same. A notification popped up. Dungeon Complete¡­ Assigning Rewards¡­. Congratulations, you have received the skill Cure Toxin ¡°Fuck!¡± Derek yelled. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I got a skill I don¡¯t want. What did you get?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I got Haste, it seems pretty good. It increases all of my movement, not just my speed.¡± Thomas said, excited at the skill. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s good. I know people with it. It¡¯s worth leveling.¡± Derek looked at the next notification. Cure Toxin The ability to remove poisons and toxins from yourself and others. The higher the level, the better the skill. This skill is not limited to poisons and toxins. Once leveled, it can help cure other infections and contaminations. Cost: 1 Skill Point Uhh¡­ Would you like to learn Cure Toxin? Yes. Cure Toxin Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 3 That is much better than I initially thought. It may even be able to remove the acid from my armor after being leveled. Derek wondered if the system had given this skill to him because of what he experienced, or if it was indeed random. ¡°Did you learn Haste?¡± ¡°Yes, I had points from my Award.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Good. Are you ready to leave?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Derek looked at the dungeon interface and mentally selected ¡®Leave Dungeon.¡¯ A countdown began and in five seconds, the blinding light reappeared in his vision. Chapter 40: Afterward Chapter 40: Afterwards The blinding flash faded away and Derek looked around. There was a group of seven people gathered in the area around the dungeon orb. They were staring at Derek and Thomas with different emotions. Some were frowning, some were surprised. One, whom Derek supposed was the leader of the group, and level 47 was looking at the duo with a face filled with confusion. I¡¯m glad I thought about wearing these facemasks. I¡¯m guessing that man tried to Identify me, and it failed. Derek looked at the confused man, nodded, then picked Thomas up and took off before anyone was able to say anything. He ran at a moderate pace, for him, which was blazing fast for most people. ¡°This should be good enough.¡± He said as he dropped Thomas. The boy, to his credit, stood up and brushed himself off without muttering a word. ¡°Did you get the Award for completing the dungeon?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°Oh, is that what that notification is? I haven¡¯t bothered to look yet.¡± Derek answered, then pulled up the notification. You have completed your first dungeon. New Award Earned Derek went to the next message. Lesser Dungeon Explorer By completing your first dungeon, you have earned the following: 2 Skill Points Explore more dungeons to increase the tier of the Award ¡°Oh?¡± Derek looked over at Thomas. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad Award. Already receiving 2 skill points for the first tier. It¡¯s almost like I didn¡¯t have to do anything for it too.¡± He laughed. ¡°Well, anything but train my Rejuvenation skill. Hehe¡­¡± Derek was trying to get a rise out of Thomas, but it did not work. Well, I also leveled Channel Void and got a better understanding of what it does when used to attack. Derek had secretly killed a couple insects with the skill after leveling. It turned out that the projection of the void on the weapon was able to slip through any defenses and specifically target the insides of whatever he attacked. Derek was happy with the new found realisation. After thinking about what had happened to the Void Beast, it all made sense. If the void could do this at such a low level, he could only imagine how powerful it would be once it grew. At its current level, level 5, he was able to make the purple projection stretch from a few centimeters to more than double that. The higher the level was also made him able to channel the void more efficiently and lose less mana per second. If I could turn this into a ranged attack¡­ Derek had an idea of attaching the void to a projectile like a dagger, then throwing it. The current problem was that he did not have enough control to keep the void on an item that he did not have direct control of. But, he figured that if the skill leveled high enough, he would gain the control. ¡°Are we going back home?¡± Thomas broke him out of his thoughts. ¡°Mhm¡­ I think we should. The other dungeons aren¡¯t going anywhere. I think we can do two more before we out level them.¡± Derek replied. Maybe three, if the rarity of my class lets me level slower. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± The duo moved back to the village. *** Six or so hours later, the village was in sight of the duo. They were walking while chatting about spears. Thomas had decided to change his class and had earned some of the respect he had lost back from Derek. ¡°So, you finally understand why I didn¡¯t want you to use daggers.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Good, I have a great spear you can use when you change classes. Its owner is no longer in need of it.¡± He laughed. ¡°Thank you.¡± Thomas replied as they kept walking. Soon, they arrived at the village gates. Strangely, the guards that were usually at their posts were not there. Derek frowned. That¡¯s odd. Why is nobody guarding the front gate? Thomas seemed to have the same thoughts. ¡°There should be guards here. Is something going on?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go find out.¡± Derek said. He picked Thomas up and jumped over the gate. After landing, he looked around. There were not any kids running around like usual, in fact, it seemed like a ghost town. ¡°Something¡¯s up. Let¡¯s see if Mal is home.¡± The two ran towards Brandi¡¯s residence. When they were close to the residence, Derek spotted a bit of blood leaving a trail through the street, but he did not think Thomas saw it, so he did not say anything. When they arrived at the courtyard Brandi used for leatherworking, all emotion left from Derek¡¯s face. He looked at the woman and girl sprawled out on the ground. ¡°Brandi!¡± Thomas yelled and ran to the girl. ¡°Shh¡­ Stay quiet.¡± Derek reminded. He used Identify on the girl. Human Female Level 1 State: Unconscious ¡°She¡¯ll be fine, she is just unconscious.¡± Derek told Thomas, then shifted his focus to Malorie. Human Female Level 18 State: Critical Time Until Dying: 13min Derek hurried and cast Rejuvenation on Malorie¡¯s body. He viewed her status again and confirmed that her state had changed from ¡®Critical¡¯ to ¡®Unconscious.¡¯ He let out a breath and spoke. ¡°They are both going to be fine.¡± He picked Malorie up and laid her on the bench, then had Thomas do the same with Brandi. ¡°Thomas.¡± He said. When the boy turned to him, he summoned two red vials from his storage and handed them to the kid. ¡°Keep using Identify to make sure neither of their states drop to ¡®Critical.¡¯ Your skill should be leveled enough to do so. If either of their states slip to ¡®Critical,¡¯ pour the potion in their mouth. If they both awaken, just give them the potions for good measure. It may be a good idea to move them into the house if they are able.¡± After seeing Thomas nod and accept the vials, he spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m going to see what¡¯s going on.¡± Derek went back to where he had spotted the blood. Looks like someone was dragged. I bet they¡¯re all at the chief¡¯s place. He did not waste anymore time and took off down the street. When he got to the bend leading towards the chief¡¯s residence, he stopped. Down the street in front of him was a crowd. With his vision, he could see Rayna on her knees, her clothing in tatters. A man was facedown next to her. Richard was roughed up, but standing in the crowd. A group of six adventurers were standing around Rayna. One was standing behind her with a sword, and the others were all facing her. Derek slowed his pace at this scene as he continued his approach. Soon, he was close enough to hear what was going on. ¡°You think you¡¯re great because you are the chief of some unknown village?¡± The man in front of Rayna slapped her. ¡°I told you nicely that it was none of your business, but you had to stick your nose where it didn¡¯t belong.¡± A surge of anger flashed through Derek when he saw the man slap Rayna. Soon, he was close enough to use Identify. Human Female Level 31 State: Critical Time Until Dying: 25min After seeing Rayna¡¯s status, he was happy that she was not ¡®Dying,¡¯ but he was still incensed that things had gotten to this state. He focused on the man on the grown, it was Davis. He checked the man¡¯s status. Human Male State: Deceased Derek¡¯s good mood from earlier had been completely erased. He used Identify on the man who had slapped Rayna. Human Male Level 94 He squinted at that. Why is a level 94 in the village? Derek Identified the others that were standing around. The lowest level was a level 84 female. Is this the group of adventurers that was sent to run the dungeon? If it is, they were way off at the levels that the guild would send. ¡°Enough!¡± The apparent leader of the group spoke. ¡°I¡¯m tired of this.¡± He looked at Rayna. ¡°By the noble house of Gracefall, and for the crime of disobedience. I, Wallace F. Gracefall, sentence you to death by beheading.¡± He looked to the man standing behind her. ¡°Well, get on with it.¡± The man nodded. He raised his sword to the side, then¡­ His head exploded. Derek, after throwing the dagger, was still walking forward at a slow pace. He watched as the five remaining people went into a frenzy. At that time, Rayna lifted her head and their eyes met. She smiled at Derek, then fell forward, finally losing consciousness. Soon, the group noticed Derek. They had all turned and were staring daggers at him. The leader of the group began to speak. ¡°Who do you think you¡­¡± Was all he managed to get out before his voice was cut off by a booming voice. ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are?¡± He had not yelled, but the bass in his voice was able to shake the insides of lower leveled people. The leader opened his mouth to speak, but Derek did not let him. ¡°It was rhetorical. I don¡¯t give a fuck who you are.¡± Derek stopped, then smiled evilly. ¡°By the power of me, and for the crime of ruining my good mood. I, the person who is a fuck ton stronger than you, sentence the six¡­ five of you, to death.¡± He spoke. ¡°Now, who¡¯s first?¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The leader yelled. Two men sprinted towards Derek. Derek, in his usual black tee and jeans, closed his fists and waited. A purple light flashed in his eyes for a split second before disappearing. The man on the left held a spear, and the one on the right, a sword. But before they got within reach of Derek, he dashed forward, shocking them. He lightly jabbed the two in their chests with his fists, which had a purple glow. At the same time, an arrow reached him. He plucked it out of the air and returned it to the sender. The woman was not prepared and soon, the fletching of the arrow was all that could be seen sticking out of her head. She fell. Lightning fell on Derek and he smiled at the increase in Magic Resistance. Maybe I should keep him alive¡­ He quickly got rid of the idea. Being at a distance, he decided to just throw another dagger. It took the mage in the chest and forced him to the ground. Now, all that was remaining was the Leader. The man backed up as he approached. Soon, Derek was before him, clutching the man¡¯s throat with his right hand. He lifted him off the ground. Richard, who was standing beside watching, spoke. ¡°D-Derek. You can¡¯t. He¡¯s a noble and from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± Derek, hearing Richard speak, looked at him. ¡°Oh, so he¡¯s a noble. In that case.¡± He squeezed his hand, and adventurer''s neck snapped. ¡°Whoops, my hand slipped.¡± The man¡¯s body fell to the ground. Chapter 41: Cleanup Chapter 41: Cleanup After taking out the trash, Derek used Rejuvenate on Rayna. It pulled her out of the unconscious state, but she still looked pitiful. He walked over to her and crouched down. He turned her unconscious body over and pulled out another health potion. With one hand, he tilted her head back, and with the other, he poured the potion into her mouth. After checking and seeing most of the wounds on her body visibly healing, he stood. He walked to each corpse, putting them into his storage bracelet when he reached them. Finally, he got to Davis. He looked up at the quiet crowd, spotting Leon and his wife within. ¡°Leon, take Davis away, we¡¯ll decide what to do with him once Rayna wakes up.¡± Walking back over to Rayna, he picked her up in a princess carry. He looked over to Richard. ¡°You, follow me.¡± He began to walk back to where he left Thomas and the others. He paused, turning to look at the still silent crowd. ¡°You probably know already, but it would be for the best to not talk about anything. I imagine there will be a village meeting later today, or tomorrow at the least when your chief is better. Until then, go about your day as if nothing happened.¡± Derek began walking, and Richard followed. ¡°You killed a no¡­¡± Richard began, but Derek cut him off. ¡°Not here.¡± Derek spoke. Richard nodded his head solemnly and continued following behind Derek. Before long, they arrived at the courtyard where he left Mal, Brandi, and Thomas. It was empty. Remembering what he told Thomas, he walked over to their residence and opened the door. Inside the living area, Thomas was standing with his daggers drawn. Brandi was awake and holding the unconscious Malorie in her lap while looking towards the open door. Derek smiled after seeing Thomas in his battle stance. ¡°It¡¯s just me. I¡¯ve taken care of everything. I brought Rayna back here to recover.¡± He turned to Brandi. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯m okay, but mom¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°She will be fine. She¡¯s not critical anymore, and her body is mostly healed. She¡¯d probably wake up now if you tried, but I suggest letting her rest.¡± Derek explained as he walked to an open space and laid Rayna down. Brandi let out a sigh of relief then started sobbing. ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ I didn¡¯t know who they were¡­¡± She began. Derek furrowed his brow and stopped Brandi. ¡°No sense in talking about it now. Calm down and gather yourself. We¡¯ll all talk after everyone wakes up. For now, just tend to your mother.¡± Derek walked over to an empty corner and sat down with his back against the wall. He motioned to Richard. ¡°Either sit or go home for a while. I¡¯m sure Delilah is worried. It will be a bit before she wakes up, and Thomas is safe, as you can see.¡± Derek told Richard to follow him so he could show him that Thomas made it home in one piece. Richard nodded. ¡°Mhm. I¡¯ll go let Delilah know that everyone here is okay, and that Thomas is safe. Please, let me know when they awaken. I would like to be here for the discussion.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll send the boy after you and Leon.¡± He dismissed the older man. After Richard left, the house went quiet. Not having anything else to do but wait, Derek checked his notifications. You have killed a Level 87 Human Warrior¡­ 3451 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up 1159/1415 Experience to Next Level Ah fuck. I don¡¯t like where this is going. Derek moved through to the next notification. You have killed a Level 85 Human Warrior¡­ 3410 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up 1599/1710 Experience to Next Level Shit¡­ You have killed a Level 85 Human Warrior¡­ 3780 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up 1789/2070 Experience to Next Level Derek moved the notification away, looking at the next. You have killed a Level 84 Human Archer. 4079 Experience Gained Level Up 3798/??? Experience to Next Level. (Must Choose or Upgrade Class to Level Beyond 25) There goes all those level 25 dungeons. Son of a bitch. Derek was angry that he would not be able to get the rewards for completing extra dungeons, but as he thought about it, the one he was looking forward to the most was the level 50 dungeon, so it was not a huge loss. Besides, even if he would have been thinking about his levels at the time, he still would have killed the group all the same. But still, now I have to fuck with my class again. At least upgrading a class is a lot less trouble than initially choosing one. After thinking that, it was like a lightbulb turned on in his brain. Does this mean I get to upgrade my class from epic to legendary since it¡¯s a growth class? With that thought, Derek rushed to see his options. Champion of the Void You have lived within the void, and the void has chosen you as its champion. Unlike others, you will no longer become trapped in the void. The void is your ally. Champion of the Void is a growth type epic class. Preferences for this class are unknown. Two new skills will be available upon class upgrade. You will receive 20 free stat points for allocation to your choosing. Derek was disappointed when looking at his upgrade path. Nothing changed other than him receiving two new class skills. He also looked into the class change options, but they were all the same as before. He really did like Channel Void and he did not want to lose it, so he immediately put the thought of switching class out of his mind. Hopefully, the next two skills I unlock will be good and not like Void Call. Derek stopped hesitating and chose to upgrade Champion of the Void. Congratulations You have upgraded your class. As an epic rarity class, you have received 15 skill points. He quickly moved to the next notification. Level Up 1525/2500 Experience to Next Level. Of course. You have killed a Level 89 Human Mage. You have killed a Level 94 Human Mage. 13231 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up Level Up Level Up 3154/3675 Experience to Next Level. Damn, six kills to go from level 18 to level 30. It may be hard for others to level with this system, but it¡¯s terrifyingly fast for me. Now, let¡¯s see those two new skills. Derek pulled up the first skill. Void Shift Become one with the void. Using your control over the void, shift yourself from a corporeal state to a void state. Once shifted, move through the void and out of time and space. Uses 500 mana/s Cost: 7 Skill Points What a high mana cost. Would You Like to Learn Void Shift? Yes. Void Shift Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 13 Derek was itching to try his new skill, but he thought about what happened last time and decided to wait. Let¡¯s see the other skill. Void Sense Your familiarity with the void has increased. You will feel the void wherever you are. Also allows one to sense abnormalities in the void. Passive Cost: 6 Skill Points Interesting. Would You Like to Learn Void Sense? Yes. Void Sense Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 7 A massive amount of information began flowing through Derek¡¯s senses. There were ripples in the space around him. It seemed that if he wanted, he could grab a ripple and rip the space open. Some areas looked more solid than others. He felt that no matter what he did, he would not be able to make a dent in those areas. This is crazy, it¡¯s a complete sensory override. Derek closed his eyes to try to filter out all of the distractions, but when he did, he was able to hear the undulations of the void. One thing he did know was that if he was ever trapped in a void tunnel again, he would have no problem finding a weak point and breaking out. As he calmed down, he realized that his new senses were not as distracting as they first seemed to be. The more he focused on other things, the less he sensed the void. And, after an hour of experimenting, he was able to turn down and tune out the void if he so desired. I¡¯m not entirely sure how useful this will be, but at least it¡¯s a passive and will level up without me doing much. After everything was settled with his new class, Derek checked his updated status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 30 Experience 3154/3675 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 2150 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 0) Attack 49 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 360 Dexterity 260 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 220 Wisdom 215 Stat Points Remaining 398 Skills Channel Void Level 5 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cure Toxin Level 1 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 11 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 2 Enter a meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 12 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 6 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 8 Restores 40% HP over 30 seconds. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 1 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 1 Become one with and move within the void. Skill Points Remaining 7 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Wow. Not bad at all. Oh, I have enough stat points to bring both my Strength and Dexterity up to 500. Derek looked around and saw that Mal seemed to stir. I¡¯ll do that soon. If it¡¯s going to be anything like when I got Vitality and Endurance to 500, I¡¯ll need to spend some time to pick the right skills. ¡°Mom!¡± Brandi¡¯s elation at her mother waking brought Derek back out of his thoughts. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need more healing?¡± Brandi rapidly fired question after question at her recently awakened mother. Seeing Mal looking disoriented after raising up, Derek spoke. ¡°Give her some time to get her bearings.¡± Hearing his voice, Malorie¡¯s gaze shot over to Derek. ¡°Derek? What are you doing here? The nobles¡­ they¡­ are they gone?¡± ¡°Yes, they are gone.¡± Derek said. At that time, the commotion seemed to rouse Rayna from her slumber. Derek looked over to her as she sat up. ¡°Thank you.¡± Rayna said as soon as their eyes met. ¡°No problem, they ruined my good mood.¡± He laughed. ¡°What ended up happening?¡± The chief asked. ¡°They all spontaneously died. It was weird, I mean, first they were alive, then they weren¡¯t.¡± Derek joked, but Rayna did not seem to be in a humorous mood. ¡°He was a noble, Derek. If others find out, the whole village will be dead.¡± She said in all seriousness. ¡°Then don¡¯t let them find out. Besides, I already have somewhat of an idea on what to do to hide it from others. You just have to get the village to keep their mouths shut. Shouldn¡¯t be too hard seeing how if they talk, they die.¡± ¡°Thomas.¡± Derek called out. ¡°Go fetch your grandpa and Leon.¡± Thomas jumped up and ran out the door. A few minutes later, he returned with Richard and Leon. The small room was beginning to get cramped, but Derek did not care. ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡± Chapter 42: What to Do Chapter 42: What to Do ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡± Derek asked the room. The first to answer was Brandi. It seemed like she had been suppressing herself since her first outburst. Finally, she had the chance to speak up. ¡°It was my fault. They wanted the hides you gave me. B-but I wouldn¡¯t let them.¡± She ducked her head. ¡°They took them anyway, so I¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°I tried to take them back. The bald man hit me. I don¡¯t know what happened after that.¡± ¡°For hides? Really? The highest was only around level 70.¡± Derek asked. Are the nobles really that petty? Derek really could not believe what he heard. He shook his head. ¡°Many nobles are like that. Gracefall is just more so. It was our bad luck that he was the one that accepted the mission.¡± Richard spoke. ¡°Oh?¡± Derek motioned for him to continue. Richard sighed. ¡°Their noble surname was not always Gracefall. They were once known as Searidge, and they were the city lords of Torith, then Searidge, before their fall. As for what happened, I do not know. It happened a century ago, and only those nobles involved will know the full details. But, when a noble house falls, they are given a new, shameful surname from the King, such as Gracefall or Honorless. They get to keep their status as nobles, but they are demoted to lower-class nobles. So, Gracefall tends to take their shame from the other nobles out on lesser citizens.¡± Derek sighed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they do the opposite? Is there a way for them to get their surname and position back?¡± ¡°There is. It is based on achievement and merits. There are few who have been reinstated, but it has happened. But it¡¯s much more common for a fallen house to stay down, eventually losing their nobility altogether. With Gracefall¡¯s actions, I suspect the only thing that has kept them from losing their status is their strength with water magic.¡± Richard explained. ¡°Yeah.¡± Derek scoffed. ¡°The water mage had such great strength.¡± He shook his head. Richard opened his mouth, but closed it again. Seemingly unsure of what to say. Finally, he spoke again. ¡°His class was at least rare. It¡¯s just, against you, he never had a chance to use it¡­¡± ¡°He was arrogant. He thought his posse could take me. When he finally understood his situation, he was not able to react.¡± Derek said. It¡¯s a shame. He may have been able to increase my Magic Resistance even more. ¡°Enough of that. Why was Rayna involved, and why did Davis die?¡± With that, Rayna answered. ¡°When they arrived at the village, Davis ran ahead so I could greet them. We were on our way when I heard the commotion in the courtyard. I got there as they hit Malorie. Brandi was already on the ground. I lost my cool seeing them kick Mal after she was unconscious and her state changed to ¡®Critical.¡¯ I shot a Wind Blade at the man as he was going to kick her again.¡± She sighed. ¡°They roughed me up pretty good, then dragged me through the street to my residence, I guess they wanted to gather a crowd. As for Davis, he jumped in front of fist meant for me. It hit him in the neck, he was most likely dead before he hit the ground.¡± She frowned mournfully. ¡°What are we going to do now? If the nobles find out what happened, the whole village is done for.¡± Leon finally spoke. ¡°I have an idea, but it¡¯s not watertight.¡± He looked toward Brandi. ¡°Brandi, what level is your Leatherworking?¡± The whole room stared at him oddly, but Brandi answered. ¡°It¡¯s level 9. The high level hides helped sooo much, you don¡¯t even know. I think I would have made it to 10 today if everything didn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Derek looked through the bodies in his bracelet and was surprised to find the noble wearing a ring. He took the ring out and infused it with his magic energy. Sure enough, it had the hides in it. He took them out. ¡°Here, take these and go hit level 10 as soon as possible.¡± He gave the hides to Brandi and stored the storage ring. Brandi did not ask any questions and hurried outside with the hides. It seems that my storage bracelet works differently than the storage devices from this system. In his system, he was unable to store a storage device within a storage device. When he stored a body, the device would be left on the ground. He retreated from his thoughts and looked at Rayna. ¡°Okay. First, you are going to need to hold a town meeting and try to get everyone to keep quiet. It shouldn¡¯t be too hard if they know their lives depend on it. The story, if anyone is asked, is that the adventurers came in, got the map from Richard, and went to the dungeon. They were barely even in the village.¡± Derek looked at Richard. ¡°Sorry man, you¡¯ll be losing your map¡­¡± Richard smiled bitterly, but nodded his head. ¡°Next, I¡¯m going to need an oath from Brandi, Rayna, and¡­¡± He looked around and his eyes settled on Malorie. ¡°And Mal.¡± He looked at Richard and Leon. ¡°I would like one from you two also, but it isn¡¯t required.¡± Rayna scrunched her face up. ¡°What kind of oath?¡± She asked. ¡°The same oath that Thomas took before we traveled together.¡± He answered. ¡°That you will tell nobody about any of my secrets that you learn.¡± Both Richard and Leon furrowed their brows. Derek noticed. ¡°The reason I don¡¯t require an oath from the two of you is because you are both non-essential for what I have planned, and you both have significant others that you do not like to lie to or hold anything back from. If you give your oath, that¡¯s great, but if not, this is where you leave the discussion. Either way, there will be things the others learn that you will not.¡± ¡°Why us?¡± Malorie spoke. ¡°Well, I know Brandi¡¯s personality, and I trust her enough, plus, she should benefit greatly from what I plan. Rayna will do what is needed for the village, and you will do what is needed for Brandi.¡± He explained. After he said that, Rayna gave her oath without hesitating. An oath to the Great System has been made by one, Rayna West. This oath is binding until death. If broken, Rayna West will lose all classes and skills obtained by the Great System, and she will never have access again. Stats will remain as is at the time of breaking the oath. After some hesitation, Malorie also gave her oath. After seeing the two women give their oaths, Richard spoke. ¡°I must speak with Delilah about this before I decide.¡± ¡°I have to do the same with Sana.¡± Leon said. Derek nodded, and the two men left. Derek stood and headed to the door too. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go see if Brandi agrees.¡± He said and walked out and over to the courtyard. The three others followed. When he got there, he saw Brandi busy shaping some hide. He waited until she was finished before he spoke. ¡°Brandi, will you swear an oath to the Great System to not reveal my secrets?¡± He asked straightforwardly. ¡°Of course.¡± She was a little stunned, but she did not even ask why. ¡°I swear on the Great System that I will not reveal any secrets I learn about Derek.¡± She nodded then turned back around. ¡°I think I¡¯m about to break through, can I get back to it?¡± She asked. Derek saw the oath notification come through. He laughed at the girl. ¡°Go ahead, we won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± At that point, the sun was already going down. It had been a long day for everyone. ¡°I¡¯m going to head to the inn and get some rest. You all should too. We¡¯ll talk more tomorrow after the village meeting.¡± With that, Derek left and went to the inn. He nodded his head to the bartender and went straight to his room. He sat on the bed and slipped into meditation. *** Earlier the next morning, Derek got up and went straight to Rayna¡¯s place. They chatted a bit while they waited for Leon and Richard to spread the news of a meeting. A few hours later, they walked out, and the entire village was gathered. There were more people in the village than Derek originally thought. As Derek scanned over the village, he noticed Brandi in the crowd. She had bags under her eyes, and she was doing her best not to nod off. Malorie elbowed her and said something. Brandi looked up and met Derek¡¯s gaze. She flashed a wide smile and gave him a thumbs up. I guess she hit level 10. He chuckled to himself. Soon, Rayna walked in front of everyone and began speaking. She explained what happened and the troubles they faced. She told the village what she expected them to do, and the consequences if they did not listen. Overall, Derek considered it a good speech, and if the nobles did not investigate too hard, he could see the plan working, especially given the evidence he planned to leave. After the meeting, everyone left but the seven from the previous night. Both Richard and Leon had come to the same conclusion about the oath. They would prefer to not lie to their wives, so they did not give one. After explaining it to the others, they left. Derek, Rayna, and the others went inside her residence and sat at the meeting table. ¡°So, are you ready for the plan?¡± He asked. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Rayna asked. Derek laughed. ¡°Well, mister noble Gracefall, with his strength, was able to lead his group through the level 100, undying dungeon. Thanks to them, the overflow of the dungeon has stopped and, with proper crowd control, the disease will stop spreading.¡± Derek gave a mysterious smile. ¡°Unfortunately, his team was wiped out in the dungeon, and he suffered a fatal wound from the final boss. He was able to escape, but he bled out and died before he was able to receive help from anyone. He died a hero. Or at least that is what all the investigations will say after my plan.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone in the room asked at the same time. Chapter 43: Follow Me Chapter 43: Follow Me Derek smiled at the room. ¡°Well, I figured I can knock out a few plans all at once after all of this happened.¡± Derek stared directly at Rayna. ¡°How long do you think we have before the noble house or Adventurer¡¯s Guild thinks that something is wrong?¡± ¡°If it was a noble house from the Capitol, they would probably already know that their own was dead. But seeing that it is Gracefall, we most likely have weeks before they get suspicious and check on anything. I¡¯d say at the minimum, two weeks.¡± She answered. ¡°That¡¯s plenty of time.¡± He said. It will also let me run a couple more experiments. As he thought this, he looked at Brandi. ¡°Okay, we better get to it then.¡± He looked back at Rayna. ¡°Let Richard know that you¡¯ll be back in a few weeks and bring his map back with you. Don¡¯t forget to remind him that the noble came in, got his map, and headed to the dungeon. That¡¯s all he knows. When you¡¯re finished there, meet us at the front gate.¡± With that, Derek stood up and walked out. ¡°Come on.¡± Everybody but Rayna followed. They were clearly confused, but still listened. Thomas was the only person who acted like they knew anything. ¡°Where are we going? What are we doing?¡± Malorie finally could not hold her questions in. He looked at her. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± He could see her slight hesitation before she nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to you when we get to our first destination. Just know that everyone of you will come back better off. I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you.¡± He said as they approached the front of the village. They waited at the gate for Rayna. Soon, she was there, Richard and Leon in tow. Seeing the two following her, Derek gave them a quick reminder. ¡°You know what to say if we¡¯re not back and investigators come?¡± He asked. They both nodded. ¡°Okay, well, we¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Derek took the map from Rayna and glanced at it. Picking out a few places. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll carry Brandi. We¡¯ll be moving as fast as the slowest person can.¡± He looked at Mal and Thomas. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He took off at a jog. Seeing everyone keep up, he increased his speed. Hmm¡­ Still seems like Thomas is the slowest. He had expected Malorie to have the slowest speed out of the bunch, but she surprised him. After running away from the village for a few hours, Rayna spoke. ¡°This¡­ Are we going where I think we¡¯re going?¡± She asked. Derek, still running while carrying Brandi, smiled. ¡°I imagine so.¡± He guessed she knew where the different landmarks around the forest were. Later, Malorie started slowing. Looks like Thomas has better Endurance. ¡°We¡¯ll stop here for a minute to let everyone¡¯s Stamina recharge. ¡°Do you have Meditation, Mal?¡± He asked. She shook her head, still panting after the long run. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Any spare skill points?¡± ¡°No.¡± She said. He nodded his head and pulled out another potion from his bracelet. This time, it was yellow. He still had a bunch of spare potions from his time on Earth. He had chided himself for overstocking, but now, he was glad he did. He tossed the vial to Mal. ¡°Here, drink this, it¡¯ll restore your Stamina.¡± The woman caught the vial and gulped it down. ¡°Is it a level 50 one?¡± Thomas spoke out of the blue. ¡°Yeah. Those adventurers were all around level 90. Looks like we won¡¯t be able to do what I wanted to, but this works too.¡± Derek said. Confusing the rest of the group. Thomas squinted, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. ¡°Will I have to¡­¡± Derek knew what he was asking. ¡°No, I¡¯ll hand feed you and Malorie for the first one. We¡¯re on a timer, so we have to move relatively fast.¡± ¡°What about Brandi?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°I want to experiment. Try to get her a bunch of Awards before her first class. Who knows, she might give us all a pleasant surprise.¡± Derek laughed. Finally, it seemed that Rayna could not take it anymore. ¡°What the hell are the two of you talking about? Why are we running towards a level 50 dungeon? Quit talking about us like we¡¯re not here.¡± ¡°And what do you mean that you¡¯re going to ¡®hand feed¡¯ me?¡± Mal jumped in. Derek broke out in laughter. ¡°I was wondering how long it would take before someone broke.¡± He had been being intentionally vague when answering Thomas. He was watching the others'' curiosity grow and grow. He had expected Brandi to break first, but with Rayna knowing that they were heading towards a dungeon, it made sense that she broke first. ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡± Rayna said. Blushing from embarrassment. ¡°It really is.¡± Derek replied. He looked at Thomas who was doing his best not to burst. ¡°I¡¯ll answer all your questions when we get there. It¡¯s easier to show you instead of telling you.¡± He looked at Mal. ¡°Your Stamina good?¡± She nodded. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re not far now. Put these on.¡± He gave Mal a black robe with a hood, Rayna a ski mask, and Brandi a facemask like the one he and Thomas had. I wish I had more facemasks. He thought to himself. Thomas pulled out his facemask and put it on without asking any questions. Derek put his leather armor and facemask on. Brandi, seeing their actions, put her facemask on. ¡°What is this?¡± Rayna asked while fiddling with the ski mask. ¡°I ran out of facemasks, so you¡¯ll have to make do with that.¡± Derek said, then looked at Mal. ¡°Sorry for making you wear a robe, I¡¯m out of face coverings. You¡¯ll have to make do with the hood.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± Malorie said as she put the robe on. Once the robe was on, her eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ What¡¯s with this robe?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, it¡¯s level 70. It has good mana regeneration and decent armor for a robe. I figured you would need some kind of armor.¡± He said. Excitement flashed through Rayna¡¯s eyes as she hurriedly slipped the ski mask on. Derek saw her frown afterwards. ¡°What is this? Is it doing anything special?¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Yup, it helps keep your face from getting cold.¡± Anyway, let¡¯s go. He picked Brandi up and took off before anyone could say anything. The group broke out of their stunned state and hurried to follow. Soon, they were in sight of the dungeon orb. This was the dungeon that rewarded scrolls upon completion. It was the level 50 dungeon that he was most excited for. He scanned the area. It seemed like his group was the only team around. He approached the orb. ¡°Alright everyone, you said you trust me. Time to show it.¡± He placed his right hand on the orb. ¡°But¡­¡± Rayna began to protest, but in the middle of her words, Thomas reached the orb and placed his hand on it. She sighed and walked closer. After a brief hesitation, she also reached out to the orb. Brandi was next, then finally Malorie. Once Malorie¡¯s hand made contact with the dungeon orb, a notification popped up in everyone¡¯s vision. Max Participants Reached Participants 5/5 Derek Hunt: Level 30 Thomas Stewart: Level 17 Rayna West: Level 31 Brandi Fields: Level 1 Malorie Fields: Level 18 Please Choose an Option Below View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Of course, Derek chose ¡®View Dungeon.¡¯ He wanted to confirm everything before jumping into the dungeon. Dungeon Status Dungeon Level 50 Dungeon Type Beast Dungeon Status Stable Dungeon Rewards Scroll Max Participants 5 ¡°H-how? How are you only level 30? Your level is less than mine. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Rayna muttered. Derek chuckled. ¡°You basically just quoted Thomas the first time he saw it too. Well, you now know one of my biggest secrets. You see why I wanted an oath?¡± He asked. ¡°I do. This is crazy. You have to tell me how.¡± Rayna said. ¡°Maybe¡­ One day.¡± He said. ¡°Anyway, ready up. We got a dungeon to run.¡± Derek went back to the previous screen and focused on ¡®Enter Dungeon.¡¯ Derek Hunt: Ready Thomas Stewart: Ready Rayna West: Not Ready Brandi Fields: Not Ready Malorie Fields: Not Ready Soon, everyone¡¯s status changed to ¡®Ready,¡¯ and the countdown began.¡°Everybody focus on ¡®Enter Dungeon.¡¯ You don¡¯t want to get left behind, we can¡¯t come back out for you until after the dungeon is complete.¡± He warned. Entering Dungeon in 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ The white light flashed, and the group disappeared. *** Derek blinked, and his vision returned. He looked around. The group seemed to be in a sparse cabin. The room was about 5 by 5 meters, and there was a bench against the back wall and a few candles lighting up the area. That was it. In front of them was a wooden door. It looks like what everyone said was correct. The first area is always a safe room. I don¡¯t think I would have done this if it wasn¡¯t for this. He looked at his team. ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s the plan.¡± He said and got their attention. ¡°First, what I meant about hand feeding you is that I will go and bring back monsters for you to kill. I¡¯ll do this until you get to a respectable level, I¡¯m thinking somewhere around level 30.¡± He looked at Mal and Thomas. ¡°Mal, I¡¯m not sure what your class is, but I suggest looking at all your options once you hit level 25. If you can get a higher rarity one, it would be for the best. Thomas, you know what you¡¯re going to do, right? I don¡¯t need to say it?¡± ¡°Yes. Hopefully the class will still be there.¡± The boy said. Derek turned to Rayna. ¡°You should be able to fight enemies when they are alone. You¡¯ve quite the skill with your wind magic. If you have problems, then I¡¯ll toss some enemies your way after I injure them. If all else fails, I¡¯ll do the same with you as I do Thomas and Mal. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rayna replied. She seemed excited. Thomas finally looked at Brandi. ¡°You¡­¡± He said. ¡°Will do nothing.¡± He pulled out a few of the higher leveled hides and put them on the bench. ¡°Might as well practice your Leatherworking.¡± He said. Seeing the girl pout, he continued. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will be the one to benefit the most out of this adventure. Just not in this first dungeon.¡± He said. Derek looked over the room again. ¡°Alright. Everyone knows the plan. Time to get to work.¡± He walked to the door, opened it, and left the room. Chapter 44: Hand Feeding Chapter 44: Hand Feeding After walking outside, Derek scanned the area. The dungeon was a ¡®beast¡¯ type dungeon, and he could see different wolves, bears, and other beasts roaming around. Unlike the previous cave with the insects, the area he was now in had a sky instead of a ceiling. Derek could not help but think about how the dungeons were created upon seeing this. He was standing on a hilly plain area with the occasional tree. I guess this dungeon is a completely open area. He did not see any entrance to the next ¡®chamber.¡¯ His guess was that the beasts would come in waves. As he wiped out the first wave of beasts, the next would come, and finally, the dungeon boss would appear. Though he believed that likely, it was still only a guess. I¡¯ll just have to find out for myself. Before jumping into battle with the beasts, he turned to look at where he came from. Sure enough, there was a small log cabin sitting in the middle of the plain. Derek had a thought and walked back beside the cabin. Standing next to it, he pulled his fist back, then struck the building with a small amount of power. Seeing that the assault did not damage the structure at all, he pulled his fist back again and struck out with a bit more power. Again, the structure was completely intact after his assault. He summoned his glaive and slashed the cabin. Nothing happened. Finally, using most of his strength, he sliced again. This time, the cabin took some small damage as a cut appeared where his glaive struck. But the cut rapidly healed before his eyes. With this, Derek could at least know that his group would be completely safe from anything inside the dungeon as long as they stayed inside their spawn area. Derek walked over to the door and opened it. Poking his head inside, he looked at Rayna. ¡°You ready? The surrounding area is pretty safe for now.¡± Rayna nodded her head and walked over to the door. Derek pulled back, and she walked outside with him. ¡°It¡¯s nice out here.¡± She muttered. Derek did not respond to that. Instead, he told her the first part of the plan he made after surveying the surrounding. ¡°The wolves are roaming around in packs of five.¡± He pointed at a group of wolves. ¡°I¡¯m going to aggro a pack, then kite them back here.¡± Rayna frowned. ¡°Aggro? Kite? What does that mean?¡± She asked. It was not the first time he had confused people by using these kinds of terms. He just laughed it off and continued. ¡°I¡¯m going to get a pack of wolves to chase me back here. Then, I¡¯ll leave one to you, while I take care of two or three of them, depending on their strength. I will subdue the remaining wolf or two and have Thomas and Mal come out and finish them off.¡± A flash of understanding went through Rayna¡¯s eyes. ¡°That really is ¡®hand feeding¡¯ them.¡± She laughed. ¡°Okay, get ready.¡± Derek ran toward the closest pack of wolves. Once he was close enough, the wolves noticed him and began their chase. He ran back, keeping a small distance between him and the pack. Once back at the designated area, he slowed and turned around. The wolves all pounced. He did not fight back, and just let them attack him. They were able to make it through the leather armor he was wearing, but nothing else. Once their teeth reached his skin, they were unable to pierce through. ¡°Now.¡± He motioned to Rayna. Derek watched as she ran in and, choosing the wolf furthest from the assault, slashed out with one of her Wind Blades. Derek noted the damage the skill caused and nodded. It was not able to instantly kill the wolf, but it caused severe damage. One or two more and it will die. And it did. On the third strike, before the wolf was even able to close in on Rayna, it had died. ¡°Good!¡± Derek yelled. Then he decided not to hog the full experience himself. He kicked a wolf Rayna¡¯s way. The kick was enough to almost kill the monster, so when it landed beside the woman, crippled and unable to move, she drove her sword through the base of its skull. ¡°Nice.¡± Derek pulled a leg off of one of the wolves going for his face, then tossed it at Rayna¡¯s feet. It was still feisty, even with three legs, but it was rapidly losing blood, and a single Wind Blade made short work of it. Derek quickly grabbed the remaining two wolves. He held one under each arm. He was careful not to injure them before, as he wanted full experience to go to Thomas and Malorie. Rayna approached him with shining eyes. ¡°I just got over 1,000 experience in that short amount of time and increased my Wind Blade skill level.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I thought you would like to fight one on your own to increase your fighting skill. And I would rather not level up too fast, which is why I gave you the others. Do you like this setup?¡± He asked. ¡°Very much.¡± She replied. Then, after thinking for a second. ¡°Thank you for this.¡± She spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s as much for me as it is for the rest of you.¡± He said. ¡°Now, go open the cabin door and have Thomas and Mal come out.¡± Rayna nodded and went to the cabin. She opened the door and spoke a few words. Seconds later, the small boy and Brandi¡¯s mother were cautiously coming out of the cabin. Derek approached them, then spoke. ¡°Okay, these pups are your kills. Thomas, give Mal one of you dagg¡­¡± He paused. Actually, if Thomas plans on switching classes, there isn¡¯t any sense in him killing with daggers. ¡°Hold on.¡± He said. Derek looked at Malorie. ¡°What is your best weapon? The one most comfortable for you to use?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever used small weapons, and the occasional sword. My class is common and weapons weren¡¯t easy to come by in my village, so the stronger warriors got the better ones.¡± She answered. Derek nodded and closed his eyes. He was searching through all the weapons he had stored in his bracelet. Soon, an amazing scene occurred before everyone¡¯s eyes. Weapon after weapon fell to the ground. There were tens of weapons on the ground. They were all different. There was a crossbow, book, katana, spear, whip, wand, and many other weapons. There were even some advanced scientific weapons he had gotten off of invaders, such as a photon pistol and heat saber. Thomas did not show as much surprise as the others. Derek had actually made him train with many of the weapons on the ground. Derek spoke to the boy. ¡°Pick one of the spears, find the one that feels the best.¡± Derek watched as the boy walked over and began going through the spears one by one. Soon, he had chosen one. None of the weapons that Derek had picked up were bad quality, so it really was down to preference. The spear Thomas chose had a shiny silver metal shaft with vein-like red patterns running along it. Where the spearhead attached to the shaft, the red pattern formed a solid color. The spearhead was actually more like a double-sided blade than a regular spearhead. It was more like a long dagger was attached to the spear shaft. Derek nodded at Thomas¡¯s choice. It was not a bad spear. ¡°Okay. Now come and kill this dog.¡± The wolves were still squirming around in his arms. Thomas walked up to Derek and the wolves. He thrust out his new spear, and the blade pierced directly through the throat of the beast. Derek laughed at this. ¡°Even after all that time with your daggers in the dungeon, you are still more accurate with a spear.¡± Thomas¡¯s face turned a little red. ¡°I know, you don¡¯t have to keep rubbing it in.¡± He said back. Suddenly, Derek felt a strong hit on the side of his right knee. Looking down, he could see the leather armor burned away and smoking, and his naked knee was visible. He turned to see Malorie with wide eyes and the Photon Pistol laying at her feet. Realizing what happened, he thought to himself. Maybe I should have explained to them what everything does. He looked at the embarrassed woman. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what something is or does, please just ask me.¡± He smiled. Soon, it was clear that Malorie was apprehensive to use any weapon like the pistol or the heat saber. After observing her for a while, Derek could see that she clearly had a knack for using a staff. ¡°Do you like the staff?¡± He asked her. She hesitated. ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t think I could do very much damage with a blunt weapon like this.¡± Derek nodded and walked over to another staff on the ground. With his free hand, he reached down and picked it up. He handed it to Malorie. ¡°Try this one.¡± She took the staff and performed some moves. ¡°It¡¯s good, but it¡¯s still the same.¡± She said, confused. Derek smiled. ¡°See that button on the shaft?¡± He asked. The woman looked over the shaft until she saw the button, she nodded. ¡°Push it in.¡± He said. She did. Surprisingly, a straight blade came out of both ends. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bladed staff. You can use it as a regular staff, but if you need¡­ hehe.¡± He laughed. ¡°Push the button in again and the blades will retract.¡± She did, and the blades disappeared. The great thing about that particular bladed staff was that once the blades were retracted, there were no signs of blades ever even being there. Seemingly fascinated by the weapon, Mal spoke. ¡°I can have this?¡± She asked. ¡°Of course. If there is anything I lack, it isn¡¯t weapons.¡± He continued. ¡°Is that your pick? I¡¯m getting pretty tired of holding this dog.¡± He said. ¡°Oh¡­ Yes, I want this one.¡± With that, Malorie pushed the button in, causing the blades to extend out of the staff. Like Thomas, she aimed one end at the throat of the remaining wolf and thrust. It was not an instant kill like Thomas¡¯s, so she thrust again. The wolf died in Derek¡¯s arm and he dropped it. Derek thought for a second. ¡°Do any of you have the Dismantle skill?¡± He asked the group. Surprisingly, Malorie replied. ¡°I do. I helped my husband with his kills a lot, so I ended up purchasing it.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Thomas, give her you daggers, you won¡¯t need them anymore.¡± Then he spoke to Malorie. ¡°Take the daggers, they are quite sharp. You can Dismantle the kills and give the hides to Brandi later.¡± Malorie nodded, and without asking, Thomas walked around, collecting the wolf corpses and taking them into the cabin. Derek smiled. ¡°Okay, you two go inside. We¡¯ll come get you when the next group is ready.¡± Derek collected all of the spilled weapons. He turned back to Rayna. ¡°Ready?¡± Sorry for no chapters yesterday. I spaced out and by the time I thought about it, it was like 1 A.M. Three chapters today though. Chapter 45: Like Clockwork Chapter 45: Like Clockwork After watching the two close the cabin door, Derek and Rayna got to business. Soon they fell into a pattern. Derek would aggro a pack of wolves, Rayna would take one out alone, they would share XP on two, and the remaining two wolves would be left to Malorie and Thomas. It was not long before the area was completely bereft of wolves. They had decimated seven packs already. The wolves ranged from level 44 to 49. Luckily, Derek only shared half the experience for 14 wolves, earning him just over 3,200 XP and a level. Rayna, on the other hand, was making leaps and bounds. As she only had a rare class, the experience points that she needed to level was a quarter less than what Derek needed. She had killed 7 beasts by herself, along with sharing 14 kills with Derek. She had leveled up twice and was on the verge of leveling again. She was currently at level 33. As for Thomas and Malorie, Thomas was at level 22 and Malorie was level 23. They were both closing in on their next class decision. Derek surveyed the area, he could see a pile of wolves laying at the outside of the cabin. As they were moving fast, Malorie was unable to Dismantle fast enough to keep up with the supply. ¡°What now?¡± Rayna asked. ¡°There are only a few bears and some critters left. Do you think you can take the bears by yourself?¡± He asked her. The bears had a much higher defense than the wolves did. He was not sure that her Wind Blade would be able to severely injure them as it did the wolves. ¡°I can give it a try. If not, we can just go in and share the experience on them. The others won¡¯t be able to get anything from the bears, but you can always capture the smaller monsters for them to kill.¡± Rayna gave her idea. ¡°Sounds good to me. Let¡¯s go.¡± Derek said, and the two headed out towards the closest bear. When the duo made it close enough to the bear to be able to hit it with Rayna¡¯s skill, they stopped. ¡°I¡¯m going to start from a distance and see if I can cut it down before it gets to me. If it gets too close, I¡¯m in your hands.¡± She flashed Derek a bright smile. He just shook his head and laughed. Rayna took a stance and a blue-green glow appeared on her sword. She slashed. The blue-green crescent flew towards her foe, hitting it on the back of the neck. It drew blood. Rayna scoffed. ¡°Not deep enough.¡± She brought her sword back to its original position with a motion, sending another blade of wind at the now angry bear. Derek watched, entranced, as the beautiful woman used her arm like a whip, sending a crescent of wind at the bear with every motion. Blade after blade flew at the bear. There was almost no downtime between Wind Blades. The creature never stood a chance. Before it was even halfway to them, it collapsed on the ground. Rayna was breathing heavily. ¡°14. It took 14 Wind Blades to take it down.¡± She said. Derek almost felt sorry for the bear. Not only was it hit with blade after blade, the accuracy Rayna exhibited was astounding. The majority of the blades had hit the bear in previously injured places. One blade may not have dealt severe injuries to the monster, but three blades all placed at the exact same spot sure as hell did. ¡°How¡¯s your mana?¡± He asked. ¡°I still have more than half. I can kill one more before I need to meditate.¡± She responded. They went after the next bear. It only took 12 Wind Blades to kill it. After the battle, or slaughter, Rayna meditated while Derek kept watch. Soon, all eight remaining bears were dead, and Rayna was a level 35. She was actually able to kill one of the bears in seven strikes. With the bears dead, Derek hunted down and caught the few remaining smaller beasts. He brought them back for Thomas and Malorie to kill. It turned out to be more than enough XP for the both of them to level to 25, leaving one monster left in the zone. Derek hoped that the mass killing of enemies over double their levels would lead to some good class options. He held the squirrel-like creature and went into the cabin with the rest of the group. Derek watched Thomas as the boy closed his eyes. He saw a frantic look appear on the boy¡¯s face. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked. ¡°T-the growth spear class is gone.¡± Thomas said, defeated. Derek let out a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Sort your possible classes by rarity and see what you get.¡± The other three watched Thomas with bated breaths. Malorie was adamant about waiting for the boy¡¯s selection before she began with hers. Soon, a sigh of relief came out of the boy¡¯s mouth. ¡°What is it?¡± Derek asked. I have another spear class. I don¡¯t have any growth type classes this time, but the new spear class is a rare class. It¡¯s called ¡®Soul Spear,¡¯ and focuses on piercing damage. Derek nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s good. Not a bad class.¡± Thomas nodded and closed his eyes. Soon, a light flashed over the boy and he opened his eyes again. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss Stealth.¡± Soon, he smiled. ¡°I get three Strength, two Vitality, and ten free stat points per level. I also got ten skill points and access to three skills.¡± Thomas then frowned. ¡°But the skills are really expensive. For all three, it costs eight skill points. Oh well, that still leaves me two free skill points for general skills.¡± ¡°Are your skills good? Better than your other class?¡± Brandi spoke up and asked the question on everyone¡¯s minds. Thomas smiled. ¡°Yes. They are. I have Soul Spear, it¡¯s the same as my class name, it lets me send a projection of my spear forward in a thrust that deals extra piercing damage. I think it¡¯s like an extension of my spear. I also got Flurry and Spear Specialist. The first lets me release a flurry of attacks for a mana price, and the other is a passive skill that increases my spear mastery.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Definitely not a bad class.¡± He remembered his first class, which only had an uncommon rating. In fact, his class from the other system was not that great at all. All of his power came from the Titles he had received and their rewards. Derek turned to Malorie. ¡°Your turn.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She closed her eyes. Her face went through a variety of emotions as she was looking through her possible classes. Soon, her facial expression stayed on what looked like confusion. Seeing her confusion, Derek spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any rare or better classes, but I have an uncommon growth type class. Only, I¡¯m not sure about it.¡± She answered. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Ohm¡¯s Fury.¡¯ It¡¯s a staff type class, but it doesn¡¯t have many descriptions. 12 free stat points to use, but only one class skill. I mean, it¡¯s a growth type class, so I should pick it, right?¡± She looked at Derek. ¡°I mean, I would. If you like using the staff and aren¡¯t afraid of losing your current skills. Who knows what it could upgrade into.¡± He replied. Mal let out a breath. ¡°You¡¯re right. I actually don¡¯t have any class skills, only general skills. I wasn¡¯t hunting or anything, so I never saw the point.¡± She closed her eyes again. Soon, a blinding green light fell over the woman. When Derek was able to see again, he saw a fire-like green glow fading into Malorie¡¯s body. ¡°Woah, that was cool for an uncommon class.¡± he chuckled. ¡°T-this skill¡­¡± Malorie muttered. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It¡¯s called Ohm¡¯s Might. It¡­ It¡¯s amazing¡­ I think. It doubles my Strength and Endurance stats for two minutes, but leaves me exhausted and out of mana after use.¡± ¡°Almost like a berserker skill.¡± Derek said. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a great trump card. And, you can use it in combination with Meditation during training and level both of them at the same time.¡± Soon, Malorie frowned again. ¡°It costs eight skill points. The class only gave me seven. If it weren¡¯t for the extra skill point from the Minor Giant Slayer award I got earlier, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to buy it.¡± She sighed. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± She closed her eyes and learned the skill. ¡°So. How does it level? Does it say? Increase duration?¡± Derek asked, he was very intrigued at the woman¡¯s class. ¡°Actually, it says it increases duration and buff as it levels.¡± She said, surprised. ¡°Damn. Who knows, you may be able to get a tenfold increase by the time you level it all the way. Congratulations.¡± He said. ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you how to distribute your stat points, right?¡± He asked. ¡°No. Seems pretty obvious. Strength, Endurance, Vitality, and a little Dexterity, in that order. Luckily, I haven¡¯t been spending the points for these levels.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Sounds good.¡± He looked back at Rayna. ¡°You ready for round two?¡± ¡°I was waiting on you.¡± She said. The two walked out. Before closing the door, Derek held the squirrel-like creature up. ¡°Thomas, you mind giving this guy a farewell?¡± A spear was thrust from inside. It went through the little creature¡¯s heart. It was an instant kill. ¡°Thanks.¡± Derek tossed the monster inside the cabin and closed the door. Soon, pillars of light started popping up everywhere. One after another, beasts began to spawn. This time, there were no little creatures, and after using Identify on some of the monsters, Derek realized that everyone of them were level 50. No more, no less. The most common creature was still the wolf, but they were nearly twice as big as the ones before, and were in packs of seven instead of five. They looked like Direwolves. There were also huge boar with rhino-like horns growing from their heads. ¡°Unicorn pigs?¡± Derek asked, flabbergasted. I wonder if the bacon tastes like skittles. A few hawks were also flying around. There were only three that he could count, and he did not see any in the few trees around. Derek walked over to a small boulder and bashed it. It broke into smaller pieces. He threw the stones at the flying creatures. He did not want Rayna to get hurt because of a flying monster swooping down. He hit two, but missed the third. I¡¯m going to have to pump a few points into Dexterity. Kill notification popped up for the two that he hit. The third hawk changed its flight trajectory and flew towards him. Perfect. Seeing the last hawk coming his way, he picked up another stone and threw. The final kill notification popped, along with a level up alert. He checked his new status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 32 Experience 620/4450 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 2150 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 0) Attack 49 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 360 Dexterity 260 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 220 Wisdom 215 Stat Points Remaining 438 Skills Channel Void Level 5 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cure Toxin Level 1 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 11 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 2 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 12 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 6 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 8 Restores 40% HP over 30 seconds. Void Call Level 1 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 1 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 1 Become one with and move within the void. Skill Points Remaining 7 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer Not bad. He looked at Rayna. ¡°Wolves first. Get ready.¡± Chapter 46: Complete Chapter 46: Complete The duo marched through the second phase of the dungeon with as much ease as the first. The new wolves, though bigger and tougher, still fell to Rayna¡¯s Wind Blade. It took a couple more casts, but they still had less defense than the bears from wave one. They had been in the dungeon for less than a day, and everyone, other than Brandi and Derek, was making rapid progress. Soon, Malorie had used her blade staff and killed the last remaining wolf. Rayna, from just the wolves, had gained two more levels. Derek, because of the XP share, had even leveled again. Thomas had leveled to 27 and Mal, because of her uncommon class, had made it to level 28. As both of them had been putting stat points into Endurance and Vitality, Derek almost felt safe letting them stay out of the cabin and fight like Rayna. After debating for a while, he decided to wait until they were both at least level 30. He had faith that Thomas¡¯s spear skill would be able to handle a wolf easily, but Mal did not have any skills other than the Ohm¡¯s Might skill. Besides, all that was left in the dungeon were the boar and some panther-like creatures. Luckily, it seemed that the majority of the boar were solitary and wandered around on their own, and the panthers were the same. Derek figured that Rayna would have no problems with taking out the boar, and depending on reaction speed, the panthers too. They approached a boar just as they did the bear from the previous wave. When they were close enough, Rayna began her assault. Sure enough, with only four strikes, and before the beast was even able to charge, it was dead. Seeing the ease at which she was able to take out the beast, they increased their clearing speed. In no time, all of the boar were slaughtered. Derek made sure to store a few of them in his bracelet for future meals. Next were the panthers. They took the same approach as they did with the boar, but before Rayna was able to get within a comfortable range, the panther noticed them and charged. Rayna let out a Wind Blade, but the panther sidestepped it and continued its approach. Derek did not intercept the beast. While Rayna had good firepower, her class was actually more speed based. So he wanted to see how she handled herself against an enemy that seemed to be even more agile than she was. She did not disappoint him. The fight lasted much longer than usual, but the victor was the woman. He was finally able to see the woman use her other skills in battle. He was surprised at how well she was able to integrate the Wind Walk skill into the battle. Instead of using it to escape from battle, she used it to propel herself forward at the unsuspecting monster and simultaneously, with Razor Edge activated, cleanly thrust her blade through the skull of the creature. The recovery after the battle took longer than usual because of the mana usage, but Derek did not mind taking a little extra time. They continued their slaughter. Rayna got more and more comfortable fighting the panthers, and the final one was taken out before it could even attack. As soon as the final monster was killed, a bright pillar of light flashed at the center of the area. When it faded, a piercing howl rang out through the dungeon. Derek could see a giant white wolf in the distance, standing at least four meters tall. He used Identify on what he assumed was the boss. Canis Cyclonis Level 65 A boss monster spawned in a beast dungeon. A wolf with the power of wind coursing through its body. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think I¡¯ll take this one.¡± Derek said and looked to Rayna. ¡°You should probably get back to the cabin.¡± ¡°No complaints from me.¡± She smiled. With that, Derek ran towards the beast. He expected for it to charge him the moment he was discovered, but to his surprise, the wolf only glared at him with its keen blue eyes. Then, out of nowhere, the wolf raised its paw and swiped down. He was waiting for a wind blade or something to fly at him, but instead, the wind picked up. Soon, it was a gale. Finally, the wind formed a tornado, and it began closing the distance between them. Derek stood still, interested in the attack. Soon, he was engulfed in the tornado. He was lifted off his feet by the wind, and the force of the rotation caused him to begin spinning. Even with all of his stats, it was still a dizzying experience. Inside the tornado were the wind blades that had not appeared before. They sliced through his leather armor one after another, leaving it in tatters. Shit. Why didn¡¯t I remove it before the fight? Oh well, maybe Brandi will be able to at least repair leather armor. Soon, the notification he was waiting for appeared, showing that his Magic Resistance had reached level 7. Not liking the feeling of being in a spin cycle, Derek decided that enough was enough. Now, how do I get out of this? Ah. I know! Derek activated his new skill, Void Shift. His mana took a giant hit because of it, but all of his surroundings paused and everything changed to a transparent shade of purple. Uhh¡­ Everything was still, but he was still floating in midair and his mana was draining rapidly. Derek focused, letting the Void Sense that he had pushed to the back of his mind move back to the front. Again, he could see the ripples in space, this time, they were more prominent. He reached toward a ripple, and when his hand made contact, it moved through, disappearing. He quickly pulled his arm back out. Uhh¡­ Is this like a portal? After observing the process, he realized that was not the case. He was not opening anything or causing a disturbance, he was just interacting with the void that was always there. The ripples were everywhere, and it seemed that while he was shifted into the void, he could interact with and use them somehow. Derek focussed on his Void Sense more. He was able to feel the ripples more than see them. Again, he reached into the ripple in front of him. He suddenly felt a change in another of the ripples. He looked over and was taken aback when he saw his arm sticking out of it. He hurriedly pulled his arm back and grabbed his hand. He then focused on a ripple that was close to the ground and put his hand through the one beside him. Sure enough, his hand appeared through the other ripple. Holy shit! He really wanted to experiment more, but his mana was almost out. Derek moved his arm that was poking out of the other ripple and felt around. When he reached the edge of the ripple, it felt solid. He took a deep breath, only to realize that he could not, and had not actually been breathing. He used the solid foundation to try to pull his body through. It worked. It seemed that if he focused on a space, he could use it to move around. It was almost like he was in a space with zero gravity, except when he stopped pulling himself, his body completely stopped. It did not continue in motion. Soon, his entire body was through and he was out of the tornado and only a few centimeters above the ground. He focused on one of the solid spaces and pushed himself up, righting himself above the ground. He then pushed on the space above his head and his feet found purchase on the ground. This is going to take a lot to get used to. Everything had happened in seconds, but it still seemed longer than his 2150 should have allowed. Four seconds in Void Shift should have been his limit, but he was definitely in it for longer than that. Remembering that he had not been breathing, but still felt perfectly fine, he thought of a possibility. Maybe the mana in my body also paused along with everything else, or at least diminishes slower. Seeing his mana at less than 10%, Derek made a note to investigate further, then canceled the shift. His surroundings started up again. The tornado was whirling behind him, and the wolf was standing in front. Seeing Derek appear out of nowhere, a flash of shock glistened in the wolf¡¯s eyes. Derek, feeling the mana headache that came from using up the majority of his mana, did not feel like playing around anymore. He summoned his glaive and jumped forward before the wolf could react. Reaching eye level with the beast, he drove his glaive with both hands into the blue eye of the creature. The angle was such that the glaive penetrated the eye and broke out from the top of the skull. Derek landed back on the ground and dismissed his glaive, the wolf¡¯s body falling seconds later. The wind started to die down and eventually everything was calm again. Derek momentarily slipped into Greater Meditation to get some of his mana back to ease the headache. A couple seconds later, his mana was above 15% and the headache was gone. He let out a sigh, thinking about all the ways he could use his new skill, and the possible dangers of it. One thought was what would happen if he was in the middle of transitioning between ripples and he ran out of mana. He shuddered as he thought about his body laying in two halves. Let¡¯s not test that theory. Another pillar of light formed in front of Derek. When it disappeared, the dungeon orb was floating in its place. I guess that means the dungeon is complete. He walked back to the cabin, dragging the corpse of the giant wolf behind him. He turned the knob of the door and opened it. ¡°Okay, you can all come out now. The dungeon is finished. It¡¯s time to get our rewards and head to the next dungeon.¡± Chapter 47: Rewards Chapter 47: Rewards Derek took a quick look at his kill notification while waiting for his group. You have killed level 65 Canis Cyclonis 1728 Experience Gained 1986/4900 Experience to Next Level The others soon came out of the cabin and he dismissed the window. ¡°Woah! Was that the final boss?¡± Brandi yelled. ¡°Hmm¡­ Oh, yeah. I figured it would be fun for you to make something out of a hide so big.¡± Derek looked at Mal. ¡°You want to Dismantle? Or should I?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I think it¡¯s better for you to do it. My skill isn¡¯t very high yet.¡± Derek made short work of the task and soon had the hide in his storage bracelet. He also went ahead and kept all the other hides that had been accumulated. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get to the orb. I really want to make sure Brandi gets the rewards even though she never left the safe zone.¡± With that, he led the group over to the dungeon orb. They all arrived at the orb and placed their hands on it. A notification popped up for Derek. Dungeon Complete¡­ Assigning Rewards¡­. Congratulations, you have received a Scroll of Restoration. Derek identified the scroll. Scroll of Restoration Upon activation, this scroll will fully restore any being to its previous perfect state. Note: Does not work on those in ¡®Dying¡¯ state. Derek sighed. He was disappointed in his reward, but he had not expected much in the first place. He looked around and found that everyone, including Brandi, was holding their own scrolls. Oddly, Malorie seemed to be staring at her scroll with tears in her eyes. ¡°What wrong?¡± He asked. She sniffed, but kept her voice from breaking. ¡°I got a Scroll of Resurrection.¡± She shook her head. ¡°If only I¡¯d had this before¡­¡± She trailed off. Derek checked on the scroll she was holding. Scroll of Resurrection Upon activation, this scroll will pull a being out of the ¡®Dying¡¯ state and fully heal them. Damn. This system really likes to fuck with people. He sighed. He asked the others what scrolls they received. Rayna was the first to speak. ¡°I got a Skill Scroll for a skill called ¡®Chain Strike.¡¯¡± She held the scroll out for him to see. Skill Scroll: Chain Strike Upon activation, the user will learn the sword skill, ¡®Chain Strike.¡¯ As this is a skill from a scroll, no skill points are required and it will not be forgotten upon class change. Derek was impressed with Rayna¡¯s luck. He assumed that Skill Scrolls were quite rare in lower-level dungeons like the current one. Next was Thomas¡¯s turn. The boy sighed after hearing about Rayna¡¯s scroll. ¡°I got a Scroll of Restoration.¡± He said. Derek nodded at that. He looked at Brandi. ¡°What about you, kid? Anything good?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She said. ¡°It said it was a beast type Contract Scroll.¡± That caught Derek¡¯s attention. He identified the scroll. Contract Scroll: Beast Upon activation, the user will be able to bind a beast to themselves. As this is a contract, the beast must also agree to the contract. Note: This is not a skill. Once bound, the beast will become soul bound to the user and will grow accordingly. The first thing Derek thought about after reading the window was Silvi. He had hoped for some type of Beast Tamer skill in the first dungeon, but came out of it with the Cure Toxin skill. He had never expected there to be a scroll like this in this dungeon. Now, he was in a predicament. He really wanted the scroll, but was having a hard time bringing himself to ask the child to give it to him. Finally, he decided to be shameless. ¡°Uh¡­ Brandi. Do you mind if I take that scroll? I¡­ Uh¡­ Have a use for it.¡± ¡°Of course. Here you go.¡± Brandi handed the scroll over with no hesitation. Derek held the scroll in stunned silence. Seeing his awkwardness in asking for the scroll, everyone in the group laughed. Malorie spoke. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be embarrassed. All you have done is give to us. Of course we want to find a way to pay you back.¡± Derek just shook his head and put the scroll away. I guess I was just overthinking things. I hope Silvi is still close to where I left her. It has been a while. He looked over the group. ¡°Alright everybody, put your masks on.¡± He focused on Mal. ¡°Or in your case, the hood on the robe.¡± The group did as told. ¡°Time to leave.¡± He focused on the ¡®Leave Dungeon¡¯ tab and the countdown began. Five seconds later, the bright light flashed, and they were out of the dungeon. They all appeared standing around the dungeon orb. Derek scanned the area. This time, there was no one outside waiting to enter the dungeon. He wanted to immediately go and look for Silvi, but, knowing that her level was in the 60s, he worried that she would not be able to enter the dungeons, and he did not want to find out if that meant he would not be able to enter too. Instead, he pulled out his map and looked it over. Upon coming to a decision, he put it away and picked Brandi up. He motioned to his group. ¡°This way, let¡¯s go.¡± This time, the group lasted a lot longer before they had to take a rest. Actually, while they were running, he could feel Brandi¡¯s stomach rumbling. He had not thought about it, since he really did not have to eat much, but they had been in the dungeon for hours, and it had taken some time to reach it too. Of course everyone would be tired and hungry. He made the decision to stop and set up camp. It was almost sundown anyway. ¡°Here is good for now. Let¡¯s set up camp. We can continue our dungeon runs tomorrow.¡± He said. Everyone agreed that it was a good idea, and they all broke off to do different tasks. Not long after, there was a fire built and Malorie was cooking up something delicious in some of the cookware she borrowed from him. The meal, as expected, was delicious. Even if it was only meat. With the group full, they all talked a bit before night fell. Finally, they all turned in. Derek let them know that he would keep watch so they could have a good night¡¯s sleep. The next morning, they were packing up the camp. ¡°Too bad none of you were able to get some kind of Water Mage class.¡± Derek joked. ¡°It would be nice to have as much fresh water as we could use at all times.¡± He said as he poured some water from a flask into his hand and rubbed it on his face. Soon, the camp was packed up, and they were all ready to go. ¡°Which one are we going to now? I never asked.¡± Rayna asked. ¡°I figured it would be a good idea to do the skill point dungeon. They seem pretty common, but, as we have learned, it¡¯s always a good idea to have as many skill points as possible.¡± He replied. Everyone nodded. Malorie and Brandi had been happy to get the extra skill points from the Award they received after running their first dungeon. Malorie was especially happy. She had no clue how many skill points her next skills would cost, and just the skill points from the class upgrade would most likely not cover them. Finally, the group of five took off toward their next conquest. It was not long before they arrived at the dungeon orb. Again, the area was vacant, so there was no worry over being discovered. Soon, all the members placed their hands on the orb and they were transported into the dungeon. The new dungeon was a fire affinity dungeon. When the group got their bearings, they were able to look around and see the cavern walls around them. It was not unlike the first dungeon that Derek and Thomas completed, with the only real difference in the spawn room being the red veins flowing through the rock. The glow of the veins was enough to light up the room. ¡°Okay, same plan as before. I¡¯m going to go check it out first.¡± Derek said. He then opened the cavern door and stepped out. The surrounding cave was enormous. There were pools of lava scattered around the area, along with a few different kinds of beasts. The most prevalent was a large black lizard with red stripes. There were also groups of crab-like creatures in shells that wandered around the lava pools, and there was what Derek could only assume were fish in the small lava pools. After Derek surveyed the area and formulated his game plan, he went back to the safe zone and brought back Rayna. The lizards should be easily taken out by her Wind Blade, and if Derek could get the crabs to chase him, they could dispose of them just like the wolves from the previous dungeon. Derek told Rayna the plan, and they set off. The same strategy worked like a charm, and everything went without a hitch. They settled into a rhythm and began clearing the dungeon at a rapid pace. Thomas and Mal would pop out and get their kills when needed, and Rayna would take care of the majority of the rest. She was also able to solo kill the fish in the lava pools. Before long, the first cave was clear. Everybody moved up, Derek and Rayna moving to the second cave, and the rest staying safely in the first. Other than the higher levels, there were not many differences from the first cave to the second. It fell like the first. Derek went alone to the third monster cave. After the last two boss monsters, he decided to not even risk having someone with him. The boss turned out to be a rock giant, which died even faster than the previous boss. For the fight, Derek channeled the void into his hands and struck the giant in what he guessed to be its vitals. He still did not know if his guess was right, but the boss died nonetheless. After the fight, everyone received their dungeon reward and exited. Soon, they were on their way to the next dungeon. Like this, the group spent the next week and a half clearing the surrounding level 50 dungeons, even the ones with bad rewards. Rayna had hit level 49 during the fourth dungeon run. As she leveled and gained combat experience, she was able to kill more and more enemies without the aid of Derek. But when she leveled to 49, she stopped her progress as to not level to 50 and begin the class upgrade. Not only did she want to have more accomplishments before the class upgrade, but she did not want to accidentally out level the dungeons. One could not enter a dungeon with a class upgrade available, so she decided that it was best to stay at level 49. Still, this was an opportunity for both Thomas and Malorie. With Rayna no longer fighting, they were able to take her place and soak up all the XP, other than the boss, in the remaining fourth dungeon and the fifth, and last, level 50 dungeon. After finishing the fifth dungeon, Derek looked at his new stats. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 41 Experience 4458/10,500 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 2150 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 0) Attack 49 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 360 Dexterity 260 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 220 Wisdom 215 Stat Points Remaining 618 Skills Channel Void Level 6 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cure Toxin Level 4 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 12 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 2 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 14 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 8 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 9 Restores 45% HP over 30 seconds. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 2 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 3 Become one with and move within the void. Skill Points Remaining 11 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer Not bad. Now, all that¡¯s left is to spend some stat points before going to the Undying Dungeon. After collecting the dungeon rewards, which were just various different potions, Derek decided it was best for him and his group to stay in the freshly cleared dungeon while he prepared for the level 100 dungeon dive. Chapter 48: Stat Time! Chapter 48: Stat Time After looking over his stats for a few minutes, Derek had a general idea of what he wanted to do. Vitality and Endurance would always be his go to stats, but with the mana costs of his void skills, Wisdom was going to be a must if he ever wanted to be able to use them consistently. He was not sure how much Intelligence modified the strength of the skills, but everything he used void on seemed to die almost instantly, so Intelligence was the least of his worries. After getting the Award for raising his Endurance and Vitality to 500, he did want to have all of his stats at 500, eventually. He actually almost had enough stat points to do it now, but he was still missing a few. The first thing he did was use 140 points to increase his Strength to 500. The feeling, just like when he initially reached it with Vitality, was a rush. It felt like his Strength was on a whole new level. In fact, when he looked down, the armor he was wearing was tight on him, and his muscles felt much more taut than before. He sensed that if needed, he could use an explosive amount of strength. Next, he used 240 points to raise his Dexterity. The explosive power remained from his Strength, but with the Dexterity, his body size shrunk back to his old size, albeit much more toned. He would still be able to erupt with great strength, but now, he felt that he could control it much better. Derek shuffled from one foot to the other, like a boxer would. He could not imagine the speed at which he would now be able to run. He noticed the notification he had expected to pop up was there. He ignored it for now and spent more of his stat points. He used 235 points to bring his Wisdom to 450. His mind felt clearer overall, but he definitely did not feel the whole new level that bringing a stat up to 500 brought with it. Finally, with his stat points settled, he brought up the notification. You have succeeded in increasing both your Strength and Dexterity to 500 points. New Award Earned Derek moved to the next message. Offensive Powerhouse You look to finish the fight in the shortest time possible. One hit kills are your normal. In order to maintain your explosive ways, you have focused your stat points on strictly offensive stats. You will be awarded with the following: Two Offensive Skills (Please Choose) Note: This is a one-time Award and cannot be upgraded. Derek had been waiting for this ever since the previous Award. Because of his lack of offensive class skills, offensive skills were what he felt he needed most. Unable to wait any longer, he focused on the offensive skills. Current Available Skill Points: 11 Note: One skill point is required to unlock any of the skills below. If you do not have any skill points, you may choose to unlock a skill at a later date. Available Offensive Skills Augment Projectile Enhanced Strike Glass Cannon Lightning Pierce Mastery (Choose your weapon) Multi-Strike Phantom Blade Rapid Movement Sweeping Slash Whirlwind Derek looked over the list of skills available. Augment Projectile was an ability that let him increase the strength of a projectile weapon. Using it would allow a dagger or arrow to fly faster, farther, and would also increase its penetrating power. Derek had been using projectiles often lately, but they would never be a part of his main focus, so he dismissed the skill. Enhanced Strike seemed like his previous Heavy Blow skill. It focused his attack into a single strike, increasing his damage. He had not been missing Heavy Blow very much, so the only reason he would get this skill would be the possibility of the two skills combining. Glass Cannon was very interesting. The skill would bring his Endurance down to 10, effectively eliminating his Stamina and non-gear defense. Afterward, the skill would distribute half of his Endurance to Strength and half to Dexterity. Lightning Pierce was an instantaneous skill. It was more based on Dexterity than Strength. The skill would project him and his weapon forward at an insane speed. The skill moved in a straight line and it would take some time getting used to attacking at the same time. Derek could see how someone without a high Dexterity would never be able to adapt to the skill. Mastery was a passive skill, just like a Weapons Mastery skill. What Derek liked was the fact that the bonus would stack on top of his Heavy Weapons Mastery skill. He also wondered if the skill would combine with his old Glaive Mastery skill. His previous mastery skill had combined with Glaive Mastery earlier, so he did not expect to get lucky and being able to combine it twice. Multi-Strike was one of the skills that Derek was interested in. It was a pretty basic skill. When activated, a strike would hit twice. It would be like stabbing someone in the exact same spot two times. Even though it was basic, with his attack and Strength, the strike would be devastating. And, as the skill leveled, the cost would decrease, and the possibility of more strikes would be added. He favored this skill greatly over Enhanced Strike, even with the possible skill combination. Phantom Blade was a feint type of attack. He could see its uses for speed type fighters, but for him, it was not very useful. It projected an attack towards an opponent when you attacked, which left it up to the enemy to try to figure out which attack was real. Rapid Movement was nice. It increased all movement while in combat. It was very much like Haste, but it was a passive skill. When it recognized that the user was in combat, the buffs would automatically activate. How it recognized when one was in combat, Derek did not know. He guessed that it was based on the user¡¯s mindset. The overall increases in movement were not near as much as Haste, but, being a passive skill, there was no cooldown and the ability was always active. Sweeping Slash seemed to be just like his Wide Sweep skill. It was actually the skill that Derek was missing the most. When he used the skill, it would project a crescent like blade one meter out from his weapon. Of course, that would increase as the skill leveled, as would the damage inflicted. It was a perfect area of effect skill for someone like him. Finally, Whirlwind was a skill sort of like Sweeping Slash. But instead of the half circle in front of him, it would attack the full 360 degrees. After the attack, a residual attack would circle around him for five more seconds. It was a nice skill, it would be great if he were surrounded by enemies. After breaking down the pros and cons of each skill, Derek narrowed it down to Mastery, Multi-Strike, Rapid Movement, and Sweeping Slash. Luckily, he would be able to choose two of the skills. After a bit more consideration, Sweeping Slash was a must for him. It may not be the best skill of the bunch, but it was a skill he was used to and it should start out at a higher level. Soon, Derek eliminated Rapid Movement from the list. He just had not needed to move any faster than he already did, and with his new stats, he did not even know how much his movement had increased. He figured that it was already more than enough for his fighting style. This left his choices down to Mastery and Multi-Strike. The extra mastery for using his weapon would be great, but at the same time, his Strength and Dexterity was already super high. Not to mention that his Heavy Weapons Mastery was already very close to reaching level 20. Multi-Strike would be a outrageously powerful single target skill. If he could combine the skill with Channel Void or Sweeping Slash, he could not imagine the devastation that could be wrought by it. After minutes of debating himself, Derek let out a sigh and selected Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike. He confirmed his choices. Sweeping Slash Learned Successfully. Skill Points Remaining: 10 Derek nodded. Multi-Strike Learned Successfully. Skill Points Remaining: 9 Soon, a tinge of pain flashed in his head, and a notification popped up in his vision. Dormant skill similar to Sweeping Slash found¡­ Merging skills¡­ Skills successfully merged... The pain was not even a distraction anymore. He opened up his notification to see how his new skill had leveled. Congratulations Sweeping Slash has reached level 18 He nodded. Happy with the skill combination. He viewed the skill in its entirety. Sweeping Slash Your slash creates an arc in front of you, damaging enemies up to 9 meters in front of you, causing damage up to 90% of your normal attack. Level the skill to increase damage and range and reduce cost and cooldown. Cost: 160 Mana Cooldown: 30 Seconds Derek smiled. He wondered if he would be able to augment his glaive with void before activating Multi-Strike then using Sweeping Slash. He could not help but let out a little chuckle. He looked at his other skill. Multi-Strike Upon activation, your next attack will be dealt twice. Level the skill to increase the amount of attacks and reduce cooldown. Cost: 500 Mana Cooldown: 10 Minutes Derek was content with his new status. He was prepared to go run the new undying dungeon. For the final time before heading to the dungeon, he checked his new status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 41 Experience 4458/10,500 Class Champion of the Void (Epic) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 4500 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 0) Attack 100 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 500 Dexterity 500 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 220 Wisdom 450 Stat Points Remaining 3 Skills Channel Void Level 6 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cure Toxin Level 4 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 12 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 2 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 14 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 8 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Multi-Strike Level 1 Your next attack hits twice. Rejuvenation Level 9 Restores 45% HP over 30 seconds. Sweeping Slash Level 18 Project a slash in front of you. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 2 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 3 Become one with and move within the void. Skill Points Remaining 9 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Derek closed the window and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 49: To the Undying Dungeon Chapter 49: To the Undying Dungeon Derek looked at the rest before leaving the dungeon. ¡°Okay, the next dungeon we¡¯re running is the level 100 undying dungeon. On the way there, you have to be careful. I¡¯ll take care of Brandi, but the rest of you must stick close to me. Or, I can take you back to the village, it¡¯s completely up to you. Just know, getting there will not be as safe as everything else has been.¡± He had to warn the group. Derek knew that he should not have a problem protecting them, especially with his new stats and skills, but he was not going to give them any false promises. Going to the next dungeon was something that they would have to decide for themselves. ¡°Of course I¡¯m in.¡± Thomas said. ¡°Who knows if there is an Award for being the first team to complete a dungeon, or even finishing a level 100 dungeon. Not to mention the possible rewards for such a high rank dungeon.¡± His eyes glowed just thinking of the possibilities. Rayna did not hesitate either. ¡°I¡¯m fast enough that I should be able to survive the trip there, especially if we are stealthy.¡± ¡°We can go.¡± Mal said. ¡°But you have to keep Brandi safe above all else.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°The dungeon is a bit further away than all the others, but I picked this dungeon as the last because it was closest.¡± The dungeon they were currently in was around a third of the way between the village and the level 100 dungeon. Of course, the group would not mess around like he did when he was alone. They would go straight to the new dungeon at a brisk pace, avoiding what enemies they could. Derek expected them to arrive within a week. ¡°Okay, masks on.¡± He said, and everyone covered their faces. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The group all placed their hands on the dungeon orb and Derek chose ¡®Leave Dungeon.¡¯ The orb glowed and the bright light overtook their vision. Soon, they were standing around the entrance to the dungeon. Derek looked around and, seeing that no one was there, picked up Brandi and began moving deeper into the forest. The others all followed. They traveled like this for days. *** In Torith, inside a noble manor, a middle-aged looking man was sitting at a desk in his study. He looked up from a stack of papers. ¡°Bronson, is that brat back from his quest yet?¡± ¡°We have not heard from him since he left, master.¡± A man wearing a classic butler uniform answered. The older man sighed. ¡°That damn kid. He¡¯s probably messing around causing another mess that I¡¯ll have to clean up. Why can¡¯t he be more like his older brother?¡± He waved his and a stack of coins appeared in his palm. He handed the coins to Bronson. ¡°Take these, go see Maria. At least make sure that Wallace is well.¡± Maria was a commoner who had worked her way into the noble¡¯s good graces. She had gained her reputation as a Lesser Sibyl. She could not see the future per se, but she could feel out the wellbeing of others. If anyone needed to know the status of another, they could bring a possession of the one to her, and she would be able to check his or her basic status. Bronson stopped by Wallace¡¯s chambers and grabbed a tunic he had seen the young master wear. With that, he left the manor and walked through the noble part of the city before arriving at the upper class commoner region that bordered. He walked up to a well off residence and knocked on the door. A young lady answered. ¡°Can I help you, sir?¡± She asked. ¡°Ah yes, I was looking for Miss Maria, I have a task that I would like her help with.¡± Bronson answered. ¡°Yes, sir. I will inform Miss Maria that House Gracefall would like to meet. Please come in.¡± The young lady, seeing the house insignia, motioned Bronson to have a seat. ¡°I will be right back.¡± She turned and went up the stairs. Soon, a woman with black hair and in a lovely blue dress walked down the stairs into the living room. ¡°Bronson, how nice to see you today. It¡¯s been too long.¡± She said as she walked to a seat across from the man. The man smiled. ¡°Miss Maria, you are as lovely as ever.¡± He stood while waiting for the woman to have a seat. She sat, and he soon followed. ¡°Unfortunately, today¡¯s visit is business. The young master has been out on a mission from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild for a while now, and the master is worried.¡± With that, he placed the tunic and stack of coins down on a table between them. The woman smiled. ¡°Of course, I would be happy to help.¡± She reached over and grasped the tunic and closed her eyes. Squeezing it, her hand started shaking from the force. The smile eventually turned into a frown as her eyebrows creased. Soon, her eyes opened and a look of sadness filled them. She looked up at Bronson. ¡°I am sorry, Bronson. I can feel no future from your young master. I¡¯m afraid that he is no longer of the would.¡± Maria broke the news. Bronson¡¯s face turned stoney. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked. Seeing Maria nod her head, he reached over and took the tunic from her. He stood. ¡°Thank you for your time, I must go inform the master.¡± He turned to the door and headed out. Maria looked at the closed door and sighed. Back at the manor, Bronson had made his way to the study. He stood in front of the man and waited for him to look up. After some time, the man finally raised his head. ¡°So?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master. It seems that the young master is no more.¡± He broke the news. The older man sighed. ¡°I knew that his arrogance would get the better of him one day. I had hoped he would break his habits as he grew.¡± The man shook his head and looked Bronson dead in the eyes. ¡°Go. Go to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and find the information on the quest he took. Then, find out what happened to him. You have one month.¡± Bronson nodded his head and left. He made his way to his servant¡¯s quarters and replaced his butler uniform with shining battle armor. He strapped a giant great sword to his back and retrieved a golden Adventurer¡¯s Guild badge and strapped it to his arm. Soon, he opened the door to the manor and left towards the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. *** The group had not actually run into any problems other than a bear attack on the first night they set up camp. Rayna had easily taken care of the level 62 monster. After that, it was smooth sailing for the team of five. Thomas, Malorie, and Thomas stuck as close to Derek as possible, while he kept Brandi in his arms. He had started to feel like he was just her personal taxi at some point. They made good time. Six days after leaving the previous dungeon, Derek and his group had finally arrived at the area where no plants were even partially alive. The area seemed to have gotten even bigger since the last time he was there. Brandi and Thomas were looking around in awe, while Rayna had a look of contemplation on her face. ¡°This is what will happen to the whole forest if the overflow isn¡¯t cleared soon.¡± The woman said. ¡°I imagine so. It seems that once the disease is rooted, it starts spreading even faster. The patches of diseased plants and trees from the outer parts of the forest are probably from when partially diseased animals made contact with them. I don¡¯t actually think that the disease will spread on its own from there.¡± Derek answered. ¡°Once the overflow is taken care of, I think the orb will stop radiating with the disease, and the forest will start healing. That is, of course, if the dungeon is properly maintained afterwards.¡± Rayna just nodded, but did not answer back. ¡°Come on. We¡¯re close, and I don¡¯t know how long it will take for me to clear this dungeon.¡± Derek said, and the group followed him deeper into the diseased land. Soon, they arrived at the dungeon orb. Brandi looked around and let out a gasp. ¡°Why are there so many bones over there?¡± She pointed past the orb to a giant pile of bones and rotted animal carcasses. Derek smiled awkwardly. ¡°Uh, that¡¯s where I had a fight the last time I was here. The monsters didn¡¯t take kindly to me running around making noise.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Brandi answered. It seemed like after traveling together and completing dungeons, no one was surprised when Derek did anything unbelievable anymore. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± Derek motioned to the group, and they all walked to the dungeon orb together. They reached their hands out and touched the orb. Max Participants Reached Participants 5/5 Derek Hunt: Level 41 Thomas Stewart: Level 32 Rayna West: Level 49 Brandi Fields: Level 1 Malorie Fields: Level 33 Please Choose an Option Below View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Derek viewed the dungeon to make sure everything was still the same. Dungeon Status Dungeon Level 100 Dungeon Type Undying Dungeon Status Extreme Overflow Dungeon Rewards Unknown Max Participants 5 Nothing had changed from the last time Derek was there. He backed out of the status screen. ¡°Okay, here we go.¡± He selected ¡®Enter Dungeon,¡¯ and the countdown began. Chapter 50: Undying Dungeon: Begin Chapter 50: Undying Dungeon: Begin The blinding light disappeared, and Derek found his footing. His first thought was to make sure that they were all in a safe room, as this was the first level 100 dungeon they had explored. Derek looked around. They were all enclosed in a stone room. The air was still, and there was a gloominess that sent a chill down his spine. ¡°Alright everyone, you all stay safe in here. Don¡¯t open the door after I close it. I¡¯ll come get you all when I¡¯m finished.¡± Derek waited for a moment, seeing that there were no objections or complaints. He made his way towards the room door. He placed his hands on the door and began to slowly slide it open. Once the door was somewhat open, he peeked through space. He shivered. They were in a graveyard and the so-called safe room was actually a tomb. I guess I should have figured as much. It makes sense that a dungeon with undying monsters would have a setting like this. Derek scanned what surroundings he could see through the crack. Oh, good¡­ Skeletons. Even with his time on Earth, Derek had never fought against skeletons. He had, however, heard horror stories from people who had. The unfortunate thing about skeletons, if they were the same as the ones on Earth, is that they could only be completely killed by magic. Fire magic was best, but any magic worked. Of course, they could be rendered useless by physical attacks. If one was to separate a skeleton¡¯s head from its body, it would only be able to control its head. The only way to vanquish a skeleton is to extinguish the soul flame behind its eyes. Derek let out a sigh. If it had been earlier, before he unlocked his void magic, he would have been useless in this dungeon. He started thinking about the ghoul he killed. It had bright eyes, I wonder if it had the same traits of the skeletons. It might be lucky that I used the void in my final attack on it. Derek used Identify on one of the skeletons. Skeleton Warrior Level 100 A monster spawned in an undying dungeon. Due to being dead, a skeleton cannot be exterminated by physical means. This skeleton is a warrior type and has upgraded physical stats. It seemed like skeletons were all the same. Derek went ahead and identified multiple other skeletons. There were Skeleton Warriors, Skeleton Archers, and Skeleton Mages. What made Derek sigh was the amount of enemies he would be facing. There were dozens of skeletons, and they were all level 100. There were also Vampire Bats flying around at extreme speeds. He suspected that if anyone other than him were to walk out, they would be executed immediately. I¡¯m definitely going to be level 80 or more by the time this is over. I guess the Extreme Overflow is causing the enemies to be packed so densely. Derek turned to his team. ¡°Make sure no one opens this door.¡± He reiterated, this time in a more serious tone. Here we go. Derek pulled the door open quickly and stepped out. Immediately, he turned and closed the door. As soon as the door was closed, a Vampire Bat flew into the stone door. Holy shit! If he had been any slower, his entire group would be dead. He quickly reached over and grabbed the stunned bat. He squeezed with his newfound strength. The bat turned to mush almost immediately, and he threw the corpse away. For this fight, Derek was wearing his most worn-out pair of jeans and shirt. None of the armor in his bracelet would be effective against anything at level 100, so he went with comfort. Derek summoned his glaive, wincing at the chip in the blade. He knew that he would not have enough mana to take care of everything, so he decided to disable as many skeletons as he could before gathering their heads and finishing them off. He ran past tombstones to get to the first skeleton. His aim was strictly the neck. Before the Skeleton Warrior could turn around, he swung his glaive. With a smooth cut, its head disconnected from its spine. Bones came crashing to the ground as Derek kicked the head towards a relatively unpopulated area of the graveyard. That¡¯s one. The disturbance caused by the first kill drew the aggro from the surrounding undead. Another bat swooped in to bite Derek, but he slapped it out of the air. Derek continued his charge through the skeleton horde. His upgraded Dexterity allowed him to dodge the incoming spells and arrows with ease. Slash after slash, more and more skeletons fell. Derek always tried to move their heads away from their bodies so they would be unable to rebuild. More and more bats swooped in, being killed in the process. Eventually, Derek noticed that he had not had to kill a bat for some time. He looked around as he went after a Skeleton Mage and found that he could not see anymore flying around. I guess that¡¯s the last bat. With the bats gone, he was able to play a little more recklessly. He moved faster, occasionally using Sweeping Slash towards groups. The still standing skeletons dwindled down one by one until Derek was the only thing on two feet. Derek began gathering the skulls from the disables skeletons, moving them all to one area. Damn, I hate fetch quests. Soon, all the skulls with soul flames were all gathered. Derek began channeling the void. He activated Sweeping Slash while also channeling the void, and the normal white projection from the slash took on a purple hue. The slash hit the pile of skulls and went through them. Notification after notification appeared in the corner of Derek''s vision. Derek took a quick look at his status. His level was paused on 50 and was calling for a class upgrade. Derek sighed and continued using the void to finish off the skeletons. When he finally got to what looked like the final skull with a soul flame, he stopped. He moved the skull to a solitary location and walked back to the tomb. He slid the tomb door open to see his team all in a battle stance. He nodded his head in approval as he walked in and closed the door behind him. ¡°What happened?¡± Rayna asked. ¡°Shit ton of skeletons and bats. What you would expect from a graveyard. I leveled to my next class upgrade, so I figured it would be best to do it now, just in case something unexpected happens later. I left one alive so the next wave doesn¡¯t spawn.¡± He answered. Derek sat on a stone bench on one side of the tomb and focused on the ¡®Upgrade Class¡¯ option. Skimming through all the class change options, Derek found that there really was not anything new. He then looked at his ¡®Champion of the Void¡¯ class upgrade. Oh? His eyes went wide as he looked at his next upgrade. Legend of the Void You have lived within the void, and used the void as you see fit. You have become a void user of legend. Unlike others, you will no longer become trapped in the void. The void is your ally. Legend of the Void is a growth type legendary class. Preferences for this class are unknown. Two skills will be available upon class selection. You will receive 30 free stat points for allocation to your choosing. Holy shit! He had never suspected for his growth type class to upgrade so quickly, and into a legendary class at that. Derek was a bit disappointed that the legendary class only gave two new skills, but the ten extra stat points per level more than made up for the limited class skills. Who knows? By the time I leave this dungeon, I¡¯ll probably be able to have all of my stats at 500 and probably much more. At his current level 49, Derek had already earned enough stat points to get his Wisdom stat to 500 and he only needed less than 200 more points to complete the process. Six levels, with the new free stat points. All I will need is six more levels. One thing that did scare him was the possible amount of XP that he would need to level up a legendary class. He could already tell that the amount of XP he needed for his epic class was at least twice as much as someone with a common one. Derek looked at the final level up notification he had received. You Have Killed level 100 Skeleton Mage 69,455 Experience Gained Level Up 31,205/??? Experience to Next Level (Must Upgrade Class to Level beyond 50) Derek took a deep breath, then chose to upgrade his class. A deep purple glow shot out from his body, startling everyone in the room. If they thought Malorie¡¯s class upgrade was special, the phenomena that Derek was causing was otherworldly. Even they could see the disturbance in the void caused by his class upgrade. The disturbance lasted for minutes until it finally calmed. Derek finally opened his eyes, but instead of the normal blue color that everyone was used to, they were a deep, darker purple, and it did not seem like they would turn back. Seeing everyone staring at him, Derek spoke. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your eyes, they¡¯re purple.¡± Thomas answered. Derek frowned and closed his eyes. He made sure that his Void Sense was turned down and checked his body to make sure he was not channeling any void. Afterward, he looked up and asked. ¡°What about now?¡± Thomas shook his head. ¡°Still purple.¡± He said. Derek inwardly cursed, he had really liked his blue eyes. Oh well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to get used to it. New notifications manifested after the upgrade, and he opened one. Congratulations You are now a ¡®Legend of the Void.¡¯ He dismissed the notification and moved on to the next. For obtaining a legendary rarity class, you have received 25 skill points. You have received 30 stat points. Derek smiled. I like that¡­ Now, Derek just needed to see how much he had leveled from his slaughter and what his two new skills were. Chapter 51: More Skills Chapter 51: More Skills Derek calmly pulled up his kill and leveling notifications. You Have Killed level 100 Skeleton Warrior You Have Killed level 100 Skeleton Archer You Have Killed level 100 Skeleton Warrior You Have Killed level 100 Skeleton Archer You Have Killed level 100 Skeleton Mage ¡­ ¡­ You Have Killed level 100 Skeleton Warrior 1,466,108 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up Level Up ¡­ ¡­ Level Up 135,548/187,000 Experience to Next Level Woah¡­ Derek didn¡¯t know what to think about all that. The scary thing was that he had to go back in for a round two, and who knows if the dungeon will even end after two waves. One thing that he could confirm was that he was needing way more experience to level as a legendary class than as an epic class. Derek pulled up his new status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 64 Experience 135,548/187,000 Class Legend of the Void (Legendary) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 4500 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 0) Attack 100 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 500 Dexterity 500 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 220 Wisdom 450 Stat Points Remaining 613 Skills Channel Void Level 8 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cure Toxin Level 4 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 12 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 2 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 15 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 8 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Multi-Strike Level 1 Your next attack hits twice. Rejuvenation Level 9 Restores 45% HP over 30 seconds. Sweeping Slash Level 18 Project a slash in front of you. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 2 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 3 Become one with and move within the void. Skill Points Remaining 34 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Derek was very happy that the fighting had actually leveled up his Channel Void two whole levels and Identify had even been bumped up one. Looks like I don¡¯t have to worry about getting enough stat points to bring Intelligence and Wisdom up to 500 anymore. He checked his new skills. Absolute Nullify Your void power has increased to the point where very few have ever seen. Using your strength of the void, you are able to nullify any and all magic spells for as long as you have the mana. Absolute Nullify creates a wall in front of the user that absorbs all spells into the void where they will eventually cease to exist. As the skill level increases, mana cost decreases and spell size increases. Uses 800 mana/s Cost: 11 Skill Points Derek read the skill over and over. It was, of course, a great skill for him, but something in the back of his mind kept annoying him. Why the fuck do I need Magic Resistance when I have this? But, as he thought about it, he realized that having both would actually be good. I guess it¡¯s good if I get sneak attacked or run out of mana. Just thinking about the time it¡¯s going to take to level everything up gives me a headache though. Derek confirmed that he wanted to learn the skill. Absolute Nullify Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 23 Derek moved on to his other new skill. Void Storage Create a space within the void to store your items. Mana Cost: N/A Cost: 6 Skill Points Note: This is a unique skill that does not level up. The size of the storage is based on the user''s Intelligence and overall level. Hmm¡­ Well, it never hurts to have more storage, and I can see the benefit in a non-item based storage system. Derek learned the new skill. Void Storage Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 17 Derek was not disappointed in his upgraded class or skills. Absolute Nullify was one of the strongest defensive skills that he had ever seen. Void Shift was also an amazing skill that could be used both offensively and defensively, but it would take Derek a long while before he was comfortable using it. With the way all of these skills are, I¡¯m going to have to start speccing into more of a mage build than my tank build. Derek shook his head. Okay, next thing is to get the Award for Intelligence and Wisdom. He had thought about waiting to use his stat points for the Award, but with the dungeon and his reliance on magic to complete it, he thought it best to use some of his stat points and hope for a powerful spell. Derek spent 330 of his stat points and increased his two remaining stats to 500. The instant his Wisdom hit 500, Derek¡¯s mind cleared. He had thought that he kept a pretty clear head before, but now, it was in an entirely different realm. When his Intelligence increased to 500, his ability to process information hit a new milestone. Before, he felt like using Void Shift would take a great toll on his mind having to process all of the ripples with Void Sense, then move accordingly, but now, Derek felt like it was something he could do in his sleep. Derek also channeled the void into his fist to see if there was a difference. It was near instant. Before, he had to start the skill up, then move the void accumulated inside his body to his fist or weapon. Now, with his Intelligence and Wisdom, he was able to directly channel the void into his fist, and the glow from the void was much deeper and bigger. I should have done this a long time ago. With all that finished, he viewed his new Award notification. You have succeeded in increasing both your Intelligence and Wisdom to 500 points. New Award Earned He dismissed the notification and checked the next one. Magical Glass Cannon Throwing caution to the wind, you have ignored other stats to focus on your magical output. You have become a magical weapon of mass destruction. You will be awarded with the following: One Active Magic Skill (Please Choose) One Passive Magic Skill (Please Choose) Note: This is a one-time Award and cannot be upgraded. Derek focused on the active spell choice. Current Available Skill Points: 17 Note: One skill point is required to unlock any of the skills below. If you do not have any skill points, you may choose to unlock a skill at a later date Available Active Magic Skills Acidic Spike Chain Lightning Shadow Orb Fiery Tempest Life Siphon Derek looked at the five available skills to choose from. He was not overly excited by the skills, but he could not complain much. At least it isn¡¯t Fireball and Water Gun. He mused. Acidic Spike was an earth type toxic spell. It pulled a piece of earth from the ground, shaped it like a spike, and launched it into a foe. Oh, and the spike just happened to have acid on it, so it would corrode anything it came into contact with. Chain Lightning, which had always been one of Derek¡¯s favorite spells from the video games he played, was a lightning skill cast over an area. It was not as damaging as a lightning bolt type spell, but once it hit an enemy, it could jump from enemy to enemy, eventually covering everyone. That is, of course, at a higher level, as there was a limit on how many targets the spell could affect at once. Shadow Orb was weird. It was literally just a dark orb launched at a target dealing dark damage. Derek was sure that the ability would have its uses, maybe against light type enemies, but he could not see the current need for it. Fiery Tempest was a mix of the fire and wind elements. It sounded almost like a fire tornado, but instead of constant rotation, it spread out in all directions from the user. Derek shuttered as he thought about how much damage would be caused if he used the spell in a forest. Finally, Life Siphon was a skill like Life Leech, only magical instead of physical. Casting the spell would shoot a beam at a target and siphon HP from it and direct it back to the spell user. After viewing all the skills, Derek did not find it challenging to make a decision. Shadow Orb did not seem too useful, Life Siphon was cool and all, but not what Derek needed. Fiery Tempest was way too destructive to be useful, and he already had enough single target damage, which got rid of Acidic Spike. That only left Chain Lightning. Derek chose the skill and confirmed his choice. Chain Lightning Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 16 Derek smiled, then moved on to his next skill. Current Available Skill Points: 16 Note: One skill point is required to unlock any of the skills below. If you do not have any skill points, you may choose to unlock a skill at a later date Available Passive Magic Skills Discerning Eyes Depth Diver Enhanced Perception Magic Sense Physical Resistance An odd expression fell over Derek¡¯s face as he viewed his choices. He had not thought that Physical Resistance would be on the list again. I wonder if Magic Resistance would be there if I hadn¡¯t chosen it before. Discerning Eyes was an ability that allowed the user to read texts and ancient languages. It was definitely an explorer¡¯s dream ability. Derek, however, had no need for it as the system language was more than enough for him. Depth Diver let the user hold their breath longer and move more freely in the water. It was a good skill to have if you were in an ocean environment. Derek laughed at the Enhanced Perception ability. It was the same ability he had learned just before his old system was cut off. It brought up some bad memories. Of course, it would still be a great skill to have. Magic Sense was a skill that let the user pinpoint magic. It would help keep the user from being magically ambushed, and could also be used in investigations. Of course, Physical Resistance was still the overpowered skill that he wished he had been able to choose earlier on. He had great defense and regeneration already, but with the Physical Resistance skill, it would go up another notch, and he could focus less on his Endurance and Vitality without feeling bad about it. In the end, Derek narrowed the choices down to Enhanced Perception and Physical Resistance. The only reason that he wanted Enhanced Perception was so it would auto level because it was a skill he already had. However, Physical Resistance was just too good to pass up, so he selected it and confirmed his decision. Physical Resistance Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 15 With that, Derek smiled and stood up. It was time to finish the dungeon. Chapter 52: Ghouls! Chapter 52: Ghouls! Derek approached the tomb door and opened it. This time, he did not have to worry about an enemy pushing inside. There was still the one remaining skeleton that he had not previously killed. He stepped out and closed the tomb behind him. He walked over to his killing ground and found the one skeleton that still had a soul fire burning. Lifting his hand, he cast Chain Lightning. Small streaks of lightning flew from his fingertips toward the target. Because of the low cost of the skill, Derek thought that it would not deal much damage. He was mistaken. The cost for the skill was only 25 mana per second, and it did not have a cooldown. As long as his mana could sustain it, he could cast it. With Derek¡¯s mana pool, he could channel the spell for over three minutes, and that was if he did not try to combine it with Greater Meditation. Seeing the soul fire of the skeleton extinguish in seconds, all that Derek could think of was his Intelligence. If 500 Intelligence gives this spell that much power, what will it do to my costly void skills? Derek snapped out of his thoughts as glowing pillars began forming all around him, covering the entire graveyard. I wonder what the next enemy will be. He waited for the pillars to fade before he could finally see the new monsters. Seeing what had spawned, he sighed. Acidic Ghoul Level 110 A monster spawned from an Undying Dungeon. The Ghoul is never full and is always looking for fresh flesh to consume. Due to its condition, any contact with it would leave acid on the user. I should have guessed. He looked around and identified other creatures. All ghouls, just different types. Every enemy was level 110. There were Acidic Ghouls, Toxic Ghouls, Putrid Ghouls, and others. This is going to be a pain in the ass. Derek prepared for the fight by rushing to a relatively open area with a wall behind him. At this point, he was happy that he pumped up his stats for the Award. With dozens of Ghouls around, he decided that keeping his distance would be the safest option. Of course, when he ran to an open area, he did not do so stealthily. He had already drawn the attention of dozens of ghouls. Here goes. Derek first began his meditation while awake. Then, while concentrating on maintaining his Greater Meditation, he cast Chain Lightning at the closest approaching ghoul. It was not easy keeping Greater Meditation activated while fighting. The only reason he could do it now was because Chain Lightning did not require active aiming or even moving, and he could count on the wall behind him to keep his enemies up front. The blue streaks of lightning flew from his fingers and hit the closest ghoul. After settling on the target for a second, the lightning jumped to the next enemy, then the next. Currently, three enemies was the limit, but Derek was counting on his Intelligence to amplify the strength of the spell. Four seconds, that¡¯s how long it took for the first ghoul to fall. The lightning jumped to the next closest ghoul, and the slaughter commenced. Derek looked at his status and noticed that his meditation was able to keep his mana from depleting too fast. With the regeneration rate, the cost came out to him losing around 5 mana per second, which allowed him to continuously cast the spell for over 15 minutes. Of course, this was only if he did not get overrun. With the screeching of the ghouls and the popping of the lighting, Derek guessed that just about every ghoul had already been alerted and on their way. Notifications were flashing across his vision rapidly as he killed ghoul after ghoul. He ignored them. The focus it was taking to keep both skills activated was already causing him a headache, and he could not imagine doing it with any less Wisdom than he already had. Oh? Derek saw one of his lightning chains jump to an extra ghoul. Must have leveled a bit. He wanted to check the skills level, but instead kept calm and focused. Minutes passed and the skill must have leveled multiple times because the pressure of being overrun had decreased greatly, and the field in front of him was just a string of blue lights. Of course, the multiple bodies piled up in front of him had also slowed the charge by quite a bit. The strain on his mind also lessened too, leading Derek to think that Greater Meditation had leveled up too. He looked at the 20 or so still standing ghouls and counted. 6¡­ 7¡­ The skill can already flow to seven enemies at a time. He checked his mana and was surprised to see that it was at max, it kept falling to 4,995 and jumping back to 5,000. That¡¯s badass. He chuckled. Derek canceled Greater Meditation and jumped forward, over the pile of bodies in front. He spread his arms out and actually aimed the lightning. The ghouls died one after another as he slowly brought his hands together, laughing evilly all the while. When his hands reached one another, the final ghoul in front fell. The force is strong with this one. While laughing at his own dumb joke, a giant pillar beamed down into the middle of the graveyard. The glow disappeared and Derek recognized the enemy in an instant. It was a skeleton in a black robe with a weird, glowing necklace hanging from its neck, floating half a meter above the ground. A bone staff with a purple crystal was held in its left hand. Soon, the crystal began to glow. Derek looked around him at the dead ghouls that were beginning to move. ¡°Oh, fuck that!¡± He yelled and dashed forward. His hands glowing a deep purple. He flew forward at breakneck speed and slammed his right hand into the Lich¡¯s face. A crater formed below them as he slammed the skeleton¡¯s head into the ground. He smashed its face with his void covered fist over while yelling at the monster. ¡°No¡­ Way¡­ In¡­ Hell¡­ Are¡­ You¡­ Doing¡­ That¡­¡± The Lich¡¯s skull crumbled to dust. Derek reached down and ripped the necklace from what was left of its neck. ¡°I¡¯ve played way too many games and read way too many novels to not know what this is.¡± He placed the glowing three dimensional star-shaped decoration in between his void laced hands and squeezed until it crumbled. ¡°Dumbass, wearing your phylactery around your neck.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to hide it, it¡¯s liching 101.¡± Derek dropped what was left of the necklace and looked up at the glowing orb coming into existence. I guess that¡¯s it. Derek looked around at the carnage he let loose. Magic is pretty neat. He turned back to the tomb and walked back over. Opening the door, he poked his head in. ¡°Hey guys, you can come out now. All the bad men are gone.¡± He backed away as Rayna walked out, followed by the rest of the group. Derek watched as they looked around at the two enemy piles and one crater. He walked over to the pile of ghouls and searched around until he found what he was looking for. He grabbed the arm of an Acidic Ghoul and ripped it off. He then placed it inside his bracelet. He turned back around to his team, who were giving him odd looks. ¡°What? It¡¯s part of the plan.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Brandi gave out a cry. Derek looked over and saw her picking up the bats. ¡°These will make great materials.¡± She said. He shook his head and took all but one of the bodies of the adventurers out of his bracelet. He took what money he could find off of them and tossed their bodies into the pile of ghouls. ¡°Part one of the plan, done.¡± He said. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go see what the reward is.¡± He motioned for the group to follow him. They all walked towards the dungeon orb. When they arrived, they reached out like they had time after time, and placed their hands on it to receive their reward. The message that followed was a happy surprise. Dungeon Complete¡­ Assigning Rewards¡­. Congratulations, as you are the first to complete this dungeon, rewards are doubled. You have received Storage Ring x2 Everyone gasped. Derek looked at them as they clutched their storage rings. ¡°What? Is it that good?¡± Rayna answered. ¡°Storage rings are rare, but can still be bought by rich people and nobles, but a dungeon that gives them as rewards¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°When they find out, everyone is going to want to run it. People will come from other cities, maybe even the Capitol.¡± She sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this will be a boon or a calamity for our villages.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Derek replied. He fiddled with his rings and injected mana into one. He frowned. Not even half as big as the space in my bracelet. Oh well, it will be a good way to hide that my bracelet is a storage device. ¡°So much space¡­¡± Thomas said. ¡°Do storage rings usually have this much room?¡± Rayna paused and looked at the ring she was holding. After a couple seconds, she sighed again. ¡°They¡¯re large storage rings too.¡± She said. ¡°That will cause an even greater commotion.¡± Derek furrowed his brows. He reached out to Rayna. ¡°Can I see the one you looked in?¡± He had already confirmed that both of his had the same amount of storage space. Rayna was taken aback, but nodded and handed him her ring. He looked inside. It was the same. He handed it back. ¡°So you consider this a big storage ring?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± I wonder what they would think if they saw inside my bracelet. He shook his head and laughed. He looked around. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to need one ring from you. Who wants to give one up?¡± He asked. Instantly, Mal, Rayna, Thomas, and Brandi all held out one ring towards him. He chuckled and took the one from Thomas. ¡°This is fine.¡± Brandi seemed to get an idea at about that time. ¡°I¡¯m going to go collect all the bats in my storage ring.¡± She said as she ran off. Thomas followed her. Derek chose that time to deal with all of his notifications. Holy shit! He thought as he went through everything. When he finally dismissed the last window, he viewed his new status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 29 Level 76 Experience 365,118/590,000 Class Legend of the Void (Legendary) Race Human (Modified) Health 5250 Mana 5000 Stamina 5150 Defense 51 (Armor + 0) Attack 100 (Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 500 Dexterity 500 Endurance 515 Vitality 525 Intelligence 500 Wisdom 500 Stat Points Remaining 643 Skills Absolute Nullify Level 1 Nullify magic spells Chain Lightning Level 9 Send a chain of lightning to enemies. Channel Void Level 8 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cure Toxin Level 4 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 12 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 3 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 15 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 8 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Multi-Strike Level 1 Your next attack hits twice. Physical Resistance Level 1 Increase natural physical resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 9 Restores 45% HP over 30 seconds. Sweeping Slash Level 18 Project a slash in front of you. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 2 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 3 Become one with and move within the void. Void Storage Level N/A Use a storage space made from void. Skill Points Remaining 16 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Derek closed his status and prepared for the next step. Chapter 53: The Plan Chapter 53: The Plan The group waited for Brandi and Thomas to return with the bats. While waiting, Derek pulled Gracefall¡¯s storage ring out of his bracelet and went through it. There was some good stuff in the ring, but Derek could only sigh because he knew he would not be keeping any of it. ¡°I goooot them.¡± A small, feminine voice rang out behind them. When Derek turned around, he saw Brandi and Thomas back from their task. ¡°That was hard, they were scattered everywhere.¡± Brandi said. Derek just nodded and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good that you thought to collect them, they are all level 100. You should be able to make some good stuff.¡± Brandi¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time to go. We¡¯ve been away from the village for too long already. I¡¯m sure that someone probably thinks that the adventurers ran into trouble by now.¡± Derek said, and the rest of the team agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He walked forward and placed his hand back on the dungeon orb. The others followed, mimicking his movement. Soon, the orb found that everyone was there and gave him the options. Just to make sure, he checked the status of the dungeon. The status had changed from ¡®Extreme Overflow¡¯ to ¡®Stable.¡¯ Relieved, he let out a breath. Rayna also looked happy, as she must have also checked the dungeon status. ¡°Now, we can only hope that this stops the spread of the disease.¡± Derek nodded and focused his attention on ¡®Leave Dungeon.¡¯ The countdown began, and before too long, the light overtook them and they disappeared. The team soon found their footing, and they were back at the dungeon entrance. A notification appeared in Derek¡¯s vision, but he promptly ignored it to focus on what had to be done next. He looked around for the best place to use for his plan. Not far in the distance, he found a tree. Actually, upon looking, he could tell that the tree had already begun to heal itself, and the dreadful aura that had been emanating from the dungeon orb had lessened considerably. It was now almost nonexistent. Derek walked over to the tree. After a shake of his hand, the noble¡¯s body appeared. He gently sat the body down, leaning it against the tree. Then, he took two storage rings, one of his own and the one Thomas gave him, and laid them onto the lap of the corpse. Following that, Derek pulled the storage ring that belonged to the noble out. He began pulling out health potions that the man had stored. Bringing one to his mouth, he tested it to make sure that it was a healing potion. He removed some empty flasks from his own bracelet and emptied all the healing potions into his own vials. No sense in letting all this go to waste. After emptying all the noble¡¯s health vials, he dropped half of them on the ground beside the corpse. Then, he took about a third of what he assumed was mana potions from the noble¡¯s ring. Verifying their contents, he stored them into his own bracelet. Got to make it look like he at least used up a bit of his supplies while in the dungeon. Derek continued doing small things like this for around ten minutes. Soon, he found that everything looked ready. Grabbing the hand that the ring was originally worn on, he placed the ring back on. It pained him that he was going to be losing three storage rings at once, but with his new Void Storage, it made it somewhat easier. Now for the final steps. Derek poured mana into his storage bracelet once again. This time, the severed hand of the Acidic Ghoul appeared. Carefully, he took the tip of the blade-like fingernail and cut a small slit into the side of the corpse¡¯s neck. The acid began doing its thing immediately. Why did I have to break this guy¡¯s neck? It would have been easier if he would have died of internal injuries. At least then I could have let the acid run rampant in his body without having to worry too much. Derek carefully watched the acid spread. Soon, it was through the body¡¯s neck and began eating away at its spine. The break in the neck soon vanished. Here goes. Derek began casting Cure Toxin on the acid. The acid visibly slowed, but continued eating through the body. Soon, he cast the spell again, then again, then again. After a few more casts, the acid slowed to a crawl. At this rate, it will be weeks, maybe even months, before the acid is able to spread through to the rest of the corpse. Based on his previous experience with the acid, Derek had made it look like the healing potions and the few poison cures he had found had healed the man long enough that the spread of the acid had been reduced. Unfortunately, the adventurer seemed to have run out of potions before the acid had run its course. Other materials laid beside the noble, making it seem like he tried everything he could to remove the acid. There were remains of clothing where he had tried to wipe it off, only to spread it further. It was too bad that in his panic, he never thought about trying to cut the toxin out. If he would have done so before it spread, he would have been able to heal himself from the self-inflicted surgery. Or at least, this is what the carefully laid story seemed to tell. Derek looked down at his finished project and nodded. I think this is as good as I¡¯ll be able to do. Hopefully, they don¡¯t send someone out who investigates things like this for a living. After finishing, Derek turned and looked at the others, who had been quietly watching him all the while. Rayna visibly shuttered when his gaze caught hers. ¡°Remind me not to piss you off in the future.¡± She said. Derek laughed. ¡°Noted.¡± He continued. ¡°Brandi, come here. The rest of you, make your way out of this clearing. I don¡¯t see or hear anything, but you should still be careful. I¡¯m going to cover our tracks, then follow you out.¡± The group all consented, then began slowing moving back into the forest. Derek lifted Brandi up and began removing the traces of their team from the clearing. Soon, they were all back in the forest and Derek had caught up. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s time to head back to the village. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t get this girl to level 10 while we¡¯re at it.¡± With that, the group¡¯s dungeon farming was over. It was time to head home. *** One week later, a group of tired individuals stepped out of the forest. They had hurried back and had not gotten good rest in the last week, well, they had not gotten good rest for far longer than that, but the anticipation of returning home had made them all fidgety and kept them from having a good rest while in the forest. ¡°Finally! We¡¯re out!¡± Brandi jumped for joy. She had been level 10 for over four days now, but Derek had talked her into waiting until she got home before choosing her class. ¡°Almost back. I hope the village has been doing well while we were gone.¡± Rayna said. She was clearly nervous about her village. She and Derek had gotten a lot closer during their time in the dungeons. She did not act anywhere near as cautious around him now as she did before. She had actually hit level 50 too and was waiting to return before upgrading her class. ¡°A bath. That would be nice.¡± Thomas said. Derek was happy with the boy¡¯s progress. He had matured quite a bit since the first dungeon he ran with him. He had taken to the spear quite nicely. It was almost like the weapon was made specifically for him. ¡°Something other than monster meat would be good too.¡± Malorie spoke up. She had never expected to reach level 30 in her lifetime. Now, she was the second strongest person in the village, and she loved using the bladestaff. ¡°I¡¯m just disappointed that the unicorn boar meat tasted identical to regular pork. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I love bacon and pork chops as much as the next guy, but I was hoping for something¡­ magical.¡± Derek replied. Derek had actually had quite a bit of fun on these dungeon runs. It was the first time in a long time that he felt good in a group. He actually looked forward to chatting a bit with the bartender back in the village. ¡°It would be nice to sleep on an actual bed.¡± Derek said. He had been lookout the whole time they were gone, so he spent the majority of his time in meditation. It was about time for him to actually get a good night¡¯s sleep. Soon, the group arrived at the outskirts of the village. Rayna sighed in relief at the sight. ¡°Whew. At least it¡¯s still standing.¡± She said as they walked towards the front gate. The normal duo of guards were waiting in their positions when they approached. The gates opened without a word and the team walked inside. The guards greeted Rayna before closing the gates behind them and getting back to their duty. ¡°Finally! Come on, let¡¯s see what I get.¡± Brandi yelled and began sprinting to her residence. Derek smiled and jogged behind. This was something that he was quite interested in too. Chapter 54: I’ve Created a Monster Chapter 54: I¡¯ve Created a Monster Derek turned the corner and saw Brandi sitting on the bench in her courtyard. He stopped, standing there silently, awaiting her class choice. The others soon arrived behind them. ¡°I¡¯m going to find Leon and the others and see if anything has happened since we¡¯ve been gone.¡± Rayna said before walking away. Derek nodded and looked to Thomas. ¡°You better go check in with your grandma.¡± He smiled. Thomas agreed and left. Now, it was just him, Malorie, and Brandi. He watched as Brandi¡¯s facial features went from frustrated to surprised to awe, and many other emotions. She was taking a much longer time than any of the others. Derek was proud of this fact, it meant that she was being much more serious about her decision than Thomas had been. He knew that he really should not play favorites, but even with Thomas maturing while in the dungeons, she was surpassing him in every way except for fighting. In fact, he had a plan for the girl if she were to unlock a powerful class. It was actually the reason he brought the mother and daughter with him. Rayna, on the other hand, well, he just enjoyed her company. Time slowly passed. Damn, she is really taking her time. Derek figured that she was going over every possible class, no matter the rating. That was something that he did for his first class from the other system, so he could respect it. Finally, she opened her eyes with a frown on her face. ¡°Derek?¡± She asked. ¡°Could you help me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He was surprised, but happy that she would ask for his help. ¡°What do you need help with?¡± ¡°After looking at all of the classes, I have two that I want. One sounds amazing, but the other is¡­ well¡­ odd.¡± She said. ¡°Oh? What are your choices?¡± ¡°The first class that I want is called ¡®Talon¡¯s Protege.¡¯ It¡¯s an amazing Leatherworking class. It is an epic rarity¡­¡± She paused as Malorie let out a loud gasp. After her mother calmed down, she continued. ¡°Apparently, Talon was a legendary Leatherworker from a long time ago. The class comes with 20 stat points per level and five different skills when unlocked.¡± Derek cursed the system again. Why does her epic class get five skills when I only get two? This is unfair. He thought about it a little longer and calmed down. I guess she really won¡¯t have any combat skill with it. Derek decided to ask the girl more about the class. ¡°You said that he was a legendary Leatherworker? Does that mean that the class is a growth type and your class will eventually become a legendary class too?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± She said. ¡°That¡¯s what the description says. But it isn¡¯t a growth type class. It says that¡­¡± She paused and seemed to focus. ¡°¡®As a protege, you will never be able to surpass your master while under her wing.¡¯¡± She read the exact description from the class select. ¡°It¡¯s an epic class! That¡¯s amazing honey, it doesn¡¯t matter if it won¡¯t become legendary.¡± Malorie could not help herself and blurted out. Both Brandi and Derek ignored her outburst. Derek spoke. ¡°So, that means that as long as you have the class, it will always be epic.¡± Derek thought for a minute. ¡°So, in order to surpass the epic rating, you would have to switch classes at some point, and that is if one is ever offered, and you would risk losing any exclusive class skills.¡± Derek nodded his head. Rare was the bare minimum class for my plan, so this is already great. Derek thought. ¡°I imagine that a lot of the skills you learn will be usable across several different Leatherworking classes. It¡¯s really not a bad choice. What is the other class?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®All Smith.¡¯ It¡¯s rare and a growth class.¡± She said. ¡°Woah, the name isn¡¯t great, but, being a growth class, it will end strong. What does the description say?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ It says, ¡®Become an All Smith.¡¯ That¡¯s it. That¡¯s what¡¯s odd.¡± She replied. ¡°Does it say anything about skills?¡± Brandi shook her head. ¡°Nothing. Other than the one sentence, it doesn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Well, the name is pretty self explanatory. I imagine that it is a class that is able to use multiple crafting professions. You will probably be a Leathersmith, Blacksmith, Tailor, and maybe more, who knows. It¡¯s rare at the beginning, so it will be easier to get initial levels.¡± Derek explained. She nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. Which should I choose?¡± She asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s your decision. I will say that ¡®All Smith¡¯ will probably be amazing. You probably won¡¯t ever have to worry about material for leveling either. If you run out of hides, you can use bones for armor or weapons. If you run out of that, there are plenty of plants to use for cloth. This is my opinion, but if it were me, I would choose ¡®All Smith.¡¯ The other one will be good too, especially if you really want to focus on Leatherworking. But, at the end, it is your decision.¡± Derek replied. The girl scrunched her face. ¡°You¡¯re no help.¡± She pouted. Derek just shrugged and gave an odd smile. Brandi closed her eyes again. Mal and Derek waited anxiously for her decision. Finally, Brandi let out a breath, then promptly fainted. Derek dashed forward and caught the girl before she hit the ground. ¡°Brandi!¡± Malorie screamed as she ran forward. Derek scanned the girl and used Identify. Seeing that she was in good health and was only unconscious, he let out a sigh of relief. ¡°She¡¯s okay. I think she was just overwhelmed with the class information. I think she chose ¡®All Smith.¡¯¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get her inside.¡± Malorie said. Derek nodded and picked her up. He followed Mal around the corner and into the residence. He laid Brandi down in the common room and sat with his back against the wall. Then the duo waited. A couple hours later, Brandi opened her eyes and sat up from her mother¡¯s lap. She seemed to be in shock. ¡°Brandi! Are you okay, how do you feel?¡± Malorie said. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± She answered as she looked around. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Thomas said. Derek was still sitting against the wall, but now, the boy was back and sitting next to him. ¡°So, do you know what happened?¡± Derek asked. The girl nodded her burred head. ¡°The skills. I got them.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°The skills, they were free. Picking the class automatically unlocked them. I didn¡¯t get any skill points.¡± She clarified. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s okay, I guess? Was it ¡®All Smith¡¯ that you chose?¡± Derek asked and she nodded in agreement. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit of a rip that you don¡¯t get any extra skill points for general skills, but not having to pay to unlock them is good. How many skills did you get, five? Ten?¡± He asked. Brandi shook her head. ¡°Four¡­ Forty-two.¡± She answered. The entire room was dead silent. They could not believe what they just heard. This girl had chosen a rare class and unlocked 42 skills all at once. After a while, Derek finally reeled himself in. ¡°How? Just what can you craft? What did you learn?¡± He asked. Brandi closed her eyes and focused, as if trying to put things in order. ¡°I¡¯m able to craft a lot of things from Armoursmithing, Weaponsmithing, Leatherworking, Tailoring, Alchemy, Woodworking, Sculpting, Brewing, whatever Engineering is, Enchanting, Gemsmithing, and Runesmithing and I got some Cooking, Mining, Herbalism, and Painting skills. I don¡¯t know why I need Painting.¡± She shook her head. This is crazy. She could literally become an unkillable monster with just the stuff she crafts. Enchanted cloth and leather armor with enchanted weapons and drenched in accessories. While having a cooking buff and downing potions. Using runes as weapons, if they work like they did in my old system. I want this class¡­ AND SHE CAN MAKE BEER! Derek was beside himself. I have to change my plan and put more into this girl. She¡¯s a national treasure. Derek shook the excitement off. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about your class. If anyone asks right now, you got a rare crafting class that lets you dabble in different crafts. I¡¯ll think of something else later because that plan will only last while you''re at a low level. The main thing is that you have to get strong enough so nobody messes with you. I¡¯m not going to always be around to protect you.¡± Derek thought about something after that. ¡°What about stat points? Did you get 15 like a normal rare class?¡± Brandi frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have any stat points to use. Let me check my stats.¡± She focused in front of her. Her eyes shot open in surprise. ¡°I got four points into everything. My Dexterity and Endurance is a little higher than everything else now because of the points I spent before to try to get a good class, but it looks like everything increased by four.¡± Soon, Brandi jumped up. ¡°I¡¯m going to go use my new skills to make something.¡± She ran to the door, then outside, leaving everyone sitting in the room in stunned silence. Eventually, Derek stood up and walked back to the courtyard. Brandi had her knife, which was now glowing, cutting into one of her hides. She was extremely excited. She turned and saw Derek and held up her knife. ¡°This sharpens my knife and lets it cut smoother, I also cast a spell on the hide that works with my will to help prevent bad or uneven cuts. I have another one that lets me up the quality at the end of a leather craft, but those are my only three Leatherworking skills, but I think I can use one of the Tailoring skills to help with Leatherworking too.¡± She went on, gushing about her new class. Monster, she¡¯s going to be a monster. Derek sighed. ¡°Well, remember what I said and don¡¯t let anyone know about your class. And I know I told you all before, but keep your storage rings hidden for now.¡± ¡°I know. Thank you, Derek. I would have never gotten this far if not for you.¡± She said and ran over and hugged him. Derek patted her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Work hard. I¡¯m going to go get a good night¡¯s sleep. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Brandi released him and he turned to walk away. He stopped. ¡°Maybe with your newfound skill, you can make me some new t-shirts.¡± He chuckled and continued walking. Chapter 55: It’s Time Chapter 55: It''s Time The next morning, Derek woke up and went back to the courtyard. He thought that he had risen early, but Brandi was already at it with her Leatherworking. He walked up behind her and waited for her to reach a stopping point. ¡°So, found anything else out about your class?¡± He asked. She jumped, as she had been focusing all of her mind on her craft. Turning around, she replied. ¡°I did, actually. I hit level 11 earlier. Instead of getting four points into everything like before, I got three. I don¡¯t know why or if it¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, if you were to get four points into everything at every level, your rare class would be getting more points than an epic class, and even competing with a legendary one. It makes sense that there are restrictions. In two levels you have gotten, what, 42 points? An epic class only gets 20 per level, rare is 15.¡± He said, remembering his previous epic class and Rayna¡¯s rare one. He continued. ¡°Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be shocked if you only got two points per level next time. It makes sense that the class is distributing the points evenly though. Strength and Endurance would be ideal stats for things like Weaponsmithing, Wisdom and Intelligence would be for Enchanting or making runes, Dexterity is definitely for the more precision crafts. I¡¯m not sure about Vitality, but it would suck to not be able to withstand an Alchemy explosion, so it¡¯s good to have it too. Just make sure to watch your stats over the next few levels and see if you can find the pattern.¡± Brandi nodded her head. Then she looked at Derek with an intense gaze. ¡°You said that it would almost be competing with a legendary class. How do you know what a legendary class is like?¡± She looked with hopeful eyes. Derek smiled. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t tell anyone anyway, but I would prefer for you to keep it to yourself.¡± He leaned in close. Brandi drew near. He whispered. ¡°I used to have an epic class.¡± Then he backed up and let Brandi piece it together. ¡°Used to? Then you don¡¯t anymore?¡± She paused. ¡°Growth class? Is it a growth class? Like mine?¡± She asked. Derek just winked at her. ¡°You go back and keep doing what you¡¯re doing. You should be leveling everything you can. I know it will be hard with all your skill, and the fact that you don¡¯t have any equipment for some of the crafts, but focus on what you do have.¡± She assented and turned back around to continue her work. Derek smiled and walked back to the bench and sat down. Soon, he slipped into deep thought. What should I do next? He looked around. I think my time in this village is pretty much done. The dungeon is completed and Rayna is strong enough to deal with any leftover beast hordes still in the outer edge of the forest. I guess I could go and get level 100, but I didn¡¯t see many enemies at level 100 or higher outside of the dungeon. There are supposed to be some strong creatures even deeper in the forest, but strong to these people is like level 50. I¡¯d rather not spend a lot of time traveling just to go on a wild goose chase. Derek sighed and looked over his stats. Well, at my current level, my stats including my free points are that of someone with a rare class being at like level 240. He closed his eyes and did some more calculations. Hell, someone with an epic class would need to be at least level 180 to even get close to my stats. Though, with my current distribution, and not focusing on any one skill, they could still beat me in their special areas. Derek thought about it for a minute, then put 200 points into his Strength, Endurance, and Vitality. He did not feel the big boost that he got when hitting 500, but going up 200 points at once was still a leap and he would need to get used to it again. Magic is fun and all, but Endurance and Vitality got me to where I am, and kept me alive. It¡¯s also nice to have extra Strength. Happy with his distribution, he thought about his plans. I need to go see if that dumb bunny is still anywhere around here. Though, I¡¯ve always wanted a mount, so I could go look for something cool instead. He shook his head. No, I¡¯ll stick with the bunny if I can find it easily. If not, I¡¯ll take the other route. He continued looking over his status sheet, then stopped when he got to the Awards. So that is what they were all talking about. He had dismissed his new Award for being part of the first team to complete a new dungeon. The others had brought it up, but he did not bother with it before, as it was not something that he could currently use. Lesser Dungeon Traveler You are the first to complete a newly formed dungeon. Your skill and courage to explore the unknown is astounding. You have received the following: +10% Experience Gained in Dungeons +10% Increase in Dungeon Reward Rarity Continue to explore new dungeons to increase the Award¡¯s tier. I mean, it¡¯s not a bad Award, especially for me. I¡¯ll be able to complete level 100+ dungeons solo and fast, but the problem is finding them. Derek looked around again. I guess the plan is to find the bunny, then go to the city. I¡¯ll see if I can find a map of other dungeons, or get directions to a different city that has them. He frowned as he thought about it. I did want to make sure no one caused trouble to the village because of that noble, though. I¡¯ll stay a bit longer just to see, but after that, I¡¯m out. With his plans set, Derek waited at the village for some time. During that time, Brandi got to level 14 and found out that she gets four, three, then two stat points into every stat before it rolls back over to four. All in all, it turned out to be 18 points per level, which was in between a rare and epic class¡¯s distribution. He also told Thomas that he would be leaving sometime soon and made sure the boy still wanted to go with him. Of course, he did. He made sure to drill it into the kid that anymore blatantly dumb mistakes would get him a one-way ticket back to the village. Thomas seemed to be very embarrassed about his past mistakes and promised that he would be smart. *** A few days later, at around noon, Derek was chatting with Bart at the bar. Bart was right about one thing, there really was not anything fine about his ale. Derek slammed the mug down and sighed. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no point in even trying to get a buzz.¡± At least on Earth, he could purchase alcohol from the system that was strong enough for him. I guess I¡¯ll have to wait for Brandi to be able to make some good shit. Bart sighed apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s strong enough for the villagers, but I guess it ain¡¯t nothing special for ya.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It was good to drink something different, anyway. Even if it tastes like piss from a boot.¡± Derek replied. About that time, the front door swung open and Thomas ran in. ¡°Derek. There¡¯s someone here. He has a GIANT sword strapped to his back and a gold Adventurer¡¯s badge.¡± ¡°Oh, I wonder if he is here for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild or for the nobles.¡± Derek dropped a few coins from his storage ring onto the bar, then stood up. Fortunately, the storage rings from the dungeon were basic black bands, and looked exactly like the one the noble he killed was wearing. It was easier for Derek to explain than his bracelet, as he had asked around and everyone had only ever heard of people using rings. Of course, he only kept some basic things like money and hides in it. There were a couple weapons too, but nothing that anyone would question if he ever had to show anyone the contents. Derek exited the inn and leaned up against the wall beside the door with his arms crossed, waiting to get a good look at the new stranger. If he was heading to Rayna¡¯s residence, he would have to pass in front of him. Sure enough, the man with light brown hair tied in a ponytail soon made his appearance. He was wearing a shiny silver set of armor, and his greatsword was giant indeed. To Derek¡¯s surprise, he was not acting like everything was beneath him. He was looking around, taking the sight of the village in, like any normal traveler would. Hmm¡­ Maybe he¡¯s a representative from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Soon, the man¡¯s vision landed on Derek, who was wearing his usual blue jeans, black shirt, and combat boots. The man furrowed his brows, then his eyes shot wide open in surprise. Derek smirked. The man paused for a second, but soon continued forward past the inn and toward Rayna¡¯s residence. *** Rayna was sitting at her meeting table waiting for the man. Richard had informed her of the man at the same time that Thomas informed Derek. Needless to say, she was a bundle of nerves, but she was doing a good job hiding it. The last few days had been great for her. She finally looked at her class upgrade and, though there was no epic class to choose from, she was able to change her class from the rare Tempest Sword to a rare growth type class called Zephyr¡¯s Gale. She was especially happy that she was able to keep all of her old skills. She had spent most of her time in the dungeon casting Wind Blades, it seemed that the Great System must have taken note, and her new class was more of a wind swordsman that focused on range. It suited her perfectly. Soon, there was a knock on her door. Richard jumped up and went to answer. She had been waiting for this day. Derek had told her that if all else failed, shift all the blame onto him, but she would hate herself if she had to do that, even if he could handle it. Richard came back, behind him was the warrior. Rayna stood and spoke. ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t expecting company. How can I help you, mister¡­¡± She waited for the man to cut in. ¡°Bronson.¡± The man said. ¡°Mr. Bronson. Please have a seat.¡± She motioned to an empty chair and took a seat herself. The man touched his greatsword. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to stand.¡± He replied. Chapter 56: Here We Go Chapter 56: Here We Go ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to stand.¡± Bronson spoke. He was surprised with this ravishing blonde village chief. When he used Identify, it came back as a level 50 warrior. Sure, seeing level 50s and better was normal in Torith, but in a village such as this one, he had not expected. In fact, he was still reeling from the oddly dressed, cocky man with haunting purple eyes that smiled at him earlier. His level 12 Identify had failed when he tried it on the man. There were only three possibilities. Either the man had Identify, and it was at a higher level than his, his combined Identify and level was higher than his, or he had an extremely high level. All that he knew was that the man was strong. ¡°I¡­ See.¡± The woman said. ¡°Well, my name is Rayna, and I am the chief of this village. How can I help you today?¡± She asked. Bronson cut right to the chase. ¡°A group of adventurers should have made their way here not too long ago. They were on a task from the guild to find and clear a possibly newly found dungeon around here.¡± Rayna nodded. ¡°Yes, the group stopped by here. They did not stay long before they left though.¡± The woman said. Bronson frowned. ¡°They left right away?¡± ¡°Yes. They came here and stol¡­ borrowed Richard¡¯s map of the village and surrounding dungeons.¡± She nodded at Richard, who winced ever slow slightly. Bronson noted the slight disgust in the woman¡¯s voice and the emotion from the man when she mentioned the map. Well, that sure sounds like the boy. The map is probably a very valuable thing out here, and Wallace must have swiped it. He shook his head. He looked directly at Rayna. ¡°One of those adventurers was a noble from house Gracefall. I am both the head butler and guard of the house. I have come here because the boy is¡­ missing.¡± He was watching the woman¡¯s expressions as he spoke. She frowned slightly when he mentioned that the boy was a noble. Bronson squinted his eyes and continued. ¡°I find it strange that the team wouldn¡¯t stop for a break after traveling all the way here.¡± The woman visibly held her breath. She seemed to be thinking of what to say. She let out a long sigh. ¡°They probably would have stayed.¡± She said. Bronson motioned for her to continue speaking. ¡°They were creating a¡­ ruckus¡­ It disturbed Derek. He¡­ ¡®asked¡¯ them to be on their way.¡± When she finished speaking, Bronson immediately thought of the man he passed in the street. ¡°Who is this Derek?¡± He asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know much about him. He¡¯s been here for a little while now, seems to have taken a liking to Richard¡¯s grandson. All I know about him is that he¡¯s strong and sometimes he gets in a mood.¡± The woman said. Bronson looked at Richard. ¡°Your grandson?¡± The older man nodded and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into the boy. He keeps talking about becoming the man¡¯s apprentice. He goes off and trains with him sometimes. The boy is already a higher level than me.¡± Bronson got the feeling that the man did not approve of this ¡®apprenticeship.¡¯ If this man is as strong as he feels, the boy should thank the Great System that he took an interest in him, unless the man is¡­ unsavory. ¡°This man, deep black hair, weirdly dressed, and purple irises?¡± He asked. They both nodded. I guess I have to go talk to this ¡®Derek.¡¯ Bronson began to turn around. ¡°Thank you for the information. If you think of anything else before I leave, please let me know.¡± He finished speaking and walked to the door, then out. *** Derek was still leaning against the wall of the inn when he saw the man coming back from Rayna¡¯s residence. Right on time. He thought. Soon, the man stopped about five meters away from him and just stared. Derek was unable to Identify the man, but he could guess that the man could not use the skill on him either by the way he looked at him in the beginning. His badge showed him as a gold adventurer, so his level should still be under 150. Derek was not worried about having to face someone around that level. Plus, Torith was not a full city, and he doubted there was anyone even close to the platinum adventurer¡¯s badge. Derek would put this man at level 130 at most. Derek pushed himself off the wall and walked to the middle of the street. We¡¯re going to have ourselves a good ¡®ol fashioned standoff. He stopped and stared at the man. He pointed at the sword on the man¡¯s back. ¡°Can you use that?¡± He asked. ¡°Do you want to find out?¡± The man asked. Derek chuckled. ¡°You compensating for something?¡± He asked, seeing if he could rile the man up. The man just looked at him quizzically. Dammit! He didn¡¯t get the dick joke¡­ ¡°Well, come on then, I don¡¯t have all day. That inn has some of the worst ale you¡¯ll ever drink and I want another.¡± The warrior furrowed his brow and reached for his sword. ¡°Fine, it¡¯s your fault if you die.¡± The man rushed forward with his drawn greatsword. Within range, he slashed down with both hands. This can¡¯t be all he¡¯s got. Derek thought as he casually raised his hand and grabbed on to the moving blade. The sword stopped in its tracks, like it had hit an immovable wall. The man stared at Derek, dumbfounded. Derek let go of the sword and turned back to the inn. He started walking. ¡°Put that butter knife away and come join me for a drink.¡± Inside, Derek shook his hand and looked at his palm. The slight cut, not enough to draw blood, was almost healed. Decent Strength, too bad the greatsword doesn¡¯t have much of an edge to it. It would be a good weapon if it was sharper. He walked to the bar and sat on a stool. ¡°Two ales.¡± He said to Bart. Soon, the man walked in, his greatsword nowhere to be found. Derek turned his head to look. ¡°So, you wear that dull knife on your back as what, intimidation? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s better to hide your weapons until you need them.¡± He said as he turned back and picked up the mug. The man sat beside him, surprise still in his eyes. ¡°Who¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°Hmm? Me? I¡¯m Derek. Who are you?¡± The man opened his mouth to speak, but closed it right after. Finally. ¡°I¡¯m Bronson.¡± He said. ¡°Hello Bronson, have a drink.¡± Derek slid the other mug over to the man. Bronson picked it up and took a swig. The face he made was priceless. ¡°Told you it was bad.¡± ¡°What is someone of your strength doing in a village like this?¡± Bronson asked after setting the mug down¡­ far, far away. ¡°Found a boy running from a wolf. Brought him home. Liked the peacefulness, decided to stay for a bit before heading to Torith.¡± Derek answered like he had nothing to hide. Bronson frowned. ¡°Did you see a group of adventurers come through here?¡± There it is. Derek thought. ¡°Yup. A bunch of assholes and a spoiled noble. Shouting noble this, noble that. If someone doesn¡¯t teach that kid how to act when daddy isn¡¯t around to protect him, he¡¯s going to get himself killed.¡± He said and took another drink. Bronson looked at Derek, surprised. ¡°So you didn¡¯t kill him?¡± ¡°Kill him? He¡¯s dead?¡± Derek asked and Bronson nodded. ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± ¡°Why would that be odd?¡± Bronson asked, confused. ¡°Well, he had to have completed the dungeon. The disease has lessened greatly this past couple weeks. I would have done it, but it was only level 100, you know how it is.¡± Derek replied. ¡°He completed the dungeon?¡± ¡°Yeah, surprised me too. Didn¡¯t think the prissy noble had it in him.¡± Bronson did not seem to get hung up on how Derek addressed Wallace. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the dungeon?¡± ¡°Of course, I thought the disease was interesting, so I followed it. Turned out to be a low leveled dungeon, disappointing.¡± Bronson scoffed. ¡°Low level... ¡°He shook his head. ¡°I guess I need to go to the dungeon and take a look.¡± ¡°Good luck with that. That asshole kid took the only map, and the disease isn¡¯t as easy to follow anymore. I took a look earlier and was surprised by how quickly the plants were recovering.¡± Derek paused and acted like he was thinking for a moment. ¡°I guess I could take you, but you have to do me a favor.¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m leaving for Torith soon. You can show me around when I get there. Nothing like having a local guide.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy enough, though, I don¡¯t know how long this is going to take.¡± Shouldn¡¯t take too long, buddy. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go before it gets late.¡± Derek looked down at Bronson¡¯s legs. ¡°Can you move fast, or did you pump all your points into your muscles?¡± At this point it seemed that Bronson was used to Derek¡¯s rude remarks. ¡°I can move fast enough.¡± ¡°Good, come on.¡± Derek walked out of the inn and towards the gate. Bronson followed. After passing through the front gate, Derek took off to the edge of the forest at about three quarters of his fastest speed. Once at the treeline, he paused to wait. Finally, Bronson arrived beside him. ¡°So, fast enough means slow, I guess.¡± Derek shook his head. The other man glared at Derek with his mouth opened, not saying anything. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go then. We should still be able to make it back by dark. Even at your speed.¡± Derek took off, this time slower than before. Derek was right. Without a team, and with someone who had high Endurance and decent speed, they were at the dungeon within hours. ¡°Here it is.¡± Derek stopped. The dungeon orb was about ten meters away, inside the clearing. Derek looked around. ¡°Even this area has already healed quite a bit.¡± Derek walked to the orb while Bronson looked around. Derek put his hand on the orb and pulled up the dungeon description, ¡®Enter Dungeon¡¯ was still there, as he was under level 100. ¡°Whoa, would you look at that?¡± Derek said, catching Bronson¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s definitely been cleared, but the reward is quite good.¡± He looked at the man and smiled. ¡°It gives storage rings.¡± The man rushed over, and Derek removed his hand from the orb. Soon, the man put his hand on it. ¡°This is going to be big.¡± Bronson removed his hand and continued to look around. It was not long before he saw the tree with a decaying body underneath. He quickly rushed over. Derek slowly walked behind him. Here we go. Chapter 57: Investigate Derek stood behind and watched as Bronson inspected the body. He walked a little closer, as if to have a better look. ¡°Oh, are those the storage rings from the dungeon?¡± Derek quickly swiped one of the rings before Bronson could react. Bronson stared at him. Got to keep you from focusing too hard on the body. ¡°That¡¯s not too bad, there is definitely a good amount of room in here. If they are all like this, this dungeon will be quite popular.¡± Derek said as he tossed the ring back onto the body. Derek inspected the body to see how the acid had reacted after he left. Not surprisingly, it had done its job quite well. The acid had almost completely eaten through the boy¡¯s neck and was working its way up his face and down towards his chest. It was at the point where it was moving very slowly. The right hand of the corpse, that Derek had placed over the acidic wound before he left, had also been eaten though quite thoroughly. As the acid had done with him, so too did it do to the corpse. Blood was almost nonexistent, as the acid made quick work of liquid. As Derek viewed the scene, he prided himself on a job well done. Luckily, or not, no monsters or beasts had approached the scene, leaving everything intact. I don¡¯t know, maybe it would have been better if a monster would have come around. Bronson stood up. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It seems that Wallace was either the only adventurer to make it out of the dungeon, or the others left. I¡¯m thinking the former. It looks like he used every recovery item he had in his storage ring trying to resist whatever this¡­¡± He pointed at the slow moving acidic effect. ¡°... is.¡± Derek looked over the wound and the bottles beside the body. ¡°Hmm¡­ Too bad. I don¡¯t know how potent this stuff is, but moving this slowly, it seems that he was almost able to treat it. A couple more recovery items and he¡¯d have been okay.¡± Derek took his hand and ran a finger over the wound, coating his finger in some of the remaining acid. He held his hand out and both he and Bronson watched as it reacted. A long time passed before it was able to make even the slightest dent in his skin. ¡°At this rate, someone like him could have lasted plenty long enough to get back to the village at least. It must have been much stronger before.¡± Derek cast Cure Toxin on his hand and the substance disappeared, along with the mark it had created. Bronson sighed and stored the corpse away in his storage ring. All that remained were the potion bottles and the three rings. ¡°You mind if I take these bottles?¡± Derek asked, confusing Bronson. ¡°I mean, you can never have enough storage containers.¡± Bronson just shook his head. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Derek stored them, then looked at one of the rings. ¡°Is Richard¡¯s map in there?¡± Bronson grabbed the ring, then nodded his head. ¡°You should return it once we get back, he¡¯s been pretty salty since losing it.¡± ¡°Salty?¡± Bronson asked. ¡°Oh, upset.¡± He clarified. ¡°Fine by me.¡± Bronson stood after collecting all the rings and putting them in a pouch on his side. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else, you ready?¡± The man asked. ¡°In a bit, I want to check something.¡± Derek said. ¡°This dungeon was in an extreme overflow state when I was here last time. There¡¯s got to be some monsters from inside hanging out around here. I want to look for one. You can go ahead and head back if you want.¡± Bronson widened his eyes. ¡°That sounds like a good idea. We can get a sense of what¡¯s inside, and maybe what causes Wallace¡¯s death. I¡¯ll help.¡± There is no way that only one monster escaped during this entire process. If they could find another Acidic Ghoul, it would strengthen his frame job. Derek took off deeper into the forest. The first ghoul he found had come from the direction further into the forest, so he guessed that if there were any more, they would be in that direction too. He looked behind him to see Bronson following. Their journey continued for half an hour, avoiding aggravating other creatures while looking for an undying type. Their pace was much slower than before because they were looking out for the monster. Finally, Derek spotted a ghoul. It had made it all the way to level 120. Unfortunately, it was not an Acidic Ghoul, being a Toxic Ghoul instead. Derek frowned, but approached it anyway. ¡°Hmm¡­ A Toxic Ghoul that came from an overflowing dungeon. It looks like it has done well for itself while out here.¡± Derek said. He rushed forward and appeared in front of the monster. Instead of killing it, he allowed the monster to swipe and cut his forearm. He jumped back to Bronson and held out his forearm for the man to examine. ¡°It¡¯s not the same, but it¡¯s strong. If you decide to send people in to complete the dungeon, I suggest taking a ton of cure toxin potions. It wouldn¡¯t take long for this shit to kill a normal adventurer.¡± Derek said before casting Cure Toxin. All in all, it took three casts to remove the toxin from his system. ¡°Wow, three casts. You should warn them to take a hell of a healer with them too.¡± He suggested. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can give it a shot.¡± During the entire conversation, Derek and Bronson were dodging attacks from the ghoul. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Bronson replied, then summoned his greatsword and slashed down. It crushed and cut through the ghoul from its right shoulder all the way to its groin. ¡°Undying man, you got to go for the head.¡± Derek said. Bronson walked over to the struggling creature and stepped on its skull, crushing it. ¡°You should take it with you so anyone you send to the dungeon will know what they are getting themselves into.¡± He motioned to the freshly exterminated ghoul. ¡°The levels of the enemies won¡¯t be as strong as this one, but it will be a good example at least. And, we know that there has to be more than just this kind, because that toxin was definitely not what killed that kid.¡± Bronson nodded and stored the corpse inside his storage ring. ¡°What now?¡± He asked. ¡°I was hoping to maybe find the monster with whatever acid killed the kid, but it¡¯s getting late and I have a hankering for another shitty ale.¡± Derek said, and Bronson shuddered. ¡°What, you get used to it.¡± Bronson shook his head. ¡°I guess we head back then.¡± The two began their short trip back to the village. They held a quick pace, but moved slower than they had on their way so Derek could hold a conversation. ¡°So, Gracefall, eh? What kind of fuck up does it take to get that kind of surname?¡± Derek asked. Running beside him, Bronson almost tripped when he heard the question. After steadying himself, he spoke. ¡°That¡­ is not for me to say. You would have to ask Master Gracefall, or access the library in the Capital.¡± Derek egged him on. ¡°Oh, come on. We¡¯re all friends here. Spill.¡± Bronson just shook his head. ¡°Fine, fine. What about that sword, it seems pretty decent. You know a blacksmith that can craft some good shit? I¡¯m tired of using my hands.¡± Derek was not lying. His body had greatly surpassed his glaive. He hated to say it, but his favorite weapon was beginning to be nothing but a paperweight. Of course, he would never throw it away because of what it had gone through with him. ¡°I don¡¯t know him, he is a friend of the master. My sword was a gift from Master Gracefall.¡± Bronson replied. ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll have to talk to this master of yours. I could bring him some ale from the village, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like that.¡± Derek spoke like it was the best idea he had ever had. ¡°No! Don¡¯t do that.¡± Bronson interrupted. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m just kidding. That shit¡¯s almost as toxic as that ghoul.¡± Derek said, laughing all the while. He was enjoying chatting with Bronson. The man tried to be serious at all times, so Derek did everything he could to try to get him to break. It was fun. He was glad that Bonson seemed to buy into the staged death. He really did not want to kill the man, as was happy that it looked like he would not have to. ¡°So, are all the noble in your house as¡­ noble as that kid?¡± Derek asked out of nowhere. Bronson sighed. ¡°No, Wallace was extra¡­ conceited. The name Gracefall seemed to be too heavy for him. The master always feared that he would be done in by his actions. His older brother is the hope of the family, which caused him to be jealous and act out. Who would have thought that the boy would die doing something noble instead of inciting the wrath of a strong enemy.¡± Bronson shook his head. With that, silence reigned between the two. Nearing the edge of the forest, the two men suddenly stopped. Out of nowhere, a flying grey ball headed straight for Bronson. Surprised, Bronson summoned his sword and made to cut the object in half. Just before his sword made contact, Derek jumped in front and the sword fell on his back, the grey ball hitting him in the chest at the same time. ¡°Damn, I really liked this shirt.¡± Derek clicked his tongue as he looked at the bunny in his arms. Chapter 58: I Choose You! Chapter 58: I Choose You! Derek looked down at the struggling grey rabbit in his arms and smiled. Well, now I don¡¯t have to run around looking for you. He thought. He quickly used Identify on the bunny and was surprised to find it at level 64. ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard since the last time we met, huh?¡± Derek spoke to the Horned Rabbit as it turned its head in confusion. ¡°You¡­ know this creature?¡± Bronson interrupted the reunion. He had already put his greatsword away and was watching the two with curiosity. ¡°Of course, this is Silvi. We met a long time ago, when I was first looking for the dungeon. She has a tendency to fly headfirst into¡­ well¡­ everything. The disease caused her to get the taste for flesh, so she became a pretty good hunting partner, and we traveled together for a while. When I came to the village, I made her stay in the forest because she¡¯s an idiot and would have probably slaughtered the entire village by now.¡± Derek spoke as if it was the most natural thing. ¡°I¡­ See¡­¡± Bronson replied. ¡°What are you going to do with¡­ Silvi?¡± He asked. ¡°Well¡­ Now that I¡¯m getting ready to head into the city, I won¡¯t be able to see her as much. I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to use this¡­¡± Derek pulled out the Contract Scroll from the storage ring he was wearing. ¡°But, I think I like the creature, so it won¡¯t be too big of a waste.¡± Bronson¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Is that a Contract Scroll?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°And you plan on using it on a¡­ rabbit?¡± ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I guess not, it¡¯s just that they are extremely rare. If I recall, there is a dungeon around this area that drops scrolls, and as far as I remember, it has only dropped two contract scrolls since discovery.¡± Bronson replied. How lucky is that little girl? Derek had assumed that the Contract Scroll: Beast was a normal drop from the dungeon, as one out of five in his party had received it. Bronson continued talking after seeing that Derek was not responding. ¡°You could contract a Wyvern or Direwolf or something. You could contract a Lightning Hawk and use it as an aerial mount, I know where a few hang out, wouldn¡¯t all that be better than a¡­ a bunny?¡± Derek furrowed his brows. ¡°What good would that be? I move fast as it is, not to mention the teleporters in the cities. Plus, I like the bunny. Who¡¯s to say I end up liking another beast?¡± Plus, it¡¯s small and I can take it with me if I ever go back to my other system. Derek did get lost thinking about having a dragon for a second, but he tossed that idea too. The problem was that, unlike tamers and summoners, beasts from contracts could not be ¡®put away.¡¯ ¡°If you say so.¡± Bronson said and remained silent. Derek sat the bunny down in front of him. ¡°Okay Silvi, this scroll is a contract scroll which will allow us to communicate and you to grow with me. I¡¯ll initiate it, but you have to accept.¡± Derek explained, but the bunny just stared at him dumbly. Whatever, here we go. Derek unbound the scroll, but before he could initiate the contract, Silvi jumped up and put her paw on it. Level 64 Horned Rabbit has requested to make you it''s contracted beast. Do you accept? Y/N Derek stared at the window in stunned silence. He did not know what to think. This little fucker. He glared at the bunny, but the bunny looked back at him like a master waiting for a child to decide whether to become a disciple or not. When I hit ¡®no,¡¯ will it use up the scroll? There was no ¡®if,¡¯ Derek was definitely not accepting. He sighed and mentally selected ¡®no.¡¯ To his relief, the scroll did not disappear, and he was able to initiate the contract this time. You have initiated a contract and requested that the Level 64 Horned Rabbit become your contracted beast. Please wait while it makes a decision. Derek looked at Silvi, who looked back at him with squinted eyes. What the fuck is wrong with this rabbit. That¡¯s it. If it doesn¡¯t accept, I am not trying again. Derek waited a while to let the bunny make its decision. Finally, the next window came, and the scroll split in two, one half going into the bunny, and the next flowing into Derek. Congratulations! You have successfully made a contract with Level 64 Horned Rabbit. As part of the contract, you are required to name the beast. Does that mean that Silvi would have been able to name me if I would have accepted the contract? Derek shuddered at the thought. At the message, he focused on the name ¡®Silvi,¡¯ and a new notification surfaced. Level 64 Horned Rabbit has been named Silvi. Derek checked his status to see if anything had changed. It had. In between his Stats and Skills section, a new section called ¡®Contracts¡¯ had appeared. Derek viewed Silvi¡¯s status. Silvi¡¯s Status Name Silvi Age 6 Level 64 Experience N/A (Will Grow Based on Contract Holder) Class (Initiate Bond) Race Horned Rabbit Health 1400 Mana 300 Stamina 2000 Stats Strength 100 Dexterity 155 Endurance 200 Vitality 140 Intelligence 15 Wisdom 30 Skills Charge Poor Silvi, having to get by with the 10 points from a basic class. Derek could not help but lament at the bunny¡¯s bad stats. His sight went back to ¡®Initiate Bond.¡¯ What is this, I thought we were already bound. He focused on it. Would you like to initiate a bond with your contracted beast, Silvi? Note: You can only bond with one beast at a time. Well, that was always the plan. Yes. He commanded. Bond initiated, please share your blood with the contracted beast. What the fuck? I have to feed it my blood? Whatever. Derek took a dagger out of his storage bracelet and jabbed his finger, before realizing that the dagger could no longer cut him. Fuck. He put the dagger away. He searched his storage for anything he could use. His eyes fell on the arm from the Acidic Ghoul, but he quickly scrapped that idea. God damn it. I hate it when I bite my tongue. He worked up his courage and bit his tongue. A metallic taste flooded his mouth, and he wiped his bloody tongue on his index finger. I hope this is enough. He thought as his tongue had already healed. He stuck his finger out in front of Silvi. The rabbit hopped a little closer and sniffed his finger. Finally, the bunny licked it. A thunderous crash rang out throughout the forest and the sky began turning purple. The wind picked up as a bolt of purple lightning struck Silvi. Once the bolt made contact, however, it did not disappear. A sphere of purple began growing around Silvi, the bolt feeding the sphere as it grew bigger and bigger. Finally, the lightning withdrew, and the surroundings calmed. All that was left was a solid purple sphere floating above the ground in front of Derek and Bronson. ¡°What is that? What¡¯s happening?¡± Bronson asked, his greatsword already drawn. He was in a combat stance, ready to attack or defend at a moment''s notice. ¡°I initiated a bond.¡± Derek explained. Bronson looked at Derek, dumbstruck. ¡°You used your bond on the rabbit? Using a contract scroll is one thing, but using your only bond on a level 64 bunny¡­ Are you insane?¡± "Is there something wrong with that?" ¡°Of course there¡¯s something wrong with it. If¡­ If the bunny dies, it will injure your soul. Why would you share a Soul Bond with something that can die so easily? Sure, with the bond, it will get much stronger because of your strength, but still, it¡¯s a bunny.¡± Bronson could not understand Derek¡¯s actions. Soul Bond? It didn¡¯t say it was a soul bond. What happens if my soul is injured? Inwardly, Derek was panicking, but he did not let it show on the surface. Besides, I¡¯m pretty strong, so surely this bond will increase the survivability of Silvi. ¡°I¡¯m sure everything will be fine, just watch.¡± Derek replied confidently. Bronson took a breath. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a few bonds before, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like this occur, maybe you¡¯re right. Usually, nobody wants to risk it because of the possible soul damage, so there aren¡¯t many high level people with a bonded companion. They usually settle for the normal growth that comes with the contract.¡± The man explained. That¡¯s what I thought I was doing. Derek screamed inside, while maintaining a stony expression on the outside. They waited. Minutes passed, then an hour. The longer Silvi stayed in her purple cocoon, the more agitated Bronson became. ¡°How is this possible? Most bonds take seconds, a few minutes at most. The longest I¡¯ve ever heard of is half an hour.¡± He spoke to no one in particular. Two hours later, the void ball began to crack. One crack turned to two, before it eventually spider webbed into numerous cracks. A bright glow shot out of the cracks as pieces began to fall. The fallen pieces of void turned into particles and vanished before they reached the ground. Yes! My pokemon has finally evolved! In such a situation, all Derek could think about was one of the games that he grew up on. When all the pieces disappeared, Derek was shocked at what remained. Chapter 59: Who’s That Pok…? Chapter 59: Who¡¯s That Pok¡­.? Floating down from where the purple cocoon had vanished from was not the little bunny Derek had expected to see. Staring at the new beast, Derek was beginning to wonder if the horned rabbit actually had some kind of relation to an actual unicorn. The creature finally landed on the ground, and Derek got a closer look. The bunny¡¯s previous grey, puffy fur had flattened everywhere other than its mane. That¡¯s right, Silvi had grown a small mane around her neck, not unlike that of a lion. The flat part of Silvi¡¯s coat was a bright, shining silver, while her new mane was a dark purple flowing into silver locks. Also gone was the fluffy ball that made up her tail, replaced by a longer, smoother haired tail. Small flashes of void lightning were still crackling around the body of the creature. The small horn that Silvi used to have was now much more pronounced, standing at around 10 centimeters tall. Now, that may not seem to be big, but on the bunny¡¯s small body, it drew a lot of attention. Previously, the horn was dull and short, almost like a bump on her head, but now, it was sharp and long. The sheen of the silver horn wrapped in a purple spiral was a sight to behold. Honestly, if Derek had not double checked and made sure that Silvi still had her paws instead of hooves, he would have thought she had become a legendary Kirin. Luckily, she still had a bunny face instead of a long horse like snout. Her eyes had taken after Derek¡¯s own and become dark purple. Derek took a quick look at Bronson, who was staring wide eyed at Silvi, his mouth hanging open. Derek could not blame the man, the change was just that great. Derek decided to look at Silvi¡¯s new stats to see what all had changed. Silvi¡¯s Status Name Silvi Age 6 Level N/A (Bonded) Experience N/A (Bonded) Class Legendary Void Companion Race Void Rabbit Health 5440 Mana 3750 Stamina 5360 Stats Strength 525 Dexterity 375 Endurance 536 Vitality 544 Intelligence 375 Wisdom 375 Skills Active Void Shift, Charge, Void Lightning Bolt Derek had thought he had created a monster when he saw Brandi¡¯s class, but this bunny was something entirely different. Stunned at the status of his new companion, he decided to see if Bronson could help him clarify some things. ¡°Hey, Bronson. What kind of stats do bonded companions usually have, you know, compared to the bond initiator?¡± Derek asked. Breaking out of his stupor, Bronson replied without much thought. ¡°Umm¡­ It depends on class rarity. Common and uncommon get around 30% stats of the contract holder, rare and epic get half. If the bonded companion has a higher stat than what it would get, it will keep that particular stat, and that stat will grow naturally. That¡¯s why most people choose a companion with a different set of stats than themselves. A mage would choose a tanky companion, a tank would choose a companion with attack oriented stats, and such. It¡¯s why a¡­ bunny¡­ doesn¡¯t make much sense.¡± Bronson hesitated when speaking the word bunny after seeing the evolution of Silvi. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Derek replied. It seemed like, because of his legendary class, the bunny had gotten an entire three quarters of his stats. He half expected that Silvi was already one of the strongest pets in this world. ¡®Who¡¯s a pet?¡¯ A voice went off inside Derek¡¯s mind. ¡®Can we kill this human? The meat will be tough. Doesn¡¯t matter. I like chewy meat.¡¯ Derek looked back over to Silvi, only to see the beat staring at Bronson with squinted eyes. He was unsure of how to communicate with her, but as she had picked up on him thinking of her as a pet, he assumed it would not be hard. He focused his thoughts and tried to push them to his companion. ¡®Silvi, is that you?¡¯ ¡®Of course. What? Are you daft? Can we eat?¡¯ Silvi answered him. ¡®We are not eating Bronson. No, we are not eating any humans.¡¯ He directed. He swore he heard a scoff in his head afterwards. Man, this is going to take a lot to get used to. He thought to himself, hoping to maintain his private thoughts as long as he did not direct them to Silvi. Either she ignored those thoughts, or it worked, because she did not respond. Silvi¡¯s communication left Derek more dumbfounded than her physical changes. In the end, he could only chalk it up to her extreme improvement in both Wisdom and Intelligence, plus her evolution into an entirely new race. About that time, there was a rustling in a bush behind them. Derek turned to see that it was only a low level boar, though, before he said anything, a small orb formed above Silvi¡¯s horn, then a bolt of purple lightning streaked out at the monster. The monster fell immediately. The bolt left no physical marks on the boar¡¯s body, it looked as if it had only passed out. Then, Silvi hopped forward, through one of the ripples Derek could always see. She instantly appeared next to the corpse and began tearing into its flesh. Looks like I don¡¯t need to ask to see what those two extra skills do. I¡¯m a little jealous at her ability to shift instantaneously, though, I think my Void Shift would be better during a real fight. He looked over at Bronson who had also witnessed her actions. The poor man was visibly shuddering. A hint of fear showing in his eyes. But the fear was not directed at Silvi. No, he must have already put together that the bunny had a portion of Derek¡¯s stats and abilities. If a fraction of his stats could allow a monster to do what Silvi had just done, then what about the man himself? At that time, Silvi began complaining. ¡®Disgusting. Terrible taste. Needs more flavor. You cook it. Like you did all those other times.¡¯ She commanded. ¡®Cook it yourself. You¡¯re smart enough now.¡¯ He replied. ¡®Can¡¯t cook. No thumbs. Dumb human.¡¯ Derek had turned his head back to his new companion while they were communicating. At her last thought, she raised a paw up, as if showing that she would not be able to cook the meat. He chuckled at that. ¡®Well, I¡¯m sure you could figure something out. Too bad we can¡¯t get you the cooking skill. Maybe you could learn a way to cook with your paws.¡¯ At that thought, a notification popped up. Would you like to teach your beast companion (Silvi) the skill Cooking? Note: 2 Skill points will be consumed upon teaching the skill. Derek stared at the message for some time. I guess it takes double the amount of skill points to teach a general skill. Fuck it. I have 16 skill points. Yes. Derek thought, watching Silvi all the while. Congratulations Your beast companion (Silvi) has learned the Cooking skill. Skill Points Remaining: 14 ¡®This? Me¡­ Cooking?¡¯ Silvi¡¯s thoughts and questions raced through Derek¡¯s mind. With every skill he had learned, Derek was able to have a basic feeling and understanding of what to do. He hoped that it would be the same with this skill. ¡®Need fire. Human, make fire. I will cook.¡¯ Derek laughed at the bunny¡¯s commands and gathered a small amount of dried wood. As the forest had been rather dried up from the disease, it was easy to find easily burnable wood. He placed the wood close by and, using Chain Lightning caused a fire to erupt. Derek watched as Silvi did her best at cooking a boar. The butchering process was both disgusting and hilarious. She even tried to use a spit in the beginning, but failed. She ended up cooking the boar directly on the fire. Finally, after she got the boar to start ¡®cooking,¡¯ she sent out a thought asking for seasoning. Derek had already written the experiment off as a failure, but he suspected that the bunny would continue down this road. Finally, the show was over and his companion began digging in. ¡®Delicious. Much better. Human, want some?¡¯ Derek was actually touched that she was offering him some of her hard work. Disgusted, but touched. ¡®Pay. You give storage ring. I give meat.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t need any meat. I¡¯ll get you a storage ring later, though. Just not now.¡¯ If this was going to be his constant travel companion, he might as well go all out. Derek looked back at Bronson who had been watching the scene quietly in rapt attention. ¡°Hey, Bronson.¡± Derek asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Bronson came to and shook his head. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How much for one of the storage rings? I¡¯m running low, I gave my extra one to that kid in the village.¡± Derek asked. ¡°I can¡¯t sell them. You will have to ask the master once we return to Torith.¡± ¡°Figured as much.¡± Derek said. He watched Bronson, who looked like he was hesitating to say something. ¡°Is there anything you need?¡± After some hesitation, Bronson spoke. ¡°This beast. Did it just try to cook?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, yeah. I had cooked some food for her earlier and she really enjoyed it. She wanted me to cook the boar, but I refused. I got her the Cooking skill and told her to try it herself.¡± Derek motioned to the mess in front of them. ¡°This is the result.¡± ¡°You spent two skill points to teach a beast the Cooking skill?¡± Bronson shook his head. ¡°Nevermind, don¡¯t answer that. Of course you did.¡± He paused. ¡°Why do you need another storage ring?¡± He asked. ¡°She asked if she could have one, so I decided to get her one.¡± Derek said. Bronson stared, speechless. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to wonder if I should have become your contracted beast instead.¡± Bronson answered without thinking. When he realized what he had said out loud, his face began to turn red in embarrassment. He quickly changed the subject. ¡°Well, it¡¯s late, don¡¯t you think we should be getting back to the village?¡± Derek looked up at the darkening sky. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go.¡± He said, then he communicated to Silvi. ¡®Come on. There are some people that I need to introduce you to.¡¯ With that, Derek put out the fire, and the three made their way back to the village. Chapter 60: Remember Chapter 60: Remember The two men and the bunny made their way to the village. It was the first time Silvi was going to be able to go to a human village without being attacked or killing, so, after understanding what was going on, she was very excited. ¡®How many humans? Can we kill? We can¡¯t eat, but can we kill?¡¯ Silvi was rattling off question after question. Derek was doing his best to answer and explain. ¡®It¡¯s a human village, so, although there aren¡¯t a ton of people, there are a lot. No, we shouldn¡¯t kill any of the humans there. Of course, there will be times when we have to kill other humans, but that time isn¡¯t now. Before you ask, no, you can¡¯t eat any of those humans either. It just doesn¡¯t set right with me. Also, you¡¯re not eating any other bunnies or rabbit from now on either.¡¯ He communicated his thoughts to the bunny. ¡®No fun.¡¯ She sent. Because they had not been far from the village when they ran into Silvi, it did not take long before the front gates appeared in their vision. Walking up to the gate, they waited for the guards to acknowledge them and let them in. They went forward, and the gate shut behind them. ¡°I¡¯m going to introduce Silvi to a few people, then I¡¯ll head to the inn. You can go and do whatever. If you come there, I¡¯ll buy you a drink.¡± Derek said and smiled as he saw Bronson visibly shudder. I don¡¯t know if he will ever be able to get over the taste of that ale. Being from Earth, and being a former student at a university, Derek had tasted some truly awful alcohol, so, to him, the taste did not matter as long as it was cold and he was in good company. ¡°I may keep you company, but I don¡¯t think I will partake in the ale this time.¡± Bronson answered. ¡®Ale? What is ale? Is it food?¡¯ Silvi chimed in. It was interesting to Derek to learn that she was actively listening to their conversation. Or at least to the conversation when it sounded like they were talking about food. ¡®You¡¯ll learn about it later.¡¯ Derek answered. I mean, she is 6, so in rabbit years, she¡¯s what? 30? Definitely old enough to drink. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Derek said as they closed in on Brandi¡¯s courtyard. ¡°This is me.¡± He and the bunny turned to the left and walked towards the courtyard. Bronson nodded and kept walking further up the street towards the inn. Arriving at the courtyard, even with the sun down, Derek could see Brandi toiling around with her newfound skills. Thomas was sitting on the bench, his gaze never leaving the girl. Soon, she finished what she was working on and turned around. ¡°Derek! You¡¯re back!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Sure am, and... ¡° He motioned towards Silvi. ¡°I brought another friend. This is Silvi, she¡¯s my bonded beast companion.¡± Brandi stared at the purple bunny with wide eyes. ¡°She¡¯s so cute! Is she a bunny?¡± ¡°Yup, I bonded with her, so she took on some of my features. She used to be a Horned Rabbit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± Thomas chirped. ¡°So, that¡¯s what happens when you bond to a contracted companion.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Alright, I just wanted to come around and introduce you all to Silvi.¡± He said, then his tone became serious as he looked at Thomas. ¡°If you still plan on traveling with me, you should make your preparations tonight. I think we¡¯ll be leaving sometime tomorrow. I talked to Bronson. He¡¯s the guy the Gracefall family sent to look for their missing noble. Found his body lying dead by the dungeon, so he¡¯ll be heading back to Torith.¡± Derek looked deep at both of the kids when he said the last part. ¡°Anyway, I talked him into being our guide to the city, and he¡¯s agreed to show me around a bit once we get there. He seems like a pretty decent guy for someone from a noble family, even if he is just their employee or whatever.¡± He chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re leaving tomorrow?¡± Asked Brandi. Derek nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve stayed here too long as it is. There are some things I need to find out too.¡± ¡°A-are you going to come back?¡± She asked, tears beginning to form in her eyes. ¡°Of course I am. I don¡¯t know how long it will be, but I can¡¯t just leave Miss Master Smith by herself, I have big plans for you if you agree.¡± He patted the girl on her head. ¡°I agree! I agree!¡± She yipped. Derek burst out laughing. ¡°Settle down. It¡¯s going to take some time for me to get everything in motion. Plus, I haven¡¯t even told you what my plans are. What if I wanted to sell you to the highest bidder? Huh? I don¡¯t think you would like that, would you?¡± He jested. She shook her head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± She said. ¡°True, but you need to be less trusting towards people, especially with all the secrets of your new class. Remember that.¡± He reiterated his previous advice. ¡°Anyway, even if I¡¯m not able to get everything set up like I want in Torith, I¡¯ll still stop by before going to another city to check in.¡± ¡°Okay, you better.¡± She said. He turned and looked at Thomas. ¡°You better go spend some time with your grandparents. If everything goes well, it will be some time before you¡¯re back in the village.¡± Thomas nodded and took off running towards his place. He turned back to Brandi. ¡°Have a good night and try not to work yourself to death. Remember to take breaks and get proper rest. You are no use to anybody if you wear yourself out.¡± With that, Derek left the courtyard and headed up the street to the inn. He planned on having a drink or two, then getting a good night¡¯s sleep. Walking into the inn, Derek saw that the place was a little livelier than usual. This was probably prime time for the village, so it made sense. All the times Derek spent here before, he either came in really late and went straight to his room, or he was there too early for the bustle. In any case, none of that mattered. His normal seat at the bar was still open, and Bronson was on the stool next to it. He walked over and took a seat. While waiting for Bart to make his appearance, he snuck a glance at Bronson trying to force down a spoonful of what looked like stew. Derek had eaten the inn¡¯s stew before, and while it was not quite as bad as the ale, it was not good by any means. But it was edible. ¡°You nobles and your fickle taste buds.¡± Derek said. Bronson finished swallowing the stew and looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m not a noble. I¡¯m the guard captain and master¡¯s personal butler.¡± He replied. ¡°That¡¯s an odd combination of jobs.¡± Derek commented. ¡°It is what it is. The master trusts me, so he made me his personal butler.¡± He said, matter-of-factly. Silvi suddenly hopped onto the bar and began sniffing around. She made her way to Bronson¡¯s stew and sniffed so close that she almost dunked her nose in it. ¡®This food? Doesn¡¯t smell like food. Taste good?¡¯ She transmitted to Derek. ¡®It is food. It¡¯s called stew. It¡¯s not very good stew, but it¡¯s edible and will at least keep you full.¡¯ He explained. Bronson looked at the Void Bunny and removed the spoon from the stew. Then, he slid the bowl to the spot in between Derek and himself. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ve had my fill.¡± Silvi cautiously stuck her tongue out and had a taste. ¡®Better than raw boar. Not as good as cooked boar. Can we cook it?¡¯ She asked. If Derek had been drinking anything at the time, he surely would have spit it out at that question. Seeing Derek burst into laughter, Bronson questioned him. ¡°What happened? What is so funny?¡± ¡°Silvi asked me if we could cook the stew to make it taste better.¡± He said, chuckling all the while. Bronson cracked a grin at that, too. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that my stew isn¡¯t up to yer¡­ pet¡¯s standards.¡± Bart rounded the corner of the bar. ¡°Well, she did say that it was better than raw boar, so there¡¯s that.¡± Bart shook his head. ¡°Well, what can I get ya?¡± ¡°Two ales, put one in a bowl for the rabbit.¡± Derek said. Bart frowned but did not ask any questions. He poured two ales, one in a mug and one in a bowl, then slid them to Derek and Silvi. Derek took a big gulp. ¡°Just as bad as ever. You¡¯ve really outdone yourself. People will come from all parts to get a taste of this ale¡­ Well, that and the storage ring reward for the dungeon.¡± Bronson frowned when Derek so casually mentioned the dungeon rewards. ¡°What? There¡¯s no use in hiding it from the villagers. You¡¯ll be able to send a squad or two at most before the others realize something is up. I like the people here, so may as well give them a heads up.¡± Then Derek¡¯s tone shifted, and he stared daggers into Bronson¡¯s eyes. He activated Channel Void and his eyes turned purple entirely. He entered a Void Shift and pulled himself to the open seat on the other side of Bronson. Bronson jumped out of his seat and turned. Derek had disappeared before his eyes and was now behind him. ¡°Remember.¡± Derek said. ¡°I like the people here.¡± Then his usual tone returned, and he reached over to his mug. He took a swig and sat it back down on the bar. ¡°Just a heads up.¡± Chapter 61: Last Day in the Village Chapter 61: Last Day in the Village Bronson retired to his rented room in the village inn. Normally, the small undecorated room with an even smaller bed would have made him scoff. Currently, though, his mind was racing, and it did not even pick up on the state of the room. What was that? He was, of course, referring to the obvious threat that Derek had given him. Bronson thought back to all the time he spent with Derek throughout the day. The man¡¯s attitude and personality had switched constantly. He could not put his finger on which was the ¡®real¡¯ Derek. One thing is for certain, he is a dangerous man. What about his beast companion? What kind of class and level would one need to have to get that kind of result bonding with a regular Horned Rabbit? That thought made Bronson shudder. He had never seen a purple element before. At first, he thought that it was a more powerful lightning type element, but when he saw the bolt of lightning hit the boar, his opinion changed. The boar had died on impact, but the skill had not left a mark on its body. Bronson even paid attention to the boar while the bunny was ripping it apart. There was no apparent damage to the boar internally. It¡¯s almost like the attack extinguished the soul of the creature. It was the only possibility that Bronson could think of. The only reason he even knew that souls existed in the first place was because of Maria and her powers. Before the bunny attacked, Bronson had thought that Derek had a class that focused on physical ability. How else would he have been able to stop his greatsword with one hand? Up to that point, Derek had given no indication otherwise. He had, of course, used some type of healing or restoration spell on his hand, but Bronson figured the spell could have come from a scroll or dungeon. Then he saw the bunny¡¯s transformation, then its attack on the boar. Still, Derek had not shown any of his personal skills. Well, until his threat at the bar. His purple irises had stretched to cover the entirety of his eyes. Looking into them, Bronson could only imagine his soul shuddering. Then there was the teleporting. He was not even sure if he should call it teleportation. There was no time between when he was in one chair, then the other. Bronson had seen people teleport before, and it was never as instantaneous as what Derek had displayed. Above all else was the pressure Bronson felt when Derek gave his warning. Bronson had only felt a pressure like that once in his life, when the City Lord¡¯s father had come to visit from the Capital and brought a guest with him. That guest was the King¡¯s Advisor. Bronson sat on the small bed in the cramped room and went over what he was going to report to his master. At this point, the death of Wallace and the birth of a dungeon that rewarded storage rings had been moved to the back of his mind. That night was one of the most restless nights in his life. *** Derek opened his eyes and sat up. He reached out his arms and yawned while he stretched. I haven¡¯t slept that good in forever. After leaving to his room the night before, he had slept like a baby. After stretching, Derek looked back at his pillow. Silvi was curled up snoozing against the headrest. She had basically slept on his head the previous night. Derek transmitted Silvi a message to wake her up. ¡®Wake up. It¡¯s time to go, we¡¯ve got a lot of travel ahead of us.¡¯ Silvi opened her eye and glared at Derek. ¡®Can¡¯t. Must sleep. So comfy.¡¯ She sent back. ¡®Nope, no sleeping in today. Come on.¡¯ Derek said. The bunny stared at him before giving up and rousing itself awake. Then she flew into his arms. ¡®You carry. I will allow. I sleep.¡¯ She said. Derek shifted Silvi into his left arm and left his room. He looked at the room that Bronson stayed in the previous night and wondered if he was still there. He walked over to the bar and asked Bart. ¡°He left the inn yet?¡± ¡°Nope, yer the first one up.¡± Bart replied. ¡°That¡¯s good. I have some things to take care of before we leave. By the way, I¡¯ll be headed to the city with him today. I don¡¯t know how long it will be before I come back.¡± Derek stuck out his hand for a handshake. Bart grabbed it. ¡°It was nice meeting you.¡± ¡°Yer welcome here any time.¡± Bart said. Derek nodded. ¡°When he wakes up, tell him I¡¯ll meet him at the Rayna¡¯s place.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± With that, Derek left the inn and walked towards Mal and Brandi¡¯s place. He rounded the corner to the courtyard, and saw that either Brandi had worked all night, or she woke up very early. She was in the middle of making some piece of clothing. Derek waited for the girl to finish what she was doing. Brandi held up the shiny cloth over her head so the sun could catch. She nodded her head and released a breath. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Derek asked from behind her, startling her out of her daydream. After calming down, the girl spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a cloak for Silvi. She¡¯s just so cute, I thought she needed something more.¡± She handed the cloth to Derek. Derek took the cloth. The cloth was smooth, almost like a mix between silk and cotton. It was purple, almost the same shade as Silvi¡¯s mane, just a bit darker. ¡°How did you get the color?¡± He asked. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s one of my Alchemy skills. It lets me take any plants and make dyes the same color. The trick part was getting the black hide to brighten up so I could make a color other than black. Finally, I just made a white dye, then used the purple dye after. It worked pretty good, right?¡± She asked. ¡°Very good. I¡¯m sure she will love it.¡± He smiled, then took Silvi and sat her down on the bench. ¡®Why? Was so comfy.¡¯ She sent as she woke back up. ¡°Look at what Brandi made you.¡± Derek held up the small cloak. Silvi sniffed it and asked what it was for. ¡°It¡¯s a cloak, it will keep you warm and give you a little extra protection.¡± He took the cloak and tied it around Silvi, just under her mane. ¡®Well, what do you think?¡¯ He asked. Silvi hopped around the area. The cloak rose and fell with each hop. ¡®I like. Am I elegant?¡¯ Derek laughed at her question. ¡®Yes, very elegant indeed.¡¯ He looked over at Brandi and gave her a thumbs up. ¡°She loves it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Brandi said. ¡°Hold on, I have to go get yours.¡± She said and ran inside the house. Oh, I wonder what she made me. It was not long before the little girl came running back out holding two identical pieces of clothes. ¡°You said you were running low.¡± She held out two dark black t-shirts. They seemed to be made out of the same material as the cloak Silvi was wearing. She had gotten the shape and form very close to the shirts that Derek usually wore. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get the feel any closer. I don¡¯t know what material whoever made yours used. I made these out of the bats I picked up. I had to use my tailoring skill a lot to get the hides to soften. They lost a lot of armor because of the skill, but I figured you don¡¯t care a lot about the armor, so I used the skill until they stopped getting softer.¡± Derek took the shirts and examined them. ¡°Thank you! They¡¯re great!¡± He was not being overly kind either. He really was running low on t-shirts and he was genuinely thankful for the girl¡¯s gifts. Brandi beamed. ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Derek could not imagine what another Leathersmith would think about the girl using hides over level 100 to make shirts like this. His shirts were even softer than Silvi¡¯s cloak, so she must have used whatever tailoring skill she had much more on his. He would not have it any other way. Soon, the mood changed, and Brandi started pouting. ¡°Do you really have to leave?¡± He patted her on the head. ¡°I do, but I will be back.¡± Then he moved in a lot closer. ¡°And if things go like I hope, I can bring you with me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She asked in surprise. ¡°What about mom?¡± ¡°Her too. It would be better that way.¡± He answered. ¡°But first, I have to make sure that it¡¯s safe. Remember, you have to keep your skills a secret. The storage rings too.¡± Brandi nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to go say bye to your mom, then Rayna. After that, I¡¯ll be off to the city. You be good.¡± He said as he walked to the front door of the house. He knocked on the door and waited for Malorie to answer. The door opened, and she invited him inside. Not long after, Derek walked out of the house with a steaming hot biscuit in each hand. And, since there was food, Silvi had once again made an appearance. After some begging, Derek finally relented and gave one of the biscuits to Silvi. According to her, it was the best food she had ever tasted. It took Derek some time to convince Silvi that she still had to follow him and that she could not stay with the ¡®Wonderful. Beautiful. Delicious lady.¡¯ After that, he headed to Rayna¡¯s residence to say his goodbyes to her. That was also where he planned to meet back up with Bonson. He would stop by Thomas¡¯s house on his way out of the city. He wanted to give the boy as much time as possible to say his goodbyes to his grandparents. Chapter 62: Goodbye Chapter 62: Goodbye When Derek arrived at the Village Chief¡¯s house, Rayna was already at the door waiting for him. ¡°Come on in.¡± Rayna said, then she turned to lead him inside. Entering the meeting room, Derek looked around to see some familiar faces. Richard was there, along with Leon and his wife, Sana. Delilah was not there, but Derek figured that she was spending every second she could with Thomas. Surprisingly, Bart had made his way from the inn to the meeting room too. Derek looked over the small group of people. ¡°This is surprising.¡± He said. ¡°I was only expecting Rayna, to what do I owe this honor?¡± He jested. Sana stood and spoke first. ¡°I heard that you were leaving and possibly not coming back. I know I thanked you before, but I needed to thank you again for saving Leon and all the other survivors.¡± She bowed at that. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Derek said. Quickly raising her back up. ¡°I was there, it was well within my power to help, and there were no downsides in doing so. Also¡­¡± He looked at Richard. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make light of your tragedy, but it was a good learning experience for the kid. He was na?ve and still is to a certain extent. What happened to the village opened his eyes to some more of the dangers in this world.¡± Leon laughed. ¡°Here I was going to thank you too. After that speech, I don¡¯t feel the need to anymore.¡± He walked over and stuck his hand out. Derek shook it. ¡°I¡¯ve had my reservations about you, especially with the¡­ monster thing. But, from everything else I¡¯ve learned about you, which still isn¡¯t a lot by the way, you seem to be a decent man.¡± This ¡®meeting¡¯ was uncomfortable for Derek, to say the least. He was caught off guard by the people, then even more by the gratitude they were showing. He typically avoided situations like this, but he decided to power through. ¡°You¡¯re not too bad yourself.¡± Derek answered. ¡°But, you need to do what you can to help Rayna and Richard run this village after I leave. It won¡¯t be long before the city, and others, catch wind of the storage rings rewarded from the new dungeon, and with this village being the closest to the dungeon, I¡¯m sure it will become quite lively. Though, I don¡¯t believe there will be very many people coming back from the dungeon.¡± He smirked. Derek was really the only person who had experienced the dangers of the undying dungeon. Sure, the other four had been there, but they did not see the amount of ghouls and could not understand the dangers of the acid and poisons that they could inflict. Derek did not think that the skeletons would prove too much of a challenge to adventurers at or around level 100, but once the second wave began, he suspected they would realize that they had bitten off more than they could chew. Eventually, word would get around about how hard the dungeon actually was. Who knows? Maybe someone would even come out alive. For all Derek knew, there could be a scroll that would allow a person to leave a dungeon instance without completing it. But when word does get around, especially to the Gracefall house, Derek needs to have built up a certain reputation. It won¡¯t take long for everyone to figure out how unlikely it was that Wallace actually completed the dungeon, even if he died in the process. And when that secret is out, Derek, and this little village, will become the first suspects. Hell, Derek was not even sure of how much of everything Bronson bought in to. After thanking Derek, Leon and Sana both chose to leave. They said their goodbyes and wished him safe on all his travels. With that, the room was left with Rayna, Richard, Derek, and Bart. ¡°Well, hell. I just wanted to see ya off. Not often that I run into someone who can keep the ale down and maintain a conversation at the same time. I¡¯ll let yous three have at it. Yer always welcome at the inn.¡± Bart got up and patted Derek on his shoulder. ¡°Take care, ya hear?¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°Will do. And be careful of whoever you sell that piss to. Wouldn¡¯t want you dying over some noble choking to death.¡± Bart just snorted and left the three of them behind. ¡°And then there were three.¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly know what you and the others did while you were gone, but seeing their strength and knowing about how Wallace Gracefall saved the forest, I have some ideas. Hell, the boy is stronger than me now, I couldn¡¯t discipline him even if I wanted to.¡± Richard complained. Derek smiled at that. Richard then became serious. ¡°He¡¯s been talking about going with you all night. I don¡¯t think me or Delilah got a lick of sleep because of it. I know we¡¯ve let him wander around with you, and he¡¯s all the better for it, but we always knew he would be back, and soon. Now he¡¯s saying that you¡¯re both leaving, and he doesn¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back, if ever¡­¡± Richard¡¯s serious tone broke and he began showing emotion. ¡°Just promise me that you won¡¯t let anything bad happen to him. Take care of our boy.¡± Richard said. ¡°And when you see Delilah before you leave, do your best to reassure her. She¡¯s going to be more broken up than anyone else.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t promise you that nothing bad is going to happen to the boy. Hell, I can pretty much assure you that he will go through a lot. What I can promise you, is that I will do my best to keep the boy alive. That¡¯s not to say that I won¡¯t let him get hurt, because I will. I may even be the one to hurt him. But I will keep him alive.¡± Derek replied. He was not going to lie to the man. With that, Richard stood and walked by Derek, before turning around and saying one last thing. ¡°And if you do ever decide to come back, see if you can¡¯t bring me a new map.¡± He left the room. Derek laughed out loud. ¡°He¡¯s still worried about that map.¡± He shook his head and looked at Rayna. ¡°Should I tell him that Bronson retrieved it and plans to give it back to him before we leave? Or should I just let Bronson keep it?¡± She giggled. ¡°That would just be cruel. Taking his grandson and his beloved map.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Nope, you have to make sure he gets it back before you leave.¡± Rayna then looked down at Silvi, who had been surprisingly patient throughout the meeting. ¡°I guess that this is your companion that Thomas told Richard about.¡± She bent down to pet the void bunny, but Silvi disappeared and reappeared on the table behind Rayna and snorted. Rayna¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise. ¡°Yup, this is Silvi. She doesn¡¯t speak, but she¡¯s every bit as intelligent as a normal person. Not to mention that she could probably destroy everything and everyone in this village, and that¡¯s including Bronson.¡± Derek said. ¡°That strong? Is it because of your special¡­ condition?¡± She asked. ¡°You can say that. When you bond with a companion, it seems as if they get a percentage of your stats based on your class rarity. 75% for my legendary class. Though, Bronson said that if your bonded companion dies, it damages your soul, and I don¡¯t really know what that means, and I didn¡¯t ask.¡± Derek explained. Rayna did not bat an eyelash at his casual mention of his legendary rarity class. ¡°So, a legendary class gives a whole 75%?¡± Rayna mumbled, thinking about something. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that this little bunny has three quarters of your strength?¡± The absurdness of that idea finally hit her. ¡°Holy shit!¡± She exclaimed. ¡®I the best. So strong. Almost strongest.¡¯ Silvi communicated to Derek. ¡®Yeah, ALMOST the strongest. And don¡¯t you forget it.¡¯ He said. Rayna snapped out of her daydream. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a little bit about broken bonds. The ¡®soul damage¡¯ is actually worse than it sounds.¡± She narrowed her eyes at Derek. ¡°For most people at least. It probably won¡¯t be too bad on you. When your soul is damaged, your body can¡¯t output all of its strength, and you lose XP based on how bad the damage is.¡± ¡°Okay. So you just need to earn the XP back?¡± Derek asked. She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. The problem is that your level will stay the same. Say your soul damage reduces your overall strength to half. The problem with that is that when you are a certain level higher than your target, you will no longer get any XP. So, your strength is reduced to half, but you still have to fight enemies that are around your level to get XP. In your case, I don¡¯t think it would be a problem, but for a normal adventurer, it¡¯s devastating.¡± She was right, it would not be a problem for Derek. If his stats were reduced to half, he would still be stronger than basic monsters at his level. It may take some time to get the XP back, especially with a legendary class, but he would eventually get everything back. ¡°Anyway, the reason I came here, besides saying goodbye.¡± Derek broke the silence. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought that Bart would come before me, so you may already know. I¡¯m pretty sure I scared the shit out of Bronson last night and gave him a pretty clear warning. I don¡¯t think anybody, at least from the Gracefall side, will cause you any trouble. But, err on the side of caution.¡± Rayna nodded her head. ¡°Bart did say that you pulled some neat tricks last night.¡± Derek chuckled at that. If only they knew. He spoke again. ¡°Also, keep an eye on Brandi. She¡¯s a bit too excited about her class. Try to keep her contained. Only a few people know about her class, and it needs to stay that way. I would rather not come back to find that she has been kidnapped to work as a slave for some noble house that would soon cease to exist. I plan on making nice with some people, intimidating others, and possibly worse, just to have a place for her to practice her craft without worry.¡± After that, Rayna hugged Derek without warning. ¡°Thank you for saving everyone, thank you for saving me. And thank you for everything else you¡¯ve done. If the village starts running smoothly after everyone finds out about the dungeon, or if the King decides it¡¯s best to send an overseer to take over because of the valuable dungeon, I may go with you when you come to get Brandi¡­ If you¡¯ll have me.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Of course. You would be most welcome.¡± He hugged her back. There was not anything between the two. In fact, Rayna reminded Derek more of a sister than anything else. She was just about the only person who would scold him and did not constantly look up to him in reverence. ¡°Now I have to go. I heard Bronson arrive a couple minutes ago. He¡¯s waiting patiently outside.¡± With that, Derek turned and walked out of the house. Chapter 63: To the City Chapter 63: To the City ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Derek said to Bronson as he walked out of the house. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Are you ready to go?¡± Bronson asked. ¡°Yup, everything¡¯s done. Just got to make a quick stop on our way out and pick up my sidekick.¡± ¡°Oh? So you are taking that boy with you?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Oh, and his grandpa is the guy with the map. You should return it when we see him. I¡¯m pretty sure that thing was like a second grandson to him.¡± Derek chuckled. Bronson frowned for a moment. Seeing the frown, Derek continued. ¡°What? Will it really be that hard to remember where the dungeon is and put it on a map when you get back? Are you really that daft? Sheesh¡­¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°Fine, if your memory is that bad, I¡¯ll put it on the map for you.¡± Bronson shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just that Wallace¡­¡± Derek cut him off. ¡°Will no longer be needing a map. Well, won¡¯t be needing that map at least.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Bronson muttered, then produced the map and handed it to Derek. ¡°Of course I¡¯m right. When have I ever been wrong? I say the map belongs to Richard, and it belongs to Richard. I say the ale tastes like piss¡­ and guess what? It tastes like piss.¡± Derek patted Bronson on the shoulder. The duo continued walking, soon, they reached Thomas¡¯s residence. ¡°Wait there. I¡¯ll go fetch the kid.¡± Derek said. He walked up to the door and knocked. Delilah answered. She looked at Derek with squinted eyes. ¡°Derek.¡± She said. Then she sighed. ¡°Come in. Thomas is almost ready.¡± He followed her inside and shut the door behind him. Delilah took a seat, but only nodded to her and kept going to Thomas¡¯s room. Inside the room was Thomas, standing with an outrageously big sack full of stuff, and Richard standing in the corner shaking his head. ¡°Remember what I said.¡± Richard said as Thomas walked out with his sack. Thomas nodded his head. Richard sighed. Derek turned to Richard before leaving the room. ¡°I believe this is yours.¡± He said as he moved the map out of his storage ring and tossed it over to Richard. Richard¡¯s eyes went wide as he held his map. ¡°This¡­ Thank you.¡± ¡°It was yours to begin with.¡± Derek walked out of the room. Back in the living area, he was greeted by the sight of Delilah giving Thomas a big hug. ¡°And you listen to Derek. He said he¡¯d keep you safe.¡± ¡°Alive.¡± Derek said, interrupting the two. They both turned their heads and looked at him. ¡°I said I¡¯d keep him alive. He won¡¯t grow stronger if he¡¯s always safe.¡± Just as with Richard, Derek was not going to lie to Delilah. The older woman sighed. ¡°As long as he¡¯s alive and can come back home.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°That, I can promise you.¡± He looked at Thomas. ¡°Now¡¯s your last chance to choose to stay here with your loving family and friends. You won¡¯t have that if you follow me. Are you sure you want to go?¡± He gave Thomas a final opportunity to stay. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. I can¡¯t grow as fast here. I have to go with you.¡± He replied back. Seeing the resoluteness in the boy¡¯s eyes, Derek nodded. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go. Bronson is waiting outside.¡± With that, the two joined Bronson and began their journey to the city. *** They traveled for half a day before they stopped. Both Derek and Bronson had gotten some entertainment out of Thomas and his sack of stuff. Thomas had no problems lugging it around, but because the sack was almost as big as the boy itself, he was having a hard time not dropping or dragging it. Honestly, Derek had no clue what the boy was carrying that would be so difficult to store. The three of them and Silvi had been moving towards the city at a slow pace. It was Derek¡¯s first time to the city, so he wanted to familiarize himself with his surroundings more and not just rush straight in. ¡°I guess this is as good a place as any.¡± Derek said. They were on some moderately flat land that would be a good place to set up camp. Not that they actually needed a good place for camp. With Derek, Bronson, and Silvi, Derek would feel sorry for anybody or thing that got the nerve to ambush them. The group made camp and got settled. They all chatted for a bit, Silvi went to the forest and returned a couple hours later with some blood staining her face. Apparently, she did not think about sharing whatever she found with the rest of them. Afterwards, they all decided to turn in for the night and get an early start the next morning. They got up the next morning and dismantled their campsite. They gathered their things and got ready to leave. Derek and Bronson watched as Thomas struggled to get his pack righted. Derek shook his head. He turned to Bronson. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± He said, then yelled to Thomas. ¡°Kid, are you an idiot?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Thomas asked, bewildered. ¡°You¡¯ve been carrying that pack for an entire day. I¡¯m starting to think that the older you get, the dumber you become.¡± Derek said, shaking his head. Thomas stood there, confused. He did not say anything. Derek was having fun at the boy¡¯s expense. The last conversation he had with the boy about the storage ring was to not show it to anyone, so it made sense that the boy was not using it. Derek let out a big sigh. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using the storage ring I gave you?¡± Thomas stared at Derek for a moment. Derek saw the moment it all clicked for the kid. Thomas¡¯s face went red. Bronson would most likely think it was from embarrassment for forgetting about something like a storage ring, when it was most likely anger and embarrassment from Derek not telling him he could use the ring. They watched as Thomas fished the ring out of his pocket and placed it on his finger. The boy put his hand on the pack and it vanished. ¡°Isn¡¯t that much easier than carrying it around all day?¡± Derek teased. Thomas looked at Derek, then turned his head away. ¡®Storage ring. I want. When do I get mine?¡¯ Silvi¡¯s thoughts flowed into Derek¡¯s head. ¡®I¡¯ll try to find one soon. We¡¯re heading into the city. I¡¯ll see if I can get one of the dungeon ones from the head of the Gracefall house. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a smart man, especially after Bronson gives him a report.¡¯ Derek explained to the bunny. ¡®Fine. I¡¯ll share meat next time.¡¯ Derek chuckled and shook his head. Bronson broke into laughter. ¡°I have to say. You have definitely chosen a¡­ special apprentice.¡± ¡°Yup. He never ceases to amaze me.¡± Derek agreed. ¡°You should have seen him the first time I took him out to train. I found some really low-level ants and had him fight them one on one.¡± Derek began laughing. ¡°The first one¡­ He almost died fighting the first one. He had a wrestling match with an eight centimeter long ant, and he almost lost. It broke his arm, and he passed out.¡± Bronson shook his head. ¡°Kids today¡­ Always so pampered. Wallace made it all the way to level 30 without a real fight. Just had servants hold monsters in place. It¡¯s probably why he died the way he did.¡± ¡°Well, hopefully I broke Thomas from those bad habits. I did promise his grandparents that I wouldn¡¯t let him die, but I didn¡¯t say that he wouldn¡¯t get hurt. If he gets complacent again, I don¡¯t mind seeing him suffer some.¡± Derek said. Bronson nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± With the camp cleared up, the four of them continued on their journey. The group traveled for two weeks at a scenic pace. Through their travels, they ran into very few beasts. The small number of monsters showed that the forest was healing at a quick pace. The few beasts that they did see were all very low level and would pose no danger to any of the villages around the area. They did, however, run into two groups of bandits. It was a familiar situation for Derek. He had always believed that people were much more dangerous than monsters. The system coming to Earth only reinforced his ideals. The bandits were not much, only level 15 to 20. However, neither Bronson nor Derek chose to fight them. He used the attacks as an opportunity for Thomas to gain experience. Killing his first person was one of the hardest things he had done on Earth after the system, and he knew that Thomas needed that same experience. Oddly, Thomas seemed to get over the experience pretty quickly. Derek guessed it was because of the difference in people being raised in the system and people being raised pre-system. Bronson surprised Derek after the second bandit attack. He captured one of the bandits and forced him to lead the group to their camp. It was a small camp. Bronson made short work of it and freed the few people being held against their will. They left after with a small group of survivors following after them. They were already close enough to the city, and Derek did not mind having the group following behind them. Bronson occasionally tossed them some food and water to keep them satiated for the trip. A few days later, they arrived at the gates of Torith. The city walls were outstanding. They made the walls around the village look like a white picket fence. The guards identified Bronson and let everyone in, the survivors going their own way. ¡°This is Torith.¡± Bronson said. ¡°What do you think?¡± Derek looked around. ¡°Smells like shit.¡± Chapter 64: Interlude/Anomaly Chapter 64: Interlude/Anomaly Darvin was in the meeting room waiting for Kelvin. The human leader had been personally gathering information on planet C-186. In the recent months, the system¡¯s speed towards the anomaly had been increasing, and the human, Derek Hunt, was the only lead that Darvin and the other council members had. When the system introductory phase on C-186 ended, Kelvin had rushed to the planet to learn everything there was to know about Derek. Yesterday, his mission was deemed complete, and he was to report back with what he learned today. Darvin had paced more over the last three months that he had in his previous centuries of life. The more the system expanded in the singular direction, the more anxious the Malaxi became. He hoped that whatever was to happen would not be of great consequence, but in his gut, he knew something great was bound to happen. Just then, the teleporter flashed, and Kelvin stepped out. His neat blonde hair had grown shaggy, and he had a frown on his face. Darvin suspected he was not going to be happy with what Kelvin had learned. Without any courtesy, Kelvin walked to a center chair at the table and flopped down. ¡°Well, shit.¡± He said aloud to Darvin. ¡°I got nothing useful.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± Darvin replied. ¡°There has to be something.¡± Kelvin sighed. ¡°I have some extra background on the man, but nothing concerning what is happening with the system.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡± Darvin replied. ¡°Start at the beginning.¡± Kelvin shook his head and began recounting his time on Earth. *** I stepped through the teleporter and arrived at one of Earth¡¯s busiest hubs. It was previously known as Chicago, but when the system arrived, the cities went to shit, just like always. Still, one of the residents, Jace, happened to be one of the few Earthlings to adapt well to the system, and he was able to establish a safe zone in the area rather quickly. If you were to look at the rankings on Earth, before the introductory phase ended, Jace was in second place. The man wasn¡¯t very creative though, as he named his new safe zone, Chicago II. Still, the city is the current largest city on the planet. The other top cities include Ji¨´ zh¨³ from a country known as China, Kingston from the United Kingdom, and¡­ Muscle Town, created by a guy only known as Jim, it¡¯s in the United States, same as Chicago, though it was formerly known as Houston, Texas. Needless to say, I avoided going to these places. I especially would not like to meet Jim, who somehow ended up fifth in the rankings. I chose Chicago II because it was the closest city, with a teleporter, to where Derek Hunt frequented. From there, I went east to a state known as North Carolina. You know, I really don¡¯t get the point in breaking a country up into states, then the states up into cities. Anyway, it was quite the trek from Chicago II to North Carolina. Of course, I used a few local transporters to jump from city to city, but it still took a couple days to get there. After a couple days, I finally made it to the Charlotte safe zone. Bless the person who made that safe zone, keeping it the exact same name as the city. Apparently, this was where Derek Hunt was from. Well, I made my way around Charlotte, asking around about the man and the others. Luckily, Silvi Jacobs was very easy to track down. After getting the woman¡¯s location, I headed to the bar where she worked. That¡¯s right, she was a bartender now. I walked inside and there she was. It didn¡¯t take any time for me to find her. The woman had silver hair, she was wearing a tight, white shirt, and some kind of blue pants. She was wiping down the bar in front of an empty stool. I walked over and sat on the stool. I waited for her to finish cleaning the bar before I spoke. ¡°You must be Silvi Jacobs.¡± She raised her eyebrows and looked at me with her emotionless green eyes. ¡°What do you want?¡± I grinned. ¡°What I want¡­ Is to talk about Derek Hunt.¡± That got her attention as I saw a flash of pain register in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t know who you¡¯re talking about. Order something or leave.¡± She lied. ¡°Oh, I think you will be talking. See, there are some people, including myself, who are very interested in the man, and you just happen to be the only person who was even a little close to him.¡± ¡°Leave.¡± She said and turned. I reached over the bar and grabbed her by the wrist. She turned back around. ¡°You will tell me everything you know. Don¡¯t think you have a choice.¡± I heard footsteps approaching me from behind. Of course, there was nothing on Earth that could injure me, so I allowed the approach. While still holding the wrist of the woman, a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned to look at the assailant, and to my surprise, it was Gerard Brooks, one of the people Derek rescued before vanishing. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Gerard, that¡¯s good. I have some questions for you too.¡± I reached over to the hand on my shoulder and grabbed it. I squeezed until I heard a cracking sound and the man let out a groan. He was weaker than I imagined. ¡°Now, would the two of you like to go somewhere quiet to talk, or should have everyone in here vacate? I really don¡¯t want to cause more of a scene. Look, people are already looking at us.¡± I gestured to the rest of the bar. The woman squinted her eyes. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m just looking to talk about Derek Hunt. You know, black hair, blue eyes, vanished a bit over two years ago.¡± ¡°Would you sign a contract that you won¡¯t hurt us?¡± Gerard said from behind me, holding his broken left hand. ¡°No, I won¡¯t sign a contract with pathetic humans like you. I should kill you for even asking, but I¡¯m on a mission, so I¡¯ll ask one more time. Do you want to go somewhere to talk, or would you rather me drag you out of here and talk then?¡± The two teammates made eye contact, then the woman nodded. ¡°We can go to the back. It¡¯s empty.¡± She walked over from behind the bar, then shouted at a woman clearing a table. ¡°Cindy, watch the bar.¡± ¡°Good choice.¡± I stood and had them lead me to an empty room in the back. There was a couch and a few chairs. I guess it was an area for the workers to take a break. I put one of the chairs in front of the couch and sat. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Again, the two looked at each other before sitting. ¡°What do you want to know about Derek?¡± ¡°First, where is the other alive member? Allison, I believe?¡± I asked. ¡°She¡¯s gone. Couldn¡¯t handle it after John and Andrea. Left the city, we haven¡¯t seen her since.¡± Gerard answered. ¡°And you two? Why are you working here in this bar?¡± ¡°We¡­¡± Silvi looked down. ¡°We¡¯re considered bad luck. Nobody would team with us after Derek. Then, I read up on my abilities and found out how bad Portal was to use, so I¡¯m practically useless.¡± ¡°Well, I would say you are extremely lucky to have never summoned a Void Beast. You would have been the cause of hundreds or thousands of deaths. It would have killed until it got bored, and no one would have been able to come down to stop it because you were in an introductory phase. I¡¯ve seen it happen.¡± I explained. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it happen?¡± She asked, confused. ¡°Are you not from Earth?¡± ¡°Hahahah!¡± I laughed. ¡°No, I¡¯m Kelvin, the human leader, and a member of the System Council.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± I cut the woman off. ¡°Could crush this entire city with one finger. Now, can we get back on point? What do you know about Derek? From before the system.¡± I asked. ¡°He¡­ He didn¡¯t talk much about himself. I only know what the few people who knew him and his family before the system came told me. His family all died a couple years before the system came. He moved out to his family¡¯s cabin on a lake afterward and stayed there until the system came. Well, he stayed there after the system arrived too.¡± Silvi answered. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked. She nodded. ¡°Do you know anything else?¡± I asked Gerard. ¡°That¡¯s more than I knew. He didn¡¯t talk about it, so I never snooped.¡± The man answered. ¡°What about Titles or skills?¡± Maybe he had a Title that could help to explain what was happening, or a skill related to the void. They both shook their heads. ¡°He never talked about that stuff.¡± I don¡¯t know what I was expecting to find out. These people were useless. ¡°His cabin, where is it?¡± ¡°It was about 50 miles outside of Charlotte, but it was destroyed by beasts a few months after he disappeared.¡± Silvi answered. Dammit. ¡°Mark it on this map.¡± I pulled a map out of my inventory and the woman showed me where it was. I thought that I may be able to find something there, anything. I stood up to leave. ¡°You enjoy your meaningless lives.¡± Began to walk out of the room. ¡°Wait. Why are you so interested in Derek?¡± The woman asked. ¡°Well, because he¡¯s still alive.¡± I smiled and left the girl standing in the room in shock. Afterwards, I left the city and went to search for the cabin. I found it, but Silvi was right, there was nothing left. The grass had grown up, there was barely even any part of the cabin left. I only found a single photo of a young Derek holding who I could only assume was his little sister in his arms. Then, I made my way back to Chicago, and here I am. *** ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Darvin asked. ¡°Nothing else? There was no one close to the man?¡± ¡°I asked around while in Charlotte, but there was nothing. He didn¡¯t have any friends, hell, the man barely had acquaintances. He¡¯s a mystery.¡± Kelvin answered. ¡°And you left the two alive?¡± ¡°Yeah, they aren¡¯t strong enough to do anything. They have barely leveled since everything happened, and they don¡¯t know anything. I had my skill activated the whole time I was there, they didn¡¯t lie.¡± Darvin shook his head. The two of them stared at the holograph of Derek floating in the middle of the table. ¡°Just what is going on?¡± Darvin said to nobody. Kelvin smiled a predatory smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I can¡¯t wait. It¡¯s been so boring these last few decades.¡± ¡°You can go.¡± Darvin dismissed Kelvin. Kelvin got up and left through the teleporter. Darvin stared at the system model with the deviation at one point. ¡°Just where are you going?¡± Chapter 65: Torith Chapter 65: Torith Derek looked around the city as they slowly walked down the street. It was big. Not as big as some of the pre-system cities in his world, but it was definitely up there in size. Bronson had explained the layout of the city to Derek on the way there. It was really basic, and according to Bronson, it was the preferred style of city layout. It was a giant city, within circular walls. Of course, he had also seen some small huts and houses surrounding the city before they entered. There was not much protection from enemies, but maybe those people would be let inside in case of an enemy attack, or perhaps the guards and Adventurer¡¯s Guild protected them somewhat. Derek was curious, but not enough to ask Bronson if that was the case. Once inside the city, you were on the main street. Both sides of the street had different establishments. There were different shops, crafting workplaces, inns, and taverns. Apparently, the further you walked on the main road, the better the establishments you could find. If one was just entering the city, they would find restaurants selling delicacies such as rat on a stick for pennies, but further into the city, one would find restaurants costing actual gold to dine in. The living arrangements worked the same. The slums were located immediately after entering the city. If one took the first intersection or alleyway they saw, on either side of the street, they would stumble on the poorest area of Torith. The further in, the richer the people. Just before the end of the street was the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Finally, at the end of the main street, was another wall and gate. This gate separated the lower class from the middle class. Though, some that could afford to live in the middle class area chose to live in the richer part of the lower class area instead. According to Bronson, the cost difference between the two areas was staggering. Many merchants chose the upper-lower class area to save greatly on living expenses and put what they saved back into their business. There were far fewer establishments in the middle class area, but the quality of businesses was multiple times better than the lower section. The smithy that crafted the weapons and armor of the city guard was located there. The living areas were also much better. Each house had land and at least one open courtyard. Thinking back, Derek commended the villagers for at least giving all the families some space. From what he saw in the lower section of the city, it was very overcrowded. Finally, there was the noble section. The upper section of the city consisted only of noble houses, big and small. Even if the noble house was in a dire situation financially, they were still able to live in the noble section, unless they relinquished their nobility for money, which did tend to happen with some families. There was only one restaurant and two inns in the noble section. For all their other needs, the nobles would send servants down to the middle class area to obtain goods. Because of this, and the small amount of nobles, the residences of the nobles were grandiose. Then, at the very top of the city, was the City Lord¡¯s Manor. According to Bronson, it was almost like a mini castle. He would have to take a look for himself once he arrived. About halfway through the lower part of the city, Silvi, who had taken to sitting on the top of Thomas¡¯s head, told Derek to stop. Curious, he halted the party to find out what was wrong. ¡®That smell. So good. I want. Get me. Now.¡¯ Of course that¡¯s what it is. She just wants food. There was rather delicious aroma coming from one of the street vendors. Derek walked over, with Thomas following with Silvi. Looking at the cart, he was surprised to find steaming hot shish kabobs with some kind of meat and vegetables. It looked good, and smelt good, and if it could keep Silvi occupied while they trekked through the city, it would be well worth whatever the cost. Derek walked up to the vendor. He turned to Bronson. ¡°You want some?¡± Bronson scrunched his nose a bit. ¡°No, I¡¯ll wait until I get home to eat. We¡¯re not far now. You never know what kind of meat they sell down here.¡± He¡¯s a bit spoiled, I guess. Derek turned back around to the vendor, whose face¡¯s shade had changed from regular to having a red hue, most likely from the words Bronson spoke. ¡°Well, give me six.¡± ¡°Y-yes sir.¡± The young man stuttered, surprised. ¡°That will be 12 copper.¡± Derek fished out 12 copper coins from his bracelet and laid them on the cart. ¡°Here you go.¡± The man, seeing the copper appear out of nowhere, became even more nervous. ¡°A-are you s-sure someone like yourself wants to eat something like this?¡± He asked. ¡°Come on kid. I already paid.¡± Derek pushed. ¡°O-okay.¡± The young man picked up six kabobs and handed them over. Then he reached for the money and tried to give it back. ¡°S-sir, it¡¯s on me, please.¡± Derek rolled his eyes and walked away without taking the money back. He put three of the sticks in his bracelet and handed Thomas the other two. Thomas looked at him oddly. Derek smiled. ¡°Silvi can¡¯t very well hold one and walk at the same time.¡± Thomas, realizing that Derek meant for him to feed the bunny on his head while walking, frowned. Derek turned to Bronson. ¡°The way that kid acted, you would think I beat him. Do you guys really treat them that bad down here?¡± ¡°Some do.¡± Bronson confirmed. ¡°Most nobles won¡¯t even come to the lower city, preferring to leave through the side gate in the middle section. But those that choose to be a part of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild usually come through this way. Many are young adults who are¡­ spoiled.¡± Derek scoffed. ¡°Yeah¡­ spoiled.¡± He shook his head and continued walking. At least there was some entertainment for him on the way. Seeing Thomas holding one kabob over his head for Silvi, and trying to eat his at the same time was hilarious, especially with the juice dripping from Silvi¡¯s down onto his face. Even Bronson let a chuckle escape at the scene. 20 or so minutes later, the group was finally at the next gate. Normally, Derek and Thomas would be stopped at this gate, as they did not have the identification to make it through. Of course, if Derek showed even a little of his strength, it would be reported and he would likely be welcomed. They did not have to worry about any of this because of Bronson. So far, every city guard they had passed had recognized the man at a glance. Just as what happened at the entrance to the city, the gate to the middle section was opened up and they were let through without any hassles. If I¡¯m going to be here for a while, I¡¯m going to have to figure out how to move freely through the city areas. Until then, I can just mooch off of Bronson. Derek looked at Bronson and smiled a creepy smile. After going through the gates, Derek focused more on his surroundings. The difference between the two sections was like night and day. They walked by a bakery and Derek instantly regretted eating the kabobs. The previous smells of the city were all gone, and the fresh scents of steaming pastries drifted through the air into the noses of passerby. ¡®Want. Now.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s thoughts flew into Derek¡¯s head as she sniffed the air. ¡®I¡¯ll get you some later. Just sit tight for now. I¡¯m sure there will be even tastier things where we are going.¡¯ Derek tried to pacify the hungry bunny. She did not answer, she only snorted and kept sniffing the surrounding air. ¡°Aww! Mommy, look! It¡¯s so cute.¡± A little girl walking the street while holding an woman¡¯s hand yelled when she saw Silvi atop Thomas¡¯s head. The people in the middle area of the city were totally different than those in the lower section. While walking through the lower section, people did best to avoid eye contact, and tried to move out of the way before they came through. Of course, this was because of Bronson. He was still in his armor and had placed his sword on his back. Derek and Thomas still looked like they may have belonged in the lower section. Thomas was wearing the leather armor Brandi had made him, and though it fit well and looked decent, in a noble¡¯s eyes, the armor would be worthless. Derek, of course, was wearing one of the black t-shirts Brandi had given him, and a pair of blue jeans that had a few holes around the knees. He was also wearing his combat boots, which had seen better days. The duo looked completely out of place in the middle area. The woman and child finally drew closer, and the child spoke to Thomas. ¡°C-can I pet the cute bunny?¡± A trace of disgust flashed in the woman¡¯s eyes when she looked at Derek and Thomas, but when her gaze landed on Bronson, her eyes grew big. ¡°Shana, we shouldn¡¯t disturb the sirs, I¡¯m sure they have things they must do.¡± ¡°Aww! I wanted to play with it and pet it and feed it.¡± Shana grumbled sadly and held out a pastry. That was all it took for Silvi. One moment she was sitting atop Thomas¡¯s head, the next, she was in the arms of a little girl chewing on sweet bread. ¡®Pays to be cute. You wish you were.¡¯ She transmitted to Derek. Derek shook his head. ¡®Hurry up and finish it. We have places to be.¡¯ He sent back. The woman quickly bowed. ¡°I apologize, Captain Bronson. I¡¯ll discipline Shana later.¡± ¡°Nonsense. It¡¯s natural for little girls to adore cute things. We aren¡¯t in a rush. Besides, that bunny is a glutton, we¡¯re lucky the food was offered, and she didn¡¯t steal it.¡± Bronson replied. Silvi heard Bronson call her a glutton, and she looked back at him with squinted eyes. He flinched, and she went back to consuming the food. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± The woman said. Soon, the pastry was gone and Silvi hopped out of the girl¡¯s arms and back atop Thomas¡¯s head. The party continued down the street. A half hour later, they were finally at the gate to the noble district. Derek was excited to see what was next. Chapter 66: The Crown Chapter 66: The Crown With Bronson leading them, the group was able to pass through the gate with no problems. A couple of the guards gave Derek and Thomas strange looks, but they did not dare say anything with Bronson around. The first things that Derek noticed when entering the noble district was a gigantic building with multiple floors. There was a balcony on the top floor. It had to be at least six floors tall. Of course, it was nothing compared to some of the skyscrapers Derek had seen and been to on Earth. Still, in a world like this that seemed to be stuck in the medieval times, it was quite something. There was not much to the design of the building. It was square with windows on every floor. At the top of the door, there was artwork of a crown with jewels in it. One other thing that Derek noticed was that the building was very clean. He could not find a speck of dust anywhere. Bronson noticed Derek staring at the tall building. ¡°That is the Crown. It¡¯s a restaurant that originated in the Capital, then proceeded to set up branches everywhere. No matter which city in the kingdom you are in, there will be a Crown restaurant in the noble district.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool, I guess. So, can anyone who can afford it eat there?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No. All nobles and some wealthy merchants are able to dine there as long as they have the money. But, they can only use the bottom floors. The top two floors are reserved for those lucky enough to obtain a membership. Currently, in Torith, there is no one, not even the city lord, who has been able to receive one. Receiving a membership to the Crown is a dream of many nobles.¡± Bronson replied. Derek looked over at Thomas and Silvi. Thomas was still staring at the building, slack-jawed. Derek shook his head and turned back to Bronson. ¡°So, is the food good at least.¡± Bronson laughed. ¡°It looks good. I¡¯ve never been able to dine in the restaurant, but I have accompanied the master a time or two. It¡¯s said that all the chefs that work for the Crown were raised up personally in the organization. They all have the same class and their Cooking skills are unbelievably high.¡± ¡®Cooking skill? They must have thumbs. Would make easier. I need thumbs. I cook better. Make restaurant.¡¯ Derek was treated to the mumblings of Silvi. She was obsessed with food, and was still bitter at her first cooking experience. ¡®I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a skill that will allow you to grow thumbs, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something that will make it easier on you.¡¯ He told her. He could only imagine Silvi running a restaurant. He silently chuckled and continued with Bronson. ¡°So, what does it take to become a member?¡± ¡°Great achievement or strength. Something that the king would recognize. Not even the princes or the princess are allowed in the reserved floors unless the king is with them. Though, I have heard that the eldest prince is very close to obtaining membership. He tracked and killed a Void Beast a couple weeks ago.¡± Bronson replied. Derek noticed Thomas staring at him out of the corner of his eye. It seems that though Void Beasts are rare, it isn¡¯t uncommon to hear about them. I was wanting Brandi to make me some armor out of the corpse I have, but I¡¯ve outgrown its uses¡­ and then some. Maybe it could make good armor for Thomas, though. Or, I may be able to use it to increase my reputation faster than expected. I guess I could always give away all but the skin and let the girl work with that. ¡°A Void Beast, huh? Why would that help with membership? I¡¯m sure there are some very weak Void Beasts out there, they aren¡¯t all strong like the legends.¡± Derek asked. ¡°No, they are just extremely rare. Mostly because it is forbidden to use Portal. Still, every now and then, some untrained or unlearned mage thinks the skill sounds cool and ends up getting their whole village destroyed. The problem is that you never know how strong of a Void Beast you will end up with. If you could control that, you would be rich.¡± Bronson replied. ¡°Why is that?¡± Derek really was curious as to why Void Beasts, even weak ones would be in demand. He could see blacksmiths or leatherworkers wanting the materials from stronger ones, like the one he had, but not weak ones. Bronson pointed at the restaurant. ¡°It¡¯s a delicacy. One of the best tasting meats you will ever eat¡­ or so I¡¯ve heard. Of course, the stronger the beast, the better the taste, but even a weak Void Beast tastes better than almost anything.¡± ¡®Void Beast. I want eat. Let¡¯s go find one. Now.¡¯ Silvi chirped. ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­¡± Derek said, and walked towards the restaurant. ¡°What are you doing? You won¡¯t be allowed in yet. Wait for the master, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be willing to bring you.¡± Derek chuckled and kept walking until he made it to the entrance. Then he walked in. The inside of the building was exquisite. From the chandeliers lighting the ceiling to the tables placed around the room, everything was high quality. I wonder how the lights work. Derek mused as he looked at the ceiling. In no time, there were two very strong looking guards standing in front of him. At that time, Derek felt Silvi land on his shoulder. ¡®Kill now? Eat?¡¯ She asked. ¡®No, just making a little scene. Though, we will probably eat soon. Just not the people. Didn¡¯t I tell you that we don¡¯t eat humans?¡¯ He calmed the bunny. ¡°What are you doing? You don¡¯t belong here. Leave now before we throw you out.¡± One of the guards said. They were both at least as strong as Bronson. ¡°Oh? I was hoping to speak to your manager.¡± Derek said. The guards looked him up and down, then scoffed. ¡°You? Why would someone like you think they would be able to speak to the manager? Filthy peasant, how are you even in the noble district to begin with?¡± Bronson came in at that time. He bowed to the guards. ¡°Phil, Ryan, I¡¯m sorry about this. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding. This is Derek, a guest of Master Gracefall.¡± He looked at Derek. ¡°Come on, no matter how strong you are, you don¡¯t want to mess with the Crown.¡± That got on Derek¡¯s nerves. He glared at Bronson, and the whites of his eyes began to turn purple. ¡°You do not speak for me. Understand?¡± Bronson flinched and backed up. ¡°Y-yes. Sorry.¡± Seeing Bronson concede to Derek, the two guards tensed. The atmosphere became still. They reached for their weapons. ¡°What is going on down here?¡± A lovely voice sounded out. A woman wearing an emerald green dress with a thigh high slit was sauntering down the stairs. Her fire red hair and green eyes accented her dress. A few freckles rested on her cheeks. Derek was unsure if makeup was used in this world, neither Rayna nor Mal had ever used any, but even if there was, it would only hinder the woman¡¯s natural beauty. ¡°Madam, this¡­ man was causing trouble. We were just about to throw him out.¡± One of the guards spoke. They had already caused a scene in the restaurant, and the dining nobles had taken notice and were all staring. The woman looked past the two guards, and her eyes landed on Bronson. ¡°Bronson, is Theodore well?¡± ¡°Maam.¡± Bronson nodded. ¡°He has been very well.¡± The woman then looked at Derek. Derek smiled a half smile and withdrew the void raging inside his body. The deep purple in his eyes receded to his irises. The woman raised her eyebrows at that. ¡°And you must be¡­¡± She stopped to allow Derek to answer. He nodded. ¡°You can call me Derek. I take it you¡¯re the manager here?¡± He got to the point. Derek appreciated beauty, but he would not allow it to get in his way. ¡°Straight to the point, I like that. Yes, I am the manager. You can call me Stella. How may I help you?¡± ¡°Is there somewhere private we can go, or are you fine doing business here, out in the open.¡± He asked. ¡°I assure you, all the business we do here is above board, there is no need to hide anything. That is, unless you are uncomfortable.¡± She said. Derek laughed. ¡°Nope. Here¡¯s fine.¡± He shook his hand, and a corpse appeared. He was holding the body by the back of the neck. The bipedal, wolf-like creature was menacing looking. Everyone in the restaurant gasped in surprise when they saw the Void Beast. ¡°I heard you may be interested in one of these.¡± Stella stared at the creature with wide eyes. ¡°This¡­ may I?¡± She asked as a knife appeared in her hand. Understanding what she wanted, Derek walked to the nearest empty table and laid the corpse on it. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Carefully, the woman slid the knife down the chest of the Void Beast. The knife cut through it like butter. ¡°So fresh, and there¡¯s barely a mark on it. How was it slain?¡± She asked while examining the body. ¡°I stored it as soon as I killed it. As for how I did it¡­ That¡¯s for me to know.¡± In all, Derek had only had the corpse outside of his storage bracelet for a few hours, top. He had never imagined that it would taste good. If he knew, it may not have made it until now. ¡°The hide is so strong.¡± Stella said and looked back at Derek with wide eyes. ¡°How strong are you to be able to fight it? You must be well over 100.¡± Derek just smiled. My stats would have put me around a level 130 with a rare class back when I fought it. I could kill it with a finger now. Derek thought. ¡°Right, that¡¯s for you to know.¡± She muttered. ¡°This¡­ this is too much for me to decide what to do with it. We haven¡¯t had one of this quality in years. I¡¯ll have to contact the Capital. Could you give me a day or two? Will you be around?¡± ¡°Of course. Though, I do want the hide.¡± He said. ¡°That¡¯s fine, we usually just sell the remaining parts to the highest bidder. I¡¯ll let my boss know. Would you like to take it with you until things are settled, or do you mind if we keep it? I assure you, you will get a good price.¡± Stella said. ¡°You can keep it. Frees up some storage space, anyway.¡± He said, and the woman looked at him in surprise. ¡°What, I was told by somebody that you do things above board.¡± He smiled. Stella¡¯s lips turned upward into a stunning smile. ¡°That somebody is correct.¡± She placed her hand on the corpse and it disappeared. She looked around. ¡°Would your party like to dine today? It¡¯s on the house.¡± Derek looked at Bronson, Thomas, and Silvi. The two men were stunned, and Silvi was barely able to contain herself. ¡°That would be great.¡± He moved Silvi to his arms. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind my companion eating too, she is quite the food connoisseur.¡± The woman led them to a table. ¡°She is fine. Many of our distinguished guests bring their pets.¡± She said. The group sat down. ¡°Someone will be with you momentarily. Enjoy your meal.¡± Stella said, then sauntered back up the stairs. Chapter 67: More Business Chapter 67: More Business After being seated, Derek looked around the room. The bottom floor of the restaurant was packed full of nobles. It would be impossible to hide what had just taken place. Derek expected the rumors to be all over the noble and middle-class districts by the time they left the Crown. Of course, this is what Derek wanted and the reason he had not asked for privacy. He was, however, beginning to get irritated at the nobles around him. They made no attempt to hide the fact that they were using Identify on him. Naturally, all of their attempts failed, which caused even more commotion in the already lively restaurant. Soon, a waiter arrived to take their order. ¡°I have been instructed to allow the entire bottom menu, free of charge. Would you like that?¡± The man asked. That seemed fine with Derek. He was sure that his group would have no problem finishing one of everything, especially with the gluttonous rabbit with them. ¡°Fine by me, at least I won¡¯t have to worry about ordering something I won¡¯t like.¡± He agreed. The waiter nodded. ¡°I will let the chefs know right away. In the meantime, would you like some tea, or perhaps ale?¡± Derek looked at the others. He had a craving for something hot. ¡°Tea is fine for the three of us.¡± He motioned to Silvi, Thomas, and himself. ¡°He can have whatever.¡± He nodded to Bronson. ¡°Ah, yes. Tea will do nicely.¡± Bronson spoke up. The man cast an odd look at Silvi before answering. ¡°Right away.¡± He pivoted and left. ¡°The entire lower menu¡­ for free. Do you know how much that would cost?¡± Bronson asked. ¡°Nope.¡± Derek replied nonchalantly. In fact, he did not care. Other than raising his reputation, the only reason he was at the restaurant was because he had gotten hungry while walking through the city, and the mystery skewers had not filled him up. He was sure that no matter what food they received, it would be good. A place does not get and keep such a reputation without being exceptional. Bonson only shook his head in response to Derek¡¯s attitude. Soon, the waiter was back with four cups of steaming hot tea. ¡°This is our very own Crown Tea. It is known throughout the kingdom as one of the very best.¡± The man said as he set the cups in front of them. Derek nodded at the waiter and picked up the cup. Moving it to his lips, he took a small sip. It was good, but not quite to Derek¡¯s taste. The tea had a fruity undertone and was very smooth, he could feel the small Vitality boost he received by drinking it. As an ¡°uncultured¡± American, he preferred coffee to any kind of tea he had ever drank. In fact, the more bitter the coffee, the more he liked it. At that thought, he got an idea. Why didn¡¯t I think of that before? He looked to the waiter. ¡°Is Stella still around? I¡¯ve just thought of something else that she may be interested in.¡± The man looked at Derek with interest. ¡°She is. She is on the third floor, in her office. Would you like me to notify her?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Right away, sir.¡± The man said and took off up the stairs. ¡°What now?¡± Bronson asked. Derek smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s possible yet. I¡¯ll tell you later if it works.¡± Not even two minutes later, the waiter was back down and at their table. ¡°She is a little busy, but you can go up if you wish.¡± Derek nodded and stood. He looked at his group. ¡°Save me something to eat, I am hungry.¡± He turned back to the waiter. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± After following behind the waiter to the third floor, he came to a part of the building that was much different than what he had already seen. Must be the business floor. Soon, he was in a hallway and was let to a door. The waiter knocked on the door and waited for an answer from the other side. Soon, the same melodic voice rang out. ¡°Come in.¡± The man opened the door and walked inside. ¡°Madam. I have brought the guest.¡± Stella, seated behind a desk littered in papers, nodded and dismissed the man from the room. He shut the door on his way out. She focused her gaze on Derek. ¡°Have a seat.¡± She said and waited for him to take his seat. ¡°So, I hear you may have another proposal for me.¡± She spoke coyly. Derek chuckled. ¡°Actually, I do. But I¡¯m not sure if what I¡¯m looking for is possible.¡± ¡°Oh? What is it you are looking for?¡± She asked. ¡°Well¡­ I assume you have botanists and other types of plant type mages for growing your fruits and vegetables, correct?¡± ¡°Yes. We have a few here, and many others in our other host cities. We also have hunters that we pay a premium to for their kills. What are you thinking?¡± She asked, intrigued. ¡°Are your mages good enough to reverse engineer a plant? One that has already been processed, dried, roasted, and ground.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything, but they may be able to. They can experiment and grow things based on taste too. That is how we originally made our tea. What is it that you have?¡± Stella seemed even more interested. Derek placed his hand over the table and one of the coffee canisters he had appeared on the table. He opened the lid and slid the can over to Stella. ¡°This is a special beverage from my home, I haven¡¯t seen anything like it since I¡¯ve been here.¡± Stella took the can and pulled it towards her nose. ¡°Interesting smell. How¡¯s the taste?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°You got a couple cups? I¡¯ll need some near boiling water and a small funnel.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± She questioned. ¡°Well, some people enjoy it with cream and sugar. Actually, it¡¯s a pretty versatile drink. You can experiment until you find the taste you like best. I prefer it plain. It¡¯s quick and simple.¡± He explained. Stella nodded, then grabbed a small crystal-like object. Derek could see it lighting up when she injected mana into it. ¡°Okay, it will be up in a moment.¡± She said. Derek nodded. ¡°By the way, your guests are pretty rude.¡± He said, making small talk. ¡°Oh, how¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure everyone dining on the bottom floor has tried using Identify on me. They really don¡¯t try to hide it.¡± He laughed and said. ¡°You will get used to that.¡± She said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but I know some people who would have already slaughtered the entire floor because of it.¡± He said. Well, I used to know some. Hell, I don¡¯t even know if Jace is still alive. I¡¯m pretty sure Earth is out of the system¡¯s introductory state. I always wondered what that was going to be like¡­ Stella looked at him, a trace of fear flashing in her eyes. ¡°Identify is a vital skill for hunters, so in Cydaria, they are accustomed to using it on all they see, including people. It is the best way to level it. These people¡­ are they here too? Do they have strength similar to yours?¡± Derek laughed out loud. ¡°No need to worry. Me coming here was a happy accident. I doubt they ever come here. Plus, I¡¯m sure they would at least try to learn about other customs before causing a commotion.¡± He said. Well, except for Jim. I¡¯m not sure he even knows what the word ¡®customs¡¯ means. ¡°But yeah, when I left, they were probably stronger than me. That¡¯s not to say they could beat me, though.¡± He smiled. ¡°Where are you from? If you don¡¯t mind me asking. I¡¯ve never been outside the kingdom before, and we don¡¯t get many visitors.¡± ¡°Ah, that is a secret¡­ for now. I may tell you someday. We¡¯ll see how this¡­ business works out.¡± At that point, a waitress knocked and walked in. She arranged the cups, water pot, and funnel onto the desk, along with sugar and cream. ¡°Is there anything else, madam?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all, you can go.¡± Stella said. She then slid the can back to Derek and motioned for him to begin. Derek pulled a coffee filter out of his storage bracelet. He took the funnel and was surprised by it. It clearly was not used for something like this, but it was almost perfect. He fixed the filter inside the funnel. Then, he put a few scoops of coffee into the filter. Finally, he slowly poured the water into it while holding the funnel over one of the cups. One must become the coffee pot. He chanted a mantra to himself as he poured. Soon, both cups were full, and he stopped pouring. It pained him to use up his precious coffee, but if he could find a way to get more, it would be well worth it. He set his makeshift coffee maker onto a plate so it would not damage the desk. Derek slid one of the cups to Stella and took the other for himself. He brought it to his mouth and took a sip. Closing his eyes, he basked in the flavor of the drink that he could only make on special occasions. Stella did the same. Then, she took another sip, before setting the cup down. Next, she took a spoon and stirred some sugar into her cup before taking another sip. Then she tested it by adding in some cream. ¡°This¡­ I think I enjoy it with sugar and cream more than I enjoy our own tea. And the aroma is exquisite.¡± She finally spoke after finishing the cup. ¡°That means you want to try to grow it?¡± Derek asked, still savoring his cup. ¡°Of course. What type of plant is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a small tree that bears cherry-like fruit. Then you have to process the cherry and remove the seed. Then, you dry the seeds. I¡¯m not sure about the exact process, I¡¯m not a botanist, but I¡¯m sure your people could figure it out if they¡¯re able to grow it. Finally, you roast, then grind the seed into the perfect cup of coffee.¡± He motioned to his cup. It was, by far, not the best cup of coffee he¡¯d had, but it was coffee. ¡°And, you would probably do well to make some coffee specific tools to use. Oh, and this¡­¡± He pulled out another filter. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure how it¡¯s made, but it¡¯s basically a filter for the coffee.¡± He gave the filter to her. ¡°I don¡¯t have many left, I¡¯m sure you can make something good enough.¡± Finally, he took the lid and put it back on the can. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk business.¡± Chapter 68: Negotiations Chapter 68: Negotiations Stella was the first to break the silence. ¡°So, you have already brought us a Void Beast, and now you are offering this coffee product. What is it that you are hoping to obtain?¡± ¡°Status, and preferably the occasional supply of coffee.¡± Derek was blunt and to the point. ¡°Status? I understand about the coffee, it¡¯s quite easy to allow that, but you want to receive status from the Crown?¡± She asked. ¡°I heard that there are many that hope to obtain a membership to the upper floors, but few ever do. That in itself is a form of status. I figured that the one Void Beast would not be enough for me to obtain the membership, so I was hoping that I would be able to get closer by offering the coffee.¡± Derek replied. Stella sat in silence for a moment, pondering her next question. Finally, she spoke. ¡°Why would you want to go this route to gain status? With your strength, it would be quite easy to move your way up.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°It would, but I would risk offending person after person by doing it that way. If I¡¯m being honest, I just don¡¯t feel like wasting my time dealing with pampered nobles and young lords. Taking this path would be the less bothersome path. I¡¯m sure that there would be those that would want to test me to see if I earned the membership or got it through luck, but those people would most likely be strong and few. I would much rather deal with a few strong fellows than a young lord and all his minions over and over, I know how that goes.¡± I¡¯ve read way too many novels to do that shit. Stella looked at Derek with confusion in her eyes. ¡°Why are you looking to gain status?¡± ¡°To live easy and allow others that I know to live easy too. I don¡¯t necessarily want to live here in Torith¡­ No, after seeing the city for myself, I don¡¯t plan on settling here. But, wherever I choose, I would like to be respected enough that myself and those close to me are not harassed. Now, I could always tread down the path of fear, but, like I said, that would be bothersome and take effort.¡± Derek said. This was the most he had revealed to anyone about his future plans, but he figured Stella would be in the best position to help him the fastest. He could always go the route of befriending a noble, but the Gracefalls were not in a position to help him in any place other than Torith, and he did not feel like cozying up with the City Lord in hopes of meeting one of the king¡¯s advisors. In fact, learning about the Crown was a stroke of good fortune. If he could strike up a good deal with them, it would be great. Their influence stretched the entire kingdom. Hell, he would not mind going to an abandoned area and harvesting a few Void Beasts if they wanted them. ¡°To live easy.¡± Stella shook her head, a mysterious light flashing through her eyes. ¡°What an interesting answer. Are you not looking for power or to find powerful friends?¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not too hard to get along with. I enjoy being alone¡­ well, it¡¯s been kinda nice spending time with others, but I¡¯m not one to go looking for friends. Really, if you leave me and mine alone, then I have no problem leaving you alone. Before coming here, I was considered a bit of a hermit even. I have no desire to be in charge of anything. I also much prefer to do my leveling by hunting monsters¡­ not people.¡± Derek replied. Stella laughed out loud. ¡°I¡¯m sure the populace would appreciate you not hunting them to level. Well, Derek. I¡¯m not sure that your contributions will be enough for a membership, but you will at least be rich. My rank in the Crown is not high enough to finalize the Void Beast business, but I can pass everything you¡¯ve said along to my boss later today, and have an answer for you within a couple days.¡± Stella shifted her eyes back to the coffee on the desk. ¡°However, I am able to negotiate with you about the coffee. If we are able to reverse engineer it and begin manufacturing it, I am certain that it will provide us a considerable wealth. With that, I am willing to sign a contract here and now that will provide you with two percent of coffee sales within the kingdom, along with however much you want for personal use. Of course, a contract with the Crown also allows you to dine in the lower floors too. Your contribution to the Crown will also be noted, and that will go a long way to obtaining a membership. You will also earn more contribution for the Void Beast when we negotiate again in a few days. What do you think?¡± Derek thought about the offer. Two percent seems like a small amount, but considering that it is within the entire kingdom, it should be a lot. ¡°May I ask what the expected monthly revenue would be for the coffee?¡± She raised her eyebrows at that question. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It will definitely be a hit for the first while, but once the new feeling wears off, prices will settle down. It is also very strong and has a distinct flavor, so it is likely that there are many who won¡¯t like it, even with added condiments. As the beverage is the cheapest part of a meal, the profits won¡¯t be too earth-shattering. All in all, I would expect it to compete well with our tea. I don¡¯t see a reason that it would not bring in at least 250,000 gold coins a month once everything settles.¡± ¡°So, around 5,000 coins a month for me.¡± Derek pondered. Shit¡­ I don¡¯t know enough about the financial situation of this kingdom to know if that is a good deal. Fuck, why didn¡¯t I ask Bronson more questions about that? Derek acted like he was thinking about the deal. His only brush with finance in this world was that a level 70 small hide could get him 3 or 4 silver. ¡°How about three and a half?¡± Stella looked at him with squinted eyes. He really wished he knew what the woman was thinking. ¡°Two and a half.¡± He smiled. ¡°Three and we call it a deal.¡± She nodded. ¡°Fine, I can do that.¡± She made a motion and a small stack of paper appeared before her. She placed her hand on the stack and a blue light shined underneath. Soon, writing began to fill the papers. She removed her hand and picked up the stack. Stella then handed the papers over to Derek. ¡°Here is the contract, read it over and inject your mana into it if you agree.¡± Derek grabbed the papers and began reading. It was not a long contract, but it still had a bunch of the nonsense he expected in a contract. He could not give the product to other businesses, he could not sell any of the product he obtained for personal use, and a lot more stuff like that. He read carefully to make sure there were not any traps. After finishing, he read it again, then once more. Finally, he came to the conclusion that the contract was not bad, and he injected his mana. A notification popped up in his vision. A contract with one ¡®Stella Brighton¡¯ and entity ¡®Crown¡¯ has been initiated. Would you like to proceed? Y/N Derek focused on ¡®yes.¡¯ Contract has been completed. Please abide by the terms to avoid any penalties. With that, the contract split in two, and another copy appeared before him. Stella reached over and placed her hand on the original. The contract turned into a blue energy and entered her body. Derek did the same. The energy flowed into his hand and traveled through his body before resting itself in his mind. He now had a new listing under his ¡®Contracts¡¯ tab in his status sheet. Derek slid the coffee can back over to Stella and stood. He placed his hand out for her to take. Handshakes seemed to be commonplace, as she stood and took it into hers. ¡°It was a pleasure doing business with you.¡± He said. She smiled coyly. ¡°The pleasure was all mine.¡± Their handshake broke, and Derek turned to leave the room. Right before he opened the door, he looked back. ¡°Oh, if I just happened to run into some Void Beasts, how many do you think it would take to hurry along the process of me obtaining a membership?¡± Stella was stunned for a moment before she replied. ¡°If they were of the same quality of the previous one, I don¡¯t see why two or three more wouldn¡¯t do the job. Perhaps even one if the coffee sells well.¡± Derek nodded his head, then opened the door. ¡°I better hurry back down before that damn rabbit eats all my food.¡± He walked out and closed the door behind him. Stella fell back into her seat. Meeting that man was extremely stressful. He had not shown any aura or anger, but talking to him made her feel like she was talking to her boss. He was relaxed the whole time and spoke so casually about things. And when he asked about the Void Beasts at the end, the first thing she wondered was if he was going to open a portal and wait for one to appear. That would be crazy though. A Void Beast may come after one minute, or one hundred years. There is no way he would waste time trying to bait one. She thought back to the contract they had signed. She had actually given him a good deal. Two percent for an individual was a great number, especially for something that would sell so easily. Upping it to three had been painful. She only hoped that she would be able to get one percent from the Crown for being the person to broker the deal. 2,500 gold coins a month would be a great payout. She may even get a promotion to one of the better cities. Stella leaned back and sighed. Next, she had to contact her boss and tell her about the contract and the Void Beast. She knew that she would be pleased, especially with the quality of the beast. Stella motioned with her hand and a light blue crystal appeared. It was time to contact her boss. Derek made his way back to the first floor and was greeted with an odd sight. Tray after tray was surrounding his table. He had not expected there to be so much food. That was not the odd thing though. Thomas and Bronson were both leaned back in their chairs with their hands on their bellies. Silvi, on the other hand, looked like she had grown two sizes. She was sitting on the table, in the middle, slowly eating what looked like a roasted duck. Derek tried to communicate with her. ¡®Is that good? Did you save me any?¡¯ He asked the bunny. Silvi slowly turned her head to look at Derek. ¡®Soooo good. Better than delicious, beautiful woman. Soooo full. She transmitted as she took another bite of the duck. ¡®If you¡¯re so full, why are you still eating?¡¯ He was flabbergasted. ¡®Can¡¯t stop. Too delicious. Must eat all.¡¯ The glutton replied. Derek shook his head as he took a seat. He looked around at the trays of food. At least there¡¯s enough left for me. He thought, but he had a sneaking suspicion that the best of the food had already been consumed. Oh well, time to eat. Chapter 69: Enigma Chapter 69: Enigma For half an hour, Derek fought Silvi for scraps of what was left. In the end, he got a bite or two of just about everything, and Silvi underwent another evolution from a Void Rabbit to a Balloon Bunny. Her front paws literally could not touch the ground anymore because of how much she ate. Her stomach was so engorged that she looked like a mini T-Rex. Derek and the rest of the restaurant could only look at the fat bunny and sigh. As for the food, it was fantastic. Of course, there was something about the home-cooked meals that Mal made them that he could not put his finger on, but the food here was multiple times more delicious. Derek looked around the table of balloons. He was definitely the one who ended up eating the least out of the bunch. ¡°I guess it¡¯s about time to go. I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t wait to tell your master about me.¡± He said to Bronson. Bronson, while leaning back in his chair, mumbled. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Then he caught himself. ¡°I mean. No¡­ uhh¡­ yes, I need to get back to the house soon, but no, I do not look forward to reporting on you.¡± He managed to get out. Derek chuckled. ¡°Relax, you do whatever you feel like. It¡¯s not like I ever said you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Bronson released a long breath and nodded. Then he looked up at Derek with slightly furrowed brows. ¡°May I ask what your other meeting was about?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, I remembered I had another product the Crown might like, so I went and offered it to Silvi. She was quite inviting, and I ended up with a contract to provide me a portion of the sales and contribution. Now, if everything works out well, I should be on my way to having a membership, along with making a bit of profit.¡± Derek explained. Bronson¡¯s eyes widened a bit, and the rest of the restaurant¡¯s guests leaned in closer to hear what was said. They were not even trying to hide their prying anymore. ¡°You were actually able to make a contract with the restaurant with means other than the Void Beast. That¡¯s quite the feat.¡± ¡°By the way.¡± Derek said. ¡°What is the value of 7,500 gold coins? As you should know from traveling with me, there are some things that I do not have the greatest understanding of about this kingdom. The monetary system is one of them.¡± ¡°Well, 5,000 gold coins would be able to purchase you a very nice residence in the middle-class, or merchant, district. Of course, you would also have 500 or so gold coins in yearly fees after the purchase. That is also only in Torith. The bigger cities have higher prices. 7,500 coins would probably do the same for those cities, not including the Capital.¡± Bronson paused to think more about the question. Finally, after a small amount of time, he continued speaking. ¡°You would probably understand better if I put it in terms of equipment. 50 coins would be enough to purchase a well-made blade for a level 75 warrior. Of course, the price increases greatly based on materials. My sword, for example, cost 2,700 gold coins. It is good enough to slay beasts up to level 150, unless it is a beast with extreme defenses.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Derek said, then rested his head on his hand. ¡°Looks like I made a pretty good deal then.¡± He mumbled, but Bronson still heard him. ¡°May I ask the terms of the deal? Or would that be overstepping?¡± Bronson asked with a curious tone. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure it would come out eventually, anyway. Other than receiving as much of the product as I want for personal use, I also get contribution and two percent of profits. The product is a beverage, and Stella estimated that after the initial craze over a new product, the monthly profits would be around 250,000 gold.¡± Derek said the last part in a hushed tone that only Bronson could hear. ¡°So the 7,500 gold coins would be monthly.¡± Bronson confirmed in awe. ¡°Yup. I wasn¡¯t sure if I made a good deal or I had been swindled until I asked you. Thankfully, Stella seems to be an honest person.¡± Bronson shook his head. ¡°The Crown has no need to perform shady deals. They are already so powerful that they would prefer to increase their image and reputation over saving a few gold.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°That makes sense.¡± At that point in time, a painful moan was let out by a few of the restaurant goers, and Derek received a notification. You have succeeded in blocking 250 attempts of Identify in a row from 250 different people. New Award Earned Oh, that¡¯s cool. Derek thought, then looked around at the guests holding their heads in pain. I¡¯m guessing it has something to do with causing a backlash to those who try to appraise me. Let¡¯s see. Lesser Enigma Hundreds of people have tried to figure you out, but have failed. You are an enigma. You have earned the following: Identify block ability increased. Those who try, but fail to Identify you will instead experience a small backlash. Block more Identify attempts to continue to progress in this Award. Note: It is recommended to turn the backlash off in crowded areas. That¡¯s neat. I guess I just have to focus to keep the backlash from happening. I wonder how many levels my Identify skill will block now. There was not a way for Derek to immediately find out, but he could check on the backlash. ¡°Bronson, use Identify on me.¡± He said. Bronson squinted. ¡°It won¡¯t work, but, okay.¡± Derek stared at the man. Soon, he flinched a bit, but that was it. ¡°Did you feel anything when you tried?¡± Bronson nodded. ¡°Yes, a shooting pain in my head that vanished as quickly as it came. What happened?¡± ¡°New Award. Apparently, when Identify blocks 250 people in a row from obtaining information, you get an Award called Enigma. Pretty interesting, increases Identify defense and forces a small backlash on those who fail to use it on you. I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t know about it.¡± Derek said. ¡°It makes sense. Blocking 250 people is nothing, but having to do it all in a row is different. Most people know who the strong nobles are and avoid using the skill on them out of respect. And, the skill only levels when using it on things you haven¡¯t already used it on, so once someone scans another once, they usually don¡¯t bother with it again.¡± Bronson explained. ¡°Well, it should be an easy Award to get now that you know about it.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of that, but yes, you are correct. I will let the master know. Thank you for telling me about it. Most people are very secretive about their Awards and Skills.¡± Bronson bowed his head slightly. Derek nodded, saying nothing about the subject. ¡°Alright, how bout we get going then? I¡¯m sure the staff can¡¯t wait for us to leave.¡± Derek motioned to the bunny. ¡°If we let this glutton stay here any longer, the entire establishment will go bankrupt.¡± He jested. Silvi squinted her eyes at Derek. ¡®Don¡¯t want leave. This paradise. We stay. Nice man bring more food.¡¯ Derek laughed. ¡®That¡¯s not how a restaurant works. This time, it was free to eat here. The next time, it will cost a great deal. Don¡¯t worry, I will bring you back some other time, but not often. It is very expensive.¡¯ ¡®Fine. You promise. These very beautiful, delicious people. Humans not so bad.¡¯ She replied. After getting Silvi settled, Derek motioned to the waiter, who made his way over. ¡°Is there anything else I can help you with, sir?¡± The man asked. ¡°That is all, I just wanted to make sure there is nothing I need to do, and it is okay to leave. I know Stella said it was on the house, but I wanted to make sure I didn¡¯t dine and dash.¡± ¡°You owe nothing. You may leave at any time. It was a pleasure serving you.¡± The man bowed slightly. Derek withdrew two gold coins and tossed them to the waiter. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the custom on tipping your server here is, so please excuse me if it is not enough.¡± With that, Derek and the group left the waiter holding two coins in a confused manner and left the establishment. Outside the restaurant, Bronson could not help himself and asked. ¡°Why did you give the server gold?¡± ¡°Was it too much?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No, did you not see his confusion?¡± ¡°It was a tip. Do people not tip here?¡± Derek answered. ¡°Tip? No, the man is paid quite well by the restaurant. Employees work, and they are paid by their employers. Why would a customer also give them money?¡± Bronson asked. ¡°Just chalk it up to a cultural thing. Where I am from, if the waiter or waitress does well, you give them a tip before you leave. Even if they do not do well, it is still usually a good idea to leave a tip. The people you don¡¯t want to piss off the most are the staff of your favorite restaurant. Also, some of the restaurants don¡¯t pay their servers much, and they make a living by the tips they receive.¡± Derek said. ¡°I guess that makes sense. I¡¯m sure the man isn¡¯t going to complain about making two gold today.¡± Bronson said. ¡°Alright, I guess it¡¯s time to head to your place. I¡¯m sure you have a lot you need to report.¡± Derek said to Bronson as he looked at Thomas struggling to keep the fat bunny atop his head. It was her favorite resting place, but her overextended belly was making it hard for her to fit. ¡°That I do.¡± Bronson answered. ¡°And I¡¯m sure the master would love to meet you.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°And I need a shower, so I would be happy to tag along.¡± Chapter 70: Gracefall Manor Chapter 70: Gracefall Manor Bronson looked at Derek in confusion. ¡°Shower? Like a rain shower?¡± Derek looked over and sighed. ¡°Damn, I guess you would only have baths, huh?¡± He was really looking forward to a shower. He figured, if anywhere, a city would be equipped with showers. He was not much of a ¡®bath¡¯ guy. Baths were fine for rest and relaxation, but he always felt cleaner after a shower. An idea began to form in his head. He suddenly looked back over at Bronson. ¡°Gracefall focuses on water classes, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit of an oversimplification, but yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you have some guards who can spew hot water then, right?¡± Derek asked in all seriousness. Bronson chuckled at that. ¡°Most of the guards spew hot water.¡± He looked over to Derek with a smile, but when he saw his face, he continued. ¡°Uh¡­ yes, there are a few mages able to use Geyser and similar spells.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°If it isn¡¯t too much trouble, could you have a few make time for¡­ uh¡­ training after we get there?¡± Bronson, of course, seemed more confused than ever with this sudden conversation, but he answered anyway. ¡°I can¡­ I¡¯m sure training with you will help them greatly.¡± Like this, their small group continued on their way to Gracefall Manor. It was not long before the group arrived in front of a small gate manned by two guards. As soon as the guards spotted them, they saluted. ¡°Captain Bronson!¡± Bronson nodded at them and took out a key from his storage ring. Instead of waiting on the two to open the gate, he inserted the key and opened it himself. Stepping inside, Bronson motioned for one of the guards to come over. He motioned to Derek and the rest. ¡°This is Sir Derek, and that is Thomas, see to it that our guests are well taken care of.¡± The guard nodded and asked the group to follow him. Before he left, Bronson grabbed his arm and whispered in his ear. ¡°Treat that man as if he is Master Gracefall.¡± The guard¡¯s eyes opened in shock before he heavily nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Corporal Hines will take you to the guest quarters.¡± Bronson said. ¡°I have to report to the master, I¡¯ll send a few of the guards with that ability to you soon. Until then, treat this place as your own.¡± Derek nodded and began following the guard in front. As he walked through the courtyard, he made out subtle differences from what was in front of him and the other residences he views on their way. The residence was big, that was for sure. But it was one of the smallest he had seen in the noble area. Fortunately, it seemed well taken care of. There were four buildings inside the walls around him. The manor was a straight shot from the gate opening. To the left was a well kept area with two buildings. Looking in that direction, Derek could guess that the area was for the guards. Along with the two buildings, there were guards training. Some sparring, some practicing formation. He had an idea of what the buildings were. A barracks and an armory, perhaps? He thought. He looked to the right of the main residence and saw the building that was grand, but less so than the manor. Maybe the guest residence? Sure enough, when they arrived at the intersection of the stone path, the guard had them turn to the right. ¡°This is the guest manor.¡± The guard pointed at the building. ¡°Please treat it as your own home. There is a separate staff inside that will be under your command.¡± Derek nodded and looked at Thomas. He was taking everything in, like a kid in a candy shop. Silvi had somehow manages to almost return to a normal shaped bunny. She no longer looked like a beach ball. She was able to balance on the boy¡¯s head and sleep without much trouble. Thomas still reached up to stabilize her every once in a while, but the worst of the issues had passed. Soon they arrived at the front of the house. The door opened and a man with grey-white hair, dressed in a black coat layered over a white tunic. If Derek were to describe the man in front of him, he would use the word ¡®gentleman.¡¯ ¡°Please, sirs, come in, have a seat.¡± The man motioned to the room behind him with a set of couches. Derek and Thomas walked through the door into the front room and took a seat. Looking around, there was a double staircase leading to the next floor. Between the staircase on the bottom floor was a double door, leading to what Derek suspected was either a dining room or kitchen. There was a door on each side of the room, too. Atop the staircase was a grand glass window with a door leading to a balcony, along with a door on each side of the stairs. The layout of the house reminded him of many of the more expensive houses he had visited in his youth. The only difference was that the one he was currently in had a much more classic vibe than those others. After talking with the guard for a moment, the man came over. ¡°Is there anything I can get the two of you?¡± *** In the study of the main manor, there were two men. One was sitting at a desk covered in papers, while the other was standing in front, straight backed. ¡°Sir, I have returned.¡± Bronson spoke. The older man behind the desk nodded. ¡°Report.¡± He spoke. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Bronson took a deep breath. ¡°SIr, I have confirmed, Young Master Wallace has passed. I have collected his remains for a proper funeral. I am sorry for your loss.¡± The older man sighed. ¡°So it was true. Was his death suspicious? Do you know what happened.¡± The man asked. Bronson hesitated, but was pushed by the man. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Sir, according to everything I gathered, Wallace died a hero. There is a level 100 undying dungeon in the forest that was spreading sickness, causing countless villager deaths. From the knowledge I obtained, Wallace and his party entered the dungeon and completed it. Only, his party was wiped out inside and he was fatally injured and died just outside the dungeon, alone. But¡­¡± Bronson hesitated again. ¡°But what?¡± ¡°Sir, we both know Wallace. Do you believe he would risk his life like that? After confirming the dungeon, I believe he would, at most, return to Torith and report. HIs party was high level, but he would know that it¡¯s best to enter a dungeon at the highest possible level to ensure safety.¡± Bonson said. The man furrowed his brows. ¡°So, what are you saying?¡± ¡°I believe he offended someone dangerous and was framed in a way we would have to accept. Though, if it was who I suspect, I have no idea how the dungeon was cleared. There was nobody around, other than Wallace and his team, who would have been able to clear the dungeon. I have a corpse of one of the dungeon beasts, and it is quite formidable.¡± Bronson explained his theory. The man frowned. ¡°Who do you believe he offended?¡± ¡°His name is Derek Hunt. He followed me back to Torith, and I have arranged his stay in our guest residence.¡± Bronson spoke cautiously. The older man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You brought the man you believe killed my son to Torith, and then decided to allow him to stay here? Have you gone mad?¡± ¡°Sir, do you remember the official that visited with Torith¡¯s father?¡± Bronson asked. ¡°Yes. The King¡¯s Advisor, Advisor Phillip. What does anything have to do with him?¡± ¡°The pressure, sir. I believe that Derek is stronger than that man. Not only is the pressure he can give off as strong as Advisor Phillip¡¯s, he has phenomenal control of it. When I first saw him, other than some arrogance, he didn¡¯t seem to be much more than a regular human, but later¡­¡± Bronson shook his head. The older man rested his hand on his forehead. He sighed. ¡°So, he finally did it. He offended a person that should not be offended no matter what. Bronson, what are we to do?¡± ¡°Sir, I have traveled with this man, and spent much time with him. He does have an arrogance to him, but from what I can tell, he is strangely kind, and smart. If it was him that killed Wallace, it makes sense. Planting the body where he did not only protects the village he was staying, but also gives us a way to promote Wallace¡¯s death as honorable and increase our reputation.¡± Bronson said, then frowned. ¡°Still, the dungeon being cleared, I cannot figure it out. And the restraint it would take to leave the dungeon rewards with a dead body.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You are correct. We will spread the rumors of what happened and prepare an event to honor his sacrifice. It¡¯s the only way, especially if this Derek is as formidable as you say.¡± The man sighed. ¡°What was the dungeon reward, anyway?¡± The man asked, not really caring. Bronson pulled the two rings out of his pouch and placed them on the desk. ¡°That is the next problem.¡± The man picked the rings up and examined them. Soon, he injected mana into one. ¡°These are the rewards?¡± He asked, stunned. Bronson nodded gravely. ¡°They are. Both have the same amount of space too. Once this spreads, Torith is going to be very busy.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The man sighed. Then he looked up at Bronson. ¡°Have a seat. Tell me everything that happened from beginning to end. Don¡¯t leave out a single detail.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± Bronson nodded and sat down. Chapter 71: Walter Gracefall Chapter 71: Walter Gracefall Walter Gracefall was the leader of House Gracefall. His house had fallen when he was just a boy, and he had been fighting to earn back the prestige of his house ever since. Through his life, he had travelled the kingdom and even became quite powerful. However, power was not enough to wash away the shame of his house. If someone were to ask him what he lacked, he would immediately answer, ¡®luck.¡¯ Now, his luck was not terrible. It was enough to keep him alive in sticky situations, but what he needed to bring back honor to his house was to do more than just stay alive. He needed to be in the right place at the right time to obtain glory. The man was 167 years old this year, and though the amount of glory he brought to his house was much more than an average noble, it just was not enough to return to honor. However, the King had taken notice of his efforts and perhaps his eldest son, Jenson, would be able to return them to House Searidge before he passed. Currently, Walter was sitting at his desk listening to his most trusted aid, Bronson, report to him on various shocking events. Previously, when Bronson had given him a quick summary of the events, he was already quite shocked, but now, after learning all the details, he was just trying to do his best to not appear completely flabbergasted. Finally, Bronson finished with the full report on what happened after they entered the city. The room was quiet for a while before Walter finally broke the silence. ¡°So, Derek is well on his way to becoming a Crown member after only being in the city for less than one day. Not to mention that they way he is doing it is by selling a Void Beast and some type of beverage.¡± Walter shook his head. ¡°Less than one day and already two contracts with the Crown.¡± He muttered. He could only wish he had this kind of luck. ¡°Well, the contract for the beast is not completed yet.¡± Bronson said. Walter nodded. ¡°It is as good as done, though.¡± The man sighed. ¡°The most pressing matter is figuring out what to do with the dungeon. Let me see the specimen you obtained.¡± Bronson nodded and stood. Then, he walked to an open area of the room and waved his hand. The Ghoul he brought with him soon appeared on the floor. Walter stood and walked over to the dead creature. He began his examination. He frowned. ¡°Did you have to crush the head?¡± Bronson nodded. ¡°It is an undying creature. It kept struggling until I did so.¡± Walter frowned, but continued on. He lifted the long pale arm of the creature up, focusing his attention on the sharp nails on its hand. ¡°Hmm¡­ Toxic, huh?¡± He took his hand and ran the top of it under one of the fingernails. He pushed a bit harder until the nail penetrated his skin. Bronson, to the side, let out a cry. ¡°Sir!¡± Walter motioned to him that he was fine. The toxin was not as strong as it would have been if the creature was still alive, as it was unable to draw on the creature''s mana. Walter dropped the arm to the ground then watched the back of his hand. The toxin slowly worked its way from the top of his hand into his bloodstream. He turned his hand over and focused on the veins in his wrist. The raised, but almost colorless veins on his arm began turning darker and darker at a visible pace. Walter closed his eyes and watched his health pool slowly deteriorate. The longer the toxin was in his system, the faster it spread, and the faster his health drained. Walter shook his head and released a breath. Then, he placed his other palm on top of his hand and used a healing spell. It took multiple casts before the toxin disappeared and he stood. He motioned for Bronson to take the creature back, then walked back over to his desk to sit. Bronson stored the corpse and returned to his chair across from Walter. ¡°Sir, did you learn anything.¡± Walter looked up at Bronson with a serious expression on his face. ¡°I did. We are not going to send anyone to this dungeon. You are to inform the Adventurer¡¯s Guild of the dungeon, and also show them the rewards. Use the excuse that we are mourning the loss of Wallace, if the Adventure¡¯s Guild asks for the reason we are spreading the news, they will ask. A house cannot keep a dungeon to themselves and prevent others from entering, but they can choose to keep what they know of it private.¡± Bronson nodded gravely. ¡°Sir, why are we not taking the chance to obtain dungeon rewards before other houses?¡± Walter stared directly into the eyes of Bronson. ¡°Because whoever we send will die. Just based on one monster that escaped, even if it was 20 levels above the dungeon itself, its toxic ability, after its death mind you, was enough to even astound me. You can consider this dungeon an ¡®Elite¡¯ dungeon. The group that goes in should all be as close to level 100 as possible, and their class should be a rare class. I don¡¯t even believe that those who got uncommon classes from the start will be safe.¡± Bronson only nodded at what was said. ¡°So, Wallace definitely did not complete the dungeon.¡± Walter shook his head. ¡°It would be impossible. Unless that creature you brought with you is the dungeon boss or at the very least few in numbers, there would be no way for them to complete it. Of course, if that happens to be the case, we still won¡¯t lose much. If others complete it easily, we can send people all the same.¡± ¡°Should we warn others of your suspicion?¡± Bronson asked. ¡°No. They can find out the hard way. There are no nobles in Torith that would believe the words of a broken Noble House, anyway.¡± The older man said. ¡°As for Derek, I would like to meet him at his earliest convenience. From what you have said, he does not sound like a bad person, just a bit arrogant. I am interested in why he is trying to make such a reputation so quickly, though.¡± Bronson nodded. ¡°I will let him know. He should be training with the guards right now.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Walter was surprised. ¡°Why would someone like him train with the guards?¡± Bronson shook his head. ¡°I do not know. He suddenly asked about some magic spells and said he wanted to train with some of the guards that had the spells.¡± ¡°What spell?¡± ¡°Geyser.¡± Bronson replied. Walter thought about what the man would want with that specific spell, but could not think of anything. He shook his head, putting the odd behaviour out of his mind. ¡°You are dismissed. Allow Derek to train, head to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild first.¡± Bronson stood. ¡°Sir!¡± He saluted. Then he turned and began to walk out of the room. ¡°Oh.¡± Walter said, causing Bronson to stop moving. ¡°Do tell the Adventurer¡¯s Guild that the village is under my protection. Not House Gracefall¡¯s protection, but MY protection, got it?¡± Bronson widened his eyes. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± He left. The study returned to silence. Walter sat in the quiet, thinking to himself, trying to work through everything that he learned and make the correct decision about it. He was saddened by the loss of his youngest. Yes, he blamed Derek, but not as much as one would think. He mostly blamed himself for allowing Wallace to run amuck. There were many times he could have, should have, disciplined him, but he chose to allow the behaviour to continue until it was too late. No, the more he thought about it, the less anger he felt towards Derek. He had expected something like this to happen and was actually surprised Wallace was able to live as long as he did. Even if he was more angry at Derek than he was, there was no way he would do anything about it currently. Doing everything he could for House Gracefall, had instilled in him patience and rationale. The man had killed his son, his failure, but also allowed for his death to bring glory and honor to the house. It would bring more glory and honor than Walter suspected the boy would have obtained in his lifetime. This was something Walter could accept. In fact, Wallace would have most likely lost honor and brought more shame to his house. Derek¡­ This man is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Walter actually let a smile form on his face at that thought. Enigma was the Award that Derek told Bronson about. Bronson then told Walter. What a suitable Award for the man to obtain. Walter was already looking forward to meeting the man who killed his son, brought House Gracefall honor, and achieved a reputation with the Crown on his first day in the city. He had not been this excited since he received the parchment from the King, allowing Jenson to go to the Capital for training. Still, something bugged him in the back of his mind. Just what could the man be doing with the guard? *** At this time, Derek was in an open room inside the barracks. There were three men and a woman with him, all guards sent by Bronson. The four guards talked in hushed tones, wondering what was going on, what kind of training they were to undergo. Derek finally spoke. ¡°Today, you are going to help me take a shower.¡± Chapter 72: Dinner Prep Chapter 72: Dinner Prep Captain Bronson had told Guard Lieutenant Areyas to gather a few others that had the Geyser spell and report to the guest residence. That was easy enough, as Kellen and Emma both had the spell and were already following him. He grabbed Jared along the way and led them to the house. When they arrived at the guest residence, they went inside and reported to the oddly dressed man with black hair and purple eyes. The purple eyes were disturbing. The man seemed raring to go, as he jumped up and had them lead him to an empty room in the barracks. None of the guards asked any questions because Bronson had told Areyas to treat the man the same way that they would treat Master Gracefall. Areyas led them to the barracks, then into a room that was mostly empty. There were just a few broken weapons lying around. Captain Bronson and he had been trying to decide what to do with the room, but they could not come to an agreement. There were not enough guards to warrant beds, and their gear was already optimally stored, so it was not needed for that either. The man looked around the empty room. ¡°This will do nicely.¡± Then he looked towards Emma. ¡°Do you have a separate room to change in than the male guards?¡± He bluntly asked. Emma furrowed her brow slightly, understanding what he was asking. ¡°No sir, I am a guard. While others choose to do so, I do not need any special treatment.¡± The man nodded to her. ¡°Good.¡± Then he looked back at Areyas. ¡°Are you able to clean water up easily?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We are all water mages. We can gather small amounts of water and move it as we please.¡± He replied. ¡°Very good.¡± The man eyed the four guards. ¡°Today, you are going to help me take a shower.¡± *** Areyas and the other guards stared in stunned silence at the man who was slowly pulling an odd tunic over his head. Captain Bronson had told him that they would be training with this, Derek, but this was shocking. The man had told them they were going to help him take a shower, which they had no idea what he was talking about. Then Derek began to remove his clothes. Derek was already intimidating, but when he removed his odd tunic, it was enough to make Emma gasp. His torso was covered in scars. Each one looked deadlier than the last. The guards were not even able to find it odd that the man was standing in the nude in front of them. Their minds occupied solely on the scars. Then, Derek gave the command to cast Geyser on him one at a time. When one¡¯s mana ran out, the other was to begin. This led them to where they were now. Derek walked out of the room after thanking them and reminding them to not forget about the water on the floor. Emma was the first to break the silence. ¡°M-my Geyser went up two levels.¡± Areyas had not even noticed any notifications, but after checking, his spell had also gained a level. ¡°Mine went up one.¡± He said. ¡°Did you see those scars?¡± He asked. The others nodded, not commenting. Areyas released a sigh. ¡°Do you think Captain Bronson could stand in front of a Geyser without taking damage?¡± He asked the group. ¡°No.¡± Kellen replied. ¡°He would be cooked alive. Maybe not instantly, but definitely after being blasted for so long¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I heard that man humming a tune while being hit.¡± Kellen shivered. ¡°At least now we know why Captain told us to treat him well.¡± Areyas scanned the room. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t let others know about this.¡± He said. The other all nodded. Areyas then walked to the soaked floor and raised his hand. The water slowly rose from the ground and he moved it, bit by bit, to a bucket. He looked at Jared. ¡°Go get a tub, this is going to take a while.¡± *** Derek walked from the barracks towards the guest residence. He was in a pretty good mood. This was the cleanest he had felt in a long while. The only bad thing was the loss of his bar of soap. One thing he had not thought about was how fast the super heated water would dissolve it. He only had a few, so he felt the loss. Oh well, you win some. You lose some. He thought. He did get a good chuckle out of seeing the guards'' reactions when he told them to hit him with the spell. Then their reactions afterwards were priceless. The other thing he was most happy about was the two levels he gained in Magic Resistance. It was all the way up to level 10 now. His natural magic resistance was already at 15%. When the Geyser first started hitting him, it was hot, and his flesh slowly turned pink. But, after getting used to it, it felt like a nice warm shower. If I have time, I should get a rune, metal, and water mage to help me make an actual shower that normal people can use. Baths are good for relaxing, but I think better when taking a shower. He already had an idea in mind about how he would go about designing a magic shower. He would not actually need a water mage for it, but it would be easier than physically filling up a container himself. It was actually quite simple, if the runes existed. He would just have the rune mage apply some heat and pressure runes to a container filled with water. A pipe would run up, ending in a covered shower head. Remove the cover and he could have a hot shower. It would need some testing, but it should work. Derek eventually ended up back at the guest residence while thinking these random thoughts. Awaiting him at the house was Thomas and Silvi. Thomas was actually looking cleaner than ever and was dressed in some clothing Derek knew was not his. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Bronson came by looking for you. I told him you were with the guards. He had someone bring me this.¡± He motioned at the tunic and pants he was wearing. ¡°I took a bath and was waiting for you.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Did you give Silvi a bath too?¡± He looked at Silvi whose hair was brighter than usual. ¡°I talked her into it.¡± Thomas replied sheepishly. ¡®Better clean. More cute. More food.¡¯ Her thoughts rang out inside his head. Can¡¯t argue with that logic. Derek chuckled. ¡°Was there anything else? Did Bronson finish reporting everything?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°He did say that Master Gracefall would like to have dinner with you tonight.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me. I didn¡¯t eat as much as you all, so I could go for some more food.¡± Derek said. Silvi jumped from Thomas¡¯s hands onto the table. Nodding her head like a human. ¡®More food.¡¯ It was late, but there were still a good few hours left until dinner, so Derek wandered around the manor, looking around. He was right. Behind the door on the bottom floor was a magnificent dining area, with another door on the right side, leading to the kitchen. Both sides of the upper floor had doors that led to hallways. There were five bedrooms in total. He also found the bathroom. Unfortunately, there was not real plumbing. He guessed that a mage would cleanse the room often to keep it clean. That was not a job he would want. After exploring a bit, he was bored again. He had plans, but it was already to late in the day to get anything else done. Instead of sitting there thinking, Derek slipped into meditation and waited for time to meet this ¡®Master Gracefall.¡¯ Derek was awoken from his meditation by the arrival of Bronson. He opened his eyes and motioned for the man to take a seat across from him. Bronson nodded and sat down. After sitting, Bronson waved his hand, and a set of formal clothing appeared on the empty table in front of him. Before Bronson spoke, he was interrupted by Derek. ¡°No.¡± Derek said. ¡°But¡­¡± Bronson muttered. Derek shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m already wearing my least holey pair of jeans. Look how nice this shirt is.¡± He motioned to his clothing. ¡°I¡¯m not dressing in something I would never wear just to have dinner with someone. If it was a button down with some chinos, then maybe, but not that.¡± ¡°Button down? Chinos? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Bronson said. ¡°Nor should you. This is good enough. If you don¡¯t like it, I don¡¯t have to go. I could always just go and have dinner at the Crown.¡± After saying that, Silvi jumped into his lap and nodded fiercely. Bronson sighed. ¡°That is fine. I didn¡¯t have much hope, anyway. Dinner is almost ready, and the master is already waiting. Please, follow me.¡± With that, Bronson stood and led the group over to the main residence. The inside of the building was practically the same as the other, besides it being a much bigger version. Bronson motioned to a door. ¡°Thomas and Silvi will dine in that room with me and a few others. The main dining room will just be you and the master. He would like to speak with you privately.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Derek separated from the kid and bunny and followed Bronson into another room. Inside the room was a middle-aged man with some grey streaks in his hair. He was sitting at the end of the dining table. When they entered the room, the man stood. ¡°Sir, this is Derek Hunt.¡± Bronson said, and the man nodded. ¡°Is there anything else, sir?¡± ¡°That is all. You are dismissed.¡± The man said, and Bronson left. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± The man motioned at the seat across from himself. Derek nodded and sat down. The man did the same. After some silence, the man spoke. ¡°So, you are the one who killed my son?¡± chapter 73: Dinner with Walter Chapter 73: Dinner with Walter ¡°So, you are the one who killed my son?¡± The middle-aged man asked as soon as Derek sat down. Derek stared at the man, his eyes squinted. The strange thing was that the man was not giving off any dangerous vibes. Usually, especially with a question like that, there would be a chilliness or at least a subtle anger in the person¡¯s voice, but Derek did not detect anything like that. The question was asked as if he was asking about the weather. After some time pondering, Derek broke out in laughter. It was definitely not a suitable response to the question, but he just could not help himself. This laughter caused the older man to frown, but he remained silent. He only continued to gaze at Derek. Finally, Derek got a hold of himself and calmed down. ¡°Sorry about that, I was just thinking that Bronson needs some kind of medal or even an Oscar with that kind of acting. I thought that he may have some suspicion, but he did a great job hiding it.¡± Derek shook his head. The man let out a deep breath. ¡°So, you are not disputing that you killed my son?¡± ¡°You seem pretty sure of yourself. I imagine if you did not have sufficient evidence, you would not have just come out and said it like that.¡± Derek did not confirm or deny the accusation, in fact, he really was intrigued with this man across the table from him. ¡°By the way, how would you like me to address you. I¡¯ve only heard people call you ¡®Master Gracefall¡¯ and ¡®the master,¡¯ but I am certainly not calling you master.¡± The man stood and bowed slightly. ¡°Excuse me for my rudeness. I am Walter Gracefall, head of House Gracefall.¡± Walter sat back down after introducing himself. Derek nodded. ¡°Now, I¡¯m sure you have some questions for me, but I also have some for you as well.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead. I am a patient man.¡± Walter said. At that time, a light knock sounded from the door and a servant walked in pushing a cart full of food. ¡°Pardon me, Master Gracefall.¡± The man said, then looked at Derek. ¡°Sir.¡± He began arranging the dishes on the dining table before backing away. ¡°If there is nothing else.¡± The man looked at Walter, and Walter nodded. The servant took that as his cue and quietly retreated back to the kitchen. Derek took some time putting an arrangement of food onto his plate before he spoke again. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how, or why, do you suspect that I killed your son?¡± He asked the question on his mind. ¡°The ghoul.¡± Walter answered straightforwardly. ¡°I know my son and his team. There is absolutely no way they would be able to take out more than a couple of them, even if they are at a slightly lower level.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What if the ghoul happened to just be the boss of the dungeon? It would not be too big of a stretch then, correct?¡± Derek asked. The man nodded. ¡°That is true, but bosses of dungeons are the last to break out during an overflow. If the dungeon would have gotten to that point, I suspect the casualties would have been massive.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°It was in extreme overflow, but still holding. It wouldn¡¯t have lasted much longer.¡± He paused. ¡°Is that the only reason for your suspicion?¡± ¡°It is the main one, but not the only. I know my son, and his character, well. Overall, there are just too many things that don¡¯t add up.¡± Walter explained. ¡°So¡­ did you do it?¡± He asked for the third time. ¡°Yes.¡± Derek bluntly stated. Walter looked down at his plate and sighed. ¡°What did the boy do? How did he offend you?¡± ¡°Offend me? He could have offended me personally all he wanted and I most likely would not have killed him. I have much thicker skin than most. But¡­¡± Derek paused and looked into the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°He stepped over two lines.¡± ¡°Two lines?¡± ¡°Yes. The first was when he attacked and left a 13-year-old girl and her mother unconscious over some insignificant items I gave them. I¡¯m not sure I would have killed him and his group if that was all, because I was able to heal them, but then¡­ He dragged the village chief, my personal friend, to the center of the town to execute her for standing up for the child. If I had arrived even one minute later¡­¡± The purple in Derek¡¯s eyes spread as he kept eye contact with Walter. ¡°There would no longer be a House Gracefall in the city of Torith.¡± Derek let the void go back dormant and released Walter¡¯s gaze. He cut into a piece of meat and placed it in his mouth. He closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°This is quite delicious. Not as good as that restaurant¡¯s food, but still very good.¡± When he raised his head from the food, Derek was greeted with a surprise. Unlike the terror or surprise that usually came with his threats, Walter was only looking at him with a slight smile on his face. Oh? This guy must be much stronger than most. Derek knew it would be pointless to try Identify on the man. If he already could not use the skill on Bronson, there would be no way that it would work on Walter. ¡°That is quite the threat.¡± The older gentleman said. ¡°Though, I imagine you would have had a tougher time making my house disappear than you thought.¡± Derek was liking this man more and more. And, he was liking the challenge even more so. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He said, activating Void Shift directly after speaking. He moved to the paused Walter¡¯s side, with his chin resting over the man¡¯s shoulder, just within whisper distance. He released his skill and whispered in the man¡¯s ear. ¡°I think I would have managed.¡± He activated the skill again and moved back to his seat before releasing it. The man had only seen his void aura and purple eyes as a party trick, but Derek could tell that this other display of power had truly gotten his point across. The man¡¯s eyes had widened and beads of sweat were dripping down his forehead. His breathing had gotten rough and he swallowed with a loud gulping noise. ¡°Fortunately, none of that had to come to pass, and I¡¯m able to have a delicious meal beside you.¡± Derek joyfully spoke as he brought another piece of meat to his lips. Walter calmed down and chuckled. ¡°It seems I was still underestimating you.¡± ¡°It happens.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Though, I am still curious. Why do you seem like you are not upset or angry at the loss of your son?¡± Walter sighed and shook his head. ¡°It is not that I am not angry or upset, it is that I am not angry or upset at you, especially after the reason you gave for killing him. I am angry at myself. I let the boy off too lightly when he was growing, and his character got worse and worse. By the time I realised my fault, it was too late, there was no changing the boy. The best I could do was try to cover up for him and try to provide relief for those harmed by him, while hoping he would not offend someone he could not afford to. But, alas, he met you. His death was bound to come sooner rather than later.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Derek muttered, understanding a bit, but still not understanding why Walter would treat him so well. The man, however, gave Derek a warm smile. ¡°I know you killed him, but you still honored my family with the way you did.¡± Derek frowned, confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked. Walter laughed. ¡°Even if unintentional, the way you framed the situation has brought honor to Wallace¡¯s death. Therefore, it has brought honor to my family. As you said before, the dungeon was in extreme overflow, and the forest was succumbing to disease. With the way you framed everything, Wallace and his team sacrificed their life while also saving the forest and villages around the area. Word of monster hordes attacking villages has spread through the city, so now, everyone will know that the reason this has stopped is because of my Wallace.¡± The man stood and bowed to Derek. Derek was at a loss for words. Derek figured his frame job would allow the family to accept their losses easier, but he thought nothing of honor for the whole family, or of how much it might mean to them when he was doing it. ¡°Uh¡­ You are welcome, then.¡± The man sat back down and nodded. ¡°So, what are your intentions with the dungeon?¡± Derek changed the subject. ¡°I have already instructed Bronson to spread the news to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. My family will not touch the dungeon. There is no way we have the current manpower to complete an elite dungeon like that. The other families will soon suffer great losses.¡± Derek nodded. The man before him was quite smart. ¡°Though, won¡¯t those losses result in people questioning Wallace¡¯s ability to clear the dungeon?¡± ¡°It will, but the only people that knew of his actual strength was me, Bronson, and Jenson, my other son. If any questions are posed, it is easy enough to say that he was actually like his brother, except with a different character. And, if we are asked why we are not diving into the dungeon ourselves, we can simply state that we are mourning the loss of a prominent family member.¡± Walter answered. Derek sighed. ¡°I guess you have truly thought of everything.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have thought of everything, but I do not believe that there is anyone in this city who could have thought of more than this old man. Also, I have sent word that the village you came from and everyone residing in it are under my personal protection.¡± ¡°Thank you for that.¡± Derek spoke sincerely. ¡°That does mean a lot. Is there anything else you would like to discuss?¡± The man smiled. ¡°Quite a lot, actually.¡± Chapter 74: Discussion Chapter 74: Discussion ¡°Oh? Ask away.¡± Derek said. ¡°I am still hung up on one major issue. I know that Wallace couldn¡¯t have cleared the dungeon, and you have confirmed this with your confession. So, how did an elite dungeon, one about to burst at that, get completed? Then, there are the two storage rings, one from the reward, and another from being the first to complete it, I would assume. This all adds up that you had something to do with the completion of the dungeon.¡± Walter said. Derek nodded. ¡°I did have something to do with it.¡± The man had already figured that much out, so Derek was not going to insult him by answering in the negative. ¡°But, you could not have possibly been the one to clear it. Just with the power you displayed to Bronson, and what you showed me already, it isn¡¯t possible for you to be under the dungeon level cap. The only possibility I can think of is an elite team that works for you, completing it and handing you the rewards.¡± The man pondered, giving more and more thought to the issue. He continued speaking, working through the possibilities out loud. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make sense either, considering the boy you brought with you. If you already had followers like that, then it would not be logical to bring the kid with you unless he was something special. According to Bronson, he is more of a carriage for your beast companion than a student.¡± Derek got a good chuckle out of that. Ever since they left the village, other than during the fight with the bandits, Thomas had been a taxi service for Silvi. He smiled at Walter. ¡°Any other ideas?¡± The man furrowed his brow and sat in silence for a few moments. Seemingly thinking of any other possibilities. Eventually, he shook his head. ¡°For the life of me, I cannot think of anything else. Strangers clearing the dungeon wouldn¡¯t have given you their rewards, and I doubt you would kill them and steal the rewards, especially since you already told me that you would not have killed Wallace if he had only angered you.¡± ¡°You could have traded some strangers for the rewards, but most people would not let the opportunity to brag about being the first to complete a dungeon go. We would have heard about their completion well before you arrived at the city. Of course, I could be wrong and you did, in fact, kill an entire team to set up the results. But that makes less sense than everything else after meeting you.¡± Finally, apparently out of ideas, the man went silent. Then he looked into Derek¡¯s eyes. ¡°Will you tell me how you did it? I¡¯m afraid not knowing is going to eat at me for a very long time if you do not.¡± Derek pondered the situation for quite some time before finally giving an answer. ¡°I can tell you.¡± He said. Walter¡¯s eyes lit up as he waited for the answer. ¡°But this answer concerns a big secret of mine, so I would need you to give an oath first.¡± Walter frowned. ¡°What kind of oath? I can give one, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t given many in my life, but it cannot be too stringent. If it is, I will have to make do with random guesses and never knowing.¡± It made sense. Oaths were not something that was easy to accept for most people. Though, Derek figured that someone like the man in front of him could easily tell if the oath was worth taking or not. ¡°Two things.¡± Derek held out two fingers. ¡°First, you are not allowed to tell anyone of this secret of mine in any form of communication.¡± Derek figured that someone could get around an oath by using loopholes in the wording. ¡°Second, you are not allowed to use the knowledge of this secret to purposely hurt or hinder me or those I care about.¡± He said, then thought of something else. ¡°Oh, and my secret may become common knowledge one day. So, when that happens, you will no longer be bound by the oath.¡± Walter sat quietly for a bit before talking. ¡°Those aren¡¯t too binding of conditions. I have agreed to worse for less. I must ask you. Will knowing your secret bring any benefit to me or my house?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. All I can say is that it will give you some peace of mind, and maybe some information that you never knew. What you do with the information is entirely up to you.¡± Derek replied. Walter considered it for a while. ¡°Well, since the terms aren¡¯t actually bad, as I have no intent of going against you now, or ever, hopefully, I will agree to them. If for nothing else than to stop wondering about what happened.¡± ¡°I Walter Gracefall, formerly Walter Searidge, hereby swear to the Great System to accept your previous conditions as stated.¡± It was a weird oath, and much different from how the others had given theirs, but the notification popped up just the same. An oath to the Great System has been made by one, Walter Gracefall, formerly Walter Searidge. This oath is binding until death, or until certain conditions are met. If broken, Walter Gracefall will lose all classes and skills obtained by the Great System, and he will never have access again. Stats will remain as is at the time of breaking the oath. Derek nodded after seeing the notification of the oath. It was interesting, though. Derek figured that the system had to constantly ¡®keep watch¡¯ on its players, as Walter was able to complete an oath without himself laying out the terms. And, because Derek had mentioned that the oath would be void if others ever found out, the notification mentioned the addition of other conditions. Of course, Derek still did not plan to tell the man the whole truth. Him being from Earth and thus, another system was a huge secret that he would not be sharing. Derek looked the man in the eyes. ¡°So, what do you know of legendary classes?¡± Walter¡¯s eyes widened and he shook his head. ¡°There is not much at all about them. An epic class is already considered peak. The only thing we know is that they have existed before, but there is no one that we know of currently that has one.¡± Derek nodded. It was what he expected. ¡°Well, if an epic class gives 20 stat points per level, what do you think a legendary class would give?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, at least 25 or more.¡± Derek could tell that Walter had already figured out what he was going to tell him, so he decided to stop the teasing. ¡°A legendary class gains 30 points per level, and the skills¡­¡± Derek gave a dramatic pause. ¡°Are quite threatening.¡± He smiled. ¡°Now, if someone unlocked a legendary class upon unlocking the great system, how strong do you believe he would be? Even if he had not reached level 100.¡± Derek left the question hanging in the air. Walter let out a deep breath. ¡°I suppose the person would be just about as strong as you. That¡¯s what, around 2,800 stat points to be used at level 100. Just one¡¯s basic stats would be outrageous.¡± The man stared at Derek. ¡°So you¡­¡± ¡°Have a legendary class? Completed the dungeon? Yes.¡± Walter¡¯s hands shook in excitement. The door to the kitchen began to open. ¡°Not now!¡± He yelled, and the servant quickly backed away and shut the door. The older man calmed himself. ¡°Would you mind answering some questions about your class? Not what class it is or anything, just how you went about getting a legendary class.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Depending on the question.¡± ¡°Do you know why the class was offered to you? The conditions you met?¡± Walter excitedly asked. Derek nodded. ¡°I raised my stats a lot before taking a class. Also, I spent a ton of time alone in different elements to get my class type. So, if I had to help one get a great class, other than desire, I would say to max out your stats before taking a class, even go as far as not hitting level 10 as soon as possible. Train someone until they are 15, or even older. And, if you want a water based class, become one with the water. Train in it, sleep beside it, constantly surround yourself with it.¡± ¡°There is a downside to a legendary class, though. The amount of experience points you need to level is at least triple that of a common class.¡± Derek warned. Walter nodded his head. ¡°We do train with water, but never have gone as far as surrounding ourselves constantly. It is also very hard to get a child to wait before selecting a class, as they would not want to fall behind their peers. As for the experience, you are a prime example of why that does not matter. If you can run a level 100 undying, elite dungeon by yourself, then you can run a level 100 regular dungeon early on. Even if the experience gained inside is halved, with just hard work, leveling is easy enough.¡± ¡°Do you know how well your theory works? Have you experimented with others to unlock great classes?¡± Walter asked. Derek nodded. ¡°I have. Only one, though. The highest class she was able to choose was epic, but there were also rare growth classes that may one day turn to legendary or higher. Of course, nobody would be able to train as I did. I am much older than you think. I was almost 30 when I hit level 10.¡± Derek was not lying there. Even if his status sheet did not show all the years he spent in the void, he could not forget them. ¡°But, the reward for such preparation is being able to crush anything close to your level, and after leveling some, being able to crush things way above your level.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°This girl. Do you mind me asking about her?¡± Derek sighed. ¡°One of the reasons that I am checking out the city is because of her. If I tell you about her, you must promise to never act against her, and help protect her if possible. Though, I¡¯m still not sure about Torith as a place to stay. That is another thing I wished to discuss with you today.¡± Chapter 75: About a Girl Chapter 75: About a Girl Walter nodded. ¡°I promise. As long as this woman does not act against me or my family, I will do nothing that will harm her. And, if possible, I will do what I can to help her. Now, what is it that you would like to discuss about her?¡± ¡°The girl¡¯s name is Brandi. She was a villager that I happened to save by chance. With the Great System only just being unlocked, she already had a passion for Leatherworking. She wanted nothing more than to provide armor for her village to help them hunt safely.¡± Derek said. He sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, because of the spread of the disease caused by the dungeon, her village was attacked by a horde of mid-level forest creatures that were pushed out by the higher leveled ones that were running from the disease. By the time I arrived, it was too late for their village and most of the hunters in it. Her father also lost his life buying enough time for the women and children to escape.¡± ¡°I see. There have been reports of monsters attacking villages that were close to the forest. It must have been one of them. That is also the reason the Adventurer¡¯s Guild took the report of a possible dungeon seriously and sent out my son¡¯s team when news of it arrived. Of course, who would have imagined that it would be a level 100 elite dungeon.¡± Walter added. Derek nodded. ¡°That sounds about right.¡± He answered. ¡°After saving what was left of that village, I escorted them to Thomas¡¯s village. Things happened, and I ended up staying longer than I thought I would. That¡¯s when I noticed Brandi¡¯s drive and passion for crafting. That¡¯s also when I decided to test some things.¡± ¡°I helped Thomas level fast and choose a class, but I had Brandi stay at level one and focus only on her general Leatherworking skill. Later, I took her and some others through dungeons and around other places, trying to obtain a bunch of Awards before allowing her to level to 10. Surprisingly, it seemed to pay off, as she was offered both an epic class, and a rare growth type class when she was finally able to choose. I won¡¯t say what the classes were, but they both seemed quite good. She chose the rare growth type class in the end.¡± Derek explained. Walter nodded. ¡°That sounds like a successful experiment to me. If only we could find out how much of it was her passion for the craft, and how much was from the Awards and experiences. Then again, I don¡¯t think many people would be about to focus only on the general Leatherworking skill without an adequate amount of passion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I believe that it all comes together. Now, with Brandi, we only focused for a couple of months. Think about what would happen if you had someone focus the same, except for years. I believe that it would work for multiple class types too. Not just crafting classes. Use your water type classes for example. If you could find a serious student at around 10 years old, you could have him train his body and mind, and constantly be surrounded by water. Then, when he unlocks the Great System, you could have him spend a year or so leveling general skills that have something to do with water or magic. I suspect that when he finally gets to choose a class, he would be able to select from at least an epic class. Who knows, he may even get a legendary class.¡± Derek layed out the training plan he had been thinking about since Brandi¡¯s success. Walter was quiet for a while, seemingly lost in thought. Finally, he came out of the trance. ¡°I think we have a child in the family that could do it.¡± He said. ¡°She just turned 12, but it would still be worth trying. Although, she enjoys melee more than magic¡­¡± Walter trailed off. ¡°That would work too. Find the weapon she is most suitable for, and have her train with it constantly by the water, or in the rain. Then, when it comes time for her to unlock the Great System, allow her to reach level one. Have someone help her get the Award for slaying a creature a certain level above her, then spend the skill points on one of the weapon mastery skills, along with some type of general magic skill. Oh, and Meditation, it is a must. So, I guess she would have to get the Giant Slayer Award for slaying a creature 50 levels above her. Make sure she does it with the weapon of her choice too.¡± Derek nodded, happy with his explanation. Walter laughed. ¡°It looks like I¡¯m going to have to take my great niece in as a disciple.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I wonder how the rest of the family is going to react.¡± ¡°She will be lucky. Hell, if it works, she could turn into the next head of your house.¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°Now, about finding a place for Brandi. Do you think Torith could be a good option?¡± Walter sighed, then shook his head. ¡°The only way would be if you were to stay with her at all times, or allow her to work under me. I don¡¯t believe that is what either of you want.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The City Lord, Malcolm Torith. Though I¡¯m much stronger than him, his power comes from his father, who I am still stronger than. But, his father has connections that I do not. He has slithered his way into the King¡¯s good graces. You can think of Malcolm as a version of Wallace, but to the extreme. He has never had to work for anything, though his level is rather high. It was all done by servants. I don¡¯t believe he has ever been in a real fight.¡± Walter explained. He continued. ¡°If he finds out about Brandi, then the second she is left alone without you or me guarding her, he will have her. And, it would not be long after when she is forced to sign a slave oath. After that, there would be nothing you could do to save her. With a slave oath, even if you kill all the Toriths, she would die along with them. So, I believe you should keep her as far away from this city as possible.¡± Derek frowned. He had expected the City Lord to be a bit overbearing, but never thought that he would be this bad. ¡°If the man is as bad as you say, then why does the king allow it? From what I heard about the King, he seems pretty reasonable.¡± ¡°Gerald, Malcolm¡¯s father, once saved the King¡¯s life. If you ask me, it was all too timely. An assassination attempt happening during a small meeting that just so happened to include Gerald. I was there, and to me, it seemed that Gerald moved too fast. But, he took an enchanted dagger in the chest and almost died. The assassin died as soon as he failed, so there was no evidence left at the scene.¡± Walter shook his head. ¡°The injury to Gerald still has not healed because of the enchantment. So, either everything he did was selfless. Or he is playing a very long game.¡± ¡°As for Malcolm¡¯s actions. He knows how far he can go and who he can offend. Though I know that you are a person who should not be offended, nobody else does. Well, maybe the Crown suspects so. A slave oath is frowned upon by the King, but Malcolm has used it multiple times and he only gets a visit from his father and a good yelling at when they find out.¡± Walter finished. ¡°I see¡­ Then, is there a place that you would suggest? Somewhere safe for her, where she could also hone her craft and gain reputation?¡± Derek asked. The older man thought for a bit before speaking. ¡°Savannah.¡± He said, nodding his head. ¡°I believe that Savannah City would be the safest place. Natalie Savannah is the City Lord there, and she is the most neutral City Lord.¡± ¡°Oh, what is this city like?¡± ¡°Savannah is the third biggest city in Cydaria Kingdom. Only behind the Capital and Rota. It is a big merchant city. There is no low-class area in the city, as it was built by merchants, for merchants. The Savannahs have taken orphans in the city and raised them as their own for generations, thus keeping the homeless and slum rate down to a minimum.¡± ¡°The security is very strict, and there are laws that must be followed. There is no leeway for crimes in the city. Because of how successful of a merchant city it is, the King has given the Savannahs full control of the city, as they do not seek power. I have personally met Natalie, and while I can¡¯t say we are friends, I can say that she is a very upright person. Instead of trying to have a talent such as Brandi for herself, she would be elated that the girl chose her city to make a living. I imagine that she would even post guards and extra security for the girl if she ever found out about her.¡± Walter said. Derek nodded. ¡°That does sound good. How is the outside of the city? Are there a lot of dungeons or high level monsters? I plan to provide the materials for the girl to work with, so that is a must. Right now, I can get plenty of level 100 or so materials for her to use, so is there a good amount at Savannah?¡± ¡°There is. There are many dungeons, ranging from level 50 to level 200. Plus, the areas around the higher level dungeons have high-level monsters. The level 200 dungeon is a desert dungeon that rewards fantastic weapons. Plus, the enemies inside the dungeon all have some kind of material that can be used by Blacksmiths and Leatherworkers. Not to mention that it is a main city with a teleportation platform, so you can always go to other cities to hunt too.¡± Walter explained. Derek laughed. ¡°I let the teleportation platforms slip my mind. I guess I¡¯m going to have to check out this Savannah once all my business here is finished.¡± Chapter 76: Thanks for the Meal Chapter 76: Thanks for the Meal ¡°Speaking of business.¡± Walter said. ¡°I was informed by Bronson that you have been doing some business with the Crown Restaurant. Would you mind if I asked about that? He said you gave them a Void Beast and signed a contract for some beverage.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I happened upon a Void Beast not long after I saved Brandi and the remaining members of her village. I wasn¡¯t sure what I was going to do with it, other than give the hide to Brandi once she was able to make something out of it, so when Bronson was explaining to me about the Crown, I made the decision to do business with them. As for the beverage, I¡¯m sure it will be a hit once it¡¯s ready, especially if the Botanists can enhance certain properties of it.¡± ¡°That should put you on the fast track to earning a membership.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°Especially if this beverage does as well as you think. Other than business with the Crown, is there any other business you plan to do? If you don¡¯t mind my asking.¡± Walter was being overly polite to Derek, but Derek did not mind, nor was he very suspicious. The man had already sworn an oath and made promises, and he did not seem like the type of person to go back on his word. Even though Derek did not deal with many people in the past, those like Walter were his favorite to deal with. He knew that the man had ambition to clear his family name, but he was not the type to step on the innocent to get his way. If he was, he never would have told Derek to go somewhere else with Brandi. So, Derek did not mind letting him know of some of his future plans. ¡°Honestly, I came here to meet you, the City Lord, and to register at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The Crown was just a happy accident. After meeting you, I don¡¯t feel the need to meet Malcolm. So, I imagine I will head to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in the next few days to register. After that, I have to wait for Stella to negotiate for the Void Beast. I¡¯ll probably stay here for a month or so before looking for a city with a teleporter, then I will look into Savannah.¡± Walter smiled. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sure Stella won¡¯t make you wait long, she is quite the capable woman.¡± He said. ¡°Though, I do not think you will be able to avoid a meeting with Malcolm. Surely he has already heard of your business with the Crown, and you meeting with me. I would not put it past him to send someone to my front door to invite you for a chat.¡± ¡°About that, I will stay in the guest house for tonight since you invited me, but I don¡¯t plan on overstaying my welcome. I will head to the merchant district and book me and the kid a room for the time being.¡± Derek continued with a frown. ¡°What are the chances Malcolm leaves things be if I reject his invite?¡± Walter laughed out loud at the question. ¡°The chances? Next to zero. Maybe I did not explain the man¡¯s temperament well enough before. The odds of him getting angry if you refuse his invitation are 100%. The man is nothing more than a smart child. You are a new, shiny toy that he wants to play with. Like I said, he does not know that he should not offend you yet, so him taking action against you is a given.¡± Derek frowned. ¡°Dammit. This is going to be way more trouble than it¡¯s worth.¡± He shook his head and thought everything over. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Walter asked after the silence continued for an uncomfortable amount of time. Derek sighed. ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out if it would be less of a hassle to not respond to the invite and offend him, or accept the invitation and offend him to his face.¡± Walter stared slack jawed at Derek. ¡°Why do both options end with you offending him?¡± ¡°Have you met me?¡± Derek answered. After letting the answer sit for a moment, Walter busted up laughing. ¡°I understand. There is indeed no way for you to go an entire meeting without offending someone like him. And there is no way you will bow your head and act submissive to him.¡± Walter sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you what to do. You may be able to delay your meeting by making some excuses, then quietly leave once all your business is finished. Other than that, I don¡¯t know, and I would prefer not to have to deal with the commotion caused by a City Lord¡¯s death¡­¡± Walter spoke the last part in a much lower voice. Derek chuckled. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t hurt to try that. And, I will try my best not to force your precious City Lord into early retirement.¡± He said. ¡°By the way, which inn would be good to stay at in the middle district?¡± ¡°You might as well stay at The Oliphant Inn here in the noble district. I can sponsor you if needed, but I¡¯m sure that your dealings with the Crown Restaurant has already made waves. If you are able to dine there, there is no way that any inn in the city would deny you entrance. Though, it will make it easier for Malcolm to keep an eye on you.¡± Walter responded. ¡°I guess that makes things easy.¡± Derek checked his storage bracelet and frowned. ¡°How much does it cost per night?¡± Walter chuckled and tossed a small pouch on the table near Derek. ¡°This is the gold you left in Wallace¡¯s storage ring, you might as well take it. It will cost five to fifteen gold per night, depending on length of stay, which room, and the number of people.¡± Derek hesitated, but eventually grabbed the back and put it in his bracelet. I guess it was my kill. No sense in letting the loot go to waste. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Like I said before, letting Wallace have a noble death is already more than enough. Hell, I might even be in your debt after that.¡± Derek felt a little odd. It was like he was being paid by Wallace¡¯s father for assassinating the idiot. Finally, he shrugged the feeling off. Derek looked around the table. During their conversation, both men had eaten their fill. The entire table was full of nothing but dishes. Derek stood. ¡°Well, it was very nice meeting you.¡± He moved closer to Walter, who also stood, and held his hand out. Walter took his hand. ¡°The honor was mine. Bronson was not jesting when he said that you were a very interesting person.¡± Derek laughed as their hands separated. ¡°He is quite the servant. Seems like a great man.¡± ¡°One of the best. He is one of the few I have absolute trust in.¡± Suddenly, Derek remembered something. ¡°By the way, I was talking to the man about his sword. He said that it was commissioned by a blacksmith you know. It¡¯s a pretty decent sword and I am in the need of a new weapon. I¡¯m getting kind of sick of using my hands.¡± Derek pulled his glaive out, showing the chip in it. ¡°At this point, any enemy tough enough for me to face will destroy my glaive before it does any damage.¡± The glaive disappeared back into his bracelet. ¡°A glaive, I haven¡¯t seen one of them in ages.¡± Walter said, then sighed. ¡°I do know a good blacksmith, but Bronson¡¯s sword was a favor to me. We are not really friends, only acquaintances. With your rapid leveling, I cannot suggest him to you, anyway. If I were you, I would look in the Capital or Savannah for someone who can craft a weapon worthy of someone over level 200.¡± Derek let out a breath. ¡°That¡¯s what I was expecting. Figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask, though.¡± Derek said. ¡°After our dinner, I have a much better idea of what I plan to do. Thank you.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°It was fun. If you ever need anything, or a place to stay, don¡¯t hesitate to find me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not overly prideful or shy. If I need something, I will be sure to ask.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Thanks for dinner. I¡¯m going to head back to the guest house and get some rest. I think I may actually sleep tonight.¡± Derek turned to walk back out from where he came. Walter followed. When they entered the main room of the manor, they saw Thomas and Bronson sitting across from each other, Thomas on the couch, and Bronson in a chair. Bronson immediately stood and bowed. ¡°Sir.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°It seems our dinner went a bit longer than expected.¡± Silvi was lying beside Thomas on her back with her feet up. ¡®Such a great day. Best day ever.¡¯ She sent to Derek when she noticed him. ¡®Don¡¯t get used to it.'' He transmitted back. How she was able to eat so much at the restaurant, then come here and eat again. Derek did not know. If he did not know any better, he would assume that the ¡®void¡¯ part in her race¡¯s name was talking about her stomach. It seemed endless. Derek looked at Thomas. ¡°You ready? I¡¯m going to head back to the guest residence and get some rest. Got a lot of shit to do tomorrow.¡± Thomas agreed and stood. Then he looked at the bunny and sighed. He reached down and picked her up. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Derek, Walter, and Bronson chuckled. Derek walked to the front door and turned around. ¡°Thanks for having me. I¡¯ll stop by tomorrow before we leave.¡± Derek opened the door and walked out. Thomas, trailing behind him, clumsily turned and bowed respectfully, catching a rabbit horn in the sternum in the process. ¡°Ouch¡­ Sorry¡­ Thank you for the meal.¡± He quickly turned and ran out the door. The laughter resounding behind him fading as the door swung closed. Chapter 77: Who’s the Boss? Chapter 77: Who''s the Boss? Inside the Crown Restaurant¡­ A couple hours after Derek and his group left¡­ Stella held a blue crystal in her hand. The crystal was smooth on all sides and round with no jagged edges. This was called a communication crystal, and it could only be created by a high level Runesmith working together with a Gemsmith. On the smooth surface of the crystal were multiple etchings. Each etching represented a connection to another communication crystal. Stella¡¯s crystal still had plenty of room to hold multiple more runes. Other than her boss, a few coworkers, and a couple friends, nobody else had been able to pique enough of Stella¡¯s interest for her to give away any more of the crystal¡¯s precious space. As Stella held the crystal, she focused on a specific rune, injecting mana into it. Soon, the mana ran through the crystal and began to trace along the rune. Before long, the rune started to illuminate fiercely. Once the rune lit up, Stella sat the crystal on her desk and waited. She had gathered her thoughts and knew exactly what she was going to say before activating the crystal. She hated talking to her boss, so she wanted to be exact and make the conversation straight and to the point. Though, she doubted that it was even possible. Every time Stella needed to make contact, she did the same, and every time she ended the conversation rattled. After nearly an hour of waiting, the blue glow changed. The bright, still glow darkened and began to blink. This was the indication that her boss had activated her crystal and was ready to speak. Stella hurried to pick up the crystal and injected more mana into it. She quickly transmitted. ¡®My Lady. I have ma¡­¡¯ She tried to start the conversation on topic. She tried so hard. But it was all for naught as a perky voice resounded from her crystal. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t my dear little Stella. I¡¯m so glad you called. I¡¯ve been thinking about you for days. You really must make time to come to the Capital, it just doesn¡¯t have the same beauty while it¡¯s missing one of its brightest gems.¡± The happy and alluring voice echoed throughout the room. Stella¡¯s freckled cheeks began burning and soon reached the same color as her hair. ¡®M-my Lady, please stop. I am nowhere near as radiant as you.¡¯ She transmitted, but soon realized that she had already fallen into the Lady¡¯s trap. She tried to save herself. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but there real¡­¡¯ ¡°Oh! Do you really think so? You¡¯re making me blush.¡± Stella¡¯s thoughts were cut off by the voice once again. ¡°I fear that my age is finally getting the better of me. It¡¯s so nice of you to say such kind words to an old woman like me.¡± The voice let out a happy giggle. ¡®Old woman? Surely you jest. If we were standing next to each other, any person would think you were younger.¡¯ Stella sent through the crystal, then sighed again. It was hard to not go along at her boss¡¯s pace. See, her boss¡¯s class was called Dawn Siren. Even if the woman did not try to seduce or sway one with her voice, her passive skills still made it impossible for most to be unaffected. Even with such a distance between them, Stella was unable to stay calm and speak what she wished. ¡°Oh, Stella! You don¡¯t know how lonely it has been here, all by myself. I wish you never would have taken that opening in Torith.¡± The voice echoed. ¡°Ah! Is that what you¡¯re calling about? Are you coming back? Have you missed me too? Oh, how exciting!¡± Stella blanked for a second before regaining her thoughts. ¡®I am so sorry, my Lady. I cannot leave her yet. There is much that I must do.¡¯ Slowly but surely, Stella was regaining her control over herself. The longer the voice influenced someone, the less hold it had, especially through a communication crystal. ¡°Ah, how sad. Is that whiny lord over there treating my little Stella well? Do I need to come down there and teach him a lesson? Should I go to that father of his and give him an earful?¡± The voice rang with question after question. ¡®Everything is fine, my Lady. He wouldn¡¯t dare to disrespect me knowing that I have you as my benefactor.¡¯ Stella¡¯s will finally won out, and she was able to speak freely. She took a deep breath and let it out. ¡®My lady, I am contacting you to let you know that I have made a contract with a very interesting fellow, and I plan to make another with him, but I need your approval for it.¡¯ The voice on the other end tsked, which made Stella smile. She knew that her boss figured out the effect wore off. The happy voice coming through the crystal changed to a dry, almost sad tone. ¡°Business, business, business. Why must people only call about business? It¡¯s so hard to find someone to have a proper chat with these days.¡± ¡®My Lady¡­¡¯ ¡°Please stop with the ¡®My Lady¡¯ shit. It makes me sound old. There¡¯s no one but me here anyway.¡± Her boss was finally showing her true self. Stella sent her thoughts into the crystal. ¡®Alanah, I really do need to report some things.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± The voice said. ¡°Fine, who is this ¡®interesting fellow,¡¯ and what kind of contracts have you made?¡± ¡®His name is Derek Hunt. I first met him when he came into the restaurant and caused a scene¡­ Well, he didn¡¯t cause the scene, but some of the guards judged him before finding out about him, and that caused a scene. What was interesting about him, is that he tossed a Void Beast corpse on the table like it was nothing.¡¯ Stella began. ¡°Oh, a Void Beast? That¡¯s good. Is that what the contract is about? Why do you need to contact me to make a contract about a Void Beast?¡± The voice spoke. ¡®That is one of the contracts, yes. But, this Void Beast is much stronger than the usual one we get. Usually, Void Beasts of this caliber are the smart ones that flee when they find they cannot win, so I will need to confirm some things with you before writing up the contract.¡¯ Stella answered. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± The voice said. ¡°How strong would you say the beast was? And is this man also strong?¡± ¡®I would say that it would take someone in the mid 100s to take out the Void Beast without letting it escape. And yes, the man is very strong, I still do not know how he killed the Void Beast because there were no real external injuries on it. In fact, when it was just me and him in my office discussing some terms, he intimidated me without meaning to. It felt like I was doing a business deal with you.¡¯ She transmitted into the crystal. ¡°Hmm¡­ Are you sure he wasn¡¯t trying to intimidate you?¡± ¡®Positive. He actually seems like a decent guy. Which brings me to the other contract which I have already signed.¡¯ ¡°Go ahead.¡± Stella¡¯s boss said. ¡®He had on him a type of beverage that I had never tasted before. It also had small amounts of some medicine or something that increases alertness, though, with my Vitality, the effect was minimal. Our contract was for our Botanists to reverse engineer the plant that makes the beverage, then to sell it in the restaurants, or however we deem fit. He gets as much of the product as he needs for individual use, a portion of the profits, and some contribution. At first, I figured that it would bring in around the same amount of profit as our tea, but if we can increase the potency of it, it could double, or even triple, the sales of the tea.¡¯ Stella explained most of the contract to her boss. ¡°That much? If that¡¯s the case, his contributions are going to be quite high. We may very well be giving out another membership in the near future. As for the Void Beast, just give him a premium contract. One that you would give to someone who is already a member. Throw some more contribution to him too, might as well start treating him well before he even becomes a member. Your instincts have always been good.¡± The voice ordered. ¡®I was thinking the same thing.¡¯ Stella transmitted. ¡®Oh, the man seemed pretty close to the Gracefall house, or at least Walter¡¯s head guard. And I suspect that Derek is going to make some big noise in the coming days, and I¡¯m sure that it will draw the attention of Malcolm. I do not believe that the two of them would get along.¡¯ ¡°I see. I¡¯m sure that brat is going to try to stir up trouble with him¡­¡± The voice paused for a moment. ¡°Well, if Mr. Hunt asks the Crown for help, you have my permission to help, but if not, don¡¯t bother getting involved. With what you described, the man can take care of himself.¡± ¡®Yes, Alanah.¡¯ She answered. ¡°About this beverage. What are the chances that we will be able to reverse engineer it?¡± ¡®I have already sent the beverage to our in house Botanist here in Torith, and he said that the specimen contains more than enough of the plant to make it. He assured me that he should have a plant ready by the end of the week.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s good. Is there anything else?¡± The voice asked. ¡®That is it. I will prepare the contract and contact Derek within the next two day.¡¯ Stella replied. ¡°Very well. Give me that man¡¯s description.¡± That caught Stella a bit off guard, but she did as she was told and described Derek to her boss. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going now. Do contact me again, andpreferably with a topic other than business.¡± The voice changed back to the alluring tone at the end of the communication. ¡®Yes, my Lady.¡¯ Stella flinched at falling under the spell again as her crystal stopped glowing. She let out a sigh. She was tired, she decided to call it an early night. *** Inside the Crown Restaurant in the Capital¡­ Upper Floor¡­ A beautiful woman with emerald green hair and ears with a slight point to them smiled as she tossed a crystal into a drawer full of other, near identical crystals. She leaned back in her chair and whispered a silent whisper. ¡°Derek Hunt¡­ Interesting.¡± Chapter 78: Plans Chapter 78: Plans After leaving the Gracefall¡¯s main manor, Derek walked towards the guest residence while Thomas jogged to catch up. Before long, the duo was walking side by side. Derek glanced at Thomas who kept opening his mouth, then hesitating before closing it. ¡°What do you want? Just speak.¡± Derek said. ¡°Mr. Gracefall, what was he like? I like Bronson, he seems like a really decent guy, so his master shouldn¡¯t be bad, right?¡± Thomas asked. Derek nodded. ¡°He is one of the few people that I can see myself respecting, even trusting to a certain extent.¡± Thomas spoke in a hushed manner. ¡°What would happen if he found out¡­ you know¡­ about his son?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a smart man, he already knows.¡± Derek said. Thomas paused his movement, Derek stopped to wait for the boy¡¯s mind to start working again. After waiting for nearly a minute with no change, Derek snapped his fingers in front of the boy¡¯s eyes. The snap was loud, much louder than a normal snap. It sent Thomas tumbling to the ground, the snoring Silvi flying out of his arms. Silvi landed gently on the ground next to the boy who was finally coming to. She glared at him with what Derek could only describe as a look of disgust. Derek laughed. Thomas finally stood back up. He looked at Derek. Panicked, he said, ¡°How? What is he¡­ why are we¡­¡± Thomas rambled on and on before Derek stopped him. ¡°Enough.¡± Derek said. ¡°Like I said, he is a smart man. He knew his son¡¯s character and had already accepted the fact that the boy¡¯s actions would eventually get him killed. You don¡¯t have to worry about him, and you don¡¯t have to worry about him acting against the village, either. In fact, he has used his own name and standing to protect your village and those inside.¡± Derek explained. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. We shouldn¡¯t be talking about things like this outside where anyone can hear us, anyway.¡± Of course, Derek was always checking his surroundings, so there was almost no way for others to eavesdrop on his conversation. Thomas nodded and reached down to pick Silvi back up. She rested herself in his arms and turned her head away from him. Soon, the three began walking again and eventually reached the guest residence. Once settled, and in private, Derek told Thomas about what he and Walter had discussed and what he thought about the situation. After the long conversation, they all headed upstairs to different rooms to spend the night. *** After waking, Derek headed down to the common area to wait for Thomas. He was not in a rush to do things, so he let the boy sleep in. While waiting, a servant brought him some tea and a type of breakfast pastry. The food was rather good, but he was not a big fan of tea. Derek could not wait for Stella and the Crown Restaurant to finish reverse engineering his coffee. While waiting for everyone to wake, Derek thought about his plans for the day. First, I should look into getting somewhere to stay. I think I would rather find a place in the merchant district instead of the noble district. It will be cheaper, and most of the things I plan to do will be in the middle area, anyway. Derek looked down at his combat boots, which were falling apart. It¡¯s too much to ask for a regular pair of boots to last with my strengths. I wonder if any of the crafters can repair them. Oh well, that will come last, if there¡¯s time. Derek shook his head. I should have asked Brandi about them before I left. He sighed. After getting a room at a decent hotel¡­ erm¡­ inn. I guess I should head to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and get one of those fancy badges. I wonder how they judge. I know they said that gold was for those above level 100, but I am not there yet, but I¡¯m much stronger than someone at that level. I¡¯ll just have to find out once I get there. Derek nodded. I still need to head over to the Crown and talk to Stella about the Void Beast and contributions. I¡¯ll wait a couple days before I do that, though. I don¡¯t know how long it will take her to work a contract out with her boss. He thought. After the meeting with Walter, I¡¯m not going to look for any buildings to purchase, anymore. I would be out of my mind to set Brandi up in this city. Derek shook his head. Savannah is definitely a city I have to visit. The only question is if I should just bring Brandi along with me, or if I should let her stay in the village until I scope things out. Derek let out a long sigh. The longer she stays in the village, the more of a chance that someone finds out about her. That was currently Derek¡¯s biggest concern. With the village soon becoming a pit stop between the dungeon and the city, sooner or later Brandi would be in trouble. Walter was right in saying that the only way to guarantee her safety currently would to constantly be under his or Walter¡¯s watch. I could have her stay at the Gracefall residence for a bit while I sort everything out. Walter seemed pretty straightforward and trustworthy, but Derek still was not sure about leaving Brandi in his care for the time being. He would have to keep an eye on the man. One meeting was not enough for him to make a decision. Though he had sworn an oath, it was only to not speak of what he knew of Derek. The oath had not included Brandi in it. He had only gotten the man¡¯s word that he would not act against her, and would actively help keep her safe. Derek needed to know what the man¡¯s word was worth. After settling what he was going to do, Derek waited patiently for Thomas. Eventually, he slipped into Greater Meditation and time passed much faster to him. Soon, at least to him, Thomas and Silvi came down and had breakfast too. Derek waited for them to finish before speaking. ¡°Today, we are going to find a decent inn in the merchant district, then I am going to run some errands. You are welcome to join, but I think it may be good for you to do some exploring by yourself. You have Silvi with you, so you won¡¯t be in any danger.¡± With that, Derek pulled some gold coins out of his bracelet and tossed them to Thomas. ¡°That should be more than enough for you to shop and eat with today. Have fun, explore, make friends. Hell, buy some new clothes so you won¡¯t have to wear armor or that old tunic all the time. Also, you could head to the Adventurer¡¯s guild and register. You should be able to become a bronze member, that¡¯s one of the things I plan on doing today.¡± Derek explained, then sent to the still sleepy Silvi. ¡®Keep the kid safe, okay?¡¯ ¡®Yes. He feeds me. Is my mount. Keep safe.¡¯ The bunny replied. Derek eyed Silvi suspiciously. He was sure that the bunny was just as, if not more, intelligent than an average human. He was pretty sure that she was just lazy. I would be too if I didn¡¯t have to do anything but rely on another to get stronger. He thought to himself, as Silvi¡¯s strength grew proportionately to his. Suddenly, the voice appeared in his mind again. ¡®Exactly.¡¯ Derek finally understood. Silvi wasn¡¯t incapable of sending complete thoughts. She was just too lazy to put together full sentences. Thomas took the money in his hands. ¡°This much? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s fine.¡± Derek replied. ¡°If you need more, just ask Silvi to contact me. I¡¯m not sure of the distance we can communicate with each other, so it will be interesting to find out. Now, let¡¯s go inform Bronson that we are leaving.¡± After that, they headed out to say their goodbyes. *** Some time later, the trio was standing in front of the gate separating the noble district from the merchant district. Derek looked around and his eyes stopped on one of the extravagant inns. It was The Oliphant that Walter had told him about. Derek hesitated, but in the end, he decided that it would be for the best to find a decent inn in the merchant district, just like he planned. The trio walked up to the gate, and the guards, who apparently already recognized Derek, nodded to him and opened it. Derek gave a nod as a thanks and they walked through. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go look for a good place to stay.¡± Derek said to no one in particular. They looked around at the buildings surrounding the main street. It was their second time to see everything, but the first time they came through, they were being led by Bronson and did not take much time on getting the lay of the land, so to speak. Derek knew from earlier conversations that the closer one was to the noble section of the city, the more expensive the living arrangements were. He did not mind this, as if he was already able to stay a couple weeks at The Oliphant in the noble district, he would for sure be able to afford to stay in any of the inns in the middle section of the city. Derek spent some extra time looking inside some of the buildings. He watched as a group of blacksmiths trained in the courtyard of one of the smithies, then he walked over to a tavern to see that no matter where you go, or what time it was, there was always money in alcohol. He also looked in on a few of the inns. So far, he did not like the attitude of two of them, and the third that he looked at was already filled to capacity. Finally, they walked into a fourth inn. Just after entering, Derek smiled. This was exactly what he was looking for. Chapter 79: Room and Board Chapter 79: Room and Board Derek had a big grin on his face as he strolled into the inn. Unlike the other inns he had visited in the merchant district where there were only stuck up businessmen and no bars, this inn had it all. The current clientele were definitely on the adventurer side of things. There was not a single person he could see that did not look like they knew how to fight. Even though a few of the people were wearing storage rings, they still had their weapons strapped to their waist or back. To Derek, this was a sign that they would be ready to fight at a moment''s notice. Also, this most likely meant that they had grown used to having their weapons in place. If all that was not enough to figure out what kind of inn this was, then the fact that every adult he could see was wearing a silver adventurer¡¯s badge would make it abundantly clear. Hell, there were even a couple people with gold badges. Derek¡¯s gaze looked over the entire floor of the establishment. Dozens of tables were spread out where the rowdy bunch of adventurers sat. On the right side of the floor was a bar being manned by two bartenders. A couple servers walked back and forth from a back room, serving different types of food. And on the left side of the room seemed to be a ¡®check-in¡¯ counter with a bored-looking woman seated behind. Derek and company walked over to the bored woman. ¡°Do you have any rooms available?¡± Derek asked. The woman looked up from whatever she was reading. A slight surprise fell over her face when she saw the trio. ¡°We have one.¡± She said and looked from Derek to Thomas. ¡°Will that be enough?¡± He was hoping for separate rooms, but it did not really matter to him. He did not sleep much, anyway. With the news of the dungeon soon to spread, and Torith being the closest city to it, Derek figured that it would soon be hard to get a room at any inn. ¡°Fine by me.¡± He said. ¡°If another becomes available in the future, I¡¯d like it too, though.¡± She nodded. ¡°Fine.¡± She said. ¡°And how long do you plan on staying?¡± Derek thought for a second. ¡°I¡¯d like to pay up for two weeks. I may stay longer or shorter, but two weeks is a good start.¡± The woman nodded again, then pulled out a notebook. ¡°Name.¡± She stated. ¡°Derek Hunt.¡± She frowned in confusion and muttered. ¡°Where have I heard that before?¡± She shook her head and began writing in the book. ¡°Okay, for two weeks, that will be seven gold.¡± Derek brought the gold out and placed it on the counter. The woman took it. ¡°You can get free breakfast in the morning, but all other meals, and all drinks cost extra.¡± She reached under the counter and pulled out a key. ¡°Your room is number 214 on the second floor. Just go up those stairs and you can find it yourself.¡± She pointed at the stairs to her left. Derek took the key from her. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said. Then, he turned and headed up the stairs to take a look at his room. Thomas and the bunny followed after. Once up the stairs, Derek looked around. There was another set of stairs leading up to the third floor, and there was a hall with doors on the inside wall. Derek noted the room numbers as he walked down the hall. 201, 202¡­ Looks like the same layout we used for our hotels back on Earth. Eventually, he reached the end of the hall and turned right to continue. About midway through, he found his room number. He put the key in and turned it. Then he walked inside. The room was much more spacious than the one at the village, as was to be expected. The bed was quite big, too. In the corner was a desk and a chair. There was also a wardrobe with two drawers on the bottom meant for clothes. It made sense, as there were not many people with storage rings. ¡°Well, this is good enough for me. Good enough for you?¡± He asked Thomas. Thomas nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine. More comfortable than my home.¡± Derek tossed Thomas the key. ¡°You keep the key, I don¡¯t sleep much. Besides, we won¡¯t have any stuff inside, so we don¡¯t need to keep it locked, anyway.¡± Thomas accepted the key with a nod. ¡°Alright, you do whatever you want for now. I¡¯m going to go do some stuff.¡± Derek turned and walked out of the room. Back on the first floor, Derek walked over to the bar and sat down. A brawny bartender walked over with a mug and towel in hand. ¡°What can I get you?¡± He asked. ¡°Give me whatever is strongest.¡± Derek replied. The man lifted his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°You sure?¡± Derek only nodded in return. The man changed the mug in his hand for a small glass, which surprised Derek. Then, he grabbed a bottle from under the bar and began a slow pour. A caramel colored liquid filled a quarter of the glass. Derek reached for the glass, but the man stopped him with a finger on the rim. ¡°That¡¯s a quarter gold.¡± Derek chuckled and tossed the man a gold coin. ¡°Fill it up the rest of the way.¡± The bartender took the gold coin with a smile and filled the rest of the glass up to the rim. ¡°Good luck.¡± He said and watched Derek with anticipation. Derek took a sip. If he had to describe it, he would say that it was like a fine whiskey mixed with two parts battery acid. It burned and stung, but somehow did not seem to cause any damage inside his mouth. Interesting. He thought. He turned up the glass and finished the rest of the drink off. All the while, the bartender was staring at him in shocked surprise. Derek waited for multiple minutes before sighing. I guess not even this is enough to affect me with my Vitality and Endurance. Derek tipped the man a few silver and stood to leave. It was time to check out the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. A while later, Derek was standing alone in the lower district of the city. He was standing in front of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, the biggest building in the lower district. It was even bigger than any of the buildings in the merchant district. Derek walked inside to take a look. It was just like all the Adventurer¡¯s Guilds he had seen and read about in the past. There were six counters, each with a person standing behind, helping clients. Around the area were tables for adventurer¡¯s to sit at while their leaders did what they needed to do. There were four different boards with papers pinned to them. One was outlined in bronze, one silver, and one gold. The other did not have an outline. Derek went over to that one and looked at some of the papers. He chuckled when he read a few. They were quests like ¡®Help Mrs. Green clean her shop¡¯ and ¡®Help find lost pet.¡¯ They were for those that had not reached a minimum level to become a full-fledged adventurer. The counters were the same as the quest boards. Each had a plaque representing adventurer rank. The counter on the far right seemed to be where citizens would go to post a mission, and the counter on the far left was registration. That was what Derek was looking for. Derek walked over to the counter and was greeted by a cute, dark brown-skinned lady wearing big, round glasses. ¡°Hello, sir. Welcome to the Torith Adventurer¡¯s Guild. How may I help you today?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°I am looking to register. I was hoping you could help me.¡± The lady smiled back. ¡°You can call me Nia, it would be my pleasure to help you today.¡± She said. Nia took out a small stack of papers and a writing utensil. ¡°Now, this is the basic contract you will have to sign to in order to become an adventurer at our guild. Do you understand?¡± Derek nodded. It made sense. The woman began pointing out lines in the papers, explaining each one to Derek. ¡°This states that you must never actively move against the Adventurer¡¯s Guild as a whole¡­ This states that you must do your utmost to be a respectable person, as to not tarnish the name of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡­¡± The list went on. There was nothing that Derek did not expect. The contract was so basic, that Derek could think of loopholes to get out of every single point if needed. It all made sense why, even with Wallace¡¯s character, he was still a member of the guild. ¡°Violating any of the preceding rules could result in termination of your contract and expulsion from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Do you understand?¡± Nia said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Nia signed the paper, then slid it over to him. ¡°Please sign on the line next to my name.¡± He took the pen-like writing utensil and signed his name. He waited for a notification saying that he had made a contract, but it never popped up. Nia took the papers, glancing at his signature. ¡°Alright, Mr. Hunt.¡± She said, then pushed a button on her counter. ¡°Someone will be with you in a moment to verify your contract and get you situated within the guild. Thank you for coming. You may wait here or choose to have a seat, I will let you know when you are needed.¡± Derek laughed, here he was, thinking that joining the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was turning out to be extremely simple, but it turned out he was only speaking to the receptionist. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said. Then, he turned and walked over to a bench against the wall and sat, waiting for the real process to begin. Chapter 80: Adventurer’s Guild Chapter 80: Adventurer¡¯s Guild Derek waited for a very long time before Nia finally walked up to him. ¡°They are ready for you, Mr. Hunt.¡± Derek nodded and stood. Nia led him past the counter into a room in the back, where a skinny man with light brown hair waited at a table. The man stood. ¡°Mr. Hunt, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± He stuck out his hand for a handshake, and Derek took it. ¡°I see Nia has already gone over the contract with you. Please¡­¡± He motioned to one of the chairs at the table. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Then the man dismissed Nia. Derek took a seat, and the man began. ¡°Are there any question or concerns you have about the basic contract here?¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°It all seems pretty basic.¡± The man nodded. Then, he held his hand over the papers and injected his mana into them. Afterwards, he slid the papers across the table to Derek. ¡°If you would.¡± He said. Derek put his hand on the contract. A contract with one ''Francesco Jaccobs¡¯ and entity ¡®Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡¯ has been initiated. Would you like to proceed? Y/N Yes. Derek thought. Contract has been completed. Please abide by the terms to avoid any penalties. Just like before, the contract split in two. Derek placed his hand back on his contract, and it turned into mana and flowed into him, creating a new contract in his Status. The man across from him did the same. ¡°Alright, now that all the formalities are over, we can get down to business. I am the manager of the Torith Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Francesco Jaccobs. You can call me Francesco or Mr. Jaccobs. All new applicants are vetted by me before becoming full-fledged guild members.¡± Francesco said. ¡°Now, the first thing I must ask is, what grade membership are you applying for? Bronze, Silver, or Gold?¡± He asked. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can give out Platinum, then?¡± Derek said casually. The man¡¯s eye twitched at that. ¡°Unfortunatly, no. For Platinum, you will need to apply at one of the guilds in a top city, or the Capital. Above Platinum, you can only apply at the Adventurer¡¯s guild in the Capital.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I see. Then I guess I¡¯ll just take a Gold badge for now.¡± The man flinched at Derek''s nonchalant attitude again. ¡°You can not just ¡®take¡¯ a Gold badge. You must first be tested, only then will you be awarded a Gold badge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Derek said. Francesco let out a deep sigh. ¡°For the test, would you like to provide stat information and confirm through a contract, or would you like to be tested on your combat ability by the Gold instructor on standby.¡± This was a no brainer for Derek. There was no way he would give out his current stats to anyone. But he decided to ask a question that had been on his mind. ¡°Can¡¯t you Identify that I¡¯m at least level 100 and be done with it?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°No. The example people give of Adventurer Tiers are usually levels. Like, level 100 for Gold, and level 50 for Silver. But those examples are actually incorrect. You need the fighting ability of a level 50 or a level 100. Identify can be fooled. For example, a level 100 warrior can come in and ask for a Gold badge. Under what people think, we would just give that person the badge. But what if that person was an Alchemist until level 100, then changed their class to a Warrior class? That person would not have fighting experience, class supporting stats, or skills.¡± He explained. ¡°So, in general, people assume that it is level 100 that we give Gold badges to, but in reality, it is the strength of a level 100 fighter that is awarded the badge. You see?¡± The man asked. Derek nodded. ¡°I guess that makes sense. You wouldn¡¯t want a complete novice fighter on a gold ranked team.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The man said. ¡°Now, how would you like to be tested?¡± ¡°Combat ability, of course.¡± Derek said. ¡°Very well. Please follow me.¡± Francesco stood and began leading Derek to another door in the room. Derek followed. They went through the door and into a hallway. They continued walking until they reached a door at the end. When Francesco opened the door, sunlight shined through, and Derek realized that they were heading to an enclosed courtyard behind the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Derek looked around at the training dummies and targets stationed sound the area. It was a full on training ground. ¡°This is our training area. Our Gold and Silver ranked adventurers are allowed to come here to test their abilities and spar with one another. There are always a few healers on standby in case something goes wrong.¡± He said as he kept walking towards an area with two people sparring. They got close to the spar, and Francesco motioned to a giant of a man watching over the two opponents. The man nodded their way, then turned and yelled at the two people sparring. ¡°Take five!¡± Soon, Derek, Francesco, and the other man were all standing together. ¡°Russell, this is Derek Hunt. He is here for a Gold examination.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Russell eyed Derek up and down. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like much.¡± The man laughed. ¡°He wanted to take the Platinum exam, but we don¡¯t offer it. He said he¡¯d just have to settle for Gold.¡± Francesco said, not hiding his disdain at all. Russell burst into a laughing fit. The two fighters also overheard Francesco¡¯s comment and began laughing. ¡°You want to be Platinum ranked? In your dreams, maybe. Hahaha!¡± Derek was getting a bit irritated. Not at being made fun of, but because of how long this endeavour was turning out to take. Derek liked to think of himself as a patient man, but this whole thing was reminding him of waiting at a DMV back on Earth before the system appeared. ¡°Can we just get on with it? I have things to do, and I didn¡¯t plan on being here all day.¡± Derek said, clearly showing his irritation. The man, a head taller than Derek, looked down at him. ¡°That eager to get your ass kicked? I don¡¯t mind.¡± Russell looked at Francesco. ¡°Explain what you need to him, I¡¯ll be waiting over there.¡± Russell walked to the sparring area. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild is not liable for any damage caused to you during the test. Of course, the healers will do their best to heal you back to 100%, but there have been cases where they were unable to. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Very well. You may spar with Russell when ready. Do try not to get hurt too bad.¡± The man said. Derek shook his head and walked towards Russell. Finally, he stood across from the man. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two free shots, go ahead.¡± Russell tried to provoke Derek. ¡°C¡¯mon they¡¯re free. You won¡¯t get this treatment anywhere else.¡± He pointed at his chin. ¡°Just shut up and fight. Like I said, I don¡¯t have all day.¡± Derek stood with his arms by his side. Derek may not have a short fuse, but Russell sure did. Just the one sentence and the man¡¯s face turned red in anger. ¡°You asked for it.¡± The giant screamed and charged towards Derek. At the side, Derek heard Francesco¡¯s loud sigh. The man was shaking his head in contempt as he watched the scene. Derek watched as the presumably Gold ranked adventurer lumbered towards him. This is the experience one needs to get the badge. It looks like this asshole just put every stat he got into Strength. Hell, I think Thomas is almost as fast as this guy. Derek shook his head and waited. Soon, the towering giant arrived in front of him. The man drew his arm back, ready to launch a haymaker. His enormous fist flew forwards, aiming directly at Derek¡¯s face. Derek tilted his head ever so slightly, letting the fist blow by, missing his ear by centimeters. Then, he lifted his right arm and, with the back of his hand, slapped the giant man in the face. Everything happened in an instant. All anybody really saw was Russell rushing Derek, then throwing a punch. The next thing they saw was Russell spinning in the air like a dancer, before landing face down, ass up, completely unconscious. Even Derek was in awe at what happened. No, he was not surprised that he won so easily. Based on the man¡¯s attack, that was a given. What he was surprised about was the grace at which the man was knocked unconscious, or lack thereof. Two healers immediately ran over to check on Rusell. Before long, they had him conscious and healed up. Luckily for the man, there were only six people currently on the training grounds. The two adventurers, two healers, himself, Francesco, and Derek. If he did some quick talking, perhaps he would be able to keep this unsightly news from spreading. Derek walked over to Francesco. ¡°So, I guess he was a Blacksmith or something? One of those level 100s that aren¡¯t qualified for a Gold badge?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Uh¡­ N-no, he was the instructor. One of the stronger Gold ranked adventurers in the city.¡± The man answered, embarrassed. Bronson is so much stronger. Derek inwardly sighed. ¡°Was that enough, can I get the Gold badge now?¡± The skinny man answered. ¡°Y-yes¡­ Well, n-no¡­ Uh, you weren¡¯t joking about wanting Platinum rank, were you?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my previous arrogance, sir. I will have a temporary Gold badge for you soon. I would like to give you an official one, but I can¡¯t go against guild rules.¡± Derek frowned at that. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You have proven yourself to be Gold ranked, however, for it to be official, you must complete at least two Silver missions. Before that, you will not be allowed to take on Gold missions.¡± Derek let out a breath. ¡°So much trouble.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go see some missions. I really want to get this done today.¡± With that, the duo left the training area. Leaving Russell alone to pander to the four witnesses. Chapter 81: Missions Chapter 81: Missions Francesco led Derek to a room within the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. It was nearly the same as the room where he had met the man in the first place. The difference was that there were thick binders all around. ¡°All the missions that are up front are here too.¡± Francesco said. He walked over to one of the binders. He dropped it on the table in front of them. ¡°This binder has all the silver missions that are up front. It also has some that have not been added yet. They are still being vetted.¡± He opened the binder to the front page and slid it over towards Derek. Derek took the binder and began flipping through the missions. There was nothing in it that caught his eye, or even seemed the least bit challenging. Finally, his eyes landed on one of the missions towards the back. ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I already completed this one.¡± He pointed at the description. ¡°Hmm?¡± Francesco took the binder and read the mission. ¡°This mission was submitted a few weeks ago. A bandit camp was spotted a couple days away from the city, and some citizens were able to make it back to the city and report it. You¡¯re saying that you completed it? How?¡± He eyed Derek. ¡°I¡¯ve only been in Torith for a couple days now. My route to the city took me on a path that was being patrolled by bandits. My group took care of the ambush quite easily. Afterward, we made a detour to the camp itself. It was relatively big for a bandit camp, but didn¡¯t take much effort to eliminate. We brought the captives along with us.¡± Derek said. ¡°Is there anyone who can confirm this?¡± The man asked. ¡°Uh¡­ Bronson was a part of my group. And, there are the captives that scattered as soon as they arrived in the city. The guards that were on duty when we arrived took a report from Bronson, so they can confirm too.¡± ¡°Captain Bronson? From the Gracefall house?¡± Francesco asked. ¡°That¡¯s the one. Good guy. He puts that meathead you got conducting your exams to shame.¡± Derek replied. ¡°I will send someone to verify everything. If it all comes back as you have said, you will only need to complete one mission. Is there one you would like to complete?¡± Derek took the binder back and kept flipping through it. Eventually his eyes landed on a hunting mission. He pointed at it. ¡°Where is this?¡± Francesco eyed the mission. ¡°It¡¯s about a week''s travel past the city. Before you reach the mountain. There are a bunch of the little creatures wandering around the area. They are easy enough to fight. Nobody has taken the mission because of its closeness to the mountain, and distance away from the city.¡± ¡°What does the mountain have to do with anything?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a danger area, not unlike the forest opposite it. Except the forest doesn¡¯t really get dangerous until you venture deep into it. The mountain range has higher level monsters wandering around it. Of course, those monsters are nothing for a Gold ranked adventurer.¡± The man explained. ¡°So, there¡¯s unlikely to be anyone at or around the area? You know, to help an adventurer if he were to get in trouble.¡± Derek asked. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go ahead and take this mission. I should have it completed in a couple days. Hell, I might make it back by the end of the day. I am quite fast.¡± Derek smiled. Francesco nodded. ¡°Very well. I should have the other mission verified by the time you get back. Happy hunting.¡± The man stood and put out his hand. Derek shook hands. Francesco led Derek back to the front of the guild. Derek nodded at Nia, then left the establishment. Outside the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Derek tried to contact Silvi. To his surprise, it worked. ¡®Can you hear me? Hello?¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ Her annoyed voice entered his thoughts. ¡®Where are you right now?¡¯ He asked. ¡®Merchant district. Pastry shop. Eating.¡¯ She replied. Of course. He thought to himself. ¡®I¡¯m heading out of the city for a bit. I may be back today, but I might be gone until tomorrow. Do you want to come?¡¯ ¡®Food?¡¯ She asked. ¡®No. No food. Just hunting.¡¯ He said. ¡®I stay. Protect the mount. Eat food.¡¯ Silvi answered. ¡®Okay. I guess I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Take good care of Thomas.¡¯ Derek stopped the transmission and headed towards the city exit. Outside the city, Derek followed the path around. He could see the distant mountain range in front of him. He had chosen this mission for two reasons. The first was literally just to get an official badge, but the second was to do something that he had been thinking about for a while now. Soon, he took off towards the mountain at a blistering pace. The distance to the target may take a normal Silver or Gold adventurer a week or more of travel, but with his speed, he planned on arriving before nightfall. It was the first time since his enormous stat increase that he could run all out without having to wait for someone. His speed actually surprised himself. The only unfortunate thing about his speed was that his boots were basically being ground to a pulp. With a sigh, he removed his shoes and kept running. It was well before nightfall when Derek arrived at his hunting grounds. The beasts he was looking for were toadstools with purple and white caps. Their height reached just below his knees. With Derek''s senses, it was not long before he found a group of them. HIs mission was to bring 15 corpses back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, apparently they were great ingredients for Alchemists to use. Before hunting them, Derek decided that it was time to learn a skill that he had been putting off because of the off chance he could find a Weaponsmith to upgrade or make him a new weapon. Alas, there was nobody with the talent to do so at Torith. Derek focused on the General Skill. Would you like to learn Unarmed Combat Mastery? Yes. Unarmed Combat Mastery Learned Successfully. Skill Points Remaining: 15 After learning the skill, Derek checked out his status. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 30 Level 76 Experience 365,118/590,000 Class Legend of the Void (Legendary) Race Human (Modified) Health 7250 Mana 5000 Stamina 7150 Defense 71 (Armor + 0) Attack 125(Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 700 Dexterity 500 Endurance 715 Vitality 725 Intelligence 500 Wisdom 500 Stat Points Remaining 43 Contracts Silvi (Bonded Beast) View Status Stella Brighton (Crown) View Contract Francesco Jaccobs (Adventurer¡¯s Guild) View Contract Skills Absolute Nullify Level 1 Nullify magic spells Chain Lightning Level 9 Send a chain of lightning to enemies. Channel Void Level 8 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cure Toxin Level 4 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 12 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 3 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 15 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 10 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Multi-Strike Level 1 Your next attack hits twice. Physical Resistance Level 1 Increase natural physical resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 9 Restores 45% HP over 30 seconds. Sweeping Slash Level 18 Project a slash in front of you. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 2 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 3 Become one with and move within the void. Void Storage Level N/A Use a storage space made from void. Unarmed Combat Mastery Level 1 Increase efficiency when not using a weapon or magic. Skill Points Remaining 15 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Surprised, Derek had to look at his status again. When did I turn 30? Apparently, sometime within the last couple weeks, Derek had a birthday. Well, like they say. It¡¯s all downhill from here. After settling on his new skill, Derek ran over to the first group of Poison Fengs. The fight was not climatic as the mushrooms were weak enough for Bronze adventurers to kill. The problem with them was that they always traveled in a group. Which was no problem for Derek at all. Derek finished hunting the monsters in less than an hour. It would have been much quicker, but he had to spend some time finding them. Once finished, it was time for Derek¡¯s other task. He took off, closing in on the mountain range. Finally close to the mountains, Derek checked his surroundings. Other than some birds and other beasts, he did not sense anything. Just to make sure he was alone, he ran far off the path to the mountains, until he was at a desolate area. Finally, he sat with his back against a boulder and channeled the void through himself. With the void threatening to explode inside of him, he triggered the skill. Void Call. The purple energy gathered in his upper body, then exploded out. Shooting a beam of light in the sky. The light shined like a beacon, which is why he found a place so far out of the way, and why he was happy that he made it there before sundown. After a few moments, the beacon dissipated and Derek was out of mana. The instant loss of mana caused his head to throb. He quickly slipped into meditation to increase his recovery. Soon, all his reserves were filled up. The only thing left for him to do was wait. Chapter 82: Hunting Chapter 82: Hunting Derek removed the shirt Brandi had made for him while he waited. There was no sense in ruining one of his only good shirts. He did not bother to put on any of his armors, his main armor was still damaged from the fight with the first Acidic Ghoul. Plus, his skin and bones had already been pushed to an entirely different level since then. Derek stared at the sky where the void beam had disappeared. Waiting for the spider web like cracks to come. Finally, after three or so minutes, the hammering sound came. The dull thud sounded like he was in a smithy, but the smiths were working on a hollow drum. His gaze sharpened in anticipation of what was to come. As the thundering drums increased, the crack finally appeared. The blue sky began to break, line after line appearing. Derek waited and waited. Finally, he furrowed his brows in confusion. The beast had already taken over twice the amount of time to appear than the one he slaughtered previously. Derek focused his Void Sense into his eyes. The small spider webs in the sky brightened like a flare of the sun. The void leaked out of each one, but they were healing. The Void Beast was not doing enough to break through. In fact, if this went on any longer, Derek figured that the beast would run out of strength and the sky would heal itself completely. He could not have that. Derek, using his enormous strength, shot off the ground like a rocket. Upon reaching the cracks in the sky, he entered Void Shift. Everything slowed, and the cracks stopped healing. Surprisingly, the dull thuds continued from behind the cracks. I¡¯m definitely going to have to experiment with that. He thought. Derek reached out and pulled himself up to the cracks in the sky. Taking his hand, he jabbed his fingers between fractures. Then he pulled. It was odd holding a piece of the sky in his hand. He studied the shard, then released it. It stayed where he let it go and floated beside him. Again, he gripped another shard and pulled. After removing a few pieces, he could finally see clearly into the void tunnel. He shuddered, thinking about his time spent inside, and unconsciously moved back. Derek got a hold of himself. As long as I stay out here, it can¡¯t hurt me. He thought. Wait, I can get out whenever I want with my control over the void. With that comforting thought, he moved closer again. Inside the tunnel, the Void Beast moved, peering through the hold Derek had made. The same piercing crimson eyes stared death at Derek. The razor-like claws reached through the widened fracture and began to rip at the sky. I guess that¡¯s my cue. Derek released Void Shift and fell. He landed on one knee on the ground below and gazed up. The pieces of the sky glistened as they crumbled and disappeared. It was enough. Now that the beast could get his claws through the cracks, it had no problem coming out. Derek waited for the beast to appear, ready to test his unarmed skills. Finally, the creature pulled itself out and fell¡­ Face first onto a stone. Derek¡¯s jaw hung open, shocked. He slowly walked up to the Void Beast. Blood pooled out of the mouth of the beast¡¯s mouth. Derek reached down. It¡¯s not dead, just unconscious¡­ He shook his head and studied the creature. It was no doubt a Void Beast, but it was barely over a meter tall. It seemed like he had summoned a young beast this time. At that time, the beast regained consciousness. It jumped up from its position and looked around. Its eyes landed on Derek. Shooting forward, it pulled back its clawed hand for a slash. Derek slowly raised his arm and took the strike. It did not even leave a mark on his forearm. This time, he felt like he was the Void Beast and his opponent was himself from before. Derek laughed and covered his palm in the void. He pushed forward, slapping the chest of the creature. Like that, blood shot out of its mouth and it fell over, dead. Well, that was¡­ interesting. Derek looked at the corpse. I wonder how much Stella will give me for this. She had told him that the stronger the Void Beast, the better it tasted, but maybe one as young as this would be a delicacy. He stored the remains in his bracelet and sat back down against the boulder. He wanted to farm a few of these beasts. They had great value to others, and he had an easy way to attract them. Also, he wanted a fight. A real fight. He had survived on Earth by fighting creatures and invaders over and over. He had thought he would be able to embrace a peaceful and worry free life, but deep down, fighting for his life over and over had changed him. Thus far, the only thing that did not die instantly in a fight was a Void Beast. He was not quite craving for a fight, he did not need to fight, but he wanted to fight. He could do without fighting, but there was a little itch that he wanted to scratch. And he had a way to bring a fight to himself at any time, so why not use it? Derek channeled the void through his body again and cast Void Call. The beam shot up, and the same process repeated. He waited. This time, he did not have to wait long, as in mere moments, the thundering sound rang out. Maybe the first call gathered some close, so this one was already there. The sky cracked, this time at a much more rapid pace. Even faster than the first beast he summoned. Derek tensed, giddy for a real fight. I wonder if this one is going to be as strong as the one that freed me from the void. He stood and readied himself for a fight. The thunder sounded again, and massive fissures appeared in the sky. Derek gulped, hoping he had not bitten off more than he could chew. He waited for the claws to tear through and rip the shards away, but what happened made him even more excited. Instead of the Void Beast removing the shards piece by piece, the thunder rang out, this time even louder than before. The impact from within the tunnel struck the shards again. This time, the shards came loose and bursted out from the sky. They flew through the air at an outrageous speed until they disintegrated like all the others before. A massive clawed hand reached out of the fissure before grabbing onto the side of the hole. A foot followed, then a head, then torso. The Void Beast¡¯s whole body was out, its hand still gripped the side of the fissure. It dangled there, gazing around the area before its crimson eyes landed on Derek. I really hope that this beast isn¡¯t the parent of the one before. He thought to himself, but there was no way for him to know. Their gazes locked, and the beast let go. It fell to the ground, landing without so much as a bend in its legs. Derek was not scared of fighting the creature, though. He still had the void which had been able to penetrate everything it came into contact with without fail. He was raring to go. He had only had one decent fight since he arrived on this world, so it was funny that his second decent fight was going to be with the same kind of creature. It seems that the only danger to me is myself, literally. Derek laughed as he waited for the creature to make the first move. This Void Beast was a whole two heads taller than the first one he summoned. It was ripped. Muscles seemed to be on the verge of bursting through its skin. The razor claws on the tips of its fingers were double the length of the previous beast. I¡¯m going to put my Vitality to work today. Derek stared at the beast with a smile on his face. I bet Stella will pay a premium for this thing. I¡¯ll probably get a membership as soon as I show it to her. Instead of launching towards him as the other beasts had, the giant of a beast moved towards the rock with blood on it. It reached its claws down and scratched the blood covered stone, leaving deep tears inside. Then it raised a bloodied, stone covered claw and opened its mouth, presenting rows of spear-like fangs for Derek to see. It ran the claw over its tongue and closed its mouth, shutting its eyes in the process. When it reopened its eyes, its gazes had changed from the aggressive gaze of a beast to a gaze of anger. It lifted its foot and brought it down on the stone, shattering it in the process. Then it turned. It slowly crept closer and closer to Derek. Inspecting him with its rage filled eyes. The Void Beast stopped three meters away, looking Derek up and down. It snorted, the rage in its eyes changed to disdain, like it was looking at an ant. It was the same Jace had given him before they fought. It was a gaze that Derek loved nothing more than breaking. Derek¡¯s smile grew wider. The beast opened its mouth, rivers of fangs showing again. Derek prepared himself to take an attack head on. Then, the Void Beast spoke. Chapter 83: A Nice, Calm Chat Chapter 83: A Nice, Calm Chat ¡°You...¡± The creature hissed. ¡°are a user of the void.¡± The almost snake-like voice escaped the maw of the beast. It paused, staring at Derek, seemingly waiting for an answer. It did not receive one. Derek was still looking at the creature in shock. So many questions were flying through Derek¡¯s head. ¡®How was it speaking?¡¯ ¡®If it was a creature not bound to this system, how was it speaking the system¡¯s language?¡¯ ¡®Was it even speaking the language of this system, or one that he already knew from his old system?¡¯ The questions bombarded his brain. He was not surprised that it was intelligent enough to communicate, though. Silvi had already shown him that it was possible. After waiting for some time, the beast spoke again. ¡°You have the power to call into the void, but not the power to control.¡± The disdain in the beast¡¯s eyes was still there, though it drew its eyelids down in a squint. Derek snapped out of his confusion. He chuckled and placed his right hand on the back of his neck. ¡°Sorry, sorry. It¡¯s just¡­ you caught me unprepared is all¡­ What was it you wanted to know?¡± The beast hissed again, irritation clear in its voice. ¡°You use the void, but not well. You direct it, but cannot fully control it.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ well, yeah¡­ I guess. I thought I was doing a pretty good job at using it, myself.¡± Derek focused the void into his hand and made a fist. ¡°Ignorant!¡± The Void Beast screeched. ¡°You know not what you play with.¡± The beast calmed and let out a deep breath. ¡°Luckily, I was close by this time.¡± Oh? Is this the part where the legendary beast decides to take on a genius apprentice? Is it going to show me proper ways to use the void? Ways that aren¡¯t included in the system. Derek''s blood was boiling in excitement. This unexpected situation may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Derek, unsure of custom, bowed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you. I¡¯m new to the whole ¡®void¡¯ thing. Any tips would be much appreciated.¡± That sounded genuine, right? Yeah, it was pretty good. C¡¯mon training arc. The Void Beast¡¯s mouth drew up into a menacing smile. Rows of razor-sharp teeth all appeared at once. Then the creature let out a booming laugh. ¡°Me, show you?¡± Its laughter increased. ¡°No, no, no, no, no.¡± It shook its head. ¡°I¡¯m not here to help you. I¡¯m here to kill you.¡± That was when it attacked. The Void Beast launched itself forward towards Derek, its clawed hand leading the charge. Derek had hoped for some good fortune and more of a discussion, but he had never let his guard down. The movement of the beast was almost as quick as Derek¡¯s own at top speed. Derek moved his right foot behind him and braced for impact, crossing his arms to shield himself against the razor claws. The claw hit his unarmored forearm and penetrated his skin before stopping at the muscle. It was reassuring to Derek that the attack only managed to break through his skin, though he knew that there would be much stronger attacks to come. The beast pulled its blood covered claw back and jumped backwards. Derek¡¯s arm was soaked in fresh blood, his blood. It had been a while since the last time a beast had been able to draw his blood. The last one to do so was the Acidic Ghoul he faced before getting all of his levels. The wound stung, but not enough for it to show on his face. He looked at the four claw marks flowing down his forearm, but smiled when they began rapidly closing on their own. Derek looked up at his new opponent with a grin. ¡°I wanted to talk some more, but this is fine too.¡± The previous disdain filled eyes of the Void Beast were now widened and filled with amazement. The creature¡¯s snake-like voice rang out. ¡°Your body¡­¡± The creature¡¯s words came out, confusion in the tone. ¡°How¡­ You are not just an amateur void user.¡± ¡°I tried to tell you, I just picked up the skill. My main focus is on¡­ other things.¡± Derek replied. ¡°You must not live!¡± The beast shouted before attacking again. The Void Beast was fast. Much faster than the first one he killed, and he knew that it was possible it was even stronger than the one he met in the void all those months ago. It seemed to be a little taller than that one, but he could not be sure. Derek did not bother dodging. He wanted to test out his body with a worthy opponent. It was the reason he was out here doing this, after all. Well, that and the possibility of increasing his standing with the Crown. Plus, there had not been many opportunities for him to train his Physical Resistance skill. Derek blocked strike after strike of the Void Beast, his entire body becoming a crimson mess in the process. Blood dripped down from fresh wounds on his side, chest, and arms. He was careful to not let the creature hit any vital parts. He was extremely satisfied with his body¡¯s ability. Though his Vitality and Endurance could not heal his wounds completely before a new one was inflicted, Derek doubted that it would actually be possible for him to die from a loss of blood. Keeping an eye on his health bar, Derek took hit after hit, watching the number fall, then rise again. Sure, he was not healing faster than the Void Beast could damage him, but it was close. Even with open wounds and blood cascading down his body, his health was sitting at over 90% full. If someone was to look at the current Derek, they would wonder how he was still standing on his two feet, but the reality was that he was perfectly fine. Well, he would have to go shopping for some new pants after, and he really hated that he was ruining a pair of his remaining jeans. He was pretty sure that this world did not have baking soda or peroxide. He had to admit, the strength of the beast was astounding, and on top of its speed, he figured that there would not be a single person in Torith that could last five minutes with the creature. Derek wanted to fight back, but his Physical Resistance had already grown three levels in the less than five minutes that he and the Void Beast had been fighting. So far, all the Void Beasts Derek had seen had the same traits. Fantastic speed and strength on top of near impenetrable defense. It was almost like fighting a lesser version of himself. Derek started moving slower, taking more injuries and losing more HP. If he wanted to reap as many rewards as possible from the fight, he would have to make it look like the Void Beast had a chance. It was very adamant about killing him, so it should not lose its drive to kill him so easily, but he did not want to take any chances. Plus, there was a good chance that he would not be able to keep it from escaping with the speed and strength it had already shown, and he could not have that. Not only did he need to obtain its corpse, but he also wanted to interrogate it a bit. Derek could not help but wonder why it was so set on killing him. His health hit 70% and he began retreating while blocking the attacks. At this point, his Physical Resistance had already grown to level 6. He hoped that he would be able to get the skill to level 8 before his health reached 40%. He did not feel comfortable letting his HP fall below that, especially while bleeding from the countless wounds. Though, he did still have Rejuvenation to rely on if needed. Derek took a beating for well over ten minutes. The Void Beast finally seemed to be getting tired, but it had a fire burning in its eyes, showing that it was ready to push past its limits to land that final killing blow on Derek. Finally, Derek felt his back against a boulder and his HP was just below 40%. His Physical Resistance had actually made it to level 9, making it almost even with his Magic Resistance. Derek looked at the panting beast, the fire in its eyes all but smothered. It stopped a meter from him and stared. Derek looked at his bloodstained body and moved his arm, wincing at the pain of some of the wounds. He could actually see the bone at his elbow. Before, he was satisfied at how well his body was holding up. Now he was giddy with excitement. He finally let it show on his face. ¡°Human.¡± The beast spoke again. ¡°You laugh at the inevitability of your death. Respectable. You were much stronger than I expected, even for a turtle.¡± Derek burst into a fit of laughter then. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯m not laughing at my death.¡± He shook his head while bending over with guttural laughter. He winced at another of the many rips in his flesh tearing back apart. ¡°What is your meaning?¡± The beast grumbled. ¡°You.¡± Derek straightened and pointed his index finger at the exhausted beast. ¡°Are the best training dummy I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.¡± Derek closed his eyes and cast Rejuvenation over his entire body. The already rapid healing of his wounds became even faster. A new wound closing every second. The beast stumbled back at this, fear flashing through its eyes for the first time. Derek had been told that Void Beasts had an uncanny sense for when to flee, and its fight-or-flight response had just landed on flight. It turned, putting the same strength and speed into fleeing as it had before when fighting. Before it could take two steps, Derek launched himself forward, grabbing its shoulder and pulling to spin it around. Derek balled his hand into a fist and blasted it into the creature¡¯s midsection. It was like hitting a steel wall. Neither his fist nor the creature took any damage. The force of the impact made the Void Beast slide backwards a couple of meters, but that was it. Derek looked at his fist and smiled. He had already gained a ton from leveling his Physical Resistance in this fight, but he was even more excited to see how far he could push his Unarmed Combat Mastery, and with the defenses of the Void Beast, it was the perfect opportunity. Chapter 84: Attack Chapter 84: Attack Derek rushed forward after knocking the beast back. The last thing he wanted was to give the Void Beast a chance to run. He drove another fist into the abdomen of the creature. Again, not causing any visible damage. Derek continued this pattern. Derek moved side to side, dodging thrusts and ducking under swipes from the monster. After gauging the toughness and durability of the Void Beast, he started throwing in a Multi-Strike occasionally. He did not want to push the monster too hard, too fast, but he knew that he would have to keep an eye on his own stamina to make sure that he had more than enough to finish the fight or handle any surprises. Claw swipes tore through the air, missing their mark by centimeters. Occasionally, Derek would not be able to dodge a blow, and would be forced to raise his forearm to block. Other than that, he landed Multi-Strike every time he felt it off cooldown and punch after punch. Notifications would occasionally ring in his head, but attack and dodging took much more focus for Derek than turtling up and defending. Finally, Derek felt winded. Which was a sign that his stamina was beginning to run low. Even then, he stayed glued to the beast. At last, it was time for him to take the next step in the battle. Derek¡¯s next punch was loaded with the void. The beast finally showed a reaction to a hit. Though it was not as much of one as Derek expected. The creature flinched, but still managed a step back and a swipe of its claws. The previous punch was only meant to size up his opponent. He did not aim for anything vital. His next strike, however, was at the center of the beast¡¯s chest. Assuming that he was correct, and the Void Beast¡¯s heart was there. The strike may not kill it, but it should do some damage. Derek was correct, and not long after the strike landed, the beast stumbled backwards a step before righting itself. Surprisingly, that was all the damage that the beast showed. Derek had expected to see blood drip from its mouth like the last Void Beast that he hit with the void. Of course, that strike was with his glaive and not his fist. Still, the beast barely reacted to receiving a void covered strike to its heart. Sighing, Derek loaded up another void covered fist and took aim again. He rushed forward, this time trying to combine Multi-Strike with the void fist. He was unsure how it would work, but anxious to see. After ducking another attack, Derek drove his fist back into the creature''s chest. The Void Beast slid back and paused. Silence reigned over the battle as the monster and Derek both looked at one another. Then the Void Beast fell to its knees. The beast raised one clawed hand up, clutching at its chest. Its breathing grew heavier and heavier as its face contorted in pain and agony. Still, Derek stared cautiously. No way Derek would underestimate the beast after their battle. It had already proven that it could injure him, especially if it took him by surprise and caught him in a vital area like his throat or head. Derek slowly approached, finally glancing at his status in the process. His Unarmed Combat Mastery skill had grown to level 7 during the fight, and Multi-Strike grew to level 3. Unfortunately, he was unable to use Multi-Strike as much as he wanted because of the cost of each use. Even though he dragged the fight out for as long as possible, he was only able to use the skill a half dozen times because of the long cooldown, not to mention the mana cost per activation. Still, this was one of his most rewarding and profitable fights yet. Derek stopped next to the panting beast. The blood that oozed from its mouth and nose pooled on the ground was getting bigger by the second. The creature heaved and coughed, causing large amounts of fluid to fly. Derek, still covered in his own blood, crouched down next to the Void Beast. ¡°So, I know I was summoning Void Beasts to kill, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be what set you off. Why exactly were you so enthusiastic to kill me?¡± He asked. The beast slowly turned its head to meet Derek¡¯s eyes. ¡°Like you¡­¡± It went into a coughing fit. Once it caught its breath, it hissed. ¡°Like you don¡¯t know. Kill me and be done with it.¡± Derek frowned. He did not know, and he said as much. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. I was hoping to talk before. I mean, I honestly didn¡¯t know that there were any intelligent Void Beasts. I guess I should have known, but you were quite a surprise.¡± The beast eyed Derek skeptically, its breathing becoming easier. ¡°You are the enemy to all of my kind. You call and we must come, but you do not have control¡­ yet.¡± That caught his attention. He had originally thought that Void Call was a skill that allowed him to summon and control a Void Beast. He almost died because of that assumption. Now, however, it seemed that he might not have been too far off after all. ¡°What will I be able to control? The void? Void Beasts?¡± He asked. The beast scoffed. ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°Really? I was thinking about letting you go.¡± Derek said. But the resolute anger was still burning in the beast¡¯s eyes. ¡°But it seems like if I do that, you¡¯ll do what you can to find a way to come back and kill me.¡± Derek sighed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll kill you. No sense in letting you suffer like this anymore. I¡¯m not really one for torture.¡± He stood from his crouch and walked behind the kneeling beast. ¡°I hope this works.¡± Void energy covered Derek¡¯s palm, and he raised his hand. Just as the creature turned suddenly to try to land one more strike, Derek unleashed his palm on the Void Beast¡¯s head. Its outstretched arm fell to its side limply, and the light in its eyes flashed out. Its body fell over to the side. Derek smiled halfheartedly. ¡°I guess the brain is always the hardest thing to strengthen.¡± He bent down. He was still not sure if the beast was really dead, but when he tried to pull it into his bracelet, he succeeded. His bracelet could not store living things, so that mystery was solved. Derek studied his surroundings before finding a large stone to sit on. He had planned on summoning and fighting as many Void Beasts as he could before the next day, but his last kill had left a bad taste in his mouth. He was out here to fight monsters, but not sentient ones. Sure, he had killed hundreds of human and alien races, and thousands of monsters, but he had never gone out of his way to hunt intelligent species or monsters. He did not know the odds of calling an intelligent Void Beast, but one in three was his current ratio. He had also been thinking about trying some Void Beast cooked by the Crown, but all thoughts of that were now out the window. Hunting and eating intelligent monsters was actually a common practice, according to what he had seen while he had the old system. There were some monsters that would even give permanent increases to stats. Of course, this only extended to evolved monsters, not actual intelligent beings. Still, it was one of the things Derek was unable to get behind. Now Derek was in a dilemma. On one hand, he wanted to level up Void Call on the chance that it could increase to a controlling skill. On the other, he no longer felt like fighting Void Beasts. He was definitely going to head back to Torith in the morning, though. Derek stood and sighed. I guess I need to find a river or stream somewhere. The one thing he did know was that he needed to wash all the blood off. Heh¡­ I wonder what the guards would say if I showed up at the gate covered in blood. Derek searched around and listened for a while, finally coming to the decision to go back to a stream he passed by on his way to hunt the Poison Fengs. By the time he reached the stream, night was falling. He washed up as best he could and decided to work on Void Call another day. The next morning, Derek examined his scar covered body. All the wounds inflicted by the Void Beast were gone. Some of his previous scars were also gone. It seemed like his body¡¯s healing healed not only the wounds, but even the scars that had been cut open by the beast. Some scars even looked weird. It was like someone dragged a knife up his abdomen, but kept lifting it in the process, leaving portions unscarred. He did not like that. Derek had refused to remove his scars so he would have a reminder of what he had been through. Plus, he thought they looked cool. Now, some of the ones on his abdomen and chest just looked odd. While checking over his body, he tried to communicate with Silvi, but was unable to. It made sense. He was quite far from the city. He was already surprised when he found that they could communicate with each other half a city apart, so he had no hope that it would actually work this far away. Derek dressed and ate some jerky from his bracelet. He had a long run ahead of him, and he hoped he could make it back to Torith by lunch. He set his sight in the right direction and took off. *** Derek arrived at the city gates around noon. The first thing he did before going through was try to communicate with Silvi. ¡®Silvi, can you hear me?¡¯ ¡®What do you want?¡¯ A reply came through. ¡®I was just checking on you. Did anything exciting happen yesterday? Did y''all stay out of trouble?¡¯ ¡®No trouble. Mount idiot. Getting tricked.¡¯ Silvi answered. ¡®What do you mean? Tricked how?¡¯ ¡®Girl acts nice. Wants ring. Mount idiot.¡¯ Silvi had a way with words. Derek understood immediately. Thomas must have met a girl, but she really just wants to find a way to take his storage ring. Derek shook his head. ¡®Well, don¡¯t let her steal the storage ring. If she tries, don¡¯t kill her, just keep her from taking it. I¡¯ll talk to Thomas in a bit.¡¯ ¡®Girl not here. They meet later.¡¯ Silvi replied. ¡®Good. I have to take care of a few things, then I¡¯ll meet up with you.¡¯ Derek said. No response came back through. Derek sighed and shook his head. Lazy bunny. With that, Derek showed his Adventurer¡¯s Guild badge to the gate guards and was let through. At least it¡¯s good for something. He thought. Time to go get the real thing. He set of to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Chapter 85: Becoming Official Chapter 85: Becoming Official Derek walked the long road from Torith¡¯s gate entrance to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, taking in the scenery along the way. He was not in a rush, he still had plenty of time before lunch. The difference in quality of the buildings and the way people lived in the first district versus those in the merchant and noble districts never ceased to amaze him. Every city had its slums and rougher areas, but none from his previous life on Earth had ever been as divided as to what he saw here. All that he could think was that the living conditions must be very heavily enforced. Finally, after strolling through the ¡®commoner¡¯ district of the city, he made it back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. I really hope he was able to confirm that we drove¡­ killed¡­ those bandits on the way from the village. Maybe I should have picked up another mission to complete along with the other¡­ Well, hindsight¡¯s 20-20. Derek opened the giant double doors of the guild and took a step inside. I feel like I¡¯m in a Western walking through double doors like this. He glanced at the doors that swung shut. If only they kept swinging. Once again, he walked over to the counter on the far left. Nia was standing there with a beaming smile. ¡°Derek! I was told you left for a mission near the mountains yesterday. Did you forget something?¡± She asked. Derek chuckled. ¡°Nope. Actually, I¡¯m here because I hunted the Fengs and need to turn the mission in. I also need to talk to Francesco and see about another mission¡­ Along with other things.¡± Nia stared at Derek for a while before finally coming to her senses. ¡°Oh¡­ I see. You must have already hunted some of the beasts before and decided to turn them in instead. That¡¯s fine too.¡± She smiled. Derek smiled back. ¡°Wrong again.¡± He laughed. ¡°I¡¯m just pretty fast. Not to mention that it didn¡¯t take much time at all to find the mushrooms.¡± He lied. Finding the monsters had taken the majority of the hour that it took to hunt all 15 of them. ¡°I would go turn the mission in at the counter over there.¡± He pointed to one of the counters on his right. ¡°But I need to talk to the guild manager, so I figured I¡¯d knock both things out at once.¡± Nia looked at Derek like he was crazy. Then looked down at his temporary gold badge and seemed to come to terms with it. ¡°Please, have a seat. I¡¯ll inform Mr. Jaccobs of your arrival and he¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡± Derek stayed standing instead of having a seat. If the previous day was any indication, the man would not keep him waiting long. In fact, not two minutes after Nia left, she came back, trailing behind Francesco. ¡°Mr. Hunt.¡± Francesco said, offering his hand in greeting. ¡°Nia tells me you have already completed your mission. That¡¯s great!.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Please, follow me to the back and let¡¯s get you taken care of.¡± Francesco motioned Derek to the door. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Inside the meeting room, the two were sitting at a table. ¡°You have the corpses on you?¡± The manager asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Derek flicked his hand, and one of the Poison Fengs appeared. Francesco nodded. ¡°Good. Leave them and the mission here with me when you leave.¡± He grabbed one of the binders laying on the table and flipped through some pages before stopping. Then, he made some marks on the page. ¡°Alright, I have marked the mission as complete for you.¡± Then Francesco pulled two gold coins from his storage ring. ¡°Here are the rewards for the mission. Normally, it would be less, but since it was quite the distance and close to a dangerous zone, the reward is bigger.¡± Derek inwardly laughed at the small amount. ¡°What about the other mission? Did you have a chance to check on everything while I was gone?¡± He asked. Francesco nodded. ¡°Of course. I sent some runners and found two of the people your group saved, and I personally paid a visit to Captain Bronson. After some discussion, I have determined that the bandit camp that your group stumbled onto was indeed the one from the mission. ¡°Since Bronson was the only person registered to the guild at the time, I have put him down as team lead, and you as a member. As for the young boy that traveled with you, if he registers at the guild in the future, he will have a completed mission waiting for him.¡± Francesco then summoned 20 silver and put it on the table in front of Derek. ¡°As this mission was closer and not deemed to be much of a threat to a team of Silver Ranked adventurers, and the split between three team members, the pay is not as grand.¡± Derek did not join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to make money, but after seeing the rewards, he checked it off of the list as a fast way to make money. Still, he took the silver and put it away. ¡°With that¡­¡± Francesco pulled a badge out of his ring. ¡°You have completed your two silver trial missions and I can officially make you a Gold Ranked member of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± He placed the badge in front of Derek, then summoned a book out of his ring. ¡°Now, I just need to update the member list.¡± He jotted down something in the book. ¡°Done, it is official. Please return your temporary badge.¡± Derek handed the manager his temporary badge, and the man stored it. ¡°Now, please inject some of your mana into the badge for activation.¡± Francesco said. Derek did as told, and a notification appeared. Would you like to bind ¡®Adventurer¡¯s Badge: Gold¡¯ to you? Y/N Derek focused his mind on yes. ¡®Adventurer¡¯s Badge: Gold¡¯ has been bound. ¡°Now, it doesn¡¯t do much, but when picking up or completing missions, you will be asked to provide your badge. It will be tested to make sure you are its owner and that it is an official badge of the guild.¡± Francesco continued. ¡°Also, you are the only person that can activate the badge. It will slightly glow when you inject your mana. There is no tracing or listening spell on the badge, so you don¡¯t have to worry about your privacy. If you are skeptical, you can have it tested. If you lose the badge, it will cost 10 gold coins to be replaced, so it is best that you keep an eye on it. ¡°Do you have any questions for me about the badge?¡± The manager asked. Derek shook his head. ¡°Nope, that¡¯s it.¡± Derek stood and walked over to an empty corner. He dropped the 15 Poison Feng corpses onto the ground. ¡°I guess this will do?¡± Francesco winced. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about the cleanup.¡± ¡°Thanks. I will see myself out if there isn¡¯t anything else.¡± Derek said and Francesco nodded. ¡°See you around.¡± Derek walked out of the room. Francesco walked over to the pile of corpses, putting a glove on his right hand in the process. ¡°I should have told him to take them to the completion counter to get a hang of what it¡¯s like to complete a mission.¡± He sighed, placing corpse after corpse into his storage ring. Derek walked back into the front of the building. Nia was waiting behind her counter, reading a book. ¡°Slow day?¡± He asked from behind, causing the woman to jump and let out a light cry. Embarrassed, she replied, ¡°Few people have not already registered for the guild, so there¡¯s a lot of downtime. I mostly deal with kids who have just unlocked The Great System. Other than that, I help at the other counter when things get busy or Mr. Jaccobs if he needs help. ¡°Most of the time I¡¯m just here all day with nothing to do. But, the pay¡¯s good and I don¡¯t have to risk my life. Plus, I get to read as I like. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± Nia explained. ¡°Oh? What¡¯re you reading?¡± Derek leaned forward to get a look at the book. Nia quickly hid the book behind her back and brought a hand to her cheek before stammering. ¡°N-nothing you would like.¡± Calming down, she looked at the badge he had pinned on his shirt. ¡°I see everything went well for you.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Yup.¡± He was still wondering what kind of book the woman had been reading, but decided to leave it alone. He did not want to embarrass the poor girl any further. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be seeing you around more often. Enjoy your book.¡± He winked at her. Okay, now I¡¯m done embarrassing her. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later. I have some more business to take care of. Have a great day.¡± He left the guild, leaving Nia standing like a statue with her book clutched behind her in her hand. Okay¡­ Got my guild badge. Now I need to pop in and see how Stella¡¯s doing, then I need to have a chat with Thomas. Derek walked up to the gate separating the lower district from the middle and waved at one of the guards. The gate opened immediately. I wonder if they all know who I am already, or if it¡¯s the gold badge¡­ He did not think too much about it, and walked through the gate. I wonder if I¡¯ll get the same treatment going from the merchant district to the noble district. He began his trek to the Crown, all the while thinking. They really need to get some carts and buggies, or taxis or something. Maybe I¡¯ll create a bicycle taxi next... Chapter 86: Back to the Crown Chapter 86: Back to the Crown Derek¡¯s walk through the merchant district of Torith was uneventful. He thought about stopping by the inn to see Silvi and Thomas, but decided against it. It was funny to him, though. He received fewer stares from the people around now that he was wearing a Gold Rank badge on his shoulder. At least the badge is good for something. He mused. Eventually, he ended up at the gate separating the merchant district from the noble district. He stopped in front of the gate and looked up at one of the guards. He waved. The guard frowned, but another guard noticed Derek at the gate and ran over to whisper something in the previous guard¡¯s ear. ¡°Please excuse us, Mr. Hunt.¡± The guard that seemed to recognize Derek jumped from his perch on the gate and walked towards Derek while speaking. ¡°As you are not a noble, we must document your entry and exit to and from the upper district.¡± Derek nodded at the guard to continue. ¡°Ah, I see you went and obtain an Adventurer¡¯s Guild badge, and a gold one at that. Congratulations. That will actually make things much easier.¡± The man pulled out a clipboard and jotted something down before he asked, ¡°Now, I must ask what business you have in the noble parts. Because of your Gold Rank in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild,I don¡¯t need specifics, just why you¡¯re entering.¡± Derek frowned. He did not like having to tell others about his business. Then again, it would make it pointless to have walls separating the city if anyone could just pass through the gates. ¡°I am here to see Stella from the Crown Restaurant. She should be expecting me anytime now.¡± The gate guard nodded and jotted something else down. ¡°Do you, perhaps, know how long you will be staying in the district?¡± Derek furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°No clue. Could be anywhere from five minutes to five hours. It depends on how our discussion goes.¡± The man nodded and wrote more on the clipboard. ¡°Alright, thank you for your cooperation.¡± The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge, not unlike what he got from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°Please take this, it is a guest pass into the noble district. You inject your mana into it just like the one you are wearing. This will activate the guest pass. ¡°The difference between this badge and the one from the guild is that the mana injection only lasts 24 hours and cannot be activated again for a week. It has a tracking spell linked to that covers the entire city. If it is not returned to a guard post within that time frame, guards will be sent out to collect it¡­ and you. Also, we will be alerted if the badge is ever more than two meters away from your mana signature. If a crime is found to have been committed and your badge is known to have been in the vicinity at the time, you will be questioned. Do you understand?¡± Derek nodded and took the badge. He injected his mana into it, accepting the notification that appeared. He then looked back at the guard. ¡°Why did I not have to have one of these when I came through earlier?¡± He asked. ¡°That is because you and your¡­ friends came through with Sir Bronson, as his guests. Later, Sir Bronson arrived and reported your stay at the Gracefall Manor. As for why you did not need badges, it is because as guests of the Gracefall House, you became their responsibility. As you are no longer staying as guests of the Gracefalls, you are required to¡­ jump through these hoops.¡± The guard explained. Derek nodded. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t store this thing in my storage ring?¡± He asked. ¡°Unfortunately, no.¡± Derek placed the badge into his jean pocket and lifted his hand. ¡°Thanks for the information¡­ Mr¡­¡± The man took his hand. ¡°Bellamy, Bellamy Sanz. You can just call me Bellamy.¡± ¡°Bellamy.¡± Derek nodded and released the man¡¯s hand. ¡°It was a pleasure.¡± Bellamy nodded back then turned to the other guard and nodded again. Soon, the gate opened and Derek walked forward. Soon, he was standing in the noble district. I didn¡¯t think that Bronson had gone through that much trouble for us to stay here. I guess it¡¯s not much trouble if you know the people and are used to doing it, though. Derek thought. I wonder, if I would have chosen to stay in one of the inns in this district, would I have still been Walter¡¯s responsibility? Derek¡¯s respect for both Walter and Bronson increased once again. Soon, he was standing in front of the Crown Restaurant. He opened the door and walked in. The same bouncers-like guards as before were standing around the entrance and took note of his arrival. ¡°Hey beavis, is Stella in?¡± Derek asked. The guard flushed red in anger before calming down. He did not bother to reply, and just nodded his head to the woman behind a hostess station. She was already looking at him. Derek walked over to the woman. He did not recognize her from before. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Derek Hunt. Is Stella in?¡± The woman glanced at a book on the stand and raised her head with slightly raised eyebrows. ¡°It seems she is expecting you, and I am to bring you up whenever you arrive. Please, follow me.¡± Derek followed the woman up to the same floor and office he had gone to the other day. The hostess knocked twice on the door. ¡°Madam, Mr. Hunt is here to see you.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Stella¡¯s voice rang out from behind the door. The hostess opened the door and stepped to the side, letting Derek have a clear view of Stella and her intoxicating smile. Today, she was not wearing a provocative dress. She was standing, dressed in a tight, forest green, long-sleeved laced tunic trimmed in black. The lace was loose, causing Derek to put more focus into looking at her face. The tunic fell into a short black pencil skirt with stockings underneath. Derek smiled at the beautiful woman. ¡°Stella! Good to see you again. I¡¯m not too early, am I?¡± He asked while walking the few steps over to her desk. ¡°Of course not, Derek. I was actually able to contact my employer just after you left the other day and work something out.¡± She answered, then nodded at the lady standing at the door that she could leave. The door closed. ¡°Please.¡± Stella gestured to the empty chair in front of Derek. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Derek sat. ¡°So, how¡¯s things going?¡± He asked. ¡°They couldn¡¯t be better. In fact, not only was I able to work out your compensation for the Void Beast, my botanist has already made a coffee prototype.¡± She took a crystal from one of her desk drawers and injected mana into it. Afterwards, she put it back. ¡°I¡¯ll have the staff bring up what we have so far.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± He was genuinely excited. He was more excited about the idea of not running out of coffee than he was about the money. Stella smiled. ¡°I see you visited the Adventurer¡¯s Guild after you left.¡± ¡°Yeah. I figured I could do more with a badge than without.¡± She nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The two chatted for a few minutes about unimportant things before a waiter arrived with the prototype coffee. After the waiter left, Stella poured Derek and herself a cup. ¡°Please. Tell me what you think. You are the expert after all.¡± Derek nodded and took the cup, bringing it to his lips. He took in a deep breath of the aroma. Well, at least it smells like coffee. That¡¯s already big. Then he took a sip. The taste was coffee-like, but weak. It¡¯s better than nothing, though. He thought and took another drink. After setting the cup down, he spoke, ¡°Well, the flavor just isn¡¯t there yet. With what you currently have, I would suggest brewing it with less water, or double brewing it for a stronger taste. The problem may just be that your people aren¡¯t used to strong drinks, so they are diluting the coffee with too much water. "I¡¯m not sure how roasted the coffee is, but if you have your people roast them longer, then you will get a much richer, bolder flavor. Where I¡¯m from, you can get light roast, medium roast, or dark roast. I prefer medium roast, myself. With it, you get a bit of the stronger original flavor of the coffee combined with a bit of the bold flavor from the roasting process.¡± Stella nodded and made some notes on one of the papers scattered around her desk. ¡°I will let them know. Thanks for the information.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Well, I am by no means a coffee expert. I would just like to be able to drink all I want without having to worry about not being able to find it anymore.¡± ¡°Well, thank you anyway. I actually think the product is going to bring in more money than I initially expected. It has something in it that stimulates a person and their energy. If we are able to increase the drug¡¯s effects, it could be sold as more than just a beverage during a meal.¡± She explained. ¡°Of course, there are other plants and medicines that do the same, it¡¯s just that none of them taste good while also providing the benefit. Also, having the stimulant occur naturally in the beverage is much easier than having to extract the stimulant and add it to other medicines.¡± She continued. Derek nodded. ¡°Yeah, we call that caffeine where I¡¯m from. We never bothered with enhancing it. It was used by very low level people who needed more energy to work late or to wake up faster. Because, as you know, it would take a ton of enhancing it to work on someone with a lot of Endurance.¡± She smiled. ¡°Exactly.¡± Then she pulled out a stack of papers from her storage ring. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get down to business. I¡¯m sure that you are anxiously waiting to see what the Void Beast is worth to us.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Well, I have some good news. My employer seemed to take an interest in you and decided to give you a premium offer in hopes for your further cooperation with the restaurant.¡± She slid the papers over to Derek. After reading, Derek¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Is this right?¡± Chapter 87: Crown Membership Chapter 87: Crown Membership ¡°Is this right?¡± Derek asked, looking at the contract. The offer was for 25,000 gold coins and contribution towards a membership. He had expected quite a lot, but more like 10,000 gold coins. If Bronson¡¯s sword cost 2,700 I wonder what kind of weapon I could get for this. Nah, I bet at a certain point, Weaponsmiths stop accepting gold for their wares. They probably deal only in trade. ¡°Mhm.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°As I said, my employer has made the decision to give you a premium offer. Plus, the Void Beast you brought in was high quality, so the price has to match. As you only want the hide back, not much was deducted from the amount because we don¡¯t have many uses for it. ¡°The current payment is what someone with a tier one membership would be awarded if they brought in the same beast. As I said, my employer is treating you quite fondly. This is the first time I have seen such a thing happen, though it is not the first that I¡¯ve heard of.¡± Stella finished with a smile. ¡°I see. I will have to thank your boss at some point.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Now, about the Crown Membership. This contract only states that I will be awarded a medium amount of contribution towards a membership. Is there a tangible way to tell how much contribution I have?¡± Stella¡¯s smile grew wider at the question. ¡°I was wondering when you were going to ask that.¡± Stella looked deep into Derek¡¯s eyes. ¡°Now, there are two answers that you can get. One is a basic outline, but the other requires an oath to not repeat what I say to anyone. Which would you like?¡± Derek frowned, but agreed to the oath. ¡°I, Derek Hunt, swear to the Great System to abide Stella Brighton¡¯s words and keep what I am about to hear to myself¡­ and my companion, as I cannot hide things from her, for as long as required.¡± After his oath, the notification popped up. You have sworn an oath to ¡°Stella Brighton.¡± Stella frowned. ¡°Your companion? The rabbit?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Yes. We communicate telepathically. It is easy for her to hear my thoughts unless I specifically focus to keep her out. Trust me, she does not actively try to listen to them either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ interesting. Most communicate with their beast companion through their will. They just understand each other.¡± Stella furrowed her brows. ¡°Just how strong is that bunny?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Would you like to swear an oath?¡± He laughed. Her eyes widened a little, then she chuckled. ¡°No, it was just a passing thought.¡± Then she cleared her throat. ¡°I trust that she will not speak of what we are discussing to anyone?¡± ¡°No. If we were talking about food or sleeping, she might find a way, but she couldn''t care less about anything we are discussing right now. Besides, as of right now, she can only communicate with me.¡± He answered. Stella nodded. ¡°Very well. First, to answer your question¡­ No. All that you have to go on is my word and the trust that you have in the Crown. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is because my boss controls who gets the memberships and who does not. She is quite fair, though. ¡°Even if she does not personally like you, as long as you do not act in a detestable and despicable way, and if she sees that you have worked and contributed much to the restaurant, she will award you with a membership. However, the biggest factor standing in the way of most of the nobles receiving a membership is how they act and treat others. My boss is¡­ well, she has eyes and ears everywhere.¡± Stella sighed. ¡°You could say that she is the Kingdom¡¯s foremost expert in gossip. She does not spread it, but she collects it, then verifies it. There are nobles, I will not name names, but there are some that have contributed greatly to the Crown, and help the cities and those less fortunate than themselves. But they have never received a membership and they never will. ¡°They may look perfect on the outside, but they are vile on the inside. Some of the things that I have heard about¡­¡± Stella shook her head. ¡°My mistress will never allow people like that to be formally associated with her business. There are some, though, that are strict and violent that have been given membership and people wonder why. ¡°Those people treat everyone the same. If a descendant from their house steps out of line, they will be punished the same as if a beggar did the same. Their violence is warranted. They are usually noble houses who uphold the laws of the kingdom. And though they cannot punish a noble of another house the same way as they do a commoner under kingdom law, they will punish their own. It is respectable. Many normal folk and nobles alike fear them.¡± Stella stated. Derek nodded. ¡°I understand. This is actually great information for me to know. If I go to another city and a ¡®perfect¡¯ noble house is there, but they do not have a membership to your restaurant, I will know to avoid them. I see why you had me take an oath.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°That is correct. There are a few, not many, that are respectable and close to perfect that do not care for a membership, therefore do not seek to obtain contribution. But, they are usually neutral parties and will not seek you out without reason.¡± She continued. ¡°Now, that is all for people who have not earned a membership yet. There is a tangible way to see your contribution once you are a member.¡± Stella flicked her wrist and a solid white card with a golden crown in the middle appeared in her hand. It was slightly bigger than a credit card. ¡°This.¡± She waved the card around. ¡°Is a membership card.¡± She handed it to Derek for him to examine. Holding it in his hand, he studied it. It was hard, he put some strength into his hand and squeezed slightly. After some pressure, the card bent a little and he relaxed. ¡°Some good material.¡± He said. ¡°Indeed.¡± She answered. ¡°They can survive¡­¡± She watched as he bent the card even more. ¡°most attacks.¡± Derek nodded and handed the card back. ¡°I¡¯m guessing this is just for me to examine?¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°Yes. It is not an actual membership card, just a display. It is the same in almost every way, just lacking the enchantments.¡± She took the card back. ¡°Now, as you can see, the card is a blank slate, solid white. This is a tier one membership card with no contribution. You will begin at tier one if you ever become a member. ¡°Now, as you gain contribution, you can give your card to a manager and they will transfer it to the card.¡± Stella injected mana into the card. The end of the card began turning blue. As he continued, the blue color spread across the card. ¡°As you can see, as you earn contribution, the card will fill with a different color.¡± At that point, the entire card had turned blue. Stella injected more mana into the card, and a purple tint appeared on the side. ¡°White is tier one, blue is tier two, purple is tier three, and black is tier four, the maximum tier. Each tier comes with different benefits, you will only learn about them when you reach that tier, and you will be required to sign a contract not to spread said benefits.¡± Mhm¡­ It¡¯s like the more I spend, the higher my credit limit. Derek nodded. ¡°I see. That makes sense to me.¡± Stella nodded and put the card back into her ring. ¡°Now, like I have said, my boss seems like you, which is a point in your favor. She will definitely be listening and watching you, so when you reach enough contribution in her eyes, it won¡¯t be hard to become a member.¡± Derek frowned, disappointed. ¡°So, no matter how much I contribute, it will take a while to become a member because she needs to find out my character?¡± ¡°Well, that depends. My boss is a great judge of character, and I don¡¯t believe that she has ever been wrong about a person, no matter how quick she came to her opinion about them. She¡¯s¡­ special in that way.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°So, hypothetically. If I had enough contribution in her eyes today, how long do you think before she judged me worthy or not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tough question. It could be a day, a week, a month, a year¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sure she knows more about you than I do, already. And she¡¯s in the Capital. She may already have her opinion.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°This isn¡¯t some secret spy or assassination guild or something is it?¡± He asked in jest¡­ mostly. Stella broke out in laughter. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. But isn¡¯t that exactly what a spy guild would tell you?¡± She gave him a serious look, then busted up again. ¡°No, my mistress doesn¡¯t have a lot of friends and can¡¯t talk to many people.¡± She frowned and lowered her head. ¡°So, learning about people from afar became a hobby of hers after she started the Crown, and her skill in it has greatly improved the restaurant¡¯s standing. This is all public knowledge.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t she talk to people?¡± He asked, intrigued. ¡°This is also public knowledge. Her class has a skill that makes people¡­ uncomfortable, and she can not turn it off. It is a tragedy because she really does love having conversations. Very few servants can be around her, and most of her communication is done via the communication crystal, even then, her skill affects others.¡± Stella replied. ¡°That is sad. I would like to talk to her someday. Who knows, maybe I¡¯m different.¡± Derek smiled. If she has a skill that¡¯s constantly active, and it¡¯s magic, will my Magic Resistance constantly go up? Of course, he had ulterior motives. Stella¡¯s smile shined. It was more genuine that Derek had seen before. ¡°I¡¯m sure that she would love that. I¡¯ll let her know next time I speak with her.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± He said, then continued. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get back to my payment and contribution.¡± He reached over and rubbed his bracelet, waiting for the right time to reveal his other¡­ goods. ¡°Very well.¡± Stella replied. Chapter 88: The True Value of Void Beasts Chapter 88: The True Value of Void Beasts ¡°So, as you can see¡­¡± Stella reached over to the contract and pointed. ¡°You will get 25,000 gold coins for the Void Beast, minus the hide. And seeing your earlier reaction, I¡¯m guessing that this price is acceptable?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes, very acceptable. I was just wondering what I would do with so much gold.¡± Derek replied. Stella chuckled. ¡°Ah yes, having such an amount of coin and nothing to spend it on can be a problem. May I suggest your local Crown Restaurant? I hear that they have a delicious menu, though, they aren¡¯t cheap.¡± Derek laughed at that. ¡°No, I suppose they are not. As for the contract, I would be happy to sign, but I was thinking about maybe adding something to it. Or, I could take this and the money, and we could make another.¡± Stella¡¯s eyebrows raised in surprise. ¡°You never cease to amaze me. You have more to offer the restaurant? Is it another product like coffee? I don¡¯t think we¡¯re ready for that yet, the Botanist is still working out the kinks on that, and we wouldn¡¯t want to introduce too many new products like that into the market all at once. I mean, we would still buy it, but you wouldn¡¯t see revenue on whatever we work out until we begin selling.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°No, unfortunately I don¡¯t have any more money makers like that. Though, I may have an interesting alcoholic beverage later, but I¡¯m still in the process of thinking about it. This is another one-off purchase, like the Void Beast. Are you interested?¡± ¡°Of course we are interested. May I see the goods?¡± ¡°Sure, but first, since you¡¯ve treated me so well.¡± Derek held his arm out and the small Void Beast appeared, held by the back of its neck. ¡°You said that the older and stronger the Void Beasts were, the more expensive. Well, this one is neither old nor strong, more like a baby. I figured I¡¯d toss it in as an appetizer if your offer was sincere.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes were like saucers. ¡°Another Void Beast.¡± She whispered. Then she stood and walked around the desk to get a closer look. ¡°May I?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course.¡± With that, a knife appeared in Stella¡¯s hand and she reached over to the beast Derek was holding. She slid the knife along the upper arm of the creature, slicing through the flesh. Derek could see the bone when she withdrew the blade. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± She said as she touched the exposed muscle with her finger. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Void Beast that was so¡­ delicate.¡± She looked at the finger, which had a small amount of blood on the tip, and frowned. ¡°I hate having to do this.¡± Sticking her tongue out, she licked the end of her finger and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, her eyes shot open. ¡°Store that¡­ immediately.¡± Hearing the agitation in her voice, Derek quickly stored the Void Beast. Confused, he looked at Stella. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Stella leaned against the desk, using her hands, she lifted herself atop it. She sighed and summoned a tissue to clean her hand. Then, sitting on the desk just in front of the seated Derek, she spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t in good conscience accept your gift. Not without you knowing the real value of it. Now, I can¡¯t tell for sure by just tasting the blood, but that creature is most likely worth much more than the one you already brought me.¡± She sighed again. ¡°The meat, bones, and brain are the valuable parts of the usual Void Beasts.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Hell, I might as well tell you this. I suspect you will be a member soon. With the right chefs, our chefs, those who eat the Void Beast meals we prepare obtain increases to their stats. Of course, a Void Beast meal is absurdly expensive, even for tier four members.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t most meals increase a user¡¯s stats?¡± Derek asked. He could see where it was going, but he wanted to make sure. Stella nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true, but those stats are temporary. These are permanent. We are unsure why, but the theory is because the beasts are creatures that are ¡®outside the Great System.¡¯ So the increased stats aren¡¯t system granted stats, but more¡­ personal.¡± That got Derek¡¯s attention. ¡°How much will a Void Beast increase someone¡¯s stats? Let¡¯s say, the one I¡¯m selling you.¡± ¡°Well, you are able to get increased Strength, Endurance, and Intelligence out of a Void Beast. Which is funny because they come from the muscle, bones, and brain, respectively. Now, if you want to get the most benefit out of the creature, you can¡¯t eat it all at once. The benefits diminish the more you eat. You have to give your body enough time to process everything. ¡°If you were to just eat it all at once, that Void Beast, prepared by our cooks, would give you around 50 Strength, 30 Endurance, and 25-40 Intelligence. Intelligence is always hard to estimate. Now, if you eat then wait a couple months for your body to process everything, then repeat until the Void Beast is gone¡­¡± She quieted, thinking. ¡°Then you could stretch the gains to probably 120 Strength, 70 Endurance, and 50 or more Intelligence.¡± She answered. ¡°Okay, you said that Void Beast was pretty strong and special though, so I imagine those results aren¡¯t typical.¡± Derek said. ¡°No, not typical at all. Really, Void Beasts aren¡¯t typical.¡± She laughed. ¡°The foundation of our entire business is based on the way we prepare Void Beasts. My boss¡­ the owner is the only person who has the recipe. Our cooks are bound by extreme contracts. If they so much as think about selling the recipe, they will die.¡± Derek frowned at that. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± Stella said. ¡°They aren¡¯t slaves. They and their families are paid extremely well. A chef¡¯s child can grow up as if they are the heir to a top noble house in the Kingdom. Also, they can leave whenever they want. Remember how I was telling you about the owner¡¯s skills?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Well, those skills allow her to both implant the recipe into the chef¡¯s mind, and remove it without any harm. If a chef wants to leave, the process is simple. In my 27 years with the business, only one person has ever died from the oath. We also provide top-notch protection to all the chefs and their families. As I said, my boss has eyes and ears everywhere. It¡¯s near impossible for harm to come to one of her chefs.¡± Stella explained. That sounded well and good to Derek, but he was more caught up on the fact that Stella had been with the Crown for 27 years. She looked to be in her mid-20s, so unless she was born into the Crown¡­ ¡°Uh¡­ You¡¯ve been with the Crown for 27 years? Were you born into it? You don¡¯t even look that old.¡± Stella burst into a fit of laughter. ¡°Thanks for that. It¡¯s very reassuring that you think I¡¯m that young. No, I started working for my employer when I was 20. Now, I¡¯m not going to say my age out loud because it stings, but I¡¯m sure you can do the math. Being in my position has a lot of benefits. One of them is obtaining the strength and stats to have a greater lifespan, therefore preserving my looks.¡± She smiled. ¡°Though, it¡¯s nothing compared to Alanah.¡± She muttered under her breath, but Derek was still able to hear. Derek snapped out of his thoughts. ¡°Well, you are very beautiful for your age¡­ or any age, actually. Anyway, what¡¯s up with the baby Void Beast.¡± Stella stared him directly in the eyes, all playfulness gone. ¡°When I tested the blood, I was just testing the flavor to see which tier menu to put it on. It¡¯s a Void Beast, so no matter what, it will still give stats, even if it¡¯s only a few. But, when I tasted the blood, I got a notification that my Vitality increased by a point. Vitality is a very¡­ sought after stat. It¡¯s easy to die in a fight without having decent Vitality, but if you put your free points into the stat, you are missing out on offense. ¡°Very few people like classes that get hit often, so there aren¡¯t many people with Vitality as their main stat. People offset this weakness with accessories and potions that boost their Vitality. I¡¯m sure that you know all of this.¡± She said. Derek nodded. Yup, people looked at me crazy when I said that I was a tank. Who knew, getting hit hurts. ¡°I see. So, if the blood gave you an increase with just that much, and no special preparation, then the value would be¡­ a lot.¡± Damn, who knew the baby beast would have blood that would increase Vitality. It¡¯s almost like those old stories¡­ Derek flinched, thinking about the stories he had heard about people bathing in the blood of babies or virgins. There were movies and novels about the subject, mostly fiction, but he could recall that there were people who actually did such things on Earth hundreds of years ago. Stella gave him an odd look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°Nothing. I just thought of something unpleasant.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°I see. Anyway, yes, the value would be astronomical depending on how much blood the creature has. Would you please give me a moment? And please ignore me if I act¡­ odd.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Stella walked back over to her side of the desk and sat down. A blue communication crystal appeared in Stella¡¯s hand. I hope this isn¡¯t too embarrassing. I guess I could ask him to leave. She looked up at Derek, who was watching her with interest. Whatever, let¡¯s get it over with. She injected her mana into the crystal, hoping that Alanah would pick up quickly so she would not waste too much of the man¡¯s time. Fortune seemed to smile on her as she felt the connection establish. Hurriedly she transmitted, hoping her boss would not speak first. ¡®Don¡¯t speak. With a client.¡¯ Seeing that her boss did not speak, she sighed in relief. ¡®I have Derek Hunt with me right now. We were going over his contract for the Void Beast. He looked over the contract and decided that we were being very sincere, so he said he wanted to do more business. Before that, however, he said that he wanted to give us a gift for being sincere. ¡®The gift is why I am contacting you. He pulled out another Void Beast from his storage. It was a very young beast, most likely a baby. I went over and took a blood sample¡­ Alanah, it gave me Vitality. One drop of the blood gave me a point of Vitality. Now, I told him what occurred and gave him the beast back. I¡¯m not sure how to proceed. He did say that he would like to talk to you, though. ¡®I may have overstepped, but I told him a bit about your¡­ condition. I was wondering if your recipe included preparing blood along with everything else, and I was wondering if I could just pass the crystal over to him and let you talk.¡¯ ¡°Yes, we can talk.¡± The alluring voice sounded out of the crystal, and Stella¡¯s mind went blank. Chapter 89: Alanah Chapter 89: Alanah ¡°Yes, we can talk.¡± The voice sounded out of the crystal. Derek felt a slight tug in the back of his mind, but nothing more than that. It was so light that he barely sensed it. Stella, on the other hand, had become completely mechanical. Her eyes dimmed as she sat in the chair, staring forward. A sigh came from the crystal. ¡°Hop on one leg.¡± The sensual voice sounded out. Again, Derek felt the tug in his mind, but nothing else. Immediately after the command, however, Stella stood and raised one leg, then began hopping. Derek frowned as he watched the beauty bounce up and down. He was unsure what the person on the other end was planning. Overall, he was embarrassed for Stella. ¡°Stop.¡± The voice commanded and Stella stilled. ¡°Stella. Answer me. Did Mr. Hunt hop on one leg?¡± Stella leaned forward and grasped the crystal in one hand. ¡°Wonderful.¡± The voice boomed. ¡°That¡¯s just wonderful.¡± It sounded genuinely happy. ¡°Stella, dear. Please fetch our private communication crystal and lend it to Mr. Hunt.¡± Stella flicked her hand, and another crystal appeared. It was the same size and shape as the other, but it was red instead of blue. Stella walked back around her desk and placed the crystal in Derek¡¯s hand. Derek took the crystal and inspected it. Unlike the blue one, this crystal only had three runes drawn on it. ¡°Stella, you can return to a comfortable position.¡± The voice said. ¡°Now, Mr. Hunt. If you would be so kind as to inject some mana into that crystal when it lights up, that would be great. I will talk with you in a moment.¡± With that, the blue crystal that Stella had sat back down on the desk faded. Stella walked back around to her side of the desk and flopped down into her seat. Leaning back and placing her crossed feet on the top of her desk. Well, she did tell her to get comfortable. Derek chuckled as he looked at the lounging figure. Soon, the red crystal began to glow, and Derek injected some of his mana into it. ¡®Hello.¡¯ He answered like he was taking a call. ¡®Ah, Mr. Hunt¡­ Derek. So nice to meet you¡­ Hop on one foot.¡¯ The alluring voice invaded his mind and gave him a command. This time, the tug in the back of his mind was much greater. So much so that Derek actually pushed his foot on the floor to stand before catching himself. Realizing what was going on, he stopped and sent a thought back. ¡®I would prefer it if you wouldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ ¡®Oh! How absolutely wonderful! You ''re able to handle a command issued directly into your mind via a private communication crystal. Truly astounding. Just so you know, a command through this crystal is a dozen or more times as potent as one issued out loud through the other crystal. Also, as it was a command, it is much more potent than us just chatting. You really don¡¯t know how wonderful this is.¡¯ The alluring voice was gushing happiness. That would explain Stella. ¡®I guess that¡¯s a good thing?¡¯ He answered. ¡®A very good thing. I wasn¡¯t sure you would be able to handle it, but I hoped. When Stella informed me that you did not hop on one leg, I was beyond excited. Speaking of Stella, she will be back to normal in a few minutes. She has very good willpower.¡¯ She said. ¡®That¡¯s good. I think she¡¯s going to be embarrassed when she¡¯s back to normal.¡¯ Derek sent. ¡®Anyway, what can I do for you?¡¯ He asked. ¡®Ah, business¡­¡¯ The voice sounded with disgust. ¡®Business can wait. Do you know how often it is that I get to talk with somebody who doesn¡¯t have to strain themselves being around me? You aren¡¯t straining yourself, right? You don¡¯t feel anything weird when we are just chatting? No impulses to flatter me or tell me the truth about anything?¡¯ ¡®Nope. Just a force in my mind when you told me to hop on one foot. I felt like I wanted to stand, but was able to control it.¡¯ He answered. ¡®Good¡­ very good.¡¯ The voice paused. ¡®Oh goodness! Do you know what that means? We could actually talk person to person. Without you having to spend 12 hours next to me to get your focus back, and without you having to focus your mind so much that you have to stay home sick for two days.¡¯ ¡®Uh¡­ okay¡­¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Oh, sorry for the babbling. It¡¯s just so nice to really talk to someone¡­¡¯ She paused. ¡®Where are my manners? I was so caught up in my excitement that I forgot to introduce myself. I am Alanah Swan, owner and operator of Crown Restaurant. And you, you are Derek Hunt. A most interesting man.¡¯ Derek actually blushed a little at that comment. ¡®Thank you¡­ I think. I do pride myself on being¡­ interesting. It is nice to meet you, Miss Swan.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll have none of that. You can call me Alanah.¡¯ ¡®Fine by me. You can call me Derek if you want.¡¯ Alanah giggled. ¡®You are extraordinary. You must have phenomenal willpower to withstand my voice. Or maybe a great amount of points invested into Wisdom. Or¡­ do you have the Mental Resistance skill? Oh¡­ Sorry¡­ You don¡¯t have to answer that.¡¯ Derek did feel the tug on his mind again when she asked the question, but it was much less forceful than before. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t plan on answering.¡¯ Derek was surprised and a little disappointed. Her comment meant that the conversation was not going to affect his Magic Resistance like he had hoped. But, she was spot on about him having high Wisdom and willpower. He could not have survived so long as a tank without a ton of willpower. ¡®And that¡­ Is why this is wonderful. Oh, the things we can discuss. You can lie to me too. That is wonderful, so wonderful. Tell me, what is two plus two?¡¯ Seeing where she was going with it, Derek answered. ¡®Five.¡¯ ¡®Wow!¡¯ Alanah said in awe. ¡®That is amazing. Unless you are very dumb¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯re dumb. Nope¡­ definitely not.¡¯ ¡®That is great and all, and I would be happy to talk with you more, but I do have a lot of stuff to take care of today.¡¯ He said. I don¡¯t, but she doesn¡¯t know that¡­ I think. ¡®I would like to discuss some business. I guess Stella informed you of everything?¡¯ ¡®Yes, yes. Always business. Stella let me know.¡¯ Her happy, seductive voice changed to a flat tone. Though, it was still very bewitching. ¡®She told me that you brought in an interesting Void Beast. One that will give a lot of Vitality points. Now, you should definitely thank her when you get a chance, because anyone other than her¡­ or me would have taken your ¡®gift¡¯ without saying anything because you are not a member, and you would have been none the wiser. ¡®Stella is just too kind.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Now, she asked me if I had a recipe for such a beast and the answer is¡­ maybe. I have methods to increase the potency in some things, and they have been known to work with some bloods, so there is a chance that the Vitality points gained from the Void Beast could be increased. Now, of course I can buy it from you if you would like. I would be willing to offer 50,000 gold coins for it, or¡­¡¯ Her voice trailed off. ¡®We can come to another arrangement.¡¯ ¡®What arrangement would that be?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®We split the Void Beast blood.¡¯ Alanah answered. ¡®You get half and I get half. I will have my staff use my methods on the blood, and once we figure everything out, we can split it 50/50. Now, the final result could be more than what you would get just drinking all the blood raw, or it could be less. Like I said, with this method, you would only end up with half. What would you like to do?¡¯ At that time, Derek noticed that Stella had come to her senses. She had taken her feet off the desk and was sitting straight and professionally. The blush from her embarrassment was fading, and she was staring at Derek with wide eyes. Derek smiled at the woman before answering Alanah. ¡®Honestly, since I was going to give you the beast as a gift before, it feels awkward taking it back... ¡® Derek thought about everything for a moment. ¡®Okay¡­ I have an idea. I¡¯ll do the 50/50 split with you on the baby Void Beast. Then, since I haven¡¯t signed the contract for the other beast, you can have it for free. And we can discuss the price on my other Void Beast. You should find it quite interesting.¡¯ ¡®Oh¡­ That is interesting¡­¡¯ Alan said with a giggle. ¡®Tell me, is Stella back to her senses yet?¡¯ ¡®She is.¡¯ ¡®Very good. Tell her that I will contact her on the blue crystal. I will not talk, and she can just provide me with answers that I will ask for you. Is that acceptable?¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s fine by me.¡¯ Derek answered. He looked at Stella, the blush finally gone from her face. She seemed to come to terms with whatever she was feeling because she was looking at him in a professional manner instead of with shock in her eyes. ¡°Alanah said to pick up the blue crystal when she contacts you. She won¡¯t speak, but you can use it to tell her your thoughts. I¡¯ll¡­ translate.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Stella said, and picked up the crystal off of her desk, answering it when it began glowing. This is going to be odd. Derek did not know what to think about being the go between for the two women. Oh well, it¡¯s about to get a lot worse. He thought as he prepared to summon the corpse of the sentient Void Beast. ¡®Ready?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Ready.¡¯ Alanah chimed. ¡°Alright.¡± Derek said, speaking to Stella. ¡°Alanah wants you to examine this and give her your opinions.¡± Stella nodded her head, frowning. ¡°Okay.¡± Derek summoned the gigantic Void Beast. Stella looked at it, then back to him. Dumbfounded. The room was in complete silence. ¡®Well! What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The voice rang in Derek''s head. Chapter 90: Value Chapter 90: Value ¡®Well! What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Alanah asked, excited. ¡®Well¡­ Stella¡¯s just¡­ staring at the Void Beast. Give her a minute. Let her get her bearings back. Like I said, this Void Beast is interesting.¡¯ Derek replied. Derek watched as Stella took a deep breath, calming herself down. ¡°May I?¡± She pulled her knife back out of her storage device and approached the giant of a Void Beast. ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Derek had to stand to keep the three meter tall beast from dragging the ground. Other than its massive size, the differences from the normal Void Beasts were abundant. Longer, sharper claws, crazy muscle definition, extra teeth, all sharper than regular Void Beasts. And those were only the visual differences. Derek was still unsure if he was going to tell them about it being sentient and talking. ¡®She came to. She¡¯s beginning her examination now.¡¯ Derek kept Alanah informed of what was happening. Like with the first Void Beast he brought in, Stella placed her knife on its sternum to make an incision. Derek assumed that she was not worried about perfectly dressing the small beast, which was why she only cut into its arm, but with a beast that would provide more than just food parts, she would dress it neatly. Stella applied pressure to the knife. Then she applied more pressure, then more. Her brows furrowed and she frowned. ¡°How?¡± She whispered to herself. Soon, her knife vanished, and another one replaced it in her hand. This knife was much more interesting. To Derek, it looked more like a surgeon''s scalpel than a butcher¡¯s knife. Derek had to hold the corpse tight and steady to keep it from being pushed back from the pressure she applied with her new knife. ¡°Here.¡± Derek said, placing the Void Beast on the floor. It was a tight fit, but he was able to slide Stella¡¯s desk a bit to give her enough room to work. ¡°Thanks.¡± Stella lightly answered and kneeled on the ground. This time, she was able to apply the pressure she needed, and the scalpel sliced through the hide. She made an incision from the top of the sternum down past its abdomen. Then she moved to the top of its sternum and cut outward. It was unsettling to Derek. She was a doctor performing an autopsy on a dead patient, and that was what her cuts looked like. ¡°You¡¯re oddly good at that.¡± Derek mused out loud. Stella nodded while concentrating. ¡°It¡¯s how I started out. Dressing game, cutting meats, that¡¯s what I did when Alanah took me in. I got really good at it and leveled my skills fast. Then, I changed my class to make use of all the skills I picked up. From a common Hunter when Alanah found me to a rare Gourmet Butcher. And now my current class, which¡­ I won¡¯t elaborate on¡­ You understand.¡± She said as she pulled back some of the hide from the beast. ¡°Gotcha. I just didn¡¯t expect it. I thought you would have some managerial type of class.¡± Derek said. Stella turned to him and her lips formed into a bright smile. ¡°Who says that I don¡¯t?¡± She turned and went back to cutting. To Derek, it was beautiful, in a sense. He injected the crystal with some of his mana and explained what was happening to Alanah. ¡®Ah, yes. She is something of an artist. It pained me when she left the Capital. The quality of the cuts took quite a hit. Hopefully she¡¯ll get tired of Torith soon and come back.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Wait, so she isn¡¯t the actual manager of this restaurant?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Oh goodness, no. She is way too qualified for that. It only takes her a few minutes to break out of the trance when I talk through a regular communication crystal. After being around me for a couple hours, she is able to be around me for the rest of the day without being passively influenced. Do you know how hard it is to find someone like that? ¡®Stella is the manager of the restaurant here in the Capital. She went all the way to Torith a year ago on¡­ vacation.¡¯ Alana said, with regret in her voice. ¡®Really, she just needed to get away from me for a time. She lasted much longer than most, but being around my passive influence is tiring. It wears people down.¡¯ Alanah went silent for a moment. ¡®But still¡­¡¯ she said. ¡®I don¡¯t blame her one bit. She needed a break from me. She¡¯s able to be around me with pure willpower, too. It would be counterproductive to invest in Wisdom for her¡­¡¯ she trailed off. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Derek said, and he really was. It had to be hard to deal with, driving everyone away without doing anything wrong. ¡®Is there no way to dampen your skill?¡¯ He asked. ¡®No, not that I have found. Trust me, I¡¯ve looked.¡¯ Her sigh came through the crystal. ¡®There was a time when I tried hiring Wisdom focused people, but the sheer volume of points needed in the Wisdom stat takes so long to get. It doesn¡¯t even begin making a dent in my passive skill until it hits 500. A normal person would have to ignore everything else for 100 levels or so and go heavily into Wisdom just to have an equal conversation with me. And that is if their class isn¡¯t automatically investing their points into other stats, which most do.¡¯ ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Have you not tried creating a class specifically for your needs? You need Wisdom based cooks, butchers, and managers, correct? Stella said you took her in, and she seems very grateful, so I assume you are a decent person. Why don¡¯t you help others? You could have dozens of employees with high rarity class in a decade or so.¡¯ ¡®What? How would I do that?¡¯ Alanah spoke fast, almost panting. ¡®Oh¡­ uh¡­¡¯ Derek had forgotten how Walter had reacted when he told him about experimenting with classes. I guess everyone tries to get to level 10 as fast as possible¡­ Now, the problem was whether he wanted to tell Alanah of the methods or not. She seemed fine, and he actually trusted Stella after their meetings. ¡®I see¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ The voice chimed in his head, this time sounding deflated. At that time, Stella stood, finished examining the creature. She turned and nodded to Derek. ¡®Stella¡¯s finished. We can talk about classes later. I¡¯ve told others, but it¡¯s not really something that I want to spread to a lot of people quickly. Whatever the case, don¡¯t let the fact that I have something you want sway the way our next business is conducted.¡¯ Derek said. Alanah chuckled, back to her previous demeanor. ¡®Of course I won¡¯t, but you should use something like that to negotiate business. I wouldn¡¯t take offense to it.¡¯ ¡®I figured, but I¡¯m not trying to amass a fortune. Friends and allies are much better assets. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with the previous offer for the Void Beast, much less what you¡¯re going to offer for this one.¡¯ ¡®That confident?¡¯ Alanah asked. ¡®If the different faces I saw Stella make while examining the thing are any indication¡­ Yes, very confident.¡¯ Derek chuckled. ¡®I¡¯ll let her know that you¡¯re ready.¡¯ ¡°Alanah is ready for your assessment whenever you are.¡± Derek said to Stella. Stella smiled and took the blue crystal before looking back at Derek. ¡°I am happy that you two can talk like that.¡± She nodded to the red crystal. ¡°A bit jealous, too.¡± She muttered and released her mana into the crystal. Derek watched and waited for a while. Finally, after some time, Alanah¡¯s voice rang in his head again. ¡®Oh my. You did bring us something interesting. According to Stella, its hide was so hard to cut, even for her, that she had to use her other blade. That blade was made by a level 220 Blacksmith, just so you know. She¡¯s excited because it¡¯s the first time she¡¯s ever had to use it. Do you know how tough the defense had to have been when it was alive to make her have to use the blade after it died?¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®I¡¯m the one that fought it, remember.¡¯ Alanah laughed. ¡®Oh, I know that. But, there weren¡¯t any injuries to its skin, so I don¡¯t think you really know. Apparently, you somehow nearly destroyed its heart, and its brain is mush. I think I may be more interested in how you fight than the incredible Void Beast that you have brought us. How did you do it?¡¯ ¡®Secret.¡¯ He replied. ¡®Of course, of course.¡¯ She replied. ¡®Well, we¡¯ve only ever had one beast come anywhere close to this one. Tell me, was it able to speak? If so, how well?¡¯ That was surprising. Derek was speechless for a moment. ¡®Uh¡­ yes. It was. And it spoke very well. As intelligent as any human.¡¯ ¡®Very interesting. The one we had before was able to speak, but it was very¡­ ignorant. Short phrases like, ¡®I eat¡¯ or ¡®I kill.¡¯ We were able to stretch the stat gain of that one by¡­ a lot. Off of that one Void Beast, I could run the restaurants for free, giving away food every day, for over five years. Of course, I didn¡¯t do that, we are not a charity. What we do with Void Beasts is auction off meals to the highest bidder. ¡®We sign a contract with estimated growth per meal, then start the bidding. Only members can join the auction, but there are some that use it as a chance to snag a meal, then gift it to someone to curry favor. It¡¯s frowned upon, but we allow it¡­ once. If it doesn¡¯t go to you or your close family more than once, you are stripped of your membership and will not be reassessed for two decades. ¡®Stella told me that she explained the stat increases from Void Beasts to you. Going by the one she was talking about, the current one should give four times or even more stats than the first one.¡¯ Alanah explained. ¡®So, you would offer me four times the amount?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Of course not. That would be ripping you off, dear. We sell only one meal per customer. This Void Beast will make, according to Stella, at least 15 meals with quality stats. She explained how your body has to rest after each meal to get the total benefit. Well, your previous beast would make 10 or so meals. So, you could take the max stats she gave you and divide by 10. That would be the stats you would get per meal.¡¯ She answered. It was starting to make a lot more sense to Derek now. Of course, one meal with four times the stat increase would be much more valuable than the other. It would not be four times more valuable, but much, much more. ¡®So, a meal would give 12 Strength, 7 Endurance, and 5 Intelligence with the other beast, but this one will give 48 Strength, 28, Endurance, and 20 Intelligence. So the price would go from tens of thousands of gold per meal to hundreds of thousands if not more?¡¯ He asked. ¡®Exactly. That, or something of equal or better value in trade.¡¯ She explained. ¡®Okay, let¡¯s talk price.¡¯ Chapter 91: Price Chapter 91: Price ¡®Okay, let¡¯s talk price.¡¯ Derek sent to Alanah. Stella stored the carcass of the Void Beast and went back over to her seat. ¡®Very well.¡¯ The feminine voice entered his thoughts. Her tone had subtly changed. There was still a hint of happiness in her tone, but the excitement had waned, replaced by a more business orientated tone. ¡®First off, do you still plan on giving the other Void Beast to us as a bonus? Knowing what you now know?¡¯ ¡®Of course. I can¡¯t say that my word is my bond, but when dealing with those I respect, you can consider it as such. Honestly, I still don¡¯t really want to take back half of the small Void Beast¡¯s blood because I had already offered it, but, getting free Vitality points is too much to pass on. So, you¡¯ll have to excuse me and accept the other Void Beast in its stead.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Very well. I thank you for that. I would not respect you any less if you chose not to do so. Just remember that.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Now, back to the super Void Beast. We have never had to make a deal with such a priceless ingredient, so this is new territory for me. Plus, having the three beasts, minus the blood of the small one, I imagine we will be able to draw even more attention in. I suspect there won¡¯t be a single member absent from the auction. With that known, I can only ask. What is it that you would like as payment?¡¯ Derek chuckled. ¡®Well, there are many possibilities for that. I guess one would be a membership. But, I¡¯m unsure if I fit into those qualifications yet.¡¯ A musical laughed was sent back to him. ¡®That¡­ is not payment for the Void Beast. You would be walking out of this meeting with a membership card with or without selling this Void Beast. I like you, Derek. Please do prove my judgement correct.¡¯ That was surprising. Derek had not expected it to be so easy to obtain a membership card, but then again, who else could do what he had done in the last few days. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ He replied. ¡®Other than that, I do have some ideas.¡¯ ¡®Oh? Let¡¯s hear them.¡¯ ¡®First. I was thinking that instead of a payment in gold, here and now, I could ask for a percent of the sales. Say¡­ 25 percent. What do you think?¡¯ He asked. ¡®Hmm¡­ Maybe. It depends on what else you would like.¡¯ Alanah replied. Good. He thought. 25 percent of whatever it is sold for will be more than enough for a single person. That should make it easy enough to support Brandi without having to do everything myself. Speaking of Brandi¡­ ¡®I would still like the hide of all three creatures, if that¡¯s okay.¡¯ ¡®Of course. That was always the plan. For our purposes, the hide is useless. Would you also like the claws and fangs?¡¯ She asked. ¡®Sure.¡¯ He replied. I¡¯m sure the claws will help her with some of the other crafting classes. ¡®What else?¡¯ Alanah asked. ¡®I would like two meals from the regular Void Beast, and two from the super Void Beast. Is that too much?¡¯ Alanah¡¯s voice did not sound for a moment. Everything was silent. Finally, her voice rang again. ¡®It¡¯s¡­ not too much. I would have to decrease your profits from 25% to 20%, though. Would that be acceptable?¡¯ Derek thought for a moment. Of course, stats were priceless, so the decrease of 5% was not too bad. ¡®That will be okay.¡¯ ¡®Good. Is there anything else?¡¯ Derek smiled. He did not know what to expect with his next ask. ¡®Well, after you told me about Stella¡¯s knife, I couldn¡¯t help but think about the blacksmith. I can only assume that he is a member of your restaurant. Would you be willing to offer him a meal in exchange for him making me a weapon? My current one can no longer keep up, and though I¡¯m good with my hands, I do prefer a weapon.¡¯ This time, the silence stretched much longer before Alanah replied. ¡®I can see, but I am not sure SHE will do it. The most likely answer will be yes. The extra Strength and Endurance is a great boon for a Blacksmith, but she can be¡­ eccentric. However, if she accepts your offer, I am afraid I will have to cut your commission another couple percent. How does 18% sound?¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s fine, too. As long as the weapon is to my standard. Now, I also have a couple paltry requests that I doubt you will have a problem with.¡¯ ¡®They are?¡¯ ¡®You may find them a bit¡­ unordinary. I would like a storage ring. I would also like it to be fully stocked with a variety of cooking equipment and spices. Maybe some common recipes too, if you¡¯re willing.¡¯ He answered. ¡®Oh, training up a cook?¡¯ Alanah mused. ¡®Something like that.¡¯ Derek smiled. ¡®I would also like some pocket change. I had come in thinking that I would leave with a good amount of gold, but¡­ well¡­ things have changed and I would rather not have to rely on Walter for room and board. I have enough for a while, but I would like to be prepared, in case of emergencies.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s fine. I will have Stella provide you with 500 gold. That should last you until your beverage starts selling¡­ if you don¡¯t squander it. Is there anything else?¡¯ ¡®500 gold is great.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Now, for the awkward request. I would like to arrange for a¡­ friend of mine to shadow some of your cooks for a few days. They don¡¯t need to provide lessons or recipes, just allow my friend to watch them. It¡¯s also fine, if not better, for them to be your lesser cooks.¡¯ ¡®Ah, I take it that this ¡®friend¡¯ is your aspiring chef? Well, we do not have any ¡®lesser¡¯ cooks, but your friend can observe the cooks from the first floor. Is there anything else?¡¯ Alanah asked. Derek shook his head, even though Alanah could not see him. ¡®Nope. That¡¯s it. You might want to prepare your chefs, my friend is¡­ different.¡¯ ¡®Okay. So, we have 18% of the auction sales, a weapon by a master Blacksmith, two meals from the regular beast and two from the giant one, 500 gold, a storage ring filled with cooking supplies, and observation rights for your friend. Does that sound right?¡¯ ¡®Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡¯ ¡®Very well, please hand Stella the red crystal and inform her that I wish to speak with her.¡¯ Alanah said. Derek stood and leaned over the desk, handing the private communications crystal to Stella. ¡°Alanah wants to talk to you.¡± Stella frowned and hesitantly received the crystal from Derek¡¯s hand. Taking a deep breath, she injected the crystal with her mana. Derek watched as her breathing changed from slightly fast to a slow, mechanical pace. Then her pupils dilated and her eyes glazed over. She pulled a set of papers out of thin air and began working vigorously. Seeing the mechanical motions, Derek could only shake his head in awe and praise his Wisdom and personal willpower. It also made him feel a pang of sadness for Alanah. If one simple word through a communication crystal from cities away could force Stella into this state, he could not imagine what it must be like for her and the people close to her. If there was anyone close to her, that is. He had lived alone for over 5 years back on Earth, and he was fine with it. But after his experiences in the void, he knew the pain of being alone better than anyone else. At least Alanah was able to talk with others after they acclimated to her passive skill for a time. He was alone for¡­ well, he was still unsure how long he spent in the void. Stella continued mechanically working on the contract while Derek contemplated his life. Finally, she slid the papers and pen across her desk and placed the crystal on top, snapping Derek out of his daydream. Derek picked up the crystal. ¡®I¡¯m here.¡¯ He said. ¡®Good. Stella should be fine in a few minutes. I hate doing that¡­¡¯ Alanah trailed off. ¡®Anyway, please review the contract and let me know if you need any changes. I had Stella stamp it with my approval stamp and confirmed it myself.¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡¯ Derek took the contract and reviewed it. Everything they had talked about was outlined, and there was not any fine print. The contract was exactly as they had discussed. At the bottom, instead of Stella¡¯s signature, there was an odd symbol radiating magic. That had to be Alanah¡¯s stamp of approval. ¡®Everything is good. I¡¯ll sign it now.¡¯ Derek placed his hand on top of the stack of papers and channeled his mana into them. Soon, the contract message appeared before his eyes. A contract with one ¡®Alanah Swan¡¯ via ¡®Stella Brighton¡¯ and entity ¡®Crown Restaurant¡¯ has been initiated. Would you like to proceed? Y/N Derek focused on ¡®yes.¡¯ Contract has been completed. Please abide by the terms to avoid any penalties. ¡®Very good.¡¯ Alanah¡¯s voice sounded inside Derek¡¯s head. Indicating that she had received the notification of the contract. Derek also noticed a flash of intelligence in Stella¡¯s dead eyes when the contract completed. ¡®Thank you for the favorable contract.¡¯ Derek said. He was being genuine. As a person who could ¡®summon¡¯ Void Beasts, he felt like he was getting the better end of the deal. All he had to do was use a skill, then have a short fight. Alanah and the Crown were the ones who had to specially prepare the Void Beasts to obtain stats from them. ¡®It was nothing, dear.¡¯ Alanah answered in a happy tone. ¡®Now, while we wait for Stella to snap out of the compulsion so she can register you as a Crown Restaurant Member, I have one last thing I would like to discuss with you.¡¯ ¡®What is that?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Well, I was wondering. Since you seem to be able to summon Void Beasts, have you thought about making a long-term deal?¡¯ Alanah¡¯s amusement laced voice rang in Derek thoughts. Derek¡¯s blood ran cold, and all traces of emotion left his voice. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anybody. But you really should be more careful. You bring a Void Beast for negotiation, then you leave the city to go on a mission in a remote location. Then, there is the giant purple beam that shot into the sky¡­ it¡¯s more noticeable than you would think. After that, you bring back two more Void Beasts for sale. ¡®Plus, according to Stella, you have the most alluring purple eyes. Now, I¡¯m pretty sure that I am the only one to put all this together. I am the only one that knows about the purple light too, well, me and my ¡®eyes¡¯ but they are deathsworn. Stella may have some suspicion, but that¡¯s all. Before you ask, no, I am not going to blackmail you with any of this. I am not that type of person. I just like having information. It helps keep me¡­ occupied.¡¯ Alanah explained. Derek calmed down after that explanation. ¡®Do I have anyone else to worry about?¡¯ ¡®No, dear. My ¡®eyes¡¯ confirmed that they were the only ones to keep track of your comings and goings. They also did not get close enough to ¡®see¡¯ the Void Beasts, just the light. I put two and two together. Walter may have some ideas, but he only knows about the one beast. Plus, he is a decent man, he would have a membership the moment he gives any contribution to the Crow, but he is more worried about his noble house.¡¯ Alanah sent. Derek released a deep sigh. ¡®We can talk a little about it, but I don¡¯t plan on using the skill too much. It¡¯s very random, I never know what I¡¯m going to get.¡¯ Chapter 92: Chatting with Alanah Chapter 92: Chatting with Alanah ¡®Thank you for humoring me.¡¯ Alanah¡¯s voice rang in Derek¡¯s head. ¡®Would you mind telling me how your¡­ skill works?¡¯ ¡®Since you already know some about it, I don¡¯t see why not. Just don¡¯t let others know.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Wait one moment, please.¡¯ Alanah said. Then the communication crystal went quiet. Soon, a notification appeared in his vision. An oath to the Great System has been made by one, Alanah Swan. This oath is binding until death. If broken, Alanah Swan will lose all classes and skills obtained by the Great System, and she will never have access again. Stats will remain as is at the time of breaking the oath. As this oath was made while not in your presence, the conditions of the oath are outlined as such: Alanah Swan will not reveal what she learns of your ¡®Void Beast Summoning¡¯ skill to anyone outside of whomever you allow or until you decide that the oath is no longer needed. ¡®Did you get that?¡¯ Alanah¡¯s voice broke Derek out of his thoughts. ¡®Uh¡­ yeah. Are you sure about that?¡¯ ¡®Of course. I wouldn¡¯t trust someone I barely know with something so sensitive without an oath. Why should you have to?¡¯ She responded. With that, Derek was no longer concerned about talking about his Void Call skill with Alanah. ¡®Well, the skill is called Void Call. It actually doesn¡¯t have a description other than ¡®call the void,¡¯ so all that I know about it is through trial and error.¡¯ ¡®Interesting. I¡¯ve never heard of a skill with such a lack of description. I can only imagine it is because it is a skill that interacts with things that are not of the Great System.¡¯ Derek paused. He had not thought about that. He thought back to the first time he killed a Void Beast and the Award the system had given him. The Void Beast was considered a ¡®creature unknown to the Great System.¡¯ He took a moment to examine all his other void skills, but Void Call was the only one lacking in description. Void Sense did not have much of a description, but ¡®The ability to sense the void¡¯ was more than enough to explain what the skill does. ¡®That may be right. I never thought about the skill like that. It makes sense because of the Void Beasts not being creatures of the Great System.¡¯ Derek agreed with her conjecture. ¡®Mhm. That¡¯s what I was thinking.¡¯ Alanah replied. ¡®What else can you tell me about Void Call?¡¯ ¡®First, it takes a massive amount of mana. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a set amount either. It doesn¡¯t seem to get any less consuming with more Wisdom. It¡¯s about 90% every time I use it. The only difference Wisdom makes is that the mana depletion headache is lesser with more Wisdom.¡¯ Derek explained. ¡®Does the ¡®call¡¯ seem to be more powerful with higher Wisdom?¡¯ She asked. ¡®No. Not at all. It¡¯s the same as the first time I used it.¡¯ ¡®Interesting. What else?¡¯ ¡®Well, I think it calls to the closest creature in the void. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever seen a Void Beast tear apart the sky and enter or exit the void, but when I used it yesterday, the small Void Beast was not even able to exit the void. I had to go up and help it out. So, at any time, the skill could call down an infant beast, or even one that could possibly destroy the nation. ¡®Sometimes, it takes longer for the Void Beast to arrive, and I¡¯m pretty sure that if there were two beasts together or at equal distances apart, both would arrive. I think the biggerVoid Beast heard the first call, but it was unable to locate the correct space once the first beast arrived. Of course, it only seemed that way to me. I could be completely wrong. You have to know, I¡¯ve only used the skill three times. It is still level 1.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®I see. That leaves the skill with multiple ways for it to grow. Some which may not be all that great. It may call more than one beast when it levels, which could be catastrophic. But, you may be able to obtain more control of the skill. Perhaps, when it is greatly leveled, you would be able to choose the strength of the Void Beast that is called, though, that is just speculation.¡¯ Alanah replied. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ve thought about that. One possibility is control. The intelligent Void Beast seemed to want to kill me out of fear of what I may become. It strongly hinted at me being able to control its race. So, I was thinking that the skill may eventually become an actual summoning skill. Perhaps I would be able to control Void Beasts one day.¡¯ Derek explained. ¡®That idea is both fascinating and terrifying. You must never let anyone learn of this. The ability to control an army of Void Beasts would cause the King and his men to fear you. Same for the other kingdoms in this world.¡¯ Alanah warned. Derek was happy with her warning. It did not seem like she had any fear towards what he may be able to do, just curiosity. ¡®I will keep that in mind.¡¯ He said. ¡®Other than the things mentioned, I do not know anything more of my skill. The only way to obtain more information is to use it more, and that comes with a lot of risk. Both with the summoning and being found out.¡¯ ¡®I understand and agree with your reservations. Perhaps it would be too much to ask for you to use your skill right now. However, I know of a few places that are both remote and abandoned that you would be able to use the skill to your heart¡¯s content without the worry of being found out. Of course, I would still suggest bringing an ally to help you deal with whatever is summoned. ¡®I would be remiss to not include myself in that list. I hope you consider me when the time comes that you want to improve your skill. It has been some time since I went out and had fun.¡¯ Alanah stated. ¡®I may have to take you up on that offer.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Alanah replied. ¡®Is Stella showing any signs of awakening yet?¡¯ Derek focused on Stella¡¯s eyes. They were still glossy, and the woman was staring into space. ¡®Nope, she¡¯s still pretty lifeless.¡¯ ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Derek considered some things for a moment before coming to a conclusion. ¡®About the process of unlocking those with rare classes. I won¡¯t ask for an oath or anything, as I didn¡¯t when I told Walter, I trust both of you to be discrete.¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t have to¡­¡¯ Alanah began to say before being cut off. ¡®No, it¡¯s only fair that I do.¡¯ He said. After that, Derek went on to explain the process he took with Brandi, without mentioning her specifically, of course. He told her about keeping under level 10 and improving master of different general skills before choosing a class. He also told her about becoming close with an element of their choosing, like fire or water. But, the big point he made was not rushing to obtain a class and how a 20-year-old person with a level 10 epic class would quickly surpass a 20-year-old with a common or upcoming class who obtained their class at 13. After giving his hypotheses and theories, Derek waited for Alanah to reply. Alanah was obviously taking in everything he said and suggested before coming to a conclusion. ¡®Fascinating.¡¯ She finally replied. ¡®It will, of course, be difficult to persuade somebody to hold off on obtaining a class, but the possible benefits will help me sway them. I know some of what you said is just conjecture, but it all makes perfect sense. My class has always had to do with sounds, and I spent the first decade of my life in¡­ a hellhole where there was never a break from noise. This only helps confirm some of your hypotheses¡­¡¯ Alanah trailed off. ¡®Thank you, Derek. I mean it.¡¯ She spoke in a broken voice. ¡®Don¡¯t mention it.¡¯ He said. ¡®No, this is really something. I have the means to test it, and I will begin immediately. And, don¡¯t you worry, I will have some of my deathsworn act, so none of this information will ever be leaked by me. Of course, I will have to select the children carefully, I much prefer loyalty over oaths. And, I do not like obtaining oaths from children, especially those who have not unlocked the Great System yet.¡¯ Alanah said. Derek smiled. What she said is already what set her apart from most of the noble houses. He still felt the disgust he had when he first heard about slave oaths, and the nobles who choose to use them. ¡®Can I ask, what is a ¡®deathsworn¡¯ that you mentioned.¡¯ ¡®The deathsworn are scum. Some of the worst people you could imagine. For those who deserve a fate worse than death, who others would torture, I choose an alternate route. I¡¯ve an ability that allows me to trap a mind after I break it. Think of the state Stella is in, right now, but permanent. I use the skill sparingly, and it takes more than you could imagine for it to work, but the result is what I call my deathsworn. If ever they think about defying me, it is instant death. ¡®I do not like using the ability, but sometimes, it is what is needed. And yes, the majority of my deathsworn are high level nobles¡­ or, used to be. For example, the deathsworn that is currently monitoring Torith, and thus, you, is a noble from the Capital. I discovered that he was the creator of a ring of child sex trafficking. Nobody in that group had a good ending, but he became a deathsworn, fated to live inside his mind, but never able to control himself again. He has been this way for 45 years now.¡¯ Alanah explained. Derek shivered. Alanah was a very kind hearted and vicious woman. Of course, he could not blame her for her actions. He had met many people who deserved the same. ¡®I see¡­ Thanks for the explanation.¡¯ After that, they sat in silence for a while. Finally, Stella began to stir. She shook her head. ¡°I hate it when that happens. How long was I out?¡± Chapter 93: Getting a Membership Chapter 93: Getting a Membership ¡°How long was I out?¡± Stella asked as she came to. ¡°It was a good bit.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Long enough for you to write a contract, then long enough for Alanah and me to have an interesting conversation.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°When she speaks directly into my mind, I¡¯m just like all the others.¡± She sighed. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand how you do it.¡± ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t even want to know.¡± He definitely did not have the Wisdom to be completely invulnerable to Alanah¡¯s passive, but that, combined with his mindset and willpower from spending such a long time alone in the void, seemed to work. ¡®Is she back?¡¯ Alanah chimed in. ¡®Yeah, she¡¯s back.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Good. Have her read the contract over and prepare everything she can.¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡¯ Derek answered. Derek slid the contract he had signed back over to Stella. ¡°Alanah said to go over the contract and prepare what you can.¡± Stella smiled and nodded. ¡°I remember most of what I wrote, but things get fuzzy while you¡¯re under her influence.¡± She took the contract and began reading. Nodding occasionally. After she reviewed the contract, she pulled another white card out from her storage ring. ¡°This is the real membership card. Once I inject my mana into it, then you do the same, it will be activated and bound to our mana signatures. Of course, any manager of the Crown Restaurant can update your card. However, if it is lost or stolen, you must seek either the issuer, me, or the owner, Alanah, out to have it replaced and refilled. ¡°Of course, there is a replacement fee. You will lose half of all contributions and rank you have earned as the replacement cost, and you will be banned from our restaurants for two months as the deactivation fee for your previous card. Do you understand?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Stella injected the white card with her mana, and the image of the Crown¡¯s logo was imprinted into the middle. That¡¯s different. Derek thought. The previous card already had the image on it, but this image was actually made from the mana of the manager. Stella reached out to hand the card to Derek. ¡°Your turn.¡± Derek took the card and injected his mana into it. After a moment, the notification confirming his ownership appeared. Would you like to bind ¡®Membership Card: Crown Restaurant¡¯ to you? Note: This card has been imprinted by Stella Brighton. Y/N Derek focused on selecting ¡®yes.¡¯ ¡®Membership Card: Crown Restaurant¡¯ has been bound. Derek fiddled around with the card for a bit before putting it inside his bracelet. ¡°Now, the card is zeroed out and currently has no contribution points on it. Making it tier one, as I have explained before. Anytime you wish to update your card, you need only speak with me or another manager. With your coffee product and the auction, your contributions will skyrocket. I don¡¯t doubt that you will have the max tier very soon.¡± Stella explained. Derek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Stella stood. ¡°Now, please remain here while I go gather some of the items listed in the contract.¡± She walked around her desk and left the room, closing the door behind herself. ¡®Stella is gathering the cooking supplies now.¡¯ Derek informed Alanah. ¡®That¡¯s great¡­ I have thought about some things.¡¯ Alanah transmitted. ¡®When she gets back, inform her that I wish to give you this private communications crystal.¡¯ ¡®Oh? Why is that?¡¯ ¡®Derek... I know we talked mostly about business, but this has been one of the most pleasant afternoons that I have had in ages. I rarely¡­ extremely rarely get to chat with others. With you, I could just talk about the weather and you would be fine. There is almost nobody else that could stand to be in my skill¡¯s presence to just have small talk. So, if you do not mind, I would like you to keep the crystal so we may talk again in the future.¡¯ Alanah¡¯s voice cracked while explaining her thoughts to Derek. ¡®I don¡¯t see why not. But, are you sure? This thing seems expensive.¡¯ ¡®Of course, it is quite pricey, but that¡¯s no matter. I will, of course, send Stella another crystal. Some conversations are better done privately.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Now, this crystal can hold 15 sigils. Unlike the blue one, which can hold as many as you can fit. When I gave it to Stella, it was under the instruction to only have my sigil on it. You, of course, can add whomever you wish. ¡®Just know that the sigils cannot be erased, so choose who you wish to communicate with wisely. Also, private communications crystals are quite rare, so it may be hard to even find somebody with one. Of course, Old Man Gracefall certainly has one or two.¡¯ Alanah chuckled. ¡®Well, thanks. Will I be able to tell that somebody wishes to communicate with me if it is in my storage device?¡¯ He asked. ¡®You will. It¡¯s an odd sensation, but not overly distracting. If you are concentrating on something at the moment of the request, your concentration will override the feeling so you don¡¯t lose concentration.¡¯ She explained. ¡®Sounds good. You can call me anytime you want. You¡¯re also pretty knowledgeable, so I wouldn¡¯t mind being able to pick your brain when I need to.¡¯ Derek answered. ¡®Thank you. I¡¯ll be sure to contact you soon. And feel free to contact me whenever.¡¯ With that, the red crystal in Derek¡¯s hand stopped glowing. At that time, Stella re-entered the room. She put a storage ring on the desk in front of Derek and walked back around to take a seat. ¡°Okay. So, that has all the cooking utensils and things in it. I also put a few recipes for your friend inside. The gold is inside as well. Have a look and see if there¡¯s anything else you need.¡± Derek picked up the ring and sent his consciousness inside, viewing the contents. Everything seemed in order. ¡°This is great.¡± He said. ¡°That¡¯s great. Now, let¡¯s talk about your friend that is coming to observe our cooks. I imagine that it¡¯s the boy that always travels along with you? I was wondering about him, and why he travels with you, but if he plans on becoming a personal chef or something for you, it makes perfect sense.¡± Stella said. With that, Derek almost burst out in laughter. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid that Thomas is not the one that will be observing your cooks. He is a fighter. Pretty decent with a spear. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever shown any real interest in cooking.¡± That answer caused a look of confusion to fall upon Stella¡¯s face. ¡°If not Thomas, then who?¡± ¡°Silvi.¡± Derek answered. ¡°Silvi?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Silvi, Silvi¡­¡± She mumbled. Then her eyes widened. ¡°Your rabbit? That Silvi?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Derek answered. ¡°You want your¡­ beast companion to learn how to cook from our chefs? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very possible, actually. She¡¯s even cooked before.¡± Derek recalled her attempts to cook while they were traveling. ¡°She¡¯s not great at it yet, complains a lot about not having thumbs, but I think she is interested enough in it that she could become good.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Okay. So, when you¡¯re ready for her to observe, bring her here and I will go with her to introduce the chefs to her. It may make it less awkward. Is she able to communicate with them, ask questions and stuff?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, no. She can talk to me fine, but not others. I figured that she could observe, then, when she comes back, I could write some of the questions she had and your cooks could answer them the next day.¡± Derek answered. ¡°I guess that will have to do.¡± ¡°Ah, one more thing. Is there any way that I could borrow one of your knives? I don¡¯t need the high level one, but the other one.¡± Derek asked. ¡°I guess.¡± Stella summoned one of her knives, but not the one shaped like a scalpel. ¡°This one is for level 150 or so, will it do?¡± She asked. ¡°That would be great.¡± He took the knife and put it in his storage. ¡°Alright, thank you for everything. I¡¯ll bring Silvi by tomorrow if she wants to do this. I haven¡¯t actually asked her about it yet.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°And, Alanah wanted me to keep this crystal.¡± Derek lifted the red crystal up for Stella to see. ¡°She said that she would have another one sent to you.¡± Instead of complaining or looking shocked, Stella smiled sweetly. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Derek stood. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°Have a good day.¡± After leaving the restaurant, Derek contacted Silvi. ¡®Hey, Silvi. I just left the Crown. I have some news for you. Where are you?¡¯ ¡®The food place? The beautiful delicious food place? You didn¡¯t take me.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s voice came back distraught, like she had the winning lottery ticket, but lost it. ¡®Yes, the food place. I didn¡¯t eat, though. I only did business. But, some of that business included you. Like I said, where are you?¡¯ ¡®At inn. Eating lunch. Have good soup.¡¯ She replied. ¡®Okay. I¡¯ll be there soon. Then we can discuss everything. I think you will be very happy.¡¯ With that, Derek started his walk back to their inn. He looked forward to seeing how Silvi would react when she learned that she was going to learn how to cook from some great chefs. And he finally obtained the storage ring he had promised her all those weeks ago. Chapter 94: Inncoming Chapter 94: Inncoming Derek passed through the gates, returning his pass on the way. Bellamy, the guard, was still on duty, so they exchanged pleasantries before Derek moved on towards his inn. Soon, he was standing in front of the inn¡¯s door. No sooner than Derek opened the door, a loud crack was heard from inside. Derek looked in front of him, only to see a furry cannonball with a sharp point flying directly at him. Not this time. Derek reacted and held both hands in front, catching the projectile before it had time to damage his shirt again. ¡°The hell are you doing?¡± He whisper yelled at Silvi. ¡®You went to the restaurant without me. I could have eaten better food while I waited for your meeting, just like before.¡¯ Silvi explained, which left Derek flabbergasted. The bunny had spoken two complete sentences, each with more than three words. It was a first. So, all I have to do to get Silvi to communicate better is make her mad¡­ but I think the only way I¡¯ve found to piss her off is to withhold food.¡¯ Derek shook his head at the crazy bunny in his hands. ¡®I told you that I brought you something, and it would make you happy. You should have waited for me to show you. I am disappointed.¡¯ Silvi looked up at Derek, the anger in her eyes fading. Being replaced by¡­ hope? ¡®Food?¡¯ She pleaded. Derek rolled his eyes and looked over the room. He finally found Thomas sitting at one of the tables in the middle, staring wide eyed at him and Silvi. Derek transferred Silvi to his right hand, holding her by the scruff of her neck. Her paws swiped at the air as he walked the two of them over to the table. When he arrived at the table, he frowned. Many cracks ran along the edge of the table towards the middle. An empty bowl sat just outside the range of the cracks. Derek looked back at Silvi again. ¡®If we get kicked out of this inn because you can¡¯t hold your temper, I¡¯m not going to give you your gift.¡¯ ¡®No! I sorry! Give food. Won¡¯t happen again.¡¯ He fought the urge to chuckle before pulling one of the chairs out and sitting across from Thomas. He placed Silvi in his lap. Almost as soon as he sat down, one of the inn workers arrived at the table and frowned. The well dressed man looked at Thomas, then at Derek before speaking. ¡°20 gold.¡± Derek sighed and handed the man 20 gold coins. The man nodded, then placed his hand on the table. A light shined through the table, and the cracks receded. After a moment, the table was good as new. Interested, Derek asked, ¡°What skill was that? If you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°General Repair.¡± The man eyed Derek. ¡°Helps when unruly people visit the inn.¡± He glared at Silvi, who quickly turned her head to the side. ¡°Thanks¡­ Sorry about my companion. She was just really happy to see me.¡± Derek said. ¡°Just don¡¯t let it happen again. The first time was 20 gold. The second is 100. The third is a lifetime ban from the inn. If you cannot pay the fee, you will be banned until you come up with it.¡± The man turned and walked away after explaining to Derek. Derek looked around until he finally caught sight of one of the servers. He got her attention with a wave, and she walked over. With a friendly smile, he asked, ¡°Can I get a bowl of whatever that was?¡± He pointed to the empty bowl. ¡°And something cold to drink, I don¡¯t mind what it is.¡± ¡°Certainly, sir.¡± The pretty brunette waitress smiled. She was pretty, but after meeting Stella, he could not help but make comparisons. Though what he liked most about Stella was the behavior and attitude that matched her beauty. Derek shook his head. It was not polite to compare women. He turned back to Thomas and placed Silvi back on the table. It probably was not good manners to have a rabbit on the table, but he did not think the inn would have any high chairs. ¡°What was that all about? I know she wasn¡¯t just happy to see you. You haven¡¯t been gone that long.¡± Thomas broke the silence. ¡°Oh, I was at the Crown Restaurant and Silvi was just mad because I didn¡¯t take her along.¡± Derek answered. Thomas was quiet, and a small pout formed on his lips. Derek chuckled. ¡°Not you too. As I told the lazy bunny, I only went there for business, nothing else. Why do you think I ordered something to eat here?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Thomas said. ¡°Well, how did your meeting go?¡± Derek explained some of the finer points of his meeting with Stella. He left out Alanah and a lot of the contract, especially the part about him going out and hunting Void Beasts. ¡°And after everything was over.¡± Derek said and pulled out the white card with a crown on it. ¡°I became an official member.¡± Thomas stared at the card, impressed, but not as impressed as the waitress carrying Derek¡¯s stew¡­ well, dropping Derek¡¯s stew. Derek quickly reacted and kicked the floor, sending himself and his chair sliding. Then, reaching down, he caught the stew in his palm, centimeters before it hit the ground. ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry.¡± She squeaked out. ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡± Derek stood and dragged the chair back to the table. Setting the fresh bowl of stew down. The server hurriedly placed his ale beside his meal. ¡°Is¡­ is that real?¡± She quietly asked. ¡°The card? Yeah, just got it today. I¡¯ve been in a meeting with Stella over at the Crown all day.¡± He answered. The membership card was something that he wanted and had always planned to show off. The only thing that changed was the fact that he obtained a lot earlier than he ever planned. ¡°So, what does the card mean? Exactly?¡± Thomas asked. He was not as enthused as everyone else in the inn was. At the first commotion, all eyes were on them. Thomas was, for lack of a better word, a bumpkin. So all he knew about the membership was that it was hard to obtain, and what he learned from Bronson when they first arrived in the city. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. I can dine at the higher floors than others, with a different menu if I choose. And I can bring one other person with me.¡± Derek answered. ¡°Status.¡± The waitress mumbled. When Derek and Thomas both looked at her, she continued. ¡°You have status in the kingdom, no less than most nobles. It wasn¡¯t given by the King, but by Mrs. Swan. You no longer need a pass to enter different parts of cities, as the Crown Restaurant is always in the best part of the cities. They can be considered your backers now¡­ sir.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ well, that too, I guess.¡± Derek said. Thomas nodded. ¡°That seems good.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± The lady said and scurried away. Face flushed. Derek watched as she ran away before turning back to the table and looking at Silvi. ¡®Come here. Give me your paw.¡¯ He said. Silvi hopped once and was in front of Derek. She raised her paw. Derek took it and pulled out the new storage ring from his pocket. He pushed it over her paw, but even though the ring adjusted its size slightly to its wearer, it could not stretch big enough to go over her paw. ¡°I was afraid of that.¡± Derek said. ¡®I¡¯ll give you the storage ring when we go back upstairs. I¡¯ll also explain some stuff to you.¡¯ He transmitted to Silvi. Silvi did not reply. She only hopped out of the way of his meal and stared at the spoonful of stew as he began eating. ¡°So.¡± Derek said in between bites. ¡°Silvi told me that you made a¡­ friend.¡± Thomas¡¯s eyes lit up at the statement. ¡°Ah¡­ yes. Her name is Alicia. She¡¯s really nice. I met her yesterday, and she showed me around the city. She helped me get a provisional Bronze Ranked Adventurer¡¯s Badge.¡± He said, showing the badge to Derek. ¡°I have one more city quest to do, then I can get the official one.¡± ¡°I got my Gold one this morning.¡± Derek said, showing Thomas the official Gold Ranked badge. Thomas nodded. ¡°So cool. I never thought I would be able to become an official Adventurer.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m meeting Alicia again today and she¡¯s going to show me some more places.¡± Derek squinted. ¡°Okay. But be careful. Silvi¡¯s not going to be able to protect you anymore. She¡¯s got other things she has to do. And don¡¯t leave the city without telling me.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What is she going to do?¡± He asked. ¡°That¡¯s something that I plan on discussing with her later, in our room.¡± Derek said as he finished the bowl of stew and downed the last drop of ale. ¡°Did you tell this girl about me?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No, I know you don¡¯t like being talked about¡­ and I don¡¯t want to slip up with the oath.¡± Thomas added the last part quietly. ¡°I only told her that Silvi was the companion of a friend of mine and that I was taking her around the city.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Derek said. ¡°Keep it that way. I don¡¯t need to meet her. Also, Silvi said she seemed a little shady, so keep that in mind when you¡¯re with her. Don¡¯t get taken advantage of.¡± Thomas looked taken aback. ¡°Alicia? Shady? I don¡¯t think so. She¡¯s been so kind.¡± ¡°Just be careful.¡± Derek stood. He tossed Thomas a couple of gold coins to pay for his meal and any other expenses. We¡¯ll be heading up. I need to get Silvi situated. ¡°Come on.¡± He said to Silvi, and the bunny hopped onto his shoulder. He turned back to look at Thomas one last time. ¡°Remember what I said.¡± Derek hoped his warnings were enough for Thomas to take to heart. If not, the boy would have to learn the hard way, and Derek did not mind giving him another strike if he did not listen. With that, Derek took Silvi up the stairs, leaving Thomas sitting alone in the middle of the inn. Chapter 95: Silvi’s Reward Chapter 95: Silvi¡¯s Reward Derek was sitting on the bed in their room next to Silvi. He kept tossing the storage ring from one hand to the other, watching as Silvi¡¯s head moved from left to right, following the motion of the ring. ¡°So.¡± Derek caught the ring in his right hand and held it in front of Silvi. ¡°This is yours. But first, we have to make sure you¡¯re able to use it.¡± Derek placed the ring on the bed. ¡°Put your paw on it and try channeling your mana into the ring.¡± Silvi did as instructed. ¡®What¡¯s¡­ Oh¡­ Cooking! This cooking stuff!¡¯ That settles it. Derek thought. He did not have to ask if she could access the ring based on her reaction. ¡°Good, that means you can use storage devices.¡± Derek said to her. ¡°Now for the hard part.¡± Silvi ignored Derek, still focusing on the ring, her eyes closed. ¡®I SAID!¡¯ Derek yelled through their connection to break her out of her trance. ¡®It¡¯s time for the hard part.¡¯ Silvi lifted her head up and looked him in the eyes. ¡®What hard part?¡¯ ¡°Well, I checked back downstairs, and the ring doesn¡¯t fit over your paws. We could put it on a chain for a necklace or something, but that¡¯s a good way to lose it.¡± Derek said aloud. Silvi¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®Then?¡¯ She asked. Derek sighed and pulled out the knife he borrowed from Stella. ¡°Well, I borrowed this just in case you couldn¡¯t wear the ring.¡± He flashed the knife in front of Silvi. ¡°Worst-case scenario, we meld it to you.¡± Silvi, staring at the knife, answered. ¡®Do it.¡¯ Derek raised his eyebrows. ¡°Really? Just like that?¡± Soon, he heard a mental sigh, and a slight groan before Silvi continued. ¡®It¡¯s just pain. No worse than jumping into a tree that doesn¡¯t break.¡¯ Derek smiled. ¡°No, I guess it isn¡¯t.¡± He chuckled. I¡¯m pretty sure the sigh was because she knew she was going to actually complete a sentence. He shook his head. ¡°Okay¡­ Nose, ear, mouth¡­ eyelid?¡± He asked. ¡®Hold at nose.¡¯ She said. Derek did as told. Soon, a spoon fell out of the ring and onto the bed in front of Silvi. Then, Silvi put her paw on the spoon and it disappeared. ¡®Hold to ear.¡¯ Holding the ring to the lower part of her left ear, Derek watched as Silvi concentrated. Soon, the spoon fell out of the ring again, this time hitting her on the way down to the bed. ¡®Nose. Easy to control. Can use knife without killing me.¡¯ Like a knife used for cooking could kill her from a short fall. But Derek knew what Silvi was thinking. It takes time to get used to storage devices. It¡¯s easy to put things away with any kind of touch, but it¡¯s harder to control where the item is summoned. Most people only summon items directly to the hand wearing the ring. With good control, however, a person can summon an item with any part of their body. Some can even make an item appear at a small distance from their body. It just depends on how far someone can stretch their mana outside of their body. Those people usually have classes that give some type of mana manipulation skill. Derek, for example, has to have physical contact when he pulls something out of his bracelet. ¡°Hold on.¡± Derek said as he stared at Silvi¡¯s horn. He placed the ring over and slid it down. It made it about three quarters down before it could not get any bigger. ¡°We can put it there. Maybe find something to stop it so it doesn¡¯t come off?¡± ¡®Nose fine. Void Lightning Bolt break stuff. Charge hit with horn, too.¡¯ She replied. Derek nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After placing the ring on his little finger to resize it as small as it could go, he took the knife and held it to her cute purple nose. ¡°Stay still. It will only hurt for a minute.¡± Silvi did not move an inch as the blade grew bigger and bigger in her eyes. Derek, however, had a hard time focusing. He did not like that he was going to have to hurt his friend. The knife stopped right in front of her nose. ¡®Hurry up!¡¯ Silvi prodded. ¡°I know, I know. Hold on.¡± Derek took the knife and sliced at his own hand. It was just able to break his skin. He nodded. With more than half of his stats, the knife should be more than enough for Silvi. ¡°Okay. I just had to test it.¡± Derek put the knife back up to her. ¡°Here we go.¡± He said as he sliced deep into her nose. Quickly, he stuck the ring in and cast Rejuvenation directly on the wound, hoping the healing process would not push the ring out. ¡°Focus your regeneration to heal around the ring.¡± He said. Seconds later, with Derek¡¯s Rejuvenation and Silvi¡¯s natural healing, her nose was restored, and the ring embedded. For Silvi¡¯s part, she did not twitch, or even make a peep. Derek was just glad it was over¡­ hopefully. ¡°Okay. How does it feel? Is it annoying?¡± He asked. Silvi¡¯s nose wiggled and twitched. Then she tossed her head back and forth. ¡®It¡¯s fine. Very stuck. Can¡¯t feel it¡­ much.¡¯ Derek nodded. ¡°Good. In that case, try taking out that spoon again.¡± Silvi did, and this time she was even faster than before. ¡®Works good.¡¯ Silvi then stored the spoon. Moments later, a piece of paper was summoned. Derek watched as her eyes brightened. She placed a paw on the paper. Then the paper shined blue, almost like a contract and disappeared. ¡°What was that?¡± He asked. ¡®Recipe.¡¯ That¡¯s interesting. I didn¡¯t think the recipes would be bound. I guess it makes sense, though. Derek watched Silvi as the same thing happened again. ¡°What is the recipe for?¡± He asked, wondering what ingredients he should buy for her to practice later. ¡®Makes food.¡¯ Silvi answered. Derek¡¯s face deadpanned. ¡°I know that. I mean, what kind of recipe is it? What ingredients do you need me to go get for you?¡± Silvi looked Derek in the eyes. ¡®Most ingredients are in the ring already. We need a bunch of different types of beast meats to try the recipe with to find our favorite. Boar type monsters are suggested.¡¯ Derek smiled. I may have found a way to get her to actually talk to me. ¡°Well, we can get that settled later. I still have some boar meat in my storage, too. But, there¡¯s no need for that right now. Are you ready for the second part of your gift?¡± ¡®Second? There¡¯s more?¡¯ She asked excitedly. ¡°Yup. I talked to Stella, the manager of the Crown Restaurant. She¡¯s agreed that you can go watch the chefs on the first floor cook. We didn¡¯t set a specific amount of time you can spend there, so you could basically stay there until we decide to leave the city. The chefs will answer any questions you have. Though, I will have to stop by occasionally to communicate them, or I can write them down for you.¡± He answered. ¡®I need Telepathy¡­ or some other mental transmission kind of skill. Or a skill that lets me speak out loud.¡¯ Silvi looked up at Derek, eyes pleading. ¡®There has to be skill scrolls, right? Do you think anyone is selling?¡¯ Derek shook his head. ¡°Not here. Torith isn¡¯t even a real city. There is the dungeon that gives skill scrolls, but I doubt there is a big supply. I¡¯ll talk to Stella and Walter tomorrow after I drop you off in the kitchen. If anyone knows, they do.¡± With that, Silvi hopped off the bed and went to the corner of the room to practice using her new storage ring. Different items began to fall out onto the floor in front of her. Then, she would touch them with a paw and store them again. As Derek observed, he could feel the frustration building in her because of her lack of control. ¡°Maybe the chefs will have an idea about how you could handle the cookware. We could try Mage Hand or General Telekinesis, but those aren¡¯t very good outside of extremely simple tasks. I¡¯m not even sure you could chop an onion with General Telekinesis. I¡¯ll have to ask if there is a scroll for Telekinesis. We could try Mage Hand, though. What do you think? It has very limited range and chews through mana, but you do have a decent mana pool.¡± Silvi stored a pan and looked up. ¡®I¡¯d like to try.¡¯ She communicated. Derek nodded and pulled up the General Skills menu. He scrolled through until he found Mage Hand, then paid the two skill points it costs to give her the skill. Silvi closed her eyes. Soon, an almost transparent blue wave grew out in front of her. Finally, the blue blur took form. Derek almost choked when the ¡®Mage Hand¡¯ turned out to be a ¡®Mage Paw.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s eyes shot open to vast in her glorious success to summon the Mage Hand, but as soon as her eyes opened, her head slumped from the failure. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I think you¡¯re just used to the shape of your paws. Concentrate¡­ I think you will be able to change the shape as you please once you get the hang of it.¡± Derek tried to cheer her up. For Silvi¡¯s part, she did just that. Over the next few minutes, the mana paw¡¯s shape changed. It never got anywhere close to something that would be able to hold a knife, but at least it showed them that it was possible. However, after a little over five minutes, the skill abruptly ended and Silvi let out a small squeal. Derek chuckled. ¡°That was probably the first time you used up all your mana, huh?¡± He knew that the squeal was more from the surprise headache than the actual pain. ¡°I guess you¡¯re going to need Meditation.¡± He said as he went through the list and bought her the skill. The most surprising thing was when the skill started at level 10 for the bunny. Must be because of the link. I wonder if it would work with other skills? He looked through his list, but the only other possibility was Identify. I¡¯ll think about it. I only have 11 skill points left right now¡­ And so began Silvi¡¯s vigorous training routine of Meditation and Mage Hand. All for the chance that she will one day be able to chop a carrot. Chapter 96: Mission Probable Chapter 96: Mission Probable After making sure Silvi was okay staying alone in the room to practice her skills, Derek left. His day was free, and he was debating on what to do with it. He could explore the city more, or he could visit Bronson. Drinking and relaxing all day doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. He thought. After experiencing the dungeons, running a level 100 over and over to increase his level did not sound like a bad idea either. The only thing keeping him from doing that was Thomas, Rayna, and Mal. Those dungeons would be great to power level the bunch. Brandi would do just fine without the dungeons. Derek predicted that Brandi would have an extremely fast leveling speed. The only thing that could slow the crafter¡¯s leveling would be if she had a lack of imagination. She would benefit the most from Derek running solo dungeons. He did not need to sell any of the materials he gained for money because of his contracts with the Crown, so every material he gained would go to the girl to improve her craft. Rayna could take care of herself. If she decided to step down from Chief, or if the Capital sends an Overseer for the Undying Dungeon, she could make a great adventurer. She was already level 50 and had a rare class. The way she was, Derek did not doubt that there would be some options at level 100 for her to change to an epic class. Of course, it would all depend on whether the skills she has ended up being compatible with the new class. It would be hit or miss, and only she could make that decision. Malorie was the one he was most worried about. He knew she would want to be strong enough to protect Brandi, but the girl would be rapidly leveling. She did prove to be quite fierce with a blade staff. Thomas¡­ he would be fine. The kid was still a bit na?ve, especially if he was already being duped by the first girl that talked to him. The way the kid had acted when they first met caused Derek to overestimate him. He seemed mature for his age, but disappointed him with his actions repeatedly. Since they arrived¡­ no, since they left the village, other than the one skirmish with bandits, Thomas had been relegated to Silvi¡¯s mount. It had gotten so bad that Silvi actually called him as such. The boy had finally gotten the courage to talk to Derek without stuttering, and he would ask questions and comment without worrying that Derek would be offended. Then, he would go right back to letting Silvi drip grease on his head without saying anything. Derek did not know what to think about the boy. Speaking of the boy. Derek thought as he came to the top of the stairs leading back down to the first floor of the inn. He had been just in time to see the boy walking out of the inn beside a cutely dressed brunette girl that was slightly taller than him. She was at least a couple years older than the boy, and in the few seconds that Derek could see her before they vanished behind the door, she had taken a glance at Thomas¡¯s right hand no less than twice. A quick Identify let him know that she was a level 40 female mage. Derek chuckled to himself. I guess I know what I¡¯m doing today. He thought as he glided down the stairs and left the inn. He looked around and caught sight of the duo walking down the street. Let¡¯s see what this girl has in store for the boy. *** Thomas was ecstatic being able to hang out with Alicia again. This time, he did not have to carry around Silvi all day either. Not only was that embarrassing, it was really hard to explain without giving away more details about Derek than he would like. Their first stop of the day was the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to pick up another unranked task to complete. They were not even classified as missions until they actually had rank. And he was not technically classified as a member of the guild until he had the official badge. ¡°No cute bunny today?¡± Alicia¡¯s voice rang out from beside him, causing Thomas to abruptly end his daydreaming. ¡°N-no¡­ She stayed back at the inn today with my friend. He made it back.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Oh¡­ Where did your friend go that he wasn¡¯t able to make it back until today? I wouldn''t want to leave such a cute pet alone¡­ especially in a city.¡± Thomas thought about how to answer for a moment. When he told Alicia that Silvi was the companion of a friend, she took it as him meaning that Silvi was a pet, so he never corrected her. He really did not like talking about Derek, and it was not entirely because of the oath he had to abide by. The oath actually made it easier to know what he could and could not say, though. If he touched on something covered by the oath, he would get a weird burning feeling in his chest, warning him to stop. Technically, nothing other than what Derek specifically told him was a secret would break the oath. As long as he kept from talking about the man¡¯s class, skills, and origins, he would be fine. ¡°Apparently, he was doing what we were yesterday. He got his official badge from the guild, though.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, you aren¡¯t too far behind him. Let¡¯s hurry and get yours too.¡± Alicia said, and the duo quickly jogged to the Adventurer¡¯s guild. ¡°You¡¯re so lucky.¡± Alicia pouted and patted Thomas¡¯s shoulder with her hand. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they had a cleaning task to complete next door. I had to run from one end of the city to the other to complete all of my tasks.¡± Thomas shivered at the contact and blushed. ¡°I-I¡­ I guess I¡¯m¡­ uh¡­ lucky.¡± He finally managed to stammer out. It was already hard enough for him to talk to the girl dressed in the red frilly skirt and black blouse. Much less when she was teasing him. ¡°Hmmph.¡± Alicia snorted and turned her head. ¡°Well, hurry up and go clean. I¡¯ll wait here. I¡¯m not helping you with this one.¡± Thomas lowered his head to hide his face and walked over to the Alchemy Shop next door. There¡¯s no way Alicia is a bad person. Derek doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about. He opened the door and spoke to the shopkeeper. ¡°Maam, I¡¯m here to clean.¡± *** Derek had followed the duo through the merchant district and into the commoner district. He had to admit, from observing the whole time, the two looked like they were just friends hanging out. Well, the teasing and Thomas stumbling over his every word made it obvious that the girl was in complete control of the boy. However, other than the occasional glance at his storage ring, the girl had not shown any other indication of nefarious actions. Maybe she¡¯s just curious. Thomas is young and dresses like a farmer that found his grandpa¡¯s old leather armor from ¡®back in his day.¡¯ No¡­ Derek shook his head. I doubt Silvi would be wrong about the girl after spending most of the day with them yesterday. Currently, Thomas was in an Alchemy Shop completing a mission for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The girl was waiting outside the guild on a bench. Derek, on the other hand, was across the street getting a kabob of greasy food, feeling like a creep stalking a girl that could not be more than 16 years old. Soon, a man¡­ boy¡­ an older teenager, level 45 warrior, sat on the bench next to the girl. He looked to be 18 or 19, but with the way Vitality worked with the systems, he could have been 40 for all Derek knew. But his level was low, and he was talking to Thomas¡¯s ¡®friend,¡¯ so Derek guessed him to still be in his teens. The boy was wearing some impressively clean plate armor and had flowing blonde hair that looked like it had never been dirtied. His entire presence, from his untouched boots to his self-important nose that only wants to breathe in ¡®clean¡¯ air, rubbed Derek the wrong way. If Derek had a dictionary, this boy¡¯s picture would be next to the phrase ¡®Spoiled Noble.¡¯ Derek would not put it past the system if the boy had an Award obtained from being stuck up. Derek moved a little closer to listen in on their conversation. He was not exactly dressed to be a spy, at least not in this world. Luckily, his enhanced skills, which increased his hearing and vision, made up for his lack of dress. ¡°You¡¯re sure he has no backing? Not that it would really matter if he did.¡± The boy said. ¡°Yes, Clay. He came from a village with his friend. His friend has a pet bunny¡­ a bunny. It¡¯s odd looking, but it¡¯s a bunny. And, his friend only finished his provisional Adventurer¡¯s Guild missions yesterday.¡± The girl responded. ¡°And he hasn¡¯t said where he got the storage ring?¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s a sensitive subject. But, he also has a decent-looking spear too. I saw it while he was killing rats yesterday. I think they are most likely family heirlooms that were passed down to him so he could adventure.¡± The boy nodded and stood. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s almost done.¡± He looked at the Alchemy Shop. ¡°Keep close to him. I¡¯m still busy for a while, but I¡¯ll think of something soon.¡± The girl nodded, and the boy walked away. Clay¡­ Derek thought to himself. He would have to ask Stella or Walter about the boy when he dropped off Silvi at her first day of sch¡­ cooking class. Thomas walked out of the shop and over to Alicia. The girl jumped up and ran her finger over the boy¡¯s nose to wipe off the dust. ¡°Did you use your face to mop the floors?¡± She giggled. Thomas¡¯s face turned a shade of red that Derek was not familiar with. ¡°N-no.¡± The boy lowered his head. ¡°L-let¡¯s go turn in the task. I can¡¯t wait to get a real badge.¡± He said. The girl giggled and locked his arm with hers. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± She said as she practically dragged the poor boy into the guildhall. Derek shook his head at the scene. At least I don¡¯t have to worry about them for now. He sighed. Tommy, Tommy, Tommy¡­ You are going to be devastated later. He almost could not blame the kid for this one¡­ almost. Chapter 97: Silvi’s First Day Chapter 97: Silvi''s First Day Seeing that Thomas wasn¡¯t in any immediate danger from his crush, Derek decided to head back to the inn and spend the rest of the day relaxing. He had been pretty busy lately, so it was a good idea to rest and recharge for a day. After arriving back at the end, he spent the rest of the day drinking. Unfortunately, nothing was strong enough for even the smallest of buzzes. He chatted with some of the guests, but spent most of his time listening to the rowdy bunch of patrons. After a while, Derek retired back to his room and watched the bunny train. That ended up being much more entertaining than listening to the stories downstairs. Finally, he ignored the sound of the occasional clatter of a spoon hitting the floor and fell asleep. He woke up once to let Thomas in at some point, but went directly back to sleep. *** The next morning, Derek¡¯s eyes shot open as a cannonball flew into him. He sat up fast and sucked in a giant breath after the wind was knocked out of him. Then he looked at the bunny who had tumbled to his lap. ¡°Why?¡± He half yelled. ¡®Time to go. Up. Up. Up. It¡¯s morning. No more sleep. Stop being lazy.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s excited voice chimed in his head. Derek looked into her glimmering eyes and couldn¡¯t bring himself to scold the excited bunny. I feel like I¡¯m a father about to take his kid to her first day of kindergarten. Derek sighed. ¡®Fine, but be quiet.¡¯ He said as he looked at Thomas sleeping on a cot in the corner of the room. He had stirred a bit when Derek half screamed, but didn¡¯t wake up. Apparently, the boy had requested the cot the day they got the room. Derek walked out of the room, the bunny hopping behind him. He made it down to the first floor and was met by a mostly empty room. Walking over to the bar with staff behind it, he pulled out a stool and sat. ¡°You got any breakfast yet?¡± He asked the man. The man nodded. ¡°First round will be ready in five minutes. Want something to drink?¡± ¡°What do you got?¡± ¡°A few teas, some juices, and¡­¡± The man eyed Derek. ¡°Some ale if you¡¯re one who likes to start the day that way.¡± ¡°No.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°Not much for tea. Just give me some juice.¡± The man nodded. ¡°We have iper, apple, and abola juice.¡± Derek stared at the man. ¡°Did you say Ebola?¡± The man nodded. ¡°Abola juice is one of my favorites.¡± Derek caught the distinction that time and let out a breath. I really don¡¯t think I could bring myself to drink Ebola Juice, no matter how good it is. I wonder if apple is the same? He¡¯d noticed that there were some fruits and vegetables that were basically the same as on Earth, but had different names. One staple that had stayed the same was potatoes. He really wasn¡¯t a big fan of apple juice, but he had to give it a try. ¡°Just give me some apple juice.¡± The man nodded and walked to the back. ¡®No time to eat.¡¯ Silvi said as she hopped onto the bar. ¡®Must go.¡¯ ¡®Not before I get some food in me.¡¯ Silvi released a mental sigh and planted herself off to the side. The man came back from getting him something to drink, carrying a glass and a plate. ¡°Enough was done for a couple plates, here you go.¡± He sat what looked like bacon, eggs, and toast in front of Derek. ¡°Thanks.¡± Derek muttered, then dug in. The apple juice was definitely apple juice. It wasn¡¯t as sweet as what he was used to, but it was practically the same. ¡®Hurry. Eat. Then go.¡¯ Silvi rushed. Because of her rush, Derek savored every bite and took small sips. The bunny¡¯s constant demands made him dine that much slower. The sun had barely risen when Derek walked out of the inn with a full belly and a very angry bunny trailing behind him. He couldn¡¯t believe that she didn¡¯t even ask for food while he was eating. It was the first time that had happened. Eventually, Silvi stopped talking and glared at him until he finished. Now she quietly hopped behind him, sullen. He had offered to carry her, but she refused. Finally, halfway to the gate, Silvi tried to hop onto his shoulder. Derek¡¯s shoulder was just big enough for her to fit there if she balanced herself. Unlike Thomas, he refused to let her ride on his head. Derek swatted her down and said, ¡®No. You said you didn¡¯t need my help. So, I¡¯m not carrying you until you fix your attitude.¡¯ He communicated in his best parent voice. ¡®Hmph.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s snort came through. ¡®Your fault. Taking so long.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no rush. We don¡¯t even know if Stella is in yet. If she¡¯s not, we¡¯ll have to wait.¡¯ The walk was quiet after that. ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s voice finally came through. ¡®I know, you¡¯re just excited.¡¯ Derek smiled and patted his shoulder. ¡®Come on.¡¯ She was already perched there before he finished his sentence. The two walked to the Crown Restaurant, Silvi talking nonstop about everything she was going to do the whole way. And she used complete sentences the entire time. Arriving at the Crown, Derek opened the door and walked in. Surprisingly, the staff was already there working. They were wiping down tables and setting the chairs. Two guests were already sitting at a table, eating. Derek walked over to the hostess he met yesterday. ¡°Is Stella in yet?¡± ¡°Hello Mr. Hunt.¡± The woman nodded. ¡°She¡¯s in her office. I was told to send you up when you arrived. You¡¯re free to go on up.¡± She motioned to the stairs. Looks like I don¡¯t have to be escorted there anymore. He thought. ¡°Thanks.¡± He replied to the hostess. With Silvi still on his shoulder, he walked up the stairs and to Stella¡¯s office. Once there, he knocked on her door and waited. ¡°Come in.¡± Stella¡¯s voice rang from inside the room. Derek walked in and closed the door behind him. He sat across from Stella. With just the two of them, and Silvi, they no longer needed to act so formally after the previous day. ¡°You got here early.¡± Stella said. ¡°Yeah. Silvi couldn¡¯t wait, so she woke me up as soon as she could. It was unpleasant.¡± He rubbed below his chest, where she had crashed into him that morning. ¡°So.¡± Stella looked at Silvi. ¡°This is your companion? Did you figure out the communication problem with her?¡± ¡°Not yet, but it¡¯s something I want to talk to you about. I was thinking that you may know of a way to get a skill scroll for Telepathy, and maybe one for Telekinesis. With those, we¡¯d be able to solve both her communication issue, and the whole, ¡®not having thumbs¡¯ thing that she keeps complaining about.¡± He answered. Stella nodded. ¡°That would definitely take care of the issue. Are you sure she¡¯d be able to learn the skills from a scroll?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there would be a problem. She can learn general skills easily enough.¡± He looked at Silvi. ¡°Show her your Mage Hand.¡± Silvi did as directed, and the ripple of mana popped out above her. This time, it transformed from a paw to a hand, and it was quite accurate. ¡°Not bad.¡± Derek said to Silvi. When he had gone to sleep, she was still having problems making a hand. She must have practiced hard. ¡°Good job. I didn¡¯t think you would have advanced that far.¡± The hand reached out in front of Derek and grabbed at a pen. It gripped it and raised it off the desk a few centimeters before the pen fell back to the desk. ¡®I¡¯m getting better.¡¯ Silvi chimed, and Derek nodded. ¡°That is interesting indeed.¡± Stella said, watching the Mage Hand evaporate. ¡°I think it¡¯s worth a shot. Telekinesis won¡¯t be hard for me to get. The Crown actually buys them up as they appear, so we have a good amount in stock. Our chefs are all required to learn the skill¡­ makes it easier for them to multitask. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any on me at this time, so I will need to request one from Alanah. Speaking of which¡­¡± Stella pulled out a red crystal. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to link our private crystals.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Okay¡­¡± Derek pulled out the crystal he received yesterday. ¡°How do we do it?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s simple.¡± She held her communications crystal out. ¡°We just touch them together and send mana into them at the same time. If you have a free space, the link will form. Then, you only have to focus on which rune you want to contact afterwards.¡± Derek did as she said, and the link was formed seamlessly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had another private communications crystal.¡± He said, remembering his previous conversation. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Mine was the one Alanah gave you. She sent the new one over last night.¡± She replied. Derek frowned, but before he could ask a question, Stella continued speaking. ¡°Teleportation. We are able to teleport small objects, but it is quite costly and very mana intensive. And no, this form of teleportation cannot send live things through¡­ unless you want it turned into dead matter. That is also how I plan on getting you the Telekinesis scroll, if you want it.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°How much would that cost?¡± ¡°Well, the base cost is 1,100 gold plus teleportation fees, so that would be about 1,400 gold. That is, however, with no markup on the scroll. But, we like you, and I¡¯m sure that Alanah would insist, so we can waive the teleportation fee and sell you the scroll at base value. If you would like, we can take the gold out of whatever profit you would receive our contracts.¡± ¡°That would be fine.¡± He replied. He wasn¡¯t hurting for money anymore, and he knew that non-general skill scrolls were going to be expensive. ¡°As for the Telepathy scroll¡­ that will be a bit harder to obtain. We don¡¯t require the skill, so we don¡¯t have any in stock.¡± Stella frowned. ¡°But, I was thinking about the communication issue, and if your companion is as advanced as you say she is, I would like to try something.¡± Stella pulled open one of her desk drawers and a pile of green crystals shined. ¡°These are cheap versions of the communication crystal. They can only hold one rune and will shatter after one use. Their distance is also not great. We use these for reservations when the restaurant is full. They are extremely cheap to make.¡± Stella took two of the crystals and touched them to each other. Soon, a rune appeared on each one. She slid it across the table. ¡°Let¡¯s see if your companion can use one.¡± Derek explained to Silvi how the crystals worked. The bunny hopped off of his shoulder and onto the desk. Then she placed a paw onto the crystal and it lit up. Soon, the one still in Stella¡¯s hand began to glow. The woman channeled mana into the crystal and sat it in front of her. ¡°Well.¡± Stella said. ¡°Does it work?¡± Chapter 98: They Grow Up so Fast Chapter 98: They Grow Up so Fast ¡°Does it work?¡± Stella asked from across the desk. ¡®Like this.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s voice rang out in Derek¡¯s head, but did not emerge from the communication crystal. ¡®No. You need to focus. Think about how you talk to me through our link, then direct that at the crystal while touching it.¡¯ Derek did his best to explain how to use the crystal. ¡®Like this?¡¯ The bunny¡¯s voice rang again. This time, before the voice vanished from Derek¡¯s head, it also rang out of the crystal. ¡°Like this?¡± Silvi¡¯s eyes widened, and she skittered backwards, staring at the crystal. The voice that came out was almost childish. ¡®It worked! It worked! Is that what I sound like? I¡¯m amazing!¡¯ ¡®Yes. It worked.¡¯ Derek confirmed. ¡®Now, try again. This time, try not to send your voice to me at the same time.¡¯ He was very happy with this turn of events. Now, he didn¡¯t have to go around the city asking for a Telepathy scroll. He also wouldn¡¯t have to be the go between for Silvi and the cooks. It took a few tries, but eventually, Silvi was able to direct her thoughts into the crystal without directing them at Derek at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, Silvi.¡± Stella said. ¡°You too. Can I cook now?¡± Impatient as ever, Silvi couldn¡¯t wait to learn. Stella smiled. ¡°Soon. First, I would like to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Sure. Sure. Then I can go cook?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Stella replied. ¡°Now, why do you want to learn how to cook?¡± ¡°I love food! The Cooking skill makes food taste even better. I have the skill. I can make tasty food.¡± Silvi excitedly replied. Stella laughed at the response. ¡°Is that it? Is there anything else you want? Don¡¯t you want to get stronger like the other beasts?¡± ¡°Stronger? I can beat you.¡± Silvi replied, and looked at Derek. ¡°Even if not, I wouldn¡¯t need to be stronger. I have him and he is strong enough. Leaves more time to eat and make food. Plus, I have my own personal mount.¡± Her voice continued to flow out of the crystal, and she nodded as if everything she said was a fact. Derek sat back with an awkward look on his face. Why does she talk in complete sentences when it¡¯s not me? And why do you have to do Thomas like that? Poor kid¡¯s going to get his heart broken, and he has been officially demoted to a mount. Stella looked at Derek as if asking if what Silvi said was true. Derek sighed. ¡°Just because Thomas lugs you around doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s your mount.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s what you had a problem with?¡± Stella asked, flabbergasted. ¡°Are you saying that you think your companion is that strong?¡± ¡°Are you stronger than Bronson?¡± Derek asked out of nowhere. Stella frowned and nodded hesitantly. ¡°Are you stronger than Walter Gracefall?¡± He asked. ¡°Possibly.¡± She replied, not answering directly. Derek nodded to Silvi. ¡°She is.¡± He said. ¡°No way.¡± Stella said. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s like¡­¡± Stella stuttered. She was holding her hands out in front of herself, like she was measuring a small distance. ¡°She¡¯s only this big.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± Silvi¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°And I¡¯m a little bigger than that.¡± She stretched her back to make herself look a little bigger. Stella sighed, reverting back to her professional demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She said. ¡°Now, I can have the Telekinesis scroll ready in a few hours. And we have the communication issue settled. Seeing as how anxious Silvi is, let me take you to meet some of our chefs.¡± Derek nodded and Silvi hopped up on his shoulder. Stella touched one of the crystals and they both turned to dust. Afterwards, she pulled a handful of them out of her desk. Seeing Derek staring, she spoke, ¡°They¡¯re not even worth a gold each. They don¡¯t travel so well after being activated. Usually, we activate them, say ¡®your table is ready,¡¯ and that¡¯s it. However, if they are close together and still, they should last for a few hours.¡± Stella led the duo out of her office down the stairs. ¡°They¡¯ve already been at it since before morning. One thing about our staff is that they all love cooking and bettering their skills.¡± Back on the first floor, Stella nodded at the hostess before moving past and entering the double door room behind the host station. Derek and Silvi followed. The room was stunning. There goes my running water idea. Derek thought as he looked at the multiple sinks with faucets and sprayers. Though it looked to be redundant as Derek watched one of the staff grab a dirty plate and cast a spell that instantly left it spotless. Now that¡¯s a spell I need. ¡°Hey everybody!¡± Stella clapped, and the whole place quieted down. ¡°This is Derek and his companion Silvi.¡± She motioned to the duo. ¡°Now, I know this may seem strange, but Silvi, the bunny, will be learning skills from all of you.¡± Confusion washed over the room. Stella continued. ¡°You all knew that someone would be learning from you. It makes no difference if it is a human, elf, or beast. And, I can attest to Silvi¡¯s intelligence. She is no less intelligent than one of you, she may even be smarter, and is much stronger.¡± Stella smiled. ¡°So do well not to anger her.¡± ¡°As for communication.¡± She continued and moved to the corner of the room that was empty of all but a table and chair and sat a handful of the green crystals on the table.. ¡°As she cannot speak out loud, she will use these communication crystals to talk. She is perfectly able to do so.¡± Then she turned to Silvi. ¡°This is your ¡®workplace¡¯ for the time being. You will be able to ask questions, practice basic techniques, and observe how a kitchen is run. ¡°Later, during slow times, they will allow you to practice cooking while making sure you do not spoil the food. What you make will be what you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But that will come after you prove yourself with the basics, if you can prove yourself in the time you are here. Until then, the staff will make an extra serving for you.¡± She turned to the chefs and staff. ¡°Is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone other than Derek replied in unison. While Stella was speaking, Derek had used Identify on the room. Three people came back as crafters between level 70 and 85. One person was unidentifiable, and the other two were both mages of level 46 and 49. Those two were the ones that were cleaning the dishes. ¡°Now, let me introduce everyone.¡± Stella continued. ¡°These are our first floor chefs.¡± She motioned to the three crafters. ¡°Daniel, Stephanie, and Raymond.¡± Then she pointed to the two mages. ¡°These two are our first floor cleaners, Marie and Jessica.¡± Then she walked beside the man that Derek was unable to Identify. ¡°This is Gregory Sutter. He is the head chef of this restaurant. He spends most of his time down here because there aren¡¯t any people with a membership in Torith. Only the occasional visitor..." She smiled at Derek. ¡°Well, there weren¡¯t any people with a membership.¡± Gregory walked over to Derek and shook his hand. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Hunt. I would be happy to prepare you a meal whenever you need. And please, call me Greg.¡± Then the man moved his focus to Silvi. ¡°I will make sure to take good care of your companion. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Thank you. I will definitely trouble you with a meal sometime before I leave Torith.¡± Stella clapped again to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Now, back to work. Silvi, to your station.¡± Surprisingly, to Derek at least, Silvi flew from his shoulder and landed gently on the table in the corner. Jessica, one of the cleaners, laughed and removed the chair. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t be needing this.¡± Stella walked back over and linked two of the crystals. ¡°You can introduce yourself now.¡± She placed one of the crystals in front of the bunny. Silvi channeled her mana into the crystal, and Stella had Marie answer the call instead of herself. ¡°The one who activates the crystal can¡¯t be too far away, or the connection will falter.¡± She explained. ¡°Hello everyone.¡± Silvi¡¯s excited voice chimed out of the crystal. ¡°My name is Silvi. I¡¯m six years old and I really want to learn to cook. I¡¯ll be in your care, please teach me well.¡± All the females and Daniel blushed from the overflow of cuteness. Derek shook his head. Not falling for the bunny¡¯s deceit. Stella seemed to have the same idea as him as she stared blankly at Silvi¡¯s antics and looked back at Derek, shaking her head. ¡°Okay, everyone knows each other now.¡± She walked over to Derek. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving. I¡¯ll be back with the Telekinesis scroll later.¡± She opened the door leading out of the kitchen and Derek followed her out. ¡°Intelligent indeed.¡± She whispered. ¡°Yup. Would you believe it if I told you that Silvi was so lazy that, other than a couple of times, she only spoke to me in incomplete sentences until today.¡± Derek turned and looked at the door swinging closed behind him, catching one last glance at Silvi before it shut. ¡°They grow up so fast.¡± Stella snorted. ¡°Is that everything you need from me today?¡± She asked. ¡°Uh¡­ that cleaning spell that Marie used for the dishes. Does that work on clothes and bodies too?¡± He asked. Stella stared at him before nodding. ¡°I guess Silvi would need a spell like that since she would have a hard time cleaning everything manually. It doesn¡¯t cost much and I could have the spell scroll sent with the Telekinesis for a few hundred extra gold.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I was talking about me, not Silvi¡­ but I guess she would need one, too. If the scrolls are so cheap, why do you need cleaners? Why not just give them to the chefs?¡± He asked, noticing the discrepancy. ¡°They all have the skill. The cleaners are both aspiring chefs. Their next class upgrade will allow them to switch to our restaurant¡¯s main cooking class. It¡¯s the most convenient path to the class, but it requires the cooking skill and a certain path through mage classes to get.¡± She explained, but didn¡¯t give Derek any specifics. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a copy of the Cleaning spell too. But, your total is going to be 2,000 gold now. Is that still okay?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I just hope that the coffee sells well.¡± With that, Derek gave Stella his regards and left the Crown. I guess I¡¯ll go see if Bronson or Walter have gotten any information on the undying dungeon or the village in the last couple of days. Chapter 99: Intense Battle in the Kitchen Chapter 99: Intense Battle in the Kitchen Silvi watched in amazement as pots and pans, knives and spoons, and ingredients flew through the air, landing perfecting in front of Daniel, Stephanie, and Raymond. At the same time as the ingredients hit the counter, the chopping began. They were all perfectly in sync as Gregory watched over the crew. Once the chopping was finished, the vegetables flew into the hot skillets and broth filled pots. Silvi couldn¡¯t help but imagine herself doing these wonderful tasks. She resolved herself to train more than any human, for she would have to, as she was small and without thumbs. Silvi refocused on her task at hand. Gregory had called this foul vegetable an onion and Silvi was tasked with finely chopping it into tiny pieces. What Stephanie had just finished in mere seconds was a monumental undertaking for Silvi, and she would not fail. Silvi summoned her chopping knife out of her storage ring that hung on her nose. It was not the ideal placement for a storage ring, but it beat all the other current options. Having it on one of her ears would have been much worse. The knife clattered on the table beside the onion. Gregory had said that she first had to peel the outer layer off of the vegetable, then use her own judgement whether the next layer would need to be removed. How was she supposed to know? This was her first time personally dealing with any kind of vegetable. Thus far, her experiences of preparing and cooking food was ripping meat out of freshly killed monsters with her teeth, then dragging it to roast over a campfire. Silvi made it her personal mission to become a master onion chopper on her first day. She would succeed and all the professional chefs would be in awe of her learning speed and superb skills. Silvi summoned her level 4 Mage Hand and morphed it into a proper hand with a thumb. She had thought about adding more thumbs just to one-up the humans, but soon found that one thumb worked the best. Gripping the handle of the knife, she floated it over the onion. According to the example that Gregory had shown her, she first needed to cut a small portion off of both the root side and the opposite side, leaving only the ¡®bulb¡¯ left. That all went completely over her head. But she watched carefully, and Gregory had taken his time to slowly demonstrate the process, so she wasn¡¯t worried. She brought the gleaming blade of the chopping knife over the onion, a couple centimeters in from the root. Slowly and meticulously, Silvi brought the knife down. The knife made contact with the onion and bit into it. The movement stopped, the blade of the knife sunk shallowly into the onion, just past the first couple layers of skin. This was it, the first real moment, the first step on the road to becoming a chef. Silvi cleared her mind and focused. It was just her and the vegetable. She increased the pressure and pushed, preparing to see the knife flawlessly relieve the onion from its remaining root. Then the onion flipped and rolled atop the knife, which was currently lying horizontally on the table. The onion rolled off the knife and continued rolling, speeding towards the edge of the table. Everything was in slow motion. Silvi watched on in horror as the bulbous vegetable inched closer and closer to the edge. If the onion hit the ground, it would be over. The vegetable would be ruined, no longer fit to be included in any dish. Nobody would want to eat a floor onion. There was no ¡®5 second rule¡¯ like Derek said. The skin was punctured by her knife. It was no longer in any condition to protect the inner onion from outside forces. Frozen, Silvi could only watch as the onion made it to the edge of the table. One more rotation and it would be over the edge and onto the floor. The Mage Hand had long since dissipated due to the shock of what happened. Thoughts and ideas appeared in her mind and were rapidly dismissed as not possible. She was fast enough to get to the onion before it hit the ground, but alas, not having thumbs would thwart any attempt she could make to save the onion. Silvi caught sight of the chopping knife as the vegetable finally rolled over the edge. She knew what she had to do. Abruptly, she vanished. Appearing beside the knife, she bit down on the handle and vanished again. This time, she appeared on the floor, directly under the falling onion. In an instant, she tilted her head sideways and a small amount of pressure pushed on her face from above. Silvi appeared once again on the table where she first was. She opened her mouth, and the knife fell out. This time, though, on the end of the knife was the onion. Speared by the tip of the knife like a fish over a fire. Silvi slowly glanced around at her surroundings, hoping nobody saw her almost failure. The coast looked clear, as everyone seemed too busy caught up in their own personal projects. Gregory was beside Daniel and Jessica, pointing at something Daniel was doing and explaining to Jessica the reasons why he was doing it. Silvi continued gazing around the kitchen. Finally, her eyes fell on Marie. The girl was staring wide eyed at her, like she was some sort of mystical beast. Well, Silvi was a mystical beast, but she was sure that was not why Marie was staring. She had been caught. Dread poured over the young rabbit as she waited to be reprimanded. Her eyes met Marie¡¯s, and they shared a moment before the cleaner with short, messy brown hair made her approach. Marie arrived at her table. The girl looked at Silvi, then the knife, then back at Silvi. Finally, she spoke. ¡°That¡­ that was amazing! How did you do that? You were here.¡± She pointed at Silvi. ¡°Then there.¡± She pointed to where the knife used to be. ¡°Then, all of the sudden, you were back here with the knife skewering the onion.¡± ¡°I..¡± Silvi¡¯s childish voice rang out from the active communication crystal. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want the ingredient to touch the floor.¡± The girl stared dumbfounded at Silvi. ¡°The onion fell, then in less than a second, you were back on the table with it. Such amazing speed. I barely saw you get the knife and didn¡¯t even see move to the falling onion. You must be so strong.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to worry that much about a mere onion.¡± Marie picked up the onion and knife, removing the vegetable from the blade in the process. Then, her hands glowed white and all the liquid, including Silvi¡¯s saliva that was on the handle, disappeared. She placed both the onion and the cleaned knife back on the table in front of Silvi. ¡°You need to find a way to hold the onion still while you cut it, or the same thing will keep happening. We have both hands and Telekinesis, so it¡¯s easy for us.¡± ¡°We have tons of onions and other vegetables.¡± Marie explained. ¡°If a few of them get bruised or fall on the floor, they can be thrown away. This isn¡¯t a village where every scrap of food is precious, we have professional Botanists. From each onion, they can grow many more in a short amount of time. They are the perfect people to get stranded on an island or lost in a desert with. As long as they have mana and a single edible plant, they have food. ¡°The reason that you are starting out on chopping an onion is because it doesn¡¯t matter if you mess it up and one of the most needed skills in cooking is the ability to chop and dice something. Not because vegetables need to be perfectly cut up to use, but because of the time saved by doing it properly. Now, that¡¯s not to say that a perfectly diced onion doesn¡¯t taste better than a poorly chopped one, it does. The texture is different and thin slices aren¡¯t as strong as thick slices.¡± Marie continued. Marie placed her hand on the back of Silvi¡¯s head and scratched her behind the ear before suddenly pulling back and apologizing. ¡°Ah¡­ s-sorry. You¡¯re so cute. I didn¡¯t even realize I was petting you until I already had.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Feels good.¡± Silvi said. Marie let out a sigh and pet Silvi again. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry if you mess up a few vegetables. Gregory won¡¯t even accept them unless they are chopped up perfectly. You don¡¯t even want to know the amount of wasted onions and carrots me and Jess went through before we were able to properly use a knife.¡± Marie leaned in close and whispered in Silvi¡¯s ear. ¡°The really scary thing is the amount of food you will end up wasting during the actual cooking. So much burnt or undercooked meat and over or under seasoned vegetables that just goes straight into the garbage.¡± She pulled back and shuttered. ¡°If you want to see Gregory mad, all you have to do is char a perfect cut of a level 120 beast.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Marie straightened up and looked over to the sink. ¡°I better get back to it. Those dishes aren¡¯t going to clean themselves. Just remember that if you make a mistake, it isn¡¯t the end of the world.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± Silvi replied and Marie nodded before turning and walking over to the sink full of dishes. Silvi turned back to her freshly cleaned knife and slightly damaged onion. Time for round two. She failed before, but by the end of the day, she would show the onion who the boss is. Chapter 100: Clare Chapter 100: Clare Derek left the Crown and headed over to the Gracefall Manor. He was let through the gate with no hassle and was escorted by Lieutenant Areyas. Both Bronson and Walter were out back by a newly formed pond. It wasn¡¯t too big, but not too small, about 10 by 10 meters. Or, by Derek¡¯s standards, a bit over 1,000 square feet. In the center of the pond was a small island with a shack surrounded by flowers and stone for decoration. On the surface of the pond, there were lily pads and moss, and the occasional fish could be seen splashing around. Man, when a noble decides to do something, they really go all out. Derek thought as he walked over to the two men. Now that he had a better view, he could see a small girl standing in front of the two, looking out over the pond. The girl turned to say something to the two men, and Derek caught a glimpse of her face. She favored Walter a bit. She had short black hair and a button nose. There was still some baby fat on her face, making her look younger than she probably was. What Derek took note of most was the look in her eyes. It was the same look Brandi would get when she was preparing to work on a new project. A look of pure focus. This must be the niece Walter told me about during dinner. Derek and Lieutenant Areyas were finally spotted by the little girl, causing both Walter and Bronson to turn around to take a look. ¡°Ah, Derek! Just in time. I want to introduce you to my niece, Clare.¡± Walter spoke first, gesturing towards his niece. ¡°Clare, this is Derek Hunt. He is the one that came up with the plan we are going to be using. You could say that he is either going to be the reason you obtain glory and honor, or he is going to be the reason you fall behind your peers and are never able to catch up. Why don¡¯t you say hi.¡± Lieutenant Areyas quickly dismissed himself after a look from Bronson. Derek suspected that the guard didn¡¯t know what was going on or why, and that Bronson wanted to keep it that way. The little girl walked past the two men and arrived in front of Derek. She tilted her head and looked up at him with squinted eyes, inspecting him. ¡°The Patriarch said that I will be able to get a better class because of you, is that true?¡± ¡°I told you to call me Uncle Walter, or even just Uncle, enough of this Patriarch nonsense. We¡¯re all friends here, no need to be so formal.¡± Walter chimed in before Derek could say anything. Derek shook his head at Walter¡¯s antics, then looked back at the girl. Straight to the point, I like this girl. Derek thought. He smiled at Clare. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. In theory, it should. But I have only been able to test it once. Though, that test proved to be very successful.¡± Derek answered. ¡°Then I will be the second success.¡± The girl confidently spoke. ¡°How old are you?¡± Derek asked the girl that didn¡¯t seem to be older than 10. Derek remembered Walter saying that his great niece was 12 years old, but it was possible that he chose a different family member, one that was younger and would be able to train for longer before she unlocked the system. ¡°I just turned 12. Is that a problem?¡± She asked, a little worry showing in her eyes. ¡°Not at all.¡± Derek reassured her. ¡°Someone younger would be able to train a little longer is all.¡± Derek turned from the girl to look at Walter. ¡°So, has she picked a weapon yet?¡± He asked. Walter shook his head. ¡°No, we haven¡¯t gotten that far. We only just showed her the pond. Speaking of which, what do you think?¡± Walter turned and gestured with both hands at the newly formed pond. ¡°It¡¯s nice. It should work well¡­ I think.¡± Derek replied. Walter nodded. ¡°I was just about to have Bronson go fetch a variety of different ones from the barracks. I only keep my sword and staff with me, and backups, of course.¡± Walter replied, then turned to Bronson. ¡°Bronson, if you would.¡± Bronson nodded. ¡°Of course, sir.¡± He said and prepared to run off to the barracks. Derek stopped the man before he took off. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Bronson. I have plenty of different weapons on me that she can test.¡± Derek then moved his arm, and the weapons he summoned for Malorie back in the dungeon began spilling out before them. Derek sorted the swords, scythes, daggers, machetes, and other types of bladed weapons into one pile. He moved his arm and summoned the different polearms into another. This included halberds, spears, and his favorite, glaives¡­ along with many more. The stack of ranged weapons wasn¡¯t very large, though. It only had a few different sized bows, a crossbow, and a bola. None of which he thought Clare would use. The pile of blunt weapons had everything from nunchucks and clubs to quarterstaffs and brass knuckles. He also included a pile of multi-purpose weapons that included weapons like shovels and blade staffs. Again, he kept the few guns and enchanted weapons to himself. He didn¡¯t think the smiths of this world would know what to do if a blaster needed to be repaired. Derek¡¯s stockpile of weapons soon had even Bronson and Walter going through it. Bronson seemed particularly interested in a giant halberd that Derek had obtained from an ¡®invader¡¯ who thought it was a good idea to wield a weapon he could barely carry. Bronson took a few swings, then returned the weapons to the pile. ¡°Too light.¡± He commented. ¡°Well, we aren¡¯t trying to find a weapon for you, now are we?¡± Derek said. ¡°Plus, these aren¡¯t high level weapons. They¡¯re probably good for level 65 and under.¡± ¡°I just really like the design.¡± Bronson replied. ¡°If a Blacksmith copied it, then made it out of a good material¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°What? Your greatsword not good enough? Wouldn¡¯t changing weapons hurt your stats?¡± Derek asked. Bronson shook his head. ¡°I went the heavy weapon route. Never specialized. The greatsword was the closest thing I could find to a weapon that felt good.¡± He looked at the halberd again. ¡°I mean, what Blacksmith would waste so much material to make such an outrageously big weapon?¡± ¡°Well, go ahead and take it. Maybe you can see if you like it, and if you do, you can have someone craft a higher level version for you. I certainly don''t need it.¡± The three men chatted for some time while the girl sorted through all of the weapons. It took much longer than Derek expected, and the girl¡¯s decision piqued his interest. Clare was swinging her fists around with a pair of brass knuckles. Of course, in her hands, the knuckles looked ridiculous. But she had good form, unlike Thomas when he was trying to use daggers. If she chooses those, Walter will have to get a Blacksmith to make her a pair that¡¯s the right size. One thing Derek had wondered about this system was if it counted weapons like knuckle dusters and studded gauntlets as unarmed. He knew that his previous system did, and many of the video games he played as a child would have knuckles under the unarmed weapon category. Beside Derek, Walter scoffed. ¡°A brawler¡¯s weapon.¡± Derek squinted his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. I think the noble in you may be seeping out.¡± He joked. Walter flushed. ¡°Nobody who uses weapons like those¡­¡± Derek cut him off. ¡°I know plenty of people who used weapons like those and are damn good fighters. Think about this. If you learn to fight with knuckles, if ever you are disarmed, you still have your trained fists to fall back on. You don¡¯t get that with a sword or spear. Trust me, I know. I¡¯ve been fighting unarmed ever since I outgrew my glaive. Everybody needs some familiarity with fighting unarmed. At least like this, she won¡¯t have to split her focus.¡± ¡°Here, watch.¡± Derek said and walked over to Clare. ¡°Those are a bit big for you. Put them down and come spar with me.¡± Clare eyed him quizzically, but did as asked. She didn¡¯t seem to have heard them talking about the weapons, as she was too busy trying them out. They walked a few meters away from the stockpile of weapons. ¡°So, you like the knuckles then?¡± He asked. The girl nodded. ¡°They¡¯re light and feel like I¡¯m fighting barehanded.¡± ¡°Have you been taught to fight unarmed before?¡± He asked. The girl shook her head. ¡°No. But I¡¯ve always watched the guards train. I never had swords or spears and dad always said I was too young, so I follow along when they train without weapons.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I see.¡± He took a step back and motioned at the girl. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see what you got.¡± Without hesitation, the girl bent her knees and launched herself towards him. Derek smiled. Because of the height gap, the girl instinctively swung her fist towards his midsection. Derek blocked her little fist with the back of his hand, moving it with the motion of her fist so she wouldn¡¯t break her fingers. He slowly, at least for him, swung his palm out at the girl''s head. She ducked just in time and retaliated with an uppercut to his chest. Derek took half a step back and the girl whiffed. Quickly, she regained her balance and continued her charge. A bit later, Clare was heaving, trying to catch her breath, and Derek¡¯s smile had only grown wider. Derek waited for her breathing to calm before asking, ¡°So, you¡¯ve never practiced with anyone? And you didn¡¯t try to follow along with, say, a stick instead of a sword when the guards were training?¡± ¡°No.¡± She shook her head, her breathing still labored. ¡°That¡¯s why I was... so happy when¡­¡± She looked at Walter. ¡°Uncle Walter¡­ asked me... if I wanted to train.¡± She finally caught her breath and was able to speak clearly. ¡°I have tried using a stick before, like all the boys do. I don¡¯t like it. I feel like I¡¯m¡­¡± She tilted her head and looked up with her brows furrowed. ¡°Like I¡¯m tripping over myself.¡± She nodded. ¡°That¡¯s it. It¡¯s like my feet get tangled.¡± Derek summoned a small sword from his storage and handed it to the girl. ¡°Show me.¡± The girl took the blade and slashed out. The swing was much wider than it should have been and she stepped in too far. Derek only needed to watch for a short time before he concluded that she wasn¡¯t meant for a sword. Still, she is much better than Thomas was with a dagger. But she is also much more talented unarmed than Thomas is with a spear. Maybe it was unfair to Thomas, using him as a comparison, but he was the only kid that he could use to compare Clare with. He could compare her focus with Brandi, though. So if she concentrated on fighting as much as Brandi did on crafting, she would be unstoppable. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Derek stopped her before her next swing. He turned to Walter and Bronson. ¡°You still think the knuckles aren¡¯t suitable. If you make her use another weapon, you¡¯ll be crippling her. Why do you think Unarmed Combat Mastery is a general skill?¡± He took a chance on the two systems using the same classifications. When he wasn¡¯t corrected, he continued. ¡°Combining it with water won¡¯t be bad either. It will allow her to have a more balanced fighting style. Of course, lightning or wind would be better because of the speed, but other than having someone here with the ability to control it, I don¡¯t see a way to train around it at all times. I¡¯d do it.¡± He summoned some lighting in his hand from Chain Lightning. ¡°But I¡¯m leaving soon and you already built this great spot for water cultivation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, though. I still think it¡¯s better than purely offensive fire or defensive earth. Plus, you said that your family already has a certain affinity for water, so that may help.¡± Walter sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. What she showed earlier was¡­ impressive. I don¡¯t have much going on these days, so I will make sure she gets more training that she will ever need. She will not let me regret my decision. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± He aimed the last question at Clare. ¡°No, sir!¡± She answered. ¡°Good.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°Now go look at your new home.¡± He pointed at the shack. ¡°You¡¯ll be living there for a long time.¡± Chapter 101: Clare II Chapter 101: Clare II The three men watched as Clare hopped along a stone path in the water to reach the small island in the middle of the pond. Derek nodded, as the girl never once lost her footing on the path. She was agile, energetic, had a passion to learn, and was a natural pugilist. The girl was all any teacher could ask for in a student. ¡°So.¡± Derek broke the silence. ¡°What exactly are your plans for the girl once she finally gets a class?¡± He asked Walter. ¡°Well, based on everything I¡¯ve learned from you, I plan on having her delay reaching level 10 until she is 14 or 15. Though it may put her behind some of her peers, she will be better off because of it if it all works out. Once she turns 15, she will level to 10 and hopefully unlock a powerful class. Then, hopefully, I¡¯ll be able to power level her to 25 before she turns 16 years old. But, my plans will only work if she gets a powerful or unique class.¡± Walter answered. ¡°Why would she need to be level 25 by the time she¡¯s 16?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Ah, I never told you about the academy in the Capital. The King¡¯s Academy trains the elites of the kingdom. However, the academy has strict rules when it comes to enrollment. The main one being class level and rarity. A student must be under 16 years old and over level 25 with an epic class to be eligible. ¡°However, the student can also be under 16 and through their second class upgrade of a rare class at level 50 to enroll. The second option is the most used option for students, as epic classes are extremely hard to come by. There is maybe one student a decade that enrolls with an epic class.¡± Walter continued. ¡°Now, there are also some other circumstances that will allow enrollment. A growth type uncommon class at level 50, or a growth type rare class at level 25 will both be considered because of future prospects. They may even allow some students in at a later age, depending on family circumstances. ¡°My eldest son, Jenson, was one of those circumstances. He had a rare class at over level 50, but he was already 17. However, he had gotten to level 50 before he turned 16. Instead of joining the academy, he chose to take on important missions through the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, as it seemed to be the faster way to restore our honor.¡± Walter shook his head. ¡°That was my fault. Honor is extremely important to me, and it rubbed off on my son. Though I couldn¡¯t be more proud, it almost hindered my son¡¯s growth.¡± ¡°However, the King somehow learned of my son¡¯s accomplishments and allowed Jenson to specially enroll in the academy. That is where he is now. It is also what drove Wallace¡¯s jealousy to an extreme and caused him to act out the way he did.¡± Walter sighed. ¡°That is still more my fault than anyone else¡¯s.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Derek said, saying nothing about Wallace. ¡°So you hope for the girl to receive an epic or rare growth type class when she hits level 10, or maybe one at level 25. I don¡¯t think she will have any problem obtaining that result. However, if she gets a legendary or epic growth type class, I would suggest keeping her away from an academy. Level her Identify skill as fast as possible and try to keep it a secret until she can protect herself. Then again, I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to tell you these things.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Her safety will come first.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the different Awards that can get her extra skill points before she hits level 10. Those general skills will really help. If you could have a team complete a basic dungeon while keeping her safe, that¡¯s two extra points from the Dungeon Explorer Award. Then, there is the Giant Slayer award, too.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think about the Dungeon Explorer award. It¡¯s a pity that there aren¡¯t any level 10 dungeons around here, but I think I could put together a more than adequate level 25 team for a basic dungeon. That insect dungeon out past your village is quite easy.¡± Walter muttered something incomprehensible to himself before nodding. ¡°Yes, I think I will do that.¡± Derek checked the system time. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s well past lunchtime. How about the two of us head over to the Crown and grab a bite?¡± Derek flashed Walter his membership. ¡°You¡¯re paying.¡± Both Walter''s and Bronson¡¯s eyes turned into saucers. At the same time, they both shouted, ¡°How!¡± Derek laughed. ¡°That¡¯s not important. Just know that I do. So, I can only invite one person with me. How bout it, Walter?¡± ¡°It would be an honor. And of course, I will pay.¡± Walter said, hastily. ¡°Bronson, see to it that both you and Clare are properly fed.¡± He pulled a small sack out of his storage ring. ¡°In fact, why don¡¯t you fetch her and let¡¯s all go to the Crown. The two of you will have to make due on the bottom floor.¡± Derek and Walter begin walking through the estate. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you try to get a membership? I believe that someone like yourself would have no problem obtaining one.¡± Derek asked, remembering what he was told by Stella and Alanah. If Walter even contributed a little, he would be rewarded with a membership of his own. Walter shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never had the time to worry about unimportant things. Sure, a Crown Membership is great for politics and that sort of power, but it wouldn¡¯t do anything to help restore our honor. Plus, the bottom floor is already costly enough. I don¡¯t even know how much the membership floor will cost. If the food is as good as I think it will be, my house would go broke within the year.¡± Walter laughed. ¡°And before you say that it¡¯s not possible, I have seen it happen to others.¡± Yikes! Maybe I should just stay away from that floor altogether. Derek thought. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope that isn¡¯t the case for me.¡± He said. The two continued through the estate in silence. At that time, Derek pulled up the notifications that he had gotten while talking with Clare and the others. Congratulations Your beast companion (Silvi) has learned the Telekinesis skill. Ah, that¡¯s good. Stella works fast. He thought, then pulled up the next notification. Congratulations Your beast companion (Silvi) has learned the Cleaning skill. Wait! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to get the Cleaning skill. Not cool, Silvi. Also, not cool, Stella. I¡¯d yell at Silvi right now if I wasn¡¯t worried about her being in the middle of something important. Derek sighed and shook his head. I guess she will need it to easily clean her cooking utensils. I¡¯ll just have to see about getting one for myself later. This cooking endeavor is becoming really expensive. At least I¡¯m going to get a delicious free meal out of Walter today. He eyed the old man walking beside him. He seems oddly excited, even knowing that he¡¯s going to have to pay. The two kept walking. Soon Bronson and Clare caught up with them and they all headed to the Crown. Soon, the group was all inside the restaurant. Bronson and Clare were seated at a table on the bottom floor, and Derek and Walter were being led up the stairs by the hostess. They soon passed the floor that housed Stella¡¯s office and went to the next. Arriving on the next floor, they stood staring at an almost empty room with beautiful lights hanging from the ceiling. There were only two tables occupying the entire area. ¡°Welcome to the Tier One dining area.¡± The hostess said. ¡°My name is Emily, and I will be your host for this evening.¡± The woman was the same person who led Derek to Stella¡¯s office earlier in the day. She was quite attractive, in terms of beauty. She only lost out to Stella, she was on par with Rayna. She had long wavy brown hair and was wearing a simple black dress with a silver bracelet and necklace. On her right hand was a black ring that Derek could only assume was a storage ring. On her feet were a pair of nice, black open toe heels. Her style would be perfect for a hostess of a three Michelin star restaurant back in his world, if it wasn¡¯t for the material of her dress not existing in Derek¡¯s previous world, at least before the system arrived. ¡°The two of you are the first people to dine in the membership area of this particular restaurant. As such, your meal will be free.¡± She smiled. Derek narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is this Stella saying that it¡¯s free, or is this an actual thing?¡± He asked. Emily chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you aren¡¯t getting any special treatment right now. The first guests to dine in an area of the restaurant eat for free. It was that way on the bottom floor as well. Plus, it is the first time you used your membership, so the meal would be free even then. This way, you are allowed free dining for being the first to dine on this floor, and you can keep the initial free meal that comes with a newly obtained membership card.¡± She bent down to whisper where only Derek could hear. ¡°You also get a free meal every time your tier increases.¡± Her breath brushed against Derek¡¯s ear, and a slight blush fell over his face. He cleared his throat before speaking again. ¡°In that case, I will have to thank you.¡± ¡°No need for thanks.¡± Emily said with a sly grin. ¡°Now, there is no menu for membership holders. The meal will be the chef''s choice. But, Greg has been dying to make something up to his standards, so I believe you will be in for a treat. What would you like to drink?¡± She asked. ¡°Can I get coffee?¡± Derek asked. Emily¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°It may not be up to your standards yet, but if you would like some, I would be happy to oblige. How do you take it?¡± ¡°Black.¡± He replied. By the way this woman was acting, she seemed to be much more than just a hostess. Derek had a sneaking suspicion. ¡°You¡¯re the actual manager of this restaurant, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re only doing this until Stella decides to return to the Capital.¡± Emily¡¯s smile grew wide. ¡°You got me. You can think of me as second-in-command right now. Once Mistress Stella returns, the restaurant will be mine again.¡± She looked over to Walter. ¡°Now, what can I get you?¡± Walter¡¯s eyes furrowed. ¡°What is this ¡®coffee?¡¯ I don¡¯t seem to have heard of it before.¡± He asked. ¡°It¡¯s a new beverage that the restaurant is preparing. It¡¯s not completely ready yet, but it¡¯s close.¡± Derek answered. ¡°May I try it?¡± Walter asked. ¡°Certainly.¡± Emily replied. ¡°I will bring out some cream and sugar in case you do not like it black. If nothing else, you will make a good test subject.¡± She giggled before sauntering away. When Emily disappeared from sight, Walter whistled lowly. ¡°What a fiery woman.¡± Walter shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s going to drive some poor bastard crazy one day. I both envy and pity whoever she ends up with.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°More dangerous than a Dragon, that one.¡± Chapter 102: Fine Dining Chapter 102: Fine Dining Not long after, the duo was dining on a mouthwatering range of cooked meats and vegetables. According to Emily, every bit of meat on the table was from a beast at level 100 or higher. Though a high level doesn¡¯t exactly mean high quality, the cuts of meat were from some of the finest beasts in the kingdom. The coffee was an absolute hit with Walter. Like Derek, after trying it multiple ways, Walter found that he preferred it black and strong. The man couldn¡¯t wait for the drink to become a common staple. Emily, professional as she was, ducked in and out of the room, always there when they needed a refill or wanted to ask a question, but nowhere to be found when she wasn¡¯t needed. Her actions were truly impressive. The meal was quiet for the most part. Both men savored every bite. Such a dining experience was not something one could experience often. Before they knew it, they had finished everything. Derek did a quick check to his stats and noticed that he had multiple week long buffs active and the minimum buff was a 10% increase in his Dexterity, while he had a 25% increase in his Endurance. Derek¡¯s good impression of the Cooking skill and classes rose to an entirely new level. He couldn¡¯t help but hope that Silvi would make rapid progress in her skills. He finally admitted that he may not be wasting resources helping the bunny expand her hobby. Emily appeared out of nowhere and quickly bussed the table, leaving it spotless and empty, just as it had been when they first arrived. Afterward, a small cake appeared before both Walter and Derek. ¡°Please enjoy your dessert.¡± She spoke, then vanished. Derek punctured the chocolate cake with a fork, then smiled as a thick steaming chocolate liquid poured out from the cake. How long has it been since I had a chocolate lava cake? He took a bite and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the rich, creamy goodness spread throughout his mouth. Derek sighed. ¡°Now I know how someone could go bankrupt after getting a membership to this place.¡± Walter nodded. ¡°I was just thinking about what I would need to do to obtain a membership.¡± He shook his head. ¡°The Crown Restaurant is truly terrifying.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the two to devour their dessert. Seconds after Walter took his last bite, a door to the room swung open and Gregory walked through, being flanked by Emily. Gregory stepped closed to the table. ¡°Mr. Hunt. I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon after this morning. However, I am happy you came.¡± Derek stood and shook the chef¡¯s hand. ¡°I have to admit, Gregory, I¡¯m happy I decided to put the membership to use today.¡± ¡°Haha! Please, call me Greg. I hope the two of you enjoyed your meal as much as I enjoyed preparing it.¡± Gregory said. Derek laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible that you enjoyed cooking the meal more that I enjoyed consuming it. If that truly was the case, then you have a problem. Have you ever tasted your cooking?¡± The man grinned. ¡°I¡¯m glad you liked it.¡± The expression on his face changed, and he sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I was thinking when I took the job as the head chef in a place like this.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Sure, it was a promotion, but this is the first time I have actually been able to cook since I arrived. My progression is stalling and I¡¯m bored. Ingredients like these are just something I can use to practice with.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Emily chimed in. ¡°The boss gave you plenty of benefits to come here. Don¡¯t forget about the monthly goods you get to perform experiments with. Other chefs would kill for that opportunity.¡± The man sighed again. ¡°I know, but I go through those ingredients in a few days then I have to wait weeks for another delivery.¡± Emily scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s just because you can¡¯t restrain yourself.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to restrain myself if I actually had some customers.¡± Gregory shook his head and smiled again. ¡°Anyway, none of this is your problem, Derek. I thought I would give you a quick update about Silvi before you left.¡± ¡°Oh? Is she causing problems?¡± Derek asked. ¡°None at all.¡± Gregory quickly replied. ¡°She¡¯s actually a very hard worker. It feels odd to say it, but I think she has a natural talent for the craft. Of course, she¡¯s still learning the basics, but she¡¯s progressing rapidly for someone with no previous experience.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Gregory nodded. ¡°It is. Now, I¡¯ve taken enough of your time. I¡¯m going to go see if those numbskulls have burned down the other kitchen while I¡¯ve been away.¡± ¡°Thanks for the meal.¡± Derek said as the chef left. Emily stepped forward and handed Derek a rolled parchment. ¡°Mistress Stella is busy right now, but she wanted me to give you this. The boss said that she would put it on your tab.¡± Emily gave Derek a playful smile. Derek took the parchment and unfolded it. Oh? It¡¯s another skill scroll with the Cleaning skill on it. He didn¡¯t say anything about it being put on his ¡®tab.¡¯ He wanted the skill, and it was a good idea for Silvi to have it too. He quickly injected his mana into the paper. Skill Scroll: Cleaning Upon activation, the user will learn the support skill, ¡®Cleaning.¡¯ As this is a skill from a scroll, no skill points are required and it will not be forgotten upon class change. Would you like to learn? Y/N Yes. Congratulations You have learned the support skill, ¡®Cleaning.¡¯ Derek let out a breath, then looked at Emily. ¡°Thank you. And please give Stella and Alanah my thanks, too.¡± Emily¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of Alanah, but soon went back to normal. ¡°I will be sure to do so.¡± Derek turned to Walter. ¡°You ready?¡± He asked. Walter nodded and focused on Emily. With a slight bow, he said, ¡°Thank you for the service, Mistress Emily. It was excellent.¡± Emily let out a sultry giggle. ¡°The pleasure was all mine.¡± The two men took off down the stairs, and Emily followed in the distance. They soon arrived back on the first floor. Bronson and Clare were still both enjoying their meal, so Walter walked over to their table and had a seat. Derek waited for Emily to catch up and turned to her. ¡°Do you mind if I go check in on Silvi in the kitchen?¡± ¡°Of course not, follow me.¡± Emily led him through the doors towards the kitchen. When he arrived, Gregory had one of the cooks in a corner, giving him a scolding. Derek laughed. Looks like one of them tried to burn down the kitchen while he wasn¡¯t supervising. Derek searched the rest of the room until his gaze landed on the table and Silvi. She was concentrating hard. Her Mage Hand was holding an onion still while a floating knife slowly cut through it. Derek watched as the bunny sliced through the onion multiple times. He swore that he could see sweat forming on the beast¡¯s brow. Following her success at slicing the onion up, the knife started a chopping motion as her Mage Hand pushed the sliced onion through, then she turned the knife and pushed it through the other way. When Silvi finished, she hopped close to the onion and inspected it intently. Derek wanted to laugh at her serious expression, but kept it to himself. Soon, the bunny looked up and looked around at everyone. Derek could see a glint in her eyes, as if she had just accomplished an extraordinary task. Unfortunately, everyone was busy and nobody saw her amazing feat. The glint slowly disappeared from her eyes as she noticed that nobody had watched her. But soon her gaze landed on Derek. Derek smiled and gave her a double thumbs up. ¡®You saw? I was amazing. The foul vegetable didn¡¯t even make me cry this time. Silvi¡¯s voice chimed inside his head. ¡®I saw. That was quite an accomplishment. Do you like Telekinesis?¡¯ He asked. ¡®I love it. It makes things so easy. I don¡¯t even need thumbs anymore.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s great. Are you finished? Do you want to go back to the inn with me?¡¯ He asked. ¡®No. I got permission from the delicious woman and head chef to stay here as long as I want. I¡¯ll stay here so I can practice more. Need to level my skills.¡¯ She replied. Derek nodded. ¡®Okay. Have fun and work hard. Just let me know if you want to come back to the inn. And try not to do anything to get in the way of the others.¡¯ ¡®Okay. Gotta go chop more vegetables. The carrot is next.¡¯ She transmitted. Derek saw another spark of determination appear in her eyes. Derek turned to Emily. ¡°Thanks for letting me check in. She¡¯s doing fine.¡± Emily nodded. The two walked back to the dining area. Emily dismissed a waitress that had taken over her duties as hostess while she was gone and stepped behind the hostess station. Derek smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°I can only hope.¡± She said. He looked back over the floor to see that the table that Bronson and Clare were sitting at was occupied by someone else. He turned and left the establishment. Outside, the trio was waiting for him. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to wait for me. I¡¯m just going to head back to my inn and get some rest.¡± ¡°Clare wanted to tell you thanks before we left.¡± Walter said. Clare walked forward. ¡°Thank you for your help. I¡¯m going to try my hardest.¡± Derek patted the girl on the head. ¡°I expect great things from you.¡± He smiled and looked at the rest of the group. ¡°I¡¯ll catch you all later. Have a good evening.¡± He turned and left, leaving Clare and the others waving goodbye. Chapter 103: Days Gone By Chapter 103: Days Gone By Derek sat in his room at the inn, going over all the information he had gained throughout the day. Silvi was doing fine, and he suspected that the only way he would be seeing her in the near future would be if he visited her in the kitchen. He also admired Water¡¯s swift actions. In less than a week, the man was acting on the advice he had received from Derek, and Clare was the perfect student. All Derek could see when he looked in her eyes was resolve. She didn¡¯t act like a spoiled noble, either. Derek had a feeling that the girl would grow to be a great warrior. His discussion with Walter also led to him learning about the academy. Derek had been wondering what to do with Thomas over the last few weeks. Sure, he could take him around and put him through dungeon after dungeon, but by doing that, the boy would come to rely on others more than he should. The academy would be the perfect place for the kid. With everything that Derek had learned from novels of his previous world, nothing would help a na?ve kid grow more than life at a magical academy. Of course, Derek would have to okay it with the boy¡¯s grandparents first. By sending the kid to the academy, Derek would no longer be able to protect him. I¡¯m sure Richard and Delilah would be proud if Thomas went to the Capital to enter the academy. He didn¡¯t think he would have a hard time convincing the couple. Before any of that, though, he would have to get Thomas to level 50. Shouldn¡¯t be a problem. He¡¯s already above level 30. Derek¡¯s decision about Thomas was not made rashly. Just by batting her eyelashes, the girl Thomas had been hanging around with was able to rid the boy of most of the training Derek had given him. One look and the kid had lost the survival instincts he picked up in the insect dungeon. One giggle and Derek¡¯s words of warning had flown in one ear and out the other. Derek couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It was much easier to deal with Brandi and Clare. Maybe it¡¯s true that girls mature much faster than boys. Even more so in a world full of systems and magic. First, I have to make sure the kid doesn¡¯t get himself killed before I talk to Richard. Derek had brought up the boy that Alicia had met outside the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to Walter while they were dining. Based on the information given, Walter had informed Derek that ¡®Clay¡¯ was most likely Clay Torith, the City Lord¡¯s son. Derek had been doing everything he could to avoid having to meet the City Lord. Then Thomas ended up getting involved in a conspiracy with the man¡¯s son. At least it seems like Thomas still has a while before they act. Walter had mentioned that the City Lord was cautious the first time they met. It seemed like the same trait had been passed down to his son. According to Thomas, the boy had never mentioned my name to the girl. At least I can give him some credit for that¡­ unless it¡¯s just the oath at work. Also, other than the first day and the morning after, I haven¡¯t really made any appearances with Thomas. Other than having the one meal when I got back from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Derek frowned. Though, I did cause quite a commotion when I showed Thomas the Crown Membership card¡­ Oh well, if the girl investigates thoroughly, they won¡¯t try anything on Thomas, and if she doesn¡¯t, Thomas will learn a valuable life lesson. Derek decided that he would avoid meeting with Thomas in public. He also went downstairs and found that one of the guests had checked out earlier, and he was able to get himself a separate room. Derek laid on his back in his new room. All of his tasks in Torith had been completed. The only reason he decided to stay longer was because of Silvi¡¯s cooking classes, and Thomas¡¯s situation¡­ he wanted to see how it played out. He would stay for at least a few more weeks before picking up Brandi and heading to Savannah. Days passed by fast for Derek. For the most part, he did nothing other than relax. He took the occasional call from Alanah or Stella and visited Silvi on a couple of occasions. He didn¡¯t visit often because he could just communicate with her at night because of their link. He did make his way over to Walter¡¯s place to spar with Clare a few times. The girl¡¯s combat ability was rapidly progressing. Walter had even had a pair of small silver knuckles made just for her. When Derek wasn¡¯t there, the old man had gotten Areyas or Bronson to spar with the girl whenever she needed. Derek was even more impressed with the girl the longer he got to know her. Unfortunately, the City Lord had found out where Derek was staying at some point. Derek had slipped away from the man¡¯s servants multiple times. Every time he came back, there would be an invitation slipped under his door, inviting him to dinner at the City Lord¡¯s manor. Finally, Derek got tired of the annoyance and checked out of the inn. Thomas was still there, and it didn¡¯t look like the City Lord¡¯s servants had any inkling that the boy was somehow related to Derek. During the weeks, Derek occasionally visited Thomas in secret and dropped hints warning him of others. His excuse for leaving the inn was that he was avoiding the City Lord and didn¡¯t want the boy to also be harassed. He recommended that Thomas avoid making contact with or mentioning him. Derek was now staying at a rustic inn in the commoner district called The Burnt Feather. The inn was clean, and it offered a decent breakfast. The owner was a mid-level fire mage who once survived a griffon attack while out adventuring. On a mantle above the door there was a slightly singed feather that Derek assumed was from the griffon. Hence the name ¡°The Burnt Feather.¡± Derek had been a resident of this inn for a week now. He was currently sitting on the edge of the bed in his mediocre room when he felt an odd vibration from the storage ring on his finger. He¡¯d come to know over the last two weeks that the vibration was the feeling of the communication crystal being activated. Derek flipped his hand over, and the red crystal appeared. The rune that was lit up this time was Alanah¡¯s. Derek sighed before channeling his mana into the room and answering the ¡®call.¡¯ ¡®Hey, Alanah. What¡¯s up?¡¯ He said. ¡®I was just contacting you to let you know that one of my ¡®eyes¡¯ spotted your boy heading out of the city with a girl and Malcolm¡¯s boy.¡¯ Alanah¡¯s sensual voice rang in Derek¡¯s mind, because of their occasional communication, any effect her normal voice would have had on Derek had disappeared. Over the last two weeks, Derek had gotten tired of watching Thomas and waiting for the girl to make her move. He had asked Alanah if it was possible to have one of her Deathsworn keep an eye out for the kid, to which she readily agreed. Apparently, today was the day. ¡®Oh, did you happen to learn what they are doing?¡¯ He asked. ¡®It looks like they are going east of the city to hunt some Horned Boars for a quest. The monsters in the area are all around level 50 or so and are scattered about around the area. It¡¯s one of the safer hunting grounds by the city, but only those nobles close to Malcolm hunt there. There are a handful of guards trailing the group to make sure nothing happens to the lord¡¯s son.¡¯ She answered with a disinterested voice. ¡®I thought controlling an area for your own gain was illegal.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®No. Controlling an area with a dungeon is illegal. It¡¯s frowned upon, but what they are doing isn¡¯t illegal. Edwin knows that his nobles need to have some benefit.¡¯ She replied. ¡®Edwin?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Oh. That¡¯s the King¡¯s name.¡¯ She answered nonchalantly. Derek shrugged like it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®Well, whatever. Thanks for letting me know. Is there anything else you need?¡¯ The other end of the line was quiet for a moment. ¡®Derek.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡®Try not to kill the boy¡­ or Malcolm.¡¯ She answered. ¡®At least not yet. I¡¯ve been very busy with your coffee and your Void Beasts¡­ I¡¯d rather not have to deal with a noble crying over his son¡¯s death.¡¯ Derek furrowed his brows. ¡®I don¡¯t see what me killing them would have to do with you.¡¯ He said. He heard a sigh come from Alanah. ¡®We are friends, are we not?¡¯ She asked. ¡®Of course we are.¡¯ ¡®Then what you do affects me. Do you see?¡¯ ¡®I get it¡­ I get it.¡¯ He said. ¡®I won¡¯t kill anybody important. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter, anyway. I¡¯ll be there, so if they do act, I won¡¯t let anything bad happen. It¡¯s not my style, but I guess I could let them off with a warning, just this once¡­ for you.¡¯ ¡®Thank you. Let me know what ends up happening later. Now, I need to get back to working on these damn auctions. We¡¯ll talk later.¡¯ She said, then the crystal in Derek¡¯s hand stopped glowing. Derek put the crystal away and hopped off his bed. It was finally time to see what those kids had in store for Thomas. He hoped the kid would take the appropriate actions once they acted and make him proud. He also hoped that once everything was over, Thomas would come out stronger. Chapter 104: Hunting Zone Chapter 104: Hunting Zone Derek made his way through the commoner district of the city before finally arriving at the gate. After flashing his adventurer¡¯s badge, he left the city. If everything Alanah had said was correct, he wouldn¡¯t be too far behind the trio and their guards. Derek found one of the trails heading east and took off. Sure enough, after traveling only a few minutes, he caught sight of the guards trailing secretly behind, and was also able to spot Thomas and the others even further ahead, but out in the open. Derek slowed his speed and followed silently behind the guards, not wanting to give his position away to anyone. Still, he was surprised that he was unable to find any trace of the Deathsworn on his way. Derek remembered what Alanah had said about the Deathsworn she had in Torith, and that he was previously a very high level noble. There were many more questions about the Deathsworn that Derek wanted to ask Alanah, eventually. Right now, he could only guess that the one she had been using in Torith happened to be skilled in stealth before she took him down. Derek continued to follow the group for another hour and a half before they stopped. He looked around and found a few of the beasts that Alanah had mentioned. I guess this is the place. He thought. He then moved around the guards to find a good hiding place to observe. He wanted to be close enough to see and hear everything, but also close enough to act if or when something happened. Derek finally settled on a tall, lush tree with thick branches. He slowly climbed his way up it, onto one of the branches near the top. There were plenty of leaves around him to provide cover, and he would be able to have a good view of everything around. Not long after settling in, Derek heard the blonde teenager begin discussing the plan. It seemed like the silver-plate armored teen had become the de facto leader of the group. Derek still couldn¡¯t believe how clean Clay was able to keep his gear. He definitely has the Cleaning ability. Derek thought, while listening to the boy¡¯s plans. ¡°There are plenty of Horned Boars in the area around here. I¡¯ve already checked, and it will be just us hunting here today.¡± Clay said. ¡°How do you know that nobody else will be here?¡± Thomas frowned. Derek smiled. It looks like they never informed Thomas of Clay¡¯s background. It¡¯s nice seeing the boy being suspicious. Letting his guard down and ignoring my warning about the girl can still be attributed to teenage hormones. I¡¯m sure the girl vouched for Clay, too. Otherwise, it would be too strange for the three of them to go on a mission together. It¡¯s good to know that he doesn¡¯t automatically trust Clay just because he¡¯s that girl¡¯s friend. ¡°Oh, Thomas, don¡¯t worry. Clay is a noble, didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± The brunette girl answered Thomas. This time dressed in a white and red robe-like attire. It actually looked like some healer¡¯s garb you would see in a video game. Derek chuckled silently as he watched Thomas¡¯s frown deepen. If nothing else, Derek knew that Thomas had an extreme dislike for nobles. Not even the nice experience he had at the Gracefall Manor could change that, at least not in a short amount of time. ¡°No. You did not.¡± Thomas answered. His eyes shifted towards the noble. ¡°Even if you are a noble, you shouldn¡¯t be able to know what every other person is going to do today.¡± Clay sighed. ¡°You know nothing of noble society. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t bother to explain myself, but it seems that you will not be convinced unless I do so.¡± Clay opened his arms wide and spun around in an opulent gesture. ¡°This area is our, the nobles, hunting ground. Commoners wouldn¡¯t dare hunt here without permission, and I have made sure that none of the other nobles plan on coming here today. It is ours to do as we wish.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that amazing!¡± Alicia chimed in. ¡°This place is perfect for our level, and we wouldn¡¯t get to hunt here otherwise.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Thomas asked Clay. ¡°Why bring us here to hunt with you. Why dirty your reputation by associating with commoners?¡± Clay laughed. ¡°Alicia is like a little sister to me. She may not be a noble, but she is no mere commoner. She is from one of the richest families in the city. Her family is worth more than many lower tier nobles. As for you.¡± His eyes squinted as he glared back at Thomas. ¡°The only reason you are here is because she wants you to be. If your combat ability is not up to snuff, then don¡¯t blame me for sending you back.¡± Damn, I wish I had some popcorn. Derek was enjoying the show from his perch. This kid is good. He knows that Thomas¡¯s actions show that the boy won¡¯t trust him, so he¡¯s putting everything on Alicia. Then, he challenged the boy¡¯s combat ability¡­ in front of the girl Thomas likes. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Thomas. Clay isn¡¯t bad like a lot of the others.¡± Alicia chimed in. ¡°Alicia!¡± Clay reprimanded. ¡°You have to be careful not to speak like that around others. If someone else heard you, it would be bad.¡± ¡°No one else is here. You said so yourself.¡± She answered, and Clay sighed. Thomas let out a breath. ¡°Fine. What are we going to do?¡± He asked. He was still frowning and clearly showed suspicion, but he finally gave in. Clay cleared his throat. ¡°As I was saying¡­ Nobody else will be using these hunting grounds today. None of the beasts around here are above level 60, most of them are around level 50.¡± He gestured to the open area around them. ¡°I am able to hunt them by myself if needed, so with three of us, it will be even easier.¡± ¡°Of course, that is assuming that I only hunt one beast at a time, which is what we will do. I will go out and lead a beast back to this clearing, and we will fight it here. That way, there will be no trees or terrain to get in our way. It may be a little slower, but it is much safer.¡± Clay then focused on Thomas. ¡°Alicia said that you are proficient in the spear. Are you?¡± He bluntly asked. Thomas moved his hand, and the spear Derek had given him appeared. Thomas didn¡¯t seem to see it, but Derek saw a slight reaction from both the girl and the noble when he pulled the spear out of nowhere. ¡°I guess we''ll just have to find out.¡± Thomas spoke. Clay smiled. ¡°Good.¡± He said before a large, silver kite shield appeared in front of him. He took the shield in his left hand, then a gleaming longsword appeared in his right. ¡°I will lead the monsters here and tank the damage. Alicia will provide healing and support. Thomas, try to do some damage without getting in my way.¡± Woah! Derek thought. It was unusual for someone to choose to be a tank of their own accord. Most people couldn¡¯t handle the constant beatings and pain. Sure, there were skills that dampened the pain, but it was still there. If it wasn¡¯t for the teen¡¯s schemes, I would actually have a little more respect for him. I mean, with all that gear, it would be hard for anything around here to actually cause any damage, but surely he¡¯s been on the receiving end of some pain. Thomas¡¯s eyes gleamed when the gear appeared, but soon his expression went back to how it was before. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way that I will be in anyone¡¯s way.¡± Challenge accepted! Derek thought. He looked forward to seeing the skills of the group, especially Thomas and Clay. It had been a while since he had sparred with Thomas, and he hoped the boy had been keeping the rust off. The boy¡¯s actions may have disappointed him some, but one thing the kid still had going for him was his skill with the spear. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start.¡± The golden-haired teen commanded. Soon, a yellow light shone over Clay¡¯s body. Then, the same light appeared on Thomas. A blue light soon followed suit, then red. ¡°You have extra speed, defense, and attack for 10 minutes.¡± The feminine voice chimed. ¡°I¡¯ll recast after cooldown and heal when needed.¡± Alicia said. So she is pure support. I wonder how she levels. Does she gain experience when somebody with one of her buffs kills something? That¡¯s probably it. I wonder how a pure healer would gain levels. Derek hadn¡¯t run into many people with just combat support roles, and he¡¯d never bothered to ask any that he did. Besides, it may be different with this system than the other. Thomas looked over his glowing arms and smiled. He turned to Alicia. ¡°Thanks!¡± He said. ¡°Get ready!¡± Clay shouted, then ran into one of the forested areas. Not long after, Derek heard a squeal, then the rustling began sounding through the area. Soon, Clay broke back into the clearing, followed by a five foot tall boar with two large bone tusks protruding out from the sides of its mouth, then curving back in almost like a hook. The boar charged out of the brush and lowered its head just as Clay turned to face it. Clay set his feet and lowered shoulder behind the shield. A loud crash sounded out as the tusks made contact with the shield. Clay took a step back, but held. He swung his sword out from behind the shield and a small cut appeared in the hide of the boar. ¡°What are you waiting for? Attack!¡± He yelled. Chapter 105: Attack! Chapter 105: Attack! ¡°I said attack!¡± Clay shouted again. The giant board smashed into his kite shield over and over. Each blow caused his feet to slide back, inch by inch. Finally, Thomas, from behind Clay, broke off to the right side and thrust his spear forward as the boar charged again. Thomas went for a probing attack, aiming for the wound that Clay had created at the beginning of the fight. Derek nodded. It wasn¡¯t a bad tactic. His spear made contact with the wound on the monster¡¯s shoulder. As the spear penetrated the muscle of the beast, the speed of his thrust slowed until finally coming to a stop a few inches into the boar¡¯s muscle. Thomas pulled his spear back, causing blood to fly out of the wound with it. The boar squealed and shifted its sights to Thomas. The boy had caused much more damage to the beast than Clay in such a short amount of time. It would be weird if its rage didn¡¯t shift to the spear wielder. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t!¡± Clay yelled and bashed his shield into the side of the boar¡¯s head. Thomas ducked back in behind the tank. Not long after, the boar was charging back at the shield. Thomas slipped out to the left of the Warrior this time. Staying small so as to not draw attention to himself. Derek quickly shifted his attention to Alicia. The support girl stayed in the back of the formation, watching the fight. There was nothing that needed her attention, and if she attacked, she would just get in the way. Neither Thomas nor Clay had been injured enough to warrant a heal. Clay¡¯s organs may have been shaken a bit because of all of the charges he¡¯d been tanking, but it shouldn¡¯t be enough to cause him much damage. She could only sit back and watch, preparing herself in case something bad did happen. Derek once again wondered how she gained experience before focusing back on the fight. At this time, Thomas had taken an extra step closer to the monster. Seeing this, Clay took a half step to his right, further pulling the boar¡¯s attention away from Thomas. Good move. Derek couldn¡¯t help but compliment the tank on his awareness. It¡¯s a shame. He shook his head. Thomas quickly took advantage of the distracted monster. His hands glowed blue for a fraction of a second before the glow shifted over to his spear. Again, he thrust his spear forward. This time, a projection of his spear overlapped with his physical spear. That¡¯s his Soul Spear. Derek remembered the skills the boy received up taking the Soul Spear class. The projection of the spear moved forward at a faster pace than his physical spear. The Soul Spear made contact with the side of the boar. As soon as the projection hit, the extra piercing damage from the skill caused the projection to pierce the boar¡¯s side with little resistance. The physical spear followed closely behind. This time, instead of piercing a few inches of muscle, Thomas¡¯s spear kept penetrating the beast. The projection cleared the way, and Thomas¡¯s spear took advantage. In a split second, half of his spear was buried into the side of the boar. Derek could only image all of the organs that had been damaged by the spear. If nothing else, with the angle of the spear, there was no way the boy missed the monster¡¯s liver. Even if it wasn¡¯t an instant kill, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Horned Boar bled out. Derek wasn¡¯t the only person to see the boy¡¯s skill. Alicia was staring wide eyed at the battle. When the projection shot out of the spear, her whole demeanor changed for a second. Looks like Thomas never had to use any of his skills in front of her. I guess he didn¡¯t talk much about his class either. Derek nodded. Good. I wonder if she¡¯s having second thoughts. Clay had also seen part of the attack, but missed the beginning. He did well, holding in his shock, but Derek had seen his expression change for a fraction of a second. Well, rare classes are¡­ well¡­ rare, and I doubt many common or uncommon classes would have skills like that at such an early level. Derek thought. Thomas took a step backwards and, using his strength, ripped his spear back out of the boar. The monster let out a weak squeal and tried to turn, but stumbled. Its front legs buckled, and it fell down, its chin landing on the ground. It let out a couple more weak cries before going silent. It was dead. Thomas took another step back and shifted his spear to his left hand. He swung the spear hard towards his side, causing most of the blood to fly off in the process. Derek laughed. Nice! Killing the monster, then looking cool afterwards. After surviving the insect dungeon, getting fed experience in the other dungeons, and even killing bandits on the road to Torith, Thomas had developed well when it came to battling. He wasn¡¯t a scared or shy little boy when an enemy was attacking. It was a sight to see. Everyone took a break after the fight. The teen with the golden hair reached to the boar and stored it inside his storage ring. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the corpses for now, we¡¯ll split the coin evenly when we return to the city and sell everything. Is that fine with you two?¡± Alicia and Thomas both nodded. Clay looked over at Thomas. ¡°You¡¯re better with a spear than I thought you would be. What was that skill you used? I¡¯ve never seen nor heard of a skill like it before, and a lot of the guards around the city wield spears.¡± Thomas furrowed his brows before answering. ¡°It¡¯s just a skill that came with my class.¡± ¡°And your class? What rarity is it?¡± Clay asked, irritated. Thomas was silent and didn¡¯t answer. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Clay. Nobody likes giving out information about their classes to anyone, much less strangers. You know that as well as anybody. I still don¡¯t even know what the name of your class is, and we¡¯ve known each other forever.¡± Alicia chimed in. Clay clicked his tongue. ¡°Whatever. It doesn¡¯t even matter. I was just curious. It was a nice skill is all.¡± Thomas nodded. ¡°It is.¡± He sat down and closed his eyes. ¡°Let me know when it¡¯s time for the next hunt.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Clay asked. Thomas opened his eyes. ¡°Resting, waiting¡­ I¡¯m ready whenever.¡± Looks like he hasn¡¯t been neglecting his Meditation skill either. I know that his spear skill takes a good amount of mana, and he doesn¡¯t have very much. I should ask him about his Meditation level later. By the looks of it, it¡¯s at least level 5 or 6. He can hear and sense some of his surroundings, otherwise, it would be suicide to meditate here. Derek thought. Alicia cast a quick heal on Clay to top off his health. Then she looked over to Thomas. ¡°Thomas, did you get hurt any, do you need health?¡± Thomas opened his eyes again and smiled at the pretty girl. ¡°No, thank you. My health is full. Clay didn¡¯t let the monster get anywhere near me.¡± It was funny seeing the difference in how Thomas spoke to the girl. Alicia nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. I still have a decent amount of cooldown left on my buffs. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be able to take out the Horned Boar that fast.¡± She said. ¡°I think we would be able to fight them without your buffs.¡± Clay said. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± He said to Alicia when she scowled at him. ¡°I was just saying, if we can take out the boars without the buffs, then we can save them for when we really need them. And you will have close to a full mana pool, so we will save on mana potions.¡± Clay turned to the meditating Thomas. ¡°What do you say, do you want to try it without the buffs?¡± He asked. Thomas nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. That was my first Horned Boar, so I was being extra careful. Let¡¯s wait until Alicia¡¯s skills are almost ready, though¡­ Just in case.¡± Clay nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll do that.¡± He looked over at Alicia. ¡°Let us know when there¡¯s only a few minutes left.¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°Will do.¡± After 15 or so minutes, Alicia finally spoke. ¡°My skill will be ready in a few minutes.¡± Clay nodded and stood. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go find the next monster. Get ready.¡± Thomas opened his eyes and stood, spear in hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Clay ran into the forest and brought back another boar. This time, he wasn¡¯t as fast as before, but he was still able to get back to the clearing before the boar caught up. ¡°Get ready!¡± He shouted. Then he turned around with his shield. Like before, the boar crashed into his kite shield. Without the defensive buff, it caused Clay to take an extra two steps back before he stabilized himself. Thomas ducked into formation behind the tank before making his move. Again, he appeared at the side of the beast, forgoing the probing attack. Derek wasn¡¯t sure, but he suspected that Thomas¡¯s Soul Spear was still on cooldown. Again, Clay turned the beast slightly to the side to give Thomas a better angle. A small yellow glow fell over Thomas¡¯s hands and he thrust. The spear pierced the side of the beast, but without the extra attack buff from Alicia, and the extra piercing damage from Soul Spear, it wasn¡¯t able to penetrate nearly as deep. Derek frowned, but what happened next made him smile. The yellow glow from before was Thomas activating his Flurry skill. It was yellow because it chewed through Stamina instead of mana. Thomas¡¯s spear was pulled out of the beast¡¯s side as quickly as it entered, but before the beast could even think about making a move, the spear was back in the freshly created wound. Thomas wasn¡¯t entirely accurate, though. The second thrust entered at a slightly different angle, but it didn¡¯t matter. In just over two seconds, Thomas had made three thrusts, all in almost the exact same spot. By the end of his third thrust, his spear stopped, buried almost as deep as it had been on the previous monster. Thomas retrieved his spear and jumped back, just in case he didn¡¯t do enough damage, but it didn¡¯t matter. The boar was dead. And they had done it without any buffs. Derek smiled and sat back to watch the rest of the show. Chapter 106: Just One More Chapter 106: Just One More The group continued killing the level 50+ Horned Boars for a few hours. It would take mere seconds for Clay and Thomas to slay one of the monsters once Clay began tanking the beast. With each kill, their cooperation increased. Thomas alternated using his skills to kill the beasts. He would use Soul Spear for one, Flurry for the next, then the third would take a little extra time as both of his skills were on cooldown, but the boar would die nonetheless. After that, he would use Flurry again because its cooldown time was less than that of Soul Spear. Alicia was rendered relatively useless after a few kills. She occasionally had to come in and heal when Thomas was fighting with just regular attacks. Noticing the situation, she saved her buffs for when Thomas¡¯s skills were all on cooldown. After every fourth monster, the group would take a short break. Thomas¡¯s hesitation at working with a noble slowly dissipated throughout the day. At one point, Clay had announced that his storage ring was almost full, and Thomas even offered to use his so they could continue. Even Derek had begun to wonder if the Clay and Alicia duo were actually going to make a move on Thomas. Perhaps, because of his show of strength, Thomas had forced them to change their minds. However, Derek was still able to catch the occasional tension between the duo when Thomas wasn¡¯t looking. Something was going on. Derek suspected they were trying to work themselves up for the task. If nothing else, their hesitation and delay in their plans, if they actually planned on doing something, had caused Thomas to lower his guard significantly. Finally, after hours of watching the group mechanically slay Horned Boars, it happened. Thomas had just used Flurry to kill a beast, and Soul Spear was still on cooldown. Thomas turned to walk back towards Alicia. With Thomas¡¯s back towards Clay, the noble locked eyes with Alicia. With a serious look, he nodded at the woman. Alicia quickly shifted her gaze from Clay and looked towards Thomas with a glint in her eyes. ¡°Are we all ready?¡± Clay asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get one more monster, then I think we should call it quits for today.¡± Thomas turned around and smiled. ¡°Sounds good to me. I¡¯m getting tired, anyway.¡± With Thomas¡¯s back turned, Alicia nodded at Clay while speaking. ¡°Yeah, me too. If we hurry, we can have a good dinner when we get back. What we had for lunch can¡¯t be called food.¡± She giggled. With that, Clay ran into the forest to look for their last prey. Derek realized that Alicia didn¡¯t bother casting any buffs on the two this time. Surprisingly, Thomas noticed it, too. ¡°Ah, you didn¡¯t buff our defense or speed.¡± Thomas said. ¡°Oh¡­ I was thinking about dinner and I forgot. I¡¯ll cast them when Clay gets back with the monster.¡± She replied. Thomas nodded at her. It was a valid excuse, and it didn¡¯t seem like it made the boy suspicious. Derek sat forward from his perch on the tree. If something was going to happen, it would happen soon. Either just after, or during, the next fight. Soon, Clay came running back from the treeline. Another Horned Boar was chasing him, just like all the others. The teen slid to a stop and turned around. Thomas ducked right in behind him, just as he had done many times before. It was odd. Clay had been able to keep more distance from this beast than he had the others. Derek frowned. The new monster broke through the treeline and entered their hunting ground. As the boar rapidly approached the tank, a smirk appeared on his face. Derek had an idea of what was about to happen. The question was whether he should intervene and stop it from happening, or let it play out some. Either way, he would interfere before the kid died or got hurt too badly. And, just as Derek thought would happen, Clay dove to the side just before the boar hit him. If the boar kills Thomas, nobody would be able to say anything. Thomas¡¯s eyes went wide at Clay¡¯s actions. A yellow glow fell over his body almost instantly and he moved his spear up from his side to block while trying to dodge to the side. Unfortunately, he was too close to Clay when the teen dodged the rampaging boar. Derek was impressed by Thomas¡¯s quick thinking. Haste was a skill that the boy hadn¡¯t used in front of the others yet. It didn¡¯t save him from being hit, but allowed him to take a step and partially block the attack and avoid lethal damage. Thomas¡¯s spear swung in front of him, slightly parrying the tusks of the boar. That, combined with the step he took, caused the boar to miss hitting him center mass. Instead, only one tusk made contact. It tore into the side of Thomas¡¯s abdomen and came out of his back. His quick actions caused the boar to miss most of his vitals. It was possible that his kidney had been damaged, or maybe his spleen, but at least it missed his heart and liver. A health potion would be able to heal other organs, but the heart could have been an instant death. The boar raised its head and swung Thomas into the air. Thomas flew to the side before crashing to the ground. Derek, watching from the side, examined the boy with Identify. Afterwards, Derek smiled. The boy had ¡®injured¡¯ and ¡®bleeding¡¯ status effects, but he wasn¡¯t even in critical condition. That meant that he still had a good amount of health left. Plus, Thomas was already moving with a red vial in his hand. He rolled to the side, unstoppered the vial, and drained it all in one gulp. The results were visible as the dripping blood slowed to a stop. The bleeding status was removed and soon his injured status would be too. Luckily for Thomas, instead of chasing after him, the boar turned back to Clay. Clay was the one who initially provoked it, so he still held its attention. ¡°Damn it!¡± Clay cursed as he took a charge to his shield. He summoned his sword and raised his free hand. With a quick motion, he pulled it down and yelled, ¡°Take care of this!¡± The six hidden guards jumped out of their hiding places and charged forward. Clay had to hold the Horned Boar¡¯s attacks for an extra ten seconds, but the boar couldn¡¯t break through his defense. Soon, the first guard arrived and, with a slash of his sword, the boar was beheaded. Clay dismissed his shield and scowled at the guard. ¡°Took you long enough to get here.¡± He scoffed. Then he turned and walked over to Alicia, who was standing with a frown. ¡°Even with all that work¡­¡± He shook his head and sighed. ¡°Well, I guess it really doesn¡¯t matter.¡± At this time, Thomas had made his way back up to his feet. The health potion had done a great job healing him, but there was still a wound on his side. The potion couldn¡¯t completely heal him in such a short time. Thomas glared at the duo standing in front of the newly arrived guards. ¡°Why?¡± He asked. ¡°Why?¡± Alicia laughed. ¡°Why would someone of your status have something as precious as that?¡± She pointed at Thomas¡¯s hand. ¡°Who asked you to go around flaunting a storage ring? If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself.¡± Thomas¡¯s gaze grew colder. A single tear ran down the right side of his face, but he didn¡¯t whimper or and his voice didn¡¯t break. ¡°Just over something like this¡­¡± He raised his hand and fiddled with the ring with the other. ¡°Everything we did¡­ the weeks running missions and spending time with each other. All of it was just because you wanted to steal my ring!¡± Thomas yelled the last part before breaking into laughter. ¡°He¡­¡± Thomas¡¯s laughter continued. ¡°Was right.¡± He managed to say in between bouts of laughter. Finally, he calmed down. His eyes were red, and more tears seemed to have rolled down his face. ¡°I should have listened to him. He gave me so many warnings about you.¡± He glared at Alicia. Clay frowned and turned to Alicia. ¡°Who is he talking about?¡± He asked. Alicia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The only person he ever talked about was his friend with the pet bunny, even then only barely. I never met him, so I don¡¯t know why he would talk about me.¡± ¡°I guess there¡¯s no way for me to get out of this alive, then?¡± Thomas¡¯s voice broke the duo¡¯s discussion. As Derek was watching everything play out, he noticed one of the guards frown when he heard Alicia speak about the man with a pet bunny. It looks like someone may be able to connect the dots. He thought. Clay shook his head. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you have made it easy on us and been killed by the boar. If you would have died to the beast like you were supposed to, we would have been able to bring your body back and you could have had a proper burial. Now, you¡¯re just going to have to disappear.¡± Thomas resolved himself to his fate and withdrew a backup spear from his storage ring. It looked like he knew that he couldn¡¯t outrun the guards. He didn¡¯t plan on going down without a fight. Thomas lowered himself down into a combat stance and got ready. ¡°Guards!¡± Clay yelled. All but one of the guards withdrew their swords from their sheaths. Clay gave the single guard an odd look. ¡°Bradley!¡± He called to the guard. ¡°Y-young master.¡± The guard spoke. This was the guard that seemed to have put together Derek¡¯s identity. ¡°Maybe we should stop.¡± Clay scoffed. ¡°Stop? Why should we stop?¡± Instead of answering Clay, the guard, Bradley, directed his next words towards Thomas. ¡°Your friend. The one who gave you the warnings. Is his name, perhaps¡­ Derek Hunt?¡± Thomas twitched when Derek¡¯s name was mentioned. It was more than enough for everybody there to see that the boy recognized the name. Seeing the boy¡¯s reactions, the guard spoke again. ¡°Young master. You mustn¡¯t do anything rash. If this boy truly knows Mr. Hunt¡­¡± He stopped. ¡°The master¡­ he has been trying to establish relations with the man¡­¡± Clay furrowed his brows. ¡°Even if that is so, the damage is already done. And that¡¯s IF he actually knows this man you¡¯re talking about. All the more reason to make this kid disappear.¡± Clay smiled and asked Thomas, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell anybody what you were doing today, did you?¡± Thomas didn¡¯t reply, but that was enough to know that he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Good¡­ Guards! Kill him!¡± Clay commanded. Before anyone could move, a loud clapping sound rang out from the edge of the treeline. Derek had jumped down from his perch and began his approach. Everyone¡¯s gazes shifted to him as he stepped out of the forest. Thomas shuttered and let out a long breath. Derek smiled and looked at the boy. ¡°You fought well today. At least you¡¯ve been keeping up with your training.¡± SunriseCV Chapter 107: Mr. Hunt Chapter 107: Mr. Hunt Derek put his hand on Thomas¡¯s head and gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°You really did fight well today. I was here for all of it. You showed a great understanding of the spear, and a good amount of wariness towards others¡­ at least until you got comfortable. But I can¡¯t blame you for that, as I was even beginning to think they weren¡¯t going to make a move.¡± He glanced over at Clay and the guards. Thomas ducked his head and whispered in a low tone only Derek could hear. ¡°I should have listened to you about her.¡± Derek laughed and patted the poor kid on the back. ¡°You should have.¡± He agreed. ¡°But you¡¯re a young man and she¡¯s a pretty girl who bat her eyelashes at you. You know, hormones and such¡­ I was probably expecting too much from you, anyway.¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Clay cleared his throat to try to get everyone¡¯s attention. Derek didn¡¯t even bother to look at the noble. He continued talking with Thomas. ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you use your skill so well. Have you been practicing with them?¡± Thomas nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He said. ¡°I may need to borrow some more gold soon. I¡¯ve been renting out one of the training rooms at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Money is meant to be spent. It does nothing sitting in your ring gathering dust. It¡¯s not like we can earn interest in this place.¡± Derek answered. Actually, is there a bank somewhere? I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve never asked anyone that. He looked at his storage bracelet. I guess basic economics gets thrown out the window when you can store all your wealth on your person¡­ ¡°Hey!¡± An annoyed shout came from the noble. ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are?¡± He yelled again. Again, Derek ignored the teen. ¡°And, saving your Haste skill until you needed it at the end¡­ well done. I don¡¯t know if you didn¡¯t use it before because you didn¡¯t need it, or if you were actually saving it¡­ either way, well done.¡± Thomas smiled. ¡°You always need a trump card.¡± Derek laughed out loud. ¡°I don¡¯t remember teaching you that, but it¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± ¡°Mr. Jaccobs told me that when I rented one of the training rooms. He seemed to know that I was with you, so he treated me well.¡± Thomas answered. Derek frowned. ¡°Mr. Jaccobs?¡± ¡°The manager of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°Oh! Francesco.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°He seemed decent enough.¡± Derek said. At least after I took the Gold test. He said to himself. I wonder what my trump card would be. Is it calling an uncontrollable murder beast from the void? Is it having a murder bunny? Maybe it¡¯s just Multi-Strike. Derek secretly glanced over at the noble and his guards. Damn, his face is almost as red as Stella¡¯s hair. He inwardly laughed, but kept ignoring them on the surface. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about how you fought later. Did you get a lot of experience today?¡± He asked Thomas. He already knew the answer because of Identify, but he asked anyway. Thomas nodded. ¡°The experience was shared, but I still gained three levels.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Make sure to spend the points wisely. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve realized where you¡¯re lacking.¡± Thomas nodded and started to speak, but was cut off. ¡°OH! MY! GOD!¡± The noble yelled. ¡°Guards!¡± He lasted longer than I thought he would. Derek praised. Most noble brats would have probably exploded after I ignored them the first time. ¡°I¡¯m tired of this.¡± Clay said, reigning in his anger. ¡°Kill them.¡± He commanded. ¡°Stop!¡± The guard called Bradley said to the others. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°What are you doing, Bradley? You¡¯re here to follow my orders, not give them.¡± Clay reprimanded. The guard sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young master. That¡¯s not entirely true. I was tasked by the master to keep you safe, and right now, that is what I am doing.¡± Derek finally turned to the group. He eyed Bradley. ¡°Bradley, was it?¡± He asked. The guard nodded gravely. ¡°Yes, Mr. Hunt.¡± Derek flashed the man a vicious smile. ¡°What makes you think that there is any way for you to keep him safe now that I¡¯m here?¡± The man gulped and visibly shook, though not in anger. ¡°Sir¡­ Mr. Hunt. Please forgive my young master. He did not know who he was offending.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re saying that if it weren¡¯t for me, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he dragged another commoner out to the middle of nowhere and murdered him for a storage ring?¡± Derek asked. ¡°N-no sir¡­ That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± Bradley tried to answer. ¡°Inexcusable!¡± Derek yelled, releasing some of his strength along with his voice. Void raced through his body and veins, causing his eyes to become solid purple and his messy hair to rise with energy. Now, even those who did not know who Derek was were trembling. Alicia had it the worst. She had fallen to her knees with tears rolling down her face. ¡°Now!¡± Derek shouted. ¡°Let me tell you all something.¡± Derek was sure that Bradley had just been being cautious before, as nobody in Torith, other than Walter and maybe Stella, really had an idea of how powerful he was. The City Lord may have heard about his test from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and he was sure rumors of him having a Crown Membership had spread, which was why the guard was being cautious, but that was it. ¡°I have a pet, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about it.¡± Derek said. Bradley slowly nodded. ¡°That pet could wipe out your entire little group in seconds¡­¡± Derek waited to let that sink in. ¡°Now¡­ What do you think I can do to you?¡± He channeled some lightning from Chained Lightning through his fingertips and held his hand up. ¡°Do you want to find out?¡± At that, Clay stumbled backwards, and the guard took two clumsy steps back. Alicia was already out of it, her eyes looking dead from fright. It wouldn¡¯t be odd if she lost consciousness at any point now. Derek looked out of the corner of his eye and could see Thomas staring at the girl. He could tell that the boy was uncomfortable with the girl suffering, even after everything she had done to him. However, Thomas didn¡¯t say anything, and left them all to their fate. Derek finally released the void and stopped casting his spell, allowing the noble and his guards to finally catch their breath. Derek smiled, still talking with Bradley because the guard was the one actually in charge. ¡°So, here¡¯s the thing.¡± Derek said. The guard had calmed down and was now nothing but ears. ¡°When I heard about your little... rendezvous in the forest, I was chatting with a friend.¡± ¡°Now, that friend asked me to not kill anybody important today, and after some hesitation, I agreed. So, I¡¯m going to have to let this little noble go today, and you can thank Alanah for that, because if it wasn¡¯t for her¡­ Let¡¯s just say that only Thomas and myself would make it back to the city.¡± Derek explained. ¡°T-thank you, Mr. Hunt.¡± Bradley stammered out and bowed. ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t thank me, thank her.¡± Derek replied. He then put his hand on his chin as if in thought. ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess the noble runt is considered important and maybe you are¡­¡± He said to Bradley. ¡°That¡¯s al,l though. I don¡¯t think she would mind if I only let the two of you leave. What do you think?¡± Everyone lost what little color they had regained with that declaration. Derek chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. I¡¯m actually in a pretty good mood after watching this little guy fight today.¡± He pointed at Thomas. ¡°You can all go.¡± Derek waited, but everyone just stood in silence. Irritated, he clapped his hands. ¡°Chop, chop!¡± That did the job. The guards gathered up the noble teen and began to return back the way they came. Bradley directed them, glancing in fear at Derek occasionally. Derek noticed that the group only focused on the noble and completely ignored Alicia. ¡°Hey!¡± He shouted. The squad of soldiers stopped, not daring to move. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the little harpy.¡± He pointed at the crestfallen Alicia. Bradley whispered something to one of his nearby guards. That guard rushed over to Alicia and quickly scooped her up before retreating back to the rest of the squad. The lead guard stepped forward and bowed again. ¡°Mr. Hunt. If that is all, we will be taking our leave. Thank you for your generosity.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Derek said. ¡°When you get back, let Malcolm know that I¡¯ll finally be paying him a visit. No need to send me any more invitations. He¡¯s got my attention now.¡± The guard¡¯s eye twitched at Derek¡¯s use of the City Lord¡¯s first name, but he only bowed deeper. ¡°I will be sure to let the City Lord know.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Be sure to do so. You¡¯re dismissed.¡± He swung his hand in dismissal. ¡°Move out!¡± Bradley commanded. Derek and Thomas stood in the clearing, watching as the group got smaller and smaller as they distanced themselves from the duo. Derek looked over at Thomas, who was frowning. ¡°Do you not approve of the way I handled that?¡± Thomas shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I was just wondering how many other people they have killed and stolen from, and how soon before they do it again.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I know. Hopefully, I scared them straight¡­¡± He said, then sighed. ¡°But most likely, they will only become even more cautious. Though, I doubt that girl will be up for it anytime soon.¡± Thomas flinched at the mention of Alicia. ¡°Oh well, I plan on dropping by the City Lord¡¯s place soon. Maybe the man will give me a reason to perform a demonstration.¡± Derek pat Thomas on the back. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. For some reason, I¡¯m craving pork.¡± Chapter 108: City Lord Chapter 108: City Lord Bradley and the other guards rushed back to the city. When they arrived, he tasked one of his men to deliver Alicia to her home while he and the remaining guards hurried back to the City Lord¡¯s manor, along with Clay. Bradley was filled with anxiety after meeting the purple-eyed man. He didn¡¯t know how he was going to explain everything to Lord Torith. The higher ranked and the Lord¡¯s personal guards all knew about the mysterious Derek Hunt, and there were standing orders not to offend the man until the City Lord learned more about him. The City Lord hadn¡¯t placed Derek Hunt high on his list of priorities, which is why not many of the other guards knew about him. Of course, rumors had spread about a man obtaining a Crown Membership, but not much more than that. Only the more influential in the city knew of the man¡¯s name and accurate description. Hopefully, the lord would take pity on him and his men, as he was able to at least save the young master¡¯s life. He was also able to obtain some information about the other man¡¯s power. He didn¡¯t have a clue on how to describe it other than, ¡®more terrifying than any person he¡¯s ever met.¡¯ But, before he could completely collect his thoughts, Bradley was standing before the doors to the manor¡¯s Great Hall, waiting to be seen by the City Lord. Soon, the doors opened and Bradley was greeted by Captain Herrett, the Captain of the guards and leader of the City Lord¡¯s personal guard. The man was actually from the Capital and assigned to guard the City Lord by the Lord¡¯s father. Bradley had told Clay that he was under orders from the City Lord to protect him, but his orders had actually come down from Captain Herrett. ¡°Bradley? What is it? What is so urgent that you need to speak directly with the City Lord and are unable to write a proper report?¡± Captain Herrett questioned. ¡°Captain¡­ Sir. Young Master Clay had a run in with Derek Hunt today and was lucky to have gotten out alive.¡± Bradley replied. The Captain furrowed his brow. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He motioned for Bradley to follow and led him through the Great Hall towards a man sitting on a seat higher than all the others. The Great Hall looked like a mini Throne Room. It wasn¡¯t Bradley¡¯s first time being in it, but it was still a sight to behold. The Great Hall doubled as a dining area for celebrations and such. As of right now, the hall was empty, apart from the single seat that the City Lord occupied. But, during celebrations and when their were guests, servants would bring tables and decorations to accommodate the party. Captain Herrett and Bradley approached the man in the high seat flanked by guards on either side. He looked nearly identical to Clay, but kept his golden hair trimmed and neat. With a goblet in his hand, resting on the arm of the chair, and his laid-back manner, he gave off a regal air. He seemed to be only in his early 20s, but Bradley knew that was because of his high Vitality stat that he obtained when he was younger. Clay had followed his father¡¯s example in that regard. The easiest way to invest in Vitality without squandering your stat points is to have a defensive class. Of course, that way of leveling was painful, but it was a price one would have to pay to appear younger. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The City Lord said. ¡°You are¡­ Bradley, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord. It is an honor that you remember my name.¡± Bradley replied. ¡°Of course.¡± The Lord laughed. ¡°Herrett picked you out of the bunch of rabble to protect my son. How could I forget.¡± ¡°It is my honor to have received such a task.¡± ¡°Now, why are you here? I hope it¡¯s for something important.¡± The Lord said with squinted eyes. ¡°Y-yes, Lord. It is about that task, and the man, Derek Hunt.¡± Malcolm Torith frowned at that. ¡°What do you mean? What do the two of them have to do with one another?¡± Here it goes¡­ Bradley thought. ¡°Sir, normally they would have nothing to do with one another. But today I was guarding the Young Master out in the noble hunting grounds. He brought along that merchant girl Alicia, and a commoner boy. The Young Master planned on¡­¡± He stopped. How am I supposed to say that the Young Master planned on robbing and killing a young teenager? The City Lord appeared irritated at his hesitation. ¡°Spit it out, Bradley.¡± ¡°Y-yes, Lord.¡± He replied. ¡°The Young Master planned on¡­ taking the commoner boy¡¯s possessions.¡± Bradley gulped, waiting for the Lord¡¯s reply. ¡°And?¡± The City Lord said. Bradley spaced out for a moment. Does he not care that the Young Master was stealing from a commoner? He shook that thought out of his head. ¡°Y-yes¡­ um¡­¡± He hesitated again, but forced himself to continue. ¡°When the Young Master finally struck, the boy showed remarkable ability to dodge and move, avoiding any fatal blows. He then healed himself with a potion. ¡°That was when the Young Master called for myself and the other guards. We finished off the monster he was fighting and prepared to¡­ take care of the commoner. When he gave the order, Derek Hunt came out of the forest¡­ clapping.¡± Bradley said. At this point, both the Captain and the City Lord were frowning. ¡°Why was that man there?¡± Lord Torith asked. ¡°Sir, apparently, he knows the boy. They acted almost like master and disciple. Mr. Hunt talked to the boy about the fight when he appeared. They continued on, casually, like the rest of us weren¡¯t even there. Finally, the Younger Master was unable to take it anymore, and called for both of their deaths.¡± The guard recounted. The Captain winced and the City Lord¡¯s frown deepened at that. ¡°What happened next?¡± Captain Herret commanded. ¡°C-captain¡­ My Lord¡­ I¡¯ve never¡­ I¡¯ve never¡­¡± Bradley began shaking uncontrollably. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt such power. One word from the man and it was all I could do to stay on my feet. The Young Master may be in shock still, and the merchant girl ended up unconscious on the way back.¡± ¡°But he let you go?¡± The Lord asked. ¡°Yes, he said that we would have all been dead if it wasn¡¯t for someone called Alanah. He said that she had asked him not to kill anybody important today, so he didn¡¯t. He said that if I wanted to thank anybody, to thank her.¡± Bradley replied. ¡°Alanah? Alanah Swan?¡± The City Lord nearly jumped out of his seat. ¡°Do you know who that is?¡± ¡°N-no, sir.¡± ¡°She is the owner of The Crown Restaurants. All of them!¡± The Lord nearly yelled. Bradley was just transitioning to one of the more important guards. The inner workings of the Crown Restaurant was so high above him, that he had never worried about learning anything more about them. All he knew was that he couldn¡¯t dine there, and that he should never make a scene or allow the Young Master to make a scene there. Bradley couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He had only done a small amount of research on Derek Hunt when he heard Captain Herrett talking about him and sending messengers to him. All he knew was that he had a pet bunny, and he had somehow received a Crown Membership card. It wasn¡¯t his job to investigate the man, so he left it at that. The City Lord sighed. ¡°So, he left you all alive, and the only reason he did so was because the owner of the Crown asked him not to kill my son.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Other than the power you felt, is there anything else you can tell me about him?¡± ¡°When he got angry, the purple in his eyes expanded to cover all of his whites. It was like how when someone with powerful fire affinity channels their ability through their body and their iris¡¯s turn red. I¡¯ve never seen anyone with purple before, and definitely not encompassing the whole eye. He also channeled lightning through his hands, I¡¯m sure of it. It was blue, instead of purple.¡± Bradley replied. ¡°A purple element¡­¡± The City Lord mumbled to himself. He turned and looked at Captain Herrett. ¡°Herrett, have you ever heard of anyone having a purple elemental affinity before?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard legends, sir. That is all.¡± Herrett answered. ¡°An extremely high affinity with lightning may get darker blue, enough to be mistaken as purple. Other than that, maybe gravity or a dark ability.¡± Herrett looked at Bradley. ¡°Are you sure that it was purple and not black?¡± Bradley nodded. ¡°It was definitely purple. You can ask the Young Master and the other guards.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, we¡¯ll table it for now, is there anything else?¡± Lord Torith asked. ¡°Y-yes, Lord.¡± Bradley gulped. ¡°H-he¡­ Mr. Hunt said that he would be paying the City Lord a visit soon and that there was no need to send him any more invitations. He said that you¡­ have his attention now.¡± The City Lord¡¯s face turned slightly red and he grit his teeth. A crashing sound came from the floor as his goblet laid crumpled on the ground, wine spilling out of it. ¡°He said that, did he?¡± He asked, rhetorically. ¡°No¡­ Bradley.¡± The City Lord said. ¡°Why is it that you did not know that this kid was related to that man. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the man arrived with a bunny and teenage boy with dirty blonde hair in tow. Did you not do any research on my son¡¯s target before you let him attack!¡± He screamed at the end of the sentence. ¡°S-sir. T-that is not it. W-we¡­ I had guards trailing the boy for over a week now. The boy never made contact with that man while we were trailing him. Other than practicing in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and doing small tasks with the merchant girl, he stayed in the inn.¡± Bradley quickly answered. ¡°Is that so?¡± The Lord said. ¡°Still, it is your fault that you did not investigate thoroughly?¡± Bradley bowed his head. ¡°Y-yes sir.¡± ¡°Starting today, you are stripped of your rank. You will go back with the rest of the rabble, where you belong. You¡¯re lucky that I don¡¯t just kill you now and be done with it.¡± The City Lord said. ¡°Herrett, see to it that my orders are followed¡­ and get my son a new personal guard. Dismissed.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Herrett nodded and took a hold of Bradley¡¯s arm, leading him back out of the hall. ¡°Derek Hunt¡­ we¡¯ll see¡­ we¡¯ll see.¡± Bradley heard the City Lord mutter just before the doors closed behind him. Chapter 109: Heart to Heart Chapter 109: Heart to Heart Thomas and Derek made their way back to the city. Derek needed to think about his plan of action for the upcoming days. He hadn¡¯t planned on meeting the City Lord, but after today¡¯s activity, he couldn¡¯t ignore him anymore. Well, he could, but he no longer wanted to. Derek hated to take Silvi away from her cooking lessons. She was having such a good time and learning so much. According to Stella, the bunny was making outstanding progress. But their time in Torith was almost up. Maybe he could talk with Alanah and get Silvi a spot at the Savannah Crown. It may be a tougher sell because of the differences in city size, but he was sure Alanah would at least consider it. He also had to pick Brandi and Malorie up before heading off to the nearest city with a teleport circle. Either the girl would be super excited at the prospect of going to a big city, or she would be sad that she would have to spend time away from crafting. Derek wasn¡¯t sure which. The duo arrived at the city just before dark. They split up at the commoner district and went to their respective inns. Derek made sure to stress that Thomas needed to be vigilant, just in case. He was sure that the City Lord wouldn¡¯t do anything, but it never hurt to be cautious, especially because he didn¡¯t know how Clay would react. When Derek got back to his room, he decided to let Silvi know about his plans. ¡®You busy?¡¯ He asked. ¡®No. Just watching.¡¯ Her reply came through instantly. ¡®Good. I just wanted to let you know that we¡¯re only going to stay here for another week, two at the most.¡¯ ¡®Nooo.¡¯ She chimed. ¡®I need to cook more. So much more to learn.¡¯ ¡®I know, but we can¡¯t stay here much longer. We¡¯ve got a soon to be angry, if he already isn¡¯t, City Lord, and I have things I need to do at a big city. I¡¯ll talk to Alanah and see if we can set something up for you once we get to Savannah.¡¯ He explained. There was a long pause after that. ¡®Okay.¡¯ Was her only reply. ¡®Hey. We¡¯ll be traveling for a while because we have to take others with us, so I¡¯m looking forward to seeing some of your cooking skills on the road.¡¯ He tried to cheer her up. It worked. ¡®I¡¯ll show you. It will be so tasty.¡¯ ¡®Mhm. I¡¯ll make sure to buy a bunch of different ingredients before we leave. Goodnight. I¡¯ll talk to you sometime later.¡¯ Silvi didn¡¯t reply. Her communication skills were much better after spending so much time with the cooks, but she still wasn¡¯t good at ending a conversation. Derek smiled and laid back on his bed. He decided that he might as well sleep for the night. *** Derek decided to wait a couple of days before visiting the City Lord. The next day, he went to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild with Thomas for some sparring. Through that, he was able to see the boy¡¯s progression better than when he was fighting the Horned Boars. All of the boars attacked the same, so once Thomas had gotten comfortable and used to their attack patterns, he didn¡¯t have to show anymore skill. That was also what led him to being able to escape the final boar''s attack without Derek having to interfere. After the sparring session, Derek was even more impressed. The boy fought like the spear was an extension of his own body. He may have as much talent in using the spear as Clare had using her fists and knuckles. Derek came to a conclusion, the boy would do well at the academy, especially after experiencing the harsh reality of being manipulated. But first, he needed to discuss it with Thomas. Currently, the two were sitting with their backs against a wall in the training room. Derek could see the appeal of the training rooms. The room was soundproof, and the staff was forbidden from entering without warning. This was done with a one-way crystal that glowed blue when the staff needed to enter or talk, and glowed red and sounded an alarm when time was up in the room. Thomas was still out of breath after the spar. He had poured some water over his head and was currently taking a sip. Derek, however, looked completely normal. It didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d been fighting at all. ¡°So.¡± Derek suddenly spoke, getting Thomas¡¯s attention. ¡°Have you ever heard of the Kingdom¡¯s Academy?¡± He asked. Thomas, still breathing hard, nodded his head. ¡°Only a little.¡± ¡°What do you know about it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Just that some men and women of the kingdom go there to train¡­ and that when they graduate, they become some of the kingdom¡¯s elites.¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Have you ever heard about the requirements to get in?¡± Thomas shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Would you want to go to it, if you could get admission?¡± He finally asked. Thomas paused, staring at Derek with a frown, then chuckled. ¡°I doubt I could ever pass whatever tests are required for admission.¡± ¡°But, would you want to go¡­ if you could?¡± Derek asked again. Thomas went silent again. ¡°Do you think I could pass?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Easily. From what I gathered, all you would need to do is have a rare class and be at level 50 before you turn 16 years old. You may have thought that level 50 was a pipe dream a few months ago, but what do you think now?¡± Thomas opened his eyes wide. ¡°That¡­ if I could find a group, I could run level 40 or 50 dungeons. It would be easy to be level 50 before turning 16¡­¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Exactly. Or, I could even take you to a level 100 dungeon and get you there in one swoop. But, it would be better for you, experience wise, to not rely on me for the level gains. I still think you could be admitted to the Academy before you turn 14, either way. It may be better to get in when you are young, too.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Derek said. ¡°We could also go out and find some areas with monsters, like the one you were at yesterday, and you could gain experience while I watched over and made sure you stayed relatively safe.¡± ¡°Relatively safe¡­¡± Thomas shuddered. ¡°Just like when I was in the insect dungeon.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Derek said, knowing that the boy was thinking about the injuries he had gotten in that dungeon. ¡°The only bad part about that would be you missing some opportunities at dungeon rewards. Though, that would only be if we could find dungeons at that level that would give good rewards.¡± Thomas nodded. ¡°I think the¡­ third option would be the best.¡± He said. Derek was surprised. He thought Thomas would do anything to avoid the possibility of getting injured like he had before. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± He asked. Thomas let out a breath. ¡°Because I think that¡¯s the best way for me to improve. It¡¯s the only way where I have to rely only on myself. Even if you are there to keep me alive, I still know that the pain I will experience if I make a mistake will be real.¡± He sighed. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not sure if I want to have to rely on anyone other than myself or you for the time being.¡± Derek felt for the boy. After experiencing what he did, Thomas would be extremely hesitant and very cautious around others for some time. Derek had never had that problem before, as he preferred fighting alone to begin with. It could be lonely, but Derek still thought that it was the best option for improving growth. ¡°I see.¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll ask around and find a good area once we get to Savannah. I heard there are a few good dungeons around there, too. You can tag along while I clear them so we can double up on the rewards.¡± Derek said. Thomas just nodded. ¡°So, what do you think about joining the Academy?¡± Derek asked again. ¡°I think I would like to give it a try.¡± Thomas answered. ¡°I never thought I could be considered one of the kingdom¡¯s elites. If nothing else, it would make my grandparents proud and help me give them, or any children I may have a better life in the future.¡± Derek smiled. Surprised at the boys'' thinking. ¡°I think so too.¡± He said. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it with your grandparents when we go to the village to pick up the girl. When you enter the Academy, I will no longer be able to protect you. But I think your recent experiences will definitely help you protect yourself.¡± Thomas winced when Derek said ¡®recent experiences.¡¯ ¡°That they will.¡± He said. Derek stood, brushing off his back and pants in the process. ¡°Get up. It¡¯s time for round 2.¡± Chapter 110: King? Chapter 110: King? Two days later, Derek was walking through the commoner district on his way to pay the City Lord a visit. He had let Alanah know what was happening and that he still planned on keeping his promise from before. He couldn¡¯t promise that he would be too civil, but he would do his best not to kill anybody. In reality, it all depended on how the City Lord and his people acted. He preferred it this way as well. A little intimidation could go a long way. He was still a bit wary about making a mortal enemy out of one of the King¡¯s advisors, even with the knowledge that Alanah could deal with the situation if he did. Right now, he considered his relationship with Alanah to be even. Actually, considering how valuable she thought the information he gave her was, she may still feel like she owed him. Either way, Derek didn¡¯t want to put any unnecessary burdens on her shoulders. As Derek hadn¡¯t done anything to hide in the past few days, it didn¡¯t take long for the City Lord¡¯s men to find where he was staying and keep watch of his activities. When he left the inn and began his slow trek towards the noble district, he didn¡¯t fail to notice the eyes that were on him. Some ran ahead, obviously to inform someone that he was heading deeper into the city. The same thing happened the previous day, but Derek ended up stopping at the Crown for lunch and to check in on Silvi before he went back to the inn. He was sure that the second he entered the noble district, the City Lord and his people made preparations to ¡®welcome¡¯ him. He laughed as he thought about the City Lord¡¯s face when Derek turned around and went back. Today, however, would not be like yesterday. Today, he would see how the man prepared to greet him. Before long, Derek was standing before the gate to the City Lord¡¯s manor. The central house in front of him put Walter¡¯s house to shame. The ¡®manor¡¯ looked more like a castle. Derek was in a good mood today. I think I¡¯m going to go with eccentric Derek today. It¡¯s more fun than dark and broody Derek or angry Derek... ¡°Welcome, Mr. Hunt.¡± A gate guard greeted. ¡°The City Lord has been expecting you. Please, follow me.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t wait. I wonder why he didn¡¯t invite me sooner.¡± The guard heard him, but did not say anything. As they made their way up to the manor, Derek took in his surroundings. Other than what may have been guest manors and courtyards, there wasn¡¯t much else out of the normal. The one thing that did happen to catch his attention was the training grounds in the distance. Obviously, the guards that were training were not cream of the crop. They must be new recruits. Derek thought. One guard, however, seemed familiar. Derek watched as the man picked up a discarded piece of gear and placed it back on a rack. The man then went to a bench and began cleaning a sword with a rag. It took Derek a moment to place the man before he realized who it was. His name was¡­ Bradley¡­ I think. Why is he off doing grunt work? He was literally the only competent guard that the brat had with him. Derek shrugged and put the man out of his mind. It did not concern him. ¡°Wow, those guards could probably battle an entire company, no¡­ two companies¡­ no, an entire battalion of squirrels if they fought under the right conditions.¡± Derek muttered in surprise. A smug smile began to form on his escort¡¯s face as Derek spoke, but his face soon turned ugly and his eyelid twitched when Derek mentioned the squirrels. ¡°What, don¡¯t underestimate a battalion of squirrels. That¡¯s how you lose your nuts.¡± Derek casually mentioned. Soon, the guard led Derek into the manor. As Derek looked around, he could only come to the conclusion that for some reason, probably him, the manor was oddly empty. There were no servants running around, no butlers greeting him, and no guards stationed anywhere. Derek couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, causing the guard in front of him to tense. ¡°Calm down.¡± Derek said. ¡°I was just thinking about the welcome they have prepared for me. Come on, let¡¯s go see. Aren¡¯t you excited, too?¡± The guard continued leading Derek. Eventually, they arrived at a giant double door with two guards standing in front. Both guards were unidentifiable to Derek, but that didn¡¯t mean anything. ¡°Phew....¡± Derek mocked wiping his forehead off with the back of his hand. ¡°For a second there, I thought this was going to be a haunted house. I was just waiting for all the ghosts to appear and attack. You don¡¯t know how happy I am to see others.¡± The three guards didn¡¯t know what to say. They could only stare at Derek in confusion. ¡°Well, come on.¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m sure your master is waiting on pins and needles for me. We wouldn¡¯t want to be rude and keep him waiting, would we?¡± ¡°No¡­ Sir¡­¡± Derek¡¯s escort said, then nodded to the other two guards. Both guards reached out and pushed their respective door, causing a loud creek to sound as the doors slowly swung open. Derek winced. ¡°You really need to lube up those hinges¡­ Hey, you.¡± Derek pointed at one of the guards that opened the door. ¡°Do you have a Grease Mage or anything? One could work miracles here.¡± The guards stared at Derek, not uttering a word. Derek clicked his tongue and looked ahead of him at the long room packed full of people. He smiled before he walked in. Files of guards stood on both sides of the room. An overly colorful long carpet ran through the center of the room up towards a dais which held an exquisite chair that one could mistake for an actual throne. A man that was the spitting image of the young noble that Derek had let live occupied the chair. On the man¡¯s left was another, much less decorated seat that was occupied by the young noble. And standing on the man¡¯s right side was a clean shaven, middle-aged man with short brown hair and a scar running down his left cheek. All of the guards were wearing their standard leathers, but the man standing on the dais was different. A dark grey, studded leather armor covered the black tunic on the man¡¯s torso, down past his waist. He wore matching bracers and gloves, with his black breeches tucked neatly into his dark grey boots. A shortsword was sheathed on his left hip. He¡¯s definitely the strongest person in the room. Derek could already tell that the man was a veteran fighter. He gave off a much fiercer vibe than the City Lord or any of the other guards. Derek had used his Identify skill on everyone in the room. Most of the guards were under level 100 and identifiable, with a few exceptions. Of course, he was unable to Identify either the City Lord or the man with the scar, but that was to be expected. He was also sure that with his skill level, and the Award he had received, nobody would be able to successfully use the skill on him. Derek walked forward, swinging his head around in mock awe of the room¡¯s decorations. When he was halfway to the dais, he let out an impressed whistle. ¡°Wow! If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think this was a throne room.¡± He said loud enough for everybody in the room to hear. ¡°Is that it?¡± He looked directly into the City Lord¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you think yourself a King?¡± Derek gasped and covered his mouth to hide his shock. ¡°That must be it! You¡¯re not the City Lord, you¡¯re the King in disguise!¡± ¡°Everyone!¡± Derek hurriedly motioned everyone down. ¡°Hurry, bow to his highness.¡± He turned back to see the now red face of the City Lord before giving an exaggerated bow of his own. ¡°Blasphemy!¡± The City Lord rushed to his feet. ¡°How dare you¡­ you¡­¡± The man muttered. Derek cocked his head to the side, as if confused. ¡°Are you not the King?¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°No¡­ Only the King would have enough gall to create a throne room inside a mini castle. Surely you are the King and this is just your¡­ vacation home.¡± While the City Lord was clearly fuming and everyone else in the room was flabbergasted, Derek noticed that the scar-faced man was standing calm, as if nothing was of his concern. That man may be tricky. Derek thought to himself. ¡°I¡­ I am the City Lord!¡± The red-faced man half screamed. ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± Derek clicked his tongue. ¡°Causing all of this confusion.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I think you owe everybody here an apology.¡± The City Lord just stared at Derek, not speaking. Before long, he fell back into his chair and let out an exasperated sigh. If Derek hadn¡¯t been paying close attention, he would have missed the slight tug at the corner of the warrior¡¯s lips, but he was paying attention. Oh? It looks like that man is finding this whole situation entertaining. ¡°Anyway, if you aren¡¯t the King, then you must be Malcolm. I¡¯ve heard a lot¡­ no¡­ I¡¯ve heard a little about you.¡± Derek said, trying to bring the City Lord back from whatever reality he had retreated to. ¡°My name is Derek, but you can call me Mr. Hunt¡­ or Sir¡­ or Lord, if you want. I would prefer Mr. Hunt, but really, it¡¯s your choice.¡± Chapter 111: Confrontation Chapter 111: Confrontation Derek waited for the flustered City Lord to reply. After a couple of minutes of silence, he decided to continue. ¡°I guess it really doesn¡¯t even matter.¡± His eyes shifted to the guard next to the City Lord. ¡°Well, while he is broken, we might as well have a little chat. I¡¯m Derek.¡± The guard narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Captain of the City Lord¡¯s guards, Herrett.¡± He replied. Derek smiled. ¡°Well now, we both know that you are much more than just a Guard Captain. What is someone like you doing watching over a couple of lordlings? I¡¯m sure this ¡®job¡¯ is far beneath you, don¡¯t you think?¡± Captain Herrett¡¯s face grew even more serious. His eyes glanced at the silent Malcolm. ¡°I do what my Lord needs of me.¡± ¡°Ah! So that¡¯s it.¡± Derek exclaimed. ¡°And who might this lord be? No¡­ wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me. It¡¯s this¡­¡± Derek motioned to the City Lord. ¡°It¡¯s his father, right? Of course it is. Why else would someone like you be here? So¡­¡± Derek leaned in. ¡°Is it blackmail? Did he trick you into an oath? Oh, did he save your life on the battlefield and because of honor, you have decided to dedicate your life to protect him and his family?¡± The man stayed stone silent. ¡°Oh, god. It¡¯s not money, is it? Please don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of something so small¡­¡± Derek said, and watched the man¡¯s reaction. Still nothing¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what. How about I give you 1,000 gold a month and you can come work for me? Someone like yourself, I¡¯m sure deserves at least that much.¡± Derek heard the clamor of the guards behind him when he mentioned 1,000 gold. It even caused the man¡¯s eyelid to twitch. So, he definitely doesn¡¯t get paid as much as what he should, if at all. ¡°Are you trying to recruit my Guard Captain?¡± The City Lord finally collected himself and managed to speak. Derek¡¯s attention moved back to the City Lord. He cocked his head sideways. ¡°Who were you again?¡± The City Lord opened and closed his mouth multiple times before closing it shut and not saying anything. While the City Lord was trying to figure out what to do, Derek took a quick glance at his son, sitting in the chair next to him. Clay flinched when Derek¡¯s eyes landed on him. At least I don¡¯t have to worry about the kid interrupting me. I bet he¡¯s still shook up from the other day. He thought, then looked back at Malcolm, who was still silent. Derek nodded at him before turning back to Herrett. ¡°So, what do you say?¡± Herrett¡¯s face stayed serious, but he shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, I am not bound by money.¡± Derek nodded, not pushing it any further. It¡¯s either loyalty or blackmail, or maybe an oath caused from loyalty. I¡¯m not sure how oaths work under duress. ¡°It¡¯s my loss, then. Hopefully, this fool of a noble doesn¡¯t do anything bad enough to get you dead. Though, if not for Alanah, we would be having a very different conversation.¡± Malcolm gulped, and Captain Herrett nodded gravely at the mention of Alanah. Derek knew that Herrett had been sizing him up and was still unsure if he could win against Derek in a fight. Because of that, the Guard Captain had been serious and respectful, even with the way Derek had been acting. At least he doesn¡¯t seem like the scheming type. Knowing he wasn¡¯t going to get much more out of the silent guard, he moved his focus back to the City Lord. ¡°Earth to¡­ err¡­ Cydaria to Malcolm, is anybody home?¡± ¡°What?¡± The City Lord snapped. ¡°Woah there, no need to get so testy. You¡¯re just in some mood today, aren¡¯t you? Well, I would be too if I had a scumbag son like the one you have.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my son that way.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m here? For us to talk about your son and what he did.¡± Derek said. The City Lord, finally back to his old demeanor, scoffed. ¡°So what if he tricked a lowly commoner, no¡­ not even a commoner. It was a lowly villager, wasn¡¯t it? They aren¡¯t even worth as much as a peasant beggar in the lower district.¡± ¡°Wow, just wow. You are not going to make it easy for me to keep my promise to Alanah, are you?¡± Derek quickly glanced at Herrett, who still hadn¡¯t moved. Derek¡¯s aloof smile he had been wearing ever since entering the manor disappeared. Because the people in the hall were much stronger than those he intimidated out in the forest, instead of channeling only a little of the void through his system, Derek opened the floodgates and let it explode throughout his body. He had never done this before. When he was using the void, it was always through a controlled channeling, except for when he used Void Call, which could not be controlled. This time, he made no attempt at controlling the energy. If he was going to get his point across, he couldn¡¯t hold back. The void energy rushed through his body from head to toe. A visible purple hue fell over his skin, and both eyes changed to match. Derek could not only feel the void radiating through himself but also a small distance outside his body. He had an idea about the so-called ¡®aura¡¯ that he was releasing. He¡¯d been wondering about it since he first intimidated Bronson back at the village. Through talking with Walter, Stella, and Alanah, he had come to a conclusion. The ¡®aura¡¯ seemed to be an outward projection of his combined stats. Of course, his void skills augmented his outward projection, just as other elements did for other people. It was something that people learned to do as they got stronger. It also meant that projecting your aura was a conscious decision that one has to make. He¡¯d heard rumors of a friend of the City Lord¡¯s father walking around with his aura out. That meant that it was this man¡¯s decision to walk around terrorizing everybody on the streets. Derek¡¯s combined stats was already on par with someone who had taken a rare class at level 10 and had leveled all the way up to level 250, so when he fully and consciously released his so-called ¡®aura,¡¯ those around him felt it, especially if he was focusing specifically on someone. While releasing the void, Derek maintained eye contact with Herrett. He did not want the man interfering with anything. Derek looked around the room to see that over half of the guards present had fallen to their knees, some even face down. No matter which guard he looked at, their faces were pale. One not so unexpected outcome was that the City Lord¡¯s son had fallen unconscious in his chair and was slumped over. The City Lord, however, maintained at least some of his dignity. He managed to remain conscious and, if it wasn¡¯t for his flushed skin and the shock in his eyes, Derek would have assumed that his display of power didn¡¯t have much effect on him. Herrett¡¯s outcome was much better than the rest. He did not seem scared or too shocked. Other than his eyes widening ever so slightly and his hand hovering over his sword, he was no different than before. Well, there was also the initial step backwards that he unconsciously took when Derek first channeled his energy. Derek smiled at Herrett before his gaze fell over the City Lord once more. ¡°Now, I just so happen to call some of those villagers my friends. And I can guarantee that not only are they not ¡®lowly commoners,¡¯ but they¡¯re lives are worth much more than yours or your spawn¡¯s.¡± ¡°Now, you may ask me, ¡®Why are they worth so much?¡¯ and to that, I say, ¡®Because I fucking said they are!¡¯¡± Derek shouted, causing the City Lord to shrink back. ¡°Now, your son had to go and fuck with one of my people. I don¡¯t take kindly to that.¡± ¡°Normally, I would barge in here, and by the time I was done, the only heart left beating would be my own.¡± Derek smiled evilly. ¡°But, I recently made another friend, and she¡¯s busy and doesn¡¯t want to deal with the fallout of one of her friends not so gently removing the City Lord from the city. Well, sub-city in this case.¡± ¡°So, because of my friend, I¡¯m going to give you one chance. That¡¯s all you get, and it¡¯s more than what you should. So, if you or your son ever does something to anger me again, don¡¯t think your daddy could keep you breathing.¡± Derek eyed Herrett up and down. ¡°And don¡¯t think your Guard Captain here could even buy you a chance to escape.¡± He turned back to the City Lord. ¡°Do you understand!¡± He shouted loud enough to cause even the guard to flinch. ¡°Y-yes, Sir.¡± The City Lord mumbled. ¡°What was that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I understand¡­ Sir.¡± Malcolm muttered. Derek released his aura and stopped channeling void energy. His serious expression changed back to jovial. With a smile plastered on his face, he said, ¡°That¡¯s great. And I see you chose to call me ¡®Sir.¡¯ Good choice.¡± Derek did a 180 and began his walk towards the entrance to the Great Hall. He looked over his shoulder back at the shivering king. ¡°Ah, I forgot to tell you. I¡¯ve made some friends in this city, too. So you can add them to the list of ¡®my¡¯ people. Just a heads up, you might want to make sure you and your son are more careful who you mess with. I¡¯m leaving soon, but I will be listening.¡± After speaking, Derek walked out of the hall, whistling. Chapter 112: Zachary and Lucas Chapter 112: Zachary and Lucas The Next Day¡­ Alanah reached her hand out and moved the window curtain to the side. Outside, in her private courtyard, Avery was instructing two boys. If Stella was her left hand, then Avery would be considered her right. After her conversation with Derek about the class system, Alanah had sent Avery out to scour the cities for candidates. Alanah was very strict in her choosing. She would not choose anyone who had a loving family, nor a person hellbent on revenge. The child must have not unlocked the Great System yet, either. This already narrowed the search to orphans and beggars. Avery knew the type well, as he was picked up by Alanah when he was a young orphan. The child must also be driven. Usually, that was hard to find in orphans. Most of the children would give up and accept their fate instead of fighting hard to make a better life for themselves. No matter what life throws at them, the child must not break. That alone made the task she had given Avery almost impossible. However, to her surprise, just two weeks after Avery set out, he brought back a pair of boys, Zachary and Lucas. They were best friends who called themselves brothers. Alanah was skeptical at first, but after hearing their story, she was convinced. Zachary and Lucas were from a village outside of Clayton. They grew up together, their parents were best friends, so they spent a lot of time with one another. That was before a Void Beast attacked their village. It was a surprise. Nobody had heard of anyone opening a portal at that time, so when the beast appeared, no one was ready. The village was decimated before the beast turned towards Clayton. With the combined strength of the guards and adventurers in the city, they were able to wound the beast and drive it off. After that, the King sent an elite team, including his own son, to track and kill the Void Beast. It took days, and the team lost two members, but in the end, the Prince was able to strike a fatal blow before the beast could disappear back into the void. While everybody else was celebrating the defeat of the Void Beast and the Prince¡¯s accomplishments, Zachary and Lucas were mourning the loss of their parents and most of their village. It wasn¡¯t long before the new village Chief decided that there weren¡¯t enough people left to maintain their village. Soon after, the Chief disbanded the only home the boys had ever known. Some of the remaining villagers migrated to other villages while others chose to move to Clayton to try their luck. The boys decided to follow the latter group. So, for weeks, the two boys had been living in the slums of Clayton doing what they could to survive. They told Alahan tales of running errands for bread and getting beaten by nobles for being ¡®dirty.¡¯ They never resorted to stealing. In fact, when Avery asked them about it, the thought had never even crossed their minds. Apparently, their parents instilled a strong sense of right and wrong into the boys. Of course, Alanah knew that it would have only been a matter of time before they did something like stealing. It was only natural. They had only been in the city for a few weeks, so nothing too terrible happened to them, but she knew that if one of the boys had gotten sick, with the way they treated each other, there was nothing that the other wouldn¡¯t resort to doing. She was glad it didn¡¯t come to that, and that Avery was able to find them. Avery had laughed about how hard it was to convince them to come with him. It had only been a few weeks, and a few bad nobles had already caused a natural distrust in the boys. It took Avery telling them about the story of Alanah finding and raising him up before they would even consider it. What sealed the deal was when Avery took the boys to Clayton¡¯s Crown Restaurant. Avery always said that a great meal made all negotiations easier, especially if you were the one paying. The boys also held no grudge against the Void Beast, as it was just a mindless beast. When asked about the person who summoned it, they had said that they knew that a Void Beast could only be summoned by accident. They didn¡¯t even seem to care when Avery told them that the King found the noble who created the portal and that the man had already been punished. The thing that seemed to bug the boys the most was Alanah¡¯s lack of speaking. Avery and Alanah held their private crystals, and Avery did all the talking with the boys. When Avery told them about Alanah¡¯s ¡®condition,¡¯ though still confused, they no longer asked questions about it. That was two days ago. Now the boys had settled in and were being tested by Avery. Currently, Alanah was watching the man conduct a weapon¡¯s test, as Derek had explained to do in their conversation. Once the right weapon was chosen, it would be time to pick their elements. This would be the boys¡¯ personal choice. Currently, Alanah could provide the boys with water, wind, fire, earth, lightning, ice, metal, and darkness. Technically, she could also provide them with poison, but she preferred not to do that. After watching the boys train with Avery for a while, Alanah closed the curtains with a smile on her face. She hoped everything would work out like Derek had theorized, but even if it didn¡¯t, she had no problem raising the two orphaned boys. They were good kids. She walked back to her desk and sat down with a sigh. This could be considered both her favorite and least favorite part of her day, communicating with her Deathsworn. She could link up and chat telepathically with those close to her, but for the others, like the one that was watching over the city of Torith, she had to communicate via crystal, just like she would with anyone else. Of course, if anything big happened, or if she gave an order to report certain matters at any time, she would receive a communications request. Usually, no news was good news. Alanah pulled out her first crystal and began receiving her daily reports. It was mostly normal matters, like Savannah hosting another auction next week, a noble doing something stupid, or even the occasional bandit group attacking caravans or villages. None of that was any of her concern, but she still tucked it away for possible future use. She changed crystals and received more reports from her Deathsworn. After receiving a certain report from her Deathsworn stationed in Torith, she put the crystal down, sighed, and smiled wryly. Well¡­ He didn¡¯t kill them¡­ I hope. According to the report, Derek had created quite the commotion at the City Lord of Torith¡¯s manor. Her Deathsworn wasn¡¯t able to get many details, but apparently, Derek walked in with a guard. Not long after entering, the Deathsworn felt an enormous pressure that even caused those nearby to panic. Then, Derek walked out with a smile while whistling. After that, the manor went into lockdown and allowed no one in or out. Even the trainee guards were filed into the manor. After Derek left, the entire outside of the residence became a ghost town. What exactly did you do? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. And how strong are you, exactly? She got the feeling that Derek was much stronger than he led on, even though he claimed that he was strong. To create that kind of pressure on my Deathsworn while being that far away¡­ She thought. She sighed and went on with her reports. She would contact the man when she was finished with them if he didn¡¯t contact her before. It wasn¡¯t long before she was finished. The previous day was just like almost every other day. The only thing exciting that happened was with Derek, but that had come to no surprise to her. These days, news about Derek was the one thing that always seemed to bring her something interesting. Alanah tidied up her office before making a cup of tea and trying to communicate with Derek. ¡®Alanah! Good morning. How are you?¡¯ The man¡¯s voice came through clearly in her head. ¡®I am doing great today. What about you? I heard you paid the City Lord a visit yesterday.¡¯ She replied. ¡®That I did¡­ It went better than expected. There was barely any talking back to me. All things considered, I¡¯d say it went well. And I didn¡¯t kill anybody important¡­ Actually, I didn¡¯t kill anybody at all. I think I went above and beyond.¡¯ He said. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s good. That means I won¡¯t have to deal with that deadbeat advisor, and can focus more on the Void Beasts and helping train my two new wards.¡¯ She chimed. ¡®Oh yeah, you mentioned the other day that you had picked up a couple of prospects. That¡¯s good. I hope everything works out with them.¡¯ ¡®Me too. Avery seems to like them, and he has been very excited to try out your training methods. I have to admit, I¡¯m anxious to see the results.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Me too.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®I¡­¡¯ A knock sounded on her door. ¡®One moment, someone is at the door.¡¯ She laid the crystal down. ¡°Enter.¡± She said. The door opened and Avery walked in and closed the door behind him. After receiving Alanah¡¯s nod, he spoke, ¡°Alanah¡­¡± He smiled oddly. ¡°Gerald Torith is on the first floor demanding an audience. He¡¯s making quite the ruckus.¡± Alanah rolled her eyes, held up two fingers and nodded. Avery gave her a nod in confirmation, turned, and walked out the door. Alanah picked the crystal back up off of her desk. ¡®Derek, dear¡­ What exactly did you do yesterday?¡¯ Chapter 113: Derek, Dear… Chapter 113: Derek, Dear... ¡®Derek, dear¡­ What exactly did you do yesterday?¡¯ ¡®Uh¡­ I pretty much told you everything I did. I met with the City Lord, made a couple threats, didn¡¯t kill anyone, and I left¡­ in that order.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®When you said that you made a couple of threats, what kind of threats exactly?¡¯ Alanah asked. ¡®Nothing much, really. Just the usual. I told them exactly how much their lives were worth to me. I let them know that the only reason they were still breathing was because of a favor to you. I also told the City Lord that I didn¡¯t fear his daddy, and that the man wouldn¡¯t be able to save him if I wanted him dead.¡¯ Derek explained. Alanah frowned. He didn¡¯t kill anybody, and he even used my name. It really doesn¡¯t seem to be all that bad. Gerald may be a scumbag, but he¡¯s too smart to offend me or someone I support over nothing but a threat. She really couldn¡¯t see why the man was supposedly so worked up. ¡®And that¡¯s all, just some idle threats?¡¯ She asked. ¡®Yeah. I let him know that even if I left, I still had eyes in the city, and that I had made quite a few friends. I told him that he better be careful about offending people in the future.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Ah, I also used my full aura to really get my point across.¡¯ ¡®Hmm¡­ So, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know why Gerald Torith is currently at my establishment seeking an audience with me?¡¯ She asked. Wait a minute. A thought occurred to her. ¡®You said you released your full aura? What was the outcome? My Deathsword was outside the manor and reported that it was quite the aura, but he was very far away.¡¯ ¡®Uh¡­ let me think¡­¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Well, the City Lord nearly lost his shit. That guard, Herrett, got a bit pale and took a step back. Half of the room, including the City Lord¡¯s son, fell unconscious¡­ that was pretty cool, actually. The rest were on their knees or fighting to stand.¡¯ ¡®I can see all that making Gerald angry, but it shouldn¡¯t cause him to cause a commotion in my restaurant. If he was going to do anything, he normally would do it in the dark.¡¯ She told Derek. ¡®Well, I don¡¯t think I went too overboard. I had multiple opportunities to kill that kid, and that Guard Captain wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything to me. Sorry I can¡¯t be more helpful.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®No need to apologize. I asked you to spare them, and you did. In fact, if I¡¯m not missing anything, you did less than I believed you would. I don¡¯t know your actual power, but from what I have picked up on and what my Deathsworn has felt, I should thank you for even listening to my request.¡¯ ¡®Thank you for talking with me. Unfortunately, I must cut our chat short and go deal with a spoiled noble. Do not hesitate to contact me whenever.¡¯ Alanah said her goodbyes to Derek. ¡®It¡¯s always a pleasure. We¡¯ll be leaving this city shortly and heading to one with a teleporter. We may be able to have this conversation in person sooner rather than later.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®I¡¯ll look forward to it. Goodbye.¡¯ ¡®Goodbye.¡¯ Alanah stored the now inactive crystal into her storage ring. Letting out a deep breath, she thought to herself. Might as well get this over with. With that, the beautiful woman stode out of her office down to meeting room two. Arriving at the meeting room, Alanah didn¡¯t bother to knock. She opened the door and walked in. Avery was standing inside next to the door. In front of her, sitting at a table, was a middle-aged man with long, flowing golden hair. He was dressed in a formal green tunic, and wore an irritated expression on his face that screamed ¡®slap me.¡¯ When Alana walked in, the man didn¡¯t bother to stand, and only stared at the woman. Avery was not happy about this, but Alanah stopped him from saying or doing anything. Alanah approached the table and pulled out the chair across from the man before sitting. She fished a private communications crystal out of her storage and channeled her mana into it. Behind her, Avery gripped his crystal and spoke. ¡°Gerald, my mistress would like to know if this is okay, or if you would like to try your hand at communicating with her directly.¡± The man scoffed. ¡°She thinks herself powerful. I¡¯m not the same person I was when last we spoke. You will not be needed.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Avery replied, but stayed standing behind Alanah. Alanah inwardly laughed to herself. There were very few people who could withstand a conversation with her in the kingdom, and the King was the only person she had met face to face who could do so without having to acclimate over a period of time. Avery and Stella could also converse properly with her, but it took Stella hours to adapt, and she would have to start the process over at the beginning of each day. Avery was a little better, but he still needed a short period to adapt. Neither of them, however, could withstand her if she actively used her power for a command, no matter how much acclimation they had gone through throughout the day. She had a lot of hope in Derek. He was the first person, other than the King, who could withstand a command through the crystal. Not to mention that he was so much more fun to talk with than that boring old man. Without using any power, Alana spoke, ¡°Stand.¡± Immediately, Gerald kicked the chair back from him and shot to his feet. ¡°Spin.¡± Alanah watched as Gerald did a full 360. ¡°Hop on one foot.¡± She said, and he did. ¡°Apologize for overestimating yourself, for disturbing my establishment with your presence, and for just existing in general.¡± Behind Alanah, Avery looked at the hopping man in disdain. He even went a far as openly laughing at him. ¡°I am very sorry, Miss Swan. I am nothing compared to you. Forgive me for believing myself capable. I apologize for any harm my behaviour has caused to your great restaurant. And you are correct, I should not even think to exist, much less in your appearance. Please allow me to atone for my sins.¡± With that, Gerald Torith summoned a beautiful dagger out of his storage ring and pushed it into his jugular, causing blood to pour out of his neck with every pump. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Alanah said. ¡°No need to go and die. Put your weapon away, I¡¯m sure your Vitality will have that wound healed in no time.¡± Gerald did as he was told. ¡°Now, sit. Let me know when you are no longer under my influence, then we can talk.¡± She said. Gerald walked mindlessly to the chair that he had pushed away earlier. He pulled it back up to the table and mechanically sat back down, staring intently at nothing. Alanah pushed her thoughts back into her crystal. ¡®So, how are the boys doing?¡¯ She asked Avery. Avery chuckled. ¡®Are you sure that was necessary, Alanah? You know he¡¯s going to go complain to the King after what you just did.¡¯ ¡®And the King will admonish him for overestimating his talents. I know that man better than anyone, including the Royal Family. In fact, that old bag of bones, boring as he may be, will probably find some entertainment in Gerald¡¯s tale.¡¯ She assured Avery. ¡®If you say so.¡¯ He replied. ¡®Zac and Luke¡¯s training is progressing well. They are also extremely grateful to both you and me, especially after finding out the reason they were selected and what our plans are. Honesty is the best way to obtain loyalty, as you have taught me.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s good. They seem like nice boys.¡¯ ¡®They are, indeed. In fact, they both remind me of myself. I was even younger than them when you found me, so I know exactly what they are feeling right now. Of course, you never gave me a lofty goal like they have.¡¯ Alanah smiled. ¡®You¡¯re still young. You may not be able to reach as high as they will be if the experiment works, but you are still one of the strongest in the kingdom. Before long, you will be able to resist my voice just as the King does.¡¯ ¡®I can only hope.¡¯ Avery said. ¡®Ah, I was discussing with the boys how you found me, and everything you have done for me. Including giving me your surname. They are both newly orphaned, and their parents'' deaths are still fresh in their minds, but I have heard them privately discussing asking you to give them your surname.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s only been a few days. I¡¯m sure they are just overly grateful at being rescued from their situation. You had next to no memories of your parents, so taking my name was an easy decision. Still, I waited for you to ask. The boys knew their parents, and by what you have told me, they seemed to be good people. I will not disgrace their memory like that. It is the same reason that Stella is still a Brighton.¡¯ Alanah replied. ¡®If they ask, I will let them know, and explain why. They are still children. They will grow and learn. I can not wait.¡¯ Avery smiled. ¡®Nor can I.¡¯ The two continued discussing matters for well over an hour before Gerald stirred. All of the sudden, he bolted to his feet and put both hands over his throat. ¡°Ah, Gerald, so nice of you to join us.¡± Alanah spoke. Chapter 114: Gerald Chapter 114: Gerald ¡°W-what did you two do to me?¡± Gerald sputtered while clasping at his throat. Alanah looked at the man, confused. ¡°Mr. Torith, I have no clue what you are talking about. You wanted to have a conversation, face to face, with no communication crystals involved, so that is what we are doing. I must say, you acclimated quite quickly. Very impressive.¡± ¡°N-no! You made me stab myself¡­ in the throat. I¡­ I remember it all.¡± The man screeched. ¡°Now, now. Think back on what you remember. I only told you that you should apologize. You are the one who went above and beyond and tried to maim yourself. Which, might I add, is quite interesting. You may want to ask yourself why you would subconsciously decide to act in such a manner. You might learn a bit more about yourself and your nature. I know I sure have.¡± Alanah said with a knowing smile. ¡°Y-you¡­ you¡­¡± He stuttered. ¡°Have a seat Gerald.¡± Avery spoke up. ¡°You wanted a meeting with my mistress, now you have one. Her time is quite valuable. You better use it wisely.¡± Gerald took a deep breath, calming down. He cautiously approached the table and sat down, eyeing Alanah wearily. ¡°Now.¡± Alanah said. ¡°What was so urgent that you had to come to my establishment and cause a ruckus. I was in the middle of a very important conversation when you arrived. This better be good.¡± Gerald, now calm, stared daggers into Alanah before answering. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know exactly why I have come here, but since you are acting ignorant, let me help jog your memory.¡± He spit out. ¡°Careful!¡± Avery warned. ¡°Your position in the Kingdom may be higher than mine, but you are not in my league. I will not tolerate you talking to my mistress in that manner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Avery.¡± Alanah said. ¡°Let the man do as he pleases. If he goes too far, you will not be needed to defend my honor. I am perfectly capable.¡± In her head, she spoke through the communication crystal. ¡®That¡¯s enough. He¡¯s already reeling from the other actions, no need to add on to his stress.¡¯ Avery bowed in servitude. ¡°Yes, mistress.¡± Inwardly, he sent back. ¡®I know he¡¯s just trying to gain back a little control of the room, but if nothing else, he should know better than to insult you.¡¯ ¡®Better in my face than behind my back.¡¯ Alanah replied. Gerald flinched at Avery¡¯s outburst, but smirked at Alanah¡¯s reprimand. ¡°Yes, Avery, she is perfectly capable. There is no need for a dog like you to bark. Listen to your master.¡± ¡°Watch it.¡± This time, Alanah warned. ¡°I gave you some rope, and now you try to hang yourself? Get on with it. What do you want?¡± Her friendly demeanor was thrown out the window at his remark. Alanah was as protective of her people as they were of her. She would not hear them being insulted. Gerald clicked his tongue. ¡°Whatever.¡± He said. ¡°I know you know of this Derek Hunt person.¡± ¡°Yes, what of him?¡± Alanah replied. ¡°He attacked my family yesterday!¡± Gerald yelled. Alanah shook her head. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. I know exactly what happened yesterday. He warned your family after they made an egregious error by offending him. They are lucky that I talked him out of attacking your family. Otherwise, only you and your wife would remain.¡± ¡°My grandson is in a coma!¡± The man spat. That was news to Alanah. It seemed like the boy hadn¡¯t been able to withstand Derek¡¯s aura at all. Of course, it had only been a day. He would most likely wake up and be fine. Well, physically, at least. ¡°And whose fault is that? I can¡¯t believe that your son actually raised a child who can¡¯t even withstand a little aura. How pitiful.¡± She said. ¡°Besides, it only happened yesterday. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine in a few days. You can use this as a learning experience for him. It will teach him not to offend those he can¡¯t afford to. Of course, with the way this meeting is going, maybe it would be good for you to gain some of that experience, as well.¡± ¡°Still! How dare he barge into my son¡¯s, the City Lord¡¯s, manor and threaten him. And over a commoner¡¯s life.¡± Gerald said. Alanah looked back at Avery. ¡°Avery, which noble house is it that you come from again?¡± Avery tilted his head. ¡°None, mistress. I am but a commoner orphan.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Alanah said, then shifted her focus back to Gerald. ¡°Gerald, as my assistant is but a mere commoner. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind having an exchange with him, maybe learning the worth of commoners in the process?¡± Gerald¡¯s face paled slightly, but he scoffed. ¡°I will not lower myself to spar with a filthy commoner. Besides, one outlier does not prove anything.¡± ¡°Oh? Well, since you won¡¯t lower yourself to spar with a commoner, then how about me? I won¡¯t even use a weapon.¡± Alanah said. His pale face contorted in fright. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± He said. ¡°Then shut the fuck up and get to your point!¡± Alanah commanded, still careful not to put any energy into her voice. ¡°Commoner this, commoner that. None of that matters. What matters is that your family offended somebody that they shouldn¡¯t have. That somebody just happens to be a friend of mine. Now, you¡¯re here making excuses. What is it that you want? ¡°I want him held accountable!¡± Gerald yelled. ¡°He threatened my family. The family of the King¡¯s Advisor. Just that should be enough to put him to death, but he even put my grandson in a coma.¡± Alanah sighed. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what the King sees in you. Derek let your family off lightly after what they did. Yet, you still come in here demanding he be held accountable? How could someone like you possibly advise the king?¡± ¡°Y-you!¡± Gerald¡¯s face flushed red in anger. ¡°Little Gerald.¡± Alanah spoke softly. ¡°Let me give you a small bit of advice. Derek is a friend of mine. He is also somebody that I would never want to offend.¡± She said. ¡°And, if the King were to ask me, I would tell him the same thing.¡± It took a moment for the realization of what her words meant to kick in. Finally, his eyes went wide. ¡°He¡¯s but one man. How can you have such a high opinion about a single person that nobody has ever heard of before? What has this man done to receive such respect?¡± Alanah smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that is all I¡¯m willing to discuss with you about Derek. Take my advice or ignore it. It¡¯s up to you. I will not reveal any more details about him than I already have. I suggest you count yourself lucky that Derek has agreed to let your family off with a warning.¡± Gerald sat in silence. Occasionally, he shook his head and muttered, ¡°Just one man¡­¡± Finally, Gerald finished thinking to himself. ¡°The man should still be punished. Nobody is above the law. He definitely broke many of the Kingdom¡¯s laws by threatening a City Lord.¡± Alanah snorted. ¡°Laws? You should know better than anyone that laws are for the weak. How could any of your family be alive if the laws of the Kingdom were followed? I, for one, know of at least a dozen ¡®laws¡¯ that you or your son have broken that have the punishment of death attached to them. I¡¯m sure the King knows as well, but he has decided to overlook these transgressions because he thinks he owes you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Gerald shouted from across the table. ¡°Me and my family do everything openly and honestly.¡± Alanah stared at the man, flabbergasted. ¡°Did you seriously just say that? You¡¯re literally here because your grandson tried to ambush and kill a thirteen-year-old so he could steal the boy¡¯s storage ring. And you say that your family doesn¡¯t break any laws? Are you delusional?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a mistake made by the young. You can¡¯t hold that against him. Besides, he was a commoner and my grandson is a noble. The laws are different.¡± Alanah shook her head. ¡°No, they are not. The laws are the same. Actually, it is the nobles who are supposed to set an example for the commoners. If anything, nobles should be punished to a higher extent than commoners. But that is politics, and you are not here to discuss that. Are we finished? I have many things to do today.¡± ¡°We have to do something about this. Even if he is one of your friends.¡± Gerald said. ¡°I agree.¡± Alanah said. ¡°I¡¯ll probably congratulate him on a job well done, thank him for not causing your family too much damage, and buy him a drink when he arrives at the capital.¡± She nodded. The man sneered. ¡°At least tell me why you hold him in such esteem.¡± ¡°No.¡± Alanah answered simply. Gerald pushed himself back and stood from his seat. ¡°Fine. I knew this was going to be a waste of my time. I only came here out of courtesy. I¡¯ll be reporting this matter to the King.¡± ¡°Courtesy?¡± Alanah scoffed. ¡°You came here because you thought you could pressure me into betraying my friend. Or, at the minimum, have me beg for my friend¡¯s life. Well, I¡¯m sorry to say, but Derek can handle himself. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll send some assassins after him after this. I know how you operate. Go ahead and tell Edward. I¡¯ll be sure to contact him once you leave to let him know you¡¯re coming. Think of it as a courtesy to you.¡± Gerald stomped across the room to the door. ¡°Oh, just so you know.¡± Alanah spoke, and he stopped. ¡°I¡¯ll let Derek know that he doesn¡¯t have to hold back because of me anymore. I¡¯d like to see your manor in Torith after the first failed assassination attempt.¡± Gerald opened the door, walked out, and slammed it. I didn¡¯t make anything better, but that man was set in his ways the moment he entered the room. There was no changing his mind. He¡¯s actually happy that something like this happened. He¡¯s always been jealous because of the respect Edward gives me. She couldn¡¯t help but think as the King¡¯s Advisor left her restaurant. At least Phillip isn¡¯t a total idiot like that one, even if he is overbearing. Alanah shook her head. ¡°Looks like I have even more on my plate today.¡± She took out two red communication crystals. One had Derek¡¯s contact information, along with a few other runes, and the other had but a single rune, the King¡¯s. ¡°Are you going to warn Derek?¡± Avery asked. ¡°You do it.¡± She tossed him the crystal containing Derek¡¯s rune. ¡°The old man always talks my ear off. No telling when I¡¯ll be able to get out of this conversation.¡± It was ironic. If only she knew that Stella had the same thoughts about her. Avery smiled wryly. ¡°Well, I wanted to talk to Derek, anyway.¡± He took the crystal and began his communication. Chapter 115: Preparing to Leave Chapter 115: Preparing to Leave Walking down the street of the commoner district, Derek put his communications crystal away. Huh¡­ That¡¯s interesting. He had just finished talking to a man named Avery. He was one of Alanah¡¯s aides. She had mentioned him before, but Derek had never talked to him directly. According to Avery, Alanah was going to be busy talking with the King for the time being. He contacted Derek to let him know what happened with Gerald Torith, and to warn him about possible retaliation. Everything is a game to some of these nobles. Avery had explained how Gerald had jumped at the first opportunity to try to damage Alanah¡¯s reputation. They knew that he would try to use her refusal to punish Derek to help further his cause. Technically, what Derek did was a punishable offense. Well, he did tell me that if anything happens now, there will be no need for me to hold back. I wonder if they are really going to send assassins after me. I doubt they would be much of a problem to me, but I would hate for Thomas or the others to get caught in the crossfire. Derek would soon be traveling to another city, along with Thomas, Malorie, Brandi, and possibly Rayna. It was certainly possible for any assassins to target anybody in his party. There¡¯s nothing I can do right now. He thought. I¡¯ll just have to deal with any threats as they come. Currently, Derek was debating on whether to just go back and finish the City Lord off or not. Finally, he decided to take a ¡®wait and see¡¯ approach to that issue as well. Since Alanah was in talks with the King, there was a good chance that Gerald would be forbidden to take any action against Derek. Well, now that everything is settled, I guess it¡¯s time to prepare to leave. Derek continued through the streets of the commoner district, moving from stall to stall, purchasing anything he thought would make traveling more convenient. There weren¡¯t a lot of convenience items in the commoner district, at least until he got to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The shops and stalls around the guild contained the vast majority of items that adventurers would use. There, he picked up some low-tier health, stamina, and mana potions, along with some other things. He wouldn¡¯t need them, but they would be good to have, just in case. After rummaging through the commoner district, he headed to the merchant district. This was where he would pick up the items he was most concerned about. Shopping was an all day experience. Even in a pseudo city like Torith, the merchant district was huge and everywhere he went, there were stores, stalls, and vendors. Throughout the day, Derek managed to pick up quite a few things. His coffee had been selling well across the country, so he was no longer in debt to Alanah and the Crown. In fact, not only had he paid off the scrolls, but he was quite profitable. So, when it came to preparing to leave, he had plenty of gold to spend on supplies. Derek bought numerous herbs, spices, vegetables, fruits, and meats for Silvi. He found shops selling monster materials and bought numerous raw materials for Brandi. He also stumbled upon an alchemy shop and bought a portable alchemy set along with what books on alchemy he could find. If it was only going to be him and Silvi, they would be able to make it to the next city in a very short amount of time, but since he would be traveling with the others, he had to prepare for a long journey. He was even thinking about setting off with one of the trading caravans just to make the trip more comfortable. Of course, if he did that, Brandi would have to pick one craft to practice on the trip and stick with it. Even though he planned on securing her a place in Savannah, it would be best to keep her talents a secret until discussing everything with the City Lord there. At least he had some assurances from Walter that the City Lord of Savannah could be trusted. So far, Derek¡¯s only experience with City Lords was Malcolm Torith, and it was not a good one. Derek continued his shopping by heading to a clothing store. As he was close to the noble district, the clothing store was quite extravagant and pricey. He didn¡¯t mind, they still had traveling clothes. The shopkeeper glanced up from his book and frowned when Derek stepped into the store. He began to read again before realization flashed in his eyes and he slammed the book shut. ¡°M-Mr. Hunt¡­ Welcome to Radiance Raiment. What might I do for you today, sir?¡± ¡°Huh, you know who I am?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Of course, sir. Gossip¡­ travels fast.¡± He answered. ¡°N-not that I¡¯ve been gossiping about you¡­ I¡­¡± Derek laughed. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Derek said. ¡°What exactly has a shopkeep in the merchant district heard about me?¡± ¡°N-nothing too much.¡± The man hesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. You can speak freely.¡± Derek said. After hesitating more, but getting another nod from Derek, the man finally spoke. ¡°W-well¡­ I, of course, heard of your description, including your odd dress.¡± He motioned to Derek¡¯s shirt and jeans. ¡°There is also a rumor that you obtained a membership at the Crown.¡± He paused. Derek nodded. ¡°And?¡± ¡°And that you were the one that caused the commotion at the City Lord¡¯s manor yesterday.¡± He concluded. Derek smiled. ¡°All true.¡± He stated. The man¡¯s eyes went wide, but he chose not to say anything about it. ¡°So, I¡¯m looking for some traveling clothes for my companions. You think you could help me out?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Of course, sir. What is it that you are looking for?¡± He asked. ¡°Well, I need some comfortable clothing for a boy about this big.¡± Derek moved his hands, drawing Thomas¡¯s shape in the air. ¡°At least a few sets. And, it¡¯s better if they are on the bigger side. Should be easy enough to bring them in.¡± Derek thought about Brandi¡¯s skills. She could easily make a set of clothes that were too big, fit. ¡°I¡¯m also going to need some sets for a girl about this big.¡± Again, he motioned his hands to draw out Brandi in the air. ¡°And two women.¡± He described Rayna and Malroie to the shopkeeper instead of giving a general outline with his hands. ¡°Again, too big is better than too small. We have a decently skilled tailor, so she should be able to take in any extra widths or heights.¡± The shopkeeper nodded. ¡°Very well. It would be better if I could see them, but I should have some clothes here that shouldn¡¯t need too much altering.¡± The man went and picked out numerous sets of clothing, bringing them back to his counter and Derek. Derek went through the clothing. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really good at this, so I¡¯ll trust your judgement.¡± He agreed to the price and put everything away in his storage ring. ¡°Would your companions need any undergarments?¡± The man asked. Derek smiled oddly. ¡°Uh¡­ I¡­ guess. Just give me a bunch and I¡¯ll leave it to them to sort everything out.¡± He said. This is going to lead to an uncomfortable conversation¡­ He thought. Derek finished buying everything he needed from the shop and left. Turning to wave at the shopkeeper before the door closed. ¡°Thanks for your help.¡± A few hours later, Derek walked out of another shop. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Derek wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. I don¡¯t know how everyone does this shopping thing every day. This is more tiring than fighting a horde of Void Beasts. With that, Derek turned back towards the commoner district and started back to his inn. *** Two Days Later¡­ Stella had been running around the Crown making sure everything was shipshape. She had been meeting with Emily for the last couple of days, talking about the management of the restaurant. A knock resounded on her office door, then it opened, revealing Emily. ¡°Mistress, Mr. Hunt has arrived.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right down.¡± Stella said. She walked to her doorway, then turned and looked at the empty office room. All that was left was the desk and chairs. Stella let out a sigh and turned to walk off, closing the door behind her. She walked downstairs and saw Derek waiting by the counter. When he saw her, he smiled. ¡°Stella! Usually you invite me up.¡± She giggled. ¡°I know, but I felt like taking a walk today. Care to join me?¡± She asked. ¡°Of course.¡± He said. With that, the two of them made their way out of the restaurant and walked slowly through the noble district. ¡°I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡± Derek broke the silence. ¡°Mhm.¡± Stella mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s what I heard. How¡¯s Silvi taking it?¡± Derek laughed. ¡°She¡¯s fine. I promised her that I would try to find another place for her to practice cooking when we get to where we¡¯re going. She also gets to cook while we¡¯re on the road, so it¡¯s sort of a win-win for her.¡± Stella smiled. ¡°Actually, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, what is it?¡± ¡°Well, I have been gone from the bigger cities for a while now, so I was thinking that¡­¡± Derek frowned and held one finger up. ¡°Hold on for a second, sorry.¡± He apologized. A glowing red crystal then appeared in his hand. ¡°Walter¡­¡± He muttered, then connected to the crystal. ¡°Hey, Walter. I¡¯m a bit busy¡­¡± He suddenly stopped. Derek frown turned to anger as rage flashed in his eyes. He stopped talking out loud. The fury kept building. The crystal stopped glowing and vanished from his hand. A loud crash rang out from the direction of the Crown and Stella whipped her head towards that direction. A purple beam moved faster than her eyes could see and collided with Derek. But it didn¡¯t collide. It was Silvi, and she was perched on Derek¡¯s shoulder. A look of excitement and anger seemed to be coming off of the bunny too. Derek had controlled his aura, but the aura coming off of Silvi was enough to cause the unprepared Stella to take a step back. Derek bent his knee, then pushed against the ground. Then he was gone. Stella was standing alone. What happened? She couldn¡¯t help but think. It was Walter. She remembered hearing Derek say his name when he connected to the crystal. Stella turned in the direction of the Gracefall Manor and took off at a sprint. SunriseCV Chapter 116: Fury Chapter 116: Fury Derek and Stella were walking down the street in the noble district of the city. Derek thought it was odd because all of their previous meetings had happened either over the communication crystal or in person at the Crown. ¡°Actually, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow.¡± Stella said. ¡°Oh, what is it?¡± Derek replied, curious as to what Stella was thinking. She was acting odd. Stella looked down and spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Well, I have been away from the bigger cities for a while now, so I was thinking that¡­¡± Just then, Derek felt the pull from a communication crystal in his storage device. He frowned and held up a finger, motioning for Stella to hold. ¡°Hold on for a second, sorry.¡± He apologised for being rude at the moment. With a flick of his hand, the glowing red crystal appeared. He looked at the lit rune to see who was trying to get ahold of him. ¡°Walter¡­¡± He muttered. That was quite odd, as they usually just met in person to talk. He answered the call, wanting to let the man know that he would see him in a bit. His manor was his next stop after talking to Stella, after all. Though it was the private crystal, he spoke out loud for Stella¡¯s sake. ¡°Hey, Walter. I¡¯m a bit busy¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Walter cut him off. ¡®Derek¡­ sorry¡­ I¡¯ve got some bad news.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Derek sent, no longer speaking out loud. ¡®The scout I have stationed at your village just reported to me that the City Lord¡¯s men found Brandi crafting multiple items, using different crafts. They were ordered to capture the girl and bring her back.¡¯ Walter explained. ¡®Is she okay?¡¯ Derek asked. His hand balled into a fist. He was doing his best not to crush the crystal. ¡®The girl is¡­¡¯ Walter said. ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Hurry and tell me!¡¯ Derek was quickly growing impatient. ¡®The former village chief tried to stop them from taking her¡­ She¡¯s dying¡­¡¯ ¡®How long?¡¯ Derek¡¯s rage was building. ¡®She only has a few hours left¡­¡¯ Walter solemnly answered. ¡®Does your man not have a Scroll of Resurrection?¡¯ Derek asked with some hope. ¡®No, they are very rare¡­¡¯ ¡®Brandi has one in her storage ring. Can your man get to it?¡¯ Derek asked, already knowing the answer. ¡®He¡¯s only a scout. The City Lord¡¯s men are warriors, and they took her and her mother¡¯s rings.¡¯ Derek was furious. He didn¡¯t want to see Rayna die, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he could make it to the village in time. ¡®Thanks for letting me know.¡¯ He sent, then disconnected from Walter. ¡®Silvi.¡¯ He sent out. ¡®What? I¡¯m cooking.¡¯ She sent back. ¡®We¡¯ve got people to kill.¡¯ Instantly, after sending the thought to Silvi, a loud crash was heard, and the bunny came flying toward him. She landed on his shoulder. If there was one thing she loved as much as or even more than cooking, it was killing. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Derek put all his strength in his legs and pushed off. He had to make it to the village before Rayna¡¯s time ran out. The due didn¡¯t pause to be let through the gates. As soon as they reached one, they were up and over, and before long, they had made it outside of the city. Derek quickly thought about the exact location of the village, turned slightly, and took off in its direction. *** A skinny man with a straw hat and a muscular man in well-maintained leather armor were sitting atop a tarp covered carriage being pulled by two Equvins. The horse-like creatures were moving at a controlled pace, not too fast, but not too slow, towards the direction of Torith. ¡°Aye, Garrett.¡± The man not holding the reins spoke. ¡°Ya think the Lord will let us have some fun with the mom? She¡¯s a right beauty, that one.¡± ¡°Are you daft?¡± The driver of the carriage spat. ¡°Of course he won¡¯t. That woman¡¯s the only leverage the City Lord will have over that youngster. We¡¯ll be lucky if we¡¯re not punished on account of us having to rough her up a bit.¡± ¡°A shame, it is. She¡¯d be a good time.¡± The man said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how good of time it would be if you end up dying because of it. She is a beauty, but she ain¡¯t worth dying over.¡± The driver said. ¡°I guess yer right.¡± The other man agreed. Behind them, in the tarp covered carriage, the sobbing and hushing sounds could be heard. ¡°Shh¡­ shh¡­ everything¡¯s going to be alright.¡± The men heard the mother try to comfort her daughter. They heard the girl sniff. ¡°B-but Rayna¡­ she¡­ she¡­¡± The girl broke out crying again. ¡°Aye! You two better put a lid on it before I come back there and give you something to cry about.¡± The skinny man shouted at their captives. ¡°Let them get it out of their systems. Better here with nobody around to hear than in the middle of the city.¡± The driver said. ¡°Whatever.¡± The skinny man replied. An hour or so of travel later, and the crying sobs quietened, replaced by the occasional snore. The little girl had apparently cried herself to sleep. ¡°Oi! What is that up there?¡± The skinny man pointed at a black dot in the distance. The driver squinted before seeing what the other man was talking about. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it¡¯s getting bigger and bigger.¡± In an instant, a man in a black shirt and dark blue pants appeared in front of them. There was some small beast atop his shoulder as well. *** Derek and Silvi had been rushing towards the village at the fastest pace they could travel. After over an hour of travel, they came across a suspicious looking carriage being driven by two men. Derek came to a halt right in front of the carriage. ¡°Move out of the way! We¡¯re on City Lord¡¯s business.¡± The skinny looking man yelled. ¡°Torith City Lord?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Who else?¡± The man answered. Derek took a step forward, and in the next second, he appeared beside the covered carriage. Raising his hand, he yanked and removed the tarp from the carriage. Underneath the tarp, a bruised Malorie and sleeping Brandi sat in cuffs inside a cage. Derek was already furious. He was even more so now. ¡®I don¡¯t have any time to spare.¡¯ He sent to Silvi. ¡®Take care of the guards, and bring Mal and Brandi back to the village. Keep them safe.¡¯ Silvi hopped off of Derek¡¯s shoulder before Derek took off again. *** Silvi landed lightly on the ground. Then, using Active Void Shift, she disappeared from the spot and appeared flying through the air beside the City Lord¡¯s men. Combining her Active Void Shift with Charge, she flew at a rapid speed with her head down. Her purple wrapped horn glistened in the sunlight as it connected with the temple of the driver. Her horn pierced his head like a hot knife through butter, and, without slowing down, she continued through with her small body. Of course, with the speed at which her head connected with the rest of the man¡¯s head, and, because the man¡¯s brain had already been destroyed by her horn, the rest of the man¡¯s head exploded into pieces. The skinny man hadn¡¯t even had time to turn to see his companion lose his life before it was his turn. Silvi had lined up her path perfectly so she would fly directly through the first man, then into the second. In an instant, the front of the carriage was splattered with gore and brain matter, and the City Lord was down two men. The two beasts, scared at the sudden development, rared up. Before they could do anything, Silvi appeared in front of them and stared into their eyes with a fierce gaze. They settled down and stopped moving. She disappeared again before landing back on the ground close to the carriage. Her silver fur and purple mane now coated in a crimson red. Woah! She thought. My head-butting has gotten so much better than it used to be. She took one quick hop, then realized that she was covered in human. Nasty. The Head Chef would scald me for this. She hurried and cast cleaning, restoring her fur and cloak back to their previously beautiful appearance. After taking care of the guard duo and cleaning herself, she hopped over to the carriage and into the cage. Everything had happened so fast that Malorie hadn¡¯t had the time to adjust, so when Silvi appeared in front of her, she flinched backwards. Then, she recognized the bunny that she hadn¡¯t seen in a while. ¡°S-silvi? Is that you?¡± Malorie whipped her head left and right, looking for Derek. If Silvi is here, he has to be close. However, she couldn¡¯t find him, no matter where she looked. Out of nowhere, two small green crystals appeared in front of the bunny. The bunny put each of her small front paws onto a crystal, then they began glowing. Then she opened her mouth and picked up one of the crystals. ¡°Hello, beautiful, delicious lady.¡± A child-like feminine voice sounded out from one of the crystals. ¡°Silvi? Is that you talking?¡± Malorie asked. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. ¡°What are you doing here? Where is Derek?¡± ¡°Derek is going to your village. He left me here. He¡¯s trying to save the other lady.¡± The child-like voice chimed again. ¡°I¡¯m here to save you¡­ uh¡­¡± The bunny looked around. ¡°Tada! you¡¯re saved.¡± ¡°What?¡± Malorie stood as tall as the chains would let her. She wasn¡¯t able to see much, but she could see some blood pooling on the ground towards the front of the carriage. ¡°What happened?¡± Chapter 117: Race Against Time Chapter 117: Race Against Time Derek dropped Silvi off at the carriage containing Malorie and Brandi and kept going. He could only hope that the mother/daughter duo were safe. He didn¡¯t have enough time to stay and check on them, and he knew that there wasn¡¯t much that Silvi wouldn¡¯t be able to handle. Right now, he was in a race against time to save Rayna. Derek could vaguely feel the pull from the communication crystal in his storage going off, but he ignored it. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d ignored it, and it wouldn¡¯t be the last. Minutes after dropping Silvi off at the carriage, a couple of notifications flashed in his vision. Since the notification at the side of his screen was mildly annoying and reading them wouldn¡¯t affect his speed, Derek viewed them while running. Your Bonded Companion Has Killed level 83 Warrior. Your Bonded Companion Has Killed level 91 Warrior. 214,000 Experience Gained 579,118/590,000 Experience to Next Level They were higher level than I expected. Derek thought. It seemed like he was correct in assuming that Silvi wouldn¡¯t have any problems taking care of them. He could only wonder how they met their fate. Did she use her Void Lightning skill on them? Did she just overpower them? Had they seen it coming? Derek couldn¡¯t help but distract himself with these thoughts. He hadn¡¯t gotten Rayna¡¯s exact countdown time before he left, so for all he knew, she could already be gone. He hated that he couldn¡¯t travel any faster. He tried to put the thoughts out of his head. Rayna was one of the few people he would call friends. In the whole of the Earth¡¯s Apocalypse, he had never gotten too close to anyone. Even Silvi and her team could only be considered acquaintances who fought together from time to time. Getting stuck in the void had made him feel the need for connection. Traveling together with Thomas had further changed his attitude towards people, and the conversations with Walter, Stella, and Alanah had made him accept the reality that he no longer wanted to be left alone. Before long, Derek was at the village. Instead of going around to the gate, he jumped over the side of the wall. There was no time for manners. Quickly, he found himself on the main street of the village, by the old inn. The village was lively, and many people could be seen running around. These people were not those of the village. It was to be expected after the dungeon was discovered. Derek grabbed the first person he found. A rough looking man with brown hair and leather armor. ¡°Where¡¯s Rayna?¡± The man tried to shrug Derek¡¯s hand off of his shoulder, but was surprised when he found that he could move it. ¡°W-who?¡± He asked. ¡°Rayna. The former chief of this village. Where is she?¡± Derek asked again. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± Derek tossed the man to the side and ran towards Richard and Delilah¡¯s house. If anybody knew what happened, it would be Richard. Derek burst through the door, not bothering to knock. Instantly, his eyes fell on Richard. ¡°Where is sh¡­¡± He started, but saw Delilah sitting on the floor with her back against their bed, holding Rayna in her arms, the old woman¡¯s tears running down her face and dropping onto Rayna¡¯s. Human Female Level 53 State: Dying Time Remaining: 13 Minutes Derek let out a breath. He¡¯d made it. She only had 13 minutes left, but that was plenty. As long as she could still be saved, he would do it. He pulled one of his two remaining Recovery Potions. He could only hope that the potions from his old system would work the same here as they did there. Derek walked forward, potion in hand. He crouched down in front of Delilah and reached for Rayna¡¯s head. ¡°Open her mouth.¡± He said to Delilah. Not asking any questions, Thomas''s grandmother did as Derek told. While Rayna¡¯s head was cradled in her left arm, she reached up to her mouth with her right hand and forced open Rayna¡¯s mouth. Derek slowly poured the small vial into Rayna¡¯s mouth, not allowing any to spill. Once the potion was in, he forced her mouth back shut and waited, checking her status constantly. Finally, her status changed, and Derek released the tension in his body. Human Female Level 53 State: Unconscious Derek used the hand he had placed on her head and cast Rejuvenation on her. He also pulled out a couple Lesser Health Potions and fed her one, setting the other beside Delilah. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Derek said, then went back over to Richard. He leaned against the wall and slid down into a sitting position. ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯m happy you made it in time.¡± Richard said as he sat beside Derek. ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°A friend of mine has someone watching the village, so when that person saw what happened, he sent a message to my friend, who told me.¡± Derek answered as there was nothing to hide. ¡°You were at Torith when you got the message? How¡­ how did you get here so fast?¡± Richard asked. ¡°I¡¯m fast when I travel alone.¡± Was all that Derek said. With his Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity, Derek¡¯s speed was multiple times faster than the average person¡¯s. A caravan would travel at 3-4 miles per hour because not everyone would have unlocked the system, and most of the time, there wouldn¡¯t be enough carriages to go around. It would also have to take breaks for meals and rest while traveling. And without proper guard, they wouldn¡¯t travel at night. So, with around 10 hours of travel time, a caravan would average around 35 miles a day. Which is why it can take weeks to make it from the village to the city. Derek was able to ignore all of that and make it within a few hours. First, he was able to sprint the entire way without rest. Also, with his stats, his running speed was much faster than the average system user. Of course, he wasn¡¯t able to gauge how fast he could run, but he figured he could compete with a sports car back on Earth. Richard received Derek¡¯s answer and didn¡¯t ask anymore questions. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you made it in time.¡± All of a sudden, Richard seemed to remember something. ¡°Brandi, Malorie¡­¡± He muttered, but was cut off before he finished. ¡°Safe.¡± Derek said. ¡°I left Silvi with them. They should be making their way back to the village as we speak.¡± Richard nodded and let out a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°So, are you going to tell me what happened?¡± Derek asked again. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, as I didn¡¯t see the whole thing.¡± Richard replied. ¡°When I heard about the commotion, I rushed over to Malorie¡¯s courtyard. Her and Brandi were already locked in cages, and Rayna was doing everything she could to rescue them. There were two men, and they were both more powerful than she was, so it didn¡¯t take long before they overpowered her.¡± ¡°What about the Overseer?¡± Derek asked. ¡°She showed up at the end, but Rayna was already in that state.¡± ¡°But she just let them take Brandi and Mal?¡± Derek¡¯s rage still hadn¡¯t subsided. Now he was starting to get an idea about whom to point it at next. Richard shook his head and sneered. ¡°They don¡¯t care about us. One of the men whispered something in her ear and handed her two of the storage rings they stole off of the girls.¡± Derek scoffed. ¡°She was sent here to keep the peace, but was bought off just like that. I guess the village is going to need a new Overseer.¡± Derek said. ¡°What?¡± Richard was flabbergasted. ¡°But the Overseer is sent by the King¡¯s men. Going against them is like going against the King.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°From what I know, the King is a decent person. He just surrounds himself with greedy idiots. I¡¯m sure the dungeon and a village like this were only a blip on his radar that he passed off to one of his advisors. Besides, I know someone who has a good relationship with him. I¡¯ll let her know that the King¡¯s going to need to send a new Overseer.¡± Richard looked at Derek like he was a monster. Of course, Richard had given Derek the same gaze many times since they met, so it was no longer odd. ¡°Do you know the name of the Overseer?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Katrisha Collins.¡± Richard answered. ¡°She made sure that we all knew the name of the person in charge once she arrived.¡± Derek nodded and took out his communication crystal. ¡°Give me a minute, I need to contact someone.¡± He told Richard. Both Alanah and Walter had been trying to open communications with him while he was running to the village. It was time to let them know what happened. Derek first contacted Alanah. ¡®Derek? Finally¡­ What happened? Is everything alright? Were you able to get to your friend in time?¡¯ Alanah hit him with question after question. Obviously, Stella had found out what happened from Walter, and passed the information to Alanah. Derek smiled at her concern. ¡®Only just. I got here with only a few minutes to spare. I was lucky.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s good.¡¯ Alanah said in relief. ¡®Yeah, it is.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Now, what do you know about the Overseer here? Katrisha Collins. I¡¯m about to go pay my respects.¡¯ Chapter 118: First Time Meeting Katrisha Chapter 118: First Time Meeting Katrisha ¡®Now, what do you know about the Overseer here? Katrisha Collins. I¡¯m about to go pay my respects.¡¯ Derek asked Alanah. ¡®I don¡¯t know a lot. I know much more about her parents.¡¯ Alanah answered. ¡®Wait, what do you mean when you say you are going to pay your respects?¡¯ ¡®She let everything happen today.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®She arrived after Rayna was already dying, so I can¡¯t blame her completely for that, but she also let those two goons kidnap Brandi and her mother. So, use your imagination.¡¯ Derek explained. ¡®Like I said, I don¡¯t know much about the woman, but she is part of a mid-tier noble house. Her father is one of the biggest pushovers you will ever meet. Her mother married into the Collins¡¯ family, but controls everything. The house has fallen greatly in the last few decades. Other than a few old guards, they don¡¯t have much strength.¡¯ She said. ¡®If the house has fallen that far, how are they still considered mid-tier?¡¯ ¡®Well, Katrisha¡¯s mother is from a different noble house, also mid-tier. But, her aunt married into one of the more well known noble houses.¡¯ Derek heard Alanah sigh in his head. ¡®A well known noble house that is close to another noble house¡­ Torith¡­¡¯ ¡®Figures.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®You aren¡¯t surprised?¡¯ Alanah asked. ¡®Not at all. It makes sense to send someone who has some relationship to the City Lord of the closest city to the dungeon to oversee it. It also explains her actions, or lack thereof, after one of the men whispered to her privately.¡¯ He explained. ¡®So, what are you going to do?¡¯ The woman asked. ¡®I¡¯m not entirely sure about that. It depends on her, to be honest. She will not get away unscathed, though. Neither will the City Lord when I get back to the city.¡¯ ¡®I see.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®What, are you not going to try to stop me this time?¡¯ Derek expected Alanah to ask for him to go easy. ¡®Nope. Gerald had his chance. You gave them a warning, even going as far as telling them not to mess with the village. They had plenty of time to call off their men, but they didn¡¯t. And trust me, those men wouldn¡¯t have kidnapped your friends without getting the ¡®okay¡¯ from Malcolm. Whether he knows they were close to you or not, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Alanah answered in a somewhat defeated tone. ¡®Plus. Gerald pissed me off the other day. He will receive no more help from me or mine.¡¯ She continued. ¡®Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about him for too much longer, either.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®When I eliminate a problem, I take it out by the roots if needed, and based on everything I know, it¡¯s needed. You may want to get in touch with your friend, the King, and tell him it would be a good time to start looking for a replacement advisor.¡¯ ¡®Derek, you can¡¯t.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®I¡¯m not sure of your exact strength, but that will make you enemies of the King. Even I am not strong enough to handle him¡­¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t have any illusions of my strength. But my strength right now is not my strength tomorrow. I¡¯ve been stagnant for far too long. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. By the time I finish uprooting the House Torith, the King will thank me for going easy.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Just be careful. Gerald will not let anything slide if you actually go after his family. My talk with the King caused the man to not take action after your threats, but all that is off once you do anything.¡¯ ¡®I know. Like I said, I¡¯m one person that you don¡¯t have to worry about¡­¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Oh, Rayna is stirring. I have to cut our conversation short. I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡¯ With that, Derek ended their conversation and stored his crystal. ¡°Look who¡¯s finally back to the land of the living.¡± Derek spoke as he stood and walked over to the confused Rayna. ¡®W-where am I?¡± Rayna asked. ¡°D-derek? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Well, I had to come see my favorite punching bag.¡± Derek jested. ¡°What is it about you and getting your ass beaten by people from noble houses?¡± This was twice now that Rayna had been accosted by the nobles. Once from Walter¡¯s son, and again from Torith¡¯s men. ¡°Brandi! Mal!¡± Rayna¡¯s eyes went wide, and she jumped to her feet. ¡°They¡¯re fine. You need to rest.¡± Derek put his hand on her shoulder. Rayna looked up into his eyes. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything. I can never do anything.¡± She stepped forward and put her head on Derek¡¯s shoulder. There, she wept. Derek patted the back of her head while she cried on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You did your best and everyone is still alive. There¡¯s no shame in that. You will get stronger. Hell, you gained a few levels in the short time that I¡¯ve been gone, too, and you did it on your own.¡± Eventually, Rayna pulled back and stared deep into Derek¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you. Is that still okay?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Of course it is.¡± He looked around the room. ¡°So, other than the whole kidnapping debacle, how has the Overseer been?¡± Derek still wasn¡¯t sure of what kind of punishment he was going to deal out, so he wanted everybody¡¯s opinions on the woman. ¡°She¡¯s useless.¡± Rayna spoke. ¡°And that''s not just me being angry over everything that happened. She rarely comes out of my¡­ her house, and when she does, it¡¯s only because she has to check on the dungeon camp every week or so. From what I know, she hasn¡¯t said a single nice word to any villager.¡± Derek nodded and looked at Richard. ¡°She also beat Bart because she didn¡¯t like the way he spoke. He didn¡¯t say anything uncouth to her, she just didn¡¯t like his manner of speaking. It wasn¡¯t the worst beating that old bastard¡¯s ever received, and he came out of it not too worse for wear, but it¡¯s just about the only beating he¡¯s gotten that he didn¡¯t deserve.¡± Richard said. Derek nodded again. ¡°So, the general consensus is that the Overseer is shit. Got it. That makes what I¡¯m about to do much easier.¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, would you all like to come watch?¡± With that, Derek walked out of Richard¡¯s house. The other followed behind him. According to Rayna, the woman had taken over her residence, so it wouldn¡¯t be hard to find her. Derek walked through the town center and up to the residence. There were two well kitted guards with spears stationed in front of the door. ¡°Stop!¡± One of the guards yelled, and eyed Derek up and down. Getting a shock when he saw Rayna standing behind him. ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked, less commanding. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. What matters is that I¡¯m here to see Katrisha, and I¡¯m not in a very good mood.¡± Derek answered. The guards looked at Derek, unsure of what to make of him. Finally, the other guard spoke. ¡°Who can I say is here for a visit?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Derek answered. ¡°I¡¯m not here to visit, and I¡¯m not going to make small talk. Either you go in and get her, or I will.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible.¡± One guard said and drew his weapon. ¡°If you are not willing to let yourself be known, then I must ask you to leave.¡± Derek shook his head, then stepped forward. His motion was almost a blur. Holding back as much strength as possible, he cracked both guards on the back of their armored heads. They crumpled to the ground. Derek ran a quick check to make sure they weren¡¯t dead or dying. Luckily, for them, they were only unconscious. With that, Derek turned to Rayna. ¡°Sorry about your door.¡± He said. ¡°My do¡­¡± She began to ask, but before she could complete her words, Derek had already kicked out, sending the wooden door splintering into pieces. Derek walked in and scanned his surroundings. He heard some noise coming from one area of the house and headed that way. Again, he didn¡¯t bother with knocking or even opening the door. He sent his palm out and it exploded as well. Inside what Derek now knew was a bedroom, he saw a young man to the right side of the door rushing to equip his armor. On the other side of the bed was an attractive woman with brown hair, brown eyes, and dressed in a sheet. Derek could only chuckle. The half equipped man rushed at Derek with a sword he picked up from leaning against the wall. Just as he did the previous two guards, Derek tapped him on the back of the head, causing the man to go limp and fall to the ground. Derek moved his attention towards the woman. Her face flushed red in anger and embarrassment. ¡°You must be Trish.¡± He said. Then, in a serious tone. ¡°Put some clothes on, you¡¯re embarrassing yourself.¡± The woman looked down, then back up at Derek. If gazes could kill, he would have been dead many times over. She made a quick gesture with her hand, then dropped the sheet. Where the sheet once covered was now a beautiful black dress. ¡°How dare you!¡± She finally yelled. ¡°Do you know who I am? I am the Overseer of this village and the new dungeon. I was appointed by the King¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Now, now.¡± Derek said. ¡°None of that shit matters right now.¡± Derek took a step and appeared again right next to the woman. She tried to attack him, but only received a punch in the gut. Then Derek grabbed her hair and started walking, pulling her along behind. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ve made enough noise that I¡¯m sure the entire village is wondering what¡¯s going on. We can¡¯t let our audience wait, now can we?¡± Chapter 119: *Spoiler* Chapter 119: *Spoiler* Derek, with a handful of hair, dragged Katrisha out of the bedroom. She was pulling against him and fighting at his hand the whole way. When he made it out of the bedroom, he found a waiting Rayna, Richard, and Delilah. ¡°Come on.¡± He said as he continued out the front door. The trio looked at each other, some worry in their eyes, before finally just following along behind him. ¡°Derek.¡± Richard spoke. ¡°The Overseer is sanctioned by the King. What are you planning?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Katrisha yelled. ¡°I was sent here by the King¡¯s office! What you are doing right now is tantamount to treason. Release me at¡­ Ouch!¡± She finished her sentence as Derek gave her hair a hard tug. ¡°Shut up.¡± Derek said to the woman, then looked back at Richard. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure what I¡¯m going to do with her. She¡¯ll definitely be punished, but how bad will be up to her. While not innocent by any means, she was not the one who gave the orders or did the act. But, like I said, what happens next depends on her, and so far, it isn¡¯t looking good.¡± Richard didn¡¯t ask anything else. After a few more moments, Derek and the group arrived at the intersection that doubled as the town center. He was right in assuming that the sound of him destroying the door had drawn some attention, as there were over a dozen people there, with more arriving every minute. There were also a couple of villagers in the distance that had seen him knock the two guards unconscious, who must have spread word around. ¡°This is good. Let¡¯s wait a bit before we have our little trial. Is that okay with you?¡± He asked Katrisha. Before she could say anything, Derek spoke again. ¡°It is? That¡¯s great.¡± His anger had faded some once Rayna woke up, but it was still there. More and more people came to the town center over the next few minutes. ¡°That¡¯s good enough, I guess.¡± Derek shoved the woman to her knees. ¡°Don¡¯t get up.¡± He said to her, of course, the instant he removed his hand, she turned as fast as she could and attacked him. ¡°Are you serious?¡± He said as he held her fist in his hand. He then let his aura spill out, and directed it as best he could towards the woman. ¡°Listen, I really have no qualms about killing you right here and now. Hell, it might be better to do just that. It¡¯d at least save me some time¡­ But I¡¯m giving you a chance here.¡± Derek let go of her fist, and she dropped to the ground under the weight of his aura. She had looked terrified when she stared into his changed features as he unleashed his aura. Derek withdrew his aura. Katrisha did not try to stand again. Derek bent down. ¡°Now, here¡¯s the deal. I¡¯m going to ask you some questions, and you¡¯re going to answer them to the best of your ability. I only want the truth. If I sense that you are lying to me, then I will just kill you, as I don¡¯t actually need any information from you. Is that clear?¡± The woman, under the eyes of dozens of villagers and adventurers, nodded fiercely in agreement. ¡°Good. Now, if you can not answer something because of an oath, just say that you can¡¯t answer. I¡¯m sure you are oath-bound on some subjects, right?¡± She nodded again. ¡°How many?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Two.¡± She meekly answered. ¡°Good. Now, my first question. Did you know that the village was under protection?¡± Derek asked. She nodded. ¡°Yet you still allowed my friend to be beaten and the other two to be kidnapped. Why?¡± ¡°I-it was only protected by a fallen noble house. Those that acted were from the City Lord¡¯s house. House Torith.¡± She answered. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Derek said, causing her eyebrows to rise. ¡°The village wasn¡¯t protected by House Gracefall. It was protected by Walter Gracefall, on his own honor. Do you know what honor means to that man?¡± Katrisha stared up at Derek in shock. ¡°But I heard it was only under his house¡¯s protection. That¡¯s what those adventurers said.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably what they thought, too. Do you expect regular adventurers to know the difference?¡± ¡°Still.¡± She said. ¡°His honor is nothing against House Torith.¡± ¡°It was also protected by me.¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who you are.¡± As the interrogation continued, Katrisha¡¯s personality was beginning to fade back into existence. ¡°That¡¯s fair. I don¡¯t feel like explaining it to you right now, anyway.¡± Derek replied. ¡°Now, second question. What relations do you have with House Torith?¡± Apparently, she took this question as Derek being cautious, trying not to offend a top noble house. She lit up at the question. ¡°I am very close to House Torith. I have family that is part of the house. They won¡¯t forgive you if anything happens to me.¡± Derek almost laughed as he listened to the woman dig her own grave deeper and deeper. ¡°Is that so?¡± She nodded furiously. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m sure the City Lord has already heard of this by now. If you let me go and beg for mercy, I may be willing to put in a good word for you.¡± As if. Derek thought. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I need you to put in a good word for me. Besides, did you not hear what happened with the City Lord a few days ago?¡± ¡°Huh? What happened?¡± I guess it would take a long time without communication crystals for news to travel to a remote village. Even an up and coming one like this one. He thought. ¡°It¡¯s nothing that concerns you right now.¡± He replied. ¡°Now, if I¡¯m correct, you were given two storage rings as¡­ compensation for not getting in the way. Give them to me.¡± He had already seen the two rings she was wearing on her hands, and the one on a necklace around her neck when she was startled up from the bed. ¡°They are mine.¡± She said. Derek reached over the woman and took the rings off her hands. He also tore the necklace with the ring off as well. The woman turned her head around and glared at him, but he stared daggers at her until she turned back around. Some gasps could be heard from those watching. It was unreal for most people to see someone appointed by the King treated this way, even if she did deserve it. There were those, however, who had been in the village at the time when Derek executed the noble adventurer. They made no noise and only watched in silence. ¡°You get ¡®er!¡± A familiar voice came out of the back of the crowd. Derek contained his smile as he looked up and saw Bart with his black eye and makeshift crutches. Ah, they didn¡¯t say how recent his beating was. By the looks of it, it only happened in the last couple of days. Villages need a more proper way to heal. The people just don¡¯t have a strong enough Vitality stat to remove the injuries quickly. Derek was thankful for his Vitality stat more than any other. He moved his attention back to Katrisha. ¡°Does your family work with or for the Torith family?¡± Katrisha hesitated to answer. ¡°Remember what I said. You better answer.¡± Finally, she nodded. ¡°Yes. We do.¡± ¡°Good. What is it that your family does for Gerald and House Torith?¡± Derek made sure not to include any honorifics when saying the family head¡¯s name. Maybe, with his disrespect of such a powerful person, Katrisha would understand more of the situation she was in. She was silent for a while. ¡°I can¡¯t answer that.¡± ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s damning enough that it requires an oath from anybody who knows?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t answer that.¡± She repeated. Derek nodded and didn¡¯t continue that line of questioning. He would bring it up with Alanah later to see if she knew the connection. ¡°Do you agree that what you did to my friends was wrong?¡± ¡°I had no choice!¡± She argued. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask that.¡± Derek said. ¡°Was it wrong? Are you sorry for your actions?¡± Derek waited, but she didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Of course, you aren¡¯t sorry for your actions. You¡¯re only sorry about the situation they put you in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± She started, but Derek cut her off. ¡°Don¡¯t lie. That was my condition.¡± He warned. Obviously, Derek didn¡¯t have a way to detect whether she was lying or not. He had no skill to do so, and even though he could feel her heartbeat if he wanted, he hadn¡¯t practiced any lie detection methods. Hell, the ones he has seen were only from movies and books, so he didn¡¯t even know if it worked like that. However, Katrisha did not know any of this. ¡°I regret being in this situation, but those women were only villagers¡­ peasants.¡± Derek shook his head. How big of an anomaly was Walter? Derek was one in five when it came to adult nobles not thinking villagers were scum. Six if he included Gerald, but he hadn¡¯t personally met that man yet. ¡°Thank you for answering honestly.¡± He replied. ¡°What kind of punishment do you think you should receive for your actions and inactions?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this enough?¡± She asked. It was true that what had happened was extremely embarrassing for her, but it was not enough. ¡°No. You allowed an attempted murder for no reason, human trafficking, and you personally beat a good man because of the way he talks. This is not enough.¡± She was quiet at that. While he waited for her answer, Derek looked through the storage rings. The one on the necklace was most definitely her personal ring. It had many sets of clothing and undergarments. There were wines and foodstuffs, as well as a small amount of armor and weaponry. He shifted his focus to one of the other rings. It was near empty. All it had in it were some cooked dishes. This ring must have been one of Mal¡¯s. After skimming the contents, he moved on to the last ring. Looking into it, he stopped. His dissipating anger rising again. ¡°When you took these storage rings, did you look inside them?¡± He asked. ¡°Of course.¡± She answered. ¡°So, you know the contents?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The ring he was holding was Brandi¡¯s personal storage ring. It had all her completed crafts inside. It also had her Scroll of Resurrection. ¡°So, this¡­¡± He pulled out the scroll. ¡°Was in your possession the entire time, and you didn¡¯t even think about using it on a lowly villager? Even though it belonged to her friend in the first place.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s too valuable.¡± She said. Derek was being a hypocrite here, as that was the same reason he used not to save Brandi¡¯s father when he first arrived. Had he gotten a scroll from someone close to the man, and they all seemed like good people, which they did, he wouldn¡¯t have even thought about it before using it. Derek could still use the excuse that he was in an unfamiliar world and still didn¡¯t know what to expect. He could also use his time in the void as an excuse. But what excuse did Katrisha have? That it was too valuable? He was already leaning towards death for Katrisha. Her closeness, and her family¡¯s apparent oaths towards the Torith family had almost settled it. When he saw the contents of the ring, it was settled. It would not be a painful death, and she wouldn¡¯t see it coming. While standing behind the woman, Derek channeled the void through his hand. With his palm, just as he did with the Void Beast, he struck the back of her head, destroying her brain in the process. The woman fell forward, dead. There was no ¡®dying¡¯ state with such damage. Derek sighed and looked around. This was the same place he killed his first human in this world. It was almost as if this village center was Derek¡¯s very own execution ground. Chapter 119: Final Time Meeting Katrisha Chapter 120: The Show is Over Chapter 120: The Show is Over A collection of gasps sounded out of the gathered crowd once Katrisha fell to the ground. ¡°Is she dead?¡± One voice sounded out. ¡°Did he kill her?¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just unconscious.¡± Derek listened to the discussions going on around him. Finally, he decided to clear the confusion. ¡°I have killed the Overseer. She is dead. Not only did she fail to reliably do her job, but she also acted in a way unsuitable for a person in power, noble or not. Afterward, he reached down and placed his hand on the lifeless body. With a thought, the body disappeared inside his storage ring. That was more proof that he had indeed killed the woman, as storage rings were unable to store the living. ¡°Alright, clear out.¡± Rayna got everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The show is over.¡± With that, the crowd dispersed. Occasionally, Derek could hear people discussing what happened with each other, and whether it would have any effect on the village or themselves. ¡°Come on.¡± Derek said to those remaining. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your residence.¡± He said to Rayna. On the way to the residence, Derek picked up the two unconscious guards before walking inside and tossing them in the same room as the other unconscious guard. He would wait for them to wake before deciding their fate. The most likely scenario was death if they were contracted to the noble house, but it was possible that they had been personally contracted to Katrisha. If that were the case, then the contract or oath would be voided, and he could let them live¡­ depending on their attitudes. ¡°Watch over the guards. If they stir, just hit them in the head. It won¡¯t take much to keep them unconscious. Don¡¯t worry about striking too hard. If they die, they die. I¡¯m going to go make sure the others have had no problems getting back.¡± Derek wasn¡¯t worried about Rayna watching the guards. She may not have been as strong as they were, but she was strong enough to watch them in the state they were in. Everyone nodded and Derek left, heading straight towards where he left Silvi and the others. After a short time of running, Derek made it close to where he left the trio. He continued until he saw the bloody mess that was the bodies of Torith¡¯s other guards. He viewed the scene, giving Silvi a mental nod. Derek went and inspected the bodies, making sure that they no longer had any of the stolen storage rings on themselves. They did not. Satisfied, Derek turned to the path that most carriages would take when traveling between the villages or the villages and the city. Now on the path, he followed it towards the village. He had gone to the village in a straight line from where he intercepted the guards. So, it made sense that he might have missed the trio by a bit. Sure enough, after only a few minutes of running, Derek caught sight of the cart. He continued and closed in on the cart. ¡°That¡¯s when the smelling vegetable began to roll towards the edge of the table.¡± Derek heard Silvi¡¯s childlike voice from the carriage. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do. I went over idea after idea, but before I could decide on one, the onion had already made it to the edge. That¡¯s when I saw the knife. With no time to idle, I bit down on the handle, then I was under the onion.¡± ¡°What happened next?¡± Brandi¡¯s voice chimed. ¡°Haha! Of course, I saved the smelly vegetable from hitting the dirty floor. With my superior reflexes, it wasn¡¯t even possible for the onion to hit the ground. I stabbed it with the knife, then appeared back on my work table. You should have seen the look on all the chefs¡¯ faces. They couldn¡¯t stop complimenting me on my skills for the rest of the day.¡± Silvi spoke proudly. Derek wanted to facepalm. He had heard about the incident, and while Silvi did as she claimed, she had told him that only one other person had seen it happen. I guess no matter where you go, you¡¯ll always have people telling fish stories. Derek kicked the ground and landed in the seat next to Brandi. There wasn¡¯t a lot of room, but with Brandi slid up against Mal, and Silvi in the girl¡¯s lap, there was more than enough of a seat left for him. ¡°Wow! You sure are amazing!¡± Derek said to Silvi with admiration. ¡°I know. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying.¡± Silvi answered, not the least bit shocked at Derek¡¯s sudden appearance. With her stats, if he had caught her by surprise, he would have been disappointed in the bunny. ¡°Ah!¡± Brandi let out a light yell before her eyes fell onto Derek. ¡°Derek!¡± She shouted, then leaned over and put both arms around him. Malorie had reined in the two Equvins after they were spooked by Derek¡¯s sudden entrance. Once the horse-like monsters were under control, she turned to him. ¡°Rayna?¡± She asked. ¡°She¡¯s fine. I was barely in time, but I made it.¡± Derek replied. Malorie let out a sigh. ¡°Thank goodness. I thought she was a goner.¡± Brandi sniffled. ¡°I¡­ I had a Scroll of Resurrection, but they stole my ring.¡± She sniffed again. ¡°Even after begging them to use it on her, that awful woman refused.¡± That set Derek¡¯s mind right. He no longer felt any remorse about killing Katrisha. He had not known that she was actually asked to use the scroll by Brandi. In fact, he could now say that he was very happy with her outcome. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I got there in time and used my potion. Luckily, it worked.¡± Derek comforted her. Brandi nodded her head. After a few seconds, she frowned. ¡°When did you get a potion? From the city?¡± Derek flinched. Malorie looked over at him with sadness in her eyes, but a smile on her face. Of course, she already knew, if she didn¡¯t, then she should have already had a pretty good guess. ¡°I had it when I got to this world.¡± Derek said, choosing not to lie to the girl. ¡°Then¡­ when daddy¡­¡± Brandi muttered. Derek nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said. Brandi pulled back from him and looked up into his eyes. Her jaw was quivering, and tears flooded from her already teary eyes. ¡°Brandi.¡± Malorie spoke. The girl turned to look at her mother. ¡°He made the right decision.¡± Malorie said. ¡°Anybody in his position would have done the same.¡± ¡°B-but.¡± Malorie shook her head. ¡°He was a lone adventurer. He didn¡¯t know anybody; he didn¡¯t know us. He¡¯d already done more than enough by saving us. That he even thought about using his potion already puts him leagues above most in this world.¡± Derek looked up at Malorie. ¡°How did you know I almost used the potion?¡± She smiled back. ¡°Leon.¡± She said. ¡°He told me he thought you had one. He said you kept fiddling with your storage device while looking at Travis. The only thing that made sense was that you were hesitating in using such a precious potion on my husband.¡± Then she looked back at Brandi. ¡°And you know he¡¯s good because of how well he treated everybody once he got to know us. Just think of all he¡¯s done for us, though some of it was probably from guilt.¡± She looked up at Derek. Derek smiled. ¡°Only a little.¡± He spoke. He did feel guilty about not using the potion, but it was the logical decision to make. And if he had never gotten to know Mal or Brandi afterwards, he would feel no guilt at all. ¡°And he doesn¡¯t owe any of us anything, yet he rushed to the village and used that precious potion on Rayna. I¡¯m sure there are people who would choose to keep one of those potions for themselves instead of using it on a family member or friend.¡± She continued. ¡°That makes me think.¡± Derek said. ¡°Why would the guards give the ring with the scroll in it to the Overseer if it¡¯s so precious?¡± ¡°Because they didn¡¯t know what was in it. They took it off of Brandi and gave it directly to her. By the time they realized it had a scroll in it, it was too late. It was already in the Overseer¡¯s protection.¡± Malorie answered. Brandi was still quietly thinking. ¡°Speaking of which. What are we going to do about the rings? The Overseer still has them. Will we let her keep them?¡± Derek pulled the rings from his storage bracelet. Rings couldn¡¯t hold other rings, but for some reason, most likely because it was from his old system, his bracelet was able to store storage items. He still wondered about the reason. He handed the rings to Malorie. ¡°One¡¯s yours, the other is Brandi¡¯s. The Overseer is dead. When I found the scroll on her, I made the decision. When Brandi told me she begged her to use the scroll, I was sure I made the correct one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± The woman asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve already offended a noble family. One more¡¯s not going to matter. I made some friends with high status, so I¡¯ll also let them know what happened. We¡¯ll talk more about it when we get back to the village.¡± He answered. At that time, Brandi reached over and put her arms back around Derek and began crying loudly into his shirt. He could feel the tears seeping into his clothing. Derek hugged her back with his left arm and stroked her hair with his right hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said again, quietly. Brandi pushed herself back and shook her head furiously. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Derek said. ¡°Momma¡¯s right. If dad was here, he would thank you for saving and taking care of us.¡± When did she become so mature¡­? When her father died in her arms. He chided himself. ¡°Thank you.¡± He spoke. Her acceptance made Derek feel a relief that he didn¡¯t even know he needed. Derek looked over at Malorie and smiled. She smiled back. ¡°How about we see how fast these beasts can get us back to the village?¡± Mal nodded and pulled on the reins. Chapter 121: Oathbreaker Chapter 121: Oathbreaker A couple of hours later, the group was back at the village. Brandi had fallen asleep leaning on Derek. The girl had been through a lot recently and she was beyond tired. Derek patted her head, gently waking her. ¡°We¡¯re back.¡± He said. Malorie directed the Equvins towards a makeshift stable that had been created outside the village due to the influx of adventurers recently. Everyone hopped off the carriage, and she tied the beasts to a post before gathering with the others. ¡°What are we going to do with the carriage?¡± She asked Derek. Derek chuckled. ¡°Well, now that we have it, it makes it easier to travel. I say you keep it.¡± They chatted as they walked through the gate and headed to Rayna¡¯s new, old residence. Before long, they were all gathered in the meeting room. ¡°Did they give you any trouble while I was gone?¡± Derek asked Rayna, talking about the three unconscious guards who were now laying in the corner of the room. ¡°The pretty boy woke once, but that was it. Didn¡¯t take much to knock him back out.¡± She answered. Derek nodded and walked over to said guard. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± He bent down and lightly tapped on the guard¡¯s face. Noticing that it wasn¡¯t enough to wake him, Derek sighed and pulled out a cup of water from his storage bracelet. He poured the water onto the man¡¯s face. Slowly, the man¡¯s eyes opened. He looked around in confusion before realization struck him. ¡°Y-you.¡± He looked up at Derek. ¡°Where¡¯s the young lady?¡± He half yelled. ¡°Dead.¡± Derek answered blandly. ¡°No!¡± He jumped to his feet and rushed at Derek. ¡°You bastard!¡± He yelled as he cocked his arm back to him. Derek sighed and wrapped the pretty guard up before he could do anything. Standing behind the man, holding him off the ground in a bearhug, Derek spoke to the room. ¡°I think he¡¯s a lost cause.¡± The man was clearly in love, or lust, with Katrisha. As she was dead, there was no reason to leave somebody like this alive. ¡°Brandi. Go to the other room.¡± He said to the girl. She had seen death before, but it all came at the hands of beasts and monsters. She hadn¡¯t been in the village center when Derek took out Wallace and his adventurer team. He thought it better for her to not see him kill these people. She shook her head. ¡°No. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± She replied mechanically. Derek, still holding the struggling guard, looked over at Malorie. The woman sighed and nodded. Even if she¡¯s so adamant to watch, I can at least try to make it as least gruesome as possible. He thought. Derek transferred the struggling man over to his left arm, holding the man tightly against his chest. With this move, the man¡¯s right hand was free, but it didn¡¯t matter. Derek¡¯s right hand was also free, and it was channeling the void. Derek had grown to really like this technique ever since he used it on the Void Beast. With a quick strike to the side of the head, the man went limp, then disappeared into his storage ring. After taking care of the young guard that was found in bed with Katrisha, Derek moved to the next one. This guard woke up easily. It was odd, though. Once the guard stood, he just stared vacantly into space. Derek prodded him with a few questions, then eventually tapped him on the cheek a few times. Finally, after minutes of trying to get the man¡¯s attention, the man fell to his knees in tears. Derek looked over at the others, they were just as confused as he was. He bent down and finally got the sobbing man¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked when the man finally noticed him. ¡°She¡­ she¡¯s dead isn¡¯t she?¡± The guard asked. Derek nodded. ¡°Yes. After what she did, I couldn¡¯t allow her to live without punishment. Death was the best option.¡± The man¡¯s sobbing continued. ¡°Two more months¡­ Just two more months¡­¡± ¡°Two more months for what?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Before I fulfilled my oath to that family.¡± He answered. At that, Derek started putting the pieces together. ¡°You were under oath to protect her? To keep her alive?¡± The man bobbed his head up and down. ¡°It was a temporary oath. Once completed, all my debts would be wiped out and I could start over with my family.¡± ¡°She died, so the oath is broken?¡± Derek asked. The man nodded furiously, another bout of tears on the way. ¡°M-my skills. The Great System¡­. It¡¯s all gone now. I can¡¯t even see my status anymore.¡± Derek stepped back and examined the broken guard with Identify. Human Male Level N/A State: Oathbreaker Wow. Derek thought. This system really doesn¡¯t pull any punches, does it. Not only does he lose all his skills, but he is labeled as an Oathbreaker for all to see. Derek looked over to the group. ¡°Do any of you have Identify at a low level?¡± He asked. Brandi raised her hand excitedly. ¡°I do. It¡¯s level 5.¡± In Derek¡¯s opinion, that wasn¡¯t actually too low of a level, but with her base level on top of it, it should do. ¡°Good, use it on this man. Tell me what it says.¡± Brandi nodded and stared at the weeping guard. Then, her eyes opened wide. ¡°Oathbreaker.¡± She said. ¡°Human Male. Level ¡®N¡¯ ¡®Slash¡¯ ¡®A.¡¯ State is Oathbreaker¡­ What does ¡®N¡¯ ¡®Slash¡¯ ¡®A¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°Not Applicable or Not Available.¡± Derek answered. ¡°It means that the Great System took away all of his levels, so they are no longer there.¡± ¡°Why not just say level 0?¡± Brandi asked. ¡°Because that would be confusing. He gets to keep all of his prior invested stat points. So, his strength would still be at whatever level it was before he broke his oath.¡± Derek explained. Brandi nodded. ¡°Now.¡± Derek directed his question towards the man. ¡°Why were you under an oath to that family to begin with?¡± ¡°It was only supposed to be a temporary guard duty for Katrisha while she got sorted as an Overseer. I¡­ I made some bad investments and got into some trouble.¡± He said. ¡°Gambling?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± The man answered truthfully. ¡°Because establishing an outpost for the new dungeon was urgent, the house offered a bunch of these temporary oaths and contracts until they were able to provide more permanent positions. Once it was finished, I would have been able to go back to my wife and daughter and beg for forgiveness¡­ Now¡­¡± He broke down again. ¡°Now you''re marked as an Oathbreaker, and the Collins will probably kill you on sight since you let Katrisha die.¡± Derek thought for a moment. ¡°Do you think they will go after your family?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened before he released a breath and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the others, but because of the time I spent¡­ gambling, I knew about the rumors of the noble house. I made sure to include it in my oath that my family wouldn¡¯t be harmed in any way, even if my oath was broken.¡± ¡°Who did you make the oath to?¡± Derek asked. He hoped that the man had not made the oath to Katrisha. If he had, then the man wasn¡¯t as smart as he seemed. ¡°The House Manager.¡± The guard answered. ¡°He¡¯s basically the head butler of House Collins. He also oversees the guards and staff.¡± So, he¡¯s basically the Collins¡¯ Bronson. Derek thought. ¡°I see. Well, at least you were smart about it. What are your plans now?¡± The man looked up into Derek¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re letting me go?¡± He asked. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too bad of a person. You just put yourself in a bad situation and made a poor decision on how to get out of the hole you dug yourself.¡± Derek answered. The man got excited. ¡°I¡­ I can¡­¡± He spoke, but eventually lost that excitement. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do. I can¡¯t go into the city for my family. Beth won¡¯t even look at me¡­ and that was before I became an Oathbreaker. Not to mention the people who will kill me on sight just for a chance at the Award.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing left that I can do. My family will be in danger beside me.¡± Derek felt for the man, but there wasn¡¯t anything he could do for him. He wasn¡¯t about to take him in. And apparently there was some Award that was given for slaying an Oathbreaker. ¡°What is this Award you mentioned?¡± The man paled at the question. Derek realized what the guard was thinking and tried to calm him down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. None of us are going to kill you. I don¡¯t think you deserve to die. I¡¯m just curious.¡± The guard cautiously answered Derek. ¡°I-it¡¯s an Award you get for killing an Oathbreaker from the Great System. It¡¯s not a big Award, but it¡¯s something. I think it gives you extra skill points depending on what tier you have. It¡¯s a popular Award to get, which is why there are people who constantly look for Oathbreakers.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± He said. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t offer you my protection or anything, but I can let you go. You are strong enough that you could find a decent life in some rural village. That would be my suggestion.¡± Then Derek spoke in a serious voice. ¡°But you had better play nice. If I catch wind of you killing or otherwise being shady, I will find you. You will die, and it won¡¯t be quick nor painless.¡± Derek let a little of his aura seep out towards the guard. He was getting better at controlling it, and it seemed to really drive home a threat. ¡°Y-yes. I-I promise, I will be a good person.¡± The guard said. ¡°Good¡­ Now get out of here.¡± The guard bolted up from his knees, then ran for the front door. Derek turned to look at the last guard. ¡°You can quit pretending. I¡¯ve known you were conscious for some time now.¡± Chapter 122: Contracts Chapter 122: Contracts ¡°Ah.¡± The guard made a noise and his eyes shot open. Using his hands and feet, he backpedaled towards the wall until his back was against it. He stared up at Derek. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t kill me. You let Jared go, can you let me go too?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Derek said. ¡°It depends on you.¡± He clarified. ¡°Okay, okay. What do I need to do?¡± The guard asked. ¡°How much did you see with the other guard?¡± ¡°Just the end. I was unconscious for the rest. All I know is you let him go.¡± The guard answered. Derek nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He said. ¡°First, you are a guard for House Collins, correct?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The man answered, then spaced out for a moment. ¡°I mean, I was. I¡¯m not anymore.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°My contract has been voided.¡± The man answered. ¡°Oh, contract? You weren¡¯t under an oath?¡± Derek asked. ¡°N-no¡­ Only a fool would go under oath to a family like that. With a contract, you can set your own punishment terms.¡± The man answered. ¡°Why did you even sign a contract with them?¡± Derek asked. ¡°The free gear and money, of course.¡± He answered. ¡°The gear¡­¡± The guard motioned to the armor he was wearing and the sword laying across the room. ¡°Is provided up front. It is mine no matter what happens. The money will be rewarded at the successful completion of the contract¡­ well¡­ it would have been rewarded at contract completion. Obviously, it won¡¯t be now.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Derek agreed. ¡°And what were your penalties for failing the contract?¡± He asked. The man smiled at that question. ¡°That is why a contract is always better than an oath.¡± He said. ¡°I am very cautious when making contracts. I also have my own contract skill, which allows me to negotiate better terms.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Derek¡¯s eyes widened. Stella was the only person he had met so far that had a contract ability. Alanah probably had one too. ¡°Well, what did you negotiate to be your punishment for failure?¡± ¡°It depended on the terms of the failure. As I said, my contract was voided. I will get no rewards or penalties for it anymore. My contract stated that I guard Katrisha to the best of my abilities, and I did so.¡± He rubbed the back of his head. ¡°There¡¯s not much one can do when you¡¯re unconscious.¡± He smiled. ¡°I see.¡± Derek replied. ¡°What would have happened if you would have run?¡± The man was quiet for a time. ¡°Ah, there it is.¡± He finally spoke. ¡°If I would have fled from an assault where the lady ended up dead, I would lose my contract ability for the next ten years and be forced to work for House Collins for five years. The work would be taken under oath as well¡­¡± He said. ¡°I really have to thank you for knocking me out back there.¡± ¡°What if she was only injured, but lived?¡± ¡°Cut in pay and loss of contract ability for five years.¡± He answered quickly. ¡°Interesting.¡± Derek rubbed the stubble on his chin. ¡°How many different clauses do you have in your contract?¡± The man was quiet for a bit before replying. ¡°15 with penalties, and four that voids the contract entirely. There are also some in favor of me. You know, you have to make sure that no harm comes to you from those you are guarding.¡± Derek nodded. That made sense. Everything about contracts made sense. Derek¡¯s mother was a lawyer back before everything happened, so he had picked up a few things. He would have to look into the skill later. Unfortunately, there were no contract skills in the General Skills section. ¡°So, do I get to live?¡± The man asked, snapping Derek out of his thoughts. Once they began having a civil conversation, the guard¡¯s entire demeanor had shifted. This guy would have made a great attorney. Derek thought. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Rudolph Mckinney, sir. But my friends call me Rudy.¡± ¡°And how many friends do you have that call you that?¡± Derek asked. The man started counting on his hands. When he got to his seventh finger, he stopped. ¡°Zero.¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to make friends. I have quite a few acquaintances, though.¡± Derek didn¡¯t know what to say to that. ¡°Okay, Rudolph. Do you have any allegiances to House Collins?¡± ¡°Nope. It was just a job.¡± Derek narrowed his eyes. ¡°Contracts are lesser forms of oaths, correct?¡± The man slowly nodded. ¡°Then this is easy. Write up a contract real quick. A nice, simple contract. You will answer any question I have with honesty and to your best ability. You will not answer in half-truths, or otherwise try to limit any information you give me. In return, if your answers are to my satisfaction, for this offense, I will let you live.¡± Derek explained. The man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a very good deal to me. Besides, what are penalties?¡± ¡°Instant death for you.¡± Derek answered. ¡°What would your penalty be?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°How about this? I lose half of my stats for three months. With the people that want me dead, it would basically be me signing my own death warrant.¡± Rudolph eyed Derek. ¡°Fine¡­ What is your name?¡± Derek answered, and the man began drawing in the air. After two minutes, a blue sheet of paper, made entirely out of mana, appeared. Rudolph pushed his thumb to the bottom left of the paper and it glowed. The paper then shot towards Derek. Derek read over the contract. The man had made it word for word as he had asked. There was no fine print anywhere to be seen, and he couldn¡¯t think of a way that the man could be fooling him. Derek stuck his thumb to the bottom right of the page, under his own name. A contract with one ¡®Rudolph Mckinney¡¯ has been initiated. Would you like to proceed? Y/N Just as he did before with Stella, Derek answered yes. Contract has been completed. Please abide by the terms to avoid any penalties. ¡°Great. This makes everything much easier.¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, do you have any allegiances to House Collins?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man answered again. ¡°Then you were just in it for the monetary gain?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even though you knew that the family was not to be trusted?¡± Derek asked. The man flinched. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why risk it then?¡± ¡°It was only for three months, and I made sure my contract favored me highly.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Are there any noble houses allied with House Collins that you have any allegiances or contracts with?¡± ¡°None that I am aware of. I have had past contracts with some houses that are on decent enough terms with them, but those contracts have all already been either completed or voided.¡± ¡°What is the reason you need money so bad that you would contract yourself to Katrisha?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I want to start a business in one of the major cities. I¡¯m great with contracts and abhor fighting. To do that, I need money, a lot of it.¡± Rudolph answered. ¡°Interesting.¡± Derek said. ¡°Did contract abilities come with your class, or did you get the skill through a scroll?¡± ¡°It is part of my class.¡± ¡°Is it a key part of your class?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Do you get experience for successfully completing a contract?¡± The man nodded. ¡°It is. I get experience for each contract completed. The more in favor of myself, or the person I represent, the contract is, the more experience I obtain.¡± ¡°What about your fighting skills? Are you a battle attorney or something?¡± The man chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I lost most of my fighting skills at level 50 when I changed classes. I still have all my stats, so I¡¯m able to get by with guard duty. I usually do well and am always using temporary contracts, so my level grows at a decent rate, and I usually leave on good terms with my contractors¡­ which leads to more temporary guard work.¡± ¡°Do you have any active contracts?¡± Rudolph nodded. ¡°Always.¡± Derek frowned. The man quickly explained. ¡°There are none that indebted me to anybody. They are mostly contracts I wrote for others or completed contracts awaiting payment. There are none that will come back to bite me. I¡¯m too careful for that. I would give you all the details if I could, but most contracts are private. I can only share the details of the ones that I am an actual part of. Would you like me to explain them?¡± Derek thought about it. The man was already under a pretty strict contract, so he was definitely not lying. Finally, he shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡± Rudolph nodded. ¡°So¡­¡± Derek said. ¡°You have no allegiances to any noble house. This includes House Collins and House Torith. You don¡¯t have any current contracts that could hinder or harm me. Am I correct?¡± ¡°House Torith¡­¡± He muttered, then shook his head. ¡°No, I am not known enough to have dealings with such a high ranked house.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Derek said. ¡°Then I have one final question for you.¡± Rudolph held his breath, waiting for the question. ¡°Are you a good person? Would others think of you as a good person?¡± Derek smiled when he asked the questions. The guard frowned. ¡°Am I a good person? I¡¯m¡­ not sure.¡± He said. ¡°Most others would think of me as a good person. I try to put it in all my contracts that I will not do anything blatantly against my moral code. Which is why I did not lay hands on that bartender and did not get involved in their kidnapping.¡± He nodded towards Brandi. ¡°I also wasn¡¯t allowed to help them because it would be considered going against my contractor. If I had to answer honestly, I would say that I am a neutral person. I have done bad things, but there is a point where I draw a line. I have also done some good things. Believe it or not, not all nobles are terrible. Unfortunately, the good ones tend to pay much less than the bad ones.¡± He shook his head. Derek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m not going to kill you. You can consider the contract complete.¡± As Derek said that, under the contract tabs in his status, the contract status changed to completed. It wouldn¡¯t have changed status if Derek had still planned on harming Rudolph. Derek smiled. ¡°I do have one more question for you, though.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Rudolph asked. Clearly relieved now that the contract was complete. ¡°Do you want a job?¡± Chapter 123: Rudy Chapter 123: Rudy Derek stared intently at Rudolph. ¡°Do you want a job?¡± He asked. That question seemed to stun Rudolph more than anything he asked before. The man tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Did you ask me if I wanted a job?¡± He tried to confirm. Derek nodded. ¡°Sure did.¡± He answered. Before he continued, he turned to look at Mal, Brandi, and Rayna. ¡°Would you guys mind working with this man? Or would you rather not? He was one of the guards of the Overseer, after all.¡± The trio looked at each other. Obviously, they knew that they were going to be leaving with Derek when he went to a new city. Finally, after some quiet discussions, Rayna was the one to answer. ¡°We don¡¯t mind. We heard everything he said, and while he may not be the most trustworthy, he¡¯s not completely bad. Besides, I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind making some contracts with us if need be.¡± Derek nodded again, then focused back on the man. ¡°So, would you like a job?¡± He asked again. Rudolph frowned and squinted his eyes. ¡°What exactly did you have in mind?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°A lot, actually.¡± He answered vaguely. Feeling the tension, he continued. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be just your normal contract work, but you would be able to do that on the side as well. In fact, it would actually be better for you to do so.¡± Rudolph bobbed his head as he listened. ¡°First, we will be going to Savannah. When we get there, I have to meet with the City Lord and confirm a few things, but if all goes well, I should be able to get some type of workplace somewhere in the city.¡± Derek explained. ¡°Savannah? How do you plan on getting something there? You know that it¡¯s the most expensive city in the Cydarian kingdom to live in, right?¡± The man questioned. ¡°Of course.¡± Derek confirmed. ¡°Without going into too much detail¡­ I have some dealings with the Crown Restaurant that should cover most of the startup costs. If I¡¯m unable to get the money immediately, it shouldn¡¯t take too long for me to gather it.¡± The man stared at Derek with wide eyes. His dirty blonde hair had fallen in front of his eyes, but he was too caught up with Derek¡¯s words to move it. ¡°T-the Crown. You have dealings with the Crown? Just who are you?¡± Derek fought the urge to chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s not important right now.¡± He said. ¡°So, step one is to find a place and build a workshop. It will be expensive, especially for what I¡¯m needing, but I will get the capital.¡± ¡°What would be my part in all of this?¡± The man asked, apparently no longer shocked. Derek could see the gears turning in his brain. ¡°Well, first, this would be more of a long-term thing¡­ very long term. Your contract work will come in handy with a lot of my planned business, but for the most part, you would be the shopkeeper. Like I said, you can also do contract work on the side, as long as you keep away from shady business.¡± Derek explained. ¡°A shopkeeper with contract work on the side¡­.¡± Rudolph muttered. ¡°What exactly would we be selling?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± Derek said. He made sure not to look at Brandi. Then again, the cat was most likely out of the bag. If those guards had told the City Lord about her, then he could have already told his father as well. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The former guard asked. ¡°Well¡­ I plan on building a forge, alchemy station, leatherworking station, and many others. I¡¯m not entirely sure what is needed yet, which is why I¡¯m hoping I can get a large piece of land. It¡¯s going to require a lot of building, so it will be a bit before you¡¯re needed¡­ Though I could build the shop part first and you could begin doing contract work immediately¡­¡± Derek touched the stubble on his chin while he thought out loud. ¡°Ah, we can decide on that later.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°So, what do you think? Are you interested?¡± Now it was time for the former guard to ponder. The room was silent for a long while. ¡°Kitchen!¡± Derek heard a childlike voice come from behind him. ¡°When you¡¯re building all these other places, don¡¯t forget about a kitchen. A great big one, too. Not like that dinky kitchen on the bottom floor of the Crown, but like the awesome one on the upper floors.¡± Derek turned to see Silvi with one of her paws on a green crystal. He smiled. ¡°Of course, Silvi. I would never forget about making you a grand kitchen. I¡¯ll buy you more onions than you could possibly deal with, too.¡± Silvi¡¯s nose twitched. ¡°The kitchen is fine. Don¡¯t need a bunch of onions. In fact, don¡¯t even worry about the shopping. I can send the mou¡­¡± Silvi stopped when Derek narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°I can ask if Thomas would help gather what I need for each meal. Oh, this is going to be great. Hurry. Hurry. Let¡¯s go to Sa¡­ Sa¡­ let¡¯s go to that other city. What are we waiting for?¡± Derek rolled his eyes. ¡°Nobles¡­ Silvi¡­ We still have a bunch of nobles to deal with. Remember?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ That.¡± Derek turned his attention back to Rudolph. At this point, he was no longer thinking about the job request. He was staring at Silvi in shock. ¡°Hey.¡± Derek snapped his fingers in front of the man¡¯s face. ¡°Snap out of it. I asked you a question.¡± The man shook. ¡°T-that bunny¡­ so¡­ so¡­ intelligent. She¡¯s not a pet, is she?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pet.¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed. ¡°No, she is my contracted companion. You would do well to remember that. She¡¯s probably stronger than anybody you¡¯ve ever met¡­ well, other than me.¡± Derek explained. ¡°She¡­¡± The man stopped and directed his question to Silvi. ¡°You cook?¡± ¡°Of course, I cook. Were you not just listening? I swear¡­ some humans. Are you sure you want this person to work for you? This guy couldn¡¯t sell water in the desert.¡± That was when Derek realized. He had left Silvi alone, in a kitchen full of chefs, for weeks. Then he thought about all of those cooking shows he¡¯d seen before the system came to Earth. Oh, no¡­ This might be really bad. Derek snapped back to reality at the sound of laughter coming from everybody in the room. Well, everybody but Rudolph. Rudolph¡¯s eyelid was twitching, and his face was red. Well, he did just get told off by a bunny. ¡°Ahem.¡± Derek cleared his throat to bring quiet back into the room. The laughter continued for a bit, but it eventually died down. ¡°Yes, Silvi is a bunny. She is my companion. She is very strong, and yes, she can cook. In fact, she loves it and has been practicing at the Crown with their chefs. Do you have any more questions about her?¡± ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll ask you again. Are you interested?¡± ¡°I¡­ I think so.¡± The man finally answered. ¡°Good. Now I¡¯m going to need you to make another one of those contracts with me. That, or an oath.¡± Derek said. ¡°Contract. Definitely.¡± Rudolph replied. ¡°If there¡¯s any way to get out of having to make an oath to the Great System, I¡¯ll take it. Now, what kind of contract do we need this time?¡± ¡°Just a simple one. But it needs to have some serious consequences if it is broken. You mustn¡¯t knowingly do anything that will harm me or my friends, and I will do the same for you.¡± ¡°Simple enough.¡± The man replied. ¡°I will put up my contract skill as collateral. What would you like to use? Stats, skills, what?¡± Derek raised his hand, blue sparks appearing as he channeled Chain Lightning. ¡°I¡¯ll put up my Chain Lightning skill. What do you think? Is that enough?¡± ¡°Is it a skill you use often?¡± Derek thought about that. It was true that he could get by easily without having the skill. Losing it would only decrease the rate at which he could kill multiple enemies at a time. The skill had been great when he was in the dungeon, but it did little for single combat. Technically, it is the skill that I¡¯ve gotten the most kills with since I¡¯ve been here. After looking over his skills, the only skills he would prefer not to wager would be Identify and Channel Void. It was also the skill he had leveled the highest, barring those that combined with previous skills, and Identify. ¡°Well, it is one of my most used skills. It¡¯s my dungeon clearing skill. To be honest, there aren¡¯t many skills that would hurt for me to lose. And the one that would, I will not put up. Losing Chain Lightning for a time would slow down some of my future plans though.¡± ¡°Tell you what. You put up one more skill and we¡¯ll call it even. All that we have to do to keep to the contract. It shouldn¡¯t be hard. It is a simple contract.¡± Rudolph replied. Derek nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll put up my Cleaning skill as well. Will that do?¡± ¡°Cleaning?¡± The man shook. ¡°No utility skills. It wouldn¡¯t mean anything if you lost it for a time.¡± Derek chuckled. To be honest, Void Storage had been sitting there for a while unused. However, Derek didn¡¯t want to put any of his void skills up. It would give too much information out. ¡°How about Heavy Weapons Mastery?¡± Derek asked. It was literally his second highest leveled skill. The only problem was that it had become useless and it would continue to be useless until he could obtain a new weapon. Rudolph frowned. ¡°What level is it?¡± Derek narrowed his eyes. ¡°Above level 10. Is that enough?¡± He knew the man was trying to find out how much he relied on the skill to try to make a balanced contract. ¡°Is it above level 13?¡± The man finally asked. Derek nodded. ¡°It is.¡± Rudolph let out a breath. ¡°That will do. Though it is odd that you have both Chained Lightning and Heavy Weapons Mastery. They don¡¯t really go together.¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s probably true¡­ for most classes.¡± Rudolph stared at Derek for a minute, then shifted his eyes onto a magic contract that he began filling out. Before long, the man had made another contract, and they both had signed. Derek held out his hand, and Rudolph took it. They shook. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what you got, Rudy.¡± Chapter 124: See You in a Bit Chapter 124: See You in a Bit Now that the ¡®Rudy¡¯ problem was taken care of, Derek needed to figure out exactly what he needed to do. Alanah¡¯s words about needing to be stronger rang in his head. He had told her not to worry about him, and he meant it. He had a few ideas about how to increase his strength quickly. Luckily for him, he was already close to where he needed to be. ¡°Rudy.¡± Derek got the man¡¯s attention. ¡°Of all the people that are in the village, where would you rank in terms of strength?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Rudy gave Derek a thoughtful look. ¡°With Katrisha and the other guards¡­ gone¡­ from what I know, I should be in the top 10. That¡¯s unless some other adventurers who are at the dungeon camp decide to stop by.¡± Derek nodded. He needed to leave the village for a while, but didn¡¯t want to leave the others unguarded, especially after he had just killed the Overseer. He¡¯d wanted to bring Silvi along, but it looked like she would have to stay in the village. ¡°Silvi.¡± Derek said. ¡°What?¡± The green crystal chimed with her voice. ¡°Do you mind staying here in the village and making sure nothing happens to anyone?¡± Derek asked. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Silvi agreed. Then the bunny looked over at Malorie. ¡°Beautiful deli¡­ ahem¡­ Malorie. Do you want to cook with me? You made that delicious food before. Show me.¡± Malorie glanced oddly at the bunny before smiling. ¡°I would be happy to prepare some dishes with you. I¡¯m sure everybody¡¯s hungry after all that¡¯s happened today.¡± That got multiple nods of agreement from the room. ¡°Good. It¡¯s settled. Silvi will stay here and make sure nothing bad happens. I have some business to take care of. It will probably be late before I get back. That¡¯s if I get back today.¡± Derek said. Nobody seemed to care about what business he had to take care of. In fact, almost everybody, especially Rudy, seemed more concerned about watching a bunny cook dinner. Derek turned to leave the house. ¡°Be careful.¡± Brandi¡¯s voice sounded out behind him. He turned and gave her a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± Then he walked out of the room and left. A few minutes later, Derek stood in front of the forest¡¯s entrance. He sighed. Alright¡­ How am I going to do this? There were a few challenges in the next step of his plans. Derek planned on completing the undying dungeon a few times. Unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t be able to gain any rewards from an already completed dungeon, and the experience gain would be half of the original amount. Still, with the number of enemies in the dungeon, even if they have lessened after stopping the overflow, and his quick clearing speed, he should be able to hit level 100 in no time. Still, the main problem he was contemplating was the dungeon camp. It meant that there were going to be multiple people in the area of the dungeon. There may even be people running the dungeon already, and from what he knows, only one group can complete the dungeon at a time. One thing was certain, people were going to notice him. As far as he knows, after talking with Walter, there has only been a single successful completion of the dungeon since everyone found out about it. When a single person shows up and clears the dungeon solo, it will draw some attention. Derek was sure that someone would be able to put together who he was, even if he wore a mask, which he does plan to do. People would learn of him showing up at the village and killing the Overseer. If a masked figure then shows up at the dungeon right after, it wouldn¡¯t take a genius to draw some connections. Of course, nobody would know for sure, and that was why Derek still planned to do it. The worst outcome would be people thinking that Derek was still below level 100 somehow. Which would lead to many questions about his class and rank. But that is all it should lead to, questions. Questions he wouldn¡¯t have to answer. Who knows? Maybe nobody would connect it with me. I made sure nobody saw me leaving the village, so I¡¯m sure everybody still thinks I¡¯m at Rayna¡¯s. If all else failed, he could deny everything. He wouldn¡¯t be in the Torith area much longer, anyway. He hoped that any rumors would die out quickly. The other problem with his plan was the dungeon timer. It wasn¡¯t a big problem, but he would have to stand still while the dungeon timer counted down. This problem wouldn¡¯t matter with a full party, but, being solo, he would have to wait. While waiting, Derek would be immobile and only have one hand to use if somebody decided to do something. He wasn¡¯t scared of the people around the dungeon, as he was sure he could beat them with one hand, but there was the possibility of somebody else latching on to the dungeon orb and seeing his information. Maybe there are rules or honor or something. He thought back to what he heard about it basically being illegal to monopolize a dungeon, so maybe there would be something about that too. Oh well, I¡¯m not going to find out until I get there. He glanced at his notifications and noticed that he had gained another level after killing Katrisha and the guard. He was now level 77. He smiled. One level to him was like a common class gaining three. Besides, not many people will be able to do anything to me once I¡¯m finished. With that, Derek threw on his black facemask and gear, and made his way into the forest. When he got there, he didn¡¯t want to make it easy for people to pick him out, so he dressed in equipment common to that he saw people wearing. Derek kept at a reasonable pace all the way to the dungeon camp. He didn¡¯t want to make too much of a commotion speeding through the forest. As he stepped into the now giant clearing, he observed his surroundings. He chuckled, as he wasn¡¯t the only person hiding his face. In fact, there were quite a few people with large hoods or other types of face concealment. The large camp was pretty basic. There was a large tent set up closest to the dungeon orb. That must be the Overseer¡¯s tent when they are here. He thought. There were dozens of other tents around, too. Multiple guards patrolled the perimeter. As he looked around, he noticed something about almost everybody. Most people were sullen or sad. Many had a look of defeat plastered on their faces. I guess that¡¯s what you get when you¡¯ve been sending so many people into a dungeon and next to no one has returned. By now, he was sure the difficulty of the dungeon had spread far and wide. Finally, Derek set his sight on the dungeon orb. It was much dimmer than it had been recently. It had already been pale gray, but it at least had some luster to it. This orb barely had a glow to it. Is that because it¡¯s no longer overflowing? No. Derek thought. It wasn¡¯t like that after I cleared it. All of the other dungeons we ran had more of a glow, too. Derek walked deeper into the camp. He walked over to an older man dressed in worn plate armor, sitting in front of a fire, staring at the dungeon orb. ¡°Mind if I have a seat?¡± He asked. The man glanced up, then furrowed his brows. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make any difference to me.¡± Derek sat on a log a few feet away from the man. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± He asked the man. ¡°I was one of the first here.¡± He replied. ¡°Oh, were you one of the members that completed the dungeon? I heard that a team actually succeeded.¡± Derek asked. The man shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m over the level requirements. I¡¯m here to observe for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± The man pointed to the badge on the shoulder Derek hadn¡¯t seen. It was gold. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Derek said. ¡°Are people still going in?¡± The man nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a team in there now.¡± That must be why the orb is odd right now. Derek thought. ¡°You¡¯d figure people would get the hint that it¡¯s a difficult dungeon and stop going in.¡± The older man grunted. ¡°You¡¯d think. But they don¡¯t. They just want the glory and rewards. Greed kills more people than beasts.¡± Derek couldn¡¯t help but agree with the man. ¡°You think this team is going to make it?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°Not a chance. Their preparations were lacking, and they didn¡¯t have the levels. I told them not to go in.¡± He replied. At that time, the dungeon orb began glowing properly again. The man let out a sigh and took out some papers and a writing utensil. He began jotting down some characters on the paper. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Marking down that five more adventurers have perished in the dungeon.¡± The man shook his head and stored everything back in his ring. ¡°Is another team going in?¡± Derek question. The man shook his head. ¡°At this point, the dungeon goes hours without being occupied before a team gets the courage to go die again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Derek stood and walked towards the orb. When he got there, he touched it with his left hand. The man he¡¯d just been talking to stood and walked up beside him. ¡°You don¡¯t see many dungeon with the undying in them.¡± He sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, with the rate that it¡¯s being completed, it won¡¯t be long before it begins to overflow.¡± Obviously, he thought Derek just wanted to view the status of the dungeon. Derek nodded, still waiting for the dungeon notification to pop up. They stood in silence while he waited. Finally, the notification popped. Dungeon Countdown Timer Depleted Participants: 1/5 Derek Hunt: Level 77 Please Choose an Option Below View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Derek didn¡¯t bother looking at the dungeon status and just focused on entering. Participants Ready: 1/1 Derek Hunt: Ready Derek turned and looked at the older man. If this man was watching everyone who was going in and out of the dungeon, he would see Derek anyway. There was no reason to try to hide going in. ¡°Well, I guess I see you in a bit.¡± Derek said. The man gave Derek a confused look that turned into wide-eyed horror as the dungeon counted down and a light washed over Derek¡¯s body. Finally, the light vanished, along with Derek. Chapter 125: Undying Again Chapter 125: Undying Again Derek reappeared in the dungeon just as he had previously done. When he looked around, he was still in the enclosed stone room. The only difference was that he was alone this time. He slid the tomb door open and stepped out into the graveyard. Looking around, Derek could see that the amount of skeletons he was going to have to fight was not nearly as abundant as they were when the dungeon was in ¡®Extreme Overflow.¡¯ He identified the closest skeleton to him and confirmed his suspicions. The skeleton was only level 96 instead of level 100. So, the overflow affects everything from density to levels. When he previously raided the dungeon, everything in the dungeon was level 100 or higher. If the skeletons this time around were only level 96, then it was possible that the level 110 Ghouls would be weaker too. It was unfortunate for Derek, as he would already be taking a hit by only getting half XP per kill while in a dungeon he¡¯d already completed. Now, how do I want to do this? I may not be able to get the full XP, but I should still be able to get quite a bit of skill proficiency. I have to use magic to complete the kill, so Chain Lightning would still be the quickest way. One thing was certain, he didn¡¯t want to sever a bunch of heads then have to gather them again. At that thought, Derek decided to channel the void into his fists and aim for the head. He also activated Greater Meditation so he would be able to work on advancing three skills all at once. He was slow while using Greater Meditation, but it didn¡¯t matter. The skeletons were mindless. Derek walked forward and began crushing the heads of all the Skeleton Warriors. The Skeleton Mages and Skeleton Archers hung back and pelted Derek with spells and arrows, but they didn¡¯t do much. They only left minor scratches and burns, which were all healed within moments through Greater Meditation. Occasionally, a bad would swoop down and kill itself on Derek¡¯s fist. In no time, all of the melee skeletons were dealt with. For the ranged skeletons, Derek disabled Greater Meditation and went to work. The fight was over in minutes. Finally, Derek focused on the remaining bats. As they were flying creatures, they were the most troublesome for him to fight. Luckily, they were dungeon monsters, so they always ended up attacking. In total, it took Derek around 15 minutes to clear the first wave of the dungeon. He was disappointed in the amount of enemies this time around, but it was still better than searching in the forest. Before the next wave began, Derek ran around collecting all of the bat corpses. He enjoyed the silk like material that came from skinning them. He would most definitely have Brandi make him a few more shirts once they got settled. The next wave started with the ghoul attacks. Derek was still weary about the different toxins and acids they produced, so instead of fighting closely with his fists, he switched to Chain Lightning. The ghouls were all level 100 this time around. A vast difference from what they were previously. Derek¡¯s already high leveled skill made short work of the ghouls. In fact, they ended up dying off much quicker than the skeletons. When every enemy rushes to slaughter, it tends to make things much simpler. Derek knew what was coming next before it even happened. He rushed over the mountain of dead ghouls and to where he had killed the lich previously. The whole ordeal saddened Derek. It almost seemed like he was a spawn camper. Alas, before the enemy lich could even cast one spell, his phylactery was in Derek¡¯s hand, then crushed between his fingers. That was the end of the level 110 lich and thus, the end of his first repeat dungeon run. He was not rewarded with any items or even any notifications upon completing the dungeon. Instead, the dungeon orb made its silent appearance and Derek exited. Everything would have been for naught if Derek hadn¡¯t gotten five levels for all the kills he made. With a flash, Derek, with his face and head covered, appeared in the camp outside the dungeon. In an instant, the old adventurer was next to Derek. ¡°Y-you didn¡¯t die?¡± The man muttered. ¡°Of course not.¡± Derek replied. He expected to be battered with question after question, but he had no intention of answering most of them. ¡°But¡­ you were alone¡­¡± The man said. At that time, the old adventurer wasn¡¯t the only person who made their appearance. Derek was surrounded by half the dungeon camp, at least. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of your team?¡± ¡°Are you the only one who made it out alive?¡± ¡°What was the boss? Was it an undead dragon?¡± Question after question was yelled out one after another. Most people hadn¡¯t seen Derek enter the dungeon, so they believed he was the only survivor in his team. They had all heard rumors of the enemies in the dungeon, but the only people who truly knew were the one team that managed to complete it. ¡°Back off, back off.¡± The old adventurer shouted. With that, everyone went quiet. They all knew that the old man was sent by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to oversee the dungeon. He had arrived at the dungeon before them, and he would most likely be there long after everyone gave up. ¡°Sir.¡± The adventurer spoke, his tone more humble than before. ¡°Would you mind telling me about the dungeon? It would help to have a firsthand account of all the enemies, traps, bosses, and anything else you experienced during your run. With more information, less adventurers will lose their lives.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°You know better than that.¡± He said to the man. ¡°We just talked about greed and what it does to people. Do you really think knowing exactly what is in the dungeon will stop people from entering?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°No, probably not. But it would at least allow those adventurers the chance to prepare. If they know exactly what they are going to face, it will allow them to build their party around it.¡± ¡°What about that team that completed the dungeon?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t they give you all the information you needed? Why do you need it from me?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°No. That was a team gathered from one of the upper noble houses. Other than some rumors spread, they didn¡¯t leave us with anything. And we don¡¯t want to listen to those rumors because we don¡¯t know what is real or fake. Just think about those people pelting you with questions. We¡¯ve heard everything from a dragon being the final boss to it being an undead chicken.¡± Derek thought about everything for a moment before answering. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you the information.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± A gleam appeared in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a pity seeing so much death these days¡­ So, what can you tell me about the first wave? I hear there are skeletons.¡± The man took out some paper and a writing utensil. Derek chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but later. I still have stuff to do.¡± He reached over and placed his left hand back on the dungeon orb. ¡°You¡¯re not planning to go again, are you?¡± The man asked with wide eyes. Derek smiled under his mask but didn¡¯t answer. Before long, the countdown finished, and, under the shocked gazes of all those around him, he disappeared again. Derek¡¯s new priority had changed from completing the dungeon to speed running the dungeon. His previous time had been just less than 30 minutes, he wanted to try to lessen that. When he appeared in the tomb again, he didn¡¯t waste any time. He shoved the door aside and began. Derek continued this time and time again. After three runs, he was able to get his completion time down to under 20 minutes. It had also gotten to the point where nobody bothered him outside the dungeon. Sure, there were a few times where a lower leveled person would ask him to take him in just to gather the information himself, but Derek always refused. After his fourth run, the dungeon camp was no longer in any type of frenzy. Everybody sat in a daze staring at the dungeon orb, finally accepting that someone was able to complete this terrible dungeon solo. After completing the dungeon for the fifth time, Derek got a notification he hadn¡¯t expected. You have succeeded in completing five dungeons alone. New Award Earned Derek was quick to check on the new Award. Lesser Solo Diver By completing dungeons alone, you have experienced the hardships that come with not having a team to back you up. You will be awarded with the following: +2% Stat Boost to all basic stats while solo diving. Ability to instantly begin a dungeon dive. Note: Continue diving solo to increase this Award¡¯s effect. Awesome. Currently, the 2% stat increase wasn¡¯t a game changer, but if he continued to complete dungeons solo and increase its effects, it could become amazing. Not having to wait at the dungeon orb was a nice perk too. Derek exited the dungeon and entered again. This time, he vanished seconds after placing his hand on the orb. With this ability, he was able to cut the time it was taking to level even shorter. Some time later, Derek completed his ninth solo run. With that, he received another notification. You have completed the same dungeon ten times. New Award Earned That¡¯s an odd reason to receive an Award. Derek thought. Then, he looked at his newly received Award. Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer With monotonous boredom comes Awards. You have steeled yourself and completed the same dungeon ten times. You will be awarded with the following. 5% Chance to obtain dungeon rewards upon completion of the same dungeon. Note: Continue running dungeons multiple times to increase this Award. Woah. Five percent wasn¡¯t a lot, but the ability to be rewarded made grinding a dungeon easier to withstand. Before exiting the dungeon, Derek looked at his level. Level 98, one or two more dungeons and I will hit level 100. It had been far too long since his last class upgrade. Chapter 126: Level 100 Chapter 126: Level 100 Derek continued with his next dungeon run, making it midway through level 99 in the process. One more time. After the next dungeon run, he would no longer be eligible to do level 100 dungeons until he upgraded his class. Even then, he would only get one or two more runs before leveling to 101. His whole plan was to level to level 100, so little else mattered once he made it to 100. Derek appeared in the camp once again, and with no fanfare, disappeared back into the dungeon. He was almost finished culling the horde of ghouls when the notification sounded that he had reached enough experience to level to 100. The only thing left was for him to do the class selection or upgrade. Derek went ahead and finished the dungeon. With the phylactery in his hand, he squeezed and the lich¡¯s life was over. He waited, but alas, he wasn¡¯t rewarded with any items. A 5% chance was so small that he wasn¡¯t disappointed when he received nothing at the end. Finally. He thought as he pulled up his status sheet. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 30 Level 100 (Upgrade Class) Experience 889,654/??? Class Legend of the Void (Legendary) Race Human (Modified) Health 7250 Mana 5000 Stamina 7150 Defense 71 (Armor + 0) Attack 125(Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 700 Dexterity 500 Endurance 715 Vitality 725 Intelligence 500 Wisdom 500 Stat Points Remaining 763 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown) View Contract Silvi (Bonded Beast) View Status Stella Brighton (Crown) View Contract Francesco Jaccobs (Adventurer¡¯s Guild) View Contract Rudolph Mckinney View Contract Skills Absolute Nullify Level 1 Nullify magic spells Chain Lightning Level 12 Send a chain of lightning to enemies. Channel Void Level 10 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cleaning Level 5 Clean a small area. Cure Toxin Level 4 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 12 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 4 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 15 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 10 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Multi-Strike Level 3 Your next attack hits twice. Physical Resistance Level 9 Increase natural physical resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 9 Restores 45% HP over 30 seconds. Sweeping Slash Level 18 Project a slash in front of you. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 2 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 3 Become one with and move within the void. Void Storage Level N/A Use a storage space made from void. Unarmed Combat Mastery Level 9 Increase efficiency when not using a weapon or magic. Skill Points Remaining 11 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Lesser Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Derek was pleased to see the different skill upgrades he had gained during his dungeon grinding. His Chain Lightning, Channel Void, Cleaning, Greater Meditation, and Unarmed Combat Mastery had all increased to various degrees. He was especially happy about Greater Meditation gaining a level. Derek selected his class option to view his various choices. He was a little sad as he scrolled through his options, as he was hoping for his ¡®Legend of the Void¡¯ class to have another upgrade in rarity. He was unsure if there was a rarity above legendary, but ¡®Legend of the Void¡¯ still showed that it was a growth type class, so he still had hope. Unfortunately, his next class upgrade wouldn¡¯t come for a while. There were no other legendary classes available for him to choose from, either. He still had some of the same options he had previously, including a couple of epic ranked growth classes, but he had invested so much into his void class that it would be insane to change. Plus, his current class hadn¡¯t let him down as of yet, and he was quite fond of his Channel Void skill. He didn¡¯t want to risk losing it. Derek selected ¡®Legend of the Void.¡¯ Legend of the Void You have lived within the void, and used the void as you see fit. You have become a void user of legend. Unlike others, you will no longer become trapped in the void. The void is your ally. Legend of the Void is a growth type legendary class. Preferences for this class are unknown. Upon class upgrade, two new skills will be available for selection. You will receive 30 Skill Points upon class upgrade. Derek sighed while reading his class description. Nothing at all had changed, well, nothing but the amount of Skill Points he would receive. Derek confirmed his decision. Upon confirming his selection, more notifications flooded his vision. Derek dismissed them as they were mostly kill notifications. Finally, after sifting through the notifications, Derek checked on his new possible skills. Time Prison One cannot master the void without attuning oneself to time and space. Using your mastery of the void, you are able to create a separate void space to hold your enemies. Time Prison allows you to adjust the passage of time inside your void space. As the skill level increases, control over the passage of time increases with it. Uses 1,500 mana to open Cost: 21 Skill Points Derek wasn¡¯t sure about having his own personal prison. He shuddered at the thought of being trapped alone in the void again. Now he had the ability to cause others to suffer the same fate. Plus, he was unsure how he would go about leveling the ability. Would it require him to constantly open and close the prison, or would he actually need to imprison enemies in it to grow? However, he could see some upside in the ability. If he could make time pass slowly, then he could also make time pass quickly. It could be possible that he could use the ability to carry others. With the ability to change the passage of time, somebody could go in, then in just mere minutes, come out days or even weeks later. Now that I think about it, isn¡¯t this an extremely broken skill? No wonder it was only unlocked at level 100¡­ And the cost¡­ wow¡­ Derek didn¡¯t take any more time to decide and spent the skill points on the skill. Time Prison Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 20 Derek then checked on his remaining class skill. Void Steps Using your Void Sense, you are able to see shifts and tears in the void. Void Steps can force those intangible rifts into the physical for you to use as footholds. Uses 100 mana/s Cost: 7 Skill Points Basically, it allows me to use the void to sort of fly. Well, I guess fly isn¡¯t the right word. It¡¯s kind of like that skill of Rayna¡¯s that lets her step on air. At least it¡¯s cheap both in skill points and mana usage. Derek thought. Derek then accepted the skill. Void Steps Learned Successfully Skill Points Remaining: 13 Derek breathed a sigh of relief. He was half expecting not to have enough skill points to even learn his second skill after the cost of the first. Luckily, it was quite the basic skill, and he still walked away with two more points than he started with. Now, Derek had over 700 stat points to spend. He was tempted to evenly spread it out through his stats, but decided against it. It¡¯s nice to have Strength and mana, but it¡¯s even better to be able to live through attacks. Endurance and Vitality had been his go to stats since he first obtained a system. You couldn¡¯t do anything if you were dead. The two stats had never failed him, and it was time to increase them. First, Derek put 375 points into his Vitality, bringing it to 1,100. Instantly, Derek felt his blood begin to boil. It was like magma flowing through his veins. His heart pounded harder than ever before. If there was anybody else around at the time, he was sure they would hear the sound of drums beating, or horses charging on a battlefield. Derek clutched at his chest as pain engulfed his body. He fell to his knees as his veins bulged, threatening to burst out of his skin. Then, all of the sudden, it was over. Everything felt like a dream. If not for the sweat and rip in his shirt where he had clutched it, he may not believe anything even happened. That was intense. He thought to himself. Derek let out a deep breath. I¡¯m not sure I even want to know what¡¯s going to happen when I increase my Endurance. Derek calmed himself and prepared for the worst. Then, he dropped 385 points into Endurance and accepted the changes. Derek closed his eyes and balled his fists, waiting for the change. Sure enough, a few seconds later, the sound of bones breaking rang out. Derek felt like every bone in his body was being crushed by a giant hammer, then repaired, then crushed again. It was pure agony. Luckily, the bone breaking didn¡¯t last as long as the burning blood had. Within seconds, it was over¡­ Then came the itching. Derek¡¯s skin felt like thousands of ants were crawling underneath it, biting and stinging as they moved along. If Derek had to choose, he would choose the bone breaking or boiling blood, or even both at once a million times before he would choose to feel the itching. Derek couldn¡¯t handle it. He tore his black shirt off and clawed at his body. No relief came. The harder he clawed, the worse the itching sensation got. He clawed and clawed but wasn¡¯t even able to break the top layer of his skin. He gave up. The only thing he could think of to help him in this situation was Greater Meditation. The second the thought hit him, he tried it. It worked, at least some. While meditating, the feeling was reduced to an almost bearable sensation. He didn¡¯t know how much time passed, but eventually, the feeling dissipated. With that, he exited meditation and looked down. His skin was still tan, but every scar on his body had disappeared. No bumps, moles, or pimples remained either. Derek pushed on his forearm and was amazed at how soft and smooth his skin felt. One thing was certain, it didn¡¯t feel like it would have any defense. Derek brought out one of his knives from his storage bracelet. Quickly, he jabbed the knife into his forearm. The tip of the blade pushed the skin in, but was unable to even slightly pierce it. I guess that¡¯s something. He thought as the blade vanished from his hand. Derek looked at his new status to see all the changes he made. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 30 Level 100 Experience 889,654/5,800,000 Class Legend of the Void (Legendary) Race Human (Modified) Health 16500 Mana 5000 Stamina 16500 Defense 165 (Armor + 0) Attack 125(Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 700 Dexterity 500 Endurance 1100 Vitality 1100 Intelligence 500 Wisdom 500 Stat Points Remaining 3 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown) View Contract Silvi (Bonded Beast) View Status Stella Brighton (Crown) View Contract Francesco Jaccobs (Adventurer¡¯s Guild) View Contract Rudolph Mckinney View Contract Skills Absolute Nullify Level 1 Nullify magic spells Chain Lightning Level 12 Send a chain of lightning to enemies. Channel Void Level 10 Channel the Void through your body, into attacks or defenses. Cleaning Level 5 Clean a small area. Cure Toxin Level 4 Removes poisons and toxins. Dismantle Level 12 Increase ability to dismantle deceased organic life forms. Greater Meditation Level 4 Enter meditative state to increase recovery. Heavy Weapons Mastery Level 18 Increase damage with heavy weapons. Identify Level 15 Appraise objects or entities. Magic Resistance Level 10 Increase natural magic resistance by 1.5% per level. Multi-Strike Level 3 Your next attack hits twice. Physical Resistance Level 9 Increase natural physical resistance by 1.5% per level. Rejuvenation Level 9 Restores 45% HP over 30 seconds. Sweeping Slash Level 18 Project a slash in front of you. Time Prison Level 1 Create a void space as a prison. Control its passage of time. Void Call Level 2 Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 2 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 3 Become one with and move within the void. Void Steps Level 1 Use the void as a foothold to move. Void Storage Level N/A Use a storage space made from void. Unarmed Combat Mastery Level 9 Increase efficiency when not using a weapon or magic. Skill Points Remaining 13 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Lesser Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Derek was able to see the effects of his stats breaking through another threshold. Both his Stamina and Health increased by 15 points per stat point, and his defense more than doubled. I guess all that pain and suffering was worth it. Chapter 127: Skill Testing Chapter 127: Skill Testing Derek was more than satisfied with his new stats. Although both his Endurance and Vitality crossing the 1,000-point threshold came with massive pain and discomfort, the increased modifiers and extra Health and Defense more than made up for it. In fact, if Derek had to choose, he would certainly choose to accept a few moments of agony for permanent increases in his survivability stats. Naturally, the next thing that he needed to do was check on his new skills. First came the one he was excited for, Void Steps. Time Prison seemed to be a valuable skill, especially considering the cost, but it lacked any immediate improvements for Derek. Void Steps could possibly increase his maneuverability and thus survivability. So, before leaving the undying dungeon for the last time, he wanted to try out his skills where nobody could see him. Now, one thing he took note of in the description of his new skill was that it needed to be used in conjunction with Void Sense. Of course, Void Sense was a passive skill, so it was always on, but Derek had grown used to lowering his sensitivity towards the void as it was always a lot to take in, even with the clarity that came from having increased Wisdom. With Void Sense turned down as low as it could go, Derek could still see some faint ripples in the air around him, but he knew that those he could see now barely scratched the surface of what was really there. Derek focused his mind and gradually increased his perception of the void bit by bit. Soon, he found a happy medium for the skill. He could see all the ripples now, but they weren¡¯t so blatant that they would be a distraction while fighting. Next was to actually use Void Steps. Derek activated the skill and jumped towards the closest ripple. When his foot made contact, it was as if he stepped on solid ground. After that, he hopped from ripple to ripple, gaining altitude with each jump. He could only use the skill for a little less than a minute before he ran out of mana. He could negate some of the cost by turning the skill on and off in between jumps, but he didn¡¯t care about that for now. He had Greater Meditation to help him recover any mana he used in the process. In the short time that he was able to keep the skill activated, Derek had made it to an extreme height. Looking down, even with his enhanced vision, he could barely make out the crypt that was the dungeon entrance. If he wasn¡¯t in a dungeon, and the current planet was anything like Earth, Derek was sure that he would feel some of the effects of reduced air pressure. Soon, Derek was out of mana, and he began to free fall. Technically, this is my second time skydiving. He recalled that he was quite high in the air when he first came to this world. Of course, it was nowhere near as high up as he currently was. Derek spread his arms as he had seen many skydivers do to reduce his speed. If nothing else, falling from the sky was quite peaceful. He didn¡¯t worry about impacting the ground as he was more than certain that his body and organs were more than strong enough to avoid being injured by impacting the ground at terminal velocity. That was one of the things that always infuriated Derek when he read novels back on Earth. A man would forge and strengthen his body and organs so much so that he could be punched through a mountain or slammed into the ground, creating a giant crater, and live. Then, later in the novel, the same person would stand on a platform or cliff and be scared of falling and hitting the ground. Derek shook his head at his thoughts and prepared to hit the ground. Of course, there was only one way to land after falling at such a height. He shifted his body and stretched out his right arm, forming a fist with his hand. Then, he hit the ground. Unfortunately, Derek was in a graveyard, a damp one at that. Dust didn¡¯t fly up and a loud impact sound didn¡¯t ring out. The ideal superhero landing didn¡¯t happen. Derek¡¯s cheeks blushed a bit as he thanked the heavens nobody was around to see him. Derek pulled his arm, which had sunk into the ground all the way past his elbow, out of the damp ground. Next was his legs. He was pretty much buried waist deep in the ground. Note to self. Make sure the ground isn¡¯t wet before testing a fall from such a height. Derek looked down at his dirty clothes and cast Cleaning. It wasn¡¯t until his fifth cast before he was fully clean. Alright. Derek thought. That skill is fun and should be really useful if I need to escape or climb. Time to see what this Time Prison is all about. First, he slipped into meditation to restore all of his mana, then he focused on activating Time Prison. Like that, a third of his mana was sapped from him and he instinctively knew what to do next. With glowing purple hands, he grabbed out and pulled the space in front of him apart. The nothingness in front of him was ripped open. A solid black door appeared in front of his eyes. Derek placed his hand on the door and pulled it open. Inside was a pitch-black room with nothing but walls, doors, and a ceiling. Derek gathered his courage and walked in. When Derek stepped into the room, he could feel the passage of time. Time was currently flowing inside the room at the same pace as it was outside. Derek knew that, with a thought, he could change the flow of time in the room, but the change wouldn¡¯t take effect until the door behind him closed. He then walked over to one of the doors inside the chamber and placed his hand on it. Opening the door, he saw another room, this time smaller, was waiting. Finally, he realized that each door was a different cell and he could adjust the time of each cell. This meant that he could technically suspend time for one prisoner while causing it to pass rapidly for another. Of course, the prisoners wouldn¡¯t know the difference until they were back outside and were able to see how much time had passed in the real world. Derek closed the door to the cell and placed his hand back on it. Now I can see why this skill cost so much more than any of the others. He thought of all the possible uses for the skill. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t adjust the time too much with my current skill level. With his hand on the cell door, Derek focused on changing the passage of time inside. Currently, he was only able to make small adjustments to the time. I can either increase the speed by 1.5x or decrease it by .5x. This meant that anybody that he placed in the cell at 1.5x speed would experience a day and a half for every day that passed in the outside world. It was the exact opposite if he decreased the speed. There are just so many uses. Derek thought. The cells could be used for training rooms as well as prison cells. Of course, training by oneself was always a slower way to level skills than using them in actual fights, but with the increased time, it would still be a game changer. The biggest question he had was whether the person he placed in the prison would age at the same rate he did when he was trapped in the void. Though he was in the void for decades, at least, he had only aged a few years when he finally escaped. If it was the same in the prison, then by putting those in that hadn¡¯t yet unlocked the system, he would be able to help them achieve great results when it came to choosing a class. This is basically a cheat. He thought, then shook his head. There¡¯s no way the system would allow such blatant abuse. I have to be missing something. Besides, nothing really matters until I¡¯m able to increase the level of the prison so I can better manipulate the passage of time. Unfortunately, the only way for me to level it is to use it. I wonder if that means that I just need to open it and close it, or if I actually have to have prisoners inside. I¡¯m not too keen on imprisoning people. Plus, I would have to worry about feeding and watering them as well, depending on the level of the people locked away. Derek couldn¡¯t help but think of the starving and suffering he went through when he was trapped in the void. I would rather kill them and be done with it. I guess I can change some things up. Clay would have been the perfect candidate before everything else happened. He thought. Derek backed away and looked at his surroundings once more. There were ten prison cells he could use. I wonder if the number of rooms will increase as the skill levels or if it will stay the same. He thought. Maybe more rooms will be added as the others are filled. He wouldn¡¯t really know until he started using the prison. He took one last look at everything, then walked out of the prison. He turned and closed the door, then, like curtains, he pulled the void together and closed it as well. With that, Derek sat on a nearby stone and took out some paper and a writing utensil. He had promised the old adventurer that he would provide him some information about the dungeon, and he didn¡¯t feel like staying in the camp to do it. Written instructions would have to work. On the paper, he explained, in detail, the variety of enemies he had faced in the dungeon, including the boss lich. He went on to give his thoughts on the best way for an average team to clear the dungeon, and what they needed to look for when assembling a team. Nobody else was a walking tank with magical powers, like Derek, so they needed to plan accordingly. With his ¡®strategy guide¡¯ written, Derek placed his hand on the orb and prepared to leave the dungeon. It¡¯s time to go noble hunting. With that thought, he vanished. Chapter 128: Let’s Go for a Hunt Chapter 128: Let''s Go for a Hunt Derek appeared back at the dungeon camp, still dressed in his leather armor and facemask. This time, to the shock of all those watching him, he didn¡¯t directly teleport back into the dungeon once he came out. Instead, he backed away and looked towards the old adventurer from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He walked away from the dungeon orb and approached the old man. Without any words, he took out the walkthrough of the dungeon and handed it to the man. The man looked confused, but soon shifted his eyes to read the parchment. As he read, his eyes grew wider and wider. After some time, the man looked up at Derek. ¡°You don¡¯t know what this means to the guild.¡± He said. ¡°If you follow me back or if you take it back yourself, they will reward you¡­ and it won¡¯t be a small reward.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted it so you could reduce the number of deaths that take place. I respect that, so you can do what you want with it.¡± After speaking, Derek turned and walked off. As he moved back into the forest, he looked over his shoulder to see all the adventurers crowding around the old man. The man, for the short time they had chatted, seemed like a decent fellow, so Derek didn¡¯t mind doing him this one favor. It took him all of a few minutes, so it really wasn¡¯t much to him. Besides, if they ever did find out who he was, it would help to have some goodwill with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Thinking this far, Derek took off back to the village. *** It wasn¡¯t long before Derek snuck into the back of the village and silently crept his way back to Rayna¡¯s residence. He gave everyone other than Silvi a shock when they finally noticed him standing in the doorway of the dining room. He had stood there silently, watching everyone eating stew and having a good time. It wasn¡¯t until Silvi looked up, irritated that he still hadn¡¯t said anything, that the others shifted their gazes from their bowls to the doorway. ¡°Oh, gosh. Derek, dear, you just about scared me to death.¡± Delilah mocked grabbing her chest as she spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interrupt. You all seemed to be having such a great time.¡± He replied. ¡°Hurry. Come eat. The beaut¡­ eh¡­ Malorie showed me how to cook a great stew. Come try it.¡± Silvi¡¯s voice sounded out from the green crystal placed at the center of the dining room table. Derek smiled, then walked to one of the empty chairs, then sat down. ¡°Fine, but we can¡¯t stay long.¡± Derek told Silvi. ¡°We have some things to take care of, and the sooner the better.¡± Malorie grabbed a bowl and filled it with stew before sitting it down in front of him. ¡°Here you go.¡± Derek picked up the spoon and took a bite. Silvi was correct. It was a great stew. It was even better than the stew Malorie had cooked before. Must be because of all the fresh ingredients Silvi has in her ring. The stew from before wasn¡¯t much more than meat, potatoes, and carrots. He thought. ¡°That is great.¡± Derek praised. ¡°The two of you could open a shop and sell this if you wanted to.¡± Malorie blushed, and everyone at the table chuckled. ¡°I could help with getting you a stall or store once we get to Savannah.¡± Rudy pointed a spoon at Malorie. ¡°I¡¯m sure I could negotiate a fair price for you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, momma.¡± Brandi said. ¡°It is really good. The best you¡¯ve ever made.¡± ¡°I helped.¡± Silvi chimed in. ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Malorie said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as good without your help.¡± Derek smiled and the group ate. They all made small talk as they filled their bellies. It really was one of the best meals he¡¯d had in years. It would have been a great meal even if they were eating dried rations, the delicious food only made it that much better. *** After dinner, Derek was using his Cleaning skills to clean the dishes. Rayna was standing beside him, chatting. ¡°So, did you do what you needed to?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah. I shouldn¡¯t have any problems for quite some time now.¡± He answered. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Derek nodded as he finished cleaning the last dish. The duo walked into the meeting room where everyone else was and sat down. ¡°Richard¡­ Delilah, are you sure that the two of you don¡¯t want to come to Savannah with us?¡± Derek questioned. The two looked at each other and nodded. ¡°We¡¯re old.¡± Richard said. ¡°We¡¯ve lived here most of our lives, might as well finish our lives here. You don¡¯t need to worry about us.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll be sure to bring Thomas by before we leave, then.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Delilah said. Derek focused on everyone else. ¡°Silvi and I are going to be gone for a bit. When we get back, be ready to go.¡± Then he looked at Rudy. ¡°Rudy, I doubt anything will happen here, but if it does, you should be more than enough to take care of anything. Keep them safe for the next few days.¡± Rudy nodded. ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Derek said. ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon.¡± With that, Derek left with Silvi on his shoulder. He made sure to make a show of walking out of the residence and through the village, leaving through the gates. At least nobody in the village will think I left. ¡®What are we doing?¡¯ Silvi asked. ¡®Ah, I guess I never told you. We¡­ are going noble hunting.¡¯ He replied. ¡®Really?¡¯ Silvi asked with a spark in her eye. ¡®Yup. Pretty exciting, huh? Though, I doubt they¡¯ll give us much trouble.¡¯ ¡®Yeah, we¡¯re a lot stronger. I can feel it. What did you do while you were gone?¡¯ Silvi asked. ¡®I leveled up in a dungeon. Got to level 100.¡¯ Derek answered. At that time, he felt his private communication crystal going off. He pulled it out of his storage bracelet and answered the call. ¡®Walter? What¡¯s up?¡¯ ¡®I was finally able to get a hold of you. I¡¯d almost given up.¡¯ Walter said. Huh? This is the first time I felt the crystal since I talked with Alanah. Derek thought, then it hit him. There must not be any service in the dungeon. That made sense. Even if the crystal could reach from here to the capital, dungeons were in another dimension or instance. He wasn¡¯t sure what to call it. ¡®Sorry, I was indisposed.¡¯ He answered. ¡®What¡¯s so urgent?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not urgent, exactly. Well, it might be for you.¡¯ Walter replied. ¡®The City Lord left. His whole house left. What happened?¡¯ ¡®Malcolm and Clay left? Where did they go?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®It looked like they were heading to Wilmette. It¡¯s the closest city with a teleport circle. I¡¯m thinking they got wind of whatever you did, or maybe Gerald recalled them to the capital. I¡¯m not sure, but they left a few hours ago.¡¯ Walter explained. Dammit! Derek inwardly cursed. ¡®You said everyone left? They¡¯ll be slow, then. How long do you think it will take them to get to Wilmette?¡¯ ¡®If they travel through the night, then they¡¯ll be there by morning. Clay was still unconscious, so they can¡¯t move too fast, but everyone is relatively trained, so they will still be quick.¡¯ Walter answered. Derek pulled out the map he bought of the region and found Wilmette. We should be able to cut them off. He thought. ¡®Walter, thanks for the information. I owe you dinner when we get back to the city. I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡¯ ¡®Be careful.¡¯ Walter replied, then the connection cut off. ¡®New plan.¡¯ Derek sent to Silvi. ¡®The nobles are running, so we¡¯re going to have an actual hunt.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Silvi sent back. Derek smiled, then went over the map once again and made sure to orient himself in the right direction. Technically, going from where he was straight to the city wasn¡¯t exactly the safest route. He was sure to come upon some dangerous creatures, but he doubted he would find any that were actually dangerous to him or Silvi. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Derek said back to Silvi. ¡®If they stay on the road, it should be easy to cut them off.¡¯ Derek, with Silvi on his shoulder, took off, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. Hours, and multiple monster kills later, Derek and Silvi made it onto the main road to Wilmette. It was the middle of the night. Derek wasn¡¯t sure if Torith was ahead of or behind him at the moment. For good measure, he and Silvi split up. Derek headed towards Wilmette and Silvi headed the opposite. It wasn¡¯t long before Derek could see the outline of the city in the dark. He could make out lights and torches inside. It was a much bigger city than Torith. Unfortunately, or fortunately, Derek was unable to see anyone in between himself and the city. Derek smiled. They must still be on their way. He just had to hope that they weren¡¯t traveling too fast. If they had already made it into the city, then he was sure they would have immediately teleported to the capital. Derek turned around and rushed in the opposite direction, towards where Silvi went. Before long, he heard Silvi. ¡®There you are. I found them.¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®I¡¯m on my way.¡¯ SunriseCV Chapter 129: Carnage Chapter 129: Carnage Before long, Derek could see a group marching in the night. He moved off the road and into the tree line to scout them out. After a few minutes of watching, Silvi landed on his shoulder and they watched together. ¡®We¡¯re sure it¡¯s them?¡¯ He knew that the odds of somebody else traveling in the night with such a large group were basically nil, but he asked anyway. ¡®Mhm.¡¯ Silvi answered. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen the people, but the guards were complaining about the City Lord forcing them to travel through the night.¡¯ Derek nodded. He looked up at the sky. There were only a couple of hours left until daybreak. Currently, he was deciding whether to attack now or wait until morning. There was no need for him and Silvi to ambush the group. He was sure of that. If they waited until morning, they could attack in a big clearing, and it would be hard for anybody to sneak away. Plus, it was easier to lose sight of them at night. After calculating the City Lord¡¯s army¡¯s marching speed, it would be a little after dusk when they marched on the clearing. Once they made it to the clearing, there was nothing but open land until they arrived at Wilmette. ¡®Let¡¯s wait until daybreak, then we¡¯ll take them out. I count about 300 regular guards in front, plus some elite guards protecting the back. We¡¯ll attack once to begin with. Let the guards who run or don¡¯t fight back live. Do what you want with the others. Well, everything except eating them, we don¡¯t eat humans.¡¯ He told Silvi about his plan. ¡®Got it.¡¯ She replied. ¡®If Malcolm runs, cut him off and keep him from escaping.¡¯ ¡®Kay.¡¯ With that, Derek and Silvi stalked the small army through the night, thinking of various plans and contingencies. It wouldn¡¯t do just to assassinate Malcolm and Clay. They were going to make a show of power. Any soldiers who survived would spread rumors about what happens when you mess with Derek and his people. Time gradually passed, and soon the sun began to rise. The army advanced out of the forested roads and into the open. They were on the home stretch. Derek and Silvi hid in the woods and waited for them to get far enough out that it would take some time to escape back into the forest. When the army was around a mile out, Derek acted. He rushed past the army and stopped in front. He would hit them head on. It may not be smart, but it would make a statement. The soldiers halted as they saw the duo standing in front of them. Some guards stared wide eyed in recognition while others stared in confusion. ¡°Get out of the w¡­¡± One soldier up front stepped forward and began to speak, but another grabbed him by the shoulder and shook his head. He then whispered something into the first soldier¡¯s ear. Which made the man turn pale and hurriedly step back into place. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are we stopped?¡± A voice all too familiar to Derek called out from the back of the troops. Hushed whispers sounded throughout the army until they reached the ears of the City Lord. ¡°What are you scared of? There are over 300 of you, and only one of him.¡± The voice rang out again. Derek decided that it was finally time to speak up. With some power in his voice, so everyone could hear him, he said, ¡°You can all rest assured, I won¡¯t harm you if you just give the City Lord and his son up. However, if you take up arms against me, it will be the last thing you do in this life.¡± His booming voice fell over the army, causing some to flinch and even more to fidget anxiously. Unfortunately, none stepped aside. This caused Derek to wonder about the contracts and oaths the guards were under. Still, he gave them a chance. Derek stepped forward. ¡°Attack! Kill him. It will all be over once he¡¯s dead. Whoever brings me his head will be rewarded by my father!¡± Malcolm screamed from the back. Derek shook his head. In the end, it was greed that won out. The hesitant soldiers firmed their resolve and drew their weapons. ¡°Go.¡± Derek said one word, but it signaled the end. The small weight on his shoulder disappeared. Derek stared into the army, the army that failed to charge. A small white and purple light flashed throughout the crowd. Blood and gore exploded into the air, covering guard after guard. Soon, the white and purple flash became a red and purple flash, as Silvi¡¯s fur became covered in the gore. Derek stared in amazement at the destruction and confusion his beast companion caused. He was especially impressed at her skill in using all her abilities in tandem. Of course, Silvi didn¡¯t have many abilities, but it was still impressive. Every time she hit a soldier, it was a critical hit with no chance of survival. Every guard who drew a sword or cast a spell was her target. Silvi would fly through the air, horn first. Every person she hit would have their head exploded or chest pierced through, leaving no chance at recovery. When her momentum slowed, or she ran out of enemies in a straight line, she would vanish. From there, she would appear on the ground or on top of one of the soldiers. She would kick off from there, sending her flying back through the air like a rocket. It was pure mayhem. Derek watched as notification after notification appeared in the corner of his vision. He pulled them up and dismissed them as they came. The army held for much longer than Derek would have liked. He had expected the guards to break and run after just a few moments of Silvi¡¯s indiscriminate slaughter. He realized his mistake too late. Derek knew of Silvi¡¯s strength, others did not. What others saw was a cute bunny wearing a purple cloak and a nose ring. So, when Silvi flew forward, it didn¡¯t intimidate them, it caused mass confusion. Derek also underestimated Silvi¡¯s ability to kill. Dozens of soldiers were dead before others even realized. Technically, it was their fault for standing in such straight lines. Straight line formations were not good strategies to use against a projectile with extreme piercing potential, like Silvi. Every now and then, a flash of lightning would streak out from Silvi¡¯s horn when she ran out of momentum, but there were still guards in front of her. It was when the guards began seeing her seamlessly cast magic that they snapped out of their stupor. More and more soldiers began looking around the battlefield, seeing their former comrades laying headless in pools of their own blood. Well over a hundred soldiers were dead before the first ran. But, when the first broke, the rest were sure to follow. And follow they did. Of course, there were still some soldiers who were stubborn, and some who were just downright loyal to the City Lord. That was something Derek couldn¡¯t understand based on his meetings with the man. Silvi obviously remembered Derek¡¯s plan, as she made no move to go after any soldier who tried to escape. Realizing this, more soldiers turned tail and ran. In the distance, Derek could now see Malcolm, as there were no longer mass amounts of soldiers standing in between the two. Only him and his personal guards were left. Derek watched as his fierce figure gradually paled, and his face went from anger to confusion to extreme fright. While Malcolm Torith viewed the gory scene in fright, Captain Herrett was shaking his lowered head. On the man¡¯s face wasn¡¯t fright or defeat, just acceptance. Derek knew that Captain Herrett had no love for Malcolm Torith. He was most likely a man in an unfortunate situation. Derek could only shake his head at the man¡¯s predicament. The other guards were one thing. They had all perked up after hearing about getting a reward for killing Derek, but Herrett only smiled bitterly and shook his head. Around the time Derek was thinking about Captain Herrett and the situation he found himself in, the City Lord turned and gave some orders to his personal guards. Derek was still watching them as he saw them all turn away and take off in the opposite direction. Of course, it was already too late for them to even try to escape. Their only chance would have been at the beginning of the chaos Silvi had created. ¡®The City Lord is trying to escape.¡¯ Derek sent to Silvi. ¡®Got it.¡¯ He heard back. With that reply, Silvi vanished from in front of a frightened soldier and appeared behind the army, in front of the escaping City Lord and his people. Derek slowly walked forward, through the battlefield littered with bodies, blood, and guts. The few guards who had yet to flee or had not yet been slaughtered by Silvi took him coming into their range as an opportunity to end the battle and receive a great reward. If they could deal with Derek, his companion would lose most of its powers and it would be easy to take down. Everyone knew how the companion contract worked. Unfortunately, they were wrong, very wrong. The nine remaining guards signaled to one another and attacked all at once. Derek let the blades fall on his body, catching the one that threatened to pierce his eye. With a clang, the blades bounced off his newly improved body. Unfortunately, the sharp edges still cut into his clothing. Derek channeled the void and, very quickly, hit each guard in the head with his palm. Unlike Silvi¡¯s bloody killing, Derek¡¯s killing with the void was relatively bloodless and graceful. Well, other than the occasional blood dripping out of the corpse¡¯s nose or ears. With no remaining ordinary guards or soldiers, Derek continued walking forward. A little over 70 guards had chosen to escape the battle after seeing the carnage and destruction. It wasn¡¯t as many as he had hoped for, but at least some still had the sense to run. Looking ahead, the frightened City Lord had stopped in front of Silvi. The group turned back around to run away from her, and Derek smiled. Using Void Shift, Derek moved forward and appeared in front of the group out of nowhere. The City Lord stopped at the sudden appearance of Derek. Suddenly, the weight on Derek¡¯s shoulder increased, and a blood soaked Silvi appeared. Derek reached over and cast Cleaning. Silvi was soon back to her original appearance as a majestic silver and purple Void Rabbit. Derek looked over at the City Lord and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t you just love the Cleaning skill?¡± Chapter 130: Captain Herrett Chapter 130: Captain Herrett ¡°Don¡¯t you love the Cleaning skill?¡± Derek asked the City Lord. Derek had managed to make it through the battle without getting even a speck of dust on him. Of course, he was only responsible for a few cleanup kills at the end. Silvi had done everything else, and she had done it beyond his expectation. As for the Cleaning spell, it was quickly becoming one of Derek¡¯s favorite skills. It didn¡¯t give him the same clean feeling he had after taking a bath or shower, but it was close. It also wiped away smells as well, both good and bad. If you wanted to be clean without smelling like anything, Cleaning was the way to go. The greatest example was the currently spotless Silvi perched on his shoulder. Derek took a closer look around after praising his favorite new skill. There were only a couple dozen people left around the City Lord. This included the City Lord¡¯s personal guard, Captain Herrett, and his son, Clay, who was lying in a carriage, still unconscious. The boy was also the reason their traveling speed wasn¡¯t as fast as it could have been. Currently, everyone was quiet. Nobody dared to make a sound. ¡°So.¡± Derek broke the silence. ¡°It seems I have a decision to make.¡± He looked at the quivering City Lord. ¡°The question is if I should let anyone else live after I kill you.¡± ¡°No!¡± The City Lord screamed. ¡°Why would you kill me? I received your warning. I didn¡¯t do anything else to offend you.¡± Derek squinted his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t do anything else to offend me? What about the two villagers you had your men kidnap? The crafter girl and her mother.¡± Malcolm¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That girl? I¡­ I gave those orders before your warning. I just forgot to cancel them. A mistake¡­ It was an honest mistake. You can¡¯t be mad over something like that.¡± Derk laughed out loud. ¡°A mistake? Your ¡®mistake¡¯ left one of my friends in a dying state. If I had been any slower, she would be dead now.¡± He replied. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t believe for a second that you forgot to cancel your orders. You had plenty of time to do it, and I¡¯m sure I specifically said not to mess with that village or its people.¡± Derek caught Captain Herrett¡¯s minute nods as Derek spoke. ¡°Still. You plan on killing me? I¡¯m a Torith. Do you know what my father will do to you if you kill me?¡± Pleading hadn¡¯t worked, so Malcolm¡¯s next step was to threaten. ¡°Send assassins? Talk about me to the King? Yeah, pretty sure there are already some assassins on their way to me. I¡¯ve got a plan for them when they get here. It¡¯s nice that your dad¡¯s going out of his way to supply me with people. Say, do you think if I send him your head, he will send extra?¡± Derek chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Nah, that¡¯s too much, even for me. I¡¯m sure word alone will be enough.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Malcolm Torith stammered for a moment before he turned to Herrett. ¡°Guards, Captain Herrett, do something!¡± The older, scar faced guard frowned at the City Lord¡¯s mention of his name. Still, he didn¡¯t step forward. Neither did any of the other guards. Silvi¡¯s spree of destruction was still fresh in their minds, so their feet stayed planted. Derek had just said that he had to make a decision. Perhaps they were putting hope in his words that he would let them off. Derek could only smile at that thought. Those who he allowed to leave earlier were all that was going to leave today. ¡°Herrett! You know your oath! Do something!¡± Malcolm commanded again. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Captain Herrett cleared his throat, his face still as stoic as before. ¡°Derek, you said that you are going to kill my charge, yes?¡± Derek furrowed his brows at the odd questioning, but nodded. ¡°100%?¡± The man questioned again. ¡°There is no possible way that he will live past today? Or even past the next hour?¡± He asked again. Derek shook his head. ¡°No, he dies today. His son may live. I haven¡¯t made my decision on that. I¡¯m not a big fan of killing someone in a coma. As for your ¡®charge,¡¯ he won¡¯t live past the next few minutes.¡± ¡°Herrett! What are you doing? Attack!¡± Malcolm screamed again. Captain Herrett nodded at Derek. ¡°Would you receive my best attack? Think of it as a test of your strength.¡± The man smiled. Derek couldn¡¯t wrap his head around what the man was wanting to do. Clearly, he was under oath to protect the City Lord. He also clearly despised the man. Now, to ask Derek to receive his best attack. Is he trying to trick me just to get a decent hit in? Does he think his best blow will kill me? Derek had no idea what the man was up to. Still, he was very confident in his Vitality and Endurance. Especially after the upgrades they recently went through. Derek smiled. ¡°Your best attack, huh? What are you thinking? Do you want me to take it without fighting back? Without blocking?¡± Herrett shook his head, and a smile finally appeared on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. You can block if you wish. You can fight back, as well. Though I would prefer to be alive after attacking you, I¡¯ve pretty much accepted the outcome if you attack back. Interesting. Derek thought. Then he took a few steps back and held out his arms. ¡°Have at it.¡± Captain Herrett stared at Derek, wide eyed. ¡°Really? You accept?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Why not. I¡¯ve been itching to see what that blade of yours can do.¡± Oddly, the scarred man let out a breath of relief. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said before stepping forward. ¡®Hop down.¡¯ Derek told Silvi. The bunny did as she was told and jumped off of his shoulder onto the top of the carriage. Derek chuckled. ¡®Getting a good view?¡¯ ¡°Get ready.¡± Herrett interrupted. The man took a step forward and drew his blade. Holding it across his chest, he closed his eyes and muttered a few things. A red glow fell over his sword, then yellow. After that, his sword burst into crimson flames. A few more seconds passed, and the same happened on the man¡¯s body. The fire fell over the man¡¯s body, then moved until it was all concentrated in his hands. With both hands on his longsword, he pushed the flames into the sword, causing the flames to violently burst out until the flames took the shape of a greatsword. Then the man opened his eyes. Derek had always wondered what it was like when other people saw his purple eyes when he used the void. Now, he had a pretty good idea. With a scar running down his face, a flaming greatsword, and crimson red eyes, Herrett was the most intimidating opponent Derek had ever seen. At that moment, Captain Herrett leaned forward, then kicked off the ground. At a rapid speed, he appeared before Derek. The man swung his newly formed fire greatsword at a wide arc, looking to split Derek just above the waist. Derek, for all his composure, almost jumped backwards. However, he promised to take the attack, and he would do so. In fact, since the attack wasn¡¯t heading towards his head, neck, or heart, he believed that with his current Vitality, he would be able to heal through any other damage done, even if he happened to get split above his waist. Instead of taking a step back, or moving his arms to block, Derek held his hands open to the sides, almost as if he was ready to receive Captain Herrett in a bear hug. The guard captain¡¯s blazing sword reached him in a flash. When the flames on the blade reached his shirt, it went up in flames. Derek frowned as the blade dug deeper into his body. It was a strong attack. The crimson blade tore past his improved skin and into his flesh. With Captain Herrett¡¯s full strength, the blade pushed deeper. It ripped through Derek¡¯s flesh, moving past his muscles. Then, as if hitting a steel wall, the blade stopped. It had made contact with Derek¡¯s ribs. The sudden collision between bone and metal surprised both Derek and Captain Herrett. Herrett¡¯s arms rebounded with the sword, and Derek was sent sliding a few meters back. At this point, Derek¡¯s entire shirt was up in flames. He quickly reached to his chest and ripped the blazing shirt off his body. Another one down. He sighed. Derek inspected his new wound. It was quite deep, cutting all the way to the bone, but surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t bleeding. That¡¯s one downside of using flames on your blade, I guess. Instant cauterization. Derek watched as the charred flesh moved rapidly, pushing all the char to the tip of his skin. It was unsightly. As the scarred flesh moved, the flesh beneath healed perfectly. This happened until the damaged flesh was pushed out of the wound and fell to the ground. Then, his wound closed and healed as if he was never touched. Derek wiped some blood off his abdomen before using Cleaning on the area. I wonder if the Repair skill can fix shirts like it fixed that table. Derek put that on his list of things to ask Alanah about later. Finally, Derek looked up into Captain Herrett¡¯s eyes. They were no longer red, in fact, all color had left the man, and he was leaning forward, panting, on his longsword which was stabbed into the ground. ¡°That was a great strike.¡± Derek praised. The man smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad. It took everything I had.¡± With that, the man slipped off his sword and fell face first onto the ground, unconscious. It seemed that he wasn¡¯t joking. Derek sighed and looked back up to the City Lord and his personal guard. ¡°Your turn.¡± Chapter 131: Your Turn Chapter 131: Your Turn ¡°N-no! No, no, no, no¡­ you can¡¯t do this.¡± The City Lord begged as he stumbled backwards, away from the approaching Derek. Derek smiled and shook his head. ¡°Oh, I can¡­ and I will.¡± He moved forward, step by step. Derek looked around at the City Lord¡¯s remaining personal guards and noticed that they were all sweating bullets and stiff as boards. He chuckled. I¡¯m guessing that display against Herrett is to thank for this. Malcolm tripped over his own feet and landed on his back. From there, he tried crawling away. Derek took another step forward, getting closer and closer to the man. ¡°Attack him! Kill him!¡± The frightened City Lord shouted commands at his last remaining hope, his personal guards. Derek could only guess that his personal guards had a much stricter contract or oath than the soldiers or even Herrett, because, even while terrified of Derek, they still attacked him one last time. And it was the last time, because Derek didn¡¯t hold back. He gave them all quick deaths with his void covered hands. After that, only Derek, Silvi, Malcolm, and the unconscious Herrett and Clay remained. There may have been some soldiers still close enough to make out what was happening, but Derek didn¡¯t bother to check. It was probably better if they were watching, anyway. The City Lord pushed and kicked the ground, doing everything he could to escape Derek. Unfortunately for him, it was all in vain. ¡°P-please don¡¯t do this.¡± The City Lord pleaded. ¡°I-I can give you money! My father can make you a wealthy man.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t need money.¡± He took another step forward. ¡°Women then! I can give you women whose beauty you¡¯ve never even dreamed of.¡± When money didn¡¯t work, he switched to sex. ¡°Not a chance.¡± Derek took another step. Malcolm widened his eyes. ¡°What about men? I could find you all types of men. Beautiful, handsome, rugged, you name it, and I will find them.¡± Derek rolled his eyes. ¡°No, not men either.¡± A glint flashed in the eyes of the begging City Lord. ¡°If not men, women, or money, then children!¡± Derek stopped and frowned. He looked the City Lord dead in his eyes. ¡°Children?¡± ¡°Ah. I see, so that¡¯s it. Of course, you hang around with that boy and are very protective of that little girl. I can get you more. Boys¡­ girls¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The City Lord seemed to think he figured something out. He was sorely mistaken. Derek moved and was overtop the City Lord¡¯s body in a flash. He reached down and lifted the man up by the collar of his tunic. With gritted teeth, he spoke. ¡°And where do you get these children?¡± The man squirmed in Derek¡¯s grasp. ¡°I cannot say, but you can have as many as you want.¡± Derek reached down with his free hand and grabbed one of Malcolm¡¯s fingers. He tightened his grip and twisted until he heard a loud pop. ¡°Tell me!¡± Unfortunately, the broken finger didn¡¯t get much of a reaction out of the City Lord. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± He replied. Derek watched as the man¡¯s finger seemed to set itself and slowly heal. Ah, that¡¯s right. These nobles come from a line of tanks. Derek clicked his tongue. The fear of death was what kept the man talking, pain wasn¡¯t going to get Derek anywhere. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me, then I guess you don¡¯t have any use left.¡± Derek brought his free hand up and channeled the void into it right before the City Lord¡¯s eyes. He made somewhat of a show out of it. ¡°No, please. I can¡¯t say. I¡¯m under oath.¡± The man blurted. ¡°Better to break the oath than to die, don¡¯t you think?¡± Derek slowly moved his palm forward, inching closer and closer to the frightened man¡¯s head. ¡°No, no, no.¡± The man screamed. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Derek sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll just ask your son when he wakes up, and if that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll ask your father¡­ politely, of course.¡± He pulled his arm back and shot it towards the man¡¯s head. ¡°Father!¡± The man yelled and Derek stopped his palm just before the void made contact with the man¡¯s skin. ¡°It¡¯s father¡¯s business. He has other noble houses working under him. They¡­ procure the goods and make the deliveries. That way, nothing is linked back to House Torith.¡± Derek sat the man down and patted his tunic. ¡°Now that wasn¡¯t so hard, was it?¡± He looked over to the unconscious Clay. ¡°Your son, does he know about this¡­ family business?¡± The City Lord fell to his knees, crying. ¡°My skills! They¡¯re all gone.¡± Derek took a quick look, and sure enough, the information on the man came back as him being an Oath Breaker. I guess that¡¯s one good thing that came out of all of this. Derek thought to himself before nudging the man with his food. ¡°Hey! I asked you a question. Does your son know?¡± The man, still sobbing, shook his head. ¡°N-no. I barely know. I don¡¯t have anything to do with that side of things. When I found out, I had to make an oath and then my father still sent me to that damned city.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I see.¡± He said. So the City Lord doesn¡¯t actually know anything else about it. ¡°Can I go now?¡± The man asked. ¡°Go? Who said anything about letting you go?¡± ¡°B-but I told you everything. I broke my oath for it. Y-you have to let me go.¡± ¡°Why would I have to do that? Besides, I promised your guard that you wouldn¡¯t live for more than an hour, and I wouldn¡¯t want to break my promise, now, would I?¡± He replied. ¡°For your cooperation, I¡¯ll give you a quick death, how does that sound?¡± ¡°N-n¡­b-bu¡­ please, no!¡± The man tried to turn away and run. Derek kicked off the ground and caught up to the man in an instant. He held him by the back of his neck. Using his void covered fist, he punched him in the center of his back, right behind his heart. A spray of blood flew out of the City Lord¡¯s mouth, but the man was still breathing. Just how much Endurance and Vitality does this guy have? It wasn¡¯t as easy to kill someone with high stats by destroying their heart as it was if you focused on the brain, but that was fine by Derek. He had promised the man a quick death, not a painless one. Derek opened his hand and struck the man¡¯s back once again. It still wasn¡¯t enough. Derek¡¯s Identify told him that the man was in critical condition, though, so he struck one last time. With three void covered strikes to the City Lord¡¯s back, it was enough to put the man in a ¡®Dying¡¯ state. Derek nodded, but instead of waiting for the time to run out, he struck out one more time, this time to his head. There was no ¡®Dying¡¯ state when one¡¯s brain was destroyed. You have successfully slain an Oathbreaker of the Great System. New Award Earned That must be Award that guard talked about. Lesser Enforcer of Oaths You have slain an Oathbreaker of the Great System. It is of upmost importance to keep to your oaths to the Great System. For enforcing oaths and delivering justice to those who break them, you will be awarded with the following: 3 Skill Points Eliminate more Oathbreakers of the Great System to earn more rewards. Holy shit. What an incentive to kill people who break their oaths. Now I¡¯m starting to feel a little bit bad for that other guard. Derek shook his head. There was nothing I could do about it. His oath was linked to her death, and she had to die. If I would have had my prison before meeting her, it could have been different¡­ Derek sighed and removed his hand from the back of the City Lord. With that, the City Lord¡¯s corpse stopped moving as blood pooled around it, on the ground. His promise to Captain Herrett was finally fulfilled. Speaking of which, Derek walked over to the unconscious ex-guard. He couldn¡¯t get any information about the man, because his Identify skill wasn¡¯t at a high enough level to use it on him yet. Derek reached down and cast Rejuvenation, along with Cleaning on the guard. He was still unsure of what to do with the man. Derek checked on the man one more time. He was breathing steadily, and his heart was beating strongly. Doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s anything overly wrong with him or his body. Most likely just strained his body and mind by using a lot of skill at once and running out of mana at the same time. Derek reached down and picked the man up. With Herrett in his arms, he walked over to the carriage that the City Lord¡¯s sun was in. Letting the boy keep his spot for now, he placed Herrett on the seat at the front and sat down beside him. Unfortunately, the beasts in charge of pulling the carriage had run away during all the commotion, and Derek didn¡¯t feel like carrying two bodies at the moment. He could use Void Prison, but he was still unsure of how it worked. He didn¡¯t want to lock Herrett up, then come to find out he couldn¡¯t get him back out. ¡®Silvi, how bout you pull the carriage. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re strong enough to do it.¡¯ Derek asked Silvi. ¡®How bout you fuck off?¡¯ Silvi¡¯s reply left Derek aghast, then visions of cooking shows from his previous world flashed through his mind. I¡¯m definitely going to regret leaving her in that restaurant kitchen. So far, her use of foul language was minor. Hopefully, I pulled her out of it in time. Derek sighed once more and shook his head. Chapter 132: Auras SunriseCV Chapter 132: Auras Derek took three vials out of his storage bracelet and poured them inside Captain Herrett¡¯s mouth. If what he was thinking was correct, the stamina and mana potions would help the man wake up, and it never hurts to throw in an extra health potion while at it. The longer he waited, the more tempted he was to just throw Clay and Herrett in his Time Prison and sort everything out later. What he really needed to do was have a conversation with Alanah about what he learned from Malcolm. It was hard for him to think that with all her resources, she wouldn¡¯t know anything about what was going on. Derek waited around a few more minutes before deciding on a different approach. Using his aura worked well enough to knock some people unconscious, and that was back when he wasn¡¯t as strong, so who¡¯s to say it wouldn¡¯t be able to wake someone up. He stood from the carriage and walked around to Herrett¡¯s side. Using what he had practiced, he moved the void through himself without holding back, then he released the held energy throughout his body and tried his best to direct it towards Captain Herrett. At that time, he wasn¡¯t thinking about Silvi, who was sitting on his shoulder. When his aura poured out, it also hit the bunny. She launched herself off his shoulder and landed on top of the carriage. ¡®Ass.¡¯ She called out into his mind, then to his surprise, she shot her aura back at him. When Derek used his aura, a purple glow fell over his body, his muscles and veins bulged, his eyes turned purple, and his black hair took on a purple shade. Silvi, though, grew. She didn¡¯t grow a lot, but when such a small creature has an increase in their muscles, it is very visible. Her entire coat of hair turned the same color as her mane, and the purple streak on her horn glowed brilliantly. The freshly cleaned cloak on her back fluttered with her aura. It all made for a magnificent scene. Derek locked eyes with his companion, then he felt a wave wash over him. Obviously, she directed her aura at him. It didn¡¯t have much of an effect on Derek, but it was very uncomfortable. It felt like he was moving in water, or like the air was extremely heavy in humidity. If he wasn¡¯t as strong as he was, he was sure he would have trouble breathing. And that was when Herrett shot up and took a deep breath. The man wearily looked over to Derek, then at Silvi. Again, he breathed in deep. It didn¡¯t seem to help much. Soon, his eyes turned red and a glow, not as distinct as Derek¡¯s or Silvi¡¯s, washed over his body. With that, the man breathed much easier. Derek could feel the third aura. It was minor, but if he focused, he could find it. It was almost completely washed away with Silvi and his own aura. Derek chucked and withdrew his aura, letting Silvi¡¯s aura fall over him with no resistance. The feeling stayed the same, but it was much more pronounced, almost like the water was even heavier than before. He only experienced the feeling for a few seconds before Silvi retraced her aura as well. Then, as if nothing happened, she took her place back on his shoulder. Captain Herrett rubbed the sweat off his forehead, then cautiously withdrew his aura as well. ¡°I thought I was going to suffocate.¡± The former guard broke the silence. Derek began to laugh, then remember Clay, who was lying in the carriage that Silvi was standing on before. The boy had passed out with just one weaker aura before, and now he had been hit by both Derek and Silvi. Derek rushed to the back of the carriage and looked in. Clay, in all his golden-haired glory, was on his side coughing up blood and heaving. Apparently, their auras had done more than just weighing down his breathing. Derek put his hand on the teen¡¯s back and cast Rejuvenation. That seemed to lessen the boy¡¯s injuries. Next, he saw the teen pull out a red vial and chug it. It was a much more expensive looking potion than the vial he had fed Herrett. ¡°You done?¡± Derek coldly asked. That was when the noble noticed Derek. When his eyes landed on him, the teen scampered backwards until his back was up against the wall of the carriage. ¡°None of that.¡± Derek reached in and grabbed him by the collar of his tunic. Then, in one swift motion, threw him out of the carriage, onto the ground. After that, he picked the teen up by the back of his neck and walked back to the front of the carriage where Herrett was waiting. Derek tossed the noble to the ground, then took a seat in the driver¡¯s box on the carriage. ¡°Get up.¡± He told the teen. ¡°If you run, you die. If you fight, you die. If you don¡¯t answer my questions¡­ you guessed, you die. Do you understand?¡± To the noble¡¯s credit, he was able to stand and nod without pissing himself. Well, that was until he decided to look around the area. What met his eyes first was his father¡¯s dead body. Then, he turned his head and looked behind him, at Silvi¡¯s battlefield. The ground had turned crimson and bodies, both whole and parts, littered the area. Hundreds of corpses fell into the boy¡¯s view. With that, his legs gave out, and he fell to his knees. That was when his eyes fell back on Derek and he lost control of his bladder. Derek shook his head, ignoring the noble¡¯s plight. His gaze landed on Herrett. ¡°So, Captain Herrett, what should I do with you?¡± ¡°Former Captain.¡± The man answered. The man had to have been through some stuff, because there was not a hint of fear in his eyes when he looked at Derek. ¡°You can call me Jackson, or Jacks.¡± ¡°Okay, Jacks, what should I do with you?¡± ¡°That is up to you, sir. If your offer still stands, I would gladly accept it. You seem like a decent enough person to work for.¡± He gave Derek a toothy grin. Derek had offered the man employment in jest when they first met. ¡°And after your old employer just died, isn¡¯t that a little rude?¡± The man scoffed. ¡°That twat? I hold no loyalty to him or his family. If I were able, I would have ended him myself.¡± He said. ¡°Thanks for that, by the way.¡± ¡°Why would you work for him if that was the way you felt about them?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Contracts and oaths.¡± Jacks answered. ¡°And why would you make an oath to such a despicable person?¡± Jacks sighed. ¡°My son¡­¡± He said. Derek frowned. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I was out on a mission from the guild. When I got back, my wife was dead and my son was missing.¡± The man clenched his fists. ¡°I looked for days. None of my contacts with the guild knew anything. I had to find my boy, he was all I had left.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s when Gerald found you, in person.¡± Derek cut in. Jacks looked at Derek in surprise, then nodded his head. ¡°Yes. He said that he would help me find my boy as long as I made an oath and signed a contract once they found him.¡± ¡°An oath and a contract?¡± Derek asked. Jacks nodded. ¡°It¡¯s how Gerald does things. He makes you take an oath and sign a contract. The terms are exactly the same. The only difference is that the penalty for breaking the contract is death.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± ¡°The punishment for the contract is death one second after it is broken. It allows the oath to wipe out any skills that may be used to break a contract, then the contract takes care of the rest.¡± Jacks explained. Derek nodded. ¡°So, Gerald found your son, and you signed the contract and made an oath? Where is your son now?¡± Jacks smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him since Malcolm was sent to be City Lord here. I trained the boy hard because I knew what kind of house Torith was. When he turned 12 and unlocked the Great System, he obtained a rare class. From there, I helped him level and sent him to the Academy. Nobody can lay a finger on those in the King¡¯s Academy.¡± Jacks sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him in five years. He¡¯s 19 now. The last letter I received, he had joined the King¡¯s Army and was working his way through the ranks. It¡¯s much easier when you¡¯re a graduate from the Academy.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Jacks asked suddenly. Derek nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°How did you know? How did you know that Gerald personally offered his help?¡± Jacks asked. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s because he¡¯s the one who killed your wife and kidnapped your son.¡± Derek answered calmly. ¡°What?¡± Jacks shouted angrily. ¡°How¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°What do you know?¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°Not much. Just what that asshole told me before he died. Apparently, his father likes to kidnap children and sell them. When Malcolm overheard him talking about it, the man placed an oath on Malcolm, though not nearly as bad as the one you talked about and sent him far away where there wasn¡¯t anybody strong enough to worry about. Well, until me.¡± Jacks was trembling in rage at that point. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him!¡± ¡°Calm down. You¡¯re not the only one who wants him dead.¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, if his contracts are so fierce, how are you still alive?¡± Chapter 133: It’s Time Chapter 133: It''s Time ¡°How are you still alive?¡± Derek asked. Jacks snorted, face still tinged red in anger. ¡°That¡¯s because I did my best.¡± Derek gave the man a sideways glance. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°After my son was¡­ found.¡± He grit his teeth on the word. ¡°I had to sign the contract and make an oath. Fortunately, in my position at least, I had some wiggle room. I immediately rejected their first contract, which would have resulted in my death if Malcolm Torith ever died.¡± Derek nodded along with the man¡¯s explanation. ¡°After some back and forth, we were able to come to an agreement. Mind you, it was still a pretty bad contract for me, but I was indebted to the man for finding my son, so I wasn¡¯t about to back out after a promise.¡± The former Guard Captain sighed. ¡°So, what did you end up agreeing to? If you don¡¯t mind telling me.¡± Derek asked. Jacks smirked, which looked frightening with the scar on his face. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind telling you. If not for you, I would have never been able to ¡®complete¡¯ the contract.¡± He almost laughed, but was still upset after learning about what really happened. ¡°You see. I signed and swore to protect Malcolm Torith to the best of my ability.¡± He finally laughed. ¡°When you said that you were for sure going to kill the man, it fulfilled the condition that he needed protection. It also gave me hope that you would kill the bastard before I regained consciousness. If I would have woken up before you took care of him, I don¡¯t know if the contract would have still been completed. Fortunately, you kept your word and finished him off before you woke me.¡± ¡°You also allowed me the time to power up and prepare my most powerful attack. Thanks for that, by the way.¡± Jacks nodded to Derek. ¡°Therefore, I did my all to protect Malcolm to the best of my ability. I honestly didn¡¯t expect you to be able to take that attack so easily, though. You seem¡­ stronger now than when I first met you.¡± ¡°I am.¡± Derek confirmed. Jacks furrowed his brows in confusion but didn¡¯t ask any questions. ¡°Now, everything was all guesswork until it happened, and I didn¡¯t die. I still have access to the Great System, and the contract is gone as well. And, since the contract is gone, and the oath was tied to the contract¡­ it¡¯s gone as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Jacks nodded. ¡°Yeah, the way I saw it, there were four possible outcomes. The most likely outcome was that I did it, then ended up dying when Malcolm died. Then there was you just killing me¡­ I¡¯m glad that didn¡¯t happen. Followed by the plan working. Malcolm dying and me still being alive.¡± ¡°What was the fourth?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± The man smiled oddly at Derek. ¡°The fourth outcome is that everything worked, and you still kill me. I¡¯m still figuring out whether that¡¯s going to happen or not.¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Jacks replied. ¡°By the way, you¡¯re a lot more talkative now than you were before.¡± Derek pointed out. Jacks scoffed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t talk much either if you had to be around those assholes¡­¡± He pointed at the quivering Clay. ¡°All day, and you weren¡¯t able to take any actions against them without killing yourself.¡± ¡°I guess not.¡± Derek responded. ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡± Jacks let out a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I never thought I was going to get my freedom back. I thought that getting my son back and sending him to the Academy was going to be the last decent thing I did in my life. At some point, I am going to find him. There¡¯s no telling where he¡¯s currently stationed.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to see you.¡± Derek said. ¡°Were you serious about working with me?¡± At this point in the conversation, the two had dropped all formalities and were speaking with each other casually. ¡°If you¡¯ll have me.¡± Jacks replied. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not signing some soul sucking contract again. If need be, I could sign a basic contract or something like that. I¡¯ll also need to know exactly what I¡¯ll be doing. From what I¡¯ve seen about you, you don¡¯t seem like a person who¡¯ll require me to do awful things, but I was fooled once in some respects. Though, never once did I think Gerald Torith was a ¡®good¡¯ person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I could find a spot for you. We¡¯ll be heading to Savannah soon. The more strength, the better¡­ especially if you prove trustworthy. We¡¯ll work out the details later.¡± Derek explained. Jacks nodded, then sighed. ¡°It¡¯s too bad about Bradley. He was a decent fellow.¡± Derek had to think back for a minute. The name sounded familiar, but he was having a hard time placing. Finally, he had a realization. That¡¯s the guy that was Clay¡¯s guard. Derek frowned. ¡°Why? What happened.¡± ¡°Well, he was one of the few that was able to sign a decent contract with House Torith. I was there when he signed it. There was no death clause, and no oath required. He just had to protect this dipshit for a few more years, or until the noble died.¡± Jacks explained. Derek nodded. ¡°That sounds like a good thing to me. If you want, I could just break his contract, here and now.¡± He pointed at Clay. Jacks shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not going to help.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, the man was punished for ¡®allowing¡¯ Clay to get in that mess with your¡­ companion. He was demoted. Unfortunately, because of that demotion, he was near the front of the guards when your¡­¡± He gestured towards Silvi. ¡°Attacked.¡± Derek could see where this was going. ¡®Didn¡¯t we agree to let the ones go that didn¡¯t attack?¡¯ He asked Silvi. ¡®I did.¡¯ She replied. ¡°He must have attacked her. She let all the ones who didn¡¯t attack run away.¡± Derek explained. Jacks half smiled. ¡°He did. I saw it. I think it was more of a scared instinct, but he did draw his sword when she appeared by his side.¡± Derek sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t do anything about that.¡± Jacks nodded. Then he pointed at Clay. ¡°What¡¯s your plan for this little shit? I can¡¯t imagine that he¡¯ll be able to give you more information than you got out of his father.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°No, I doubt he knows anything. Technically, he hasn¡¯t done anything wrong since I gave him a warning, but that¡¯s because he was in a coma. However, there¡¯s no way in hell I let him walk away.¡± Derek looked at the trembling noble. ¡°What do you think I should do with you?¡± The teen opened his mouth to speak but was unable to summon the courage to say anything. He tried multiple times, but was never able to form any words, not even a stutter. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Derek said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I happen to need a living enemy to help me test something out, and you¡¯ll do just fine.¡± ¡°W-w-what i-is it?¡± The noble managed to mutter. ¡°Well, let me show you.¡± Derek replied. He looked over at Jacks. ¡°Jacks, would you mind giving an oath not to reveal anything you¡¯re about to see until I give you the okay? Either that, or you can go on to town and wait for us there.¡± Derek watched Jacks¡¯ eyes. He could see him wrestling with the decision to make an oath or not. Derek could understand him, seeing as he had just gotten out of an oath he never thought he would. Fortunately, this was a regular oath to keep a secret, and finally, his curiosity won out. Jacks sighed. ¡°I¡¯m too interested. What oath do you want me to make? If it¡¯s not too bad, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Like I said, just that you won¡¯t reveal what you¡¯re about to see with anyone until I tell you it¡¯s okay, and that you won¡¯t try to use any information you gain to harm me or my companions.¡± Derek explained. Jacks nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Then, he said the oath exactly as Derek had told him, with no alterations. Derek waited until he got the confirmation, then nodded. ¡°That will do.¡± Then, to Jacks¡¯ surprise, and even Silvi¡¯s, as she wasn¡¯t around when he received his new skill, he gripped the void in front of him, and ripped it to two sides, revealing a door behind. With his right hand, he reached for the handle and pulled. The door swung open, revealing the contents to everybody at once. Silvi flew in to explore before Derek could say anything. After a few seconds, she landed back on his shoulder, not impressed. ¡®It¡¯s empty.¡¯ ¡®Of course it¡¯s empty. I haven¡¯t had a reason to use it until now, and I just got it.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®You could have at least put a kitchen inside.¡¯ She ranted, but Derek ignored her. At that moment, Jacks took a step forward to gaze into the darkness. ¡°I-is this space energy? No¡­ that¡¯s not right. I¡­ it feels¡­ different¡­ time? Yes, it feels like time.¡± ¡°You know what time energy feels like?¡± Derek asked. The man nodded. ¡°I once ran a dungeon with the aspect of time.¡± Derek looked at him oddly. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re thinking. There aren¡¯t any terribly powerful monsters inside. We knew it was a time dungeon when we went inside. It¡¯s a very popular dungeon in another kingdom. It¡¯s popular because there are so many monsters that it takes weeks to complete, but when you come out, only a few hours have passed. The Cydarian Kingdom would kill for a dungeon like it. It makes for a perfect training dungeon.¡± Jacks explained. Derek nodded in understanding. He had thought the same about his Time Prison. If he could figure everything out, it may be possible to make it into a great training space as well. ¡°Well, what are we waiting for?¡± Derek grabbed the noble by the back of his shirt and pushed him inside the prison. He gave Jacks a smile and followed right behind. Chapter 134: Cell #003 Chapter 134: Cell #003 As the noble fell to his knees inside the Time Prison, Derek stepped in behind him. As it was before, the prison was extremely dark, the only light coming from the door to the outside. I¡¯m going to have to get some lights for this place. He put that on the list of things to do. If he planned on using this ability often, he would at least need to decorate the lobby. After some time, Derek heard footsteps behind him. It seemed as though Jacks worked up the courage to follow Derek inside. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come in so quick.¡± Derek said. ¡°It just took a minute to get the nerve to. I trust you well enough. If you were going to harm me, I suspect you already would have.¡± Jacks answered. Derek nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to see how this works.¡± Derek motioned around him. ¡°This.¡± He said to Jacks. ¡°Is a prison.¡± That got Jacks¡¯s attention. ¡°Did you say¡­ prison?¡± Derek bobbed his head in confirmation. ¡°Yup. It¡¯s my very own time prison.¡± He replied. ¡°A skill that gives someone a prison.¡± Jacks said to no one in particular. ¡°How does it work? If you don¡¯t mind.¡± Derek waved him off. ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­ in fact, that¡¯s what I¡¯m doing here, now.¡± He replied. ¡°You see, I¡¯ve never had a reason to use it before, so I¡¯m not sure how everything works. That is where this guy comes in.¡± ¡°I see. Do you really need a prison, though?¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯m not a huge fan of killing everyone that crosses me, but it¡¯s not like I can just let them off. You saw how well my warning went. At the same time, I don¡¯t think everyone deserves death. A little time to themselves may change their attitude, and at the same time, some people deserve worse than death. I¡¯m hoping this prison will allow for both. Besides, some people are more useful alive than dead.¡± ¡°I can see how staying by oneself in a place like this could drive a person mad.¡± Jacks replied. Derek¡¯s eye twitched. You don¡¯t know the half of it. He thought. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure it would.¡± He agreed. Finally, Derek picked Clay up from the ground. ¡°Come on.¡± He said while pushing him forward, towards one of the cells. ¡°You¡¯re going to be inmate number one until I figure out something else to do with you.¡± With Jacks watching, Derek and Clay arrived at the closest cell door. Derek reached out and placed his palm on the door to open it. The door opened, causing a rush of air to flow out. Derek pulled the storage ring off of Clay¡¯s finger and pocketed it before tossing him inside the cell. With a push, Clay stumbled into the empty room. With the noble inside, Derek closed the newly occupied prison cell. When the door closed, Derek received an interesting notification. New occupant in Cell #003. Select occupant¡¯s sentence. Note: Occupants can not be removed from cell until their sentence is served. Time served is based on flow of time inside the Time Prison cell. Once the inmates complete their sentence, they are unable to be imprisoned again for one week. Derek furrowed his brow. That takes away some of the possibilities. As he was thinking, he focused on the sentencing options. Currently, the minimum sentence was one week, and the maximum was one year. Of course, this was only the time that Derek would have to wait for the prisoner¡¯s sentence to be over. Depending on how he adjusted the cell¡¯s flow of time, the sentence could be much harsher or lighter. Since Derek was still in the experimental phase of the Time Prison, he opted for a sentence of one 28-day month. If needed, he could speed time up and get the noble out in two weeks, or he could double it and leave him in for two months. Once he selected the sentence, a new notification appeared. You have selected 28 days. During these 28 days, inmates will be locked in the cell and unable to leave. During lockup, skills and stats will be frozen in time, as this is a punishment, not a reward. Inmate¡¯s body will adjust according to the outside flow of time. Metabolic function will be adjusted accordingly. The prisoner will not die of dehydration or starvation. Confirm Sentencing? Y/N That notification answered a question that Derek had ever since he was locked inside the void. It explained why it felt like he was trapped for decades or even centuries, but in reality, only a couple of years had passed. Unfortunately for him, his metabolic function was not adjusted when he was trapped. If not for his already high Vitality, he would have died from starvation while he was there. Derek confirmed the sentencing. A loud bang sounded out, and a screen with numbers appeared on the cell door. Derek watched the numbers count down from 28 days. Currently, the screen showed 27 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 53 seconds. Derek watched the seconds count down. 52¡­ 51¡­ 50¡­ Then Derek placed his hand on the cell and focused on adjusting the time. With a thought, the number displayed on the cell began counting down rapidly, two seconds for every one spent outside. Then Derek adjusted it again, and the countdown slowed. Now, only one second passed inside the cell for every two seconds Derek felt. He left the cell alone at that. With time slowed down, Clay¡¯s imprisonment would feel like two months. Under the scrutinizing gaze of Jacks, Derek backed away from the occupied cell. ¡°Amazing.¡± He heard Jacks say. ¡°You¡¯re able to adjust the individual flow of time for each prison cell?¡± He asked. ¡°Looks that way.¡± Derek answered. ¡°Can¡­ can you use them as training rooms?¡± Jacks asked excitedly. Derek sighed and shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, no. That was one of the things I wished to know when we entered. When the cell locks, apparently it blocks the inmate¡¯s ability to access their skills. So, no matter how much time is spent imprisoned, their abilities will not grow¡­ at least that¡¯s what the notification sounded like when I read it.¡± ¡°How unfortunate.¡± Jacks also sighed. It didn¡¯t take a genius to see the allure of a training room with time flow that could be adjusted. ¡°Indeed.¡± Derek answer. Suddenly, Derek got another idea. ¡°Would you mind staying here for a moment?¡± He asked Jacks. Jacks frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With the Time Prison his focus, Derek adjusted the time flow of the lobby. According to what he knew, the flow would take effect when he closed the prison. Before Jacks could respond, Derek ran outside and slammed the prison shut. Derek stood still and waited for exactly two minutes. When the second minute passed by, Derek grabbed the space surrounding him and ripped it apart, revealing the door to the prison. He reached out and opened the door, only to see a wide-eyed Jacks standing in the center of the room. ¡°So, what happened?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Y-you¡­ You locked me in here without knowing what would happen?¡± Jacks half yelled. ¡°I was almost 100% sure that you would be okay. The cells gave me all kinds of warning when locking Clay away, but nothing popped up when I closed the door with you still inside. No warning, not confirmation, nothing.¡± Derek explained. ¡°So, did anything happen? I waited two minutes outside. Did it feel like one minute in here?¡± Jacks took in a deep breath and calmed down. ¡°Yes. It couldn¡¯t have been more than a minute¡­ at least, I don¡¯t think. I was busy reading the notifications.¡± ¡°Notifications?¡± Derek asked. Jacks nodded. ¡°Yeah. I was told that I had been locked inside a time prison, and that any progression of my skills and abilities had been halted. I also got a warning that time had been adjusted relevant to the outside world, but it didn¡¯t tell me in what way.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Derek murmured. So, this ¡®lobby¡¯ could be used as a prison too, if I was out of cells. He thought. ¡°Did it say anything about your metabolic functions?¡± ¡°No?¡± Jacks shook his head in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that there isn¡¯t a control for that here, then.¡± Derek said. So, being shut in the lobby would be more like me being trapped in the void. Still, this space would make for a great transportation skill. Since I don¡¯t have to confirm a sentence, I could use it to carry people. That would be great for later. Currently, with the father and son Torith, he wasn¡¯t in a rush to get to Savannah with everyone, so they could all travel the normal way, but if he ever needed to move everybody quickly, he could. Of course, he still wanted to test it some before putting Brandi and the others inside. Derek nodded to himself as he came up with a plan. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the storage ring he took from Clay. We should probably ¡®loot¡¯ the battlefield before we go. He thought. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Derek walked back outside the prison. With Silvi sitting on his shoulder and Jacks standing beside him, he closed the prison. Derek looked over the gory land and spoke. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take anything valuable, then get out of here.¡± He handed the storage ring to Silvi. He had taken a look inside before, and it didn¡¯t have anything he found useful other than potions. The bunny bit down on the ring and hopped off his shoulder. He had forgotten about Malcolm¡¯s storage devices earlier, so he walked over and stripped his dead body of multiple items, including four storage rings. He tossed two near empty rings to Jacks. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for?¡± With that, the trio combed over the battlefield, looting anything and everything they found to be the least bit valuable. Chapter 135: Spreading Word Chapter 135: Spreading Word After around half an hour of looting, the trio had gathered everything that was remotely useful and stored it in their storage rings. In total, it was a good haul. Most of the items they gathered were different weapons used by Torith¡¯s guards. Most of the guards also had a potion or two on their person that they were unable to use before being killed by Silvi, so Derek came out well ahead in potions. As Silvi had not taken care to not damage armor, most of it, especially the chest pieces and helmets, was trashed. Still, Derek believed that Brandi could use everything. Most likely, she would be able to reverse engineer completed pieces, and use the scraps as materials. Either way, the armor and weapons would allow her to increase her skills even more. When all was said and done, Derek, jacks, and Silvi all gathered back at the carriage. Derek had accomplished his goal with Malcolm Torith now being dead, and it was time to head back. As he was no longer in a rush, the three took off towards the village at a moderate pace. With Jacks¡¯s stats, as long as Derek and Silvi didn¡¯t go full out, he didn¡¯t have to worry about the man keeping up. Seeing how he had a short journey ahead of him, Derek decided that now was the best time to confront Alanah about the Torith matter. He still had a hard time wrapping his head around the thought that Alanah didn¡¯t know about what they did, even if Gerald covered it up so well. While rushing through the forest, Derek took out his red communication crystal. With a thought, he sent his mana in and activated it. After a short while, someone finally picked up. ¡®Derek, this is Avery. My mistress will be with you shortly. She¡¯s attending to a very important matter at this time.¡¯ Avery¡¯s voice sounded in Derek¡¯s head. ¡®That¡¯s fine, I can wait. There¡¯s something important that I need to discuss with her, too.¡¯ Derek responded. After that, the two made small talk while Derek ran through the forest. To Derek, Avery seemed like a pretty decent fellow. Of course, the man held important information close to his chest, and Derek couldn¡¯t get him to divulge anything without the man first receiving Alanah¡¯s instructions. If nothing else, it proved that Avery was a loyal subject. One thing that seemed to excite Avery while talking about it was the training of the two boys, Zach and Lucas. When Derek brought the two boys up in their conversation, it was like the floodgates opened. The man was very proud of the boys and spoke fondly of them. ¡®I¡¯d like to meet them when I get to the Capital someday. With the way you talk about them, they must be geniuses.¡¯ Derek praised. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t say that, but they are both talented and very hardworking. There¡¯s not much more one can ask out of your students.¡¯ Avery said. Then, before Derek could reply, he continued. ¡®Oh, there she is now. One moment.¡¯ Derek waited for a moment before Alanah¡¯s voice came through. ¡®Derek. How are you? How is your friend?¡¯ ¡®Rayna is fine. She made it. Unless you¡¯re talking about Katrisha? I¡¯m sure your Deathsworn has already informed you of her demise.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Mhm.¡¯ Alanah confirmed. ¡®He did. I wasn¡¯t surprised by the results. Though, you could have made everything less public. Who knows what Malcolm or Gerald will think when they find that their retainer is dead.¡¯ ¡®Ah, so word hasn¡¯t spread?¡¯ ¡®Word about what?¡¯ Alanah asked. ¡®Did you hear about Malcolm retreating from the city to go home?¡¯ Derek ignored her question. ¡®Yes. Stella informed me. I was going to inform you, but she assured me that Walter had already contacted you.¡¯ She replied. ¡®So, what word has yet to reach me?¡¯ She asked again. ¡®Word that Malcolm won¡¯t be making it to the Capital after all.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Won¡¯t be makin¡­ Did you kill him?¡¯ ¡®I did. I intercepted him on his way to Wilmette. I¡¯m sure you will be hearing stories soon. I didn¡¯t go easy on them.¡¯ Nothing came through for a moment, until finally, Derek heard a sigh. ¡®So you went through with it after all. Like I said before, Gerald will come for you, and most likely those close to you. I hope you are prepared. I¡¯ll do my best to let you know if I discover a plot against you, but I can no longer hold him off after the death of his family.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not asking you to.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®I¡¯m not worried about Gerald. I am wondering how you have allowed the man to live for as long as he has, though.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Alanah asked. ¡®Surely, with your resources, you¡¯ve been able to put together what the man does. You said that becoming one of your Deathsworn is reserved for the evilest of society. I¡¯m asking, why is Gerald not one of your Deathsworn?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®What have you found?¡¯ Alanah asked, confusion in her tone. ¡®Gerald is by no means a decent person. I also suspect him of many deplorable acts, but I¡¯ve never been able to get any proof. And, with him being by the King¡¯s side, I would need proof. Gerald is very cautious with everything he does. Every time I try to find something on him, the person committing a crime is four or more people removed from him, and it can never be traced back to him.¡¯ ¡®What do you suspect him to be a part of?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®There are many things that I suspect, but none that I have been even close to proving.¡¯ She replied. ¡®I suspect he has been accessory to many murders of nobles that have acted against him. Unfortunately, he¡¯s so patient that it¡¯s years before those nobles suffer horrible fates. I¡¯ve had people trace those murders, but they always end up at a dead end.¡¯ ¡®Anything else?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Of course.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®He has his hand in so many markets that there¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t get them dirty. Markets that I avoid at all costs. It¡¯s one reason that I focus mainly on my restaurants. I¡¯ve built it to the top, so I am King when it comes to restaurants. I don¡¯t have to follow old traditions or grease any palms. The restaurant business also allows me to gather information easily. Who doesn¡¯t like to talk during dinner?¡¯ She explained. ¡®I see.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®When you say other markets, do you mean slave trade and trafficking?¡¯ ¡®Slave trade has been illegal for decades now.¡¯ She replied. ¡®That doesn¡¯t mean that there aren¡¯t any slaves, though. Sometimes a slave or servant oath is the only way out of a situation, but the Great System takes its oaths seriously. A slave oath cannot be coerced, and you cannot give the slave to another. Of course, there are contracts as well, and they aren¡¯t nearly as regulated.¡¯ Derek laughed. ¡®I¡¯m not talking about oaths and contracts; I¡¯m talking about slave trade and trafficking. You should know as well as I do that you don¡¯t need to be under contract or oath to be a slave. You need only be weaker than the person opposing you.¡¯ ¡®Of course, Derek, I¡¯m not na?ve.¡¯ Alanah¡¯s irritated voice came through. ¡®What have you found?¡¯ ¡®Gerald is part, if not the head of, a child trafficking ring.¡¯ He answered and waited. After a while, Alanah spoke again. ¡®I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised. I¡¯ve investigated multiple disappearances of children over the years, but they¡¯ve never led to anything. It would make sense that he is involved because of how well he has been able to cover up his other crimes. Do you have any proof?¡¯ ¡®Just the fact that Malcolm broke an oath by telling me about it before I killed him. Though, I don¡¯t think anything he knew would hold up against Gerald, especially if he is in your King¡¯s good graces. He heard a small bit of one conversation, and that was enough to get him sent to a city in the middle of nowhere.¡¯ Derek explained. ¡®So, that¡¯s why Malcolm took the City Lord position. I tried to find out for awhile after the man left the Capital but was never able to get any actual leads. It all makes sense, but I can¡¯t do anything without proof. If he wasn¡¯t one of the King¡¯s men, my reputation would allow me to do with him as I pleased, and the King wouldn¡¯t question me, but as of now, the best I could do is tell the King about it. At best, there would be an investigation that wouldn¡¯t reveal anything.¡¯ Alanah explained. ¡®Oh, you don¡¯t have to do anything. I will deal with him. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but with your connections and information, it surprised me that you didn¡¯t know anything about it.¡¯ Derek said. Alanah sighed. ¡®There are a few people in the kingdom that are ¡®untouchable,¡¯ Gerald is one of them. It is the reason I gave you ample warning before. Because of his status, it is easy for him to hide things, and much harder to get information on him.¡¯ ¡®Fortunately.¡¯ She continued. ¡®I am another ¡®untouchable,¡¯ and my strength doesn¡¯t come from political connections and other people like his does. My strength is my own. However, a war between me and the royal family would end with me destroyed and the royal family crippled. Unfortunately, me going after the main advisor of the King would start such a war¡­ I know my limits.¡¯ ¡®If he lost the favor of the King, would he lose his status?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®It would hurt him, that¡¯s for sure. However, nobody knows exactly how far his connections spread. Which puts the King in a bind as well. Because of his gratitude, he allowed Gerald and House Torith to grow to the point where they aren¡¯t in his control. Not to mention, Gerald is still in his favor.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®The best way to deal with Gerald would be assassination. He is not personally strong. However, I¡¯m sure he has many safeguards in place in the case of his death, so it will be in many people¡¯s best interest to keep him alive.¡¯ She explained. ¡®So, what you¡¯re saying is that once he is dead, it will be easier to find those who acted with him because they will be scrambling to save themselves.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®That may be the case, but it could also cause a civil war.¡¯ Derek scoffed. ¡®That sounds like a problem for your inept King.¡¯ He didn¡¯t hide what he thought about the King. ¡®He¡¯s not a bad person...¡¯ She tried to explain. ¡®No. Apparently, he¡¯s just gullible and inept. All the great qualities one should look for in a ruler.¡¯ He laughed. ¡®That¡­¡¯ Alanah sighed. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m getting ready to leave for Savannah. I¡¯ll be there in a few weeks. It will take some time for everyone to travel to Wilmette for the teleport.¡¯ Derek prepared to end the conversation. ¡®Mhm.¡¯ Alanah agreed, then her jovial, seductive tone finally broke through for the first time in their conversation. ¡®Make sure you take care of Stella on your way.¡¯ ¡®Huh?¡¯ Chapter 136: Natalie Chapter 136: Natalie ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Didn¡¯t she tell you? She¡¯s decided that she has had enough of that city and plans on traveling to Savannah with you.¡¯ Alanah explained. Derek thought back to his last conversation with Stella. I guess she was acting a little strange. They were interrupted by Walter letting him know of Rayna¡¯s dire situation before she could let Derek know what she was thinking. ¡®Oh¡­ I guess that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s only one extra person if she comes alone. Plus, she can take care of herself. I haven¡¯t even figured out the travel arrangements yet, so we can talk about all that once I get back to Tori¡­ Do I still call it Torith since there are no longer any Toriths in the city?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®For now, yes. The King, or his council, will eventually find a replacement, and the name will change or, with Gerald¡¯s position, it may continue to be called Torith forever.¡¯ Alanah answered. ¡®Oh? I thought the city names changed according to the City Lord here.¡¯ ¡®For the most part, you are correct. However, there are a few instances where the city name stays the same no matter the change. Take Wilmette, for example. The Wilmette noble family died out decades ago, but the city is named after them in remembrance. The last leader of the Wilmette family died protecting the Kingdom before he could produce and heirs, and unfortunately, all his immediate family was lost earlier on. So, the King decided the city would forever be named Wilmette.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®I see. I guess that makes sense.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s not the case with Torith.¡¯ ¡®We can hope, but I have a feeling it will stick. It¡¯d be best if the Gracefalls could get their name back. The city could become Searidge once again. Walter¡¯s son has impressed the King, and continues to contribute to Cydaria, so it¡¯s only a matter of time if nothing bad happens to him.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Walter is definitely proud of him, that¡¯s for sure.¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®Speaking of bad things, you should try to get to Savannah as fast as you can. Once everything becomes known, you may have some trouble, so it would be better to get there sooner than later.¡¯ Alanah warned. She continued. ¡®The city has almost as much power as the Capital, and you and your people will be much safer there than any other place. House Savannah, Natalie in particular, is another one of those that are considered untouchable. Nothing happens in that city without her knowing about it. But, staying there will be expensive. It will most likely cost even more than you will make through your coffee.¡¯ ¡®I have a few plans for that. It will take some initial capital, but I should be able to make it. If not, there are other ways for me to obtain a bit of wealth if needed. By the way, what kind of person is Natalie Savannah? Walter seems to count her as one of the few people he respects.¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Natalie is interesting. House Savannah chooses their head based on performance and that¡¯s it. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re the son of the current head, you have the same chances of becoming the next head even if you¡¯re a distant cousin. As long as you carry the surname, you can become the next Lord of House Savannah. Of course, being the son or daughter of the Lord will have some advantages.¡¯ Alanah explained. ¡®You have to understand, while strength is important for House Savannah, it is not what holds the most importance. Business acumen is what they look for. House Savannah is the richest noble house in the country for a reason. They could single-handedly supply the Kingdom¡¯s armies for years. Money equals power for them. If they aren¡¯t personally strong, they can spend some of their money to hire bodyguards, or even elite teams to run them through dungeons.¡¯ She continued. ¡®I see. So, how did Natalie end up in her position? Was she the previous Lord¡¯s daughter?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Far from it, actually. She was a relatively unknown grandniece of the previous Lord. When she was 13, she was given 1,000 gold coins as a test. Like I said, she was unknown. The Lord had never even met her. 1,000 gold coins are the minimum a Savannah gets when they unlock full functions of the Great System. Most of them blow the money, then go crawling back, asking for more. It¡¯s not uncommon for one to lose everything multiple times before learning the trade.¡¯ Alanah explained. Derek listened with rapt attention, not wanting to miss anything that could help prepare him for his future in Savannah. ¡®Well, Natalie took her 1,000 coins and began buying random odds and ends she found in the lower city. She even went as far as setting up a stand and buying trinkets from traders who couldn¡¯t even afford entrance into the city. Still, nobody paid any attention to the little girl buying weird things. That was until it turned out every item she bought had either been misidentified or had hidden properties no one had found previously. Turns out, she had a knack for collecting strange items, and when she received her class, she received a powerful type of Identify skill.¡¯ She continued. ¡®What happened next? How powerful is the skill?¡¯ ¡®Nobody knows but Natalie. The only information she¡¯s ever given is that it¡¯s like Identify.¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®What happened next? She turned 1,000 gold coins into 3,000 in a month, and by the time she was 15, she had made upwards of 100,000 gold coins. Also, she did much more than find items nobody else wanted. Once she gained enough capital, she opened small businesses and started making income passively. And, every single person she¡¯s hired has been perfectly loyal. She may be better than me when judging someone¡¯s character.¡¯ Alanah laughed. ¡®Is that so? Speaking of character, what about her?¡¯ He asked. ¡®Well, she¡¯s neutral when it comes to politics. She could affect the outcome of any political struggle, but she chooses not to. When it comes to illegal business, it varies based on which person wins Lord of Savannah. Both her and her predecessor chose to outlaw any illegal trades. If you are caught slave trading or forcibly making contracts, she will judge you. There won¡¯t be a trial, she won¡¯t send a message to the King, you will just die, and that¡¯s after an intense interrogation. I like this about her.¡¯ ¡®Sounds like a good way to make some enemies.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Mhm. Like another person I know.¡¯ Alanah joked. ¡®She has executed some pretty high up nobles. Almost as high up as the one¡¯s you executed¡­¡¯ She laughed. ¡®Remember when I told you that if I went against the King that I would lose, but I¡¯d be able to cripple the royal family?¡¯ ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡®Well, it¡¯s just about the same for her. Actually, she would most likely do even better than me. Hell, she may even win. Once she buys all the soldiers who aren¡¯t under oath or contract, I wonder how many people the King would still have fighting for him?¡¯ Derek immediately put Natalie Savannah on his ¡®people to not cross¡¯ list. It was a small list. It currently had two names. ¡®Overall, she¡¯s a decent person. She¡¯s the highest rated member of the Crown. She¡¯s fun to be around, and easy to respect. But, no matter who you are, when it comes to business, she¡¯s able to turn her emotions off. She will never make a deal to her detriment.¡¯ Alanah seemed to be speaking from experience. ¡®There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Well, from everything you¡¯ve told me, Savannah sounds like a decent place for me to settle for a while. How are the dungeons around there? And monsters?¡¯ He had already learned a bit about all that, but it never hurt to learn more. ¡®You¡¯ll be able to find something to do. There are a few really good higher-level dungeons around. You¡¯ll be able to find anything from level 75 to 200. Unfortunately, there are only three dungeons in the Kingdom that are above level 200, and none of them are around Savannah. Though, that doesn¡¯t matter, because you will finally have access to a teleportation formation. There are a couple dungeons I wouldn¡¯t mind running¡­ with the right people.¡¯ She said. ¡®I¡¯ll be sure to keep you in mind when it comes to them. You¡¯ll have to tell me about them later. I keep forgetting that I¡¯ll have access to a teleportation circle.¡¯ Derek laughed. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to change my travel plans. I had originally planned to travel slow and letting everyone have a bit of an adventure, but maybe I should speed things up.¡¯ ¡®That would be for the best. Just with this conversation, I¡¯ve ignored the King trying to contact me six times¡­ no, make that seven¡­ seven times already. So, it¡¯s safe to assume that word has started to spread about Malcolm.¡¯ Derek didn¡¯t know what to say. It was amusing that Alanah had been ignoring the King to have a conversation with him. ¡®Well, I¡¯m going to go, then. Have fun talking with your King.¡¯ The conversation had already gone on much longer than he planned. Derek heard a sigh come from the other end. ¡®You know that there¡¯s not going to be anything fun about it. Just keep yourself safe.¡¯ ¡®Will do.¡¯ With that, Derek pulled his mana back and released the connection. He let out a sigh and turned to Jacks. ¡°Looks like it¡¯d be better if we moved faster.¡± As he spoke, he accelerated to the speed he had previously traveled with Silvi. Jacks lagged behind and couldn¡¯t quite keep pace. ¡°I know where we¡¯re going, so I¡¯ll meet you there if you need to hurry.¡± He shouted as the distance between the two kept increasing. Derek put his hand up in a half wave. ¡°You go to Torith. I¡¯ll meet you there when I get everybody else.¡± With that, Derek rushed forward, and Jacks broke off in a different direction. Chapter 137: Leaving Chapter 137: Leaving After splitting off from jacks, Derek continued his way to the village. While running, he brushed away all of Silvi¡¯s kill notifications that had piled up through the battle. Unfortunately, most of the guards were in their mid-60s or 70s, so with the reduced experience from Silvi, and being a good deal above their level, Derek didn¡¯t gain much XP. Overall, he ended up gaining two levels. It was better than nothing, and two levels meant 60 more stat points for him. With his stats the way they were, he kept the points and wanted to wait to decide to increase his Endurance and Vitality even more or boost his Strength stat a little. So far, his Endurance and Vitality stats have been his savior. After taking Jacks¡¯s ultimate skills on, he was sure that if he hadn¡¯t passed through the two thresholds beforehand, the damage he would have taken would have been much, much worse. Derek pushed all those thoughts aside. He would cross that bridge when he got there. It may be some time before he leveled up enough to make a dent. Now, as he dashed through the forest full of monsters, his focus was on Thomas, Brandi, and the others. According to Alanah, it would be best for him to get to Savannah as fast as possible. He hadn¡¯t wanted to use the Time Prison for transportation just yet, but it didn¡¯t seem like he had a choice. He didn¡¯t want others to learn of the Time Prison, but the majority of those who would use it had already made oaths. Brandi, Thomas, Rayna, and Malorie had all made oaths before he took them to the first dungeon together, and those oaths would cover the Time Prison as well. He only had to worry about Rudy¡­ and Stella. Rudy would be easy. He¡¯d be happy to create another contract, and Derek doubted he¡¯d have a problem with Stella. If he went as fast as he could, he should be able to gather everyone in the village, then those left at Torith, and reach Wilmette by nightfall. Within a few hours, he and Silvi were back at the village. This time, he took the front gate instead of jumping over the walls. When he arrived at Rayna¡¯s former residence, he found everybody sitting around the meeting table, waiting for his return. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± He announced as he walked through the door to the meeting room. ¡°Derek! Silvi!¡± Brandi rushed up from her seat. Silvi, taking the girl¡¯s enthusiasm as a sign that she would be pet, hopped from Derek¡¯s shoulder and into Brandi¡¯s embrace. ¡°Did you take care of everything you needed?¡± Rayna asked. Derek nodded. ¡°I did, but it left us on a clock. If you plan on coming, we need to leave now.¡± Rayna nodded her head and looked at Malorie, who nodded back. ¡°We gathered everything we needed while you were gone. We don¡¯t have much.¡± ¡°Yup, yup. We¡¯re all good to go. Say, how long until I¡¯m able to open up my contract business? I can¡¯t contain my excitement.¡± Rudy cut in. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Derek answered bluntly. ¡°That Depends on Natalie Savannah. We can discuss all that later.¡± Derek turned and gave Richard and Delilah a half smile. ¡°Unfortunately, I no longer have the time to bring Thomas home to see you. You can come to the city with us and say goodbye. You would need to find your own way back. You could also write a letter or something¡­¡± Richard and Delilah looked at each other and shook their heads. Finally, Delilah spoke. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just let him know that he¡¯s loved and he always has a place to come home to.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about getting a communication¡¯s crystal sent to you once we get to Savannah. I don¡¯t have any extra one on me at the moment.¡± At that, the couple¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°We would be in your debt.¡± Richard spoke. ¡°Thank you.¡± Derek nodded and looked at his group. ¡°Come on. Time to go.¡± Once the group was well outside the village, out of sight of anyone else, Derek stopped them. ¡°Okay, this is good.¡± He said. ¡°What are we doing?¡± Rayna asked. Instead of answering her, he looked at Rudy. ¡°I¡¯m going to need an oath or a contract from you. You can¡¯t reveal anything you¡¯re about to see to anyone.¡± Rudy frowned, but complied. ¡°I can make a contract. How important is what you¡¯re going to do? I need to know how harsh to make the terms.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not of great importance. You can make the terms ¡®until I say otherwise,¡¯ as it may be less important later on. Sound good?¡± Derek asked. ¡°If I choose not to?¡± Rudy asked. ¡°Then we part ways here, and you will need to get to Savannah on your own. Either way, what we talked about before still stands.¡± Derek explained. ¡°What about the contract from before? Does it not cover this?¡± Rudy asked. ¡°It may, but I don¡¯t believe other people knowing will be harmful to me or the others. It¡¯s just something I don¡¯t want widely spread right now.¡± Derek explained the situation. ¡°Very well.¡± Rudy agreed and wrote up a quick contract. ¡°This one states that I will not reveal any future secrets of yours, unless you otherwise agree that I can, under penalty of losing my combat skills. Does that seem good enough?¡± ¡°How are your combat skills?¡± Derek asked. ¡°They¡¯re good enough to be a guard, but not enough to be a part of a good Adventurer¡¯s Guild team.¡± Derek thought for a moment before agreeing. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Besides, I¡¯ll know if you break it.¡± Derek said. Rudy nodded and wrote up another contract. Derek looked over the terms and agreed. The contract only had limitations for Rudy. There was nothing Derek had to abide by this time. Derek signed the contract and dismissed the notification that appeared. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s that.¡± Derek said. ¡°Stand back.¡± Derek grabbed at the space in front of himself and ripped it open, revealing the door to his prison. He felt bad for using it with his group because of how dark it would be inside. He would have to remind himself to find some lighting runes. He opened the door. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all going to need to go inside. I tested it earlier, and it¡¯s safe. Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t prepared it for people to stay in, so it¡¯s going to be dark inside, just bear with it. You¡¯ll also get some notifications, don¡¯t worry about them.¡± The group gave Derek an odd look, but they trusted him. Rayna was the first person to step inside. The rest followed. Even Silvi hopped in. ¡®Silvi?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®I can cook inside. It will give them a light as well.¡¯ She explained. ¡®But you won¡¯t be able to level up your Cooking skill.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®But I can eat.¡¯ Derek nearly facepalmed after listening to the gluttonous bunny. He thought she was just being thoughtful for once, but it turned out she only wanted to eat. He looked in and gave everyone a reassuring smile before shutting the door. He made sure to adjust the time to half of what he would spend outside before pulling the space together and canceling the skill. With that taken care of, he took off to Torith. *** A few hours later, and Derek could see Torith in the distance. He didn¡¯t bother letting the group out of the prison, as they would just have to go right back in. Derek made sure his Gold Adventurer¡¯s Badge was pinned to his shoulder. It would allow him to pass freely through the city. Derek checked the system time and nodded. He headed straight for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. After waving to Nia, he walked directly to the back without an escort. Standing next to the door to a training room, Derek put his thumb on a rune and waited. A few minutes later and the door opened with a sweat soaked Thomas behind it. ¡°Go get your things, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Derek got straight to the point. Instead of arguing or asking why, Thomas nodded. ¡°I¡¯m already ready.¡± Derek smiled and cast Cleaning on the boy, removing the sweat and odor from him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When the duo walked out of the guild, Jacks was waiting for them. Derek furrowed his brow slightly. ¡°You got here faster than I thought you would.¡± He said. ¡°I had the guards let me know when they saw you arrive.¡± He explained. Derek nodded upon realization. Because of his status, Jacks still had control of all the guards in the city until they learned differently. ¡°We¡¯ve got one more person to pick up, then we¡¯re out of here.¡± He said, then took off at a jog through the streets. When they got to the Crown, Stella was leaning against the wall outside in full travel gear. It was odd seeing the impeccable beauty in a tunic, pants, and boots, but the look suited her. ¡°You ready?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Alanah said you we would probably be leaving fast.¡± She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± With that, the group left the city. Once outside, Derek began leading them towards Wilmette. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to the village to pick up the others?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°No. They¡¯re already here.¡± Derek answered. Alone again, Derek turned to Stella. ¡°Normally, I would have you take an oath or make a contract for what happens next, but I trust¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Stella began writing a contract. She finished and gave the papers to Derek. ¡°Is this good?¡± Derek read it over. It was a pretty light contract, and didn¡¯t have many harsh penalties, but it was good enough. ¡°Good enough.¡± He said. Alanah had once told him that she preferred loyalty over oaths, and he agreed. He believed he could trust Stella. The contract was just icing on the cake. ¡°Alright.¡± He said, then opened his prison. Inside was the group sitting around a fire while something boiled in a pot. They all noticed when the door opened, and new light shined into the room. ¡°Wow.¡± Stella said. ¡°You¡¯re able to transport people?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Derek said. ¡°Okay. Get in and let¡¯s go.¡± Jacks hesitated, as he had been locked in alone before, but still went inside. Thomas practically sprinted inside to see Brandi. Stella didn¡¯t. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay out here with you.¡± She said. ¡°Can you keep up?¡± Derek asked. ¡°If I can¡¯t, I¡¯ll go in.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Just a few more hours.¡± He told the group, then shut the door. Turning to Stella, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 138: Ambush? Chapter 138: Ambush? Derek started out slow to see if Stella could keep up, then gradually increased his pace. To his surprise, when he hit his preferred travel speed, she was still able to stay close. Of course, he wasn¡¯t moving at as fast a pace as possible, but he was close. Looking back at Stella, she seemed to be exerting herself, but it didn¡¯t look like anything she wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain for the next few hours. Derek was impressed. Time for the ultimate test¡­ holding a conversation while running. He snickered to himself. ¡°So, why choose to run with me instead of taking it easy in the space?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I¡¯d rather not put my faith in anybody other than myself.¡± She answered as she closed in and stuck to this side. ¡°Do you know what would happen to them if you were to die? I¡¯d rather not take that chance. You have made enemies out of a powerful person.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you already risking yourself just by traveling with me?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Maybe, but this way, I will be able to defend myself. If nothing else, I can run. Besides, I doubt anyone would try to kill me outright, unlike you. I¡¯m pretty well known, and I¡¯m sure nobody wants to go to war with the Crown and Alanah.¡± ¡°Would she?¡± ¡°Would she what?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Would Alanah go to war for you? You know, if you were killed.¡± He clarified. ¡°I believe so. If she didn¡¯t, she would make the life of the one who killed me miserable. She¡¯s like that with her people. It¡¯s hard to be around her because of her skills, but people still flock to her. That¡¯s one of the main reasons.¡± She explained. ¡°So, why did you choose now to leave Torith?¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± She answered. ¡°You¡¯ve been interesting, and I haven¡¯t been to the Savannah restaurant in a while. It will be good to check in. Kill two birds with one stone.¡± ¡°Oh, and here I thought you were developing a crush on me.¡± Derek said cheekily. Stella snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself.¡± She may have said that, but Derek swore he saw her cheeks flush red for a split second before she got herself under control. ¡°Sure, sure.¡± He said. ¡°So, what do you know about Natalie?¡± He changed the subject. ¡°Probably not more than you already know. Alanah told me she filled you in. I doubt I could give you any more information that what you¡¯ve already received.¡± ¡°Alanah this, Alanah that. What happened to ¡®my mistress?¡¯ Last time we talked about her, you weren¡¯t so casual.¡± Derek asked. Stella laughed. ¡°That was before you got to know her. Alanah doesn¡¯t like being addressed like that, but when you¡¯re doing business better to err on the side of formal. She would consider you more than just a business partner now. There is no sense in keeping up the act when everyone is on such close terms.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Of course, I could still call you Mr. Hunt if you prefer.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°No. Derek¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°So, you have plans for some businesses in Savannah? It¡¯s a very tough place to build something from the ground up. There aren¡¯t many places there that started in Savannah. Most are success in other cities, then open stores later on in Savannah.¡± Stella explained. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fine. Besides, if it fails, it fails, and I move on. There¡¯s no reason not to try. Natalie seems to be an interesting person, so if nothing else, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll gain something, whether it¡¯s a profitable business or information, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He replied. ¡°So, what is it? Something like your coffee?¡± She asked. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°Be that way. I look forward to seeing.¡± Like that, the duo kept chatting while traveling at high speeds towards Wilmette. Hours later, they were closing in on Wilmette. Coming from Torith, they were able to stay on the route through the forest and didn¡¯t have to cut through it to make up time. At this time, Derek could see the end of the forest and the road emerging in the opening ahead. They were almost at Silvi¡¯s battlefield. Derek was sure that the bodies had not had the chance to be cleaned up yet. Nighttime was approaching, but it was still the same day. But before they could break free of the forest, both Stella and Derek came to an abrupt halt. In an instant, Derek raised his forearm to block his head, and two giant cleavers had appeared in Stella¡¯s hands. A dagger with a blue glow struck Derek¡¯s unarmored forearm and pierced his skin, stopping midway through his muscle. Derek didn¡¯t have time to pull the dagger out as more flying weapons arrived. Knives, daggers, arrows, bolt, and spears all landed on Derek. Some had blue glows covering them, other yellow. All penetrated his skin. Even with his upgraded Endurance and new skin, it couldn¡¯t stop the flying weapons. Derek, doing his best impression of a pincushion, looked over at Stella, hoping she was still okay. To his surprise, or not, not a single weapon has flown her way. Looks like she was right. Nobody wants the wrath of Alanah. Stella, with her meat cleavers still drawn, had a conflicted look on her face. That was when Derek chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No sense in you getting involved.¡± He said, then sighed. ¡°Another shirt down the drain. They got my pants this time, too.¡± Then he looked into the forest where the attack originated. ¡°Do you know how hard it¡¯s going to be to get a good pair of boxers in this place.¡± He bemoaned his loss. Taking a quick glance at his HP, he could see that some of the weapons were covered in poison. His health was rapidly dropping, but with every tick of Health he lost, the regeneration caused by his high Vitality brought it back. Of course, some of his lost HP was caused by bleeding. He could tell, however, that the poison could do more than just eat away at his health. His Stamina was also showing the same signs that his Health Pool was. Unfortunately for his attackers, the two stats he didn¡¯t have to worry about were his Vitality and Endurance, and they just so happened to control his Health and Stamina. To Derek¡¯s surprise, as the last weapon landed, the ones piercing began to disappear. The dagger in his forearm was the first, and when it disappeared, the same dagger flew at him once again from the forest. What an interesting class. I wonder if the weapons are conjured or stored. Whoever the assassin was, he could be considered a true ranged weapons master. Derek almost couldn¡¯t contain his laughter as both of his resistance skills, physical and magical, gained a level in the attack. Derek grabbed at one of the last weapons to pierce him, a spear stuck in his abdomen. Instead of pulling the spear out, he squeezed it with both hands until it snapped. When the spear snapped, he heard a grunt come from deep in the forest. Seems like they¡¯re bound to him. After the grunt, the weapons disappeared rapidly until none remained. Then, before Derek¡¯s regeneration could close his wounds, another volley began. This time, no spears, arrows, or other easily destructible weapons were used. Derek tried the same trick with a dagger, but he was unable to bend it. His Strength stat was high relative to the average person, but only to the average person. Of course, Derek could have ended the battle before it began if he used Void Shift or his bunny of mass destruction, but he wanted to see what kind of assassination Torith would throw at him. So far, he wasn¡¯t impressed. After twenty or so blades pierced him for the second time, a loud stomping sounded out deep in the forest. Trees toppled in the distance as the stomping grew louder. That was when a giant of a man broke through the veil of the forest. The man put the biggest Void Beast he had fought to shame. Standing at least ten feet tall and half as wide, the man roared with a deep voice as he charged. Derek crossed his dagger covered arms in front of him as the giant¡¯s fist landed. The daggers were driven deeper into his muscle, stopping only when they hit bone. Derek, now a kite without a string, flew from the road into the densely packed forest behind, crashing through tree after tree. It wasn¡¯t until the eighth tree that Derek lost his momentum, and the tree didn¡¯t break. Derek¡¯s back slid down the tree before he landed on the ground. Derek checked his Health Pool again and clicked his tongue. Damn, that took almost a tenth of my health. Blunt damage is always the worst. He thought to himself as his Health rapidly climbed again. ¡°Ms. Brighton, please don¡¯t make a move. We are under orders not to attack you, but if you get involved, I¡¯m afraid an accident may happen.¡± A sly voiced sounded throughout the air. Derek stood and began picking the daggers out of his body, one by one, as he walked forward. He chuckled. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t have to worry about Ms. Brighton. You should just focus on me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The voice sounded again as Derek made his way out of the tree line. Derek threw one of the daggers at the giant man, but it disappeared before it hit him. I guess he doesn¡¯t have to extract them in order. Maybe it just costs less to do so. ¡°Forget it, you can¡¯t use my own weapons against us.¡± The voice reverberated throughout the forest again as the weapons swiftly disappeared out of Derek¡¯s grasp once again. Derek smiled as another volley rained down on him and the giant man charged again. He was intrigued by this person¡¯s powers. An idea slowly formed in his mind. Chapter 139: Bones and Ogre Chapter 139: Bones and Ogre One thing Derek could say about the giant man, he was slow. After taking the fist charge from the man to see what kind of damage he could cause, Derek switched to dodging. Not because he couldn¡¯t take the damage, but of all the kinds of damage he had taken, he hated blunt trauma the worst. ¡°Stay still!¡± The giant roared. In answer, Derek sidestepped another punch. After dodging, another volley of weapons fell onto him. This was what Derek had been waiting for. He quickly gathered weapon after weapon as the fell on him while dodging the giant man all the while. As the end of the volley drew near, Derek hopped back with a grin on his face and multiple daggers in his hands. With a thought, he motioned with a hand behind his back and used a skill he hadn¡¯t thought much about since he obtained it¡­ Void Storage. Before choosing to try the skill, he first tried moving one of the ranged assassin¡¯s weapons into his own storage rings and bracelet. It didn¡¯t work. Though, it made sense that the assassin¡¯s class wouldn¡¯t have such a glaring weakness. Then again, how many people could survive multiple attacks from the man? A small rip appeared in the space behind Derek, and quickly, while a few weapons were still in the air and before the assassin could pull them back, Derek tossed what he had collected into his Void Storage and ended the skill. ¡°No!¡± The echoing voice yelled, both hurt and confusion in his voice. ¡°Ogre! Do something!¡± He screamed at his partner. Ogre? How aptly named. Derek thought. Derek smiled. If getting cut off from one weapon was enough to cause pain to the man, he couldn¡¯t imagine what the assassin felt being cut off from as many as he just stored. Derek¡¯s Void Storage wasn¡¯t like storage rings and the like. With the storage rings and bracelet, a spatial function was built in, and the user had to use his or her mana to movie items back and forth between the space and reality. One couldn¡¯t physically reach inside the storage space. When it came to his skill, it created a pocket in the void, and Derek could physically reach in and out if he needed. Derek, however, was very weary when using the skill. Unlike his prison, he was unable to choose the flow of time inside the space. If nothing else, his current situation would be a good experiment. He would check in on the weapons once he finished his current encounter. Speaking of his current encounter, the giant was getting annoying. The dodging was easy, but the man was persistent. ¡°So, they call you Ogre?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Ogres are supposed to have a pretty high regeneration, right?¡± With that, Derek covered his fist in void and used his tried-and-true technique, a simple palm. Except, this time, he didn¡¯t aim for the heart or brain for an instant kill. Instead, he went for the man¡¯s gut. The palm landed and the big man stopped moving. ¡°Ogre! We¡¯ve failed?!¡± The voice sounded out again. ¡°Quit standing there! We must retreat.¡± Another dagger shot out of the forest, piercing Derek¡¯s forearm. This time, as soon as the dagger stopped its movement, it disappeared. It seemed like the assassin in the forest learned a lesson from the last time. At that time, Ogre fell to his knees and opened his mouth. Derek hurriedly jumped back to avoid the flow and splatter of blood hitting the ground. While Ogre was writhing in pain on his knees, the occasional dagger broke through the tree line. At the same time, the ranged assassin shouted his form of encouragement to his injured partner. Though, the way it looked, the man wasn¡¯t getting up any time soon. While all this was happening, Derek spared a glance at Stella to the side. She had been taking in everything happening. Even though she tried, she couldn¡¯t hide the surprise on her face. It was as evident on her face as the worry she had displayed when she saw the volley of weapons pierce Derek, and then even more so when Ogre charged out of the forest. Derek was sure, she recognized the assassins. Derek turned his focus back on the coughing man in front of him. Even on his knees, the man was still as tall as Derek himself. Derek scratched the back of his head with his right hand and batted a knife out of the air with his left. With an odd look, he said, ¡°Uh, I¡¯m sorry. I think I got my mythical creatures mixed up. It¡¯s not Ogres with the health regeneration, is it? It¡¯s Trolls. It was an honest mistake, surely you understand.¡± Derek took a step closer, trying to avoid the puddle of blood on the ground in the process. With his hand balled into a fist, he swung wide and landed a punch directly on the chin of Ogre. The giant collapsed face down. Derek wasn¡¯t sure if he was knocked unconscious or just terribly injured, but either way, it was enough. The voice sounded again. ¡°Retreat if you can. I¡¯m leaving!¡± Then Derek focused toward where all the weapons were flying from. He had run his experiment and had already played their game for longer than he should have. A blue glint flashed in the distance and a sly smile broke over his face and he activated Void Shift. Everything paused and, through his Void Sense, Derek moved himself through the ripples in the void. He still wasn¡¯t able to use the skill for long, but it was enough. Moving towards where the glint appeared, Derek arrived at a tree. A skinny, almost skeletal, man with long black hair with gray streaks stood still on a limb with his palm facing out, in the direction of where Derek just was. Around ten feet away from the man was a knife covered in a blue aura. He most project them from his hands. Derek thought. Sensing that the time he could stay shifted was drawing to an end, Derek moved onto the same tree limb as the man and reached out, gripping his throat. At that moment, Derek released his shift. ¡°Ugh.¡± The man grasped at Derek¡¯s arm with his free hands. ¡°That was fun and all, but I think it¡¯s time to call it quits. Really, it was fun.¡± He said as he looked down at his ruined clothes. ¡°You¡¯re going to pay for damaging my clothing.¡± With those words, Derek hopped down from the tree and walked slowly back towards Ogre and Stella, all the while dragging the skeletal man behind him by the throat. Reappearing at the ambush site, Derek was pleased to see Stella with a surprised expression she couldn¡¯t even try to hide. Ogre had gotten back up to one knee, so he hadn¡¯t been knocked completely unconscious. He was breathing heavily, and small amounts of blood still dribbled out of his mouth. He wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Derek nodded at Stella. ¡°Give me a few more minutes and we can get back to our travels.¡± The skinny man had clawed at Derek¡¯s hand the whole time, even going as far as summoning a weapon and stabbing at him. Unfortunately for the man, his projectile strength was much stronger than his physical strength. He also seemed quite the glass cannon. With that thought in mind, Derek balled his fist and launched it into the skeletal man¡¯s gut. The man gasped and did his best imitation of a shrimp, trying to curl up while still in Derek¡¯s grasp. Derek tossed him to the ground beside his partner and he struggled up to a knee. Now, both assassins sat side by on their knees, as if waiting to be executed. ¡°So, you were sent to assassinate me, but ordered to leave Stella alone?¡± Derek asked. The defeated skeletal man shut his eyes and nodded. ¡°We could not kill Miss Brighton, but we could harm her if she interfered.¡± Derek was surprised that the man answered at all. ¡°I take it Gerald Torith was the one who contracted you?¡± He asked. ¡°I cannot say.¡± The man answered. Derek nodded. It made sense that the assassination contract would have a clause forbidding the assassin from revealing the client. ¡°Did you really think you two would be enough?¡± The man scoffed. ¡°We¡¯ve always been enough. We had the advantage. You¡­ you¡¯re a monster. How were we supposed to know?¡± The defeated man glared at Derek. ¡°He¡¯s right, you know?¡± Stella chimed in. ¡°How so?¡± Derek asked. ¡°If that is Ogre.¡± She pointed at the coughing giant. ¡°Then you must be Bones, correct?¡± ¡°We are known as such.¡± Bones answered. ¡°You¡¯ve not been here long.¡± She spoke to Derek. ¡°But the two assassins in front of us are quite well known throughout the kingdom. They have assassinated a few very highly skilled targets in their careers. Targets thought to be in the upper 100s or even lower 200s in level.¡± ¡°213.¡± The man spoke with pride. ¡°But you¡­¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but I don¡¯t really care. I¡¯m just thankful for two more test subjects. I do like leveling skills.¡± ¡°Test subjects?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Mhm.¡± Derek nodded, but didn¡¯t elaborate. Instead, he turned to the side and pulled open his Time Prison, exposing the door. He pushed it open. The rest of his group were all sitting around a fire, chatting. Noticing the disturbance, their heads swiveled in his direction. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me.¡± He told them. ¡°Derek.¡± Jacks got up and walked over as Derek turned around and grabbed Bones by the neck again. ¡°Are we there already?¡± ¡°No, not yet. Just needed to make a quick delivery.¡± He held Bones out to Jacks. ¡°Here, take this.¡± ¡°T-this? It¡¯s a person.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s pretty scrappy too, so you better hold on tight.¡± He pushed Bones to the floor in front of Jacks. Jacks, taking Derek¡¯s advice to heart, moved behind the man and wrapped him up tight so he couldn¡¯t move. In the meantime, Derek had turned around and was now dragging the giant man in by his arms. Derek motioned his head over to the side, with Jacks following. He opened a cell door and nodded to Jacks. Jacks nodded and pushed the man inside, the man yelling all the while. Derek closed the door with his free hand and selected one year. He now had a prisoner in cell number 001. He dragged Ogre past the next cell, as it was already occupied, then tossed him into the next. Ogre wasn¡¯t much the verbal type, so he only resisted with a few grunts and roars. Apparently, Derek¡¯s void covered fist had worked too well on the giant. He now had three inmates in his Time Prison and could only expect it to increase as time passed. Derek mock brushed the dirt off his hands and turned around. ¡°Uh¡­ Derek?¡± Jacks asked carefully. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Was that Bones and Ogre?¡± Chapter 140: I Won Chapter 140: I Won ¡°Bones and Ogre? Yeah, that¡¯s what they called themselves.¡± Derek replied to Jacks. ¡°The assassins?¡± Jacks asked. ¡°Yeah¡­ You know them?¡± Jacks adverted his gaze from Derek¡¯s. ¡°Malcolm has hired them before¡­ more than once. I saw them at those times. They¡¯re the best assassins you can hire for a reasonable amount of coin. I think that¡¯s just because they enjoy killing¡­¡± He explained. ¡°Well, now they are inmate number two and three.¡± Derek said. ¡°Are you and Miss Brighton hurt?¡± Jacks asked, after scanning Derek¡¯s clothes. Derek couldn¡¯t blame him for asking. His clothes looked like he had just taken them out of a blender. Derek laughed. ¡°We¡¯re fine. They were instructed to leave Stella alone. They only attacked me. It was a fun break to the usual. I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t agree, though.¡± Jacks glanced at the locked doors. ¡°No, I¡¯d guess they wouldn¡¯t.¡± Derek then looked at Brandi and the others. They had been quiet, just listening to his encounter with the assassins. ¡°We¡¯re almost to Wilmette. I¡¯m going to let you all out before we get there. I don¡¯t know about any laws about smuggling, but I¡¯d rather be square when paying the teleport fees. Besides, I¡¯m not sure about teleporting while people are inside the prison. I¡¯m sure it¡¯d be fine, but I¡¯d rather just do it all legitimately.¡± He explained. ¡°Oh yeah. Brandi, I have a bunch of bats from the Undying Dungeon in here.¡± He took off his storage ring and tossed it to the girl. ¡°There are also some other things from a battlefield. Take all the bats and whatever else you want. I¡¯m going to need some more shirts at this rate, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± He then took one of his last pairs of undamaged jeans from his storage bracelet and tossed them to the girl. ¡°If you could find a way to make something close to those, it would be awesome.¡± Brandi grabbed the pants and examined them intensely. Seeing that she was too caught up in work to reply, Derek turned around and walked out of the prison. He then closed the door and pieced the space back together. As soon as he pulled the space together, he received a notification that the skill had leveled to two. Nice. I¡¯ll have to check on that later. Back outside with Stella, Derek took his shredded shirt off and replaced it with another one made out of the thin bat cloth that Brandi had made for him. He also replaced his jeans with his last good pair. Still, this pair had holes in the knees. He had given Brandi the best pair he had left, so it was the best he could do. He wasn¡¯t about to wear tunic and pantaloons, or whatever they called the pants that were popular in this world. ¡°I thought you had scars all over your body?¡± Stella broke the silence. ¡°And how would you know that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°News travels. I didn¡¯t see any scars though.¡± She replied. ¡°Oh? How hard were you looking?¡± He asked with a smirk. Stella scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. I was just surprised, is all. It was all Walter¡¯s guards could talk about after you arrived. That and blasting you with scalding water without you so much as making a noise the whole time. You know, Bones and Ogre aren¡¯t the only people who have called you a monster.¡± ¡°It seems to be a theme with anyone who sees me fight.¡± Derek said. Stella only shrugged. ¡°Well, now that the theatrics are finished, we should probably get to Wilmette before Torith somehow manages to get them to shut down access to teleport. I don¡¯t know if he has that type of power, but it seems like something he would do if he could. Especially if he learns that his assassins failed.¡± Derek said. Stella nodded. ¡°It would take a lot for a City Lord to allow the shutdown of their teleport circle. For most cities, other than the Capital and Savannah, the teleport circles make a good chunk of the money that goes back into them. Well, that and whatever the lords are able to sneak into their own pockets. It¡¯s kind of an open secret.¡± ¡°However, if anyone can get them shut down, it¡¯s Gerald. It would cost a lot of money and favors, but he could do it. Though, after your display just then, I don¡¯t think anything could come from it. Worst-case scenario, you get kicked out of the city and they send more¡­ prisoners¡­ to you. Not to mention your speed. You didn¡¯t so much as break a sweat while we were running, so I doubt you would have trouble getting to Savannah on your own, as long as you know the direction.¡± She continued. Derek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true, but you never know, someone truly strong could be sent. Plus, I¡¯d rather use the teleport circle and get there sooner rather than later. Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, Derek and Stella broke through the forest and onto the open road. Not long after, they arrived at Silvi¡¯s battlefield. ¡°This¡­¡± Stella said. ¡°It¡¯s where we caught up to Malcolm.¡± Derek replied. The bodies and remains were still littered around the area. Occasionally, Derek took note of people searching through the remains. Derek, Jacks, and Silvi only took things they thought could provide value to them, so there was plenty of stuff left for scrappers and looters. The majority of the looters were covered in dirt and mud, and most were children. Derek clicked his tongue. ¡°If we had time, I¡¯d at least burn the bodies. I may have caused their deaths, but they still don¡¯t deserve that.¡± ¡°Caused their deaths? You didn¡¯t kill them?¡± Stella asked. Derek shook his head. ¡°No, that was all Silvi¡¯s work.¡± Stella came to an abrupt stop, so Derek did as well. ¡°The cute bunny? The one who we¡¯ve been teaching to cook? That Silvi? She did all that?¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Yeah. I told you she was strong¡­ remember? I wasn¡¯t joking.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were, but this¡­¡± Stella sighed. She seemed to be having a hard time overlapping the picture of the cute bunny cook with this bunny of mass destruction. ¡°Sorry¡­ let¡¯s continue.¡± With that, Stella started running again. Derek followed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about their burial or proper funeral. If the looters are already here, it won¡¯t be long before the others arrive. Some of those religious classes would miss the opportunity to send off a large amount of dead. They¡¯re probably already in the city fighting over who gets to do it. It¡¯s an easy way for them to gain levels in skills and class.¡± Stella explained. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ useful?¡± Stella smiled. ¡°Not really, but there¡¯s a class for everyone and everything. You just have to hope that those with religious rites get there before the necro classes.¡± Derek shuddered. He still hated fighting the undying enemies. The only thing more annoying than fighting an army of enemies is fighting them twice or three times¡­ or however many times they are able to be raised by a Necromancer. ¡°Let¡¯s hope.¡± He answered. Before long, they could see the outline of Wilmette. Derek and Stella broke off from the main path and went to a spot not easily seen. Derek opened his prison. ¡°We¡¯re close. Please exit the bus in an orderly fashion.¡± Derek said. Everyone gave him an odd look, but they all left the prison with no comment. Silvi hopped onto Derek¡¯s shoulder as he closed the prison. Occasionally, Derek could see Stella side eyeing the bunny cautiously. He chuckled. ¡®Why don¡¯t you let Stella carry you for a bit. She was just saying how cute you were.¡¯ Derek sent to Silvi. Silvi turned her gaze to Stella. Stella flinched. ¡®Doesn¡¯t look like it.¡¯ Silvi replied. ¡®Just do it.¡¯ Derek said. Silvi hopped off Derek¡¯s shoulder towards Stella. Stella¡¯s eyes went wide and with her maximum speed, she dodged the bunny. Silvi landed on the ground. ¡®She doesn¡¯t want to carry me. And now I have dust on my fur.¡¯ Silvi sent. ¡®Have her carry you and I¡¯ll make sure the kitchen is one of the first facilities we put in the building.¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Deal.¡¯ While Stella and Silvi played tag, Derek explained the plan to the others. ¡°I wanted us all to arrive at the city and use the teleport circle together. I don¡¯t want to be accused of smuggling people between cities without paying.¡± He spoke. They all nodded in understanding, but they were more intrigued by watching the beautiful woman dodge the cute bunny over and over. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Rayna asked. ¡°Just playing a game.¡± Derek said. ¡®You have five seconds. We¡¯re leaving.¡¯ He sent to Silvi. Receiving his warning, Silvi disappeared. When she reappeared, she was sitting on Stella¡¯s shoulder. Stella let out a surprised shriek, and Derek laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He said and took off at a moderate pace that everyone could keep up with. Stella tried to brush Silvi off her shoulder, but each time she did, Silvi disappeared and reappeared on her other one. Eventually, she gave up and followed after the rest. ¡®I won.¡¯ Silvi¡¯s voice sounded in Derek¡¯s head. ¡®Yes¡­ you won.¡¯ SunriseCV Chapter 141: Wilmette Chapter 141: Wilmette After settling the mount issue for Silvi, the group made their way to Wilmette. For Derek, traveling with such a large party was odd. At least with Jacks and Stella, they had a couple more capable fighters if needed. He wasn¡¯t sure how much good Rudy would be in a fight, as the only thing he had to go off of was how easily the man had been knocked out. Of course, he also didn¡¯t know how long the man had pretended to be unconscious. For all Derek knew, Rudy could be much stronger than he seemed. Out of the rest, Derek would have to say that Thomas would be the most help. With all the training the boy had done, even without levels to help, he had made great progress. He suspected the boy could give Rayna a run for her money, even though she was over 15 levels higher than him. He was more suited for his weapon and fighting style than Rayna was hers, but Rayna didn¡¯t have many choices in the matter, and by now, it would be stupid to replace her sword with another weapon. Malorie and Brandi were different stories entirely. While Malorie was efficient in her blade staff, she was still at a lower level without any real training. Derek had also seen that, while Malorie would fight and doing anything she could to protect Brandi, she didn¡¯t enjoy it like she did other things. Maybe when she no longer has to worry about protecting Brandi, she could look into changing her class at level 50 into a cooking class or some other life skill class. Derek thought as he glanced at the woman struggling to keep pace with everyone else other than Brandi. Derek slowed his pace ever so gradually to help her. Then, he glanced at Brandi, who was in a similar state as her mother, just more exaggerated. He slowed even more. Brandi would be, for a lack of a better word, completely useless in combat. She wasn¡¯t able to distribute her stats herself, which meant that she couldn¡¯t min/max for combat. Then again, with her class and abilities, she could end up more useful than anyone else in the group, and that was what Derek was banking on when they got to Savannah. First, however, they had to get through Wilmette and anything Gerald had done to prevent them from leaving the area. The group eventually saw Wilmette in the distance. ¡°Finally.¡± Malorie panted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much longer we would have lasted.¡± She held Brandi¡¯s hand. Derek looked over at Stella, who, surprisingly, no longer minded the bunny resting on her shoulder. In fact, she seemed to have taken to Silvi. ¡°Stella.¡± He got her attention. ¡°Will we be able to teleport today, or is there a set period when we can use them?¡± ¡°There are six cities with a teleport circle throughout the kingdom, not including the Capital. Ten minutes out of each hour, the teleport circle can be activated for each city. For example, Wilmette¡¯s teleportation circle can be activated from six in the evening to six o¡¯ nine. That way, if anyone arrives at another city or the Capital in that timeframe, they know that the person came from Wilmette.¡± She explained. ¡°So, if we get to the circle at six-fifteen, then we would have to wait 45 minutes until the next chance to leave?¡± Derek asked. Stella nodded. ¡°That¡¯s correct. It makes it easier that way.¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s an emergency?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It depends.¡± She answered. ¡°If it is a citywide emergency and everyone needs to teleport out, the most likely place to go would be to the Capital. The Capital has six teleportation circles within, so you can get there at any time. Of course, under normal situations, you are still only allowed to use the circle at the designated times.¡± ¡°How do you know if someone is coming from the Capital?¡± Derek asked. Stella laughed. ¡°The color is different.¡± ¡°The color?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yeah. Normally, the mana projected out during a teleport is your run-of-the-mill light blue mana. However, the teleportation circles at the Capital are built with better, more powerful runes, so when someone comes from there, the mana is a much darker color.¡± She explained. ¡°Oh.¡± Derek said. ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°It is what it is.¡± She said. ¡°They used to require badges. Kind of like the Adventurer¡¯s Guild ones, but temporary. That got expensive, and materials got harder and hard to get. Of course, a good runemaster would be able to make one easily with just paper, but who would want that job when all that was actually needed was a schedule?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Jacks cut their conversation short as they arrived closer to the city. ¡°Everyone, put your Adventurer¡¯s Guild badges on.¡± Stella suddenly commanded as she pinned a platinum badge to her collar. Derek didn¡¯t ask any questions and strapped his golden badge to his arm. He looked around and saw Thomas proudly take out his bronze badge and put it on. Rudy also wore a golden badge, and Jacks had equipped a platinum one. ¡°Herrett, you walk up front with me.¡± Stella said. ¡°Rudy, you and Derek walk in the back. Everyone else, form two lines and walk between us.¡± With that command, the group formed up in double file. Stella looked over the group and frowned. ¡°Derek, do you have any decent looking armor you can equip?¡± Derek nodded and quickly equipped a set of leather armor over his clothes. ¡°Will this do?¡± He asked. She looked him up and down. ¡°It would be better with a tunic, but that should be enough.¡± Then she looked at the bunny on her shoulder. ¡°Silvi, you need to hide somewhere. Does anybody have a pack of some kind?¡± ¡°Ooh, I do.¡± Brandi chimed in and pulled a rough leather backpack out of her ring. ¡°I was working on making some travel packs, so I have a few. This one has some cheap materials stored in it from when I was testing it.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Stella praised. ¡°Give that to Thomas. Silvi, you need to hide in the pack until we get to the next city. It would be best if you hid under the materials as well, in case someone decides to do a quick search. Brandi, could you give a pack to Rayna, Malorie, and wear one yourself?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She happily replied and withdrew three more packs. One was full, like the one Thomas was wearing, and another was about half full. The last was almost empty. ¡°I have one more if you need it.¡± Rayna took the full pack, Mal took the half full one, and Brandi kept the empty one. ¡°It¡¯d be better if you put something in yours. It doesn¡¯t have to be much though. Make sure it¡¯s cheap, whatever it is.¡± Stella said. Brandi nodded and stuffed some materials in the sack. Afterwards, she slung it onto her back. ¡°Is that good?¡± She asked. ¡°Perfect.¡± Stella flashed the little girl a smile. Then, she looked over the group again. ¡°It¡¯s believable that two golds and two platinums would have storage rings, so we don¡¯t need the other sack. Thanks, though.¡± ¡°What next?¡± Derek asked. Stella seemed to have some kind of idea, so he let her have the lead and followed. ¡°Herrett.¡± She said. ¡°Will anyone recognize you here?¡± Jacks put his hand on his chin in thought. ¡°Hmm¡­ possibly. Most likely, no, not unless they are looking for me. Stella took out a cloak and wore it. The shadow of the hood covered her face. Then she took out more and tossed them to Jacks, Rudy, and Derek. ¡°Put those on. We¡¯ll look uniform at the very least. Thomas¡­ put your badge away. This way, we¡¯ll look like a team of adventurers hired to escort people and materials. In fact, if you have some higher quality materials, it would be good to put some on top in the sacks.¡± Brandi grinned and ran around, placing handfuls of the bat cloth she had made out of the bat hide on top of the sack. ¡°Good.¡± Stella said. ¡°I think we¡¯re ready.¡± With that, Stella started forward, and the group moved. Before long, they were standing at the gates to the city. It was late evening, so there wasn¡¯t much traffic. They were soon next in line to enter. ¡°Reason for entering?¡± One of the gate guards asked. ¡°Taking supplies to Savannah.¡± Stella answered flatly and cocked her head to the side, giving the guardsman a good view of the platinum badge. The guard nodded. ¡°You better hurry. Teleportation starts in five minutes. Unless you plan on staying here for the night.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°Thanks for the warning. We should be able to make it.¡± The guard nodded and stepped to the side. ¡°Safe travels.¡± Stella led, and the group followed. Wilmette had a layout almost like Torith, but on a much grander scale. Unfortunately, Derek wasn¡¯t able to take much in because they were in a rush. ¡°The circle is in the Merchant Square. If we keep at the same pace as we were going outside, we may not make it.¡± Stella said as they rushed down the street. Passersby saw the cloaked figures with platinum badges and sprinted out of their way. Derek chuckled as he noticed a would be target of a pickpocket scurry away, leaving a boy with his hand outstretched in a compromising position. The boy cursed as he withdrew his hand and disappeared into an alley. ¡°We need to move faster. Derek¡­ Rudy.¡± Stella said. Understanding what Stella wanted, Derek moved forward and picked Malorie up in a princess carry. ¡°Sorry.¡± He said. Rudy saw Derek and did the same with Brandi. ¡°Woah.¡± Brandi shouted, then giggled. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Stella commanded, and the group picked up the pace. Without Brandi and Mal slowing them down, they were able to travel at Thomas and Rayna¡¯s top speed, which was much faster. ¡°We should be good with this.¡± The group flew up the street, buildings and stalls flashing by every second. Before long, they were at the gate to the Merchant District. Stella flashed her badge. ¡°We¡¯re looking to make the next teleportation.¡± She spoke hurriedly. The guards saw the two platinums in front and didn¡¯t make any fuss, allowing them through. Before long, they were standing before a building in the merchant district. ¡°This is it.¡± Stella said and walked inside. Derek and Rudy dropped Mal and Brandi and followed. When Derek walked inside, he saw Stella chatting with a man at a counter. ¡°Eight¡­¡± He heard her say. Then, the man mumbled something, and she answered again. ¡°Savannah.¡± With that, she tossed the man a small bag. The man dumped the contents of the bag onto the desk and nodded. The man pointed to a giant rune drawn on the floor. ¡°Better hurry. Only three minutes left.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, the group all stood in the center of the circle, and Stella nodded. The man at the counter pulled a crystal of some sort out of his storage ring and placed it in a slot on the counter before placing his hand over it and channeling mana. The rune around the group glowed blue before a flash of light blinded them. In an instant, they disappeared. Chapter 142: Arriving at Savannah Chapter 142: Arriving at Savannah A light blue light flashed before Derek¡¯s eyes. He blinked, and it was over. Derek looked around at his surroundings. While he was still standing in a teleportation circle identical to the previous, the room was vastly different. Instead of a couple dull counters with a worker standing behind, Savannah¡¯s teleport room was decorated lavishly. The entire inside of the building was finely polished. Not a trace of dust could be seen. Turquoise banners trimmed in red with a golden scale in the middle hung around the building. It was quite impressive. The inside of the building itself was at least double the size of the one in Wilmette. ¡°Move off the platform, please.¡± A bored voice called out. With the command, the group walked forward, down three steps, to stand on the base level. As soon as they were all off the platform, a young girl scurried behind them and started sweeping the platform. Derek did another take and realized that there were multiple boys and girls, all dressed in the same color as the banners, standing in different corners of the building. No wonder everything¡¯s so clean. Derek thought. Soon, the same voice called out. ¡°Please move to the counter.¡± Stella led the group up to the closest counter. Behind it was a tall, skinny man, with a hooked nose and sharp green eyes. He was dressed the same as the children, with the exception of him wearing a beret-style cap on his head. ¡°Please be ready to answer any questions when asked.¡± The man said. ¡°I thought teleporting on the schedule took care of that.¡± Brandi said, confused. Stella looked behind her and smiled. ¡°Savannah isn¡¯t quite like the rest of the cities. With so much trade taking place, it¡¯s imperative for them to document everyone and everything.¡± She explained, then walked up to the counter. ¡°Please remove your cloak.¡± The clerk said, and Stella complied. Now, place your hand here. He touched a handprint shaped spot on the counter, then placed his hand on one at the opposite side. ¡°This will record your features and answers.¡± Stella smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve done this before. You can begin.¡± He nodded. ¡°Name?¡± He asked. ¡°Stella Brighton.¡± Stella answered. ¡°Place of residence?¡± ¡°Capital City Cydaria.¡± The man nodded. ¡°Previous city?¡± ¡°Wilmette by way of Torith.¡± She answered. ¡°Reason for coming to Savannah?¡± ¡°Escorting some friends and checking in on the Crown Restaurant.¡± She stated. ¡°Planned length of stay?¡± ¡°Undetermined.¡± The man nodded and took his hand off the counter. ¡°Thank you. Please stand to the side.¡± He motioned to an empty place next to the counter and Stella moved. ¡°Next.¡± He said and Jacks went up. ¡°Name?¡± The clerk repeated the process. ¡°Jackson Herrett, no current place of residence, came from Wilmette.¡± He said all at once. The man looked up at him, and Derek could almost swear the man was forcing himself to keep from cracking a smile. ¡°Reason for coming to Savannah?¡± He asked. ¡°Traveling with a friend.¡± Jacks answered. ¡°Planned length of stay?¡± ¡°Not sure. Maybe a week, maybe permanent.¡± The man nodded and removed his hand again. Jacks left without being prompted. ¡°Next.¡± This continued for everyone else. For the most part, all the answers were the same as what Jacks answered. Finally, it was Derek¡¯s turn. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Derek Hunt.¡± He answered. ¡°Place of residence?¡± The clerk asked. ¡°None.¡± ¡°Previous city?¡± ¡°Wilmette.¡± ¡°Reason for coming to Savannah.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ let¡¯s see¡­¡± Derek muttered. ¡°To meet Natalie¡­ start a business¡­ kill some things¡­ change of scenery¡­ get to know the locale¡­ I think that¡¯s it for now.¡± The clerk looked at Derek oddly. ¡°Okay¡­¡± He said. ¡°Length of stay?¡± ¡°Dunno. Depends on how things work out.¡± Derek said. The clerk nodded and lifted his hand. Derek went to stand to the side with the others. The man turned to them. ¡°Al¡­¡± He began to speak, but something exploded out of Thomas¡¯s travel sack, causing the man to go silent. Stella put her hand on her forehead and shook her head and Derek facepalmed. ¡°And things were going so well.¡± Stella muttered. In an instant, Silvi¡¯s small body was sitting on the counter and her right paw was placed on the handprint. Her left paw was placed on a temporary communication crystal, and another was lying to the side. ¡°My turn.¡± Her childlike voice rang out of the crystal. The clerk looked at the group, then at Silvi, then back again. Unsure what to do. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Derek said. The man cautiously approached the counter and placed his hand on it. ¡°Uh¡­ name?¡± He asked. ¡°Silvi¡­ uh¡­ Hunt. Yeah, Silvi Hunt.¡± The voice chimed. ¡°Place of residence?¡± ¡°Kitchen.¡± She answered with such enthusiasm. Derek couldn¡¯t help himself and snorted out loud. Brandi began giggling in the back. ¡°Uh¡­ okay¡­ previous city?¡± ¡°Torith¡­ no¡­ that¡¯s not right¡­ is it still called that? What was the other one¡­ Oh! Wilmeat.¡± ¡°Reason for coming to Savannah?¡± ¡°Ingredients and cooking!¡± ¡°Length of stay?¡± ¡°Until we leave.¡± She answered. ¡°Okay¡­ you can go to the side.¡± Silvi removed her paw, and the crystals shattered. In an instant, she was sitting on Thomas¡¯s head. Then she looked around and hopped onto Stella¡¯s shoulder. Still uncomfortable, she hopped over to Derek¡¯s shoulder, where she finally settled down. Finally, the clerk turned and walked over to the group. Everyone in the building had their eyes attuned to the odd commotion. The man let out a breath, looked at Stella, and smiled for the first time. ¡°Miss Brighton! It¡¯s good to see you again and nice to have you back here in Savannah. You¡¯ve brought¡­ interesting company this time.¡± ¡°Nice to see you again, Mr. Tavors.¡± Stella smiled back. ¡°And you don¡¯t have to tell me about them.¡± Mr. Tavors turned to Jacks. ¡°And if it isn¡¯t The Crimson Blade himself. What are you doing with this group, Jackson? You finally get off that leash, or are you just out running errands?¡± Jacks scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s not really any of your business, but yes, I¡¯m off my leash.¡± The clerk snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not like that man to let go of his toys.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t have a choice this time.¡± Derek cut in. ¡°Derek Hunt.¡± The man said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a few things about you. Do try to behave while in the city.¡± Stella laughed. ¡°Good luck with that.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯d you do to get off your leash?¡± He asked Jacks. Jacks glanced over at Derek before answering. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Was his only reply. Derek glanced over to the counter to catch a boy cleaning the crystal dust off it. ¡°What¡¯s up with all the kids?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Tavors looked around. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re orphans of previous residents in the city. If they want to work and make something of themselves, the city will help find them something. Don¡¯t worry, they get paid well and aren¡¯t made to do anything shameful. With a job like this, they can save up and buy equipment to start an adventurer¡¯s life, or they can choose another route.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awfully generous.¡± Derek said. ¡°It is, but it isn¡¯t.¡± The man said. ¡°The orphans here have to have a certain status. Like I said, previous residents, and ones in good standing with the city. An orphan can¡¯t just wander in from the outside and expect special treatment. Plus, entry to the city costs, and it isn¡¯t cheap.¡± ¡°Ah. I get it. Seems like another good reason to live in Savannah.¡± Derek said. ¡°Indeed.¡± The clerk agreed. ¡°Speaking of costs.¡± The man pointed to a counter further in. ¡°She¡¯ll take your entry fees. I¡¯m afraid I need to get back to work.¡± The man said as the teleportation circle began to glow. ¡°Miss Brighton, always a pleasure. ¡°Jackson, let¡¯s get a drink sometime. You can tell me what happened. Silvi¡­ it¡¯s been interesting meeting you.¡± Stella nodded, and Jacks waved. Tavors went back to the counter with his face deadpan as the circle flashed. ¡°Move off the platform, please.¡± The group heard as they walked to the other counter. ¡°Separate or together?¡± The woman at the counter asked. ¡°Together.¡± Stella said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep paying for us.¡± Derek said. Stella looked at Derek and chuckled. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m paying for you?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Every coin I¡¯m spending will be deducted from your next payment.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Derek said. ¡°In that case, go ahead.¡± ¡°45 gold.¡± The woman said. Stella tossed the gold on the counter. Rayna and Malorie raised their eyebrows, and Derek winced. An entry fee of five gold a person was not cheap. Tavors was right. With the payment complete, the group continued out of the transportation building. When they got outside, everyone but Stella, Jacks, and Derek were struck with awe. The surroundings were really impressive, but Derek had seen too many cities on Earth before the system, including New York, so it was easy for him to accept the city. ¡°So, what was up with that guy?¡± Derek asked Stella while the others were still stunned. ¡°Mr. Tavors?¡± ¡°Yeah. He was so robotic, then friendly all the sudden.¡± ¡°Oh, that. It¡¯s his job. Everyone gets the same treatment. Once you¡¯ve gained entry, his job is done and he can be himself.¡± She explained. ¡°You know him well?¡± Derek asked. She shook her head. ¡°Not really. We¡¯ve met there five or six times.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± He asked Jacks. ¡°We did a few missions together back in the day, before he came here with his family.¡± He answered. ¡°I see.¡± Derek said. ¡°Well, what should I do next? Where¡¯s Natalie¡¯s residence?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just go barge in like you did with Malcolm.¡± Stella said. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to get an appointment and unless she finds you or your proposal interesting, it will be a while before you¡¯re able to see her. It would probably be better to go to the City Building and look for places to rent or buy. Until then, Mistress Swan has agreed to let you stay in our hotel until you find a place. I¡¯ve reserved three rooms. I hope that will be enough. They are doubles.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± Derek said. ¡°What¡¯s that going to cost me?¡± ¡°You have a membership, so it¡¯s heavily discounted. It won¡¯t be much more than one of the cheaper inns in the city. Well, there aren¡¯t really any cheap inns in the city.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± He agreed. ¡°It¡¯s late. Let¡¯s go to your hotel first and we¡¯ll work on getting everything sorted tomorrow.¡± Chapter 143: Crown Hotel Chapter 143: Crown Hotel As the light from the day faded throughout the city, strategically stationed lamps illuminated the streets. Derek looked around. Savannah was truly a different beast from Torith and from what he had seen of Wilmette. Derek whistled. Are those made from Runesmithing? He pointed to one of the streetlamps. The lights? Stella nodded. A combination of Gemsmithing and Runesmithing is needed, but from what I understand, a Gemsmith is only needed for looks and efficiency. If truly needed, a capable Runesmith could slap a rune on a brick, and it would have a similar affect. I see. I take it most of the buildings here have lights after dark? He asked. Yeah. It would be harder to find a business without proper runes than one with them. Stella said. Finally, Derek got to the question he had been eagerly wanting to ask. How easy is it to hire a Runesmith here? Quite easy. The market is very competitive, so, for the right price, youd be able to find a capable fast. She replied. When youre ready, you can just go to the Employment Center beside the City Building. Youll be able to find workers and their contact information, and you can post job opportunities and missions if you cant the proper worker to complete your task. And the cost? Stella shrugged. I dont know. It depends on what you are asking and if you have the materials. Every job is different. Derek nodded. Were here. Stella said. She pointed to what was at least a 12-story black building. With a quick Identify, Derek was able to tell that the slick black brick that the building was constructed with was actually Dragon Formed Obsidian. Naturally, he didnt have a clue what any of that meant but based on what he knew of Alanah and Stella, it was probably expensive. The building was very minimalistic on the outside. Other than the banners representing Alanah and the Crown, and a balcony on each room on the sixth floor up, there was nothing else. Derek frowned. What? Stella asked. I just thought your hotel would be I dont know lavish? Derek said. Stella laughed as they approached the doors. When they got to them, instead of going inside, she took her fist and knocked on the obsidian brick. Oh, it is lavish. She said. Look around. Do you see any other buildings made like this? Derek looked, and in fact, he did find another building made out of the obsidian. Unfortunately, it also had the same green and gold banners as the hotel. That must be the restaurant. He thought. Watch this. Stella pulled a red liquid out of her storage ring and tossed it onto the brick. Instantly, the liquid fell to the ground, not leaving a drop on the stone. Its black because its impossible to paint. Stella said. But you never have to worry about it getting dirty and its nearly indestructibility. Derek raised his fist as it glowed purple. Can I punch it? Id rather you didnt. She quickly pushed his hand down. Its quite expensive, and Id rather not test it. Derek chuckled. By the way, why were there no banners at the restaurant in Torith? He pointed at the golden trimmed, green banner with a jeweled crown made out of vines in the center. Its not an official restaurant yet. Yes, its a Crown Restaurant, but it doesnt have the same standards as others, therefore it only has the Crown Sigil, not the banners. She said. Derek shrugged. I see. Derek noticed Stella leading them to the stairs. You dont have an elevator, do you? Stella furrowed her brow. A lift? He asked. Dont know what youre talking about. She replied. Like, a platform to stand on that will lift you up and down between floors. He explained. Stella shook her head. No, why would we need something like that? Convenience? Because Im lazy? I dont know. He said. It made some sense, at least. First, they didnt have to worry about dragging luggage up a ton of stairs. Second, with the system strengthening all the people, they didnt have to worry much about people being unable to climb or even diseases making people incapable. Well, if I ever make a hotel, it will have an elevator. He thought. Derek and the group followed Stella up the first flight of stairs, which wrapped around and continued up. They continued up the stairs until the seventh floor. Then she led them to their rooms. These will be yours while you stay. She said. Derek walked forward and opened the door to room 704. Inside the room were two full sized beds and two desks with chairs. There was also a big double glass door opening to a balcony. The room was well decorated, but bare. It was expected. Cydaria didnt have television or internet, so there was no need for anything like that. What Derek was surprised about was another small room inside leading to a small bathroom with a tub. Multiple runes were on the tub itself. Stella walked up to the tub and chuckled. I just realized that everyone here but Jacks and maybe Rudy have probably never seen something like this. She said. She then placed her hand on one of the runes. And the tub started filling up with water from the bottom up. Inject mana into this rune to fill the tub. It pulls mana from the air and fills it. Once the tub was filled, she moved to another rune. This one increases the heat. Then she touched the one under it. This one decreases it. Then she touched one more rune. When you are finished, this will drain the tub and a Cleaning spell will clean it. Finally, the tub drained, and a white light flashed over it. Seeing the runes in action, Derek had the images of a blueprint of a shower in his mind. Thats so neat! Brandi exclaimed. Derek nodded. Yes, yes it is. Stella chuckled. Welcome to the Crown Hotel. Breakfast is at 8 in the lobby. Its complimentary. She turned to leave the room. Now, I have some business to take care of. Have a good night. With that, the woman turned and walked out. The room went quiet. Finally. I get the bath first! Brandi said as she stole the card out of Raynas hand and took off to her own room. Brandi and Mal laughed and followed behind. That doesnt sound too bad. Jacks said and walked out. Rudy followed so he wouldnt get shut out of the room. Im going to take one too. Thomas said. Derek pulled him back by the collar of his shirt. Be respectful of your elders. He walked into the small bathroom and closed the door behind him. Chapter 144: Property Chapter 144: Property Derek stretched and yawned as he woke up from a good nights sleep. The beds in the hotel were much more comfortable than any other one hed slept on while in Cydaria. Though he didnt sleep often, it was quite refreshing when he chose to do so instead of using Greater Meditation. Looking to his left, Derek saw Thomas still in a deep slumber. It was a guarantee that the boy had never spent the night in such a comfortable place. The previous night, the boy had fallen asleep in the tub. He was so tired that he could barely make it to the bed after Derek woke him to keep him from drowning. Derek quietly got up and washed himself in the sink in the small bathroom. The sink was a miniature version of the tub, but attached to the wall with a small mirror above. It was more than enough to wash his face. There was also a toilet in the room. But really, it wasnt much more than a stool with a Cleaning rune on it. Another thing Derek miss, other than a shower, was proper dental products. The system already made it so that anyone with just a little increased Endurance would never have to worry about plaque or cavities, but he still missed toothpaste as part of his daily routine. Hed run out a while ago. Still, he what he could with his toothbrush and some mint leaves. Derek left the room card next to Thomas before quietly slipping out. Silvi had chosen to stay with Brandi and the girls, so he didnt bother waking them either. When he closed the door and looked down the hall, it surprised him to see Jacks slipping out early as well. Early riser? Derek asked. Jacks nodded. Always have been. Even more so during my time as the Guard Captain. The two chatted while making their way downstairs to the lobby. The duo went to a side of the hotel lobby they hadnt visited yesterday. It was littered with tables and chairs, not unlike the first floor at the Crown Restaurant. As soon as they sat, a young lady was at their side, taking their order. They had a few things to choose from, but Derek went with the classic bacon and eggs. Of course, the bacon was from a high-level boar type beast, and the eggs were from a bird Derek had never heard of. Surprisingly, coffee was on the menu, so he didnt have to settle for some off the wall juice or hot tea. It made sense, as the restaurant was part of the Crown. So, whats the plan today? Jacks asked. First, I need to go to the City Building and scout out some land. I would also like to talk with Stella about some of our prior business once she gets settled. Derek said. Youve been here before, right? I wouldnt mind a bit of a guide if youre down for it. Might as well. Jacks replied. I need to go to the City Building to send a letter to my son, anyway. Derek nodded. Soon, the young lady arrived with their meals, and the two ate in silence before heading out. So, where exactly is this City Building? Derek asked as the two walked out of the hotel. To answer Dereks question, Jacks pointed. Its just over there. Were basically at the center of the city. Thats where all the most important businesses are. The Adventurers Guild is there He pointed in a slightly different direction. The Savannah Mansion it right there. He pointed to a building about the size of the one Walter lived in. Its not very big. Wheres the giant courtyard? Or the guest mansion? Derek asked. Bigger doesnt always mean better. Jacks said. The cost of a residence in the center of the city is astronomical. They pay for their residence the same as everyone else. There is no special treatment, even for the Savannahs themselves. Of course, most of them grow up with much more business knowledge than anyone else, so its not hard for them to obtain money. Whats the point of being the City Lord, then? Technically, if Natalie Savannah wanted to make her residence free of charge, she could. She is able to pass whatever regulations she wants in the city. Different lords do different things. The previous City Lord didnt pay taxes or rent on the mansion, but I think the current one likes the extra pressure. Jacks explained. Just dont forget she does rule this city. She also probably has one of the top forces in the entire Cydarian Kingdom. He said. Derek had done a lot of thinking about this. He was hoping to make an underground facility with noise suppression and airflow runes with different workstations. Up top would be a General Store that sold all the created goods, storage, and a Contract Store for Rudy. Then, he wanted another floor for their living quarters. I think it would be best for it to be vacant. Derek said. Im thinking I can get away with 2,500 square feet. The man whistled. Youre not asking for much, are you? Derek shrugged. Its what I need. The man flipped some pages in his book, injected some mana inside and mutter quietly again. Alright, thats narrowed the search down quite a bit. He said. Now, do you have a part of the city you would like to build on? Is there a lot of property for sale? Derek asked. There is, and there isnt. We just expanded the borders two years ago, so there is a lot of land ready at the edge of the city. Saying that, the man walked out from behind the counter and over to the map. Instantly, a pointer appeared in his hand and adjusted its sized. He moved it in a circle around the edge of the map. As you may know, many business ventures fail, especially in a city like Savannah. There are some recently cleared lots here, here, and here. He pointed at three locations on the map. One was close to center, one was in between the center and the northeast edge, and one was at the very northeastern edge. This. He circled much of the western part of the map. Is the main residential area. Businesses are restricted from this area, aside from some restaurants and other types. Many famous adventurers, merchants, and nobles live in this area, at least, those who dont live in their businesses. This area. He circled the southeastern part of the city. Is for businesses only. You may not reside in the buildings. But it is slightly cheaper. Most successful merchants have a building here, and a house in the residential area. I see. Which leads us to here. He circled the northeastern part of the city. This is where all the businesses that double as living quarters are. You will find the hotels and inns in this part of the city. Come to think of it, even though its in the center of the city, the Crown Hotel was on the northeast side. I was wondering why the restaurant wasnt beside the hotel. He thought. So, what will these places run me? Well, this one was recently demolished and the materials were sold to pay off some of the previous owners debts. He pointed at the spot closest to the center. The cost would be 35,000 gold a month, plus 7% taxes on all sales. If Derek would have had something in his mouth, he would have spit it out. That was five times his projected monthly coffee revenue. Derek stayed calm. And the others? He asked. This one He pointed at the second one he showed. Is 21,200 a month, and this one He pointed at the one on the edge of the city. Is 5,000 a month. That much difference? Derek asked. What about a place that hasnt been built on yet? The man pointed to the spaces around the last lot he showed. 8,500 gold. Why not 5,000? Because this one had a failed business on it already, and there are open lots around it, so its already got a reputation. So, is the other lots cheaper than other lots around them? Derek asked. The man shook his head. No. Thats because there arent any open lots. Everything other than the new land is prime real estate. There arent many lots left on the edge, either. Soon, there wont be any discounts out there. Derek sighed. I need to talk to Stella later. Its time for my monthly percentage of coffee sales. This will be the first real months pay I get from it. That was why he planned on talking with Stella later. I think Ill take a look at the 5,000 gold one later. Chapter 145: Lot 33,801 Chapter 145: Lot 33,801 Its lot number 33,801. The clerk said. Derek nodded and said his thanks. The man smiled and walked back behind his counter to help the next person in line. Jacks and Derek walked out of the City Building after acquiring the information they needed. In total, they were only inside for around half an hour. Within that half hour, more and more people poured into the building. Outside, the city was beginning to come alive. The foot traffic was at least double what it was when they first left the hotel. Derek did a quick look around to get his bearings before pointing. Its that way. He said. Lets go. He began walking. Jacks nodded and followed. So, did you get your letter taken care of? Derek asked. Yeah. He should get it in the next few days, depending on what hes doing. Jacks said with a trace of excitement in his eyes. You can finally talk with him without the burden of Torith hanging over your head. Derek said. Jacks nodded. I just hope he isnt too angry with me after all this time. I almost cut him off completely to keep him out of everything. I only secretly checked up on him throughout the years. Well, youre not bound by oath anymore, and hes an adult. If you need to, you could always explain things to him. Surely, he would understand. Hell, he probably already does. You trained him up and got him into the Academy. If nothing else, you set him up on a path to success. Hopefully. Jacks muttered. Ill just have to see. Jacks wasnt his slightly sullen self when he talked about his son. The man had come out of his silent shell since getting out of his oath. Derek was sure that behind his rough and tough exterior, there was a chatty adventurer just waiting to get out. Derek and Jacks made their way northeast through the city. Savannah was huge. At their current walking pace, it could be hours before they make it there. Of course, Derek wasnt in a rush. He didnt have to get everything done in one day. As they moved deeper into the northeast part of the city, they had to dodge more and more people running around, mostly young men and women. After what seemed like the fifth near collision with one of the kids, Derek grabbed the boy by the arm. Whats the rush? He asked. You should be more careful. The boy looked up, surprised and flustered. Ah, sorry, sir. Ill be more careful. The boy looked at Dereks hand on his arm with pleading eyes. Derek sighed and released the boy. Whats with all these kids? Derek asked Jacks. The Runners? Jacks asked. Well, this is one of the business sides of Savannah. You heard Shelby talking about the city helping orphans and younger kids. Becoming a Runner is another occupation for them. Oh, so theyre deliverymen? Derek asked. Yeah. Though they are only recommended by the city, its up to the business owner whether they want to hire them or not. Its also one of the jobs that orphans who are lucky enough to pay the entrance fee or find a less savory way into the city are able to get. Jacks said. Like Shelby said, those children arent supported by the city. I guess that makes sense. Derek agreed. Now, he looked at the flood of Runners in a different light. It also made him see the city in a different light. It was so early in the morning, yet dozens, if not hundreds, of deliveries were already being made throughout the city. Maybe they planned to build onto it once profits started rolling in. Derek thought. The lot was even a little bigger than the 2,500 sq ft he had wanted. That, and taking into account the cheaper price, he could see himself buying it. There were also other vacant lots on both sides. If he needed to expand, and he was making money, they could also be purchased. Well, until they were bought up by others. What do you think? He asked Jacks. Well Jacks stomped on the land. Its pretty level, and from what I heard, the price is much cheaper than anything else around here. If you believe in whatever it is that you plan on doing, it wouldnt be a bad start. I think so too. After seeing the lot and the surrounding area, Dereks worries had subsided. Besides, with the people he brought with him, it would be better to find a place for them to live sooner rather than later. Staying at the hotel was just eating money that Derek wasnt even sure he had. Derek nodded. I think Ill buy it. After that, he checked his storage bracelet and ring. He had enough gold for the first couple of months, and possibly enough to commission the building as well. This came from the generous donation he received from Malcolm Torith. He hoped to have more, but the two assassins were pretty broke for being so well known. No telling what they spent their money on. He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. Didnt the clerk say that one of the best smiths in the city lives around here? Jacks nodded. Hes close by. His shop is at the previous edge of the city. Its where I got my current sword. You know, the one that barely left a scratch on you. Want to have a look? Sure. Maybe he has something useful. Derek said. Theres no penalty for running through the city, is there? Derek asked. There shouldnt be, considering all the Runners they passed along the way. As long as you dont injure anyone. Lets go. Five minutes later, the duo arrived in front of a big shop. There was a banner with a glove crossed with a sword hanging above the entrance. There wasnt anything special about the outside of the building. After looking around, Derek and Jacks went inside. Surprisingly, there wasnt anything special about the inside of the building either. It was a large open floor room with shelves, counters, and display cases. Aye! How can I help ya? A very short, robust woman with messy blonde hair greeted them as they walked in. Well, if it isnt the Crimson Blade back at our little store. Derek stared at the woman for a moment longer than he should have before realizing that the woman wasnt human. She was a dwarf. He knew Cydaria had other races and was told that they were much less rare in the bigger cities, but he had all but forgotten that fact. Jacks elbowed Derek in his side before speaking. No, were just looking around today. Derek coughed and rubbed the back of his neck. Thats aright. Just let me know if ya need me. She said and walked away. Jacks chuckled. First time seeing a dwarf? Derek nodded dumbly. I think I made a fool out of myself. Shes already forgotten it. Dwarfs are thick skinned people. Shes the smiths wife. Derek half laughed before walking deeper in the store, excited to see what one of the better smiths in Savannah had in stock. Chapter 146: The Dwarven Smith Chapter 146: The Dwarven Smith The gear inside the store was better than anything he had ever seen. Of course, back on Earth, nobody had even hit level 100 before he was trapped in the void. His old armor and glaive were actually top of the line at that time. Unfortunately, most of the gear in the shop, although high, was for adventurer with much lower stats than himself. If Derek was a regular person with a rare class at level 150, the items would have been great. However, his skin, muscles, and bones were already more durable than any armor he had examined in the shop. After sighing for the umpteenth time, Derek spotted a glaive in the corner. Walking over, he grabbed it and closed his eyes. It felt good in his hands. He did a couple of practice swings and thrusts as a smile broke out on his face. He had to admit, the glaive was much better than Glaivey, but was still unsuitable for his stats. You like glaives? Jacks walked up next to him. Derek nodded. Yeah, its where my mastery is at. That caused a surprised expression to appear on Jackss face. Youre saying that youre better with a weapon than you are with your fists? Derek chuckled. Yeah, much better. Unfortunately, I havent run across anyone who can make something that meets my requirements. He explained. Hopefully, that will change once Alanah auctions off the Void Beasts. At the rate my stats increase, I dont know how long anything will last me. It was one of the downsides he encountered because of his cheat-like stats. It was also the reason he had taken up fighting with his hands instead of any weapon. Derek sighed and put the glaive back on its stand. What, my weapons not good nuf for yas? A deep voice sounded out from behind the duo. Derek looked over to see a dwarf, this time male, walking over towards them in a huff. The dwarf had a black beard that extended all the way down to his belly that was knotted in the end, and braided black hair that split into two tails to fall over his shoulders. His tunic was stained with charcoal, along with what parts of his face Derek could make out. Derek plastered a smile on his face and nodded. Im not bashing your work. Its truly of great quality. Actually, its some of the best Ive ever seen. Unfortunately, nothing in here can provide me with more protection than my own skin, and nothing can increase my offensive ability more than what my fists already do. He explained. That true? The dwarf asked Jacks. I believe so. The smith snorted. Dont blame me for not believing ya. Derek laughed and held out his arm. Go ahead. Without asking a question or anything, the dwarf grabbed the glaive from the shelf and swung it down at Dereks forearm hard. The blade hit his skin, bit in slightly, then cracked. When the dwarf pulled the blade away, a single drop of blood fell from Dereks arm before healing before his eyes. The dwarf snorted as he examined the slight crack in the glaive. Then, he tossed it across the room and it landed in a bucket that said failed and damaged weapons, 75% off. Finally, the dwarf turned back around, all smiles. Ye must be a helluva tank. He reached out to Derek for a handshake. Me names Carrie. Nice to meet ya. Derek took his hand and shook it. Derek, Derek Hunt. Pretty basic runes. The dwarf said as he walked past Derek and to the forge. Then he placed his hand on the wall beside it. A rune lit up and blue lines traveled up the wall to a larger rune on the ceiling. This rune cycles the air. Pulls the smoke out and pushes fresh air back in. Its connected to another rune on the roof of the shop. There really is a rune for everything. Derek didnt bother to ask about the lights, as he already recognized them as working the same as the lights hed seen on the streets yesterday. Only, instead of being connected to a timer, he was sure there was a rune somewhere on the wall that could toggle them on or off. Its nice. Derek said. I mean, its a lot smaller than what I expected, especially considering the number and quality of items upstairs. If its good enough to craft all of that, then I dont see a problem. Jacks nodded. Indeed. Thats what I keep sayin, but Cindy keeps naggin me to expand it. Dont see the need myself. The dwarf said. Derek walked over to the wall holding all the smithing tools. He didnt dare touch them. Instead, he leaned in and examined them. What would it cost for you to make me a full set of smithing tools? Well, I dont normally do that. The dwarf said. Its always best for a smith to craft their own tools. Derek nodded. I understand that, but you need tools to craft tools. Derek said. Thats not necessarily true, but I get what yer sayin. The dwarf walked over to his workbench and began rummaging through what Derek only suspected was a junk drawer. There it is. The smith pulled out a storage ring. Soon, a full set of tools, not nearly as good as what was hanging on the wall, were lying on the floor. Thats it, ere we are. He said as he finished pulling out a pair of tongs. I knew I hadnt thrown em away yet. The smith said. These are my tools I used to get to level 50. 60 gold an theyre yers. You sure? Derek asked. They dont hold any sentimental value? The dwarf scoffed. What value would a smiths third set of tools hold? I just forgot to melt them down. Wifey says I got a bad habit of tossin things I dont need in storage rings, then forgettin bout them. Derek wondered what was in the other storage rings inside the junk drawer. Also, how many storage rings did this smith have? Derek glimpsed at least seven inside the junk drawer. He put the thoughts out of his head before pulling out 60 gold and laying it on the workbench. The dwarf scooped the gold up before laying out a mat on the floor and rolling the tools up in it. He handed the bundle of tools to Derek. Thanks for doin business. The bundle disappeared inside his bracelet. Thank you. Derek said. Well, we should probably get out of here. Got to buy that property before someone else snatches it up. Aye. The dwarf agreed. Never know how long somethings going to last. With that, the smith led them back to the store. Dont be a stranger. He said before seeing them out. Dont worry. Im about to send a kid to the Academy. Derek said. I plan on getting him some gear before sending him off. Hes been wearing and training in makeshift armor for now. Going to need to find a good Leathersmith for that, but Ill come back here to get his weapon. The dwarfs eyes shined. Lookin forward to makin it. Might want to order it sooner than later, though. I have a backlog of custom orders. Derek nodded. Ill be back soon. Chapter 147: Have a Nice Day Chapter 147: Have a Nice Day The duo exited Carrie and Cindys shop and made haste back to the City Building. Having to dodge all the Runners again made Derek cement the idea that making a bicycle and selling it in the city would only lead to complete chaos. The Runners already bumped into others and each other sometimes, so adding a vehicle to the process just wouldnt work. Before long, the two were back at the city center and walked into the City Building. Once inside, Derek rolled his eyes. The place was packed. Instantly, he realized that he was basically waiting at the DMV. Derek hurried to the right line and waited and waited. The clerk was fast in his job, and from what Derek heard, the people were mostly in his line to make monthly payments on their property. Only a couple of people in front talked about buying property. Derek continued to wait. Humans werent the only species inside the building at the moment, either. He had just seen a dwarf for the first time, but now there were multiple people inside, paying bills and sending letters. There were even a couple of elves. At least Derek guessed that they were elves. There were two of them, both male, however, neither of them were waiting in any line. He expected pointier ears. Not to say that their ears werent pointy, but they were mostly round, but with a pointy tip. Maybe Im just holding onto stereotypes. He thought. Just as Dereks turn came up, the doors to the establishment swung open and the two elves rushed over to greet the new arrival. Derek took a quick peek to see what the fuss was about. Ah, now I get it. Those are elves, the other two must be half-elves. At the door was a silver-haired lady that was even more beautiful than Stella. She had striking emerald-green eyes and a slightly pointed chin. Her dress of different greens accented her eyes well. The only problem Derek could find with the elf was her resting noble face. She walked into the room like she owned it and two elven guards in full metal gear with spears followed her in. Once inside, she made her way to a counter, the counter that Derek was standing at. As she moved, everyone in line stepped to the side to allow her to pass. Derek rolled his eyes and turned to the clerk. I need to buy that land. I took a look at it, and its good enough. The clerk gave Derek an odd look. Right maybe it would be best to wait a moment and let Serina conduct her business first? The man suggested. Derek looked at the elf slowly approaching and snorted. If she keeps walking that slow, well be finished before her haughty highness gets here. Besides, Ive been waiting for at least an hour. Im not waiting one second longer. Very well. The clerk said. You said you would like to buy lot 33801? Derek nodded. Yes, thats the Move aside. A deep voice bellowed out from behind him. Derek turned to see one of the elven guards standing there. Derek had to look up slightly to meet his eyes. Im almost done. Derek said, then turned back around. Yes. Lot 33801. Derek said. The clerk bend down and began gathering some things from behind his counter. There we go. He laid a small stack of papers down on the counter and started filling in parts at a rapid pace. Derek did his best to pull some of the aura off the female elf and push everything onto the two guards. He still had a lot left to release, but he settled for bringing them to their knees. Once all three elves were down, he drew the aura back in and stopped releasing it. He looked around the room. He was proud of himself. One man who was standing directly behind the haughty elf had fallen to one knee, but the rest of the room was all left standing. Some were sweating bullets, but they were still on their feet. Derek stepped between the two guards and stood before the elven lady. He snapped his fingers, causing her to look up. The haughty expression was no longer on her face. Now Milady. Do you mind if I finish purchasing my property? The elf only stared at him. No? Thats good. He turned and walked back to the counter. Now, where were we? Ah. Yes The clerk mumbled. Sign here. This says you are to receive lot 33801. This says that you are to pay 10,000 gold now, for first and last month, then 5,000 gold per month after. The clerk flipped a few pages. This agreement states that the property tax is included in the monthly rent, but the city will receive 13% of profits reported at the end of each quarter. Derek whistled. 13% was quite a lot. Of course, at the beginning, 13% of nothing would still be nothing. He would worry about that when he got to it. Derek signed a few more pages of the agreement before finishing. Great. That will be 10,000 gold or items of equivalent value plus 10%. Derek held his hand out and a small mountain of coins fell onto the counter, causing the man to widen his eyes and shake his head. You should visit the bank. The clerk said. There are much better ways to store currency. Still, as he was talking, the man waved, and the mountain of gold vanished from the counter. He then put the signed documents on one part of the counter and injected some mana into a rune. In a flash, another copy of the papers was sitting beside the original. The man picked the documents up and handed them to Derek. Here you go. You should keep the agreement well. If you lose it, the replacement fee is 1,000 gold. Derek took the documents and stored them in his bracelet. Congratulations on your purchase. The clerk said. You are now the owner of lot number 33801. Good luck on you ventures. Thank you. Derek said. Is there anything else I can help you with today? The clerk asked. Nope, that is all. Derek said. Have a good day. Derek turned around to see the guards back on their feet and the female elf standing behind them. The guards wouldnt look Derek in the eyes, and their charge seemed to be very interested in a spot on the floor. Derek put his hand on the one guards shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. You all have a nice day. He said before walking out. Chapter 148: Getting Paid Chapter 148: Getting Paid Derek left the City Building and met back up with Jacks, who was waiting for him a small distance away from the commotion. You make friends everywhere you go, dont you? Jacks asked. Derek shrugged. Theres a special place in hell for those who cut in line at the DMV or places like it. He said. Jacks frowned. A DMV? Its kind of like the City Building where I come from. Except the wait can be even harsher. And the people well, lets not talk about the people. Derek replied before changing the subject. Whyd you leave in such a hurry? He asked. Jacks snorted. There was no way I was sticking around to be hit by that aura of yours again. He said. How did everyone inside deal with it, anyway? I did a pretty good job controlling it this time. Only the three troublemakers got hit with the majority, and only one bystander, who was too close to that female elf, was a victim of a bit of the splash damage. He should have moved away like everyone else. Also, I didnt release it fully like I did back by Wilmette. Derek explained. Jacks nodded. Thats good. Who was that elf? Do you know? Derek asked. Jacks shook his head. It seemed like most people knew of her, but she must have gotten here sometime since the last time I was here. With the way she looked and acted, in Savannah no less, I wouldnt put it past her being a foreign noble from a different country. You think? Yeah. Cydaria has its fair share of elves and dwarfs, but humans make up the vast majority of the country. Its the opposite of some other countries. Currently, we are at peace with Indria and Vallum. Indria is elven lands, and Vallum is dwarven. We are at a standstill against Astrus. We arent really at war, but you cant call it peace. Jacks explained. Those are the three kingdoms that border Cydaria to the west. The sea borders us on the east. I see. Derek didnt really care about the war status of Cydaria as long as it didnt get in the way of his plans. It was nice to know some of the structure of the continent, though. When he first arrived, he had wanted to find a library to learn more about the kingdom and continent, but Torith wall ill equipped, and he only learned that there was a Great Library in the capital. Derek checked the system time. He and Jacks had been out for a few hours already, especially after the wait in the City Building. Lets go grab some lunch. A few minutes later, Derek was handing his Crown Membership card to a hostess, and he and Jacks were being led up to a dining area. After being seated in a luxurious private room, the hostess took his card away before and different woman came back with it. Mr. Hunt, it is our honor to have you and your guest dining here with us today. My name is Rose and I will be your personal waitress today. She held his card in her hand. There is a free meal still available on your membership card. Would you like to use that today? Derek smile, he would not be eating here if it wasnt for the free meal. Sure. He said. Very well. She said as another card appeared in her other hand. She placed the card beside Dereks and injected some mana, before handing his card back to him. Your free meal has been removed. Thank you. You are welcome. She replied. Now, todays tier one meal is a glazed level 175 Sumu, with our freshly harvested herb salad and a loaded tario. Do you have any dietary restrictions or will this meal be adequate? Derek, of course, had no clue what anything other than a salad was, but from the way Jacks was trying to keep himself from slobbering all over the table, it seemed to be good. That is fine with us. He replied. Great! Now, what can I get you to drink? She asked. Coffee black. Derek said. The lady raised her eyebrows. That has been a most popular choice as of late. She said. And you, sir? What brings you here? Stella asked before sitting down. Ill be back at the hotel later. Well, I figured it would be best to discuss business at your actual place of business. Derek took a seat in front of her desk. I see What do you need? Well, its been awhile and I was hoping to collect on my portion of the coffee sales. Derek explained. Stella smiled. I was wondering when you were going to get to that. She pulled a big book out of her storage ring. This is a book of all the sales, profits, losses, and such of the restaurant. All restaurants. When it is updated by a manager, all existing books are updated as well. Thats cool. Derek said. Ill have to get a couple of those for our business. He thought. What happens if it gets stolen? Each book is linked to a specific person. Only Alanah can open or use each one. If someone else tries to tamper with it, it will destroy itself. It also makes it easy to catch anyone trying to steal from the business. Every mark I make will leave my mana signature, so if I input something false and someone finds out, it will be easily traced back to me. She explained. Stella began flipping through the pages of the book. Derek could swear that the book was even bigger once she opened. It. Finally, she put her finger on a page. Here we go. How long do you wish to pay for the stay at the hotel? She asked. Go ahead and put us down for a week. If I need more, Ill pay then. Okay. She injected some mana into the book. So, with the cost of the hotel, the skill books, and everything else, your current total comes to She let her words hang in the air. Well? Derek asked. He was hoping for at least 5,000 gold. Stella smiled. Lets just say that your coffee has exceeded both Alanahs and my imagination in terms of sales. Weve also extracted the stimulant part of the coffee, increased its effects, and have begun selling it as well. You obtain the same percent of those sales as well as the coffee itself. And how much is it? Derek asked again. Your first payout is 13,465 gold. Stella said. Derek whistled. Thats not bad. No, no it is not. She replied. I suggest you open a bank account. Have you heard about that yet? Derek nodded. I have. The clerk at the City Building told me about it after I put a mountain of gold on his counter. Stella chuckled. So, you already found your land? I did. Its in the new part of the city, but I dont need it to be close. Stella nodded. Its probably for the best. That land is much cheaper and no matter where you are in the city, if your product is good, people will show up. Now, I dont have that much gold on me, and you dont have a bank card that I can transfer it to. You can either wait for me to go get the funds, you can go open an account and come back, or we can go together. She said. If youre not busy. Derek agreed to go with her. Ha. Im just a floater right now until I go back to the Capital City. I dont actually have any proper work that I need to do here. We can go right now. She said. Lead the way. Chapter 149: The Bank of Savannah Chapter 149: The Bank of Savannah Derek and Stella passed Jacks on the way out. After explaining what they were up to, Jacks left to go see what the rest of the group had been up to all day. The walk was short, as the bank was only a few businesses down from the Crown Restaurant. Derek followed Stella inside a building almost as tall as the hotel, but just as grand. Inside, there were multiple desks with workers, and one big counter at the back with people lined up. Do you have at least 1,000 gold on you right now? Stella asked. Derek nodded. Yeah. Good. Follow me. She led Derek to one of the desks with a worker seated behind it. The worker looked up from the desk to see Derek and Stella approaching. Ah, Miss Brighton. How may I help you today? Jared, this is Derek Hunt. She motioned to Derek. He needs to open an account with the bank today. We are in partnership, and it would make our lives much easier if he had one. I see. Jared replied, then motioned to a seat across from him. Mr. Hunt, please have a seat and I will get you taken care of momentarily. Derek sat. Thank you. Stella put her hand on Dereks shoulder. Ill be back shortly. There are some accounts I need to take care of while Im here. Okay. Soon after Stella left, Jared finished signing some documents and put them away. Good afternoon, Mr. Hunt. Do you know what sort of account you would like to open today? What kind of accounts do you have? Derek asked. We have business and personal accounts, with varying tiers of each. So, to get started, would you like your account to be business or personal? The man asked. Personal, but I may open a business account at some point. Am I right to think that I can give access to the business account to multiple people.? Jared nodded. That is correct. Any party indicated by you would have access. Thats good. Derek said. Now, what tier account would you like? Tier one accounts are for those who wish for an easy place to safely store what little money they have. The limit to this tier is 100 gold, and it costs 50 silver a year to maintain. Jared explained. Ill be dealing in the tens of thousands of gold. Derek said. I see. That leaves tier three and tier four accounts, but being in business with the Crown, I suspect you will want to open a tier four one. The minimum you must have to open the account is 1,000 gold. There is also a 1,000-gold insurance and maintenance fee. However, there is no maximum limit on the account. The account draws a .005 percent monthly interest for the holder, so, with enough funds, it is possible to negate the account cost. Jared explained. Derek did some quick math in his head before replying. Do you have a lot of customers with over 200,000 gold in their accounts? The man nodded. We do, as we are the only bank in the kingdom, and we are backed by Savannah. You are paying for the safety and insurance of your money, along with ease of use. Derek nodded. He knew how banks worked, and this one didnt seem to be all that much different. It didnt seem like they had a savings account, though. Derek decided to ask. Do you not have a savings account?Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com If you would like to open a business account in the future or take out a loan, you can come back to me or one of the other workers here. He explained. Same for adding others to the account. Will do. Derek said. Please wait here for a moment. Jared took the pile of gold and stood. He walked past one of the counters and into a closed room. Two minutes later, he came back. I have deposited your gold. Inject your mana and look at the side of the card. Derek did so. Instantly, the mana was absorbed and a blue 4,000 appeared on the side of the card, near the top. The top row is gold, the middle is silver, and the bottom is bronze. If you lose your card, there is a 200 gold replacement fee for tier four members. The man said. Derek nodded. Sounds good. Now, this card has built in runes to transfer the balance to other cards. Take a look at the other side when you inject your mana. Derek did, and multiple strange symbols appeared on the other side of his card. When you wish to transfer, all you have to do is activate the cards runes, then, while touching the other persons card with yours, will the amount to be transferred. Both parties must be willing the same amount or the transfer will fail. Jared explained. That seems easy enough. Derek said. Congratulations! You are now a member of the Savannah Bank. Jared smiled. Derek put the card away and reached out to shake the mans hand. Thanks for all your help. The man took his hand and shook it. It was my pleasure. Please come see me if you have any questions or concerns. With that, Derek stood and walked back outside. He waited against the wall for Stella to come out. After around ten minutes of waiting, she finally appeared through the doors of the bank. Sorry about that. It took longer than expected. Stella said. No worries. So, did you get everything you needed? She asked. I set up a personal account. Ill come back if or when I need to make a business one. He answered. Thats good. Did he teach you how to transfer? Yeah. Derek pulled out his new card. How much was it again? He asked. 13,465 gold. She answered as she pulled her own card out and activated it. Derek activated his card and placed its rune side against the one in Stellas hand. He thought about taking that amount from her card, and instantly, both cards glowed blue, then stopped. When he checked his balance again, the number read 17,465. He let out a breath. Thats going to make life a little more simple. Chapter 150: Thomas was Alone Chapter 150: Thomas was Alone Earlier that morning Thomas rolled over and stretched. He couldnt remember the last time he had such a comfortable sleep. After some time, he willed his eyes open. Instantly, all he wanted to do was close them again and go back to sleep. He had nothing to do today, so it really wouldnt matter if he slept in. Before deciding to resume his slumber, he checked his system clock. To his surprise, it was already well past the time he usually awoke. Then he remembered that there was a free breakfast, made by an offshoot of the Crown Restaurant no less, waiting for him below. Finally, after weighing the pros and cons of sleeping versus eating, he decided to get up. The outcome was close, but he knew that breakfast was not served throughout the day, so if he went back to sleep, he would miss out. Thomas didnt know if he would be able to forgive himself if that happened. He threw the blanket off his lazy body and saw something fly through the air. Walking over to the floor where the item landed, he realized it was the keycard for the room that he and Derek was staying in. Thomas looked over to the unkempt bed on the other side of the room. When did Derek wake up? I didnt hear him at all. Thomas then looked at the small room with the tub inside. Remembering what occurred the previous night, embarrassment fell over the boys face and his cheeks turned a bright shade of red. Thomas looked down and realized he was only wearing a pair of lower undergarments, and to make things worse, they were on backwards. He rushed to the bathroom to relieve himself and wash his face. He was tempted to hop in the tub again, but he wasnt sure how much longer he had until they stopped serving the free breakfast. Surely, they will keep serving until noon, at least. He thought and hoped. After making himself presentable and putting on his best set of clothing, Thomas stored the keycard and left his room. Before rushing down to the lobby, he knocked on the doors to the others rooms. There was no answer from either of them. Either they all woke early, or they are also still sleeping. Thomas sighed and headed downstairs. Once downstairs, he cautiously approached one of the dining tables in the hotel. He wasnt actually sure what to do. He was used to the service from mediocre inns and eating at bars. Luckily, a beautiful girl saw his hesitation and came over to greet him. Are you a guest at the hotel? The woman asked. Uh yeah. Thomas squeaked out. Looking at the garb the woman was wearing, it was safe to assume that she was a worker at the hotel. Is breakfast still being served? Or did I sleep in too long? He asked. The woman laughed. There is still an hour left until noon, so you are right on time. Please, have a seat. She pointed to an empty table. Thank you. Thomas sat down. What would you like to drink? The woman asked as she handed him a menu. Thomas browsed the options, his eyes stopping on coffee. Isnt that what Derek sold to the Crown? Derek had told him about his business with the Crown, but the boy had yet to try the beverage. If it was already on the menu at a hotel such as this, then it had to be quite popular. Ill have the coffee. The womans eyes furrowed. The coffee? Are you sure? She asked. Yes? Thomas answered cautiously. Why would the lady be so hesitant about him ordering coffee? Thomas couldnt understand. Very well. She said. How do you take it? She asked. Oh um I dont think I need anything special. Thomas answered. She nodded. Very well. She said. What is your weapon of choice? Why do you need to know that? Thomas was confused. The woman frowned. Even if you are going to rent one of the lesser training rooms, I still need the information to find the one that would suit you well. I wouldnt want to put a tank class in a room with only ranged training, you see? Oh Thomas replied. I use a spear. The lady nodded and jotted something down on some paper. Would you like a room with a mixture of close and midrange training? Thomas thought for a second. He had no idea what the room would consist of. He did need to work on his midrange fighting, though. He nodded. That would be good. Alright. Lets see. She wrote something else down, then shuffled through the papers. Room 37 should suit you well. She said. The price is 27 gold an hour. Would you like to pay by the hour or upfront? Thomas did his best not to show his surprise at the price of the room. I could train for two days in Torith at the price of one hour here. He thought. Thomas hesitated to say anything. He had enough money for a few hours, but he hated to use it. As he was preparing to buy one hour of training time, and rough hand gripped his shoulder. Thomass eyes followed the hand all the way up to a grinning mans face. He was dark-skinned with a completely shaven head. He had brown eyes and a small vertical scar on his left cheek. He was built like Derek. He was a little taller than six feet, with very toned arms. The most surprising thing about the man, however, was the coal black badge pinned to his arm. Can I help you? Thomas asked in a low voice. If he wasnt mistaken, this man was an Onyx Ranked Adventurer. The mans smile grew wider. I couldnt help but overhear that you use a spear. He said. Spears are typically used by lowly guards and soldiers. He continued. There arent actually that many adventurers that choose to wield a spear of their own volition. Thomas nodded. He had seen many spear users in Torith, but they were mostly part of the guards. From what he gathered, it was because basic spears were easy to mass produce with little need for metals and time. Because of this, many adventurers had an innate dislike for spears and preferred to use other weapons. It is especially rare to see a youngster like you already using a spear. You wouldnt believe the amount of people I see avoid using the spear, even though they are obviously best suited for the weapon. The man explained. Thomas blushed. Did he not do the exact same thing that the man was describing? What does an Onyx Ranked Adventurer want with me? He wondered. Sorry Judy. The man apologized to the woman behind the desk. Im taking your customer from you today. The woman frowned. Whatever. She said, then looked back at Thomas. Be careful. Be careful? Whats going on? For the first time in a long while, Thomas wished Silvi was with him. Cmon kid. Lets see what you got. The unknown man pulled Thomas behind him as they disappeared through the training doors in the Adventurers Guild. Chapter 151: Shae Chapter 151: Shae The unknown adventurer dragged Thomas through the Adventurers Guild until they came upon a certain room. Once outside the room, the man placed his hand on the door for identification and the door opened up. Then, he pulled Thomas inside and closed the room behind them. Thomas immediately fell to the ground and struggled to get to his knees, an odd pressure was weighing him down. Needless to say, Thomas was terrified. When he woke up that morning, other than some light training at the guild, he hadnt expected anything else to happen. Dont tell Judy I told you, but the hourly rate they charge newbies is a scam. Youre better off finding an empty courtyard or area outside the city to train. Though, its not safe outside the city. Every time you rank up your badge, the cost goes down. The man said. Thomas, still stunned, finally managed to say something. T-thats not fair. The world aint fair, kid. Hell, I just dragged you away basically by the scruff of your neck and not one person said or did anything. Thats basically kidnapping. The man scratched his bald head. Though, I guess most of them knew nothing too bad would happen to you and its not like Judy doesnt know where I took you. The man then walked over to the runes on the wall. This room is basically free for me, and its the top room in the guild. Do you know why that is? He asked as he placed his hand on the wall. Immediately, the pressure that was on Thomas disappeared. Finally, he was able to stand. What was that? Gravity rune. The man said nonchalantly. The increased pressure from the outside helps increase some resistance type skills. It also lets you get used to auras. Of course, there is more to auras than just pressure. The man explained. Why did you kidnap me? Thomas asked as he leaned against a far wall. The man laughed. Because youre interesting, kid. Like I said, young adventurers that choose to wield a spear are hard to find. And I dont suppose your dream is to become a low-level guard, right? Thomas shook his head. No. Good. The odd man said. Now, why did you choose to use a spear? Thomas hesitated before answering. He wasnt sure if he should answer. He didnt know the man. Was he just supposed to trust a stranger who basically kidnapped him? I did trust Derek, though. He thought. Finally, he chose to answer the man. Surely it wouldnt hurt to give out a little information about himself. I chose the spear because I was shit with daggers. The boy remembered one of the phrases Derek had used to describe his ability with daggers. The man busted up laughing. Thats the most honest answer I think Ive ever heard. Thats good, honesty is good in certain situations. He complimented. Did you have someone help you make the decision? Thomas frowned. He didnt want to talk about Derek without him being there. Heck, he couldnt say much about Derek without breaking his oath. Thomas thought about the proper way to word his answer. He nodded. A friend tried to get me to use the spear at level 10. He said I was made for it. Thomas lowered his head. I ignored his suggestion and chose a stealthy class. I changed to spear at level 25. Everyone makes mistakes, kid. The man said. The goal is to learn from them and not make them again. It seems that you learned from that mistake. Now, what did you say? You were made for the spear. Well see. The bald man stepped forward and summoned a spear. Attack! He yelled at Thomas. With a big smile on his face, the man held his hand out for Thomas to take. Thomas hesitated, but finally put his spear away and took the mans hand. Its so good to meet another natural born spear user. The man said. My name is Shae. Shae Holmes. As you can see He pointed to the badge on his upper arm. I am a veteran member of the Adventurers Guild. He smiled even wider, if that was even possible, then leaned in conspiratorially. In a low voice, he said, Actually, Im the head of the Savannah Adventurers Guild. Thomass eyes went wide. He thought the man was some renown adventurer, or even an instructor of the guild. He never in a million years would have thought the man before him was the actual Guild Master at the Savannah Branch. Savannah was the most popular city in the kingdom other than the Capital. That would put the man who was standing before Thomas close to the top when it came to influential figures in the kingdom. Thomas audibly gulped. He took a step back and bowed. Its an honor to meet you, sir. He said. Shae waved off his honorific. Just call me Shae. Were friends, after all. The man said. We are? Thomas asked. Of course we are. Shae said. Us spear users have got to stick together. Were an endangered species in this kingdom. R-right. Thomas muttered. Now, youre very talented with the spear. Maybe even more so than I was at your age. With the proper resources and training, you will do well. What are your plans? Why are you in Savannah? I dont recall ever hearing of anyone like you. By the looks of your spear and clothes, you have money. Who are your parents? Shae asked. T-that Thomas didnt know how to answer. Finally, he shook his head. I dont have money. He said. Im from a village near Wilmette. Thomas gave a self-depreciating smile. Im just a poor villager who got lucky. No matter how you got here, you got here. Being a villager is nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe thats why I took an interest in you to begin with. I didnt grow up in a village, but I wasnt well off. Most people get opportunities or lucky breaks in life. What matters is how you take advantage of them. Shae said. So, Ill ask again, what are your plans? My friend the one who gave me the spear and helped me choose my class, he asked me if I wanted to join the Academy. So that that is my current goal. I see Shae rubbed his chin in thought. Well, there is a little over three months before the next enrollment opens in the Academy. He said. Ill tell you what. You can use this room as much as you want while youre here. Ill let Judy make the arrangements. Ill be here at this time every three days to train you. Thats the best I can do because I have other responsibilities. Thomas was stunned. Why did this man pick him? He didnt deserve such a boon. He didnt know what to say. What would he tell Derek? Training with a spear master would have to be better than training with Derek, right? So many thoughts went in and out of his head. Finally, Thomas nodded and bowed again. Thank you. The man smiled again, this time his teeth showed. The grin was more feral than happy. I wouldnt be thanking me yet. Shae said. He jumped back to the middle of the training room and drew his spear. Again! Chapter 152: Ranking Up Chapter 152: Ranking Up Derek and Stella parted ways after transferring his money and discussing a few other things. He felt hed been quite productive on his first day in Savannah. He had scouted out some land before actually buying it, he opened a bank account, and he even completed some business with the Crown Restaurant. He couldnt help but wonder what everyone was doing today. Of course, he had left Silvi with the girls, so he wasnt worried that any harm would come to them. In fact, he was more worried that Silvi would do something and end up hurting someone else. He wasnt, however, sure of what Thomas and Rudy would be up to. He didnt worry about the contract maker because the man could take care of himself. Thomas could too, but he still worried for the kid. Eh, hell be fine. He thought. Looking at the system time and seeing that it was only mid-afternoon, he realized that there was still plenty of time left to accomplish another big task. Derek got his bearings and looked for the Adventurers Guild. Back in Torith, he wasnt able to get a badge higher than Gold Ranked. Today, while he still had some time, he planned on remedying that problem. He had seen how efficient it was to have a higher-level adventurer badge. At the Platinum Rank, the guards they passed along the way to the teleport building did their best to mind their own business. The guild wasnt hard for Derek to find. He just looked at the biggest buildings close to the city center. It didnt hurt that the building looked almost the same as the one he went to in Torith, only bigger. Derek smiled and walked towards it. Should I get a Platinum Rank, or should I go for Onyx? That was the question Derek had on his mind. He knew he should be able to easily obtain the Platinum Badge; it was for those with power capabilities between level 150-200. What he truly wondered about was the Onyx Badge, or even a badge of a higher level. He also wanted to know how they would test for the Onyx Badge. Surely, missions at the Platinum Rank werent easy to come by, even in a city like Savannah. In Torith, the majority of missions at the mission board were bronze. He expected a lot of gold missions at this guild. Finally, he made it to the entrance of the building and walked in. He nodded his head at the familiar layout. It was good to have a blueprint for all of your businesses to follow. It made things much easier. Derek slipped into line behind some others. He was half a head taller than anyone in line, so he had a good view of the receptionist. He was a bit disappointed at being in an Adventurers Guild and not seeing Nia as a receptionist. She was a bookworm who was all about business, but she was fun to tease. Soon, Derek made it to the front of the line. Hello, Sir. Welcome to the Savannah Adventurers Guild. How may I help you today? The brown-haired woman greeted him. She had beautiful brown eyes and was sporting a lovely tan. Derek put on a chipper smile. Hello. My name is Derek Hunt. Its nice to meet you. Derek watched as the woman did her best not to roll her eyes at his enthusiastic greeting. As nice as it may be. The woman spoke. There are still adventurers in line behind you. She answered in a flat tone. Now, how may I help you today? Derek inwardly chuckled. He was in a good mood today with all of the tasks he accomplished. He even got to see some dwarfs and elves. Nothing could bring his spirits down, not even the receptionists outright refusal to acknowledge his flirting. Derek clicked his tongue. What a shame. He said, mocking extreme disappointment. Well, I guess while Im here, I do actually have a couple questions that I need answered. The woman let out an exasperated breath. And those questions are? How nice of you to ask. Derek replied. First, what is the highest rank the Savannah Adventurers Guild can give out? The woman scrunched her eyebrows. What rank are you? She asked instead of answering his question. Finally, he shifted his gaze back to the receptionist. She wasnt worse for wear, but she was also drained of her color and having a hard time catching her breath. Derek pointed at the slowly disappearing shield in front of the woman. Thats a neat trick. He said. Y-yes The woman replied. So, do you need anymore proof that Im being serious? Derek asked. N-no. I dont. The woman answered, trying to calm herself down. I can help you get She began, but before she could finish her sentence, a door shattered into splinters and a blur appeared before everyones eyes. Holy shit! Derek cursed inwardly. I thought I was fast. He thought as the blur stopped beside the pale woman. Judy! The figure yelled out. Whats wrong? What happened? Did you feel that aura? Derek examined the man while he was rapidly firing questions at the receptionist. The man was dark-skinned and completely bald. He had questioning brown eyes and a scar on his cheek. He was about an inch shorter than Derek was himself. What intrigued Derek the most was the spear in his grip and the Onyx Badge wrapped around his upper arm. Derek squinted his eyes. This is someone important in the Adventurers Guild. The way the mans first reaction was to check on Judy made Derek believe that he could be either her boss, or boyfriend. He may be the Guild Master here. Torith didnt have a Guild Master, only a manager. It wasnt a big enough city to need one. It would make sense if the intimidating man in front of him ended up being a bigwig in the Adventurers Guild. Sha Guild Master. The receptionist finally said, getting the mans attention. She was about to call him by his name. Derek inwardly smiled. Maybe hes both her boss and boyfriend or even husband. Everythings fine. Judy said. I was just conducting a test. She continued. A test? What kind of test requires someone to project an aura of that level? He asked. Judys eyes shifted to Derek, which was unable to escape the Guild Masters attention. You? The man asked. Confusion fell over the mans face as he examined Derek and his eyes landed on the Gold Ranked badge in Dereks grip. Derek shrugged and pointed. She told me to do it. Its not my fault nobody wants to listen to me. Derek pointedly looked at the two men still struggling to stand upright. Explain. The man said to the woman. Judy took a deep breath, getting ready to explain what happened, but before she said anything, a small male voice was heard. Derek? Chapter 153: Meeting Shae Chapter 153: Meeting Shae Derek looked from Judy and the Guild Master and at the voice that was coming from where the door had been shattered. Thomas? Derek saw a very tired-looking Thomas. His clothes were ripped, and he was panting. He could see multiple bruises and cuts on the boys body. What happened to you? The boy was in an utterly disheveled state. Before Thomas could answer, the Guild Master cut in. You know the boy? He asked Derek. What the hell is going on? Derek swiveled his head between the man and Thomas. Derek glanced at the spear in the mans hand, then back at Thomas. He furrowed his brows. The picture was getting clearer, but he had his doubts. Why would someone like the Guild Master train with Thomas? Derek looked the big man in the eyes. Of course I know him. Im the one that brought him to Savannah. He answered. The man looked back at Thomas. This is the man that helped you choose the spear? Thomas nodded. Thats Derek. Finally, the man smiled and the tense atmosphere he created vanished. Smart man. He said. Then, focusing back on Judy, he began, Why, exactly, did you tell this man to release his aura in a room full of adventurers? He asked. He wanted to go from a Gold Ranked Adventurer straight to an Onyx Rank. Judy answered matter-of-factly. How was I supposed to know he was being serious? The dark-skinned man eyed Derek up and down. You wanted to skip an entire rank? I would ask why you thought you would be able to do that, but after being able to feel your aura from the training room, I dont doubt that you may be able to. May? Derek asked. Well, we would have to see if you are qualified. Unlike the other ranks, the Onyx Rank can only be tested and given out by a higher authority in the guild. Say, a Guild Master at one of the more renown locations. Diamond, however, can only be given out by the Guild Leader in the Capital. The man answered. And the missions? Derek asked. Before he was able to get his Gold Rank, he had to complete a number of Silver Ranked missions. He hoped that it wasnt the same with the Onyx Rank. There werent that many Platinum Ranked missions available. Plus, he still couldnt even accept a Platinum mission because of his current ranking. Fortunately, the Guild Master waved his question away. Those are only a formality given to the lesser ranks. Once you have the approval of a Guild Master, you wont have to worry about those. So, when can I get started? Derek asked. Judy cut in at that moment. Im sorry. She said. The Guild Master is currently busy and should be getting back to work. She glared at the man. If you would like to increase your ranking to Onyx, please schedule an appointment for a later date. Derek tilted his head as he looked from the woman to the man, then to Thomas. Really? He asked sarcastically. So, the Guild Masters business is training my Derek thought for a second. What would I call Thomas? Hes not my apprentice, definitely not my kid. Calling him a friend would make me sound like a weirdo Ah, I got it. My charge. Thomass grandparents had trusted Derek to take care of him up to a point, so considering the boy one of his charges made sense. Derek narrowed his eyes at the man before continuing. You were training him, I hope. Not just using him as a punching bag. Of course. The man replied. If he were actually harmed, we would be having an entirely different conversation. In fact, we wouldnt even be having a conversation. You would be dead, and you wouldnt even know it. Derek said. Youre not going to put any armor on? Youre going to fight half naked? Derek laughed. I didnt want to ruin my clothes. That style is hard to come by. Plus, I doubt armor will help much. Shae shook his head. Whatever you say. He commented. Then he pulled a document out of his storage ring and handed it to Derek. Here, place your mana signature on this. I dont want the guild to be liable in the case of an accident happening. Derek looked over the document. It did just as Shae said, kept the Adventurers Guild from being responsible for any harm that may come during the test to rank up. Derek injected his mana into it and handed it back. Shae stored the document back in his storage device, then looked deeply at Derek. Suddenly, he furrowed his brows. Interesting. What? Shae smiled. The headache that comes with trying to use Identify on you, and what I get back in return. Derek smiled. He had turned on the skill he received from his Award when he walked into the Adventurers Guild. He still didnt appreciate people using the skill on him, and there may actually be some people in the city that would be able to do it. Including the man in front of him. So, what does it say? He was truly curious. All the description for the Lesser Enigma Award said was that the block ability was increased. Shae snorted. Your level is in the 100s, and you are a Human. Derek tilted his head. Not my exact level? You could be level 101 or 199. All I get back is a one and a bunch of nonsense. Thats why its interesting. The Guild Master replied. Thats good. How did you do that? Shae asked. Derek laughed. I tell you what, if you beat me, Ill tell you. How does that sound? Derek rolled his shoulders, getting ready for a fight. Shae smiled the same malicious smile he had shown in the lobby. Sounds good to me. Lets just hope you can still talk when were finished. He spun his spear in his hand before slamming its butt on the ground. Derek looked over at Thomas. Stand as far back as possible. Thomas scurried away from the center of the room and hugged the wall beside the door. Seeing that the kid was in the clear, Derek set his feet and launched himself at Shae. He swung his fist at Shaes head, but the man only had to tilt it back to dodge. Then, Derek launched a blow to the others body, only to be sidestepped. Derek jabbed at the man a few more times, missing each punch. Then Shae retaliated, with the blunt end of his spear. The attack was driven into Dereks sternum, causing him to slide back five feet. Shae looked Derek in the eyes. Oh, come on. That cant be all you got. Chapter 154: Spar Chapter 154: Spar Derek laughed. I dont know what youre talking about. Its not like youve done anything to me. What good is being fast if you cant injure your opponent. Shae narrowed his eyes as he looked Dereks body over from the bottom up. Usually, a hit to the sternum would at least make the other person lose a little breath. Fine. Shae finally said. Derek moved into a boxing stance and prepared for an assault. He had a sinking suspicion that by the time the spar was over, his Physical Resistance passive was going to level up multiple times. Derek smiled and motioned Shae with his hand. Shae launched his attack. The man wasnt so fast that Derek couldnt defend against him, but he was fast. It was very hard to counterattack. It was all Derek could do to block his attacks, and the occasional one landed somewhere on Dereks body. This was fine, though. Derek didnt know how much of Shaes full strength was in the attacks, but it wasnt enough to do Derek much harm. Sure, the attacks were breaking his skin, but they werent piercing too deeply into his muscles. Derek could tell that Shae was beginning to wonder about Derek, as even though he had been hit and cut multiple times, he didnt flinch. His body was covered in blood, but Derek kept his usual smile. Finally, Derek found his opportunity. In a thrust to his side, Derek stepped forward and trapped Shaes spear with his arm. Then he grabbed it and pulled forward, causing Shae to finally enter his range. With his free left hand, Derek punched. Shae tilted his head to dodge, but Derek already knew he wouldnt be able to hit such a hard target. Instead, he changed the trajectory of his punch and hit the man in the center of his chest. The punch basically used all of Dereks strength. When the hit landed, Derek released the mans spear and took a step back. Shae stepped back a few times with the momentum from Dereks attack. Shae looked Derek over with a frown. Is that your strategy? To take a beating until you can get a single counterattack that doesnt do anything. Derek smiled, knowing that if he had been channeling void, that hit to the chest would have been critical. He doubted it would have been fatal, but it was definitely something that would be hard to recover from. Dereks grin got even wider as he took his hand and wiped at some of the blood on his abdomen. As he did so, everyone realized that there wasnt a mark left on his body. His torso was the same as it had been before the spar, minus the blood. I dont know what youre talking about. What beating? Derek asked. In all actuality, his health was at 100%. The beating he was taking wasnt anywhere worse than what the last void beast he fought had done. Not to mention that this time, it was after he upgraded his Vitality and Endurance stats and went through another breakthrough. Shae groaned. Youre a tank? He said. I hate fighting tanks. He muttered under his breath. Each time the spearhead stabbed Derek, it took with it a chunk of at least three percent of his HP. Still, the barrage of attacks kept landing, and Dereks smile never left his face. Occasionally, an attack would land that would pierce all the way through his muscle, and even penetrate his bones slightly. Derek finally guessed that the blue glow that fell over the mans spear was some kind of skill that increased penetration. Still, it didnt matter as the bone healed as soon as the spear was removed, and the muscle soon followed. If this part of the spar lasted much longer, the entire room was going to end up under a pool of Dereks blood. Two minutes later, Derek received a surprising notification. Both his Greater Meditation and his Physical Resistance had leveled up. Its about damn time. Derek thought about Greater Meditation. He couldnt remember the last time his favorite skill had leveled. The notification was a happy event for Derek, and he let it show on his face. His smile was even brighter. Apparently, Shae noticed his smile as well. That, and the fact that Derek was moving slowly and not even trying to block anymore must have irritated the man to no ends. Suddenly, Shae screamed, and another glow washed over the blur. Unlike the hastening and piercing skills before, this glow came with the activation of an actual combat skill. Derek felt the attack more than saw it. Three blows in his abdomen. He felt as the spear both penetrated the front and blew out of his back. The first attack pierced through, missing all of his organs, but the second hit the bottom of his left kidney, right below his ribs, causing a massive gash on the organ. That was enough for 30% of Dereks health, but the real damage came with the third blow. It broke through his rib cage and directly penetrated his liver before coming out the back. This caused Dereks eyes to widen as he weakly grabbed the spear, which was still penetrating his body, with his right hand. His health had fallen to 23% and was dipping even lower as his Vitality worked hard to repair all the damage. Derek! Thomas screamed from across the room. Derek looked up at Shae, who looked to be in a sense of panic. Thats a nice, Oh, shit! What did I just do? face. Derek thought. Luckily, once his kidney was healed, with the combination of his Vitality and Greater Meditation, his health was already shooting back up. Derek chuckled as his grip on the spear tightened. Then, he moved his left hand as if it were a blade and activated both Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike. He could have gone with the void, but he didnt want to kill the man. The blows came rapidly as the man let go of his spear and jumped back with his arm in a cross shape. Derek clicked his tongue as Sweeping Slash just wasnt as good as it could be with a weapon. Still, the combination of the skills cut the mans forearms deeply through his bracers and even caused him to grunt in pain. Derek ripped the spear out of his liver and cast Rejuvenation on himself. Then he looked over at Thomas. You should leave the room. Its my turn. His fingertips began glowing blue as lightning flowed throughout his body. Chapter 155: Its My Turn Chapter 155: It''s My Turn You should leave the room. Its my turn. Derek said. Thomas didnt argue. He walked across the room, avoiding as much blood as possible. Finally, he made it to the door, opened it, and left. Derek nodded once Thomas was gone. Looking at Shae, he asked, Whats your stance on not revealing any information about my skills other than that they are good enough to pass for Onyx? Shae frowned but answered. I like to think everything I see in here is confidential unless the Guild Leader directly asks me about it. He said, but frowned even deeper. I wont lie to you, youre a mystery, so I wouldnt doubt the Guild Leader asking me about you. Dereks fingertips stopped glowing blue as his brows furrowed. No chance of you taking an oath or writing a contract, is there? Shae shook his head. I dont think so. Thats pretty shitty. Derek said. How is someone supposed to do this without revealing their best skills? Especially when up against someone like you. Shae laughed. Oh, after that last showing, youve definitely passed. Anything else is just entertainment. Derek snorted. Hed learned a lot during this test. Like, if Shae had seriously been wanting to kill him, he could have hit Derek in the head or the heart when he activated his last skill. Derek mentally put those at Onyx or above on his kill quickly list. Surely, there would be assassins at that rank as well. Hed have to be more careful than he has been. Savannah was supposed to be safe, but Derek still wasnt completely sure about that. He would have to make it a point to ask Natalie once he could get a meeting. Now, the question before him was, should he stop here, or keep going? To be honest, Derek wanted to continue. He hadnt been pushed like this since the first Void Beast he fought after arriving in Cydaria. He thought back to the people who already knew about his abilities. Most of them were under oaths. None of them knew exactly what they were, though. Except for maybe Alanah, and she was not under oath. Your Guild Leader. Derek said, pulling Shaes attention back to him. Is he a good person? Shae didnt hesitate even a second before nodding. Hes a very decent person. Hes top five strongest in the kingdom, so he doesnt answer to anyone. But will he answer to someone? Derek asked. Like the King. Shae snorted. That old fogie? I dont even answer to him. Sure, hes also top five in the kingdom and controls a powerful force, but for the last decade, hes been too hesitant to take any action against anyone at a certain power level. Shae continued. With your skills, it may be good to let some of them be known. Strength is a pretty good way to wash a targe off your back. Derek nodded. Maybe, but I doubt it. Shae frowned. Do you mind telling me who you offended? Derek laughed. Its not really a secret. I killed Gerald Toriths son after I found out he was involved with child trafficking. Though I would have killed him either way. Derek clarified. As the tap of the spear connected, Shae looked at Derek in shock. Then, he raised his foot to take a step, then vomited a mouthful of blood. His eyes opened even wider as he stared Derek down. Derek still had the same smile on his face. With the way Derek used his skills, there was no real way for Shae to figure out what happened. Sure, he was able to track Dereks movement while he was in the void, but Derek didnt believe the man had even seen the glow at the butt of the spear because he was too busy staring at Dereks body. What was that? The man finally broke the silence. That was for me to know. Derek answered. My kidney is gone, and I have damage in my stomach. Shae said as a red vial appeared in his hand and he drank it. Was that as hard as whatever skill you just used can hit? Derek shrugged. What do you think? I doubt i Shae stopped as his eyes brightened in remembrance. When you hit me on the chest at the beginning? Derek chucked and bobbed his head in confirmation. Can you survive without a heart? Shae frowned. Maybe. He said, to Dereks surprise. You have to have high Endurance to move as quickly as I do. Shae answered Dereks unasked question. And you dont get very far without at least some Vitality. I see. Yeah, I wouldnt know. Never lost my heart before. At least now I know that I can survive a kidney exploding after some minor lightning damage. Shae chuckled. That liver shot earlier was brutal. Derek said. Did more damage than the first two strikes together. At least you took some damage. Shae laughed. I think thats enough to confirm your Onyx Rank. Im not sure about Diamond, and Im not even going to ask you where you went for that split second. Wait, what? Derek asked. What do you mean, where I went? He asked. Shae frowned. You disappeared. But you were tracking me. Derek argued. I was tracking whatever ripple you were making. That was something new he learned about his skill. When he used Void Shift, he actually disappeared into the void. That was useful knowledge. Youre the first person to track me. It was surprising. I hope you can keep those last skills to yourself the best you can. I already said I would, and Im a man of my word. Shae held his hand out, and Derek accepted it. Now, lets go get you a badge. Shae said. After that, I need a drink, too. What do you think? Chapter 156: Onyx Chapter 156: Onyx Derek frowned at the mention of a drink. The ale he had drank didnt do it for him. Of course, he didnt actually need to drink it. He laughed. Sure, why not? Shae nodded and walked over to the wall with all the runes and activated one. In an instant, a glow washed over the room and all the dirt, grime, and blood was washed away with it. It was as if the two had never even been inside. Derek made sure he was properly clean before throwing his original clothes back on. Before leaving the room, Derek glanced at his gains. Physical Resistance increased to level 12, and he received a level in Greater Meditation earlier. Huh Getting organs destroyed by a level 200+ spear master seems to be the way to go if I want to increase my Physical Resistance skill. Derek unconsciously ran his hand over his abdomen. Unfortunately, if I want to increase my Unarmed Combat Mastery, Im going to need to do better than landing one punch. At least I got another level in Chain Lightning. He thought, as the skill was now at level 13. Derek sighed. I need to find a way to train my void abilities better. Looks like Im going to need to get a list of dungeons from Shae. Derek pat Shae, who was waiting by the door, on the back. Lets get this badge situation over with. When the door opened, Thomas jumped in front of the duo and heaved a heavy breath. Oh, good. Youre both okay. He muttered. Derek tussled the boys hair. Of course, were fine. We were only sparring. I was just using an area attack, so I didnt want it to hit you. Exactly. Shae agreed. Were not brutes. Both Shae and Derek cracked up at the joke while Thomas eyed them oddly. Soon, they were sitting in another room, Shae across a table from Derek. The Guild Master pulled a box out of his storage ring. After injecting some mana into the box, it clicked and opened, revealing three Onyx Badges inside. There arent many Onyx Ranked Adventurers. Shae said. So, we only carry a few at a time, and they have to be stored properly, as well. Shae took one of the badges and placed it on the table. Then, he closed the box and locked it with his mana, storing it afterward. Let me see your current badge. Shae said. Derek took the badge out of his storage ring. He hadnt put it back on after getting dressed. He then handed it to Shae. Shae held the Gold Badge in one hand and the Onyx Badge in his other. Then, both badges began to glow blue with mana. The glow lasted for more than a minute. Finally, the glow on the Gold Badge dulled until it vanished, and the glow on the Onyx Badge became more brilliant. Soon, the Gold Badge crumbled into dust before Shae retracted his mana from the Onyx one. Shae slid the newly imprinted Onyx Badge towards Derek. Ive transferred your mana signature from the Gold Badge to the Onyx Badge. He explained. Inject some mana into it to activate it. Shae said. Derek did as he was told. Instantly, the mana he injected was consumed, and he was linked to the badge. Congratulations. Shae said. You are now an Onyx Ranked Adventurer. I would suggest you always wear that badge. Youll end up with a lot of benefits, and there arent really any downsides. Its a great way to keep from being pestered by people, too. Who wants to risk offending someone with an Onyx Badge? Shae then pulled out a small stack of papers before filling them out and signing them. After a few minutes, he straightened the papers and stored them. I hate paperwork. He said. Judy usually does most of it, but I have to personally do it when its related to a new Onyx Ranked Adventurer. I see. Derek placed the badge on his upper arm, wearing it in the same fashion as Shae. I guess it wont hurt to keep this one on. With that, the trio left the room and walked back to the lobby of the Adventurers Guild. When they arrived back up front, the lobby was as full as ever. Judy noticed the trio coming out from where the door used to be. After giving them a quick scan, her eyes fell on the newly placed badge on Dereks upper arm. Her eyes widened in shock, then quickly resumed their normal appearance. Derek shrugged. It is what it is. Whats so special about her, anyway? Well Shes a Dukes daughter, the King of Indrias niece. Shae answered. So, shes a spoiled brat? Derek asked. Shae snorted. Isnt that exactly what I just said? Though shes much too old to be called a brat. You can be a brat no matter your age, race, or gender. True enough. Now, you wanted to have a drink? Where? Derek asked. Yup, I got just the place. Shae answered before turning to Thomas. Sorry, kid. Its not a place for kids. Ill see you back at the hotel later. Derek said. Thomas ducked his head, but eventually answered. I should check on Brandi and the others anyway. He replied. Derek nodded. Good idea. Im sure I wont be long. With that, the Onyx Ranked duo split off from Thomas. Derek followed silently behind Shae without making conversation. Eventually, Shae brought Derek to a run down looking building close to the edge of the city. Here we are. Shae said. Best drinks in the city. He led them inside. Derek scanned the room when they entered. It reminded him of an old-fashioned saloon. Its image was the exact opposite of something from the Crown. He ran his finger along one of the tables, and it came back covered in dust. In the back was two rough-looking men slugging it out while others bet coin on the winner. Derek shook his head. When you said the boy couldnt come with us, I was expecting something different. Derek said. Shae slapped Derek on the back. What do you mean? Im a happily married man. When I say I want a drink, I want a drink. And this place has good drinks? Derek asked with skepticism. The best. Shae answered. Now, let me show you. Shae led Derek to the bar, and they both sat on a stool. Derek looked around for someone to serve them, but no one came. Soon, a loud cheer came from the boxing match. Derek looked over to see one of the rough-looking men sprawled out on the ground, while the other had his arm up in victory. At that time, a short, stout man broke off from the crowd and made his way to the bar. Derek couldnt tell if the man was a tall dwarf or a short human. Maybe hes a half dwarf. He thought. About damn time, Roman. Shae said. Zip it, less I be out of your brew. Roman said. Now, who do we got here? Chapter 157: Roman Chapter 157: Roman Roman, this is Derek Hunt. I just gave him his Onyx Badge and decided to treat him to a celebratory drink. Shae said. Derek, this is Roman. A little halfling dipshit who is getting a little too big for his britches. Oh, so they have halflings as well? This day keeps getting more and more interesting. Derek thought as he watched the banter between the two. Youre calling me a dipshit? I wasnt joking! No drinking today. Roman spat. Shae waved the halfling off. Yeah, right you know youre going to cave. Its too much money to go towards supporting your habit. The halfling ground his teeth but relented. Fine! But youre buying by the jug! He pulled a small jug out of his storage ring and slammed it on the bar. Then, he slammed down two small shot glasses, not even half the size as regular ones, that were surprisingly crafted from the same obsidian that he had observed at the Crown Hotel. You sure your new friend can handle it? The halfling eyed Derek up and down. I would hate to get on the bad side of an Onyx. Shae slapped Derek on the back. Youll have no problems with him. The halfling nodded. Good. Payment up front. He stuck his card out. Shae grumbled, but soon pulled out his bank card and transferred the money. Little runt. Roman clicked his tongue and walked back to the makeshift fighting arena. Interesting guy. Derek said. Old friend? Something like that. Shae reached up and grabbed the small jug to pour them each a shot. They both took one of the glasses and drained it. Derek didnt know what to expect, but he certainly didnt expect what happened. Battery acid was the only comparison Derek could think of as the liquid slid down the back of his throat. If he didnt know any better, he would have thought the liquid took half of his tongue down with it. He slammed the glass on the bar. What the fuck was that? Shae gave Derek a toothy grin. Its some good stuff, huh? I dont know about that. You could have at least warned me. Derek said as he watched his HP tick down faster than his innate healing could bring it up. Holy shit! Is it a poison or a venom or something? Shaes grin got wider. Nope, just a drink one that actually works on folk like us.Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com Folk like us? You mean people with a death wish? Nope, people with a high enough Endurance and Vitality to drink it. People who are past the stats that allow normal drinks to have any effect. Shae explained. So youre saying that this will get us drunk? Derek asked. Shae snapped his fingers and pointed at Derek. Exactly. Then he grumbled. For 25,000 gold a jug, it better. 25,000 gold? For a jug that small? Derek stared at the jug like it was a priceless treasure. He picked it up. Its not even full! There was less than a liter of liquid in the small container. The prices we pay for luxury. Shae said. Luxury my ass. Derek said. I dont even like being drunk. Shae waved him off. It was bound to happen. I broke off from the party, then. The Golem Dungeon was the third dungeon I did solo, and the first elite one. I see. It was easy. Shae said. My class was practically made for it. I was fast and precise. I went through the whole dungeon in less than an hour. I was powerful enough to break a core in one hit, and fast enough to dodge any attacks. Of course, I was dancing on a tightrope the whole time. Im sure I would have been finished if I got hit one or two times. Luckily, I was out to prove myself, and I took my training very seriously. Derek laughed as he took another drink. I could tell. I couldnt hit you to save my life if it werent for my skills. Shae took another drink. Ere we go. He slurred. Whew! Huh? Derek asked. The brew. Roman said as he walked back over, cleaning a mug with a rag. The toxins build up with each drink until one more takes you over the edge, then BOOM! Youre shitfaced. I havent worked out how to make it a slow build, yet. I see. So no buzz, just straight up drunkenness? Derek asked. Nothin wrong wit that. Shae said. The halfling laughed. Shae seems to like it. Derek frowned and took another drink, then another, then another. I guess its going to take more than the usual for me. He took another three drinks. Looks that way. The halfling answered. Shae took another drink as well, before Roman took his shot glass away. Thats enough for you. Judys already going to kill you for buying a whole jug, better not risk blacking out. Derek held his hand out. Give me the mug. Roman shook his head. That shit will eat right through it. Derek sighed. It had been years since the last time hed even had a buzz, much less gotten drunk. He was sure hed be fine if he did get drunk, plus, he had Cure Toxin if he needed it. Not to mention the skill would probably level. Derek took the jug and tipped it up, taking two big gulps. His HP rapidly diminished, but nothing else happened. I guess its not strong enough for me. He said. Roman clicked his tongue. Youre the first. He looked over to a now passed out Shae and smiled. Hes going to shit a brick when he realizes the whole jug is almost gone and he only got drunk once from it. I guess you dont have anything stronger. Than that? Nope. Never thought Id need it. Would you drink enough to cover the cost of me making it stronger? Roman asked. Derek snorted as he thought about the price of the previous jug. Not on your life. Didnt think so. I got plenty of customers for the Onyx stuff. Shaes been good about introducing them to me. How did you get into doing this, anyway? What made you want to brew alcohol for high level people? Derek asked. Brew alcohol? The halfling laughed. You got it all wrong. Im an Alchemist. Chapter 158: The Brew Chapter 158: The Brew Im an Alchemist. Roman said. Wait. What? That didnt make any sense to Derek. Why would an Alchemist own a bar that caters to high-level adventurers? He asked. Roman put the now clean mug away under the bar counter. He laughed. Easy. By complete accident. He answered. Accident? Derek asked. Yup. Back in the day, we Roman pointed between Shae and himself. Used to run together. Came up together, actually. While Shae was busy sticking his spear in everything that moved, and not in the fun way, I made the potions that kept him and his team alive. You see, I was never much of a fighter, so I was happy when the Great System gave me the choice of a crafting class. Of course, Shae was disappointed with me because he always wanted us to join the Adventurers Guild together and move up the ranks, but it was a relief to me. That asshole was is a battle maniac, so he provided all the resources I needed early on, which let me supply him with potions at cost. Roman continued. Seems like a pretty good deal. Derek said. Its a great dead when it works. I know a ton of crafters who make the same deal with adventurers. The problem is that either their craft stalls and falls behind the adventurers, or the adventurers either die or quit after some losses. Not everyone has a friend as talented as Shae. The halfling said. Dont tell him I called him talented, by the way. Derek snorted. I wont. He said. That still doesnt explain how you ended up here and not at an alchemy shop. No need to be impatient. Im getting there. Roman said. You know about his story? He asked. He usually doesnt take that last shot to knock him out unless hes reminiscing about the past. Yeah. Basically, he outgrew his team, and they used him up until they lost a member. Then he went at it solo. Derek said. Roman nodded. Thats pretty much the gist of it. He said. Well, once he reached a certain level, he became the perfect test subject. Roman grinned. Its nice to have someone with a Vitality and Endurance on your side when youre an Alchemist. Derek shuddered at the halflings grin. What do you mean? Well, the Great System is very helpful when it comes to identifying most concoctions, but sometimes, you either make one that it has never seen or the Great System chooses to limit the information it gives, I havent figured out which one it is yet. You get back information like Unknown Health Potion or Unknown Poison, stuff like that. Sometimes you get even less information than that. Roman explained. Interesting. Derek said. It is, but it also creates a problem. Sometimes, you create an Unknown Health Potion and you end up killing somebody. Like, its technically a healing potion, but if the user happens to have a certain constitution, it ends up being fatal. Well, the Great System doesnt give the creator the full information until the potion is tested by an intelligent user of the system. Roman explained. Thats harsh. Derek said. Thats great. Derek said. Roman seemed to be really excited when talking about process. Even when theres an ingredient that money cant buy, I can usually trade for it with some of my brew. Or, I can do a three-way trade with it. The seller of the ingredient may not want my brew, but they may want something that Shae or some other customer has. Derek nodded. So, getting a drink with a new Onyx Adventurer is basically a scheme to get you more business? Roman waved Derek off. Its nothing so sinister like that. I mean well, that might happen, but its in everybodys favor. I get a new customer, the customer gets a free drink, Shae gets a referral fee its a win-win-win. Well, its usually a win-win-win. Roman sighed. Sometimes, people dont like to drink. Twice now, the brew hasnt affected a person, and neither you nor the other person like it enough to justify the price of me upgrading my formula. Oh. There was someone other than me that didnt get drunk? Derek asked. Yeah, the leader of the Adventurers Guild. You two are monsters. Shae is going to be terribly disappointed when he wakes up. Hes not going to be getting his referral fee to help pay for that jug of brew he bought this time. Roman snickered. Judys going to kill him. I wish I could see it. Well, Im sorry about my monster-like constitution. Derek said. But, I may be interested in some of your other alchemy products. I wouldnt mind having a look. Thats fine with me. Its called Romans Potions and Brews. The halfling smiled. You really like using that word. Derek said. Well, it made me who I am today. Its my good luck charm. Liquid Courage may sell and sound better, but its always going to be my brew. Derek laughed. No sense trying to fix what aint broken. Damn straight. Roman said. Derek looked over at the snoring Shae. You think he would be mad if I cut his nap short? Roman snorted. Probably. What do you have in mind? Well, you said your brew was a toxin. Right? Derek raised his hand and prepared Cure Toxin. Shae had tried to trick him into becoming a customer in his little scheme. Sure, he was going to be hurting after the price of that jug, but he might as well take it a small step further. Roman laughed. Go ahead. Chapter 159: Fast Friends Chapter 159: Fast Friends With the Cure Toxin skill activated, Derek slapped the back of the sleeping Guild Master. His skill was still at a low level, so it didnt have immediate effects. He waited for the cooldown to finish and used it again. After the second hit, Shae woke up if a drowsy state. He was still drunk, but no longer passed out. The man looked around with confusion in his eyes before Derek hit him again. The third hit did it. His previously glazed over eyes became sharp, and his confusion disappeared.Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com What the hell, man? Shae called out. Just wanted to sober you up before you had to go home. Derek said. Yeah, it wont be any fun for Judy to lay into you while youre drunk. Its better for you to take the beating sober. Roman said. What beating? Shae asked. Roman snorted. The beating you are going to get once she finds out how much you paid for a jug of brew and that you arent going to make any of it back with your typical referral fee. Shae looked at Derek. Derek shrugged. Its not my fault that it doesnt have any effect on me. He said. You took a gamble and lost. Its a shame, huh? Such a shame. Roman agreed. Derek reached over and grabbed what was left of the jug of brew. Only around a quarter of it remained in the jug. He put it to his mouth and turned it up, polishing off every last drop. The large amount of the toxin put a dent in his HP, but it wasnt enough to warrant any intervention. Derek slammed the jug down and let out a breath. He turned to look at a shocked Shae. See, no effect. Nothing at all. Ive drunk over half of an entire jug by now, and Im still stone cold sober. Its a pity. Roman busted up laughing at Dereks antics. What a pity. He looked at Shae. I have an idea, Shae. Why dont you order another jug full, and we can let Derek drink the whole thing and see if it works on him? Who knows, he may become addicted and end up being a customer. That way, you will get your referral fee. Shae was blankly staring at the empty jug sitting on the counter in front of them. Why? He asked in a low voice. Why did you have to drink the whole thing? Derek slapped him on the back again, this time without any active skills. Well, you tried to set me up by getting me hooked on this brew, so I decided to take a little revenge. Besides, whats a little prank between friends? Thats right! Were all friends here. Roman chimed in. I have to thank you for introducing me to Derek. We became fast friends while waiting for you to finish taking a nap. Derek reached over the counter to Roman, and the halfling clasped his hand and pulled him in. It was awkward, as there was a counter between the two of them. Also, if the floor wasnt higher on the opposite side, Derek doubted Roman would even be able to see over it, much less enact a makeshift shoulder hug. Still, they got it done. Fuck off! Shae shouted, then stormed off out of the bar. How rude. Roman said as he picked up the already clean mug and started polishing it again. It was nice to meet you. Dont forget about the testing. He said to Derek. Now, I have to go make sure those idiots dont destroy more shit than they can pay for. The halfling walked away from the counter and back to the makeshift fighting arena in the back of the bar. Derek waved to Roman. Dont worry. Ill swing by your alchemy shop sometime tomorrow. Or the next day at the latest. Derek smiled and looked at the empty jug. Maybe I went too far. He thought before shrugging it off. No hes a big boy, he can handle it. Derek cast a quick Rejuvenation and Cure Toxin on himself to dispel any lingering effects of the brew. Derek stood from the barstool and dusted off his black shirt that caught dust from the bar during the odd hug he had given the halfling. Today was a pretty interesting day. I guess Ill go see what the others were up to all day today. Im sure theyre fine. They had Silvi with them, and she hasnt tried to communicate with me all day. With that thought, Derek left the seedy bar and headed back to the hotel. Back at the hotel, Derek looked around the lobby to see if any of his party members were having dinner. Derek winced when he thought about that. Thomas was the only person he had given any gold to. The others had spent the entire day penniless in a city all about trade and commerce. Plus, they had Silvi, a veritable black hole when it comes to food. Jacks probably has gold of his own, and Im sure someone as sly as Rudy would do fine. He thought, but still hated that he forgot about Rayna and the others. Finally, he shook it off and went upstairs to their rooms to see if they were there. They probably spent the whole day holed up in their rooms because all they could do was window shop. When he got to their floor, he saw Jacks leaning against the wall outside their rooms. You on guard duty or something? Derek asked. Jacks smiled when he saw Derek. Nope, just waiting for you. Dinners ready, and Mal wanted to wait until you got here before we all ate. Derek was taken aback. Really? Instead of answering, Jacks knocked on the door beside him, and Thomas opened it. Hes here. The boy said after turning his head around to shout in the room. Derek followed Jacks into the womens room and looked around. It was a little cramped, but still large enough to fit the whole party inside, at least for a gathering or a meal. If needed, they could all cram inside and sleep even. With Derek and Jacks inside, Malorie began divvying out plates and eating utensils before placing steaming food on each one. Everything she put on the plates came out of her storage ring. Derek looked down at the food, then back up and Brandi, Rayna, and Mal. So, what exactly did you all do today? I just realized I forgot to leave you with any gold. Im sorry about that. Chapter 160: Debriefing Chapter 160: Debriefing Everyones day wasnt as bad or rough as Derek had suspected. The girls all woke up late and barely made it down in time for breakfast. According to Brandi, they had to fight hard for the hotel to recognize Silvi as a guest and not just a pet. The hotel staff refused to let Silvi have her own breakfast initially. It took the bunny pulling out two of its few remaining communication crystals and talking to the staff herself for them to allow it. However, after the confusion was cleared up, news of Silvi was spread to the rest of the hotel staff, and it shouldnt happen again. After breakfast, they went out and walked around the city most of the day. They basically window shopped, since they didnt have enough money to buy much of anything. The three had barely ever seen any city, much less one as big as Savannah. According to Rayna, who was the most observant of the bunch, most of the residents who saw them were nice enough, though there were a handful that stared at them in disgust, as though they were offended that villagers dressed as them were breathing the same air. Derek nearly facepalmed at hearing that. Before he left Torith, he had visited a shop and bought the women a bunch of clothes, mostly for travel, but they still looked much better than the village garb they were all wearing. Also, Brandi was more worried about making Derek shirts when she could than updating the clothing they were all wearing. Derek walked over to one of the empty beds and, while holding his food in one hand, reached over with the other and dumped the clothes he bought for them on the bed. He also put the clothing he had looted from Katrisha on the bed as well. Most of it looked rather expensive and quite beautiful. He placed the dead womans undergarments in another pile and said, Burn those. Afterwards, he went back to the group and sat on the floor. Im sorry, it slipped my mind that I had bought you all some new clothes before I left Torith. I was preparing to give it to you for traveling clothes, but the Katrisha incident happened and I completely forgot that I was carrying them. Derek apologized. Brandi ran over to the bed and started going through all the clothes. She was giddy with excitement. The classes she had worked on the most were Leatherworking and Tailoring, so clothing was her thing. Before long, the girl came back to her senses and resumed her meal with the rest of the bunch. What do you think? Derek asked her. A lot of it is too big, but I should be able to fix that easily. Brandi replied. The pretty clothes should fit mom almost perfect. To fit Rayna, I will need to let it out in a few places. She said matter-of-factly. Rayna and Mal both blushed a bit, but didnt comment.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com Okay, so what else happened today? Derek asked. The group continued eating while recounting their day. Nothing overly exciting happened to them. They came back to the hotel and enjoyed lunch that Mal had already prepared before going back out and wandering around more of the city. Derek laughed. Thats to be expected. I cant even believe that a class like that even exists. To be frank, Im jealous. Brandi smiled. Ill do my best. Derek turned to Jacks. The shop is definitely going to need a guard or two, and you have the experience and power. So, if you dont mind, I would like you to do that. Of course, well work out the pay and time off. You definitely need to see your son if possible. There should be enough room for him to stay with us if he decides to visit. I know hes probably busy. The scarred man smiled. Hopefully, he gets back to me soon. Finally, Derek looked over at Rayna. Im not sure about what you want to do. I figure Mal will help out around the shop and help Brandi, but what about you? What do you want? I want to get stronger. Rayna said. I dont want to feel helpless like I did in the village ever again. She clenched her fist. You should join the Adventurers Guild first. Derek said. You already have a decent quality class, so you will be stronger than most once you gain some more levels. I planned on doing that. Rayna said. The problem is how to get levels safely. Its hard for me to trust random teams from the guild. Especially with what happened to Thomas in Torith. Derek ran through different options in his head before settling on one. Jacks, would you mind helping Rayna get to level 100 or so? You know, keep her safe while she kills things. Im sure there are plenty of areas around the city that she could level in. Derek asked. Im find doing whatever you need. Jacks answered. It should be fun adventuring again, even if it is just to protect Rayna. Great. Derek said. Ill talk to Shae, Savannahs Adventurers Guild Master, later. Im sure he has a map of grinding areas. You met the Guild Master? Jacks asked. Derek nodded. Yeah. Hes a decent fellow. I sparred with him as a test to receive this. He pointed out the badge on his upper arm. Thats Onyx. Jacks muttered. Yes, yes it is. Chapter 161: A New Day Chapter 161: A New Day Jacks leaned back and sighed. I knew you were quite a bit stronger than me, but I didnt think you were that much stronger than me. Derek waved him off. You would probably be at least Onyx if it werent for your circumstances these last years.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Jacks gave a self-depreciating smile. Maybe He said. But well never know at this point. Derek shrugged. Youre plenty young enough to keep going. Im certainly not going to do anything to hinder your advancement. You may choose to guard the shop once its up, but if you feel like adventuring, you only have to let me know so I can make other arrangements. Besides, Savannah is supposedly a peaceful city. Jacks nodded. Thanks. Finally, Derek looked back towards Malorie. Was I right to assume you wanted to help out around the shop? Malorie nodded. Im not letting Brandi out of my sight for a good long while. Derek nodded. I would suggest you spend whatever skill points you have remaining on some general skill to level. I noticed you seem to have much more fun cooking and looking after Brandi than you do hunting and fighting. Is it that obvious? She asked. Not necessarily. Derek replied. Back at the village, hunting was something you had to know how to do in order to survive and provide for your family. Now, you dont have to worry about that. You havent hit level 50 yet, so there is plenty of time to change your class to something you enjoy. But, like I was saying, you should level some other skills that you are fond of, so you have a chance to receive a decent class. Malorie agreed with Derek. Thats sounds fun. Silvi and I make a good team when it comes to cooking. We can learn and level the skill up together. She smiled when Silvi hopped over into her lap. Thats great. Derek said. Before he came to Savannah, he had promised Silvi to look into getting her a place at the kitchen in the Crown Restaurant. However, Silvi seemed to be looking forward to having her own kitchen more than anything else. Ill see if I can find some more recipes for the two of you to share. Also, dont feel bad about experimenting with your own recipes. Who knows, you may end up creating something delicious. Derek said. Derek clapped his hands. Alright, we all have plans now. All thats left is to actually get them done. What about Thomas? Brandi asked. Derek looked over at Thomas, who was slightly blushing now that he was the center of attention. Well, Thomas is going to be training his ass off for the foreseeable future. He happened to catch the eye of the Guild Master. Thats so awesome! Brandi squealed. Thomas smiled shyly as he looked at her. Thanks. He said. Hes also planning on enrolling in the Academy here in a few months. Derek informed. So cool. Brandi chimed in. Do your best! Ill try my hardest. Thomas said. Ill also come back to visit whenever I can. We still have a long time before any of that happens. Derek said. We just have to focus on the day-to-day right now and try to build something for ourselves. Got to have a place Thomas can always come back to. Derek smiled. Everyone in the room nodded seriously. All of them had a gleam in their eyes when he mentioned that it was for everyone. Derek stood. Alright. Im off to the Employment Center. If you plan on coming with me, lets go. Everyone else, Ill see you later. Malorie, Brandi, Silvi, who was being held by Brandi, and Rudy, all followed after Derek. Noticing Rudy behind him, Derek spoke. Oh, youre coming with us today? Rudy nodded. Youll be hiring people, right? Derek nodded. Most likely. Thats great. Rudy said. It will be an opportunity to make some contracts unless there is an official way to do it. Good point. He said as they made their way to the Employment Center. Soon, they walked inside a room oddly similar to the Adventurers Guild lobby. I guess its the same thing with missions and stuff. Why fix what aint broken? It was still early in the morning, so the center was quite empty. Instead of going straight to one of the counters, Derek headed to look at one of the job boards. After reading the first few job descriptions, he realized the exact purpose of the board. Most of the requests offered a rather low payment. Derek figured that the only workers who would take on the requests on the board would be those new to their professions, or those in dire need of some quick money. He could nearly guarantee that no high-level workers were going to takes such basic requests for such small payments. As he was thinking this, the door opened and a young dwarf walked in. He, too, went straight to the job board. When Derek glanced at him, he noticed that the dwarf was going through the requests much more seriously than Derek did. Derek kept his eyes on the dwarf. Soon, the dwarfs eyes widened and he ripped one of the requests off the board. Derek snuck a quick peak at the request and noticed it was for ten sets of basic daggers. The poster provided the material, and any extra daggers would be bought at a small price. Before the dwarf went to the counter with the request, Derek spoke up. You a beginner Blacksmith? The young dwarf looked up at Derek. Yes, sir. Derek smiled. The dwarf couldnt be too much older than Thomas or Brandi. Requests that provide the materials are a good way to level up, huh? The dwarf nodded fiercely. Thats why I come so early every morning. If I dont, they will all be gone. Derek nodded. Good luck. You better get to it. Thanks, sir. The dwarf bobbed his head and ran over to one of the counters. Derek watched the interaction between him and the man behind the counter. The young dwarf was all joy when he walked out of the building. I wonder what happens if he fails to craft the weapons and uses the materials. Derek put those thoughts out of his head and walked over to a different counter than the one the dwarf used. Before he even made it to the counter, three more people came inside and rushed over to the job board. When he arrived at the counter, a halfling woman with a pair of black-rimmed glasses and black hair in a ponytail looked up at him. How can I help you today? Derek flashed the woman a smile. Im looking for some Builders and Runesmiths. Hopefully ones who are available and who work quickly. The woman nodded and began flipping through a thick book. Let me see who is available. Chapter 162: Materials Chapter 162: Materials The halfling woman continued through the thick book before stopping. She looked up. Would you prefer an all-in-one company that has everything, including Builders and Runesmiths? Or would you just like to look at both occupations separately? Derek frowned. Uh both, I guess. The woman nodded. Is your request a large one? Derek nodded. I plan on constructing a new building. The halfling closed the book and smiled. Please follow me to the back. Derek shrugged and followed the woman to the back into a small room. Malorie, Rudy, and Brandi followed behind. Have a seat, all of you. Someone will be with you in a moment. I must get back to my station. The halfling said. Then she walked out and closed the door behind her. Derek waited a short while before another woman walked through the door. She was a cheery woman with golden blond hair. Hello. The woman said through a large smile. Im Wendy. Ill be helping the four of you today.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Derek stood. Thank you, Wendy. The woman nodded and sat, dropping the same book on the table between them. Okay, so I hear you are looking for a contractor to build an entire building and facilities. Is that correct? Derek nodded. Yes, it will be for both a business and living. Wendy nodded and placed her hand on the book in front of her. The book glowed for a moment, then stopped. And you are only looking for contractors who are available immediately? Yes, either today or tomorrow at the latest. Derek confirmed. Wendy injected the book with mana again. Derek was intrigued by what she was doing. What are you doing when you do that? Injecting your mana, that is. Wendy smiled. Im sorting through all the listings in the book. Moving the ones that meet your requirements to the front, while shuffling the others to the back. Thats convenient. Derek said. Wendy nodded. Do you have the material readily available? She asked. Derek shook his head. No, I was hoping the contractor would provide that. Do you know what material you would like? She asked. No. Would you like to look at a list, or just wait for the meeting with the contractor? She continued. Do you have a piece of the Bola Stone? Derek asked. Wendy nodded and placed a dark gray piece of stone out of her ring. It looked like a slightly darker concrete. Derek picked up the piece. What would I owe you if I crushed this? He asked. Wendy narrowed her eyes. Why would you need to do that? To test the durability. She glanced at the Onyx Badge on his arm, then back to him. 50 silvers. Ill need to replace it. Derek put 50 silver down on the table, then tightened his grip on the stone. It wasnt terribly easy to crush, but he didnt have to exert himself. Also, Strength wasnt his forte. He thought for a moment before deciding that it would do for now. He nodded. I would like a contractor that works with Bola Stone, Oak, and Pixy Yew. Runes can be attached to those three materials, correct? Wendy nodded, then sorted through the book once again before finally opening it. I have arranged the book in order from all-in-one contractors to individuals. Their price is in descending order, from most expensive to least expensive. She said. Derek took the book and chuckled. The prices were listed as cost to complete the same building that was on the list of materials. He immediately skipped the most expensive contractors. His blueprints were simple and hard to mess up. Finally, he picked out three all-in-one contractors. He went with the all-in-one because they offered other furnishings as well, such as bedding and kitchen. I would like to meet with these three contractors. He said as he pointed out the ones that he picked. He wanted to make sure that whichever one he picked had a decent Runesmith. Wendy took the book back. Ill get in contact with Vanguard Construction, Alabaster Homes, and Billys Crew. Derek nodded. I would like to meet with them all at once. He said. Wendy was not surprised. That can be arranged. Is there a time that works best for you? Derek shook his head. The earlier, the better. Ill see what I can do. Please wait here for a few minutes. She stood and walked out. Whats the Oak for? Malorie asked. Derek smiled. I figure we can just cover the outside of the Pixy Yew with regular Oak. That way, we should be able to keep it from absorbing the sun. If it doesnt work, we can always put a layer on the inside as well. Either way, it should get rid of the lights at night and keep it from lighting up our rooms when were trying to sleep. Malorie nodded. It will cost extra to build, but if the wood is as good as Wendy said, it would be worth it. Derek nodded. Thats what I was thinking. A few minutes later, Wendy came back in with her trademark smile. Great news. All three contractors will be here in twenty minutes. Thats great! Chapter 163: The Contractors Chapter 163: The Contractors Derek, Rudy, Mal, Silvi, and Brandi all sat in the small room and waited for the contractors to arrive. A little while later, Wendy came back in. The contractors have started to arrive. I am sending them to another meeting room, as this room is a bit too small for such a meeting. Wendy said. Derek smiled. Thanks. He was a bit concerned about the size of the room. There was enough room for the current people, but it would have been very cramped if any more were added. While Wendy was there, Derek decided to ask her a question hed been wondering about for a while. Wendy. He got her attention. Why are you going to such lengths to help us? Isnt it enough to just introduce us to the contractors, then send us on our way? Wendy smiled. Of course not. Everybody in that book is contracted with Savannah. Every job that the contractor gets through the Employment Center is recorded. How well the job is completed is logged, and it helps determine the contractors price and standing. The city also gets a portion of the fee. It is in the citys best interest to make sure any client gets the best service possible. I see Derek said. Are the contractors able to work outside of the Employment Center? Wendy nodded. They are, but those jobs arent rated or endorsed by the city. If something goes wrong, neither the client nor the contractor will receive any assistance from the city. Derek nodded. So, going through the Employment Center is kind of like getting insurance for a job. I could arrange for someone to build the building outside the Employment Center for cheaper, but any disputes would have to be settled without the city as a mediator. So, if I commission a foundation out of Dragon Formed Obsidian and the job is completed, only for me to find out that the obsidian has been hollowed out and replaced with a cheaper material, what would happen? Derek asked. Back on Earth, hed heard stories of companies replacing one material for a cheaper one without the knowledge of the client. Wendys eyes widened. That would be a serious offense. She let out a breath. Though I cant say that something like that has never happened. For the most part, contracts allow those situations to be avoided, but someone always seems to be looking for a loophole. Rudy snorted out of nowhere. Aint that the truth? Derek realized that he hadnt introduced his entourage, or even himself, for that matter. He cast a self-depreciating smiled. Im sorry Wendy, I seemed to have forgotten my manners. She was so cheerful and helpful that it had slipped his mind. Im Derek Hunt, and these are my associates, Malorie, Rudy, and Brandi. The bunny that Brandi is holding is my companion. Rudy is my Contract Specialist. Wendy flashed a big smile towards Rudy. Now I understand your reaction. You must deal with loopholes all the time. Rudy smiled back. Im damn good at finding them, if thats what you mean.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com She nodded, then focused back on Derek. Of course, I already knew who you were. She nodded at the badge on his upper arm. You caused quite a stir at the Adventurers Guild yesterday. There may not have been many people around when everything happened, but something as big as a new Onyx Adventurer will spread like wildfire no matter how few witnesses there are. Then she turned to Derek. Mr. Hunt. Let me introduce you to Geoffrey from Alabaster Homes, Lewis from Vanguard Construction, and Billy from Billys Crew. Derek did his best to hide his shock. The man in the middle wasnt Billy, like Derek had expected. It was the woman on the end. Now, all three of you work with the material that Mr. Hunt wants to use, so I will let you get to it. Wendy announced as she moved to the head of the table. She would apparently be the mediator just in case negotiations went sideway. Please have a seat. She motioned to the side of the table opposite the contractors. Derek and his entourage moved over and sat down. Wendy sat just after, taking out a writing utensil and some paper. You may begin. Nice to meet you. Derek said. Then, he began explaining to the contractors what he needed done. He began with the two stories and the basement, then moved on to the different furnishings he hoped the contractors could provide. I was hoping you could set up a full kitchen suite, dining area, nine bedrooms, and a smithy in the basement, if possible. Geoffrey raised his hand to ask a question. Getting Dereks okay, he started, The runes to ventilate an underground workshop are not cheap. I am assuming you would like those included as well? Derek nodded. I was getting to that. He smiled. As Geoffrey said, I am also looking for ventilation runes, cooling runes, lighting runes, and some others for a special project I hope to accomplish. Though, that will be at the end, and I could just hire a specialist for it if I need. Billy asked the next question. Why do you need the Oak? Derek smiled again. Well, I was hoping to use it on the outside of the Pixy Yew to help block the sunlight. I have heard that painting isnt a great option, so I thought about just building over it. Billy nodded at his answer. It has been done before, but not often. Doing so will at least double the construction fee of the top two floors, and you will still be left with at least the basic sparkly light on the inside of your building. It is usually more convenient to take the cost of the extra construction and choose a wood to work with that is less of a hassle. The durability may still be less in the end, but not by too much. Lewis chose that time to speak. That may be so on a smaller scale, but with a bigger building like this, the Pixy Yew may be worth it. Besides, the natural lighting provided from the wood wont bother the majority of the inside, only those rooms in which they plan to sleep. Geoffrey spoke up. I hate to agree with a brute like you, but the lighting provided by the Pixy Yew could very well become a boon to your shop. I would provide an almost mystical feel to the open floor area. Plus, you could always just paint or build over the Pixy Yew inside your bedrooms. The cost of that wont amount to much extra. Thats exactly what I was thinking. Derek said. Though I didnt think about the lighting providing a gimmick to the store. That is indeed interesting. Wendy sat her pen down and gathered everyones attention. Is that all, Mr. Hunt? She asked. Seeing his nod, she continued, Well then, shall we begin the bidding? Chapter 164: Bidding War Chapter 164: Bidding War Shall we begin the bidding? Wendy asked. The three contractors all nodded their consent. Very well. Let me explain how this is going to work to the client. Nobody protested, so she continued. You have met each contractor. Are you confident about hiring any one of them? Derek nodded. I am. Even the sleezy guy in the suit seemed to be serious enough about the build. He would trust the man not to try to pull a fast one because of the contract with the city. Looks and personality didnt matter, only skill. Great. Wendy said. Each contractor has been given the materials and general blueprints to review. They will bid against one another until the lowest bid wins or until you find an acceptable bid by a contractor you want to work with. If there is a tie, you will choose between the contractors. Is everything understood? Derek nodded. Simple enough. The only thing that Derek was worried about was the cost. The materials and building cost were going to cost him an arm and a leg. He only had a bit over 20,000 gold, and he would hate to have to go to Stella and beg for a loan. He would hate it, but he would do it. If he needed to, he could renegotiate for less of the Void Beast meals or blood. With the layering cost of the Oak, the building cost was going to be even more. Derek sat back, not showing his anxiety on the outside, hoping the bid would go in his favor. Please begin. Wendy grabbed her pen and waited. Billy was the first to raise her hand. The cost of the materials should be around 13,500 gold, more or less. So, with the layering, cost of manpower, and the speed at which you need the building completed you need it build within the week? She asked. Derek nodded. If at all possible. He said. Billy looked at the ceiling as if doing some mental calculations, which she most likely was. We can do it for 36,500. It will be completed in four days. The quote wasnt unexpected, but it still made Dereks gut churn. Still, he didnt show any expression. Bah! Youre overcharging on the layering. Ill do it for 30,000 even. Lewis cut in. Derek felt the urge to jump out of his seat and cheer at the huge price cut. Billy seemed to be just as surprised as Derek was. She stared at Lewis with wide eyes.Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com Derek examined the facial expressions of Wendy, Lewis, Billy, and Geoffrey. Wendy said uninterested, writing down everything she heard. Lewis was looking at the surprised Billy with a smug grin on his face. Geoffrey, however, was acting as if he wasnt even part of the discussion. He was looking at Derek with a sly smile on his face. The man didnt seem like he even planned on joining the bidding war. Billy hit the top of the table with a clenched fist. Fine! 28,500. The number was slowly approaching affordable. Derek was happy he decided to call in multiple contractors at once. There were so many in the book that there were clearly people who would take even a slim profit margin. Lewis narrowed his eyes and ground his teeth. He stared daggers at the woman. I dont think your crew would be able to complete the job in four days. Are you sure you can do it? Of course we can! She replied. Lewis smiled. 28,500 and I will have the building complete in three days. Thats low! Billy yelled. Just because you have more workers than me She took a deep breath. I cannot offer less than four days. Ha! Lewis exclaimed in victory. I didnt say I was finished! Billy said. I may not be able to complete it in less than four days, but I can do it for cheaper. She tensed. 26,000! Surprised, Derek looked at Geoffrey. Not really. It was true. He wasnt wondering what was going on, he was just happy that it was happening. In fact, he hoped that they would do it some more. The more they argued, the more he gained. Geoffrey snorted. No I guess you wouldnt Then, he looked to his left at the two arguing contractors. Are the both of you finished? He asked. Whats it to you? Jeff. Lewis bit back. I was just checking to see if the entertainment was over or not. It is fun watching the two of you bicker at one another. I didnt even know you knew each other so well. Geoffrey commented. Dont lump me together with him. Hes just an asshole. Billy said. I cant argue with that. Geoffrey said. Lewis sent a glare at Geoffrey, just like he had been before the meeting began. Geoffrey did the same, then scoffed. I dont even understand why you would even think to compete with me after my last job. Bastard. Lewis said. Geoffrey looked back toward Derek. Mr. Hunt, I have to thank you for providing todays entertainment. Youre welcome? Derek said. Please get to the point. Wendy said. Geoffrey chuckled and waved his hands. Fine, fine. He said. The reason that this was entertaining was because I was able to watch them both fight so hard for the contract, even though I knew the whole time that neither one of them was going to end up with it. What? Billy and Lewis spout at the same time. Youre saying that youre going to offer a price lower than 23,500? Wendy said. Hmmph Lewis snorted. 22,000 Lets see you beat that. Billy sat back in her seat, not even bothering to bid again. Geoffrey smiled. You see I knew what I was going to bid before the bidding even started. Therefore, I knew that you would never be able to win. He turned back to Derek, showing the same creepy smile he had during Billy and Lewiss bids. Mr. Hunt I am willing to build your business at cost. Derek raised his eyebrows. Really? Geoffrey nodded. Yes. I will build it for the price of materials at market value, and it will be finished in two to five days. I cannot guarantee the time until we get started. Derek frowned. Why would you do something like that? For the same reason that these two were willing to go so low. Geoffrey said, then pointed to Dereks arm. That badge. Chapter 165: Sealing the Deal Chapter 165: Sealing the Deal My badge? Derek asked. Geoffrey snorted. Of course, your badge. Thats an Onyx Badge. Do you know what a contractor would do to get in good with an Onyx Ranked Adventurer? Apparently, make a very low bid for a shop. Derek replied. And then some. Geoffrey replied. I see Listen, Mr. Hunt. Geoffrey leaned forward with his hands resting on his chin, elbows on the table. I know, and Im sure everyone else in here knows, that you do not currently have a lot of gold, and that you are new to having an Onyx Badge. Damn I was doing my best to hide my excitement at the bids. Derek thought. Was I that obvious? He asked. Geoffrey smiled broadly. No, not at all. In fact, you barely had any reaction to the bids while you were here. The reason I know all this is because you are here at all. What do you mean? Derek asked. Well, you chose materials that, while good, were on the cheaper end. You also chose contractors that are midrange in the Employment Centers big book. That lets me know that you are not flush with gold. The problem is that badge. Geoffrey said. What about it? Not including the gossip that a someone passed the Onyx Ranked tests in the Adventurers Guild yesterday, most Onyx Ranked Adventurers would know some of the benefits that are included in that rank. Now, Im not talking about actual benefits given out by the guild, but unspoken benefits by the public. The sleazy man continued. Now, when we were all contacted today, we didnt know wed be dealing with someone of your status. I cant speak for the others, but Im sure they were just as surprised to see that badge on your arm as I was. For your building, if you were a regular person, the bidding would have started at 50,000 or more, and theres no way it would have gone for below 30,000 unless you brought in contractors who really hated one another. I mean, we are dealing with 2,500 or more square foot. Instead, Billy started the bidding at what it would have sold for to anybody else. Unfortunately for both Billy and Lewis here, they do not have the finances to offer you a huge discount. In fact, the best I can do is construction at cost. If Wendy here really wanted to help you, she would have told you to go with someone from the front of that big book they always lug around. Geoffrey explained. Why is that? Derek asked. Simple. Lewis cut in. Those guys can afford it. Getting on the good side of such a powerful person is more than enough to cover their fees. Thats right. Geoffrey shot Lewis a glare. Obviously, he didnt like being interrupted by the gruff man. I imagine most of the top guys would have done the job for free, even. Hell, they may even do it with better materials than the ones you chose. Of course, if they do the job for free, the Employment Center wouldnt get their typical percentage, would they? Geoffrey looked over at Wendy. Wendy, what is two percent of zero gold? Im sorry, Im just not that great at math these days. Wendy scoffed but did not refute. Of course, but like I said, you will get a much better deal from someone else. Plus, I will have to stick to the materials you requested instead of any upgrades. Geoffrey replied, rather surprised. Good, then well do that. Derek said. Follow me to the hotel so we can draw up a contract. He then looked at Rudy. Rudy, I expect a decent contract from you. Of course. Rudy said. My contracts are always great. Im alive, arent I? Soon, they were all sitting at a table in the hotel. Rudy was magicking a contract in front of everyone, and Geoffrey had called his own contract writer to look over the details for him. After some time, Rudy put the final touches on the contract and slid it over to Geoffreys man. The weasel-like man with brown hair and pointy nose took the contract and began reading. The longer he read, the bigger the frown was on his face. Eventually, he looked up. Boss, are you sure about this? He asked Geoffrey. Whats wrong? Geoffrey asked. Well technically, nothing is wrong, but are you sure about the price? Just the cost of materials? Is this a favor? If it is, why are we even making a contract? Geoffrey snorted. Judd, you are making too many assumptions. Is the contract good or not? Its good. Sorry, boss. He slid the contract over to Geoffrey. Geoffrey put his hand on it and injected his mana signature into it before sliding the contract over to Derek. We good? He asked Rudy. Rudy nodded. Of course. Its a pretty basic contract, no special clauses needed for anything. Were not trying to pull a fast one on Geoffrey here, and I dont suspect him to try to pull a fast one on us. He looked at Geoffrey. Well, I dont think hell pull a fast one on you, at least. Geoffrey clicked his tongue. Now, I do not understand why everyone is always so vigilant around me. Like it was arranged beforehand. Everyone at the table, including Judd, Brandi, and Mal, all chimed in at the same time. Your clothes. Geoffrey stared at everyone, aghast. Before long, Brandi broke out in laughter and everybody followed suit. Calming down, Derek sent his mana signature into the contract and stood. Geoffrey, I look forward to seeing what you can do. Geoffrey nodded. Ill have my guys at your lot within the hour. Youre welcome to oversee the building process yourself. Actually, I prefer it. You may see something you want to change, and its easier to do so while in the construction process than after its finished. Derek nodded. I have to swing by an alchemy shop first, but Ill be there after. Chapter 166: Romans Potions and Brews Chapter 166: Roman''s Potions and Brews Derek and Geoffrey shook hands. Thanks for all of the information, Geoffrey. The skeezy businessman showed a smile that actually increased his sleaziness. It was the least I could do for a person of your stature. Derek nodded before turning his head towards Rudy. Rudy. He said. Yeah? The contract writer answered. Go with Geoffrey to the build site. Derek said. Rudy nodded. Alright. Turning back to Rey, Derek said, Its not that I dont trust you, actually, I probably trust you more than I should. I just like the idea of having someone watching over everything at all times. Plus, Rudy has a vested interest in the building, as he will be conducting business there as well. He explained. Geoffrey nodded. No need to explain. Its actually a good idea. Knowing that someone from the clients side is there watching will give my workers a little more motivation. Ill be sure to let them know exactly who the client is this time. Derek chuckled. You do that. Ill be around sometime later to check in on the progress. With that, Geoffrey left the hotel, two contract writers in tow. Left at the table were only Derek, Mal, Brandi, and Silvi, who had shifted from Brandis arms over to the table. Derek could read Silvis mind. She expected food, but he would have to disappoint her. No lunch here. He said to her. When? She asked back. Soon. Well pick up something on our way to the Alchemy shop. Im sure we can find some vendors or something. Derek explained. Silvi didnt answer back. In an instant, she was back in the girls arms, waiting for their next move. She was playing the very role of a lazy bunny today. Derek clapped his hands. Alright. Ive made some plans for us today, other than just getting the ball rolling on the building. Theres somebody that I need to introduce Brandi to. I think youll like him. Whos that? Mal asked. Just someone I met yesterday. I told him Id swing by his shop in the next few days. I didnt expect everything with the contractors to go so well, so Ive got some free time on my hands and we can go today. Derek explained. Derek had everyone follow him out of the hotel and to where Roman had told him his shop was. Brandis class would help her with the basics of most of the crafts she could do, but nothing would help as much as a good mentor. After a small trek through the city, stopping at a few street vendors to grab Silvi something to satiate her, the group came upon Romans Potions and Brews. To Dereks surprise, the Alchemy shop seemed to be the exact opposite of the bar that Roman owned. While the bar was seedy, and in a seedy location, the shop was in a good part of the city and was more than well maintained. The shop had a proper sign that was even more vibrant than other shops. Derek did a quick Identify to check on the materials used for the building. He was flabbergasted at the cost the halfling must have paid for the materials. While the shop didnt use the same materials as the Crown did, it wasnt too far off. The halfling wiped the sweat from his brow as he glanced to the side where Derek was standing. A bright smile formed on his face. Derek! I didnt expect to see you today. How nice! Derek smiled and walked over. When he reached the workstation, which wasnt very tall since it accommodated the halflings height, he glanced into the cauldron. It was empty. Was that vial all you made in such a big cauldron? He asked. This? Roman held a vial containing a magical green liquid up. It was a special order. The customer provided the ingredients for one vial, so thats what I made. This little potion is worth 8,500 gold. Derek widened his eyes. Damn Maybe Im in the wrong business. Roman snorted. I dont know about that. It took me decades to get to the point where I could make a potion like this without failing. Those ingredients arent so easily obtained. Each set of ingredients costs 4,000 gold or more, depending on the market. If I wasnt confident in my skills, I wouldnt take on a task like this. I see. Derek said. So, what does it do? Roman smiled oddly, then looked at Brandi and Malorie standing at the entrance. He looked back at Derek and motioned him closer, causing Derek to bend down to lend an ear. Lowly, he whispered, It increases Stamina, Virility, and Competence. He chuckled silently. It looks like a noble is planning on making another heir. Derek stood back up and shook his head. I see. I guess a potion like that would sell for such an outrageous price. Indeed. Roman said. So, what brought you by today? I just happened to have some free times on my hands and decided to swing by and pay you a visit. Maybe even do some of that work we discussed yesterday. Derek replied. Romans eyes brightened. Really? If youre serious, I have some potions ready right now. What do you want for compensation? How about 5,000 no 10,000 gold per vial? Derek waved Roman off. I told you I had something else in mind for compensation. He then pointed at Brandi. She is an aspiring Alchemist. I was hoping you could help her learn more about the craft. Im not asking for you to take her as a disciple. Just guide her here and there. Shes a quick learner. Roman narrowed his eyes, then walked over to Brandi. He walked around the girl, inspecting her. Hmm such a low level, yet you already have a crafting class. He said. How old are you? Did you just unlock the Great System recently? Derek watched, amused. Brandi was actually around a half inch taller than Roman, which made his inspection seem quite funny to Derek. Brandi nervously answered the mans questions. I do have a crafting class Ive only had access to the Great System for a short time. Umm Derek helped me get to level ten and unlock my class. And what class is that? Roman asked. Interested. Her own. Derek said, causing Roman to turn back toward him in interest. Its not for you, or anybody else to ask about. Just know that is a rare class, and I have high expectations for her. Dereks tone showed that there was no room for negotiations. Roman nodded. I understand. Id be happy to lend the girl my expertise as long as youre willing to lend me yours. He said. Of course. Derek said. Shall we get started? Chapter 167: Lesson Chapter 167: Lesson Shall we get started? Derek asked. Roman nodded. One second. If Im going to teach what was your name again? He asked Brandi. Brandi. She answered. If Im going to teach Brandi Alchemy, Im going to do it right. Roman walked back over to his workstation and stuffed everything into his storage ring. Then he walked over to a desk and pulled a ring out of a drawer. Back at his workstation, he began laying out different items and materials. There were beast parts, plants, and other components. Once finished with the materials, he summoned a different cauldron out of the new ring. This is a beginner cauldron. It can handle potions and poisons good enough for those at level 40 or so. It should be just about perfect for someone just on the path, like you. He said to Brandi. Now, are you able to recognize the materials here? How much information has your class given you? Brandi walked over to the workstation. She ran her hands over the different materials laid out. Finally, she nodded. I know most of them. The materials over here are used in basic health potions, right? She pointed at a set of materials. Those are for stamina, and those are for mana, right? She had sparkles in her eyes as she asked Roman. The halfling nodded. Exactly. It seems the information provided by your class is good. The materials are all for the basic versions of the potions. Now, are you able to see anything else of note? Brandi focused hard on the materials. Finally, she picked up a plant and moved it closer to her eyes. This I feel like I should be able to use it along with the other materials. She furrowed her brows. Its like if I use this, I could make more than one potion at a time? She looked up. Roman smiled. Close. That is the root of a Furgrave Plant. If you use it, you can actually combine everything here to make one low level basic potion that restores health, stamina, and mana. Of course, the effects are not as good as using a single potion, about 80%. Still, sometimes you only have enough time in battle to take one potion. Anyway, Im surprised that you were able to guess anything about the root. Roman walked over and put away two materials. Those didnt have anything to do with these materials. I added them as a test. They were actually high level materials, used for potions for those well over level 100. He laughed. Now, lets get started. He motioned for Brandi to stand beside him. Do you know the basics of using a cauldron to make potions? I do. I need to process everything first, then control the heat as I add and combine the materials, right? She asked. Putting it simply, yes. He answered, then waved his hand over the workstation. He set multiple copies of the previous materials out. This is enough materials to make 20 of each potion. What I want you to do is practice making each potion. Stop after using five sets and I will come and view your progress. After that, Ill see what you need help with. You are free to use my workstation. Finally, Roman turned back to Derek. Please wait a moment while I go fetch Freia. Roman walked through the door Derek and gang had been brought through. Not long after, he reappeared with a tall, dark-skinned woman with purple hair pulled back out of her eyes. A pair of purple framed glasses that matched her hair covered her hazel eyes. As she trailed behind Roman, she wore a bored expression on her face. Derek, this is Freia, my assistant. Shes quite the Alchemist herself, but shes more interested in researching and Herbology. Roman introduced her. Freia, this is Derek Hunt, a new Onyx Ranked Adventurer. Hes here in Shaes place to help us with some testing. Derek followed the Alchemist and his assistant through a short hallway and into another room. When he entered the room with him, he examined it. Surprisingly, the room was made out of the same obsidian the hotel was made out of. The room was pretty bare. There was nothing but a table in the center, surrounded by chairs, and a shelf on one wall. The shelf held many vials of different color potions or poisons. Surprised? Roman asked. I had a lot of gold on hand when I moved from my previous location to this one, but not enough to make those whole building out of the stuff. Besides, its just not a material that is practical. He said. So, I only used it to enforce this one room, which eventually became my testing room. The Dragon Forged Obsidian is able to handle a lot of abuse that may come from potions that just happen to explode. Wait, are you saying that theres a possibility of a potion exploding inside me after I drink it? Derek asked hesitantly. No, no. That would never happen probably. Roman said. Ive already given the potions ready for testing the drop test, so unless you have something that hasnt been digested in your stomach that interacts with the components of the potions, you should be fine probably. Besides, are you really afraid of a little explosion? Yeah! If its inside of me. Derek answered. Nonsense. Roman walked over to the table, which was also made out of the same obsidian material as the room, and sat down. Derek had to hide his laughter as the man jumped into the chair and let his feet dangle like a little kid. Finally, Roman pulled three different vials out of his ring and sat them on the table. Well start with these three. Freia walked over and sat beside Roman, taking one of the vials in hand. The liquid inside was a bright blue, almost neon. This possible potion has some ingredients that are used for Intelligence and Willpower. Were hoping that we were able to increase the effects of those materials. She then took the next potion, which was a brown color. It looked like tap water that had come out of a faucet with rusty pipes. This may increase your Endurance. Thats reassuring. Derek thought. Nothing is more encouraging that may increase. Finally, she grabbed a potion that was actually changing colors on the fly. This potion may do something. She said. Something? Derek asked. He couldnt believe that they didnt even have an idea about the rainbow potion. Well Roman put his hands up. I created this potion four years ago, but I havent been able to talk Shae into testing it. I had a bunch of rare ingredients left over from some orders. The problem was that anything ingredients that I didnt use within the timeframe would have to be returned to the clients. I couldnt let that happen, and I didnt have a lot of time left to make multiple potions. So, I combined them all into this one potion. He grinned. It was successful. And you want me to test it? Very much so. Roman replied. If you do, Ill treat that girl in there as if shes my own disciple. Derek frowned and ground his teeth. Well see. He finally said. First, lets start with he Willpower one. It shouldnt be too bad. Ill make my decision once Ive tested the other two. Great! Both Freia and Roman shouted at the same time. Derek walked over and grabbed the possible potion. Here goes nothing. Chapter 168: Potion Testing Chapter 168: Potion Testing Derek stared intensely at the near neon blue potion in his hand. So, this one is supposed to work on my mind. It seemed to be the one that they were the most confident about, so it shouldnt be too hard on me. Still, they were hesitant to give it to Shae, so I should at least make some preparations. I guess the first thing I should do is increase all my recovery just in case its powerful. With that thought, Derek slipped into Greater Meditation. It was his failsafe if something bad happened. He hoped that his increased health recover while in a meditative state could counter any possible damage he would receive from the potion. After he used Greater Meditation, Derek pulled up his stats so he could see what effects the potion was having on him. Then, he could report his findings to Roman and Freia. Derek looked at the potion, then at the two Alchemists. He released a deep breath. Here goes nothing. Derek popped the top of the potion and brought it to his mouth. In one swift motion, he tilted his head back, and the potion flooded his mouth. The potion had a very light taste, almost like water with a hint of coconut. If he had to describe it, he would say it was refreshing. It would be better if it were cold. After sloshing the liquid around in his mouth for a moment, he swallowed. Immediately, he focused his attention on his stats, waiting for any type of increase or decrease. Nothing happened Just as he was about to voice his concerns, the pain hit. The pain was bad. It took him back to when he first arrived at this new world, but was much worse. It felt like his brain was being stabbed repeatedly all over. Instantly, he knew exactly what was happening. He was having multiple aneurysms at the same time. After the vessels burst, they would heal, only to burst again. It was torture. The worst part was that Derek couldnt focus. His meditation had failed after a few moments. There was too much going on for to stay in the meditative state. Not being able to meditate meant that his recovery was only a fraction of what it should have been. Derek did his best to focus on his health, which was rapidly decreasing. It had only been moments and his health was at 70%. Each time a vessel burst, a chunk of his health went with it. It seemed like it was a critical hit with each successive rupture. Instinctively, he knew that if his health hit zero, he would die. There would be no second chance. He wouldnt enter the Dying State, he would just die. It would be the same as somebody getting their head chopped off. If the hit was critical enough, the Dying State would be skipped and you would just end up dead. At 50% health, Derek was finally able to focus enough to cast Rejuvenation, but it wasnt enough to do much. Then, he cast Cure Toxin, and barely muttered, Health potion. Immediately, Freia was beside him, pouring a red potion down his throat. Derek was so out of it that he wouldnt have been able to stop her, even if he wanted to. Luckily, the health potion she used seemed to be a good one. Soon, his health was back up to 60% and battling against the damage. His HP kept fluctuating between 55% to 60%. The worry in his mind lessened. He cast Cure Toxin again once it was off cooldown. He still had a while before he could use Rejuvenation again, though. Actually, Cure Toxin didnt do anything. Apparently, the potion wasnt a toxin or poison. With the panic gone, Derek soon got used to the small explosions happening throughout his brain. He was finally able to slip back into Greater Meditation. With that, his health slowly moved its way back up to 99%. Derek closed his eyes and focused on his increased regeneration as he waited for the effects of the potion to wear off. After a long time, which, to Dereks surprise, turned out to only be a few minutes, the pain lessened and the vessels in his brain slowly stopped rupturing. He could only compare what happened to popcorn. It was like the vessels were kernels and they rapidly popped until there werent any more left. The pain was as excruciating as the calm after was relaxing. Once he could properly breathe again, Derek took a look at his stats. Both his Intelligence and Willpower had exactly a 10% increase. His analysis was further confirmed when he noticed a notification waiting for him. With a thought, he viewed it. Potion of Greater Restoration. Freia answered. It restores 90% of your health over the course of one minute. Derek thought about that. Once he took the potion, he was able to meditate and relieve the effects of the test potion. Finally, he shook his head. That potion dealt over 20,000 points of damage to me in those few minutes. Both of the Alchemists eyes widened in disbelief. Finally, Roman asked, How big is your health pool? Derek shook his head. Thats only for me to know. Just know that it is big and I have a lot and I mean A LOT of regeneration. And it still did over 20,000 points of damage, probably way more than that. So, all that for a 10% increase in those two stats its not worth it. But I dont believe there are more than a handful of people who would be able to survive taking it. Roman nodded. I agree. So, the potion is actually worth a lot. I would say that it would be worth more than whatever you were trying to make. Its basically a guaranteed kill for almost anyone or anything in the kingdom assuming it works on beasts the same way it works on humans. Derek explained. And Modified Humans at that. He thought, remembered his status. You are correct, but I dont think Ill be selling something like that. Roman added. Then, he gave Derek a huge grin. I just leveled up. That stunned Derek. Really? Roman nodded. Thats the thing about Alchemy. You get XP for the process, but you also get a chunk of XP for creating something original. The XP is based on the rarity and power of the creation. I just received a notification about successfully creating a Potion of Greater Mind Destruction, and enough XP to increase my level from mid-way through 211 to a quarter way through 212. Thats crazy! Derek exclaimed. Not just the amount of experience earned, but that you just casually told me your level. Roman chuckled. Im an Alchemist. Its to my advantage to advertise my level, unlike you sneaky warrior types. The more people that know my level, the more business it generates. Especially since they know how leveling a crafting class works. Knowing that my level increased from 211 to 212 in such a short time lets them know that I have achieved something incredible. Which, in return, will generate even more business. Which will give me more money and materials. There is no downside for it. He explained. Derek shook his head. I guess Plus, they all know that I have the backing of an Onyx Ranked Adventurer who just happens to be a Guild Master. Im not exactly a good target. Roman continued. Derek smiled. Well, congratulations I guess. Thanks! Roman said. Now time for the next potion. His eyes sparkled as he stared at the next potion. Chapter 169: Potion Testing II Chapter 169: Potion Testing II Derek gazed at the brown potion on the table. Inwardly, he wanted to grab Brandi and Mal and leave the shop. However, he had made a trade, and he planned on sticking to his word. How about we wait until the affects of the previous potion wear off? We wouldnt want them to interfere with the new potion, would we? Derek said to buy himself some time. He seriously doubted that any part of the Potion of Mind Destruction would cause any interaction. Hmm Roman touched his hand to his chin before nodding. Yes, I suppose we should. He said. Im going to check on the girl, make sure she hasnt blown herself up. With that, Roman disappeared from the room. Derek let out a deep breath and sat down at the table. He was free to recover his mindset for 30 minutes. He closed his eyes and meditated. Occasionally opening them and stealing a glance at Freia, who was madly writing notes in her notebook. It seemed like nothing else in the world mattered to the woman. 30 minutes passed much more quickly than Derek would have liked. Exactly 30 minutes after Roman left, down to the second, the door swung open and the halfling entered. Its time! He announced. Hows Brandi doing? Derek changed the subject. Roman waved Derek off. Plenty of time to talk about her later. Now its time for the next potion. He put his hand on the vial and slid it to where Derek was sitting. Derek sighed. Fine. He picked up the nasty looking brown potion. If the last one was supposed to increase Intelligence and willpower, yet made my brain explode, I wonder if this Endurance one is going to cause my bones to break. The memory of his bones cracking and his skin itching from making a breakthrough in his Endurance was still at the front of his mind. He could handle the breaking bones, but the itching Do you have another one of those Healing Potions? It doesnt have to be as strong as the one you gave me earlier, but I wouldnt mind some increased regeneration at the beginning after that last potion. Derek realized that potion testing was the most dangerous thing he had signed up for since arriving at this new world. Roman pulled another red vial out of his storage ring and handed it to Derek. However, before Derek was able to drink it, the halfling stopped him. Wait until side effects from the potion kick in before you take the Regeneration Potion. We wouldnt want the potions to mix, now would we? Hes evil! The halfling Alchemist used Dereks reasoning against him. Derek squinted at the Alchemist. Youre lucky I like you. Then, before saying anything else, he tilted the vial back, and the potion flooded his mouth. If the previous potion was like a light refreshing drink, then the current one was like drinking mud. It was thick and slimy, and very hard to swallow. As it went down, it scratched the roof of his mouth and throat. It was like a blend of sandpaper and water. Ugh. Derek said. What is it? What did it do? Roman excitedly asked. Freia, on the other hand, was standing close to Derek, staring deeply at him with her notebook at the ready. Its nasty. Derek commented. Thats it? Roman was disappointed. Not all potions have immediate effects. Freia pointed out. Still, the three waited. The previous potion worked quite quickly after Derek drunk it, but the new one was going on 30 seconds with no apparent changes to Derek. Derek shrugged. I dont know what to tell you. He said, but realized that his shoulders felt weird when he shrugged. He stood from his chair and moved his body around. Actually, Im feeling pretty stiff. He continued stretching, his movements became slower and slower. His eyes widened. What the hell? As if reading his mind, Freia spoke. You dont have to worry about that girl. One thing Roman doesnt joke about is teaching Alchemy. If he agreed to it, then he will give his all. He taught me, so I would know. Derek nodded. Thanks. Freia put her head back in her notebook without replying. 30 minutes quickly passed and Roman reappeared in the room. He clapped his hands. Ive been waiting for a long time to have someone test that potion. Derek smiled. Well, lets get to it then. He still gripped the red potion in his left hand, just in case. Roman gingerly picked up the rainbow colored potion and handed it to Derek. Derek took it and uncorked the vial. Heres to not dying. He said as he turned the vial up and poured it into his mouth. The flavor was nothing. It had less of a taste than water. It was just wet. How weird. He thought as he swallowed it. Not even a few seconds after drinking the potion, he felt something. It seems like this is one of the potions that activates instantly. Derek braced himself for the pain. He slipped into Greater Meditation to prepare for the worst. But, no pain came. Instead, he felt a slight buzzing throughout his entire body. It was almost like the feeling of his arm waking up after having fallen asleep, except it was happening everywhere. Derek kept an eye on his health to make sure it wasnt decreasing without him feeling it. Instead, he was stunned by what he found. His HP had actually increased by 75 points. He looked down at his Vitality stat only to see that it had gone up by five points. Finally, he looked at his other stats. Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Vitality had all increased by five points. Derek frowned. Such a small increase in my stats that wouldnt help me at all in a battle. He couldnt help but think about how useless the potion was. Then again, Im spoiled when it comes to stats. It is 20 points thats two entire levels for some people. Soon, though, all of his disappointment in the potion disappeared when he focused on a notification that had appeared. Unknown Potion Ingested +5 Points to Strength +5 Points to Dexterity +5 Points to Endurance +5 Points to Vitality Theres no time limit. He realized that the stat increases from the potion were permanent. His eyes darted to Roman, who just happened to let out what Derek could only describe as a squeal of joy. What! Freia couldnt contain herself as her gaze rapidly flickered between Roman and Derek while waiting for an answer. Derek smiled. Did you use parts of a Void Beast in this potion? Roman looked up until his eyes met Dereks before his face shifted into a giant grin. May.be. Chapter 170: Potion of Physical Permanence Chapter 170: Potion of Physical Permanence Derek inwardly smiled and shook his head. The Void Beast seems to be the prime ingredient in anything that permanently increases stats. I also have the cheat that allows me to provide said ingredients. However, I need to get stronger before taking that chance again. In the few times Ive seen Void Beasts, one was intelligent. With such odds, it would when, not if, I summoned one even stronger. What parts of the Void Beast did you use? Derek asked. Roman frowned. Recipes and formulas were precious treasures to Alchemists. It made sense that Roman would be hesitant to give Derek the exact ingredients. Dont worry. Derek said. Im not going to swear an oath, but rest assured, anything I learn will most likely benefit you. Roman let out a sigh. I suppose you remember the Prince hunting a Void Beast a while ago? Derek nodded. He had heard about the Prince and his team hunting down a Void Beast that was wreaking havoc on some villages. Well, many formulas have interchangeable ingredients. Especially things like claws and teeth. If the formula calls for ground claws of a beast, you can usually experiment a little with the formula until you find an acceptable balance for a substitute ingredient. Roman explained. I guess that makes sense. Im not much of a crafter, so I will take your word. Well the Prince had a bunch of claws and teeth from his Void Beast, but nothing to use them on. He wasnt in any need of any weapon that could be crafted with those ingredients, so he decided to try Alchemy. Im known for my experiments. Roman said. Derek chuckled. I can see that. Most Alchemists didnt want to touch the ingredients for fear of letting the Prince down. Me not so much. Ive met the Prince, and he has a pretty decent character. He wouldnt harm a crafter for failing an experiment. The halfling explained. Now, Void Beast parts do not appear on the mark almost ever. So, obviously, I volunteered for the project. He flashed a smile. I may have taken advantage of a loophole in our contract, which was quite loose, by using the remaining ingredients on a personally project after successfully creating the potion I was tasked with. So, you changed a formula for the Prince, and succeeded easier than he would think, then took the remaining claws and teeth to experiment with your own projects. I guess the Prince thinks you used all the materials on his potion? Derek asked. Roman looked at his feet in embarrassment. I did give him three potions. They were great potions, too. The loss of ingredients was more than acceptable to him. He even offered extra compensation for the potions, but I humbly rejected him. Derek snorted. Yeah humbly. After Romans explanation, Derek thought about some things. The claws, teeth, and hide of three Void Beasts are owed to me once Alanahs people prep the beasts. The difference between the materials will be vast, though. The baby Void Beasts materials wont be nearly as good when it comes to providing those stats through Alchemy, but at the same time, the intelligent Void Beast materials may be too much to work with. Still, it may be worth it to allow Roman to have some of the materials for his potion. Stella once told me that the extra stats the Void Beasts gave were more personal than the stats given by the Great System. Im not sure what that means, but it couldnt be bad. He thought. Maybe Roman could help Brandi with a recipe that uses the lesser ingredients. How common were the other ingredients you used? Derek suddenly asked. Roman tilted his head in thought before speaking. Without the cost of the Void Beast Material I could get the remaining ingredients for around 14,000 gold. Ill give her some formulas Ive come up with for beginner Alchemists to make up for her loss if the material proves useless. Since Ive never made those potions, shell be recognized as the creator by the Great System and given the extra experience. Roman said. Derek nodded. Thats great. If you want to just do that, then go ahead. That should be worth more than just a couple attempts of creating something with the Void Beast materials. Very much so. Roman said. Speaking of experience, what did you get for creating that potion? Derek asked. Romans smile was wider than ever as he answered. I got a whole levels worth of XP for it, and an Award that lessens the instability of my potions while brewing by 5%. Dereks eyes widened at that. I didnt expect that. Neither did I. Roman replied. But thats what you get when you create something amazing that nobody else has done before. I guess so. Derek nodded. Hypothetically. Roman said. If you were able to get the materials for me, how would we split the potions? Derek smiled. Ive been thinking about that. He said. I want the two best potions, then we can split the profit of the rest 50/50, after taking the cost of the ingredients out, of course. Also, I may be able to get more materials later, and I we could continue with that deal. What do you think? The halfling alchemist nodded. Thats acceptable. The experience I should gain with each success and failure should still be good because of how rare the potion is. So, Ill still be gaining more than just the profit. We will still need to talk about the split if someone wants to offer a trade. The value of the item traded may be different to the both of us. Derek nodded. Agreed. Also, we will jack the prices up in the beginning just to see what we can get out of them. Romans teeth shined through his grin. Oh, that was a given. He agreed. But, like I said. This all hinges on whether you can provide the materials or not. Trust me, you dont have to worry about that. The only problem is how soon I can gather them, not if. He answered. Roman stepped forward with his hand out. When Derek took it, he spoke. Very well, Im looking forward to doing business with you. As am I. A light cough from the side of the room caught both of their attention. Are the two of you finished now? I would like to get back to my office so I can document what Ive seen today. Freia interrupted. Roman rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. They had completely ignored the third person in the room. Of course youre dismissed. Chapter 171: Training Rayna Chapter 171: Training Rayna Earlier that morning Jacks watched Derek walk away with most of the group trailing him, leaving him and Rayna standing near the hotel. He was tasked with keeping an eye on and helping the woman who seemed so keen on making herself useful. When she talked about not wanting to be weak, he felt her determination. He knew exactly what it felt like to be in a helpless situation. Of course, his wasnt because of his strength, but because of that godforsaken contract. Still, he could take some solace in the fact that he was able to get his son out of the dangerous situation created by Torith. Jacks felt a fire burning inside him. He had been cooped up, doing nothing but standing guard and occasionally projecting his aura. Sure, when he was under contract for Torith, he was called Captain, but that wasnt in his contract, so he didnt take it too seriously. The last thing he wanted to do was help a group of pawns to be used by the Toriths grow stronger. Thats not to say he didnt enjoy training people, he did. He had helped with the training of some of his old party members. Then, he had put everything he had into training his son before sending him off to the Academy. He actually enjoyed it not as much as he enjoyed fighting beasts and testing his own skill, but close. Now that he was tasked with helping the lady in front of him, he planned to go all out. She was one of Dereks trusted companions, so he would give it his all. He owed the man with the purple eyes everything, and if he was eventually able to see his son again, he would owe him even more. Lets go. He said with his scratchy voice. Where are we going? Rayna asked. I have to see what youre made out of first, so were going to the Adventurers Guild. He explained. The walk to the guild was short, and soon, they were at the front of the line. A brown-haired woman with a tan greeted them. Hello, Sir. Welcome to the Savannah Adventurers Guild. How may I help you today? One Gold Ranked room without any extra amenities. Two hours is good. Jacks put his badge on the table in front of the woman. 30 gold. She replied. Jacks placed the money on the table and, after the woman examined his badge, took it back, strapping it back to his shoulder. Go ahead. The woman motioned them to an opening that should have had a door, but didnt. Jacks nodded and led Rayna through the door, taking a turn down a hallway, until they arrived at a room. He placed his hand on a rune, causing the door to open. How did you know which room to go to? Rayna asked. This hall has the Gold Ranked rooms. He answered. How did the rune know to open to you? The attendant marked my badge before giving it back. The room is linked to my mana signature for the next two hours. He explained. I understand. Rayna replied. Good. Jacks said. I assume you have Weapons Mastery and some other skills that were given to you with your class? I do. She answered. Great. He replied. You are level 53, but you fight way above your level. Which means you have at least a rare class, and youve had a rare class since at least level 25. Either that, or you somehow got your hands on an epic class at level 50, but it feels more like a rare class. Raynas eyes shot open. How did you know that? Experience. Jacks replied. Ive been fighting for over 50 years. You tend to learn a thing or two about classes and people. You dont look that old. Rayna replied. Good Vitality and Endurance will do that for you. Youll also have to increase your Endurance alongside your other stats so your body doesnt break with the speed youll end up having. I suspect youll end up with some passive movement boosts at level 100. That, or the chance to change to a lightning type class. Jacks explained. Lightning? Rayna asked. Jacks nodded. Wind based classes arent as common as fire, water, and earth, but are more common than lightning, ice, light, molten, and others. Lightning is a natural advancement from wind, just like ice is from water. I had a chance to change to a molten type class, but I chose to go the pure fire type. Ive never regretted my decisions. I would have lost skills that I love if I would have switched. Thats not to say that one shouldnt switch. Sometimes, just the jump in rarity is worth it. In my class, the rarity was the same, it just came with extra skill points and skills. Like I said, Im a purist, so, unless you can get one of the special elements early on, or it increases your class rarity, providing you with more stat points, I dont think its worth it. Rayna nodded. I dont think Ill ever switch from wind. I would for sure lose my Wind Blade, and Ive already invested such a long time into the skill that it wouldnt be worth it. I agree. Ive faced some people who became arrogant because they changed to a more rare element when they upgraded their class at level 100. Most bumbled around, trying to use their new element the same way they used their other element. Besides, there are cases when a water blade or mage gets ice skills, or an earth or fire user gets molten skills. Jacks explained. Rayna remained silent. Obviously thinking about the information he had provided her. Finally, Jacks stood. Come on. I know what were going to do now. I hope youre not opposed to getting your ass kicked. Rayna frowned. As long as it makes me stronger. Jacks chuckled for the first time. Oh, you will definitely come out stronger for it. If he was going to train someone, he was going to do it properly. He would give the woman the training he wished he had at her age. Training that was too harsh to give his son. He saw the resolve in the womans eyes. She could handle it. He took her hand and pulled her up. Lets go. Chapter 172: Apes Chapter 172: Apes Jacks led Rayna out of the Adventurers Guild. He had seen all he needed to come up with a plan for the woman. A plan she would come to hate, but he guessed that Derek would be all for the plan. If you had the correct mental fortitude, nothing would help you get stronger than getting your ass kicked over and over. His next destination was the teleport building. Now, he wasnt planning on taking her to a different city, he just needed to confirm something. When they got there, he had Rayna wait outside while he went in. Jacks waited for Shelby to finish instructing a group entering the city, then walked up. To what honor do I ow The Crimson Blade for his visit today? Shelby asked with a cheeky smile. Jacks rolled his eyes. Are those apes still in the same spot as the last time I was here? Apes? The Cudgel Apes. You know, those level 120 beasts that nobody wants to clear because of their health and defense. Jacks explained. Oh those apes. As far as I know. Theres always a quest to cull them on the Adventurers Bounty board. Never gets picked up, so it ends up becoming a mission. Shelby explained. Thanks. Jacks turned and raised his hand in farewell. Wait! Shelby called out. What about those drinks? Jacks looked back. Im busy for the next few days. Ill come by sometime after and we can go. Without another word, the former captain turned back and left. Cmon. He said to Rayna when he came back out. Two more stops, then well get you trained. What is my training? She asked. Just some beasts outside the city. We need to start today, before that bastard starts sending goons after us. Id guess we have a week before it isnt safe to go outside the city without Derek. Jacks explained. What? Just because that old bastard wont do anything to Derek and his companions inside Savannah, doesnt mean he wont send people to wait outside in ambush. We need to get you capable of defending yourself, and quickly. There arent many assassins like Bones and Ogre, so if we can get your stats to upper Gold Rank or Platinum Rank, we shouldnt have to worry too much about it. But we have to be quick. You dont want to rely on Derek for everything, do you? Jacks said. Of course not. Thats why I want to get stronger. Hes already saved my life twice. Once from a dying state. Jacks nodded. Then we need to hurry. Were on a clock. Jacks then led Rayna to an Alchemy shop that he remembered being competitively priced. Again, he went inside and left Rayna waiting in the street. After dropping a mindboggling amount of gold, it wasnt long before he was leading Rayna through the city once again. As they approached the edge of the city, they stopped at an empty plot of land with people all around, taking measurements. Jacks breathed a sigh of relief. Good, now I wont have to go find anybody. Jacks found Rudy talking to a guy with a hooked-nosed and walked over with Rayna. Rudy! Rudy turned in the direction of his voice. Jacks. What are you doing here? Was hoping to find Derek, buy youll do. Jacks said. Me and Rayna are going out to train. We probably wont be back for a few days. If were gone longer than a week, then you should start to worry. I just wanted to let Derek know. I should have bought a communications crystal, but its too late for that. Just let him know. Okay? Umm sure. Rudy said. Ill tell him when he gets here. Great. Jacks looked at the land. I take it discussions went well? Rudy smiled. Well, indeed. He said. Having an Onyx Badge sure does go a long way in getting things done for cheap. Jackss eyes never left the battle. He stayed at the ready just in case something happened. After some time, many of the cuts on the ape had healed, and Rayna was heavily panting. This was what Jacks expected to see. The womans reactions were becoming worse and worse, until soon, one of the fists connected with her thigh. Jacks heard the bone snap and the pained yell that followed behind it. Throughout the entire fight, he could tell that Rayna was fighting with expectations that Jacks would step in if it got to be too much. And he would. Only his definition of too much was different from her definition. Rayna fell to the ground with the ape towering over her. Jacks! She yelled. Still, Jacks did nothing, but he very carefully watched the actions of the ape with held breath. The ape raised his cudgel like fist, and Jacks released a sigh of relief. The ape brought its fist down, and with a sickening crunch, crushed the womans ribs in one blow. Instantly, Raynas state changed to dying. Jacks quickly acted. The apes separated from the rest of its body, leaving a bloody trail behind. Jacks lifted Raynas head and poured one of the potions he picked up from the Alchemist down her throat. A while later, she coughed and grasped at her ruined midsection. Why? She muttered. Jacks handed her a healing potion. So you stop relying on others, and rely only on yourself. Its holding you back. Now, drink this. She drank the potion, causing her injuries to lessen in a short amount of time. Meditate. He commanded, and she did. A couple hours later and she was back to fighting condition. Jacks pointed at another ape. Again. But Go! He commanded. She got up and went in for her second fight. Time blurred, and two days passed. Jacks poured another Revival Potion into Raynas mouth and waited for her to wake up. It was the ninth time this had happened. The woman managed to defeat multiple apes in the two days, but occasionally, one got a lucky it. Thats all it took for it to win. There were a couple of instances where Jacks had to interfere to keep the ape from hitting Rayna with a critical hit and causing instant death. But he kept a close eye on the fighting, so there was never any real chance of her dying. Soon, Rayna woke from her forced slumber. She stared incredulously at Jacks. Really? What? He asked with a toothy grin. You could have just told me we were doing this to gain an Award. Jacks chuckled. Do you like it? Rayna snorted as she gulped down a healing potion. Why does it have to be called Damsel? Because thats what you have been. He answered. Now, hurry and meditate. Youve got more apes to hunt. Wait! What? Rayna shouted. I thought we were just getting the Award. What gave you that idea? Jacks answered. Youre killing apes until we have to leave. The more you kill the higher level you get. Even with your failing, your levels are increasing rapidly. If you hurry, youll be able to get to level 100 before we have to leave. Now, meditate. Rayna huffed. You''re evil. Chapter 173: Under Construction Chapter 173: Under Construction Derek walked out of Romans shop by himself. Brandi chose to stay there and learn from the high-level Alchemist, and because she chose to stay behind, Malorie did the same. Silvi also chose to stay with Malorie. Both Mal and the bunny liked to cook, and Silvi knew she would learn more by staying at the womans side than by staying by Derek. Plus, Malorie still had some fresh food in her storage ring that Silvi would be able to con out of the woman. Knowing the girl had a mentor in the Alchemy craft allowed Derek to breathe a little easier. Everything would go better if Brandi didnt have to learn everything by herself. The only problem was finding people he could trust to mentor Brandi. If she slipped up and accidentally let her class be known, it was better for it to be to someone like Roman someone who would be relying on Derek in the future. He had a good feeling about the halfling. His gut instincts rarely led him wrong. If their cooperation in the future worked as well as he believed it would, he wouldnt have to worry about the man at all. Derek wished he could find Brandi a mentor in Runesmithing. It seemed to be one of the most flexible crafts. For now, he would settle on finding some books for the girl to learn from. She was smart. It wouldnt be as fast as learning from a teacher, but she could do it. Derek sighed. With all of that settled, it was time to see the construction of his own shop. He turned on the street and began his journey to his part of the city. A bit later, Derek arrived at his plot of land. Construction was already in full swing, so he looked around until he found Geoffrey standing with a clipboard, overseeing the project. Hows it going? Derek asked. Geoffrey jumped before turning around. Oh, you scared me. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Yes the project is coming along quite well. Thats good. Derek looked over at the current construction. Currently, there were multiple people standing in a giant pit. It seemed like Derek had gotten there after the earth mages did their thing. One person was walking around the dirt walls with his hand dragging along them. As he moved, the dirt packed itself and hardened. Every step the man took caused the wall behind him to perfectly straighten, becoming ready for the next process. Another man was doing the same, except with the dirt floor. Derek quietly watched as the pit turned into a perfect square. It must be nice for a construction company to have earth mages. Derek muttered. You arent considered a real company unless you employ at least two. Geoffrey said. Derek nodded. I can see that. Its like they are laying the foundation for the foundation. He said. Do people ever forgo the extra material and rely only on the hardened dirt and mud for their basement? Geoffrey shrugged. Not in this city, but its common for adventurers who have earth mages in their team. They can construct a makeshift building underground pretty quickly. Its more comfortable than sleeping outside in the elements. Gotcha. Derek said. Whats next? Geoffrey pointed at a third person in the pit. She was leaning against one of the completed walls, watching the other two work. Thats Terri. When Ron and Phillip finish what theyre doing, they will begin laying the Bola Stone atop the ground. Terri will come in behind them and form the stone together, creating one smooth stone foundation. Geoffrey explained. Unless you would prefer her to meld the pieces together. Some people prefer to see the separate stones instead of one smooth structure. Derek shook his head. One structure is fine. Its probably faster as well. Geoffrey shook his head. Its quite a bit slower. Its much more mana intensive, so Terri will have to take breaks in between. Derek nodded. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I just havent gotten around to doing it yet. I didnt expect Jacks and Rayna to leave the city so quickly. Red or blue? Geoffrey cut in. I prefer red, but blue would work. Derek answered. How many do you need? Derek thought about it. He could mentally communicate with Silvi from a good distance, but it would be a good idea to get her a couple blue crystals since she was running low on green ones. It would probably be worth it to look into buying a skill scroll with a telepathy skill on it. He was sure he could find one somewhere. Three red and eight blue would be for the best. Derek said. Phew! Geoffrey whistled. Thats going to cost you a good chunk. The blue should be manageable, but the red will cost you. Derek nodded. I dont need the red ones any time soon. I know a guy who can give you decent prices on blue crystals. Geoffrey said. Ill stop by his shop on the way home today and have a quote for you tomorrow. Id appreciate it. Derek and Geoffrey stood watch over the construction of the building for the next few hours. Around sundown, the earth mages had finished the entire floor of the basement and two walls. The process was slow with only a single mage like Terri, but Geoffrey reassured Derek that once the basement was finished, the construction speed would ramp up. So far, everything was well done. Derek thought the single fused Bola Stone looked much better than if the pieces were held together by a type of clay or puddy. We should finish building the basement by midday tomorrow. After that, well begin with the Pixy Yew. Well build fast and go directly to the living quarters after making the base building. By the day after tomorrow, you and your people should be able to stay in the building. Geoffrey explained. That would be great. Hotels are expensive. Geoffrey nodded. Once we finish with that, we will layer the oak onto the yew. Then we will furnish your building with all the essentials. Finally, we will draw all the runes that you need. The total time should take four days or less. If you had chosen the other option for the Bola Stone, we could have finished in two more days. Derek nodded. Thats fine. I like the look better this way. Plus, youre doing me a favor as it is. I have no reason to complain. Thats good. Geoffrey said. We will end work here. Im not one that likes to work my people too hard. Terri has to be suffering from a mana headache by now. Derek nodded. Do what you need to. Soon, all of Geoffreys people packed up and left, leaving Derek and Rudy alone at the job site. Go back to the hotel and make sure everyone got there safe. You might want to pick up something to eat on the way. Im sure Silvi will be pissed because I didnt take her to get a big lunch. Though I havent heard anything from her, so Im sure Malorie has kept her satiated. Derek said to Rudy. Im going to stay here. Make sure to let everyone know that well be able to move in here in a couple of days. Rudy nodded and ventured off into the night. Derek smiled and began meditating. He was glad that everyone had something to do now. He was also happy that he was going to have a place of his own. A place to rest. A place to come back to when he finished with an adventure. Chapter 174: Tour Chapter 174: Tour The next few days went by in a flash. Nothing overly exciting happened with the construction of the building. The total time taken was just over four days. Derek had to admit, the efficiency of those with a system was outstanding. The most interesting things he learned during the construction were all about Geoffrey. Apparently, the businessman was part of a medium-sized noble house from the Capital. His family didnt approve of his business practices, so he eventually left and came to Savannah to work on his own. Derek was impressed. He built his construction company from the ground up, with no help from his family. When Derek asked him about his business practices that his family didnt approve of, he told him that his family was all about taking the customer for as much as possible, no matter how shady. Geoffrey preferred to be truthful with his customers. To his credit, it proved successful. Those who know him, and who were able to get over his slimeball like exterior, seemed to come back for repeat business. However, the most interesting thing that Derek learned about Geoffrey was that he was quite the accomplished Runesmith. Immediately, Derek thought about using him as a mentor for Brandi, but he decided against it for now. The girl would be spending a lot of time in Romans shop. Besides, Derek liked Geoffrey well enough, but his connection, although seemingly severed, with a sleezy noble house made Derek want to be more cautious. At the moment, Geoffreys crew were packing all their things into their storage rings, preparing to leave. Soon, everyone by Geoffrey had left the location. Time for the grand tour. Geoffrey said. Lets do it. Derek had already been inside, actually, he and his group slept in the building the previous night, so he didnt really need a tour. Geoffrey led him through the shop door. The open floor plan was the way to go. There was a checkout counter immediately to the left by the wall as soon as they walked in. Shelves and displays were scattered along the walls and throughout the shot. Of course, Derek didnt have anything to sell yet, but he could imagine what it would look like once they get some things in stock. The walls inside the shop portion of the building were not as covered by the Oak as the rest of the building. The Pixy Yew shined throughout the store, giving it an almost magical feeling. If the glow from the Pixy Yew isnt to your liking or if you want a change, you can come to me any time and well get it handled. Geoffrey said. I dont think its going to be a problem. Derek replied. He was still in awe at the ambiance caused by the wood. He rather enjoyed it. They continued through the shop area before going through a door. Inside the door was a small room with stairs going up and down. This is a little private room separating your shop from the contract shop. Its best not to have access to the basement and top floor out in the open. Geoffrey explained. Derek nodded as they kept walking to the next room. Rudys contract room was different from open floor shop. The walls were completely covered with Oak because Rudy didnt want the odd lighting shining on his papers when he was writing up a contract. It was too distracting. The room was about a quarter of the size as the shop. In the middle of the room, facing the door to outside, was a long counter that split the room. Part of the counter raised so one could walk to the other side if needed. To both the left and right of the outside door were sitting places. There were two small couches and two chairs on each side for waiting customers. There was another door behind the counter, and Geoffrey led Derek through it. The room was a basic office for Rudy. It was a simple design with a desk and some chairs.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com Next, Geoffrey led Derek down to the basement. There wasnt much to see there, either. Other than the corner where they had installed Brandis forge and smithing equipment, the rest of the basement was bare. He then went on to describe his plan for a shower using runes. He wanted to fit a tank with a water, pressure, and temperature rune on the wall. Then, he explained the concept of a shower head coming off the tank and using the pressure built up by the rune to shoot the water out. Thus resulting in a shower. Geoffrey scratched his chin and hummed. We dont need such a big tank, or the pressure rune. He explained. I could just put an advanced water rune that fills a small tank up fast enough to create all the pressure you need. He looked up in thought. That would make it easily portable as well adventurers could attach it to a tree in the wilderness, and it would be less of a hassle than taking a bath. Derek watched as all the possibilities raced through the mans head. I think I have a workable design in my head. Ill have to experiment with this shower head to get it to properly spray, but I could have a prototype ready tomorrow. Geoffrey said. He shook his head. Such a simple concept. Derek nodded. Its also easier to think in a shower. At least to me. A bath is more relaxing, but I prefer showers. Well do that, then. Geoffrey said. This will be our product. If you wish. We can sign a contract. Im not sure if people will think of it as a novelty item, so I dont know how sells will be. What do you think about a 65/35 split. You get 35% of the sales since I will provide the item itself. Fine by me. Derek didnt think there would be too much profit in the item. Yes, we can make multiple types. Portable ones, permanent ones, higher pressure ones Geoffrey mumbled to himself as he led them out of the bathroom and to the dining room. The dining room was a basic open room with a dining table able to fit 12 people. Even more could fit if they moved the chairs closer to each other. The dining room was connected to the kitchen. The kitchen was basic, but huge. There was a big kitchen island in the middle of the room. It had two sinks in it. There were two stoves and two ovens. Well, oven-like appliances. They were basically big boxes with temperature control runes. The kitchen was outfitted with the same runes as the basement. They will love this. Derek said. He had kept Mal and Silvi away from the kitchen while it was being built. It ended up being the final room to be finished. He felt kind of bad since he told Silvi it would be one of the first ones he focused on, but she would forgive him once she saw it. It was as good, if not better, than the kitchen at the Crown Restaurant in Torith. Only a bit smaller. Silvi was going to be able to chop as many onions as her heart desired soon. This is it. Geoffrey said. If you need anything else, please contact me. Derek nodded. Will do. They exchanged communication crystal runes days ago when Derek spent what gold he had left on blue crystals. It would also be for the best if you thought of a name for your shop sooner rather than later. Well figure something out. Derek replied. Ill take my leave now. Geoffrey shook Dereks hand and disappeared. With this done, I need to make some money and hit up a couple of those dungeons. But first, I need to show everyone around and wait for Rayna and Jacks to get back. I hope theyre doing well. Chapter 175: King Edwin Chapter 175: King Edwin Three consecutive knocks sounded from the door to the office. Alanah brushed her emerald green hair to the side and raised her head from her accounts. A strand of hair fell in front of her eyes, tickling her nose. Alanah scrunched her face and blew the hair to the side.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com The knocks sounded again, grabbing her attention from the unruly pieces of hair. She brushed her dress down and sat upright. She weaved her hand back through her hair, removing the unruly strands from her face. Enter. She said in a singsong voice. Avery stepped in and closed the door behind him. Oh, its just you. She said, looking back down at her accounts. Mis Avery began, but was cut off by a glare from Alanahs piercing green eyes. Alanah. He said. Thats better. Avery sighed. The King has requested your presence today at noon. Alanah frowned. What does that bag of bones want from me this time? Avery shrugged. The messenger did not say. I suspect it has something to do with your new business partner. Perhaps the coffee has gotten his attention. Perhaps Derek has gone and done something stu impulsive again? She sighed. Perhaps Avery agreed. Stella hasnt mentioned him taking any actions lately. Her last report had him building a shop in Savannah. It should be finished sometime today. Alanah leaned her chin on her hand, thinking. Maybe Derek making it to Onyx Rank has caught the Kings attention. Your guess is as good as mine. Avery said. Maybe he wants to talk to you about the upcoming auction. The rumors have already started spreading. Alanah smiled. Of course they have. I cant have a proper auction until every person with a membership can attend. Wheres the fun when theres no bidding war? The rumors will prepare the members for the upcoming announcement. I see Oh about the auction. Alanah suddenly recalled her plan. Well be auctioning the meals from the lesser Void Beast and part of the baby Void Beast at Savannah. What? Why would we do that? Avery asked. Alanah smiled again. So I can finally meet my new friend, of course. You want to meet him that bad? I would like to. She responded. Theres no sense in letting Stella have all the fun. Avery shook his head. Whatever you want. Well use the auction in Savannah to prepare everyone for the big auction here in the Capital. It should generate quite a lot of buzz if we announce that we have even more powerful meals prepared for another auction. Especially after seeing the quality of the meals at the Savannah auction. She explained. Avery nodded. You will be in charge of everything here in the Capital while Im gone. However much is needed to set my mind right, because if Im suggesting it, there must be something wrong with my brain. The two walked up the steps and met with two guards. Lady Swan, Lord Avery. The first guard said. The King is expecting you in his Throne Room. Oooh, the Throne Room. This must be serious. Alanah said. The other guard said something through a communication crystal and soon after, the giant door they were guarding opened wide. One of the Kings attendants appeared and greeted the two from the Crown. Lady Swan, Lord Avery. If you would please follow me. The man turned and led the two through the door and straight in to another large door, the one that leads to the Throne Room. Im starting to feel a little underdressed. Avery whispered to Alanah. Alanah snorted. Our business attire puts all those nobles formal attires to shame. If anything, we are both overdressed. Remember, the King asked if I would come today. He did not order it. The attendant opened the door and walked in. In a loud voice, he said, Lady Swan and Lord Avery. He slid off to the side and motioned them forward with a formal bow. The duo walked forward on the overly long red carpet. I hate the palace. Its all just tacky. Alanah stared forward at the man sitting on the throne. He was wearing a crown along with his royal dress, an overly embellished tunic with a surcoat on top with his family crest embroidered onto it. Wrinkles adorned his face, and long white hair flowed down onto his surcoat. Edwin must be very serious today. I know how much he hates wearing that surcoat. To the left of the King stood Alanah and Dereks favorite person, Gerald Torith. On the Kings right was his other advisor, Phillip. Both Torith and Musgrave today. The gangs all here. She thought. The four Generals of the Kingdoms army were all in attendance as well. They lined the right side of the Throne Room, parallel to the carpet, behind their commander, Crown Prince Edward. On the left were Princess Elouise and her Royal Guard. Were missing two Princes. If they were present, wed have the entire immediate Royal Family here. I dont see what the reason for such an event is, unless Derek has somehow taken over the entire city of Savannah and Im not yet aware of it. She did her best not to sigh as she stood in front of the King and gave a slight bow. Avery followed suit. Impudence. Gerald shouted. Alanah glared at the advisor, daring him to take a step forward. Enough, Gerald. The King commanded. Alanah, do you know why I asked you here today? King Edwin asked. I have been wondering. She answered. You know the man, Derek Hunt, correct? The King asked. Of course. I have heard that he has murdered Advisor Geralds son and grandson, along with all the guards stationed in Torith. Is that correct? The King asked. That is incorrect. Alanah answered. You dare! Gerald shouted again. Enough! The King shot Gerald another look. What do you mean by incorrect? I have it on good authority this Derek Hunt murdered Malcolm. Alanah smiled. You see, you asked if he murdered the Toriths and their guards stationed in Torith. He did not do that, as Malcolm, his son, and all the guards were not in Torith at the time. They were running, and running fast because, and excuse my language, my King they fucked up, and they knew it. Chapter 176: Royal Audience Chapter 176: Royal Audience What do you mean? Please explain. King Edwin prompted. Ahem A voice sounded from the side. The King turned his head. Yes, Edward, do you have something you would like to add? The Prince stepped forward and gave his father an odd smile. I just thought it would be better to wait for the room to adapt to Mistress Swan before we continue. As of right now He looked around. It seems that only Your Highness, Advisor Gerald, myself, and Lord Avery have heard anything since Mistress Swan first spoke. Ah yes she does have that effect on people. Very well. We will wait until Advisor Musgrave and the Princess are able to take part. The King said. Gerald continued to stare at Alanah with daggers. He was strong enough that his recent visit to the Crown had allowed him to somewhat withstand Alanahs voice. Alanah shot Gerald a look and rolled her eyes. King Edwin. Alanah spoke. While I am willing to wait for a short while, I am very busy preparing auctions currently. She thought now would be the perfect time to tempt the Royal Family. Auctions? King Edwin asked. As in more than one? Alanah released a charming smile towards the King. Exactly. We plan to hold the initial auction in Savannah before the second, which will be held here in the Capital. May I ask what the difference between the auctions is? The King leaned forward. Alanah knew that what the King had the least of right now was time. He had a high Vitality, everybody knew that, but he was pushing 300 years old, and was already as high a level as he could manage, so he could no longer obtain stat points to increase his Vitality towards max. Though the meals didn''t provide Vitality, they provided Endurance. Endurance would help, not as much as Vitality, but it strengthened organs, bones, and muscles, so it did help in terms of living a longer, healthier life. Every extra stat point he could find was a possible increase to his already long life. Therefore, Void Beast auctions were of utmost importance to the Royal Family. It was also why the Crown Prince didnt hesitate to give the Void Beast to Alanah in exchange for one meal. Obviously, she was on the winning end of the deal, but beggars couldnt be choosers. Of course, King Edwin didnt fail to use his membership to attend that auction to get hold of another meal. Alanah was sure she would see the King again at both the auction in Savannah and the one here in the Capital. Of course, King Edwin. Her smile deepened. I have recently come into possession of multiple Void Beasts. She said. As soon as she announced the auction to the public, everyone would know about her having more than one beast, so there was nothing wrong with her telling the King and his people here. If anything, it may prove useful by tempting the King into a good mood. Multiple Void Beasts? The King was ecstatic. Alanah nodded. Yes, multiple. She confirmed. Thats not all. The first auction, the one to be held in Savannah, will provide a beast that was slightly stronger than the one brought to us by your son, the Crown Prince. What? The Prince asked. Ive heard nothing of another Void Beast of that level appearing in the Kingdom. Alanah shrugged. Yet, I have one. And the other Void Beast? The King asked. Alanah went as far as showing her teeth, almost in a predatory smile. Was intelligent. The stats that it will provide are second to none. The price, however will be second to none as well. It is the first beast of intelligence I have obtained, and the one with the greatest possibilities. The King shot up from his throne. You must allow me to purchase the meals. Please, King Edwin. Sit you will have the same chance to obtain a meal from that Void Beast as everyone else. I am opening the auction to all members, not just those of a higher tier. She smiled. But thats still not the main course. Theres more? More than a Void Beast so strong that it had intelligence? The Prince asked. Really, Gerald. It isnt like you to not know who youre messing with. Youre usually much more careful that this. Alanah chided. What did you think happened to Bones and Ogre after you sent them to take care of Derek? It was like sending children who hadnt even unlocked the Great System up against King Edwin. You should be ashamed. Geralds face turned red in anger. I dont know what youre talking about. I would never associate with the likes of those assassins. Oh, Im terribly sorry. I didnt mean to offend you. Alanah answered. Well, Derek has done the Kingdom a favor in culling the two assassins, no matter who sent them. Indeed. Prince Edward agreed. I will have to meet this man. Alanah smiled at the Prince. She knew that he held a particular disgust for assassins. More than one attempt on his life had been made as he grew up. If you find yourself in Savannah, my manager, Stella, will introduce the two of you. Hes just taken up residence. She told the Prince, and he nodded back. What did all of this have to do with the Advisors son and grandson? The King asked. Well, Derek is a peculiar man. When he arrived in the Kingdom, he rescued a young boy and, because somewhat of a mentor to him. He brought the boy with him to Torith, where they met Geralds grandson. Alanah continued on to tell the King about the events that happened between Thomas and Clay. You see, I thought he was very generous in letting Malcolm and his son off with a warning. The King looked at Gerald. Yes it would seem that way. Imagine my surprise when I heard about what happened next. Alanah then went on to explain about the kidnapping of Brandi and Malorie, leaving out the details she had already gathered about the girl. She made it seem like a genuine revenge kidnapping to get back at Derek. Is that true? The King shouted at Gerald. N-no of course not. Gerald muttered. I will send my own people out to get the truth. If I find out you are lying The King threatened. W-wait Gerald pleaded. I I heard about the kidnapping. I didnt know that they were Derek Hunts companions, I swear. What makes you think you have the right to kidnap someone in MY KINGDOM! The King was furious now. I I didnt. Gerald pleaded. I- it was my son who did it. I had no knowledge until after the fact. And you still have the gull to plead your sons case. If he were still alive, I would kill him myself. The King looked back at Alanah. Alanah, thank you for your explanation. You are dismissed. Gerald and I have many things to discuss. Alanah nodded. Very well, Edwin. She smiled. I look forward to seeing you at the auction later. I will send someone with the details soon. She glanced at the Prince and Princess. It was good seeing you two again. With that, Alanah and Avery turned and left the Royal Palace. When they got back to the Crown and to Alanahs office, she spoke, Honestly, how did that man think that was going to go? I used to think he was at least a little competent, but it seems that his emotions have taken control of him. It would seem that way. Everything is up to Edwin now. I wonder how he will handle Gerald after that farce. I hope he wont disappoint me. Luckily, the Prince was there to witness as well. Alanah leaned back in her chair. Im sure your students are anxiously awaiting your return. You can go. Avery bowed. Thank you. He turned and left. Alanah stared at the closing door. What an interesting day. Chapter 177: New Home Chapter 177: New Home Derek summoned his blue communication crystal out of his storage bracelet and started making calls to have his members meet at the site. It wasnt long before Rudy made his appearance. He was already waiting around the area. The man couldnt wait to see his part of the shop. A bit after, Malorie, holding Silvi, and Brandi filed in. Brandi had been making phenomenal progress under the tutelage of Roman. The halfling had taken a real like to the girl. She had a good grasp on Alchemy and didnt require him to explain many things more than once. She was the perfect student. Thomas was the last to arrive. He came stumbling in with a tired and bedraggled look. Shae had not been taking it easy on the kid. Derek had to wonder if the man may have been taking some of his frustrations about Derek and Romans prank out on Thomas. Any way he looked at it, though, Thomas was making leaps and bounds under Shaes guidance. Unfortunately, Rayna and Jacks were still not back from their training. Derek couldnt help but wonder what they were doing, and how much the woman would change while out. He wondered just how seriously Jacks was taking her training. He hoped they made it back okay. Oh thank you, thank you, thank you. Thomas spoke when he got close enough. We were just about to spar again. I dont think I would have made it another round with that monster. The trainings worse than the dungeon training you had me do when we first met. The boy complained. But youre stronger because of it, right? Derek asked. Of course I am. I just dont know if I can survive much more of it. Derek ruffled the boys hair. You can survive it, and you will. Then, when you enter the Academy, you will show all those petty nobles what a brat from a small village can do. Thomass eyes shined with a spark when Derek mentioned the Academy and his status as a villager. The boy grinned. Theyll never think of a commoner the same way again. Thats the spirit. Derek laughed. Yeah! You show em, Thomas. Brandi cheered the boy on while Malorie smiled at them. See. Youve got all of us rooting for you. You cant let us down. Derek said. Thomas blushed, but nodded his head in the affirmative. Derek clapped his hands. Alright! Whos ready to see the building? The group gathered around anxiously as Derek led them through the main door. Youve all seen this part of the building, so we wont spend much time here. What do you all think about how we used the Pixy Yew? Its so pretty. Brandi said. It gives the place a magical feel. Malorie agreed. A small girl from an unknown village that had only dreamed of becoming a basic Leatherworker so she could help out in the village was now given an entire space to practice her crafts. It was more than she ever dreamed of, more than she thought she had the right to ever dream of. Derek was happy for her. Soon, Derek opened the door and led them into the contract shop. Is this good enough? Now, it was time to see Rudy acting like a kid on Christmas. He ran to each corner of the room and felt the cushions on the benches and chairs in the waiting area, going as far as to sit on them himself. Then, he fast walked to the counter and lifted the counter flap to walk to the other side. Rudy ran his hand along the polished countertop, even laying his face and ear to it. It was a spectacle watching the man examine the room. Finally, he opened the door to his office and walked inside, closing it behind him. Everyone stared at the door, not knowing what to say. Should have I looked over the basement better? Brandi questioned herself quietly, but Derek heard her. You did fine. What youre looking at now is a true, seedy professional. Its better that you dont act like that. Derek answered. Rudy burst through the door. Its exquisite! He said as he walked back through the counter, lowering the flap after crossing. When can I begin business? As soon as you think of a name and figure out everything you need to do as a business. Remember the taxes. Always remember the taxes. Derek said. Rudy nodded twice. Yes. He said. Im going to need a secretary! Thats all on you. I got you the space and opportunity. The rest is up to you. Though Im sure you can find one of the orphans that Tavors told us about helping out. It will be up to you to work things out with the city. Derek said. I had nearly forgotten about them. Maybe I can find one who is interested in contracts. It could be cheaper ahem better for them if I have something to teach them. Rudy said. Derek chuckled. Just dont do anything to get on the bad side of the city. I still havent met Natalie, and I dont want our first discussion being about one of my people doing something stupid. Of course, of course. Rudy said. What do you think about Rudys Contracts? Or Contracts by Rudy? What? Derek asked. For the name. I must have a catchy name. Thats half of the contract business. Derek shook his head. Just figure something out. He turned back to the group. Now, I know you have already seen the bedrooms and bathrooms, but I have kept you out of the kitchen and dining area. Time to show them off. Silvi darted atop Dereks shoulder. If Derek was leading to the kitchen, then he would be the first one through the door. Of course, she didnt want to wait a second longer to see her work area. Chapter 178: Can I Help You? Chapter 178: Can I Help You? Derek led the group up the stairs to the second floor. On the second floor, he walked down the hall and placed his hand on a door. Are yall ready? He pushed slightly, but before the door opened even an inch, Silvi jumped off his shoulder and slammed into it, causing the door to swing wide open. Derek shook his head and walked in behind the impatient bunny, who was now sitting in the middle of the dining room table with her head facing down. She obviously thought Derek would take them to the kitchen first. Unfortunately for the anxious bunny, he wanted to show off the dining room. As you can all see this is not the kitchen. Its the dining room. He walked to the side and placed his hand on a rune. A light fixture hung on the ceiling in the middle of the room, giving it a classic feel. We can adjust the lighting however we want with this rune. We can adjust it at percentages instead of just on or off. At the center of the room was a luxurious dining room table made of a fine mahogany that Geoffrey had thrown in for free. Derek knew the man did him a solid, because hed seen that particular mahogany when he was viewing materials, and it was not cheap. In fact, if the Pixy Yew building was destroyed, the table might yet survive. As for seating, Derek had chosen comfort over formality. Instead of going with the typical wood chair, Derek selected a set of cushioned chairs with great back support. Geoffrey begged him to go with something that would fit the table more regally, but he refused. He did eventually cave and let Geoffrey change the upholstered material to a material that matched the mahogany finish on the table. The chairs looked slightly out of place, but not by much, and not enough to embarrass him as a host if the time came. Plus, they more than made up for it with the comfort they provided. There were 12 chairs in total. Five on each side of the table, and one on each end. Derek walked up to an end chair and pulled it out. Sit. He motioned Malorie over. Malorie let out a slight chuckled, then sat in the chair. Her eyes lit out. Wow thats much more comfortable than I expected. Right? Derek agreed. It seems like every meeting or dining experience Ive had while in this Kingdom has been marred by uncomfortable seating. It all started at Raynas Village. Even the Crown Restaurants prefer quality over comfort. It just isnt right. I never thought about that. The woman said. Derek nodded fiercely. Every ass needs a proper cushion at least at home. How else are you supposed to properly enjoy your dining experience? He said. I can forgive Stella, Alanah, and the rest of the Crown for it, though. Its a restaurant that gets its profits based on the amount of customers. If they had comfortable chairs, too many people would stay far longer once the finished their meal. It could become a problem. I want to try it. Brandi ran over and pulled out a chair of her own and hopped in. Wow! It is comfortable. Derek smiled and nodded. He glanced at Silvi and noticed her giddiness. The lazy bunny had become even more impatient. Alright enough about chairs. Whos ready to see the kitchen? Out of nowhere, Silvi appeared back on Dereks shoulder. He chuckled as he walked to the door separating the dining room from the kitchen and opened it. Again, Silvi was through the door before anyone else. It was an entertaining sight. They had all just watched Rudy run around his shop and office. Now they were watching Silvi do the same thing. Except with Rudy, they physically saw him move from one place to the next, but with Silvi, she would disappear before reappearing next to a different appliance. Out of the corner of his eye, Derek could see Malorie fidgeting. She, too, wanted to examine the area. She would be spending a lot of her time here if she could receive a proper class change the next time she leveled. The level 50 class change wouldnt be too late for her to do what she truly wanted to. He knew she enjoyed cooking and also seemed to be drawn to the managerial side of things when he mentioned it. She would be the perfect store keeper. Plus, he trusted her. This is yours too. Derek told her. Go, have a look. Youve done nothing to lose my trust, and you want to do everything you can for Brandi. Shell need someone with access to the funds to help get her material, too. I would suggest looking for whole carcasses. She can Dismantle them for the materials, then you and Silvi can use the meat to cook. He explained. It would be my pleasure. Malorie said. Good. I also suggest spending some Skill Points on any business related General Skills you can find. Do you have Skill Points available? He asked. She nodded. I have a couple left from the dungeon we ran a while back. Oh? Yeah I didnt spend any of them because of how many skill points the last class skill costed. She said. I see. He laughed. Then thats good. Im sure business skills will grow extremely well in this environment. Whenever you raise the skills to your satisfaction, Ill take you somewhere to level you to level 50 for a class change. Hopefully, something good comes out of it. Malorie nodded. Thats good. I just hope I can get a class as good as the one I have now. It would be terrible to go from an uncommon growth type class to a basic lifestyle class. Thats why you really need to focus on your General Skills. Derek said. Malorie nodded. Lets go, lets go, lets go! Silvi repeated. Go ahead. Derek dismissed everyone. A little over an hour later, Derek and company had their first meal together at their new place. They were only missing Rayna and Jacks, but those two were scheduled to be back soon. The next morning, Derek opened his eyes to a knocking on the front door of the shop. Maybe theyre back? He wondered. Nobody else was awake, and he had chosen to meditate for the night. He walked down to the shop and looked out the glass pane on the door. Two figures in wearing cloaks stood outside. However, the hoods werent covering their heads, so they werent hiding, at least not from him. Derek opened the door. One man had shoulder length white hair and intense blue eyes, not the deep blue Derek used to have, but a lighter blue that seemed to contain electric currents. The other man stood with neatly shaven brown hair. His eyes were a fierce crimson. The man with the brown hair looked familiar. Can I help you? He asked. Chapter 179: Jake and Edgar Chapter 179: Jake and Edgar The familiar looking young man stepped forward. Are you Mr. Hunt? He asked. Derek nodded slowly. I am. The man reached his hand out for a handshake, Derek took it. My name is Jake Herrett. My father is Jackson Herrett. He wrote to me about a week ago saying that, thanks to you, we could see each other again. Oh Derek said, finally knowing why the young man looked familiar. If the man had the scar on his face, he would look like a younger version of Jacks. No wonder I thought you looked familiar. Its good to meet you. Please come in. Derek moved to the side and held the door open, allowing the two men to come in. So Derek said once the two men were in the shop. You and your friend Edgar, but you can call me Eddie. The white-haired young man said. Were members of the same adventuring team. Edgar, then. Derek said. Did the two of you come to Savannah just to visit your father? For the most part. Jake answered while looking around. In his letter, he said he had a lot of things we needed to talk about. I imagine he does, said Derek. Jakes eyes jerked to Dereks. Do you know what he wants to tell me? I think I do, but its something the two of you should discuss. Its not for me to say. This is a very interesting dcor. Edgar noted. Its Pixy Yew, correct? It is Derek replied. I wanted something durable that wouldnt break the bank. The Pixy Yew fit the bill. It also gives kind of a magical feeling to the shop, dont you think? Edgar nodded firmly. It does but, if you dont mind my asking why not use better materials? With your status He nodded to the badge on both his arm, and Dereks. you could have gotten a much better deal at the same or even lower cost. That was when Dereks gaze shifted to the Onyx Badge that was on Edgars arm and the Platinum Badge on Jakes. I bet Jacks is going to be even more surprised than me about that. Jacks had stopped adventuring and gaining levels when he was contracted to Torith. Jacks had told Derek that he hadnt seen his son in over five years, yet the young man was already at the same level as Jacks. I could have gotten everything for free, but the contractor I hired was very forward about everything, including telling me about the favors I could get because of my rank. I like people like that. I would rather not owe some scumbag a favor, if at all possible. Derek said. Well spoken. Edgar replied. Derek looked over the Adventurers Guild Badges adorning the duos arms again. I heard the Academy produced competent people, but I wasnt expecting Onyx and Platinum badges from people who look so young. Youre what? Almost 20 now? He directed the question to Jake. Jake nodded. In a few months. Im older than I look. Edgar said. Im on the back half of my 20s. So were basically the same age. Derek thought. I see. He said. So how did the two of you meet? I imagine the age gap would keep you from the same classes. Edgar shrugged. I was graduating the same year he joined the Academy. I took note of Jake during that year. He was headstrong and talented. He also didnt have servants waiting on him hand in foot, nor did he yell out his father this his mother that you know the type? Oh, I know the type. Derek said. So, after I graduated, I moved my way through the ranks of the army and adventured on my down time. When he graduated, I was high enough ranked to move him to my company. Eventually, he joined my adventuring party, as well. Now, here we are. Edgar explained. So are you here on official business, then? He asked Edgar. Me? No. I have leave. Edgar said. Derek didnt fail to notice the slight eye-roll Jake gave Edgar when he mentioned having leave. Edgar was an interesting one. He seemed a bit too excited to answer questions, and he kept looking around the shop for no reason. Is there something I can help you with, then? Derek pointedly asked. Oh, no Im good. Edgar answered. You just dont have much for sale, do you? Theyre the best. They focus more on skills training that leveling. Anyone can get power leveled, but it doesnt mean shit unless you know how to use your skills. We ahem they have craftsmen that make training dolls that mimic real beasts. They dont help skills level faster than a real battle, but it is faster than even sparring. Edgar explained. Derek squinted. Thats good. At that time, Malorie came down from upstairs. Oh, we have guests? She asked. Derek nodded. We do. Silvi and I were just about to get breakfast started. Malorie said. Join us for breakfast? Derek asked the two young men. I don Jake started. Of course we will. Edgar answered. Great. Im sure Jacks will be back sometime soon. Might as well hang around until then If you have enough leave, that is. Derek said. Ive plenty. Edgar said. Derek led everyone to the dining room, as he didnt actually think about making a living room. The dining room would have to work. Oh these chairs are great. Edgar commented. Derek smiled, but didnt say anything. The group continued chatting while Mal and Silvi prepared breakfast. Thomas was milking Edgar for as much information as he could about the Academy. Derek didnt think Thomas noticed the Onyx Badge on the mans arm yet, either. During their time waiting, Rudy joined them, and Brandi ventured through. She went to the kitchen with Malorie to help. About an hour later, Malorie came in with a ginormous spread. Eggs, bacon, toast, ham everything one would need for breakfast littered the table. She also served some coffee and placed different creams, sugars, and honey on the table. This looks fantastic! Edgar said as he grabbed a biscuit and stuffed it into his mouth. Jake shook his head. Soon, everyone was seated, including Silvi. She was at the opposite end as Derek. Lets dig in. Her voice chimed through the necklace, causing Jake to shoot a look at her, and Edgar to choke on a biscuit. She ahem Edgar cleared his throat. Shes not a pet? Not at all. Derek said. Edgar shrugged and began stacking a plate full of food. Everyone else did the same. Silvi, unfortunately, didnt have opposable thumbs, but she made up for it with Telekinesis and Mage Hand. Soon, strips of bacon were flying to her plate as a blue hand gathered eggs and biscuits. Thats awesome. Edgar commented. The group didnt waste time eating. Soon, the table was empty. Edgar sat back and patted his belly. That hit the spot and these chairs I could fall asleep right now. He gets it Derek was starting to like this outspoken man. After breakfast, Brandi scurried to her basement. Rudy moved to his contract store, still trying to think of a proper name. Thomas ran off to train with Shae, and Silvi and Mal went back to the kitchen to increase their skill levels. Leaving Derek and the two young men alone in the dining room. Not long after, the shop door crashed open and Raynas voice blasted through the air. Derek! Instantly, Derek was down the stairs in front of a disheveled Rayna. Edgar and Jake followed closely. Its Jacks hes surrounded! She cried out. Chapter 180: Attackers Chapter 180: Attackers Woah, woah, woah Derek ran up to Rayna. Take a breath calm down then tell me whats going on. Rayna took a deep breath and let it out. Jacks we were finishing up training and about to come back when we were ambushed. Theyre not that strong. I think Jacks is stronger than any one of them, but there are a lot. He sent me back here and stopped them from chasing after me. Where is he? Jake stepped forth. Rayna only just then seen that there were others there besides Derek. Who it doesnt matter She shook her head. We were training at the apes The Cudgel Apes? Jake asked. Yes. Rayna confirmed. We were just inside their territory when we were ambushed. Do you know where that is? Derek asked Jake. I do. Good. Can you lead the way? I can. Lets go. Jake was already moving towards the door. Malorie! Derek yelled upstairs. Take care of Rayna well be back soon. Derek ran out the door and followed Jake, who was already a good distance away. Im coming too! Edgar shouted, as he caught up with Derek in an instant. Fast! Derek thought, seeing the man move. Soon, all three of them were together, with Jake in the lead. *** Dammit! Jacks spit out a mouthful of blood as fist sized rock struck him in his chest. Twelve, there were twelve hooded figures who ambushed him and Rayna. All of them had the strength of someone in the Platinum Ranks at the Adventurers Guild. He had blocked them all from pursuing Rayna with a giant wall of fire surrounding them. It lasted long enough for the woman to get away. Since she was a wind user and had increased her level so much over the last few days, there wasnt much of a chance of her being chased down. The group that attacked seemed to know this as well, and chose not to chase once the wall of fire calmed down. The remaining attackers grabbed their fallen comrades and backed away, causing Jacks to release another sigh. It looked like his final attack would fail. Who in their right mind would stand still for an attack like the one he was charging? Who except for Derek? The attackers all spread out. Jackss eyes locked on one of the half elves. The archer that hit him with the toxin. Since he could only go after one, he chose the archer. If Jacks was going out, he would take that bastard out with him. Jacks shifted his weight to his back foot and prepared to launch himself forward. With a vast amount of effort, he pushed off the ground but didnt move. He couldnt move. A weight had fallen on his shoulder, one that held him down. Looks like we made it. A voice that struck joy into Jackss heart sounded in his ear. Jacks turned his head only to see a set of cold purple eyes staring back at him. Jacks heaved a sigh and released all his skills. He fell onto one knee. She made it, then? He managed to ask between pants. His Stamina was dangerously low. She did. Derek answered. Whats wrong with you? He asked in a concerned tone. Toxin eats Stamina. Jacks gasped. A wave of something then fell over Jacks. Healing? No this is a curative skill Jacks glanced at his status to see his Stamina slowly going up. The skill didnt completely removed the toxin, but it slowed it down enough for his potions to recover some. In any case, Jacks was no longer in risk of losing consciousness. Another wave of mana fell over him. This one is healing. He still managed to have a decent amount of health left, so whatever skill Derek used only topped him off on health. It was his Mana and Stamina that were critically low, but they were recovering. Theyre running. Dereks voice broke him out of his thoughts. No theyre not. A voice Jacks didnt recognize came from above. Thats when he realized that more than just Derek came. Jacks tilted his head up to see the newcomer. An attractive young man with white hair floated in the air above them. Small charges of lightning shot out at different angles from his feet. Crown Prince Edward? Jacks thought, then immediately dismissed it. The man looked like the Crown Prince, but he was younger. It had been over a decade since Jacks caught sight of the Crown Prince. He already looked older than the man above him. Hes definitely related to the Cydaria family. He thought. The young man clapped, and Jackss ears nearly exploded. Thunder reverberated for miles around the area. Jacks turned his head towards his attackers. Multiple small bolts of lightning fell from the sky and struck them. They had no chance to escape. Jacks was sure that none died, though. He moved his eyes back to the man in the sky, then shifted to behind the man. A young man who he hadnt seen before stood in the air behind the Cydarian Royal. Flames covered his feet, combusting to keep him in the air. It was a skill Jacks knew all to well, a skill he also had. But Jacks ignored all that as his eyes fell onto the young mans face. Jake! Chapter 181: Somewhat of a Prince Chapter 181: Somewhat of a Prince Derek removed his hand from Jackss shoulder as the man shouted for his son. Edgar and Jake floated down beside Derek and Jacks. Father. Jake said. Jacks walked over and took the young man in his arms, swinging him around in the process. What are you doing here? I didnt expect you so soon. They had leave. Derek said and snorted. Jacks let the squirming young man out of his embrace and turned towards Edgar and bowed slightly. Thank you for your help, Prince Edgar rolled his eyes. Edgar, but dont call me prince. Ah so you were a prince. No wonder you did all that flashy shit. Derek said. What do you mean? Edgar asked. Like you really needed to clap your hands like that before releasing that skill. How long do you stand in front of a mirror each day practicing that? Huh? Tell me. Derek said. Edgars pale face became a slight shade of pink. Ahem it helps control the skill. Sure it does. Derek said. Well, it doesnt matter, does it? It knocked them all unconscious, didnt it? Thats what matters. I guess Derek turned to look at the reunited father son duo. Jacks had dragged Jake off a small distance and they were talking. Derek shrugged. Doesnt look like any of them died. A couple are critical, but not dead. Derek said, after scanning the fallen bodies around them. I wonder if Jacks held back, or if they just got lucky. With burns like those, I dont see how I could call it luck. Edgar said. They arent dead, and a decent healer can fix all that. Plus, you came along and knocked them unconscious. I dont know if I would have been so generous. Derek said. As you know now, Im somewhat of a Prince. Diplomacy and all that Edgar said. Derek shrugged. Im going to go gather them up. Do you have a way to carry them back to the city? Im going to have some questions to ask these elves Derek had his Time Prison that he could use, but he didnt want to use it around Jake and Edgar, especially Edgar. The man seemed decent enough, but Derek held little respect for the Royal Family after everything happened with Torith. Half elves. Edgar corrected. Half elves, then. I dont know theres what? 12 of them? Im sure we can think of a way to get them back to the city. Edgar replied. Well, think about it. Derek walked off and made his way to the body lying the furthest away from them. He grabbed the half elf by the ankle and dragged him back, grabbing another body along the way. After a short while, he had gathered all 12 half elves together. You think of anything? He asked Edgar. Edgar waved his arm and an extravagant rug fell onto the ground. This work? he asked. You sure you want to dirty up something so royal? Derek asked. The prince shrugged. I never really liked it, anyway. Whatever, your choice. Derek turned back to the father son duo. Hey! Were heading back. Yall can catch up when we get back to the shop. The two walked back over. Half elves? Jake asked. Elras? Edgar said. Sabrina Elras? That would be the one. Derek said. Shes some foreign dignitary from India or something. Its Indria. Edgar said. And why would she want to harm you or your people? Derek shrugged. She wanted to cut in line. I didnt let her. Thats it? Edgar asked. I may have released my aura against her goons, but I didnt leave any lasting damage. It was just a warning. Why do people around here take warning so badly? It still doesnt make any sense. She would know better than to mess with an Onyx Ranked Adventurer. She is a dignitary very political. She wouldnt do something like this, especially in a city like Savannah. Edgar said. The Prince looked at the half elf again. Were you acting under the Lady Elrass orders? As if the Lady would speak to someone as lowly as me. Ah I get it now. Edgar said. You do? I sure as hell dont. Whats going on? Derek asked. First of all, I dont think they planned on killing Jacks. Edgar said. Did you? he asked the half elf. Of course not. That would taint the Ladys name. We were teaching them a lesson in disrespect. The half elf said. Edgar sighed. What we have here is a group of fanatic half elves wanting to impress Lady Elras. It is possible that she could put a good word in and have them accepted as full citizens of Indria. Doesnt that place treat half elves like crap? Derek asked. Edgar shrugged. People want to be with their people. Plus, they will be treated better if they are recommended by a high noble, such as Lady Elras. So stupid Derek said. What do we do with them? Let them go? Edgar suggested. Its not like Lady Elras has anything to do with them. I doubt theyll act again, knowing that they were caught by two Onyx Ranks one who just so happens to be a Prince of this Kingdom He looked pointedly at the half elf, whos eyes shot open. Will you? N-no Your Highness. The half elf muttered. What do you think? Derek asked Jacks. He was really the only one affected by the poor decisions of this lot. Im fine. You can let them go. The man said. Id rather spend the time that Jake is here catching up, not dealing with a bunch of idiots. Plus, I think theyre going to be feeling their bad decision for a while. Its going to take a lot of mana to heal those burns. That wasnt regular fire. Did you hear that? Edgar said. These nice people are letting you and your friends go. Also, dont think Lady Elras wont find out about your transgressions. Dont do things like this in the future. Derek let the man fall to the ground. Get your goons and get out. Th-theyre unconscious Edgar rolled his eyes, then snapped his fingers. Multiple currents of electricity ran through the bodies of the half elves. The one that was already conscious let out a yelp. Whoops. Edgar said. Soon, the half elves were all moaning and clutching at their wounds. Shut up! Derek yelled, and released some aura with it. The whimpering stopped. Im letting you leave this time. Your friend here has some information that I suggest listening to. Derek said. Now GET OUT! The less injured half elves gather up the more heavily injured ones and looked around the room. Up the stairs to the left, then out the door. You are all banned from my shop, so dont think about coming back. Derek said. They looked one last time, then left. Thats that Derek said, and followed behind the fleeing group. Chapter 182: Father/Son Reunion Chapter 182: Father/Son Reunion Once everything with the half elves was settled, Jacks and Jake wanted some time to catch up. There were many things Jacks had to tell Jake, and he preferred to do it in private. Luckily, Rudy wasnt using his office at the moment, so they were able to move there to have their conversation. Once seated, Jacks spoke. Jake you dont know how long Ive wanted to see you. You could have fooled me not contacting me once since you moved off with the Toriths. Jake said. I know theyre not the greatest of nobles, but that didnt matter to me. You didnt have to shut me out. A letter here and there would have sufficed. Five years! Its been five years and you havent so much as written! Jacks winced at his sons accusation. I know and Im sorry. Malcolm Gerald I wanted them to have nothing to do with you. I kept you from them as best I could before I was able to send you to the Academy. Theres a reason for that. They arent just not the greatest of nobles, they are despicable, the lot of them. What do you mean? You said in your letter that you had many things you wanted to tell me. Is it about them? The Toriths? Jacks nodded. Thats right Do you remember the day you were taken? How could I forget? Jake frowned. You were off in a dungeon. Me and me and mom were at home, waiting for you to get back. I had just gone to sleep when our front door was broken down. Mom di she wasnt even able to get an attack off before she died. Jake clenched his fist and bit his bottom lip. They put a bag over my head and took me. And you remember how I found you? Jacks asked. You said Gerald Torith used his resources to help find me in exchange for your cooperation. Jake said. Im afraid theres much more to the story that we I never pieced together. Jacks said. More to the story? Yes. Jacks confirmed. When I got back from the dungeon and found your mother on the floor, I was distraught and angry. Then, I realized I couldnt find you. I looked and looked, used all my contacts and favors, but I couldnt find any trace of you. Then I was contacted by one of Toriths men. And? Jake asked. Well, I never thought about it, because he was able to find you. I counted my blessings that you were alive and well, and never questioned anything. Whatever the price, it was more than worth it to have you back. Jacks said. But now, something doesnt add up? Jake asked. Exactly. Jacks said. Ive watched that noble house do truly atrocious things, and I couldnt interfere because of my oath and contract. All I could do was not help. There were times when I had to do terrible things because Malcolm got himself in trouble. I truly regret those moments. Now, why would such a terrible noble house come to me and offer to help find my son? Jacks asked rhetorically. I think it was because of who I was. Who you were? Yes. I was a commoner on my way to Onyx Rank. I held no ties to any noble house, and I was known to do the right thing. What happens when a new power rises in a place controlled by the few? Jacks asked. Jake closed his eyes. They either take the power, or eliminate it. They wont let it grow. Thats right. Jacks said. And since I didnt have any ties, I didnt have any backing. Most adventurers like me end up working for the Adventurers Guild. Nobody wants to piss off that man. Its what I should have done, but I wanted to be free.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com Jake half shouted. And how are they supposed to get proof without investigating? They cant. Then what do we do? Jake asked. Jacks shrugged. Ive decided to become stronger and help Derek. Since Derek killed Malcolm, there is no way Gerald will let him off. Ill be right behind him when he makes a decision. Ill be here, too. Jake said. No. Jacks shook his head. You stay with Prince Edgar. Grow stronger. Keep your backing. She was my MOTHER! Jake slammed his fist down on the table. And she was my wife! Jacks said back. I will not have you throwing your life away when theres nothing you can do. Your mother wouldnt want you to. This is something I have to do. You only need to worry about yourself. Jake grit his teeth. Im still telling Edgar. Do what you want with the information. Just know that theres nothing the Royal Family can do right now. As for now, I think the best bet is on Derek. Hes strong. Jacks said. Hes still only an Onyx Rank. Jake said. Jacks snorted. Thats as high rank as the Adventurers Guild in Savannah is able to give out. I believe his strength is at the Diamond Rank. Youre saying hes already as strong as the King and the Siren from the Crown? Jake asked. Dont talk bad about Miss Swan, she and Derek seem to be good friends. Jacks cut him off. Jake was taken aback. Friends with the Si with Alanah Swan? Jacks nodded. He keeps both low and high company. He didnt move to Savannah because of his own safety, he did it for those around him. He wants them to have a safe place to grow. Jake went quiet, thinking. After a few minutes, he spoke. Fine Ill leave House Torith up to you and Derek for now. But if you fail, Im going after them. Thats good. Jacks sighed in relief. He sat back in his chair. Now, tell me about the last five years. Ive only been able to get a few reports about you in secret. How was the Academy? Did you fit in? Jakes face flushed. Well, I didnt fit in from the start. I uh I caused an accident the first week I was there The father son duo continued their conversation late into the night. Jake recount all the fun and troublesome times he had in the Academy and his adventures with Edgar. A very difficult day had blossomed into one of the best nights Jacks had in a decade. He listened with rapt attention and took in everything his son had to say. He could finally be a father again. Chapter 183: Zephyrs Fury Chapter 183: Zephyr''s Fury Derek watched Jacks drag Jake through the shop and into Rudys office. They have a lot of catching up to do. Back in the shop, Rayna, Mal, Silvi, Brandi, and Derek chatted with Edgar about some things. Brandi was super excited about being able to talk to an actual prince. Edgar didnt actually know too much about the political side of the Kingdom. He preferred fighting and adventuring. Even though he was considered a General of the Kings army, and he had worked his way up from one of the lower ranks, he didnt particularly enjoy that, either. The Kingdom had been peaceful for over two decades at this point, so the army mostly patrolled the borders. Cydaria was bordered by Vallum and the dwarves, Indria and the elves, and Astrus, which was a Kingdom made up like Cydaria, one accepting of all, to a certain extent. Edgar told them stories of patrolling the borders and the state of everything. The borders with Indria and Vallum were lax, as both countries had multiple trade deals with Cydaria and had a good relationship, even though the elves of Indria had a very elitist attitude towards humans. Apparently, they even allowed a certain amount of slaves, as long as they werent elves. Derek didnt like that, but it seemed common. When he asked about it, Edgar told him that only Vallum and Cydaria frown on the tradition. The dwarves of Vallum despise slavery because they think a person should be able to do everything on their own, with their own hands. Derek liked that attitude. As for the border with Astrus, it was more heavily guarded. They had been at a standstill since the last war ended 23 years ago. Neither country came out for the better. It seemed like a bit of a Cold War situation to Derek. The Rampant Sea bordered the entire eastern side of Cydaria, which required as many, if not more, of the armys attention. There were many monsters that appeared from the sea onto the land and occasionally attacked villages and cities close by. If Derek would have continued east after arriving at Wimette, he soon would have run into the sea. Derek still didnt understand the size of the continent they were on, but from everything he gathered, it was massive. Cydaria had as much landmass as Russia, and the three kingdoms that bordered it werent much smaller. The planet had to be at least 10 times bigger than Earth. When Derek asked about the population of Cydaria, he was surprised to learn that it was over a billion. It didnt make sense. There didnt seem to be more than a few million people in Savannah, and it was supposed to be one of the best cities in the Kingdom. Then he remembered the fee to enter, and all the businesses. When he asked about it, he learned that there were over 600 million people in and around the Cydarian Capital. The villages around the capital were more like sub cities than the actual sub cities were. Because of the presence of the army, and even though the area and dungeons around the capital were dangerous, it was still the safest place to live in the Kingdom. It all blew Dereks mind. He couldnt wait to see the capital city. But he wanted to see it from the outside. During their discussion, Thomas dragged his disheveled body back to the shop. Shae really didnt take it easy on the kid. Derek was happy for him. Shae was a much better mentor than Derek could have ever been. Once Derek finished getting information about the Kingdom out of Edgar, he left Mal, Brandi, and Thomas with the Prince to keep him company. He then dragged Rayna downstairs to discuss her training. She followed him down to the basement. When they got there, Derek activated the soundproofing runes Geoffrey installed for Brandi so the racket wouldnt reach upstairs. Derek hopped on top of the workbench, and Rayna took a seat on the anvil. So, other than being ambushed by a crazy cult, how was your training? When I mentioned that Jacks was training you, Jake asked if you had strong willpower. Was it pretty harsh? Derek asked. Legendary she mumbled. I cant believe Im going to have a chance to get a legendary class. Its kind of overwhelming. Well Derek prodded. Cmon, whats your class like? Rayna closed her eyes. The name changed. Its no longer Zephyrs Gale, its Zephyrs Fury. Its still a ranged wind swordsman type class. I get three points in Endurance and Vitality per level. Two points into Strength. And five points into Dexterity, Wisdom, and Intelligence. Oh? A total of 23 stat points per level. Thats not bad. Derek said. Brandi was the first anomaly with odd stat points, but her class was crazy. It was rare, and she almost got epic class stats. Three more points than a normal epic rarity class made more sense. It seemed that growth type classes received a bit more of a push than regular classes. Derek inwardly cursed at the system. He had only received 20 points when his was epic, yet it was a growth type class. He did have the ability to put the points wherever he wished, though, so he couldnt complain much. What did you get? Derek asked. Rayna closed her eyes again. There are three skills, but I havent bought them yet. Ill need to buy and test them later. She scoffed. One of them is a passive increase in movement speed. Its called Swift Footing. It doesnt have any requirements, its always on. I could have used that when running away. Hindsight Derek said. One is called Cyclone it makes tornadoes I can control. Its an area of effect spell. She said. The last one is Wind Bolt. It charges wind on the tip of my finger, or sword, then shoots it out at high speed. The speed and density of the bolt increases as it levels. It doesnt cost a lot of mana, either. Sounds like pretty good skills. Derek said. The Cyclone skill is probably the same as the one that the Canis Cyclonis used back in that early beast dungeon the one that I used Void Shift for the first time to kill. By the way, did anyone tell you that your eyes are different yet? What? What do you mean? She hurriedly asked. I think it has something to do with obtaining a certain amount of skill in an element. If you look closely at Edgar, you can see the lightning currents running through his eyes. Remember when I upgraded my class and my eyes turned purple? I dont even have black pupils anymore. Derek explained. Rayna nodded. Well, congratulations. You dont have pupils anymore, either. And your eye color is now a bluish green. The same color as your Wind Blade after you changed to the Zephyr class at level 50, Derek said. Rayna frowned and asked in a worried tone, Do they still match my hair? Chapter 184: Preparations Chapter 184: Preparations For the next few days, everyone spent their time together, catching up. Derek took Rayna to the Adventurers Guild to both train her new skills, and get her a Gold Adventurers Badge. She easily completed her testing missions to obtain the rank. Normally, Jacks would be the one to help Rayna, but he was busy with his son. They had a lot of catching up to do. Derek knew Jacks had let Jake know about everything that had transpired and was glad to see that the two of them ended up having a decent relationship. Prince Edgar was a bit of an oddball. He mostly just sat around, listening and giving his two cents on topics that interested him. More than anything, the man seemed to be happy to be where he was, and not where he obviously should have been. The Prince turned out to be a very patient man, as well. There was a never-ending stream of questions flowing out of Thomass mouth about the Academy. Derek also found time to take Malorie to the bank and set everything up. She would be the manager at their shop, so he gave her access to everything, including his finances. He wasnt worried about money. If he need it personally, he could just go on a hunt for something big. He also wasnt worried about her stealing. He trusted her and trusted that she wouldnt do anything to jeopardize Brandis future. Rudy finally got over his excitement and decided that his business didnt need a flamboyant name. He was in the contract business. It was better to be straightforward. Eventually, he settled on Contracts by Rudy. Derek helped with the slogan, Always get it in writing! After a short conversation with Geoffrey, the sign and slogan was mounted above the entrance to his part of the building. Finally, Derek talked with Stella about the Void Beast materials, and was able to get everything within two days. Apparently, Alanah had made an official announcement and was beginning to prepare for the auction, which would be the first of two, and be held in Savannah. Thus, the Void Beasts were already in the process of being prepared when he made the request. Roman was ecstatic when Derek delivered the materials, as was Rudy. It was the first contract he made under his new business. Overall, the contract was in Dereks favor, but Roman couldnt complain. He would not only being making an absurd amount of money, but the experience he would get for crafting the potions would be no joke. He even redoubled his efforts in teaching Brandi when she went over for lessons. As for Sabrina Elras, f everything was as Edgar said, then she didnt have anything to do with it. He did see the elf around, though. He even caught her staring in his direction a couple of times when he was in the central part of the city. She would quickly turn her head and act as if nothing happened. He still heard nothing about or from Natalie Savannah. Apparently, the incident with the ambush didnt warrant her involvement, as everything was settled without death. A prince being there probably helped the matters, as well. Which led Derek to today. He was standing outside the Crown Restaurant waiting for one last meeting with Stella before he left for a dungeon. In his storage bracelet, sat one vial of the Potion of Physical Permanence. The auction was a month away, and he was looking to add an extra layer to it. He hadnt planned on rushing out the product so fast, but with the auction happening sooner than he originally thought it would, he decided to show off his new product. I dont know why were here. I have more than enough clout to advertise the potion for myself. Roman clicked his tongue. I trust Alanahs clientele much more than I trust yours. Hers is very selective, yours not so much. Derek said. Plus, it may be better for you to keep your name hidden. You may attract some unsavory characters once it becomes known that you can create such a potion. Roman spat on the street. I already attract unsavory characters. They pay the best. Yeah, but none of your previous potions would be worth killing for, and I dont think youre as strong as Alanah is. I dont think Shaes backing would be enough to keep you safe after announcing something like this, and my reputation isnt high enough yet. It will be one day, possibly soon, but for now, I think its best to rely on Alanah and the Crown. Derek said. Whatever well try it your way. But the costs are coming out of your half. Roman said. Derek chuckled and led Roman into the Crown Restaurant. They were quickly ushered upstairs to Stellas office. She was waiting for their arrival. Stella! Derek walked in and grabbed a seat. Roman followed his lead and hopped in a chair of his own. Stella turned to Roman with a glint in her eyes and smiled. We do have a few extra sets of Void Beast materials that weve accumulated or havent sold over the years. Would you be interested? Derek snapped his fingers in front of Stellas face. Hey Im still here. Stella snapped back. Oh sorry about that. I got ahead of myself. We may not even have all the correct materials needed, anyway. I dont know if we have any claws left in our stock, as they make for great smiting materials hides as well. So, what do you say? Can we work with you? Derek asked. Im sure we can work something out. Ill contact my Mistress about it later. Stella answered and held the potion out for Derek to take. Keep it. Youll need to test it to verify its worth. Just remember. Derek said. Weve provided the entirety of the product. You will only be advertising and selling it to your clients a product that doesnt necessarily need your advertising or selling. Only your backing if that. I am well aware. Stella said. Thats good. Derek said. Call me on the communication crystal once you figure something out. I may be out for a couple of weeks, but we will be able to work something out before the auction. Oh? Where are you going? Stella asked. Derek shrugged. Around. He said. Anyway, we need to get going. Derek stood, as did Roman. Its been a pleasure doing business with you again. Derek reached out and shook Stellas hand. Always. Stella said. After that, the two left the Crown and began their trip back to Romans shop. You sure were quiet in there. Derek said. I dont like doing business with business minded people. I like to set a price, then they pay it or leave. Negotiations make my skin crawl. So thats why you didnt put up much of a fight with our contract? Derek said. They werent bad terms, either. You didnt seem like the type to rip me off. Roman said. Indeed. Chapter 185: Final Preparations Chapter 185: Final Preparations After Derek left Romans, he went back home. With everything he could think of taken care of, he planned on leaving for a dungeon the next morning. He asked Silvi if she wanted to go with him, but once she learned they would be fighting against stone golems, and that rocks werent in the least bit tasty, she decided to stay home and practice cooking. Thomas wanted to go, but he still had his training with Shae. He could be power leveled anytime, but he wouldnt be able to get the training of a true spear master often. Only Silvi knew exactly where he was going. The others only knew he was heading to a dungeon. At the end of the day, Derek lay on his bed and checked his stats. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 30 Level 102 Experience 1,355,600/7,000,000 Class Legend of the Void (Legendary) Race Human (Modified) Health 16575 Mana 5000 Stamina 16575 Defense 165 (Armor + 0) Attack 125(Weapon + 0) Stats Strength 705 Dexterity 505 Endurance 1105 500 Stat Points Remaining 63 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown) View Contract Silvi (Bonded Beast) View Status Stella Brighton (Crown) View Contract Francesco Jaccobs (Adventurers Guild) View Contract Rudolph Mckinney View Contract Skills Void Steps Level 2 Use the void as a foothold to move. Void Storage Level N/A Use a storage space made from void. Unarmed Combat Mastery Level 9 Increase efficiency when not using a weapon or magic. Skill Points Remaining 16 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Lesser Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse With his constant use, failure or success, of Identify, it had gained a level. Most people didnt know or have the Enigma Award, so he didnt worry about being found out. His Greater Meditation also increased a bit. It made sense, as he did more meditating than he actually did sleeping. Void Sense was always active, thus slowly increasing in level. When he really tried to look at the ripples and the void all around him, it was clearer than before. Derek felt he would be able to use his void skill more easily the higher Void Sense leveled. He tried to keep it in mind to try to actively level the skill, but the senses overload he received when he focused on it was still annoying. Speaking of void skills, he gained a level in Void Steps when he rushed to help Jacks a few days ago. Everyone else was ignoring the ground as they rushed over, so he did too. It had gotten a few odd looks, as nobody was able to tell what element the skill was using. It was blatantly obvious with Edgars crackling lightning trail and Jakes exploding steps what element they used, but other than Dereks eyes, nobody he didnt want to know knew about his void attribute. Time Prison was the skill Derek was most interested in at the moment. It had leveled to level 4. That, plus the fact that his prisoners sentences were going to be up soon, drew his attention. I suppose I need to go in and settle all that before I leave tomorrow. Derek hopped up from his bed and moved down to the basement below. When he opened the door, the clanging of metal rang out. He smiled at the girl, still hard at work, and walked over to an unused section of the basement. When he ripped the void, the clanging stopped. Derek? What are you doing down here? Brandi asked. Nothing much. I need to check on some things in here before I leave tomorrow. Sorry for distracting you. He replied. Oh its fine. I was just practicing my hammering. I wasnt making anything. The girl said. Is it the people that youre checking on? Derek nodded. Yes the prisoners. Youre not letting them out, right? Nope. Definitely not. Derek said. Thats good. Jacks said they were all bad people. And the one even tried to kill Thomas. Brandi said. Derek nodded. Yup. You dont have to worry about them. I just need to make some adjustments. You can get back to work. Dont let me distract you. Brandi nodded, and soon, the clanging of metal sounded again. Derek reached forward and grabbed the handle of the door to the prison. He pulled. Once again, he stepped into the dark lobby. He still hadnt looked for any temporary light fixtures to brighten the room, it wasnt something he currently needed. Derek stepped forward and moved to the door containing Clay Torith. He reached out and placed his hand on it. As of now, it showed that just under three weeks were left. The timer was still counting down one second for every two seconds that Derek felt. With the skill at a higher level, with a thought, Derek adjusted the countdown timer. Soon, for every five seconds that passed, the cell only ticked down one second. There, that will make sure I dont have to worry about it for a while. If I have the need to talk to either Clay or one of the assassins, I can always speed the time up. At the rate he adjusted the prison cell, it would be almost four months before the timer expired. Once he finished adjusting Cell #003, he moved over and adjusted the other two active cells. When he was finished, he also noticed the addition of more prison cells than before. By his calculations, once the skill leveled to 20, he would have exactly 100 cells available. He doubted he would ever need so many, but there was a chance that the time served in the nothingness of the void could possibly change someone. The possibility was slim, but it was there. Having put the Time Prison out of his mind for now, Derek walked back out into the basement and closed the door. Then, he reached out and pulled the void back together and watched the space heal itself. After that, he walked back over to Brandi, who was currently looking at a piece of some metal. Im finished in here. He said. Im going to go sleep. You should too. You dont want to worry your mother too much. Brandi nodded. I will soon. Just a bit more and all the durability of this she flashed the metal piece at Derek. will be gone. I want to finish what I started tonight so I can work on something else tomorrow. Okay. Derek said. Good night. He tapped the top of the girls head with his finger. Brandi reached up and put her hand on her head and rubbed. Good night. Derek walked out of the basement and back up to his room. After going through a mental checklist, he decided that he took care of everything that required his immediate attention, and he wouldnt have to worry about things while he was gone. He sat on his bed, then laid back and closed his eyes. Soon, he drifted off to sleep. The next morning, Derek awoke to the smell of freshly cooked breakfast. After a quick trip to the bathroom, and the hope that Geoffrey would have a working shower prototype ready for when he got back, he moved on to the dining room, where Malorie met him at the door. Youre just in time. Malorie said. Huh? Silvi and I woke up early to make a big breakfast before you left. We wanted to send you off on a full stomach. She said. Derek looked past Malorie and saw Silvi sitting on the table drooling over the freshly baked bread, sausages, eggs, and other food. Mhm He said. Im sure thats all Silvi had on her mind when you were preparing everything. She looks really concerned about me right now. Malorie smiled and shook her head. Well, it was the plan until the food was ready. Once shes finished cooking, everything else goes out the window until shes eaten. She said. Now, come on and eat. The others wont be up for a while, so you dont have to wait. Derek did as told and had a great meal. Surprisingly, Edgar arrived at the dining room not long after Derek. He asked if Derek needed any company on his trip, most likely so he could stay away from the political side of things for as long as possible, but Derek refused, as he didnt want others to learn of his actual level yet. If everything went well, he would so raise his level high enough that he wouldnt have to worry about hiding it. He could just reduce the power he showed to others, making it seem like he was still Onyx Ranked. Nobody else arrived during his breakfast. He said his goodbyes to Mal and Edgar and patted his crazy kitchen bunny on the head before leaving. He took out a map, then hopped into the air with Void Steps and took off towards his destination, The Golem Dungeon. Chapter 186: News from the Crown Prince Chapter 186: News from the Crown Prince Edward hurried through the palace, moving towards the Kings Library. He planned on setting off to inspect the border before he received news hed been waiting the last six months for. News that his father, the King, needed to know. Without waiting, he threw the door to the library open and made his way straight to his father. Upon arriving in front of his father, he bowed. Your Highness, Advisor Musgrave. Edward greeted. What is it, my boy? The King asked. No need to stand on ceremony. For you to rush in like this, it must be important. Edward glanced at his father, then at Phillip Musgrave. Usually, Gerald Torith would be advising the King here in the library, but since the audience with Alanah Swan, Gerald had fallen out of the Kings good graces. Though his father still couldnt decide what to do with the man. Gerald had obtained too much power in his time as Advisor, so the King couldnt act rashly. Edward cleared his throat. Father, its about the dungeon. Dungeon the one you found six months ago? Off the coast in an underwater cavern? The King asked. Edward nodded. Yes. He replied. The very same. What about it? Their back Edward answered. The squad. What did they find out? The King sat forward. As you know, the dungeon is a level 250 unstable raid dungeon with time attributes. I sent Lieutenant Truss and his squad in with escape scrolls to investigate. We havent heard from them in six months, but the dungeon status continued to be occupied. He explained. The King nodded heavily. The squad reappeared today after using their escape scrolls. Edward said. What did they find out? The King asked. Not much, other than the time distortion. According to Lieutenant Truss, they were only in the dungeon for just under a week. Yet, on the outside, nearly six months have passed. So, its safe to assume that the time distortion is around 30 times. One day inside is around one month on the outside. The Prince said. Troublesome. King Edwin scratched the scruff on his chin. Did they report anything on the enemies within? Edward shook his head. As you know, Lieutenant Truss and his squad of five are only upper Platinum Rank. As it is a raid dungeon with room for a party of 25 adventurers, I commanded them to keep safe. During their stay, they barely left the safe zone. As it was a time dungeon, I felt the first priority was to find out how distorted it was. The King nodded. So, we have an unstable dungeon that could overflow at any moment. On top of that, its a level 250 raid dungeon with a time distortion of 1:30. Not to mention the fact that the border with Indria is becoming uneasy what to do? Father. Edward said, grabbing the Kings attention. Let me select a team and lead them through the dungeon. It must be completed, and soon. Level 250 monsters would wreak havoc in the Kingdom if we dont do something about it. Prince Edward. Advisor Musgrave spoke. We cannot have the commander of the Kingdoms army disappear into an unknown dungeon with such unrest at the border. Everyone is already on edge. If you disappear, it may be seen as a sign of weakness. Two months ago? Hes been missing for two month? Have you heard anything about him? The King asked. Edward shook his head. According to some of the officers who talked with him before he left Edward paused. Edgar went on vacation. Have you tried to contact him through his crystal? The King asked. At least once a week. Either he is in a dungeon or hes ignoring me. Edward said. Edwin snorted and summoned a red crystal from his storage ring. Lets see if he ignores me. He poured mana into the crystal, causing it to glow a bright red. The light shined for some time before dimming. The King released the crystal from his grasp. He must be in a dungeon. The King said matter of factly. Who in their right mind would ignore a call from the King of an entire country? That must be the case. Edward said. He also pulled out a crystal and tried to contact Edgar. Just like what happened with his father, the crystal did not connect. Uh Advisor Musgrave cleared his throat. What is it, Phillip? The King asked. Its about Prince Edgar. Phillip said. What about him? Thats Spit it out. The King commanded. Phillip Musgrave let out a deep sigh. Your son Prince Edgar was seen two days ago in Savannah. There must be a mistake. The King said. Are you saying my son is ignoring me? The King. Im sorry, sire. That seems to be the case. Advisor Musgrave said. Im going to kill him. Im going to go to Savannah and kill him. Edward said. Not if I get to him first. The King said. Phillip. Tell me everything you know. *** Edgar was disappointed that Derek didnt allow him to go with him. On top of that, the red crystal in his hand kept glowing, showing that both his father and brother were trying to get into contact with him. Edgar snorted and put the crystal away. He was tired of constantly being scolded by his family. They just didnt understand. Jake was sitting across the table from him. Soon, the young man frowned and a red crystal appeared in his hand. Abruptly, Edgar jumped to his feet. Dont answer it! He screamed. But alas, it was too late. Chapter 187: Golem Dungeon Chapter 187: Golem Dungeon Using Void Steps, Derek crossed over the city wall. The Golem Dungeon was in the complete opposite direction of where the ambush occurred. Some guards hollered at him as he crossed, but he ignored them. Thats probably gonna cost me another toll to get back into the city. Still, he didnt want to answer any questions. According to the map, the dungeon was in between Savannah and another big city. Minutes after leaving the city, Derek came upon a city. Confused, he hovered in the air and pulled the map back out. This is a village? The village in front of him was about half the size of Torith. It looked more like one of the sub cities than a village. When he first looked at the map and saw all the villages in the area, he thought they were going to be like the one he picked Thomas and the others up from. Instead, they were more like big towns or small cities. Compared to Torith and the surrounding area, this was vastly different. Derek shook his head and went around the town. Instead of heading straight to the dungeon, he made a detour to the next closest village marked on the map. Sure enough, it was another giant town with walls and everything. I wonder if this is just because Savannah is such a popular city. He heard about the millions of people who lived in and around the capital. Now, seeing all the towns around Savannah, he understood how that could be. He put the new information out of his head and moved back on course, to the Golem Dungeon. Derek actually moved faster on land than in air, but this trip was about leveling his skill. He wanted to use this time to level his Void Steps and Void Sense, so he continued using them. When he would run out of mana from Void Steps, he would stop and use Greater Meditation to refill it. Soon, half a day had passed, and he closed in on the dungeons location. He slowed in the air and scouted his surroundings, looking for both the dungeon and other people. He was a fair distance away from any towns or villages. Actually, the further he moved from the city, the smaller the towns became. He even passed one village that was only a bit bigger than Raynas former village. He doubted more than a thousand or two people lived inside. This layout of towns and villages reminded him of back home. Every couple dozen miles, there would be another city or town with tens of thousands of residents. Derek hovered over a lush, flat grassland with multiple small rivers and streams flowing through. The surroundings were clear of obstructions for miles. Well, there were a bunch of random beasts wandering around, but they didnt count. According to Identify, they ranged from level 80 to level 155. The dungeon was supposed to be level 170, so it made sense that the beasts in the surrounding area would be close to that level. Derek pulled out his map one more time. After studying it for a moment, he nodded and moved to the east. Sure enough, in minutes, he saw the dungeon orb. The area around the orb was clear, and there were actually walls around it. A sentry tower was erected on the corner of each wall, but as Derek inspected each one, he found that they were empty. I guess theyre here in case of overflow or something. That, or for adventurers to easily make a camp around the dungeon After verifying that nobody was around, Derek approached the dungeon orb and placed his hand on it. Because of his Solo Diver Award, he didnt have to wait for the countdown timer or a max number of participants.. Participants: 1/5 Derek Hunt: Level 102 Please Choose an Option Below View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Water Golem Level 155 A golem formed of stone and held together by the water element. This monster has high defense and strong physical and elemental attacks. Sounds about right. Derek thought. He viewed the other boulders and noticed that they were all Water Golems. I guess the other golems come after I clear the area of these. Derek cracked his neck and kicked off the ground, aiming his fist at the core of the Water Golem. When his fist connected nothing happened. The already cracked stayed completely intact. Derek was able to pull back his fist and raise his forearms just in time for the backhand to connect. He flew backwards through the air at an incredible speed before finally landing and rolling on the wet ground dozens of feet away before coming to a halt. Well thats to be expected with my mediocre Strength stat. He brushed some of the dirt off and frowned at the mud stuck on his clothing. Looks like channeling the void is going to be the only way for me to beat them. The attack by the golem didnt do any real damage to Derek. It knocked off a few hundred health points, but that regenerated before he even stood back up. Derek walked forward, towards the golem. Instead of waiting around for Derek, the golem made its move. The eight rocks that formed its arms all broke off from its body and moved. Soon, four stones were on each side of Derek, floating in the air around him. The blue aura of the stones intensified before forming into a point and shooting. A jet of steaming water was released from each stone and aimed directly at Derek. Derek wasnt sure of the damage each beam would cause, so he dodged the jets, letting one catch his hand in the process. After noticing the damage done to his hand, he sighed in relief. The damage was there, but it wasnt great. He quickly removed his shirt, then let the jets of water fall onto his bare skin. The skill was like the Geyser skill he was hit with back in Torith, only much hotter and deadlier. Each jet of water removed over 50 health points per second. They also cut into and seared his skin, stopping at the muscle and bone. His natural regeneration wasnt able to keep up with the damage, so he slipped into Greater Meditation. The skill lessened the damage a great amount. For every 400 damage, which was one second, the golem did to him, Greater Meditation helped him heal a bit over 300 HP. He also cast Rejuvenation every time it came off of cooldown. This was a trip to increase his skills, and already the first enemy he found was a prime target to increase his Greater Meditation, Void Sense, Rejuvenation, and Magic Resistance. Derek allowed the magic to continue until he fell to 50% health. Because of his fight with Shae before, he decided to play it safer than he used to. He knew that there were still many things out there that could one shot him if he wasnt careful. Derek canceled his skills and hopped out of the water jets. The beams of water followed him as he channeled the void and made his way back to the Water Golem. The Water Golem tried to pull its arms back in for a physical attack, but Derek was already at it. He jumped up and shot a fist covered in void at the core in its torso. The attack hit, and Derek flipped backwards, away from the golem. Soon, the golem stopped moving. Then, the shining blue light from the cracks in its torso began pulsing slowly, then rapidly. After a moment, the core exploded and shrapnel flew everywhere throughout the area. Derek watched as all the remaining golems formed into humanoid monsters. Nine Water Golems stood. The blue aura surrounding them was almost suffocating. Derek frowned. He wanted to fight them one on one to get as many benefits as possible. Oh well. He thought. I should at least go through the entire dungeon before figuring out the best way to do it. He cracked his void covered knuckles and leaped forward. Chapter 188: Next Area Chapter 188: Next Area With his fists covered in void, Derek kicked off a ripple using Void Steps and flew at the closest Water Golem. With precision, he launched his fist directly into its core. Using the impact, he flew backwards, away from the now pulsing core of the Water Golem. He kicked off the void once again and landed far away to avoid the explosion. Once again, a golem exploded and sent both big and small shrapnel flying everywhere. By that time, the Water Golems had gathered, and Derek could no longer pick them off one by one. He also knew that if he allowed all of them to use their geyser-like skill at the same time, it wouldnt be good for him. He would most likely have to use Void Shift to cover for himself. Derek didnt have the same speed as Shae did, and most probably didnt even have the same speed that the man had when he was at the level of the dungeon. Shae was fast. He did, however, have the same destructive single target damage as the Savannah Adventurers Guild Master. That, and he could get hit without becoming meat paste on the ground. There were eight golems left. Derek picked his next target. If theyre all going to stand around one another like this He launched himself into one of the golems in the center of the formation. He used Void Steps to adjust his position in midair, avoiding being hit by the wide swings of the multiple golems. Immediately after his void covered fist made contact with the golem, he changed his target and launched himself straight into the other center golem. In an instant, the cores of the two Water Golems in the center were pulsing blue. Derek made a mad dash away from the upcoming explosion. The force of the explosion from one golem core was already big enough. Derek trusted his Vitality and Endurance, but he would rather not risk being in the center of two at once. Again, a booming explosion rang out, followed by another a split second later. Then another explosion resounded, then another. As Derek expected, the magic and physical damage of the core explosion was enough to set off a chain reaction between the golems. Derek watched with a smile as the golems blasted off, one by one. Its never a good idea to stand directly beside a walking bomb. He shook his head. Unfortunately, after all the explosions, one golem still stood tall. Dammit Derek muttered. It would have been so satisfying if they all popped at once. He shook his head and propelled himself to the last remaining Water Golem that he could see. Instead of channeling the void, this time, he stopped himself in midair, a few feet in front of the core of the golem. He swiped out with his fist, activating both Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike at the same time. He was in this dungeon level skills. Everything else came second. A blue arch of mana landed perfectly on the golems core. Derek jumped back to observe the damage. Unfortunately, his Sweeping Slash skill didnt have the increased power it would have if it were augmented by a weapon, so its destructive power fell greatly. Still, when it hit, combined with Multi-Strike, the cracked stone surrounding the core crumbled. It didnt do enough damage to instantly destroy the core, but it did much more damage than his fist alone. The results satisfied Derek. He made a mental note to use Multi-Strike as much as possible. Since he could combine the skill with any of his others, including Channel Void, it was the perfect support ability to increase his single target damage. Since there was only one golem left, and he had tested out his other skills on it. Derek hung back and waited for the golem to set up its geyser ability. It took some baiting and some time, but the golem finally dismantled its arms and surrounded him. This time, when the geysers went off, Derek used Absolute Nullify. It was the first time hed tried the skill. He hadnt run into anything he felt comfortable testing the skill on, yet, so the water jets, which he knew he could handle both physically and magically, were the perfect targets. Derek walked up and pushed the door to the side, revealing a giant volcanic area covered in molten lava. Again, multiple boulders were scattered throughout the area, which Derek could guess were Fire Golems. Putting his suspicions to the test, he moved to the closest one. Soon, the giant rock gathered the stones around it, forming into another humanoid golem. This time, the magic that joined each stone was a crimson red. Now, Derek was certain that it was a Fire Golem. Still, he used Identify. Fire Golem Level 160 A golem formed of stone and held together by the fire element. This monster has high defense and strong physical and elemental attacks. The description was almost identical to the Water Golem, other than its level being five levels higher and the monster being held together with the fire element. Derek backed away, careful not to aggro more than the one golem. He wanted to test its skills just as he did with the Water Golem. Apparently, the Fire Golem didnt have the same type of attack as the water one. Instead of splitting and forming jets of fire, which is what Derek thought would happen, the golem covered its limbs in flames and rushed Derek. The golem was fast. It was a little slower than Derek, but not by much. Derek kicked off the ground, then landed in the air using Void Steps. The other golem was able to use its water attack to hit Derek from a distance, but it didnt look like the Fire Golem had ranged attacks. Derek floated in the air, slowly exhausting mana, but surely leveling his Void Steps up at a rapid pace. He was in combat, and all skills leveled faster when something was trying to kill you. Unfortunately, it seemed this area of the dungeon was designed with the golems attack in mind. The ceiling of the area stopped Derek from hovering completely out of the range of the Fire Golems attack. The explosion that came off the fist of the golem was able to just reach the ceiling. That, coupled with its speed, made it hard for Derek to dodge while in the air. Hard, but not impossible. Dereks Void Steps were like having multiple platforms all around him to jump to. So, while it looked like he was hovering or floating in the air, he was actually standing directly on void ripples. As the skill leveled, the ripples became more tangible to him, allowing him to find and stand on them easier and longer. The cost of using the skill slowly decreased as it leveled, as well. At level one, it costed 100 mana/s, but after using it so much in the previous days, it was already level 3, causing it to cost 90 mana/s. By level 20, the skill would either be free, or cost so little that it didnt matter. In his head, Derek was forming a training plan for all his skills. Now, he just needed to check out the remaining areas of the dungeon. He dashed forward and landed his punch on the unsuspecting golem. He would make quick work of this area. Chapter 189: Third Area Chapter 189: Third Area Derek avoided the final shrapnel from the last Fire Golem. Soon, another orb appeared in the middle of the cavern. One leading to the next area. Instead of immediately warping to the next area, he checked some of his notifications. Dismissing most of the kill notifications, he pulled up the last one. You have killed level 160 Fire Ghoul. 11,787,500 Experience Gained Level Up 1,524,300/20,000,000 Experience to Next Level Derek let out a breath and smiled. He knew doing a level 170 dungeon while being around level 100 would be lucrative, but in two areas of the dungeon, he had already leveled up 11 times. Of course, as he leveled, the amount of experience he would need for the next level dramatically increased as well. Not to mention the fact that he would only earn half the experience from each enemy once he completed the dungeon once. Still, it would give him a chance to both level his Lesser Solo Diver Award and his Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer Award. He wanted to level his skills as much as possible in the time before he had to return to Savannah, but towards the end, he would work on speed running the dungeon to push his level to the dungeon cap. The rewards wouldnt be great, but it was a dungeon with few enemies that he could run many times. If he could level up the Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer Award multiple times, it would make things better for some of the dungeons with better rewards that he saw. He only hoped that the bonus for the Award kept rising. Right now, he had a five percent chance of receiving a reward after completing a dungeon after the first time. If he could get that to twenty or more, he could farm skills or equipment in high ranked dungeons. Derek also checked on the skill notifications that he received during this fighting. His Absolute Nullify was level 2, Void Steps had risen to level 5 already, and he even got another level in Magic Resistance, Void Shift, and Channel Void. This was all in the first two areas of the dungeon. Finally, he dismissed the notifications and walked toward the dungeon orb. Placing his hand on it, he moved on to the next area. Derek looked at his surroundings. Damn, this system really enjoys sticking you in a cabin. Again, the safe zone he appeared in was another cabin. He opened the door and walked out. The third area of the dungeon was a completely open field with waist high grass. The sky was cloudless and the sun was high. It was the perfect sunny day. A constant light breeze fell on Dereks face. It was the most beautiful area hed seen in a dungeon. And there wont be any ticks in this grass because its a dungeon and only dungeon monsters spawn. Derek walked through the flourishing flat lands. The only problem he had with the area was that the tall grass was too tall to see the boulders that made up whatever type of golem he would be fighting. Fortunately, that was quickly solved by using Void Steps. Derek jumped up and over the tornadoes and dodged an incoming Wind Blade before stopping in front of the torso of the Wind Golem. With the void channeled into his fist, he struck at the core. However, the core quickly moved and his fist landed on the torso a few inches away from the core. Derek waited, but nothing happened. There was nothing vital in the area, so the void didnt harm wherever it hit. The other golems were pretty slow at moving their whole bodies, so he didnt expect this one to be any different, even though he should have. The wind element made whoever was using it much more mobile, and considering the Wind Golem had no problem flying, he should have expected it to be more elusive. Still, it didnt matter. The thing was huge, and after dodging another incoming Wind Blade, he punched out again. This time, much faster than before. The punch connected, and the surrounding winds immediately ceased. The green-blue aura glowing around the golem flickered, and the core pulsed. Derek kicked off a void ripple and headed straight for one of the other awakened golems. It would be a mess if all the golems in the area powered up at the same time. He needed to finish as many as he could before they all split and started sending tornadoes and giant Wind Blades at him. He jumped from golem to golem, even using Void Shift in between to not allow them to have any offensive. At the end, with an almost depleted mana pool, Derek landed beside the cabin. Because he was using Void Shift, there was almost no time in between the nine explosions. This time, the shrapnel was propelled forward at a speed that made it hard for Derek to track. The extra wind behind it must have increased the speed. Derek wasnt expecting that, so he failed to dodge one of the pieces. He looked down and saw a jagged rock sticking out of his side. It had pierced his skin, went through his muscles, and even penetrated his liver. He was sure his bones would have stopped it, but unfortunately, it just missed his rib cage, passing less than an inch under. Derek cursed at the scene of the jagged rock protruding from his abdomen. He grabbed the stone and pulled, ripping it out of his body. A jet of blood followed, but soon stopped. He cast Rejuvenation on the wound and slipped into Greater Meditation to speed the healing process. Having an organ directly damaged took a chunk out of his overall health, which he learned about when Shae destroyed his kidneys. It wasnt too much this time, only 15%, and he was still sure that none of the shrapnel would have been able to pierce through his bones, but he made up his mind to hide either inside or behind the cabin the next time he came to this area. Maybe Ill put some more points into Dexterity and Strength soon. It will give me some more speed to avoid things like that. Still, he could have used Void Shift, but he was unsure if the small amount of mana left in his pool would even be enough to activate the skill. Yeah Ill do that. If Vitality and Endurance were his primary stats, then Strength and Dexterity were his secondary ones. Still, he waited to allocate the points. He wasnt sure how precise skill leveling was, but they were leveling quickly at the moment, and making the dungeon easier for him would surely slow down the leveling process. After making his decision, Derek moved to the dungeon orb and touched it. He disappeared. Chapter 190: Earth Golem Chapter 190: Earth Golem Reappearing in the fourth area of the dungeon, Derek looked at his surroundings. Looks like another cave, he thought. Unlike the previous cave from the second area with the Fire Golems, this cave wasnt stuffy and humid. He walked forward and pushed a boulder, which was blocking the exit, to the side. When he walked out, he took note of the area. It was a mountain-like terrain with moss-covered rocks scattered throughout. The air was cool, with a refreshing breeze. It was the most comfortable area hed been in since beginning the dungeon. He couldnt tell which stones were stones, and which were golems. Again, he preferred to fight a single one first to figure out what he could do with it before going at the rest. All the countless boulders and stones truly looked the same. Nothing stood out. He knew from the other areas that the closest golem should be at least a certain distance away from the safe zone, so he moved out. He used Identify to scan any boulders he thought may be golems, but was having a hard time finding one. Eventually, he stepped close to a boulder and heard the normal roar of a golem. He sighed in relief. The golem built itself in front of Derek. Identify provided the same information as the previous times, except for the level now being 170 and the golem being an Earth Golem. Derek jumped back to give the Earth Golem enough space to attack. Finally, after putting itself together, with a yellow-brown glow, the surrounding stones and boulders rose from the ground. Ah, so its going to control the surrounding rocks and earth. And just like Dereks thoughts, the Earth Golem did just that. Stone after stone was launched at Derek. He trusted his body against common stones, even though his least favorite type of damage to receive was blunt damage. With his current stats, he doubted any blunt damage would be able to induce a critical hit, instantly killing him. Still, he put his arms up to guard against the stone. He wasnt stupid enough to try to block it with his head. The first stone bashed against his crossed arms, with the impact tossing him back a few feet. The pain wasnt bad, and the damage was minimal. His skin, bones, and muscles were strong enough to absorb the damage from these normal stones, even if they were enhanced by some of the Earth Golems magic. On the bright side, after blocking the fifth stone, he had enough time to quickly view and dismiss a notification stating that his Physical Resistance skill leveled to 13. He smiled. This area would be the perfect one for training that skill. He fought against the Earth Golem for another couple dozen minutes, waiting for it to attack with a different method. When it didnt, he decided to end the fight. He jumped forward with a fistful of void and launched an attack at the core of the golem. However, just before he made it within attacking distance, a wall appeared before him. A wall made of stone and earth. Of course why wouldnt the Earth Golem have more defensive type moves than the other golems? A successfully retrieved mana core used to power an Earth Golem. All I know is that it is used to power the golem, and it was successfully retrieved. He shook his head and stored the basketball sized core. Maybe it would be worth something, or maybe it would be a great material for Brandi in the future. He wouldnt know until he got back to Savannah and asked around. For now, he decided on a new method of destroying the golems. He would combine the void and Multi-Strike to shut them down, then farm their cores. They werent too big, and even if he ran out of storage in his ring and bracelet, he could always toss them in his Void Storage. Now I just need to figure out how to aggro all the other Earth Golems in the area. Usually, the explosion from the first golem would aggro the rest of the golems, but since that didnt happen, he either had to hunt them one by one, or find another way to draw their attention. Derek laughed and cast Chain Lightning. His hands shined the blue of lightning as the skill activated. Lets see if this works, or if theres more to it. He spread his hands, then clapped. A slightly amplified clap sounded out, but it was nothing like what happened with Edgar. Edgar was with lightning like Derek was with void. Derek, on the other hand, only had the one lightning skill. It was worth a shot. Derek went over his skills, but he didnt have anything major he could use to wake them all up at once. Next, he decided to try using his aura. If he couldnt make a loud enough sound, or physically explosion to wake the monsters up, maybe his pressure would. Without even trying to focus or control his aura, Derek let it out. The area around him glowed a deep purple and the whites of his eyes changed to the same purple as his irises. He pushed. He didnt know how far his aura would extend, but just a brush of it should be more than enough to wake a sleeping golem. Sure enough, seconds later, multiple roars broke out. Three Derek retracted his aura and counted the number of rising golems. He kicked off the ground and punched the one closest to him before it had a chance to fully form. The earth still appeared in front of the core, but the wall did not. He didnt use Multi-Strike for the punch, though. After the strike landed, he jumped back and moved toward the mountain cave that doubled as the safe room. Soon, the Earth Golem exploded, and Derek smiled. The remaining golems in the area all roared, and soon, the remaining eight golems were standing. Derek covered his fists in the void and shot forward. It was time to farm some materials. Chapter 191: Boss Room Chapter 191: Boss Room Derek gathered the final core from the last fallen Earth Golem. The process took longer because he had to wait for the Multi-Strike skill to come off cooldown, but he also didnt have to worry about being beheaded by a chain explosion. Plus, he got to level one of his best skills at the same time. He looked at the remains of the Earth Golems. Only the cores seemed to be useful, once they ran out of power, the remaining stones turned into regular rocks. They wouldnt work as a material at all. Derek put the core into his storage ring and moved to the dungeon orb. The next area should be the boss room. I wonder how different the bosses are going to be from the regular mobs. Derek shrugged and placed his hand on the orb, willing it to take him to the next area. When he opened his eyes, he was in another cabin. Its always cabins and caves well, there was that one tomb He mused. Opening the door, he realized that the environment was a combination of all four previous areas. Boiling lava flowed in streams that would usually carry water, while actual pools of water littered the ground. Strong winds carried the steam from the lave to his face, and rocks laid scattered along the streams and ponds. Derek was sure that the rocks were just rocks this time because the boss or bosses, were already standing. There was a single golem of each previous element. The only difference was that they were each twice as big as the ones before. I doubt I spend much time in this area. He thought. He would probably struggle to train his skills while fighting four boss monsters at the same time. It would be better for him to power level his skills in the other rooms. At least, until the returns werent worth the effort anymore. Derek cracked his knuckles and walked forward. Soon, the golems noticed him and started making their moves. Each golem tossed out the same skills as their lesser counterparts. Only, the skills were of a higher quality. The Wind Blades were longer and flew faster, the fire fists caused greater explosions, the thrown stones were much more durable with a thicker coating of the yellowish mana around them, along with the earth walls, and the water jets were both bigger, more powerful, and boiling. I really need to talk to Shae and see how he managed to complete this dungeon. He didnt go into too much detail, but after doing it from start to finish, its hard to believe he completed it with no problems. Derek mused as he looked at the super golems in front. Whatever Derek shrugged. He didnt plan on spending too much time on the bosses. Without any bullshitting, he used Void Shift and headed straight for the boss Earth Golem. It was the biggest pain in the ass. Not only did it block for itself, but it also put walls up in front of his attacks on the other golems. It was obvious that he needed to deal with it first. The void arrived on the fist just before it made contact with the core. Then, with minimal mana remaining in his pool, he jumped into the air and launched himself to the cabin. He didnt want to stick around to watch what happened without any mana in reserve. His mana pool hit depleted just as he landed beside the cabin. The headache from mana fatigue hit him as he reached for the door. He pulled the door open and took a step just before an earth shattering explosion rang out and a heavy wind hit him in the back and launched him into the back wall of the safe room. The door slammed shut behind him. If the Earth Core caused an earthquake before, it only made sense that the wind core would create such high winds. However, what he wasnt expecting was another, even louder, explosion to ring out just after the first. While the first two explosions with the wind and earth cores were already stupendous, they were nothing compared to the next explosion. The entire safe room shook. If Derek didnt know any better, he would have thought it was on the verge of collapsing. Its a safe room it cant collapse right? Soon, Derek got his answer. Multiple dents formed in the front side of the safe room and door, but nothing got through. Derek breathed a sigh of relief once everything went silent. He cautiously walked up to the door and opened it a crack. He poked his head out and looked around. His chin nearly hit the ground. The previous conglomeration of water, fire, earth, and wind was no more. In its stead was a scene out of an apocalyptic horror movie. A massive crater was formed where the three cores had been. No massive didnt even begin to explain it. The crater was the size of multiple football fields. In fact, after looking around, the edge of the crater ended just before the safe house. Lava flowed at the bottom, into water from the now destroyed ponds. Obsidian formed where the water and wind rapidly cooled the lava. Derek jumped into the crater and examined the material, thinking it would be something magical, like what the Crown Hotel was made out of. Unfortunately, it was a regular, run-of-the-mill obsidian. He grabbed a piece of the glass and it sizzled in his hand. With a little pressure, he crushed it into dust. He thought he had something great, but it turned out to be fools gold. Derek believed he had completed the dungeon. The four notifications waiting for his review had to be kill notifications from the boss. However, he didnt see the dungeon orb anywhere. He couldnt receive the rewards until he found it. Finally, he looked directly up and his eyelid twitched. The orb was floating perfectly in the middle of the area which would have been fine if the area was like it was before, and not a giant crater. How are people who dont have flying or floating skill supposed to leave? Eh I guess there are always ways I doubt everyone who fights those things makes such a mess. Now I REALLY want to know how Shae fought them. Derek felt like he was missing something, but he didnt dwell on it. Instead, it was time to complete his first of many runs of the dungeon. Chapter 192: Start of Training Chapter 192: Start of Training Derek jumped up into the air with Void Steps so he could access the dungeon orb. When he got close enough, he placed his hand on it. Dungeon Complete Assigning Rewards Congratulations, you have received Major Health Potion. Derek let out a sigh. Well I guess that was to be expected. Shae said that the rewards were pretty shit. Still, there are a few potions that could come in clutch if I were to get them. Derek shrugged and stored the red vial in his storage bracelet. Next, before leaving the dungeon, he put a shirt on and wore his low level leather armor. He also pulled his facemask out of his put it on. That way, if someone was waiting outside the dungeon, he wouldnt stick out like a sore thumb. He couldnt imagine what reaction someone would have if they saw a half naked man pop out of a dungeon orb. With a game plan in mind, Derek selected Leave Dungeon from the dungeon interface, initiating a countdown. Soon, the countdown hit zero and he disappeared. In the next instant, he was back outside. He scanned his surroundings he was still alone. Without hesitation, he touched the dungeon orb again. Participants: 1/5 Derek Hunt: Level 122 Please Choose an Option Below View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Dungeon In one dungeon run Derek leveled 20 times, from 102 to 122. Of course, he figured the next run wouldnt net him more than 7-12 levels because of the experience penalty he would get from already having completed the dungeon. By the time he was level 150, he most likely wouldnt even get a level per run. Hopefully, the dungeon could last a few dozen runs and allow him to level up his Award. Derek chose to enter the dungeon. He vanished, then reappeared in the first area safe zone. The area with the Water Golems. Also, the area he planned to spend a ton of time in. This area was the perfect place to level his Magic Resistance, Greater Meditation, Void Steps, Rejuvenation, Absolute Nullify, and Void Sense. The golems in the area were only level 155. While they hit hard, it was something he was sure his current body could withstand easy enough if he was careful. Derek removed his armor and shirt, even opting to store his jeans and replace them with a pair of shorts before opening the door and walking out. Instantly, he recognized all ten golems scattered around the area. For his training plan, he would begin with two golems. Phew Derek sighed. After all that, Absolute Nullify only leveled twice. Its still leveling faster than Greater Meditation, but at this rate, its going to slow down drastically towards the later levels. Still, Absolute Nullify was a great skill he planned to keep focusing on. Derek dismissed the notification and moved on to the next. Congratulations Greater Meditation has reached level 7 Derek smiled. Getting a level in Greater Meditation already was more than he imagined he would. But, seeing how long he used it while constantly being under attack, it made sense. He moved to the next notification. Congratulations Magic Resistance has reached level 14 Magic Resistance finally passed his Physical Resistance. It was the main skill he wished to level in the Water Golem area. Towards the end of the fight, the Water Golems werent causing as much damage as they were previously, Derek wondered if it was because of their depleting mana cores, or if it was because of the two new levels he gained. He shrugged he would find out next round. Currently, he wanted to know if there was a special skill he would get when Magic Resistance hit level 20. Unfortunately, he still had a long way to go before he got his answer. He moved on. Congratulations Multi-Strike has reached level 4 He was happy to see that. Multi-Strike would most probably level up slower than the other skills he wished to level well slower than everything other than Greater Meditation. He could only properly use the skill 10 times per area. I guess I could use it on the limbs of the golems instead of the cores. He shrugged. Ill worry about that once Im finished with everything else He dismissed the notification. Unfortunately, Rejuvenation didnt level even though he used it multiple times. I bet it levels faster based on how bad the wounds are that its healing. He remembered how fast it leveled when he had the acid from the Acidic Ghoul eating away at his chest. Anyway, he wasnt worried about the skill. Next, he was happy to see that Void Sense had leveled. Congratulations Void Sense has reached level 7 It seems that everything really does level much faster when youre in battle. Derek had gone around with his Void Sense turned all the way up for a while, but it leveled during his four hour long fight with the Water Golems. Finally, he expected to see Void Steps gaining a level, but it didnt. He traded using Void Steps constantly for using Absolute Nullify. He would work on his Void Steps in one of the next dungeons. Derek had used over half a day so far, and he planned to keep it up for two weeks. He promised to be back in time for the auction, so he needed to push on. He wouldnt rest until the two weeks were up. Derek dismissed the last notification and placed his hand on the dungeon orb. Chapter 193: Crowns Decision Chapter 193: Crown''s Decision While Derek was busy training in the golem dungeon, the whole upper echelon of the Cydarian Kingdom was in an uproar over the news of the level 250 dungeon with a time distortion. The same was true for Alanah and the rest of the Crown Restaurant. Alanah leaned back in her chair and sighed. I came to Savannah early to meet Derek before the auction, yet he was already gone by the time I got here. I should have talked to him before I left the capital, but I wanted to surprise him I wonder what kind of trouble hes getting himself into right now Alanah sighed again. She had been doing a lot of that during the last day. She was just informed of the specific details of the time dungeon that was discovered months ago, and what she learned wasnt good especially if it turned out to be an elite dungeon. Not only was the dungeon bad for the kingdom, but it was bad for her as well. With the Royal Family gathering raid participants, many people with a Crown membership would be raiding the dungeon by the time the second auction began. This caused her to consider all of her other options, finally deciding to combine the two auctions and hosting it here in Savannah. The auction would be in three weeks, just before the high level raid party has to leave for the new dungeon. She still needed to discuss it with Derek, but she wanted to open the auction up and allow each member to bring two Crown approved people each. It was unprecedented that someone without a membership would be able to attend the auction, but she would make sure to vet any and all guests that the current members bring. Plus, if one of her members brings someone despicable, like Gerald Torith well, its easy enough to provoke a membership. Stella. Alanah raised her voice and the door outside her office opened. Stella walked through. Have you adjusted to my presence yet? Alanah asked. Stella nodded. The tick is still there, but I can withstand it as long as you dont put any will into your words. Ive adapted enough to work. Thats good. Alanah smiled. It seems youve gotten a little quicker while youve been gone. Averys going to have to watch out, or you may catch up to him soon. I very much doubt that. Stella scoffed. Have you decided what to do yet? Alanah nodded. Unfortunately were going to have to call off the auction in the capital. Call it off? Yes, and no. Really, were going to hold a mega auction here in Savannah. Ill head over and talk with Natalie about it later, but Im sure shell welcome the extra business you know how she is. Alanah explained. So, what are we going to do, exactly? Stella asked. Alanah went on to explain everything to Stella. Stella would be the person in charge of everything in Savannah. Alanah couldnt do much because of her condition, so it would be up to her third in command. She would also have to talk to Avery and let him take care of everything in the capital. The King was already planning on coming to Savannah for the first auction, so he would welcome being able to do it all at once. She only hoped that everyone would have enough time to prepare for the auction. She didnt plan to let anything go if the price wasnt right. Youre really going to allow members to bring in outsiders for the auction? Stella asked. Alanah nodded. Yes. As long as they are approved by us. Which means youre going to be extremely busy for the next few weeks. You need to have every member submit their guest list for approval within the next two weeks. Can you handle it? Stella sighed. Do I have a choice? she chuckled. Alanah smiled. You always have a choice. Ill never make you do something you dont want to do. Do you think I would have allowed you to leave me and got to that backwater village if I did?Vissit for updates So a Potion of Physical Permanence I take it the potion gives permanent stat boosts? What kind? How much? Alanahs heart was beating faster. Her Void Beast recipes were the only thing she knew of, other than a couple dungeon rewards, that could give permanent stat boosts upon consumption. According to Derek, the potion he took- Stella started, but was cut off. Derek drank one of them? Alanah asked. Stella nodded. I dont know the exact details, but he said it increased his Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Vitality by five points each. Five points Alanahs brain was racing. And Vitality Yes. Stella nodded. Unfortunately, we dont know the quality of the potions without testing. They are made from Void Beasts Im not sure which parts exactly, but the quality of the potion is most likely affected by the quality of the Void Beast materials. I see. Alanah said. And you trust this Roman? Stella shrugged. I dont have a reason not to. Plus, Derek seems to trust him, and I trust Derek. Alanah held out her hand, and Stella gave her the potion. What do we do with this? She asked to nobody. I want to save it for the auction, but in order to make the correct oaths, you need to consume it. She held the potion back out to Stella. Stella pushed it away. I still have plenty of levels left for improvement. Five points wont benefit me as much as you. You should take it. Alanah shook her head. Its for the auction. You know as well as I that I cannot be the host of the auction. It would never finish if that were the case. Also, as this will be the biggest auction weve ever had, I only trust you or Avery to be host, and since Avery is stuck in the capital, its up to you. Just take it. We have to know everything. Stella reluctantly took the potion back from Alanah, then uncorked the potion and poured it into her mouth. She frowned. Odd its like theres no taste. Its like liquid ai- her eyes shot open and she visibly shivered. Alanah rushed to her feet. Are you okay? Stella! Stella shook her head. Im fine. It was just a very uncomfortable sensation. Alanah let out a breath and sat back down. Well Derek was right Stella said. Whichever Void Beast was used to make this one must have been of higher quality than the potion he took. Oh? Stella nodded. Yeah. I just got seven stat points in Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Vitality. Looks like you need to add drawing up another contract to your list of things to do. Alanah said. That seems to be the case. Chapter 194: Edgar’s Dilemma Chapter 194: Edgar¡¯s Dilemma Edgar clapped his hands and let lightning fall on all the surrounding beasts. He hated this. This was the one thing he never dreamed of doing. Every time he used a skill, it felt dirty. Oh, how he resented his brother and father for making him do something he was so against. Why did Elouise have to go and get herself betrothed? She would have been perfect for this task. She didnt care about how she got her power. She was more than happy to be given the strength without earning it, without learning how to use it. But, no. She had found love at least, thats what she told everyone. If only Edgar could have stopped Jake from answering his communication crystal three days ago. He tried. He just wasnt fast enough. He never thought his brother would go so far as to contact his squad and find Jake. Still, Edgar agreed to it. He understood the why. It still didnt change the fact that he hated everything about what he was doing. So, here he was in the dungeon that made his entire Royal Family hypocrites. The dungeon that the Royal Castle was built around. It was the easiest level 250 dungeon in the Kingdom, and maybe even the continent. Thats not to say that the dungeon was easy. No, it was just the easiest of the bunch. No level 250 dungeon was easy. One mistake, and almost anyone could die even in a dungeon such as this. It was a beast dungeon with a maximum of three party members and extremely paltry rewards. All the beasts in the dungeon were small. Creatures that would be found in low-level forests and plains. Horned Rabbits, Squirrels, Felines, Canines the works. Yet every beast in the dungeon was level 250. While any common, uncommon, rare, or even some epic classes would struggle in such a populated dungeon, the Royal Familys his Royal Familys lightning classes were perfect for it. Now, why did all this make his Royal Family hypocrites? Well, one of the most well enforced laws in the entire Kingdom of Cydaria is the division of dungeons. No one is allowed to keep a dungeon for themselves. Everyone gets their fair share. Many popular dungeons have waiting lists. There is no cutting in line or buying positions. If a person is caught doing so, there is hell to pay. But that doesnt apply to the dungeon Edgar was currently in. The dungeon he never wanted to step into. No, the Royal Family kept the dungeon to themselves, using it to bolster their own family, and a few loyal knights. It wasnt a secret. Everyone knew, and they just accepted it. But those who used it came out weak. Their high level and stat points made it forever harder to level their unleveled skills. They didnt have the time to hone their skills and get better classes and upgrades. They took one path, the path of the weak. The same path his sister took. Luckily, Edgar spent more time than anyone working on his skill leveling. Even when he came out of this at max level, he would still be well rounded with his skills. In fact, some of his skills were close to max. One skill even hit level 20 and became an upgraded version of itself. Of course, he never told anyone, not even his brother, about any of that. Most people, his brother and father included, think that he spends his time goofing off in dungeons with his handpicked adventurer team. But they couldnt be farther from the truth. If anyone looked closely, they would see that he and his team always go to dungeons and areas with monsters that are typically more trouble than theyre worth. They go to the perfect places to train. Edgar learned long ago from his father that skills level was easier during fights. So, he and his group fight. They dont kill well, they do, but not until they are finished. Fighting and training against monsters that are at or above your level is the best training for skills. Recently, Edgar had taken a liking to Jake. The young man had wanted to be strong, and had a personality that just fit. Jake would always roll his eyes and complain when they were doing anything except for training or whatever military task his brother had him doing. Edgar would be the first to admit his reputation was well deserved. When anyone seen him or his team in a city, they were always relaxing or goofing around. But nobody knew, really knew, that all that lazing around came after days or weeks of fighting near equal opponents who never held back, while not killing them. Edgar snorted. Youre lucky you didnt have to come here to level. It makes me sick that were doing this. I know you keep telling me that. Still, when you reach my level, I know I wont be able to hold a candle to you. Hell, you could probably clear this dungeon yourself. Edward said. Edgar shrugged. Maybe but it would take some time. Time that we apparently dont have. Besides, using Thunderclap on so many creatures should be great training for it. Dont think Im just sitting here letting you kill everything. If Im going to be here, Im going to get the most out of it. Edward nodded. Thank you Edgar rolled his eyes. Like I had a choice. I still think El should be here instead of me. I dont even think shes going to go through with that stupid wedding. She wont. Edward said, getting his attention. What? She doesnt like him, and he doesnt like her at least not like that. But both of them are tired of everything. Neither one of them wants marriage, so, why not have a fake engagement and put the wedding off indefinitely? It gets rid of all the people asking for their hands. Once one of them finds someone or decides its time to get married, theyll call everything off. Edward explained. That little shit! Then why am I here? Edward looked at Edgar sternly. Brother I have a bad feeling about this dungeon. I I dont think Elouise can handle it. Im not even sure if I can handle it. Its a raid. Its going to take months on the inside, but outside years are going to pass. You know how hard non-specific enemy dungeons can be. I really do believe youre the best choice. Edgar stared at his older brother, stunned. Finally, he sighed. Fine but Im handpicking everyone whos going with me. I wont leave my back to anyone I cant trust, and since none of my team is coming with me, I need to make sure whoever goes is strong enough. Edward nodded. I agree. I already have a list of those I recommend. Nobody is below Onyx Ranked, and youre going to need to take a few Diamond Ranks as well. Do you have anyone else in mind? Edgar smiled. I do but Im not sure how strong he really is. Oh? Edward said. Well, I guess we should hurry up and get you leveled so you can go see. Edward took a dagger and pierced the rodent he was holding with it. The beast died and a new wave of enemies appeared. Edgar sighed and clapped his hands. Oh I guess this really is good for Thunderclap. He mused as his skill hit level 19. Chapter 195: Edgars Ability Chapter 195: Edgar''s Ability Edgar dismissed another level up notification from his vision. He was level 243 now and only had a few more to go before he could quit running the damn dungeon. He had overly surprised his brother when he stopped him from going into the dungeon with him. He was only level 234 at the time. Edward worried about him, but Edgar told him it would take too long if he had to split the already halved experience with him. Plus, he had watched and helped Edward deal with the entire dungeon so many times that he could probably run it with his eyes closed. He was right, of course. When he went in alone, it took a little longer to clear it, but he was never in any danger. That, plus not having to split XP with someone who cant even earn XP, basically caused the sky to rain levels upon him. Edgar also had skills he didnt desire to show anyone, even his brother. They both had lightning based classes, and while many skills overlapped, he did have his own, unique skills. Ones that he would rather work on without anyone else around. One of those skills was Ethereal Spark. If one saw it, they would think that it was a skill not unlike the one that Jake and his father use, only lightning based. Every high level elemental class had something like that. But Edgar had that skill as well. It was called Lightning Shroud. It was the same one his brother used. Now, Lightning Shroud allowed Edgar to channel the lightning into his body to reinforce it and amplify it. It greatly increased his already great speed and multiplied his offensive prowess. The skill also enhanced any other skills he used in tandem with it. Ethereal Spark, however, was not Lightning Shroud. When he activated Ethereal Spark, everything happened almost identical to when he used Lightning Shroud. The whites of his eyes changed color, his hair floated, sparks of electricity formed around parts of his body. But, with Lightning Shroud, he channeled and used lightning, with Ethereal Spark, he became lightning. He no longer had to walk, run, or dash. He zipped. He was a lightning bolt that shot between enemies. The offensive power was immense, so was the mana cost. However, what Edgar found most appealing about the skill unique to his class was that it made him incorporeal. He was intangible. As far as he has found, nothing could touch him while he was using the skill. If a sword cut him in half, he reformed, same as if a spell scattered him, the lightning bolt just pieced itself back together. And the offensive power well, the form almost ignored all defenses. Beasts and monsters almost never wore anything to protect them against lightning. Hell, most people wore metal armor a great conductor of electricity. Sure, some armors were layered with materials that insulated and thus protected against lightning, but all Edgar had to do was touch an unprotected part. Then he was in. It was also the perfect skill for strategic retreat. He was fast and invulnerable. Nothing could harm him if he didnt want it to. Edgar looked at the skill and smiled. It was level 15, and he couldnt imagine a better place to use it than a dungeon with small beasts so densely packed. Edgar closed all his status windows, then walked out of the same room, onto the field. The dozens of level 250 beasts all turned their heads at once. Edgar snorted as they began their charge. He clapped his hands and thunder roared in the air as small bolts penetrated each creature within his range who he deemed a threat. Edgar snorted. Instead of the options to leave the dungeon, he got a notification of receiving the dungeon reward. He looked at the small stack of gold coins that appeared on the ground beside him and rolled his eyes before storing them in his ring. It was the sixth time something like this had happened. His Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer Award rarely procced, but it had happened six times in this shitty dungeon already. Why does it have to work so well in this damn dungeon? He didnt often run dungeons more than once, to keep from leveling, but he had run two or three times after getting the Award, yet, he never got a second reward with the meager 5% chance the Award gave. The Award, Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer, was one that all the Royal Family members got. They actually received it before they did a class. It was easy to get, and sometimes useful. All they did was wait in the safe zone while strong guards completed the dungeon for them. When one set of guards out leveled the dungeon, a new set appeared. Edgar clicked his tongue and dismissed all notifications. Once he was able to clear the dungeon on his own, he had even stopped allocating his stat points. He wasnt completely sure if it was the level that hindered skill growth or if it was the stat points, or maybe a combination of both, but until the time came, he would keep his hundreds of stat points. He put his hand on the dungeon orb again, then vanished. This time, when he appeared in the dungeon room, his brother was back waiting for him, leaning against the wall. How goes it? Edward asked. Edgar rolled his eyes. Ive made over 6,000 gold. Edwards eyes widened. Maybe I should retire from the army and just run that dungeon for the rest of my life. Yeah, and ruin the economy. Look at you, thinking like a King. Edward said. Edgar rolled his eyes again and touched the dungeon orb, instantly disappearing. Edward stood there with a frown on his face. What happened to the countdown? Chapter 196: Level Up Chapter 196: Level Up While the higher ups in the Kingdom were scrambling because of the new dungeon and upcoming auction, Derek continued his training. As soon as he left the dungeon, he would repeat it, spending almost no time outside. He didnt want to waste a moment. In the almost two weeks since he started, he had finished running the dungeon dozens of times. His skills improved at a speed he didnt know was possible. Now, Derek was sitting in the boss area of a completed dungeon, going over his stats and skills. He had a ton of decisions to make. Status Name Derek Hunt Age 30 Level 165 Experience 649,350,250/2,800,000,000 Class Legend of the Void (Legendary) Race Human (Modified) Health 16575 Mana 5000 Stamina 16575 Stats Strength 705 Dexterity 505 Endurance 1105 Vitality 1105 Intelligence 500 Wisdom 500 Stat Points Remaining 1953 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown) View Contract Silvi (Bonded Beast) View Status Stella Brighton (Crown) View Contract Francesco Jaccobs (Adventurers Guild) View Contract Rudolph Mckinney View Contract Call out to the Void. Void Sense Level 15 Sense the void. Void Shift Level 7 Become one with and move within the void. Void Steps Level 13 Use the void as a foothold to move. Void Storage Level N/A Use a storage space made from void. Unarmed Combat Mastery Level 14 Increase efficiency when not using a weapon or magic. Skill Points Remaining 16 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining 4 Awards Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Repetitive Dungeoneer, Lesser Slayer of the Unknown, Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Holy shit. As Derek went through his stunning status sheet, he couldnt help but be amazed at what he was able to do in almost two weeks. First and foremost, he had begun this training specifically for his skills, but the staggering amount of stat points he ended up saving almost blew his mind. Absolute Nullify, as a skill that was very hard to level, had actually made it to level 11. Now, the size of the wall was almost double as it was before, and the mana cost was down by a third. It was truly a skill he could use well now. Of course, Channel Void was a skill he combod with pretty much any and every physical skill he used, so it had gained a respectable five levels in training. Cleaning had even had a couple of breakthroughs because of how many times he used it to clean his body after completing an area. Greater Meditation, the hardest skill he had to level, and the one he used the most, had almost broken into double digits. With each level, he could feel his ability to use it along with doing other things was made easier and easier. Derek did frown when he viewed Magic and Physical Resistance. Hed hoped the skills would upgrade once they reached level 20, but they didnt. Still, his body had a full 30% resistance to literally all attacks. He couldnt complain. They were the two skills he planned on training the most when he came to the Golem Dungeon, so the fact that they were level 20 meant it had been a successful trip. Multi-Strike was a pleasant surprise. It had started at causing an attack to hit twice, but now the attack hit four times. It was truly amazing. Every five levels the skill gained, it added another attack. So, once it hit level 20, the attack would land six times. Plus, the cooldown had been significantly reduced after leveling so many times. Rejuvenation was Rejuvenation. It now healed for 70% of his health over 30 seconds and had an even smaller cooldown window. It was a very useful skill to have. Hed been using it off cooldown pretty consistently to get it to level 14. Derek even managed to throw in some Sweeping Slashes with his attacks a few times. It worked much better once Multi-Strike got a third attack. That, combined with Channel Void, had let Derek get some multi-kills a few times on golems. It was quite satisfying. One more level and the skill would be 20. Still, it was a skill that worked much better with a weapon than fists alone. Void Sense was a skill he learned to utilized the most. During all the time training, he never dampened the intensity of the skill. He found that the skill not only showed him different aspects of the void, but it allowed him to control it better. Derek considered Void Sense a skill which led to greater attunement to his element. Before using it so much, he had considered it a distraction, but now, he considered it one of his most relevant skills. Void Steps made some leaps, as well. It was his most fun skill. Who doesnt like flying or floating in the air? He could now maneuver seamlessly with the skill. He wasnt sure how much of that was because of Void Steps leveling or how much was because of Void Sense. Finally, his Unarmed Combat Mastery had really been boosted. Derek wasnt sure if he was ever going to get a chance to have another worthwhile glaive, so he was happy to have a backup passive skill he could use for the time being. After going over all his skills, Derek finally took a look at his Awards. Lesser Repetitive Dungeoneer had actually gone up two levels and become Repetitive Dungeoneer. Now, every time he completed a dungeon more than once, he had a 10% chance of obtaining another reward. Lesser was a 5% chance, Minor was 7%, and normal was 10%. If he could get the Award to Major, he would have a 15% chance of being re-rewarded. Solo Diver had also risen by two tiers. It had come with a 4% increase in stats while solo diving, which he could feel, but wasnt evident in his status sheet. He could still instantly begin a dungeon while alone. What he was surprised about was a new perk that was added with the latest upgrade. His level could now be hidden when accessing dungeon statuses. People who chose to go it alone could be considered private people. So, the Award would help them hide their personal information when they had to form impromptu parties with other adventurers. Derek was happy with the Award. Finally, after going over everything else, his eyes fell on his stat points. What the hell do I do with over 1,900 free stat points? Derek started weighing the pros and cons of each primary stat. Right now, he felt that his physical attack had fallen behind because of his Strength and Dexterity, but at the same time, he made up for it with his Channel Void ability, which was stronger based on Wisdom and Intelligence. Still, he knew that Endurance and Vitality were his primary stats. It would never hurt to increase those two. Well, I do have almost 2,000 points. I could keep my focus on my Endurance and Vitality, then spread some around my other stat points Finally, Derek decided to do just that. Lets see I have a breakthrough, which is rather painful, every 500 points. I could pump up my Endurance and Vitality to 1,500 each, then spend the remaining 1,100 or so on the rest of the stats. Derek grunted. The itching is going to be so bad First, Derek spent 788 points to get his two main stats to 1,499. He shivered as he felt the minor changes in his bones, skin, and organs. He also had some shortness of breath as his lungs and heart adjusted to his newly increased Vitality. Okay that wasnt too bad. I should have done something like this before, when my stats hit 1,000. It would have given my body a little time to adjust before the horrifying itching and lava in my veins. He thought. Next, while making sure to save two stat points so he could push his Vitality and Endurance to 1,500, he divvied the remaining points out among the other four stats. First, he brought all his stats up to 825. With those changes, Derek felt a slight increase in his minds acuity and processing speed. He also felt a deftness in his muscles and tendons. His body became slightly more toned as well. He didnt feel much in the way of increased strength, but that was mostly because he didnt actually increase his Strength by much. While everything else was increased by 300 points or so, his Strength only went up a bit over 100 points. With his stats divided, he was ready to pump his others to 1,500. Then, he would feel safer calling the void again, and he could work on his last skill for the remaining couple of days. Derek hesitated slightly, then put a stat point into Endurance. Then he braced himself. Chapter 197: Breakthrough Chapter 197: Breakthrough Derek removed his clothes and sat cross-legged. He took in a deep breath, then decided to increase his Endurance first. Even though increasing Endurance had felt much worse at 1,000 points than Vitality did, he knew that the Vitality threshold had a much higher chance of causing real damage to him. He prepared himself, then put one stat point into Endurance. He waited for the skin crawling and itching, but it never came. Derek snorted. I guess 1,500 points isnt a threshold or breakth- Instantly, the pain hit. It started at the bones. At once, they cracked, and he felt as if they turned to dust. From his seated position, Derek fell onto his back. It was as if he had nothing to hold his body together. The pain it was pure agony. Derek did his best to keep breathing, but he couldnt take in a breath. It was like his lungs had collapsed. Soon, however, Derek felt the rebuilding. New bones replaced the old, still agonizing as they formed and moved the muscle and organs back into place. Finally, the bones were back in place, and Derek was able to gasp in a breath. A single breath was all he was able to draw, as his muscles were next. Just as the bones had, his muscles collapsed and turned into jelly. The pain wasnt near as bad as with the bones, but it was a different feeling altogether. He was paralyzed, but could still feel. It was like he had sleep paralysis for an extended time. Slowly, the muscle reformed, and he could move again. Derek took in another breath, then closed his eyes. He knew the skin would be next. Sure enough, a burning sensation fell over his entire body. Light invaded Dereks eyes as he realized his eyelids had disappeared. Curious, he raised his forearm to take a peek. What he saw was something straight out of an anatomy book. No skin covered his muscles, his taut, dark, almost metallic muscles. The pain was very bearable. He never thought that he would say that having no skin, along with no sense of touch and feel would be bearable. But, compared to everything else, losing his skin wasnt bad. Then the itching started. It started at his feet and worked its way up. Metallic skin weaved itself over his bones and muscle before tightening and changing to his natural skin color, one that didnt shine in the sun. Derek recalled the itching to be worse at his previous breakthrough. Though, it could have just been that his mind was too fascinated by what was happening in front of him to care much about the itching sensation. He watched as his skin formed over his feet, then legs. Soon, the skin was forming over his forearms, which he brought close to his face to take an even better look. It was like he was seeing millions, if not billions, of molecules forming together to create his skin. It was something he imagined having nanobots healing a cut would look like. Soon, the skin covered his hands and fingers, creating new nails in the process. Then he blinked. That was when he realized this part of the breakthrough was finished. Derek curled his hand into a fist and grinned. His body was stiff, extremely so, but the flexibility would come with time. Then, it felt like he got the wind knocked out of him as his remaining organs began the process. Next came his kidneys, then liver. When it happened to his heart, it was scary. Luckily, instead of disintegrating his organs, then rebuilding from the ground up, it seemed that it was more of a reinforcement. His heart stopped beating for a minute, or beat extremely slowly, Derek wasnt sure. He was just happy when it started up again. Finally, the reinforcement came to his brain. Dizziness washed over him. A dizziness hed never experienced, not with concussions, nor with anything else. The entire dungeon was spinning until it wasnt. Finally, he went blind for a few moments. That wasnt too bad, as he had lost his senses before during meditation. Derek waited, then he was able to see again. Then he waited. He wanted to make sure that the breakthrough was completely finished before he chose to do anything else. After five minutes of nothing happening, he breathed a sigh of relief. Derek hopped up and did some stretches, loosening up. After a half hour or so, the stiffness receded and his control of his body was back to normal no it seemed his control was even a little better than it used to be. He couldnt wait to see his control when he broke through with Dexterity. Derek looked back to where he was sitting, then laying. There was a small puddle of blood, much less than he thought there would be. I guess its because the process worked from the inside out. Derek shrugged, then found a new, clean piece of land to sit on before starting the process all over again. Just to make sure what the system said was true, he tried to add a stat point into Endurance. To his shock, the point went in, and one of his stat points disappeared. However, the 1,500 didnt increase. Instead, it changed to 1500 (???). Confused, he tried adding another, then another. After adding five stat points, it no longer accepted points anymore. Since it was only five stat points, Derek did the same with Vitality. Again, it accepted five points, but no more. He looked over his stats. Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 825 825 1500 (???) 1500 (???) 825 825 63 Derek shook his head. What the fuck is going on? Chapter 198: Void Call Chapter 198: Void Call Derek pushed all the questions about his stats to the back of his mind. It was something he would have to talk to Alanah about later, and there was no sense dwelling on it when he still had things he needed to do. One of those things, of course, was using Void Call. After going through another breakthrough in his Endurance and Vitality stats, he felt much safer. The last Void Beast he fought was aware, and Derek didnt know where it was in strength compared to the other ones. Thinking back to the fight, he would put it at the lower Onyx Rank.Vissit for updates He was sure that Shae could have beaten it, but it still would have been a pretty tough fight. Speaking of Shae, after Dereks bout with the man, Derek had become more careful. Instead of letting his health get down low during his training, he made sure to keep it at a reasonable level. Thinking back to some of his previous antics, he could only call himself dumb for purposefully letting his HP drop to such levels. It would have only taken one surprise attack to finish him off. If either Bones or Ogre would have had such an attack, it would have been the end. So, from when he sparred with Shae until now, Derek had made the conscious decision not to be stupid. Its why he tested each golem and their attacks for as long as he did before settling on a training regimen, and its why he didnt feel comfortable rolling the dice with more Void Beasts until now. He was still a bit worried about the Void Beasts because of his current offensive ability, but he was much more reassured in his survival with his Endurance and Vitality, and overall defensive ability. Derek dismissed his stats and prepared to use Void Call. He walked out into the open in the final area of the dungeon. He cracked his neck and closed his eyes before channeling the skill through his body. He felt the void building as the skill activated. His entire body felt full of the element as it surged up. Then, the purple energy exploded from him and shot toward the sky. Derek was more conscious of the skill this time, as it was easier for his body to handle the effects now than it was before. The skill was still extremely draining on his mana, as it took over two-thirds of his entire MP. He quickly began Greater Meditation so he would be fresh for when the Void Beast made its appearance. However, as he watched the purple beam of energy shoot into the sky, he saw it break apart and sputter out instead of casually disappearing. Derek frowned and waited. He waited for ten minutes, then half an hour, but nothing happened. No cracks appeared in the sky, no thundering sounds of a beast beating on the void nothing. Derek hesitated, then launched the skill again. Once again, the beam petered out before entering deep into the sky. Whats going on? Derek thought back to the other times he cast the skill. It had only been at Leons decimated village, and the lonely mountain far outside of Torith. The only change from then until now was that he wasnt in a dungeon when he used the skill. Derek wasnt a big fan of fighting in a forest. He preferred open areas, but it would work. He once again used Void Call. This time, instead of the beam of energy being rejected, it continued into the sky until it slowly disappeared. So it was because of the dungeon. His guess was correct. Sure enough, not five minutes after using the skill, he saw it. With Void Sense amped up as high as possible, he saw the movement in the void before the pounding began. The pounding was loud, but not as powerful as the last Void Beast he fought, so he jumped into the air and helped. If anything was going to draw attention, it would be the thundering noise created from escaping Void Beasts. With his Void Sense, Derek was able to see the cracks in the skys structure, making it easier for him to dissect. Covering his hands in the void allowed him to tear the pieces out with ease. Before long, a Void Beast sized hole appeared, along with the menacing glowing red eyes and razor-like claws. Derek reached in, grabbing the Void Beasts wrist, and yanked. The beast came tumbling out of the void tunnel and crashed through some tree branches below. Derek canceled Void Steps and fell to the ground beside the beast. With his Void Sense, Derek could see the energy radiating off the beast. He felt like he could almost reach out and grab it, but he couldnt. If Void Sense and Void Call level higher, maybe I can use the energy around the beasts like a puppeteer. He shivered at the thought of controlling the beasts. It wouldnt be like a real summons, because I would have to focus my attention on controlling it, though. Any slip up and I would lose control if it works like I think it will. No wonder that last beast was so pissed at me. It could feel I was getting closer to controlling the inherent void inside of it. I probably would have noticed as well if I was using Void Sense at the time. Derek thought about the possibilities as he watched the Void Beast struggling to its feet. Before giving it a chance to stand, he combined Multi-Strike with Channel Void and hit it in the head with a palm, ending its life then and there. All things considered, the Void Beast would have been about as strong as the one he fought back at Leons village. He figured most Void Beasts would be at or around that level. Strong enough to reign terror and destruction down on most villages and escape afterwards, but not strong enough to contend with powerful system users. Derek believed the Void Beast legends were mostly because there were so few of them. Though, he was sure if a sentient one appeared, it could wreak havoc on most cities in Cydaria, especially the smaller ones like Wilmette. Plus, he was sure that there would be beasts that could be considered as strong as Diamond Ranked Adventurers as well. The luck was in the draw. Derek split the space in front of him, opening his Void Storage. He had filled his ring and bracelet up with mana cores, and had actually had to use Void Storage to store the rest of them. He tossed the Void Beast corpse inside and closed the space. Derek sighed as he stared at the sky, readying for another Void Beast. He would be fighting a lot in the upcoming days. Chapter 199: Void Farm Chapter 199: Void Farm The next Void Beast to come out was slightly above average. It seemed to be on the verge of intelligence, but was still a monster through and through. Derek wasnt entirely sure about the Adventurer Guild rankings, as the only Onyx Ranked Adventurer hed fought was Shae, but he would put the Void Beast at lower Onyx or upper Platinum solely based on Shaes capabilities. It was the strongest Void Beast hed faced other than the intelligent one. Instead of quickly killing it with a void palm to the head, Derek opted to subdue it by hitting its non-vitals. After what happened in the dungeon, he had some questions that the Void Beast would allow him to solve. After capturing the beast, Derek opened the Time Prison. While carrying the beast, he moved to an empty cell and tossed the creature in. Sentencing a Void Beast would be the ultimate test of the Time Prison. First of all, the Void Beast was not a part of the system, or any system that he knew of. So, the test would allow him to know if all the functionality worked on enemies not of the Great System. Second, if the Time Prison worked, he would be able to set the sentencing timer low so he could go back to the Golem Dungeon and try to release the beast there. If he could do so, then it would almost be like cheating. It would mean that he could take as many people into a dungeon as he could fit in the Time Prison, rendering the max participants part of the dungeon useless. Hell, if it worked, he may even be able to bring in participants who out level the dungeon. If that were the case, he would be able to bring in Shae or someone to run the dungeon for him while he sat back and enjoyed watching his Repetitive Dungeoneer Award go up. Of course, he doubted the system would let anything like that happen. It already had precautions against Void Call, so he didnt think it would overlook something as simple as bringing in another through Time Prison.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com I wonder if the system would give me some reward for finding a bug. Derek shook his head. No thats doubtful. If anything, the stingy Great System would probably find a way to punish me for finding an exploit. Still, it didnt mean he wouldnt try. He would definitely try. Derek set the timer on the dungeon cell low, so he would be able to speed it up and open in within a couple of days if he needed to. Then, he quickly checked on the other occupied cells. He changed the time on the cell that Clay Torith was occupying as well. It would be better if he ran the test with both a human of the system and a beast not of the system. He would have much preferred to use Bones or Ogre for the test, but he had originally sentenced them to a year in prison. Even with his control of time, he could only drop the time to a couple of months. However, Clay was in for just 28 days and hed already served almost two weeks worth, with the time distortion. After making the arrangements, he walked out of his Time Prison and closed the rift behind him. Finally, he prepared himself and launched Void Call once again. Derek got into a rhythm, farming Void Beasts. He took breaks between each beast so he could assess his surroundings to make sure he hadnt drawn any attention to himself. The breaks used up a bit of his time, but they were necessary. After a day of farming, he finally took a rest. He checked inside his Void Storage and smiled at his haul. He had two storage devices full of mana cores with a lot more in his Void Storage. Now, he had over thirty Void Beast bodies lying inside as well. In those encounters, three were like the small one he fought before. They should have the same vital qualities that the one before had. Alanah and Stella would go crazy. Other than that, there was another with intelligence and awareness. It was actually a bit stronger than the one he fought before. Without his void, he couldnt even leave a scratch on its skin. It was even able to take a full void covered fist to the back of the head and not die. It was also faster than Derek, causing him to have to use Void Shift, coupled with Channel Void and Multi-Strike, to finish it off. When it appeared, it looked almost scared of Derek. It could sense his control over the void. Derek, on the other hand, could see and feel the void running deep within the Void Beast. It was a weird sight to see. The beast didnt try to talk, only run. Derek dismissed the notifications and prepared to go back to the dungeon. He still had a couple of tests and five more levels to gain before he was finished with his training. He turned back to where he came from and hopped into the air before taking off. Soon, he arrived back at the dungeon and scanned the area. Seeing that there still wasnt any signs of activity around the dungeon, he walked up to the orb and went inside. Derek made short work of all the areas in the dungeon, storing the extra mana cores into his Void Storage in the process. With the cores and corpses, his Void Storage, which grew in size based on his own level and Intelligence, was beginning to fill up. He may actually have to use his Time Prison as a makeshift storage device, depending on how many more times he needed to run the dungeon before hitting level 175. In the final area of the dungeon, Derek opened his Time Prison and went inside. He placed his hand on the door of the cell he stashed the Void Beast in and changed increased the speed at which it counted down. He had chosen the minimum sentence of one week earlier, but after changing the flow of time, there were only a few hours left. He walked over to the cell that Clay was in and checked it. It would be a day and a half before he could come out. Derek left the prison and continued running the dungeon. While in the process of clearing the third area of the dungeon, a notification appeared to the side of his vision. Derek finished off the last golems and viewed the notification. Cell #002 Alert: Prisoner in cell #002 sentence approaching completion. Prisoner will be released in: 6min 27sec Derek watched the timer countdown in his notification. He opened his Time Prison and waited. Once the countdown hit 0, one of the cells on the left side swung open. The room was dark, but Derek could see in because of the light shining in from outside. The Void Beast rushed out of the cell and smashed into the cells on the opposite side of it. The ones that the humans were in. Then, the beast saw the light and turned toward Derek. Derek took a fighting stance, readying himself to be attacked by the beast. The Void Beast launched itself forward as Derek prepared for impact but the impact never came. The beast slammed into an invisible wall where the door would have been if closed. The beast staggered back, and Derek walked inside. He punched the beast, causing it to fall to its knees, then picked it up in a bear hug. He tried to walk back out, but couldnt. The Void Beast was trapped inside. Derek let go of the beast before leaving the Time Prison. He shut the door behind him and focused on completing the dungeon. When he got out, he would open the prison again. Chapter 200: More Questions than Answers Chapter 200: More Questions than Answers Soon, Derek finished the boss area of the dungeon and stored the mana cores before leaving. Once outside, he checked his surroundings, making sure there was still no one around. After doing so, he reached out to open his Time Prison once again. Derek pulled the void apart, revealing the door to the Time Prison. He reached out and grabbed it, and pulled. The second the door was ajar, the clawed hand of the Void Beast reached out. That answers that question. Derek thought. He grabbed the hand and pulled as he swung the door open wide. The Void Beast stumbled out, but didnt get a chance to make a move before Derek clocked it in the temple with a void covered fist amplified by Multi-Strike. I need to find some other beasts to store so the Time Prison levels faster. Its not going fast enough with just the three cells occupied. After stuffing the corpse of the Void Beast in his increasingly full Void Storage, Derek decided to run the dungeon a few more times while waiting for Clays prison cell to open. Once again, a notification from the Time Prison appeared in front of Derek midway through the dungeon. After finishing off the last Wind Golem, Derek went inside the prison and waited for the timer to run out. Soon, cell #003 unlocked and opened a crack while Derek waited. Slowly, a hand appeared between the door and the frame. Then, the cell door gradually inched open, and Clay Torith appeared in the same bedraggled state he was in before he was sentenced. The teens once pristine golden hair was tangled and dirtied. His eyes were red, as if hed been crying. He took a step forward and staggered out of the cell. Derek watched the teen emotionlessly. There was no telling how many young men and women had ended up dead in an unmarked grave or in some beasts stomach because of the young man. Any fate the boy got, he deserved. It was clear to Derek that what he had planned to do with Thomas was something hed done before. He was sure that Jacks would confirm his suspicions, but Derek didnt need to drag the man into it. Have you enjoyed your stay? Derek asked. Clays head shot up as he looked for Dereks voice. Eventually, his eyes landed on him. Clay sniffled and fell to his knees. P-please d-dont put be back in there. Ill do anything. Just dont put be back in the darkness. Derek snorted. Was it really that bad? You were in there for what? A few weeks? How long was Derek trapped in the darkness of the void? Was he in the same state as Clay after a couple weeks? No he was nowhere close to that state. I guess thats the pampered noble for you. Take away their silver spoon and they cant survive a week. Its awful! Theres nothing I cant feel anything. Its torture. The teen cried. Torture? How many people have you tortured? Do you think its worse than the pain and suffering youve caused? Derek snorted. The Time Prison regulates the prisoners metabolic system, so he hasnt even had to deal with the starvation I experienced. The experience of my body eating itself while it healed. Derek nearly shivered at the thought of what he went through. Th- Clay started. Thats different. I didnt torture them. Oh? But you killed them? Youll just put me back there when youre finished. I cant put you back there for a week. Derek thought, but didnt say out loud. Just get over here. I cant advance the dungeon until you do. I havent made my mind up on anything yet. Derek rolled his eyes and wished he would have been able to let Bones or Ogre out instead. D-dungeon? Were in a dungeon? It seemed Clay finally looked around and realized where they were at. Yes! Now hurry or Ill toss you in the prison! Derek was losing his patience. It seemed the threat of going back to the prison was more than enough to cause the teen to act. At his fastest speed, Clay was next to Derek with his hand on the orb. They vanished and appeared in the next area with the Earth Golems. You stay here in the safe zone while I clear the area. Its not safe for someone like you. Derek said and walked out without checking on the teen. He walked up and kicked the Earth Golem, which caused it to form and let out a roar. Derek waited for all the golems to form, then hit the first one with a void covered Multi-Strike. Afterwards, he moved to the next and gave it a void covered one-two combo. Both mana cores turned dim and deactivated. Derek wasnt rushing, instead, mechanically taking out each golem. He didnt even remember how many hed destroyed. On the fourth golem, however, he noticed a figure with bedraggled golden hair in a sorry state standing before the golem that was furthest away from Derek. The golem was already in the motion of attacking when Derek noticed. Its fist was within a fraction of an inch of the teens skull. Instantly, Derek slipped into Void Shift and moved in their direction. Unfortunately, he was too late. In the fraction of a second it took Derek to activate the skill, the golems fist moved that fraction of an inch. By the time Derek pulled himself through a ripple and appeared before the golem, he got a clear view of the golems fist connected with the teens skull. And, since Derek couldnt attack while shifted, and there wasnt enough room to put himself in front of the hit, there wasnt anything he could do to save Clay. Derek sighed. I guess its better this way. I couldnt just let him go free and didnt want to kill him. If he felt the prison was such a torture after only a few weeks he made his decision. Still, Derek pushed his feet onto the ground and gripped the arm of the Earth Golem. There was a small chance of saving the teen, and he would still try. Derek canceled Void Shift and pulled hard. Still, the fist of the golem moved forward. It was fatal. Derek sighed once again. Then, he mechanically finished off the remaining golems before looking at the body. There was no reason to keep the body, so Derek gathered the cores and moved on to the next area. A quick death in a dungeon was probably more than the young man deserved. There was nothing Derek could do about it. He made a mental note to himself to adjust the time and check on Bones and Ogre as soon as he could. Surely, Clay was just an outlier, having such little willpower. Derek was locked away for years before he tried to do anything extreme. And he had the torturous experience of being eaten alive from the inside to deal with. Perhaps hed see if one of his friends would like to run an experiment by being locked in a cell for a few hours. But before doing so, he decided it was best to avoid locking away humans and other intelligent beings. Sure, being locked away was torture, but if it was so torturous that one lost all hope within a couple of weeks, he wasnt sure he wanted to use it unless the crimes were truly atrocious. I guess Gerald would fit that bill. Derek thought as he finished off the last boss in the area. Chapter 201: Edgars Breakthrough Chapter 201: Edgar''s Breakthrough Edgar wiped the sweat off his brow as he sat in the empty dungeon. The last levels to 250 took way longer than he ever thought they would. It ticked him off that his brother was closer about how long it would take than he was. Though, Edwards predictions were based on Edgar having an epic class, not legendary. Edgar had kept that nugget of information to himself. He had just maxed his Wisdom out and it felt like his brain exploded. He honestly wasnt sure he was going to survive. Hed been through pain before, like at the previous 1000 stat point thresholds, but the 1500 point breakthrough in Wisdom took the cake. He thought nothing would have been as bad as the breakthrough in Endurance with the skin crawling and itchiness. It was awful. But he never thought it was going to kill him. He only hoped that he made the correct decisions for his stats at least the couple thousand that wasnt decided by his earlier classes. He pulled up his stats one last time. Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 500 500 1230 1230 1000 1500 0 His class was a Wisdom based class through and through. Before he got his legendary class at level 200, which let him distribute his stat points at his own discretion, the Wisdom stat was heavily favored by each level he received. Edgar was lucky when it came to his class. He received a special epic class at level 25. He gained 23 stat points for each of the 175 levels he gained while having an epic class. Of those 23 stat points, 7 were auto assigned to the Wisdom stat, while 5 were auto assigned to Intelligence. 3 points were assigned to both Vitality and Endurance. Which left him with 5 points to assign himself. Edward flicked his wrist and a stack of papers appeared. He handed them over to Edgar. This is a list of all the Onyx Ranked military personnel who meet your conditions. They have all been informed that they may be chosen, and are waiting for your decision. I didnt include those who wanted to opt out. It will be their choice to enter, just as you asked. Edgar took the papers and began flipping through them. Hmm 67 people. I didnt think there would be so many. Edward shrugged. Not all Onyx Rankers are strong. Choose carefully. Their stats are all there. We allow them to keep their skills hidden, though. There are only vague descriptions of their skill sets. Edgar nodded. As it should be. Everybody deserves to keep something secret. Now. Come on. Fathers waiting. Edward pushed off the wall and led Edgar through the palace and into King Edwins study. Their father was sitting at his desk, alone. Father. Edward said, causing King Edwin to look up from whatever document he was reading. Ah, Edward Edwin I trust your training went well? Edwin asked. Edgar snorted. No, actually. It didnt. You see, I was forced to forgo my training that I spent years perfecting, and do some shit I swore I would never do. Edgar. Language. Edward scolded. The King waved it off. No worries. It is only the three of us here. I know you didnt want to do it this way, but the Kingdom is in your debt because you did. Oh, the Kingdoms in my debt? Are you in my debt? Edgar asked. If the Kingdom is in your debt, then of course I am also in your debt. The King squinted his eyes. Good good. Edgar said. The auction begins in a week, correct? Yes. The King answered. Alanah has allowed for each member to bring up to two guests with them. Then you wouldnt mind allowing me to have first dibs on any meal, would you? You know, debt and all. Edgar smiled. Edgar! Father needs the stats. Edward rebuke. Its one of the meals. Edgar said. Those wont increase his Vitality, and Endurance only gives a small boost in life expectancy. In the long run, a few weeks wont matter. I wouldnt even ask if it wasnt for the rumored Void Beast that provided Vitality instead of other stats. Surely, father would be willing to give up a mean for his son who is risking his life in a never before explored Time Distortion dungeon if he is able to get his hands on the Vitality product. Still Edward started. Thats fine. Edwin said. If the opportunity presents itself, you shall have the stat boosting meal, and I will take the Vitality product. Think of it as a congratulations for reaching max level. After that, King Edwin stood. Now, my boys. What say we get to Savannah? There are a few people I would like to visit before the auction begins. Chapter 202: Going Home Chapter 202: Going Home Derek sat in the middle of the final area of the dungeon. He was finally finished. With his most recent run through the dungeon, he reached level 171. Finally, being past level 170, he would no longer be able to enter the dungeon. He rubbed his temples. That wasnt near as bad as that mind potion that Roman had me drink. Derek had just finished going through the breakthrough for what he considered his third most important stat, Wisdom. I guess with my Endurance and Vitality like they are, I shouldnt expect much at the 1,000 point threshold. Derek shrugged and looked over his stats. Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 825 825 1500 (???) 1500 (???) 825 1000 108 With the new breakthrough in Wisdom, his mana pool was sitting at 15,000 points. Hed be able to go all out for much longer now. Well, if I meet something that can put me to the test. So far, Greater Meditation has been more than enough to keep my expenditure at a minimum. Strength and Dexterity turned out to be his most useless stats. Unfortunately, Derek didnt have any passive or active movement skills that he could use during battle to increase his speed, so he had to rely on his basic Strength and Dexterity stats for his speed. Fortunately, his low Strength and Dexterity didnt affect his battles too much, as he could always use Void Shift to slow down his surroundings and surprise his enemies. Dereks next plan was to get Intelligence up to its threshold. Because everything he did used elements, Intelligence would help his attacks pack a bigger punch. He hadnt needed it thus far, but since his two survival stats hit what seemed to be a hard cap, he could focus more on his other stats. Derek checked his skill points. I have 18 skill points I guess it wouldnt hurt to take near useless skill now. He received the Lesser Explorer Award a while ago, but because the reward that came with it wasnt too useful, and he wasnt sure about how rare skill points were going to be for him, he chose to let the skill reward sit. Now, he decided to take it. I probably should have picked it up a while ago, but that kind of speed has never been an issue. He thought as he focused on Lesser Traveler and the notification popped up. Enhanced Movement Speed The ability to move at a faster pace while out of combat. 1% increase in movement speed per level. Cost: 1 Skill Point Would you like to learn Enhanced Movement Speed? Derek used the single skill point to learn the skill. Enhanced Movement Speed Learned Successfully You can remove your hand now. The guard said. Thats it? Derek asked. The last time he did this, he had to answer a lot more questions. The guard nodded. Yes. As you are a resident of Savannah, we just had to confirm the truth. Thats great. Derek said. The entry fee is five gold. The guard said and reached out his hand. Of course. Derek thought. He waved his hand, and the gold coins fell into the palm of the guard. Along with the gold coins, the guard placed his hand on the tablet. The tablet glowed, then faded, then disappeared along with the currency. The guard looked up and smiled. If you stop at the gate next time, you can get a pass and wont have to pay the entry fee again. Noted. Derek said. You may enter. Derek nodded at the guards around the gate, then walked inside. It was late, so meeting Alanah was going to have to wait until the next day. Derek started running at a brisk pace. The city was big, so it was still going to take him a bit to get home. *** When Derek arrived at his shop, he unlocked the door and opened it. As soon as he stepped inside, a purple blur hit him right in the solar plexus. Derek lost his breath and coughed. I didnt even think it was possible to get the wind knocked out of me after my upgrades. Derek looked down at the little murder bunny on the floor, staring daggers at him. Ugh Silvi what was that for? Asshole! Silvis voice chimed inside Dereks head. What? What did I do? Derek was confused. Increased your Vitality and Endurance at the same time. I thought I was going to die. Her childlike voice said. Derek thought about what she said. Oh, no. I put both of my stats to 1499 at the same time originally. That would have put her stats over 1000 each at the same time. Derek thought about the struggle he went through when his stats hit 1000. Im so sorry. I wasnt thinking. Asshole. Silvi chirped again. Then she hopped onto Dereks head. Dont do that again. Next time, I promise to give it some time after I increase a stat to the point it will put you past the threshold. Derek comforted her. He thought about it. That would be just over 1100 points. Fine. You owe me tasty food. She said. Then Ill have to get you some tasty food tomorrow. I hear Alanahs in town. Beautiful, delicious lady came by asking when youll be back. Wants you to meet boss. Mal told her. Silvi said. Derek nodded. Where is everyone? All asleep except maniac. Maniac in basement. Maniac? Derek asked. Brandi. Shes a crafting maniac. And its not even Cooking. How can she do so much without a tasty reward? Shes a maniac. Silvi explained. I see. Derek said. I guess I better check on her. Derek closed and locked the door behind him. He would make sure Brandi was doing well before calling it a night himself. He hadnt rested in two weeks, and sleep sounded very good. Chapter 203: Maniac Chapter 203: Maniac With Silvi on his shoulder, Derek headed downstairs to see what Brandi was up to. As soon as he opened the door to the basement, he could hear the clanging sound of metal on metal. Must be smithing, then. Sure enough, when he made it downstairs, he could see Brandis small figure standing in front of her blacksmith station, banging on a small piece of metal. That was when Derek noticed that the girl was dressed from head to toe in protective gear. She wore an apron, gloves, some sort of headgear, and goggles, even. Actually, Derek doubted if there was even a piece of skin exposed on the small blacksmith. The girl was concentrating hard on the process, so Derek waited for her to finish before interrupting her. Soon, with tongs in hand, she took the metal and quenched it in the water beside her forge. After that, she let the piece of metal rest on the anvil. Brandi took the leather headgear off her head, along with the goggles. Then she removed her gloves and tossed everything on the workbench in front of her. After that, she wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel and sighed. Finally, she turned around and let out a yip. Derek laughed. Sorry I didnt want to interrupt you. Derek! She ran over and hugged him around the waist. How long have you been back? Not long. He ruffled her short hair. It was growing, but it would be a while before it was back to what it once was. Silvi greeted me when I came in. She told me that everyone was asleep but you, so I decided to come see how youre doing. Brandi took a step back from Derek and gave him a toothy grin. Oh! Im doing so, so, so, so good! Oh, yeah? What happened with you in the last two weeks? Well you left mama in charge of everything when you left. The Crown people made a what did she call it a deposit, so there was a bunch of gold. I told mama you said I could have a bunch of materials to use to level my skills, and after some negotiating, I got her to let me go shopping for some. Brand excitedly explained. Is that so? Derek didnt think it was time for his next deposit from the Crown, but he could talk with them about it later. He pointed at the outfit Brandi was wearing. Whats all that about? Oh She clicked her tongue. It was the only way mom would get me the materials. I burned myself the day after you left, so she wouldnt let me blacksmith until I was fully protected. I dont like it. Its makes it hard to move. But its worth it since I can craft as much as I want now. Speaking of which. Derek said. Why are you still awake? Everyone else is asleep. Meditation. Brandi said with glowing eyes. Im so glad you had me buy it. I dont need to sleep. I can just Meditate for a bit, then I can craft again. Its the best skill ever. I cant sleep anyway because Im always thinking about the new and exciting things I can make. Ah Derek rubbed the back of his neck. He was just as guilty of using Meditation instead of sleeping as she was, so he couldnt say anything about it. However, at a lower level, he knew it wasnt a perfect replacement for sleep. Your Meditation is still low level, so you need to work some sleep into your schedule to stay healthy. I know. I do. I just slept the day before yesterday no the day before that. Yeah I slept then. Dereks jaw nearly dropped. Have you been doing anything else? She nodded her head fiercely. I go to Romans to learn more about Alchemy a lot. When Im not here, Im there. Its so much fun. Have you at least been eating? Brandi frowned for a moment. Mom makes me go up and eat three times a day. I told her that I could just bring some bread down here and Id be fine, but she wont let me do that. Yeah, because you would never show your face again unless you ran out of materials. Derek thought. Well, anything else exciting happen? Brandi nodded seriously. So, you know all about Meditation, right? Derek asked. It lets me get my Mana and Stamina back quick, and makes me less tired. Brandi said. Derek nodded. That, and the higher you level it up, the better it functions. Faster regeneration, and it works better at relieving tiredness. At higher levels, Ive meditated for well for a really long time, all in one sitting. Days? Brandi asked. Derek sighed. Months years even. Really? Why? Brandi asked. Thats something for another time. Derek avoided going into his past inside the void. What Im getting at is that it can be a perfect replacement for sleep, and at a higher level, you would end up with almost no downtime. So, using the points on the skill, may be no is probably the best option. Brandi nodded. The other thing is that the skill upgrades once it hits max level. Derek said. It turns into Greater Meditation. Im sure youve heard me talk about it before. Derek wasnt exactly secretive with the skill. He had told Leon and others about it. She nodded again. Well, with Greater Meditation, youre able to use the skill while moving. My Greater Meditation is at level 9, and I can move almost half as good while using it as I could without. My guess is that when it hits level 20, you can basically use it like a passive regeneration skill that has no adverse effects on your movement. Does it still help with sleeping? Brandi asked. Derek furrowed his brow. It does I think. When I need to relax, but not sleep, I still meditate while still, and lose some of my senses. Im never fully in the trance where I lose all my senses anymore, though, so I think it works. I need it. Brandi said. I think so too, but I also think we should talk to Derek stopped as he watched Brandi close her eyes, then open them and reveal a big grin. What did you do? I have Greater Meditation level 3 now. She cheekily said. Derek facepalmed. Ive created no Ive evolved a monster. I told you. Maniac. Silvis voice chimed in Dereks head. Indeed. Derek sent. Shes scary. Chapter 204: Suite Chapter 204: Suite Derek woke up the next morning after discussing multiple things with Brandi. The kid was going to grow to be a monster, that was for sure. He also wanted to find a way to help her separate her stats a bit, so she wouldnt have to experience the pain of facing multiple breakthroughs at once. Luckily, with her first ten levels, she had skewed her stats more toward Dexterity and Endurance, so those two stats were separated from the other four. Endurance was most likely the most painful and unbearable of the bunch, and also the best stat to breakthrough to prepare for the other breakthroughs, so she already had that going for her. Still, he would have to see about helping her get an Award that gave free stat points so she could space other stats apart. Some of the small Void Beasts blood and a meal from the Crown could also help, too. All in all, it shouldnt be too hard of a task. Derek sat up and rubbed his eyes. It was a good nights sleep, but he still woke early. He got out of bed and moved down the hall to the bathroom. When he opened the door, he smiled. His shower was installed. Geoffrey does quick work. Derek thought. The door closed behind Derek, and he locked it. He hadnt had plans to shower, but when in Rome. The shower was glorious no it was beyond glorious. Geoffrey had outdone himself. The heat adjustment runes were much more potent than Derek ever dreamed of. If he were to sell these showers, they would have to come with a warning. The water was actually able to reach such a high temperature that it was almost as hot as the golems from the dungeon. Geoffrey had also made it where one could reverse the rune and turn the water cold freezing cold, even. That was perfect. Nothing was better than a long, hot shower, followed by a blast of cold water to wake one up. Once Derek dried and dressed, he headed to the dining room and kitchen. Sure enough, Malorie and Silvi were already hard at work making breakfast. Welcome back, Derek. Mal said, not too surprised to see him. Silvi told me you made it back last night. Was your trip successful? Very much so. Derek nodded. Is Brandi still in the basement? Malories eyes flashed in frustration. She pulled another all nighter. What do I have to do to get her to realize that her body wont hold up if she doesnt get some proper sleep? Derek rubbed the back of his neck and looked off to the side. Well about that What? Mal asked. Well, we discussed some things about her class and such last night when I came in. Derek started. And? And we talked about resting and skills and such. Derek said. So? What does that matter? Malorie asked with a confused look. Derek tilted his head. She didnt tell you about her class upgrade? Very. Very well. Come to the hotel. She said. See you soon. Derek stopped transferring mana to the crystal, and the connection cut off. He put the crystal away and headed toward the center of the city, where the Crown Hotel was. It wasnt long before Derek made it to the city center and was walking through the doors to the Crown Hotel. Surprisingly, as soon as he stepped inside, he was greeted by one of the workers. Master Derek. The young lady said. Mistress Swan has instructed me to bring you to her. If you would follow me, please. Derek nodded and followed the lady through the lobby and up the stairs, then up more stairs, then more. Before long, they had walked all the way up to the top floor of the building. I bet its the suite reserved for when the big boss comes to town. Derek chuckled lightly, which caused the young lady to shoot him a confused look. Derek waved her off. Standing in front of one of the few doors on the top floor, the young lady straightened her posture and made sure she was as tidy as could be before she lightly knocked on the door. Derek watched her closely as she proudly stood before the entrance. Soon, the nob on the door slowly began to turn and a look of excitement flashed in her eyes. The excitement in her eyes was immediately drained when Stellas form appeared before them. Ah, she was hoping to make an impression on the big boss, but instead she only got to see the little boss. Derek, come in. Stella motioned to Derek. Thank you, Jen. That will be all. She dismissed the young lady just like that. Derek walked through the door as Stella closed it behind him. The room was magnificent. It was almost as big as his entire shop. It was completely open. There was a sitting area, what looked to be an office area, and a full kitchen that looked as good, if not better, than the one in his shop. Along with that, were two doors leading to what Derek assumed would be a bedroom and bathroom, respectively. Derek could do without the emerald green and white designs throughout the room, but it was the official color palette of the Crown, so it made sense to be there. It wasnt a color scheme that he would personally use, but it wasnt bad on the eyes. His thoughts began to wonder as he thought about what logo and colors he should use on his business. Well, I guess we still need to name it first. I wonder if Brandi and them have come up with anything yet. Alanah will be out momentarily. Stella said to the gazing Derek. Derek broke out of his thoughts and nodded at Stella. You can sit anywhere you want. Stella said. Derek looked all around the room. He didnt see any seats that looked particularly comfortable, so he chose to go sit on a couch. It looked to be the most comfortable thing in the room, yet it was still pretty uncomfortable. Im going to have to provide Alanah with some of my dining room furniture. He thought. After just a few minutes of sitting, Derek heard the click of a door opening. He turned and looked over his shoulder as he watched one of the most stunning and beautiful people hed ever seen in his life walk out. Derek, dear! Its so good to finally meet you. Chapter 205: First Meeting Chapter 205: First Meeting Derek stood from the couch and openly gawked as Alanah walked out of her bedroom. Finally, he knew why the Crown chose emerald green as the primary color for its palette. The womans lush green hair flowed just down past her shoulders. Derek could just make out a pointed ear hidden underneath. An ear that reminded him almost of the elves he saw, but more closely resembled a half elf. Alanah was taller than most women hed seen, human or otherwise. Derek may have been taller by an inch or so, but that was it. Her sparkling green eyes matched her hair and gave off an aura of mischief. She wore a sleeveless white mini-dress with straps on the waist tied to fit her form. The dress was simple, but Alanah made it look priceless. Derek, dear. The beautiful woman spoke again. Are you finished staring? Derek snapped back to the real world. S-sorry. He said. That was rude. Not at all. Its actually a little flattering. Alanah replied as she stepped forward. Sit, sit. We have so many things to discuss. She walked past the couch and sat on the chair across from him. Stella followed her lead and sat on the other. Derek waited for both ladies to sit, then sat back down on the sofa. It is nice to finally meet you in person, Alanah. I have to say, you look a little different from the picture I had of you in my head. Alanah giggled. Ill take that as a compliment. Derek nodded. Very much so. Now, first off all. Alanah leaned forward. Tell me, are my presence and words having any adverse effect on you right now? Do you feel a pull, or the need to do anything I say? Derek thought about the question. When he first began chatting with Alanah through the communication crystals, he would occasionally feel a tug on his consciousness. But after so many conversations over the last month or so, that had completely gone away. She had also told him that meeting her in person would cause the effect to be amplified. However, it seemed like he didnt have to worry about that now. He shook his head. No, actually. It feels like Im just talking to a regular person. Oh, thats just wonderful. Alanah clasped her hand in her fist and pulled them to her chest. Finally, someone I can talk to without having to wait. Someone other than Edwin and Avery. Derek smiled. Im glad. A light shined in Alanahs eyes. Derek, dear. Would you mind if I used a skill on you? Just to see the extent that you are able to withstand my ability? Derek hesitated, but shrugged. Just dont make me do anything embarrassing, like strip naked and hop on one foot. Alanah covered her mouth and chuckled. I would never. Stella rolled her eyes and muttered. Yes, you would. Well I wont right now. Alanah said. Are you ready? Derek nodded. He was staring deep into Alanahs eyes. Soon, her iriss expanded and the whole of her eyes turned green. It was like when Derek used his aura. Then he felt something trying to invade his mind. The pressure was intense. He fought back, eventually even using Greater Meditation to focus and clear the hold trying to form on his mind. That Alanah said. Was a most fascinating skill. Even though his pride was a little hurt, Derek was thankful to Alanah. Now he knew that Void Shift wasnt the be all end all of skills. It was better to find out that there were those who could counter it while in a friendly setting than while in battle. I would love to know how it works. She said. Derek walked back over to the sofa and took a seat. That was unexpected. Derek said. But thank you. What happened? Stella asked. You were just on the couch, then you were falling in front of Alanah. What exactly did you do? Was it teleportation? No. Alanah answered. It wasnt teleportation. He was between. Here without being here. Thats Derek said. Probably a good way to explain it. Actually, Im not sure if I could explain it better. I just wanted to see what type of limitations it may have against someone with a high strength. Thank you for showing me. Well. I dont think you have to worry about too many people or beasts being able to truly dismantle your skill. Like I said, it was quite fascinating. I just so happened to be one of the few equipped with a way to deactivate certain skills. Alanah explained. Derek nodded. I see. I used it against Shaethe Savannah Adventurers Guild Masterand he was able to keep track of me, but he wasnt able to do much else. Yes, he would be able to. With his Dexterity, he would certainly have the reflexes, but he would still be defenseless depending on how your skill works when you attack. Its those with high Wisdom or Intelligence that you will have to worry about. They would truly be able to see you. That skill of yours would be the bane of physical based classes, but magic based classes could find theyre own ways to counter. Derek agreed. He was still unsure of Alanahs power, and whether he would find others as powerful, but he would keep this experience to heart. Well, I know why I wanted to see you. Alanah said. But why have you requested a meeting so early this morning? Derek looked at Alanah, then at Stella. Stella didnt exactly know what his element was, unless Alanah had told her. He thought about it for some time before coming to the conclusion that he was strong enough to protect himself, and he trusted Stella enough. As you know he said to Alanah. I use the void element. I knew it. Stella said, garnering her a look from him. What? It just makes too much sense. Derek shrugged and stood. He walked over to the side of the sitting area where there was some free space and put his hands together. Then he ripped the void open, showing the contents of his Void Storage to the room. I happened to come across a few extra materials. Oh, my god. Derek what the-? Stella said. Language, my girl. Alanah chided before giggling. Derek, my dear. You really know how to make a presentation. Chapter 206: Presentation Chapter 206: Presentation Derek smiled and sat, leaving his Void Storage open. Inside it were the over thirty Void Beasts he hunted, along with dozens of mana cores from the golems. So, this is what you were doing while you were gone? Stella asked. More or less. Derek answered. How many? Alanah asked. There are thirty-five Void Beasts in total. They range from weak beasts to strong ones. I would say Silver Ranked to Onyx Ranked, with one being intelligent and three being small ones with the Vitality boosting quality. He answered. So many Stella muttered. Derek shrugged. I had some free time, so I decided to go hunting. What do you plan to do with them? Alanah asked. Im not sure we have enough time to prepare all the Void Beasts for this auction, but I doubt you would want to do that, anyway. Derek nodded. It would be best to space them out. We wouldnt want to flood the market, even though demand will most probably not drop even if there is a lot because of what the meals offer. Its best to keep the product scarce. Alanah agreed with Derek. So, how would you like to play it? she asked. Derek smiled. Well, Ill give you the majority of them. Of course, you will strip the material from each one and provide Roman with what he needs for his potions. Then, its up to you to auction and sell them as you see fit. Of course, I would like to receive a good portion of the meals created. That can be arranged. Alanah said. Is there anything in particular you would like us to trade for? Derek thought about the question. If all went well, he would be commissioning a high-quality glaive from one of the top Blacksmiths in the Kingdom after the auction. Other than that, he couldnt think of anything that could directly benefit him. In actuality, the meals and potions that would provide him with extra stats would be worth more than just about anything else to him. Then he thought about Brandi. Once she leveled enough, he would basically have the Kingdoms best crafter in his corner. He also thought about the early payment Malorie said they received.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com He looked at Stella. I was told that you deposited a payment while I was gone. Wasnt it a little too early for that? That would be because of me. Alanah said. I felt the need to compensate you a small amount because of the changes made to the auctions. We were set to use one auction as an advertisement for the bigger, but because of the changes, there is a chance that not all members will be able to attend. Ah I see. Derek said. In that case, I need materials. He looked deeply at Stella and Alanah. He had never openly explained the situation with Brandi to either of them, though he did give Alanah some details a while back. He did, however, trust both Alanah and Stella as business partners, but more importantly, he trusted their character. We can do materials. What kind do you need? Stella answered. If he was going to have them provide a stream of materials for Brandi, they would need to know about her. What do you know about Brandi? The crafter girl? Alanah smiled. The one who does Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Leatherworking, Tailoring, and Im sure many other crafts? That girl? Dereks jaw dropped slightly. You knew? Well, you already told me she was special. Then there was the kidnapping debacle, though Im sure they didnt know the extent of her crafts. Also, youre wearing a fine shirt made by her, as well. She studies under Roman Pascal, yet her mother has bought a decent amount of materials for Blacksmithing. For someone close to you, it is not hard to figure out. Alanah explained. Have you told anyone? Derek asked. Mythic class? He asked. He had his suspicions that legendary wasnt the highest class rarity, and now Alanah had confirmed it. Yes, it is the highest class rarity ever recorded. She explained. Now, theoretically, someone who receives a mythic class at level 50 could max out every stat, depending on how many stat points he received for his beginning levels. Though, nothing of that sort has been recorded. At least nothing that Ive heard of. I guess that makes sense. Derek said. Now, you must understand that most people who obtain max level have epic classes toward the end, usually obtaining them at level 200, or in some lucky cases, level 100. Which is why those who can attend the Academy are so special. An early rare class is highly sought after, and an early epic class well, there are few. Derek nodded along with her explanation. Now, take King Edwin, for example. He has a good mixture of stats, which is needed, but it also leaves him looking for extra Endurance and Vitality stats to increase his lifespan. Thats where the meals, and now, Romans potion, come in. She explained. That still doesnt tell me anything about the question marks beside my stat. Derek said. Patience Im almost there. Alanah said. The meals and that potion come from a Void Beast, which is a creature not made or enhanced by the Great System. So, the stat increases are from outside the Great System, as well. The Great System will show the stat increases up to 1,500 points because that is the max that can be obtained through the Great System. Anything extra will have question marks, because it can no longer be calculated by the Great System. I was able to put five stat points into my stat after it reached 1,500, shouldnt the system have stopped me? Derek asked. Alanah shook her head. I assume the five points came from the potion you tested from Roman? She asked and got a confirmation. Then, no. You can consider those five points as filler for stat points given by the Great System. They work the same, and even work with breakthroughs and thresholds, but the stats are still power granted by something other than the Great System. So, if I had 300 stat points in say, Vitality, just from consuming products made from those small Void Beasts, and my Vitality was at 1,500, I could still put 300 system given stat points into Vitality, essentially giving me 1,800 points? Derek asked. Essentially, yes. But those extra stats may not work the same after 1,500. Alanah said. What do you mean? There isnt much research done on the subject. Very few people hit the stat cap, and even fewer find a way to increase their stats outside of the Great System. What about you? Derek asked. Alanah covered her mouth in faux shock. Now you wouldnt be asking a lady about her stats, would you? That could be considered very rude. She waved the comment to the side. The best way to understand would be for you to experience it yourself, which you have already begun. Plus, you seem to have no problem finding non-system material how frightening. Derek shrugged. Everyone had their secrets-he was no different. Just know that every entity of the Great System can be strengthened by the Great System up to the strength displayed by 1,500 stat points. Thats ANY entity-whether it is beast, human, elf, modified entity any entity. So, if you have max stats with some points not given by the Great System and you use given stats to increase your stats, the Great System will essentially replace those stats, leaving you with extra, incalculable stats. Think of the extra stats as placeholders until the Great System stats arrive. Alanah explained. You would think that once the Great System replaces the non-system stats, the non-system stats would disappear, but for some reason, the Great System allows, and maybe even helps, you absorb the non-system stats. Derek shook his head. I feel like my brains going to explode. Basically, I dont even think of the extra points in terms of stats. I think of them as extra strength. Its easier to wrap your head around it that way. Alanah explained. So you do have some max stats. Derek smiled. She smiled back. I never said I didnt. Chapter 207: Tier Four Chapter 207: Tier Four Derek still couldnt quite wrap his head around the system and its stats. Maybe this system isnt as stingy as I thought it was. He shook his head and inwardly sighed. Its just something Ill have to figure out for myself, just like Alanah says. So. Derek shifted the conversation. I know youve moved the auction up and even combined them, but nobody has told me why. What happened? I was wondering when you were going to bring that up. Alanah said. This is only known to a few of the higher ups in the Kingdom, but there is a new dungeon that needs to be cleared. Derek shrugged. Whats so special about that? Why all the secrecy over a dungeon? Its because of the type of dungeon. It is both a raid-type dungeon and time distortion. Alanah explained. If it were just one of those, then there wouldnt be much of a problem, but combined, we end up in this situation. How many people? Derek asked. Twenty-five people. She answered. But thats not the worst part. The time distortion in that place is big. By the calculations of those who went in before, its at least one to twelve. With each day spent inside, twelve passes on the outside. Because its a max level raid dungeon, it could take months inside to finish. The reason why it was a big deal clicked for Derek. So twenty-five of the Kingdoms elite have to run a dungeon that could take years on the outside. Which means Cydaria will lose much of its military power while the dungeon is being completed. Hence all the secrecy. Alanah said. And you pushed the auction up because they plan on starting this raid soon. Alanah nodded. Exactly. The team plans to enter the dungeon a week after the auction. I see Derek rubbed his chin. Mhm. The times are quite interesting. Alanah said. Now, hand me your membership card. She commanded out of the blue. Huh? Your Crown membership card. Hand it to me. She reached out with her hand. Okay. Derek searched through his storage bracelet until he found the white membership card Stella had given him. With a flick of his wrist, it appeared in his hand. Here. He handed the card over to Alanah. Derek watched as Alanah looked over the card, then began injecting her mana into it. He saw as the card changed from white to blue, then eventually purple, before finally settling on black. The golden logo of the Crown shined brightly against the black background. Alanah flicked the card back to Derek. He fumbled with it before he finally caught it. Congratulations. Alanah said. You are one of the very few who has a tier four membership. Now you can enjoy heavy discounts on lesser tier services, including hotel stay, along with being able to book suites and dine off the upper tier menus in the restaurants. You get VIP treatment in all Crown locations and auctions. Thanks? Derek shrugged and put the card away. You know that people would kill for that, right? Aye, but killing for a membership card would be a sure way to not be eligible for a membership card. Derek smiled. You missed dinner. He said. The girl startled and turned around. Oh, was it dinnertime already? Derek rolled his eyes. Youre going to drive your mother crazy. I know. I already talked with her today. Brandi said. Greater Meditation is amazing It is, but dont forget about everything else. She nodded. I wont. Its just so good that I can keep going as long as I have materials. Speaking of which Derek said. I made another deal with the Crown, so you will have all the materials you need. You just need to tell your mother what you need and shell get it for you. Really? Her eyes lit up. Yup, but Malorie is in charge of it, so you better listen to her. Derek laughed at Brandis pout. Thats right, no more skipping dinner. You need to be at least a little sociable. Fine. Derek flicked his wrist, and a spherical object appeared in his hand. It was one of the mana cores from the golem dungeon. He tossed to the girl. Whats this? She asked. Derek went on to explain to her what it was and how he got it. Including how it powered the golems of different elements. Her face brightened more and more as she listened. Then, when she found out he had thousands of the cores, she went giddy with excitement. Thousands? You have thousands of them? Yes, and theyre all yours. But you have to be careful. In fact, it would probably be beast if you didnt work with them until you level up more a lot more. They are all from golems at level 160 or higher, and they pack a punch when they explode. He explained. It may even be a good idea to talk with Alanah about getting some defensive runes installed down here that could withstand an explosion of that sort. Ill be careful. Brandi said. You better. He said. Though I dont think they are dangerous until they are filled with mana. And I got the notifications for killing the golems, so I dont believe they will reform an enemy golem if you can get them working again. Though it would be best to have someone powerful down here, just in case. Brandi nodded hard and stored the core inside her ring. When I get some extra storage rings, Ill give you the rest. Derek said, before turning to leave. Remember, be careful. I know, I know. You dont have to keep telling me. Yes, I do. Derek smiled. Im going to sleep. Chapter 208: Alanahs Gathering Chapter 208: Alanah''s Gathering Are you sure this is a good idea? Stella rushed back and forth, making sure everything in the room was prepared for such company. They had decided to use the top, most private, floor in the Crown Restaurant to host such an evening. Oh, no. Alanah smiled. Its most definitely a terrible idea. But it will no doubt be fun and eventful.Vissit for updates Why not just wait until the auction? At least then, they will have something else to focus on. You know very well how Derek feels about the King. Stella asked. Thats why were doing it tonight. I know you couldnt tell, but Derek is strong very strong. Alanah explained. Its better to get the introductions out of the way now, since everyone is already in the city. Stella shook her head. But the City Lord is also coming. That means that, including yourself, three of the people who control the most power in the Kingdom are going to be under one roof, in the same room, having a meal. Mhm. Alanah nodded. It should be quite fun. I havent been this excited in a long time. Stella rolled her eyes and continued preparing the room. She could only pray that the evening stay peaceful, but with both Alanah and Derek there, she knew that wouldnt happen. *** Derek stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom. He was wearing his finest t-shirt, jeans, and boots-which is to say he was wearing his usual clothing. There was no way he would be dressing up in one of those itchy, uncomfortable tunics and pantaloons, even if his Endurance was way past allowing something so minor to actually cause him any discomfort. He had been invited to a gathering by Alanah. He had no idea who all would be there, and she was being cheeky and not telling him. She only told him that it would be fun. He trusted her, so maybe it would be fun. Still, he wasnt much of a fan of formal gatherings, no matter how much he might have changed since being trapped in the void. He could honestly say that he was looking forward to meeting Natalie Savannah and hoped she would be there. From everything he heard about her, and what hed seen in the city so far, she was a great City Lord-much more capable than that incompetent King. Derek ran his hand through his hair one last time to make sure it wasnt a complete mess, then walked out of the bathroom. If he left now, he should be able to get to the gathering a little early. It was always best not to arrive late when you didnt know what company you were going to have. He walked downstairs and told everyone he was leaving, and asked Silvi if she wanted to join him. However, the bunny was too busy with a baking project and didnt wish to leave. Not even the allure of Crown prepared food could get her to leave her home with her kitchen. She had become a house bunny. A very dangerous, deadly, house bunny. Just like planned, Derek arrived at the Crown Restaurant a bit earlier than requested, and he was soon led up to a floor that only tier four members were usually allowed to access. Tier four members like me. He smiled, remembering his membership card Alanah had updated two days ago. This is as far as I can go. The man who led him to the floor stopped before the door to a room. Derek noticed the nervousness he displayed the entire time he was walk walking behind the man. Derek looked at Alanah as the Kings pale face began gaining color. She shot him a look back, not one of anger or shock, but one of amusement. She planned the meeting to go this way. What a sly seductress. Derek thought. Derek quickly glanced at Edward, who had started to walk over toward the King. His smile had vanished and turned into an angry frown. Then Derek glanced over his shoulder at Edgar. He was staring in rapt attention with a twinkle in his eye. He was also doing his best to fight a smile-doing his best, but losing. Derek could see the beginning of a grin breaking out on his face. The only thing he needed to complete his look was a bucket of popcorn. What Did You Say? The King spat out each word, one by one. What? Derek asked with a confused look. Did I say something wrong? Are you not incompetent? Incompetent? Edward was now standing beside the King. Who are you to say such things? Derek looked over at Alanah, in faux shock. Is this man not the King? Did I get it wrong? Derek shot a look back at the King and bowed. Im sorry, sir. I thought that since the both Prince Edgar and Crown Prince Edward were here, the only possibility was that you were the King of Cydaria. Im sorry for mistaking you for such a fool. I have disrespected you. Derek acted completely sincere with every word he said. You! The Kings face was now completely red in anger. He jumped to his feet, sending a pulse of lightning out of his body in the process. The chair he was sitting on completely disintegrated from the lightning that hit it. Thats when Derek realized the King was already pouring out his aura, directing it entirely at him. It tickled. Derek glanced at Edgar again, in concern. He was standing almost directly behind Derek, so he would be subjected to the aura almost as much as Derek was. However, to Dereks surprise, and actual shock, Edgar had at some point summoned a beverage and was sipping on it as he watched the festivities. He wasnt affected by the aura of his father at all. At that point, he also saw another figure standing behind Edgar, quietly closing the door behind herself. Derek had to rub his eyes because if not for seeing the door move, he would have completely missed her. She was short, but not a halfling or dwarf. She was maybe five feet tall. She had hair that was as dark as Dereks own that came down to her shoulders. A pair of big, red-rimmed glasses sat on her cute button nose. But what drew most of Dereks attention was her eyes. They were white. White like his were purple. Dereks thoughts were interrupted as he heard the sizzling sound of electricity. He turned his head back to the King, only to see a ball of electricity gathering on the mans palm. Derek glanced at Alanah once again. The woman didnt seem to think anything of the situation. You should stop, Edwin. The feminine voice came from behind Derek as all attention fell on the short, scholarly woman. She continued to walk to the side of Derek and take a seat beside Alanah. She stared the King up and down, her eyes glowing slightly, then she looked at Derek. Her eyes traced his body. For the first time in this world, he felt utterly exposed. He felt naked in front of her gaze. Though, when she finished, she frowned slightly and turned back to the King. Thats a fight you cant win. She said. Chapter 209: Bad Guy 101 Chapter 209: Bad Guy 101 The room went silent, though, other than the buzzing sound of electricity coming off of the King, there wasnt much noise to begin with. The King only shifted his gaze from Derek to the recent addition to the gathering. Miss Savannah. The King composed himself, but still narrowed his eyes. What do you mean? The small woman tilted her head sideways while looking at the King. Its just as I said. Its a fight that you will not win. You must face it, King Edwin, when it comes to aura the womans gaze shifted between everyone in the room, her eyes lingering on Edgar for a moment longer than everyone else. You and the Crown Prince are the weakest in here. That means? The King fished for more details. That means that you have fewer stat points than anyone in this room other than your son, the Crown Prince. How they are arranged, I do not know, but trying anything with Mr. Hunt would be a big mistake and I would think that Mistress Swan feels the same way about fighting in her restaurant as I do about fighting in MY city. Natalie explained. Alanah just shrugged, not giving a clear agreement one way or another. Natalie shifted her gaze back to Derek. Mr. Hunt- Derek cut her off. Please. Call me Derek. She stared at him for a moment before nodding. Derek was it not immature and impulsive to provoke the King of the Kingdom you currently reside in? Derek looked Natalie in her white eyes, eyes that were beginning to give off a subtle glow. I dont know. Is it not incompetent to allow a trafficker, both adult and child, to not only live, but be one of the most influential people in the entire Kingdom? Interesting. Natalie muttered after a moment before looking back at the King. Without saying anything, she took out a blue communication crystal and placed it on the table in front of her. She placed her hand on top of the crystal. What are- The King started, but stopped when a voice came out of the crystal. Your orders? Miss Savannah. The voice said. Marcus. Natalie began. From henceforth, Gerald Torith and all immediate relations are banned from entering or doing trade with those inside the city. If a business is caught in a relationship with them, they will be immediately exiled from the city. Am I understood? Yes, Maam, I will relay your orders and send the notice out to all citizens of Savannah. Good. You shall give them two weeks to end all relationships with the family. Very well. Marcus said. That is all. Natalie removed her hand from the crystal, ending the call. She then placed it back in her storage. What? the King stared at the woman, mouth wide open. Why would you do that? Do you know the consequences of what you just did?Vissit for updates Everyone, even Alanah, stared at Derek, dumbfounded. What? Derek said. Like I said, its obvious. It is. Alanah said. I just didnt expect you to talk about it so thoroughly or casually. Its bad guy 101. Derek said. What? You know. A bad guy blackmails a bunch of lesser bad guys, creating a bad guy alliance that does bad guy things and tries to protect the interest of the main bad guy. That is, until one of the more motivated, lesser bad guys finds out where the main bad guy is keeping all the blackmail. Then, the lesser bad guy steals the blackmail and gets rid of the main bad guy, becoming the new boss of the bad guy alliance. Derek said. Well, thats daytime television for you. Derek thought. Hell, I cant even count the number of times Ive seen that exact scenario happen on a tv show. Derek shrugged. The cycle continues until the hero comes along and cleans house, resulting in the complete collapse of the bad guy alliance. And youre the hero in this scenario? The King asked. Derek shrugged. Not really. Im just a guy that the bad guys accidentally pissed off. A guy that doesnt care about the consequences. Derek said. Also, if you are going to do something about Gerald, you should probably get to it. You wont have much time once Miss Savannahs command is carried out. Hell probably know something is up the second the command goes out. King Edwins eyes opened wide, and he nodded. He quickly took a red crystal out of his storage and injected mana into it. After a moment, he frowned. As time passed, his frown grew wider and wider. Soon, he put the crystal away and sighed. What? Derek asked. Hes gone. The King said. Where did he go? Im not sure. He was seen leaving the castle hours ago, and has yet to return. The King said. Derek frowned. So, now you have a boss bad guy in hiding. One who will find out soon that the Kingdom is on to him. He surely has back up plans upon back up plans for situations like this. Now Im going to need to be extra vigilant with my friends. They are safe as long as they are in my city. Ill see to that. Natalie said and took out a red crystal. After a moment, she nodded and kept the crystal. Marcus was still drawing up the orders to the citizens. They have yet to go out. I have delayed them. Did you tell the person you talked to about the situation? Derek asked the King. The King shook his head. I did not. I only asked about Geralds whereabouts. I have yet to give the order to search for him. Good. Derek said. Maybe theres still a chance. If you capture him, dont bother with your prison or dungeon. According to you, he has too much power. Hand him over to me. I have the perfect place to hold him. Chapter 210: Return Chapter 210: Return Three hooded figures walked out of a warehouse located in one of the city-sized villages outside of the Cydarian Capital. Left behind in the warehouse were two men. One stood tall in plate armor, lingering half a step behind the other. The other was a middle-aged man with long, flowing golden hair. He had half a smile on his face, almost a smirk. Gerald Torith looked as complacent as ever as he watched his guests leave the warehouse. Ever since his bumbling idiot of a son had stumbled in on one of his meetings, he had been even more careful. It had taken months, but he had finally managed to make a properly concealed teleportation circle connecting from inside the capital to this village outside. The hard part was finding the proper runes to conceal any mana fluctuations both in the village and in the capital. Then, he had set up multiple teleportation circles within the capital to keep his movements a secret. The whole process was a costly one. However, since doing so, his meetings had been even more secure. And everything would still be going as planned if not for his idiot of a son once again. Just the thought of his incompetence was enough to cause Geralds blood to boil. If that madman, Derek Hunt, hadnt killed him, Gerald would have done so himself. Hell, Gerald hadnt even been able to receive any benefits from the idiots death. He ended up embarrassing himself in front of Alanah, and was then suspended from his duties by the King. The suspension was the real killer. Because of it, he had to speed up his plans. But, he had found out about the dungeon only yesterday, by chance. If he werent suspended, the King would have sought his advice on how to handle it long ago, but instead, he had to find out about it from one of his informants who was picked as one of the members of the raid party. Still, because of it, he was able to get away with moving his plans forward. And if all goes well, Torith wouldnt be the name of some backwater city at the edge of the Kingdom anymore. No, it would serve as the name of the ruling family of the entire Kingdom. And as for heirs-the loss of his son and grandson didnt mean much. There were many potions available that he could easily get his hands on to conceive more. Once he was King, he would have all the time in the world. Come on, Cliff. Gerald said to his bodyguard as he turned to go deep into the warehouse, underground, to a secret room concealed by multiple runes. He needed to get back to the castle before he was gone long enough for his absence to turn into suspicion. He ignored the shouting and crying coming from the cages as he stepped into the teleportation circle and activated it. He had already set the ball rolling. All he needed to do now was sit back and watch as everything unfolded. *** While I appreciate the sentiment, I dont think it would do us well to allow an enemy of the Kingdom to be placed in the hands of someone not of the Kingdom. The King shot down Dereks request for Gerald. But I see the reasoning behind holding him somewhere other than the Royal Dungeons. As we all know, he may have many people behind him that we may not even know of, including guard and soldiers. In that case, might I make a suggestion? Natalie drew the attention of the room. I prefer to avoid sticking my nose in matters unrelated to my city. However, I believe there is a good chance that this matter affects Savannah, as well as the rest of the Kingdom. Therefore, it is perhaps something I should see to. Then you The King said. The King sat back and blushed a bit from embarrassment. I ahem that goes without saying. If thats so, why do you attend an auction which you know will have bids in the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of gold? Shouldnt you put that gold to better use, like paying me back? Well the thing is The King started, but Natalie waved him off. It is fine. It is better for me if you continue your monthly payments, anyway. Interest and all that. Natalie said. Derek nodded fervently at that. Interest was something he knew of well. And the fact that Natalie had the King over a barrel when it came to finances made him happy. He was truly beginning to admire the scary small woman. He couldnt help but wonder about how much she had seen when she used those glowing eyes on him. Hopefully it was only of the scene where Malcolm was spilling his guts out. Thats how it sounded when she said she had seen it, anyway. Alright. Derek said. So, the matter is settled. You will capture that bastard, then Natalie will lock him up and extract information. And at the same time, my friends wont have to look over their shoulders at all times because of him, and I wont have to do a thing. I like those kinds of plans-ones that allow me to not have to do anything. Though I would still like a piece of the man. Natalie looked at Derek when he called her by her first name, but she didnt protest, so he took it as her allowing him to do so. Everyone around the table nodded in agreement. Now that we have that matter out of the way, lets get to the more important dealings. Alanah quickly used a red crystal and the doors to the room opened, revealing multiple waiters pushing in tons of dishes spread out on carts. Its time to eat. *** With a flash, Gerald and his bodyguard appeared atop a teleportation circle. They walked over and activated another circle, and disappeared again. This routine happened multiple times before they finally stopped and exited a basement. The teleportation sequence was a sort of maze that allowed for Gerald to get around without having to worry about being caught. After the two walked out of the basement, Gerald made sure Cliff properly hid the entrance to the teleportation room. It was impossible to be too cautious in his type of business. After that, the two moved to the lobby of the building, which happened to be a restaurant that many people, including noble, were regulars. It was a place that no one would think twice about if they saw Gerald or Cliff exiting. Hell, along with Gerald, many other nobles had their own private rooms, so if anyone questioned him, he could just say he was in his room. When the two exited the restaurant, Gerald nodded to Cliff, and they went their separate ways. Gerald to the palace, and Cliff to his own residence. The man was the first son, and heir, of the third most powerful Noble House in the Kingdom, after all. Chapter 211: Confrontation Chapter 211: Confrontation The group all ate and had pleasant conversation, much more pleasant than their introductions had been. Of course, Derek still wasnt a fan of the King. Even so, with such a spread made by the best chefs from the Crown, it was hard to not be happy. Though the dinner was mostly under a cheerful atmosphere, there was still the problem that was Gerald Torith hanging over everyones heads well, some more than others. And that problem looked to solve itself when their feast was interrupted by the King receiving a communication via red crystal. Gerald was back in the palace. The King turned to Edward. Go. He commanded. The Crown Prince stood and thanked Alanah for the wonderful dinner before rushing off. The Teleportation building was just across the way, and he would be in the capital in minutes. Hopefully, he would make it to the palace in time. Is he going to be okay alone? Derek asked. The King nodded. He will have his guard and the Palace Guard to assist. It will be more than enough. Derek let out a sigh. I hope youre right. Gerald doesnt seem like a person to go down without a fight. The King grabbed a glass of wine and drained it. Edward is more reliable than you think. Derek turned his head and looked Edgar in the eyes. Edgar shrugged. He should be fine. At least hes not a pushover. Derek looked over just in time to see a red crystal vanish into Alanahs storage ring. She smiled at Derek, but said nothing. I guess I dont have anything to worry about. *** As Gerald made his way into the palace and toward the wing that was considered his, he noticed some unusual activity by the Kings Palace Guard-specifically, Brandt, the head of the Palace Guard, and the man trusted with the security of the palace while the King was away. The Kings personal guard was with His Majesty in Savannah, after all. No, what Gerald noticed was not too suspicious, actually. Ever since his suspension, the guard had kept a closer eye on him. However, Brandt seemed in a hurry once he saw Gerald arrive back at the palace. It was concerning, but not too out of the ordinary. Just in case, Gerald summoned a private communication crystal and sent a couple of messages. Gerald moved back from his wing to find some of his people. Of course, they were all employed by the palace and Royal Family, but they were still his people. As it turned out, Brandt had been extra vigilant all day after having a conversation on a private communication crystal. And, though Gerald didnt see it himself, when Brandt seen Gerald arrive, the man had moved to send a communication out as soon as he was out of sight of Gerald. The earth user was Cliff Aarden, the first son of House Aarden, and one of the strongest families in the Kingdom. Cliff, himself, was no slouch. He was currently said to be the strongest member of the Aarden family, even stronger than his father, the patriarch. The problem was that he was the perfect counter to Edward. He was one of the few men that Edward believed could take him in a fight, and he was here, attacking him and his team. Everything happened in a flash. Edward, with his high Wisdom was able to make out everything in an instant, but he was not fast enough. Using everything he had, he flung himself at Cliff. With his sword in hand and it radiating lightning, he stabbed out the same time that Cliff clapped his hands together. The sword almost made it to the mans armor, but he just smiled as a vine appeared and wrapped itself around the blade. Cliff then reached out with a hand coated in earth and tried to grab Edwards wrist, but the Crown Prince was too quick. He yanked the sword back, slicing the vines in half and avoiding the earth user. Edward took in his surroundings once more. His guard, for all intents and purposes, was out of the fight. Two were dead, and the other two, including Brandt, were in a dying state. The walls retracted, showing holes stabbed everywhere in his guards. Dammit! Edward cursed. In less than a minute, his men were ambushed and all but dead. Edward tried to summon a crystal to call for backup, but as soon as it appeared in his hand, a shadow fell over him. He looked up, only to see a figure wreathed in shadows with two large wings radiating from its back. The shadow struck out and knocked the crystal out of Edwards hand. He was alone. The strongest of the guard was with his father in Savannah, and he had no way to call for help. The remaining guards in the palace were no match for Cliff and the shadow wielder. Edward had a sneaking suspicion of who the shadow wielder was, but he hoped he was wrong. Keep him busy while we escape. You can catch up later. Gerald calmly told the shadow figure. Edward tried to fly down to stop Gerald, but the shadow moved in front of him. Sorry, I cant let you do that. A feminine voice warned, all but confirming Edwards suspicions of who his opponent was. Why is the Assassins Guild protecting Gerald Torith? Youre not bodyguards, youre assassins. Edward shouted out. The shadow covering the figures face slowly receded, showing a pale woman with black eyes and black hair flowing down her back, writhing like the shadows around her. That is for me to know. She smiled. Edward tried to get around the Vice Leader of the Assassins Guild, but she was too fast. Her figure would fade out of existence, then appear directly in front of him. However, she didnt attack. It seemed her objective was not to kill the Crown Prince, but to delay him while Gerald, Cliff, and the vine user escaped. The fact that she was as fast, if not faster than Edward, meant she would be able to escape at any moment. His lightning may be a decent counter for the shadows, but at this rate, Gerald would get away. At least thats what he thought until he saw an arrow covered in a dark gray aura practically sprout from Geralds back. Gerald flew back from the momentum of the arrow, leaving a trail of blood in the process. Edward traced the trajectory of the arrow until he saw a man standing between the open palace gates. A sense of relief washed over the Crown Prince as he recognized the man. Now Gerald. The man said. I must insist that you exchange some pointers with this humble commoner. The man also looked over at Cliff. You and your friend can join if you want, Mr. Aarden. Its been a while since Ive had a good fight. With that, the man took a step forward-bow in hand and daggers ready at the waist. Most people knew the man as Avery Swan, the Crown Restaurants number two. Most people had never seen or heard of him fighting. But there was a reason he was almost always by Alanah Swans side, and it certainly wasnt for his cooking skill. Chapter 212: Avery Steps In Chapter 212: Avery Steps In Avery stepped forward, activating some skills in the process. His excitement was palpable when Alanah contacted him to keep an eye on the situation with Gerald Torith. He had hoped that the man would give him reason to step in. The man was an absolutely disgusting individual. And that was Averys take before he found out about some of the things he had done. Just the way he talked to and about Alanah had already rubbed Avery the wrong way, so when his powered arrow pierced through the mans chest and out of his back, it felt good. As he continued toward Gerald and his men, he loosed another arrow. The arrow split in two, then four, then eight, all with the same gray aura. An aura made out of pure Stamina, because unlike most, Avery didnt invest much in Wisdom and Intelligence. His build was that of Endurance. Endurance and Dexterity. If most people heard about his stat point distribution, they would be shocked. Yes, he had very little Wisdom, but was able to serve by Alanah Swans side. Well, Avery had been with Alanah for decades, and was proof that an individuals willpower was a strong defense against mind controlling magics and skills. It still took him a small amount of time to get acclimated to Alanah if they had been separated for a long while, but he was faster than most people who had heavily invested in Wisdom. Endurance was the first stat Avery maxed out, followed by Dexterity. Of course, he didnt ignore Vitality or Strength. In actuality, Wisdom was his lowest stat. Which was good, because he didnt have a single skill that used mana. However, the advantage he had over everyone else was his relationship with Alanah. In his decades of being by her side, he had gotten his fair share of meals crafted with Void Beast materials. Even though he didnt invest heavily in Strength, with it being the easiest gained stat from Void Beasts, hed gotten over 200 extra points in the stat. Bringing it to over 1200 points. He was able to save some of his stat points in Endurance as well, because of the Void Beasts. He gained over 150 extra stat points that way, which let him invest more in Dexterity. He also had a small amount of Intelligence, as well, but that was just because of the stats provided by the meals.Vissit for updates Unfortunately, Void Beasts were a rarity, and extreme rarity, before Derek came along, and Avery only got a meal here and there. Then there was the quality of the Void Beasts, which were not always the best. But still, through Alanah and her generosity, he had gained over 400 extra stat points in the stats he actually used. Because of Alanah, he was able to get two of the stats maxed, while also breaking through the second threshold with two more. There werent many people in the Kingdom who could say the same. Yet he did it while also only having an epic class. It was a great epic class that he got early, and it gave more stat points than normal, even so, it was only epic. And for that, along with everything else, he would always be eternally grateful to the woman. Avery assessed the situation as his arrows flew forward. Edward was in the sky, trying and failing to get past the Shadow Witch. Honestly, that was the biggest surprise out of everything Avery walked into. The Shadow Witch being there didnt make sense, but there she was, the Vice Leader of the Assassins Guild in all her glory, flying high and toying with the Crown Prince. She would be a problem for Avery. Shadows were known for having many crowd controlling effects, but if Edward could distract her long enough, Alanah had promised that reinforcements were on their way. All Avery had to do was delay the other three people in front of him. During his taunting, he activated multiple skills. Eagle Eye increased his accuracy, Aura of Persistence increased both the strength and durability of his arrows whether the arrows were summoned or physical, and to top it off, he used Piercing Radiance, which increased the sharpness of the arrowhead. His skills werent strictly related to archery, either. Most were usable with his melee weapons as well. Avery was good in both ranged and close battles, actually, he preferred to fight up close in personal. Go! Gerald shouted. Cliff pushed out with his palms open, conjuring an array of earth spikes to shoot out from in front of him while the plant user touched the ground and sent a tide of vines flowing along the surface. The plan was clearly to trap Avery in the vines while they tried to escape. Avery laughed and kicked off the ground. As the first spike arrived, his foot landed on it and he moved to the next. Moving from spike to spike, he loosed arrow after arrow at the trio, specifically targeting the plant user. Both Cliff and Gerald were defensive combatants, and the plant user seemed either offensive or support. It was always best to take out the support first. Oh no you dont. Avery muttered as he saw Gerald trying to sneak off to the side. He shifted his focus to the armored man, bombarding him with aura infused arrows while shifting back and forth between spikes. Unfortunately, his armor wasnt just for show. Even with Piercing Radiance and Aura of Persistence, Averys arrows were only able to leave small indentations in the plate-which just meant that Avery needed to use more skills. With his other skills still active, Avery used Overdraw and Powershot. The time it took to draw and loose an arrow increased, but so did the power of each arrow. Two arrows landed back to back, the first hitting the small gap in Geralds leg armor, piercing a good half inch into the mans leg. The second arrow landed just beside the first. The small gap in the armor was widened by the first, allowing the second arrow to drive in deep. Gerald let out a loud grunt and grasped at the arrows as he fell to a knee. Everything happened in seconds, as Cliff already realized his spikes werent doing anything but giving Avery the ability to dodge the vines on the ground. The heir to House Aarden stopped his skill and moved toward Gerald. With his footholds disappearing, Avery kicked off the last spike and launched himself toward Cliff. Averys foot touched the ground, just outside the range of the vines, and he disappeared, almost instantly appearing behind the earth user. In the time it took to move from his position to behind Cliff, Avery stored his bow and drew both daggers. He stabbed one dagger into the back of Cliffs knee, slicing into and through some tendons and cartilage, just before a wall of sand moved up to block. Cliff grunted, but held firm, not falling. Avery moved away from the spikes that appeared almost instantly underneath him and cut Gerald off in the process. He stared at his three enemies, two already injured, then looked at his Stamina pool. His actions were draining, but that was okay. He summoned a yellow-green potion out of his storage and drank it down. Perhaps he would be able to handle the situation, after all. Chapter 213: Three vs One Chapter 213: Three vs One Of course, nothing could ever go as planned. Gerald was already standing, no worse for wear. There was something to be said about having 1500 point in Vitality. He may not be strong in a fight, but he could definitely take a beating. Other than the light damage to his armor, his wounds werent even bleeding anymore. Plus, Averys dagger wasnt enough to cause any real harm to Cliff, either. The heir to House Aarden must have invested a good amount into Vitality or Endurance to go with the natural defensive abilities given to him along with the earth element. Avery rushed in, both daggers drawn. He would get a few good hits in on Gerald before the others could make a move. The former advisor was slow and clumsy in a fight. At least it seemed that way to someone with speed like Avery. Avery strafed around the mans tower shield, stabbing and piercing every visible joint in the mans armor. Within seconds, Gerald was more of a pin cushion than a person. He was almost a fountain of blood. Even with his visible healing, Avery was able to cut enough that his shiny golden armor had turned bloody.Vissit for updates Gerald slammed his shield into the ground, causing Avery to leap back to avoid the impact. Avery wished he knew if he was even making a dent in the others HP. But it didnt matter. The more he harassed the group, the longer it would take, and the sooner his reinforcements would arrive. Avery wasnt sure who all was coming, but if Alanah showed up herself, the fight would be settled in a matter of seconds. Everyone except for maybe the Shadow Witch would fall to her command. Even so, he felt it was underneath Alanah to personally get involved in something like this. Therefore, he would jump on any opportunity he found to strike. He only had one order - to keep Gerald alive. That meant that the other two enemies were fair game, which is why when the vines grew up around Gerald and stone pellets shot toward Avery, he used Burst Step as soon as his foot hit the ground, and appeared next to the plant user. Avery stabbed right at the back of the plant users neck. Somehow, the person managed to shift their body just enough to avoid critical damage. Averys dagger still managed to dig deep into the persons shoulder, and he wasnt finished yet. He jerked his arm, dragging the blade across the plant users back, cutting them from shoulder to shoulder. However, just as Avery went for another stab, he saw the persons aura begin to condense. Getting a bad feeling, Avery kicked the ground and shot backward just as the persons aura exploded, sending a mass of spores covering the area. With the explosion, Avery finally got a good look at the persons face. To his surprise, it was a half elf man with short green hair and a pointed nose. Avery didnt recognize him at all, but the situation kept getting more and more strange. Out of the few noble houses in the Kingdom that were made up of half elves, none seemed to have a member like the person in front of him. Sure, being an elf, or even half elf, seemed to make it easier to have an affinity for plants, but Avery was well versed in the hierarchy of the Kingdom, and still couldnt place the face or the power. The dagger was initially slowed by whatever flexible armor the man wore underneath his plate armor, then it had to get through the mans Endurance, which wasnt near as good as his Vitality, but, being a tank, it would have been stupid if the man hadnt put at least some points into the stat. There was also a good chance that Gerald had stumbled across some Void Beast meals in the years that Alanah had been active in Cydaria. The dagger bit deep and Avery twisted it as he pulled it out-he wanted to cause as much damage as possible before he had the avoid the incoming Cliff. At this point, Avery knew Gerald was becoming tired of being picked on by Avery. The man was the biggest sitting duck among all his enemies, and also the only person he couldnt let escape. So, if an opportunity came up to take out or seriously damage one of the others, Avery would take it, but if not, he needed only harass Gerald until backup came along. Averys foot hit the ground, and he used Burst Step to get away once again, wincing at the cost of the skill. It was a fascinating skill, but the drain on his Stamina with each usage was severe. Avery popped the cork on another Stamina Potion and gulped it down. Avery frowned at the waste of gold. Stamina Potions, especially the ones good enough to restore the amount of Stamina he used, were very expensive. With almost forty thousand Stamina, a normal Stamina Potion wouldnt even be a drop in a bucket for Avery. No, unless the potions were at least Major or Greater Potions, they wouldnt be worth Avery using. Avery sighed as the trio finally grouped up close together. It took them long enough to do so. He guessed there would be no more easy shots. So, he put his daggers back on his hips and drew his bow once more. He would move around them while peppering them with arrows and avoiding the vines. That way, he wouldnt need to use Burst Step often, and could save on Stamina. He only needed to hold on for about six more minutes. But Gerald wasnt having any of that. Vanessa! Stop fucking around and help! The Shadow Witch scoffed, but acted. The next thing Avery knew, Edward was sent shooting to the ground, creating a small crater in the earth. Fine. The Shadow Witch spoke. Immediately, the sky turned dark and a shadow dome fell over the battlefield, encompassing all six people within it. Avery felt his moves turn even more sluggish. Not only was the shadow another debuff, but it stacked with the spore cloud released by the half elf. Dammit. Things are about to get rough. Chapter 214: First Chapter 214: First Minutes earlier Crown RestaurantSavannah Alanah stored her communications crystal in her storage ring and sighed. That was Avery. She looked pointedly at the King. Edward has been ambushed and lost all of his men. He avoided the attack, but is currently tied up with another enemy and unable to restrain Gerald. What? The King stood. But how? Did he know we were coming for him? I doubt that. Gerald is one to have preparations upon preparations. Alanah said. I have asked Avery to step in to keep Gerald from escaping, but the enemies are a handful. Who? The King asked. Edward is being contained by what looks like the Shadow Witch from the Assassins Guild. Clifford Aarden has made an appearance and is protecting Gerald, and there is an unidentified person by their side as well. You know the strength of the Shadow Witch and Clifford Aarden, so it would be for the best if we stop chatting and send help. I believe in Avery, but the deck is stacked against him right now. Alanah answered. Edgar stood. Ill go. He turned to leave, but a hand grabbed his shoulder as he took a step. Im coming too. Derek said. I shouldnt have left it up to the Royal Family, anyway. He snorted. Edgar nodded, and the two left the dining room. Will the two of them be enough? The King asked, now unsure about the entire situation. Natalie took her glasses off and began cleaning the lenses with a cloth. They should be more than enough. She spoke. Your boy there is much stronger than you think he is. He puts the Crown Prince to shame. And Mr. Hunt Natalie shook her head. They will be fine. No doubt about it. Alanah smiled. I have a couple of Deathsworn on their way, as well. They should get there a bit after Derek and Edgar. And I trust Avery more than enough to stall that group for some time. Natalie looked at Alanah and nodded. It has been some time since Ive seen Avery. Is he still as fast as he was before? Alanah smiled. Faster. *** Edgar and Derek were out of the restaurant and running toward the teleportation building in seconds. Anyone I need to know about? Derek asked as he kept stride with Edgar. He could tell that the man wasnt moving at his top speed, so Derek could keep up.Vissit for updates Lets go. The Teleportation Building is pretty far away from the palace. The capital isnt built like Savannah. I wont be slowing down anymore. I know that Avery is strong, but my brother took shortcuts to power. Its best to get there as soon as possible. Edgar said. Normally, its frowned upon to move in the air while in the capital, but this is an exception. Derek nodded as he watched Edgar shine whitish-blue for a moment before shooting into the sky. Its a straight shot that way. Edgar pointed, then turned into a streak of lightning and vanished. Damn Derek thought. Hes fast. However, not to be beat, Derek jumped into the air and got his footing with Void Steps. Then, when he got his balance, he used Void Shift. It would be very mana intensive, but he had just broken the second threshold of Wisdom. Plus, he had Greater Meditation and multiple Major and Greater Mana Potions hed received from the Golem Dungeon because of his Repetitive Dungeoneer Award. He had more than enough resources, and if he played his cards right, he may even be able to beat Edgar to the battle. That way, he would get to pick his opponent first. Derek smiled and focused heavily on his Void Sense as he pulled himself through ripple after ripple. To himself, it didnt seem like he was moving fast, but while shifted, everything else moved at a literal crawl, even Edgar or the lightning ball that Derek believed was Edgar. The ball of lightning was still moving rather quickly ahead of Derek, even while Derek was using Void Shift. Derek was faster by a bit, but would soon have to stop the skill and refresh his mana. Unfortunately, he was unable to use potions while in Void Shift. If he could, wouldnt have to come out of it, and could just keep going. Soon, he pulled himself ahead of Edgar by a decent amount, but his mana was nearly drained, and Derek didnt feel like getting a mana headache at this time. He came out of Void Shift and immediately pulled out the best Mana Potion he could find and chugged it down. The potion restored 10,000 mana, which was two-thirds of his MP. Derek saw Edgar reform his body and stop midair. He gave Derek a stunned and incredulous look. Derek saluted and entered Void Shift once again. Yeah he was going to get there first. *** Edward slowly made his way to his feet. His head and neck were aching and his health was extremely low. It sat at less than thirty percent. He felt ashamed of himself. He was one of the strongest in the Kingdom, yet he was toyed and played with by the Vice Leader of the Assassins Guild. Sure, she was also considered one of the strongest in the Kingdom. Actually, she was close to the top of the strongest in the Kingdom. Still, his lightning should have countered her shadow. Or at least not been as suppressed as it was. As Edward got his bearings, he blinked the blurriness out of his eyes and focused on the fight in front of him. The Shadow Witch was close to the top of the strongest in the Kingdom, but so was Avery. However, very few had seen the man fight. With what Edward was seeing in front of him, he would be able to confirm the mans strength. The man moved at wicked speeds even in the weird shadow dome, and even in the clouds of pollen? Edward didnt know. He only knew that the half elf plant user had released them, and Avery had been cautious of them. Still, Avery flashed in and out, avoiding vines, trying and failing to trap his feet and legs, while dodging whips of shadow and flying spikes all at once. The scene was fascinating. Edward couldnt believe that anyone could be that fast. And the fact he was doing it while already being slowed made the feat even more impressive. Unfortunately, Edward knew that the speed couldnt last. Avery was drinking Stamina Potions constantly, while dripping with sweat. Yet, he was able to counterattack occasionally-mostly hamstringing Gerald every chance he got. If his fathers former advisor didnt have an arch enemy before, he would once this fight was over. It was the smart move, though. Keeping the one they needed to capture immobile while dancing and dodging all the attacks was just about the only thing that could be done. Edward winced as he used three different types of potions. His Health, Mana, and Stamina were all low, and it hurt even to move. He would have to get back into the fight. Averys showing was impressive, but he was only one man, and he had a limited supply of Stamina Potions. Edward would have to recover so he could provide Avery with support. If he could just take care of one, Avery would be in a much better situation. Chapter 215: Struggle Chapter 215: Struggle Chapter 215: Struggle Ugh! Edward grunted as a shadow protruded from his stomach and shoulders, severing both arms from his body and dropping his HP back to critical. Be still. Move again and Ill end you. The Shadow Witch said. End him now! Gerald shouted. You The Shadow Witch paused her attacks on Avery and pointed at Gerald. Do not get to tell me who to kill. I am here to provide support and help you escape. Dont forget it. Edward coughed up some blood and fell back to the ground. His wounds wouldnt be fatal if treated in time, and he could reattach or regrow his limbs. He was happy to see some dissent in the group, but sadly, it meant nothing to him in his current situation, as he was out of the fight. He would be useless for some time. He could only watch as Avery dodged and twisted, avoiding vital attacks by a hairs width. He couldnt help but feel a pang of regret when the man faltered and was cut on the arm by one of the shadows. Well he was hit on the arm. The shadow didnt seem to leave a cut. Even so, Alanahs right hand seemed to begin to slow ever so slightly as the fight went on. He may have had the Stamina or even Mana to keep all his skills active, and Edward was sure he was using a plethora of skills, but doing so at such a high rate of consumption would still take a toll on the user, both physically and mentally. Edward groaned and rolled slightly, getting a better angle of the action. All he could do now was believe in Avery and hope something changed. For now, it wasnt looking good. Avery bounced back and forth between opponents, not caring who he attacked, as long as he could get in some damage. The mental fatigue of keeping all of his buffs up was starting to weigh on him. It was getting pretty bad. Fortunately, his high Endurance made for excellent defense. That, plus the armor he was wearing, which didnt look like much because of how light it was, made it much harder for any attack that landed on him to leave more than a scratch. He remembered the feeling and breakdown of his body when his Endurance hit 1500, and it was one of the worst things he had ever experienced. The itching, the shattering of bone, and the feeling that he was being torn apart from the inside was something he never wanted to experience again. Well, he wouldnt mind if it came with the same upgrade in power that he received before. Another shadow fell on his arm as he stabbed one of his daggers at the plant user. The dagger was blocked once again, but the shadow left nothing but a light scratch on Averys arm. From what he could tell of the fight and his opponents, he would be able to last a few more minutes as long as he wasnt bound by the plant users vines. Which is why he focused most of his efforts on avoiding them. This time, the shadow that hit him left more than a small scratch. The shadow was thicker and wasnt transparent at all, unlike the previous attacks by the Shadow Witch. Looks like shes finally getting serious. Avery sighed and made a mental note to avoid getting hit squarely by one of her shadows. Within seconds, his wound began closing as he dodged more incoming attacks. During his short battle with the four enemies, Avery had already ranked them by how difficult they were for him to deal with. Coming in at number one was the Shadow Witch, of course. She was definitely one of the strongest opponents hed ever fought, though he believed he could take her if he didnt have to worry about anyone else. She did a half flip backwards, just moving her head and heart out of the way of the attack. Averys attack landed just under her chest, on her left side. His dagger penetrated first, but that wasnt all. With his momentum, his hand followed. Following the puncture caused by his dagger, his fist penetrated through her abdomen and out her back. Then, along with his attack, the two shot like a cannon toward the ground-the ground covered in quicksand. Just before they hit, Avery moved his repulsion to his hands. He pulled his arm out of the Shadow Witchs abdomen and used his repulsion to flip himself back upright before moving it back to his feet. He looked down to see the woman halfway sunk into the sand. It was a hell of a hit to take. It would take a minute for her to recover. Avery saw his Stamina dangerously low after the rapid uses of his skills and summoned another potion out of his storage ring. He uncorked the vial and went to drink it, but as he was moving his arm, it stopped. He looked down to see a small, thread-sized length of shadow wrapped around his forearm. Then, the shadow began growing rapidly. He traced the shadow all the way to the half buried Shadow Witch and sighed. He quickly flicked the vial from one hand to another and drank it. Stop the fucking quicksand! The Shadow Witch shouted. I got him. The quicksand quickly lost its magic, and the shadow user dug herself out. She looked rough. A giant hole that everyone could see through appeared in her abdomen and blood dripped from her mouth as she spoke. Get him! She shouted at the plant user. Avery tried to escape the shadow, but a vine quickly wrapped around his foot and made its way up his leg. Soon, his entire lower body was wrapped up in vines, and his upper body was wrapped in shadows. He smiled bitterly as he was dragged to the ground. Fuckin hard to kill piece of The Shadow Witch muttered incoherently under her breath as she took a health potion out of her storage and drank it. The hole in her abdomen healed slowly before everyone. Gerald hopped down from his pillar and walked close to Avery. Thats what you get. He spat. Thinking you could go up against me and alone at that. Geralds glove covered fist flew at Avery and hit him in the cheek. It didnt hurt at all it wouldnt even leave a bruise. Avery laughed. Youre so fuckin weak. Is that right? Gerald slapped him. I may be weak, but youre going to die. Avery stared fiercely into the mans eyes, then looked over his shoulder and smiled even wider. His vision, enhanced by all his buffs, including Eagle Eye, caught sight of the edge of the shadow dome, and looked somewhat through it. There, he saw two unrecognizable figures standing just beyond the dome. No I dont think I will. In fact, I think I did my job perfectly. He said, as he saw one of the figures put a hand on the outside of the dome. Sparks of electricity began flying where the figure touched. A passage just big enough for two people opened up, and the figures stepped in. Avery smiled in recognition. Chapter 216: Reinforcements Chapter 216: Reinforcements Derek moved quickly through the void, gradually getting more and more of a lead on Edgar. He was shocked at how fast the prince moved as lightning. Derek was still faster, though, even if he had to drink thousands, if not tens of thousands, of gold worth of potions. It didnt matter to him Still faster. He thought, smugly. Soon, Derek arrived a good distance away from what seemed to be a giant black dome around an area. That looks like the perfect place for some showdown between good and evil. If he was a betting man, which he was depending on the circumstances, he would say that was where Gerald was. As he got closer, he realized that he really couldnt see through it. It was just black. Currently, there were a bunch of gathered a good distance away from the dome, watching it closely. Nobody seemed keen on getting any closer. Derek didnt mind them as he exited Void Shift and landed just in front of the dome. He waited for a handful of seconds until a ball of lightning hit the ground beside him, then turned into a man. Must be the Shadow Witch. Edgar said as he drank a Mana Potion. Yup. Derek said as he uncorked another Mana Potion and drained it. He turned his head toward Edgar and smiled. I won. What? You said you werent going to wait for me, but I beat you here. I won. Derek said. Edgar rolled his eyes. How was I supposed to know you had some weird fucking teleportation type of ability? Derek shrugged and looked back at the dark dome. Should we make our entrance? Edgar nodded. Okay. Derek placed his hand on the dome, but nothing happened. The dome was physical, and it moved with his hand, but he couldnt push through it. He punched it a couple of times, but nothing happened. Just when he was getting ready to move through the void and just appear on the other side, Edgar spoke up. Let me. The prince stepped forward and placed his palm on the dome. From there, he closed his eyes and began channeling his aura. It was damn near the strongest aura Derek had ever felt. Derek couldnt help but be impressed by the prince over and over. Soon, the princes white hair fluttered and rose into the air. His body began projecting sparks of electricity. Then, all the lightning flowing through the mans body converged onto the palm of the hand touching the dome. The electricity poured out of his hand and into the dome, eating away at it as it passed through. A small hole opened up before becoming bigger and bigger. Soon after, it was big enough for the duo to step through and see what was inside. As Derek moved through the void, her eyes tracked him, and her body moved too. Not as fast as Edgar or as easily as Alanah, but she was the real deal. It didnt matter to Derek, though. Edgar said he would deal with the woman, and after feeling his aura earlier, he had faith in the man. Edgar must have noticed what was happening too, because as soon as the woman began moving, he moved as well. Derek shifted out of the void the moment he was between Avery and Gerald. As soon as he had full control of his body again, he channeled the void into his fist and used Multi-Strike as he threw a short, compact punch right into Geralds armor covered gut. His fist landed on the armor and a dull ring sounded out. Everyone looked down at Dereks fist. Nothing happened. Gerald even cracked a smile. Is that it? The man taunted. Derek just grinned. His void punch seemed to have that same delayed effect on everything he hit with it. Derek only hoped that using Multi-Strike with it this time wasnt going to be too much for the former advisor to live through. They said he had a ton of Vitality, so he should be fine he hoped. Then, after a couple of seconds, Gerald doubled over and it seemed that a waterfall of crimson flooded out of his mouth. The man then fell to his knees and continued vomiting. While everyone was stunned, Derek showed off his next trick. Faster than ever before, he ripped the void to the side of him open and pushed open a door. He grabbed the injured Gerald by the back of his neck and tossed him inside. Quickly, he pulled the door shut and closed the void. It was almost like there was never anything there. Derek looked around. What? I told you all that this was going to be a fair fight. Three on three thats what I said. He looked over his shoulder at Edgar, who was one of the only two who hadnt been shocked silent. The man had triggered his movement ability just behind Derek and moved between him and the Shadow Witch, blocking her from stopping whatever Derek planned on doing. The two remaining enemies chose that moment to react. Vines shot up and wrapped around Dereks lower body, and sharp spikes of stones hurled through the air at him. Derek knew making his move would leave him wide open to attacks, but he trusted in his Endurance and Vitality. However, Derek was not strong enough to break the grasp of the vines yet. He made a mental note to work on that, and to watch out for crowd control skills in future battles. He wasnt worried, though, because the instant that Edgar began his battle with the Shadow Witch, she had to break her hold on Avery. The man may have had trouble with the shadows holding him in place, but as soon as they were gone, his daggers made short work of the vines. Derek allowed the spikes to hit him, choosing only to cover his face and chest with his arms. He wanted to protect his vitals, just in case the attack was stronger than it seemed. It wasnt. In a flash, Avery was in front of Derek and the vines holding him in place were destroyed. Derek smiled at Avery and nodded. Thanks. No problem. The man said. Ill take care of the half elf. He flashed away and began his assault on the plant user. Derek nodded and focused on the earth user. Looks like its you and me, big guy. Chapter 217: 3v3 Chapter 217: 3v3 The earth user clenched his fists and growled. What did you do to Gerald? Oh, if you want him back, all you have to do is beat me. Derek stepped forward. The second his foot touched the ground, spikes shot up from below him. They tore through the soles of Dereks shoes, but werent even strong enough to make his feet bleed. That tickled. He smiled. Inwardly, he was fuming. Now I got to get another fucking pair of shoes. Luckily, good shoes werent as hard for him to find as good pants or shirts. As long as the boots were comfortable, he didnt care how they looked. The man stomped on the ground, and the sand beneath Derek began flowing. Ah, so he can turn this sand into a quicksand of some sort. Derek began sinking into the ground. He thought about his skills Im sure Absolute Nullify would make quick work of this, but Ill just go with the classics. He shifted into the void and pulled himself out of the sand. Then, he moved to behind the earth user and came out stopped the skill. With the void flowing through his left hand, he tapped the man on the shoulder with his right. When the man turned, Derek let his fist fly. When he was aiming not to kill, the stomach was the perfect place for his void covered fist to land. If he hit in the right spot, there werent and major vital organs he had to worry about destroying. This, in turn, allowed Derek to strike without worrying about an instant kill. Overall, his strikes werent much stronger than they were when he sparred against Shae, but his opponent was tougher and had better defenses than the Savannah Adventurers Guild Master. Dereks Multi-Strike was still on cooldown, so he waited to see what kind of damage a single void fist would cause. Apparently, not a lot. It was enough to cause Cliff to groan and let out a cough, but not much more than that. When the strike landed on Gerald, it was stacked four times with Dereks newly increased level in Multi-Strike. Plus, while Geralds Vitality may have been high, Derek was unsure if his Endurance was better than Cliffs. Dereks next strike flew at Cliff once again. This time, he wasnt taken by surprise, and a thin layer of sand formed in front of Dereks fist and blocked the attack. Well, that was the thing about Dereks void enhanced strikes. Even when you blocked them, you really didnt. A second passed after Derek pulled his fist back, and the man let out another grunt. Derek smiled. If Cliff wanted to block his strikes, he would have to do more than a small layer of sand. As Derek was fighting the heir to House Aarden, Avery was bored. The plant user was awful in a one-on-one battle, especially against someone like him. The half elf was currently planted face first into the ground, unconscious. Avery was standing next to Edward, feeding the Crown Prince Health Potions and reattaching the mans arms. The rogue really wanted to fight against the Shadow Witch, but it seemed Edgar had a bone to pick with her. He understood it, as seeing your brother in such a helpless situation would cause any person to react that way. Once Edward was taken care of, Avery went over to the others, who were all caught up in the initial ambush by Geralds team. He sighed, as all but one were dead, and the other didnt have much time left in his dying state. Avery took a scroll out of his storage and channeled mana into it, bringing the guard out of the dying state. Edward, now with both arms, soon walked over to Avery and the other man. The other man was now unconscious and no longer in danger. Thank you for that. And for coming here. Edward said as he approached. Avery nodded. Of course. My lady asked me to come, so I did. Plus, that first shot with my bow felt good really good. He smiled. It was a memory he would cherish. Even so, he thought he went overboard at first and killed the man in one shot. He was happy when he stood. Come on, I dont want to be too far away from that elf when he wakes up. Avery said as he led Edward, who was now carrying the unconscious guard, back to where he had deposited the plant user. Should we help them? Edward asked. Avery scoffed. Do they look like they need help? Edgar chuckled and shook his head. No, actually. Ive been holding back quite a bit. Would you like me to show you what Ive got? How about you just let me leave here? We can forget this ever happened. You wouldnt want the Assassins Guild as an enemy, would you? She said. Oh, I dont have to worry about that. I can guarantee this mission was sanctioned by the guild. Even if it was, when an assassin dies on the job, the guild doesnt retaliate. Its the assassins fault for being too weak. Dont think you can trick me with that. Edgar said, then pointed at the ground next to Avery and Derek, where his brother was sitting. Plus, youre the one who hurt Edward. I cant let you get away with that. The Shadow Witch clicked her tongue. Maybe, but I didnt kill him, did I? In fact, I refused to kill him. Just ask that damn rogue. Edgar frowned, but finally made up his mind. Then, I wont kill you. Ill take you back, then Ill let someone else figure out what to do with you. With that, he didnt allow the woman to say anything else. He used Ethereal Spark, becoming lightning once again. He zipped forward, cutting straight through the womans hasty attempt at defense, then landed on her body. He said he wouldnt kill her, so he didnt. Instead of going for the heart or brain, he kept his attack external. He dealt just enough damage to take her out of the sky. Like a bird with broken wings, the Shadow Witch plummeted to the ground. When she landed, she wasnt unconscious, just badly injured. Edgar was standing next to the woman. He had beaten the woman to the ground, actually. When she landed, he flipped her over, then removed anything that looked like it could be a storage device from her. He couldnt have her healing up and escaping, after all. He pocketed the items, then dragged her to her feet by her arm. Come on. Edgar walked over to Derek and the others with the Shadow Witch in his grasp. What now? Derek asked. Now, we go back to Savannah. Edgar said. We can let everyone else sort this out. Derek nodded and opened his Time Prison back up. When he opened the door, Gerald tried to rush out, but was met with a swift kick from Avery. Derek looked over at the man. What? Hes fun to hit? Avery shrugged. Derek laughed and tossed both the earth user and plant user inside. Then he looked at Edgar. Go on. Edgar pushed the Shadow Witch forward. The woman sighed, but walked inside. As soon as Derek closed the door, what little was left of the shadow dome around them disappeared. He pulled the void back together and let out a deep sigh. He could finally be done with his Gerald problem at last. Chapter 218: Sabrina Elras Part I Chapter 218: Sabrina Elras Part I Five Years AgoKingdom of Indria It was a normal morning for Sabrina. She woke, bathed, was dressed by her servants, and left her room to have breakfast with her father, the Duke, her mother, and her younger brothers. When she arrived at the dining room, only her father was there waiting for her. She looked around, and could find nobody else, not even a servant. Father. She said. Is there something wrong? Where is mother? Her father smiled at her. They will join us later. There is something we must discuss first. He snapped his fingers, and a barrier went up around them. This way, nobody would be able to listen in to their conversation. Sabrina frowned. This was weird. She had never been in a situation like this with just her and her father. It felt almost like an ambush. What was going on? What was so important that they needed a sound barrier around them? Her father let out a long sigh. The King has sent for you. Sabrina felt the weight of the bombshell her father had dropped on her. She had met her uncle, the King of Indria, only twice in her life, and she was much too young to remember the first time. For him to summon her out of the blue like this, she was at a loss for words. B-but why? She managed to squeak out. Honestly, my daughter I do not know. I can think of a few reasons, but I dare not speculate. He wants to see you in the Throne Room this evening, therefore, you will be there. Her father said. I very well. Sabrina said. Remember your etiquette. Do not speak unless spoken to. Her father cautioned. He is your uncle, and he loves you, but he is also the ruler of the greatest Kingdom on this continent. Do not embarrass him or me. Sabrina nodded slightly. I will do my best, father. Her father nodded. Good. He snapped his fingers once again, and the sound barrier disappeared. He clapped his hands and their servants began bringing in their breakfast. Sabrinas mother and brothers soon joined. Eat well, you have a big day ahead of you. A big day, indeed Sabrina thought. She did not eat well that morning. She lost her appetite the moment her father told her about the summons. Her father only met with the King, who was his own brother, a few times each year, and that was to report on the lands that he ruled as a Duke. Sabrina had no clue what the King could want with her. She wasnt going to take over once her father stepped down. No, that position would go to her older brother, who was in the army. If it was him being summoned, she would be able to wrap her head around it, but she was non-important. As the daughter of a Duke, she had more status and opportunities than most, but really, her job should be to marry into a strong family in the Kingdom to strengthen the bonds between the Royals and the other nobles. Its one of the reasons she focused more on her studies and propriety than her own strength. Sabrina picked through her meal. Maybe this is about marriage. She thought. I am thirty-five years old this year thats not too young to be given away. She was still young by Elven standards. Her race was notoriously infertile, but made up for it with their lifespan. Even without increased Vitality and Endurance from the Great System, a pureblooded elf could live for hundreds of years. That was more than long enough to produce an heir or two, especially with the addition of alchemical potions. Just look at her parents. Sabrina was the second oldest of four siblings, and the only daughter. Her eldest brother was already in his late seventies, and her younger brothers were twins, and both sixteen. Her eldest brother wasnt even born until her father was in his two-hundreds Maybe it is time It wasnt the worst thought. Shed prepared for it for most of her life. In fact, the longer she thought about it, the more she was looking forward to it. If it was a match that even the King was involved in, then maybe she would meet the perfect suitor. King Elras of the Indria Kingdom was one of the most stunning looking elves Sabrina had ever seen. For being centuries old, the man looked no older than herself. He had the same silver hair and emerald green eyes that were prominent among the Elras lineage, but his hair glistened and eyes sparkled just a bit more than any other she had seen. It could have been just her imagination because of his status, but she doubted it. Sabrina gave a shy smile and looked back up at the King. Yes uncle. She waited for the reprimand, but it never came. It still seemed odd that someone of such status, who was known to be a champion of propriety, would allow such a casual shift, even if they were the only two. She didnt question it, though. We have been in talks with the Kingdom of Cydaria and have come to a conclusion that it is time to send a royal envoy to strengthen our ties. The mission will last for around five years. The King explained, then motioned Sabrina to come closer. She hesitated, but stepped forward. Soon, the King erected a soundproof barrier around the two of them. Of course, that is just what you will be doing on the surface. The King then went on to explain that he had assets in the Kingdom of Cydaria, ones that would report to her. It was hard to get proper reports because messages via crystals could be easily intercepted by certain figures and were never secure. He explained that there was a human who played a big role in supplying the Kingdom with its servants, and that he would be her inside source. Her role would be to gather as much information about the inner workings of Cydaria, then report back. She was chosen for this task because of her status within the Kingdom. She was the niece of the King, an important figure in the Indria Kingdom. Sending someone of her status would show how seriously Indria was taking the situation. Sabrina was taken aback. Becoming an envoy, no a spy, was the last thing she thought she would be summoned for. Still, it was a mission from the King himself, and she could not refuse. Well, she could, it would be allowed. The King made sure to emphasize that she didnt have to take it on, but she would accept it. For herself, her father, and her King she would do it. I accept. She said. Wonderful. The King said. Now, there are some very important things you must know. He flicked his hand and summoned a necklace. First, you must wear this at all times. She took the necklace. It was quite mundane, just a round emerald sitting on a silver chain. Nothing fancy. She carefully placed the necklace around her neck. That necklace is a powerful artifact. The King explained. There are two people who live in the Cydarian Kingdom that you must be wary about. The first is Natalie Savannah. You will be spending much of your time in Savannah, so it is only natural that you will come across the City Lord. Sabrina nodded along as she listened with rapt attention. She has some kind of appraisal skill that allows her to see the history of objects and people. The necklace will protect you from that kind of invasion. Sabrina clucked the emerald in her hand as she listened. The second person is a half-elf. Not much is known about her other than the fact that she settled down in Cydaria decades ago and started up the most popular and successful business in the entire Kingdom. Even her passive voice controls weaker people. If she actively uses her skills, then even the strongest have the comply with her demands. Her name is Alanah Swan. She is the owner of the Crown Restaurant. Hopefully, the necklace will protect against her as well. Though, I dont suspect you will have many, if any, interactions with her. It is best to avoid her, as I do not know what protection the necklace will provide against her. The King explained. Sabrina took everything in. Five years. She needed to gather information for five years. She would complete this task to the best of her abilities. The King kept Sabrina for hours longer, giving her information that she would need. She also had to swear a system oath, but that wasnt a big deal for something as important as this. By the time they were finished, it was past midnight. She stayed in the palace that night. The next morning, she met her guard. They werent the strongest fighters, but they were some of the most loyal. She happily informed her father of being selected as an envoy to another country and expressed her excitement at being chosen. Three weeks later, she entered the Capital of Cydaria and was greeted by the Crown Prince and Princess of Cydaria. She held back the disgust she felt at greeting humans as equals and fell into her role. She would make her King proud. Chapter 219: Sabrina Elras Part II Chapter 219: Sabrina Elras Part II Present DayKingdom of Cydaria Sabrina and her two guards walked out of the warehouse where she had met Gerald Torith. If she ever had to rank humans based on the ones she met, she would rank that man as the lowest of the low. He was greedy and manipulative, and had no care for those of his own race. If things worked out, she would never have to meet the man again, and that would still not be long enough. Luckily, her five years as an envoy had passed, and it wouldnt be strange for her to leave at any time. In fact, she planned on leaving earlier, but she had met that weird man who had turned out to be Onyx Ranked back in Savannah. She spent some extra time focusing on that man, but other than his odd behavior, dress, and rudeness, she didnt find much else about him. When she found out he was a friend of Alanah Swan, she gave up looking deeper into him. She had managed five years without running into the woman. She would hate to mess that up this late into the game. Fortunately, her delaying her leave because of her curiosity had paid off. Gerald Torith contacted her, and told her he had important news, and she must say, after five years of information gathering, the news she just received from the slimy man was the most important news shed received yet. Sabrina had an extra pep in her step as she made her way back to the Cydarian Capital. They didnt rush, they moved at a slow, natural pace. Today was a great day. She was going to complete her mission soon. She would finally be able to see her family and kingdom again, and she did it all without being found out. She even gave the human guard an uncharacteristic smile as she and her guard reentered the city. It was enough to cause the guard to blush. Happily, she and the two guards made their way to the Teleportation Building. Shed had all the relevant paperwork finished for some time, and all she had to do was hand it in and she could be sent to the border. From there, it was a few days journey to an Indrian city with a teleporter. Within a week, she would be back home. She couldnt wait. As the trio approached the Teleportation Building, she noticed a commotion up ahead. Two men, who she recognized, rushed out of the building. One was Derek Hunt, the subject of her recent interest and fascination, and the other was Prince Edgar. They made for an appealing duo. She had no clue what they were doing. She stepped forward to get a closer look, but before she even realized it, they were gone. Prince Edward disappeared in a bright flash, and Derek Hunt just disappeared. She stared at where they used to be standing, slack jawed. Now, she was in a predicament. Does she enter the Teleportation Building and make her way home, or should she wait around and try to find out what was going on? The information she currently had was more than enough to call her mission successful. After thinking, she decided to leave. Derek Hunt and Prince Edgar had caused so much commotion already that gossip would surely spread. Whatever happened would surely be gossiped about soon, and not secretly either. She entered the Teleportation Building with her two lackeys. Good evening, Miss Elras. The elf at the front desk greeted her. He was one of the only workers she enjoyed talking to. He was full blooded, and he always talked to her with respect. How may I help the envoy today? Sabrina flashed the man a bright smile. Im finally going home. She summoned her papers and handed them to the man. Has it been five years already? The man asked. She nodded. It has. Actually, its been a little over. You must be excited, then. Very much so. Sabrina confirmed. Ill finally be able to see my family again. Letters and missives are no substitute for the real thing. I understand that. The clerk said as he read through her papers. Everything seems to be in order. If you will, please follow me. Sabrina followed the Elven clerk through the Teleportation Building, asking about what she had seen along the way. Was that Prince Edgar I saw before I came in? He seemed to be in quite a rush. She said. It was. Him and his companion appeared to be in quite the hurry. I have no clue as to why, though. The worker said. However, not long before those two arrived, the Crown Prince and his guards arrived, too. They were also in a rush. Something big must have gone down. I hope everyones okay. Sabrina said. Im sure everything will be fine. The Elven clerk said. Soon after, they arrived at a teleportation circle. Here we are. Step in and we will get the three of you on your way back home. Thank you. Sabrina and her two guards stepped inside the teleportation circle and waited for the clerk to activate it. Now, Im sure you already know this, but you will be teleported directly to Fort Belaris. It is the closest circle to the border between Cydaria and Indria. Once there, you will be escorted outside the fort and to the border. From there, the journey is in your hands. I hope youve had a great time in Cydaria, milady. The clerk said. It was a pleasure. She replied. That is correct. She replied. When I received the list, Prince Edgar had yet to decide on the final members of the raid party. I suspect the undecided members will be even stronger than those currently listed. I see. The King looked up at Sabrina and smiled. You have done well. Thank you, Your Majesty. You have even gathered a small amount of information that I did not have before. That is remarkable, indeed. The King said. Sabrina froze. Was the King saying he already had all of this information? Relax, girl. He smiled. This was a test. It proved your loyalty and capabilities. From what our other spies gather, other than a single occurrence, no suspicion was even cast upon you, and you played your role as an envoy well. For that, you have done admirably. A single occurrence? She asked. This Derek Hunt. He seemed to take a small interest in you before forgetting about it. Nothing you didnt already know, or report. He is a bit of an enigma, though. He came out of nowhere, then was in business with the Crown Restaurant and Alanah Swan. Its fascinating. Yes, Your Majesty. Also, you have gathered the information about the new dungeon and the team before any of my other spies. For that, you will be properly rewarded. The King said. I do not need any rewards, Your Majesty. She replied. Yet you will have them. He spoke. The King then snapped his fingers, and the barrier broke. You may now leave. You will stay in the palace tonight. Please send your father in behind you. Yes, Your Majesty. She turned to go, then remembered the necklace. She made to remove it, but was interrupted. Keep it. Think of it as part of your reward. It is a valuable thing. You may have use for it in the future. He motioned for her to continue. Sabrina left the Throne Room. She wasnt sure what to think about everything that had transpired. The King had already known everything she told him, other than small tidbits about servants and such. Other than the dungeon information, she had provided him with what? The favorite color of the second daughter of House Aarden. Of course, he already knew everything. He was the King of an entire country. He had spies much more capable than a young elf like her. What was the point of this all? Why had she spent five years of her life doing that? She thought of countless questions as she found her father and directed him to the Throne Room. Back in the Throne Room, King Osian Elras sat on his throne in contemplation. The information the girl arrived with was new, and more important that she had believed. He stared at the paper with the list of names. If this many powerful people will be away from Cydaria for at least three years, how much will their military force be weakened? While he was deep in thought, his brother walked into the hall. Brother! He greeted. Come, sit. Have a drink. We must toast to your daughters competence. She has done the Kingdom a great service. King Osian stood from his throne and placed a table and chairs down in the room. I knew she would. His brother said as he moved closer. She has the mind for it. And at her next class change, she should also have the skills for it. He took one of the chairs and sat. She need only stop thinking about marriage. She is much too young to worry about that. Mhm But werent you her age when you met your wife? The King asked as he took out some wine and poured drinks. If anyone other than his brother had seen him doing this, they would be shocked and appalled. I am not her. His brother said. That is true. King Osian tipped his cup forward. To Sabrina Elras. For not being as incompetent as my little brother. His brother snorted. She takes after her mother. The two brothers had a good laugh at that before King Osian got serious once again. He erected a soundproof barrier over them. Oh? His brother said. We have much to discuss. You daughter really did bring me interesting news this time. King Osian said. And what news did she bring? I think. King Osian took a sip of wine. It is time. Chapter 220: Loose Lips Sink Ships Chapter 220: Loose Lips Sink Ships With their enemies taken care of, Derek and his group made to leave the palace courtyard. The entire area was a mess with splotches of sand, unlevel earth, deep cut in the ground, and general destruction, but that had nothing to do with him. The King could figure all that stuff out when he got back home. Edward called on one of the servants left in the palace and handed the surviving guard, Brandt, off to him. The guard was only unconscious now. He would wake in time. Avery had revived him, and Edward pumped him full of potions afterward. He just needed some rest. We can go now. Edward said, and they all began their trek back to the Teleportation Building under the murmurs and gazes of onlookers. What happened here today would surely be gossiped about for a while, or at least until something else big happened. Avery left the group about a quarter of the way back. He had to get back to the restaurant and his recruits. He had left the two boys in the middle of training without giving them much of an explanation. Derek couldnt help but smile because the mans eyes lit up just like his voice did when he talked about them. It seemed the man really enjoyed having disciples. Well that was uneventful. Derek said as they walked through the giant city. I know. Edgar replied. I really expected more out of the Vice Leader of the Assassins Guild. I didnt even get to go all out. It was all too easy. She seemed a bit worse for wear because of Avery. It would have been a better fight if she was fresh. Derek said. Are the two of you crazy? Edward cut in. Uneventful? Easy? Do you know what I just went through? Do you know what its like to have both of your arms cut off? Yes. Edgar said. Kinda. Derek replied. Y-you do? Edward was flabbergasted. Unlike some member of my family, I dont take it easy when Im training. Edgar said. Derek nodded. You get your best skill ups when youre in real fights. He looked at Edgar. You had both of your arms cut off? Edgar nodded. Yeah. I was in a dungeon a couple of years ago. Have you fought any of those Mantiss with the scythe-like arms? The wind ones? Derek asked. Yeah, those. Edgar confirmed. I was fighting a boss type, and lost an arm early on in the fight. Then at the end, I gave up my other arm to finish it off. My team was there to help put me back together, though. What about you? People. Derek said. People are the worst. What happened? Ambush. Derek began. I walked straight into it. One of those mistakes you dont make twice. Usually, you dont get to make it once. I got lucky. Its one of the reasons I love my Endurance and Vitality so much. Lost my arm in the ambush. When I finished the fight, my remaining arm had multiple fractures. It was a pain, and I didnt have a team to help put me back together. Yeah the two of you are insane. Edward said. How come I never heard about you losing your arms? he asked Edgar. Loose lips sink ships. Derek answered. I like that. Edgar said. Never heard it before. Its a saying where I come from. Derek said. Like snitches get stitches. I like that, too. Ill have to remember those. Edgar said. But to answer your question, brother. My team knows when to talk and when to keep their mouths shut. Alanah. Derek said. It would be best if you came in and stopped Gerald from contacting anyone. He still has all his storage rings and stuff. When I open the door, Im pretty sure he will be able to use his communication crystals. How interesting. Alanah stood and walked beside Derek. Derek reached out and opened the door. The light from the room shined into the Time Prison, illuminating the dark lobby. As soon as the door opened, two heads turned to look at the new arrivals. After you. Derek said. Alanah shrugged and walked inside. If that wasnt a display of trust, Derek didnt know what was. He could basically close the door and trap her, yet she walked in without any questions. Derek followed. The Shadow Witch and Gerald jumped to their feet. Stop. Alanah said, and Derek felt it. He had the urge to stop moving, but he could fight it. The Shadow Witch also fought it after some time, but Gerald was frozen. Alanahs gaze landed on the Shadow Witch. You go wait at the side. The pale woman frowned, but moved to the side. Derek smiled, then walked over beside the Shadow Witch. Not because some of Alanahs command landed on him, but because he wanted to make sure she didnt try something, like contacting her guild. Definitely not because of Alanah nope. Shes pretty scary, isnt she? Derek whispered to the woman. The woman clicked her tongue, but didnt answer. So, do you think you could have beaten Edgar if you werent injured or fatigued? He asked. The woman shot Derek a nasty look. If looks could kill, he would be dead. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. No. Surprisingly honest. Derek said. I may have been able to escape. She continued. What was that skill you used when you arrived? How did you move like that? Trade secret. Derek smiled. From what he gathered, the woman, even though she was an assassin, hadnt actually killed anyone. Cliff and the plant user was responsible for the deaths of Edwards guard, even if the Shadow Witch had immobilized them in the first place. And when it came to killing Edward, she refused. He was interested in hearing her side of things. Done. Derek heard Alanah say. He looked over and almost burst into a fit of laughter. Gerald was standing in front of Alanah, naked except for a piece of cloth wrapped around his waist. Alanah was shuffling multiple storage rings in her hand. Good talk. Derek said to the pale woman as he walked toward Alanah. Follow. Alanah to Gerald, and he fell in line behind her as she led him out into the restaurant. Catch you later! Derek shouted at the Shadow Witch as he closed the door behind himself. Neat trick. Natale said. Her eyes glowed as she watched Derek close the tear in space. Void? Damn, that woman is scary. Derek thought as he looked back at her. He shrugged. More and more interesting. Natalie said before shifting her focus to the near naked Gerald. Now, what do we do with you? Chapter 221: Lock Up Chapter 221: Lock Up Derek took his seat and sat back to watch everything play out. His job was completed. It was now up to the rulers of this Kingdom and city to figure out what to do with their new captive. Of course, he would chime in if something didnt set right with him. If the King decided to be lenient with Gerald, Derek couldnt think of a better time for there to be a new King. Of course, he seriously doubted the King would go easy considering his eldest son had quite literally been disarmed because of Gerald. Plus, he was with both Alanah and Natalie, who seemed to be in even better situations than the King. Derek found that funny. If Alanah and Natalie teamed up, they could control the Kingdom. Actually, either one of them could probably take over if the other didnt oppose. The room waited for Alanahs control over the half naked Gerald to wane. Finally, after some time, he broke out of his trance. Wha- Gerald started, but was interrupted by the King. Silence! He shouted. Gerald. I am disappointed. You have played me for a fool for far too long. Edwin started. Im afraid I have been too tolerant and forgiving over the years due to our relationship. I never thought you would be the one to put me in such a situation. Frankly, I am embarrassed as both a King and a human. My judgement has been clouded by our frankly, one sided friendship.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com Edwin? Gerald looked confused. What is going on? Why was I attacked out of nowhere? The King shook his head. There is no point in pretending, Gerald. I already have more than enough evidence He nodded at Natalie before continuing. To call for an immediate execution. This is not a situation you can talk your way out of. It is pointless to try. Just listen. But- No. The King held his hand up to stop him from continuing. You are a trafficker, and that is enough to warrant the execution. You also ambushed the Crown Prince and his guards, killing good men in the process. There is nothing you can do or say to be forgiven. The King turned to Natalie and Alanah. Ms. Savannah, Ms. Swan, I am tired. I will leave everything else to you. Use your best judgement, as mine has failed me. King Edwin sighed deeply and stood. The two of you may do as you wish. He told Edward and Edgar. Im going to retire for the evening. Edwi- Gerald started again. Stop talking. Alanah commanded, sending the half naked man back into a trance. Derek watched as the King walked toward the door with slumped shoulders. It was the form of a defeated and betrayed man. However, when he reached the door, he tidied himself up and stood straight. Those in the room may know what was going on, but he couldnt allow others to see his defeated form. He was the King. He couldnt show weakness to his people. Edgar grabbed a drumstick from the dining table and stood as well. Well, none of this has anything to do with me. Politics suck. He turned, but before he left, he spoke to Derek. That was fun. We should do it again sometime actually, Im going to stop by your place after this auction. We need to talk. He smiled, then left behind his father. Edward sighed. I think I need to stay here to know exactly what happens. Somebody from my family has to. Derek laughed. Well, you are the Crown Prince. He looked at the now closed door. And you will probably be King sooner than you think. That seems to be the case. Edward sighed again. All Derek knew was that they had to be deep, deep underground. And with all the runes he kept seeing, the place was a fortress. Yes. Natalie said. It is a bit of overkill. But you do not get to where I am without making enemies, and execution is almost never the best option. At least not at first. Some people are even redeemable. You would never know that if you didnt try. Derek nodded along. I can get that. But only someone with your skills would be able to easily find that out. Oh, no. You are mistaken. Natalie corrected. Even with skills like mine, it is not an easy task. I dare not say how long it will take to get all the relevant information out of Gerald Torith. He has been in his position for some time, and he will have secrets upon secrets. The problem will be working out which secrets to fish for first. Like you previously said, finding if there is any blackmail material would be for the best. And if you do find any, it will make the decision of what to fish for easier. Derek said. And that is the plan, if I can find any. If I cannot, I will have to go about everything blind. Finding that material will allow Edwin to gain some of his dignity back. Weeding traitors and those revolting individuals out of the Kingdom will do well to heal his ego. And a King needs a bit of an ego. She looked pointedly at Edward. You would do well to learn that. Finally, Natalie stopped behind one last door. When she opened it, Derek saw the cells inside. It was like her own personal dungeon. Edward wasnt surprised, and the King had known about it, as well. I guess all the greats have some kind of private prison. Natalie led them inside. Derek examined the surroundings as they walked. Most cells were empty, but occasionally, he would find one that was occupied. Doing some quick math, he supposed there were around fifty cells in total, and ten or so prisoners. None of the prisoners made any noise as they passed by. They also didnt look much like prisoners. Seemingly knowing what Derek was thinking again, which was very creepy, Natalie spoke to his thoughts. Torture does nobody any good. And until their fate is decided, it is only right to treat them with dignity, even if they have none themselves. I will not lower myself to their standards. I see. Derek said. And he did understand her reasoning. Derek didnt know if he would be able to do the same with those who offended him in such a way. His usual response was to kill them-until he got his Time Prison, but then again, the prison didnt allow him to make any extra decisions. They didnt need to eat or drink, and the prison was a different form of torture than most. His only decision was whether he should subject someone to the prison, and for how long. After seeing how Clay was once he was released, Derek wasnt sure how he felt about his Time Prison. He would make his next decision when Bones and Ogre were released. Of course, Gerald was a different story. If he were asked to toss him in and lock away the keep, he would have no qualms. Natalie finally stopped in front of a set of cells. She walked to each of them and opened them. The cells on the end are made to hold more powerful people. She explained. Once activated, the runes will seal most elemental abilities and weaken physical strength. Even if they didnt the material that makes up the cells is strong enough to withstand even the most powerful of people. What about abilities related to the material used? Derek asked. Youre thinking about Clifford Aardens ability to control earth and minerals? Natalie asked rhetorically. The runes make the materials unresponsive to mana signatures other than my own and my trusted few. And that is only needed if the runes do not weaken the abilities enough to begin with, which they always have. Sounds good. Derek said. Please bring out the captives. Chapter 222: We Have Arrived at Your Destination Chapter 222: We Have Arrived at Your Destination While Natalie walked around and opened four cells, Derek opened his Time Prison yet another time. He opened the door and poked his head in. We have arrived at your destination! He half shouted. If looks could kill, Geralds face would have Derek dead multiple times over. But they couldnt. They only made Gerald have an even more punchable face. Avery was right. Just looking at the man made a person want to beat him. Speaking of Avery, the plant user that the man knocked out was still unconscious, along with Cliff. Derek knew why Cliff was still out because of how hard his final hit was, but what did Avery do to the other guy? His fight was well over before Derek finished his. Derek walked inside and stood in front of Gerald. You can either follow me, or- he lifted his void covered fist into the air. We can do it the easy way. Apparently, the previous punch landed on the former advisor was still fresh in his mind, because but for a few grumbles and death stares, along with trying to shrug Dereks hand off the back of his neck, Gerald followed Dereks directions. The man did seem like one of those cowards who would do anything to survive. Derek still felt it weird that he would be a tank and produce a line of tanks. However, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. For someone afraid of death and injury as much as Gerald seemed to be, building into Vitality for the increased longevity and health recovery made more sense. Derek wondered if the tank had even ever truly tanked in his life. As he forcefully pushed Gerald ahead of him and toward the exit of the Time Prison, Derek looked back over his shoulder at the others. Hey, Vanessa. He called to the Shadow Witch. Hed heard others use her name instead of title a few times, and it was just easier. Grab those two and follow me, will ya? The woman rolled her eyes, but still moved forward and grabbed the two unconscious minions by the scruff of their shirts and began dragging them toward the exit. Yet again, Derek wondered about the womans involvement with Gerald. He shrugged. Natalie would figure that out in time. When Derek and Gerald finally made their way out of the prison, Derek looked at the empty cells. As Gerald was already completely unequipped, Derek just pushed him into one and waited for Natalie to close the cell. Once the cell was locked, Gerald began yelling what Derek could only assume was scathing insults, but his voice was dampened and cut off by whatever runes were attached to the cell. Neat trick. Derek said. It is a punishment. Natalie replied. It is not a social visit. Vanessa soon stepped out of the prison behind Derek, along with the Geralds two grunts. She dropped them onto the floor and looked around. Finally, she sighed and began removing multiple storage rings and equipment from her person. Derek gave her an odd look. She rolled her eyes once again and snorted. No sense in fighting it, and Id rather keep some clothing on than lose all my dignity like him. She reached out and dropped the rings into Natalies hand. Do you even know why we went after Gerald? Derek finally asked. Vanessa looked at the cell the man was locked up in and shrugged. Nope. Just that I failed my contract, and this is the price. The pleasure was mine, Miss Savannah. Edward gave the woman a slight bow. Derek exchanged his communication runes with Marcus, Natalie, and Edward then. It would be good to have a direct line to both his landlord and the Crown Prince of the country he was in. Always good to make connections with seemingly decent, powerful people. After that, he and Edward took their leave. Im happy thats over and done with. Edward said as they made their way through the city. Derek shrugged. It was a bit anticlimactic. Yeah to you and my brother, maybe. Edward replied. Do you have any clue what the ramifications of what happened today will be? How they are going to affect the Kingdom moving forward? Thats not my problem. Doesnt really have anything to do with me. All I know is that I got rid of a thorn in my side and my friends can safely live in Savannah and train. You know, Im not the King or Crown Prince of any Kingdom or anything. Derek said. Yes you are lucky. Maybe. Derek said. I dont have it in me to care about a bunch of people I dont know. I have my hands full with the few friends Ive made since arriving here. I definitely couldnt run a city, much less an entire Kingdom. I think Ill focus on making a halfway decent shop and leave it at that. I envy you. You could always opt out of taking the throne. Derek said. Edward snorted. And what? Leave it to one of my brothers? Im sure Edgar would love to be King. Or, I could give it to my sister. Her first command as Queen would be to see which nobles could throw the best balls. He shook his head. No Ive studied for it and prepared for it my entire life. It is a responsibility that rests squarely on my shoulders. Well it was just a suggestion. Derek said. You would be better than your father. At least from what Ive seen. Edward sighed again. I dont guess you will ever change your opinion of my father? I dont know. Not any time soon, at least. Derek said. As mistakes and incompetence go, Gerald was a pretty massive one. There is no telling how deep his roots are in your Kingdom. Alanah told me that his connections were deep, but its probably worse than any of you ever thought it would be. Edward didnt say anything about his father after that. Finally, they arrived back at Alanahs hotel. Ill take my leave. Edward said. I am very grateful for your help in all of this. If there is anything you ever need, dont hesitate to call on me. Derek smiled. Be careful with favors. He said. Thats probably how your father got in the situation hes in. Still, he shrugged. But it cant hurt to have a Crown Prince in my pocket. Edward shook his head and walked away. Derek turned to head back home. He needed to find Jacks and let him know what happened. He hoped that learning about Geralds capture wouldnt take the drive out of the man. Hed been pushing himself for revenge. Now that his goal had been captured, Derek hoped he would still keep up the good work. Well Derek could tell that the man enjoyed his role as well. So, he probably wouldnt have to worry about him. Chapter 223: Making Rounds Chapter 223: Making Rounds Indeed, Derek didnt have to worry much about Jacks. When he got home, he pulled the man to the side and told him about everything that had happened. When Jacks learned that Gerald had been captured and Derek had asked Natalie to learn more about the death of his wife, Jacks was more relieved than anything else. I wasnt sure what kind of reaction you were going to have to the news. Derek said. Im honestly a little surprised. Jacks smiled and shook his head. Im relieved because I dont have to worry about Jake going out and doing something stupid. He can slow down and enjoy life a bit more now. He doesnt have to rush to level and become stronger. He can take it slow and build his foundation. I see. That doesnt mean that I wouldnt like to personally get my pound of flesh out of the man. A glint flashed in Jackss eyes before he continued. But this is for the best. Ill be able to learn the truth and move on. Its all I can ask for. Thank you, Derek. Thank you so much for everything. Derek didnt know what to do when the strong, scarred mans eyes began tearing up. He simply took a step forward and slapped Jacks on the shoulder. Youre a good guy, Jacks, and your son seems to be good as well. Im glad I could help a little. Jacks shook his head. You didnt help a little. You gave me my life back gave me my son back. Then you went out and did what you did today. I can not thank you enough. I will forever be in your debt. You have a guard or trainer, or whatever you need me to be, for as long as I breathe. I dont know if I deserve that much, but Im certainly not going to turn down competent help. Derek began laughing. Soon, Jackss laughter followed. Derek was happy that the day that started with him stressing over Alanahs gathering had such a happy ending. That night, he went to sleep with a smile on his face. Over the next few days, Derek did his rounds through his shop and the city. He passed on the majority of the mana cores to Brandi and had multiple talks with her about her crafts. He looked forward to seeing what the girl would create with the mana cores. She was very excited as well. According to the maniac crafter girl, Greater Meditation was the greatest thing she had ever seen. Brandi was now able to get more done in a single day than she could in three. Derek was still worried about her nutrition because she didnt currently have the extra Vitality or Endurance to completely go with it, but he trusted Malorie would make sure she ate regularly. Speaking of Malorie, she had taken to management like a fish to water. She ran her legs off all day, making connections and obtaining supplies for Brandi at a low cost. She was impressive, to say the least. Derek felt that he could leave the running of the shop in her hands with no problem. Thomas continued his solo training. He didnt miss a day in the training room. Derek went with him once to check on his progress, and he had to give Shae some credit. Thomas was much better with a spear than he had been before. He was also more fierce and decisive. All that, after such a short time, truly impressed Derek. Thomas would be turning heads once he enrolled in the Academy. Maybe he would even get a higher rarity class at his next upgrade. Jacks and Rayna continued training and leveling outside of Savannah after Gerald was caught. Rayna, especially, seemed to be much more confident than she was before. Derek wasnt surprised though, her new class was great, and she had a fantastic training partner in Jacks. It was written all over your face. So exactly how much stronger am I than the King? Derek smiled. Your stats are better. That is all I will say. She shrugged, then looked at Derek with her piercing white eyes. How about you? How did you manage to obtain a class with such affinity to the void element? Derek tapped on the table while thinking about his answer. He was strong now, stronger than most people in the Kingdom. He was also a resident in the city that Natalie controlled. He probably shouldnt go into a ton of detail, but he was confident enough to reveal more about himself. Still, him coming from Earth was a secret he would probably keep for a long time. I spent a lot of time in the void. He finally answered. Natalies eyes widened. Oh my. How did that happen? If you dont mind me asking. Portal. Derek replied. Portal? The highly restricted skill? Derek nodded. I guess the person casting it ran out of mana or was interrupted while I was inside. I see. That is definitely one way to get acquainted with the void. I have heard of that happening to others, but I have never heard of anyone reemerging. I cant think that it was easy. Natalie said. Derek shook his head. No, it was neither easy nor painless. It sucked. I imagine so. I am sorry. Eh, it is what it is. Its part of the reason Im here, so it wasnt all bad. After that, the two continued discussing other things. Natalie didnt ask any more questions about the void, and Derek was happy to not bring it up again. He could feel the shiver going down his spine when he thought about the time he spent trapped inside. Before long, Derek left and went about his day. Tomorrow, he had an auction to attend. Chapter 224: Day of the Auction Chapter 224: Day of the Auction Derek got up the next morning, ready for the auction. It was apparently a really big deal. Even though only a certain select group of people could take part in the auction, the city had been flush with activity for the past week. To dress properly for the auction, Derek put on his best black t-shirt and blue jeans, and his least worn-out pair of boots. He looked the same as he would have any other day. He looked in the mirror and shrugged. He wasnt planning on making any bids or purchases today. His only reason for going was to see what all profits he would make. He would be getting plenty of gold and, hopefully, some good equipment. Over the past few days, after he handed off all his Void Beasts to Stella and Roman, they all amended their contracts for the auctions. Not all the meals or potions would be auctioned off in a single auction. They would spread them out over time to keep demand, which would always be high due to the rarity of obtaining permanent stat boosts, even higher. Because of the amount of materials provided by Derek, Alanah insisted on increasing the percentage of sales he would get from twenty percent to twenty-five percent. He would be getting many more prepared meals from the Crown, as well. Based on the sizes of the Void Beasts he turned in, each one would make between five to fifteen meals of varying stat allotments. The prices could go from tens of thousands of gold coins to hundreds of thousands. Then, there was the Vitality Elixir, which is what Alanah was calling the blood from the undeveloped Void Beasts, and the potions created by Roman. There was no telling how much those would go for, but he knew it would be a lot. Derek checked the system time. There were a few hours left before the auction was slated to begin, and it would be an all day thing. He headed over to the dining room, where everyone else was already waiting at the breakfast table. Not everyone gathered for breakfast all the time, especially now that Rayna and Jacks hunted a lot, and Brandi couldnt be bothered to be pulled away from her crafts, but they were all here today. As Derek grabbed a few dishes, he spoke. So who wants to come with me to the auction? Im going to play by the rules and only bring two people, even though Alanah said I could bring anyone I want. He waited for a reply, but there wasnt one. Everybody just looked at one another. Silvi? He asked. Her voice came through her communication crystal. It lasts too long. Im staying here to cook. Just got fresh ingredients. You will bring meals back. That sounds like a command. Derek chuckled. Jacks? Rayna? While everyone else is busy today, many of the popular hunting spots will be open. We should be able to make a lot of progress without interference today. It would be more productive if we used the day for training. Unless you wish for me to go along with you. Jacks answered. If Derek said so, the man wouldnt hesitate to come along. No, thats fine. You guys go train. Derek said. Ill go. Rudy said. I would like to see how the Crown holds their auctions and handles their contracts. It will also let me mingle with some possible new clients. He had been busy. His contract business was already up and running, and he even had a few customers. Contracts by Rudy hadnt even done any advertising, but it was spreading by word of mouth. Is it okay to leave your shop for the day? Derek asked. I will be fine. Ive only had a few customers, and I can just put a sign up to come back tomorrow. Most contracts arent exactly urgent. Going to the auction will be better for me. Rudy replied. Thats one slot. Derek said. I dont even think I should bother asking Brandi. He looked at the girl with her head down, shoveling away her breakfast as fast as she could. Membership. The guard to the right announced. Derek pulled the black card with the shining golden Crown logo out of his storage bracelet and handed it to the guard. Multiple gasps came from the surroundings when onlookers noticed the membership card he took out. The guard took hold of the card, and his eyes widened in surprise. After scanning the card, the guard quickly handed it back to Derek and bowed. Esteemed guests, you may enter. Derek took his Tier Four Membership Card back from the guard and nodded. Thanks. He said. Keep up the good work. With that, Derek led Malorie and Rudy into the Crown Hotel. Stepping inside, three individuals stood in a line in front of Derek. The layout of the hotel had been changed from how it was before. Instead of being greeted by the giant open floor of the lobby, a reception room was set up just inside the entrance. The receptionist took the membership card of one of the guests and scanned it. Soon, the three people walked through the door leading out of the reception room, and Derek heard a booming male voice ring throughout the hotel. Tier Two Member Craig Allister, his son Tristan Allister, and daughter Teresa Allister have arrived. I guess theres no secrecy here. Derek thought as he walked up to the receptionist. The woman smiled brightly at Derek and company as she asked, Membership, please. Derek handed his card to her, eliciting another surprised expression. She scanned the card with her mana and handed it back. Mr. Hunt, would you like to hide or reveal your information to the guests? She asked. Oh, we get a choice? Derek asked. She smiled. Tier Two and above, get the choice. Most enjoy the entrance. You can announce us. Derek said. The woman looked over at Rudy and Malorie and nodded. I just need your guests information. Soon, everything was settled and Derek and his group walked through the door out of the reception. Derek took in the sights before him. If the Crown Hotel was beautiful and extravagant before, it could only be called stunning today. Tier Four Member Derek Hunt, Malorie Fields, and- The voice paused for a moment. Rudolph Mckinney, of Contracts by Rudy, have arrived. Derek and Malorie rolled their eyes while Rudy was all smiles as every head in the hotel turned in their direction. Chapter 225: Like Father, Like Son Chapter 225: Like Father, Like Son Derek was taken aback by the renovations that had taken place in the hotel over the past few days. Stella had been a very busy manager. Where there were multiple tables set up for breakfast, many more had been added, and there were even multiple booths along the walls. At the end of the lobby, a stage had been erected. The enormous lobby and dining area of the hotel had turned into a genuine auction house in a matter of days. It was impressive. Derek looked around until his eyes finally found Alanah and Stella talking beside the stage. You guys can go mingle. Im going over there. Derek told Mal and Rudy as he made his way to the two women. Youre here early. Alanah greeted Derek in a hushed tone. I have to keep my voice low. I dont want it to affect the guests. Derek nodded. Got it, he said. I wasnt sure how long it would take us to get through the city with it being as crowded as it is, so we left a bit early. Im glad we did, because it really was packed full. Stella smiled. Its always like this during the auction week. Because of the announcements this time, though, its even more crowded. Thats how we know its going to be a good auction. That, and the fact that we allowed members to invite others this time. Ive never allowed that before, but because of the urgency, it was best to try something new. Well see how it goes. Alanah leaned in, and with an even lighter whisper said, Especially since we have so much more stock than we ever had or ever thought we would have. She smiled and nodded at Stella. Here, take this, Stella handed Derek a ring. Derek took the ring and viewed the contents. To Dereks surprise, there were at least two dozen stored Void Beast meals, a dozen vials of rainbow colored potions, and multiple vials of red liquids, which Derek assumed was the blood of the small Void Beast. Wow, Derek said. I didnt expect to be getting this much. Youll have that and much more. We did not have enough time to process the entire inventory of Void Beasts yet, this only comes from the ones we have. Once the others are processed, you will have many, many more, Alanah explained. I look forward to it. So. Your guest had quite the introduction. Alanah changed the subject. Yeah, Rudy is like that. Hes a pretty decent fellow, but had a bit of an odd personality. Yeah, HE has an odd personality. Stella cut in. What? Derek shrugged. I am the epitome of perfectly normal. Stella snorted. You keep telling yourself that. Alanah placed her hand over her mouth and let out a light giggle before adding, Being normal is overrated. I bet Rudys wishing we would have left later, so more people would have been around for his ingenious introduction, Derek said. A giant smile fell over Dereks face as he pushed himself up off the wall and made his way to the new arrivals. Hed talked with Walter occasionally, but he had no idea that the man would be coming to the auction. He knew he had a Tier One Membership, but he doubted the man would have enough money to compete against the nobles here. He didnt care, though. It was always nice to see someone who he considered a friend. Even if that friend was the father of one of the first people he killed when he got to Cydaria. Derek decided he would not bring that up today, especially since the man had brought his other son along with him. Little Clare was the first person to recognize Derek walking their way. She immediately broke out into a sprint after seeing him. Derek! Youre here, too! She ran up and hugged his waist. Derek ruffled her hair a bit, but was careful not to make it too messy. He pushed her off and put his palms out. Show me what youve got. Clare immediately fell into a brawling stance and began throwing punches as Derek moved his hands faster and faster as designated targets. She was just as passionate as ever to spar. Okay, thats enough. Walter stopped Clare mid swing, causing her to frown. There are people watching. Derek waved him off. Who cares? Let them watch. Im more interested in how much progress Clare has made since Ive been gone. He chuckled. Well go to an Adventurers Guild training room later. How about that? Clare nodded seriously. Yes. So, you finally chose to go after a membership to the Crown? Derek asked Walter. I did. After the last meal that we ate, and the possible benefits that go with being a member, I reached out to Emily and learned what I needed for it. It wasnt much, so here I am. Derek thought back for a moment until he remembered who Emily was. She was the boss of the Torith Crown Restaurant, who took back over once Stella left. Thats good, Derek said. So, no Bronson? Walter shook his head. No. I needed somebody to stay back at the manor to make sure things ran smoothly. I trust him the most. I see well, tell him I said hi when you get back. Will do. About that time, the third member of Walters group made his way over to them. Jensen stood a little taller than Walter, and look just like him, except younger. You must be Jensen. Derek turned and put out his hand to shake. Jensen took his hand and stared deep into Dereks eyes. And you are the man who killed my brother. Ah Like father, like son. Chapter 226: Honor Chapter 226: Honor Derek felt Jensens hand tighten on his as they stared each other down. The young man exerted more and more strength by the second. Derek just waited. He would let the man take out some of his aggression. Eventually, Jensen sighed and let go. He took a small step back and slightly bowed his head. Father has told me of all that happened. I will not hold it against you. I do not believe I could ever become friends with you, but you do not have an enemy in me, Jensen finally said. Derek nodded. For what its worth, I am sorry about your brother. Though I doubt I would have handled it any differently, even if I knew your father beforehand. Your father is a good man, and from what hes told me about you, you seem to be heading in the right direction. Your brother, however, was not. Could he have changed his ways? Maybe I dont know. But I doubt he would have chosen to, at least from the little that I saw of him. Thank you, Jensen said. At that moment, Derek noticed Clare moving her head back and forth between Jensen and himself. Her jaw was hung open, and she had a look of shock in her eyes. What? Derek asked the girl. That thats what happened to Wallace? she finally asked. Walter reached forward and placed his hand on the girls head. Im afraid so. That makes so much more sense, she said. He was always so mean to us. I knew he couldnt have done something so great. Thank you for that, as well, Jensen said. He did not deserve the honor you allowed him to have with his death, yet you did it anyway. Derek shrugged. He really hadnt done it for Wallaces sake, or House Gracefall. It was only part of his plan to hide his involvement in the death of a noble. A plan that failed stupendously, at that. But there was no reason to change the story, so he could have that honor in the afterlife. So Walter. Derek got the older mans attention. Did you come here to try to get some Void Beast food? I wish, the man chuckled. No. Im afraid my funds wont allow me to purchase something as grand as that. Our finances are not what they once were. Besides, it wouldnt do me any good, anyhow. If I had the opportunity, I would like to buy one for Jenson or Clare in the future, but for now, I just wanted to get away from Torith and show Clare around. The city has been in an uproar since the Malcolm incident. I can understand that, said Derek. Well, it should at least be a good show, I hope so. I havent have much fun recently. Derek, Walter, Jensen, and Clare continued chatting until another announcement was made. Tier Two Member King Edwin, Crown Prince Edward, and Prince Edgar have arrived. Derek almost couldnt hold back his laughter. After everything, the King only had a Tier Two Membership. Should he rub it in? Point and laugh? He fought back the smile on his face, then formed an idea. He waved his hand up in the air, catching Edgars attention. Edgars deadpan face lit up when he saw Derek. He said something to Edward and Edwin, then he practically rushed over to great him. Oh, man. Youre a sight for sore eyes, Edgar said as he arrived. What? Did you have a busy few days? Busy? That doesnt even begin to describe it. This he looked around conspiratorially and leaned in to whisper. Raid business is no joke. I think Im going to die with this much responsibility. Nope, just send me into a dungeon with a small team, any day. Derek slapped him on the back. Im sure youll do just fine. Then he pointed out Walter and the others. This is my friend Walter Gracefall with his son Jensen and niece Clare. The three bowed deeply and Walter spoke. We greet the Prince. Now, now, none of that. Any friend of Dereks is a friend of mine. Besides, Im not in to all that Royal and noble bullshit, said Edgar. That left Walter and Jensen at a loss for words. Edgar squinted and looked closer at Jensen before a trace of recognition flashed across his face. Oh, you were at the Academy. Thank you, Crown Prince. Jensen replied. Alright, alright. Enough with the formalities. About that favor. Derek said, regaining control of the conversation. Yes, Derek? What is it? Yeah, so I dont know how this works or anything, but how about you change their noble house name back from Gracefall? Derek asked. That drew a look from everyone. Walters eyes went wide and Jensen was speechless. The Kings eyes narrowed, while Edward wore a surprised expression and Edgar snickered in the background. There was even an audible gasp from some of the crowd who had not so subtly moved in close enough to spy on whatever conversation the new guy with a Tier Four Membership was having with the King of the country. You want me to remove the dishonor from House Gracefall? Do you know what you are asking? The King asked. Your Highness. Please excuse Mr. Hunt. Hes new to our Kingdom and customs. Walter tried to save the situation. Let me ask you a question. Derek said to the King. Whatever dishonor was caused, and whoever caused it. Are they still alive? Has Walter and Jensens actions over the past years not recovered some of the lost honor of their house? No. Those who dishonored the Kingdom are well gone. The King replied. And Walter, and even Jensen, have done well restoring the honor of their house. Well then? Derek said. However. The King continued. I know for a fact that there are still some degenerates among their house. Take Wallace Gracefall, for one. Do not think that his misdeeds never reached my ears. He was indeed a miscreant until he met his untimely demise in that dungeon. Derek almost couldnt hold back laughter at the intense stares he got from Jensen and even Walter. His untimely demise was because he met me. He couldnt believe that the King wasnt informed otherwise. I guess he hasnt looked into the situation. He just took it as a bad person dying. Oh. And you can say that there arent any noble houses without disgrace that dont have a bad apple or two? Derek asked. Hmm let me pick a couple houses at random. Lets see. Do you think I could find a degenerate in House Aarden? Or maybe lets go with House Torith. Do you think there may be one there? Or, let me go find Alanah and see which nobles keep trying to obtain a membership, yet never seem to get one. Im sure we could find a couple of degenerates among them. Derek continued. By the way, Walter. How did you get in here? Oh, thats right you have a membership silly me. Edwards eyes couldnt get any wider after Dereks rant. Edgar hadnt been able to control himself and was doubled over laughing. He had even stored his wine mid rant, so he didnt spill it. Point taken. The King finally said. He had some fury raging in his eyes, but also a look of defeat. He leaned in closer to Derek. I wish we could have had this conversation in a more private manner. Derek shrugged. I dont. I would like to have witnesses to something as big as a noble house being restored. Besides, it would make a great pre-show before the auction. I still do not believe that is enough, though. The King spoke. The slight hope that had appeared in Walters eyes disappeared. Ah, but there is one more honorable deed that Walter has done that you may not know of. Derek said. And what is that? His actions are some of the main reasons why I was here, in this city when I was, and why I found out about certain dark clouds when I did. He may not be directly responsible for my actions, but he is more than related to them. Derek explained. It may not have been weeks or even months before he walked into the Crown Restaurant in Torith. If not for Bronson leading him to the noble area, how long would have it taken for Derek to get there? If not for his son, Wallace, going out and making an enemy of Derek, would Bronson have even come? No, if not for all of that, Derek wouldnt have been there to expose Gerald, at least not as quickly as he did. If not for Walter, Malcolm wouldnt have taken an interest in Derek like he had and offended him. Thomas would have never met Alicia and got caught up with Clay. Sure, it may have been a string of coincidences, but it was all caused by House Gracefall. I think House Gracefall has restored all of their honor, and then some. Derek said. The King was quiet for some time, thinking about what to do. Before he could make his mind up, Alanah walked over to their little group and whispered something in the Kings ear, causing his eyes to flutter, then he nodded his head. Very well. The King said. I will begin the process to restore honor to House Gracefall nay, House Searidge. Derek glanced at Alanah. I wonder what she said to him. Chapter 227: Regaining Honor Chapter 227: Regaining Honor Derek moved away from the King and Walter, as he was unsure what kind of process they would need to go through. He didnt know if it was just going to be a formality or some kind of decree, or what. He walked over and stood by Alanah. So, what did you say to him to get him to agree? he asked in a whisper. I told him that you were correct, Alanah said. That he would be even more foolish than he has been if he let his stubbornness keep him from this opportunity to gain or increase the loyalty of a powerful noble house, especially with the upcoming turbulence that whatever information he receives from Gerald will cause. You know that it is going to cause a great shake up in the noble houses of the Kingdom. Is that all you said? It is all I needed to say. He would have come to the conclusion himself in time, but I do have an auction to run and all. He would have most likely agreed to your request without any problems if you had gone about it in a more political manner or at least a little less rudely. Alanah explained. Derek snorted. Maybe but he hasnt earned me being less rude or more political yet. He may in the future, but until then, he is just an inept ruler who has let atrocities happen on his watch. Hes misjudged situation after situation. That may be so, but If not for you sending Avery, or Edgar and myself arriving when we did, what do you think would have happened? Even after what he found out, he still underestimated Gerald, or overestimated Edward. He continues to make poor decisions. I will be respectful when he earns it, he replied. He respected the hell out of Alanah, and knew she was only trying to stick up for someone who she considered a friend, but he didnt need to be friends with all of her friends. I understand. Alanah sighed. I will not push it. Thank you. Derek nodded. Now, about gaining the loyalty of a powerful noble house. What did you mean by that? From what Ive seen, Walter isnt all that strong. Hes nice and wise, but not strong. Do you know how old Walter Gracefall is? she asked. I dont think hes ever brought it up with me. Hes almost 170 years old, she explained. Derek didnt know what she was getting at. He knew that Vitality and Endurance slowed the aging process, so Walter being a couple hundred years old, wasnt exactly surprising to him. Though, he did only look like a middle age man, maybe slightly older than that. Old age with the system was weird, so he paid it no mind. So? he asked. Hes not too much younger than Edwin is. That was a revelation for Derek. The King looked ancient, and he was constantly looking for ways to obtain more Vitality and Endurance. What kind of stats and skills did Walter have? So, what youre saying is? he asked. Just watch. She pointed at the two men. Its starting. Derek turned his head from Alanah to Walter and Edwin. Edwin was standing before Walter, and Walter was kneeling. Do you have it? The King asked Walter. I always carry it with me, Your Highness, Walter replied. He then flicked his wrist, and a paper appeared. Derek watched on in astonishment as the chains began disintegrating from the bottom up. Slowly, but surely, the chains wrapped around the man ceased to exist. When the final link disappeared, Walter jumped to his feet. An aura exploded out of the man, which he was quick to contain. When he opened his eyes, they shone the deep blue of an ocean. The blue aura radiated off his skin as the man trembled in excitement. Judging from the blast of aura Derek felt, and the remaining aura he could sense, he could make the assumption that Walter was now much stronger than he was when they had dinner long ago. From the aura, he wouldnt place him as strong as the King, or Edward, but he wasnt a slouch. At that time, Walter glanced over, and he and Derek made eye contact. Tears streaked down the older mans face as a genuine smile appeared on his face. He was about to say something, but Derek nodded, then nodded in the direction of the King. Walters eyes shot back over to the King, and he hurriedly fell back to one knee. Your Majesty. I thank you for showing this humble servant such grace and kindness. I will strive to keep my house honorable for as long as I shall live. The King let out a breath and smiled. Rise, Walter of House Searidge. The debt and disgrace caused by your uncle shall no longer be held against you and your line. Be proud, for you have earned it. Walter rose and bowed deeply once again. Thank you, Your Majesty. It is not I who did it, but you. Your actions have restored your houses honor. The Kingdom needs more nobles like yourself. The King said. I will leave you to adapt to your recovered strength. Please, enjoy the auction. We shall meet again once this is all over. With that, the King turned and walked away. Derek watched as the man approached one of the booths, walked inside, then sat. Soon, a sort of privacy shield fell over the booth, and Derek could no longer see inside. He has to rest now, Alanah said. Removing that kind of contract is quite draining. Whether you are level 50 or 250, the results are the same. It will take some time for him to recover. That is also one of the reasons this is best done in private. I dont think so, Derek said. Letting all the nobles here witness it and the grace of the King is a good thing. They will talk about it for a long time. It may even overshadow the fact that someone is missing. Maybe. Alanah conceded. Derek turned to say something to Rudy, but the man was just standing there, staring into space. That was when he remembered the effect that hearing Alanah speak caused. Also, Rudy wasnt exactly a strong person with a strong will, so he didnt know how long it would last. He chuckled and turned back to Alanah. Sorry about that, Alanah said. It cant be helped. He can move to your booth until he recovers. Alanah said and waited for Derek to nod. Go to your private booth over there until you recover. Activate the privacy rune once you enter. She pointed at the booth. Like a zombie, Rudy turned and made his way to the booth. Soon, he disappeared inside. It looks like you have company. I will talk to you later, once the auction begins, Alanah nodded at Walter and smiled before she dismissed herself. Next, Walter, Jensen, and Clare all stood before Derek. Walter was radiating joy, and even though Jensen looked a bit conflicted, he couldnt keep the smile from appearing on his face. Clare continued to look a little confused, but she could read the atmosphere, so she was happy as well. Congratulations. Walter Searidge. Walter took Dereks hand and bowed deeply. I will never be able to repay this kindness. Dont worry about it. Thats what friends are for. Chapter 228: Favor Chapter 228: Favor Derek brought Walter over to his booth as Jensen and Clare went out to mingle. He was curious about everything that he had just seen. Rudy had explained the nuances of a soul contract, but Derek was more interested in House Gracefall or now, House Searidge. Derek opened the door to the booth to see Rudy standing inside silently. He snapped his fingers in front of Rudys face a few times before the man came to. Huh? What wow. That was uncomfortable, Rudy said. Youll have to work on your Wisdom stat if you want to be able to hold a proper conversation with Alanah, or if you want to break free of her passive skill sooner, Derek said. How long was I like that? Derek shrugged. I dont know. Ten, fifteen minutes. Youre lucky she only talked with her passive skill. You probably would have missed the entire auction if she would have put a little magic into her words. You need to work on leveling. I know. Rudy sighed. Its hard when you have to rely on making contracts and you dont have many customers. Well, your advertisement earlier should help a little. I hope so. I could go with Rayna and Jacks to hunt some monsters to level, but then I wouldnt get the experience for my skills and I would be missing out on getting a better contract class. Its better to wait. You have plenty of time, Derek comforted. Rudy nodded. I guess so. Now, get out and go drum up some more business, Derek said. I need the booth for a little while. Rudy looked up over Dereks shoulder, and only then did he notice Walter standing behind. That sounds like a great idea. Rudy said with bright eyes and moved past Derek. When he made it to Walter, he stopped and greeted him. Mr. Searidge. Congratulations! Walter nodded. Thank you. Rudy then continued on and disappeared into the still gathering crowd of nobles and other Crown members. Come in, have a seat. Derek motioned to the bench inside the booth and Walter sat. The inside of the booth was quite basic. In the front was a glass screen with multiple runes drawn on the surface. Derek recognized a couple of the runes as the same ones he had installed in his basement. They filtered the air and kept the room at the users desired temperature. Until he knew their official name, he would call them thermostat runes. Along with those runes he recognized, there was another which was currently glowing. He leaned forward and inspected it closely. Its one of the privacy runes. Walter spoke. Its the rune that blocks the view from outside the booth. That one over there. He pointed at another rune Derek had seen. That one controls the sound. If you activate it, you can adjust how much sound is leaked out from the booth, so you can keep your conversations private. It should be able to work the other way, as well. If its too noisy outside, you can filter what is let inside. Derek nodded. That rune would be called the volume control rune. The other one-way mirror. He liked that. He praised himself for his naming sense, then sat back on the bench beside Walter. He winced at the hard surface. Would it kill Alanah to provide some cushions? I swear half the people in this Kingdom are going to die from splinters and ass sores. Other than the bench, there was a small table sitting in front of them. Derek kicked his feet up and got as comfortable as he could.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com I know I know Do you miss him? Walter sighed again. I dont miss the person he became, but I miss the little boy that used to beg me to show him my water magic. He laughed. I gained more control in my skills showing off in front of Wallace than I did sparring. The two sat in the booth, and Derek listened to Walter reminisce about Wallace and Jensen. It seemed to do the old man some good. So, about that soul contract? Derek started. That was something. I didnt know your punishment went that deep. What was that about? You dont have to answer if you dont want. No.. no its fine, Walter said. My uncle was a former patriarch of my family. Back when we were still House Searidge. He wasnt a bad man, actually, not in a general sense, at least. What do you mean? Well, he never went out to do bad things. He was a good noble. Walter continued. You know that our family usually has an affinity for the water element, right? Derek nodded. Well, because of our elemental affinity, it makes us particularly suitable for being defensive healers. We dont have the defense of an earth affinity, or the healing capabilities of someone with light affinity, but we are quite decent in both. We are even better at curing toxins and poisons than most with light affinity. Walter explained. Right. I guess that makes sense. Water is pretty balanced. Exactly, and that is why we were a high noble house. We werent top, but we were considered strong. Because of our healing, we were vital when it came to dungeon parties, or especially raids, when they were available. You always need a good support, Derek commented. Unfortunately, that was our undoing, as well. You see, my uncle was a kind man and a good healer. He was also afraid of death, and a coward. He raised his stats by always playing it safe and never getting into danger. Walter sighed. One day, a raid dungeon popped up, and my uncle was selected as one of the supports for the mission, along with other noble houses and even the Kings brother, who was commander of the Kings Army at that time. Oh Derek said. He could see where this was going. According to the survivors, the raid was going well until their formation broke midway through. Still, everyone was calm and reacted quickly everyone but my uncle. He panicked. To make a long story short, because of his actions, half of the raiding party was wiped out, including the Kings brother. The survivors retreated back to the checkpoint, then abandoned the raid. Walter explained. Derek wasnt sure what the differences between a raid and a regular dungeons were, other than length and difficulty, but he didnt want to interrupt Walters story. When they got out, my uncle knew what he had done, and tried to flee the Kingdom. He was captured and eventually executed. That is also how we earned the Gracefall name. All that because of one person? Derek said. Walters uncles mistakes werent that of the entire line, but that of one person. It would have been different if he hadnt been the Patriarch. But, as his position was so high, the King, who was young at the time, used him as a lesson to other nobles. Cowardice will not be tolerated. If you are not cut out for dungeons, dont drag others down because of it. Because of it, we have more crafters and lifestyle users than ever before. So, I cant fault the King for his decree. I only wish that it wasnt my house that caused it. I see, Derek said. Well, that is all behind you now. Its time to get back to being a high noble house. God knows this Kingdom needs some proper nobles. I cant argue with that. By the way, Derek said. Exactly how strong are you? Chapter 229: Change of pace Chapter 229: Change of pace How strong am I? Walter asked. Well, thats kind of a hard question to answer, because I really dont know. Well, to your best estimate, said Derek. Thats still hard to judge. The soul contract I was under as the patriarch of the family both crippled my stats and halted my leveling. Youve told me some of your secrets, so I wont bother to hide anything from you. For decades now, Ive been stuck at level 199, but with the stats of someone in the lower to mid 100s. However, with any free time I managed to find myself, I worked on my skills. This all could be a blessing in disguise, as I will soon be allowed to upgrade my class at level 200. If what we discussed earlier and applied to Clare and Brandi is true, it is possible that I am in for quite an upgrade. Walter explained. If its like that, you may be right, Derek said. As for how strong I am now I switched from a rare class to an epic one at level 100, so I have those stats. You would still be able to get me with your disappearing trick because I allocate heavily into Vitality and Wisdom. I am a support class, so dont expect too much offense. Those I do believe that even as a support class, I could handle Gerald Torith. Walter smiled. He is just a walking bag of meat. Derek agreed. Thats what happens when you are power leveled to 250. You end up all stats and no skills. Not very good stats, either. Well, in any case, Derek said. Im happy for you. What do you plan on doing now? You going to go out and grab that level so you can upgrade your class? You know I think I may just do that. I have spent so long staring at the same status that it will be a breath of fresh air to see some different numbers, Walter said. However, I need to get rid of this patriarch title first. What do you mean? Derek asked. I kept the title for so long because I didnt want the soul contract to restrict others. Granted, with the limited support and exile to a sub-city, most of my family hasnt grown strong over the years. Now, though, since the contract is up and our honor is restored, I think its time for a new patriarch or matriarch to step up to be head of the family. Walter explained. I see. I am tired, Walter sighed. I am tired of being stuck in the same place doing the same thing over and over. I loved adventuring in the past I loved everything about it. Bonding with your squad, life and death situations everything. I think its time for me to do something for myself for a change. I want to live again. There are a number of candidates that can take over the family. Im going to focus on myself. Thats good to here. Derek agreed. Youve been at it for so long, you need to relax now. And nothing is more relaxing than fighting for your life. Laughing, Walter said, It may not sound relaxing, but the change of pace will definitely be. It is something that I look forward to. The two continued chatting as more and more people poured into the auction. Walter pointed out a few different people he believed Derek should at least take note of during their talks. Soon, the last person was announced and the moment they had all been waiting for drew closer. Well, Derek, said Walter. It has been great catching up, and I thank you for everything you have done for me and my family. It was fun. Much better than mingling with other nobles. Derek agreed. It looks like the auction is about to begin, so I will go take my place beside my family. Ill have to treat you to a meal later, Walter said as he stood from the bench and made his way out of the booth. Ill hold you to that, Derek said. After that, Derek relaxed in his private booth as he watched all the guests move to their seats. Not long after watching another group be led to one of the other private booths, a light knock sounded on the door of his own. Its ope- he started, but realized that the privacy runes were still activated. Therefore, no matter what he said, whoever was outside of his booth would not be able to hear him. Instead, he walked over and opened the door. I didnt think about that, Derek said. Maybe this auction wont be boring after all. Alanah giggled. Dear auctions are never boring. Derek snorted. So, did you have a good chat with Walter? I bet he was very thankful to you. I did. He is a very good man. Im glad I could help. Out of all the people Ive met since I came to Cydaria, he has always been one of the most honorable, Alanah said. Which is ironic since he was the patriarch of a dishonored noble house. Those with chips on their shoulders always have more to prove. You either end up becoming someone like Walter, or you become someone like his son, Wallace, Derek said. It was truly his houses good luck that Walter became the man he is. Alanah nodded deeply. So, what does the patriarch of House Searidge plan to do now that his honor and power is restored? Derek chuckled. Of course, he plans on stepping down from being patriarch. He wants to go back to adventuring. It seems like he misses it dearly. A glint flashed through Alanahs eyes. Oh, really? That is quite interesting. You know, his house used to be one of the best support houses in the Kingdom. I wonder if he plans on continuing that legacy. Who knows? All I know is that the old man is finally free to do what he wants, and he couldnt be more excited. Good for him, Alanah said. One of these days, I would like to get some free time and go adventuring once again. I seem to recall a dungeon you wanted to run with me, Derek said. Has that plan changed? Oh, no. Alanah waved him off. We are most definitely going dungeon diving together. I just fear that with the two of us together, it wont make for much of a challenge. That may be true. Derek sighed. But it could still be fun. I look forward to it. As do I Alanah trailed off. Oh, its finally starting. Derek moved his focus away from Alanah and back to the auctions stage, where Stella was walking up to. The beautiful red head shined as the lights dimmed and all eyes fell onto her. She was a prime example of a kingdom toppling beauty at the moment. All kinds of tropes fell into Dereks mind as he watched the woman prepare herself. Then he glanced back at Alanah and sighed. Of course, she isnt outdone at all. A hush fell over the crowd as Stella took center stage. Her amplified voice boomed throughout the hotel. Please take your seats. The auction will begin momentarily. Once everyone was finally seated, her voice sounded out again. Ladies and gentleman. I am honored that all of you would take time out of your busy schedules to attend the Crowns auction. Both Derek and Alanah laughed at the same time. As if anyone in their right minds would miss such an opportunity to become stronger or get acquainted with such esteemed guests. Alanah scoffed. Without further ado lets begin! Chapter 230: Auction Chapter 230: Auction Both Derek and Alanah settled into their seats to watch the proceedings more comfortably. If Derek had any questions or concerns, Alanah would be there to answer them. It paid to share a booth with the owner and host of the auction. First and foremost, we will certify the authenticity of our auctioned items. Stellas voice boomed over the room. Usually, we would do this with oaths or contracts, but for todays auction, I am pleased to announce that all items have been authenticated by City Lord Natalie Savannah and have earned her seal of approval. Miss Savannah, if you would do the honor. Natalies petite figure stepped forward from the side of the auctions stage, and she walked up the steps to stand beside Stella. Thank you, Miss Brighton. Natalie stepped forward as Stella bowed, all eyes focused on her. Over the last few days, I have had the chance to examine all items related to this auction, and I can, in good faith, announce that each item planned for auction today is authentic and provides the benefits that will be listed. Then Natalie flicked her wrist, and a contract appeared in her hand. This is a written and signed contract from the Crown commissioning my services. If any item auctioned here today has not been verified by myself, the contract will dissolve before everyones eyes. Natalie then moved to the back wall and placed the contract where everyone could view it at all times. It was quite the display. Derek had to praise Alanah and Natalie for using this method. With the Crowns reputation and Natalies identity, there would be no issues going forward. He doubted any would have arisen anyway, but this added an extra layer of certainty. I didnt expect Natalie to come aboard to verify the goods, Derek said. It wasnt easy, but this way, there will be no room for dissent. Normally, it wouldnt be needed, but since everyone was allowed to bring guests, I thought it better to be thorough. Alanah explained. Good thinking. Derek agreed. What did it cost to get Natalie to do this? She was paid with one of the potions and one of the lesser meals. Unfortunately, her powers do not benefit greatly from the meals, as Wisdom is her main stat. Still, it is very hard to resist the appeal of free stats for such little work. Even if she is a very busy person. Even more so with her ongoing interrogations. Derek agreed. Indeed. Are there any questions about the authenticity of our items today? Stella asked. She waited for a few moments to give everyone time to process everything. Since there are no questions, City Lord Savannah may return to her booth. After that, Natalie walked back off stage, then headed to one of the private booths. Stella waited for her to go in and close the door before continuing. We will now bring out the first set of items. Stella motioned to her left, and a Crown worker came in with a cart of three dishes. She pushed the cart to the center of the stage. Stella gave the woman a nod, and the woman removed the lids from all three dishes. On each plate was a small serving of what looked like processed meat slathered in a thick gravy. To Derek, it didnt look appetizing at all. There were herbs of different colors and other vegetables and sides to make the meal more palatable, but the main part of the dish did not set well with him. He hadnt actually inspected any of the meals he was given earlier. Derek flicked his wrist and one of the meals he had received earlier appeared in his hand. He removed the lid covering the plate and examined the contents. It was the same as what was on stage, except it did not have any of the extra garnishments. It was just the overly processed meat and unappetizing, gravy-like substance. Derek took a deep breath of it and was pleased that it at least had a quality aroma. He still had a hard time getting past the appearance. It is not easy to squeeze the full potential out of one of the dishes. Alanah commented from the side as Derek put the dish away. You know the size of the Void Beasts, yet they only provide a few dishes of that size. I guess Derek said. I wasnt reacting to the size of the dish, though. It was the look. Im just so used to seeing beautiful and perfect meals prepared by the Crown Restaurant, so when looking at this highly processed dish, it took me by surprised. 700. 1,000. 1,000 gold coins for number 17. 2,000! Number 28 shouted once again. 2,000 from number 28. Going once 2,500 gold coins. Number 17 shouted. Derek watched the antics from the comfort of his booth. None of those that Derek knew had plenty of money to spare had jumped in to battle this time. He didnt recognize number 17 and number 28, but he was sure they were both from lower noble houses, or may have even been commoners. After some time, the very first meal of the auction was sold to number 28 for 7,500 gold coins. It was very impressive. He was offered 25,000 gold coins for the very first Void Beast he presented to Stella, and it was many times better than the one used to make the three small dishes. Im guessing that is a good price? he asked, just to make sure. That is a very good price for such a low quality dish. Alanah confirmed. Anything over 3,000 gold coins could be considered a good price, actually. Great! Derek leaned forward, excited. Now its time for the next dish. We will once again begin the bidding at 500 gold coins. Soon, all three dishes were auctioned off. The second dish fell into number 17s hands for 6,000 gold coins, yet the third dish reached 8,500 gold coins. Scarcity definitely played a big factor in its pricing, as those who werent exactly flush with gold did not know when the next opportunity to buy such a thing would come, and they knew they wouldnt be able to compete for the better dishes. The Crown worker stepped back onto stage and took the cart containing the dishes away. They would distribute the dishes to the winners at the end of the auction. Another worker quickly brought another cart onto stage. This time, it was a singular plate with a lid. Stella walked forward and shot the crowd a beautiful smile. Our next item is something only recently discovered. She reached out and removed the cover. Three vials sat upright on the plate. Each vial contained a constantly changing rainbow colored liquid. The sight was fascinating, and something only a few people in the room had ever seen before. This new item is called The Potion of Physical Permanence. Stella announced as hushed whispers fell over the crowd. What does The Potion of Physical Permanence do? Well, it gives permanent stat increases just like the previous meals. She explained. The rowdy crowd fell silent. They were almost disappointed in the statement. However, unlike the meals we prepare, this Potion of Physical Permanence does not increase Intelligence. Instead, it increases Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Vitality. She dropped a bombshell on the crowd. An item that actually increased Vitality, plus, it increased Dexterity along with it. Finally, with a knowing smile, she said, It is also a potion, so you can obtain the benefits of it without spacing out consumption. With that, the crowd went into an uproar. The auction was about to get interesting. Chapter 231: Auction II Chapter 231: Auction II So, Derek began. I havent talked much with Roman about his potions. Was he able to make potions of varying stats, or do they all give five points to each increased stat? Just watch and find out, Alanah replied. Derek smirked and turned his attention back to the auction. Stella waited for the crowd to settle down before she began her next pitch. Each of the three vials in front of you contains a Potion of Physical Permanence that increases Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Vitality by three points each. That is a total of 12 stat points. It is on par with a full level from an uncommon rarity class. So everything does depend on the Void Beast used. I bet those potions were made from the same Void Beast used to make the earlier meals, Derek said. Your bet would be correct, Alanah replied. Now Stella continued. As this is a new product of high rarity, and because of the severely limited quantity available Derek snorted. Severely limited quantity, my ass. I dont know how many potions he had the time to make, but the materials he has are definitely not severely limited. I beg to differ, Alanah disagreed. With the number of ingredients he has available and potions Roman has been able to make, compared to the number of people who would want to buy in the entire Kingdom, not to mention continent severely limited isnt an exaggeration at all. In fact, I think that is being lenient overall. Derek couldnt argue with her counter. Yes, he provided dozens of Void Beasts, which would create materials for dozens, if not hundreds, of meals and potions, but compared to the size and number of people on the continent, it would really be just a drop in the bucket. Touch, he said. It is very limited overall, but here, currently, I could say that we are even overstocked. Still, Stella did not lie, only slightly deceived. Besides Alanah said. Its not like everything we have is being auctioned off today, in one auction. What we are selling today is limited. Very much so. Stella continued. Because of the severely limited quantity available, we will begin this auction at 5,000 gold coins. She waited for everyone to take in all the information before speaking again. Begin! This time, those lesser houses and members who had bid on the early Void Beast meals werent even able to fight for crumbs. The heavy hitters came in right off the bat. 5,000. Thats 5,000 gold coins from number 45, King Edwin. Stella announced. Im sorry for the insolence, Your Majesty, but this one cannot pass up this opportunity. A man spoke up. I bid 6,500 gold coins. The patriarch of House Geigers face turned a very particular shade of red as the guest that accompanied him continued to embarrass both himself and the patriarch. Derek actually enjoyed watching the guest hurl insults. Apparently, he was a good friend of Mason Geiger, the head of House Geiger. The guest was a high-ranking member of the Adventurers Guild named Keith Burnes, but was not a noble. The man reminded Derek of Jim, one of the well-known leaders back on Earth. He had founded a city called Muscle Town that developed into one of the foremost cities in what used to be the United States. He was what one would consider a muscle head. He had bulging muscles, a round face, and very bad case of balding. The man was one of the nicest people Derek had ever encountered. And he was genuinely nice, as well. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it, but you would only have one chance with him. Betray his trust once, and you were dead to him. Keith and Jim were the spitting images of one another, at least from what Derek could remember about Jim. If Keith would have had a southern accent, Derek could have believed they were brothers. He was a rowdy man, and everything he said was all done in good fun. Derek could tell there wasnt any actual spite in his words, no matter what he said. Most everyone else seemed to know that as well, as they either played along or just ignored the man. According to Alanah, the man was well known in the Adventurers Guild. He hadnt obtained a membership to the Crown Restaurant yet, but that was only because he had yet to try. She seemed to quite enjoy his antics, as well. Apparently, he even had a decent amount of money saved, as he was able to bid and win one of the better Void Beast meals being offered. Every time the man bid on an item, Derek inwardly cheered for him. After a while, the man actually won another auction. This time, it was one of the potions made by Roman. Derek couldnt even keep track of the amount of money he was bound to make. Some of the higher tier meals even broke the 100,000 gold mark. Those who attended the auction were truly cash cows. Finally, a worker carted out yet another covered plate. Our next auction is special, as it will not be auctioned for money, but for trade, Stella informed the crowd. She uncovered the plate, and a single meal sat in the middle. This meal was prepared from a special Void Beast. Though not the strongest we have ever encountered, it was up there. A hush fell over the crowd as they listened with bated breath. As for the stat allotment she drew the silence in before continuing. 28 Strength, 18 Endurance, and 16 Intelligence. Stella smiled as the crowd drew in a collected breath before going crazy. She put her hand up to silence them. For this Void Beast meal a meal that provides a whopping 62 extra stat points. We are looking for a weapon. That statement caused most in the crowd to frown. What kind of weapon would be worth that many permanent stat points? Now, now Stella started back up. We wouldnt be doing this if we didnt believe someone could provide this weapon. What kind of weapon? someone from the crowd shouted the question. What we are looking for is a glaive. At that, Stella flicked her wrist, and a glaive appeared in her hand-Dereks old glaive. This is the model for the glaive we want. This is just a reference. As long as the glaive is of good quality, it will be considered. Derek sat up in his seat. This was the part of the auction he was most excited about. Forget about the money and fame, what he wanted was a weapon that could withstand his void powers. He was tired of using his fists. It was time for him to get back to his old fighting style. Chapter 232: The Walking Forge Chapter 232: The Walking Forge Oh? Alanah said, seeing Derek lean forward, turning all of his attention onto the current auction. I dont think Ive ever seen you quite so anxious. You wouldnt understand, Derek replied. Im a glaive user by trade, but dont have a glaive that can withstand my skills. Every fight I get into its like Im fighting with one hand behind my back. This is what I wanted the auction for. Well, it was one of your first conditions in your contract. Its no wonder you would be so anxious, Alanah said. So youre saying youve been fighting basically crippled without your weapon? Not crippled, just not at full power, he answered. I see. With that, Alanah pulled out a red crystal from her storage. When Derek looked at her in confusion, she said, So Stella can know if the offer is good enough. Another reason Im in your booth instead of my own. And here I thought I was special. Derek chuckled as he turned his attention back to Stella and the auction. Must the weapon be a glaive? One bidder asked. Alanah looked at Derek for his confirmation. Glaives first, but if there are none, or none of good enough quality, I could settle on a very good halberd. But the halberd would have to be exceptional. I much prefer the blade on a glaive to the axe on a halberd. Though, I understand a halberd is most likely more common for some reason that Ive never been able to get my head around. Alanah nodded at Derek and poured mana into her communication crystal. On the stage, Stella flicked her wrist and an identical crystal appeared in her hand. She closed her eyes for a moment before continuing. I have been informed that the glaive with take priority, but if there arent any of high enough quality, we can accept an exceptional halberd in its stead. Stella informed the crowd. If you have a weapon that you are willing to part with for this extraordinary opportunity to gain stats, please rise and form a line in front of the stage. We will examine the goods then. Derek watched with anticipation as a handful of people rose from their seats. After a few minutes, a line of seven individuals formed in front of the auction stage. Derek clinched his fists as Stella stepped forward. City Lord Savannah. She announced. If you would be so kind as to help us with the examination. The door to Natalies private booth opened up and the petite woman walked out, back to the stage. Soon, she was standing next to Stella in front of the bidders. The first person, a dwarf with a full beard and long salt and pepper hair tied in a bun, stepped forward. Alanah leaned closer to Derek and began telling him about the bidder. That is Mr. Gregory. He is a prominent smith in the capital. Though he is one of the best smiths around, I am afraid the weapons he makes are more standard, as he is one of the smiths who outfit the army. He doesnt take many custom requests, so I do not know if he will have anything worthy of you. I guess were about to find out, Derek said. Soon, the dwarven smith presented Natalie with two halberds, both identical. I do not have any custom halberds or glaives, but these two halberds are sturdy and durable. I am willing to offer both of them for the Void Beast meal. Natalie took the two halberds, one in each hand, then, as she examined them, a white glow covered both of her eyes. Finally, the glow faded, and she shook her head. I am sorry. I cannot deem either or both of these weapons worthy of this item. She handed the weapons back to the smith. Mr. Gregory bowed his head. Thank you for your consideration. Then, turned and walked back to his table. What do you mean? From what I can gather, his class is both a combat and crafting class. He doesnt rely on anyone else for materials. He has no problem going out and getting them himself. He is one hundred percent self-sufficient. Sounds like a hell of a guy. Derek commented. Indeed. Still, why is it tricky to get him to do it? That would be because of the new raid dungeon that recently appeared. He has decided to join in as the blacksmith on the mission. He cant pass up the opportunity to obtain materials from such a dungeon. I see Derek said. So he will be away and not able to create the weapon any time soon. Precisely. Derek sighed and watched as Mr. Gregory stood back up from his seat. I am willing to sign such a contract. I can guarantee a quality weapon within two months. It will, of course, take me some time to gather the proper material. The smith announced. Thank you for your offer, Mr. Gregory. We will take it into consideration, Stella said. Now, is there anyone else who would like to make an offer? As she said the last sentence, her eyes landed on Mr. Blacksteel. What about you, Mr. Blacksteel? Im sure you have the ability. Soon, the giant man stood from his seat. Derek was correct, he was at least seven feet tall. With a deep voice, he said, Of course, I would love to make such a contract. However, I do not believe I have the time to do so. As Mr. Gregory has said, it would take time to gather such materials, time that he looked around. Due to certain circumstances, I will not have. It would most likely be a few years before I am able to complete the contract. Stella nodded at the man. That is unfortunate. Unfortunate indeed. Mr. Gregory said with a big smile. Does that mean I may have the honor of this contract? he asked with greed in his eyes. However. Smith Blacksteel continued. I would like to make an offer, nonetheless. The giant walked to the stage and presented Stella with a grand halberd. It was at least eight feet long and thick very thick. The smiths hands fit around it perfectly, like it was made for him. This is a halberd I once made for myself when I was but level 220. I do not believe it to be worth the Void Beast meal, so I did not present it earlier. I see, Stella said. If you do not believe it worth the meal, then I offer this halberd, plus a contract, the man explained. The halberd with be a down payment, and when I become available once again, I will create a glaive to the best of my capabilities. What say you? Alanah gave Derek a questioning look. Mr. Gregory or Mr. Blacksteel? Its your choice. Derek chuckled. Isnt it obvious? To me? It is. Alanah smiled back. Mr. Blacksteel? Mr. Blacksteel, Derek nodded. Chapter 233: Auction Finale Chapter 233: Auction Finale Alanah sent another message through her communication crystal to Stella after Derek selected Tyron Blacksteel. Something about the man just made Derek want to choose him. He seemed formidable, respected, and very reasonable. Barsic Gregory did not at least not to Derek. Sure, he would probably make an acceptable glaive, but with Tyron, Derek could sense he would be getting something of incredible quality.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com Stella held her crystal and nodded multiple times before making the announcement. Mr. Blacksteel, your offer has been accepted, and you have won the bid. Congratulations! The giant mans eyes widened slightly. Really? he asked. Even with the delay in forging? Mr. Gregory huffed from his position, but chose not to speak. Yes, sir. It seems your abilities have left you with a great reputation, Stella said. You may return to your seat. We will settle everything after the auction. She handed the halberd back to the man. Thank you. Tyron bowed slightly, then excused himself back to his seat. Next, they wheeled the auctioned item off the stage and another up. Now, we have a special treat for all of you. In all the years and Void Beast meals we have auctioned, the next set is the highest quality item we have ever had. Stella walked forward and revealed the three meals on the tray. Each of these three meals will provide a whopping 42 Strength, 30 Endurance, and 24 Intelligence for a total of 96 stat points. She waited for the crowd to quiet down before continuing. Now, I know you all know the worth of such an item. So I hope to hear no complaints when I start the bidding at 250,000 gold coins or items and materials of equivalent value. Each bid must be at least a 10,000 gold coin increase. A combined hiss came from the crowd as multiple people drew in their breaths at the same time. The starting bid was basically unheard of, but such a never before seen item deserved a never before seen price, and everyone knew it. Derek let out a whistle from inside his booth. How much you think it will go for? he asked. That is something not even I have an answer to, Alanah answered. We dont have any data for something as good as this, but we have sold multiple at 200,000+ gold coins, so there isnt any chance it wont be sold. Derek looked over at the booth the King was in. The man was probably more nervous than any other person in the room. He was also probably one of the few people who could bid on the items. Lets start the bidding! Stella announced. Instantly, the Kings voice sounded out of his booth for the 250,000 gold coins. 275,000. Natalies voice rang out from her own booth. Derek could almost feel the Kings heart drop to the bottom of his stomach when Natalie bid against him. By far, she was the person with the money to work with. If she really got into it, there would be nothing the man could do. Plus, he was still in debt to her which would be rather embarrassing. 285,000. A strained voice came from the Kings booth. Natalie instantly replied with a bid of 300,000. The two went back and forth in a bidding war for the first meal for some time. Finally, the King had to give up. Derek, of course, hoped the bidding war would continue indefinitely. After all, he would be receiving a cut of all proceeds from the auction. Our winner for the first item is City Lord Natalie Savannah, for a total of 725,000 gold coins. Congratulations! Stella announced. Now for the next meal. We will begin the bid again at 250,000. Begin! The King started the bidding once again at 250,000, and once again, Natalie didnt give anyone else a chance. 500,000. She instantly doubled the beginning offer. 550,000. The Kings muffled voice rang from his booth. He was obviously holding in his anger. There was nothing he could do about it. 600,000. Damn indeed, Alanah agreed. What we are auctioning off, though, is different. The blood works more like potions than the meals, so you dont have to limit your intake. Of course, that is only after it is concentrated. We are selling one giant portion tonight. Giant portion? Yes, one portion that gives 80 points to Vitality. Back on stage, Stella finally revealed the container filled with red liquid. For the final item of the night, we have a new product. An extremely rare product. We have given this product the name: Vitality Elixir. As for what this product does, well it increases Vitality. Inside this container is enough Vitality Elixir to provide 80 points of Vitality permanently. The contract hung on the wall behind Stella showed no signs of disruption, which meant that every word out of Stellas mouth about the product was the truth. A product that permanently increased Vitality by 80 points was unheard of. Before this auction, actually, there werent any products they could buy that even increased Vitality. Now, everyone had been introduced to the Potions of Physical Permanence. On top of that, they were all now looking at a super elixir than only increased Vitality. This was an auction night for the history books. Once everyone settled down, Stella continued. We will begin the bidding at 500,000 gold coins or items of equivalent value. Lets begin! Immediately, the bidding war started. This time, more than just the King and Natalie made their bids. The Allister family and Greenland family both came in with bids of their own. Everyone wanted more Vitality. As popular blacksmiths, Barsic Gregory and Tyron Blacksteel were both flush with gold, as well. In mere minutes, the price of the Vitality Elixir was raised to 1,250,000 gold coins and showed no signs of slowing. The previous meals were rare, but it was hard to justify spending so much on them, as they, or meals like them, showed up for auction from time to time. But nothing like the Vitality Elixir had ever been seen, and there was only one available for auction. Once the bidding hit 1,500,000 gold coins, however, most of the other participants backed down. While the product may be worth every coin, theses noble houses and blacksmiths werent willing to bankrupt their family or businesses for individual gain. 1,750,000 gold coins. Natalies voice sounded from her booth. I thought you said Natalie was going to let the King win this one, Derek said to Alanah. Alanah shrugged. She will probably. As long as the elixir reaches an appropriate value. She certainly isnt going to let it go for any less than its worth. Im going to have to remember to thank Natalie for that, then. Derek thought. 1,500,000 gold coins and three skill scrolls of your choosing from the royal collection. The King finally choked out. What is that worth? Derek asked. I dont know. I dont know what skill scrolls they have. However, with the hesitation Edwin showed, there must be some of fair value. Resistance skills and passive skills are the most expensive, as they dont appear often. Stella put the auction on hold to confirm the value of the Kings offer. King Edwin, what price would you place on these three scrolls? Depending on the skills chosen 500,000 at the minimum, he replied. Very well. The Crown will take you at your word and increase your bid to two million gold coins. Stella confirmed. They all waited for a counter offer that never came. It looked like the bid had finally reached a price that Natalie was comfortable with. An audible sigh escaped Edwins private booth once he realized she would no longer be bidding against him. Congratulations to the winner of the final auction of the night, King Edwin. Stella announced. Thank you all for coming out. If you were a winner tonight, please stay behind to make your transactions. Anyone else may leave if you choose so. Again, the Crown thanks you for your patronage. With the final announcement, the tension that permeated the air through the entire auction finally released. Many of the guests made their way out of the hotel while discussing the days events, while others hung back to receive their wares or watch. Those in private booths began exiting one by one. Derek watched on as Natalie exited her booth. She had the same impassive face she always had on. She certainly didnt look like she had spent over two million gold coins. When the King exited, he couldnt help but show a look of giddy excitement. He was like a kid in a candy store. Derek didnt know if he would consider the King the big winner of the day, but the King obviously did. Derek was more interested in the skill scrolls. Based on his contract, he would be getting at least one of the three scrolls. It had been an eventful day. Much more entertaining that Derek had expected. Entertaining and profitable. System Change (System Universe Book 1) Announcement! Now Available! System Change (System Universe Book 1) Announcement! Now Available! Hey everyone! Im super excited to finally officially make this announcement.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) System Change is officially being published! Today marks the launch of System Universe Book 1: System Change! Its now available through Amazons Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, Paperback, and Audible. Im also excited to announce that it is being narrated by Adam Verner! For those of you who dont know him, he is quite the well-known narrator who also did the Painting the Mists series. Im very happy to have him along for the ride. You can get it here: Ebook: System Change (System Universe Book 1) Audible: System Change Narrated by Adam Verner I guess Awards have been changed to Achievements because well why the hell did I call them Awards in the first place? I was just trying to get away from Titles from the Universal System to The Great System. How my brain thought of Awards before Achievements, Ill never know. Also, the series name. After thinking long and hard about it, I decided to go with System Universe as the series name. System Change was a great name for the first book in the series, but as a whole, especially after Ive expanded on (in my outlines/in my head/etc) how everything is going, System Universe just made more sense. Anyway, enough of me yammering on and on about it. I really cant contain my excitement. Also, did you know that 60% of those of you who watch my You wait a minute wrong platform Uh Please read, rate, and review. As always, Thanks for reading!!! Chapter 234: Transactions Chapter 234: Transactions Derek and Alanah both waited in their booth until most of the participants cleared out. Some time later, other than a few people, only those who had won an auction, and those who were with them, remained. Alanah and Derek chose then to leave their booth. Derek needed to find Malorie and Rudy, while Alanah had a whole load of things she needed to take care of as the host of the auction. Once Alanah left his side, Derek looked around at all those remaining. Finally, he caught sight of Malorie and Rudy standing together, close to the exit. He soon squeezed through the few remaining guests and made his way to his people. When Malorie saw Derek approaching, her eyes lit up, and she moved to meet him, dragging Rudy along behind her. Wow! Derek thats was amazing! she said as they drew close. It was a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be. Especially learning about the prices of everything. Derek agreed. The Soul Contract was much more special than the auction. Rudy did his best to ruin the mood. Auctions happen all the time. Do you know how rare it is to see a Soul Contract be undone? Oh, so youre saying that auctions that sell items for one million gold or more happen all the time and are very common? Malorie chided. Well obviously, the auction was special. Rudy conceded. Yeah, and had some of the most powerful people in the entire Kingdom as participants. The King was here, for heavens sake, she continued. Derek snorted. Thats the least special thing that happened today. For you, maybe, Malorie shook her head. I grew up in a small village. Now Im in the same room as the King and sitting at the same table as nobles. I dont even know what to say. They dont even seem to look down on me, either. Are you glad you came? Derek finally asked. Of course! Malorie said. I met so many people and learned a lot. Stella was amazing! You know thats going to be you next, right? Derek said. When Brandi starts pumping out amazing items, you will be the one in charge of everything. Remember, you are our Stella. Derek let her have a moment to process before shifting his focus to Rudy. What about you? You think you may have increased your business today? I cant know for sure, but I tried my best, Rudy replied. Though I worry that all the advertising I did was lost after such an auction took place. That would make sense, Derek said. That is why we are by the exit. I made sure to get here first so my face will be the last face people see before they exit the auction. Surely that will help them remember. Rudy grinned. Always thinking about business. Of course! How could I let this opportunity slip? I will remember that, Derek replied. Have a wonderful evening. Once Natalie left, Derek waited alone in the lobby, watching as the participants entered the room, then left in a rush. Obviously impatient to get back and use their precious goods. Luckily, the line dwindled quickly and when there were only a couple of people left, Alanah found him. Come on, she said. Its best if you are there for the remaining winners. And it was, as the next person in line was Tyron Blacksteel. The contract to make the glaive would be with Derek, not the Crown. Derek nodded at King Edwin as he walked past the royal and into the room, where Stella waited with Tyron. The giant of a man turned and frowned when he heard the door open behind him, but smile when he saw Alanah. Miss Swan. It is a pleasure, as always, the smith said. Tyron, no need for pleasantries. We are all friends here, she replied. The blacksmith then eyed Derek. You would be Derek Hunt, correct? Thats me. Derek smiled. Tyron reached out with his bearlike paw and the two shook hands. I see those muscles arent just for show. Tyron snorted. One day I will hopefully get a chance to invest some into Dexterity to lean myself out. But until then, muscles it is. Both Derek and Tyron laughed as Alanah and Stella rolled their eyes. Anyway, Mr. Blacksteel, Stella cut in. Derek is the person who requested the glaive, so your contract will be with him. I see I was wondering what the Crown wanted with a glaive. Tyron nodded. Then he flicked his wrist, and the halberd appeared in his hand. He handed it over to Derek. Go ahead and take this for now. Derek gripped the halberd. The shaft was a little thicker than he would have liked, but that made sense, seeing how it was made by Tyron for Tyron. It was a hefty polearm, but Derek didnt have any problems swinging it around. It was also a tad be long, but that was okay. Good weapon, Derek said. I would hope so. It was my companion for many high-level dungeons, and I have upgraded it over time. Now that you are finished with that, lets sign the contract, Stella said. No need, Derek replied. I trust in Alanahs judgement. If Tyron is good enough for a membership to the Crown, then I trust him to make a proper glaive when he is able. I would rather he not rush through his upcoming trials because of a contract, and have an accident. Stella looked at Alanah and Alanah nodded nonchalantly. Very well. Stella pulled the meal out of her storage ring and slid it over to Tyron. Here are your winnings. Thank you for your patronage. Tyron took the meal and turned to Derek. I will begin work on your glaive the moment I am able. Derek waved him off. I just got a nifty new-to-me halberd. Theres no rush. With that, Tyron Blacksteel left the room. All that was left was the King and his Vitality Elixir. Derek looked forward to choosing a new skill. Side Story: Silvi Jacobs Side Story: Silvi Jacobs Side Story: Silvi Jacobs Silvi stared in front of her at where her portal used to be. It had closed before Derek could make it out. What could she do? Was he even still alive? Question after question poured through her mind as she stared into the distance in front of her. Derek had saved Allison and Gerard, but he may have sacrificed himself in the process. No, he didnt sacrifice himself. This was her fault. As Silvi thought of the implications of one of the strongest people on Earth being done in by a portal by her portal she shook her head as tears began to build up in her eyes. Gerard placed his hand on her shoulder. Is there anything you can do? Maybe he didnt actually go inside, and he is still battling on the other side. I would be money he could take on every one of those invaders and still come out alive. No Silvi sniffed. He made it inside the portal, but it closed just before he came out. Hes stuck there, alone if he is even alive. Silvi stayed in the exact same spot for over half an hour, enough time for her mana pool to regenerate enough to open another portal. She had a vain hope that when she opened it, Derek would be waiting, and he would just hop right out. Allison hadnt spoken a word since she came to the realization that John was gone and never coming back. It would have been hard enough for her to lose Andrea, who was one of her best friends in the world, or to lose John, who she had been with since before the system came, but to lose both her best friend and her boyfriend at the same time Silvi didnt know if the girl would ever be okay. Finally, Silvi had enough mana to use Portal and keep it open for a short time. She stood and wipe at the tear marks imprinted on her face before focusing ahead. In the same exact spot she had previously erected a portal, she summoned a new one. The portal begin to take form. Wisps of purple mana exploded out as an inky black interior formed inside the portal. She even connected it to the same place it had been connected to before. Damn the consequences if an invader traveled through it. Silvi waited, but felt nothing. There was no one inside. All the hope she had drained out of her as she realized the truth. Derek Hunt, one of the strongest users on the entire Earth, was gone. He was gone, and it was all her fault. Silvi disconnected her mana from the portal, and it blinked out of existence. She fell back to her knees with her face in her hands, and she cried. After heaven knows how long, Gerard placed his hand on her shoulder once again.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com There is nothing we can do about it. He saved both Ali and my life. Our lives may not be worth nearly as much as his was, but we can live, so his sacrifice was not in vain. First, we need to go back and report what happened. After that, we will figure it all out. She wondered when she would end up out on the street. But at least she still had Gerard. *** A bit over a year later Silvi stood staring at the door as it closed behind the mysterious man. He had said that Derek was still alive, which meant she hadnt killed him. A light that hadnt shown in ages returned to her eyes as she played through everything the man named Kelvin had said over and over. She had given up before, but now, now that she knew Derek was alive. Where and how he was alive, she didnt know, but he was. That man was strong. There was no point in him lying about anything. Silvi turned to Gerard, and for the first time in a long time, she smiled. Gerald let out what could only be considered a sigh of relief when he saw her. Hes alive, she said, and she couldnt hide her smile. It sounds like that, Gerard answered. We need to go. What? Gerard asked, confused. We have to get stronger. The introduction is over, but there are the post introduction bonuses we may still be able to claim. Im not staying at this bar for one second longer. Gerard smiled. Okay. Let me gather my things. Chapter 235: Skill Shopping Chapter 235: Skill Shopping Derek stored his new weapon, leaned against the wall to the side, and waited quietly in the room with Alanah and Stella. Not long after the blacksmith left, the door opened once again and one of the Crown workers let the King, Edward, and Edgar inside. Stella had gotten up and allowed Alanah to have the main seat behind the desk. The red-haired woman stood behind the green-haired half elf as the King took the seat on the other side of the desk. Edward kept his position behind the King, while Edgar locked eyes with Derek and leaned against the wall beside him. That was a pretty neat auction, Edgar whispered to Derek. It was at least a little more interesting than I thought it would be. Derek agreed. The King shot Derek a quick look and slightly frowned before turning his attention back on Alanah. King Edwin. Alanah began. Congratulations on your wins today. Thank you, the King answered. Though I feel like I should have walked away with a little more. I let my excitement get the best of me out there. He chided himself. Well the items were quite rare, Alanah said. Theres no shame in getting overly excited about them even if it did mean losing them to Natalie. The King showed a self-depreciating smile before continuing. It was unfortunate, but at least I came away with a few smaller items and the big finale. Thats what matters the most.Vissit for updates And for the payment? Alanah asked. Of course. First, the King transferred funds from one of his cards to Alanahs own to take care of the part of the payment required to be paid in gold. Then, he sighed as he took a thick book out of his storage ring and sat it on the desk in front of Alanah. This is? she asked cautiously as her hand fell onto the book. That is the inventory of all the skill scrolls currently being held by the Royal Family. Listed is the name of the scroll and the worth in gold of each. I know I said three skills, but to make sure the total is correct, you may choose any amount of scrolls as long as the total equals 500,000 gold or less. That way, neither of us is cheated. Would that be fine? the King asked. Alanah flipped the book open and read over the first couple of pages. I see. You have some very good scrolls in here. If I were to pick the top three, you would be losing out by quite a bit. She then flipped to the back of the book and raised her eyebrows. You also have regular scrolls listed as well? The rest is yours, she said. Really? he asked, and she nodded. But thats over 200,000 worth. I already got what I want. Now you get what you need. Okay. He took the book and began rifling through it. Both Edward and Edwin stared daggers at him as he went through the list. Edgar was still leaning against the wall and had summoned a dagger to pick at his fingernails. Honestly, Derek wasnt finding many of the more expensive skills worth it. Passive skill wise, there were quite a few. The more expensive ones were the general resistance skills like Physical Resistance, Mental Resistance, Magical Resistance, and Toxic Resistance. Then, there were specific resistance skills that were cheaper. Skills like Lightning Resistance, Fire Resistance, and Water Resistance cost around 50,000 gold coins each. Revive skill were also listed for an enormous price, not much less than the Gravity Domain skill. There was one revive skill that could actually revive as long as the person hadnt been dead for longer than an hour. It was the second most expensive skill. Other revive skills were for those who were in the dying state. They were still expensive, but nowhere near as costly as the full-on resurrection skill scroll. For a split second, Derek thought about grabbing multiple resistance skills to stack on top of his physical and magical resistance skills. That would go a long way in making him a pure tank. Instead, he decided to go in another direction. The problem with skill scrolls was that even if you had the money, there wasnt always a supply. That was true for both the rare skills and the common ones. Derek flipped to the back of the book and began examining the more common skills. Things like Cleaning, Repair, Telekinesis, and Telepathy. Derek wasnt in need of many offensive or defensive skills, as he already had both Channel Void and his resistance skills, on top of his extremely high Vitality and Endurance. So instead, he thought about his people, and the skills they may need. First, he found the Telepathy skill scroll. The Kingdom had dozens of the scrolls, and it was one of the cheapest skill scrolls in the book at 2,500 gold coins. He wanted seven of those scrolls. That skill would come in handy for everyone. He took out a writing utensil and paper and began making a list. After the Telepathy skills scrolls, he wanted to buy some appraisal and lie detection scrolls for Malorie. Both of those would be perfect for someone in a managerial position, such as her. With those in mind, he asked for Stellas advice. She flipped through the book and pointed out the ones she thought would be best and most cost effective for Malorie. That took another 100,000 of his gold, as those skills werent cheap at all, landing between 10,000 and 35,000 each. Honestly, he couldnt think of much for either Rayna or Jacks, or even Rudy for that matter. Fortunately, all three of them already knew what they were doing and had the skills for it. Brandi was another one that he chose not to find skills for. The only thing he could think she could make use of was Fire Resistance, but as long as she was careful or wore proper clothing, she wouldnt need it. Silvi, of course, got upgraded versions of Mage Hand and Telekinesis, along with Enhanced Cooking. And with the remaining gold allotment, he made sure everyone would have Basic Repair and Cleaning, and grabbed a few cheap to mid-range spear skills that Thomas would be able to use. He even picked up a few cheap skills for Clare to use when she unlocked the system. Nothing special, just Meditation, Unarmed Combat Mastery, and a couple base water skills to use. At the end of his spending spree, he had spent a total of 205,000 gold coins. So, being the nice person he was he crossed out the seven Telepathy scrolls and turned it into a nine. He had 210,000 gold to spend, and he wasnt going to waste a cent. Chapter 236: Wrapped Up Chapter 236: Wrapped Up After Derek finished checking over the list of skill scrolls he wanted, then double checking, he nodded his head and handed the paper he was writing on to Alanah. Alanah calmly took the paper and looked it over before a small smile fell over her face. She slid the paper forward to the King, who then began reading the list over. As the King read Dereks selections, his eyes grew wider and wider. This are you sure these are the skills you want? From the entire royal treasury, these are the ones you would like to pick? Im sure, Derek said, Very well. The King stored the list into his ring, then stored the book, as well. Dare I ask how many skills did you choose for yourself? Derek thought for a moment before replying. Just the two. Basic Repair and Telepathy. I didnt have them yet. Cleaning is one of my favorite skills, so I figure Basic Repair will be almost as useful. Especially now that I own a shop here in Savannah. The King nodded. You never cease to surprise me. I should be thankful to you for taking the skills you did. Derek shrugged. Those were just the skills I needed. Dont think anything of it. He really didnt do it for the King. The skills he chose would help everyone. Very well, the King said. I will see to it that your skill scrolls are delivered first think in the morning, if not later tonight. Stella then walked over and presented the items Edwin had won, including the Vitality Elixir. When the elixir appeared on the desk in front of the King, Derek could tell it took all of his power to not jump up and grab it. Alanah looked on with an amused smile. Go ahead, they are yours. The King hurried and yoked everything up. Once everything was stored, he flushed with a small amount of embarrassment. Ahem Excuse me for that. Edwin then stood and gave his farewells. We have been away from the capital for far too long. That, plus everything else that has happened he shook his head and sighed. Im afraid there is much work to be done. Yup all kinds of work, Derek said. Right after you gulp up all that elixir. The Kings face turned a deeper shade of red as he continued. Thank you, Alanah. It was a phenomenal auction. Thank you, as well, Derek. I know this wouldnt have been possible without you, even if Im not entirely sure how. Of course, Derek knew the King already had an idea. Natalie wasnt exactly quiet when she blurted out that he was using the void element at their dinner. What they didnt know that Alanah did was the how he used it. Derek nodded along. I gained just as much as anyone. Next time you have such a delicate matter to discuss with me, Edwin said to Derek. I would appreciate it if you came to me privately. The King was talking about what happened earlier with Walter. Derek thought about it for a moment. The King had taken a few losses today. First with his interaction with Derek earlier in the day, then losing to Natalie multiple times. The King didnt quite have his respect, but at least he hadnt snapped or showed any ill will. I will do that, Derek agreed to his request. To be entirely honest, the idea hadnt even occurred to me until I saw Walter today. And I still think it was best done in public. At least, best for House Searidge. That may be so, the King said. However, we could have come to an agreement in private that would have been just as good, if not better. Derek may be right, though, Alanah cut in. It may have been for the best to have happened this way. Being caught off guard didnt look good, but what followed showed sincerity and generosity to those in the Kingdom that matter. Derek laughed at that. Soon, Derek was walking down the street at a leisurely pace toward his shop. He pulled his communication crystal out of his storage bracelet and injected some mana into it to make a call. Soon, Walter answered. Hello? Heya, Walter. Bad time? Derek asked. Not at all. I was just surprised you were contacting me so soon after the auction, Walter replied. I was just walking home and remembered that I never set a time to spar with Clare. I was thinking we could meet up at the Adventurers Guild at around noon tomorrow. What do you think? That would be great. Even after such an auction, all Clare has been able to talk about is sparring with you again. I think you have a fan. Walter chuckled. Derek laughed. In that case, Ill see you then. After that, Derek put his crystal away and continued his slow trek back home. He arrived at his shop sometime later. When he opened the front door and walked inside, a fragrant smell wafted through the air and into his nostrils, immediately causing Derek to realize how long it had been since he had eaten, and how hungry he was. He hurriedly marched upstairs to the dining room and was greeted by a table full of dishes. Silvi had gone all out while they had been away. Everyone was already sitting at the table and digging in when they saw him. Of course, the glutton bunny had the biggest plate out of the bunch. It would never get old seeing the bunny eat more than her weight in food, then hop around like an inflated balloon after. I see yall started without me, Derek smiled as he sat in one of his seats, one of his comfortable, cushioned seats. We didnt know how long you were going to be, and you know how hard it is to get Brandi up here for dinner, Malorie said. Derek nodded in agreement. The small girl was rushing through her meal. He wondered if she was even bothering to chew her food before swallowing. Well, at least she was eating. He began to question his decision to let her know about Greater Meditation. As he began his meal, he let them know about everything that went on, and hinted about some surprises tomorrow morning. Thomas and Jacks both seemed very happy about the Walter situation. They were the two that actually knew the man. Thomas had been there with Derek when they first met, and Jacks had met him numerous times while being the Guard Captain for Malcolm Torith. Both knew of his character and knew he deserved to have his house restored. Then Brandi asked a question that Derek had no clue how to answer. How much gold did you earn from the auction? I have no idea. I didnt ask. It will be deposited in our account tomorrow. Malorie can go to the bank and find out if she wants. I trust Alanah enough not to scam me. After that, they settled in and finished their meals. The auction had been an all-day event. Derek retired to his room and slipped into Greater Meditation to pass the time until morning, while everyone else cleaned up and went about their business. Derek made sure to tell Rayna and Jacks not to leave so early in the morning to go for training. He hadnt gotten those two much, but the handful of basic skills like Telepathy and Basic Repair would be useful to them. The next morning, Derek got up and ventured downstairs before anyone else. Surprisingly, when the King said first thing in the morning, he meant it. Not long after Derek went downstairs, a knock sounded at the front door. When Derek opened it, he found Edgar standing there with a shit-eating grin on his face. The prince let himself in and spoke. Its time we had that chat. Chapter 237: Edgars Request Chapter 237: Edgar''s Request Here, Edgar said, as he flicked a storage ring into Dereks hands. Derek caught the ring before checking out the contents. Inside was every skill scroll he had put on his list, nothing more, nothing less. He nodded and quickly pocketed the ring. He would sort everything out later. First, he had to see what this Prince wanted to talk about. What do you want? Derek asked. First off do you have a private place to talk? Edgar asked. Is it that serious? Edgar shrugged. Not really, but I would rather do it in private. Whatever, Derek said. First, he thought about taking Edgar down to the basement, but he could almost guarantee that Brandi was still working down there. Plus, even if it wasnt as tight as a secret as it used to be, it was still better to keep as few people in the know about Brandi as possible. Follow me. With that, Derek led Edgar to Rudys office. Surprisingly, Derek hadnt been the first person up this morning. Rudy was actually sitting at his desk going over a stack of papers, which caught Derek off guard. Derek wasnt the only one caught off guard. When the door opened out of nowhere, Rudy almost jumped out of his skin. Oh Derek, Rudy started. I know this is your building and all, but I beg of you, please knock. Derek rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and flashed an awkward grin. Sorry about that, Rudy. I didnt think anyone else would be up at this hour. Of course Im awake. Do you know how much possible business I drummed up yesterday? Hmm? the contract writer asked with wide eyes. I dont either. But I have to be prepared just in case. Derek nodded. I understand that. So what are you and Rudy glanced over Dereks shoulder and saw Edgar standing behind him. His eyes widened even more, as if that was even possible. And the Prince doing here? Of course, Rudy wasnt as surprised as he let on, as he already knew that Derek and Edgar had some awkward type of friendship. Hed met the man multiple times already. We Derek started to come up with an excuse, but Rudy waved him off. Sorry. That is not a question I should ask. I cant just kick Rudy out of his own office. He thought before almost kicking himself. He had the perfect place for private meetings. And to make it easier, Edgar had already seen the place. He shook his head as he ripped open the void in the corner of the office. Behind the rip appeared the door to his Time Prison. Dont let this interfere with your work, he said to Rudy. Just think of it as another door leading to my own office. Rudy made an awkward face and shrugged as Derek led Edgar into his Time Prison. So this is what its like in here. Edgar looked around the darkened area. Cant really see anything. Derek sat. So, why is my Time Prison perfect? Whats going on inside your head? Thats easy. Edgar gave Derek a big grin. Youre going to come on the raid with me. I am now? Derek rolled his eyes. And what makes you think I would do that especially with you putting it that way? Well, when we first met, I knew you were different. Good different, by the way. I liked that. Edgar began to explain. Then I got pushed into leading this raid. Normally, I would have jumped at the opportunity, but it meant that I had to power level. Edgar spat. And you dont like power leveling? Fucks with your skills. Its easier to gain skill proficiency when you are at a lower level, you know? Edgar confirmed something Derek already theorized. Derek shook his head. Gotcha. So I had to power level to get my level up to lead the raid. Luckily, I put most all of my and my teams focus on leveling skills, so, while it was a bit of a blow to me personally, it wasnt crushing. However, of my team, I was the only one I felt could safely take that blow without it crippling my growth too bad, so I refused to let any of the rest of my team power level with me. Thus, those I trust the most will not be able to go on the raid with me. Edgar explained. I see. Derek respected Edgars decision. He cared more about his people than his own safety. I would have done the same. Exactly Edgar said. Then, I saw you again at the dinner. To my surprise, Natalie Savannah said that your aura was stronger than my own. That was after I finished power leveling to 250. Imagine my surprise. That was when I decided to ask if you wanted to be on the raid team. Ask? Derek asked. Because Edgar sure hadnt asked before. He practically told him he would be joining the raid team. Yes Edgar smiled. Then we had to go save my brother and capture that meat sack. From that, I saw some of your power with my own eyes. After that, I needed you on the raid team. Youre someone who could watch my back. Someone who can keep up. Im not sure how your void powers work exactly, but from what I saw, you have decent offensive capabilities. And as for some of the blows you casually shrugged off when fighting Cliff Aarden, your defensive capabilities are even higher. Edgar continued. Then I come in this prison. You realize this is a mobile safe zone, right? If it cant be opened from the outside, its basically a cheat for a raid dungeon. Derek thought about that. He still wasnt sure what exactly a raid dungeon from this system entailed. But he could see how the prison would be useful. Does it cost mana to maintain? Edgar asked once again. Finally, Derek shook his head and answered the question. No. It only costs mana to open initially. Once it is open, it is stabilized and does not cost mana to maintain. Edgars eyes sparkled at that. Then you must go on the raid with me. Derek sighed. What is the difference between a raid dungeon and a regular dungeon? he finally asked. Hed wondered about the raid ever since he heard about it, but since it had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with the King, he hadnt bothered about it. Have you never been to a raid dungeon before? Derek shook his head. Then you are in for a treat. Edgar grinned widely. Chapter 238: About a Raid Chapter 238: About a Raid Derek leaned forward in his seat, waiting for Edgar to begin his explanation. First, as you know, a raid dungeon requires a party of up to 25 people. This already makes it very different from your run-of-the-mill dungeons, whether average or elite. Edgar stated. Derek nodded his head. I know that much already. One of the few things Derek already knew was the number of people allowed to enter a raid dungeon. The other thing was the supposed length of the dungeon. He kept hearing that they would take a few months to complete. Now, the thing about raid dungeons is the size of the dungeon. By that, I mean that raid dungeons are like their own small world inside, yet they are fortunately still somewhat linear. So its easy enough not to get lost, Derek said. Exactly, Edgar replied. Still, the size of the dungeon, plus the usual high amount of enemies, traps, and puzzles, usually make the average raid dungeon take at least a few months to complete. That is, of course, with a highly competent party. Derek nodded while listening along. So far, Edgar hadnt spoken about anything game-changing to him. Unfortunately, there are very few who have experience with raid dungeons. The Kingdom only has a few raid dungeons, and they activate very seldomly. Edgar continued. Wait Derek cut him off. What do you mean they activate seldomly? Once a raid dungeon is completed, it becomes dormant for a set amount of time. Nobody knows how long the dungeon will remain dormant, so we always have some stationed by the raid dungeons checking on them occasionally. Its really a good thing. Its not easy to get a group of 25 competent people together to complete a raid dungeon. Edgar explained. If a raid dungeon were to overflow, it would be disastrous. I see Derek nodded. Even if you can get a team together, after completing the dungeon, most people in that team will have leveled up past the level requirements. So, its a blessing that raid dungeons go dormant. Have you been to a raid dungeon before? Derek asked.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com I ran one when I was younger. It was level 125 and had a water theme. I was chosen because of my lightning attribute. You see, lightning does wonders against water type elementals, Edgar replied. It was a pretty tame raid dungeon, though. It wasnt considered elite, and we made it through with only a small number of casualties. Still, it took us around four months to complete it. So three months is the fast estimate? Derek asked. Yes and no, Edgar answered. We went a little slower than we could have and set up camp and rested a lot. We werent on a timer, so we were being safe. It was everyone in the partys first raid. Derek nodded. And you were the raid leader? Oh, no. I was just one of the grunts at that time. I doubt a Prince of the Kingdom would be considered a grunt, Derek snorted. Well, maybe not a grunt, but no, I wasnt in charge. But, because of it, I do have a small amount of raid experience. Which is why I think your prison will be a game changer. Why is that? First, we will have a portable safe zone, and even if we cant access our skills when the door is closed, it seemed like my stats still worked like normal. Almost like it would be if you were an Oathbreaker. So, it will allow for our party to safely use our natural regeneration. Then, if you leave the door open, we could still use our skill, I think, at least. That way, we would only need one person standing guard preferably you and all you would have to do is close the door if danger approached. Edgar explained. I do, but I dont think you need to worry about that, Edgar said. And why is that? Youll be going into a dungeon with 25 other people. The experience will be massively split. Its not like you need to rush in and do everything yourself, either. Hell, you could hang back and protect the healers and mages. Also, depending on the enemy, there could be some great skill leveling opportunities as well. Derek thought about that. It was true that if he didnt do all the damage, he would split the experience points with everyone who did along with the healers and support classes. Going in without knowing if the rewards were going to be good would also be a gamble. Though, lately, he didnt know what to do next. He had Brandi set up with everything she needed. He had also just gotten everyone different skills that would allow them to grow however they wanted to. Still, he wasnt sure about leaving them all alone, now. I dont know, he finally said. We just got settled into Savannah. I dont know if I should leave so soon. What is there to worry about? Edgar asked. That boy Thomas, right? Yeah hell be leaving for the Academy soon. Enrollment is in a couple months. Plus, Gerald is taken care of. Wasnt he the only reason any of your people were in danger? That entire family will be kaput soon. They have much bigger things to worry about like surviving. So you dont have to worry about their safety. Thats true And always being around them will make you their crutch. Especially that boy. I dont know the rest of your people that well, but its good to let them go it alone for a bit. Youll be surprised by how much they grow when they dont have you to rely on completely. At least thats what Im expecting of my team Edgar smiled. Your people live in the richest city in the Kingdom. It also happens to be one of the safest places in the Kingdom. So I know youre not worried about that. What is it thats holding you back? Edgar asked. That Derek couldnt answer that question. Everything Edgar said was true. What was holding him back? No I know what it is Ive finally gotten comfortable. He thought. He had a place of his own, and some people he cared about who depended on him. It was a nice change. At the same time, he was always itching for adventure. Plus, he was excited to see what kind of changes Brandi and Thomas would show in a few years. If he went into the raid dungeon, then he would be able to see those changes even sooner. Well not for them, but for him, at least. Derek shook his head and sighed. I dont know. Give me some time. I can do that. But know you will be making the raid much easier for everyone involved if you go. Even if you sat back and did nothing, your mobile safe zone would be more than enough of a contribution. Edgar stood and stored his chair, then, after Derek stood, he stored that one, as well. Then he pulled a badge out of his storage ring and handed it to Derek. Whats this? Derek asked. Its the badge of the royal family, Edgar replied, like it meant something to Derek. He sighed. You can use it to teleport to the capital any time you wish. Oh Edgar rolled his eyes. The raid team will be meeting at the palace in five days. I hope youre there. Well see, Derek said. After that, the two left the Time Prison and Edgar went on his way. Derek stood in the office, silent, in deep thought. Uhem A cough suddenly broke Derek out of his thoughts. Rudy was sitting at his desk, smiling awkwardly. Im not sure what that was about, but uh you standing there like that is kind of distracting. Ah sorry about that. Derek apologized. Anyway, follow me. Its time for gifts. Chapter 239: You Get a Scroll, You Get a Scroll! Chapter 239: You Get a Scroll, You Get a Scroll! Derek waited as Rudy reluctantly packed away his stuff and stood up to follow behind him. He could see that while the contract writer may have been excited about receiving a gift or two, he was still more interested in working on his business. Derek didnt care, as he all but dragged him upstairs into the dining room. When they arrived at the dining room, Derek heard the familiar clattering and clanging of pots and pans coming from the kitchen in the room over. Either Silvi or Malorie, or perhaps both, were already up and preparing breakfast. He soon found that it was only Silvi, as Malorie came into the dining room from the door opposite the kitchen. Soon, everyone was awake and had gathered in the dining room with him and Rudy. Well, everyone aside from the chef bunny and Brandi. The girl was sure to still be mindlessly working on something in the basement. Malorie soon sighed, then disappeared out the door. She reappeared a few minutes later, dragging a bedraggled Brandi along behind her. Derek smiled awkwardly when he saw the state the girl was in. Oils and greases dirtied her still short hair, while stains from coal were smeared on her clothing and face. Still, although she looked like an orphan from the slums, a fire rampaged in her eyes, and Derek could see a slight annoyance on her face from being dragged away from her work. Were waiting for you, Derek sent to Silvi, who was still in the kitchen. All he got back was a sigh and some rumblings about being busy. But soon enough, the door to the kitchen swung open and the purple silver ball of fur soon stood next to Derek on the table. Alright, thanks for joining me this morning. I know everyones busy he looked pointedly at Rudy, Brandi, then at Silvi. So Ill try to make this quick. First things first, Derek said. The auction was a huge success. Im not sure of the number, but the amount of gold we received will be enough for rent and any material or staff related problems for the foreseeable future. Derek waited for any comments, but everyone only sat and listened intently. That means that neither Brandi nor Silvi will have to worry about materials or ingredients for your respective crafts, he explained, finally getting small reactions from the two. Just get with Malorie, and she will see to it that you have whatever you need. With that, both Silvi and Brandis gazes locked onto Malorie. They looked like predators stalking their prey. Malorie fidgeted a bit under the intense gazes of her daughter and the murder bunny, but stared back. Which means that both of you will have to do a better job listening to me, she said. Indeed, Derek agreed. Malorie can giveth, and Malorie can taketh away. He chuckled. Derek then looked over at Jacks. You can talk with her about your salary as well. A promise is a promise, and now that things are settled down, you can work out your contract and schedule. Jacks nodded and Rudy perked up at that. Any mention of contracts was enough to get his blood pumping. Eat the meal first, then the potions. He instructed. We should be able to stagger your stats out a bit with them, so you dont have to withstand multiple breakthroughs all at once. Just getting a single stat past 1,000 hurts enough. Its best that you dont break through multiple thresholds in a single level. With the way her class worked, dividing her stat points equally with each level she gained, she would eventually hit multiple thresholds all at once. This way, her stats would be separated enough to avoid that unless she gained multiple levels at once, but there was nothing Derek could do about that. Everyone at the table eyed the items. Especially Rudy and Malorie, because they were present at the auction and actually knew the value of what Derek had just handed out to the little crafter. He wasnt finished, though. Everyone received one of the better Void Beast meals. He wasnt lacking in them. He also gave Rayna and Jacks a Potion of Physical Permanence each, and gave Thomas a vial of Vitality Elixir along with a potion. The elixir was the item that he had the least amount of, so he was more stingy with it. Vitality was his favorite stat, after all. Neither Rudy nor Malorie needed the extra stats, as they werent combat classes, so he made do with just giving each of them a good Void Beast meal. Derek wasnt sure about how things would work with Silvi, so he decided to hold back on her meals and potions. He wanted to wait until he increased his stats as high as possible before he used the items himself, and he would do the same with Silvi, as her stats increased based on his own. Silvi stared at him with squinted eyes because she didnt get one of the meals, but he only shrugged and smiled. They may be wasted if we use them on us right now. Dont worry, you will eventually get some. For now, you can just have Mal get you whatever you want to cook with. He sent to the angry bunny to try to placate her. She didnt seem happy, but also didnt refuse his bribe. Are you sure about this? Jacks was the one to break the silence this time. I have an idea of what this is worth. Is it really okay to just give it out like this? Its more of an investment than anything, Derek said. The more you all improve, the less I have to worry about you. Its a win-win situation. Who better to use them on than my own companions and friends? Nobody knew what to say to that. Speaking of which since I have you all here. Derek started. You dont have to worry about your oaths and contracts to me anymore. I trust you to keep the secrets, but you dont need the oaths hanging over your heads. Once he made that announcement, he could feel the oaths between him and the ones in the room dissipating. It was an odd sensation, like someone snipping a small thread that was connecting them together. He also received multiple notifications stating that his oaths had been fulfilled. Derek waited for everyone to calm down before talking once more. Now, there is one last thing I would like to have your advice on. Chapter 240: Go Chapter 240: Go After handing out the scrolls and removing oaths from everyone, Derek went on to tell them about Edgar inviting him to go to the raid dungeon, along with everything else it entailed, including the fact that he could possibly be away for two or three years. The table was silent for a while once he finished his explanations. Go. Malorie spoke up as the non-official second in command. Well, maybe she was the official second in command. You have already done so much for each and every one of us. If it is something you want to do, nobody here will tell you not to do it. And by the way it sounds, its an opportunity that doesnt come around often. Derek looked around the table to see everyone nodding their heads along with Malories words. He didnt quite know what to say.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) Make sure you bring back a lot of really cool materials. Brandi spoke with a sparkle in her eyes. Ill do my best at the Academy while youre gone. You dont have to worry about me, Thomas said. Then Derek shifted his attention to Jacks and Rayna. If not for everything that has happened over the years, leaving me at such a low level, I would do everything I could to go on an adventure like that. Jacks sighed. Unfortunately, Im still a ways away from my strength reaching where it would need to be. I guess Im not as needed as I thought I was, Derek chuckled. Thats not it at all, Rayna hurriedly interjected. I know. I was just joking. He smiled. Looks like Im going on a raid he said. At least this way, I can make sure nothing happens to Tyron Blacksteel. He owes me a glaive. Bring back good meat, Silvis voice came from the crystal on her collar. Derek looked at the bunny. Arent you coming with me? You wont take up a slot, and it would be nice to have somebody there to watch my back. And leave my kitchen? For years Silvis voice was aghast. I just got it. Cant do that. So many things to eat she rambled on. Ill stay. Need to keep everyone safe. Thats it. Cant leave beautiful delicious friends Derek did his best to hold in his laughter as he listened to Silvi make excuse after excuse not to go on the raid with him. He couldnt fault her. He knew she enjoyed fighting and hunting, but she had found that she really enjoyed cooking more than even that. He didnt want to take her away from it, so he didnt push. Thats good, Derek said. Youre strong. It will put my mind at ease if youre here to make sure everyone is safe. He gave the bunny an out. Thats exactly what I was thinking. Silvis childlike voice rang out once again. Well be in your care, Malorie smiled at Silvi, causing the small bunny to puff up her chest. Youll be safe with me, the bunny said. Derek clapped his hands. Good. Im glad thats settled, he said. Now, Im starving. What do we have to eat? With that, Silvi and Malorie broke out dish after dish and everyone sat and had a breakfast fit for a king while idly chatting away. Once the meal was over, Derek stood. That was delicious. It would be amazing if you could make a few things for me to take with me on the raid, he told Silvi. That would more than make up for your absence. The bunnys eyes shone purple, and she quickly hopped off her perch on the table. Ill get right to it. In a flash, the silver-purple ball of fur was gone, and the door between the kitchen and dining room was swinging shut. Okay, stop. Take a break, Derek said. He led her over to where Walter was standing, watching. Clare sat with her back against the wall, gasping for breath. Since she didnt have an unlocked system yet, she wasnt able to use Meditation to recover after fighting. Shes good, Derek said to Walter. She has improved much faster than I thought she would. Walter agreed. She is very impressive. Derek then turned to Clare. Your Endurance is higher than ten, isnt it? he asked. Its 13. she managed to say through her deep breaths. Derek nodded, then held out his hand toward her. In the center of his palm was a storage ring. It was the ring that Edgar left with him when he gave the scrolls over. It wasnt a big storage ring, only providing a few square feet worth of space, just enough to hold all the skill scrolls Edgar had to deliver. Clare looked up while panting and saw the ring on Dereks palm. Take it, Derek said, and she did. Even without the system unlocked, one could channel enough mana into a magic tool such as the storage ring, or the mana clippers that Thomas had previously used, so it wasnt odd for her to have a ring. Have you ever used a storage ring? Derek asked, and Clare shook her head. Concentrate, channel your mana into it. He walked her through activating the ring. You will also get better at controlling your man by using a storage ring. A communication crystal would work as well. Clare nodded and began intensely concentrating. After a few seconds, she smiled, then her eyes went wide. She whipped her head over toward Derek. This? These are mine? All yours, Derek replied. What is it? Walter leaned over and asked. Inside the ring he prepared for the girl were the same things he gave to everyone else. There was a decent Void Beast meal, a Potion of Physical Permanence, and six skill scrolls. He had given her Cleaning, Basic Repair, and Telepathy, just like everyone else, but he also gave her a few combat scrolls. The most expensive one was called Aqua Veil. It was a water based defensive skill. When used, a thin layer of flowing water appeared as sort of a second skin over the user. This water would then redirect and absorb both physical and magical attacks, lessening damage. He also provided her with Geyser and Heavy Blow (Unarmed). They were both pretty basic skills, and he got them for cheap. Clare took out the items from the ring one by one and examined them. Im not sure if its better to use the meal and potion now or after you unlock the system. I doubt it would make a difference, so it may be best to use them sooner rather than later, so others dont get any ideas. As for the scroll, youll have to wait until you unlock the system. Derek explained. At that point, even Walter was staring wide eyed at the items. Are you sure about this? he asked. Youve already done so much for us. Derek shrugged. I have the things to spare, and Clare has been working very hard. She should be rewarded. Dont think anything of it. With that storage ring, everything he wanted to give out had been gifted. He still kept many potions and meals in his storage for himself and Silvi, though. He wasnt completely selfless. After Clare put everything away, the two of them continued sparring until their training room time was up. Clare had a beaming smile the entire time. Chapter 241: Final Preparations Chapter 241: Final Preparations After sparring with Clare and giving her some gifts, Derek made his rounds to everyone else. Alanah was very much for Derek going to the raid. In fact, it seemed like she was even a bit jealous. Obviously, if she didnt have such a business to run, she would have wanted to go herself. Still, she couldnt leave the Crown for such a time. It wasnt like she was Avery or Stella, who, although would be missed, could leave for some time and the Crown would still function because of Alanah. She was an umbrella covering the entire enterprise. Her presence was required, and she couldnt step away for more than a few days at a time. Derek was thankful to the woman, though. Along with her urging him to go, she made sure to tell him that she would look after his group. With her oversight, there would be nothing more for him to worry about. She also mentioned something about not wanting to miss out on the opportunity of possible rewards. Apparently, she had been trying to get Avery to take a step back from Zac and Lukes training and go on the raid as well. He had done all he needed to do for the kids. They had their weapons, elements, and the environment needed to move forward. She even planned on giving them the Mental Resistance scrolls she got from the King. Averys part was done. It was entirely up to the boys now. The same was true for Clare, as well. Whatever happened with her would be based on how much effort she put in from now until she unlocked the system, and her mindset when she finally chose a class. Derek thought Avery would be a very welcome addition to the raid group, especially after somewhat seeing him in action. He was sure that Edgar would have no problem adding another powerhouse to his force. After chatting with Alanah, Derek left with a much lighter weight on his shoulders. He wouldnt have to worry about everyone with Alanah there. He could breathe easily. He then headed to Romans shop. The halfling was running around in a frenzy after receiving his money from the auction and all the extra Void Beast materials. Derek didnt want to disturb him, so he told him about going on the raid before leaving. Roman did, however, inform him he was working on something new, and to stop by the day before he left to see if his new creation was finished. Derek was hesitant. His previous round of potion testing was technically a success, but he definitely didnt enjoy it. Still, he agreed and hoped Roman would have something good prepared. Derek would also use that opportunity to buy some good healing, stamina, and mana potions from the halfling at a discount. After leaving Romans shop, Derek next headed to the City Lords Manor, where he was quickly let in and led to a private courtyard out back. He soon found himself sitting at a small table surrounded by a beautiful garden with a cup of coffee. He wasnt surprised that the product had made its way to Natalie. It was a few minutes before the small framed woman arrived and hopped in the seat across from him. Derek, Natalie said. I didnt expect to see you so soon after the auction. She had left him with a standing invite to drop by at any time, but it hadnt been long at all since he last met with her. I hadnt planned on disturbing you so soon, but something came up and I figured it would be best to talk with you sooner rather than later, he replied. Oh? What can I help you with? she asked. First, I wanted to thank you for your work at the auction yesterday. Im sure everything went much smoother with you there to verify everything. I was more than adequately compensated for my role yesterday. Thats good, Derek said before moving on to the real reason he was there. So, I was invited by Edgar to accompany him on the raid in a few days. Im sure you know all about it? What is it? If you come upon any more opportunities, such as the coffee, potions, or elixirs, you must think of me first. Its never a good idea to have all your eggs in one basket. Natalie answered. Of course, she wasnt wrong. As it currently stood, Derek was already relying too much on Alanah and the Crown. It wouldnt be a bad idea to have business ventures with both Natalie and Alanah. Maybe he could set something up with her and Brandi. His shop was in Natalies domain, after all. I will definitely do that, Derek agreed without hesitation. The two continued to chat for another half hour before Natalie sighed and had to get back to work. Derek was thankful he didnt have much to manage and actually could go away on a raid if he wanted to. It all seemed like way too much dull work to him. Derek excused himself and began to think about what he may need for his upcoming adventure. In a stroke of genius, he decided to leave Brandi with one of his old shirts and pair of jeans, in the off chance she found some material that could mimic cotton and denim. He liked the bat silk shirts she had crafted for him, but they just werent the same. Since they planned on spending a lot of time in the lobby of his Time Prison, he decided to go to Geoffrey to buy some amenities and furniture. There, he spent over 10,000 gold coins on lavish chairs, beds and bedding that could fit in the cells, standing rune lights, and other specialty items. He was even able to obtain a few more prototype showers to set up. Along with that, he made sure to get some inscribed tubs that could self-drain and clean themselves. Who better to market the shower to than some of the most powerful adventurers in the Kingdom? Like this, he spent the next few days going over things he needed, training with Thomas, and chatting with everyone else. Soon, it was the day before the gathering, so he went back to Romans shop to see what the halfling had prepared. Come, come! As soon as Derek walked in, Romans voice shot out from the back of the store and Derek was rushed to the same room he tested potions in as last time. Freia was already waiting, notebook in hand. I take it you succeeded? Derek asked, as he found a spot to sit. He looked around and noticed that there were more health, mana, and stamina potions sat out than last time. It seemed that the near brain explosion and Derek bleeding out of every orifice on his head had caused the halfling and his assistant to be even more prepared than last time. Of course it is, Roman said with a smug smile. Freia! Freia disappeared and soon came back with a new potion in hand. She carefully sat it on the table in front of Derek. This Derek stared at the vial. Inside was a liquid which slowly changed color. One second, it was solid red, the next, it was transparent, then orange, then transparent once again the color kept changing as it cycled through multiple colors. It was almost like the Potion of Physical Permanence, but instead of it being a constant circulating rainbow of colors, it stopped on a solid color before quickly changing. Ive never gotten the chance to experiment with the other ingredients from a Void Beast, but Ive had many ideas since my success last time. Since you gave me those whole corpses, Ive been able to put my ideas to the test. This is my first possible success. Roman explained. Derek shrugged. Well should we get to it? Chapter 242: Potion of Mental Permanence Chapter 242: Potion of Mental Permanence Finally, Derek reached forward and grasped the vial in his hand. Then, he popped the cork and brought it up to his nose and wafted the scent toward himself. Unsurprisingly, like with most other potions, the vial he held had next to no smell. It was like taking a breath of regular air. He shrugged and let out his breath. Well here goes nothing. Derek brought the vial to his lips and tilted it back, causing the liquid to rush into his mouth. Just like with the scent, the liquid had no taste. Well if he had to describe it, it was cold. No taste, but the liquid made his entire mouth cool. Like how chewing certain mint flavored gum would leave ones mouth, but without the taste of mint. As the liquid traveled down his throat, coolness spread throughout his body. Finally, it reached his stomach, and his whole body soon went cold. It had sort of the same feeling as when he upgraded his Wisdom stat. The coolness in his head created a kind of acute sharpness to his thoughts. It was rather relaxing. Just like with other unknown potions, it would take a short time for any type of prompt to appear. Derek didnt mind, as he just sat back and enjoyed the feeling as a small smile grew on his face. Well? Freia leaned forward with a gleam in her eyes and her notebook in her hands. Whats happening? Is it good? Finally, the potions effect kicked in and a notification appeared in front of Dereks eyes. Before he could even read it, he knew it was good based on the reaction of the little halfling next to him. Roman nearly jumped out of his shoes in excitement when Derek received his notification. Clearly, the alchemist had also received some kind of notification for successfully making a new concoction. Derek viewed the notification. Unknown Potion Ingested +5 Points to Intelligence +3 Points to Wisdom He nearly laughed when he saw the notification. Roman had done it. He managed to create potions that increased every stat type. Though, it was a smaller increase in Wisdom than in the other stats. It was still the only thing Derek had seen that could actually increase Wisdom. What is it called? Derek asked the halfling. Of course, its called the Potion of Mental Permanence, the alchemist replied. Of course it is, Derek said. If the other one was known as a Potion of Physical Permanence, then why not have this new one follow suit? Anyway, it was a good thing. Wisdom was a stat that was nearly as important as Vitality, as it increased a persons magical skill usage. It also increased a persons thinking speed. It wasnt an extreme increase, but it was definitely something Derek could feel. So how much did it increase your stats? Did it increase Wisdom and Intelligence? Roman finally asked. Three in Wisdom, five in Intelligence. Derek answered. There was no reason to keep anything from the halfling. Freia quickly scribbled some notes down as she listened. Thats pretty good, Roman said. I made sure to start my experimenting on the weaker Void Beast materials, so I think we will be able to increase the effectiveness of the potion by quite a bit with the stronger beasts. The halfling walked over to one of the barrels. This one is good for those with Endurance at 999 or less, though I wouldnt recommend anyone with less than 700 trying it. The threshold at 1000 is hard to make alcohol for, but I doubt too many people, even at level 250, will have that high of Endurance. He then moved to the next barrel. This one is for those from 750 to 500. And this one is for those with under 500. Though, at around 400, it may be best to add a drop or two of the previous one in. Though, I doubt you have to worry about anyone with less than 500 Endurance in such an elite party. It was a surprising gift. Derek hadnt expected the halfling to do anything like this for him. Thanks! Derek said, as he stored the barrels of alcohol. Im sure this will be quite the boon for us. Roman nodded, then took out a small jug. He leaned in conspiratorially. This is my new brew. Its the first one that I know for sure will work with those past the 1000-point threshold. I made it especially for you. Derek smiled regrettably. Unfortunately, he had passed the 1500-point threshold since the last time he tried any of Romans brews. He doubted it would be able to do anything for him, but he graciously thanked the alchemist and took it anyway. It would be worth a shot. If nothing else, maybe Avery would like it if he chose to accompany them on the raid. From what Derek had seen, that man had to have a decent amount of Endurance. I look forward to seeing how far you can progress in the time Im away, Derek said. Oh in three years Ill be the King of Alchemy. Roman laughed. Derek reached out with his hand, and the two of them shook. Just try not to blow yourself up, Derek said. No promises. The alchemist answered. And look after Brandi. Shes really taken to alchemy. Of course. After that, Derek raided a few of the alchemists potion supply, making sure to grab a few Potions of Resurrections while at it. Of course, he used his Savannah Bank card and paid for them; he wasnt going to steal from a business partner especially after the halfling gave him all that free booze. Then, he said his goodbyes. Next, he went back to his shop and explained everything about the new potion to Malorie. She was hesitant to make such a business decision with the City Lord of the richest city in the Kingdom, but after some prodding, she was up for the challenge. She would also try to use Rudy, as well. Surely, such a business contract would be good for both him and his business. Derek then relaxed for the rest of the day while hanging out with everyone. It would only be a few months until he saw them again, but for them, it would be years. The next day, Derek woke up and made sure he had everything he needed. After a gourmet breakfast prepared by Silvi, and after receiving a storage ring full of dishes the bunny had prepared him, he set off to the Teleportation Building. Just like Edgar had said, when he flashed the token the man had given him to the clerk, he was immediately led to the same teleporter they had taken before when they went to save the Crown Prince. Before long, he was standing in the middle of the circle. The next thing he knew, his vision went white. When the world came back into focus, he was back in the Teleportation Building at the capital. For the second time, he would be in the capital of the Kingdom, and not be able to enjoy it. Both times he had come here, he was on a mission. The first was to save Edward and capture Gerald, and now it was to meet the raid team and set off toward the dungeon. He made a mental note to set aside some time to explore the capital once he got back. Out of everything, he really wanted to see the Academy and the Crown Restaurant in the capital. But alas, it was not the time. Derek made his way to the palace. At least this time, he wasnt in such a rush that he had to use his skills to get there in time. He was able to leisurely take in the sights while heading there. Soon though, he was back at the entrance to the palace. In the huge courtyard, the one where the fight had taken place, dozens of people were standing around. Surprisingly, even with all the destruction that had previously taken place not long ago, the courtyard was perfectly fine. There werent any signs of battle left. Derek took another look at the crowd, then let out a breath. Im already here theres no backing out now Chapter 243: Setting Off Chapter 243: Setting Off Derek settled his nerves and walked forward toward the crowd. Among those gathered around, he recognized a few. Unsurprisingly, the easiest person to spot was Tyron Blacksteel. The man towered over everyone else by a large margin, and the fact that he was off to the side, made it even easier to spot him. The burly man was fiddling with a well-crafted chest piece in his hands. Obviously, the chest piece wasnt for the smith, but for someone else. The chest piece would have been about four sizes too small for the man. Unless, of course, it had some properties that allowed it to change size to fit the user. Derek could see a man of Tyrons capabilities making something like that. However, that theory was soon quashed, as he held the plate armor up, and a man moved from the crowd and bowed to the smith as he received the armor. Based on the mans actions, he seemed extremely grateful to Tyron. Tyron waved him off, and the man scampered away, putting the armor on in the process. Derek guessed that one of the members of the raid team took the chance to have Tyron repair his armor before they set out. Derek shifted his focus back to the crowd to see if he recognized anyone else. Sure enough, he saw the same three members of House Allister he had seen at the auction. They were well known for their healing, so it made sense that they would be selected for the raid. Though there was no way all of them would be going. He couldnt think of any reason Teresa Allister would go. She was obviously well under level for the dungeon. He guessed she was only there to see the others off. Another surprising addition to the party was Shae. He stood chatting with another man, who was decked head to toe in typical mages garments. The man had a hooded robe, along with an odd circlet with a multicolored stone sat in it. Derek wasnt sure if Shae was going on the mission, but him being here explained Judys behavior when he met her at the guild the other day to spar with Clare. She had hesitated for a bit when he asked how the man was. Also, Thomas had said that Shae was preparing for something and wasnt able to train him as much lately. So, the guild master being here would make sense of everything. Obviously, most of the large crowd here wouldnt be going on the raid. It was capped at 25 people, and there were well over 40 people in the large courtyard. Soon, Derek caught sight of Edgar, who smiled widely when he noticed Derek. Derek moved forward to meet the prince. Im so glad you decided to come. You are coming, right? Not just here to see me off? Edgar asked, still smiling. I am Derek answered. It took a bit to make up my mind, but apparently, this is an opportunity I dont want to miss. Damn right. Edgar nodded before turning to a certain guard in the crowd. Max, youre off the hook. You get to stay here with the rest of the army. Derek watched as the guard let out a sigh of relief, and any nervous tension he had before disappeared completely. T-thank you, Prince Edgar, the man said. If you will excuse me, then. Edgar waved the man off, and the guard left in a hurry. His wife just had a kid last week. A little boy. I didnt want to take him away from his family, but I trust him. You coming means he doesnt have to wait three years to see the boy. Derek nodded. Hell get less sleep in these three years than we will in three months. He laughed. Thats for sure. Edgar laughed with him. By the way, there was something I was hoping to ask you about. Oh? What is it? Edgar led Derek off to the side, away from earshot of anyone else. Walter Searidge. What about him? Derek frowned. He wants to come along on the raid. Something about adventure, honor, and glory. I dont know him well, but you do. I know he is over level 200 now after dad annulled the contract. What do you think? Its always good to have an extra healer. Edgar explained.Vissit for updates Derek furrowed his brows before coming to a decision. I trust him enough. He may be rusty after such a long time, and his level is low compared to most others but he wont be dealing damage, and most healing and support skills are percent based. I also know that he is quite good when it comes to poisons and toxins. I say bring him. Clare? Thats the young girl thats undergoing some of the same training as Zac and Lucas, right? Avery suddenly asked. Derek nodded. Yup. One second. Avery took out his communication crystal and made a call. A couple of minutes later, he put it away. My mistress is willing to take her in to help in the process, if you would like. The three children are from the same generation, so it will be good to form bonds early on. Of course, her protector is welcome, as well. Really? Walters eyes lit up at the suggestion. Of course. Avery answered. Adding another sparring partner of the same level to the mix would help them all. Its just unfortunate that my mistress doesnt have more Mental Resistance skills currently. I would be an idiot not to accept such an offer. If Lady Swan is serious in her offer, then I accept. Great! Avery smiled before taking the crystal out once more. Once he put it away, he spoke again. Stella is still in Savannah for now. I have informed her of the situation. Have Clare go to the Crown Hotel later, and she will take it from there. I am in your debt. Walter bowed deeply before taking out his crystal to make the arrangements. Thank you, the man said once more, once he was finished. At that time, Edgar made his way to the steps of the palace and cleared his throat to gather everyones attention. It looks like everyones here. Please say your farewells, as we will be away for some time. The crowd buzzed as people hugged and said their goodbyes. Soon, Edgar made another announcement, and only the 25 people going on the raid were left. I have personally selected the 24 of you to go on this adventure with me. I hope I wont be disappointed. Im not much for speeches, so, lets get to it. Please follow me. After that, Edgar led everyone through the palace to a room with a private teleportation circle. It wasnt a secret that some people would have their own teleportation circles. It was costly, but ultimately, not too uncommon. The circle was small, though, too small to fit all 25 party members. Well be traveling to one of the outposts closest to the raid dungeon from here. Edgar stated. Please enter the circle in groups of five. Once you arrive at the outpost, quickly move off of the circle to make way for the next group. Soon, group after group teleported away, and it was Dereks turn. He was part of the final group, along with Avery, Walter, Edgar, and a hooded person in a black cloak who looked oddly familiar to Derek. It took a couple of seconds, but it finally clicked. The Shadow Witch? Derek blurted, causing the others to turn to look. Sure enough, when the person removed the hood from their head, it was Vanessa Hodges, also known as The Shadow Witch. Derek stared at the woman, dumbstruck. Edgar stepped forward, scratching the back of his neck. About that Ms. Hodges here is now under contract to the Kingdom. Really? Derek asked, skeptically. Really the woman sighed. I can no longer go back to the guild, and it was a good offer. Well it was better than rotting away in that cell. Derek shook his head. Ms. Savannah already made it clear to us that Vanessa didnt have anything to do with Geralds activities. She was only hired help from the Assassins Guild well it was off books, but she was only there as a protector. Her contract to the Kingdom is quite stringent, as well. And she has also made an oath to the Great System. There is nothing to fear from her. Edgar explained. I guess it really doesnt have anything to do with me. Its your choice. Edgar nodded, then stepped forward. Lets go. Chapter 244: Participants 25/25 Chapter 244: Participants 25/25 Next, they stepped out of the teleportation circle at the outpost. Everyone was already standing around waiting for them. Alright, Edgar said, clapping his hands. This new dungeon is a ways away. Lets get to it. Soon, the prince led the group of 24 of the kingdoms elite out of the outpost. Even though everybody in the party was power, they still set a medium pace that no one had any problems matching. With the dungeon having such a time dilation, it didnt matter if they arrived a few hours later or earlier. The march was long, but Derek occupied himself by taking in the changes in his surroundings. When they first left the outpost, there was just flat land and dirt paths. As they continued on, they moved closer and closer to the coast. He wondered how the ocean of this world would look, and when they arrived at the coast, he wasnt disappointed. Currently, the azure water was as smooth as glass, and stretched out beyond what his enhanced eyes could see. There were no land masses in the distance, just the ocean. Hed been to the coast back in his world, and while it wasnt completely different, there were definitely some differences. First, no one dared to swim here. Then again, he guessed nobody was swimming in the oceans back on Earth anymore, either. He hadnt been since the system took over, so he guessed that wasnt much of a difference anymore. There were also no boats or other vessels in the water, though they did pass multiple sentries stationed by the coast to keep watch. Apparently, beast tides werent too uncommon, and they were very destructive. But the thing that stuck out the most as they traveled close to the coast was the enormous creatures that occasionally leaped out of the water at a distance. Once second, the water was still, then the next, a monstrous beast would fly high above the ocean before crashing down, causing a mini tidal wave in its wake. It was an eye-opening experience. He wasnt sure what the level of such a beast would be, but he knew he didnt want to fight it. Even if it was weak and easily defeated, the cleanup would take ages. For the first time since learning about the dungeon, Derek knew what type of monsters he didnt want to fight inside. Other than the constant surfacing of one creature after another, and the ruckus that followed, the trip to the dungeon was quite tame. Of course, there were plenty of beasts that were lacking in the common sense department that tried to attack the party on the way to the dungeon, but if a troop of regular high grade soldiers were able to make it there in one piece, how could they possibly cause any problems for such an elite force. With a single point of his finger, Edgar would zap a beast, or a sudden spike of shadows would erupt from the ground, leaving a hole where a creatures heart or brain should have been. Nobody hesitated when they were attacked, they just kept walking. It was like an egg splattering against a rock. Derek never had to make a move. Luckily, all the beasts in the ocean seemed to want to stay in there. Finally, after half a day of travel, they arrived at their destination. In the distance, there was a small, rocky alcove just off the coast. Edgar pointed at it. The dungeon is in there, he said. Thats small. Tyron said with hesitation. The man was huge. Derek doubted he would be able to squeeze into such a tight space. Dont worry, its a proper cave on the inside. Just got to make it past the entrance. If we have a problem, we can always make the entrance bigger. The only reason we havent yet is because the dungeons somewhat of a secret, Edgar said as they walked forward. Sure enough, the entrance wasnt even big enough for Derek to squeeze through, much less the giant of a blacksmith. However, that problem was quickly solved with a little earth magic. Derek didnt recognize the elf who walked forward, but he went all out, quickly turning the boulders into steps and hollowing out the small tunnel that led inside, making it a proper entrance. Once again, Edgar led the way inside. Just as he said before, after a short distance, the tunnel opened up into a giant cavern where three guards stood ready for battle. There was nothing quiet about terraforming an area, so they were easily alerted when the party member began moving the earth and stones. When the guards saw Edgars face, they calmed down and put their weapons away. Prince Edgar! One of the guard saluted. We werent expecting you until much later. We made good time, Edgar answered. Any changes? The lead guard shook his head. Its been the same as always. No fluctuations or increase in volatility. We should still have some time before it overflows. Edgar nodded. Thats good, he said. Please wait outside while we prepare to enter. Once we are away, you can renovate the entrance back to how it was. Some of us had some problems fitting into the tight space. He dismissed the guards as he glanced at the smith. Once the guards were gone, Edgar had everyone gather around. Alright, so this is it. We dont know what kind of enemies we will encounter inside. We dont even know what kind of raid dungeon it is. It could be as simple as fighting waves of enemies for a while, or we may have to solve a ton of heaven forsaken puzzles. Everyone nodded in understanding before he continued. Almost everyone has already been introduced when we met earlier. There are only a few who arrived late. He then introduced Avery, Walter, Vanessa, and Derek to the rest of the group. He made sure to point out that Derek was there as a support for their travels, specifically mentioning a dimension they could use for rest and recovery, and that Walter was another healer. When the group learned about Dereks purpose, it turned some heads. Everyone knew of Derek, but not really who he was. Like Edgar said, they were all pleasantly surprised and happy to learn about his ability. Avery didnt need much of an introduction, as he was already well known. Everyone knew who Vanessa was, as well, but were all pleasantly surprise when they found out she now worked for the kingdom. Timothy Nash: Level 223 John Doyle: Level 219 Ray Fergus: Level 228 Sachiko Sato: Level 232 Scarlett Mason: Level 230 Tyron Blacksteel: Level ??? Derek Hunt: Level ??? Please Choose an Option Below View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Derek quickly looked over the names and levels of everyone he was going to spending time with for the next few months. The average level was quite high, but there were still some closer to level 200 than to 250. Walter was especially out of place, only being at level 204, but Derek was actually impressed. He had gained a few levels in just a handful of days since having the contract annulled. Another thing that caught his attention was Tyron Blacksteel. His level was hidden. This meant he either had the Solo Diver Award or some other Award like it. If he had that one, Derek would bet he would also have the Repetitive Dungeoneer Award, as well. It made sense, as Alanah had said that he preferred to go out and gather his own materials for crafting. So he must frequent many dungeons. He probably had Awards related to dungeons that Derek didnt even know about. Dereks gaze soon landed on the giant of a man, and they both smiled knowingly. Of course, Derek was sure that Tyron was actually level 250, or at least very close to it, while Derek hadnt even made it to level 200 yet. But nobody else needed to know about that. He soon focused on viewing the dungeon status. Raid Dungeon Status Dungeon Level 250 Dungeon Type Time/Enemy Unknown Dungeon State Unstable Dungeon Rewards Unknown Max Participants 25 Sure enough, it was a max level raid dungeon with unknown qualities. Is everyone ready? Edgar asked. Seeing as nobody objected, he continued. Okay, get ready. With that, the countdown timer began, and Derek waited to be whisked away into his first raid dungeon in this world. Chapter 245: Trials Chapter 245: Trials The next moment, the team appeared in a nearly identical cavern. The only differences were the exit on an opposite side, and the dungeon orb no longer being there. As everyone was getting themselves oriented, Derek pulled up his stats. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 171 649,500,625/5,025,000,000 Legend of the Void (Legendary) Human (Modified) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37500 15045 37500 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 825 825 1500 (???) 1500 (???) 830Vissit for updates 1003 108 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown Restaurant) The next most common type of dungeon takes you from zone to zone, where you fight against a single type of monster in each until going to the final zone and taking on a final boss, Edgar said, basically explaining the Golem Dungeon. From there, we also have beast wave dungeons where wave after wave of enemies charge at you, each wave strong than the one before. All you have to do is fight until no enemy remains. After that, there are defense type dungeons. Those dungeons are usually similar to beast wave dungeons, except you are given the task of protecting something from the beast wave for a certain amount of time instead of exhausting the waves. Of course, if you are strong enough, you can do both. Finally, we have puzzle dungeons, my least favorite. There is usually no fighting, just problem solving. Derek nodded along with Edgars explanation. He hadnt run into any of the other dungeon types, but they seemed easy enough to understand. Which leaves us with trial dungeons, Edgar said. Trial dungeons can be considered a mixture of all other types. The orbs before us will each have a different trial we must undertake. Usually, a trial dungeon has two or three orbs, maximum, and the timer is only a week or so. The trials are relatively easy, and each trial rewards those who complete it. So, each one of those orbs will have a reward? Felix asked for clarification. Precisely, Edgar confirmed. Though, I have never seen a raid dungeon be a trial dungeon. What happens if we dont complete it in time? Another voice rang out, and Derek listened closely with interest. Thats the bad news. Unless you have an escape scroll, you are basically toast, explained Edgar. The dungeon collapses with you inside, and there really isnt anything you can do about it. And as you all know, escape scrolls are not easy to come by. I have only brought a few with me to use in case of emergencies. Ah, its not as bad as that. Just think about the rewards were going to get. Tyrons gruff voice broke through the slight murmurings of the crowd. The problem Edgar said as he looked at the smith. Is that we are going to have to rely more on each other than we originally planned. I assembled a team that was perfect for the more common type of dungeons he then walked over to the first orb and placed his hand on it, after nodding, he moved on to the second, then the third, until he finally viewed all the trials. Each trial is different. Edgar spoke again. We can only move on to the next one after the previous one is completed. And we must choose our members wisely, as not all trials allow for all 25 of us. Which means we need to have a certain amount of faith in each other. Interested in what Edgar was saying, Derek stepped forward and placed his hand on the first orb. Dungeon Trial Trial Type Beast Wave Participants 10 Trial Difficulty Uncommon Please Select Participants 0/10 So, only ten people would be allowed to take the first trial, but the difficulty was only uncommon, which Derek figured meant could easily be taken care of by those with a decent amount of stats. Overall, it shouldnt be too hard. He then moved on to the next trial orb. Dungeon Trial (Locked) Trial Type (Locked) Participants (Locked) Trial Difficulty (Locked) He moved on to each of the remaining trial orbs, just like Edgar had done, and they all displayed the same. They were all locked. It was unfortunate, because it meant that they couldnt do multiple trials at once. I guess this means that those who arent chosen for the trial are going to have to wait out here with nothing to do? Derek asked. It seems that way, Edgar answered. Everyone else soon took their own turns looking over the different trial orbs. Finally, when everyone was finished, Edgar spoke once again. Who wants to do a dungeon wave? We have ten spots. I think that, since it is of lower difficulty, we should choose some of our lower levels to go, along with one or two of our level 250s. Edgar explained. Derek agreed, but some of the others did not. Not being selected for the trial meant missing out on both materials and the reward at the end. However, he didnt mind that, as the less difficult trials would surely have the worst rewards. A few of the more well-known raid members, like Cain Ibarra, the Guild Master at the Adventurers Guild in the capital, and Tristan Allister both stepped forward to agree with Edgar, quieting most of the dissent. Avery and Vanessa stayed quiet, as they seemed to be both just along for the ride. Derek still noticed a small amount of disagreement in the crowd, and some looked at him and Tyron as well. After thinking about it, Tyron was well known for his strength in the kingdom, and Dereks status had displayed the same as his, showing that they both had some unknown way of hiding their level. Finally, he decided to see if he couldnt help Edgar out a little, as well. And maybe help Walter a bit in the process. Chapter 246: The First Trial Chapter 246: The First Trial He stepped forward and spoke in agreement with Edgar. Since its a low difficulty beast wave, it is the best opportunity for levels. It will be good for those of a lower level with decent AOE attacks. I say we choose those, along with a high-level healer and support. I think Vanessa should take command. Her shadows are flexible. She should be the more than capable of keeping watch over everyone. After that, there was another small discussion and Vanessa, Elena Webb, and Kieron Dawson were selected as the high-level participants. Elena Webb was a level 250 healer, and Kieron was a level 245 support. The remaining participants were all level 230 or lower and included both Shae and Walter. Soon, with everyone in agreement, Vanessa stepped forward and touched the trial orb. Were off, she said, then ten people disappeared from the surroundings. Edgar and Derek then looked at one another. What now? Derek asked. Edgar shrugged. I guess we should set up camp. *** Vanessa couldnt help but wonder how she ended up in the position she was in. No, she wasnt complaining; she was actually happy about finally being able to disconnect herself from the Assassins Guild. The guild had treated her well, and she had worked her way up to the top, but because of the contracts, the freedom wasnt really there. Being captured so swiftly, like she was, she was then thrown into that forsaken prison to be interrogated by that monster who had easily gotten around her contract to the Assassins Guild. And, since she had done everything she could to avoid capture before giving up, the contract that was broken didnt cause any sequela. She was also lucky, as her contract didnt have as many conditions as most members because of her status in the guild. As long as she didnt speak of any of the internals of the Assassins Guild to anyone, now that she wasnt a part of it, she would be fine. Luckily, that monster of a woman didnt seem too interested in the Assassins Guild, only that creepy old man. Vanessa hadnt looked too deeply into any of her clients. Its not good for an assassin to be nosy, after all. However, hearing what that old codger may have been a part of even left her disgusted. As an assassin, she didnt have any qualms about killing for money, as long as the target was of age, but trafficking was another story. Leave it to the assassin to draw a moral line in the sand. She thought to herself as she appeared with the nine others in a desolate field. She was now part of the kingdom. She had some pretty heavy oaths and contracts, but she felt as free as she ever had. This was her first raid dungeon ever, and her first dungeon in quite some time. She was honestly a little excited, even if she did her best not to show it. The fact that she had been given the task as the leader for the first trial was surprising, but she was up for it. She needed to prove her worth to the young prince. She was glad that the odd man was the one who made the suggestion, as well. He seemed to have quite the pull with the young prince. Other than her few interactions with Derek Hunt, she didnt know too much about him. But after seeing just a bit of his power and skills, she knew he was dangerous. Obviously, she had faith in Elena Webb, as she was a level 250 healer, because as soon as Sachikos taunt was off of cooldown, she would cast it again, keeping dozens of the beasts on her at all times. Though, she wasnt struggling and Elena wasnt actually doing much to help out, currently. Healing the tank had actually fallen to the old disgraced nobleman well, formerly disgraced nobleman. And he was doing quite the job. He would send an occasional single target heal onto Sachiko as she took damage, but would also drop an area heal occasionally when one of the damage dealers, particularly Ciera Cook, a dual blade swordswoman, moved in too close and got injured. It seemed that the healer, known as Walter, also had some other interesting skill and spells to his repertoire. When Ciera moved in too close and a wolf bit right between the joints of her light armor, a pretty bad bleed status appeared on the woman. The bite itself wasnt too bad, but Vanessa knew how grating the bleed status could be. Surprisingly, with a quick flick of his wrist, the bleed healed before it could cause any real damage or discomfort. Vanessa guessed that the old man had some kind of status heal as well, along with regular heals. If he could pump up his level and get some more stats into Wisdom and Intelligence, he would be a very welcome member to the raid. Its no wonder he was allowed to join, even with such a low level. Vanessa inwardly praised the man. Of course, those two werent the only ones doing their jobs, just the standouts. Wolf after wolf fell to the spear of Shae Holmes, but Vanessa would expect nothing less of the Guild Master of the Savannah Adventurers Guild. If he couldnt do this much, even at his relatively low level, he wouldnt have that position. Felix Ayala bombarded the wolves with fire magic, as expected from a pure fire mage. He was neither unimpressive nor outstanding, just a pretty average fire mage that was good at following orders. The same was true with Louise Bonilla. She was a good archer, but she hadnt shown anything great yet. Though the battle was still young and there were ten days of fighting to be had. Kieron Dawson was a level 245 support class, and he went ahead and buffed up the whole party before the battle before standing back and allowing John Newman to focus on dishing out debuffs to the wolves. Overall, the group had little to no problems dealing with the first wave of wolves. Which was good, because the second the last wolf fell, another group was summoned and began their charge. This time, they were at level 170 and the pack was larger than the previous. Still, the wolves were like an egg hitting a brick wall. They did nothing more than leave the battlefield messy and most of the fighters bloody. Fortunately, once the second wave of wolves were dealt with, nothing else came. Those of you who have spent Stamina, Health, or Mana, meditate and recover. Those who have not, remove the corpses from the battlefield. Whether you choose to incinerate, store, or move them to the side, that is up to you. Just do it quickly, we dont know when the next wave is coming, Vanessa gave the command, and the group got to work. If you have leveled up, I suggest using your stats now. None of you are new to this. Im sure you know what you need to do. Five minutes later, and the battlefield was clear. Nobody thought much about the corpses of level 170 and lower wolves, so they left the job of incinerating them up to the fire mage. They would obviously fight higher level monsters that were worth much more later. Fifteen minutes later, Vanessa spotted the next wave of beasts appear. Mentally, she noted that they had received twenty minutes of rest between waves before she began to command once again. Ready! Chapter 247: Jace Chapter 247: Jace Darvin sighed again as he flipped through pages and pages of data. He had been doing that a lot recently, sighing. Since Kelvin hadnt brought back any useful information, at least no information useful to him, Darvin had taken it upon himself to look deeply into the matter. There had been others who ventured off outside the system while Darvin was a System Watcher, but the system had never acted this way about them. This led the Malaxi to a theory that the system wasnt actually after Derek Hunt. The human must have stumbled upon something, and the system had enough of a connection with the man to notice. But, no matter how deep Darvin searched in his collective memories, or how deep he dived into the systems database, he came up short. Still, he refused to stop searching. He had nothing better to do, anyway. Since the expansion of the system began skewing in one direction, not a single new habitable planet had been found for integration. Darvin had no tutorials to initiate, nor new users to keep an eye on. And since most of the more powerful systems users had learned of the anomaly, everyone was more well behaved than normal. He wasnt the only one anxiously awaiting whatever the system had in store for them. That was one silver lining that came with the anomaly. If the situation continued the way it has been since it appeared, then Darvin would have more month, if not years, depending on how long it takes the system to get to where its going, of free time where he didnt have to settle disputes and monitor everything. Still, he had a sneaking suspicion that he would find something if he just dug deep enough, so, while everything was calm, that was what he was going to do. He would become the most informed System Watchers in millennia. Well, these were his plans, at least. But things never go according to plan he thought as he looked up from his research to a screen to see the teleporter activating. Of course, only the council members had access to the teleporter, so it was limited to a select few people, and Darvin had an inkling of who was coming though. Sure enough, when the teleporter flashed, and a figure appeared, Kelvin was standing there. With a determined look on his face, the man on the screen marched forward, off the teleporter, toward Darvins personal office. Darvin sighed once again as he knew he was about to get company he didnt want. He swiftly closed the information, making sure to save his progress so he wouldnt lose his spot when he continued researching later. Soon, a loud knock sounded on his door. Come in, the System Watcher groaned in an annoyed voice. The human threw the door open, then marched inside with purpose. Tell me this isnt about that newly initiated human again, Darvin was fed up with Kelvins antics. He was a council member for systems sake, yet hed visited multiple times complaining about a recently initiated human from Earth. Just give me permission to eliminate him. I beg of you, as part of the council. That man is going to cause more trouble than hes worth. Isnt that what the previous council members said about you? Darvin asked. They did, but this is different. I was overly excited and eager to distinguish myself. That man just wants to fight and kill. Hes crazy. He doesnt care about gaining merits a standing, he only wants to kill. Kelvin pleaded. You know I cant do anything about it. The man was ranked second on planet C-186. The system designated this as his reward, and it will be done. He is under your care, and you will do well to see that he comes to no unnecessary harm. If he gets himself killed in battle, then that is on him, but if he dies by scheming, you will be punished. Not by me, but the system, Darvin explained. I was to be the supervisor, sir. Bracen admitted. I sent him ahead of me by no more than a minute. In that time, he severely injured two trainees. I didnt kill them. The man on the ground finally stopped laughing long enough to talk. I promised that I wouldnt kill while in the headquarters, and I wont. But these recruits are soft. They need some real experience. An enemy isnt going to withdraw their blade because you get scared. Kelvin couldnt disagree with Jace, but the young man was still making his life a living hell. He and his lieutenants had better things to do than constantly monitor the psycho. Let him up. Kelvin commanded, and Bracen removed his foot from Jaces throat, letting the young man stand. Jace gave Kelvin a toothy grin as blood leaked from his mouth. I am a lower level than both of them, yet they cant beat me two on one. How is it they got the same reward that I did? This isnt even fun anymore, he said as he brushed the dust off of his tank top, which didnt really do anything, considering the blood stains. Its not supposed to be fun! Kelvin grunted. It is training. Were teaching you how to survive in the system universe. If you go around offending everyone you meet, youre not going to last long. So what if I die? Jace spat. That just means that I wasnt strong enough. But Ill get there. Ill have your position soon enough. Youll be the one bleeding on the ground calling for help. Just give me a year no give me six months. With that attitude, you wont make it six months. Lieutenant Bracen spat. Get your shit, and follow me. Kelvin said, directed at Jace. You wanted to go to a planetary battle? I got the perfect one for you. Surely, nothing would happen to him if Kelvin did as Jace asked and dropped him off in the middle of a war-zone. It was the kids request, after all. Kelvin wouldnt have to protect him there, and he was tired of watching over him in the facility. The kid would either die or he would get his wish and come back stupidly strong. Kelvin hoped for the former. Jace was giddy with excitement as Kelvin led him through the tunnel to one of the teleporters. Jace was too strong for the lower-level battles, and the system would allow Kelvin to throw him into a high-level battle. It would basically be tossing him to his death. He would send him off to a high mid-level battle. That, he could get away with. If the battle were to turn into a high level one, that was just bad luck. You got everything you need? Kelvin asked. Jace raised his right arm, showing the man his storage bracelet. Good. Soon, they arrived at the teleporter, and Kelvin punched in some coordinates. He sent a few messages on his communications device, then turned to Jace. Step in. Youll get your orders on the other side. Dont cause problems for the lieutenant over there. Ive made sure that he will send you to highly volatile areas. Jaces smile stretched from eye to eye as he nodded excitedly. I hope you die. Kelvin said. Now, piss off. With a swift boot, he kicked the man into the teleporter, then deactivated it. He turned around and let out a sigh. I really hope he dies. Chapter 248: Making Camp Chapter 248: Making Camp Back outside, in front of the trial orbs, Derek and the others worked on setting up their camp. Well, Derek wasnt so much setting up the camp as watching the others set up what they had brought. They hadnt known about Dereks Time Prison, and with the way the dungeon ended up being, he didnt know exactly how much use they would get out of it. Of course, he would get all the use out of it that he could. It went everywhere with him, and he already had everything set up inside. First, he wanted to look around at the others, especially Tyron. When they called the man The Walking Forge, they werent kidding. In the short couple hours since Vanessa and the others went into the trial, Tyron had basically set up a high-quality functional smithy. Hell, his temporary one looked better than Brandis permanent one. Of course, that should be expected of a smith at his level. Finally, Derek decided to walk over and get to know a bit more about the giant of a smith. Tyron was precisely positioning a furnace, and looked up as he approached. Hey, Tyron. Hows it going over here? Derek asked. The man shifted the furnace into the ground a bit before nodding and speaking. Nothing to complain about. Thought I was going to be doing more monster hunting and weapon repairing than actual smithing. Was hoping to get some good materials. Derek nodded. Im sure you still will. From the look of the dungeon, its going to get more and more difficult as we move along. The stronger of us will need to take part in the trials sooner or later. Plus, youre the blacksmith here and Im sure those who take the trials are going to need some help from you. And Im sure they will have collected materials from their trials Tyron gave Derek a knowing smile. Thats the plans at least, he said, confirming Dereks suspicion that he wasnt actually too broken up about not fighting. Isnt that every smiths dream? To swing a hammer while others go out and collect high level materials. Dont get me wrong, I love to swing my hammer at both metal and beasts, but my first love is smithing. I can understand that. I think I know someone with that same mindset. Its hard to even get them to stop to eat, much less go adventuring, Derek said. A young one? Tyron asked. Yeah. Just starting out. Ive never seen such a gleam in someones eyes as hers when she talks about crafting or is actually doing it, Derek replied, but then also thought about how Clare looked when they were sparring. I take that back. Ive met one other child that has that same look, though its for fighting, not crafting. I see, the smith said. Well, if they choose to walk the same path as me, and fight for their materials themselves, its going to be a long, hard road. Unless they are one of the Noble crafters, in which case, they will be fine without fighting. Shes not a noble, but she wont have to worry about materials any time soon. If ever. Thats good. Will let her focus on her crafting and not have to take a hybrid path. Though choosing this path was the best choice I ever made, it hasnt been an easy one. Lost some friends, made some enemies you know, the typical commoner adventurers problem. Add to that splitting your time between hunting and crafting, and its even tougher. Tyron explained with a somewhat weary look in eyes before it vanished like it had never been there. I get that. Derek understood it. He had lost people. Not really after the system came, since he hadnt really gotten that close to anyone, but before, and he was sure it hurt just as bad, if not worse. When he learned what had happened to Rayna while they were still in Torith, that pain had come back for a flash. Now that he had people who he cared about once again, even if it wasnt the same type of care as he had before, how would he handle it if something did happen? That was the question he kept asking himself, and the reason he was so hesitant to come along on the raid. Bah the smith exclaimed. Enough talking about sad pasts and bad memories. Lets talk about your glaive. I seem to have come upon a little extra time to smith, and lo-and-behold, my client is already here. Derek chuckled. Now thats something I can get behind. Since were doing nothing else, let me get your measurements. Stick your arms out to the side and stand still, Tyron commanded. The smith obviously knew what he was doing, so Derek wouldnt argue. He did as he was told. The giant man moved closer and began measuring his extremities and feeling his arms and legs. It was almost like a massage, but still pretty awkward. Derek wondered why this was needed for a weapon. What? First, and one second. Tyron quickly fished out some papers out of his storage ring before presenting them to Derek. This is a contract stating that I will not reveal anything I learn about you in the process of making your weapon to any other, and I will not use anything I learn about you to purposely hurt you or those around you. Pretty simple stuff, but usually needed. Derek took the contract and looked it over. It was exactly as the man explained. He quickly signed it with his mana signature, and soon, a new contract appeared on his status screen. He didnt want a contract with a time frame hanging over the mans head while he was in a dungeon, but something like this was more than appropriate. Okay, shoot. Will you stats increase in the future? Specifically Strength and Dexterity? Tyron asked. Wait if you were just going to ask me these personal questions, why bother with the weird fondling? Derek asked. Because everybody has different bodies. 500 Strength on you may look and feel completely different that 500 Strength on someone else. Im a prime example of that. Like I said, I skew in favor of Strength, but I have quite a lot of Dexterity. Most people would be slimmer with the ratio I carry, but not me. Its genetics. Tyron explained. Huh I never thought about that. So can you answer my questions? Tyron asked again. Derek relented. He knew that if the man could guess his Endurance, he had to have a good idea of what those two stats were at as well, and they werent that high, all things considered. I do. I will at least break the second threshold in both of them, he answered honestly. Good good. Ill be able to pick a good material based on that, the smith said. And your Intelligence and Wisdom? How conductive would you like the weapon to be? he asked, but seeing Dereks frown, he continued. How easy would you like it to be able to channel your element? Basically, if you have skills that are channeled through a weapon, it will need a higher level of conductivity based on the skill strength and your Intelligence. The same as with the other two stats, Derek said, indicating that both would be over the threshold, even though his Wisdom was already there. And very conductive. Tyrons eyes widened. Is that so? I wont ask you about how you plan to do that, but that is some stat spread youre aiming for. Yes it is. Derek smiled. Do you need anything else? I will later, when I begin the process of forging it, but for now, I will just work on the design. The one I was shown before was decent in design, but I think I could do it better. Would you rather that design, or let me have my way? You do you. Derek said. You are the expert, he finally spoke aloud what hed been thinking all along. Very well. If thats everything, Im going to go find Edgar. Ill be anxiously awaiting the results. You wont be disappointed. Chapter 249: Grand Tour Chapter 249: Grand Tour Once he was finished talking with Tyron, Derek ventured away through the camp. Everyone was doing their own thing. They were all veteran adventures, so they didnt need any help from anyone when it came to setting up. Derek found Edgar standing in front of the trial orbs, looking them over once again. Derek walked up behind him. Any changes? Or does it still just show the same thing? Derek asked. Its all the same, Edgar sighed. It doesnt look like well be able to see any progress from here. We wont know anything until they either come out or dont. Derek nodded. Oh, theyll come out. I may not trust Vanessa, but you should know better than anyone else how strong she is. Derek wasnt joking. The prince was the one who had fought the Shadow Witch, after all. Even if everyone else dies, she wont. Yeah, yeah.. Edgar muttered, then turned away from the orbs. It just sucks because I picked out almost everyone here, yet we ended up in a trial dungeon where we cant all collaborate. You win some, you lose some. Derek shrugged. Theres nothing you can do about it right now, anyway. Youre right, Edgar smiled, and his usual nonchalant attitude came back like it had never left. How about you show me what you did with your prison? I thought you would never ask, Derek smiled. Follow me. Lets go somewhere less crowded. With that, Derek led Edgar away from everyone else to an open area. Well, the entire area was pretty much open, aside from the ocean on one side. An ocean that seemed entirely different from the one outside. The water was as calm as glass, and there werent any beasts or monsters splashing around in it like there was in the ocean on the outside. Derek made sure to take note of that. It didnt seem like there was any wildlife other than regular plants around. The entire place was barren. Derek mentally shrugged and continued on. Once they were a small distance away from everyone, Derek stopped. It wasnt that he was hiding anything from the others, he just wanted Edgar to take a look inside and give his thoughts about it before opening it up to everyone. Who knows, the prince might have a few suggestions to make it more hospitable. He may have even brought some extra amenities. Actually, Derek would bank on Edgar having brought some stuff of his own. The man wouldnt have given him such a knowing look while he was asking about the prison if he hadnt had some form of plan. Okay this is good, Derek said. Then, he ripped a tear in the space in front, revealing the entrance to his Time Prison. He opened it and stepped inside. He was quickly followed by Edgar. Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com I love what youve done to the place, Edgar commented as he looked around the wide open area. Everything was so easy to see now that Derek had taken the time to buy lamps and place them around the area. It was still a bit dark and brooding because of the solid black walls, ceiling, and doors, but there wasnt much Derek could do about that. I guess I could have bought some paint and given it a shot. He thought, but eventually decided that it would be pointless. There was no need for something like that. Edgar continued running around like a kid in a candy store, peeking his head into each of the open cells, and finding beds placed in each one. The color and overall look will rely on the materials we use, but this is basically it. If I use the materials I brought with me, it wouldnt be as durable as I imagine you need it. Im sure you want a weapon that could stand both your channeling and smashing against high-level defensive creatures. Derek looked over the glaive and nodded. This will do fine. Ive went this long without having my preferred weapon, so I can last a bit longer. Who knows, maybe they will bring back some good materials from their trial. Nice weapon! Avery said. He and Edgar had both looked over Dereks shoulder as he examined the blueprint, and had both drawn the same conclusion. Im a bit jealous, Edgar said. My sword is amazing, but it wasnt made specifically for me. And definitely not by someone like Mr. Blacksteel, here. Tyron snorted. Ive seen the sword you use, young prince. I dont believe you have any right to be jealous. It may not have been made specifically for you, but it suits you well enough. If I had the same material that was used to craft it, could I make it more suitable for you? Maybe but I dont even know what metal it is made out of. Edgar smiled, but didnt say anything else. I do believe that I could make you a nice set of daggers, though, Tyron then said as he spoke to Avery. I dont do bows, but your daggers could use an upgrade. They are nice, but not well suited for you. You should see about hiring me. Avery rolled his eyes. Like we havent tried to hire you. If it was that easy, you would have already made me a set. He then walked inside the Time Prison, and the others laughed before following him inside. Derek almost couldnt believe his sight once he was back inside. It had been minutes, and the place already looked like a place that had been lived in for decades. A group of four sat around a table playing some card game while drinking something, and two others were lounging on one of the couches Edgar had brought. Another two were at the back, looking over the showers. One of those two, however, had a frown on his face and was drenched from head to toe. The remaining person stood outside the cell which held Ogre inside and looked at it, then an empty cell with hesitation. Hmm thats nice. Derek heard Tyrons deep voice and turned, just to see him laying back in one of the beds in a cell, his feet dangling off the end because of his size. That seemed to help Timothy, the man contemplating beside the cell, to make a decision. He also entered a cell and took a load off. I knew this would get plenty of use, Edgar said. I guess so, Derek replied. Yall up for a game of card? Avery asked. Edgar nodded at the man, but Derek shook his head. Im going to stay outside for a bit and watch the trials. We should always have at least one person out there in case something changes. Suit yourself, Avery said, then sat at the table with the game going on. Hah suit yourself Edgar snorted, then went to the table as well. Derek shook his head and exited the prison. Only once did he have the idea to shut the door to play a prank well maybe twice. But he chose not to. No point in risking the trust of the others over something so silly at least not until they had this raid figured out. Chapter 250: Osian Chapter 250: Osian Osian leaned back in the seat of his throne as he waited for his brother to come in to make the report. It was around the time that their scouts and spies had reported that a number of the Kingdom of Cydarias stronger forces would be away in a raid dungeon, one that could take years, if the reports were correct, which, he was sure they were. After waiting for sometime, his brother, Ryven, entered the throne room, alone. His brother was one of the few people Osian trusted with his life. If someone else, he would not hold these meetings alone. Osian stood from his throne and walked down the steps to meet his brother, and soon, they found themselves sitting at a table sipping good wine. So, the reports? King Osian asked. They are true. A small force of elites left for a raid dungeon, one with time dilation. I dont know if it was fortunate or unfortunate, but one of our spies was kicked off the team before they left, his brother explained. Oh? What did they do? It was nothing of his doing, his brother explained. There were some last-minute additions to the time. A few elites, apparently. Then it is a good thing, King Osian said. The more elites that are gone, the better. His brother nodded. I agree. One of those who join at the last minute was the Derek Hunt that Sabrina reported to us. It looks like we wont have to worry about him after all. Thats good. Osian took a sip of the wine before him. What of the other countries? Everything is advancing smoothly, his brother confirmed. It is how we hoped with Vallum. They will not interfere in anything. Astrus has also agreed to our plans. We only await your orders to march. Cydaria will not know what hit them. Very good, Osian said. I am surprised that those Dwarves chose to sit at the side. They have been trading partners with Cydaria for quite some time. They are also trading partners with both Indria and Astrus. They are simply picking the option with the highest chance to succeed, his brother explained. It still leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth to fight alongside Astrus. They are no better than those from Cydaria, the King said. If anything, there are more of those like Gerald Torith in Astrus than there are in Cydaria. It is something we must do. Astrus is always looking for a reason to go to war with Cydaria. Once Cydaria is taken care of, we can turn our sights on Astrus. Though, I suspect they plan on doing the same to us, the duke replied. Well, Ryven that will be left for you to deal with once the war is over. You will be in charge of everything on the battlefield. I understand, the kings brother nodded gravely. I will see to it that our forces are more preserved than those of Astrus. It shouldnt be too hard to control the bunch. They are itching for a fight. It wont take much prodding to get them to lead the charge. We are searching, but we do not want to give ourselves away. The group was too high a level to follow, but we know which outpost they teleported to from the capital, so it should be in that area, his brother agreed. Good good. If we cant locate it before the invasion, that is fine, as well. There will be plenty of time to gather the information once we take control of Cydaria. My thoughts exactly, Ryven said. Now, what do we know about this auction in Savannah so many have heard about? It must not be private, as everyone seems to know of it, King Osian asked. As you already know, it was an auction thrown by the Crown Restaurant. Particularly, one organized by Alanah Swan, herself, and hosted by Stella Brighton, who you would know as Alanahs right-hand woman, Ryven began to explain. And what exactly was so different with this auction than any of the previous ones hosted by the Crown? From the reports we have gathered, there were quite a few spectacles that day. First, the Crown Restaurant sold items never before seen. Not only were there meals made with Void Beasts, but there were potions that gave permanent stat boosts. There were also elixirs that increased the users Vitality stat. Of course, those elixirs were bought by King Edwin at great cost. That the king started, but he couldnt find the words. More than ever, they needed to make sure not to do anything to outright offend Alanah Swan. If she has the method and means to create such products, then Osian could only shake his head. The invasion was more important, but they would do everything they could to stay on good terms with the Crown. She was half-elf, at least. Maybe that would play a part in them gaining her favor. Exactly. That is why I believe that, while Natalie Savannah is most definitely worrisome, Alanah Swan should be a priority. I agree, King Osian said. What were the other matters? The main one has to do with that Derek Hunt once again. Ryven started. Oh? What is it this time? Why does his name keep popping up so suddenly? I hadnt even heard of him before Sabrina came back. Now I hear it constantly. Osian asked his brother. As far as I can tell, he just came out of nowhere. His first accounting is of him dropping off a Void Beast at a Crown Restaurant in one of Cydarias sub-cities. Then, from there, he just kept appearing in important matters. His relationship with Alanah Swan is not simple, and it also seems like he has some sort of relationship with King Edwin. Though I do not know what kind. What do you mean? Well, during the auction, Mr. Hunt was able to speak to the king and have the man release someone from a soul contract. The king apparently didnt look too happy about it, but he did it anyway. Also, Mr. Hunt never seems to bow to anyone, not even the king, Ryven explained. Interesting very interesting. Make a note to find out more about the man. Who are his allies? Who are his enemies? Ryven nodded. I am already on it. He is most likely the supplier of the Void Beast products auctioned off by the Crown. Then I leave it all to you. Chapter 251: The Void Emporium Chapter 251: The Void Emporium Natalie watched as the woman disappeared through the halls of her manor. The lady had brought her a very interesting, very profitable opportunity, all because of the short talk Natalie had with Derek Hunt before he left for the raid. She was doing her best to wrap her head around the new contract she had just signed. It was so good that she jumped at the opportunity. Apparently, it mirrored the contract that Derek Hunt had signed with Alanah for the new potion he and Roman Pascal produced. Now, however, Natalie had sole rights to sell the newly created potion. A potion that would permanently increase ones mental stats. As there were no ways other than special dungeon rewards to obtain such an item to increase ones Wisdom, it would be highly sought after. It would likely be just as wanted as the other potion that increased Vitality as well as the other physical stats. Natalie was delighted as she examined the vial containing the magical liquid. It constantly changed from transparent to a solid color, then back again. The potion she was given as a sample was made from one of the weaker Void Beasts, as Mr. Pascal was still perfecting its craft, but she was promised that other, stronger potions would come soon. For that, she couldnt wait. Natalie didnt need to use auctions to show her power and status. She had a list of preferred buyers, and she would likely get much more for the potions than that Alanah had at her auction. Natalie could practically see the gold coins raining down on her. Soon, the petite woman stored the potion and took out another item that the woman called Malorie had left with her. It wasnt much, just an odd blueprint connected to Geoffrey Tate and Derek Hunt. Apparently, they had created some device for bathing, and Malorie had talked with Geoffrey about letting Natalie in on the product in order to expand their possibilities. Natalie had to admit that the shower product was genius in its simple design. She especially liked the portable design for travelers and adventurers. Though, they would have to find a way to prevent knockoffs and also make it so the shower wasnt easily fixed, and lost durability with use. They would need to make it have a limited number of uses. That way, they could keep selling it. If everyone bought one, and it never broke, what use would that be? They were truly lacking business sense, but thats what she was for. And now that she was a partner in the business, she wouldnt allow Dereks people to wander around blindly. In fact, she would whip that Malorie into shape before Derek got back from the raid. It was the least she could do for someone who had been so quick and true to his word. She respected that. A gleam fell over Natalies eyes as she thought about training someone in the way of business. It had been far too long since she had done so. The next three years would be so much fun. Finally, the woman stored the blueprint back inside her storage ring and took a final sip of her coffee, which she found she enjoyed with just a touch of honey, but she also like it black. She sighed and sat her empty cup back on the table before hopping out of the chair and walking away. She was on the verge of getting some good information out of Gerald Torith. She just knew it. The half-elf didnt know much of anything, and the brute from House Aarden was just that, a brute. She had wasted her time on the other two. She should have spent it all on breaking through the old mans barriers. Instead, she thought she may get a good starting point from the other two captives, but she was wrong, unfortunately. She would talk to Alanah soon about what to do with them. Her job with the two was over. It would be up to that woman now. Cliff Aarden had done some terrible things, maybe not enough for Alanahs mind trap, but she had to admit, he would make a great Deathsworn.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com Natalie really did hate having to do all this interrogating. It was taxing on her mentally, and because of the time it took her to recover, her work piled up and she was slowly falling behind, which had left her in a constant state of tiredness. Before she exited her courtyard, she had a bout of inspiration and took the Potion of Mental Permanence back out of her storage ring. With a single motion, she popped the cork and downed the liquid. If the potion increased the mental stats permanently, then maybe it would work on her mental fatigue, as well. At least you didnt sign it before letting me look it over, the contract maker said. Does that mean you found something wrong with it? Malorie sat forward with wide eyes. I looked it over multiple times, but I didnt see anything. What is it? This. Rudy slammed his index finger down on the contract. Will give me a good amount of experience and skill even if I wasnt the person to draw it up. Just imagine all that wasted experience if you would have signed it there. We got lucky. Malorie leaned back in her chair and rolled her eyes. Of course, he was worried about himself and not about the contract. So, theres nothing wrong with the contract? No. He injected a bit of mana into the contract before sliding it back over to Malorie. Its a good contract. The City Lord even allowed it to be more favorable than the one we signed with the Crown. Though I believe those two have some type of hidden rivalry, so I wouldnt think much of it. What was that? she asked about the mana injection. She already knew from Derek that Natalie and Alanah had a habit of one-upmanship with each other. Just marking it with my mana to show that I was a part of the process. Of course So have you thought about a name? Youre going to need that to complete it, as it is for the business, not just the person, Rudy informed. Derek seemed to like things being somewhat simple, but with the magical setting created by the material used to make the shop, and his reputation, I was thinking of something wondrous. Rudy nodded. I have an idea if you dont. Oh? What are you thinking? First, how many people know that Derek uses Void? He took all the restrictions off of us before he left, so he shouldnt be that worried anymore, right? Rudy asked. Malorie frowned. Im sure many rumors have already spread, and he is already connected to the Void Beast, plus, we have connections with the Crown, the Royals, and Natalie Savannah, so even if people found out she trailed off. Thats what I was thinking, Rudy said. How about we call it The Void Emporium? We can just use it for the private contracts and wait for Derek to come back before we advertise the name. Besides, unless Brandi has a breakthrough, we wont be doing business out of the shop any time soon. Malorie thought about it before agreeing. Finally, she signed the contract with her mana signature and filled in the business name. For now, the business would be called The Void Emporium. Chapter 252: No Free Meals Chapter 252: No Free Meals While everyone was inside the Time Prison, Derek walked over to the trial orbs. There wasnt much he could do at the moment. He didnt have a craft like others, and its not like there were any television or novels for him to read. Though, I never did search any libraries. Maybe I should have. He thought. No, he was stuck waiting for everyone to finish the trial. Maybe I should volunteer for the remaining trials. I can say that since I have the Time Prison, and Im neigh invulnerable, it would be safe for whoever goes into a trial with me. Soon, he shook his head at the thought. Hed seen how some of the others reacted when they werent allowed to enter the first trial. How would they react if he entered all the rest of them? Finally, Derek sat in his most used meditative position and closed his eyes. If nothing else, he was sure he had more experience passing time by meditating than anyone else in the raid, and probably anyone else on the entire planet. He soon closed his eyes and slipped into Greater Meditation. He kept his Void Sense active and made sure he still had plenty of awareness of his surroundings, but like this, he was able to make time pass in a blink of an eye. It wasnt long before he was broken out of his trance by a notification. What if the ten people who went in had wiped? Was the difficulty much harder than expected? He quickly examined the notification and breathed a sigh of relief before a strange smile appeared on his face. A contract with Natalie Savannah including Roman Pascal and Geoffrey Tate has been formed through proxy Malorie Fields and the entity Unknown. See proxy for contract details. I wonder what they named the entity? Obviously, entity was talking about the name of the business, whatever Malorie had chosen to name it. Unfortunately, it seemed that the actual details of the contract was cut of from him while he was in the dungeon, and he could only see those who had entered into it.Malorie hadnt taken her job lightly, as she had already set up a contract with Natalie. Derek was impressed. Finally, he read over the summary of the contract to learn the details. Wow. Not only did she get Roman to go along with the potion contract, but she even got Geoffrey to agree to a deal. With Natalie supporting the new showers, I dont have to worry about any of it. Way to go, Mal! He knew he was making a good decision when he chose Malorie to be the manager of his business. She would go far. Derek then exited the notifications and slipped back into Greater Meditation for a bit longer before he was once again interrupted. This time, it wasnt a notification that interrupted him, but a bored Edgar looking for something to do. Lets spar. Was the first thing the prince said after making his approach. Im sick of cards. Why dont you try meditating? Derek asked. Its a great skill to improve. It has unimaginable benefits. You think I dont know that? Edgar chided. Of course I know the benefits of Meditation. But my skill leveling speed is atrocious since becoming level 250. Meditation already leveled slowly. Now I dont know if Ill ever get another level in it. Sure you will. Just need to use it a bit differently than usual, Derek said with a smile. Just jump into a beast horde, sit down, and meditate. Easy. Everything levels up easier when youre under stress. Sounds like a really good way to die. Wait, wait, wait! A voice called out, and Derek looked back over at the prison. Avery came running out with the giant-like Tyron following behind. You dont think you two can go have fun and not invite me, do you? he said when he got there. Uhem Tyron cleared his throat. It would also be advantageous if I were to see you fight a bit before making your weapon. Research and all that Im sure thats why you want to come, Derek snorted. Oh well, it doesnt matter. The more the merrier I guess. Lets go. With that, Derek, Edgar, Tyron, Avery, and Jasper all moved past the trial orbs and into the distance at the brisk pace of a sports car from Earth. It was no biggie, being able to run at such speed. If Derek had to guess, he was probably the slowest in an out right sprint between the three of them. He wasnt exactly sure, but he knew Avery could pass him easily, and Edgar most likely had a lot of Dexterity as well, considering the way he wielded his sword. Tyron probably had max Strength and enough Dexterity to support that, so the lumbering giant wouldnt be slow at all. The healer was the only person who Derek was quite sure he could take in a straight up race. The man obviously specced into Intelligence and Wisdom because of his class. They were the two best stats for a healer to focus on. Derek doubted the man had much Strength and Dexterity at all. His theory was proved quickly, as he began to fall behind right off the bat. Healers Tyron chuckled as he lifted the flailing healer over his shoulder and caught back up with the group. Of course, Derek could always enter Void Shift at anytime and move far ahead of anyone here. Well unless one of them had a way to break him out of the shift like Alanah did, which he wouldnt put it past any of them. They were all some of the strongest figures in the kingdom. Heres good, Edgar stopped after a few minutes of running. We shouldnt have to worry about any battling disturbing the trial orbs or the prison back there Edgar then frowned for a second before turning to Derek. How far can you get from the prison before it closes? I never asked. That was a question Derek had never thought about. He never figured he would be away from the prison when it was up, so he never tested it. Uh he muttered. Give me one second. He then quickly used Void Shift and made his way back to the prison. Luckily, when he got there, the prison was still up and showed no signs of going away. At least he was fine at the distance that the spar was going to be away from the prison. Still, just for fair warning, he exited Void Shift and poked his head inside and gave everyone a heads up. Just letting everyone know Im moving away from the prison. I dont think it will be an issue, but if it closes, just know Ill be back to get you out shortly. He wasnt sure everyone heard him, but plenty did by the wide eyes he received. Good enough. He thought as he backed away and turned back to the sparring position. He quickly entered Void Shift once again and made his way back to the others. When he got to them, he canceled the skill and reappeared he had previously been. That skill Edgar frowned. He, of course, recognized it as the skill Derek used to beat him to the fight with Gerald. The prison was fine. It doesnt seem like this is enough distance to do anything to it. Ill have to remember to test it when we are finished here, Derek informed. Are you ready? Me versus Edgar, right? Sounds good to me. Edgar licked his lips in anticipation before looking over at Avery and Tyron. Then the two of you will provide us with some entertainment. There are no free meals. If you are going to watch, youre going to have to participate. Chapter 253: How the Turns have Tabled Chapter 253: How the Turns have Tabled Averys eyes gleamed in excitement as he looked at Tyron, and the smith shrugged. It looked like neither of them had a problem with going after Derek and Edgar. Tyron didnt look too excited, but he agreed nonetheless. Soon, Derek followed Edgar a bit away from the others, so they wouldnt get caught up in anything. Of course, Jasper stuck close enough where he could intervene if necessary. There was no point in bringing a healer if you werent going to make use of them, after all. Are you ready? Derek asked Edgar. Hold on, Edgar said. We need to make a few rules first. We dont want to go all out and end up killing each other. Agreed, Derek said. What did you have in mind? First off no using that weird teleporting move of yours. What? Why not? Its a regular part of my moveset, Derek complained. Its odd, and Im afraid Id have to bring out some skills I dont want to use on anyone who is not an enemy to counter it, Edgar explained. Derek thought for a moment before shrugging. Okay, but you cant turn into that ball of lightning. Edgar grinned. That was one of the skills I didnt plan on using, so dont worry. Another rule, if we hit below 30% health, we call out, so the other can stop attacking. 30% seems like a good threshold. Thats fine, Derek said. Anything else? Other than the standard dont aim for vitals, I think thats it. Alright, good, Derek agreed, then stored his shirt in his storage bracelet. There was no sense in ruining a good shirt for a spar, and since Edgar was fast and used lightning, he was sure his clothing was bound to get destroyed. He hesitated before deciding to leave his jeans on. He had given Brandi the task of making something like denim before he left, so hopefully she would have something waiting for him when he got back. Edgar gave him an odd look before shrugging. Okay, well start in five seconds. Edgar flashed away, putting some distance between the two of them. Five four three he counted down and went silent at two. Two one go! Derek finished in his head. At the same time he finished counting, Edgar drew his sword and began walking around Derek. Okay, Im not going to go easy, Edgar said before he released his aura, causing his eyes to turn light blue, and his white hair even took on an electric shimmer. The aura was palpable and pushed into Derek even more than Silvis had. Derek grinned. Two can play that game. He thought as he let the void flow through his body and released his own aura. With his aura on full blast, it pushed any hinderance caused by Edgars aura to the side. As their auras clashed, Dereks came out on top, but not by a high margin. What aura was left was not enough to affect Edgar in any meaningful way. However, that was the last time Derek would let Edgar use that move. The first time was a surprise, and the second was a test to see how much it affected him. There wouldnt be a third. Sure enough, Derek outlasted Edgars assault once again, leading to the prince flashing away and charging yet another lightning bolt. This time, Derek used Absolute Nullify and the wall of void sprang up in between them, shocking everyone. With its damn near magnetic effect on all things magic, Derek wouldnt have to worry about the ability again as long as he stayed close to the wall, which he did. It also seemed like Edgar couldnt move much while charging his skill, so he was stuck shooting it off at the wall of void. When the bolt of lightning hit the wall, the walls energy fluctuated a bit before settling down, like nothing happened. Fucking cockroach! Edgar let out a defeated sigh as he appeared next to Derek once again. You win. I havent even attacked yet, Derek said with a smile. Inwardly, he was relieved. Edgar was the real test of how far he had come. If I ever see that damn lunatic Jace again, Ill leave him beaten in a pool of his own blood for once. Oh, how the turns have tabled. But Im out of Mana and almost out of Stamina and you you dont even have a bruise, Edgar whined. My pants are in pretty rough shape. Derek touched multiple places where his jeans had caught on fire and burned to his skin from Edgars sword. Besides, it would be different if you had gone for my throat or head. I dont think I could have stopped the attack without using my other ability. A win is a win, Edgar said. No vital attacks were part of the rules. If I would have attacked your head or throat, I still would have lost. Now I need to get rid of this damnable mana fatigue. Edgar took a blue potion out of his storage ring and drank it before he and Derek walked over to the audience. I thought youd be a better version of a punching bag than Gerald, but this is much better than that, Avery said once they got close. I want to fight you after the big guy. Edgar plopped down on the ground and began meditating with his eyes open, showing that his skill was very high level. He was already at the point where he could see all of his surroundings while in the trance, which Derek saw as only having a couple levels left in the skill before he could transform it into Greater Meditation. Derek looked at the other two. Well, go ahead, we dont have all day well, we do, but you should still hurry. Shall we do this? Avery asked the blacksmith. Tyron grunted, then began walking out to where Edgar and Dereks battle had taken place. You didnt even use an attack skill, Edgar muttered from his sitting position, clearly agitated enough to break his trance and complain. Derek shrugged. Didnt need to. He laughed. Probably couldnt have hit you with anything even if I did. Not without my other skill. Edgar sighed. 1500 gold on the small one. Hmm Derek looked over at the two. He figured Tyron would be in the same situation as he was against Edgar, but without the regeneration to get through it. Still why not? Ill take that bet. Chapter 254: Planetary Siege Chapter 254: Planetary Siege Jace sat in the briefing room, incredibly annoyed. Hed been promised battle and slaughter, but what he received were lessons about planetary battles and the system. Sure, it was all interesting and would eventually lead to his slaughtering of the beasts that had overrun the planet, but for now, this new Lieutenant Hobbs was slowly working his way up Jaces to kill list. When Jace was unceremoniously booted through the teleporter, he expected to be thrown into battle as soon as he arrived. Instead, he was picked up by Hobbs and forced to undergo planetary education. This included invasions, system tutorials, planetary battles, and other. For the most part, Jace zoned out during most of the explanations. He was a sword; he didnt need all this information. All they had to do was point him in a direction and tell him to kill. Did that make him a dog? He didnt care. Once he slaughtered enough, he would be able to freely move around and slaughter even more. Now slaughter may not be the right word to explain it. While his class was Agent of Slaughter, he didnt actually need slaughter. He was more concerned about satiating his battlelust. Slaughter just happened to be the most convenient way for him to do so. But he didnt have to kill. He would be more than happy with some good fights. Nobody had to die. Well they didnt have to die, but they most likely would. Itd been boring since his good friend disappeared from Earth. At least when Derek was around, he would always have someone to have a good fight with. Sure, the man called him crazy, and acted like he didnt like fighting to the brink of death. But deep inside, Jace knew that Derek Hunt enjoyed it. Why would he have chosen such a class if he didnt like to fight and feel pain? Of course, Jace had hunted the others on Earths leaderboard, but Derek was the only one who stood his ground and had a fight without any interference every time Jace showed up. He was truly a friend. That group of people who had caused his friend to disappear was lucky Jace didnt take his frustrations out on them. His friend seemed to be on good terms with that Silvi girl, so Jace chose to spare them. That bastard in the top spot of the leaderboard, however, was nothing but a bloody coward. He seemed to know every time Jace went to seek him out, and would disappear. The others either werent strong enough and would set ambushes or would try to escape before he arrived. Thats why when he was offered this opportunity off planet, he took it. Still, Jace had heard through that bastard Kelvin that Derek was alive, out in the universe somewhere. Jace just knew his friend was out living life and fighting to his hearts content. He knew Derek was growing stronger and stronger, so Jace would have to do the same. Thats why he chose to listen to Hobbs when he finally began his explanation of planetary battles. Now that you know about all of that, including the tutorial, its time to talk about the different planetary battles and sieges, Lieutenant Hobbs said. Of course, if the lieutenant knew that Jace hadnt been listening much up to this point, he would probably blow a gasket. According to the lieutenant, he was doing it for Jaces own sake, as it was his first time on a real mission. Considering that there were no others in the briefing room, he was the only new person here. Which made sense, as this was not a low-level planetary battle. Jace perked his ears up in anticipation for the first time in the lesson. If Hobbs was finally talking about planetary battles, then his own battles were drawing near. Once the man finished this less, Jace would be free to satiate his battlelust. There are a handful of outcomes that a planet may face at the end of the introductory phase of the system, also known as the tutorial, Hobbs explained. The two most common outcomes are either the local intelligent species on the planet grow powerful enough through the tutorial boosts to claim and protect their planet, or other, appropriate leveled system users, who you know as invaders, take charge of the planet and make it part of their territory. Only a lieutenant or higher ranked officer can remove this from you, Hobbs said. What if I see someone who is not wearing one of these bracelets? Jace asked. It is slim, but there is a chance that a few natives survived the beasts until now. Always err on the side of caution. You will be rewarded if you lead any natives back to the base. Unlikely. Jace thought, but outwardly, he nodded. Okay. Can we get going now? Youre going to be just as troublesome as the commander said you would be, arent you? Lieutenant Hobbs let out a sigh. Other than our people, you dont have to hold back. You are free to go wherever you want. Any high valuable material collected while you are out must be turned in upon arrival at the base. You will be searched. There will also be rewards based on any material you bring back. So, if I find anything usable, its best if I use it right away instead of bringing it back. Got it. Jace inwardly thought before he looked pointedly at the lieutenant. Fine, fine. Follow me. Hobbs moved over to the door to the briefing room, then walked out with Jace following along. The bracelet is also a communications device. If you run into any trouble, inject your mana into it to activate it. A screen will come up. If there is immediate danger, push the emergency button at the bottom right of the screen. You can figure the rest out on your own. Got it, Jace answered while shifting back and forth. He needed battle, and he needed it now. The lieutenant tapped his own bracelet and moved some things back and forth before Jace felt his own new bracelet release a pulse into his arm. Ive sent your device a map of the area. You can see the full map of the planet from the scans we took before arriving. The clear parts are fully explored areas, and the gray parts are unexplored. If youre looking for a fight, the unexplored areas are where to look, the man explained. Jace fiddled with the new bracelet until he found the way to the map. It was just like the old video games he played as a kid. There was a fog over unexplored areas, though he could still see the terrain, and anything else that had been visible from the scan. With that, Lieutenant Hobbs gestured around them. Youre free to do as you wish. You can head to the barracks and look for a team, or to the shops for some extra gear or potions. Or, you can just go solo. Youre free. Dont get yourself killed or do Id probably get a raise if you do. Hobbs smiled and turned back to walk away. Jace watched the mans back for a moment as he left, then he looked at his map once again. It seemed like the area to the east had yet to be cleared out yet, so he would be the one to do it. He looked over at the temporary buildings that were the barracks, then at the temporary town center that had a system hub and multiple soldiers peddling their wares. He rolled his eyes and turned to the east. There was a battle to be had. Chapter 255: Jace II Chapter 255: Jace II Some time later, Jace viewed his map again. He had finally entered unexplored territory well, unexplored by anyone else who had come here. He had received a ton of looks from people who saw him venturing out alone. He only snorted and continued along the way. People who didnt want to become strong werent worth his time. Soon, he entered a forest, and he was far enough from any civilization that he could almost feel the beasts drawing close. His heart beat harder and harder, and his uncontrolled aura began to manifest on and around him. It was pure adrenaline, one of the best feelings in the universe. He would always get reprimanded for not controlling his aura, but he didnt care. The main reason for a hunter to control their aura was to set up an ambush, and ambushes were for cowards. He liked to fight head on. Plus, he could control it just fine. He just chose not to. It did the job of scaring away anything that wasnt worth his time fighting, leaving only the fun beasts and users. When he finally heard the first roar, he smiled a deadly smile and his aura congealed into almost a red mist. His irises were already blood red, but soon, the whites of his eyes shifted to the same color. Jace thought he looked rather cool in this form-others called him a demon. Well, he didnt mind. Jace brought his arms out to the side and summoned his weapons from his bracelet. Hed yet to see another prefer his weapon of choice, but to him, nothing could beat them. In each hand, a custom made kukri appeared. His kukri were slightly longer by a few inches than the typical kukri. The machetes were curved and notched in the back side in case he needed to use it for something other than killing. The notched also worked quite well for parrying other blades. Hed been asked why he didnt just opt for daggers or short swords, but something about how his kukri felt when cutting into flesh had kept him from switching. It was an almost euphoric feeling. With both weapons summoned, Jace glared ahead and waited for the attack. In seconds, three black flashes appeared in the corner of his eyes before turning solid. He didnt bother to Identify the beasts; they were already too close for that. However, they reminded him of extra large panthers. Each of the beasts was at least as tall as he was. They were the size of horses. Each tooth he saw from the snarling form of the panther was razor sharp, and their fur stood almost like needles. Their eyes were green with diamond shaped iris, and saliva dripped from their maws. Jace licked his lips in anticipation as the panthers stalked closer, sizing up their prey. Finally, the lead panther pounced. Jace sidestepped and turned his right wrist before swiping vertically. The razor sharp claw of the panther just caught his cheek and left a gash, but the panther was much worse off. His kukri caught the panther mid leap and gutted it from groin to sternum. Its innards hit the ground before its body, and it collapsed in a heap, not moving. The first panther was dead. A burst of energy rushed into his body and the wound on his face began healing at a visible pace. His passive skill, Slaughterer, had activated, increasing his regeneration and fighting abilities for some time after each kill. The other two beasts didnt take kindly to their apparent leader being gutted and pounced at the same time. Jace welcomed the challenge. His smile grew even wider, and he licked his lips once again, this time tasting iron from the blood that had dripped down his cheek before his wound had healed. Jace was soon fighting panthers at level 200 plus. They still came in groups of three, but even with his pattern recognition and familiarity with the beasts, their crazy stats made it hard for him. They were the perfect opponents. Ones where he was constantly threading the needle between life and death. These were the types of battles where he grew stronger. Battles where he was able to push his skills to the max, and then some. These battles were the ones he wanted when he agreed to join in under Kelvin, and the ones he would seek out once the man no longer held any power over him. Jaces blood-red eyes gleamed as he thrust his left arm into the maw of an overly powerful panther. It was a near suicidal move, one where he could easily lose his arm, but with a quick flick of his wrist, the blade of his kukri appeared from in between the panthers eyes, causing instant death. He didnt come out unscathed, though, as he quickly let go of the machete and kicked the ground, moving out of the way of another beast. When he got a good look at his arm, he found a mangled limb. It had been cut up badly by the razor-sharp teeth of the beast when it entered its mouth. Still, it was worth it. His arm may have been near unusable now, but he had also rid himself of the most powerful beast in the group. The remaining two were smaller and weaker, and he had already hunted enough of them at their strength to know that he wouldnt have much of a problem dealing with two, even if he fought one armed. Those thoughts ended up correct as he flipped over the first one to charge, his left arm dangling uselessly, and landed kukri first into the second remaining panther while they were still stunned by the death of their leader. Half the panthers face slid off as the kukri cut clean through it. Another rush of energy entered Jaces body, and he even began to get feeling back in his mangled arm, which wasnt ideal, because with the feeling came an intense pain. But he could handle pain. Jace grit his teeth and fought the final remaining panther until only he remained. Overall, he would give the fight a high grade. It was fun, and he had even leveled up a couple of his already high-level skills in the process. It was also the closest he had been to being critically injured in some time, which he cherished. Still, he was no fool, and he was bleeding heavily. For the first time since beginning his hunt, he brought out one of his expensive healing potions and chugged it. His already visible regeneration speed from his passive skill increased and his arm was soon in fighting condition. Sure, everything would have healed just fine on its own without the potion, but he was deep within enemy territory and wasnt sure he could handle another group of panthers at the same level as the previous one in his condition. Plus, he was bleeding pretty heavily, which would attract beasts even better than releasing his aura. Who knew how far away the panthers could smell blood from? While he was healing up, he retrieved his second kukri from inside the leader or alpha of the group. He wasnt quite sure what to call it. He cleaned it off on some nearby grass before sheathing in on his hip once again. Then he took his other kukri and began the arduous task of dismantling corpses once again. With that finished, he waited to heal back up and continue on his journey. He didnt plan on going back to the encampment until he hit level 200. Especially not with all the fun to be had. Chapter 256: Avery vs. Tyron Chapter 256: Avery vs. Tyron Avery and Tyron squared off in the same area where Edgar and Derek had sparred. Much of the ground was destroyed-a good portion of what grass there was had been singed by the lighting that had radiated out from Edgar or had been loosed from his attacks. There was also a small portion of the ground covered in blood from some of the cuts Derek took that hadnt immediately been cauterized or healed on the spot. The two fighters stared intensely at one another, neither wanting to make the first move. Finally, Tyron grinned. Come on, little man. I dont have all day for this. I need to get back to my work. Avery flashed the giant of a man a smile, then kicked back off the ground, creating more distance between the two of them. Lets see how you defend this. With a flick of his wrist, his bow appeared in his hand, followed by an arrow coated in a grayish aura. Are you sure you want to bet on the big one? Edgar asked from beside Derek, obviously recovered enough not to need to focus on Meditation any longer. Derek shrugged. Its only 1,500 gold. Plus, I think well be in for a surprise. Nobody really seems to know all that much about Tyrons fighting style. Just that he completes dungeons solo with no problem for materials. At least from what Ive heard about him. True enough, Edgar said, then they both focused their attention back on the two others. Jasper was still around, just in case something went wrong. Avery loosed his first aura infused arrow from a distance. The arrow raced rapidly toward Tyron. Tyron, however, didnt move. Instead, his own aura exploded out. It was a dark metallic color, Derek didnt recognize it. He looked questionably over at Edgar. Metal, Edgar answered. He is The Walking Forge Derek nodded and said nothing. Instantly, the aura covered the giant of a man before forming into a sort of flowing steel armor around him, leaving only a few parts on his face uncovered. He looked like a walking tank. No wonder he can solo dungeons by himself. With such defenses Derek couldnt help but think. Just as the armor appeared, the first arrow arrived. With a resonating clang, the arrow struck the chest of Tyron before falling harmlessly to the ground. The area where the arrow hit stopped flowing for a moment, causing a disruption in the armors pattern before the flow continued. It was like a self-healing flowing armor. Avery clicked his tongue and summoned multiple arrows, firing them one after another. Each flew from his bow with impeccable accuracy, hitting the same point on Tyrons armor. With each collision from the arrows, the armor was disrupted further and further. Soon, the eighth arrow landed, and a hole finally opened up in the armor. Tyron wasnt a slouch, though. Before the next arrow arrived, his forearm moved in front of the hole, deflecting the next arrow and allowing his armor to heal once again. Thats got to cost an arm and a leg to maintain, Derek thought out loud. He saw the power contained in those arrows, and while nowhere close to the energy in the lighting used by Edgars skill, it was fierce. Adding on the fact that multiple arrows of the same caliber landed within seconds of each other, and he knew it was a deadly skill. If it was even a skill to begin with. For all he knew, Avery was just channeling his aura into his arrows before firing them. Which would be sort of like his own Channel Void skill. Yet, it took multiple arrows to create a chink in the armor that was then easily repaired after a few seconds. Derek wondered what kind of offense Tyron would have after displaying such defense. Luckily, he didnt have to wait for long. I figured that would happen, Avery said before putting his bow away and drawing his daggers. Derek flicked his wrist and one of the lesser Void Beast meals he still had on him appeared in his hand before he handed it over to Edgar. It was worth well over 1500 gold, but he wasnt taking much of a loss. Besides, he didnt actually have 1500 gold on him at the moment, and he didnt feel like messing with the card he received from the bank while in a dungeon if it could even be used in a dungeon. Seriously? Edgar asked, but had already grabbed the meal from Derek before he even had a chance to respond. Derek snorted and shrugged as he watched the two fighters make their way back over to them. That was fun, Avery said. We should do it again, sometime. Hmm Tyron scoffed. Youre lucky Im more of a crafter than a fighter. That, Derek pointed out. Is what you call being more of a crafter than a fighter? Tyron shrugged. Most of my skillset is skewed toward crafting. I wouldnt have it any other way. What about all the solo dungeons you clear? Derek asked. I choose them carefully, of course. That seemed to make a lot of sense to Derek. If the man had the Solo Diver Award, it wouldnt be a stretch that he also had the Repetitive Dungeoneer Award. In fact, it would make even more sense for the blacksmith to have such an Award. The dungeons he runs may give materials as rewards, and the Repetitive Dungeoneer Award would allow him to have chances to receive the rewards multiple times. Hell, He may even have the Award at a higher rank than Dereks own. That was fun and all, Jasper cut in. But can we get back now? Derek really didnt have anything to add. He had gotten to see everyones fighting style, and was even more impressed than he thought he would be. Especially by Avery. He was very calm the entire fight, even with the surprise skills that Tyron showed. Speaking of the smith, he would be a fantastic addition to any fight with multiple enemies. Not only was he able to change the battleground for his own benefit, the sparks constantly shot out and the lava continued to flow. It would be devastating to big groups. When they arrived back at camp, Derek wasnt surprised to see everyone waiting around outside of his Time Prison. The quick little announcement he made before he went back to spar, was more than enough to scare them out. He inwardly laughed as their eyes fell over his small group. At least I know that the range on the skill is at least as far as the distance from here to the sparring ground. He thought. Still, Derek could see the boredom radiating from the group. It hadnt even been that long, but this group of elites had come to the dungeon expecting constant fighting. At least, he knew he sure did. But now, they were to sit on their hands and wait for the other group to get back before they had a chance to do something. It may only be a few days now, but if the dungeon lasted for months like expected, it could get rough. Not everyone had been trapped in the void and cultivated their patience as much as him. All of this gave him an idea. He looked over at Edgar, Avery, and Tyron. Avery and Tyron were both well respected, and Edgar was the leader of the raid. He smiled. Do you trust me? Chapter 257: Trust Me Chapter 257: Trust Me Do we trust you? Edgar repeated Dereks question. Yes, do you trust me? Derek asked once more. Edgar shrugged. I trust you well enough to invite you to this raid with me. It takes a lot of trust to leave my back to someone he said. Mistress Swan trusts you, therefore I have no reason not to, Avery spoke up. They were around a bunch of people, elites even, so he made sure to use honorifics for Alanah, even though they were not needed. You need a weapon, and Im the one who has to make it. Tyron smiled. I doubt you would do anything to jeopardize that. Why do you ask? Well I have an idea that you all may like. Derek then proceeded to tell them all about what he wanted to do. He wanted to send everyone but himself into the Time Prison, then close the door. He would then adjust the time on the inside so it would pass slower than on the outside. That way, they would only be inside for minutes or hours, even if the ones inside the trials were gone for days. It would solve the problem of people getting antsy, and should prevent any other problems that could arise otherwise. And he would at least feel useful. Plus, there was another thing he was thinking about, but he didnt say it to the others. He wanted to know what a few days with such high-level people inside his prison would do for the skill. If its leveling speed would increase even though they werent locked inside the cells. It was another good experiment for him to run. The only thing was that it would be up to the others to accept or not. That is why he told Edgar and the others first, before tossing the idea to the rest of the party. It would be up to those three to convince everyone else. As it turned out, Edgar was very much on board with the idea, and Avery was indifferent. Tyron was the only person who didnt want to do it. Well, he didnt think it was a bad idea. He just wanted to spend the time crafting instead. He didnt want to waste time like that when he could be improving his craft and creating useful things. Derek could understand where he was coming from, and accepted it. In fact, it was actually perfect. He figured everyone else would be more assured if someone stayed outside with him. It might as well be Tyron. When he suggested that, everyone agreed, and Edgar went off to convince the others. There were surprisingly few complaints. They were all just curious. Most people wanted to get the raid over with, or at least get their own turn inside one of the rewarding trials as quick as possible. They had all already seen the inside of the prison, and it was well equipped for comfortable living. Besides, one could only play cards for so long before getting bored, and Derek didnt want to bring out his alcohol just yet. The hardest thing for them to accept was that they wouldnt be able to access any of their abilities once the door closed. However, Edgar made a show of it to allow Derek to shut him inside, then came out and explained everything that happened. After that, a few people at a time went inside to experience it before they agreed that it wasnt too bad. With that, it was settled. Everyone except for Derek and Tyron would go inside the Time Prison to pass the time. It may not actually decrease the time they would spend in the dungeon, but it would feel that way to them. Derek went inside and made sure everything was perfectly set up before going back out. Then everyone else went in. He made sure everyone was okay with it one last time before shutting the door. Then he made sure to adjust the time before pulling the void shut. Luckily, once she learned enough Runesmithing, she went around and meticulously reinforced her entire basement with fortification runes. At first, she thought it was overkill, but she still did it because it helped raise her skill levels. Now she was glad she took the time to do it. Still, even with the slight injuries, her Greater Meditation skill being at level five was more than enough to cope with them. She only wished the skill regenerated her hair and eyebrows as well. She would have to ask her mom to look for some kind of skill that would help with that. She would surely help, too what mother would want to walk around a city like Savannah with a bald and eyebrowless daughter? Brandi chuckled at the thought. She honestly didnt mind, as it was even easier to craft when her hair wasnt there to get in the way. Plus, she preferred to stay in and work on her smithing, alchemy, or Runesmithing than going out with others. Speaking of Smithing, Alchemy, and Runesmithing, those were the three crafts she had worked on the most and enjoyed the most. She thought Leatherworking would be her favorite, as it was the first craft she had taken up, but it turned out that she was wrong. She still enjoyed it, but she preferred the others. Her favorite was Smithing and working with different metals and materials. Runesmithing was the perfect support skill for Smithing, so she made sure to focus as much as needed to keep the craft on par with her others. Alchemy had turned into somewhat of a refreshing distraction when she needed to think. It was just fun. It allowed her brain to reset. She found if she focused too much on one craft, she would eventually hit a wall. However, she also found that if she changed craft after hitting the bottleneck, it would be much easier to come back later and break through. She had also focused some of her time on her Brewing skills, as she wanted to surprise Derek when he got back. Though she didnt particularly enjoy it, and it was hard for her to know if what she brewed was good or not. It all tasted bad to her, and she had gotten into trouble when she showed her mom. Still, she found that it mixed with Alchemy almost as well as Runesmithing mixed with Smithing. So that was something to look forward to. Even so, Smithing was her go to craft. Which led to her snapping out of her thoughts and looking once again at the precious sword she held in her hands. It wasnt the best looking sword by far, and she had only come up with the idea on a whim after hearing Rayna talk about how much mana some of her skills cost. In fact, the sword was quite terrible looking. The edges werent sharp, hell; they werent even that even. But she didnt care about any of that. What she was focused on was the mana core situated in the hilt of the sword. To an ordinary person, it would look like a small blue gem in the sword handle. Something that was there only for decoration. But Brandi knew better. She knew the power that rested in the gem. So do did her class. The experience she gained when finally completing her craft had rocketed her level all the way to level 50 and a class upgrade, which she had ignored thus far. She had managed to combine one of the mana cores that Derek had left her into her craft. First, she had to use her Runesmithing to adjust the size of the mana core, which was a pain in itself, then she had to find a way to allow the resized mana core to channel its mana into the sword. It took a lot of Runesmithing research, but after such a long time, she had finally found the correct runes. Then, it was just a matter of adjusting everything ever so slightly to increase the stability. But, after weeks of grueling work, she had done it. She only needed someone with an affinity for the water element to test it. If her theory was correct, they could charge the mana core. Then, when in battle, if they activated their water-based skill while using the sword, it would pull mana from the core instead of the person. Luckily, she knew just the person to test it. Chapter 258: All Smith Chapter 258: All Smith Of course, the person Brandi had in mind to test her new invention wasnt around yet. They were still out with Rayna, Jacks, and Stella. In the months that Derek had been gone, Stella had joined the hunting group with Rayna and Jacks. Jake, Jackss son, also joined them later on, then they ended up picking up Jensen, Walters son. They had a full five-man team now, and could run even harder dungeons. Though Jensens level was lower than the rest, since he was more of a support healer, he was able to keep up. Their composition wasnt the best, so they still had to be choosy when picking dungeons, and Raynas level still lagged behind the other three as well. But Brandi never heard anyone complaining about that. The man had graduated from the Academy, and chose to take some time off before deciding if he wanted to take a spot in the Kings army or not. It worked out perfect because the man was a water element user, just like his father, which is why he would be the perfect test subject for her new creation. Still, it was possible that she would have enough time to make a wind one for Rayna or a fire one for Jacks or Jake before she met them again. They were always busy with dungeons and beasts, especially since Jake had joined. The young man had become somewhat of a makeshift leader of the temporary team. He had a lot of experience while running dungeons with Edgar, and he knew a lot, even more than his own father. He had stressed the importance of skill level over their actual level, and everyone listened carefully. Though Brandi had also listened to him, it didnt really help in her situation. She gained experience with every craft, so it was hard to limit her experience while increasing her skill gains. Though, she found that working on the high-level mana cores had catapulted her skill levels even with failures. Then again, when she finally had a success, her new level caught back up instantly, and maybe even more so. She would probably even get more levels as soon as she upgraded her class. That was the only thing that had paused her level gains. With that in mind, she looked over her new stats at level 50. Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom 165 185 185 165 165 209 189 189 189 She closed her stats with a thought. She would use the gifts Derek had left with her when she closed in on her next class upgrade. That would be right before she hit the first threshold at 500 points. She wanted to make sure she crossed them all individually, and didnt want to risk a ton of stat points being dumped on her all at once. She would also slow down on her crafting and craft lower experience items as she drew neared to the class upgrade. With any luck, she would be able to stagger them all out. With that, she put her head down and began working on another mana core empowered weapon. She pulled out an earth core and got busy. She still wasnt planning on working on the wind core for Rayna or the fire core for Jacks and Jake until she was certain of success. She had already learned that lesson the hard way. Another week passed as she perfected her technique to craft the mana core powered weapons. Raynas team was scheduled to come back today, and she had finally made a decent wind empowered sword. She had also failed to hide her new style from her mom for long, as she had made Brandi take off the cloth and goggles she was wearing one night while they were eating dinner. It wasnt a fun experience the moment it happened, but the look on her moms face was something she could already look back on and laugh at. Another event was happening as well. It was time for Thomas to move on to the Academy. He was leaving the next day. Jake and Jensen, as Academy graduates, had actually offered to take him to the Academy and get him enrolled. It was much appreciated by everyone. For Brandis part, she had painstakingly crafted him another set of leather armor, this one much better than the last. The armor still looked basic, but it was durable enough to provide defense against creatures and beasts in the mid-90s. Her skills made it where she could craft items of a much higher level than herself. Speaking of level, she had gained another four over the course of the week. Using the mana cores provided her with tons of experience and skill gain, even if it was much less than she got the first time she successfully crafted the weapon. Still, she was a little sad to see him go. He was her best friend, even if they didnt see each other as often as before. He was constantly training with his spear and she was always crafting. Her thoughts became gloomy as she thought about the emptiness of the building once Thomas left. With Rayna and the others always going out, and now Thomas leaving, it would only be Brandi, her mom, Rudy, and Silvi left in the building. And Rudy was always so busy that he barely had time to eat anymore at least from what Brandi saw when she remembered about food or her mom dragged her upstairs to eat. She wasnt sad for herself, but for her mother. At least she also kept busy with running everything after Derek left, so there was that. Brandi came back from her thoughts and picked up the wind empowered blade that lay on her crafting table. This blade was nice. She had actually focused on making a top quality sword along with the mana core this time, and it showed. The sword handle was made out level 130 Spiker Boar tusk, and the blade was made with a high mana conductivity ore called Melcium Ore. There were other materials, but those were the two most important. Both materials were chosen for their high conductivity properties. They meshed well with the mana cores. In the handle, the small greenish blue gem sat in place. Intricate carvings ran from around the core and were etched deep into the handle and blade. These were the runes she had worked so hard on perfecting. The runes, that with one small error, could evaporite an unsuspecting girls eyebrows. In her later creations, she planned to find elemental based material to go with the mana cores as well. She was sure the effect of the core on a blade with the affinity of the corresponding element would be even better. Finally, she heard the door to the basement creek open and watched as her mother slowly and carefully crept down the stairs. When her mom saw that she wasnt in the middle of anything, her speed increased and she soon stood before her. You wanted to know when everyone got back her mother said. They are all here. Silvi just made dinner, you should join us. Okay! Brandi smiled and put her new weapon inside her storage ring before following her mother up the stairs. Her mom was the best. She understood everything she needed, and didnt smother her, even if she was overprotective sometimes. Chapter 259: Weapon Testing Chapter 259: Weapon Testing The dining room was lively for the first time in some time. Along with Silvi, Rudy, Thomas, herself, and her mother, they were joined by Jacks, Jensen, Rayna, and Jake. Unfortunately, Stella had quite a bit of stuff to take care of at the Crown, so she wasnt able to join. For the first time in a while, Brandi was entirely present in the moment. She didnt have any projects in progress that she needed to focus on, and she had completed the project shed been spending most of her time on. Like her mother kept telling her, it was good to take a break every now and then. Brandi and everyone else ate another fantastic meal cooked by Silvi. She had to hand it to the bunny; she was getting better and better. Nothing Silvi made tasted bad. She was a natural talent when it came to cooking. After dinner, her mother, Malorie, took all the dishes and put them away somewhere in the kitchen. Either she or Silvi would use Cleaning on them later. Now that everyone was finished eating, it was time for her to give out her own gifts. First was Thomas. Since youre enrolling in the Academy tomorrow, I made you something. Brandi blushed as she placed each piece of the leather armor on the table. Its not the best, but it should be good for you for a while. By the time its not good enough, I should be able to make even better things. You can always bring it back so I can adjust it as you grow. Thomass eyes widened, and he reached over the table and grabbed the chest piece, pulling it in close and examining it. The others at the table were looking intently at the armor, as well, most likely using various skills like Identify to learn about the armor. Good armor, Jacks said. It will suit him well. Everyone else nodded in agreement. It doesnt look like much from the outside, Jake said as he turned one of the bracers over in his hands. But it is actually very high quality. I may have to put in a commission with you soon. With the support of Alanah and Natalie, Brandi had been a bit more open about her class. Nobody other than Derek knew the specifics, not even her own mother, but she felt that she could trust everyone at the table. Of course, the most they knew was that she was a Blacksmith who had some insights into Alchemy, which, while rare, wasnt too unheard of. Brandi smiled at the compliment. It shouldnt be too long before I can make some things suitable for everyone, she began. In fact, I have a couple of new creations that I would like some help with. If its not too late, I would like to rent one of the Adventurers Guilds training rooms, if you dont mind. She had made her decision. The best place to test the weapons was one of the training rooms at the guild. Not only would the rooms surely be able to handle it if something went wrong, but there would be more healers other than Jensen around if something bad happened. Now Im interested, Rayna said. An hour later, Raynas party, Brandi, and Thomas found themselves in a high-quality private training room inside the Adventurers guild. It was one of the more expensive ones, but they didnt need to rent it for a long time just to test her new weapons. Rudy, Malorie, and Silvi had chosen to stay behind at the shop. So, what is it? Rayna asked. Brandi smiled widely before bringing out the first sword. It was the one with the water-based mana core implanted inside. The sword itself left much to be desired, but it was just a prototype, so that didnt matter. Jensen, can you help me with this? Brandi asked as she held out the sword to the water user. That crystal holds wind-based mana. So, when you use a skill, it takes some of the mana out of the crystal to supplement your skill. Though each crystal contains a high amount of mana, it is finite, Brandi explained. Oh so its a consumable weapon? Jacks asked, with a bit of disappointment in his tone. Yes, and no. It can be recharged. You just have to channel your mana into the hilt, and it takes some time to recharge. As long as you charge it up when you arent using it, it will be fine. Oh, thats amazing! Rayna said. Can you make them for each element? No. Brandi shook her head. I can currently only do water, earth, wind, and fire. You can do fire? Jake and Jacks spoke up at the same time. Yes, Brandi said. Though I havent worked much on the fire version yet. She pointed at her eyebrows, which were very thin and only just beginning to grow in again. Water was much less explosive. Everyone had a good laugh at her expense. I bet it was, Jacks said. Anyway, I would appreciate it if you two would keep those and test them in real combat for a while, then report back to me. I need to know what I can improve other than the quality of the sword, and if there are any flaws in the crystals. Like, if it will break after a certain number of charges, or how durable it is. Id be happy to, Rayna said. Jensen also nodded. Great, Brandi said. Ill work on a couple of fire ones next. It would be best to have multiple tests going on at once. After that, I will work on improving my sword crafting. And staff making, she thought secretly. Fantastic, Jacks said. I guess I can count this as a success! Brandi said as she pumped her fist. Ill say, Jacks said. We should be getting back now, though. Thomas has a big day tomorrow. With that, everyone left the Adventurers Guild and headed back. Raynas party would be taking Thomas to the capital city tomorrow, and Thomas needed to get however much sleep he could manage. Chapter 260: Welcome to the Academy Chapter 260: Welcome to the Academy Are you ready, kid? Jake asked Thomas once they were all finished eating breakfast. Thomas well, he was a nervous wreck. He had waited for this day for months, ever since Derek had brought it up to him. So, was he ready? No, he wasnt. But he would go and do whatever he could to not squander this amazing opportunity. Im scared, but its really exciting, Thomas answered. I think I know what to expect, because of the stories Ive heard from you and Jensen, but Im not really like either of you. You just need to find your own way, Jensen said. Im a healer, so it was pretty easy to get along with people, even with the state of my family at the time. Jake well, hes a legend. Yeah, one who spent most of my time alone because everyone was too scared of me. Jake snorted. Anyway, Im sure youll do fine. Ive seen your ability with the spear, and some of your skills. Its great. You have all the qualifications needed to enter the Academy, so theres nothing you need to worry about. Its a time to form connections to like-minded people, Jensen said. That was all true. Not long ago, hed gone out with their group, and they helped him gather the remaining levels he needed to enroll. During that time, he fought as best as he could, and listened to any tips the others had. Jake and Jensen were proper graduates of the Academy, after all. It was surreal being in a party surrounded by people he looked up to. It left him with a sense of what he wanted. He wanted that for himself. A group of people who trusted and relied on one another. They hadnt been together for long, but they meshed so well together. Hopefully, Thomas would be able to find that at the Academy. Or maybe Raynas group would have a spot available for a spearman once he graduated. I imagine this years nobles are going to be even more subdued in the Academy than usual you know, with whats been going on in the kingdom recently, Jake said. Thomas shuddered at that. It started out as a rumor, but was eventually proven true. Multiple noble houses had fallen, some completely wiped out, while others were relegated to a status as bad, if not worse, than the previous House Gracefall. There were also rumors as to why it was happening, but nobody seemed t know for sure. Well, Thomas and those around him knew, as Derek had played a big part in it. City Lord Savannah had been gathering information from that evil man, and the Royal Family had been acting on it. It had calmed down after the initial waves, and like Jake had said, many noble families were acting much more carefully. Nobody wanted to be the noble family that just vanished overnight. Are you ready? We need to leave now if we dont want to miss anything, Jake said. Thomas nodded. Im ready. After that, the three headed downstairs. To Thomass surprise, though he probably shouldnt have been, everyone else was waiting in the lobby for him. Everyone said their goodbyes, and Malorie even teared up and cried a little. Thomas could feel all the love they radiated. Then, out of nowhere, a purple blur flew into his chest, causing all the air to leave his lungs with his gasp. Ugh Thomas heaved. Tell me if anyone causes you problems! The bunny loosed a small amount of her aura. Ill take care of them. Nobody picks on mou er Thomas, but me. Thank you, Silvi, Thomas said as he ran his hand down her fur. Ill be okay. The gates suddenly began to swing open. The first glimpse Thomas got of the Academy was that it was like an entire city. There was a massive building dead center, along with smaller buildings on each side. All of it was surrounded by a behemoth of a courtyard. Everything was meticulously cleaned and nothing was out of order. Amazing, Thomas whispered. Those of you enrolling, please line up single file. Everyone else, this is as far as you go. The same guard as before announced. Everyone quickly shuffled around, Thomas included. Soon, he found himself in the middle of a line that was actually quite shorter than he originally thought. There couldnt be more that forty students. The massive crowd was apparently made up almost entirely of family. Multiple people ran to the line and gave students one last hug or kiss. Many had wet eyes, but all looked very proud. Thomas felt a slight pain in his chest and wished his grandpa and grandma were here to see him off. A young man with gray hair, wearing a red robe, suddenly appeared from beyond the gate. Is this everyone? he asked the guard, who nodded. Very well. He looked at the students. My name is Chandler Thompson. I am the supervisor in charge of this years recruits. You will be under me for your stay at the Academy. Prepare your paperwork and follow me. With that, Chandler led the new students through the gates, which slowly closed behind them. Thomas turned and gave Jake and Jensen one last look. They both nodded at him. He turned back around and followed. Thomas found himself in an enormous lecture hall with his peers. Surrounding them were hundreds of people of different ages. He could only assume they were the current students and instructors of the Academy. Chandler Thompson stood close to his group, but a couple of steps away, showing a clear separation between himself and the new recruits. The hall was rowdy and loud, but soon, silence fell over everyone. If you listened closely, you would be able to hear a feather fall to the floor. Thomas turned his attention to the stage in front and instantly knew what was going on. The Crown Prince, Edward, made his way to center stage. His long flowing silver hair matched the silver and blue plate armor he was currently wearing, along with the crown on his head. Thomas knew Edgar, but had only seen Edward a couple of times. Neither time was he dressed in such an outfit. I am sorry to disappoint you all, as my father will not be able to give the new student address this year. Therefore, as commander of the kingdoms army, the task falls to me, Edward began. Thats why hes dressed the way he is. Hes here as the commander. Thomas thought. It all made more sense now. Im not much for big speeches. Just know this. The kingdom is watching you. If you are one of those who makes it all the way through the Academy, there will be a place for you. A place in my army. I look forward to seeing all of you progress, and hopefully stand beside me on the battlefield one day. Your instructors are the best the kingdom has to offer. It will do you well to listen to them. They know what they are doing. This is the beginning of your life in the Academy. Take this chance and grasp it. You will not receive a better opportunity. Edward spoke. Welcome to the Academy! He was right; it wasnt much of a speech, but he said everything that needed to be said. Applause and cheers erupted from the audience, students and instructors alike. Today was the day Thomas began his life at the Academy. *** King Edwin, Alanah, and Natalie all sat in a meeting room in the palace. The King hated to miss the new student address, but it was good for Edward to do it. He would be King soon, after all. What have you learned? the King asked. The time to discuss the future had finally come. System Universe Book 2: Torith is finally out! System Universe Book 2: Torith is finally out! Hey everyone! Its time for my second book in my series to launch. Today marks the launch of System Universe Book 2: Torith. Its now available through Amazons Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, Paperback, Audible, and even Hardcover. Verner continues to bring life into the characters via Audible. Now, I was going to write something funny about book 2 being the perfect Valentines Day gift whether youre single or in a relationship, but Im not feeling well enough to do that. Sorry! Available through these links: Ebook: /amazon/B0BKNSTM49 Now, its time to move on to another adventurefrom small villages to a city. His only experience with a noble left a bad taste in his mouth, and cities are full of them. Hopefully, that experience was an outlier. Surely his view of nobles is just swayed by tropes beaten to death in popular fiction, right? Well, hes about to find out as he takes a step into his first city in Cydaria, Torith. Dont miss the continuation of Dereks adventure with a new System, complete with the unique combination of LitRPG, isekai, and slice-of-life genres. Just what is an overpowered protagonist to do with a foreign System in foreign land? Whatever he feels like. I want to thank everyone who read book 1 and left me kind reviews and messages. You are all awesome! And as always, Thanks for reading! Chapter 261: Future Chapter 261: Future I believe I have gotten everything out of Gerald Torith that I am going to be able to, Natalie said. I have seen most of his dealings, and we have already gathered all his blackmail materials. He has some kind of partnership with Indria, but I dont think he knows how high up it is. Hes made some assumptions, but I have not been able to find anything pointing to how deep it goes. We are on relatively good terms with the Elves. I dont think they would risk making us enemies for some slaves. Edwin sighed. As for those involved in the kingdom, we have taken care of the majority. Some fled when they got wind of noble families disappearing, but theres nothing much we can do about those. Its been tough. The death toll weighed on Edwin. He had ordered the annihilation of multiple noble families, roots and all. It was something no sane man would ever want to do, yet they had forced his hand. He could not have such people living in his kingdom, especially those in high positions. House Torith was no more, along with a handful of minor noble houses with deep associations with it. The Aarden family was disgraced and had become a low tier family once all those involved were executed, including Cliff Aarden, the now former heir to house Aarden. The nobles in Savannah were almost entirely untouched, which showed how well Natalie ran her city. It also pained Edwin to no end that there were multiple guards and soldiers whom he trusted involved. It had been an intense few months, and there were more people involved than he would have ever imagined. What should we do with Gerald? Natalie asked. She looked over at Alanah, who had been quiet thus far. What do you think? Would you like a go at him to make sure there is nothing else? Would he make a good Deathsworn? Death seems too good for him at this point. I will take a run at him I wont hold back. He wont be of any use after that. Hes not worthy of becoming a Deathsworn, anyway, she replied. After that, we should execute him. There are also a couple people I would like there for the execution. They are friends of Dereks. Edwin winced at the thought. He almost felt sorry for the man, almost. Alanah was going to break his mind before executing the man. Edwin couldnt imagine the pain of such a thing. He knew it would be bad, as it was something Alanah shied away from, and wouldnt do unless absolutely necessary. He also knew of whom she was talking about. It had been proven by Natalie that Gerald was behind the murder of Jackson Herretts wife and the kidnapping of his son, along with many others. Edwin would like the family of the others to attend the execution to obtain some sense of justice, but they were keeping everything secret for now. He hated to admit it, but the current fear the nobles felt would keep them in line for some time. Eventually, the rumors would spread, as not all noble houses involved were eradicated, some were only crippled, those left over having nothing to do with anything. The leaders of those families were made aware of their members atrocities, and they would do their best to keep the embarrassment from spreading, but it would only hold for so long.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only Very well. You have free rein. We will schedule the execution for the day after tomorrow. Is that enough time for you to do what you need? the King asked Alanah. More than enough, Alanah said. The King sighed once again. Alright, then Gerald Torith will be executed in two days. Is there anything else? Natalie asked. She seemed anxious to get back to her city. She had been pouring a lot of time into interrogation, and was most likely falling behind on her City Lord management. There is one more thing, Edwin said. I will be stepping down as King once Edgar gets back from the raid dungeon. Edward will be crowned, and Edgar will take control of the armies. I cannot find it in myself to continue to rule after such events. Edwin looked at his hands and balled them into fists. His trust had inadvertently caused so much blood and tragedy over the years. Then, with the new blood on his hands, stepping down was the only choice he had. Neither Natalie nor Alanah objected, showing that they agreed with his decision. I hope the two of you will continue to support Cydaria and my son. Alanah nodded, and Natalie spoke. As long as he keeps up on your payments, she said, both to lighten the mood and in all seriousness. Edwin let out a chuckle. You may go now. Ive a lot to discuss with my son, and he should be getting back from the Academy soon. *** The next day, Alanah headed to Savannah to have her final chat with Gerald. She doubted she would gain anything, but it would be good to make sure. It wasnt the first time shed been to Savannahs dungeon, so she wasnt surprised as she walked past all the cells, some occupied, but most empty. Finally, she arrived at the cell holding Gerald with Natalie. The old mans eyes were bloodshot, and he had a frown on his ragged face when she got there. Hello, Gerald. She spoke from the other side of the cell, emotionless. The mans gaze landed on her, unfocused, already under her influence. So, its nothing but conjecture? You have no proof? Just theories? Yes. What was your ultimate plan? What did you expect to gain from your dealings? she asked her last question. I was going to become King. So that was it Alanah muttered. One thing Natalie couldnt get through her method was his thoughts and reasoning. With all the blackmail material, and the amount of noble houses he had in his pocket, it wasnt a stretch to say he would have been able to take over the kingdom after some time. He probably had years to go to get to that point without doing anything drastic, but it would have come. Especially considering the house heirs who served him, those like Cliff Aarden. Finally, Alanah released Gerald from her skill. The man fell to his knees, then forward. Alanah took a step to the side to avoid getting blood on her shoes as he began to fall face first. He hit the ground and lay there, unconscious. Thats a rough skill, Natalie said as she approached. Even I could feel the influence from that far away. I had to move back even further to acclimate to it. Alanah looked at the petite woman and nodded. Did you hear everything? I did. To think he just wanted to overthrow the kingdom. Theres no profit in running a kingdom. Alanah snorted. It seemed like he didnt know anything else. What do you think about Indria? the City Lord asked. I dont know, but I cant shake a bad feeling. Im going to send a few Deathsworn to the borders to patrol, just in case. Losing a few wont hurt for now, especially with so many fewer nobles around to investigate. You mean to spy on, right? Natalie smiled. Same thing, Alanah said. Do you have this? I need to get back to the capital. Go ahead. You know the way. With that, Alanah left Savannah. *** The next day, the King held a private execution of Gerald Torith in the throne room of the palace. There were only a handful of people in attendance, including Jackson Herrett and his son Jake. When they marched Gerald out, he hadnt even began to recover from Alanahs skill. His eyes were vacant and drool dripped from his mouth as he kneeled on the ground. Gerald Torith, for the murder of countless civilians, human trafficking, and betraying your kingdom, I sentence you to death. The King announced in a sad, deep voice. The King wasnt one to shy away from things. He was the one who ordered the execution of his once believed friend, and he would be the one doing the deed. He stood before taking the steps down from his throne. Before long, he was standing in front of the kneeling man. Edwin placed his hand on the mans head. An overbearing aura poured out and sparks flew as he channeled his lightning from his body and into the man before him. After a short while, the aura disappeared, and the man fell forward. The crowd stood in silence as they all looked down at the smoking corpse of Gerald Torith. Edwin finally looked up, then turned to his personal guard. Burn the body. With Gerald Torith dead, the Torith line was completely eradicated. There would no longer be a House Torith in Cydaria. Chapter 262: It Begins Chapter 262: It Begins A week later, Alanah stood at the window in her office alone. With Gerald and the other nobles dealt with, she was finally able to take a breather. The death of the nobles may have taken a toll on Edwin, but Alanah had been personally involved in a number of the executions. Well, the Deathsworn she commanded had been responsible for carrying out some of the trickier assassinations. The work was split into three trusted groups. Alanah and her Deathsworn, Natalie and her trusted warriors, and the Kings Royal Guard. So, while Edwin may have ordered it, Natalie and she had both taken part in it. What concerned her the most, though, was that she hadnt felt much of anything giving the orders. The world was harsh, and she knew this better than most.T/his chapter is updated by She let out a deep breath as she looked out her window at Zachary, Lucas, and Clare training with the Searidge butler, Bronson, in the courtyard and smiled. Those children are going to give Avery a big surprise when he gets back, she thought. Clare had fit right in with the two boys. They were all around the same age, and would be unlocking access to the Great System close to one another. It was a shame that Avery would miss that, because it was something that even someone at her age was excited about. Just what classes would the three children gain access to? She envied the three of them, as they were already forming the bonds needed to create a strong group. They would need to pick up a couple of others along the way, but she could almost see their future together as she watched. She never had anything like that and had to rely only on herself. What would her life had been if she had made those connections? She sighed and returned to her desk. She was still playing catch up after stretching herself too thin over the last months. Actually, she had even thought about bringing in a Deathsworn to take over some of her tasks. They were the epitome of loyal, but the thought of seeing one on a daily basis didnt sit well with her. Each Deathsworn had once been someone absolutely vile. While she was flipping through some paperwork, multiple communication crystals began buzzing both in her desk drawer and in her personal storage ring. She frowned as she pulled one of them out and quickly connected to one of the Deathsworn on the other end. As she listened to the report, her frown grew deeper. Then she disconnected and grabbed another. As she moved through the crystals, a sense of dread flooded into her. Finally, she quickly put all the crystals away and channeled her aura before activating her skill. The pupils of her eyes disappeared, replaced by a silver-gray glow, and a pulse of energy rippled out of her body through the kingdom. In an instant, she found herself looking through the eyes of one of her Deathsworn. One who she had ordered to patrol the border. She watched from a hidden vantage point as soldiers, mostly elven and human, but she also made out a few other races, appeared outside a fort just inside the borders of Indria. In moments, she put together what was going on. Not only was Indria attacking, but they had allied themselves with Astrus. It was the only possible conclusion. At first, she had wondered how so many people could appear out of nowhere, but then she saw the portals. Multiple forbidden portals were opened up, allowing thousands of soldiers to flood out. At that moment, she left her Deathsworn with a command and ended her skill. She soon found herself back in her own body. It took a second to reorient herself, then she pulled out all her communication crystals. Her first call was to the King. She didnt bother staying connected, and just told him what she had seen, then disconnected. She did her part. Now she needed to protect her people. Her first priority was to contact all her managers in the main cities and get her employees to the capital or Savannah. She had enough room in her hotels to house them all between the two cities. Unfortunately, those in many of the sub-cities would not be able to get to one of the cities with a teleporter fast enough. Many would most likely be caught out in the open by the opposing army. So, she grit her teeth as she sent her Deathsworn out to protect those Crown Restaurants that wouldnt be able to evacuate. Next, she needed to contact Natalie to inform her of everything, but before she pulled out the crystal containing the womans rune, a frantic knock sounded on her door. She almost turned the person away, but before she could say anything, the door swung open and one of her employees rushed in. Mistress? she said as she moved closer. She held out a red crystal toward Alanah. I was ordered to give this to you. Alanah reached out and grasped the communication crystal. As soon as she had it in her possession, the womans eyes dimmed, then returned to normal. As of two minutes ago, we have already captured multiple small cities and many villages. Some of those cities are home to your business. No harm has come to those inside yet. Ryven continued. Alanah clinched her fists. If she didnt restrain herself, the communication crystal in her hand would have already turned to dust. You need not answer me right away. I will give you time to think. You may contact me anytime. I look forward to hearing from you. However, dont take too long. I am a patient man, but these are not patient times. With that, the communication between the two ended without her even saying another word. She was furious. She had half a mind to go out herself and show Indria and Astrus her power. But she calmed down. They already had hostages, and she couldnt allow her temper to be the cause of their deaths. She needed to think. *** A cloaked man with silver-gray eyes jumped over the wall to the village. Neither of the guards overlooking the area spotted his arrival. The man quickly moved through the village, being noticed by nobody. The village was busy, and the man zigzagged in and out, avoiding contact with any of the villagers. Soon, he arrived at a small village house made his way in. Four older villagers were sitting inside having dinner, what seemed like a stew. Upon the creaking of the door, all four gazes turned to the cloaked man. The couple on the left both jumped to their feet in alarm, while the other did the same, just a fraction of a second behind the former. I mean you no harm, the cloaked man said. Who are you? the older man on the left asked. That is not important, the mysterious man said. What is important is that Richard and Delilah follow me. I have been given a take to escort you to Wilmette, then to Savannah. We do not have time for discussions. You may bring whomever you wish. Ill give you five minutes. Not until you tell us Richard began, but the man released some of his aura, causing all four villagers to fall to fall to their knees. It is for your own good and the good of Derek Hunt and Thomas Stewart, the man said, before drawing back his aura. Five minutes, go! Ten minutes later, seven people were already over a mile away from the village on their way to Wilmette. *** Derek continued waiting for Vanessas party to get back from the first trial. It had been eight days since they went inside, and the orb hadnt shown any signs of them appearing. He closed his eyes and waited, the sounds of hammering still ringing out in the background. At the end of the tenth day, Derek smiled as he felt the fluctuation of the trial orb in front of him. He stood from his seated position and took a few steps back. Shortly after, a blinding light flashed around the orb, and numerous figures appeared. The first trial was finally over, and by the look of things, it wasnt easy. Chapter 263: Trial One - Complete Chapter 263: Trial One - Complete The team standing before Derek was a shadow of its former self. All ten members had made it back, but other than Vanessa and Elena, everyone else looked bad really bad. Derek opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off before he could. Where is everyone? Where is Tristan Allister? We need him, Elena Webb, the groups main healer, said. Sensing the urgency in her voice, Derek didnt dally. He moved a bit away and quickly opened his Time Prison. Which caused an entirely different commotion. What is this? He heard from inside the prison. Did you get the notifications too? someone else asked. He would figure out what they were talking about later, but now wasnt the time. Derek poked his head inside and, with a loud voice, said, They are back! The trial is complete. Tristan Allister, Elena said she needs you, quickly. Everyone inside quieted down at the sound of his voice and realized what was going on. Soon, they all came rushing out. Tristan, the healer with the light element, was among the group. He swiftly moved through everyone else. What is it? he asked, but after taking a look, and before Elena could answer, he immediately got to work. When he saw what was going on, it all clicked for Derek. Tristan was reattaching limbs. Louise Bonilla, the archer, and John Newman, a support class, were both missing an arm. Luckily, they had managed to keep the detached piece and Tristan had quickly stitched them back on with some form of light based stitching. The same couldnt be said for Ciera Cook, the dual blade swordswoman. Both of her legs were cut, or rather bit, off at the knees. She lay unconscious, tourniquets strapped around the stumps to stall the bleeding. What about her? Derek asked Elena, who was working on the woman. Its going to be a lot harder for her, Elena said. We dont have her limbs to reattach, so Tristan will have to work overtime to regrow them for her. Its not something thats easy, and most healers dont have that ability. If a regular healer closed the wounds, she wouldnt be able to regrow them anymore, so I had to tourniquet them during the battle. Tough decision, Derek said. If the fight had gone on any longer, I would have been forced to heal her. Being crippled is still better than losing your life. She continued. Im glad I didnt have to, though. Derek nodded. She had done the right thing. It was a blessing for Ciera that they managed to complete the trial in time. Derek also made a mental note to not lose any limbs. Though, with his Vitality and Endurance, it was possible they would regrow themselves. He didnt want to take that chance, though. That trial was only an uncommon ranked one, right? Derek turned to see Edgar standing next to him, with a slight worry in his eyes. Yeah, Derek said. Edgar and Derek then stepped back and let the healers do their work. They werent needed in all the fuss. Finally, after over thirty minutes, everyone was at least stable and had calmed down. Nobody was fully healed, but they no longer had to worry about anyone losing their lives. Ciera was, however, still unconscious, and Tristan was working himself to exhaustion by helping her slowly regrow her legs. Derek frowned. 25 free stat points didnt seem like such a great reward to him. Then again, his view on things may have been skewed because of his cheat like beginning and legendary class. Not to mention a buffet of Void Beast for stat enhancement. However, it didnt seem to be that way with anyone else, as even Tyron had a glow in his eyes. He hadnt even stopped hammering when the team had appeared, but when he heard the reward, he was all ears. That is a great reward. Especially for those already maxed out. Edgar agreed. And if that was the reward for an uncommon trial It was true that the only way to obtain stat points after maxing out a class was from Achievements (Awards), Void Beasts, and very, very rare dungeon rewards. Exactly. Vanessa agreed as she looked back at the trial orbs. Out of the six trial orbs up front, the first one had gone dim, and the one next to it had an increased glow. It even looked like it was surging. It was all Derek could do to not to go forward and examined the next trial. Still, he was more concerned about whatever system notifications they were talking about. Now, what about the system notifications? he asked. That would be my fathers doing, Edgar replied before bringing his finger up, telling Derek and everyone else who had begun to chatter to calm down. Once everyone was quiet, he began. Im sure there are a few of you who know, Vanessa and Avery included, why received the flood of messages when Derek opened his prison for us to leave, and why the others received the notifications five days into their trial. First, as it has been said, Dereks skill cuts off our contact with the Great System when we are inside. So, really, we would have received the notifications at the same time, but since we were cut off, we didnt get them until it was opened. And then, we got them all at once. Edgar began to explain. Derek still had no clue what he was talking about, but what he said about his skill was true. However, Derek hadnt received any concerning notifications. The only ones he had gotten was related to his skill level increasing multiple times. Still, he stayed quiet and listened. Who all here received a notification about a contract being broken or annulled? Edgar finally asked. With that question, just over half the participants raised their hands. The likely scenario is that those you were contracted with are now dead. That statement brought up another round of chatter. Edgar waited for everyone to quieten down again before he continued. Before we left, the Royal Family, Alanah Swan, and Natalie Savannah, along with Derek here, all worked together to stop Gerald Torith. It was found out that he had done many despicable things, along with many others in the kingdom. I will not go into detail. But, needless to say, the kingdom has been working hard to cull any of those deeply involved in his schemes. Oh Derek thought. It now made sense why he hadnt received any notification. He only had a few contracts, and they were with trustworthy people. Well, all but his Adventurers Guild contract. So House Aarden? A voice called out from the crowd. Cliff Aarden was captured alongside Gerald Torith, Edgar explained. I personally do not know how deep it all runs. We will not know until we finish this dungeon. Natalie Savannah has been hard at work obtaining information. As I have been in the dungeon with you all for what amounts to around four months on the outside, I am not privy to that obtained information yet. For now, we need to look forward, to the next trial. This is not a chance we need to miss. With that, even though everyone may not have accepted everything, they pushed it to the back of their minds. There was nothing they could do about what was going on outside. When Edgar explained what was going on, Derek made sure to examine everyones reactions closely. From what he could gather, though he was no professional in judging people, it hadnt seemed like anyone was worried about being associated with Gerald. Everything seemed good, at least for now. Derek watched as Edgar took the first step forward to the second dungeon trial. He placed his hand on it, then let out a giant sigh. Well thats just great. Chapter 264: Trial #2 Chapter 264: Trial #2 What is it? Derek asked as he walked up beside Edgar. Everyone was focusing on him after his remarks. They had heard about the trial rewards, so everyone would want in on the next trial. Well, depending on what it was. Take a look yourself, Edgar said, and stepped away, giving Derek room to access the orb. He placed his hand on it and pulled up the information. Dungeon Trial Trial Type Battle/Survival Participants 5 Trial Difficulty Legendary Please Select Participants 0/5 Uh Derek said, smartly. I guess this dungeon isnt going to slowly work its way up in difficulty, huh? I had hoped it would, Edgar replied. But this shows that its probably going to be random. What is it? someone from behind them asked. Edgar turned back to the team, his eyes falling on the recently returned members. They were all in a rough state, and that was from an uncommon difficulty trial. Derek could tell that Edgar was thinking the same thing. A sigh escaped the princes mouth. Were going to go with myself, Derek, Avery, Jasper, and Edgars eyes moved around until they fell on a middle-aged elven woman with dark skin and auburn. Tara, are you up for it? Derek recalled that Tara Perez was a level 240 support type class. She wasnt the highest level support class. That title would go to Kieron Dawson, but he had just gotten back from the previous trial and looked exhausted. Next up would be Tara. Whats the trial? she asked. Battle or survival trial Edgar began. Legendary difficulty. What? another voice called out. Did you say legendary? Yes, which is why I chose the people I did. Edgar explained. Then we should go. Two elves stepped forward, one male and one female. Both had similar features. It was the cousins, Victor and Asana Greenland. Both level 250 mages of their respective element. No, Edgar said straight up. The team I picked can cover all areas. What happens if we go into battle and whatever we are fighting is immune to magic? Can either of you make up for the loss of Averys physical attacks? And we have to have a healer and support. What about him? Victor pointed at Derek. What about Derek? Edgar laughed. If you can find someone who has better defense than this man, I welcome them to try. No, Derek is even more needed than Avery. Which leaves me. Would either of you like to take my spot? Victor and Asana glanced at each other, hesitating. Finally, their eyes fell on Tyron. He was another member of the party who was considered one of the strongest, and he hadnt made a sound after Edgar announced the team. Then, they looked at Cain Ibarra, the leader of the Adventurers Guild in the capital. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he remained silent. He was an elemental mage, and probably one of the strongest in the kingdom, if Derek had to guess. But, considering Edgars explanation, the only position he could try to take would be his own. Derek mentally applauded the man. It wouldnt look good having one of the strongest mages in the kingdom challenging the prince over a trial. Especially a prince who was in charge of the mission. Still, Derek wasnt entirely on board with being selected out of the blue. Though what Edgar said wasnt wrong, so he didnt speak up. It looked like his dreams of getting through the raid without leveling too much wasnt going to happen. He could now only hope that there wasnt going to be an insane number of enemies in the next trial. After waiting for a bit, and seeing that nobody else planned to speak out, Edgar looked at each member he had chosen and asked if they were okay with the arrangements. Avery looked excited. Jasper had become serious. Edgar himself seemed to be almost as excited as Avery. Derek was nonchalant, and though she seemed very nervous, Tara didnt seem willing to back down and give her spot away. Derek grunted in agreement. Everyone be on guard. We dont know what were up against. Edgar warned, though he didnt have to. Everybody was already extremely vigilant. They stood in formation for over half an hour without anything happening. What do we do? Do you think we need to leave these ruins? the healer asked. I dont see any point in that. If nothing attacks us, then we can just complete the trial by waiting. Sure, ten days is a long time with the time dilation, but its nothing compared to free rewards from a legendary trial. However, I doubt well be allowed to do so. Edgar explained. But I would rather wait here prepared than wander around and chance getting caught up in an ambush. Finally, after over an hour of waiting, something changed. An ear piercing roar sounded out from the distance, then another one, then another. Three of the same type but completely different pitched roars that were enough to shake the earth beneath their feet and cripple most people in fear drew all their attention toward one direction. They heard the beasts, the champions of the trial, before anyone managed to spot one, even Avery, with his eyes. But soon, they could make out three rapidly approaching dots floating in the air at a distance. With each second, the figures became larger and larger until they could finally make out what they were about to be up against. Dragons Derek muttered. It was his first time seeing one of the legendary creatures in either his old world or this new one. Wyverns. Edgar corrected as the dragonkin flew closer and closer. Derek was able to get a better look after a moment. Edgar was right, they were wyverns. Their front legs were fused to their wings, showing the clear difference between dragons and wyverns. However, each of the three dragonkin were massive. If wyverns are this big, what are proper ancient dragons going to look like? Derek thought. Each wyvern was distinctly different. One had red scales covering its reptilian body, one had blue-green scales, and one had black. Each had a tail with a dagger-like point at the end. They were simply giant beasts of pure destruction. Edgar let out a deep breath. This is going to be fun, he commented with a big grin on his face. Derek, can you and Avery hold the black and blue ones off with the support of Tara and Jasper? Derek and Avery looked at each other and shrugged. I guess, Derek said. Edgar nodded seriously. Good. I want the red one. Tara, do not cast any support spells on me. Jasper, dont heal me unless Im critical or ask for help. Got it? Everyone, including Derek, looked at Edgar like he was a madman. Of course, Derek had always believed he was a madman, but it was different seeing it for himself. But before he could say anything, Avery spoke up. Youre going to tame it. It was more a statement than a question. Im going to try. Its not every day you have a chance to get a legendary companion. Especially a dragonkin. I cant miss this opportunity. But, your class, Avery said. Is legendary. If I can get it down, I have a chance. Edgar dropped a bomb on the members of the party, announce that his class was legendary instead of epic as most had been led to believe. Avery clicked his tongue. Im jealous. I doubt any of these beasts would submit to me with my class. It would be almost impossible for me to tame one. What about you, Derek? Edgar asked. Me? I already have the best beast companion. What would I want with some pathetic dragon? Im good, he said, but deep down, he was imagining himself riding on the back of a dragon, causing mass destruction. But could a dragon make him delicious steak and potatoes? No. He would stick with Silvi. Besides, he didnt have another scroll, even if he wanted to. And he wasnt as suicidal as Edgar. He would for sure take all the buffs Tara could offer. Soon, the three wyverns closed in. They were even more massive than Derek first thought. Protect the support, Edgar told Derek. Im off. With that, Edgar transformed into a ball of lightning, then vanished. Incoming! Avery announced. The three beasts flying just overhead opened their colossal maws and energy began to gather. Fire, wind, and something else appeared in the mouths of the beasts. Get behind me! Derek commanded, and just before the creatures released their attacks, a wall of Absolute Nullification appeared in front of the group. Three beams shot down at them, combining together as they flew forward. Derek pulled the healer and support into his embrace and ducked down, making himself as small as possible. He was putting all his faith into his defensive skills. He didnt need to bother with Avery. The man had already disappeared just seconds after Edgar. Derek felt his back heat up and his silk-like shirt melt into his body. The heat was intense, but not unbearable. Soon it stopped, and Derek looked up to see the three wyverns continuing on past them. They had survived the first attack, but the battle had just begun. Chapter 265: The (Real) Legendary Beasts Chapter 265: The (Real) Legendary Beasts The heat may not have been unbearable, but that didnt mean Derek would come away unscathed. The breath from the wind wyvern had amplified the breaths from the other two. And he still wasnt sure what element the black wyvern was using, and a quick Identify didnt help. He turned around to look at the three beasts, brushing away the level up he received in his Absolute Nullify skill. He hadnt expected to find a monster he wouldnt be able to Identify with it at leave 16 and him at level 171, but he found one, it was a real legendary beast. His only guess was that the black fire-like breath it shot out had some sort of weakening effect, as the heat had blistered his back, and it didnt seem like he was healing as fast as usual. Unfortunately, he didnt have time to contemplate everything, as the wyverns were circling around, preparing for another strafing run. Derek hurried and ushered Jasper and Tara around to the other side of his Absolute Nullify shield. Once everyone was safe, Derek focused on the three beasts, if he could even call wyverns beasts. Do you have regeneration, defensive, and speed buffs? he asked Tara, who was at his side, also looking at the incoming wyvern. I do, she answered. Cast those on the three of us. I feel like well need them, he said, and she began casting the spells. Soon, a green light fell over them, followed by a brown, then a yellow one. Derek could feel a sort of layer around the outer part of his skin. I went for magical resistance instead of physical. I can cast the other, but I want to preserve some mana, just in case, Tara answered his question before he asked. No, this is fine. I think they plan on hitting us with magic to test us out. Do either of you know how smart wyverns are? I know that ancient dragons are as intelligent, if not more intelligent, as us. I doubt wyverns would be too far off, Jasper answered. Thats what I was thinking. They are only prodding us to see how we react, Derek said. Get in close to my barrier. That heat is not something we want to deal with. Somehow, through all of that, he managed to keep his grip on his oversized halberd. It lay in the crater along with him. Derek laid on his back, dust surrounding him, as he stared up at the dragonkin hovering in the sky above, preparing to unleash another attack. Did I just get punched by a fucking dragon? With all the thoughts flowing rapidly throughout his head, thats the thought that made its way to the front. Okay he pushed the random thought out. Void Shift isnt going to work for a one hit KO this time, it seems. Which means Ill have to Ill have to fuck what the hell am I supposed to do? His go to strategy was to survive a lot of hits, then Void Shift into a good position for a void enforced Multi-Strike. He had to admit; he was pretty much a one-trick pony at this point, but his one trick had always worked, until now. Before, he wanted to take care of his own wyvern, then go help Avery. Now he was hoping Avery would take care of his, then come help him. Still, he couldnt just lay in the crater and wait to be ravaged by the wyvern. He kipped up to his feet and began to move. He still wasnt sure of the exact nature of the beast above. Its got to be darkness, or death, or something. Death would be my best guess, based on the weakness I felt with the combined attack. Derek took to the air with Void Steps and charged at the dragonkin. The beasts maw was open wide and energy gathered inside. Derek stopped a few thousand feet away from the wyvern and waited for the attack. The dark beam of fire exploded from the mouth of the beast and was on him almost instantly. In that short time, Derek void shifted and moved away. He only stayed shifted for a second, but it was enough to see that the attack hadnt been stopped, only slowed by a factor. Still, it was slow enough that it allowed him to dodge through a void rift. He needed to see how the beast attacked. Was the wyvern able to control the breath while it released it, or was it like Edgars beam? He soon got his answer, as the wyvern turned its head and the dark beam followed. Derek kicked the void below him and tried to close the distance between them while circling to avoid the beam. Luckily, after ten seconds or so, the energy in the beam lessened before disappearing. Alright! Hoping that the dragonkin would be tired after using its breath attack, Derek shifted into the void once more for another attempt. This time, instead of appearing directly in front of the wyvern, he pulled himself through the void tear connected to another behind the dragon. If he couldnt approach it from the front, he would try from the back. Derek pulled himself forward. All I need to do is grab hold of the tail. He moved as fast as he could while shifted. However, it wasnt to be. As soon as he closed in on the beast, it broke through the Void Shift once again with a roar. This time, unlike with the dragons wing, he saw the tail. He saw it as it directly crashed against him. He moved the halberd in front of his chest to block, and he was glad he did. The tail packed much more of a punch than the wings did. Derek was sent flying once again. This time, he skidded against the ground, smashing through multiple building remnants as he did so, leaving a Derek shaped trail along the ground. That was another twenty percent of his HP gone, and that was after blocking. Damn. Now Im wishing I would have pushed Tara for the physical buff as well. Mentally, he moved dragons to third on his list of things not to fuck with. The list now included Natalie Savannah, Alanah Swan, and dragons. But, as of right now, he didnt have a choice. He only hoped the other two were faring better than he was. Chapter 266: How to Control your Dragon Chapter 266: How to Control your Dragon Edgar winced as he saw the small dot that was Derek leave a dust trail as he was smashed into the ground and surrounding broken buildings. He didnt know if he would even be able to take one of those hits. But that was no less than the second time he saw a cloud of dust form from the battle Derek was having. At least it seemed like Edgar was having a bit more luck than the tank. He flew in front of the fire based wyvern with his wings of lightning. His first attack was well planned, and was able to wound the wing of the beast, which had slowed its speed greatly. Still, he had to keep the pressure up, as the hole in the wyverns wing continued to regenerate at a speed visible to his eyes. But Edgar was faster than the dragonkin, which meant he had a chance, even if the wyvern out statted him in every other aspect. He even suspected he would be slightly faster with his enhancements against the creature, even if he hadnt wounded it with a surprise ambush. Was his plan to tame a wyvern insane? Yes, yes it was. The only companion close to a wyvern he had ever heard about was someone taming a drake, and compared to the three legendary beasts they were now fighting, the drake was like a puppy. Yet, in the annuls of history, the man and drake were feared for their strength. So, this was an opportunity he would be a fool to pass up. Once the raid was finished, it would go inactive for an unknown amount of time. Who knows if he would ever get another chance? Luckily, he had brought multiple beast contracts with him. In fact, he always carried them on his person. He had been looking for the perfect companion ever since he received his legendary class. Now, he had finally found one. His choice of the red wyvern wasnt random. He planned to not only tame the beast, but form a bond with it as well. The wind wyvern may be a more suitable match for his lightning, but he wasnt sure he had the speed to deal with it, and he wasnt sure what type of wyvern the black one was. Besides, once the soul bond was finished, the wyvern would evolve based on his own legendary class. Edgar strafed around to the side, dodging the breath of fire with no problem. In his mind, he had already formed a plan of how to ground, then tame the dragon. He just needed to watch its attack patterns and movement to make sure it was viable. With a flash, he disappeared while the dragonkin was occupied spitting fire. He appeared under the belly of the beast and released a striking slash from his sword. He needed to test the durability of the scales. With his lightning enhanced strike, his sword bit into the beast and left a light white scratch and no real damage. He quickly dodged the spiked tail as it swung down. He moved back out front, and uncorked a stamina and mana potion, downing them both at once. The battle was going to wreak havoc on his reserves, but it would be more than worth it. Avery clicked his tongue as another arrow failed to penetrate the wyvern. His attacks were nothing more than a nuisance to the wind wyvern. At least he hadnt become a human arrow like Derek had. It served him right for sending the support mage away just as Avery was making his way over to be buffed. Though, that may have been a little bit his own fault as well for leaving the way he did. If he had to classify his current battle, he would use the word boring. The wyvern was fast, most likely faster than the other two, but so was he. And, because he had no way to fly like Edgar or conveniently stay in the air like Derek, he was forced to stay on the ground. His only skill that would allow him to get close enough to make the battle a melee consumed way too much stamina, and he didnt know how long the battle was going to last. He also didnt have any grand plans like Edgar. Was it possible for him to tame one of the wyverns? Yes, it was technically possible. But the odds of being successful with only an epic class compared to the legendary status of the beast were so small that it wasnt worth considering. That didnt worry Derek, as that was only the first experiment. Next, he needed to see how well channeling the void into the attack would affect the outcome. So, he quickly used Void Shift before pulling himself away from the darkness energy and canceling the skill. Soon enough, the 15 second cooldown was up and his skill was once again ready. For the first time, he didnt try to go in for an attack on the beast after its darkness breath. He hung back, waiting for another attack, which didnt take long for the beast to launch. Dragons may be smarter than the average beasts, but they were still beasts. What Derek had found throughout his adventures was that beats didnt have a ton of skills to rely on. So, he wouldnt be surprised if the dragon didnt have many skills other than its breath and physical attacks. He was sure there was something he hadnt seen yet, but he doubted there was much. With his halberd coated in void energy, he slashed out with Sweeping Slash. This time, the arc of energy had a purple tint to it as it sliced into the wyverns energy. And, thankfully, the energy from the skill, enhanced with the void, was able to cut through the dark energy all the way until the skills natural end. Which still wasnt even close to the wyvern, but it was a promising start. Derek hung back once again after dodging the blast from the beast with Void Shift. His next attack would decide whether or not he could do this. But the wyvern had something else in mind. With a thunderous roar, it flapped its wings and launched itself toward him at a blistering speed. It opened its mouth, which gave Derek a front-row seat to the razor sharp fangs it called teeth. To the beast, Derek was barely the size of a breath mint, and now its new plan was to eat him. So, he entered Void Shift and played keep away. Keep Derek away from the gaping maw of death, that is. Hed baited the wyvern to use its breath attack so many times that he now wondered if it was running low on mana. Is that a thing? How long have I been fighting this? he asked himself. After a quick look, he realized that it had been almost an hour. That was reassuring, because he could still occasionally see a flash of blue or an explosion from the sides where the other two were fighting. It seemed everyone had paced themselves. Finally, the enraged wyvern stopped in front of him. He could see the fury in its eyes. It was going to release its skill again. Derek gripped his halberd tight in preparation. It was finally time. He was going to put all his skills to use in one kamikaze attack. The wyvern lifted its head and opened its maw. It took a deep breath. Derek prepared a Void Shift. Then the dragonkin roared. The roar was the loudest hed heard. The sound from the roar was almost enough to knock him off his perch on the void. Suddenly, two more roars sounded out. One from each of the other wyverns. Then, in amazement, Derek stared as the wyvern flapped its wings and shot to the sky. The two other following closely behind. Soon, they were nothing but small specks on the clouds. Whats going on? Chapter 267: The Next Attack Chapter 267: The Next Attack As the trio of wyverns vanished, Derek moved back to the ground. He had so many questions. Soon, both Edgar and Avery appeared beside him, both with questioning gazes. Before saying anything, Derek opened his Time Prison and let Jasper and Tara out. The duo exited, then looked around curiously. So, what do you think that was? Derek asked as he closed the prison and zipped up the void. I was going to ask you that, Edgar said. Wait, what happened? Where are the wyverns? Did you beat them? Jasper asked. No, they left after an hour of fighting, Edgar answered. I think the one I was fighting was running low on mana. Do you think thats why they left? Are they smart enough to escape when the fight isnt looking favorable? Derek asked. They are legendary beasts, so I wouldnt put it past them, Avery said. Besides, when the one you were fighting didnt have you on the ground, it was spitting that black shit constantly. Damn Avery and his eyes. I thought I was far enough away that he might not have seen that. Derek thought. Yeah. You definitely made some pretty big dust clouds. Edgar laughed. But in all seriousness, I almost had mine. Im kind of pissed that it left. Me too, Derek said. He wasnt actually sure if he almost had his, but he at least had an idea that may have worked. I was getting ready to take it out. After that, they both looked at Avery. He shrugged. I was playing tag. Doubt I could beat one on my own. I may have been able to ground it by blasting apart its wings, but after that, I dont know if I could do enough damage through its scales. It would be a challenge. So, I was just waiting for one of you to come help. Derek laughed lightly. After his Void Shift failed, that had been his plan as well. At least until he thought of a different strategy. My question is, will they come back, or will the champions be different? Edgar let that hang in the air. I really do hope they just retreated for a bit to gather their mana back. I dont know, Derek said. The prompt only said to defeat the champions or stay alive. We could end up having even more wyvern coming at us next time. It could get increasingly harder as the days pass. We may have missed our best chance at completing this trial quickly. Edgar nodded. Thats what Im worried about, he sighed. Were going to have to act quickly based on what happens next. Who knows, maybe it will just be the three of them again. We can at least talk about strategy for that outcome, Derek said. I was thinking, he said as he turned to Avery. Do you have any attachments to that wind wyvern? Or could I take it off your hands? Why? Avery asked. Its the fastest out of the wyverns. Are you sure you can handle it? Im confident in my ability to survive a straight up attack from the wind element, specifically its breath, but Im not sure I want to get hit straight on from the black wyvern. I think its a death attuned wyvern. I dont want to find out what that will do to me. Plus, I dont think you will have a problem dodging it with your speed. Avery shrugged. Thats fine by me. Just dont accidentally get yourself killed. I would much rather take on the fire one, but I think Edgar chose that one for a reason. It only lasts for 30 minutes, but its a great health regeneration skill. Its all I can do He looked apologetically. Better than nothing, Derek said as he tore apart the void in front of himself and opened the door. Hop on in. Jasper and Tara stepped inside before Derek closed it and prepared for battle. A couple of minutes later, Avery pointed into the air. They wyverns are back. Derek followed the direction he pointed out, and sure enough, he could just barely make out the three small dots in the distance. They arent alone, either, Avery said. Derek focused, but couldnt see anything else. But soon, he began to feel the rumbling Avery had spoken about earlier. Its underground. Avery said what he was thinking. And getting closer. Well, Im not going to sit here and wait for something to pop out of the ground and eat me. Being some monsters lunch just doesnt sit right with me. Edgar chuckled as the electricity began to spark off his armor. Im going straight for the fire wyvern. Be on the lookout for anything else, we dont know whats going to happen. Remember, this is a legendary trial. Dont let your guards down. And Derek, dont die. I dont want to lose a good healer and support. They arent easy to find. And like that, the prince was gone. And I dont do well in the air, Avery said. Ill distract the black wyvern. You got the wind one. He began to take off, but stopped and a huge grin broke out on his face. Looks like they got epic ranked reinforcements, and I have my pick of beasts. He let out two chuckles, then vanished from where he was standing. Derek hoped the man wouldnt get distracted by whatever he was seeing, and would take care of the black wyvern. He didnt have much time to think about it, as the shaking ground soon intensified, causing him to kick off the ground and jump onto a void ripple with Void Steps. He was glad he did. As almost as soon as his foot left the ground, the earth below exploded and another creature appeared. He used Identify, and this time, he received something back, along with another level in the skill. Young Earth Wyrm Level 245 A limbless and legless member of the dragon family. Exquisite control of earth skills. Has yet to mature into the legendary Wyrm. Holy shit! Thats a young wyrm? How big would a fully mature one be? He was in awe of the size of the beast. The overall height wasnt as tall as the wyverns in the sky, but its length was at least triple their own from head to tail, probably even more, as the scaled creature had yet to unveil its full length. Derek swallowed and looked up. Unfortunately, he didnt have the time to spend on this new creature. Avery and Edgar had already run off after their wyverns, and if those beasts had more reinforcements, like the wyrm coming, he would need to step up his game. Sorry, I dont have time for you, maybe later, he said to the now roaring creature before kicking off the void and dashing away in the air. The wyrm wasnt having that, though, as it slithered on the ground at a speed just as fast as his own, while boulders flew out from the ground in Dereks direction. He clicked his tongue and entered Void Shift, annoyed. If nothing else, his next move would let him understand more about his own strength. He quickly pulled himself through one of the void ripples and appeared directly above the wyrm. At this distance, the wyvern had been able to break his skill if it chose to do so, or it could allow him to get close enough before swatting him down like a fly. The wyrm, however, did not break him out at this distance. So, he moved in closer-close enough that he would have had a face full of wing from the wyvern. At that point, the world around him began shaking, and the void ripples distorted. The wyrm was fighting against his skill. He didnt risk going through another ripple or staying any longer in Void Shift. He shifted his body slightly before deactivating the skill. The instant the world around him began flowing naturally, his halberd appeared in his hand, and as quick as he could, he channeled the void into its blade while activating his level 19 Sweeping Slash, all the while hoping he was faster than the dragonkin below. Chapter 268: First Contact Chapter 268: First Contact The wyrm whipped its head just in time to see the large crescent slash fire out from Dereks attack. This time, because it was infused with void energy, the half-moon attack carried with it a purple hue. Without any more time to react, the wyrm faced the attack head on with a roar. Time seemed to slow as Derek watched on in anticipation. He wanted, no, needed to see how well this current attack worked on an epic ranked monster. This would go far in determining whether his reckless plan for the wyvern would be feasible. In an instant, the wyrm steadied itself and lowered its head, and the attack landed. The enormous creature, to its credit, barely moved as it tanked one of Dereks most powerful attack. Soon, the energy blade dissipated and Derek closely focused on the dragonkin to see the outcome. The wyrm was unmoving. Derek could see a current of blood flowing out from its maw. The physicality of the attack had actually managed to penetrate its thick scales. That was a surprise, a happy one, to Derek. However, the blade of energy had not dug in, as the cut was only a few inches deep at most. But it was much better than nothing. If nothing else, it showed that his level 19 Sweeping Slash, augmented with his level 18 Heavy Weapons Mastery, made for one hell of a combination. Especially considering his rather middling Strength stat. But no, what he was most interested in was how all that affected the void energy he had channeled into his attack. It had done something, something big, as the wyrm had not moved for seconds after taking the attack. His hope was the void would reach far enough past the beasts maw to land on its brain, and considering its state, it had. He hadnt, however, received a notification about slaying the beast. It was still alive. Stunned and injured, maybe, but alive. Just the fact that his attack was able to hit the wyrm hard enough to cause such a reaction was enough, though. When he attacked the wyvern, it was going to be with a much more potent attack. Even if it only stunned the wyvern, like how the wyrm was reacting, it would be enough for him to cause massive damage. Most of all, he was happy that he knew for certain that attacks laced with void energy at his level could penetrate the scales of a dragonkin. From what he knew, which was just based on myths or legends-things hed only read about in his old world-dragons and their kin had very high magical defenses. So, it was a weight off his mind when the attack landed. Having already wasted too much time on one of the lesser monsters, Derek chose not to stick around. He kicked off a void ripple and started back toward the wyverns. A few seconds after his departure, an infuriated roar resounded out from behind him. He looked back, only to see the wyrm had finally regained its clarity. The wyrm slung its head in Dereks direction, then began the chase again. At least, it tried to chase him. It seemed that the wyrm didnt quite have a proper balance anymore. It would slither directly in his direction for a moment, then veer off course, the next. It also dropped its head to the side, front, and back multiple times. It was struggling to get, anyway. I I think its erratic movements have actually increased the distance between us. Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com Derek continued glancing back at the creature while moving toward the wyverns. After a few more moments, the wyrm ceased its chase and lay on the ground, unmoving. It seemed it had given up and finally decided to focus on regenerating its own health. Derek smiled and faced forward. He had a dragon to slay. Avery was in quite the predicament. On one hand, he needed to distract the black wyvern so Derek could take care of the wind one. But on the other hand, this was a prime opportunity to get his hands on a companion of his own, and he had the pick of the litter. With his sight, he was able to make out the entire small army of beasts coming at them for round two. Included in that army were drakes, and even some kind of winged serpent. Other than the wyvern, which he would have next to no chance of forming a contract with, the rest of the attackers were all epic ranked beasts, and best of all, many of them were capable of flight. In the back of his mind, he already wished he hadnt received a buff from Tara. Having that kind of help from another person would make it multiple times harder for a beast to accept a contract, though his chances would still be much better than trying to contract with a beast of a higher rank. With it being epic, even, his chances may be better than Edgars chances of contracting with one of the wyverns if he is able to bring it down. Derek quickly shifted his focus back in front of him, void shifting once again to avoid a tornado-like attack coming from the wyvern. When he broke from his skill, the wind wyvern quickly shifted in his direction and flapped its wings, sending multiple intense gusts after him, followed by dozens of wind blades. The speed of the beasts attacks was off the charts. It was everything he could do to avoid the attacks while looking for an opportunity. Finally, Derek shifted back in front of the beast. He kept a relatively safe distance away from the beast so he wouldnt be knocked out of the void. He had figured out this distance when fighting the black wyvern, and hopefully, it would be the same for his new opponent. That seemed to be the case, as his skill hadnt been broken before he came out of his own power. He sighed. At least that seems the same. With his grip tightened on his halberd, he charged forward, the purple aura flowing from his body to his weapon. The wyvern shrieked and released a number of wind blades at him. Derek struck one wind blade head on with his halberd while avoid the others around him. He needed to take the most direct path to his enemy. His attack was just enough to cancel out the single wind blade that reached him, but it all but caused him to lose his entire momentum. Still, once the attack dissipated, Derek continued on. In that short second, the wyvern had already shifted from one attack to the next and was charging up another blast. This is what he was waiting for. Derek kicked off the void and began slowly approaching the beast in a circle. The blast was loosed and Derek barely avoided it while dodging to the side, all the while closing in on the wyvern. Soon, he was on a couple dozen feet away from the wyvern, and because of his closeness, he was no longer fast enough to dodge the attack. The tension built in him as he moved all the void energy in his body to his halberd and charged in. He held his left forearm up to protect his eyes while he gripped his halberd tightly. Just before the attack landed on him, he released a void empowered Sweeping Slash, along with Multi-Strike. The energy from the surrounding beast halted instantly as his own attack cut through the beasts blast like a knife through butter. It was like he was in an eye of a storm. Still, the wind from the beast had landed on him for just a moment before his own attack went off, and he had lost at least an eighth of his HP. He shuddered to think of what it would have been like if it had been the death attuned attack. But he didnt let those thoughts stop him. He charged in directly behind his own attack as it moved closer and closer to the beast ahead. In seconds, his attack reached the maw of the dragonkin, followed closely by Derek, who had already channeled the void into his halberd once again, ready for another attack. His Sweeping Slash struck the beast in the face, sending the beast into an uproar. It slung its head and the beam of wind followed. Derek couldnt let this chance pass him by and rushed in. The side of the wyverns head was just in front of him. With both hands on his weapon, had swung down as hard as he could. All his skills were still on cooldown, but he still had the void, plus whatever effect his Sweeping Slash had left over when it landed on the beast. With all the might he could muster, his strike landed on the side of the beasts head, causing a metal on metal clank to resonated from the blow. Still, not taking any chances, he dove onto the beasts head and gripped tightly. If his previous attempts hadnt been enough to take care of the wyvern, then he wasnt about to let go of this one chance to get in and stay in close. He almost laughed at a thought. I may not be taming a dragon, but Im going to be the first to ride one. Chapter 269: Stunned Chapter 269: Stunned Derek felt elation as he held on to a protruding scale on the wyverns upper neck, where it meets its head. The wings of the beast had stalled after his attack landed on the side of its head. Just as he got a good grip on the beast, it began to plummet to the ground. Derek held on for all he was worth. With the beasts wings being outstretched when it began to fall, it plummeted at an angle, almost in a glide. Derek hadnt received a notification, so he knew he couldnt hope for the beast to be dead. It had to be stunned, just as the wyrm had been. Still, he couldnt let this opportunity pass him by. With a quick thought, Derek sent his halberd back into his storage bracelet. It was much too bulky to do anything while in his current situation. Gripping the scale tightly with his left hand, he transferred all the void energy he could to his right, and pounded down on the back of the beasts skull with a hammer fist. Still unable to quickly launch attacks with the same hand over and over, Derek immediately shifted the void energy to his left hand while grasping for a scale with his right. Once his right hand gripped the scale, he removed his left and let another fist fly. In the five or so seconds it took for the wyvern to begin its fall and finally reach the ground, Derek managed to strike the beast six times. He stopped his attack at that moment and held on with both hands, bracing himself for impact. The wyvern hit the ground and skid forward hundreds of feet on the ground, demolishing what was left of the already destroyed rubble. Dust shot up around him and the monster, but as soon as he stabilized even a little, he went back to pounding on the back of the beasts head. Its got to be doing something, right? He thought as he drew back and launched another attack on the creature. Of course its doing something. If it wasnt, this damn dragon would have broken out of its daze and at least tried to throw me off. As the wyvern slowed to a halt, its head and body fell to the side, causing Derek to have to shift his position. He was back to the side of its head, where his attack with the halberd had made direct contact. There wasnt even a scratch on its scales.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only Derek inwardly cursed at the beasts insane regeneration speed. Even if had only healed a slight white mark on its protective scale, it had done so in less than ten seconds. Is this what its like fighting against me? He questioned himself. It made him feel a slightly sorry for both Shae and Edgar, both of which had sparred with him in the past, but only a little. He mostly felt sorry for himself, as he was able to get a good look into the beasts eye, which was open and staring out into space with a distant look. The eye was as big as half his body, and the beast was obviously still stunned, but he couldnt find a trace of blood from the wyvern at all. At best, his current strikes were rattling the brain, disrupting the beasts ability to move, like a boxer getting caught in the chin by a light strike. But his attack was constant. The beast was going to have one hell of a concussion if it made it out of its current situation, which Derek didnt plan on letting. Finally, his cooldown with Sweeping Slash was over, and he re-summoned the halberd in his dominant hand. This time, after striking the beast with his left fist, he channeled all his void energy into the blade of the halberd and used Sweeping Slash as he slammed the halberd into the wyverns temple. With such a strike on a still target, the blade of the halberd dug into the scales behind where the arc of energy from the skill created a small cut. Even so, the physicality of the attack was not enough to draw blood. But the result from the void energy released with the skill gave him a welcome surprise. Slowly but surely, the already dark sclera of the wyvern became tinged with a red hue, and a relatively small amount of blood flowed from the beasts ear, indicating that the attack had at least caused some amount of damage. If nothing else, it created some hope that Derek would be able to finish the job he started. He only needed to wait for Multi-Strike to come off cooldown, and pray that Avery was able to keep the attention of the other wyvern and all the lesser monsters while he slayed it. Derek continued pounding away on the beast. To his dismay, even with the continuous strikes, the blood in the eye of the wyvern actually began to recede and soon, there was no trace it was ever there. He shook his head out in consternation. His previous one punch kill move had be relegated to nothing more than a stun-locking skill. At least itseems to be an infinite stun-locking skill. After a few minutes, his Multi-Strike skill came off of cooldown. With a great deal of excitement, he gripped his halberd in both hands, sent every last drop of void energy he could muster into the blade, brought the weapon high above his head, and slashed down as hard as he could onto the beasts temple. It was by far his most lethal attack, combining Multi-Strike, Channel Void, and Sweeping Slash along with his Heavy Weapons Mastery. But he didnt let up after that. He focused on the beast as he began alternating hits between his fist and his halberd. Edgar, can you hear me? he sent out through Telepathy. Honestly, he was quite late to the game on that skill. Pretty much every high ranked adventurer already had it. He wasnt sure if he was close enough to the prince for it to work, however. He was really banking on Edgars own Telepathy making up the difference. Kind of busy, Edgars voice came through. This will only take a second. Just listen and tell me if its possible, Derek said. I have downed the wind wyvern, and Ive had it stun-locked for over 15 minutes, but I dont have enough offense to finish it. Is there any way you can get away from your wyvern long enough to use that lightning skill on this one? I think if we combine attacks, it will die. Derek waited for a few seconds before Edgar finally responded. Do you have any extra mana potions? If I leave this now, Ill be starting from ground zero again, and Im sure Ill be running low before Im finished. I do. You can have some after we deal with this, Derek said, hope renewed. Fine. Let me lead this dragon further away, so I can get a far enough away to use the skill. Got it. This wyvern is on its side. There should be a clear shot to its heart from underneath, where there is less defense. Derek explained. Ill be there in a minute. Derek waited, continuing with his relentless attacks on the wyvern. His Multi-Strike skill came off of cooldown during that time, but this time, he didnt use it. Soon enough, he saw a flash of light, and Edgar was there. He pointed his sword down at the wyvern, and the same beam shot out directly at the beast. This time, though, the beam looked even stronger than the one Edgar had used against him. Which led Derek to the question: How much had Edgar been holding back in their spar? The beam penetrated the beasts underside and continued. Derek let out a breath. It looked like it was working. For hopefully the last time, Derek raised his halberd, and released his most lethal attack on the beasts head. In a distance, Derek heard a roar. The fire wyvern was closing in, along with a few smaller beasts that had been interfering in Edgars fight. The twitching of the beast started, but stopped much sooner than usual this time. Derek looked into the wyverns eyes as Edgars beam disappeared. The light in its eyes had dimmed. Derek punched one more time for good measure, and a notification appeared. This time, it was the notification he was expecting. The wyvern was dead. Chapter 270: Shared Experience Chapter 270: Shared Experience Derek didnt have too much time to view all the notification he received, so he only glanced at the kill notification before dismissing it. You have assisted in killing level 250 Adult Wind Wyvern 11,100,000,000 Experience Gained Level Up Level Up 1,175,500,625/6,100,000,000 Whew Derek rubbed the sweat off his brow. Just the one kill, split four ways between himself, Edgar, Jasper, and Tara, had given him just over two levels. There goes my trying not to level He also felt that the wyvern he killed gave more experience points to him than a regular beast at level 250, but that was the first one he had slain, so he wasnt sure. He would, however, find out soon enough. Derek glanced indecisively at the corpse of the wyvern underneath himself. He wanted so much to dismantle the beast and store it in his storage devices. It was too big to store as a whole, and he wasnt even sure he would be able to drag it into his Void Storage even if he wanted to without dismantling it first. Unfortunately, he didnt have enough time to do any of that. Edgars wyvern was already upon them, and when it saw its brethren lying dead on the ground, it let out a resounding shriek, which caused all the other surrounding beasts to do the same. He checked his time. They had just over 40 minutes left to finish the fight if everything was the same as before. Ill get the attention of the lesser beasts, so you can take care of your wyvern, Derek sent to Edgar, who still floated above, preparing for the incoming wyvern.T/his chapter is updated by Sounds good! the prince sent back. With that, Derek entered Void Shift once again. This time, he didnt need to bother about the adult wyvern. He could focus on all the other beasts. He suddenly appeared before a group of 5 drakes flying behind the wyvern. To draw their attention, he didnt need to do much, so he called upon an old skill he rarely used: Chain Lightning. The lightning surged from his fingertips and hit the leading drake before bouncing to the other drakes behind. The skill didnt do much, but it was enough for him to receive a deadly glare from each beast. Derek smiled and entered Void Shift again. Edgar had already intercepted the fire wyvern and begun his struggle to tame the beast while Derek collected all the additional monsters in the surrounding. Once he was sure he had the ire of each beast, he turned and fled, leaving Edgar alone with his wyvern. Good luck! he sent to Edgar. If you need help, let me know. Will do, Edgar replied. Now, Derek had a plan for the couple dozen monsters he had in tow. It was a plan that Avery probably wouldnt be too fond of. The man was already dealing with dozens of beasts, including a wyvern, on his own, so a couple dozen more shouldnt hurt, right? After his success with the previous wyvern, he was more confident in dealing with the death attuned one. He was sure he wouldnt have the ability to kill it by himself, but hopefully Avery would have an attack good enough to pierce its heart, just as Edgar had done. Derek decided against using Void Shift to make his way to Avery. He didnt want to chance one of the beasts breaking off from him and heading back to Edgars fight. It was, however, a long way to where Avery was. The man had chosen to lead his opponents far away from Dereks own fight, which Derek appreciated. His next instinct was to use his legs and feet to knee or kick the wyvern, but his position on the wyvern didnt allow for that. The best he could do was wait for his good fist to become ready again, and keep attack over and over with his left hand. He thought about channeling his inner Silvi and head-butting the beast, but decided against it because he hadnt practiced transferring the void to his forehead like he had to his fists. Derek hit the beast in the temple, then quickly turned and threw up Absolute Nullify over his head, stopping any magical attacks from the lesser dragonkin from hitting him. He turned, then hit the wyvern again before tearing a space behind him with his Void Storage for extra protection. He hit the wyvern again, then tore another space open on the side of himself, covering himself even further with an unopened Time Prison. Boxed in, he summoned a mana potion from his storage, but failed to grip it with his right hand. He barely caught it before it crashed onto the wyvern. Then, he gulped it down, restoring much of the mana he had used to on the three skills, especially Absolute Nullify, as it was a constant drain. Just then, from the one side he hadnt covered, the side showing the body of the beast; he saw a giant drill-like attack hit the body of the wyvern, aimed directly at where its heart should be. The attack stopped as it hit the softer scales covering the wyverns underbelly, but it continued spinning rapidly. Derek punched the wyvern again. This time, he could see the light and focus beginning to reappear in its eyes. His combination attack was finally wearing off. The drill-like attack actually broke through the dragons underbelly, surprising Derek. Unfortunately, the attack lost its steam and began to slow. Then, much to his delight, another of the same attacks followed in behind the first, creating an even bigger wound. After a few seconds, blood began gushing out of the injury. Derek summoned the halberd and caught it with his left hand before channeling the void into the blade and using Sweeping Slash. The blade connected, the skill went off, then; the blade shattered. Derek felt his heart drop from his chest as pieces of the halberd began to fall like dust all around him. He didnt have another heavy weapon that could withstand his channeling. The extra damage from Sweeping Slash would be rendered basically useless. He looked over to the attack from Avery, and saw the man in the distance with his bow drawn and aimed at the wyvern, another drill forming from it. He moved side to side, avoiding a wyrm that erupted from the ground beside him. Avery seemed to see what happened with Dereks weapon, and their eyes met. Avery gave Derek a toothy grin and ran his tongue over his top teeth. Then, his bow disappeared from his hands, losing the built up energy in the process. The next thing Derek knew, Avery disappeared from his sight. Derek stared at the spot where Avery had just been standing, but he was gone. Derek had no way of tracing his movement when he used his max speed. Multi-Strike was still half a minute from cooldown, and Derek didnt have anything he could do other than keep the beast stunned for a short amount of time longer. But, because Avery was gone, there was nobody to distract the other beasts around, and multiple attacks flew at Derek from the side he hadnt covered. Luckily, Absolute Nullify had a magnetic property that pulled most of the attacks toward it, causing them to miss Derek. Still, he was peppered by multiple flames. Finally, the wyvern awakened with a roar, his single-handed attacks no longer able to keep it stunned. Derek kicked off of its head and moved in the direction of his Void Storage. The wyvern flung its head in his direction, and Derek moved. By some form of luck, and the wyverns rage at being stun locked, his backup plan, if one could call it that, worked. The creatures head disappeared into his storage, and Derek quickly pulled it shut like curtains. It didnt have the effect he wanted, though. He hoped beyond all hope that it would cut the beasts head off, but it hadnt. At most, it had caused the beast to become stuck. Derek entered Void Shift and disappeared into the air high above to get away from the multitude of lesser dragonkin that were closing in on him. Then, he canceled Absolute Nullify and watched the wyvern in awe. It jerked and kicked and flapped its wings, trying to get unstuck, but it couldnt. For a split second, Derek thought it would be trapped there, and after the hour was up, if all the monsters left, it would be a sitting duck. Those thoughts were soon destroyed as Derek saw something all too familiar to him. The space around the Void Storage began to splinter. Then, cracks spread out like cobwebs. The wyvern was breaking through the void just like a void beast. Derek took a deep breath and looked at his arm, which was looking slightly better. He tried to close his fist, and it did, though slowly. It would take some time, but it would heal. The wyvern jerked its body one last time, and the cracks spread even further and began to fall. Derek prepared to enter Void Shift, but then the wyvern rag dolled and fell to the ground, lifeless. The next moment, a dagger appeared from the wyverns belly and cut. Soon, Derek realized where Avery had gone. The man stood dripping, covered in viscera, next to the beast. He looked up at Derek, then started laughing. Derek couldnt help but smile. That man was crazy. Chapter 271: How to Tame Your Dragon Chapter 271: How to Tame Your Dragon After a couple of looks back and forth, Derek telepathically sent to Avery, What now? Avery looked around the area, blood still dripping from his body. Theres still some time left with these buffs, he sent back. Lets take care of some of these little guys. Then he pointed to a certain beast hovering in the air above. Dont touch that one, though. Its mine. Derek looked up at the creature in the air, surprised that it was the one Avery had chosen, but he didnt say anything. The man had been fighting with and distracting all the beasts for such a long time that he had to have his reasons. Alright, Derek replied as he dodged an incoming attack from one of the drakes. I dont have much offense without my weapon right now, though. You just need to stun them. Ill do the rest, Avery sent back while dismissing his daggers and pulling his bow back out from his storage ring. After that, the two men got to work. The other beasts werent as hard to deal with as the wyverns were. Sure, they were still deadly, and could probably deal massive damage to even Derek if he was caught off guard, but with the combined might of both himself and Avery, they didnt stand a chance. It was almost mechanical. Derek would appear from the void above a dragonkin that was focused on Avery, then smash down with a void covered left fist. It didnt do much in the way of damage, but it briefly stunned the monster long enough for Avery to ground the beast. From there, it was only a matter of time before one of Averys arrows finished it off. After another ten minutes of fighting the lesser dragonkin, Dereks right arm was back to good enough shape to fight with again. It wasnt 100 percent, but it was usable. Once that was the case, he could stun lock the drakes, wyrms, and other beasts once again. Their killing speed picked up greatly from that. Derek was even able to get a couple killshots himself when Multi-Strike was off cooldown. Just over 45 minutes after the wyverns had once again appeared, Avery began his next move. The buffs are gone, Derek heard from Avery. Can you draw the ones that are left away? he asked Derek. No problem. Derek agreed. With that, Derek changed his attack patterns and began drawing the ire of all the surrounding beasts. All but the one Avery was focusing on. While Derek was attracting the anger from all the other beasts, Avery turned his attention to his soon to be companion. In the air, above all the other drakes and dragonkin, was a winged serpent that was a size or two smaller than all the other creatures. Avery had watched the dragonkin for some time now. It always hung around in the back, and never attacked on its own. However, it wasnt cowardly. In fact, the few times where Avery was caught off guard, it had been in no small part due to that beast. Its intelligence was higher than the other beasts around. In fact, against almost anyone other than himself or Derek, the amphithere above him would have caused massive damage to any team, possibly even ending up causing a party of adventurers to wipe. Unfortunately for the beast, it had to run into a man that spent almost all his time around Alanah. Avery noticed early on that the dragonkin above was using a rare psychic type controlling element. More than once, he felt the same prodding sensation he used to feel on his mind when Alanah would talk. Fortunately for him, he had so much practice withstanding controlling aspects of Alanahs voice that when the amphithere actively tried to control him; it failed. However, it also gave Avery the perfect target for a companion. The beautiful, winged serpent had a long body and bird-like feathered wings and crown on its head, with a tail that came to an arrow-like point. The scales and feathers were white on the bottom before transitioning into a light pink on top. You have initiated a contract and requested that the Level 249 Immature Psychic Amphithere become your contracted beast. Please wait while it makes a decision. The dragonkins eyes glazed over for a moment when he initiated the contract before regaining focus. It hissed at Avery again, but the contract scroll hadnt failed yet. It was thinking. Not only will I contract with you, but you will also become my bonded companion. You will grow with my own strength. I promise you will live a much better life than you are currently fated to. He pushed the contract closer to the beast as he spoke. Become my companion! Again, the beast hesitated, but didnt reject the contract. Avery waited. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the amphithere let out what seemed to be a sigh and lowered its head before stretching out and touching the contract with its head that was the size of Averys entire body. Finally, the scroll split in two, one half flowing into him and the other going inside the amphithere. A notification of his success soon followed. Congratulations! You have successfully made a contract with Level 249 Immature Psychic Amphithere. As part of the contract, you are required to name the beast. Avery smiled happily and rubbed his hand along the side of the dragonkins head. After contracting the beast, he learned that it was female, so he would need a great name for it. He had half a mind to name her Lana, but felt that Alanah wouldnt find that funny. What do you think about Lily? he asked the dragonkin, who shook her head. Okay not Lily. Chloe? he asked, but the beast seemed even more against that. I know, he finally said. How about Lyra? The beast seemed to think about it before she nodded. It had accepted the name. Level 249 Immature Psychic Amphithere has been named Lyra. Next, Avery looked around to make sure they were alone, and initiated the bond that one could only do once. Bond initiated. Please share your blood with the contracted beast. With a dagger in his right hand, he cut into his left, through his massive endurance. He held his palm out, and Lyra licked. Without moving her wings, Lyras massive body floated off the ground into the air as a massive gray sphere began to form around her. The sphere grew bigger and bigger until it was at least the size of one of the wyverns they had faced. Finally, it stopped and Avery got comfortable. He didnt know how long it would take, but his part in the raid was finished. Derek wouldnt have any problem handling the other lesser beasts or supporting Edgar if he wasnt able to tame the red wyvern. No, Avery would not leave his new companion. He would stay here and make sure nothing happened to Lyra. Chapter 272: Blitz Chapter 272: Blitz Meanwhile, while Derek and Avery were facing the death attuned wyvern, Edgar was going through his own troubles with the fire wyvern. At a certain point, the wyvern seemed to have had enough, and summoned a massive fire tornado around itself, preventing Edgar from safely rushing in a getting close enough to enact his plan. The ground beneath them was set completely ablaze, and smoke covered the area. The fire was so hot that it somehow set even the stone from the crumbled buildings aflame. At this moment in time, the prince was uncertain about what to do. If Avery and Derek were able to take care of the death wyvern, yet he failed to contract with the fire one and it got away, what would happen in twelve hours when their enemies came back? Would they be stronger? Would there be more wyverns this time? Any way he looked at it, he was in a dilemma. He could settle for one of the lesser dragonkin, but it would be such a waste with a legendary beast right in front of him. Finally, he made a decision. If he hadnt downed the wyvern with at least five minutes left in their attack, he would call for backup, and he and Derek could take out the beast just as they had done with the wind wyvern. He had around 30 minutes to tame a dragon. It would be tight, but he believed he could do it. The wyvern had to be rapidly expending its mana by producing such flames, so, sooner or later, it would have to let up. At that time, it would present the perfect opportunity for him to attack. He just needed to be patient. So he waited. He dodged incoming fire attacks that shot out of the flaming cyclone at him easily, and did his best to conserve his mana and stamina, drinking a potion here and there so he would be ready when the time came. There were a couple of times when he thought about charging through the fire and risking the damage so he could get in close. He had some high-quality regeneration potions to get him by if he did that, but he put that option in the back of his mind and only planned to use it as a last resort. As the clocked ticked down, his mana potions dwindled even further. Sure, it was easy for him to dodge the wyverns attacks, but that was assuming he had enough mana to activate his skills to increase his movement speed. Still, he waited. When the clock hit just around ten minutes left in the battle, he finally got his chance. The tornado whirling around the wyverns massive body abruptly stopped, and the beast hovered high in the air. It looked almost like it was panting. The beast locked eyes with Edgar and pulled its head back, drawing in an enormous amount of energy before spitting out a wave of fire even bigger than the usual one. Edgar breathed in deep and went for it. In a flash, he activated every skill he had to enhance his movement speed and shot up in the air, avoiding the wave of fire in the process. When he was level with the dragon, he exploded toward it, aiming for where its back met up with its neck. That seemed to be a particularly safe place, as he had seen Derek in that exact position on the wind wyvern. All he had to go on was the wind wyvern and what he saw when he arrived to help Derek. His attack hadnt instantly killed the beast from a distance, and Derek had already immensely injured the beast before he unleashed his own attack, so he hoped his attack would be the same against the fire wyvern. Dealing an almost fatal blow, but still survivable. An instant later, he was above the beast, which was still blasting fire out from its gaping maw. With a smug smile, he flashed away and landed directly on the beasts upper back, grasping for anything to hold on to, and finally finding a part of the beast, maybe a scale, that he could grip his hand around to stabilize himself. At that point, the wyvern realized something was wrong and cut its attack short. Then it began bucking fiercely, trying to throw the small human off its back. But Edgar held on as best as he could. Then, recognizing that the human wasnt going to be flung off so easily, the dragonkin beat its wings, then shot down toward the still flaming ground. Seeing that he didnt have long, Edgar uncorked a mana potion and turned it up, allowing the contents to slide down his throat. He then took multiple other mana potions and prepared them for consumption. He poured the liquid from one in his mouth, but didnt swallow, and held two other bottles under his arm. But the wyvern refused. Edgar tried again, but the wyvern refused again. This time, the contract scroll was destroyed in the process. His heart sank. He thought he had it in the bag once he brought the beast down, but no, it was going to be harder than that. Still, being the prince of a kingdom came with its perks-one of which was access to multiple rare scrolls like the beast contract scroll. However, he didnt instantly pull a new scroll out and initiate another contract. Instead, he waited. There was no doubt that the wyvern respected his power, but a legendary beast wasnt something so easy to be tamed. While the beast had succumbed to his power, it held a great amount of hate toward the prince. There was no way Edgar would be able to convince the beast to become his contracted beast through words. He would have to give it no other option than to join him. And that meant bringing the beast close to its final breath. The beast was currently downed and under immense pain, but his attack hadnt yet inflicted enough damage for it to truly be scared for its life. But Edgar was willing to expend every mana and stamina potion he had on him for this chance. He could continue at this pace for at least a dozen more minutes if he needed, and based on the look of the beast, he would probably need to. This also left him in awe of Dereks attack with that massive halberd. How much damage must of his attack to the death dragons brain inflicted? He knew his own attack was fierce, but it was more damage over time and not instantaneous damage. Soon, an hour since the three wyverns arrived passed, and the beast below him was struggling to keep consciousness. Edgar looked around and saw Derek sitting on one of the burning buildings, watching with curiosity. The man held his right arm out and patted the bracelet he always wore with two fingers from his left hand in a gesture Edgar didnt understand. Edgar ignored the man and focused back on the wyvern below him. Finally, before the beast died or fell into unconsciousness, he pulled out another scroll. He placed it on the beast again and injected his mana into it, activating the contract. This is your last chance. If you wait any longer, you will die, and you know it. After this, I am more than willing to contract with a different beast. End your stubbornness! Once again, the young prince waited for the beasts response. However, instead of a notification of rejection or the scroll being destroyed by the will of the wyvern, it accepted its fate and agreed to end its suffering. It agreed to become the princes contracted beast. Congratulations! You have successfully made a contract with Level 250 Adult Fire Wyvern. As part of the contract, you are required to name the beast. Edgar instantly ended his skill and pulled out a health potion, pouring it into the open wound of his contracted beast. He put his sword away and let out a sigh of relief, and leaned back on his new companion. Knowing what he already knew of bonds, he ran his hand down the side of the wyverns neck affectionately. You will forever be known as Blitz! Bonded beast of Prince Edgar. The wyvern purred beneath him, accepting the name. Level 250 Adult Fire Wyvern has been named Blitz. Edgar was thrilled. All that remained was to initiate his bond. Chapter 273: Post-Fight Chapter 273: Post-Fight Derek walked over to Edgar and his wyvern once he saw the contract was finally formed. It was a pretty amazing sight, watching someone tame such a beast. It was entirely different from what he had experienced with Silvi. Still, Edgar was lucky the beast hadnt tried to make him its contracted beast like Silvi had Derek. Then again, he hoped Silvis personality would never change. Its what made her the best bonded companion of the bunch. You did it, Derek said to Edgar when he finally reached him and his new companion. Congratulations. That looked pretty tough. It was both harder than I expected, yet easier in multiple ways, Edgar replied, then smiled evilly. I cant wait to see the look on everyones face when I come out of the trial with a fucking dragon. How jealous do you think theyll be? Oh, I bet Edward is going to regret not leading the raid now. I can only imagine their reactions. Derek walked forward and was finally able to get a good look at one of the wyverns up close without immediately being punted to the ground. They are magnificent creatures. Edgar ran his hand along the side of the wyvern. Indeed, they are. So, did you name it? Derek asked. Of course I did. Edgar nodded passionately. His name is Blitz! Blitz, huh? Derek thought about the name for a bit before agreeing that it would be a good name once the dragonkin evolved into the lightning element to fit Edgar. Good name for a lightning beast. I thought so. Edgar stopped petting the wyvern and turned back to Derek, looking at him. So, how did everything else go? Did Avery get him a baby dragon? Did the two of you take care of all the small ones? Derek couldnt help but chuckle at Edgars question. Yes, Avery contracted an interesting beast. It is currently evolving over by him. We took out all the other small dragonkin. It was tough when I was left alone, but once I saw Avery evolving his companion, I brought them back over to him and we made short work of those that were left. Hes bonding with his beast already? Here in the trial? Edgar scratched his chin. Do you think thats why the trial wasnt completed? I was wondering about that, too, Derek said. But I think it probably has more to do with you and your wyvern still being in battle when the hour was up. I think we need to take care of everything within that time frame. Though thats only a guess. Thats probably it, Edgar agreed. I guess we should all gather again, and prepare for the next wave if there happens to be one. The trial may just finish as soon as the eleven hours are up. Derek nodded. Follow me. After that, he led Edgar and his new companion over to where Avery was. Blitz still had some injuries, so they didnt rush as fast as they could have, even though the beast wouldnt have had any problem withstanding it. The archer-assassin was actually sitting on some crumbled rocks, staring deeply at his evolving beast when they arrived. When they arrived, Avery looked over the two of them, then behind them at the wyvern. He looked it up and down, then nodded. You did it, he said, directed at Edgar. It wasnt easy. I would guess not, Avery agreed, then turned back to Lyra, who was still evolving. Derek almost laughed. There actually wasnt a hint of jealousy in Averys words or eyes. The man seemed to be more than happy with his choice of companion. Derek glanced over at Edgar, who actually seemed a bit sad that the interaction hadnt gone as planned. Theres always the Crown Prince and the king, Derek said to cheer the young prince up. But Edgar wasnt finished, yet. He still had one more move up his sleeve. Saying nothing, Blitz moved out away from them, then, a bolt of lightning struck the beast out of nowhere. Then another, then another. Soon, the fire wyvern was covered in an endless stream of lightning coming from the sky. Soon, the lightning formed a sphere around the beast, and began to float in the air, eventually coming to a stop. The two spheres of evolving beasts werent far away from each other, one covered in a grayish hue, and the other shining blue with sparks of electricity flowing off it. Surprisingly, both spheres were the same size. Derek had seen the size of Lyra, Averys amphithere, and it was nowhere close to the size of Edgars wyvern. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were both dragonkin, or maybe it was the level of their bonds. Derek didnt know. He could only shake his head as he watched Edgar move to another pile of rubble beside Avery and plop down on it before staring at his own evolving dragonkin. Derek rolled his eyes, then turned around and opened his Time Prison up, letting the two others out. Needless to say, when Tara and Jasper came out of the Time Prison and were greeted by the enormous orbs containing the two dragonkin that Edgar and Avery had contracted with, they were stunned. They both stood wide-eyed, mostly watching the orb crackling in lightning, but occasionally shifting their gazes to the other, more dull evolution orb. After a few moments, Derek closed the prison door and cleared his throat. Its not polite to stare. That was enough to break the two out of their reverie. Jasper quickly got ahold of himself and looked over at Edgar and Avery before turning his attention back to Derek, who was standing beside them. So, they did it? he asked. Yup, Derek replied nonchalantly. Pretty cool, huh? But we didnt clear the trial? Tara, the elven support mage, asked. I only ask because I just leveled from level 240 to level 250 in that short amount of time, and my buffs even received quite the boost in levels, as well. Were not sure of that, Derek said. Then he went on to explain to the two his and Edgars guesses on what was going on, and why the trial hadnt been completed. I see. Jasper nodded. Youre right, I think due to the final wyvern not dying or being contracted with before the hour passed is the most probable cause. That, or it was never supposed to end with only the three wyverns. After that, they all moved closer to the two others and sat around, waiting for the companions to evolve. Derek had to admit, he was just as excited as everyone else. While waiting, Derek viewed his stats. He expected quite the change based on the number of notifications he had ignored or dismissed during the fight. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: View Contract View Contract View Contract View Contract Contract Unavailable Skills Absolute Nullify Lv. 12, Basic Repair Lv. 1, Chain Lightning Lv. 13, Channel Void Lv. 18, Cleaning Lv. 9, Cure Toxin Lv. 4, Dismantle Lv. 12, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 1, Greater Meditation Lv. 10, Heavy Weapons Mastery Lv. 20(Choose Specialty Path), Identify Lv. 17, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Multi-Strike Lv. 14, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Rejuvenation Lv. 14, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 4, Time Prison Lv. 9, Unarmed Combat Mastery Lv. 19, Void Call Lv. 4, Void Sense Lv. 16, Void Shift Lv. 9, Void Steps Lv. 13, Void Storage Lv. N/A Skill Points Remaining: 17 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 7 Achievements Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Lesser Enforcer of Oaths, Repetitive Dungeoneer, Minor Slayer of the Unknown, Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Derek did a double, then a triple take at his status sheet. With over 900 stat points available to spend, he had a ton of options. The first thing he thought about was maxing out another of his stats, but he hesitated. He was unsure what the best course of action would be. If the hour of fighting dragonkin taught him anything, it was that he was lacking in attack power when his skills, specifically Multi-Strike, were on cooldown. From everything he knew, intelligence would affect how much damage his channeled void would do overall, so that was a must. It was the stat that he had mostly overlooked because he hadnt run into much that could defend against a pure attack on a vital organ. Well, he hadnt run into anything like that until now. And seeing how they were just in the second trial, there was a good chance that he would run into more and more enemies with defenses just as high. Honestly, he was still glad he chose vitality and endurance as his focus, because those two stats allowed him to keep his fighting style and stay alive. Staying alive was the most important thing. It didnt matter how much damage you could output if you were dead. But now he had a decision to make, and he was leaning toward intelligence and strength. Intelligence would increase the magic damage of his attacks, and it may even increase the potency of Void Shift. He wasnt sure on that front. Strength would increase the amount of force he would be able to apply that magical damage with. The harder he could swing his halberd well, his fists now that the halberd was gone, the more damage his channeled void would be able to do when it connected. What he found that he wasnt really lacking, and was much less of a priority now, was his dexterity and wisdom. Wisdom was great, overall, but with his recovery due to Greater Meditation, having a ton of it wasnt exactly necessary. Sure, it allowed him to move his mana quicker throughout his body and allowed him to direct his void better, but currently, with it already having over 1,000 stat points invested into it, it was able to keep up in his fights. Even the ones with the wyvern. Dexterity spoke for itself. It was a stat he wanted a lot, but it was also the stat he knew he didnt currently need as bad as the other stats, minus wisdom. It would make him faster in both movement and attack. But it just wasnt yet a necessity. He also had Silvi to think about. Once he pushed a stat past a certain point, her stats would break through a threshold and she would have to go through the pain that came with it. It was a pretty bad situation because of the time dilation in the dungeon as well. He also didnt want to begin breaking through thresholds while in a trial surrounded by people. He trusted Avery and Edgar well enough, and Edgar even knew he wasnt at max level yet, but he didnt want them to know exactly how true that was. No, the first decision he made was to wait until he was back in the dungeon, then he would move far away from everyone before going through with the breakthroughs. And once he was able to, he would push both his intelligence and strength to the point just before it would push Silvi into her own breakthroughs. For now, he move all his stats to the edge. All of his stats, including dexterity. So, with a quick thought, he made the adjustments to his stats. He felt the increase in both his strength and his mobility almost instantly. Dumping over 170 points into a stat brought with it quite the noticeable change. After that, he checked his stats. Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 999 999 1500 (???) 1500 (???) 999 1003 401 He smiled as he closed his stats. They were looking good. If the trial didnt end when the next wave was due, he had no doubt that he would be gaining even more levels before it was over. With a sigh, he stood and pulled a comfortable chair out of his storage. If he was going to wait for dragons to hatch, he would at least be comfortable doing it. Chapter 274: Lyra Chapter 274: Lyra Out of the corner of his eye, Derek saw Edgars eyelid twitch as he pulled out one of his chairs and sat on it. The prince was also one who enjoyed a nice, cushioned seat, but it looked like he was too proud to ask- Hey! Give me one of those! Edgar finally broke. Derek laughed, but in the end, he opened his Time Prison and allowed everyone to go inside and bring out one of the chairs they used for furniture. Still, those chairs werent as comfy as the one Derek had stored in his storage bracelet, though they were still of a much higher quality than what most were used to. As they waited, Derek thought back to when he had first made his contract with Silvi. Once he bonded with his companion, it had taken a few hours for the bunny to evolve. He didnt know what to expect with the wyvern and amphithere, however. Silvi may have taken so long because she was evolving from a common beast to a legendary one. On the other hand, her evolution may have been quick because of how low level they had both been at the time. He was unsure. But, six hours later, he found his answer as Averys companion began to break out of its evolution sphere. The sphere surrounding the amphithere began to crack and light shone through. As the sphere splintered like an eggshell, Avery jumped up in excitement and ran forward, not able to contain himself. Everyone else also stood at that point. Derek moved forward, too, but stay a respectable distance away from Avery and his companion. He was excited to see what kind of evolution the beast would go through. To be honest, Derek didnt know much about the beast, and he hadnt asked, as it wasnt his place to do so. But from what he did see of the beast before he left Avery alone with it, it hadnt seemed all that impressive. In fact, it was the runt of the litter. It was much smaller than every other beast he had seen flying and roaming around in the sky and on the ground. So, he waited for the big reveal. Finally, the beast broke out of its shell and the grayish sphere disintegrated just like Silvis own void sphere had before. What Derek saw in front of him left him surprised to say the least. Before him wasnt the same small, winged serpent he had seen before, but a giant winged serpent, almost the same size as the wyverns they had faced. Honestly, he was stumped, and had no clue what was going on. Avery seemed surprised for a short time as well, but broke out of it as he ran forward and ran his hand along the side of the slithering beast that had just landed on the ground.T/his chapter is updated by Before, the beast was white with a pink shade around its extremities and on the crown of her head. Now, the bright white of the scales and feathers had faded into a dull white, not quite gray, but not white. Actually, if Derek had to say what color it was, platinum came to mind. On top of the white darkening, the pink shading had also changed into a sort of muted lavender coloring. The amphithere wasnt as cute and pretty as it was before, but what it lost in its cuteness, it gained in physicality and intimidation. Derek stood back and let the man and his new bonded companion have a moment, while he thought about all the questions he wanted to ask. Edgar came over to him then. I didnt expect he could find such a beast that wasnt at legendary rank, he mused. I saw a bunch of winged serpents like that earlier when the fighting first began, but I never seen one anywhere that size. It wasnt that size, Derek answered as he stared at the beast and Avery. It was so much smaller than that before it evolved. Really? Edgar asked, surprised. Yeah, like a lot smaller. Smaller than any of the other winged serpents you saw before. Derek then went on to explain to Edgar what he saw of the beast when they were fighting and how surprised he was when Avery chose it to be his companion. Thats crazy. I dont know if it was luck, or if Avery knew what he was doing, Edgar replied. He has certainly gained a lot from this trial. Derek could only nod and think about the meals he had in his storage bracelet that Silvi had cooked for him before he left for the dungeon. She was still the best companion. That was no doubt. Yup shes the best. These dragons have nothing on her. Derek really believed that, too. He wasnt trying to convince himself. He had not once regretted bonding to the murder bunny. I guess. Its still amazing. Congratulations! Derek was slightly stunned to see that Edgar was actually genuinely happy for Avery. It seemed like the prince did have his own pride, and was quite a bit of a showoff, but was still able to humble himself and give praise and compliments when needed, especially to his friends and those he respected. And Avery was definitely someone he respected. Avery moved forward a bit more and got closer to Derek and Edgar. In a light whisper that everyone could still hear, he said, Thats not all, either. I got another Achievement, too. Its another one off. Really? What is it? Edgar asked. That you will have to find out yourself. I suspect you will be getting the same Achievement when your wyvern breaks out of its cocoon. Avery laughed, then ran back to Lyra and jumped. In just a moment, he was standing on the back of the amphithere, and Lyra let out a roar before flapping her massive wings and shooting off into the distant sky. Holy shit! Edgar cried. Thats fast! Indeed. Derek agreed. Derek sighed and went back to his chair and sat down, as did Edgar and the other two. Tara and Jasper hadnt said anything while they were discussing the Achievements, but they had obviously been listening attentively. After around ten minutes of silence, Tara broke it. Do you think I would be able to contract with an Amphithere? Everyone turned their heads and looked at the elven mage. She had stars in her eyes, she had clearly been taken aback by Lyra. What is your class rarity? Derek asked. Tara lowered her head. Its epic. If you were able to fight the beast alone, you would have the same chances to tame one as Avery did, Edgar answered. But as a support class, I suspect that would be hard. Very hard. Do you have many debuffs and crowd control skills? Tara shook her head slightly. I mostly focus on buffs. I only have a few debuffs and crowd controlling skills, and they are from earlier classes and not very powerful. She sighed. One of the curses of support and healing type classes, Jasper said. He was also a little down about not being able to contract with a creature of his own. Jasper, Derek said. A modicum of an idea forming. Do you have a lot of different healing skills and spells? Of course, the healer responded. You know, and this is on the off chance that this trial isnt going to end when our resting time is over, if there are more lesser dragonkin coming it, there is a good chance that one of them is undead, or death attuned. They may be susceptible to healing magic, you know? Derek smiled as Jaspers eyes widened. I didnt think of that! the healer nearly jumped out of his seat. Unfortunately, while it may actually be possible for the healer to find himself a companion, Tara was sulking even more. Derek felt sorry for the mage. Maybe I should tell her about the wonders of horned rabbits. Chapter 275: Dragon Rider Chapter 275: Dragon Rider Derek checked the system time as everyone went silent in thought. It had taken just over five hours for Lyra to finish her evolution from an Immature Amphithere to a Mature Amphithere. Blitzs evolution hadnt started too long after Lyras, so he expected the wyvern would finish evolving any minute now. Then, Edgar could finally figure out what Achievement Avery had been talking about, and Derek would be able to figure some things out as well. Sure enough, not thirty minutes later, cracks began to form in the lightning sphere. Then, the cracked sphere started to fall apart while the pieces that fell off vanished into thin air, like they were never there. It reminded Derek of how the fragmented pieces of the sky fell off and disappeared as a Void Beast broke out of the void. In just a few minutes, Blitz appeared in all his glory. The formerly red wyvern was now a bluish-silver color, a color that also now encompassed his massive eyes. Currents of electricity flowed through the legendary beast as he got his newfound powers under control. Taras hair actually stood up, and Derek could feel the hairs on his arms standing. Soon, showing more control than most humans, the electricity flowing off the beast vanished and everything stabilized. So thats what he meant! Edgar exclaimed. Avery still hadnt made his way back after taking his new companion for a test drive, but Derek knew that was what Edgar was talking about. Well, are you going to leave us hanging? Derek asked. Its an Achievement called Dragon Tamer, Edgar said. You get it for bonding with a legendary dragonkin. It granted me the passive skill, Dragon Riding. Interesting, Derek thought. It really was interesting that bonding with a certain type of beast would allow for specific Achievements. That meant that it had to be incredibly rare to chance upon a legendary dragon, and even more-so to tame it. So, what does it do? Derek asked. It doesnt level, but it stabilizes the rider while on a dragon. Seems like it makes it almost impossible to fall off at least with how the wording is. It also increases the dragons speed while the rider is seated, and allows for increased accuracy when battling from the dragons back, Edgar explained. Holy shit! Derek inwardly exclaimed, shocked. It was one hell of a skill. The only downside was that it was only activated while the user was on dragon back, but still. It provided so many passive benefits. Derek wasnt sure how much it would help Edgar, but for someone like Avery, who used a bow, it would be a game changer. Images of Alanahs right-hand man soaring through the air, loosing arrow after arrow from dragon back flowed through Dereks head. For the first time, he finally felt a tinge of jealousy purely based on how cool one would look while doing such a thing. Derek began to speak, but before he could, Edgar flashed, then appeared on the back of Blitz. Before anyone said anything, they took off. Derek let out a sigh. Derek, Tara, and Jasper waited for half an hour, but there was still no sign of either Edgar or Avery. Derek was getting impatient. He needed one of them back to test something, but he didnt want to take away their training time with their new partners, so he didnt try to contact them via crystal or telepathy. Soon, Derek gave up and decided to do something he had been against before. He already had his vitality and endurance at the third threshold, so breaking through with the others shouldnt be too hard. His main problem was he didnt want to breakthrough while around others, so he had planned to wait until back in the main dungeon, then venture off a good distance away from the rest of the group. But the more he thought about that, the more he decided against it. Breaking through would take no more than a few minutes for each stat, and two of the four people he was in the trial with, he trusted. And he very much doubted Tara or Jasper would go against anything he said right now. Outside, there would be a much higher chance of someone getting curious and seeing what he was doing. Plus, he didnt really know what powers everyone else had. So, with his mind made up, he turned to the healer and support mage and said, The two of you stay here and wait for them to get back. I have something to do, and I need to be alone to do it. I should be back in less than an hour. If Edgar or Avery get back before me, tell them what I told you. Also, tell them not to leave again, because I have something I need to test before the next wave if there is one. The two could only nod, as Derek hadnt asked, but told. With a nod back, Derek kicked the ground and dashed away. He even used Void Shift to limit the amount of time it would take him. He also headed in a different direction than both Edgar and Avery had. He wouldnt really mind too much if either of them saw him, but he would rather not take that chance. Once he was more than a dozen miles away from their camp, he stopped. He also found a crumbling building that still had some structure to it and went inside, so he would have a bit of cover, at least. From there, he didnt waste any time, and began. Before anything else, he removed his shirt and jeans, wanting to avoid ripping and destroying them. Then, he put one stat point into strength. Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 1000 1000 1500 (???) 1500 (???) 1325 1003 73 He nodded his head in appreciation, then let out a breath and slipped into the void before slowly pulling his way back to the group, hoping that either Avery or Edgar had returned. True to his word, Derek was gone for less than an hour. Actually, he was gone for less than thirty minutes. And in that time neither of the dragon riders had come back from their rides. With a handful of hours left before they found out whether there was going to be a next wave or not, Derek decided to give them three more hours, then he would have to call them back. Luckily, he didnt have to do so, as Avery came back just over an hour later with a giant grin plastered on his face. Lyra landed on the ground, then coiled up like a snake as Avery stroked the back of her head, then jumped off. That is exhilarating! he said as he walked over toward everyone. I saw that Edgars companion finished his evolution. Then, with a conspiratorial tone, he leaned in and whispered for them to hear, Me and Lyra are stronger than Edgar and Blitz. He laughed. The two men had obviously met each other and had a spar or something. It made sense, as Avery was built for and had a class well suited for fighting on dragon back. Of course, Edgar wouldnt be a slouch with his lightning attacks at range, but with Averys range, he would obviously have the edge. Especially after receiving the extra stat points from his new Achievement and now legendary class. Derek snorted at the thought that he may actually now be the third strongest in their current group. But he let that pass, as it wouldnt be that way for long. He still had over fifty levels to get. Avery! he said. I need Lyras help with something. Do you mind? Derek asked. Avery frowned, then looked at Lyra. Will she be in any danger? No, none at all. You can stay with her as well. Its just a thought that I had, but if it works, Im sure even you will be happy. Avery shrugged. Okay, what is it? Chapter 276: Dereks New Plan Chapter 276: Derek''s New Plan Follow me, Derek said to Avery and Lyra, then began walking a bit away, to a spot that had more of an open area for the massive winged serpent. A couple minutes later, and he stopped along with everyone, Avery and the slithering serpent. He hadnt specifically invited the other two, so out of respect, he guessed, they hadnt followed him and Avery. He didnt actually care if they followed or not, though. Which was shown as he and Avery were still well within visual distance of the other two.Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com Okay, Derek said. Ive only tried this on humans, a Void Beast, and my own rabbit companion so far. What he was talking about was, of course, his Time Prison. If he was allowed to stash beasts inside, it didnt make sense that there was a size limit, and he had an innate feeling that he would be able to use it on anything he captured, not just things of correct proportions. Though, he did think that there may be some more limitations because of size. His Time Prison was currently level 9, which allowed for 45 prison cells. Two of those cells were still occupied by Ogre and Bones, but he had enough control over the time dilation now that he could release them quickly if he needed to. So youre saying? Avery asked. Im saying that if I can fit Lyra inside my Time Prison, then I can fit more dragonkin in as well. Which means, if there is another wave of enemies, we can get in on a dragon taming business, Derek explained. Averys eyes widened at the thought. I could bring Alanah back a wyvern? And Stella a drake? Of course, the first thing he would think about was providing powerful companions for his own people. Derek had thought the same. As long as one of his people ended up with an epic class, he could provide them with a dragon of their own. Whether that be an amphithere, drake, or wyrm or even a wyvern, if they were able to obtain a legendary class. He was actually pretty certain that Brandi, at least, would end up with a legendary class down the line. Exactly. Im not sure about breeding, but that could also be a thing, too. Though neither of us are really lacking for money at this point, and I doubt we will be any time soon. Avery thought for a second, then nodded. Well, we need to see if it works first. What do you want me to do? Just give me a moment, Derek said. He then turned and focused on the void in front of him with his Void Sense turned up to maximum. Everything seemed to come back to that basic skill. Time Prison used to take about a third of his overall mana to use, but since his massive increases in his mana pool, that cost had shrunk down quite a bit. Still, he focused. Usually, when he focused on ripping the void open and summoning forth his Time Prison door, he had the picture of himself in his mind. His new thinking was that if he willed it to, he could summon a prison that would fit an even bigger captive. Derek closed his eyes and put his hands into the void. Then he pulled them apart, ripping apart the void in the process. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked up, and a huge smile fell over his face. In front of him stood the same prison door, but this time, it was multiple times larger. Now, Im going to leave this open. It takes way too much out of me to keep opening and closing it, unfortunately. Im also going to have to try to think of an easier way to get the beasts inside, Derek commented. Me and Lyra can deal with that Avery said as he pet the dragon once again. Cant we, girl? The amphithere actually purred like a cat with her snake-like tongue flittering out of her maw. Avery then explained a bit of Lyras powers to Derek, which instantly made him understand why Avery had chosen Lyra over all the other beasts. She was indeed quite the special companion, and if her controlling skills worked anywhere near as well as Avery believed they would, she would have no problem corralling the lesser dragonkin into Dereks prison. In fact, Derek only needed to sit back and adjust the cells as needed. He wouldnt need to do much of anything else. Of course, this would leave Edgar alone with Blitz to distract and keep all the other dragonkin busy while Avery and Derek did their work. Tara and Jasper would need to stay inside the prison with Derek, just in case anything happened. Derek was sure Edgar wouldnt mind doing the job they wanted him to. He had been the one to rely on him and Avery to do the exact same for him during the previous wave. And surely, the prince would want to test himself and Blitzs skills out against all the beasts. Still, this all only mattered if another wave came along. There was still the chance that the time would count down, then the system would hit them with a trial completion notification. If that happened, Derek would be extremely disappointed. It would have been such a great opportunity missed. Derek, Avery, and Lyra finally left the prison and moved back to where Jasper and Tara were sitting. They didnt say anything about what they were thinking, and only waited for Edgar to come back. Jasper and Tara kept glancing over at the enormous open door to Dereks prison, but kept silent about it. The prince must have been enjoying his new Dragon Rider skill, as he didnt make it back until there was only one hour left until time for the next wave or time for trial completion. When he arrived, though, Derek finally broke down everything he and Avery had discussed to the rest of the party. When he told them his plans, they all had the same reaction as Avery had, pure excitement. When he told them that he and Avery had tested whether it would work or not with Lyra, and it had, they could barely contain themselves. It was a bit of a bummer that they would only be able to get ten or so beasts depending on their size, but it was ten dragons, so there was nothing worth complaining about. Edgar happily agreed to the plan. He just wanted to be able to keep one or two of the dragonkin for his own people. Derek didnt mind. That would still leave him with at least six, maybe even more, dragonkin. And Avery and Tara would be doing the lions share of the work. Jasper asked them to keep a death attuned dragonkin out of the prison so he would have the chance to tame it, and Tara asked if they would be willing to reserve her a drake for her son. Derek agreed to everything, exchanging his communication rune with Tara and Jasper so they could get ahold of him if they needed to, and none of the others had any problem with it. They all also agreed to keep everything to themselves, at least until they were finished with the dungeon, knowledge that there were a bunch of dragonkin stored in Dereks prison would definitely cause disagreements with the raid party. It would be odd that Derek no longer allowed everyone inside to pass the time faster, but that couldnt be helped. Everything would just be speculation, and if all else failed, he could just say that it was full of materials theyd gathered from the trial. Like this, they waited for the clock to tick down, minute by minute. Soon, only five minutes remained, and everyone tensed. In five minutes, they would either be ecstatic or terribly disappointed. Chapter 277: Gotta Catch ’Em All Chapter 277: Gotta Catch ¡¯Em All The last few minutes passed at a crawl, with everyone waiting in anticipation. Everyone had something to gain from another wave of enemies, so they all hoped to hear the screeching of a wyvern or a roar of another dragonkin at least one more time. Just as the last minute passed, they heard it. Another almost deafening roar sounded in the distance, followed by a chorus of similar roars. With the sound of one beast, the tension between the five party members disappeared, and everyone relaxed. It looks like luck is on our side today, Edgar said. Yeah, its a good thing you suck at taming beasts. Imagine if you would have finished contracting with Blitz any sooner. The trial would have been over at least, I think, Derek said. He really wasnt sure about the ending condition of the trial. It had been to survive for ten days or defeat the enemy champions, and he was almost sure that the wyverns were considered the champions. If they werent then he couldnt imagine what would come next. Well, actually, he could. It would have to be some form of Ancient Dragon, and if the rarity of the current monsters were anything to go by, they would end up being at a rank higher than legendary. But that shouldnt be possible, as the rank of the trial they were currently in was only legendary. So, either they had to defeat a certain amount of wyverns, or defeat them within the time limit of the attack. The system hadnt exactly been clear on its conditions. Edgar rolled his eyes at Dereks comment, and Avery snickered. It was all in jest and good fun. Who would actually taunt a person that had literally just tamed a legendary dragon species in only around one hour of fighting? Honestly, it was quite impressive. With everything prepared and the wave incoming, Derek took the lead. Jasper Tara cast your buffs on everyone. Tara, avoid casting on Jasper just in case there is dragonkin out there that his healing is a perfect counter for. With that command, multiple auras of light fell around the group, including the new additions to the party: Blitz and Lyra. The two dragonkin being hit by the auras shined like a beacon of light on a dark night, even though it seemed to be in a constant dusk since they started the trial. Once all the spells were cast, even though Derek doubted anyone would actually need them anymore, especially with the two additional team members, he continued, Alright, now the two of you need to go inside the prison and get in one of the cells closest to the door. Well be taking the beasts to the back. That way, you will be out of the way and wont risk any injury if Avery and Lyra lose control. With no arguments, the two supporters made their way into his Time Prison. Of course, toward the end, they would have to leave the cells to make space for any additional beasts, but for now, it was the safest place for them. Edgar, youre on tanking duty. Draw all the attention and kite err lead them around while Avery picks some out. Avery, get some good ones. If you find a plant-based wyrm, get it. Also, look for anything smaller, like we discussed. If its small, get it. Also, see if you can find something that may be weak against wind, he directed, and both Avery and Edgar nodded before disappearing along with their new companions. Avery nodded with a big smile on his face. That was even easier than expected. Then, he turned and looked at Lyra, who had turned around and was now guarding the door instead of leering inside. Though, Lyra will only be able to do that a few more times with the lesser beasts before she needs to recharge. It takes a lot out of her. And we may need your help with the wyvern when its time. Thats no problem. Just let me know when you need me, Derek said. With that, Avery turned around and jogged out of the prison, hopping on Lyras back and soaring off into the distance as soon as he got outside. Derek sighed and looked back at the cell door. He really did miss Silvi. I should have forced her to come along with me. He could only lament and get back to work. With one of the cells now occupied by a new resident, Derek put all his focus on it and tried to shrink it down. To his delight, it began shrinking. He was actually shocked that it was working. However, after shrinking for a few moments, and even unabsorbing one of the cells beside it, it refused to shrink any further. He then realized that he was at the smallest sized the system, or at least his Time Prison, would allow him to adjust a cell with a beast the size of the amphithere inside. It was still a success, in his opinion. He wouldnt have to worry about proficiency. No matter the beast stored inside, he would be able to place it in the smallest cell possible without too much extra hassle. On that note, he ran over to the cells that Bones and Ogre were in and were actually able to shrink the cell that Bones was in by a small amount. The same couldnt be said for Ogre, as the mountain of a man barely fit in that cell to begin with. The slightly shrunken cell didnt actually allow for much extra room for the cell beside it, but an argument could be made that every bit of space counted. So, Derek wouldnt complain. He actually agreed with that argument. Derek went back to the end of the lobby, next to the cell that now contained an amphithere. One other thing that he wasnt sure about was whether the imprisoned beasts would count toward the end goal of the trial, or if he would even be able to let them out of his Time Prison once the trial or dungeon ended. That had failed before doing the reverse with a Void Beast, but he hadnt tried to take anything out. Though, he suspect he wouldnt have much of a problem because of his encounter with the Acidic Ghoul back at the undying dungeon, and the fact that dungeon breaks were a thing. It meant that the system shouldnt have a problem with removing beasts from the dungeon. He also knew that he could put someone inside his prison and bring them into a dungeon, but that also hadnt been completely experimented with. He did, however, draw the conclusion that it was based solely on the number of people allowed in the dungeon. He still needed to figure out if that meant once the participant limit was reached, nobody would be allowed outside the prison, even if one of the original members died, or if it was less stringent and would allow him to sub people in and out like a basketball team. He imagined it was the former, and he planned on testing it one day, preferably with more people he trusted. Whether any of that was how it worked or not, he would have to find out later. Right now, Avery was on his way back with a drake, and Derek needed to prepare its new home. We gotta catch em all. Well at least ten or so the rest have to be relegated to XP and material. I hope I can get a good glaive out of this. Chapter 278: Mission: Complete Chapter 278: Mission: Complete After loading the drake into one of the cells, Derek and Avery fell into a proficient rhythm. Avery brought in a small variety of different beasts, choosing from amphitheres, wyrms, and drakes. The amount of amphitheres outnumbered the other varieties because they tended to be a bit smaller than the others, and easier to squeeze into a cell. Luckily, there was a nature based wyrm that Avery found. Even though it was one of the bigger beasts, Derek accepted it. He also found a lightning based drake, which wind should apparently be good against. It would work perfectly for Rayna. Thomas would have his own pick with his soul based attacks. After all that, the Time prison had managed to hold nine of the lesser beasts inside, and he still had two cells available that would be able to take in wyverns. All in all, it to around thirty minutes to fill up the cells. It was much faster than Derek thought it would be, and that was even with Lyra resting a bit in between captures. She was already putting a Meditation skill to use. However, Derek didnt know if it was provided to her by Avery, or if she had it to begin with. He also commended on Jaspers luck. There werent any undead monsters outside this time, but there was a drake with a darkness element. It wouldnt be as easy to deal with for the healer as an undead creature, but his light element was still a good counter. But the same was true for the darkness element against his light abilities. At least from what Derek understood about the darkness and light elements. So, the healer would have to be extra careful while fighting the beast. But he was adamant about giving it a try, so thats what he was doing. At least he should have the upper hand in the battle with his ability to heal himself if needed. Hopefully, if anything went wrong, Edgar would be hanging around close enough to cut in with speed and help, while Avery and Derek were preoccupied. Fortunately, nothing bad had happened to Jasper by the time Avery and Derek were finished with the lesser beasts, and the healer was still fighting the drake with his limited attack. Now it was time for Derek to help Avery. He finally left his Time Prison and followed behind Avery and Lyra, heading to where Edgar and Blitz were corralling all the remaining beasts aside from the darkness drake. That one, Avery nodded to one of the wyverns flying around. One of the four wyverns. Everything clicked at that point. Each wave got increasingly harder than the previous. The first wave was three wyverns. The second was the first wave combined with a small army of lesser dragonkin. And the third wave added four more wyverns and another, slightly bigger army of beasts. If they had just been hiding and running from fights, they would be up against seven wyverns and a bunch of lesser dragonkin. Passing the trial by surviving was looking more and more like a fools errand. By the tenth day, how many wyverns would be attacking? Their only choice would be huddling up in his Time Prison and waiting it out. If another team was inside, they wouldnt have that choice. Derek followed Averys gaze and saw an off yellow, almost brown, colored wyvern flying around. Thats the one we should get Alanah, Avery said. Should have great physical defense already. Is that earth based? Derek asked, to confirm his thought. Yup, Avery said. Saw it shaping the ground earlier while trying to attack Edgar. Derek nodded. Alanah had, for the most part, a wisdom and intelligence-based class. At least from what Derek had guessed, so something with good physical defense would be better for her. Of course, she also probably had an insane amount of stats collected from Void Beasts. He still had no idea how old the woman was. All he knew was that she didnt come from Cydaria. The next wyvern fell the same as the previous. It was ice based with a beautiful blue color. With Brandis class, it shouldnt evolve into her element. What would that be, anyway? Crafting? Is crafting an element? Finally, forty-five minutes into the battle, Derek closed the Time Prison and canceled the skill. They had fifteen minutes left to mop up. They could allow the remaining wyverns to escape and see what came next, but they were pretty much finished with everything. They were all pretty much tapped out on room for materials. Three wyverns worth of materials were already going to allow for a ton of equipment made. But really, they all wanted to finish the trial and see what rewards they would get. There was always the possibility of getting better rewards for completing it faster, though that was never specifically said. Derek and Avery branched out and began the cleanup. Derek also gave Edgar and Blitz the go ahead via telepathy. Edgar and Blitz went after one wyvern while Avery and Lyra took on the other. Derek thinned out the remaining smaller beasts with his newfound stats. The fighting only lasted ten minutes before Avery felled the last wyvern. There were still a few drakes and other lesser dragonkin left, but when the light in the final wyverns eyes went out, a dungeon orb, or rather, a trial orb, popped up close to them. The remaining lesser dragonkin all retreated, all except for the one Jasper was contending against. It tried to leave, but that had given Jasper an opportunity to cripple the drakes leg with a blast of light. Then the healer was on top of its injury. Avery, Derek, Edgar, and Tara all looked at each other and shrugged. They promised him a companion if one was available, and one was. They would wait until the fight was over. Jaspers usual pristine white robe was currently dyed a crimson red, as he had been able to fight the beast without taking much damage like Avery had, and he was nowhere as fast as Edgar was to be able to dodge all the attacks. In fact, this was the first time Derek had looked at their battle, and it had apparently been pretty even, maybe even being in the drakes favor, until it tried to flee, leaving itself open for a critical attack. Have you been watching that fight? Derek asked Edgar. Ive kept an eye on it. Wasnt about to lose our best healer. Thats why I kept the battle relatively close to theirs. I wouldnt have been able to keep him alive from any critical attacks, but anything else, and I would have been able to get there in time I think. Its what he wanted, Edgar explained. Plus, Tara stayed pretty close to him the whole time, within cast range. She could have done something to help if it was needed. That was reassuring. The risk of death had still been there for the healer, but it was limited by Edgar and Taras actions. Edgar really was a good leader, at least for a dungeon group. Now, the fight was a battle of will between the healer and the beast. The battle raged on for two whole hours before Jasper made a contract with the beast. The healer definitely had some stamina and strong willpower. He also got a small amount of help from Avery when his second beast contract failed and he had no more. The archer came in with the assist by tossing him one of his extra beast contract scrolls. Jasper opted to wait to evolve the drake until they were back in the main dungeon. He didnt want the rest of the group to wait even longer for him after they waited so long already. After that, they all went around and gathered as much of the remaining monster material that would fit inside Dereks Time Prison lobby, then set the time in the prison to move as slowly as possible to keep the materials as fresh as possible. Of course, the wyvern materials went in the groups storage containers where it would all stay fresh as long as it was inside. Finally, it was all over. Edgar stepped forward and touched the glowing orb. It was time to collect their rewards. Chapter 279: Hindsight Chapter 279: Hindsight Derek awaited the notification he knew he was about to receive with much anticipation. This was actually the first time he wasnt the person to initiate the completion of a dungeon well, a trial dungeon, but a dungeon nonetheless. So, he wasnt sure about the prompts he would be getting from just being a member, and he had never questioned Thomas or any of the rest of his group that he speed ran through dungeons. Still, he didnt have to wait long to find out, as a notification similar to one he had seen so many times before flashed in front of his eyes. Trial Complete Assigning Rewards Congratulations, you have received Skill Scroll: Dragon Fire Instantly, a scroll appeared in his hand, and he examined it. Skill Scroll: Dragon Fire Upon activation, the user will learn the magical skill, Dragon Fire. As this is a skill from a scroll, no skill points are required and it will not be forgotten upon class change. He looked around to see that everyone else was holding a scroll similar to his, though he didnt know what skills they had received. To be completely honest, he was let down by the reward. He was sure that a skill based on a legendary dragon would be amazing, and something almost anyone else would jump for joy at receiving, but to him, he just didnt have any interest in learning a fire-based skill. Speaking of people jumping for joy at receiving a skill. Everyone else was giddy as they looked over the scrolls they received. Did you all get dragon related skill scrolls? Derek asked, causing everyone to shift their attention away from their rewards. Everyone looked at each other before nodding. If all the skills are different, what if we took them all and gave them to one low-level person? Would they unlock some legendary class as their first class? What kind of monster could we create? Those thoughts were the first things that went through Dereks mind after he got over his disappointment with his personal reward. So, he decided to voice his idea. Hey, if we combine the scrolls and giv- He stopped all the sudden as Averys scroll unfurled and then crumbled right in front of their eyes. The man had barely waited a few seconds before learning his new skill. Derek was still looking at him with his mouth open. What? Avery asked. There is no chance in hell that Im giving this away. With that, a grayish-silver pair of dragon wings sprouted from the archers back, and with one thrust, he was hovering off the ground. A flight skill that takes stamina, Avery said. I love the Great System! The one thing Derek had heard Avery complain about over and over while he had known him was his ability to fly or battle in the air, or in Averys case, his lack of that ability. It seemed the system had taken notice of that and had not only allowed him to contract with a deadly flying beast, but had also given him the only skill he really wanted as a reward. Derek felt cheated yet again. First, he didnt get nearly as many skills as others did when he upgraded his class. Sure, his skills were powerful, but hed seen others with extremely powerful skills as well. Then there were the rewards he received from completing dungeons. They always seemed to be disappointing and not something he ever really wanted. Sure, Cure Toxin was nice to have and may have even saved him once, but it really didnt add anything to his build. What did you get? Edgar asked. Why havent you used the scroll? Dragon Fire Derek muttered. And you dont want it? Edgar asked. From experience, I know that dragon flames arent anything to scoff at. He patted Blitz, who was standing patiently beside them all. The wyvern had been a fire type wyvern before they bonded. Just isnt the sort of skill I would usually use, Derek said. He also preferred close ranged physical attacks. And it looked like Dragon Fire was more of a mid to long ranged magical attack. So, what are you going to do with it? Edgar asked with a glint of greed in his eyes. Im sure I can think of something. Didnt you already get enough out of this? Derek said. Says the person with a stable full of dragonkin squirreled away. Edgar rolled his eyes and everyone chuckled. True, but you all profit from that as well. Derek smiled. But there are still five trials and whatever that big one at the end is, so theres still a chance for a good reward. Im hopeful. Damn right! Avery sounded out as he whooshed down and landed in the middle of the group. No point in complaining. We still have an entire Trial Raid Dungeon full of rewards to plunder. This is the best vacation ever! Derek couldnt help but break down and begin laughing along with everyone else as he saw the crazy look in Averys eyes. The man had gotten a good fight, a good companion, and a good reward, and he wanted more. Who could blame him? Someone of his nature shouldnt be cooped up doing business all day long. He needed to let loose. Well is there anything else we need to do here? Derek asked. I dont think so, Edgar looked around and nobody spoke up. We have two hours to leave the trial. Derek nodded. In that case. He pulled out five of Silvis prepared meals from his storage bracelet and handed them around. Might as well fuel up before heading out. Everyone was thankful for the food, and they all sat down to eat while talking about the trial. Avery recounted what it was like to fly with his new skill, and the way he described soaring and gliding among the clouds with child-like enthusiasm was something to behold. Edgar agreed with everything Avery said and told them all about how he flew away from the capital and stayed away for almost two months testing his flying skill once he got it. Flying in the sky just seemed more magic to Derek than skipping along in the air. Which was basically what he did with his Void Step. Before long, they finished their meals, and it was time to go. They all stood, and Edgar reached out and placed his hand on the trial orb. They were then encompassed by a blinding flash, and when Derek opened his eyes once again, they were standing around the trial orbs in the dungeon. They were standing around the trial orbs, and everyone else was running around, yelling and preparing for battle. Derek got in a fighting stance and looked for an enemy, then he heard someone scream something about a dragon. Finally, he put two and two together and looked over at Edgar, who had a slightly embarrassed look on his face. Maybe we should have thought about how to introduce our new companions before we came back? Edgar muttered. Hindsight, Derek said. Chapter 280: To Bribe a Smith Chapter 280: To Bribe a Smith Settling the people down turned out to be quite easy. Seemingly working together, Blitz let out an earth shattering roar, and a transparent wave pulsed out from Lyra. The roar caused all the party members to center their gazes on Blitz, while the pulse of magic used by Lyra momentarily silenced the area. From there, both Avery and Edgar appeared on the top of their dragons, which a few people began to notice. Once a few people noticed the two, it didnt take long for everyone else to see them as well. Everyone stood stock-still, looking at what they finally figured out was the trial team back from their mission. As you can see, Edgar started. We have finished the trial. That seemed to be an understatement, as it set off another round of clamoring from most of the party members. Derek rolled his eyes and looked out through the small crowd of people, searching for someone in particular. Soon, his eyes found Tyron, who was hammering away on something a good distance away from the trial orbs. It didnt seem like the smith was affected by the appearance of the wyverns. Or, at least, if he was, he quickly figured out what was going on and got back to his smithing. Derek tuned Edgars explanations to the party out and walked away from the small gathering toward Tyron. Hed let the prince deal with everything. For now, he had some urgent matters to attend to. All of which included the smith. Derek soon arrived at the area the smith had made his temporary workplace in. Just as he respected Brandis smithing when she was working, he waited for Tyron to finish what he was doing and look up questioningly. If you dont mind, Id like you to follow me away from everyone and everything. I think I have some things that may interest you, Derek said. Dragon materials? Tryon asked and nodded in the direction of Lyra, Blitz, and Jaspers drake that had yet to be formally named. Something like that, Derek confirmed. Im definitely interested, Tyron said, flipping his hand, and the blade he was working on disappeared into his storage. If you dont mind, you may want to bring your temporary workstation with you, Derek suggested. Tyron shrugged and stored everything inside one of his rings. He didnt show much emotion on his face, even with the allure of material acquired from dragonkin. It all fit his stoic character, Derek noted. Even with his spar against Avery, the smith had remained mostly calm and was even composed in admitting his defeat. Though he hadnt been able to keep himself from quipping back at Avery that he was only a blacksmith. It wasnt long before Derek and the smith were far away from their camp. Derek even chose to go further away from everyone than they had for the spars. Tyron was the only person he had decided to let in on everything that had happened during the second trial. Derek surveyed the surrounding area before deciding it was good enough, and the two stopped running. Okay, Derek said. First, I want to know what you can do with this. I have a few requests if you are able. With a flick of his wrist, the corpse of the death-attuned wyvern crashed onto the ground in front of them. When they were splitting the four corpses of the wyverns Derek had chosen the death-attuned one as his. Derek, Edgar, and Avery each received a whole wyvern corps, and the fourth was split between Jasper and Tara, even though they tried to turn it down. Derek, Edgar, and Avery had chosen to keep the overwhelming majority of the lesser dragonkin materials. For Edgar, the material would go toward the kingdoms army and equipment. Derek wanted it for both Silvi and Brandi. Brandi would be better off with quantity of material over quality for now, and Silvi would most definitely enjoy cooking dragons for a long time. Avery seemed to just go along with everything, but Derek was sure he would be seeing dragon steaks on the menu at the Crown Restaurant in the near future. Derek watched Tyron as he examined the wyvern. He was still serious and all business, but Derek could tell it was taking everything he had to contain himself. Finally, Tyron backed away, and Derek quickly stored the wyverns corpse. He needed to keep it as fresh as possible. Nothings going on for a while. The princeling is busy staving off questions, then hell need to figure out the next trial. Hell let us know if he needs us, Avery replied. Uhem Tyron cleared his throat. The color had returned to his face, and Derek was sure if he was imagining it, but it seemed like there was a bit of extra heat coming off the man. So, other than the materials, which you didnt have a problem showing me back when we were closer to the camp, what else is there? Why did we fly on that thing so far out here? Derek smiled and turned around. He reached into the void and pulled until a huge rip appeared in the air, showing the massive door to his Time Prison. First, I would like some help to store some of the materials so they wont spoil. He opened the door and a strong iron smell wafted over the trio and Lyra. The amount of blood and bodies inside his Time Prison was staggering. We ran out of storage containers. I can see that, Tyron said with a crooked smile. Give me a few minutes. With that, the smith stepped inside and began filling up his storage rings with carcasses of dragonkin. It took him fifteen minutes to clear out the entire lobby, and that was with him only having to touch a corpse to send it into the ring. Tyron came out of the Time Prison with over a dozen newly full storage rings. What about the cells? Are there more materials inside? Derek looked at Avery, and they smiled at each other. Well get to that later, Derek answered. First, what do you think about dismantling all the materials and splitting everything up into corresponding storage rings? Tyron narrowed his eyes and shot a look at Derek. You want me, one of, if not the best blacksmith in the kingdom, maybe even the continent, to spend who knows how much time dismantling hundreds of enormous beasts in a dungeon with trials that award rewards like this? Yes? Derek grinned. You know thats grunt work. I plan on helping, Derek said. I need to get my Dismantle skill leveled. What do I get out of it? Tyron questioned. Materials? I think Im already going to be getting plenty of materials when all of you ask me to craft you weapons and armor. I may not even need that many materials, you know? And money is no issue for me. Tyron gave Derek a toothy grin. Nothing gets by you, huh? Derek smiled back. What did you think about Lyra? He looked at the amphithere coiled up at the side, seemingly sleeping. Cant say Im a fan, the smith replied. One second, Derek said, and went inside his prison. He walked over to a specific cell and placed his hand on it, increasing the speed at which the timer counted down, then walked back out. So thats why Avery muttered and nodded. So, what would you think about a flightless dragonkin? How would you like to bond with one? Maybe one that can easily traverse through the ground? Chapter 281: Agreement Chapter 281: Agreement It didnt take long for Tyron to put two and two together. So, those cells inside Derek nodded. Occupied by dragonkin. And theres a wyrm with your name on it if you want it. You just have to agree to Dismantle the corpses youve collected. Make me a glaive and armor set out of the death attuned wyvern. And maybe make a few swords and a spear. Then, give me all the meat, and you can keep the remaining materials. Plus, you get a dragon. A wyrm not a dragon, the smith said. Technically a dragon. Its part of the dragon species, at least from what I know. But it is a wyrm yes, Derek replied. No flight? Not the wyrms we fought. Im sure some are able to, but not the one we caught for you. After a few more moments of consideration, Tyron held out his mammoth-like hand, and Derek took it. Youve got a deal, the smith said as they shook. Great! Derek said. Are you good to work here? What about the trials? Derek asked Tyron. If the smith began everything right now, he would surely miss out on a trial or two that was perfectly suitable for him. Im good here, Tyron said. Give me your communication rune. Derek took out his communication crystal, and he and the smith traded runes. He would now be able to connect with the best smith in the kingdom whenever he wanted. He felt a bit special. Just let me know what each trial is. If its good for me, Ill go back and do it. Of course, Ill leave all the materials and creations Ive been working on with those materials with you on the off chance I dont make it back. That was a pretty reasonable request. One that Derek was very happy with. Perfect! Might as well start now. With the communication crystal still in hand, Derek pushed his mana through and tried to connect to the prince. After a few seconds, it connected. What? the princes annoyed voice came through inside Dereks head. Having a hard time? Derek asked. Oh, you know. Everyone is pissed that they were left out of the last trial even though there were only five spots. And even though I believe the majority of them would have perished without Avery, you, and me and possibly Tyron, Cain, and Vanessa. I doubt anybody else would have had even the slightest chance at taming a dragon, either. Sounds like a problem, Derek said. Well, it doesnt look like the four of us, not including Tara because she didnt get a dragon, will be running a trial any time soon Compromises and such, the prince said. Seems like a great idea, Derek snorted. Sideline your strongest people and the best healer you have because youre jealous. Sounds like a good way to get dead. Yeah with most teams, at least. I think they will be fine, though. Ill still split the teams up, just dont expect any of us to be on them. Cain and Vanessa should be able to lead everyone well enough. Especially Cain. Hes very levelheaded. Didnt seem to care that we got dragons, either. Edgar explained. Sounds like qualities needed in the Guild Master of the biggest Adventurers Guild in the kingdom, Derek said. Avery shrugged. Edgars fine good guy. Edward is okay, and Alanah has history with the old king. Other than that, Im only beholding to Alanah, not the kingdom. Derek thought about that statement. Not only was it true for Avery, it was actually true for himself, as well. Though, he would still rather not see these people die over something as petty as a little greed. Avery was right, though. Them going in a legendary trial would make for a quick attitude adjustment. He only hoped they would live through it if that happened. But Derek only had his small group that he cared about and would actually do whatever he could to help them. Anyone else, he would help in passing if he could, but he wouldnt go out of his way. So, even though he would rather they not go in and die, he wouldnt try to stop them. Derek looked at Tyron and Avery. He would definitely count the battle maniac as someone he enjoyed being around. The man reminded him a bit of Jace, but much less psychotic. Avery was like if Jace had empathy. Definitely a good person to have on your side. As for Tyron, he seemed okay. The man was kind enough, even if he seemed more introverted than most. His number one priority was crafting, and Derek could respect that. For about an hour, Derek sat and watched Tyron work, and Avery enjoy playing with Lyra. The amphithere was majestic and noble, but Avery had a way to get her to play around like a pet in mock battle. An idea struck Derek after watching them for a bit, and he pulled out a scroll. It was a Telepathy scroll. Hey, Avery! Catch, he yelled and tossed the scroll to the archer. Avery caught the scroll and looked at it, then frowned. What do you want me to do with this? he asked. Derek furrowed his brows. I was thinking Lyra could learn it. That way, she would be able to communicate with everyone. Avery looked at Lyra, then back at Derek, then back again before bursting out in laughed. Derek stared at him in confusion. It even seemed like the winged serpent was laughing. Avery took the scroll and tossed it back to Derek. Thanks for the gesture. Derek caught the scroll and looked at Lyra and Avery with a frown before shrugging and putting the scroll away. It was a nice gesture, a haughty feminine voice resounded in his head. But as you can see. I do not need it. Thank you, though. Derek stared at the amphithere with his mouth open. Of course she already had Telepathy. She was a dragonkin with mental powers. It would be odd if she didnt have Telepathy. What about Blitz? Does he have Telepathy? Hed have to check on the lightning wyvern the next time he saw him. Speaking of the lightning wyvern. Not two hours later, its colossus shadow loomed overhead, and soon, the beast and Edgar landed. Theyve begun the next trial, Edgar said as he moved closer. Derek nodded at the prince and looked at Blitz. Hey, does Blitz have Telepathy? he asked. No, he doesnt, Edgar answered. Here! Derek pulled the scroll back out of his bracelet and tossed it to Edgar. This way he can communicate with everyone. It will make things much easier. Edgar caught the scroll and looked it over. Hesitantly, he said, I think its best we dont. Chapter 282: Rocky Chapter 282: Rocky What? Why? Derek asked Edgar. Why would the man not want Blitz to be able to communicate with anyone? It seemed like a waste. It was much better when he made Silvi that communication necklace that let her speak out loud. If nothing else, it would make others feel more comfortable around an intelligent beast. Blitz well Blitz is a bit different, Edgar explained. Different how? Edgar hesitated again and looked at Blitz before sighing. Hes not necessarily the smartest beast around. Blitz let out a snort, causing the prince to roll his eyes. So? Whats the problem? You shouldnt keep him from being able to communicate because of that, Derek said. Like hes really really not smart. Thats fine. We can live with that. Just think of all the politicians and nobles out there. It wont make much of a difference, Derek said with a smile. Fine Edgar caved and held out the scroll in front of Blitz for him to use. Blitz stared at it for almost a minute before it finally disappeared. Once Derek was sure that the wyvern had learned the skill properly, he tried speaking to him telepathically. Heya, Blitz. How are you doing? Out of nowhere, the wyverns wings expanded and flapped forward, pushing the massive beast back, away from them all. Then the beast began looking around, ready for a fight. Who was that? Where are you? Youre not Eddie. A deep voice sounded in Dereks head. Derek stared dumbly at the beast as Tyron scowled and picked up a few material pieces that were blown away by the sharp gust from Blitzs wings. Edgar facepalmed and Avery smiled and petted Lyra on the side. What did you say to him? Edgar asked. I asked him how he was doing Derek said. Then he got confused and couldnt figure out who was talking to him because it didnt sound like you. Edgar sighed. Do you know why I flew around so long on Blitz while we were in the trial dungeon? Because it was fun? It was but I figured out pretty quickly that Blitz was special. And I spent most of that time drilling into him that he just needed to listen to me and everything would be great. Now, other people with Telepathy will be able to communicate with him, which is going to cause a whole slew of new problems. Then why did you let him have the skill? Derek asked. Because you were right. I shouldnt keep him from being able to socialize just because it will be easier on me. What kind of prince or leader would that make me? Were just going to have to do some extra training, is all. Edgar looked at Blitz with kind eyes. Theres nothing wrong with that. Edgar and Blitz stared at each other for a bit, the Edgar turned back to Derek. Try talking to him again. Derek nodded. Hey Blitz, Im Derek. Eddies friend. The wyvern eyed Derek suspiciously, then, his deep masculine voice rumbled in Dereks head once again. Why did you try to scare Blitz like that? I almost hurt the little man, Derek. Dereks eyelid twitched, but he pushed on. I didnt mean to scare you. Im sorry. I just wanted to talk with you and see how you were doing is all. Are you enjoying being with Eddie? Tyron put his hammer away and released his aura. The ground around was desolate and burned, but thats all that remained of the fight. Well, the wyrm look like it had been hit by a truck. The smith shrugged. Its about what I expected. I have a rough estimate of the princes strength, and he subdued Blitz. If anything, I think it was an overkill. Well, it worked. Overkill or not. Derek nodded at the wyrm, which was cowing down in front of Tyron. Tyron shrugged again. We should get back. And Edgar should go make sure nobody heard the commotion and is on their way here. Derek nodded, and Edgar flew off. Finally, the three human, Lyra, and the newly contracted wyrm made their way back to Tyrons new temporary crafting area. As soon as they were there, metallic fire began flowing around the wyrm and covered it in an enormous sphere. You dont waste any time, do you? Derek asked Tyron. That was the sign that he had formed a bond with the beast. No reason to put it off if its going to happen, Tyron said. The sooner, the better. Then they waited around. Derek watched as Tyron continued to place things around his camp, getting everything set up perfectly for the crafting that was to come. Avery and Lyra flew off to play, and Edgar came back to let them know that he had taken care of everything. Even if he wasnt sure they all bought it. He had told them that Lyra and Blitz had sparred, and Blitz had gone a little overboard. The fact that they had met the wyvern personally now made it more easy to accept the explanation. Everyone with Telepathy had been introduced to the wyvern. Six hours later and the wyrms shell broke, allowing it to fall to the ground. The formerly moss covered wingless, limbless dragon, now shown in a dark metallic gray with orange veins running throughout its body its extremely small body. Derek did a double take. The wyrm was maybe five feet long and a foot tall and wide. How had the wyrm evolved into such a little thing? Its evolution was the exact opposite of Lyras. He looked questioningly over at Tyron, who was already beside the beast, nodding. The giant smith obviously wasnt disappointed in the outcome. Finally, Tyron cracked a smile. Rocky has the same qualities as my bound hammer. He can change his size as needed, provided he uses enough mana. Everything then clicked for Derek. That was a great ability for the wyrm to have. I guess we wont have any problem hiding him, then. Nope, Tyron agreed. So, did his rarity change to legendary? Did you get the Achievement that Avery did? You dont have to answer me if you dont want to, Derek quickly added. Tyron furrowed his brows and frowned. Of course he became a legendary wyrm. Thats what happens when a beast bonds with a person with a legendary class. Derek opened his mouth to speak a few times, but nothing came out. Tyron just admitted that he had a legendary class. Of course, he did. He was a crafting class with more fighting power than almost anybody. He should have guessed. Thats good. Does he need a Telepathy scroll? Derek easily accepted what he just learned. Im going to get to know him more first, then Ill give him one myself, Tyron answered. Good deal, Derek said. Well, good luck with everything. Ive got some things to do. He needed to go prepare to level up. He would be upgrading his class for the last time and he didnt want to take any chances. Alright. Ill let you know when I need you for your glaive, Tyron said. Ill need you to channel your element into it while Im crafting it so it will be attuned to you and able to withstand your skills better. Sounds good. With that, Derek left to go find some privacy. It was time to level up. Chapter 283: Final Preparations Chapter 283: Final Preparations Derek finally found himself alone, in a secluded place in a forested area. He cleared a spot underneath him and sat before going through his status. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 200 (Upgrade Class) 455,360,884,250/??? Legend of the Void (Legendary) Human (Modified) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37500 15045 37500 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 1000 1000 1500 (???) 1500 (???) 1325 1003 133 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown Restaurant) Silvi (Bonded Beast) Stella Brighton (Crown Restaurant) Francesco Jaccobs (Torith Adventurers Guild) Rudolph Mckinney Natalie Savannah via Malorie Stewart View Contract View Status View Contract View Contract View Contract Contract Unavailable Skills Absolute Nullify Lv. 12, Basic Repair Lv. 1, Chain Lightning Lv. 13, Channel Void Lv. 18, Cleaning Lv. 9, Cure Toxin Lv. 4, Dismantle Lv. 12, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 2, Greater Meditation Lv. 10, Heavy Weapons Mastery Lv. 20(Choose Specialty Path), Identify Lv. 17, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Multi-Strike Lv. 14, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Rejuvenation Lv. 14, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 5, Time Prison Lv. 10, Unarmed Combat Mastery Lv. 20(Choose Specialty Path), Void Call Lv. 4, Void Sense Lv. 16, Void Shift Lv. 9, Void Steps Lv. 13, Void Storage Lv. N/A Skill Points Remaining: 17 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 7 Achievements Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 200 (Upgrade Class) 455,360,884,250/??? Legend of the Void (Legendary) Human (Modified) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37500 15045 37500 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 1000 1000 1500 (???) 1500 (???) 1325 1003 133 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown Restaurant) Silvi (Bonded Beast) Stella Brighton (Crown Restaurant) Francesco Jaccobs (Torith Adventurers Guild) Rudolph Mckinney Natalie Savannah via Malorie Stewart View Contract View Status View Contract View Contract View Contract Contract Unavailable Skills Absolute Nullify Lv. 12, Bare Fist Specialty Lv. 1 (View Upgrades), Basic Repair Lv. 1, Chain Lightning Lv. 13, Channel Void Lv. 20, Cleaning Lv. 9, Cure Toxin Lv. 4, Dismantle Lv. 12, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 2, Greater Meditation Lv. 10, Identify Lv. 17, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Multi-Strike Lv. 14, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Polearm Specialty (Choose Bond), Rejuvenation Lv. 14, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 5, Time Prison Lv. 10, Void Call Lv. 4, Void Creation Lv. N/A, Void Sense Lv. 20, Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Steps Lv. 13, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skill Points Remaining: 15 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 0 Achievements Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Lesser Enforcer of Oaths, Repetitive Dungeoneer, Minor Slayer of the Unknown, Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse I doubt Im going to be able to make it any better than this. I dont even think the system would allow me to go inside one of the trials with a class upgrade ready. Id bet that the same rules apply to that as they do with regular dungeons. They wont let you inside with an upgrade available because it would allow you to continue running a low level dungeon over and over. Derek sighed and prepared himself. It was time for his final class upgrade, and he hoped it would be something great. Chapter 284: Assistance Chapter 284: Assistance Finally, after preparing for it as best he could, Derek pulled up his status and focused on his class upgrade. Like always, he began to skim through the options available, on the off chance there was something that interested him more than his current class. However, this time, the class upgrade and changes were different. There were the normal common, uncommon, rare, and epic classes that he was used to, but there were also a few legendary classes related to time and space available. There was the Time Lord and Ruler of Space legendary classes to choose from. The kicker was that both of these classes allowed for Derek to choose from a list of skills to replace the ones he would lose with the class upgrade, and three new skills on top of everything. He could only stare dumbfounded at the class options. First, he looked at the Time Lord class. Time Lord You have reached an affinity with time that few ever reach. Time is nothing to you, and it is everything. Time is yours to control as you see fit. Time Lord is a legendary class. Preferences for this class are wisdom and strength. Three skills will be available upon class selection. Special: All lost skills will be replaced by time skills of your choosing upon class selection. Skill levels will be one, but you will be awarded 80 Skill Upgrade Points to use at your discretion. You will receive 31 free stat points for allocation for your choosing. Then, he checked out Ruler of Space. Ruler of Space You have reached an affinity with space that few ever reach. Go where you want, do what you want. No distance is too long. Nothing can contain you. Space is in the palm of your hand. Ruler of Space is a legendary class. Preferences for this class are wisdom and dexterity. Three skills will be available upon class selection. Special: All lost skills will be replaced by space skills of your choosing upon class selection. Skill levels will be one, but you will be awarded 80 Skill Upgrade Points to use at your discretion. You will receive 31 free stat points for allocation for your choosing. Not only would he get a full set of new skills. Skills that he could personally choose, he would receive enough upgrade points to fully level up three of them or spread around as he saw fit. Plus, after doing some quick math, he realized that the single increase in stat points he would receive per level would put him just over the 1,500 point cap with all his stats without him needing to use any outside methods like void beasts. Honestly, it was like the system was doing everything it could to get him away from his void class and element. Really, both the time and space classes were almost too tempting for him to pass up. Especially the time class. He was sure the class change would let him keep some form of his Time Prison. Plus, there was something to be said about controlling time. The benefits of stopping time and training were hard to beat. What if he could stop time for a persons body and allow them to live forever? Would he be able to see into the future with a time related skill? Yes, the class change was very tempting. But, there was something else very strange with his class upgrade and selection, and that was his void class upgrade it was strange. ???? Void ???? Class description unknown and unavailable. Out of system purview. No details available. Yes, the system had given him the two other options because it didnt want him to continue with the void. The question was: Was the system trying to help him by allowing him to choose another powerful class or was the system trying to harm him by having him change from his void class? It almost seemed too good to pass up. If the system, who Derek knew to be overly greedy and stingy, was offering something like this, something was wrong. Or was it offering something like this because it couldnt provide anything more from the void element? Thinking back, his last two skills he received from a class upgrade were Void Steps and Time Prison. Sure, Void Steps were most definitely closely related to the void. It was in the name. But Time Prison was obviously more related to time than space. Maybe the system had given him such a skill because it was out of void related skills. So, with that in mind, what would happen if he selected to upgrade his void class? He would be doing so blindly. Did he really want to take that chance when there were two obviously great routes out? Derek raised his hand up and pulled at his hair. He didnt know what to do. Hed always thought that the system didnt like him, but what if that wasnt it? Still, couldnt it have rewarded me with a time or space-based dragon skill scroll at the end of that trial? That would have earned it a lot of goodwill from me. But it had to give me a dragon fire scroll. Honestly, I dont even know who would benefit from that skill. Maybe Jacks or his kid, but they are already too high a level for it to do them any good for classes. Maybe Brandi? Shell need an offensive skill to protect herself, and shell probably have some type of fire resistance from being a crafter, right? I would definitely be able to trade it, though. There were some interesting-looking skills that the king was offering for the Void Beast things. If I choose the void option and it doesnt pan out, I could trade that skill and some of the vitality elixirs for a slew of offensive skills to compensate for my lack of skills. I guess thats always an option. Ugh what do I do? This is harder than my initial choice back on earth and my first choice on this planet. After what seemed like hours of hesitating and contemplating, but really was only minutes, Derek decided to go with his gut. He liked just about everything to do with his void class well, other than the whole being trapped in the void to begin with. But he didnt have to worry about that anymore. With his void class, he could always get out of the void at any time. He was still a bit void phobic, but the more he used the void and got used to it, the more that lessened. In fact, he barely even thought about that anymore when using his skills. With a deep breath and the hope that he wouldnt regret it, he selected the unknown void class. Would you like to upgrade your Legend of the Void class to ???? Void ???? class? This decision cannot be undone. Y-yes. He winced. Congratulations! Class has successfully been upgraded to: Void Monarch As Void Monarch class is out of current system purview, you have been awarded with the class rarity: Mythical Commencing Evolution Evolution?! What? But at that moment, the space behind Derek tore open and the purple of the void that he was all too familiar with began to condense around him. It was the same thing that happened with Silvi and the dragons. But this time, it was happening to Derek. He could only sit back and watch as the void swarmed around him into a sphere, blocking any retreat. Soon, the void was so thick that he could no longer see through it. Once again, for the first time since he arrived on this planet, Derek was in utter darkness. Derek breathed a shaky breath and focused inwardly, just as he had when breaking through thresholds. If there wasnt anything he could do, he would watch he would feel. What he felt was himself disappearing. There was no pain, just nothingness. Then, the void flooded into his body, or where it used to be, and his body began to conform to it. First, it rebuilt his heart, then his brain, then his other organs. Finally, it finished rebuilding his skin. He had no clue how long it had taken. He could have been in the void for minutes, or years. He had no way of knowing. Other than the intense focus on his self, he was shut off, almost back in the deep meditation he had used all that time ago in the void. Finally, he received another message from the strange system. Bonded link found Sever link? (Note: Severing link will not harm bonded companion. Bonded companion will no longer grow with you. Without a bonded companion, growth will be easier. Recommended to sever link.) It wants me to sever my link with Silvi? Fuck that! No! Bonded link maintained Commencing Evolution Back in Savannah, Silvi was warping around with her Active Void Shift to work on multiple dishes at once. She had five Mage Hands kneading dough and multiple knives hovering in the air above different vegetables, preparing for chopping. She was having the time of her life. This is what she lived for. Just as she closed the oven door after placing the cookies inside, she received a message. A strange but all too familiar message. But this time, there was no blue screen. Commencing Evolution No! Dammit, Derek! Not now. Dont make me do this now. What about the cookies? Silvi panicked as a tear in the space behind her formed. What do I do? With her genius and quick thinking. An idea formed in her head. It was the best she could come up with on such short notice. Putting everything she could into her Telepathy skill, she shouted out. Malorie! Malorie, help! Silvi? Whats wrong? What is it? The beautiful delicious Malorie quickly answered back. She knew something was terribly wrong. Silvi didnt use the Telepathy skill often. Silvi didnt ask for help. Silvi asked for ingredients. But Silvi wasnt asking for ingredients this time. Malorie! Silvi screamed through her Telepathy skill. Dont let the cookies burn! With that, everything went black. She was evolving. Chapter 285: Evolution Chapter 285: Evolution While wrapped up in the darkness, evolving, Derek occasionally received messages from the strange new system. The latest notification was about Silvis evolution. It hadnt seemed long after the previous message about his bonded link that the evolution had already completed. Of course, that could have either been because of the time difference between the dungeon and the outside world, or just his skewed sense of time while evolving inside the darkness. But really, none of that mattered. He was just happy that Silvi had successfully evolved. Congratulations! Bonded Companion Evolution Successful. However, that was all the notifications he received about it. He tried to check his own status to view their bond, but he couldnt currently access his current system, and the strange system didnt allow him to do anything with it. He just had to simply wait. So thats what he did. He waited for an unknown time while the void energies moved through his body. He was numb to the world and could feel almost nothing. Then, after an unknown amount of time, he finally completed his own evolution. Congratulations! Evolution Successful. Race has been evolved to: Human (Void) Previous bodily limits have been adjusted accordingly. Well, thats something, Derek thought. What he assumed that meant was that he was no longer limited to the 1,500 stat point cap. He wasnt yet sure how that was going to work, though. Would he be able to use stats gained through his current system to go beyond 1,500 or would he have to do that some other way. From all he knew, he would be stuck with almost the same amount of stats. Though, the extra points he got from the Void Beasts may now be visible to him. He would have to check on that once he regained control of his current system again. If he regained control of it, that is. While pondering the new notification, another one forcibly popped up. Congratulations! For upgrading your class to Void Monarch, you have received two new skills: - Void Creation The ability to turn the void physical. Can be used to conjure items from the void or to reinforce other items. You will never be weaponless with the void running through your veins. Hint: Can create temporary weapon or armor as long as mana is available. The bigger the creation, the greater the cost. This skill is directly connected to Channel Void. - Congratulations on all your current accomplishments! We eagerly await your future achievements! You will soon be transferred back to your current system. With that, a pressure that was inside Derek head that he hadnt even felt disappeared. Still floating in the darkness of his evolution sphere, Derek waited for either the sphere to disappear or for his current system to come back. His wait didnt seem long as before his eyes, web-like cracks began to form in front of and all around him, allowing the daylight from outside to shine in. The pieces of his evolution sphere soon began to fall and disintegrate before his eyes. In no time at all, the previous thick spear of void was completely gone and Derek floated uncontrollably to the ground. The first thing he did was survey his surroundings to see if he had gathered a crowd, but nobody seemed to be around. He let out a sigh of relief. If nobody actually saw anything, or even if they did and decided to ignore it, which was something Avery would probably do, he wouldnt have to worry about anything. Next, he looked down at his body and hands and his heart dropped to his stomach. He was purple. His skin was the same color as the void-the same color as Silvis mane. How am I supposed to explain this? He wondered, but right in front of his eyes, the purple faded away and his slightly pale white skin was soon back. He breathed out a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was to be a walking purple human. He definitely wouldnt be able to avoid questions then, and he would have to think of very novel ways to answer them. He also noticed, while cursing, that his clothing was nowhere to be found. Not only his clothing, but his storage bracelet and rings were gone as well. He panicked before looking at the ground and seeing all his storage items. Though his clothing was still gone, and after he re-equipped his storage items, he found out that none of it had been stored. He was down another pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Hell, he even lost the pair of shorts he had been wearing underneath his jeans in case his jeans werent able to hand his new physique after increasing his breaking through with his stats. He sighed and put on one of his final pairs of clothing. Well, he still had extra shirts because of Brandi, but he was lacking in the jean department. The current pair of jeans he dressed in had holes in the knees and were scuffed throughout. But they would work. What he also noticed was his body had reverted back to his ideal size. He didnt know if that was just how the evolution worked, or if it had taken into account his thoughts on the matter. Nevertheless, he was happy about it. Finally, he took a mirror out of his storage bracelet, one he had bought on a whim before leaving for the raid dungeon, and gave himself a once over. Again, he winced at what he saw. And it seemed like something he wasnt going to be able to change. His eyes still had the same purple coloring in his irises, but his hair had also changed. It wasnt a huge change, as if he didnt focus hard on it. It still looked the same coal black as always, but if he looked hard, he could see that it was actually a very dark, deep purple color. It kind of had the same coloring as it did when he unleashed his aura, but now, it seemed to be permanent. I guess I can explain that by saying I got a new skill, or an Achievement related to my element. I should be able to get away without having to explain much. But before any of that, I want to check on Silvi, but I still cant access the system, Derek complained. But ask and you shall receive. Not a moment after thinking about it, he was hit with a flood of notifications. They were all the usual notifications about upgrading his class and such. He quickly looked over at them and dismissed them until he got to some of the ones he wanted. Of course, what he was most worried about at the moment was Silvi, and he finally got to those notifications. Congratulations Companion (Silvi) has evolved from Void Rabbit to Gluttonous Void Bunny. Companions (Silvi) class has upgraded from Legendary Void Companion to Mythical Void Battle Chef. Due to reaching Mythical status, shared stats between bonded companion and user have increased to full and you are now able to share two class skills with your companion. Derek stared at the screen for ages before finally breaking out into a fit of laughter. He had called the bunny a glutton so many times. Now she really was one. He could only hope that it didnt change her much. She had also upgraded her own class to a chef-type class. That almost confirmed that her evolution had taken into account her deepest desires. She loved to fight, but she also loved to cook. Then, there was the simple love of cooking beasts she defeated in battle. It was perfect for her. It was also kind of funny that her races had changed from a rabbit to a bunny. What he really knew, though, was that he had been right all along. Those damn dragons had nothing on his companion. Silvi was the best! Chapter 286: Silvis Evolution Chapter 286: Silvi''s Evolution The void matter began to fall away from Silvi. This evolution seemed different. She couldnt remember much about her first evolution, as she wasnt yet the amazing bunny everyone knew her as when she previously evolved. Still, this evolution seemed even more unusual, but she couldnt quite put her paw on what was different. Once all the void matter broke away and disappeared, she lightly floated to the ground. It was a shame that she couldnt keep any of the void matter her evolution shell. It could have made for a unique spice. Anything was worth trying at least once. She had learned that with the smelly onions. Raw and alone, they caused her eyes to tear up against her will, and the taste didnt suit her. But when she tried putting it in a savory soup, or when she sauted chopped onions on her stove, the difference was immense and flavorful. Still, they would always be smelly onions, and because of the embarrassment her first one had caused her, she had made it one of her missions to find every dish that went well with them, and kill use as many smelly onions as she could. But that was for later. After her evolution, she only had one thing on her mind. The most important thing of all her cookies. She panicked and looked around at her kitchen. All the ingredients she was preparing and the dishes she was making were nowhere to be seen. The oven was off, and there was no sign of her cookies. Malorie, she thought. The beautiful, delicious lady must have finished baking her cookies and stored everything properly so nothing would go bad. She was already showing her worth. Derek had done well choosing Malorie as the person in charge of fetching ingredients. Shes much better at fetching ingredients than my mount Thomas is. With an idea of where her cookies were, she thought about Derek. He would want her to figure out all the changes that her evolution had caused her. First, Silvi looked around her kitchen to make sure nothing was broken, and was confused when she saw a storage ring on the ground in front of her. Why is there a storage ring here? Did Malorie put my cookies in it, then leave it for me? That has to be it. Silvi took a quick hop to the storage ring and placed her paw on it before channeling her mana inside. Her confusion grew. The contents of the storage ring were all too familiar to Silvi. Silvi twitched her nose a few times and her eyes grew wide. It was gone. The storage ring on her nose wasnt there anymore. It was the storage ring on the ground. Why was her nose ring on the ground? What about Silvi moved her shoulders and panicked. She quickly hopped into the air and unleashed a perfect 360 degree spin. There was no flutter from her cloak. It was gone too. And her necklace with the communication crystals wasnt on her neck, either. Everything but her storage ring was gone. A wave of sadness washed over Silvi. That cloak was the first piece of clothing shed ever had, and she cherished it. It was like her very own chefs hat. Nobody had anything similar to it. It was Silvis. But it was now gone. She inwardly cursed Derek for causing her to evolve and lose something so precious. Will that maniac be mad? Will she make me a new one? She would have to muster up the courage and talk to that crafting maniac. No, she didnt need courage she wasnt scared of Brandi. She was just perplexed at how the girl could work so hard without a tasty treat at the end of the day. She would also have to find a way to get a new necklace. She didnt like people talking to her in her head. It was confusing and tiring. She needed her focus on what she was cooking, not on some voice suddenly appearing in her head. Thats why she didnt like the Telepathy skill. She much preferred the voices to come from outside her head, where they belonged. Malorie should be able to handle that. With that weight off her mind, and her relief that at least all the good ingredients and cookware in her storage ring were safe, Silvi did what Derek would have done. She checked her stats. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Silvi Hunt 7 N/A (Bonded) N/A (Bonded) Skills Available to Share (Please select two to share. These skill selections cannot be changed for one year): Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Battle Chef Knife Mastery Lv. 1, Chop Lv. 1, Cook What You Kill Lv. 1, Julienne Lv. 1, Mince Lv. 1, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 6 Silvi hopped up and down in excitement. She knew that evolution was different from before. It almost seemed like it cared about what she wanted. It didnt just take her and conform her to her companion this time. It let her have some say in her path. She was officially a chef. She even had chef knife skills. She had the sense that all her new skills could be used with both cooking and fighting. Her lack of thumbs was still a problem, but she could deal with that with her Telekinesis and Mage Hand skills. She had both the regular and advanced version of those skills. She also got a weird skill called Void Creation (Cooking), but she had no clue what it did, and the skill description was blank. It was also a class related skill that she couldnt share with Derek. She would have to experiment with it. It had cooking in the name, so it had to be an amazing skill. It was probably the most perfect skill ever created, and she had gotten it. She had been mad at Derek for making her evolve at such an inopportune time before. After all, you should never interrupt someone who is hard at work making cookies. That was just rude. But she would have to forgive him. Whatever he did allowed her to become a real cook, and she wouldnt have to give up fighting. Cooking and fighting were her two favorite things to do, and she had also gotten a skill that seemed to combine the two of them together. She was able to get a description about her Cook What You Kill skill. Anything she cooked that she personally slew would have an increase in its effects. Her mind instantly went to the Void Beasts that Derek kept hunting. She would have to tag along with him the next time he went hunting. She knew that those meals were both delicious and nutritious, and if she could steal find a way to borrow Alanahs recipe, the meals she cooked with them would be even more delicious. With all that in mind, Silvi looked at the new skill share thing, and the list of skills she could share. Some of the levels were different on the list than what they actually were, but that didnt matter. She would let Derek figure out what that meant. What she did know was that Derek didnt like the awesome cooking skills. So, she wouldnt share any of those with him. He wouldnt put them to good use, so he didnt deserve them. He also didnt use knives much. Occasionally, he would throw one and make a head explode, but that was it. He didnt chop or mince. He also already had a form of Active Void Shift that seemed to be better than Silvis own, but it was different. Maybe they would go well together. Making a smart decision that she would definitely be praised for, she shared with him her Void Lightning skill and Active Void Shift. She got the confirmation and dismissed it. She looked over her status once again. She now had the same stats as Derek. They were equals. Well, they were always equal, but now the numbers matched too. And looking at those absurdly high stamina and mana stats made the bunny very happy. She would be able to cook for a much longer time with her skills active than before. For once, she actually wished Derek would dump a lot of points into wisdom and increase the mana pool even more. She wouldnt even mind facing the breakthrough. She welcomed it. If every point he spent was equivalent to extra time using Mage Hand or Telekinesis, she would suck it up. Now, she had even more skills to focus on and level, so the mana was needed. Maybe she would go do a dungeon and get some good ingredients to level her new skills up. Derek liked leveling skills that way. He called it grinding. Maybe she should grind. Maybe she could find out if elves were tasty or not. She kept hearing about how they were being a problem for everyone. What would an elf burger enhanced with Cook What You Kill taste like? Would it be okay to eat an elf? Derek said she couldnt eat humans, but elves werent human, right? But all that was for later. Right now, she had many things to do. Most importantly, she needed to check on Malorie and her cookies. So, she reached down with her mouth and scooped up her storage ring, then hopped to the door and pushed it open. Luckily, she didnt have to go far, as Malorie was sitting at the dining table in the room connected to the kitchen. Silvi! Youre okay. What happened? What was that purple sphere? Malorie asked with wide eyes. And why do you look different? She hated to do it, but all she had to communicate with right now was Telepathy. I evolved, she replied. What do you mean, look different? Also, talk. Dont use Telepathy. Oh, the woman said. I guess that makes sense. Your fur is shinier, I guess almost sparkly. And there seems to be a bit more purple to you than before. Silvi then told her that she needed a new cloak and necklace. And that it probably wouldnt be possible to put the ring back in her nose, so she would need it on the necklace as well. Ill get it done as soon as possible, Malorie said. Cookies? Silvi asked again, trying to get to the more important topic. Ah yes the cookies, Malorie said, then waved her hand, causing a tray of cookies to appear on the table. Silvi hopped onto the table to examine the cookies. Then she looked up at Malorie and squinted. Where are the rest? I baked twenty. Why are there only eighteen? Malorie blushed and looked down. I needed to make sure they were cooked well. Why did you eat two? Chapter 287: Skill Sharing Chapter 287: Skill Sharing Just as intrigued, if not more, by what he learned about Silvi, than his own evolution, Derek first looked over his companions status. Oh, when did Silvi turn seven? Well have to keep an eye on that once I get out of here so we can celebrate properly. Im sure she would like some cake. After that, he moved on to see that her new class and race were properly shown. He still worried a bit about her race having the gluttonous modifier, but they would cross that bridge when they got there. There was still a good chance that it didnt actually mean anything and was only there as a way of describing the bunny. She was gluttonous, after all. The previous system messages he received were true to their word, as she was sporting the same stats and pools that he was. Actually Her endurance and vitality are both at 1505. Its adding the extra increase from the Void Beast stuff to it. Is that because of the evolution? He made a note to look at that when he pulled his own stats up. He also went over her skills and saw plenty of new ones for the bunny. The knife skills relating to cooking stood out first, then his eyes landed on her version of Void Creation and the Cook What You Kill skills. Her Void Creation (Cooking) skill didnt have any information about it when he tried to view it, but the Cook What You Kill skill was amazing, and perfect for Silvi. He was sure she wouldnt be too pissed at him for causing her to evolve, no matter what she was doing at the time. Interestingly enough, he saw that she had already set up two shared skills from herself to him. It seemed he would have access to a level 10 Active Void Shift and a level 6 Void Lightning Bolt. He looked forward to testing those two abilities out, especially Active Void Shift. He really wanted to know how much of a difference it was to his own Void Shift ability. Finally, he dismissed her status sheet and pulled his own up. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 202 130,370,000,550/193,000,725,000 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37625 15045 37625 Stats Absolute Nullify Lv. 12, Bare Fist Specialty Lv. 1(View Upgrades), Basic Repair Lv. 1, Chain Lightning Lv. 13, Channel Void Lv. 20, Cleaning Lv. 9, Cure Toxin Lv. 4, Dismantle Lv. 12, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 2, Greater Meditation Lv. 10, Identify Lv. 17, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Multi-Strike Lv. 14, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Polearm Specialty (Choose Bond), Rejuvenation Lv. 14, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 5, Time Prison Lv. 10, Void Call Lv. 4, Void Creation Lv. N/A, Void Sense Lv. 20, Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Steps Lv. 13, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skill Points Remaining: 15 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 0 Shared Skills from Companion: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 6 Skills Available to Share (Please select two to share. These skill selections cannot be changed for one year): Absolute Nullify Lv. 10, Channel Void Lv. 10, Time Prison Lv. 10, Void Call Lv. 4, Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Steps Lv. 13, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A Achievements Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Lesser Enforcer of Oaths, Repetitive Dungeoneer, Minor Slayer of the Unknown, Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse Huh. Derek couldnt exactly say he was disappointed, but things were interesting. He swiped through some of the other notifications he had received, but they were just basically the same new skill notifications that he had received from the other system. He hadnt actually earned any new Achievements from the Great System, which bugged him a little. Maybe it has something to do with going beyond the systems capabilities? He shrugged. There was no use in dwelling on it. He noticed that his question marks beside his stats had also gone away, just like they had with Silvi. That definitely had something to do with my Human (Void) race evolution. Maybe my body can hold more stats now? Speaking of stats, doing some quick math, he realized that the two new levels that he had gained had given him 70 free stat points to use. Which meant that each level would grant him 35 free stat points. It wasnt as high as he had expected, but it was still more than his previous 30. Before, it would have been more than enough to max out all his stats, but now that he could go past 1500 points, he was slightly disappointed. He hadnt received any additional Skill Points, either. Nor did he have to spend his current Skill Points on his two new skills. The other system had just given them to him with no extra fanfare. And his two new skills, Void Creation and Void Travel, didnt have levels. They would probably work the same as his Void Storage skill. The higher his connected stats, the better he could use them. He also noticed that he was unable to share his Void Creation skill with Silvi and wondered if it was the same for her. Additionally, it seemed like shared skills maxed out at level 10 for both him and his companion. Next, he dismissed his status sheet and began to think. His first priority would be to figure out which two skills to give Silvi. He had the option, so he wasnt going to waste it. Then, he wanted to bond with the new glaive Tyron was making him, but he had no clue how long that would take. Derek brushed himself off and turned his Void Sense to the max. He wanted to test Silvis Active Void Shift. With his Void Sense at level 20, he could easily make out the ripples in the void, both near and as far as his eyes could see. Lets see, when using Void Shift, I go into the void and either move faster than most can detect, or slow them down, Im still not one hundred percent certain on that, then I am able to go through one ripple and come out another. Using that logic, and how he had seen Silvi move while using the skill before, he tried to activate his newly acquired ability. Nothing happened, but he got the sense of what he needed to do. He focused on one of the ripples off in the distance, then activated the skill again. In a disorientating blur of motion, he disappeared from where he was standing and appeared directly at the spot he was focusing on. Woah! he thought. Its basically a teleportation skill. Its kind of like what most people think Im doing with my Void Shift, even though Im not. What he also realized was that he kept up momentum when using the skill. So he didnt have to break himself out of the skill to release an attack like he did with his own skill. For the next half hour, Derek teleported from ripple to ripple, having a blast. Silvi sure did get the fun skill, he thought. Instantly, he knew one of the skills he needed to share with Silvi: Void Sense. With Void Sense turned down as far as he could, Derek could only rely on Active Void Shift to move him in a much shorter range than with it turned up. Void Sense was truly the skill that connected with the others, especially Void Shift. Next, he played around with Void Lightning, destroying some trees in the process. Overall, it was a fun skill with a small drain on his mana pool. It was nice to have another good void type attack to work with, even if it was only level 6. He wasnt sure if he could level the skill up, but he doubted he could. Silvi would most likely need to level it up herself for it to level for him. Honestly, he couldnt quite figure out which skill to share with Silvi. Though, at least if he made the wrong choice, it would only be one year before he could select different skills. Going over the available skills, he quickly dismissed multiple of them. The first skill he dismissed was Void Call. There was no way he was giving Silvi access to a skill that would bring super powerful ingredients directly to her. He trusted her, but not that much. And, after learning of another system and breaking through his previous stat restrictions, he had to wonder if there were even more powerful Void Beasts out there, as they werent connected to the Great System. So no, he would keep Void Call to himself for now. He also decided against giving her his prison for the time being. Again, she wasnt the most mature creature around. And even though he didnt think she would abuse it, he didnt want to take that chance while he was inside the dungeon for possibly years. He also crossed out Void Shift and Void Steps. He thought Silvi may have a hard time maneuvering in the Void Shift environment, and Active Void Shift was as good, if not a better movement skill than Void Steps. The only thing Void Steps had over it was the ability to stay in the air for as long as your mana lasted. This left him with Absolute Nullify, Channel Void, Void Storage, and Void Travel. Now that she had most of his defenses and she had the speed of Active Void Shift, he decided she didnt need Absolute Nullify. Hopefully, she wouldnt be doing much fighting, anyway. He got rid of Void Storage, as well, as the space inside wasnt as stable as a storage ring, and it was quite possible to ruin ingredients inside it. Its one of the reasons he didnt want to keep the dragon materials in Void Storage for long. Which left Channel Void and Void Travel. It was a tough decision to make. Channel Void was key in his own fighting, but would Silvi really use it? She didnt use weapons, and she had Void Lightning to go through her horn with her headbutting or Charge skill. Void Travel was an unknown, but the description made it seem super powerful. It also had a warning in the description that was even the description that the Great System provided. She shouldnt get anyone killed with it, and it would act as a great skill for retreating, Derek thought. Its only for a year. If the skill doesnt work out, I can always give her Channel Void. He made his decision. With a thought, he shared Void Sense and Void Travel with his companion and let out a sigh. Now that the skill sharing was over, he needed to know exactly how long he had been out of it. If his system time was right, then it had only been around six or so hours. He just wanted to make sure. And he wanted to see how Tyron was doing with the materials. So, with that thought, he made his way back to the smiths temporary camp. Chapter 288: Circulation Chapter 288: Circulation Derek arrived at Tyrons workspace to find the smith still hard at work, dismantling all the beasts he had received. He noticed that there were multiple storage rings laying on his workbench, and after the smith stored another set of materials in one he was holding, he tossed that ring over to the bench along with all the others. By Dereks count, Tyron should be getting close to completing his task. Just a couple more storage rings full of materials, and he would be finished dismantling and could get on with the more interesting part, crafting Derek the perfect glaive-one that he would bond with and hopefully would grow beside him. Because, of course, he still wasnt sure how bonded weapons worked. But a man could dream about never having to search for another weapon. Though he did have Void Creation to make up for his lack of weapons now. With nothing else to do, and not wanting to disturb the smith, Derek moved a couple hundred feet away and cleared out an area for himself. He put the table that used to be inside his Time Prison down in the clearing, then proceeded to set all his most comfortable chairs around it. Since he, Edgar, Avery, and Jasper were all pretty much banned from the trials for now, there was no sense in making his own camp close to the rest of the party. If Edgar or the others wanted to join him, or if Tyron wanted to take a break, this area would be open to them. He would even allow them to use his comfy chairs well, all but the one he was sitting in. It was his and his alone. Like that, Derek made some coffee and watched the smith in silence, occasionally taking a sip. Time flowed, and soon, Tyron was finished with the materials. The smith brought six storage rings over to Derek and put them down on the table before taking a seat. Rocky wriggled his way over and dozed off under the table in the shade. This one has the wyvern parts, this one has the wyvern meat. Tyron slit two rings to Derek while pouring his own cup of coffee and taking a sip. The rest are assorted between the lesser beasts-all are separated by material.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Thanks, Derek said. Its much appreciated. I think Im on the winning side of our arrangement, Tyron said as he summoned a large sheet of paper out of his own storage ring and unrolled it along the table. Heres what I was thinking for your glaive The idea Tyron had for Dereks glaive was quite simple. He would use bone from the death attuned wyvern to make the pole, while using a combination of fangs and scales for the blade, and creating dragon leather out of the hide to wrap it in. Of course, there would be other materials, ones that would come out of Tyrons own personal stash, used to bind the glaive. Like Derek was thinking, the glaive would be simple, but it would be highly functional. Around seventy percent competition, Im going to need your help to attune the weapon to you. I can do it myself and make a weapon that is a good fit for most, but if you help in that process, it will be perfect for you, Tyron explained. Sounds good to me, Derek said. I dont have anything else to do, so Ill just be hanging out around here for the time being. Just let me know when Im needed. Tyron nodded. Great. The smith took another drink of his coffee. I really like this stuff. Me too, Derek agreed. By the way, the smith commented. Did you know that your hair has changed colors? Its not a lot different, but its sleeker and seems to have a hint of purple. Unfortunate side effect of leveling one of my passive skills. Derek laughed. Well worth it, though. You ready? Tryon asked. As ready as I can get at the moment, Derek replied. Good. Go ahead and grab on and start pumping your mana in. Its already quite conducive to mana because of the material, so it should accept it easily, the smith explained. Derek nodded gravely and began. With immense focus, he pushed the sluggish void through his body and into his right hand, which was grasping the base of the pole. With a thought, he pushed the void into the weapon until he felt that he could push no more, then held it. Holy- Tyron started to say something, but paused. Thats good. Keep at it. As we go, youre going to feel like youre able to fill it with more mana. When you can, do it. We are trying to get as much in it as possible. But keep an eye on your mana and stamina pools. If you run out, thats it. Thats as conductive as well be able to make the weapon. Derek, with his eyes closed in concentration, nodded and continued holding his mana steady inside the glaive. He heard a clanging ring out and opened one eye slightly to see Tyron sweating over the workbench, swinging his hammer. Each time the hammer hit the glaive, Derek felt a little more space open up inside, and he pushed more mana in. Six hours later, the hammering slowed down. I cant do this much longer the smith panted as he swung his hammer. Derek had to agree. His stamina and mana were fine, as he had slipped into Greater Meditation early on to keep them up, but his mind was as fatigued as it had ever been. Honestly, it didnt feel unlike what he had felt back when he tested the mind potion for Roman. Still, he believed he could continue on for a few more hours at least, but if the smith couldnt then that was it. Thats it the smith said. Im going to seal it. Hold the mana steady. No more in, no more out. Derek listened to the smith and concentrated on keeping the mana inside the glaive still. Watching the giant smith with one eye, he saw his hammer disappear into his storage ring. Then, the man pulled out a small stack of paper-like material, which he proceeded to grasp between his two hands, almost in a prayer-like gesture, and closed his eyes. All of the sudden, Tyrons eyes shot open, and he opened his arms wide. In between his hands, connecting his two palms, was a molten-like chain with runes unknown to Derek. Derek watched the best he could as he focused on holding his mana. Finally, the smith slammed both hands down onto the pole of the glaive, and the chained runes wrapped themselves around it. Then, before his eyes, Derek saw the runes disappear into the weapon, almost like they had never been there in the first place. With a sigh of relief, Tyron took a step backwards, then fell to the ground. He sat with his head in his hands, panting. He brought out multiple potions and drank them down one by one, before finally looking up at Derek. Monster he said, then breathed deeply once again. Im going to need at least two days to recover, then Ill finish it. Three days from now, maybe four, and you will have your new weapon. You can go now. Derek struggled with it, but after a few moments of hesitation, he released his grasp on the unfinished glaive. With just six hours, he felt connected to it. Well, it was probably because of all the void embedded mana I pumped into it; he thought as he walked away, back to his area. He didnt say anything to Tyron or ask him about the skill he had used at the end. Those were his secrets. He wouldnt pry. Finally, Derek fell into his comfy chair. Only three days to go. Derek was excited. Chapter 289: Casualty Chapter 289: Casualty Derek patiently waited for Tyron to recover, the whole time wondering if Brandis style of crafting was going to be as arduous mentally for her as it seemed to be for Tyron. Then again, Derek didnt pretend to have not heard Tyron call him a monster. He guessed that the person the smith was crafting for usually ran out of mana to infuse into their weapon well before Tyron tired out mentally. Unfortunately for Tyron, and fortunately for Derek and his almost complete glaive, Dereks mentality was tested against the void for all those years, and his willpower was pretty extreme, at least according to Alanah. That, plus his wisdom being even better now than it used to be, made Derek terrifyingly proficient for the task. And thus, two days passed as the smith recovered, and Derek waited. He never once thought that the raid dungeon would have such long bouts of boredom for himself, but at least he was well prepared with beverages, food from Silvi, and Greater Meditation if he ever needed to pass the time quickly. Finally, Tyron stood from his sitting position and nodded at Derek, who had noticed the smiths movement out of the corner of his eyes. With a twinge of excitement, Derek watched the smith head back over to his temporary workshop. The man would be finished soon, and he would finally have a weapon suitable for his fighting style. At least, he hoped. A few hours passed, and Edgar showed up and seated himself across the table from Derek. The young prince had a grim and contemplative look on his face as he stared down at his hands. What is it? Derek finally broke the silence. It wasnt like Edgar to act this way. Weve had our first casualty, the prince said sullenly. What? Derek blurted. Someone died in the puzzle dungeon? Derek felt his heart fall to his stomach. Not because they lost someone, but because someone he considered a friend had gone into the trial. The trial had been a seven-person, rare puzzle-type trial. Along with Elena Webb, the groups number one healer, Cain Ibarra, the Adventurers Guild Master from the capital, had led the trial. With the two of them, they took Timothy Nash, a low level, by raid team numbers, support-type class, Scarlet Mason, a level 230 archer-type class, Louise Bonilla, another archer who had leveled up greatly from the first trial, Layne Marshall, a level 232 sword wielder and Shae Holmes. Shae was another that had leveled greatly from the first trial. It also made sense why Cain had chosen him to go along, as the two had a good level of trust and respect for each other. So, when Cain asked, Shae agreed. Of course, he would agree. The rewards were just too good to pass up. It was also in agreement that whatever the next trial was, the Greenland cousins would take charge of it, as they still hadnt had a chance to go into any trial, and neither one of them was that keen on a puzzle trial. So, when Derek heard that someone had been killed in the trial, he instantly thought about Shae. The contract I have with Layne Marshall has disappeared. That he died is just about the only explanation for that, based on how the contracts are, the prince explained. Derek let out an audible sigh of relief, which caused Edgar to flinch slightly. Sorry, he said. Not to take the death lightly, but I didnt know the guy. I do, however, know Shae. So I was relieved when you didnt say his name. I know, Edgar said. I just hate losing a party member in a dungeon. I especially hate it because of the fact that I wasnt there to prevent it. Yeah, but there was nothing you could do about it. Everyone made up their own mind to join, and they all made their own decision to go into that trial. Besides, the Guild Master of the Adventurers Guild in the capital, and Elena went with them. Plus, it was only a rare trial. Who would have thought something like this would have happened? So, we rested up, got to one hundred percent, and began. We moved fast. With Scarlet and Louise. The second part of the trial wasnt too bad. At least until the maze started collapsing onto us. The floors all around us fell, leaving nothing but giant holes of nothingness below. With a single misstep, Layne fell. I dove to try to get to him, but Im not fast enough with my flight skill. Unfortunately, it didnt seem like Layne had such a skill. We werent even sure he was dead until we made it to the end of the trial. As a warrior, he would have been able to survive any such fall, as long as he didnt land on a trap or something. Unfortunately, when we activated the orb, it verified that the entire party was there. And when we warped back here, he didnt come with us Cain sighed and looked deeply at Edgar. I am sorry. Edgar stepped forward and put his hand on Cains shoulder. It seems like an accident, on top of the trial not being what any expected. Dont blame yourself. Ultimately, it falls on me. Still for a puzzle trial to be like that. To have such a random possibility of death Derek muttered. What he didnt say was that if he, Edgar, or Avery had been inside the trial with them, even if someone had fallen, based on what Cain said, they could have easily caught them. Vanessa would have been able to, too. Apparently, flying-type skills were quite rare. Well have to rethink our lineups, Edgar said. Put someone like Vanessa in to cover more weaknesses. We also know that we cant trust the description of the trial. Everyone nodded. The crowd seemed much less enthusiastic about going into a trial now that they had their first casualty. Edgar should be able to use this, even as morose as it may be, as an excuse to send those powerful back in, even if they have already gotten great rewards. What about the rewards? Derek asked. If you dont mind sharing. If you want to keep them to yourself, thats fine. Cain snorted and flicked his hand, causing a small pile of potions to appear on the ground. Edgar whistled. Derek just looked at the potions, he was disappointed for them, but they didnt seem all that disappointed. They were pretty much random, but are all the highest quality Ive ever seen. No permanent stat increases, but plenty that could get someone out of a bind, along with high-quality resurrection potions, experience and skill increase potions, and much more. Its quite the haul. They will work as great mission rewards at the guild. Experience and skill increasing potion? Derek asked. Hed never seen or heard of one of those, at least not in anything other than games he used to play. But a potion that increased the rate of skill increases would be worth a pretty penny. Yes, Cain said. The experience potions are great and all, but the skill increasing potion can be considered rarer than rare. Other than something that permanently boosts stats for someone who is already at max level, I cant think of another potion that could compete with it. I cant either, Derek thought. He was currently considering doing some trading now. We can talk about all that later, Edgar said. We need to see whats next and prepare for it. A lot of time was spent on that trial. Weve been in here for almost a month now, which is a year outside, yet we arent even halfway finished. With that, Edgar walked over to the newly active trial orb and placed his hand on it. Fuck! he said. What is it? somebody asked. Its a duel. One person, epic trial Chapter 290: Void’s Harbinger Chapter 290: Void¡¯s Harbinger An epic duel? Derek asked. Isnt that good? Sounds like a pretty quick trial to me. Edgar looked at Derek, then at all the others behind him, waiting. Derek then understood who would be chosen to go into the duel. To guarantee success, he, Edgar, or Avery would be the best for it, but, even though there was some trepidation out of the party after losing a party member, they were all professionals, and it wasnt like Layne was the first person theyd lost in a dungeon or fighting. Im going, a feminine voice sounded out from the crown. Derek turned to look to see Asana Greenland standing close to them. We already made the decision that me and Vic were going to take lead on the next dungeon. Ill take this duel. Vic can have the next trial and take John and Ray in with him if its rare or easier. How does that sound? John and Ray were the two people, other than Tyron, who hadnt had a chance to go into a trial yet. Honestly, to Derek, her suggestion didnt seem too bad. She should be strong enough for an epic ranked trial. His only hesitation was how well would a wood-type mage, even an epic or better class, work in a duel. Then again, if she can root who or whatever shes dueling in place, it shouldnt be too hard. Derek turned his head and shrugged at Edgar. Honestly, he was more worried about his glaive than this current trial. Besides, it wasnt up to him to make the decision, that fell on the prince. Thats fine by me, Edgar said. Is everyone else good with Asana taking this trial? Everyone nodded and agreed to her suggestion. Very well. Prepare yourself well before you go in. The duel is yours. Edgar stepped aside, leaving the path to the trial orb open. Then he walked away, and Derek followed. Looking back, Derek saw Asana Greenland and her cousin Victor talking and exchanging items, obviously trying to stack the deck against the trial. He and Edgar waited for the elven woman to approach the orb and disappear before both of them hopped on Blitzs back. Good luck, Edgar muttered to nobody before giving Blitz the command to take him and Derek back to their other camp. The next day, it was finally finished. With one last resounding clang from the blacksmiths hammer, a purple aura emanated from the freshly forged glaive, and encompassed the entire blacksmith camp before flashing back into the glaive, like it had never been there to begin with. Derek, his patience finally spent upon seeing the completion of his weapon, jumped up from his seat and rushed over to Tyron, who was wiping the sweat from his brow. With one look at the finished product, Derek fell in love. True to his word, Tyron had made the glaive simple. It was a pole with a blade at the end, with a slight hook on the back that could be used for parrying if needed. Both the butt of the pole and around three-quarters up it were wrapped in a black leather made from hide from the wyvern, with the pole itself being forged from bone. The bone pole wasnt white like most bones, nor was it black from the death attuned wyvern it was forged out of. It was a deep purple, so deep that it was almost black, but once could still see the difference. It also had a spiral going from the base to the tip of the blade that was a brighter purple, the same color as his void mana, in fact. It was the same pattern that Derek had seen on Silvis horn, and the same color. It was slightly dull, though. The spiral stopped where it connected to the blade on the end, which was made from the wyverns fang and reinforced by its scales. The spiral connected to the top of the blade, which gave the top half the same purple sheen that faded into a sharp metallic color as it faded into the edge of the blade. She sure is a beauty, Tyron spoke with awe in his voice. Quite basic, yet the best weapon Ive ever forged. Even got an Achievement to prove it. Not often does a smith, even the best of them, forge a legendary weapon of the highest quality. This could put me in the history books. Obviously, the first thing he needed to do was test the weapons conductivity and durability. Its conductivity wasnt some that was visible to the naked eye. He would need to experience it for himself to learn more. However, he could see the glaives durability and such by using Identify on it. Voids Harbinger Durability: 1500/1500 Voids Harbinger is the first high-quality legendary weapon created by an extremely talented expert Blacksmith. With the help from another, the smith was able to push the weapons affinity for the void element to an unheard of level. This weapon has acquired an innate ability upon reaching legendary status. Material Drain: Any material, organic or not, can be used to repair Voids Harbinger by using its innate connection to the void. Well, his first concern was quashed. With Material Drain, he wouldnt have to worry about taking his glaive to blacksmiths for repair. If it worked the way it sounded, as long as he had materials on hand, whether that be meat from a beast or hide from a dragon, he would be able to repair it if it lost durability. Now, how much it would take of different types of materials was something he would have to test later. Derek dismissed the information window and proceeded to his next test. Slowly, he focused on moving the sludge-like void mana from his level 20 Channel Void skill through his body and into his arm. To him, it felt like it was moving at a snails pace, but in reality, his control over his mana was still quite skillful. Soon, his mana reached his hand, and he projected it into Harbinger. To his surprise, instead of the purple aura surrounding the weapon like he was used to with his other weapons, it instead disappeared into the polearm. As he pushed his mana thought it, the dull spiral on the pole began to radiate void purple and glow as it filled up. The mana reached where the spiral connected to the blade, and even the top gradient of the blade lit up in a void glow. Derek still had his Void Sense activated at its highest capacity, and when all the parts connected with his void-laced mana, he finally saw it. He saw the near transparent image of another blade overlapping his own. The image was at least triple the size of his own blade, and as he concentrated and pushed harder, it only grew. So that must be a visible form of what Ive been doing all along. Well, visible for me, at least. With Harbinger, he could easily control the size of the image, increasing and decreasing it at will. He could also choose to keep the size the same, but increase the quantity of mana inside, which caused the near transparent image to gain even more opaqueness. I bet that will increase the damage of the attack. Finally, Derek decided to test his theories by launching his most devastating attack. Controlling his mana, he made the void image around four times the size of his blade, and poured his mana into it, almost ridding the image of its transparency. Then, he queued up Multi-Strike before striking out with a Sweeping Slash. The results were immediate and ephemeral. When the crescent blade shot out from Sweeping Slash, another, much larger image of a blade flew too, overlapping the crescent energy. The original energy hit a grouping of trees and cut right through them, slowing by only a small amount in the process. However, the void imaged did not slow; it kept flying at the same speed as before, soon outpacing the physical attack. The energy from Sweeping Slash soon dissipated after clearing dozens of trees in front of him and reaching its natural end, but the void energy kept going. It flew through tree after tree, causing no damage and not slowing one bit. Finally, at about twice the distance as the original blade, the energy from the image disappeared. Even though it didnt seem like it caused any damage before disappearing, Derek knew better. If there was a person or beast standing before the void energy, they would be having a terrible day right about now. Actually, he wasnt completely sure, but if he had to guess, the trees that the void energy flew through were probably dead, too. A tree dying from internal wounds just wasnt as apparent as some other creature. If it was dead, though. I bet the trees begin losing leaves soon, maybe a week or two, before dying. Derek nodded and with a smile, rested Harbinger on his shoulder. This will do. Chapter 291: Weapon Bond Chapter 291: Weapon Bond With a vicious strike through the air, Harbinger cut into a tree, just missing the ducking Avery by inches. With the glaive stuck, Avery dashed in and released a flurry of slashes to Dereks abdomen, causing wound after wound to appear before regenerating at a speed visible to the naked eyes. Avery clicked his tongue, then jumped high in the air, pulling out and nocking an arrow in the process. By the time Harbinger was free of the thick tree, an all too familiar Drill Shot from Averys bow was already en route to Derek. Even knowing what the shot had done to the wyvern in the trial, Derek braced himself and crossed his arms over his chest-glaive still gripped in one hand. The Drill Shot landed just as Derek got his hands up. The tip of the arrow slowly, but surely, dug into his naked forearm as he felt the pains from his back and legs sprout up. Pain caused by Avery moving behind him as soon as he released his shot, and taking his frustration out on Derek. Soon, a dagger found the back of Dereks knee and he fell. Now down on one knee, the blows began to get more fierce, now aiming for vital areas. But Derek had slipped into Greater Meditation the moment he got his guard up. Before, the healing was visible, but now, it was near instant. And with his armor-like skin caused by his over 1,500 points in endurance and whatever unknown increases his newly forged void body had given him, the healing was almost instant. Of course, this wasnt an all out fight. He and Avery had set some ground rules. For the spar, Derek wasnt using any void skills, and Avery wasnt using any of his overdrive skills, which is what Avery called his rapid stamina consuming skills he used. They were battling based on pure physicality. That was the best way for him to get used to his new weapon. Plus, it would be good to fight with someone that had such speed. Avery had agreed instantly when Derek asked to spar. He was bored with sitting around already, even though hed only been out of the trial for a couple of weeks. So, when Derek mentioned sparring, Avery had taken him up on it, and they were in the air looking for a good battleground almost instantly. Now, why was Avery aiming for Dereks vitals in a spar? Well, that was because Derek told him to. He had given the man one rule, and that was not to aim for his brain. Derek was sure he could heal from anything else, but he didnt want to risk his brain. So the two fought. Actually, they fought endlessly for almost an entire day. Derek was doing it all to learn more about his new weapon before bonding with it. Avery may not have been the perfect opponent, but he was all Derek had. The prince still had to go around and do princely things, and Tyron was busy crafting. Actually, if Derek could choose, he would want to fight against Tyron. At least he would be able to have a hit or two land on the man. But it was still good practice, and even though sparring didnt provide as good of skill increases as fighting for ones life, it was better than nothing. However, in the day of sparring, Derek hadnt gained a single level in anything. Whew! Avery said as he gasped for breath. How are you not even breathing hard? the archer panted like he was dying, pulling out some water and gulping it down in between breaths. Im built different. Derek shrugged with a smile. High endurance equals high stamina, Derek said. Besides, Im not the one dancing around and bouncing from tree to tree. I was damn near standing in that one spot all day. Also, you should really look into evolving your Meditation skill. It would do someone as stamina based as yourself wonder. Avery snorted. You dont have to tell me that. Ive been jealous ever since I found out about it. Ive been kicking myself for spending the few Skill Upgrade Points I had years ago. You know how hard it is to level Meditation especially when youre already sitting at level 250. Derek smiled. He was in a generous mood right now. If it was possible to use Void Call while inside a dungeon, he would think about bringing some Void Beasts inside so Avery could farm himself up some Skill Upgrade Points from the Slayer of the Unknown Achievement. Actually, thats not a bad idea, Derek thought. After learning about even another probably more powerful system in the universe, he wondered about the Void Beasts, and if it was possible to summon one that was much more powerful than the current power ceiling of the Great System. But if he brought Avery, Lyra, and Silvi along, surely they could handle just about anything that appeared. How about when we get out of here, we go on a little side quest to get some more ingredients? Derek asked, knowing full well that Avery already knew that Derek had a way to easily summon Void Beasts. Maybe you can get your Slayer of the Unknown skill up, which would, in turn, grant you some extra Skill Upgrades Points. Avery blinked rapidly for a few moments. You serious? he asked, still kind of stunned at the opportunity. As serious as Silvi when shes making breakfast, Derek laughed. Next, he opened another new notification. Congratulations You have successfully bonded with Voids Harbinger. With your bond, you have unlocked various upgrades for Voids Harbinger. Okay This has to be kind of like the upgrades from my Bare Fist Specialty skill, right? With that thought, Derek moved on to the next message. Please Choose Upgrade Durability, Heaviness, Length, Lightness, Merge, Size There were six upgrades that could pick from on the list compared to the three he had for his bare fists. Durability was just as it seemed. It increased the weapons durability by a certain percentage for each level he obtained in his skill; it was pretty much the same skill as Toughness. With the weapons innate ability, it made that upgrade next to useless. Next was Heaviness. That upgrade was basically an ability that allowed him to increase the weapons weight by a certain percentage, which was the same as Lightness, except with Lightness, he would be able to basically make the weapon weigh next to nothing at a higher level. He immediately crossed Lightness of the list, but Heaviness may end up good if there arent any better upgrades in the future. Length allowed him to extend the polearms length at will, and the length that he could extend it grew based on the skill level. It was an ability hed seen on TV and read about many times in fiction, though it usually came with a staff instead of a glaive. Merge had him interested. It was basically two abilities in one. First, it allowed him to store Harbinger within himself instead of having to store it in a storage item. Next, since it became part of him, it would make it where no useful information would be given out when an appraisal type skill was used on the weapon unless the person using the skill was that much stronger than Derek. The higher the skill level, the easier it was to summon and unsummon the weapon. It was definitely the base upgrade he was leaning towards. Finally, was Size. It was the upgrade that Tyron had obviously chosen. He could select any part of the weapon and increase its overall size. The size increase grew proportionally. Honestly, it was a pretty great upgrade. Though, for him, he couldnt see using it much. He could already control the size of the void blade that was generated when he used Channel Void. So, looking the choices over again, he made his decision and chose Merge. Merge Selected Ability to store Harbinger in your body has been unlocked. Harbingers status has been successfully merged with your own. If information cannot be viewed about you, it cannot be viewed about Harbinger. Continue to level the skill to select more upgrades. Like that, with a thought, Harbinger turned into a flash of light and disappeared inside his chest, going to the same place that contracts seemed to go to. With another thought, Derek held out his right arm and tried to summon the weapon. Harbinger then appeared in his hand. The speed of summoning the weapon was about the same as summoning it out of his storage bracelet. What he liked most, though, was that if his storage items ever got lost, destroyed, or taken, he would still have his weapon. With a sigh, Derek stretched and stood. He had finished just about everything he needed to. He would now go check on everyone else. Chapter 292: Contract Ended Chapter 292: Contract Ended So, like that, Derek once again fell into a routine of sparring with Avery, watching Tyron work, chatting with Edgar, and focusing on his meditation skill. In those days, Derek learned a bit more about the smith. Tyron didnt seem to be as talented in making armor as he was in making weapons. That didnt mean that he wasnt talented, though. No, that was far from the truth. The giant of a man just happened to be extra talented when it came to the forging of weapons. He was also faster when forging weapons than armor. Because of that, Derek didnt believe he would be getting a new set of armor any time soon, but at least it would be some very high quality armor. It just wouldnt be as high quality as his new weapon. Unfortunately, even with the level difference, none of Dereks skills leveled up when sparring against Avery, not even his freshly level 1 Polearm Specialty skill. He did manage to level his Telepathy skill up a couple of times to level 7 by chatting with Blitz. He was waiting for permission from Tyron to chat with Rocky, though, and the smith was pretty much always busy now. There was, however, a skill that seemed to be leveling like crazy. That skill was his Time Prison. Since leaving the second trial, his Time Prison had already made it to level 14. Having a bunch of level 250 dragonkin locked away in the prison seemed to be just the thing needed for the skill. He also slowly introduced Active Void Shift into his fighting repertoire. He and Avery had decided that he at least needed to use some skills to be able to keep up with the archer. Before adding Active Void Shift into the sparring sessions, Avery was beginning to lose interest, saying that it was like fighting a statue. So, with Silvis shared skill added to the mix, things got interesting once again. Unfortunately, things didnt stay casual and calm for very long. A handful of days after Asana Greenland entered the dueling trial, Edgar sent a communication to him and Avery to meet back up at the main camp. So, dropping what they were doing, they mounted Lyra and left Tyron alone with Rocky to continue his craft. When they landed at the main camp, it was in an uproar. The biggest cause for the uproar was Victor Greenland, standing inches away from Edgar shouting at the prince. The elfs usually pale face was red with fury. Im telling you! Theres no way shes dead. Your contracts must be wrong! I specifically gave her an escape scroll before she went into the trial. Besides, it was only an epic ranked trial. Theres no way she would lose her life to something in a trial like that, Victor yelled. Immediately, Derek knew what had happened, and his attitude changed to one of complete seriousness. The same thing that happened with Layne must have happened with Asana. The contract Edgar had with her must have been broken. And the fact that the trial orb was active once again didnt bode well for the female elf. She must have broken the contract by using the escape scroll, Victor continued. No, my contracts are solid. Ive used the same ones dozens, if not hundreds, of times. Edgar sighed, finally cutting in once he saw Avery and Derek arrive. If she had used an escape scroll, I would have received a notification that the contract was broken. But I didnt get that notification. I got one saying that the contract had ended. In the contract, there are only two ways to end it. The first is by completing the raid dungeon. The second is by death. Impossible! Asanas cousin yelled. Then he looked past Edgar at the trial orb and pushed the prince out of the way. If shes really gone, I have to see what did her in! he rushed to the orb. Avery! Edgar yelled. The next instant, Victor stopped in his tracks and stood stock still. Derek noticed Lyras intense focus on the elf. Edgar must have already been communicating with Avery while doing his best to explain things and talk Victor down. Unfortunately, it seemed that he had failed. Edgar sighed and grabbed the elf, tossing him over his shoulder, and moved away from the dungeon orbs. Everyone followed behind Edgar as he moved into the center of the camp. Once there, he nodded at Avery and Victor regained his senses. Wha-! What did you do to me!? Victor yelled at the prince once he got his bearings. I just had to make sure you didnt rush in and get yourself killed. You know I cant lose two Greenlands in the same dungeon, much less the same trial. You need to calm down and think. Something about this trial was able to take Asana out in a matter of days. Your earth element may make you a bit stronger than your cousin, but she was no pushover, Edgar explained calmly to the still seething Victor. Finally, it seemed that the elf caught his breath and his brain once again began working. So, what are you going to do? His face was still blood red in anger and emotion, but at least he wasnt running through Edgar to get to the trial orb again. Edgar sighed and looked around, his gaze landing on both Derek and Avery for a few seconds, then shifting his eyes again to look over the rest of the party. Thanks, he said. Im sure Ill be fine, though. Me too. Edgar nodded. I guess well see you when you get back. Try to be quick about it. Asanas death has taken a toll on both our morale and clearing speed. Will do, Derek said before they walked back to the gathered team members. Alright, looks like Im headed in, Derek said to Avery. Youre going to have to find yourself another sparring partner for a while. Dont die, Avery said. Dont worry, Derek replied. Then, he walked out of the middle of the camp and to the dueling trials orb. Next, he put his hand on it and viewed the trial information. Dungeon Trial Trial Type Duel Participants 1 Trial Difficulty Epic Participant 1/1 He then went back to the previous screen and selected enter trial. Participants Ready: 1/1 Derek Hunt: Ready Another notification came in next. Entering Trial in 3 2 1 With that, a blinding light flashed, and Derek was gone. Chapter 293: Trial Four Chapter 293: Trial Four The blinding light disappeared, and Derek found himself in the trial. When he looked around, he could barely believe what he was seeing. He instantly felt bad for Asana Greenland. Hell, he was already starting to feel bad for himself. Maybe I should have let Avery do this one, he thought, and the archer may have been more suited for the trial if he was taking into account the current environment. Derek was on an island-if he could even call it that. The island was maybe four hundred square feet in size maybe. It was really nothing more than a lump of dirt surrounded by an ocean for as far as his eyes could see. No tree or plant in sight. There wasnt even a blade of grass. And the ocean? It was green and bubbling, and Derek didnt think that was from the heat. Instantly, Derek checked his skills to make sure his Cure Toxin and Rejuvenation skills were ready to go. He even felt a slight regret that he hadnt made Cure Toxin a priority when it came to leveling skills. It probably would have been easy to level it based on his endurance and vitality. What he currently knew was that he was stuck on a small island surrounded by what looked to be an ocean of toxic water, and he was waiting for something he was going to have to duel. The only thing that calmed him down was knowing that the trial was only epic ranked, and that he had already both survived and flourished in a legendary ranked trial. After a few more moments, he finally received the system notification. Trial #4 Defeat the Caustic Whale of Pestilence You have entered a duel. Two enter, but only one can leave. All routes to escape have been blocked. Win the duel to finish the trial. What the fuck?! Derek muttered as he read over the trial task. So the whale is going to be what? Corrosive and toxic? Oh, and apparently, the system blocked any way to get out of here. Its no wonder that Asana died. Poor elf she couldnt even use the escape scroll that her cousin lent her. And she had to fight with a wood affinity in a place with zero flora. As his dancing partner had yet to make an appearance, Derek thought he might as well test out another one of his skills that he hadnt tested before. Honestly, this seemed like a great place to see if Void Travel was as great as it sounded. In the description, it basically said that nothing could contain him if he wanted to escape with it. And it sounded like that meant this system, too. With some focus, he connected to the skill and instantly knew how to use it. Unsurprisingly, it wasnt much different from how he activated his Time Prison, though, he didnt need to pull the space apart like a set of curtains with Void Travel. With his mind on the skill, he focused on the void in front of him and cut down. As Derek readied himself for the battle, and the whale slowly crept closer to him and his small island, Derek went over everything he knew about whales, which wasnt much. What he did know was that comparatively to their large size, their brains were small. What he wasnt actually sure of was the exact location. Now, its heart should be pretty huge, at least compared to its brain, and shouldnt be too hard of a target. At least if whale anatomy is the same here as it was back on Earth, he thought. Uh Im going to have to cut through so much blubber, arent I? One thing was for certain, if his void attacks werent able to do enough damage from the outside, he would have to somehow attack its vitals from the inside. Who knows how potent the toxins are going to be on the inside? Derek checked his weapons durability to see how well it survived the downpour of acid rain and was relieved to find that it had only lost a couple dozen points of durability. With its innate ability, it would be able to gain that back rather easily. So, thankfully, he would be able to fight all out with Harbinger without worrying too much about it. Finally deciding on a plan a, and not wanting the whale to get close enough to destroy the only piece of land in the area, Derek kicked off the ground and jumped into the air. He would meet his opponent head on. He didnt have much of a choice. The whale turned out to be even further away than he had originally estimated, its size even more robust than he imagined. Derek drew closer and closer to the massive creature, then, all the sudden, he disappeared. He was banking on the rarity difference at the moment, and used Active Void Shift. With his Void Sense turned up as high as possible, he had been able to make out a ripple in the void almost perfectly overhead of the whale. When he saw the chance, he took it. The thing about giant creatures such as the whale is they move slowly. So, even though it sensed his appearance as soon as he came through the ripple, it wasnt able to do much of anything other than release another sprout of toxic water out of its blowhole and send some kind of toxic wind his way along with it. This gave Derek time to charge up an attack. In the moment, he had decided to try to go for an instant kill or at least give it a serious injury by estimating where its brain would be and hitting it with the power of his full force. It took quite a while, at least in terms of fighting, to channel the void into Harbinger and create as big and solid of a projection of a blade as he could. He was at it for almost ten seconds before he was satisfied with the outcome. He also noticed that the corrosive wind was even more potent than the rain had been. Blisters slowly formed over his body in those ten seconds, and he even lost a small portion of his health. But, ignoring the pain and stiffness caused by the blisters, Derek kicked off the void and launched himself down at the creature. With the glaive in both hands, and his position as close to where he thought the creatures brain would be, he slashed down with all his might while heading head first into the whale. Of course, he didnt forget to activate Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike along the way. His attack perfectly timed, the visible Sweeping Slash bit into the creatures surprisingly soft flesh and left a wide wound. A wound that Derek ever so gracefully landed head first into. Jumping up quickly, he wiped as much of the whale off himself as possible and tried to use the Cleaning skill to remove chunks of skin and blubber, blubber which happened to have an even higher toxicity than the wind. Jumping out of the wide wound formed by Sweeping Slash, Derek listened to the whale release an agonizing groan. Now, he needed to wait for his void energy to do the rest of the work. Hopefully, he would be out of the trial soon, because even if he liked fishing, a toxic blubbering whale was just a little too much, even for him. Chapter 294: A Whale of a Battle Chapter 294: A Whale of a Battle Unfortunately for Derek, after the initial roar of pain from the whale, nothing more happened. The only explanation was that his void infused attack missed any vital areas of the whale before dissipating harmlessly. Fuck! Derek yelled inwardly. His one good plan of action had failed, just like that. Another thing he noticed was that his Cleaning skill hadnt worked the way he had hoped. It cleaned him of the basic blubber and blood from the creature, but anything carrying toxin remained. He had to either remove the toxic material the old-fashioned way or choose to ignore it for now. Now, out of good plans, he had to move on to a bad one. Do I go from up here at the top, or should I try going in from underneath? His actual plan, and the one he expected he was going to have to do from the beginning, was, unfortunately, killing the whale from the inside. He needed to channel his inner Avery. He needed to go inside the well somehow, find a vital spot, and attack it until he got a notification of victory. Just as Avery had done with the wyvern back in trial two. After going over his options, his eyes fell on the whales blowhole. That should connect to the lungs. The lungs may not be as vital as its brain or heart, but I should at least be able to cause massive damage there. Before diving head first, though, Derek looked back at the wound left behind by his Sweeping Slash. Before his eyes, the tissue was already connecting and healing. This showed that the whale had an enormous amount of vitality, even if its endurance may not be anything special, as indicated by how easy it was for his sweeping slash to leave such a gaping wound where it did. Finally, Derek gripped Harbinger tightly with both hands and took off running to the whales giant blowhole. In moments, he reached it. Without stopping or looking inside, he jumped. Geronimo! he yelled as the flesh disappeared beneath him and he was left in a free fall. The inside of the blowhole was dark, and Derek couldnt make out anything except for the bit at the entrance that was illuminated by the outside light. As he fell, Derek kept a close eye on his own health, so it wasnt a surprise to him when he saw that it began rapidly decreasing the further down he fell. He had figured that the lungs would be where much of the toxins were stored. So, the concentration of the toxin being higher the further down he dove was expected. He only hoped his tankiness would be able to withstand it. He still had Greater Meditation on the table. It would be troublesome to fight with it active at all times, but against one enemy, and inside it at that, he shouldnt need to worry about his reaction time that would be limited while using the skill. Derek soon hit a curve in the tunnel and his back fell against the slimy wall. Still at a high speed, he slid. Weee! he shouted in glee as he traveled down the worlds most disgustingly slippery slide. Then he felt the wind pick up. Uh-oh! he thought. The next thing he knew, he was hit with an amount of wind that seemed to be almost solid, and his direction reversed completely-from traveling downward at the speed of a sports car to instantly moving upwards at an even faster speed. Derek continued forward for a few more seconds before the floor beneath him completely disappeared with no warning. He soon hit another wall behind him and went into a short slide before landing in a pool of the slimy substance. He also notice that the wall he landed on had a different feel to it that the nasal passage hed been in before, leading him to believe that he had made it to the lungs. He wanted to reach out and touch the wall behind him to feel if it had a spongy feeling like hed always heard that lungs had, but instead, he had to focus his attention elsewhere. The lungs were cramped and stuffy, but that wasnt the problem. The problem was that the concentration of the toxins where he landed was much more intense than anything hed felt before. He could feel the liquid corroding his feet up to his knees. He could feel his flesh being devoured by the acidic toxin. Without much thought, he sent Harbinger away for the time being and reached forward and ripped the void open. Quickly, he pulled his storage bracelet off and tossed it inside his Void Storage before slamming the space back shut. He wasnt sure if the toxins would be enough to corrode his bracelet, but he didnt want to take that chance, especially when he could see. He also knew that Harbinger would be losing durability pretty rapidly in this situation, so he put it away for the time being. What now? He hadnt expected such a concentration of toxins inside the lungs. It was an epic beast, after all. But who knows if the beast was made specifically when the trial started? What if its been alive all this time, and the stored toxins have been becoming more potent? It was something he would probably never know, but it was a thought he couldnt help but think. So, Derek used Greater Meditation to even out the damage caused to him by the toxins. Even with the skill active and his recovery, though, his HP slowly ticked down as long as he was standing inside the pool of toxins. Fuck! What am I doing? He couldnt help but shout out loud when he realized hed been a bit of an idiot when dealing with the toxins. With a thought, he focused on his legs. Soon, a thin, glowing purple layer appeared from his thighs down. It was his first real use of Void Creation. It was minimal, but it seemed to do the job. As expected from a skill this system didnt give me, Derek thought. It was a drain on his mana, that was for sure, but because he was only covering a portion of his legs and not his whole body, Greater Meditation looked like it could keep up with the drain. So, he decided to push it even more and re-summoned Harbinger. He focused on adding another thin layer of protection to the glaive, and one soon appeared. Now, even with Greater Meditation, his MP ticked down a bit faster than it could fill. But that was fine. His mana pool was quite large, and he could always put Harbinger away for a bit if he needed to regain mana. With his legs protected and no longer being damage, and Greater Meditation active, his HP finally began going back in the right direction. I wonder if the whale can do anything to me in this situation. After making it to the lungs, Derek hoped nothing more than a battle of attrition. Surely the whale would succumb to him before he succumbed to it. After all, he had chosen his stats based entirely on that, and they had never failed him. Chapter 295: Don’t Whale on Me! Chapter 295: Don¡¯t Whale on Me! The Caustic Whale of Pestilence released roar after roar as Derek continued to whale on it. Strike after strike from Harbinger soon had its lungs and, what could only be described as air sacs, flayed open and bleeding at least from what Derek could tell with the extremely small amount of light offered to him by the dark glow of the veils created from Void Creation. Plus, it was easy to see that its lungs were filling up with more fluid over time. Fluid that Derek could only assume was from the bleeding he had caused. Still, there was no way to know what kind of actual damage he was doing to the whales health overall. With its size, the damage caused by him may have only been a drop in the bucket. Who knows what kind of health pool such a large creature has? Even his long cuts of ten feet or more would only amount to a small scrape based on its size. This is where death by a thousand cuts starts to make sense, Derek thought as he kept swinging away. The whale, to its effort, was constantly trying to remove Derek from its insides, but he wouldnt let it. Its cooldown for the toxic wind attack seemed to be a little over a minute, and Derek was ready for it every time the whale used it-and the whale used it as often as possible. But the whale wasnt the only one who used their skills when they came off cooldown. Every time Sweeping Slash or Multi-Strike was ready, he used them. He also mixed in Void Lightning and Chain Lightning as well, with the thought that he might as well use everything he could. A couple times, after the whale used its toxic wind, the veil surrounding his glaive and legs broke, and Harbinger lost a bit of durability while Derek tried to keep himself from being blasted back outside. He would then have to use Void Creation again once the whale was finished with its attack. Through everything, his Cure Toxin and Rejuvenation were making vast strides. Cure Toxin, in the few hours hed been inside the whale, had already leveled from level 4 to level 9, and Rejuvenation had even gained two levels, making it to level 16. Chain Lightning even hit level 14, but overall, the skill was pretty much useless based on how the whale reacted. So, in short, the whale may have actually been a great sparring partner for his skills if he wasnt on a time crunch. Then again, Derek still wasnt entirely sure how he was going to land a killing blow on such a beast, so it was entirely possible that he was going to end up with even higher skill levels. He didnt know if the fight would end up taking a few more hours, or even days. They had been well ahead of the time allotted for them to complete the dungeon, then there was the third trial incident and the wasted fourth trial effort. One of the reasons Derek wanted to do this trial was because he had faith in his skills to complete it quickly. Now, he was sure that Lyra would have been best suited for the trial. The wyvern would have been able to come in and break the whales mind in seconds. But because of the type of trial it was, he wasnt actually sure that the wyvern would have been able to enter the trial with Avery. If she couldnt, then Avery would have had a very hard time. And with the way the trial blocked escape scrolls, the chance that Lyra wouldnt have been allowed in was not on the small side. So, Derek continued to assault the whales lungs for at least three more hours. The amount of viscous liquid in the lungs had to be trying for the whale. In fact, the lungs were getting so full that, if something didnt change for it soon, Derek believed that the whale could possibly end up drowning in its own blood. Even with it working to empty its lungs with its skills, it couldnt keep up with the damage Derek was unleashing. If only I could see a health bar, Derek lamented as he jabbed Harbinger into the sponge-like flesh and sliced. Finally, after his next attack, something finally did change. Derek felt the gravity underneath him lessen, and he was thrown against the side of the wall. His first thought was that the whale had used another breath-based skill like the one before, but then he realized that wasnt it. It didnt take him long to realize what was happening. The whale was in a free fall. No, it was rushing down to the ocean. For the first time, the aquatic creature was about to hit the water. Derek did his best to brace as the free fall came to a sudden stop. He neednt have worried, as he was thrown into the ceiling of the lung, which did absolutely no damage. The composition of the lungs made it for one of the safest rides hed ever been on. But before he made it to the blowhole, he came up short. Stopping to stare inside the blowhole, he saw something he hadnt expected. First, from what light made it inside, he saw the wound he made with Material Drain as he was being carried up the whales nasal passage before being spouted out. Compared to the entire whale, it wasnt big, but the odd thing was that it didnt seem to be regenerating. He thought back to how fast the opening wound he had inflicted on the beast had begun repairing itself. This was nothing like that. There was no sign of healing at all. Maybe its body is focusing on healing the vital areas first? That would make sense. But with the amount of blood that was being pumped out with every breath the whale tried to take, he wasnt so sure of that. Finally, he looked at Voids Harbinger. It was back to its normal appearance, as he had canceled Material Drain the second he was out. Did the ability stall the healing? Is it because of the void? Wait a second, he thought. If it only takes materials to repair the weapon, that means I should be able to find something with a high vitality, like one of the wyverns, and I could continuously allow the beast to regenerate itself before using that same spot to continue my repairs. What if Derek stared wide-eyed at Voids Harbinger. If what he was thinking wasnt wrong, then he had no doubt in his mind why Voids Harbinger was considered a legendary weapon. If whatever material from a living creature cant be regenerated, or is extremely slow to regenerate he thought as he shook his head in awe. But that makes sense. The system wouldnt allow such an exploit, even if it had to make such a powerful skill to get rid of it. Thats why its a legendary ability. With the new information about his glaive, Derek smiled widely and checked its durability. 1326, he thought. I have just under two hundred durability left to use Material Drain to finish this thing off. Though, by the looks of it, it may just bleed out soon. With a kick, Derek jumped up and headed back to where his initial strike had been. Theres no way I was that far off from the brain. Using Harbinger like a drill, he stabbed it into the whale and activated Material Drain. Then, he pushed not down, though, no; he pushed it along the whales hide. He was perfectly in the center of it, so he used Harbinger like a vegetable peeler, going back and forth in a wide area, trying to unearth the brain. It didnt matter how long it took him. The whale didnt seem like it was up for fighting anymore. No more toxic spouts came from the blowhole. In fact, it was doing its best just to stay afloat. With only a small amount of durability left, Derek found the brain. When he did, he nearly facepalmed. Im so fucking stupid, he chided himself. His first attack could have been perfect if he would have been on the other side of the blowhole. Though it did seem to be deeper than he thought it would have been. With a click of his tongue, Derek, completely covered in the ick and goo from the bleeding whale, channeled the void into Harbinger. Opting for quality, by the time he was finished, the energy blade was as visible as the glaives own blade. Then, with all his might, he swung down with Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike. The energy arc from Sweeping Slash hit the whale where the brain was just visible and continued on to split it in half. Oh I guess that was overkill. With one last groan of pain, the Caustic Whale of Pestilence whined and plummeted toward the sea. Derek jumped into the air and watched as it fell. Just as it hit the water, Derek received a notification, but didnt view it. He knew it was dead, and he knew the trial was over. But he couldnt help but think of what a shame it was that one of their party had died while facing such a beast. With the proper equipment or element, the whale wouldnt have been all too difficult to deal with. Unfortunately, Asana just wasnt a good counter to the creature. Derek shook his head and made his way back to the little island, which, surprisingly, hadnt been destroyed. When he landed, he looked at the trial orb that had reappeared. He sighed. They were halfway through with the dungeon, and they had lost two people two elites. After what hed seen from the two trials hed been inside, he knew one thing Edgar needed to do away with the democracy and take full charge of the dungeon. If he didnt, there was no telling how many more casualties they would have before it was all over. Chapter 296: Unfortunate Return Chapter 296: Unfortunate Return Lieutenant Hobbs sat back at his desk with a sigh. The Planetary Battle on Planet A-37 was moving along nicely, especially considering its size. If things continued to go the way they were, Commander Kelvin would surely reward him with a promotion. Perhaps he would even get promoted to one of those comfy command positions back at base. A man could dream. But soon, all his hopes and dreams were dashed by a blaring alarm going off on his bracelet. He had set that alarm around a year ago and hadnt bothered with it since. In fact, he had put it out of his mind. But the alarm meant one of two things. Either the commander was going to be extremely pleased, or he was going to be extremely pissed. Praying for the correct outcome, Hobbs slowly raised his bracelet up and punched in a few commands. Then, all the air left him as his face fell into his palm and he began to shake his head. It was the wrong outcome-the one he hoped and prayed it wouldnt be. That bastard didnt die. He didnt die, and he was on his way back. Just then, a quick series of knocks rang out on his door, causing him to sit up straight and swiftly fix his previously bedraggled hair before uttering, Come in! With his deep voice. The door to his office swung open and a woman with dark skin and fiery orange hair strode in. What is it, Sergeant Trusk? Hobbs asked. Commander! There is a commotion at the east gates that may require your attention, the sergeant spoke. Of course, he could already guess what sort of commotion she was talking about. The only person who had been exploring to the east was that man. On top of the alarm he had set to go off whenever that man entered a certain distance from the camp, Lieutenant Hobbs knew exactly who was the cause of the commotion. He only wondered what that man was doing. Hobbs almost let out another sigh, but caught himself. He didnt want to look or sound defeated in front of one of his sergeants. So, instead, he stood, looked at Sergeant Trusk, and said, Very well, lead me there. Yes, sir! As Sergeant Trusk led him out of office and through the barracks, Hobbs couldnt help but think about the man. In around a year, nobody has heard anything from or about that man. Weve also kept soldiers from venturing out east, just because of him. But that area is full of the Obsidian Ash Panthers, including their leader. Did he manage to survive alone against them for all this time? I dont even think I would be confident to survive an entire year alone in that area without backup. Just what is it with him? Did he hide for a year? Hobbs couldnt help but think. But hed met the man before sending him east of their camp. No. He didnt seem like the type of person who would hide. If nothing else, he was a fighter. But I havent heard anything from any of the camps to the east of us, so he couldnt have made his way all the way through. He surely would have met other soldiers mapping out the forest to the west of them. So why hadnt anyone contacted him? Surely Hobbs would have gotten some kind of message from one of the other camp lieutenants. Continuing to follow the sergeant, they finally arrived close to the east gate entrance. When they got there, they were met with quite the sight. All the guards and multiple soldiers were positioned around a man. They were ready to battle at a moments notice. Some used swords, some used guns, but all weapons were pointed at a man in the center. A short walk later, and the three of them were standing next to the entrance of one of the barracks. Trusk had calmed down and followed as well. Here they are. Im sure you can find the showers yourself, Hobbs said. When you finish, meet me at my office. There is a lot for us to discuss. Jace didnt bother with a reply, and strode forward to the entrance to the barracks. But before he opened the door, he paused and turned back around, looking at Hobbs and Trusk. With a couple motions, he held his wrist out and nodded to the bracelet. Understand what he was hinting at, Hobbs reached out and took the communications bracelet off of his wrist and moved back. Then, Jace pulled the other bracelet off and tossed it to him as well. Theres your map. Sell everything in the other one for system credits. And have somebody bring me a change of clothes. Hobbs looked down at the blood covered bracelets in his hand and nodded. The next moment, Jace disappeared into the barracks. Is he really a soldier? Trusk finally asked, breaking Hobbs out of his thoughts. Hobbs snorted. Only in the faintest sense. Hes someone the commander sent here to die, but apparently that didnt work. Now I have to be the one to report it to Commander Kelvin. The lieutenant shook his head and turned to go back to his command center. Once back in his office, after giving Trusk the order to find Jace a spare uniform, he leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. Hes even less sociable than when I saw him last. And that bloodlust. What did he go through this last year? Finally, took the time to inspect the two bracelets Jace had tossed him. First, he connected his own officer-grade communications bracelet to the one Jace had been issued and transferred all the data it had collected to his own. Without hesitation, he began his inspection. The more information he found, the more surprised he became. He actually mapped every corner of the eastern forest. Almost up to the other camp, even. How did nobody see him? That was the main issue tugging on Hobbss mind. If a man like Jace got that close to another military encampment, surely someone would have noticed him. But soon, he found his answer. At one point a few months ago, Jaces communication bracelet came into contact with three other bracelets. But just as they came into contact, those three bracelets disappeared. He killed them? But there arent any demerits. That means of course. The three soldiers who met Jace in the forest must have attacked the man first. Who wouldnt attack when meeting someone like that in the middle of a forest? There really wasnt much Hobbs could do about it if the other three had attacked first. The best-case scenario was a light reprimand for not holding back in his attacks. But that wouldnt do anything. Finally, he finished going through all the new data collected by Jace. If nothing else, the man had been extremely thorough. He had collected as much information about the eastern forest alone as an entire squad would have. Next, he moved onto the mans storage bracelet to see what all he wanted to sell. The number of Obsidian Ash Panther corpses was staggering. His eyes widened in shock when he found the queen and king panther corpses among them. He also sighed when he found the bodies of three soldiers, all neatly taken out with a single slash. Once more Hobbs sat back and sighed. It was a rough day for the lieutenant. For over a minute, he fidgeted with his own communication bracelet. He had to make a report. I hope Kelvin doesnt take this out on me. With a deep breath, he finally made the call. System Universe Book 3: Savannah is out! System Universe Book 3: Savannah is out! Hey everyone! Book three of my series releases today! Today marks the launch of System Universe Book 3: Savannah. Its now available through Amazons Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, Paperback, and Audible. Adam Verner was and still is amazing in the narration. Its pretty surreal that I now have three novels available on Amazon! Available through these links: Ebook: /amazon/B0BT5WF624 Despite one noble house exemplifying honor and nobility, another awaited to reinforce the negative stereotypes that Derek had been anticipating all along. Somehow, out of all that, Derek made a new friend, a new business partner, and learned some secrets, while Silvi got her first taste of the real world of cooking and loved it. With his success rate of meeting nobles being at 50-50, Derek and company have now ventured forth to a new city. What will await them there? What are the odds that he can go two-for-three on noble families? Will Silvi get her own kitchen? He plans to answer these questions and more as he and his companions enter Savannah, the business capital of the Cydarian Kingdom. Dont miss this next chapter of Dereks adventure in a new world with a new System, with the unique combinations of LitRPG, isekai, and the slice-of-life genres. Join Derek and his companions as they continue to explore this old but new world. I want to thank everyone who read book 1 and left me kind reviews and messages. You are all awesome! And as always, Thanks for reading! Chapter 297: War Efforts Chapter 297: War Efforts Border of Cydaria Indria-Astrus Alliance Base Camp Dammit! Ryven Elras crushed the goblet in his hand and threw it with enough force that it ripped through the tent wall and continued on. Its been a whole year, and this is what we have to show for it? Are the both of you this inept? Ryven had been made commander of the alliance between Indria and Astrus. He gladly accepted the position, as the war was planned to be a very short, sure thing. But then, he had been embarrassed around every corner. First, he had chosen his nephew, Orion, as one of the armys captains. Orion Elras was the second prince, and the one who would most likely take command of the kingdoms military once his brother took to the throne. Ryven had figured that this would be a great learning experience for the young prince. Before the war, other than practice and sparring, hed yet to have any real battle experience. This year, the boy would be in his mid-30s, so it was more than time for him to step up. As for the second captain, that wasnt his choice. The crown prince of Astrus, Titus Sinclair, took it upon himself to volunteer for the position, and as both countries supposedly had an equal stake in the war, Ryven had to accept him. The man had been even more useless than his nephew.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com The two boys seemed to take pride in one-upping each others incompetence. Just looking at the two sent a burning rage through Ryvens body. Dont answer that! he hushed his two captains when they tried to speak. It was rhetorical. Of course you are. If not, then you would have been able to capture more than one city in the entire year I gave the two of you control. A single city, and five sub-cities all in the same area. Are you not ashamed? No, no, youre not. The two of you stand there proud. Proud because youve destroyed countless backwater villages Ryven shook his head. If your fathers could see you right now Uncle Orion began, but Ryven quickly cut him off. Commander! I am not your uncle on the battlefield, and you will not refer to me as such. Youve already had enough special treatment. You will have no more. Commander Orion said. There was no way we could have known that Cydaria would put up such a resistance. And that woman just how much money does she have? The woman his nephew was referring to was Natalie Savannah. When Ryven first declared war on Cydaria, he reached out to two people. The first, Alanah Swan, and the second, was Natalie Savannah. Negotiations with Alanah Swan had gone well enough. She seemed to care deeply for her own, so she hadnt made a move since learning that their army had captured three of Cydarias sub-cities, each housing one of her lesser Crown Restaurants. The woman was reluctant to have her own people slaughtered along with other Cydarian leadership. So, since the beginning of the war, Ms. Swan had been quiet. However, the same could not be said for Natalie Savannah. His communication with the woman had been brief, but he learned all he needed to know. That woman refused to bow down to anyone. She would serve nobody but herself. And she had the funds to do so. Just going by elite forces, she controlled at least half of what Cydaria had been able to muster in defense. If not for her, they surely would have already taken over the capital. But every battle, every skirmish, elites would show up, bearing her symbol. It was mind blowing. Still, even with her cooperation, there was no way Cydaria should have still been putting up a struggle after an entire year. Its easy enough to hide them among your mercenaries, Alanah said. She might not be able to take to the battlefield, but that didnt mean she was helpless. She had many Deathsworn, each an elite in their own right. With mercenaries, it wasnt hard to slip a few Deathsworn into their ranks without them knowing what was happening. All Natalie had to do was suggest that shed paid another elite to join them and that was that. With that nature of mercenaries, that was enough. So, with the combined efforts of Alanah and Natalie, they had been able to weather the war for a little over a year. But something was bound to give. She just didnt know which side it would be on. Giving up Wilmette was the best course of action, Natalie said. We minimized damages before breaking off the teleporter. I wish we could have evacuated more of the surrounding sub-cities before they got hit. The best I could do was direct some important or loyal families to my restaurants in the sub-cities. Alanah sighed. Im worried that something big is going to happen soon. I agree. Its been five months since we gave the Wilmette. Its about time for them to show their true colors. Im surprised Ryven has let those two play at war for this long. Hell take over soon, thats to be sure, Natalie said. Of course, Natalie had many people on her payroll, including spies in the enemys camp. She had learned long ago that two princes had been directing their army since Ryvens initial communication with her. The man was known as a fierce warrior, and an adept strategist when needed. Though strategy was seldom needed when you had overwhelming strength. But, fortunately, Cydaria, Natalie, and Alanahs reserves were enough to counter, albeit barely, the combined armys overwhelming strength. Which is why after the sub-cities fell, Edwin, Edward, Natalie, and Alanah all agreed to slowly lose control of Wilmette while maintaining as few casualties as possible to allow the prince duo a win. They wanted to keep those two in control for as long as possible. And so far, it had worked. Were both playing at the same game, Alanah said. Were waiting for Edgar, Avery, and Derek to return to tip the scales, or at least even them out, and Ryven will soon push forward. Hell want to finish things before they get out. They have to know something is happening by now. A portion of their army finally pushed forward and captured Torith, or Searidge. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to save all of Walter Searidges family. Our building in Torith wasnt big enough for everyone, so they had to choose, and most of the elders of the family chose the younger generation. It was a good thing some were already in the capital when the invasion started. Alanah closed her eyes and sighed again. Were able to keep everyone fed and healthy through our material teleporters, but those in the restaurants around Wilmette are getting restless. The enemy army has been pretty restrained with non-combatants so far, but we dont know when thats going to change, Alanah said. If the situation changes, you may have to step in, you know. Weve been able to evacuate most of your employees and their families, leaving only those in the captured sub-cities and Wilmette. I hate to say it, but you are the most deadly weapon in the kingdom, currently. At least until Mr. Hunt gets back, that is. I think hes going to surprise us, Natalie said before taking a sip of her own coffee. Alanah balled her fists, then loosened them. You dont have to tell me. Though, if I am forced to attack, they better pray to the Great System they are able to escape before I get my hands on them. For now, Ryven thinks he has you contained. I know it will be hard to lose your own. But if you do have to act, I dont envy Ryven and his army. Alanah finished her coffee and stood. Its been a pleasure. She smirked. And I agree. Derek had yet to reach his full potential when last I seen him. Chapter 298: The Bigger They Are Chapter 298: The Bigger They Are Derek sat next to the dungeon orb, topping up on his health, mana, and stamina before leaving. He was also doing some thinking. What he was hoping for most was that he would actually be rewarded for completing the trial. With his latest interaction with the other system, he thought there might be a chance that he would no longer be rewarded for doing things inside his current system. Well, things other than levels up to 250. With the trial complete and nothing pressing to do while he recovered, Derek began going through his notifications. You have killed level 250 Caustic Whale of Pestilence. 236,550,000,000 Experience Gained Level Up 173,919,275,550/212,325,000,000 Derek smiled. Even with the amount of experience points he needed to level, he was still able to get a bit more than an entire level for one fight. It was also nice to see that the level had netted him 35 stat points to use at his discretion, instead of his previous 30. It wasnt a huge upgrade, but stat points were stat points, and now that it looked like he could go beyond the 1,500 stat point cap, every point mattered. After dismissing the kill window, he viewed his now status sheet. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 203 130,370,000,550/193,000,725,000 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37625 15465 37625 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining Assigning Rewards Assigning Rewards Err Assigning Rewards Congratulations, you have received an Achievement: The Bigger They Are What? The notification he received was the oddest one hed gotten. It seemed like his hunch that he would have a hard time getting rewarded by his current system wasnt terribly far off. However, the system had somehow pushed through and given him an Achievement. Yet, he didnt know if that was the same one he would have gotten before the other system interfered. Still, he received something. And with the name of it, it was most definitely related to the trial he undertook. So, he dismissed the completion notification so he could view the next one. The Bigger They Are 3% increase in all stats per magnitude in weight when battling an enemy larger than yourself. Max increase in stats is 15%. Stats cannot increase greater than the system limit. Now thats an Achievement. In fact, his new Achievement reminded him much more of the Titles he used to get from his former system. For the most part, when he received Achievements from The Great System they were always stat points, skills, or the like. He hadnt really received one that had a percentage increase other than his Solo Diver Achievement and Repetitive Dungeoneer Achievements which conditionally increased stats in dungeons or possible reward percentages for dungeons. But, those only worked in dungeons. And the one that increased his stats had the caveat that he had to be in the dungeon alone. He hadnt actually checked his stats while fighting the whale, but he hadnt felt any increase in his usual stats, so it was likely that it hadnt activated in the trial as it was a part of the dungeon which had multiple participants. But, he was very content with his new Achievement. He seemed to be fighting enemies that were much bigger than himself lately, so the extra stats would surely come in handy later on. Its definitely a better reward for me than the skill scroll. But I wonder if its an Achievement I could have obtained by fighting massive enemies later on. With a shrug, he dismissed his new Achievement. Then he placed his hand back on the trial orb and prepared himself to go back. After getting a couple tubs full of the corrosive water, he thought about trying to salvage some of the whale, but for some reason, it didnt float, and had already sunk deep down into the ocean, and he really didnt feel like diving in water like that, so he gave it up. With a thought, he selected to leave the trial, and, as always, a bright light flashed over him. The next thing he knew, he was standing next to the row of trial orbs and was being surrounded by the rest of the raid party. Before he could even get his bearing, he was rushed by Victor Greenland, Asana Greenlands cousin. The elven mage grasped Derek by the shoulder and glared deep into his eyes. One day!? the elf half yelled. How is it that my cousin died, and you came back fine in not even one day? Tell me! What happened in there? Derek could tell that the man was half angry and half confused, and he couldnt blame the guy. Victor and his cousin, from the little that Derek had seen, had a pretty good relationship. They stayed together for the most part, and both had close to the same personalities. Derek grabbed the mages arm and removed it from his shoulder. He wasnt a big fan of being touched unwarranted. Then, before the man could speak again, Derek held his hand up. Give me some time to get oriented, he said. Well wait for Edgar to get here, too. I dont feel like explaining myself twice. Derek saw Victor ball his hand into a fist a couple of times, but, in the end, the seething elf chose to stay quiet. But he didnt have to wait long, as Edgar, Avery, Blitz, and Lyra arrived together less than thirty seconds later. Already? Edgar asked as soon as he hopped down from Blitzs back. Derek nodded. Yeah. Was it that easy? Avery asked. He was more interested in the fighting than anything else, especially after being couped up in the capital with Alanah helping to take care of her business. Not exactly, Derek said before recounting everything he went through. Of course, he held back exactly how he defeated the whale, but he explained everything else, like the system banning the use of the escape scrolls when the duel started, and the literally toxic fighting conditions the trial had. Once he finished, he watched as Victors rage left him and his head fell. She never had a chance. I doubt I would have had a chance. Damn it! The elf stomped the ground before he strode off. Everyone left him alone. It looked like he needed some time to grieve. Sounds like quite the battle, Edgar said. Seems easy enough, Avery chirped. It wouldnt have been a problem for Lyra and me. If the system allowed you to take her with you, Derek pointed out, and Avery frowned. Then he turned his attention back to Edgar. Youre going to have to take control of the raid. If the Great System is going to keep coming up with tricky trials like the last two, were not going to be able to half-ass it anymore. Unless you want half the raid party to die. Derek made sure to speak to Edgar loud enough for everyone to hear. Perhaps his words would have some effect on them, and would make it easier for Edgar to assert control. Of course, he could do so any time he wanted. It would just be better if everyone was on board when he did. Im starting to think the same, Edgar sighed. Anyway, theres something I want to talk to you about, Derek said, then he looked into the group and signaled for Shae and Cain. I need to talk to all of you. Is this about Torith? Edgar asked, causing Derek to frown. What? Derek asked. The proxy to my contract with the Adventurers Guild disappeared. It was through the manager at Torith, so I guess? He wasnt a very likeable guy, so I thought he may have had some dealings with Gerald. Was that not the case? That was when Derek noticed that, along with Shae and Cain, Walter had also come forward. Walter? he asked. It seems something major has happened in Torith, the older healer sighed. And we dont think Gerald is the reason. Chapter 299: Broken Contracts Chapter 299: Broken Contracts Okay, Derek said after taking in what Walter had told him. So, what do you all think is going on? Is it only happening in Torith? Derek and the bunch still called the sub-city Torith even though its name had most likely been changed already, seeing how that surname was now a stain on the Cydarian Kingdoms reputation. One moment, well talk about this later, Edgar said. Lets see what the next trial is going to be. Id like to get this raid over quickly now that things are becoming odd. The prince next headed to the orb that had activated once Derek returned and placed his hand on it. After a few seconds, he nodded and moved back. Avery, Victor, Vanessa, Shae, Elena, Tristan, and Kieron, Edgar said loudly, getting the attention of the seven raid members, including Victor, who made his way back once he heard his name called. Were not taking any chances anymore. The next trial is a simple tower trial. Usually, that means that you clear a number of floors of lesser beasts, then fight a boss-type beast at the top. But, like I said, that is what usually happens. This trial is epic, just like the last one. With this setup, you have two healers, one support, and four damage dealers, both physical and magical, close combat and ranged. The lowest level in the party will be Tristan, who is a level 240 light healer. Avery will be in charge of this team Victor stepped forward to say something, most likely to dispute the leadership, but Edgar just continued on. With this team, you should be able to complete a legendary trial, much less an epic one. Now, Victor Edgar looked directly at the elven mage who had just lost his cousin. Will you be a problem? Do you need to be replaced for this trial? Derek saw a flash of anger, then acceptance show on the elfs face. No. Ill be fine. Good, Edgar said. Are there any questions? Surprisingly, Tristan Allister was the one to step forward with a question, or rather, a request. You should swap me out for Jasper or Walter. Ciera is still in the process of healing, and I would like to stay with my patient to make sure nothing goes wrong. Edgar scratched his chin, then looked at Jasper and Walter. After his eyes met Walters, they moved back to Jasper, then his dragonkin companion. Walter, are you up for another trial? Of course, the old healer had gained more than most in the first trial. With however many levels he gained in the trial, plus the experience and skills he already had, he had already become one of the most capable healers in the kingdom. Walter closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to hesitate. Finally, he reopened his eyes and nodded. It would be my pleasure. Good. In that case, Avery, Victor, Vanessa, Shae, Elena, Walter, and Kieron, with Avery as raid leader and Elena second-in-command, will complete the tower trial. Are there anymore questions or concerns? No? Good. Get to it and please make haste. Edgar commanded. John, Ray I know the two of you have yet to have a go at a trial. Ill do my best to let you in one, but I make no promises. Edgar was talking about John Doyle and Ray Fergus, who Derek remembered were a wind mage and earth mage, respectively. They were lower leveled than the rest, and didnt get the opportunity to enter the first trial like many of the other lower leveled participants participants like Shae and Walter. Both of who were now either close to level 250 or were already level 250. So, Edgar was still trying to help them out, but they were most likely at the bottom of his list of things to worry about. After his command, he walked toward Derek and put his arm around him, which made Derek a bit uncomfortable, but he allowed it. Come on, we need to have a discussion. Derek only nodded and fell in line with the prince, who shot a look at Cain. When their eyes met, Cain hurried over and began to walk in stride with the duo. When they were a bit away from the others, Blitz came forward and allowed the three of them to board. With one last glance at the trial orbs, Derek saw Avery place his hand on the fifth one, then the seven members that made up the trial team disappear. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Lyra disappear along with the rest of them. Finally, Derek adjusted himself on Blitz and grabbed hold tightly. With that, the wyvern beat his wings once, and they were in the air, then, they were off. A few minutes later, Derek, Cain, and Edgar were all sitting around the table close to Tyrons temporary work area. So, can we talk now? Whats going on? Derek asked. Derek winced. Thomass family was from that area in one of the small villages. Were they okay? Clare should be in the capital, and Bronson was supposed to have headed that way as well. So those two should be fine. Plus, Im sure Walter has a contract with Bronson, so he will know if hes dead, Derek thought. It was no wonder Walter hesitated to go into the trial this time. So, what do you think is really going on? Derek asked, yet again. We have a few theories, Edgar said as he pulled out a map and placed it on the table. The map was littered with markings. Edgar pointed at a spot at the southwest of Cydaria that was circled in red. This is Wilmette. As you can see, its both close to the Astrus border and the ocean. Derek nodded. He hadnt ever seen such a detailed map of the kingdom before, so he didnt know where all the cities and sub-cities were located. He still wasnt completely sure of the size of the kingdom. Wilmette was about the same distance away from Astrus as it was to the southern coast. While he had the chance, Derek also looked for Torith, which he found. It was a bit closer to the coast, which made sense since it was once known as Searidge. He also found the forest that he found Silvi in, which seemed even bigger than he once thought. Finally, after perusing the map for a few moments, he lifted his head and looked at Edgar to continue. So, our first theory, and the one I believe is least likely, is that there was an uprising after Geralds capture and the elimination of multiple nobles and perhaps even their entire houses. I doubt this is what has happened because we would be seeing deaths across the entire kingdom, not just the southwest. My second theory is that some kind of beast has arrived from the ocean and is wreaking havoc on the surface. I find this explanation quite possible because of the places that it has hit. However, the theory that Im leaning towards is the next one Cydaria has been invaded by Astrus. Derek frowned. Hed heard that the border with Astrus and Cydaria was tense, and they were always ready for something to break. If they found out that a bunch of us, especially you, went into a dungeon and wouldnt be out for some time, it would be a good chance to attack, Derek said. It wasnt hard to connect those dots. Exactly, Edgar replied, then frowned. But Im still not sure about it. I dont believe Astrus has the might to be confident in an attack. Its why they havent attacked so far. Derek thought for a bit. He had limited knowledge of everything and barely knew anything about Astrus, Indria, and Vallum. Could they have help? Edgars frown deepened. I want to say no. Weve been on good enough terms with Indria for a while now. We even have their kings niece as a diplomat, and I doubt Vallum would ever pick sides with anyone. They would prefer to stay back and do nothing. Derek shrugged. Well, what do you want to do? Right now, I think its best that we have everyone keep a close eye on their contracts. I have to trust that my father and brother have things handled. They were obviously able to evacuate most of Wilmette, so we should just believe in them. For now, however, I think we should focus on completing the dungeon as soon as possible. Just in case, Edgar explained. Derek and Cain both nodded, and Derek said, Then well do just that. Chapter 300: The System Laughs Chapter 300: The System Laughs Derek was reminded of an old adage he used to hear all the time back on Earth both before the system arrived and after, Man plans, and God laughs. Sitting at the camp, nothing quite described their current situation better than that. Before, both he and Edgar had wholeheartedly agreed to put all the politics aside and do whatever they could to finish the raid as fast as possible. Once that was decided, Edgar went around, telling everyone his plan. Even when a few complained, he shut them down fast, finally putting his foot down as both prince and party lead. His new attitude may have rubbed a few the wrong way, but hadnt cared. He was uneasy about the information they had gathered, and his kingdom and family meant more to him than their current raid. The only reason the prince hadnt used one of his escape scrolls, Derek ascertained, was because of the off chance that either nothing was wrong, or it was a situation that was currently being or had already been handled. His current duty to the kingdom was to complete the raid. If he showed up back at the kingdom, having left the raid early and nothing was wrong, it would embarrass both him and his royal family. Derek, on the other hand, wasnt as worried as Edgar. Whether the kingdom was under attack from a giant beast or another kingdom didnt matter. There were only a few people in the entire kingdom that he cared about, and they were all in either Savannah or the capital. Even Bronson and Clare were in the capital. Though, he did feel for Walter, having known that the older man had most likely already lost some of his family. But Derek didnt care too terribly much about the kingdom as a whole, just some of those in it. Plus, Silvi was with pretty much everyone he cared about, and after his last class-up, it would take one hell of a force to get through her. Well, that or a perfectly cooked piece of fried chicken. Derek snorted at the thought, drawing questioning eyes from the prince who was sitting across from him. Its nothing, Derek said. I just thought of something kind of funny. Edgar rolled his eyes and didnt say anything. He just kept tapping his fingers on the table. Derek let out a sigh and thought to himself, I guess its really more like, Man plans, and the system laughs After all that preparation to complete raid at record time, they had been left waiting for over four days. With the team he assembled for the trial, Edgar, along with everyone else, fervently believed they would be back in just a couple of days, maybe even less. However, it was closing in on the end of the fourth day of the fifth trial, and they had heard nothing from the trial team. Edgar was checking his contract list over and over, waiting for the inevitable break in one of their contracts. But that had yet to come. Which meant that all the team members were at least alive. Derek could only lean back and think about entering meditation. It would at least let him pass the time a bit faster. So, thats what he did. However, it wasnt more than a couple of hours before he was broken out of his meditation by the presence of someone approaching them. Derek opened his eyes to see the giant smith walking their way with a sly grin on his face. Dereks heart jumped at that. Is it? Derek asked before Tyron even had a chance to say anything. Without a word, and with a wave of his hand, the blacksmith pulled out a full piece of chest armor. Then, with a smile, Tyron reached Derek and held the item out for him to inspect. Derek promptly snatched the armor piece away from the smith and looked it over. It was black, the same color as the wyvern it was made from. Whereas his weapon was made mostly from the bones and fangs of the beast, with just a touch of the hide, the chest piece was made with the black hide and scales. The hide from the wyvern was turned into a leather that worked as the base and padding of the armor, while the scales, which were noticeably smaller than they were on the beast, were arranged in overlapping rows throughout the piece. The first thing Derek noticed when looking the armor over was its flexibility. He could quite easily bend it, so it would also be easy to move in it, unlike the armor he had brought from Earth and hadnt worn in ages. How did you make the scales like this? Derek asked. It was because of the scales small size that the armor could be so flexible. But surely the smith hadnt cut up the scales just to be able to make it like that. That would definitely damage the structure of the scales, and thus, the armor. At least from what very little he knew about smithing. Its pretty usually for people to use Identify or other appraisal skills on one another, but it is considered very bad form to inspect a piece of someone elses armor or weapon. Its one thing to inspect someone as a whole, but another to try to find out the fine details. Though that doesnt stop everybody. The prince explained. Go ahead. Derek gave him permission. You dont have to tell me twice, the prince said, then squinted his eyes. Hmm Dark Wyvern Scaled Armor and epic ranked with 1200 durability. Very nice. That limits the number of people who can inspect it. The names kind of generic, but Im sure most people who are able to get details from it wont think that with wyvern in the name. He smiled. Looks like Im jealous again. Derek laughed. Have you seen your armor? Well, yeah Edgar said. But I also like new things. Derek snorted, then put the armor away. It would look better as a full set, so he planned on being patient and waiting for it to be finished before wearing it again. Finally, he leaned back in his chair and the two of them fell silent once again. Now it was time to play the waiting game. *** Cydarian Kingdom Fort Belrus As the sun rose, Edward was pacing around the fort, making sure his elite squad of 50 men were ready at a moments notice. Fort Belrus was a fort set up near the capital. It was one of the forts with a teleporter connected to the other teleporters around the kingdom, so they could get anywhere they were needed as quickly as possible. Just then, the crown prince felt the buzzing of one of his communication crystals inside his storage ring. Instantly, he pulled it out and activated it. Yes? Commander! Weve just received information that a portal has appeared around 25 miles north of Clayton. The enemy army is currently pouring out! the voice on the other end said shakily. Got it, Edward said to the scout. Anything else? Nothing, sir! With that, Edward dismissed the scout and disconnected from him. After that, he began sending out communication to everyone who needed to know. Then, he gathered his elites. They lost Wilmette, but there wasnt anything he could do about that. But Clayton, that was a surprise. He wouldnt allow them to take a city so close to the capital. Why would they even attack a city so close to the capital? It doesnt make sense. Is it still those two in command? Are they getting impatient? But Edward couldnt dwell on the many questions he had. What he knew for a fact was that an army was organizing outside of Clayton, using portals. He needed to get to the city and judge the situation for himself. So, thats what he would do. In mere minutes, he had gathered his men and directed them to the teleporter. Dent, Jones, Valerus, and Poole, with me! Everyone else, follow behind, five at a time. With those commands, Edward, along with Dent, Jones, Valerus, and Poole, stepped on the teleporter and activated. With a flash, they disappeared, then reappeared in the Teleportation Building in the city of Clayton. Chapter 301: Clayton Chapter 301: Clayton Edward looked around to see nothing out of the ordinary, just the person there to receive them. At this time, the teleporters were only available for a select few, and were shut down for everyone else as security measures. Without a word, the crown prince took a step down from the teleportation circle. But, just as his foot hit the floor, he felt an odd magic permeate through the air. With a feeling of dread, he rushed out of the building. At a first glance, he didnt see anything. But, with a little more focus, he saw them. Holy shit! a voice sounded from the air, but soon, a young man with dark, almost black hair, and even darker eyes, and a pointed nose appeared from nowhere. Damn, Orion! Your uncle was right. He came, just like that. Just then, another man appeared. It was an elven man with silver hair and emerald eyes. Instantly, the face of Sabrina Elras came to Edwards mind. Orion? With those two clues, Edward immediately put together who was in front of him. It was Orion Elras, one of the princes of Indria, which meant that the other young man with black, no extremely dark blue hair was Titus Sinclair, the crown prince of Astrus. He still wasnt sure what was going on, but Edward quickly drew his sword, and the four members of his party were all prepared for battle. With some hesitation, he glanced over his shoulder at the entrance to the teleportation building. Nobody else is coming, the elven prince said, seeing Edwards gaze. All teleportation and communication to this area he gestured around him, and Edward could see a flutter of an almost invisible barrier set up around the building. Im afraid, has been locked off. With a sigh, Edward clinched his fist around the hilt of his sword, and a spark of electricity shot off from it. Prepare to fight! Poole Edward sent mentally, and was relieved when he received a reply back. That proved that they could still communicate telepathically while inside the barrier. When the fighting starts, do everything you can to escape the barrier and notify the king. Will do! the man replied. But just as Edward was about to attack, Orion Elras snapped his fingers and a veil lifted, causing at least twenty more people to appear out of nowhere, the crown prince not seeing them before because his focus was on the two princes in front of him. Im sorry. He said internally to himself. Hed led four of his people into an ambush. An ambush that used the combined forces of two countries to make. They were going to need a miracle to get out of this mess. As quickly as possible, Edward sent what little of a plan he could come up with telepathically to the squad that had accompanied him through the teleporter. Surrounded by so many people, there wasnt much of a chance. Even if Poole was able to break out of the disruption barrier set up by Orion Elras and get a message out, Edward doubted it would do much good. Fort Belrus was already one of the closest locations with a teleportation circle to Clayton already, and it would take an hour, if not more, for someone who specialized in speed to make it to Clayton on foot. It was unrealistic to think that anyone would be able to save them. But, at least they could get word out as to what was going on. At the moment, Edward was both happy and sad that the streets of Clayton were still mostly unoccupied because of how early it was. Hopefully, no civilians would be hurt because of what was going on, which made him happy. But, at the same time, it also meant there was nobody there to witness and report what was happening on their behalf. That was even if people would be able to see through the barrier set up by Orion. Which he highly doubted. Honestly, it wasnt a lot, but it was something. Something that gave Edward a spark of hope that he didnt have before. But that spark was immediately extinguished when he heard a yelp and looked towards it. It was Poole. The speedy man had made it to the barrier. Half of his body was laying inside and the other half was outside. The problem was, neither side was still connected to the other. It was a gruesome sight. Edward could even see the red communication crystal resting in his limp hand on the other side of the barrier. It was fatal. There was no way to survive something like that, at least not for Poole. As to what happened, it was easy to put together. Orion had made a move on Poole after avoiding the lighting and water attack by rising just off the ground on another barrier he created. Poole hadnt no, nobody noticed when Orion moved a razor-thin barrier his way at an even faster pace than Poole was moving. It didnt even look like Orion had actually attacked with it. By the looks of it, he had simply moved it in place in front of Poole, who had run straight into it, severing him in half. But while Edward was distracted by his mans death, another yell came from below him. With a look of horror, he realized his mistake. Their combination attack had worked well in their favor, but it had also worked against them. The pool of water, which the current of electricity had now flowed out of, had been frozen solid. Which, yes, was bad for many of his enemies, but more than that, it was terrible for his own team. Both Valerus and Dent had been caught in the ice in the time he looked away toward Pooles body. He could only watch on in horror as frost slowly made its way up both of his squad members legs, to their waists. With fury, Edward released a bellowing cry and shot himself at the culprit, Titus Sinclair. The three others moved to intercept him, but he was seeing red. With small adjustment to his flight path, his lightning covered sword ripped into the leg of fire user, and in the instant it was in contact, he pushed as much lighting into the man as he could, causing him to fall to limply to the ground, his only movement being small twitches all over his body where the lighting had invaded. Next in his path was the elven woman with the vines. At this point, Edward had already reinforced his body and attacks with Lightning Shroud, causing a rapid drain on his man, but it was all or nothing. The woman moved in front of him, expecting him to change his path once again, just how he had with the fire user, but he didnt. Instead, he flew straight at her and collided with her head on. She was able to block his blade for a few moments, but when his hand grasped her throat and he squeezed while pushed through as much lighting as he could into her, she went limp for a moment, stunned. Instead of dropping her, he took his now free sword hand and separated her head from the rest of her body just in time to be hit head on by the other enemy. Even after being hit, he had no clue what it was the man was using. What he did know, though, was that he was unstable in the air. So, when he directed a surge of lightning at the man, he wasnt able to dodge. That was when he figured it out. The man was a metal user; he had to be. With the way his lightning hit and flowed through him, that was almost the only explanation. It also explained why the man fell like a rock when his skill was interrupted. Edward didnt take time to revel in his small victories, though, and he was sure only the vine user was dead. What he needed now was to take out one of their leaders. His eyes fell on Titus, who, despite the loss of some of his own men, still had the same grin plastered on his mouth. With the airspace now much more open, Edward rushed toward the ice user. He had to be careful, as, while water may not be good against his lighting, ice was a different story. Still, while Lightning Shroud was still active, and Edward was still in relatively good condition, he had to try. But the blue-haired man continued floating there without a care in the world, his eyes locked on Edward. Then he cast a look at the ground and his smile widened. At the same time, Edward heard another scream, and try as he might, he couldnt not slow down and look. Where Dent had previously stood, now there was nothing but a pile of broken, bloody ice and his plate armor. Dent was dead, that was for sure, and Edward was almost certain that there was no way they were going to get out of this. Chapter 302: Pressure Chapter 302: Pressure Another round of rage poured through Edward, and he threw caution to the wind and charged at full speed to attack Titus. Once he was within striking range, Edward prepared the same attack as he used before, head on. With a yell, he thrust his lighting covered sword forward with all his might but it hit something and bounced off. Still carrying the same momentum, his body crashed into what he realized was another barrier, but one he couldnt even see. Coming to such a stop, it took a second for Edward to get his bearing back. But in that time, Titus had already moved forward and grasped him by the wrist, completely ignoring his lighting covered body. And just like he had done so many times with his own lighting, he felt the coldness begin to flow inside himself. He fought with his own mana, pushing back, but soon, it was overpowered by the ice. Soon, his hand was completely frozen, even through his armor. Then, to his horror, he felt it, a surge of energy, and his everything from his wrist down shattered inside his armor, just like Dent had. His sword fell swiftly to the ground. And he was next. Edward felt, rather than saw, a blunt hit on the top of his head, after which he flew to the ground and hit with a thud. With his good hand, he pushed himself up, anger still covering his face. This time, it was directed at Orion. The man hadnt been in the fight, but he had controlled it. Youre faster in the air. Get out of here. We cant lose you now. His thoughts were interrupted by Valeruss voice appearing in his head. He glanced over at her and saw she was still frozen, but only up to her knees. She was fighting the ice with her own water skills. Specifically, the ones that released heated water. Jones was still in the background, keeping attacks from closing in on her with his arrows. Since most of the focus was on Edward, the enemy hadnt yet moved in full force against his remaining two squad members. But he started. Go! she yelled at him telepathically. Ill pay them back tenfold, he sent to the woman. Then, with his wings reappearing on his back, he flew. Not up, he guessed another shield or barrier would be waiting for him. No, he flew close to the ground, down the street opposite where Poole had run to. With a flash, he was at the barrier that was interrupting the teleporter. Then he was through it. He made it a total of around two feet past the barrier before he slammed into another one. It turned out, not only had Orion set up a teleportation barrier around them, he had placed another shield-type one on its outside. Edward knew he would be able to break it from either side, and it probably wouldnt even take a lot of time, but that was something he didnt have. He flew up and around, but it was dome-shaped, then, all the sudden, it began closing in. Two minutes later, Edward found himself standing in front of Titus and Orion, ice up to his knees. Oh, man Titus said. And they call me the evil one. What, you set that up outside the other to give them hope, then you crush it. The Crown Prince of Astrus snorted, then turned to one of the others and said, Gains, why dont you go heal the prince? We wouldnt want him to suffer too much from that wound. Edwards eyes widened. No! He pulled his arm behind his back. But, since he couldnt move, it was in vain. The man reached him and directed a healing energy to where his right hand had been. Edgar felt in horror as the wound closed, leaving him nothing but a stump. Actually, Titus said. Our orders are only to take you alive. Im sure you dont need that other hand either, right? With the same crooked smile, the man slowly approached Edward. Hurry up, Orion said. Its been less than ten minutes, but Im sure they have people on the way already. Without a teleporter, nobodys going to be here for at least twenty minutes. Calm down, I just want to have a little more fun. Titus snorted and took yet another step. Isnt this fun? He called out to Edward as he took another step. That was Alanah. Apparently, the king contacted her in a panic. The Astrus and Indria combined armies were seen using a portal to move close to the city of Clayton, so Edward motioned to move his elites to the city to prepare for them. After the crown prince and four others stepped through the teleporter to the city, the others were unable to follow. Something happened to the teleporter? Malorie asked after sitting straight. More like someone, Stella sighed. A short while later, a message came through from one of the soldiers who entered the city at Edwards side. The message was cut short, but he managed to report that there was an ambush and they were in trouble Thats awful! It gets worse. Nobody has anyone strong enough in that area to make a difference. Fort Belrus, where Edward was stationed, was already the closest location to Clayton, and it will take some time for anyone to arrive at Clayton from there. The king wanted to know if there was anything Alanah could do if there was any way she could get there in time to save Edward. Can she? Mal asked. Stella shook her head. No. Even if she teleported to Fort Belrus first, it would take at least half an hour for her to get there. Avery may have been able to, but not Alanah. And unfortunately, neither the Adventurers Guild Leader nor Natalie were able to help, either. Alanah was his last option. Thats I know Stella sighed and fell back into her chair once again. The one time Malorie had met the crown prince, even if it was very briefly, the man seemed like a decent person. He wasnt as jovial as his younger brother, who she actually met on multiple occasions before he left for the raid, but he was, as Derek would say, good people. However, before either one of the women was able to say anything else, a crushing weight fell onto their consciousnesses. It was a pain like Malorie had never felt before. She managed to reach up and grab at her head, and at the same time look forward at Stella. The Crown woman wasnt in as much agony as Mal, but her eyes were wide and her eyes were on the verge of shutting. She was obviously in pain, too. What? she started, but as soon as the words left her mouth, the pressure disappeared like it had never been there in the first place. The door to the dining room swung open and Jacks and Rayna ran in, weapons at the ready. Whats going on? What was that? It felt like it was coming from here. Jacks half shouted in a panic. I dont know, Stella said in confusion. Malorie stood quickly and turned to the connecting door to the kitchen and opened it. Silvi, did you feel tha she started, but paused mid-sentence. Silvi? Then she turned and ran back to the dining room. Has anyone seen Silvi? Shes not in the kitchen. She asked, but everyone just shook her head. Then her thoughts went to Brandi. What if she was hit with the same pressure while working on one of her dangerous weapons? Without a word, Malorie rushed out and was relieved when she got to the first floor only to see the door to the basement opening and her soot covered daughter walk out. Mom? What was that? Is everyone okay? Brandi asked. She seemed perfectly healthy. Everyone seems fine, but Silvi is missing. Chapter 303: Void Travel Chapter 303: Void Travel Silvi willed the giant tear in the void closed behind her. She had no idea the skill was going to be so big. She could only hope that in the brief time it was open, it hadnt caused any harm to her precious kitchen. Then again, if her kitchen was damaged, it would make for the perfect excuse to get the upgrades she had been wanting. Especially if the reason for the damage was because she was saving the little sparky fellow. Lately, she felt like she needed to find more, and better, ingredients to cook with. She was spending hours each week researching foods at the Crown Restaurant, and experimenting with her own different dishes, making some amazingly delicious food, but at the same time, making some dishes that just well, they were still okay, and it wasnt in her nature to let the food go to waste so she sent those to the academy with mount. Let no one say that she wasnt a thoughtful bunny. Also, in the previous months, she had taken to listening in on the conversations Malorie had with others in the dining room that was connected to her kitchen. Silvi had missed all the loud chatter she had gotten to experience back when she was learning at the restaurant back in Torith. So, when she wasnt cooking anything super taxing, she would listen in to keep herself entertained. Mostly, though, it was dull stuff about invading countries, people dying, and the kingdom losing cities. That was just a bunch of stuff she didnt care about. Still, she listened. She learned a lot of things that way without having to be part of the conversation. It was the best of both worlds. She learned things like the kind of food people enjoyed the most, the type of materials Malorie was buying and how much of them were ingredients for her, and even how the restaurant owner liked to take her coffee. That was the really important stuff. Which is why when she heard about the delivery of foods created from Void Beast ingredients, her ears perked up and she began listening intensely. Unfortunately, the important conversation about the food hadnt lasted very long, and soon shifted to less important things like the crown prince, little sparky, being ambushed. So, she started to tune out the rest of the conversation, but then she heard the king was in a panic because of it. And if the king was in a panic because of it, then didnt that mean that he would be willing to give ample rewards to someone or somebunny who saved the day? So for the good of her belly uh, the kingdom it was up to Silvi to take action. Shed never used the Void Travel skill shed received from Derek, but based on the description, it seemed to be just the thing she needed. So, she had willed the skill forward and waited. Then, a giant tear formed in front of her, a rip in the void of a size so unexpectedly big that it made her pause for a moment. The skill also came with a weird feeling, too, but she hadnt cared, and just jumped it. Then, she closed it behind her because of the description saying that only she and Derek should go inside. She was a thoughtful bunny and didnt want to accidentally hurt the wonderful, beautiful, delicious lady or the others. Now she sat back, surrounded by nothingness, trying to figure out what to do. After a few seconds, she thought of that other, confusing skill that Derek had given her, Void Sense. It had taken her forever to figure out how to control that skill and make all the wavy ripples disappear. Maybe thats why he gave me that skill. So, she pushed the intensity at which Void Sense worked up. The results were perfect. She felt that if she concentrated hard enough, she could feel many of the places she had been before, and when she concentrated harder, she got the sense that she may even be able to feel the locations of people she had met. Silvi also sensed a weird sensation all around her. She could guess that the feeling was the altered flow of time caused by the void that she inherited from Derek. That hadnt happened before. Maybe it was from the skill as well. Brushing those thoughts off, she focused harder, as hard as she would have if she was working on an extra difficult recipe. Silvi felt a bright, surging aura off in the distance, one she immediately recognized as Dereks own. And, if she could feel Derek, then surely she could sense the locations of others she had met. And she had met the little sparky prince a few times at the Crown Restaurant in the past year. He would occasionally be seated on one of the lower floors while Silvi went to the much better floors to research the more delicious meals and beg negotiate for more recipes. Her awesome negotiation skills had gotten the restaurant owner to make an exception for her to use Dereks membership as her own. She was his bonded soul companion, after all. Unfortunately, Malorie had put a limit on the number of times she could go research at the restaurant in a month. But she didnt need to think about that right now; she needed to find her meal ticket. So, she thought deeply about the man, trying to remember what his aura felt like. There was a reason she called him little sparky. She could feel the electricity coming off of him. Soon, she latched onto the subtle, familiar aura and twitched her nose. It had to be him. His sparky aura wasnt the only one she found, she found another one close by that was about the same, but that was in an area she had been before when she occasionally went to the capital, and she hadnt been to the city of Clayton. There was another aura by Derek, a more potent one. But she could only feel it because of how close it was to Dereks own. That had to be big sparky, the stronger prince. It had been a long time since she had faced real combat, and she hoped she wasnt rusty. She needed to keep herself sharp, just like one of her knives. So, with her destination in mind, she looked at her status sheet to make sure she was prepared. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Silvi Hunt Active Void Shift Lv. 17, Advanced Cooking Lv. 8, Advanced Mage Hand Lv. 6, Advanced Telekinesis Lv. 5, Battle Chef Knife Mastery Lv. 4, Charge Lv. 12, Chop Lv. 5, Cleaning Lv. 15, Cook What You Kill Lv. 1, Cooking Lv. 19, Julienne Lv. 3, Mince Lv. 3, Void Creation (Cooking) Lv. N/A, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 6, Mage Hand Lv. 16, Meditation Lv. 17, Telekinesis Lv. 15, Telepathy Lv. 3 Shared Skills from Companion: Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skills Shared to Companion: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 6 Available Skills to Share: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Battle Chef Knife Mastery Lv. 4, Chop Lv. 5, Cook What You Kill Lv. 1, Julienne Lv. 3, Mince Lv. 3, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 6 Silvis eyes brightened when they fell on her intelligence stat. When she first used her skills after the stat increase, she had unfortunately spoiled multiple dishes. Her mana consuming skills, especially her Telekinesis and Mage Hand skills, had become hard to control. She had to spend a lot of time on beginner level dishes to get her control back. She couldnt wait until Derek put some more points into wisdom. Now she had to battle with it. She knew it should make her skills stronger. She just hoped her battle skills wouldnt be as hard to control as the fine movements from her other skills were. With all that in mind, Silvi dismissed her stats and hopped forward to the familiar aura. *** Traveling through the void was hard and scary. Without the skill Derek gave her, Silvi wasnt sure if she would have ever made it to the right spot. One small hop seemed to cover an uncountable distance. She would have to be very careful with the Void Travel skill if she chose to use it to go ingredient hunting in the future. She would have to make sure Derek didnt take the Void Sense skill away from her. It was too dark inside the void without it. She couldnt imagine how hard it would be to cook in such darkness. She wondered if a fire would even burn in such a place. Finally, she arrived close to where she felt the weak prince. Kay. What now? Do I use the skill again? That was the only thing she could think to do, so she positioned herself where she was almost right on top of the prince and used the skill. Sure enough, she was correct yet again, just like always. The void began to open up and the extremely too big tear in it opened wider and wider. As the void opened, the outside finally became visible. She took a good look at what was going on. There were a bunch of people, and the ground looked slick, like ice. Her heart raced when she looked to her right and saw a person with very pointy ears standing beside a human with a very pointy nose. Thats a real elf. It has to be, she thought. She knew the restaurant owner woman was kind of an elf, but her ears werent as pointy as the one before her now. Its pretty skinny, though. I dont think Id be able to make many burgers out of it. But she continued looking on, analyzing the situation like Derek would have. Theres more than one! She almost squealed with joy. They would be perfect for her Cook What You Kill skill. Silvi also noticed that all eyes were on her. Everyone was staring wide-eyed, looking at her greatness. So, she took a hop forward and exited the void. Then, she canceled the skill and the void soon closed behind her. What is that? the pointy nose guy, and the elf said at the same time. Silvi tilted her head and saw her new cloak laying against her pristine fur. Its a new cloak, she said through her communication crystals. Its not as light as my old one, but I was told by the mania I was told that it would be able to take a lot more abuse. Its growing on me. She almost told them about the maniac. She was glad she caught herself. They werent supposed to talk about her to other people at least she thought. She wasnt sure anymore. She was in an exceptionally good mood after encountering a rare ingredient, so she decided to be nice and tell them about her new cloak. Did I am I seeing things? the pointy nose man asked the elf. Do you see a talking rabbit that appeared out of a Portal-like rip in space? the elf asked back. I guess Im not seeing things the pointy nose man said. But, Silvis happy mood only went so far. Her paws were starting to get cold from the ice. So, she tilted her head again, this time to look at the kneeling prince. Little Spark uhem Crown Prince Edward. Im here to save you. You Youre Dereks pet companion? the sparky one stammered. Silvi was a kind bunny, so she wouldnt fault him for calling her a pet at least not right now. She would take that out on the king when she was fleecing negotiating for her reward. You? A pet bunny is going to save him? the pointy nose fellow snorted and laughed. Silvi narrowed her eyes. She would kill him third. After she killed the two best looking elves. She couldnt allow them to get away. If you can do something about him, the crown prince lifted his arm and pointed at the first elf with his arm. The barrier will disappear and my reinforcement can come. What happened to his hand? Hes down to one opposable thumb. I hope he has Mage Hand. She felt sorry for the prince, but at least he still had one thumb. Silvi shifted her attention to the elf. Then, with a sneak attack, she shot off her back paws while using Charge and channeling Void Lightning into her horn. She would hunt him first. Chapter 304: When Bunnies Attack Chapter 304: When Bunnies Attack Edwards eyes widened as the bunny attacked without another word. Dereks companion coming to save him was something he would have never expected in a million years, but there she was, flying at a tremendous speed toward the prince of another country. However, Edward still couldnt put much faith in the little thing. How strong could a beast companion really be? Especially one that had most likely been bonded when it was still at a low level. This Silvi obviously wasnt a normal bunny, but she clearly showed some of the features of the widespread common Horned Rabbit. He would be shocked if that wasnt what she had been before she evolved from a bond. So, sure, Derek was strong, but as a bonded companion, she could have, at most, what? Three quarters of his stats, if he had a legendary class. Natalie Savannah had let it slip that Dereks stats were actually higher than Edgars, so him having a legendary class was probable, especially since Edward suspected that his brother also had one. No, Edward didnt put much hope in the bunny dealing with the situation alone. What he was hopeful for, however, was that she could damage or surprise the elven prince enough that he lost focus and dropped the barrier placed around them. If that were to happen, Edwards reinforcements would file through the teleporter the second the barrier dropped, and there would be a good chance to reverse the situation. So, Edward followed the movements of the small bunny as best he could. The amount of power she used to launch herself off her back legs was staggering. Her strength stat must have broken through the second threshold, and the way she left the ground. Is her dexterity close to that as well? He thought. But in that split second she was in the air, possibly not even that long, she had made it to the front of the young elven prince. Somehow, during that extremely short amount of time, she had begun glowing a deep purple, leaving a streak of purple behind her. Edward clenched his remaining hand tightly. This was it. Both princes were caught off guard. He could tell by the look in their eyes. If she can just damage he started to think, but before he could finish the thought, the flying bunny crashed into a barrier just in front of the elven prince and Edwards heart fell. Even with such a surprise attack, he was ready. Fucking barriers, Edward inwardly cursed as he watched the bunny, no longer glowing, kick off the barrier and land back exactly where she had first appeared. The bunny shook her head violently for a second before glaring at the elven prince and his barrier. Edward shifted his focus back to the prince, and was surprised when he saw the shield in front of him flicker in and out of visibility. When it was visible, Edward actually saw a spiderweb like crack flowing through it. But if that wasnt enough to shock him, what happened next was. The elven prince staggered on his feet before violently spitting up multiple mouthfuls of blood and grasping at his chest. What the hell happened? Did his shield getting damage also damage him? That doesnt make any sense. What good would such a shield be if that happened. But why is he like that? The prince continued to cough violently, half the blood landing on the ground and half on the back-side of the shield barrier. With the blood running down the barrier, even when it was flickering invisible, the shield could still be located. Edward wasnt the only person who was stupefied. Everyone around them had the same dumbfounded look on their faces. A small bunny had head-butted the prized skill of the royal family of Indria, and not only had the skill cracked, but the user had been damaged. All this came with a realization for Edward. With his personal barrier so damaged and flickering, along with the elven prince obviously being damaged, how much longer would he be able to control the anti-communication and teleportation barrier? Drink this, hurry! Before she attacks again! The voice of Titus broke Edward out of his thoughts as the man shoved an expensive-looking potion into the elfs hand. Orion took the potion and started to uncork it, but before he could, the bunny made her next move the same move. She launched herself off the ground again and began to glow. She was like a life seeking magic missile. The woman looked up at the bunny in confusion, as if the attack had done nothing to her. Silvi disappeared once again, this time avoiding a flurry of arrows and spells in doing so. Then, out of nowhere, the woman fell to the ground and spasmed a few times before stilling. A pool of blood then began to form around her head and chest areas. She shes a killing machine. The rumors I I thought she only liked to cook and eat. Edward made sure to make it a priority to learn more about the bunny no Silvi. Dereks companion he would never call her a bunny or his pet again. She was too monstrous to risk offending If shes his companion and already this strong then Derek Hunt Edward breathed in a deep breath and turned to watch the rest of the battle. What happened next well he wouldnt call it a slaughter. Titus and his remaining men, now on guard and having seen how Silvi fought, fought back. But, Silvi was too fast not physically, but whatever teleportation skill she used made her extremely hard to pin down. What stunned Edward even more was when Titus seemed to catch on to how her skill worked, or made an extremely lucky guess. When she appeared behind one of his men, she was met by an icicle hurtling through the air. The long icicle directly hit Silvi on the side of her small body with enough force to send the small thing flying into the teleportation building. She crashed through the wall and disappeared from everyones sight, and Titus snorted. She may be fast, but with her size shes probably already on the verge of dea he began, but was immediately cut off by the appearance of the bunny above him. Her cloak had a hole in it, but she didnt have any blood or wounds on her at least she didnt have any of her own blood on herself. How? Astruss Crown Prince muttered as the same, now ominous, purple energy began to gather on her horn once again. Four walls of ice were what Titus decided was needed to avoid the weird lighting attack. It seemed to work, too, as Silvi snorted and disappeared to attack one of the other ambushers. They stood their ground after figuring out Silvis attacks, but her early assault was demoralizing. While Silvi was busy attacking one of his team members, Titus phased through the ice wall and yelled out, Retreat! At the same time, a squad of five elites rushed through the exit of the Teleportation building. Its barely been that long? Edward was stunned at how short the fight had actually going on, but since his reinforcements had finally arrived, he heaved a heavy sigh of relief. They would actually be okay Well the survivors will. He looked at the fallen bodies of his companions and sighed before turning back to the scene playing out in front of him. With the call of retreat, the ambushers instantly used every movement skill they had, and were neigh impossible to catch. But that didnt stop Silvi. As Titus and his team rushed down the street, which now had numerous onlookers gathered at the commotion now that Orions barriers werent there to obstruct them, Silvi disappeared and continued her own attack. Prince! Are you okay? What happened? One of his men rushed to his side as more and more elites spilled out of the Teleporation Building. Im okay Edward said, but looked at his right bracer, which was now missing a hand. Ill be okay. Chapter 305: Are You Safe Now? Chapter 305: Are You Safe Now? Minutes later, Edwards entire squad had crossed through the teleporter and made it to Clayton. It was still staggering for Edward at how long the enemy team had actually lasted before retreating once Dereks bonded companion made her move. The fight couldnt have gone on for more than a couple of minutes at most before Crown Prince Titus called for a retreat. While sitting on the steps to the teleportation building and feeling sorry for himself, multiple scenes flashed through his head. First was the scene of the blood spattering everywhere from behind the ice wall, then the elven prince mysteriously vanishing. Then, there was the weird lightning bolt Silvi launched, and delayed reaction that occurred in those that it hit. Overall, it seemed like Dereks companion only had a few moves in her arsenal, but the combination of them and her small size made her exceptionally difficult to target, much less hit. Then, there was the fact that she had actually been hit dead on by Crown Prince Titus once he figured out her movements and patterns, and the hit had done next to nothing to her. If anything, it angered her because of the hole he put in her cloak. After that hit, she had become even more unpredictable and deadly, which is what led to the retreat. That, and the fact that Orions barrier was down and reinforcements were beginning to arrive. Edward shook his head, then stared intently at the stump on the end of his arm where his hand used to be. Unless they were hidden, he couldnt think of a single healer in the kingdom that could restore and regrow a limb that had been healed. Edward clinched his remaining fist until his knuckles turned white and vowed to get revenge on the Crown Prince of Astrus. The man was just cruel. On top of that, Edward was feeling more useless than ever. In fact, his current thoughts were that he should have led the raid team instead of Edgar. At least his brother would have been able to do something against the ambush. Finally, a question that hadnt really crossed his mind during all the chaos hit him. Why had Dereks companion been the one to come and save him? Was she answering a request from my father? No theres no way anyone knew of the kind of power she has. Especially the power to teleport into an area controlled by one of the Elrass blocking barriers. Those thoughts led him to another thing he was currently avoiding. He needed to contact his father and let him know what had happened. The communication crystals in his storage rings were constantly buzzing as it was. I really should answer one of them, he thought, but he couldnt bring himself to. Surely, someone else had already done so. Edward slumped further down on the step and sighed. Then, all the sudden, he staggered back in a panic. The small bunny had suddenly appeared just underneath him out of nowhere, her purple-ish fur covered in dried blood. Where is she? the child-like feminine voice chimed from the blood covered crystal placed on Silvis collar. Where is who? Edward managed to get his senses back and asked.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com The elf. The one I killed with my Void Lightning. Where is she? Shes gone. Did you take her? Silvi asked. My kill. Edward saw something dangerous flash through the eyes of the small beast and he shivered. This was someone he couldnt afford to offend. Of course, he knew exactly who she was talking about. When his soldiers came through, after making sure the area was secure, they began cleanup, which included the bodies of the fallen. I Im not sure, he began, but shortly after, a bit of an aura leaked out of Silvi, and he hurriedly continued. One of my men must have moved the body for cleanup. Ill find it. Just stay right there. Ill be back in just a second. Kay! The aura disappeared just like that, and the voice chimed once again, this time with a delighted tone, as if she hadnt just about made Edward wet himself. Yeah father can wait. I have to find where that body went immediately, before everyone dies. Edward jumped up and rushed around the area, inquiring about the corpse of the female elf. It took him a good five minutes, but he finally found the soldier who had all the bodies stored set up inside the teleportation building. With a quick command, he had the soldier to transfer the corpse to his storage ring. He also made sure to find the storage ring that she was wearing when she died. That took a bit longer. Edward stared intently at the spot where Silvi disappeared from with a frown on his face. The longer he stood there, the deeper his frown was. I think she only killed elves. He thought about everything he saw. Im sure of it. She only killed three people, but they were all elves. Was that a coincidence? Does she have something against elves? *** Silvi closed the tunnel behind her and concentrated on her gains. She had managed to get an extra elf after all her efforts, so she was in a pretty good mood. She also got three storage rings that she vowed to look through later. She wanted to see what kind of treats elves liked to eat. It would be like a treasure hunt. She hadnt had such a draining in a long time. She was a little disappointed that she was only able to take out three of the enemy, and she wasnt able to kill the pointy nosed human like she wanted to either. Inwardly, she sighed, then focused on her next task. With a few hops, she appeared close to the place she needed to go next and willed the void open. *** Cydarian Capital Great Hall Edwin sat on his throne, surrounded by his most trusted guards and advisors. He needed to figure out his next actions after learning not long ago that the two princes who had been leading the combined forces of Astrus and Indria had ambushed his son and planned on kidnapping him. He was still reeling that the only reason Edward got away was because of the bonded companion of that man, Derek Hunt. The king doubted he would ever like the arrogant man, but it seemed he and the kingdom would always be indebted to the man, no matter what. Hed saved Edward, revealed the truth about Gerald Torith, took on a raid dungeon with Edgar, and now his companion had saved Edward. Edwin had to begrudgingly admit that he had respect for the man, if nothing else. He needed to speak with Alanah and Natalie. Apparently, the elven prince, Orion, had been killed in the ambush. There may be an opportunity for them to counterattack while the combined enemy forces were still feeling the loss of such a figure. Also, Edwin knew that both Ryven and Osian would be angered just as he would have had their plan to capture Edward succeeded. Actually, they would be even more angered by the fact that Orion had died in the attack. They also had a new piece on the board that the combined enemy forces would have to be warry of. That piece was, of course, Silvi. Edwin doubted he would ever be able to make her do anything she didnt want to, but his enemies didnt know that. In fact, after such a loss, this could be the perfect While he was thinking about everything, he was hit by a pressure unlike anything hed felt before. Not only him, it seemed, as two of his guards were even forced to their knees while holding their heads in pain. His remaining guards drew their weapons and looked around on guard. Edwin felt he would have been in the same position as the two kneeling guards if not for his wisdom. Other than the dreadful feeling that appeared with it, it also had some of the same feeling as he would feel when talking with Alanah. Edwin stood from his throne, drew his sword, and began channeling his element. If someone was ambushing him, he would make them pay for it. But suddenly, the space in front of him in the middle of the Great Hall began to open. The tear in the space continued on until it stretched to ten feet or wider. Then Edwin noticed the figure sitting in the middle of the odd portal. It was a small bunny with purple fur, wearing a purple cape with a hole in the side, and a collar with two crystals on the front, acting as studs, and a ring in the middle. The figure took one hop and gracefully landed on the rug in front of him. The odd portal slowly closed behind it, and the pressure lessened until it completely disappeared, allowing everyone to take a breath and the two straining guards to stand. So this is Silvi. Derek Hunts bonded companion. The beast who saved my son. Stand down, Edwin ordered his guards, and took a seat himself after storing his weapon. We have a guest. Chapter 306: Make a List Chapter 306: Make a List Not a sound could be heard in the Great Hall once the king commanded everyone to stand down, but his guards were still tensed up after the unexpected arrival of the bunny, not to mention the way she arrived. You must be Silvi. Edwin gave the bunny a deep nod. Mr. Hunt is extremely fortunate to have a bonded companion such as you. I agree, a childlike voice chimed out from the crystal connected to her collar. The king was taken aback by her immediate agreement, but quickly brushed it off. I have to say, I was not expecting you to save the day. My family and I are in your debt. Great! the voice chimed again, this time very enthusiastically. Do I get rewards? Uh the king frowned for a moment, then his smile returned. Of course you will receive a reward. Its only proper. Though, Im afraid Im not sure what kind of reward Ingredients! The voice cut the king off in the middle of his reply. I want ingredients. Ingredients? the king asked. Like for crafting? Alchemy ingredients? Ingredients for Alchemy wasnt a bad reward, actually. The king was beginning to think that there was even more to the bunny sitting in front of him. So far, nobody had been able to gather much about her. She was Dereks companion. She seemed to dine at the Crown Restaurant quite often, which he did find weird, but who could resist the food there? And now, he had only just learned of her battle ability. With the right Alchemy ingredients, she, or Derek more likely, would be able to hire an Alchemist to concoct extraordinary potions. Not to mention, Dereks association with Roman Pascal was well known, and that halfling was a very skilled alchemist that even the royal family used from time to time. So, the bonded companion is thinking of Derek. They must have a very good relationship. Though it would be weird for soulbound companions to not think of one another. With all that in mind, the king began to nod his head, but he was interrupted once again by the small voice. I havent tried Alchemy ingredients yet. Do they make for good meals? Hmm Actually, I think there are some plants that I got that I had to share with the mani that I had to share. We can add some of them to the reward, Silvi said. Make for good meals? the king asked. You dont want them for Alchemy? Alchemy? Do I look like an Alchemist? Well no. Not exactly. Edwin answered. Thats right. Im a cook. The voice rang with such finality that Edwin didnt know what to say or do. She didnt want Alchemy ingredients for Alchemy she wanted ingredients because shes a cook? With such talent in fighting? Whats going on here? So you want cooking ingredients, then? the king hesitantly asked, making sure he was correct in his thoughts. Exactly! But you can add the Alchemy ones, too. Well just plants and meats and stuff. I dont think claws in horns would make for very good meals but they could add to the texture. That would be interesting The king continued listening to the bunny rattling on about the possible different uses for ingredients. It was all so surreal. At first, she didnt seem like she wanted to talk much, but when she began talking about ingredients, it took her a while to stop. But, finally, after stunning the entire room with her rambling, she seemed to come back to reality. Anyway. You just make a list of what ingredients you have, and Ill stop by later to pick it up. Thats all I need for a reward. Easy, right? I have more things to do. Dont forget! Then, without another word, or a reply, the same pressure fell on the entire Great Hall once again, and once again caused severe discomfort in some of the kings guards. The portal-like skill activated again, and a rip in the space behind the bunny appeared. She hopped into it, and the tear closed in on itself. Everyone stared at the now empty space in stunned silence. Finally, Phillip Musgrave, currently the kings only true advisor, spoke. Your Majesty what was that? The king quickly composed himself and looked directly into his advisors eyes. Phillip! You heard Silvi. Go to the kitchen and take inventory. Also, take an inventory of all our Alchemy ingredients, the king commanded. Go on! Make haste! Edwin didnt know when the little beast would be back, but if all she wanted was cooking ingredients, maybe having her as a friend would come in handy in the future. *** Slightly EarlierGeett the latest novels at novelhall.com Edgar could only nod. And if Silvi has taken action, then Savannah Edgar jumped up from his seat. I didnt think of that. She wouldnt have any reason to leave Savannah? No. I dont believe so. Derek shook his head. That means that Savannah is already under attack! Edgar flicked his wrist, and a scroll appeared in his hand. Blitz! he called for his bonded companion. Derek knew exactly what was going through the princes head. In fact, he was a little worried, as well. Silvi had just been in a battle, after all. He stood, and was about to talk-to tell Edgar to calm down for a moment, but before he could get a word out, he felt something in the air. Something that felt familiar. It felt like the void, and it was rapidly closing in. Derek was the first to feel it, but soon, Edgars eyes shot to the same place Derek was currently looking, and his grip loosened on the escape scroll. At that time, Blitz landed behind Edgar. Dammit! Whats going on? Edgar shouted, the new occurrence stopping him from ripping the escape scroll in his hand. In the next instant, Rocky and Tyron were standing beside Derek and Edgar, both on guard, Tyrons hammer now giant, along with Rockys body. But something was beginning to feel very familiar to Derek. No It couldnt be. Were in a dungeon, he thought. But soon, he saw a scene that hed saw once before-inside the duel trial where he fought the whale. He had made the same rip in the void that was currently appearing before his eyes. The tear grew bigger and bigger. Instantly, Derek knew it was Silvi. She had somehow forced her way into the dungeon by using Void Travel. The next thing he knew, though, Silvi was hopping out of the portal and Blitz roared loudly, lightning energy forming in his maw. Edgar noticed it, too, and he had also noticed the appearance of Silvi. Blitz! Sto- he began, but it was too late. In the next instant, Silvi was beside the wyvern, crashing into his side with a charge. He also saw a flash of purple, letting him know that she had activated Void Lightning as well. But, it looked like she had taken in the situation as soon as she arrived, and had forgone hitting the wyvern in any vital area, which made Derek let out a breath. Just after the crash between her and the wyvern, Derek felt a lightweight appear on his shoulder, and turned his head to look into his companions eyes. Can I kill that? It looks delicious! her childlike voice rang in his head through their bond. Close the tunnel, Derek said, ignoring her comment about eating Blitz for the time being. Oh, right. I forgot. Finally, the tear in the void closed and everyone came back to their senses. Blitz eyed Silvi with fire in his eyes, and lightning still being channeled through his body. What about the giant noodle? Silvi asked. Can we eat it? Derek frowned, but soon realized she was talking about Rocky. He was a giant wyrm. Derek gave the wyrm a quick looked and did everything he could to keep the smile off his face. No! These are my friends companions. No eating them! Fine. Silvi huffed. But that big chicken better stop looking at me like that or Im going to fry him. Derek looked at Blitz, who wasnt really hurting well, except for his pride. Then he looked at Edgar. Understanding crossed the princes eyes, and he placed the hand that wasnt currently holding the escape scroll on Blitzs side and calmed him. Uhem Tyron grunted to get everyones attention. This is? Oh, Tyron, meet Silvi. Shes my bonded companion, Derek introduced her to the smith. The smith took Silvis appearance in for a moment before slowly nodding. I see he said. Then his eyes brightened. That is a nice cloak, and the collar very good idea. Using it to keep the storage ring and the communication crystals so she can communicate out loud. Very smart. Thats when Derek noticed that the ring was no longer in her nose, but instead on her collar. Was her evolution the same as mine? Actually, now that Im looking at her, she is a bit different. She has more of the purple on her fur. Wait Silvi, how no why are you here? Chapter 307: Just Somebunny Chapter 307: Just Somebunny Border of Cydaria Indria-Astrus Alliance Base Camp What happened to my nephew!? Duke Ryvens voice echoed from his tent throughout the base camp. Inside the tent floated six people, each pinned between two barriers created by the raging commander. One of those people was Titus, the Crown Prince of Astrus, and the other five were the remaining elves from the ambush party that had set out to capture the Crown Prince of Cydaria. Of course, Osian would have been notified of his sons death by now. Underneath Ryvens rage was also a shame that he let one of his brothers sons die while under his care. No, he wasnt necessarily under his care. Before the war began, Osian had told Ryven to avoid helping Orion too much, to let him learn and face dangers himself. No, his brother wouldnt blame him for the death of his son. Thats just the type of man his brother was. Put, before it came to that, Ryven had to figure out what happened so he would have a proper explanation for his brother, his king, when he came asking. Ryven injected more mana into his skills, and the barriers and the barriers holding the six squeezed just a little bit tighter. Answer me! Now! All five elves groaned in pain as the barriers compressed around them. To Tituss credit, even with the two barriers, one at the front of him and one at the back, sandwiching him, his face remained passive, and he didnt show any fear, and he didnt even release a groan like the others had. The boy is vile and incompetent, but at least it seems he has some kind of a backbone, Ryven thought as he stared deep into the boys eyes. No thats not it.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com Ryven snarled. The boy wasnt putting on this faade because he wasnt scared, no; he knew that Ryven couldnt do any real harm to him. Doing anything extreme would be throwing away the already shaky alliance with Astrus. But Ryven had just lost a nephew-his king just lost a son. It wasnt our fault. If anything, it was yours commander, the young man spat back. At that moment, Ryven wanted nothing more than to just squeeze with all his might. Perhaps if the boys head popped like a melon, it would give him a bit of relief. But he restrained himself. My fault? I gave you the perfect plan. Cydaria moved, just as I predicted. They were nothing more than puppets! So, tell me, how did you fail at such an easy ambush? Did you toy around with your target so long that backup arrived? Tituss faade faltered for a moment, but he ignored the final question and yelled back, oh, it wasnt easy commander. Apparently, you didnt do enough research on the kingdoms elites. No! Your nephew, Orion, his body is laying headless in a storage ring somewhere in Cydaria because you didnt do your job spymaster. The boys words were laced with vitriol. Ryven clenched his fist. At those words, the shame he was feeling underneath the rage and loss reared its head. He may have been the commander of the joint army, but he had also been their kingdoms spymaster for the better part of a century. If the boy wanted to hit him where it hurt, he had achieved his goal. This outcome was completely out of his expectations. He felt he had planned for everything. Even if something did go wrong, the nine now five elven squad members all had costly escape scrolls on them, and were prepared to sacrifice themselves to save Orion. Of course, he hadnt known that. And by the looks of the shamed guards, it didnt seem there was anything that they could have done to prevent his death. Then tell me. What happened? What did I miss? You missed a monster! Yes sir. And she didnt seem to put the Crown Prince Edward in her eyes. In fact, she seemed quite rude to the crown prince. I think she even started to call him Little Sparky. Wait, she could speak? And she wasnt respectful to the crown prince of the kingdom? He didnt say it, but everyone could see he was surprised. Even in Cydaria, disrespecting the royal family was a big mistake. Uh yes, sir. She used two communication crystals. One to send the message, and one to transmit it out loud. Elmar explained. Oh, and when she arrived, Edward seemed as shocked as everyone else. He mumbled something about a companion and the name Derek. Thats interesting but, once again. What did the beast look like? He wasnt lying. How the beast communicated, how it reacted to the crown prince, and the fact it was a female were all interesting things, perhaps even vital information, but it seemed that everyone was having a hard time describing the beast itself. Wait, what the man said just seemed to spark a memory for Ryven. That name, Derek. Derek Hunt? Could it be? Thats the man that Sabrina seemed to have an unusual fixation on. If its him, though, wasnt his pet- Um sir she she was a bunny. *** Raid Dungeon At the same time Why are you here? Derek asked Silvi. Everything else was interesting, but she had just killed multiple elves, then she showed up in the dungeon, all the sudden. Well have to talk about that skill later. I cant believe it could bring her from outside to inside the Raid Dungeon, one with a time distortion, no less. And what about the warnings on the skill? Her storage ring still seems to be intact. Derek shook the thoughts out of his head and focused back on the companion who hadnt seen him in around a year. Instead of answering, though, a body appeared on the ground between everyone-a headless body. No, that ones no good. Lets use this one. Silvis voice chimed from her crystal and the body disappeared again, then another one appeared. This one was of a female elf. Looked too much like a human without a head, Silvi said as she stared at the body in front of her, then looked up at Derek and met his eyes. Derek frowned. His companion was staring at him with her ears laid back and an almost begging look in her eyes. Why is she giving me puppy dog eyes? Dereks own eyes narrowed in turn at Silvis antics. Silvi, what are you doing? Derek asked. This is an elf, Silvi stated the obvious. Yes? Derek replied. What is she getting at? Can I eat it? Chapter 308: Can You Eat It? Chapter 308: Can You Eat It? Can you eat it? Derek stared at his companion with his mouth hanging open. Everyone else looked on in silence. Everybody has been worked up about what could have been going on in the kingdom, especially Edgar, yet, when Silvi, who should know exactly what is happening, arrived, she wanted to know if she could eat an elf? Honestly, the fact that she wasnt worked up over anything else had calmed the prince, and he seemed much more content. Yes, can I eat it? Silvi asked again, with complete seriousness. Derek facepalmed and shook his head. What is wrong with my soul bond? Feeling embarrassed because of Silvis antics, he said, No, Silvi, you cannot eat the elf. But why? she asked, obviously saddened by the response. You said we couldnt eat humans. Its not a human, its an elf. Then, the bunny took a small hop and landed beside the elfs head. See see the ears? Not human? We eat? Derek wanted to cry. He didnt think he would have to explain something like this to her. And if he needed to do it, he would have preferred to do it through their bond link, but since everything else was already said out loud, it was better to continue that way. Plus, when he looked up and saw Rocky and Blitz, he noticed that both of the dragonkin seemed to have changed from their alert status and were listening in rapt attention. It was something that they should probably learn as well. Especially Blitz, since he was a bit off.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com Silvi, Derek said, and she looked up at him with puppy dog eyes that looked as if tears were going to start forming if he said the wrong thing. He sighed. When I said that we didnt eat humans, I meant that more, as in general. We dont eat human-like beings, either. That means no elves, dwarves, humans, halflings, or any other dominant sapient beings on the planet. No, Silvi said, causing Derek to frown. No, what? he asked. That doesnt make sense, she replied. What doesnt make sense about it? We do eat those types of beings, so youre wrong. Which means we can eat the elf, she said matter-of-factly. Where do you get that idea? Derek was very confused. What beings that were like humans Oh he thought to himself. The Void Beasts, she answered. You said that the Void Beasts could even talk and think. Just like elves. And we eat them well I havent got to yet. But Ive seen the others eat them, and they look delicious. Derek tapped on his chin in thought. How am I going to explain something like this without sounding like a hypocrite? After some moments of deliberation, he realized that he couldnt. The lesser Void Beasts were sentient, sure, but he had encountered ones that were sapient as well. And, though he was yet to enjoy a meal make from one of those, he had used things made from the other Void Beasts he killed. Things like the potions that Roman made. Derek really couldnt find the words to dispute Silvi. He was drawing a blank. Void Beasts arent part of the system, Edgar cut in. We think thats the reason they give permanent stat increases when prepared properly. They are also mindless beasts until they become particularly strong. Well, the explanation was better than what Derek could think of at the moment. He looked back at Silvi to see if she would back down. Hmmph she snorted, but made sure the sound also came out of the communication crystal. That doesnt seem right. Think about it like this, Edgar said as he pry Blitz on the side of his leg. We eat boar, bear, wolves, and other beasts, right? Yes? Silvis eyes lit up at the mention of all the different kinds of food. But if one of us were to form a soul bond with one of those beasts, they would end up just like you or Blitz here. And we dont want to eat someone like that, do we? Silvis eyes turned toward the wyvern and narrowed. It didnt seem like she was buying what the prince was selling. If given a chance, she would definitely have a wyvern leg roasting over a spit. Blitz looks tasty. Was all she said. Edgar looked exasperated. He shrugged and looked back at Derek. How about this, Silvi? If you think youll be able to make friends with it, and its sapient, we dont eat it. And if youre unsure about it, you come ask me, just like you did with the elf. You did a good job asking me before eating it, by the way, Derek explained. Big Sparky Edgar mouthed, then shook his head. Nevermind, that. So, we gave up Wilmette? What about the other places in that area? Dont know, Silvi said. Stopped listening. Was baking a cake. Edgar sighed. What about Thomass family? Derek asked. And Walters family and the people from the Crown Restaurant? Silvis eyes lit up. Crown people are safe. Restaurant owner was smart. Made a deal to keep the cooks alive. Derek furrowed his brow. What deal? Shes not fighting, so the cooks can stay alive. Very smart. Derek nodded slowly and locked eyes with Edgar. So, she agreed not to interfere, and the enemy agreed not to attack her restaurants? Exactly, Silvi said. Derek couldnt really blame Alanah. It always seemed like she cared a lot about her people. Doing something like that must have been extremely hard and annoying for her, but he could see her doing it. Well, unless the enemy pushed then, they would be in trouble. And Thomas and Walters families? Dont know about Walter. Restaurant owner brought mou Thomass grandparents to the capital. So theyre safe. Silvi spat out a mouthful of soup and a Mage Hand swept across the table, knocking all the bowls of soup off. This is shit! Its garbage. I would never make something like this. After that, a few more plates appeared in front of everyone. This time, it looked like juicy steaks and potatoes. A classic dinner. Derek watched as two small Mage Hands very gracefully gripped a small fork and knife and began cutting into the steak sitting in front of Silvi. Derek grabbed a fork and knife and did the same, but quicker. He brought a piece of the steak up to his nose and took a sniff, then placed it in his mouth and chewed. Once again, he frowned. Something was off. The meat didnt taste rotten, burned, or undercooked, it just tasted weird. Actually, there wasnt much of a taste at all. It was just bland. Like he was chewing on air. I think I know whats happening, Derek thought, but didnt voice his opinion yet. Beside him, he watched as Silvi finally put the small piece of steak into her mouth before spitting it out in disgust. Whats going on?! I just cooked this yesterday. And I ate it yesterday. It didnt taste anything like this, Silvi growled. She was very vocal when it came to her food. She looked at the fork in her Mage Hand, then the small piece of meat that was still on it, then back at her mage hand. Oh, yeah! she said, and focused her attention back to Edgar. Little Sparky is going to need to learn Mage Hand. You can tell him that its not so bad. See how easy it is for me? At those words, Silvi summoned multiple Mage Hands and shuffled all the dishes on the table around. Its just as easy as with regular hand I think. Never had a real hand. Edgar frowned. What are you talking about? Why would Edward need to learn Mage Hand? So he can eat and cook better now that he only has one, Silvi answered. It will take some getting used to, but its worth it. He could also get Telekinesis. It helps a bunch, too? What? Edgar asked with wide eyes. What do you mean, he only has one? His hand. He lost it fighting against the elf, Orion, and the guy with blue hair and a pointy nose. So hell need to learn Mage Hand, Silvi helpfully explained. They took his hand? Edgar asked with fire in his eyes. He may not want to admit it, but he was very protective of his older brother. Derek could tell that when they had gone to rescue him and capture Gerald back in the capital. And you said Orion? Thats what the pointy nosed man yelled when I killed him, Silvi took another dish and tasted it, then knocked it off the table. What is going on? So you killed a prince not just a duke or count but a prince. The royal family is going to be livid Edgar said, but then looked at his own hand, one that was now holding the escape scroll once again. But they deserved it, and theyre about to get so much more. Chapter 309: Stop! Chapter 309: Stop! Savannah After Silvi left the palace So, she killed Prince Orion? Natalie stared into Alanahs eyes as they sat in her courtyard drinking coffee and tea. After Alanah nodded, she continued, You know what that means, dont you? Why do you think Im here instead of in the capital? Alanah asked with a sigh. Silvi showed her strength. Theyll be scared, Natalie agreed. Yes, but not of Silvi, of Derek. And theyll use the death of Orion as the reason. Theyre going to do everything they can to kill her before Derek comes back. If they can, then he will be consumed by soul-sickness and his strength will be crippled, Alanah said. Is she back yet? Natalie asked. No. Alanah shook her head. She has that strange teleportation skill. All I know is that she showed up and saved Edward, then visited Edwin before leaving. That was almost an hour ago. Theres no sign of her. I have Stella stationed at Dereks shop to let me know if she comes back. Where will they attack? Natalie. Either here, where they know Silvi stays, or Clayton. If they dont know that she left the city after saving Edward, they will attack there, but I doubt it. Still, Edward and his men are all there, ready for a fight, and the kingdoms army is en route, Alanah explained with a sigh. Battles were much simpler when we didnt have to worry about the enemy using Portal to attack. So Clayton gets the army and the kingdoms elites, and I get you, Natalie smiled and took a sip of her tea. Seems like a fair distribution of power to me. Theyre ready to teleport here on a moments notice, but if Ryven is leading the attack this time, the Displacement Barrier is going to be much larger. Theres a good chance he can cover the teleportation building from outside the city with his. Hes strong, Alanah said. I doubt Ill be able to hold off both he and the rest of their army. He is strong, Natalie said, then her eyes began glowing the off-gray color as her aura spread slightly through the courtyard. But Id still put my money on you. The petite woman gave Alanah a small smile. Ill also be here to help. If they attack here, Im going to lose a lot of people. Its what Ive been avoiding all this time. Dammit, where is that damn bunny? With that ability of hers, shed be able to go save at least some of my people, Alanah cursed. Lets hope that Ryven takes you as seriously as he should, Natalie said. If he does, then there wont be many men guarding your restaurants. Ive already sent my mercenaries spreading out between them, and Im sure you have some of your Deathsworn mixed in as well. Before long, the wonderful city of Savannah was in his sights. He slowed down a bit, as to not disturb or kick up any dust that may reveal him. Then he slowly circled around, looking for a good place to drop his barrier. Unfortunately, he couldnt find any one place that was better than another, because from what he knew, Savannahs teleportation building was located in the central part of the city. So he decided on a frontal attack. Ryven dismissed his Soaring Shield, then pulled two potions out of his storage ring. One was a regular high-quality mana potion, and the other was an extremely rare high quality mana regeneration potion. The regeneration potion would all him to use his Displacement Barrier for an hour and keep his mana pool topped off. If that wasnt enough, he could always use Greater Meditation. But he would only do that if there were no enemies around, as, at level 2, it greatly diminished his ability to react to his surroundings. Ryven quickly gulped down the mana potion, then, when his mana was topped off, he swallowed the mana regeneration potion. Seeing his mana pool no longer decreasing while he kept his Illusion Barrier active, he sighed and pushed as much of his mana through his body as possible. When he felt like he was about to explode, and there was no longer a way to hide his aura from anyone in his surroundings, he dropped the Illusion Barrier and cast Displacement Barrier and pushed. At once, over 75% of his mana pool was depleted. It was the biggest Displacement Barrier Ryven had ever used in a combat situation. The barrier that was only visible to himself moved forward, out of his hands until it encompassed two-thirds of the entire city of Savannah. With a heavy breath, Ryven removed his hand from the barrier and fell to one knee before taking out another mana potion and gulping it down. Now that the barrier was made, maintaining it was the easy part. He watched his mana pool as the potion did its work. Once his mana was fully regenerated, it would tick down by one point, then immediately be restored. The regeneration potion was doing its job as well. Still mentally spent from creating such a barrier, the duke pulled a communication crystal from his ring and sent Titus the message and waited. Just under a minute later, a few thousand feet behind him, and in front of Savannah, a dozen or more Portals opened and his army began spilling out. For this attack, they had gathered everyone. Their priority was to take out a small bunny, which, even after hearing the stories, seemed insane. But it was something they had to do. Their secondary objective was to eliminate Natalie Savannah. She had refused their offer to play nice, and instead sent her mercenaries in to bolster the Kingdom of Cydarias forces. Without those mercenaries, Ryven believed that even Titus and Orion could have conquered the entire kingdom by now. But because of that woman, they had been unable to. So, while they were in Savannah, he would make sure to make her pay. Finally, if there was still time after accomplishing those two tasks, they would take the city itself. Savannah would make a much better outpost than the one he was using. Plus, knowing that the top city in your kingdom fell so easily would greatly reduce the morale of Cydarias soldiers. As Ryven continued to watch his soldiers pour out of the Portals one by one and begin their trek toward the city, he suddenly felt a tingle run down his spine. Quickly, he turned around, but didnt see anything. Then he looked up. Hovering above him and the rest of his army was one of the most beautiful women hed seen in his life. She had emerald green hair flowing in the breeze. Occasionally, he could catch a glimpse of her ears, showing him that they were not that of an elf or of a human, but ears of a half-elf. On her head, she wore a small tiara-like band with a brilliant emerald jewel set in the center. Her skin was pale, yet flawless, and her eyes shone a deep emerald, radiating an intense power. A silver-gray aura emanated from her body, enveloping her in an ethereal glow. Her body was clad in emerald green armor, which glimmered in the sunlight. Despite its seemingly plate composition, the armor looked remarkably lightweight. The exposed plates of the armor were etched with intricate runes, adding to its mystical allure. The instant the woman appeared, Ryven knew who it was. He opened his mouth to speak, but the woman spoke first. Stop! Chapter 310: Alanah Chapter 310: Alanah Alanah floated above the soon to be battlefield while wearing the battle armor shed not had a reason to wear for well over a decade now. It had been a while since she had to personally get her hands dirty, and even longer since there was someone strong enough as the opposition that she actually had to take the fight seriously. Unfortunately, the entire royal family and their barrier magic was a counter to some of her most powerful skills. In the next moment, after she shouted her command, a sound barrier went up around herself and Ryven, who was now slowly ascending on to reach the same height as herself. Alanah was more than content to wait for the man to arrive, so, before the fighting started, she glanced over her personal information and stats. Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Requirements For Advancement: Alanah Swan 223 250 N/A Dawn Siren (Legendary) Half-Elf 1/2 Health: Mana: Stamina: 18075 37500 37500 Stats That is unfortunate, Alanah said as a long, needle-like rapier appeared in her hand. I really wasnt looking forward to fighting today. She lied. In fact, she was very much looking forward to having someone to take her frustrations out on. I agree. Ryven clapped his hand to his chest, then pushed them out, causing a near invisible barrier to appear and cover a sizable area around the two. It is very unfortunate. Alanah inspected the barrier that now surrounded her. This is exactly why Ryven is going to be a problem for me, she inwardly sighed. What Ryven had created around them was a sound barrier. Normally, it was a barrier that wouldnt be very useful in a fight, but against someone who relied on sounds like Alanah, it was almost the perfect counter. I guess I should have had them all attack each other instead of just stopping, she thought. Going so long without battle has made me soft. She chuckled. Time to rectify that. What are you laughing about? With us up here, theres no one below to stop my army from invading the city. Thats where youre wrong, she thought, but didnt voice it. Its just been a little while since Ive had a good battle. Remember, your army is safe from me for now, but you are trapped in here with me. Do keep up. With that, she took her finger and flicked the blade of her rapier, causing an extremely sharp hum to radiate from the weapon. Ryven grit his teeth and his eyes turned dark as the vessels inside them began to burst. Then blood began to flow from his ears. I hope this isnt all youve got. Channeling her aura into her rapier, immeasurable vibrations began to flow through the weapon, causing it to become nothing but a blur. The sharp hum from the blade increased, causing the elven general to bleed even more profusely. Ryven screamed out and slashed his arm through the air. Alanah didnt see anything, but she didnt need to. He was in her domain. Anything that affected the sound in the area was something that couldnt escape her. So, she didnt see the barrier barreling at her, but she could feel it. In an instant, she brought her rapier up to block. The barrier crashed against her rapier, but, with her strength stat, and the vibrations behind her holding her steady, she didnt budge an inch. In fact, once the barrier lost all momentum, she struck forward, sending the attack back at Ryven even faster than he had sent it at her. Ryvens eyes widened as he canceled his skill to avoid being sliced in two. How how are you this physically strong? Alanah rolled her eyes. For such a smart man, you sure are an idiot. It wouldnt take much to connect her strength with the permanent increases that Void Beasts brought her. And she had been consuming the stuff for over 150 years. After a second, she saw it click for the man. Well, it doesnt matter. It looks like the majority of my army has broken out of your trance. I dont have to beat you, just stall you. At that, he hit his chest once again, and another barrier formed. This one, though, stayed small and even conformed to him. There was less than an inch of separation between him and his newly created sound barrier. Alanah clicked her tongue and didnt respond. She would have, but she knew it would be pointless with that barrier up. Nothing she said would be able to get through it. Still, she kept her Sonic Vibration skill active because it was a great counter to his almost perfectly invisible barriers. Alanah launched herself forward and stabbed out with her blade. She couldnt count on her element, so she would count on her experience and stats. A barrier appeared before her, and her rapier stabbed right through it, causing it to flicker and appear before falling apart from her attack. She continued on, destroying barrier after barrier, encroaching on the duke more and more with every attack. Finally, she was close enough to attack the man instead of his skills. She stabbed out, and another barrier appeared. However, when her blade hit the barrier, instead of breaking through, it glanced off, and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. A fucking Deflect Barrier? Growled internally before taking an attack to her head. The barriers attack power was diminished greatly by her headpiece, but it still managed to come through and hit her. She did a backflip before righting herself. She reached up and touched the area between her nose and headpiece. When Alanah pulled her hand away, it came back bloodied. She looked up and sneered. Ryven was floating in the distance with a shit-eating grin on his face. Alanah cast Cleaning on herself to remove the blood from her head. When it was gone, so was any sign that she had ever been attacked. The cut hadnt been very deep after being weakened by her headpiece, then her high endurance was more than enough to stop it from breaking through any bone. With that, she saw the smile on Ryvens face disappear and he grit his teeth. He motioned to attack again, but before he did, Alanah glanced down at the front gate and smiled. Then she pointed. Ryven glanced down, and they watched together as the front gate to the city opened slowly. Once it was open, a middle-aged man wearing glasses walked out, and behind him was what looked almost like a short statue. Alanah would have thought that was what it was if not for it walking slowly behind him. The statue was very short and had no openings. Alanah did her best to keep from feeling secondhand embarrassment for Marcus. Because, behind him, in the thick suit of armor with no openings, was Natalie. She was basically a walking tin can. However, the slow-moving suit of armor wasnt anything to scoff at. In her decades in Cydaria, she had witnessed the small woman personally fight exactly one time. And she still shuddered to think of it even now. Once the duo exited the city, the gate closed behind them. The two stopped before the approaching army and waited. Once the army was within a couple hundred feet of the duo, it began. Marcus ripped a scroll in half and completely vanished from everyones sight, and the golem-like Natalie raised her hands. Then, out from the dozens of storage rings built into the armor, spell scroll after spell scroll poured out and activated. One second, it was an army of hundreds versus two people, the next, the army was doing everything they could to block the fireballs, icicles, lightning strikes, flying boulders, and every other attack one could buy or find in the kingdom. The amount of money the woman was using each second was staggering. And, as the scrolls activated, enhancement runes on the suit of armor, a suit that had been personally created by the greatest dwarven smith in Vallum, activated and made each spell that flew forward all the more powerful. As ridiculous as it may look, that suit of armor, and the person inside, were crazy. Alanah turned her head back to Ryven, who was frowning as he looked up from the chaos below with a frown. Your move. She mouthed. Chapter 311: Marcus Chapter 311: Marcus Marcus stood invisible a few feet behind Natalie and her giant hunk of armor and watched the expenses pile up as she unleashed spell scroll after spell scroll on the enemy army. She hadnt done much damage altogether, but she had practically halted their advance by throwing money at them. He couldnt help but shudder at the thought of the bill he was going to have to write to the king once the war was over. Cydaria is never going to work their way out of House Savannahs debt if this keeps up. Unfortunately, Natalie already had too much invested in the kingdom to allow it to change hands. Otherwise, he would have pushed for her to take a neutral stance. But, the decision in the end went to her, the current head of the family. His job was just to follow orders once given. Which is what led him to the position he was in. The Scroll of Obscurity she had given him to use was one of the rarest scrolls she had in her arsenal, and she only had the one and it only lasted thirty minutes. Sure, he was invisible, but the scroll also blocked any leakage of his aura or magic. His presence, and the presence of anything attached to him, was basically gone. Im way too old to be doing stuff like this. Work as an administrator for Natalie, they said. Put your talent to use in the world of business. Dammit! Marcus sighed and summoned some talismans from his storage ring and placed them on his body. The instant he activated them, he had five minutes of perfect flight, and his defense skyrocketed for the same time. Which should be just enough time to do what he needed to. Next, he shifted his attention to the battle above, where Alanah was battling the commander of the joint army. From what he could see, they were pretty evenly matched, but it looked like the elven man was slightly ahead. Natalie had told Marcus that the mans skills would be a direct counter to her, and that seemed to be the case. With a long sigh, he gently pushed himself off the ground and began his ascent up to the two fighters. He stayed behind the elven man as he floated up, and he kept a slow but steady pace. Everyone had seen him come out with Natalie, then vanish, so they would be looking for him, which is exactly what Natalie had planned. He kept his attention focused on the battle in the sky that he would soon be joining, if only momentarily. He couldnt make heads or tails of what was happening. Alanah was swinging her small blade with wild abandon, and occasionally, he would see something flicker around her before disappearing. He guessed that those were some of the barriers that the duke had used to attack. From the reports he read, Marcus found that the Royal Family of Indria were all very talented in the use of barriers. He also learned that from what had been gathered about the skills they used, there really werent any that were made specifically for offense. So, it was all the more impressive that the man was able to keep the Dawn Siren at bay for as long as he had. However, as he approached their fight, he could tell that neither Alanah nor Ryven seemed to be tired. They looked more like they were just going through the motions-like they were just testing each other. Or, they found that there isnt much they can do against each other and are just trying to wait for the other to slip up. On the bright side, though, the elven commander never really moved from his spot in the sky. He basically stayed still and let his barriers and shields do all the talking. Which was great news for Natalies administrator. Marcus continued to creep up ever so slowly, and soon, he passed through something that caused all the sounds of the battle below to instantly disappear. No longer could he hear spell bombardments from Natalie, and soldiers running around giving commands to defend and counterattack. No, now what he heard was a terrible screech. As he stilled, he felt that the sound would scramble his brains if he stayed too long. So he pulled out another talisman. He stuck it to his chest and activated it. A rush of power flowed through his body as his defenses hardened even more. He focused much of that power on his head and ears. With that, the intense screeching around him lessened. It wasnt able to fully rid him of the screeching and the pain caused by it, but it had certainly dampened it. If it worked as planned, then the mans body would have a hard time absorbing any potions he consumed for the next five minutes. Normally, the talisman wouldnt be worth it, but fighting a monster like Alanah while keeping so many barriers active was already hard enough. Finding out that your potions werent working as planned mid-fight that would be rough. Marcus couldnt help but let a smile form on the corner of his mouth. If Alanah could pull it off, he would have played a very big role. But they were depending on Alanah for almost everything. Everything would come down to whether or not she was able to win against Ryven now that he was debuffed. But there was nothing else for Marcus to do there, so he continued bobbing and weaving his way through the mass of soldiers. Soldiers who seemed to be becoming more and more organized as he moved further in. Soon, Marcus was where he needed to be. He was standing directly in front of one of the Portals that soldiers were still pouring out of. With one last breath, Marcus took a step and entered the Portal. Everything flashed by in an instant as the scene in front of him grew larger and larger, then he was spat out on the other end. Marcus quickly activated another flight talisman and floated into the air so he wouldnt collide with anyone. After surveying around, he could tell that only half, maybe not even that many, of the army had made it to the battlefield. He had work to do, and he had to be fast about it. The problem with using the Portal skill, other than the risk that you summon a village, or even city destroying calamity that is the Void Beast, is that when you have it activated, you cant move. You have to hold it open the whole time. You cant just activate it and leave it open. Which meant that it wasnt hard for Marcus to pick out every mage that was using Portal. Hopefully, these Portal mages are just that, Portal mages. He was counting on all the mages to have less than extraordinary senses. He even hoped that they werent at max level. He wanted to Identify one of them, but he was afraid they would feel it. So, instead, he just flew from one to another, placing talismans on them. He tried his best to place the talismans in places that would be hard to see, as once they left his hands, they became visible again. Once they were all placed, he went back for another round, but this time, it was far more risky. For his next talismans, he placed them at the nape of their necks. He actually managed to place six talismans before the seventh person felt something and scratched the back of her neck with her free hand. When she pulled it back, she had the talisman in hand. Marcus kept his attention on her as she panicked, but didnt seem to know what to do. She couldnt just close the Portal with people inside, after all. So, he kicked it into another gear and became much less stealthy. After sticking the last talisman, he shot up into the air and began flying away. Multiple mages had discovered the talismans there at the end, but he didnt care. When he felt he was far enough away, he manually activated them all at once. His hope seemed to be proven correct, as with the explosions came the blinking out of Portals. In the distance, he could see legs and limbs flying. He also saw a couple of heads. Obviously, the Portal mages had next to no endurance, which is what Natalie was hoping for. Still, he didnt want to stick around to figure out exactly how much damage he caused. So, he flew vertically, then took off into the distance, activating another flight talisman on the way. His job was over. The entire army wouldnt be able to attack anymore. At least, not as quickly as before. It was now up to everyone else to do their part. Maybe I can get a vacation out of this. Chapter 312: Kill Chapter 312: Kill A few minutes earlier Ryven launched attack after attack at Alanah. After he caught her off guard the first time she charged in, she didnt allow it to happen a second. Instead, the two got in a rhythm with Ryven launching one barrier after another at her, and Alanah blocking or sending them back at him with her rapier. The elven commander was more than happy to stall for time, so Alanah didnt push the issue. She was actually there to do the same thing. Though, her plan or Natalies plan had more moving parts than the dukes. He was content to just delay long enough for his army to finish arriving through the Portals, then overrun Natalie, and thus Savannah, once they did. Alanah, on the other hand, had to hope that Marcus was able to execute his part of the plan flawlessly. Speaking of Marcus, it wasnt long before she thought she felt something enter her domain. But, as soon as it did, it felt like the presence vanished. That scroll is supposed to be the best Natalie has, Alanah pondered as she deflected another barrier from Ryven. At the moment, her focus was completely on the commander, and thus, the space near him. So, though hard to miss, when the same presence entered her focus range, her eyes shot to just behind the commander before focusing back on him. That was a close one, she thought. Marcus was definitely up there with them. Now it was his job to tip the scales in her favor. She only hoped that the man wouldnt feel Marcuss talismans when he placed them on his armor. Just to help with the situation, Alanah put on her best acting face and did what she could to show a slight hesitation in her face as she blocked another attack. She didnt slide back or act like the attack caused her any damage all the sudden, no, she just subtlety let it show that the attacks were getting to her. And in that moment, she saw a glint flash in Ryvens eyes, and the barriers began to come at an even quicker pace. On the outside, she was frowning, but inwardly, she was smiling. She noticed the slight presence that was so close to the elven commander before, disappear. If that meant what she thought it did, and she wasnt just feeling things that werent there, then Marcus had completed his first task, and she needed to be ready.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com Shed already flown around a bit and tried to escape Ryvens sound barrier, but he had attached it to himself, so as long as he followed her, she wouldnt be able to use her skills on the army. And, he was so intent on keeping her away from them that when she tried to dive bomb them once, he used his body and multiple barriers to stop her. She almost got cut again by doing that. But, just a short time later, her senses proved correct. Multiple flashes of light came from Ryvens back, and his eyes widened in panic. A smile broke out on her face and she muttered, My turn. With Ryven distracted, Alanah launched herself forward with as much speed as she could muster. The eleven commandeered noticed her attack only just before it landed. His reaction in that short of time was just enough to shift his body slightly, narrowly avoiding a rapier to the throat, and instead catching it in his shoulder. Blood rained down from the dukes body as her rapier thrust forward and back in rapid succession, penetrating any barrier he produced as she attacked. She punched hole after hole into the man, yet he refused to fall or release any of his barriers. In fact, during her onslaught, he had calmed instead of panicking. This calmness allowed him to concentrate enough to deflect any of her attacks enough that each thrust that landed hit a part of his body that was non-vital. He seemed to come to the conclusion that all he needed to do was endure her attacks for a short while, and the debuffs would wear off. Alanah huffed inside. She hated fighting smart enemies. She much preferred battling idiots. Of course, idiots were easily controlled by her skills. Realizing that she wasnt going to be able to kill the man during her assault, Alanah had to change up her plan. At this point in time, they didnt need to kill or completely defeat the combined army. It would be more than enough to force a retreat, one on foot and not by Portal if Marcus accomplished his final task. At that stage, Edward and the kingdom would be able to bring in their forces and pick off as many enemy soldiers as possible before they could get close enough to their remaining army. But that all depended on how long it would take for Ryven to call a retreat, and how well Marcus accomplished his task. So, instead of going for the kill, Alanah slightly shifted her attack. Now, ever so slightly, her attack came in angled upward. The sound barrier was connected to Ryven, after all, and not static on the army. It was a good idea when he was mobile enough to stick to her, but with his current problems, she should be able to use it in her favor. Their battle went on for a bit longer before, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of one of the Portals created by the enemy wink out of existence. She did her best to hide her smile and continued her attack. Surely there was a mass amount of chaos below, but because of Ryvens sound barrier, they could hear none of it. She only wondered how long it would take for someone to get control of themselves and send Ryven a telepathic communication. That wouldnt be blocked after all. The other Portals soon followed suit until there was only one remaining. The final Portal didnt seem like it was going to be going anywhere. Damn so close to all of them, she thought. Still, being able to cause all but one Portal to disappear was more than I was expecting. It will take way too much time for the rest of their army to come out of a single Portal, and even longer for them to retreat through it if that time comes. Speaking of which, the distance between their fight and the army below seemed to be more than enough by now, and it didnt seem like Ryven was any the wiser. After one final assault on the man, one where she used everything she had once again, she enacted her plan. This time, when Ryven fell back a little after the attack, instead of pushing in and adding more pressure, she shifted the vibrations that were keeping her afloat. She moved all her vibrational propulsion above her and rocketed down to the ground. Alanah did let up on her speed, which meant she was going to hit the ground at full force in the middle of the army. She didnt care one bit about the landing. She was sure it was going to hurt, but her bodys endurance was stronger than the ground, so she was also sure she could take it. What she needed was to break far enough away from Riven and his sound barrier. Maybe a couple dozen feet before she hit the ground, the chaos of what was happening hit her ears. She was out of Ryvens barrier. She didnt even wait to land. As soon as the sound hit her ears, she released a yell of her own. A single word with as much of her skills power as she could manage and hopefully at a loud enough volume to encompass the army with reaching the city. Kill! Chapter 313: Alanah vs... Chapter 313: Alanah vs... Alanah crashed into the ground, creating a small crater around her. Luckily, her assessment was correct. Other than some slight jarring to her organs, the impact was nothing. Her endurance was more than enough to keep her safe, even at high velocity falls reinforced by her vibrational propulsion. She was also lucky that she was able to get her command off, as just when she hit the ground, the sound barrier fell back over her as Ryven descended. But the elven commander was too late. Every soldier of his without an abundance of wisdom or some experience that strengthened their willpower had fallen under her kill command. The already chaotic battle had been ticked up a notch, and she hadnt left any leeway in what she wanted them to do. It was an indiscriminate kill order, and when the enemy outnumbered them hundreds to one, the most likely target of that kind of kill order was the person standing beside you. But she wasnt finished yet. Her deathsworn had been waiting all along, and her order was their trigger. From behind the enemy army, five of her strongest began their attack. However, she wasnt able to focus too much on them entering the battle. She dodged to the side, narrowly escaping Ryven as he crashed into the ground where she had been only moments before. The look on the mans face said it all. He was pissed. He was bloody and battered, but mostly, he was angry. Alanah finally let her face slip into a smile. She just couldnt hold it back anymore. Now that her sudden change of plans had succeeded, she decided it would be best to carry on down that path. Instead of charging ahead at the seething man, she began her assault on the army. In the chaos and destruction around her, especially when she didnt have to worry about friendly fire, she was death. The only person who could possibly stop her current assault was Ryven, and he was still slowed from Marcuss ambush earlier. She wouldnt pass this chance up. She moved through the army like a knife through hot butter, not bothering for any non-fatal hits. Alanah aimed only for the vitals, either piercing the enemies hearts or brains, or slicing at their necks. With her vibration fully activated, she made quick work of any elite that hadnt passed their second threshold in endurance. This meant that she focused mostly on the magic users and those dressed like ranged fighters and assassins. She also wasnt discriminate toward the combined army of mostly humans and elves, she cut each person down equally. Man, woman human, elf there were even a few halflings and dwarves mixed into the army. She had to adjust her strikes to treat them equally, but she managed. All the while, Ryven was trailing behind her, dodging the corpses and heads that fell before him. Two minutes and dozens of kills later, it seemed that most of Marcuss effects had worn off of the commander, as he was finally closing the distance between them. Hed tried multiple ways to stop her slaughter, but with her resonance activated, and barrier or shield he cast was easily dodged. But now that he was back and building to full power, that would change. This was all proven seconds later as Alanah felt three barriers form around her before they collapsed in on her. Instantly, she took back to the air to avoid being trapped. In that moment, she realized that she had a new annoyance that she didnt know she had fighting against someone wrapped in a sound barrier. And that annoyance didnt come from not being able to use her power on him, either. As she floated in the air and slapped away a couple stray blasts of magic from the battling army, she looked down at the raging commander. And he was raging. He was yelling, and it was surely directed at her, but she couldnt hear it. She also couldnt quip back, at least not in any meaningful way. She expected the mans counter to her skills to be annoying, just not in that way. Alanah rolled her eyes as she shifted away from another barrier, trying to trap her. At this point, she wished she had a more physical way of attacking at a distance. More than once she thought about throwing some knives from her storage, but all she had were masterworks, and she didnt really want to chance losing them. What if one of the soldiers made it back through the remaining Portal with one of her knives in his ass? Ryven took flight and went all in. Wave after wave of barrier appeared in all directions around Alanah, and she dodged each by a hairs width. There wasnt any room for error. Also, more than once did she see the giant barrier around most of Savannah flicker. Having his Portal mages taken out and half his army fighting itself really made him lose his cool. So much that he hadnt yet realized her deathsworn were plowing through the backside of the army. Who would be able to pick out a few people killing people in the middle of a group of people killing people, anyway? They blended in quite nicely, actually, and Alanah made sure not to let her eyes linger on them. More than once did she think about commanding one or more of her deathsworn to make their way through the Portal and take out the remaining Portal mage, but these were her elite deathsworn, and sending them through was a guaranteed way to lose them. She would do it if she had to, but she didnt need to yet.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Stop! Derek shouted, causing the prince to look over and frown. I dont think youre thinking this through. What do you mean? What I mean is, who is going to command the raid if you leave? I doubt they will listen to me or Avery. Plus, I really would rather not have to lead a raid. Besides, you heard it yourself. Your brother may have lost a hand, but he is still alive and well. You dont get it, do you? Edgar questioned. Dont get what? Derek asked. That they are about to attack somewhere in full force, and if I dont leave this instant, with the time difference in the raid dungeon, the attack will be over by the time I get there, Edgar explained. What? Why would they do that? Because you are in here, Edgar said, causing Derek to frown. Think about it. Silvi was strong enough to kill a prince and two of his elites while chasing off an entire ambush team. Yeah? I dont know whats going on, but somehow, I dont think Silvi only has 75% of your stats. I think she has more. But, theres no way a regular Horned Rabbit could have had that many stats, even if you bonded when she was level 250, which we all know you didnt. Most Horned Rabbits die before level 25. Derek raised his eyebrows at that. So? So they should also believe that, but not the 75% of your stats part. They will think that Silvi was able to do all of that with just a fraction of your stats, which will make you a monster in their eyes. They will be out to kill her so they can cripple you before you return from the raid. If she dies, you will have soul-sickness. Im not sure what skill Silvi used to circumvent the Great Systems regulations on dungeons, but they most definitely do not know about it. So, at best, they think shes still in Clayton, at worst Shes in Savannah Derek finished. Exactly, so Ive already wasted enough time. I have to go. You do what you can to get everyone to follow you. Beat them down for all I care. Im done with this. Wait! Ill go Derek yelled, but before he could, Edgar had already torn the scroll in half and was surrounded by a bright white light. Within seconds, the prince and his wyvern were gone. Fuck! Chapter 314: Metamorphosis Chapter 314: Metamorphosis Inside the cave that held the entrance to the raid dungeon, two mid-tiered guards stood. They had been stationed there since not long after Prince Edgar led the raid team inside. Honestly, their station in the cave had been more of a blessing than a curse. Because of it, they hadnt been involved in any of the fighting since the invasion began. In fact, it seemed more like the kingdom had forgotten about them. They did feel ashamed for a time, but when they contacted their commander, he had told them that it was more important for them to stay there and contact them again if they felt that the enemy kingdoms were on the verge of finding the cave entrance, and thus, the raid dungeon orb.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Luckily, both had been picked because neither of them had a family to worry about, so they wouldnt be missing much if they were stationed somewhere long term. And they made sure to keep up with whatever ongoings in the kingdom that they were privy to. It looked like the two guards were in for another long, boring day in the cave, so they settled in with a deck of cards and began playing. If things went on like this, they would become some of the best card players in the kingdom. Well, that wasnt true, as they only had each other to play against, and neither were particularly good at cards. When do you think the raid team will be back? the first guard asked. You ask that question every day. I know just as much as you do, the second answered. And you give me that same answer every time I ask. The first guard grinned and laid his cards on the table. Two pair. Sevens and twos. Really? the second guard asked him in a deadpan voice. Sevens and twos? Are you ser Before the second guard could finish his question, the dungeon orb, which had the faint glow indicating that there was a team inside, began glowing brighter. I think theyre finished, the man said with wide eyes and a smile on his face. What? the first guard asked. Finished? Who? His back was to the dungeon orb currently, and he hadnt saw the change in it. The second guard pointed. The dungeon orb, its glowing. That means theyve completed it, right? With that, the first guard jumped out of his seat and turned to face the orb. It really is, he said with giddy excitement. But why is it taking so long? Shouldnt it be instant when it starts? The second guard shrugged and continued to watch. A few moments later, the cave began to shake. It was bad. It felt like a massive earthquake was beginning to form. Then, in front of them, beside the orb, a man faded into existence. A man they recognized. Not from personally knowing him, but from seeing him from far away when he visited, or was forced to visit, his brother. He had the same look as the rest of the royal family. The first guard was ecstatic, and took a step forward to greet the prince, but the second guard held his hand out and stopped him. What? Dont get in the way. The rest will be coming out, too, he whispered. Oh right. But the rest didnt come out. Instead, the already massive earthquake grew in power. Soon, the stalactites growing on the cave ceiling began falling and clattering on the ground. Neither guard could figure out what was happening. Alanah snorted. Silvi is part of my people. Ive already told you that. Besides, you do know that she isnt even here in the city, right? She smiled. And when Derek gets out oh you and your army, no both you and your nation are going to be royally fucked. And I mean that literally. Indria and Astrus will be holding events to elect a new royal family, because neither of your countries will have one any longer. Ryvens face went ashen. Is he that strong? Alanah rolled her eyes. Normally, Id tell you to fuck off, but Im feeling generous today. Yes. He is that strong. No, hes even stronger than you think. She actually wasnt sure of his strength, but she was having fun toying with the duke. According to what she knew, Derek was gaining strength at a rapid pace. And according to Natalie, it shouldnt be long before his overall stats caught up to Alanahs own. That was, of course, if he continued to grow at his outlandish speed. She couldnt help but wonder how many levels he had left until he hit the cap. She would also like to know which class upgrade it was when he received his legendary class. He must have gotten it very early on to have such stats at his level. He wasnt that much stronger than Shae Holmes when he first arrived at Savannah, after all. Are you going to do something, or is it really up to me? While she was talking with Ryven, she focused her Telepathy skill and send a message to Natalie. Ryvens sound barrier didnt prevent telepathic messages, and Natalie had slowly moved as she attacked and was no longer inside the elven commanders barrier that disrupted communications and teleportation. She actually wasnt sure if the barrier would block Telepathy. She hadnt tried before Natalie made it outside of it. She shrugged and waited for a reply. Do you know how much money Ive already spent? If I go all out, the expenses will be astronomical. What will it cost you to do your thing? You know, Ive heard about it. Heard about the stories from the other continent. The ones about the Dawn Siren. It cant be that bad, Natalie replied back. Besides, other than expending some mana, its free, right? Ill pay you in mana potions. Dont make me waste more money. Its your fault for letting yourself get captured, after all. Alanah couldnt stop herself from rolling her eyes. She didnt know that Natalie had gathered information about that about her. About one of the biggest reasons she left and started over on this continent, in Cydaria. But, of course, she had. The woman had as much, if not more, money as anybody from over there. It would be easy enough for her to find the information if she looked. Alanahs actions over there werent exactly subtle. What? Ryven asked and broke her out of her thoughts. Why did you just roll your eyes? I was just chatting with Natalie. She has that effect on people, Alanah answered with a smile. You two think you have time to chat with each other? In this situation? Ryven sneered. Ryven, let me ask you a question, Alanah said coyly. Exactly how strong do you think your barriers are? Specifically, your sound blocking ones? In her adventures, Alanah had learned some things about classes, even legendary ones. Usually, you received a bunch of skills with each upgrade. That was especially true for the more rare classes. An epic class could sometimes get six or more skills with the upgrade. But, sometimes, someone would get a high rarity class, but only receive a few skills with the upgrade. Those skills, however, were very stronger. Three skills at a level 200 epic class upgrade could be vastly stronger than the combination of six skills at a level 200 epic class upgrade. Alanah was in that boat with her skills. Well, she had gone through her epic upgrades quite normally, getting four skills here and six skills there. But, at her level 200 class upgrade, the upgrade that she received her legendary Dawn Siren class, she only received one skill with it. And it was a skill she detested and hadnt used since her days overseas. My barriers are more than enough for anything you can produce. I think weve figured that out by now, Ryven replied. If Im going to do this, you better retreat back to the city and use what ever defenses you can. Im not sure if I can control it. Its been a while, she sent back to Natalie. She had yet to use the skill after increasing her wisdom or intelligence stats to such levels. Things could either go much better than she remembered, or much worse. I hope you dont regret that. I really do. Though, I probably wont be able to recall whether you do or not. Alanah looked inward and focused on her skill before. The one skill she received after getting her legendary class. The skill simply called Metamorphosis: Dawn Siren. Chapter 315: Dawn Siren Chapter 315: Dawn Siren Alanah felt the connection to her skill form. She kept the connection and waited for Natalie to retreat. The woman was slow, but she was doing her best to do so without causing much suspicion. Once she was well and good back into the barrier that blocked teleportation, Alanah looked around. There were many people much closer to her than Natalie and Savannah. She should be okay, She looked up again just to see Ryven frowning. She smiled. Well here I go. Alanah grasped the skill and activated it. Her mind went hazy. Please be better than I remember. The skill took over. Ryven looked at the beautiful half-elf with furrowed brows. What did she mean? What is she doing? He watched as her eyes lost focus, then her aura started to spill out. Quickly, he moved back and activated his personal barrier. Better safe than sorry. The womans aura continued to spill. Eventually, it just disappeared. It was like all the aura left her body like she had no mana left to control it. It soon faded away. But then a new aura rose. Somehow, her already strong aura had completely changed forms. The aura seemed evil. It left Ryven with a sense of darkness and foreboding. The atmosphere shifted to accompany the malevolent aura; the clouds shifted in the sky to cover the sun, and shade fell over the area.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Ryven didnt know what to expect. The senses hed spent centuries developing told him that it was bad very bad. Once again, he tried to crush the woman, hoping that with her aura spent and rebuilding into whatever evil aura it was, she would be weakened. But he was wrong. Not only was she not weakened, she seemed even stronger than before. Then, to his horror, she began to change physically, just as the aura had. Her beautiful, emerald green locks shifted and lost their luster. The luminous glow that once adorn her darkened more and more until the green was so dark that it seemed black. The once perfectly woven and maintained hair split and became wild and unruly. But that wasnt the only change. No, her change was just getting started. The beautiful woman was already pale, but her skin took on an even paler tone. One that was almost ghoulish. Instead of her previous smooth and supple skin, she looked sickly. Her eyes they seemed dead. They had taken the color of her aura, a dark, malevolent shade of gray. Her hands opened, and she let go of the hilt of her rapier. Ryven took in her hands as the new power formed at her fingertips. Her previously delicate fingernails elongated and grew into sharp, deadly weapons. Ryven gulped. This was something hed never heard of before. Such a transformation. Finally, his eyes traced back up her form, and once again landed on her face. She smiled, not the coy and seductive smile that shed been giving him all along. No, this smile was something different, something malicious. Her smile widened more and more until it revealed her teeth. Her sharp, pointy teeth that reminded him of the maw of many beasts hed fought in his younger days. The woman in front of him no, the beast in front of him tilted its head. He reinforced his barriers. He claimed that his barriers were enough to counter anything she did, but he wasnt expecting something like this. He just hoped that the change didnt come with some extraordinary power boost. The creature in front of him ran her tongue over her razor-like teeth. Then it frowned. After that, it looked around at its situation, then back at Ryven. It smiled at him once again, but this time, it almost seemed like the same smile hed received from the woman before this transformation. Still, even with the eyes, fingers, teeth, and sickly pale skin, the Alanah was still beautiful. He had to admit that. Even such a transformation couldnt destroy her beauty. The creature in front opened its mouth once again and said something. Something he couldnt hear because he was still surrounded by his barrier. But, by the shape its mouth made when talking, he guessed it was something along the lines of, this is going to be fun. Her vibrations started once again, but this time, they were on a whole other level. One by one, the barriers trapping Alanah cracked and shattered. As her rapier fell from the barrier, she caught it, and it disappeared. Thats right. With those hands of hers, she no longer needed that sword. However, with the disappearance of her sword, so too did the resonance that rang through it disappear. You were knocked out, sir. After that, Captain Jaris called for a retreat. There was nothing we could do. We had to get away from it. Elmar looked down at his feet in shame. Where is Captain Jaris? Ryven asked. He didnt make it, sir. He stayed back so more could retreat through the Portal. Soon after, people stopped coming through, so we closed it, Elmar explained. How man? Ryven asked. How many did we lose? Elmar took in a deep breath, then let it out. Altogether, at least two hundred. More than one hundred and fifty on the battlefield, and we dont have the exact count of those we lost when the Portals vanished. Our estimates are in the fifties. So, two hundred soldiers, including Captain Jaris and Crown Prince Titus, sir. Those are our losses. Ryven closed his eyes and let his head fall back to the ground. This was a failure, and an epic failure on all fronts. They lost not a small percentage of their army to two people. No, there were three. There was that man who came out with Natalie. He was the one who sneaked through and destroyed our Portals. And the loss of Titus. That was either going to be a major blow that soured the already unstable relations with Astrus, or it was going to light a fire under their king and they would put even more into this battle. This battle that has a killer bunny, the stronger women hed ever seen in his life, and a mysterious man who, by everything hes learned, was going to be as hard to manage as Alanah. Ryven slowly brought his hand up and clutched at his forehead. The pain from the womans shriek was still there, it was lessened after all the healing, but it was still there. He closed his eyes and shook his head. What am I going to do? *** Edgar raced through the air on Blitz. He was almost there. He was almost to Savannah. They just needed to hold on for a few more minutes, and he would be there. Using everything he had, the two pushed on as fast as possible. Soon, he saw the city in the distance, but he didnt see any smoke or signs of destruction. That was good. He pushed forward. Half a minute later, he hovered above what could only be described as a brutal battlefield. Body parts were strewn everywhere, accompanied by a river of blood. Surveying the battlefield, Edgar couldnt find anyone left standing. Just what happened here? He thought. But soon, his eyes fell onto a single figured. She was on her knees and her arm was clutching at her chest. Edgar gave Blitz a quick command to stay there and jumped off. Then he zipped to the ground and landed in front of the figure. When he got close enough, he recognized her. It was Alanah. She was covered in blood from head to toe, even her face was smeared with it. He took a step forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. Alanah, are you okay? What happened? Alanah looked up and met his eyes with her own piercing emerald ones. She smiled and chuckled, then her chuckle became laughter. Then she lost herself in it and even shed a few tears because of it. She looked back up at him. Youre late, she said, then she fell forward. Chapter 316: Dreams of the Past Chapter 316: Dreams of the Past Alanah woke from a nightmare with a start. No, it wasnt a nightmare she was having; it was her dreams taking her down memory lane. She didnt know how long shed been out of it, but it was long enough for her mind to force her to relive every aspect of her former life. She tried to not think about those memories, but now, after using that skill, she couldnt stop. Her dream started with her small villageher mother and herself being isolated and hated ever since she was bornno, ever since her mother became pregnant. Her small village, and her country in general, was very biased and discriminate against humans and every other non-elf species. In that sense, it was about like Indria, maybe even worse. Her father wasnt exactly the personification of a good human, either. No, he was just about as bad as they come. But that didnt matter to the village. What mattered was that her mother was carrying a child fathered by a human. Her dream took her through that entire pitiful childhood existenceone she only wished she could put behind her. Flashes of images played through her mind as she remembered other parts of the dream. Of her village being raided by a band of angry humansones that probably had a reason for their hatred, to be honest. Images of her mother dying in front of her. Then, of her escaping to what would become her home for the next decades: The Echoing Abyss. The Abyss was a danger area that nobody from her part of the country dared to enter. It was a place that few of even the strongest made it out alive. If the voices, vibrations, sounds, and overall lack of sleep because of them didnt drive you crazy or kill you outright, then the overwhelming amount of rabid beasts with their minds long gone from living in the valley would. And when she entered the valley to escape from the human raid, she wasnt even old enough to have access to a class yet. She shook as she remembered going crazy and coming back to on multiple occasions, only to somehow still be alivethe hunger and starvation she felt on a regular basis when she wasnt hiding or on the runnot knowing how to escape. She remembered finally getting a class that allowed her to dampen the noise, then somehow living long enough to upgrade the class over and over until she had enough power to escape from The Echoing Abyss decades later. Alanah also had some fond memories, short as they may have been. Memories of joining up with some teams and adventuringtaking the Cooking skill and learning as much as possible about it so she never had to experience the hunger and starvation again. But those memories didnt last long because of another class upgrade. She already had some control through sounds and vibrations, but that class upgrade had taken that control away from her. You couldnt get a power like she had gotten without terrible side effects. After that, she was no longer welcome in parties. She was forced to adventure on her own. With that isolation came the flashes of her she had grown up. With that isolation came anger and violence. In Cydaria, she was known for her recipe to turn Void Beasts into permanent stat boosts. But she hadnt been the creator of that recipe, and she wasnt proud of the way she got her hands on it. But that was something she refused to think about. Others had done things much worse than her, but that part of her life was an embarrassment. She really didnt even have a want or need to use the recipe. She had no way of finding Void Beasts, and she wasnt strong enough to think she could handle it if a powerful one was to appear. No, she just wanted the recipe because she found it interesting. So, she took it. That recipe did become vital later on, after her final class upgradethe one that had given her the legendary class, and that skill. She had been ecstatic seeing a legendary class appear. With the extra stats and skills, she thought she may be able to find a way to control her passive effects. She would be able to talk with people again. But that couldnt have been any further from the truth. With the Dawn Siren class, came even less control. Her passive effects became even stronger. And when she used the skill, she was met with an all too familiar feelingone that brought her back to when she was young and living in The Echoing Abyss. Im okay. Im okay, reassured Alanah, her hand gently tracing circles in the middle of Stellas back in a comforting manner. Stella pulled herself back and gave Alanah a evaluating look. I wasnt sure how long you were going to be out. What did you do? Ive asked Natalie, but she refused to give me any information about what happened. Alanah shrugged. She was thankful that Natalie hadnt said anything about her use of her Dawn Siren power. It would be something she would prefer to personally explain to Stella and Avery now that she had to. But, with the thought of the power, she smiled. She had been able to control it fully. There were some bestial inclinations during her use of it, and her personality was still a bit shifted in the form, but she didnt black out. She didnt forget anything. And most importantly, she hadnt been taken over by the ability. She was even able to shift back using her own will when the army had retreated, though that took a lot of effort, and drained whatever reserves she had at that moment. It was a pretty draining skill, Alanah answered. Its one I dont like to talk about because it turns me into something I hate. It was a skill I havent used for decades, maybe longer. But Im glad everything worked out. Alanah looked up at Stella. It did work out, didnt it? How long have I been out? Stella waved away her concerns. Its been a little under two days. Everything has been fine now that Edgars back with his dragon. Well, thats another thing I dont have to be concerned with, Alanah thought. The dragon I briefly saw was real. Im glad I wasnt hallucinating. What about the enemy army? We dont know the full details yet, but they havent made any moves. You you hit them pretty hard. Its probably going to take them a long time to recover. And thats if they choose to continue their attack after seeing what you can do, and hearing the rumors that Edgars back with a dragon. Alanah chuckled. Stella was having a really hard time admitting that the young prince had somehow managed to come out of a dungeon with a dragon. What about the rest of the raid team? Uh Stella looked as if she didnt know how to explain something. What is it? Well, Edgar used an escape scroll. The rest of the dungeon is still there. Apparently Avery was currently leading a trialits a trial dungeon by the wayand theres one more and the final boss fight after that. Edgar passed lead to Derek and left when Stella let out a deep breath. When Silvi showed up in the Time Distortion Raid Dungeon out of nowhere and asked if it was okay to cook and eat an elf. Alanah stared at Stella in shock. She didnt know what to say. For the first time in a very, very, long time, there were no words that wanted to leave her mouth. Chapter 317: Readying Chapter 317: Readying Alanah managed to pick her jaw up off the ground after hearing about Silvis antics with the elves. What would she think if I told her that recipes for elves, dwarves, humans everything were included in the giant lot of recipes I brought with me? Alanah shuddered at the thought. She did have some extravagant recipes, but they were ones that she would never think of sharing or actually using. Hearing about the little bunny only reminded her of them. That was my reaction, too, Stella said, breaking Alanah out of her thoughts. She is quite the interesting companion. Thats putting it lightly, Alanah said. In the corner of her vision, she had notifications waiting for her to open, so she decided to dismiss Stella while she sorted herself out. You can head back down. Ill be down in a bit, then we can figure out what were going to do. Alright. Stella nodded and left her room. Once the door to the room closed, Alanah began rifling through the new notifications. Instantly, she dismissed all the kill notifications. There was no point in looking at any of those. She had long since capped out her level, and any experience points gained were just wasted numbers. The next notification caught her attention. She read it over a couple times, then nodded in satisfaction. Her Metamorphosis: Dawn Siren had been hanging there at level 19 for the longest time. Seeing that it had finally leveled to 20 made her happy. It also gave her hope that she may even be able to control the skill even better the next time she used it. If there even is a next time, she thought. She had basically fought off a combined army of two kingdoms by herself. She felt great about being so strong in that form after increasing her stats like she had, but would there be another reason to use the skill? Whatever, she thought. Its a great trump card, no matter what. Maybe I should just go take the fighting to them. She smiled at the thought of showing up at the combined armys camp and just cutting loose. I bet it would be cool fighting alongside a dragon, too. Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om She thought about the creature she had only just seen before passing out. In all my time on this world, Ive yet to see anything more than a drake. They must have really struck it rich in that dungeon. Maybe I should have gone. She shook her head. If she had gone, then nobody would have been here to defend the city, and there was no telling what kind of state the kingdom would have fallen to by the time she got out. Finally, she dismissed the congratulatory skill leveling window and moved to the next. When her eyes fell on it, she frowned. Then she reread it again, then again. Finally, she shook her head, closed the notification, and stood. She had to get to work. She was going to be very busy for the foreseeable future. *** Are you almost finished? Derek was standing by the forge next to Tyron. Twenty more minutes, Tyron said. It would be even faster if you would leave me to it. Derek nodded and went back to their makeshift campor, what was left of it. Once Edgar so rudely left him to lead the raid dungeon, Derek became antsy and anxious. So, he began packing up. If he was going to lead the rest of the dungeon, he was going to do it his way. Sure, he wouldnt make any friends that way, but he had already made enough. He didnt need anymore. Was he going to possibly offend some prominent people in the kingdom? Sure, he was, but he planned on laying all that blame on Edgar. It was his fault, after all. And if the rest of the raid party got snippy, he had a bunny that was just waiting to put some people in their place. Speaking of Silvi, she was still sitting on the last vestige of furniture at their makeshift camp. She was currently staring death and daggers at a piece of pie sitting on the middle of the table. The pie wasnt bad. It tasted just like a regular apple pie back on Earth before the system came. But that was the problem. It wasnt a regular pie made from regular ingredients back on Earth. Unfortunately, no, Derek said. This will have to do for now. But, hey! Derek reached up and pat the giant of a man on his shoulder. You wont be bored for a very long time once we get back to Cydaria. And, after you finish up my gear, youll be able to create anything your heart desires with the remaining material. Tyron snorted and tore himself away from Derek to begin loading up his own area. During the process, Derek heard the man mutter something along the lines of needing to finish Dereks items now, so he had complete freedom once leaving the raid. Derek only smiled and didnt say anything. He felt like he was taking the best smith in the kingdoms favorite toy away and wasnt going to allow him to play with it until his room was tidy. Loading up an area with storage rings turned out to be much faster than initially creating an area. In storage rings, it didnt matter where everything wentthere was no specific order to thingsone could just toss everything in and sort it all out later. So, the smith was finished in minutes. Finally, they left the area and headed back towards the main camp. The biggest reason Derek wanted to leave so quickly was because neither of their transport beasts were left. Lyra was currently in the trial with Avery, and Blitz had disappeared along with Edgar. They could technically use Rocky and have him plow through things and take them there, but they were still keeping him a secret, so he stayed in his noodle form, as Silvi called it. Neither Derek nor Tyron were slouches, though. It took them a good while, but eventually they made it back to the main camp, where they were met with Cain, who had gone back earlier, before Edgar left, to help handle any dissent among the party. Whats going on? the elementalist asked. Where are Edgar and Blitz? And what was that weird feeling coming from the other camp a while ago? It took everything I had to keep everyone from finding out. The weird feeling was, of course, Silvi appearing through the portal created from Void Travel and whatever weird feelings came with it. Well, about that Derek started, then soon described everything that had happened to the Guild Master, who stayed emotionless all the while. Impulsive, Cain said once Derek was finished. The only thing that had thrown the Guild Master off slightly was when he talked about Silvi coming from Cydaria to the raid dungeon, but he quickly regained control of his facial expression. Cain shook his head. This is going to be a problem. No, its not, Derek said. It is, though, Cain replied. After learning what may be happening outside, many have been hesitatingthose who managed to bring escape scrolls with them have been considering using them. Oh? Dereks eyes lit up. Thats perfect. Let them use them. That will make things much simpler. But Cain started, but Derek interrupted. Look, Edgar left me in charge for better or for worse. Looking at the trials, there hasnt been a single one that I havent been able to do solo. He wasnt kidding. He would have been able to meet the survival limits on the dragon trial with ease. And now that he had powered up again, that trial would be even simpler now. And now that my companion is here He nodded at Silvi. I wont have any problems at all. So, let the ones who want to leave. Cain was silent for a moment, but eventually conceded. Fine. Lets go tell them of the situation outside. Chapter 318: Mines Better Chapter 318: Mine''s Better Derek may have agreed to go tell everyone of the situation, but in reality, he just stood back while Cain did his best to explain everything. It wasnt going that well, as there was a lot of screaming and a bit of threatening involvedbasically, it was just about everything that Derek expected would come out of it. After he gave Cain enough time to try, and fail, at calming everyone, he stepped forward himself. Everyone shut up! With the yell, he let the floodgates on his aura flow for the first time since his evolution. He was honestly surprised at the result, because it felt like there was an almost qualitative leap in the power. Even some of the elites that werent at max level yet fell to one knee. Derek hadnt bothered with directing the aura, so it let it spill out like a blanket. Out of the corner of his eye, Derek saw Tristan Allister step out of a tent with a frown on his head and sweat dripping off his forehead. Seeing that, and knowing that Tristan was still working on regrowing a limb, Derek directed the aura at those in front of him instead. This ended up putting even more pressure on them, and some of the even stronger party members struggled to stand. They had all already unleashed their own aura as a defensive measure, as well. Derek half grinned at the defiance in a few of their eyes, and was also kind of thankful that the most defiant person, Victor Greenland, was currently in a trial. In the face of the resistance, even though auras wouldnt actually do any real damage to elites like this, Derek only did one thing. Silvi. Its your turn. Silvis aura was near identical to Dereks, with just some slight alterations. His aura was pure void, but, though her aura was mostly void, there was something else in ithe could only guess that it was from her cooking abilities. If he was going by the weird system that had appeared and left him with a lot of questions, he would say that her affinity was split between void and cooking. But the aura was just as intense as his own, and when overlapped with his, it crushed all others. That was enough to get everyone to back down. Auras blinked out of existence one by one until there was only his own. Finally, he let his go, as well. Now that the surrounds were quiet enough that one could hear a pin drop, Derek nodded and spoke. Now, Im sure people are no longer wondering about how I was able to take on that dueling trial alone when Asana Greenland died so easily. Avery, Edgar, even Cainnone of them have ever been the strongest in this party, not even with their dragons. That statement got a lot of murmurs. But when Derek glared at them, they stopped speaking again. I joined this raid because I was asked to as a favor for Edgar. I consider that prince to be a friend. He made sure to put emphasis on that. It showed he was doing it as a favor for a friend, and not because the kingdom asked him to. Unfortunately, word has gotten to us through special means, and we have learned that the kingdom is under attack by the combined forces of Astrus and Indria. This was already explained by Cain, so the reaction was minimal at the moment. This time, however, the group didnt go into a panic like they had before because Derek had control after showing his power and acting the part. Now, Edgar decided to play the dumb idiot and rush out with an escape scroll before letting you know of the situation. If you ever wonder why he chooses to be an adventurer instead of getting into politics, then theres your answer. Its not a bad thing, but because of it, he left me to clean up his mess. I would much rather sit back and let someone else take charge. Unfortunately, I have friends and other people I care about in the kingdom, so I cant do that anymoreespecially after Edgar left me in charge. So, were going to do things my way, no questions asked. Derek waited, and seeing that there werent any major reactions, he continued. You currently have two options. First, you fall in line and do as I say. Im not here to make friends, so I couldnt care less if you find that option not to your liking. The second option, and this is only available to a few, is that you use your own escape scroll and leave this dungeon. What you do after that isnt my problem. Louise Bonilla, one of the top archers in the party, stepped forward and began to speak. What if I said no questions. Derek cut her off. Those are your two options well, there is a third, but that involves fighting me, and Id be more than happy if you wanted to take that one. What do you say? To the surprise of no one, nobody stepped forward to challenge Derek. Good. With that, Derek, with Silvi on his shoulder, walked over to the trial orbs and took a seat. He would meditate until Avery and the other came back. Hed said everything he needed toif Cain wanted to add anything, that would be up to him. Around eight hours later, and everything was completely calm once again. Only one person had chosen to take Derek up on leaving with their escape scrollsit probably would have been more, but the scrolls werent that easy to come by. Tara Perez, the support elf who had entered the second trial with Derek, did some negotiating and traded an escape scroll she had brought with her to Louise Bonilla, the archer who seemed to not like the way Derek handled things. The few others who looked ready to leave were those that were still low level and hadnt gotten a chance in any of the trials yet. Now, with Derek in charge, they assumed that they would have even less of a chance to gain any trial rewards. But, since none of them had an escape scroll or any way to obtain one, they had to stay. There was one silver lining for them all, though. Even if they didnt complete any of the trials, there should still be a dungeon reward at the end that everyone, no matter their contribution, would receive. Give me meat. Dragon meat, she demanded. Derek chuckled and fished out a piece of drake meat he had stored in one of his rings, then handed it to her. She reached out with a Mage Hand and took the meat before hopping past the trial orbs and testing out the new skill. Derek watched as she worked. It looked like she didnt trust many of the ingredients she had stored, so she only pulled out some simple salt and pepper. And she didnt dare use those even until she sniffed and tasted each one. She quickly put the pepper away and shuffled through different spices until she found one that she seemed to deem okay. After a nod of her head, Derek guessed she had her ingredients. He also noted down that it didnt seem like the salt had been affected by the Void Travel skill, but it seemed that the herbs and spices had. Maybe its because salt is a mineral? He shrugged the thought away and went back to watching. Silvi gently laid the cut of meat on a tray and began seasoning it. She also did some weird knife work with the cut. Derek was unsure what it would do, but he wasnt a cook. Finally, she tested the dragon fire. The first test couldnt have gone how she had planned. It sure surprised Derek and the others that had turned their attention to his chef bunny. She wouldnt dare cook with a new skill before testing it out, so she had hopped away and turned her head toward the sky. What came next was a stream of dragon fire so powerful that it made Derek think back to the wyvern fire from the ones he had fought. No, it may have been even stronger. That was the power of having such a high intelligence stat. Luckily, the skill didnt seem like it was all or nothing, and Silvi quickly got a handle on it and began adjusting it. After a while, the flame only seemed like a mini flamethrower. It shot out only about six feet from Silvi, and it wasnt near as big. Derek still couldnt get the image of such a small creature producing a flame that was so many times bigger than herself out of his head. Finally, she moved back to the seasoned drake meat and held it out in front of her with what Derek could only assume was Telekinesis. Next, she let the flame rip and gently brought the meat to it. She didnt let the cut touch the flame directlyshe kept it a small distance away. The meat slowly rotated in the air. Before long, the smell wafted over to Derek, and he couldnt keep his mouth from watering. Such a simple roasting process, and yet it produced such a delicious smell. Some time later, the flame disappeared, and the meat floated over to the tray and rested. Soon enough, Silvi, with the tray floating above her, hopped back over to Derek and placed it on the ground between the two of them. The juicy meat was already cut up and ready to eat. Ready? he asked her out loud. Without a reply, a piece of the meat floated toward Silvi, and she tore into it. Derek took that as his cue and grabbed a piece before tossing it into his mouth. The lightly seasoned drake meat was succulent and tender, and Derek yearned for another piece as soon as he swallowed the first. When he looked up, he saw that Silvi was already a quarter of the way finished with the meat, so he hurriedly took another. The culmination of dragon fire and Silvis culinary prowess had resulted in something of a masterpiece. It was so simple, but so good. Instantly, he knew he made the correct decision to give Silvi the skill. When they finished eating, Derek looked up. It seemed that the previous gazes of anger and reluctance from his party members had changed to ones of jealousy. He could only chuckle. The simple recipe was enough to give him a decently sized boost in stamina regeneration. Few foods could do such a thing. Derek held himself back from laughing at the bunch. It must have been torture on them. Even Tyron was looking over with some envy. My companion is better than yours, he thought, and most definitely meant it. Dragon Fire gives very nice flavor, Silvi sent as she cleaned the tray and put it away before hopping back atop Dereks head. We need more wisdom. Fire hard to control. Its the next thing I plan on increasing, he said back. Silvi didnt bother to reply, and the two of them slipped back into meditation. A few hours later and the trial orb became active. Avery and the others were finally back. Chapter 319: Kind of a Big Deal Chapter 319: Kind of a Big Deal The trial orb glowed brightly before spitting the seven people who went in out. Well, the seven people and the massive creature that was Lyra. Derek did an extra count to make sure that everyone who went in made it out alive, and was relieved to find that they were all there. Actually, none of them, except for maybe Walter, looked any the worse for wear. Victor was wearing a constipated look, but Derek couldnt know if that was because he was annoyed at the trial, pissed off about his cousins death, or if that was just his normal because its Tuesday look. Honestly, it was probably the latter. What took so long? Derek asked from behind them. Im pretty sure Edgar sent you in because he thought you would make it quick. Avery rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Well it turns out that giant amphithere arent great in tower trialsespecially when one of the floors turns out to be very small. That was the fifth floor. We ended up having to leave Lyra there while we finished the rest of the tower. Avery looked a little annoyed at that. Derek shook his head. Of all the things he would have thought of, being too big to climb the tower wasnt the one he expected. But he shrugged and walked over to the sixth and final trial orb and placed his hand on it. Soon, he pulled up the information about the trial. Dungeon Trial Trial Type Elimination/Survival Participants 10 Trial Difficulty Epic Please Select Participants 0/10 Hey, wheres Edgar? Avery asked as he walked over to Derek. Well talk about that later. Dont worry about it, Derek replied as he manually selected the members he was choosing to enter the trial with him. Soon, the next message popped up. You have been selected for a Dungeon Trial. Trial Type Elimination/Survival Participants 10 Trial Difficulty Epic Participants Selected Derek Hunt: Level ??? Avery Swan: Level 250 Huh isnt this basically the same trial that I did before? Only with beasts and no champions? Well I guess it is only epic ranked, so I shouldnt be expecting too much. Though, 2,500 beasts sure does seem like a lot. Before Derek could think of anything else, a blinding flash emanated from all around him and his team. Far off in the distance of each direction, masses of monsters began spawning in. Is that a Griffin? Derek heard Avery mutter to himself. Dereks own eyes followed where Avery was looking, and he got a good look at what the man was talking about. In the lead of a group of large feline-like monsters with yellow coats that seemed to be crackling in electricity, there was a massive griffin with feathers that looked like they were constantly shifting colorfrom blue to white as the clouds passed overhead, like its color was mimicking the sky. The beast didnt have anything on Lyra, but it was quite a spectacle seeing such a mythical beast in the flesh, especially since Derek would have thought it to have been legendary ranked, and not epic. But Derek was more focused on the Thunder Lynx being led by the griffin. There had to be about five hundred of them. The massive amount of lighting they were generating cause Dereks hairs to stand, literally. Derek did a quick one-eighty to get a sense of what they were dealing with, and to use Identify on everything he could. The griffin was called a Zephyr Griffin. On the opposite side of the griffin, there was a large group of Astral Vipers being led by a Nether Wyrm. It seemed that Silvi would get her wish and be able to use her Cook What You Kill skill on her very own noodle. She would be a very happy bunny. In fact, he could hear her heart loudly pounding next to his ear. She was just waiting for the start of the battle. It seemed that each army had a mini-champion. There were the Zephyr Griffin, Nether Wyrm, Terra Stag, Crystal Basilisk, and Frost Warg leading armies of Thunder Lynx, Astral Vipers, Vortex Drifters, floating octopus-like creatures, Blaze Skitters, six legged insect-like creatures covered in flames, and Tide Trudgers, frog-like creatures carrying heavy shells on their backs and controlling the water in the air. If Derek had to pick which army he liked the least, it would be the insect onethey just gave him the creeps. However, if he had to pick which army hed have the easiest time against, he would probably also choose the insect one. They were creepy, but small. And he had no doubt that the embers on the wouldnt be able to even leave a mark on his new armor. Avery, you and Lyra take to the sky and take out that griffin and the lynx that its leading. Tyron, you and Rocky take a run at those frog things. They look like they have to stay on the ground, so you should be good. Victor, you and Walter go after those insects. I know you have some offensive water abilities. They should come in handy against those flames. Vanessa, youre on seafood duty, the octopi are yours. Cain, Shae the two of you go and see what you can do about those snakes. Jasper, you and Tara stay here in the middle with your bonded drake to support you. If things get bad, shoot me a telepathic message and Ill come with my prison. I dont want to use it unless I have to. Silvi and I are going to go after the leaders first, then well go help whoever needs it. Everyone got it? Derek finished his commands. Whos Silvi? Victor Greenland asked with doubt in his voice. Derek pointed to the bunny resting on his shoulder. This is Silvi, my bonded companion. You dont have to worry about her. Victor snorted. A fucking bunny. Pathetic A hint of anger roared to life in Dereks eyes, but he only looked at the elf with a menacing grin. Silvi, go get your noodle. In an instant, Silvi disappeared from Dereks shoulder and reappeared far in the distance beside the Nether Wyrm and the Astral Vipers. From where Derek was standing, she was nothing more than a small dot. Derek squinted his eyes and tried to watch, but all he saw was a couple flashes of purple, then the Nether Wyrm disappeared. In the next instant, Silvi appeared above Derek, then landed on his shoulder. She faced Victor with a smug look on her face. Derek looked at the elf, who seemed to be frowning. Well, what do you think? About what? She can disappear for a second? Big deal. At that time, Avery tapped Victor on his shoulder and the turn to face him. What? Avery pointed to where the wyrm was. You see over there? Where all those snakes are? he asked. What of it? Do you see anything missing? Avery asked with a slight smile. Victor squinted. The wyrm, where did it go? At that moment, Silvi disappeared again, but this time appeared just out of the way of everyone. Then, the now dead Nether Wyrm appeared on the ground below her and she landed on it before looking at Victor and cutely tilting her head. Yeah, so she really is kind of a big deal. Avery patted Victor on his back, then jumped onto Lyra. Were off, he said. Dont die. Then, with a single thrust of her wings, Lyra and Avery shot into the air and made a beeline straight for the Zephyr Griffen and its army. Yeah. Im kind of a big deal, Silvis feminine, childlike voice rang out from her communication crystal on her collar. And now I have a noodle. So, like I said. Silvi and I will take care of the leaders, then jump in and help where we can. Any objections? No? Good. Lets get to it! Chapter 320: Fight! Chapter 320: Fight! The Nether Wyrm beneath Silvi disappeared back into her storage ring, and she disappeared. Derek wasnt about to let her completely outshine him in such a fight, so he also used Silvis Active Void Shift and moved toward his own target. Of course, Dereks opponent that was chosen for him ended up being the Crystal Basilisk. Avery would deal with the griffin, and Silvi had already dealt with the wyrm. She was now on her way to the Terra Stag. It wasnt hard to guess why she chose the stag as her next opponent. It did look like it would have the tastiest meat out of the bunch. The Crystal Basilisk was a gigantic lizard-like beast with a body made from sparkling, razor-sharp crystals. Derek would put the beast at the highest threat level out of the bunch because of its hardened defense and what was probably a fantastic physical offensedepending on how the crystals were used. When Derek reappeared above the Crystal Basilisk, it seemed that it was already ready for him. The quick death of the wyrm must have put the generals on high alert. As soon as he appeared, the light reflecting off the basilisks crystals formed into what seemed like a laser beam and blasted directly at him. Along with the laser, multiple crystals broke from it and began swirling around in the air. Soon, the crystals stopped and directed all the light back at the ground. To Dereks surprise, multiple Crystal Basilisks appeared where the lights hit. While attacking, the basilisk had created multiple illusion copies of itself. Derek held his arms up in a cross pattern and directly took the blow of the laser. He had yet to receive the gauntlet part of his armor, so he took the full brunt of the damage on his naked forearms. It was hot. The laser burned into his arms, and his skin darkened and steam flowed off, but other than some light second-degree burns that would heal as soon as the beam moved, it didnt do much. With his arms still crossed, he focused on Harbinger, and the glaive appearedgrasped in his right hand. The three other copies of the basilisk begin firing their own lasers at Derek at that time. At first he was surprised that they were able to attack, but then he realized that even illusions could reflect and concentrate sunlight. Unfortunately for the basilisk, he had begun pumping void energy into Harbinger as soon as he summoned it. When around a third of the maximum amount of energy he could channel into it was channeled, he kicked off the void with Void Steps.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com He changed his directions multiple times on his way down, avoid the beams of light, which were quite sluggish and couldnt keep up with a target moving at his speed, even if he wasnt the fastest person. With Harbinger gripped in both hands and a giant, near transparent image of the blade overlapping it, he swung down on the lizards golf cart sized head and activated Multi-Strike just before the blade hit. The end of his blade landed directly on one of the crystals covering the basilisks forehead. When the blade hit, it bit into the crystal a small amount, then, the force of the Multi-Strike hit behind it, and the crystal protecting the basilisks head spider-webbed then shattered. Of course, that wasnt the true damage of Dereks strike. The overlapping image of the projected void energy had continued on into the beasts head instead of stopping along with the weapon itself. It was Dereks first real time using everything in a setting where he could actually see things happen before his eyes. He didnt count the giant whale because of its massive size and the odd way he had to use Harbinger to deal with it. With the Crystal Basilisk, he got to see everything happen close up. As the projected blade disappeared into the skull of the beast, the basilisk went still. Next, the beasts soccer ball-like eyes began to fill with a crimson hue. Then, the illusions of the basilisks surrounding the real one faded, causing the crystals that formed them to fall out of the air and plummet to the ground, shattering on impact after losing their magical hardness. With one strike, Shae would pierce directly into the brain of a viper, putting it down for good, but the next strike, his spear would go straight through the head and he would have to do everything he could to dodge the incoming counterattack from the snake. Also, Cain was raining down every basic element he could, but they all seemed to work just about as well as the other, and when the snake was in what Derek wanted to call its astral form, not even the elemental attacks could hit it. On the bright side, the snakes didnt seem overwhelmingly strong in their attackswhich is what was keeping the two Guild Masters in the fight. The duo had fallen into a rhythm. Shae protected the glass cannon Elementalist from any snakes that came close, and the Elementalist chose whatever skill could do the most area damage to the highest number of snakes possible. Derek did see a couple of snakes manage to get through Shaes attacks and bite him. In return, Shaes movement slowed, and he had to shake himself out of a daze before continuing on. It wasnt enough to cause major harm to them, but it did disrupt their rhythm. Derek planned on heading that way soon, but first, he wanted to see how well Avery and Lyra were doing. They were doing fine? The griffin was nowhere to be found, but they were struggling with the mass amount of electric felines. Avery and Lyra both had the same problem in a fight that he and Silvi had well, Silvi and Derek used to have before she became able to emit massive amounts of flame. Derek was okay at group battles because of his Sweeping Slash, but they were still a weakness. They were great in one-on-one situations, but neither had any real area of effect skills that worked on large groups of beasts. The reason Derek said that they were fine was because both the archer and his dragon had taken to the air and were pelting the Thunder Lynx with attacks. Each destructive arrow and each mind blast took out a single feline, but there were just a ton of them. The duo dodged the lightning bolts shooting up from the ground at them easily enough, but they were slow in halting the charge of the beasts. The Thunder Lynx were the closest army to where Jasper and Tara were in the middle of the battlefield. Before Derek made his decision on who to go help, Silvi appeared on his shoulder. With her back in the game, it wouldnt matter which way he went, she could go the other. Im going to go help Avery. You go Get some octopus for some good seafood dishes? she asked. No, you gowell it has been a while since Ive had Takoyaki. Go ahead. Just watch those snakes and Shae, and if it starts looking bad, Active Void Shift over and give them some help, Derek replied. He couldnt believe he was getting caught up in Silvis shenanigans, but after eating that dragon steak, he was all for some more delicious cooking. Got it, Silvi said, then disappeared off his shoulder. With that, and with all the army leaders out of commission, Derek and Silvi jumped back into the battle. Chapter 321: Meatshield Chapter 321: Meatshield Without looking back, Derek Active Void Shifted directly in front of the army of Thunder Lynx, taking them from surprise. From behind, the group of cat-like creatures were falling one by one at a pretty rapid pace due to Avery and Lyras attack, but they had still made it closer to the middle than any of the other groups of monsters. When the lynx noticed his appearance, they shifted all their attention to him. They all seemed to have the same idea at once, and collectively, they let out growls, and lightning shot up, then down directly at him. Avery and Lyra were staying high enough in the air to dodge any lightning attack easily, but, being this close, that exact strategy wasnt doable for Derek. Instead, he leaned on Active Void Shift once again and shifted into the middle of the pack before channeling the void through one of his Sweeping Slashes and striking out. The mass of lightning landed harmlessly on the ground in front of the mob as Harbinger connected with multiple Lynxsplitting them in half. Then, the energy arc reached those cats even further in and bisected them. Finally, the channeled void reached even further, and more lynx fell over deadnot even knowing what hit them. In a single moment, Derek counted that he had rid the area of at least twenty lynx. Now, however, his Sweeping Slash skill was on cooldown, just as his Multi-Strike had been before the attack even. So, he shifted back to the front of the army and began his one by one slaughter. While keeping the void channeled through Harbinger, he was still able to take out a couple lynx at a time because of the density of the groupthe lynx were fighting shoulder to shoulder, or paw to paw. He also experimented with Void Lightning Bolt. It wasnt easy casting it at the same time as he channeled the void through Harbinger, but it got easier as time went on. Soon, he was able to do both simultaneously without thinking about it. I really am going to have to increase my wisdom to keep up with intelligence. He already noted that using the skill in combination with his glaive would have gone much smoother with an increase in the wisdom stat. After battling at the front line for a bit, his Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike were off of cooldown. He didnt instantly use his go to combo, though. Instead, he began intensely channeling his void energy into Harbingerhe wanted to release the biggest slash he could once in battle. Soon, the projection of the overlapping glaive grew clearer and less transparent. After a bit, the image looked completely tangible. Then he pushed his energy into it hard. The overlapping image grew and grew until he felt the strain on both himself and Harbingerhe knew it was finally ready. A multitude of lightning strikes fell on Derek, but they caused nothing more than the feeling of dozens of wasp stings that went just as fast as they appeared. With the pain and suffering Derek had gone through before, a few wasp stings were nothing. He was, however, thankful that the lightning stopped skin deep and didnt run through his system, causing paralysisthat was his only concern when he decided to tank the attacks so he wouldnt have to disrupt his charging by dodging. Standing at the front of the army of Thunder Lynx and unleashing his most potent area of effect skill caused massive damage to them. The few lynx that his glaive and the energy arc from Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike had killed were nothing compared to the devastating effect the void arc caused. The arc was bigger and shot further into the crowd of beasts than ever before. And because of the compounding effect of Multi-Strike, there was no delay of when the arc hit the beast and when the beast died. This also caused the arc to last longer before going transparent and fading away. When all was said and done, Derek was standing on the battlefield and there wasnt an moving, living lynx within a hundred or more feet from him. The destructive hit had also caused a lull in the battle. Even the lynx that werent hit by his attack had paused to look at the destruction. The only thing or person in the current battle against the lynx that hadnt slowed was Avery. Lyra was hovering above the army, but otherwise still, looking down on Derek. Avery, with his dragon wings, continued to flutter about, raining arrows on the group from behind.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com After giving the battle one more look, Derek decided that he had done more than enough to help Avery and Lyra. With well over a hundred lynx to his credit, they wouldnt have a problem picking the remaining ones off. Thats interesting, Derek said. He then caught a snake that was about to hit his jugular and brought its fangs to his uncovered hand. The snake bit down, but its fangs were barely able to pass through his skin. He felt a slight tug on his brain, but that was it. It wasnt anywhere near close to Alanah actively trying to control him. He nodded, then sent a small Void Lightning Bolt through the snakes brain. That was disappointing, he said. His health had decreased maybe a hundred points before recovering instantly. Either his pretty high wisdom stat or his extremely high intelligence stat had caused the venom to be ineffective on himthat, or his willpower blocked it just as it had blocked Alanahs skill. Though, I guess this attack may actually be pretty good. My wisdom stat has broken through the 1,000 point threshold since the last time Ive been hit with any mind type skills. Derek dropped the snake onto the ground, then sighed. This is going to be a pain in the ass. What is? Shae asked. Its going to take forever to kill all these things in a reasonable amount of time, Derek said. So, youre going to need to kill them as they attack me. What? Well, Im going to stand still. They are going to bite me. When theyre in their physical forms, take them out. Easy peasy, he explained. But, what about the Shae shook his head and stopped. No, I guess that wont be a problem for you, will it? Your skins almost impervious to their bites, and you didnt even lose yourself for a second. Exactly, Derek said, then walked forward. Plus, they cant even bite through my armor. But try to keep them off my head if at all possible. I wont be able to move quick enough to do much. Derek activated Greater Meditation as snake after snake launched at him. He covered his face and parts of his neck with his hands and forearms. Youre buying me a drink when we get back, he said, muffled. Hah, you wish! Derek felt gusts of wind caused by Shaes spear passing by him. Even with as much time thats passed while in this dungeon, Judy wont have forgotten what happened the last time we went for a drink. Why do you think I jumped at the opportunity to go on this raid? She needed some time to cool down. Fine, Derek said. Drinks are on me. Maybe Roman will have something good cooked up by the time we get back. Now thats more like it, Shae said, and Derek swore the mans speed increased twofold. He had to have been holding back before. Its a promise! Derek was really putting his old Achievement to use now. He was back to being a proper meatshield. Chapter 322: Breakthroughs Chapter 322: Breakthroughs The fighting still ended up lasting longer than Derek would have liked. This wasnt because of the strength of the enemies, but more because of the elusiveness of the insect creatures and the snakes. As it turned out, the insects, even though they were fire based monsters, were very good at staying alive underground. So, because Victor had trapped countless of them under the earth, he had to slowly sense their movements and crush them one by one once all the surface monsters were taken care of. As for the Astral Vipers, those were just complete pains in the ass. Even after all other beasts were taken care of, the Astral Vipers subsisted. At the end, the entire group was all fighting the viperschasing down any stragglers and putting an end to them. Even Lyras mind blasts didnt work when they were in what Derek came to call their astral form. That took even more time on top of the hours they had already spent fighting. Then, to top it all off, Shae had decided to take the final Astral Viper as a companion, which took another chunk of time. He wasnt sure yet if he wanted to bond with it, but he seemed to like the beast. Finally, once all the monsters were dead and gone, which they were able to know for sure because of the monster counter in the trial notification window, they had to wait until a trial timer counted down. Which turned out to be what was left of the day. During that time, Derek tabbed through all the notifications hed received during the battle. All the kill experience was considered shared experience. This was mostly because of the buffs that had been cast on him and Silvi, but some of the kills he obtained were split more than just two ways. He could tell that because of the large differences in the amounts of experience he received for kills. Finally, he swiped away the kill and level notifications and viewed his new and improved stat sheet. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 222 885,684,550,000/1,180,000,000,000 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37625 15465 37625 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence As for everything else, it all made sense. He used Greater Meditation while he was acting as a meatshield against the Astral Vipers, he used Multi-Strike every time it was off cooldown, he constantly used Void Steps, and he had even healed himself a few times with Rejuvenation throughout the battle, even though he didnt really need it. On top of that, Identify had leveled after using the skill on all the different types of monsters, and he talked with people via Telepathy while he was tied up with the Astral Vipers. Finally, after going through all of his skill levelswhich he found to be pretty good for a single battlehe looked at his stats. He had earned a whopping 17 levels during the battle, and he had a decision to makenot a tough one because he knew exactly where he was putting his now 700 stat points, but whether he should do it now or wait until later. He checked the time remaining on the mission, and seeing that there were still over six hours, he decided on not wasting the time. Derek stood from where he was sitting and walked over to Silvi. He had to stop her before she started making snake ramen because she would be affected by his stat increase, too. Put all that away, were going to go get our wisdom up, he sent to her, causing her to look up and give him what he could only consider was a scowl. But I was just starting, she whined. Yeah, thats why Im here now, so you wont start yet. You can cook as much as you want while we wait for the dungeon timer to count down. Plus, with the wisdom increase, it should make everything easier, just like you wanted, Derek replied. Fine Silvi put away the giant pot and all the ingredients she was preparing and hopped onto Dereks shoulder. After that, Derek turned and looked at the rest of the party. Silvi and I need to go test some things. You all behave while were gone. Walter, youre in charge. Walter was the best choice for the short amount of time he was going to be gone. Avery was the strongest, but Derek could see a fight club forming if he left him in charge. Tyron could have been a good choice, but he was more focused on extracting materials from beasts for now. Wait! You think Victor started, but after receiving a glare from Derek, he stopped. Yes, I do think, Derek said, then he vanished, followed by Silvi. He was using Active Void Shift to its fullest and pushing it as far as his Void Sense could take him. After ten shifts, he figured he was far enough away from the group to experience whatever the wisdom breakthrough would do to him. A few seconds later, Silvi appeared beside him. No fair! she sent to him. You can go further with my skill. Its no fair! I may have a greater distance because of my Void Sense, but you are much more agile and quicker when using it because of your level with it. I still have to consciously pick out where I want to go. You seem to be able to do that instinctively, Derek said, not bothering to use their bond to speak. He much preferred to talk out loud. Hmph, he heard Silvi harrumph inside his head. Okay, Derek ignored her and said. We have 700 free stat points to spend. Were going to use 469 of them to increase our wisdom to 1500. Where do you want to put the rest? I say we spread the rest out evenly between strength and dexterity. What do you think? Of course, Silvi sent. Need to keep dexterity and strength the same. I dont want to be fat. She was talking about the effect it would have if they were to lopsidedly invest into strength over dexterity. As for her getting fat, even though she was a Gluttonous Void Bunny, she hadnt gained any weight, even though she was constantly cooking and eating. In fact, he didnt know what possible side effects her race would have, so that was something he wanted to watch carefully. Well, thats sounds good to me. Are you ready? he asked and when Silvi agreed, he put the points into wisdom. Just like all the times before, there was a delay, then the pain came. Though, this time, the pain wasnt as bad as it had been previous times. It was actually about the same as when he took that poison potion back when he was testing potions for Roman. Basically, he felt a snap in his brain, then was flooded with enhanced senses and a massive headache. Everything was bright and loud, his head pounded, he felt like he was having a stroke. And at his level and ability, having a stroke was nothing at all to him. As he waited it out, he felt the speed at which the mana flowed through him increase, increasing the pain in his head, but also removing the sluggishness from the mana. After a couple minutes of everything, the pain began to fade and everything turned back to normalwell, enhanced, but normal. Everything seemed so much more clear. His thoughts flowed faster, and his senses were sharper. It felt like he had a better perception of the things around him. But the mana and the speed at which he could channel it was the true gain. He would no longer have to take attacks from enemies in order to charge Harbingerat least he wouldnt for near as long as before. He would have to test it out soon. Also, after this huge increase, his mana pool had finally caught up to his health pool and stamina pool. He would need to use Greater Meditation even less in the future. Derek looked at Silvi, and she looked back. She looked confused. He could understand what she was thinking. First, intelligence hadnt been terrible to go through, but he could write that off as his endurance and vitality making the density of the mana expanding in his body not hurt as bad. But wisdom was all magic. There wasnt any physical pain involvedeven though it sure felt physical. So endurance shouldnt have affected that. Derek shrugged. Maybe its our upgraded races, he said. He was about to speak again, but he was hit by a notification that he couldnt control. Congratulations! Four stats have reached. Error Requirement. Error Advanc Error System Interference And just like that, the system notification had disappeared just as fast as it had appeared. Its disappearance left Derek sitting, staring into space in stunned silence. What the hell was that? It wasnt the first time hed gotten errors in his messages. It first happened when the system was rewarding him for completing the whale trial. Now, it had happened again, but this time had given him more of a clue. What kind of system interference is it? Is it system interference from Earths system or is it from that weird other system? Obviously, I was receiving something for advancing four stats all the way to 1500, but something stopped it. Derek frowned and continued sitting there, thinking. He wasnt angry, just disappointed with the Great System once again. Yet again it tried to reward him, but left him wanting. Fortunately, this time didnt hit as hard as the other times because he hadnt even known he was working toward anythingthough he had thought there might have been an Achievement or something for getting four stats to 1500. At least now he knew that there was something, just not what. He shrugged his disappointment away and divided his remaining stat points between strength and dexterity. Once again, he decided to put the things he had no control over to the back of his mind. He was sure that one day, hed figure everything out, but unfortunately, that day wouldnt be today. Chapter 323: One Chapter 323: One Derek took one final look at his stats once everything was said and done.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com Stat Points Remaining 1115 1115 1505 1505 1500 1500 1 Happy with his current stats, he dismissed the window and looked at Silvi. That better? he asked. Much, she replied. Alright, lets get back to the rest of the group. You can do some cooking while we wait for the dungeon timer to run down, Derek said. Without hesitation, Silvi disappeared from in front of him. Derek smiled and turned toward where the group was. In an instant, he was gone. He couldnt let Silvi beat him back now, could he? They got back pretty quickly after not being gone for long. Derek Derek Are you okay? Avery stood, looking Derek in his eyesa worried expression on his face. Whats wrong? What is it? Derek broke out of his daydream and shook his head. Sorry about that, I was thinking. Somethings going on with he was going to say that something was going on with the system, but he stopped. He was under a forced system oath by that other system, and he didnt know what all would be considered a part of the oath. If it was why all the weird stuff was happening, then it was possible he would be breaking or at least bending the oath by talking even a little about it. Its nothing dont worry about it. What about Silvi, though? He thought. With everyone else getting these free stat points, shes sure to be curious about why I dont spend them. But we are bonded, and bonding supposedly connects the two souls together, or something like that. Maybe theres some wiggle room between us since were bonded, share stats, and we both went through the same evolution. Speaking of Silvi, at that moment, she hopped onto Dereks shoulder and looked at him with her head slightly tilted. Whats wrong? Derek took in a deep breath, then let it out. We didnt get any rewards, he sent through their connection, and was happy that he didnt feel anything indicating he was close to breaking his oath. He really didnt know much about itif there would be a warning or something when he was on the verge of breaking it, or if it would just happen. No rewards? Why? Silvi asked. Im not sure, the system says that its unable to assign rewards, but that seems to be specific to me or us. I have no clue what that means, he replied. I think it has something to do with our evolution. But thats all Im comfortable saying right now. The evolution? Silvi asked. The one caused by the messages not from the Great System? Dereks eyes went wide. Of course, she had received messages from the same system he had. Shh he tried to hush her thoughts. Didnt it make you take an oath? No, it made us take an oath. We are bonded, we are one, she sent back, like it was the most common thing in the world. Derek let out a sigh of relief. If nothing else, he still had Silvi, and he was thankful for that. Im happy that youre here. I know, Silvi replied smugly. I make all the best food. Yes, yes, you do. Derek reached up and ran his hand through the fur on the back of Silvis head and gave her a little scratch. She shivered and shook a little in delight, and her foot even kicked his shoulder a bita kick that had enough force that it would probably dislocate the shoulder of anyone who hadnt made it through the first threshold in endurance. He mentally made a note to keep the pretty bunny away from children and weak adults. The last thing he wanted was to be responsible for the loss of an arm because somebody helped Silvi scratch an itch. He shivered at the thought. He also decided that he needed to do better by Silvi. Sure, hed given her everythingwell, most thingsshe wanted in relation to cooking, but he hadnt actually spent much time with her since they bonded. Thinking about it, he spent more time with her back when she was playing head-butt the human in the forest with the Undying Dungeon. That was before he got the beast contract before Silvi tried to make him her beast companion and before he accidentally initiated a bond with her. Yeah, were definitely spending more time together once we get out of this dungeon. Maybe I can pick up the general Cooking skill and she can teach me some stuff. But no, he immediately nixed that idea. He remembered how she was after spending just a few weeks with those chefs back in Torith. It seemed she had grown out of that since her time away from them, but he couldnt help but wonder what it would be like working with her in the kitchen. So, are we just going to stand here, or are we going to get the fuck out of here? Victor said from behind everyone. I have to arrange a funeral when I get home, so I would appreciate it if you would stop spacing out and get us the hell out of this trial. Silvi shot Victor a glare and the elven man shrunk back. With a smug snort, she turned back and faced forward. Derek couldnt keep a grin off his face. Ever since she dropped the wyrm in front of him, hed been pretty cautious around his companion. Alright, is everybody ready to go? Have you all spent your stat points and whatnot? Derek asked. He was sure that every level 250 knew exactly where they would put any stat points if they ever obtained extra ones. Seeing everyone nod in agreement, Derek stepped forward. Here we go. Its time to finally get this thing over with. Derek walked forward and placed his hand on the trial orb once again. When the menu appeared asking to leave the trial, he selected yes. Finally, a bright light flashed, and the party disappeared. Chapter 324: Countdown Chapter 324: Countdown The light dissipated, and Derek and his party reappeared in front of all the dungeon orbs. Everyone else looked at the returning group with different emotions playing on their faces. Some looked angry, some looked shocked, and some seemed to be content. However, the majority of them looked curious more than anythingand why wouldnt they be? Nobody learned of what the rewards were for the previous trial, and now another trial had been completed. Not only had another trial, the final trial, been completed, but it was another epic trial like the whale had been. With the amount of beasts, Derek could assume it was bordering on legendary, even. It was only moments before 19 of the 21 remaining members of the dungeon party were all gathered around. So? Elena Webb, the number one healer in the party, stepped forward. How was the trial? I actually expected you all to come back sooner. Derek liked Elena, and the only real reasons she hadnt been taken on the last trial with them was because Jasper had a drake companion, and she had already been the healer on three of the six trials. We would have, Derek replied. It was kind of like the second trialafter taking care of the enemies, we had to wait for the rest of the day to pass. We didnt have to wait too long, but still. And what of the rewards from it? she asked, drawing everyones attention to their conversation. Derek shrugged. Stat points and Skill Upgrade Points. Good rewards! she said. Again, Derek shrugged. He was still pretty bitter at not receiving the rewards that everyone else got. He had some theories bouncing around in his head, though, and he had some ways to test those theories. He just needed to get out of this dungeon and make sure Cydaria, but mostly his people, were no longer in danger. Are yall ready to get this over with? Derek half shouted at the group, so nobody had any difficulty hearing him. Seeing that nobody objected, and since their party had already recovered while waiting to leave the trial, he walked past the trial orbs and placed his hand on the bigger, now active dungeon orb. When his hand touched it, he received a notification. Dungeon Boss Boss Type Unknown?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com Participants 25 Boss Difficulty Unknown Please Select Participants 0/25 Preparation Time Remaining: 1 Day 23 Hours 58 Minutes 27 Seconds Now this is finally starting to look like a raid boss. Derek smiled. When he first took up the task of going on the raid, a giant boss that required all members of the party to take down was what he imagined. It was what he had grown used to during his teen years when he played a few popular video games. Fuck the preparation time, Derek thought as his eyes traced over it. He selected every remaining member of the raid party and tried to start it. Unfortunately, the dungeon wasnt having that, and he received a new notification. Derek raised his right hand, and she went silent. Just a few more In his head, he counted down with the clock. Three two one When the timer hit zero, the cell door to cell number 001 in front of them opened, becoming slightly ajar. Derek waited, but Bones, who was inside the cell, didnt seem to have any intent of pushing the cell the rest of the way open. Derek was interested in seeing how the man had fared while inside the prison. The only ones he had to go by right now were the Void Beast he captured and put inside, and Clay Torith. The Void Beast was only in for a short time, and Clay Toriths outcome was less than desired. Even with as terrible as the young man was, Derek still felt a bit bad about it. Seeing that Bones didnt plan on leaving on his own will, Derek placed his hand on the side of the door and gently pulled it open. What small amount of light Derek had in his Time Prison at the moment crept in and slightly illuminated the inside of the cell. Sitting cross-legged with his back to the door, a shirtless man with raven black and gray hair down to his shoulder blades, and bones that seemed to almost stick through his skin, turned his head and met eyes with Derek and the others. Bones, Derek said cautiously. You can come out now. To Dereks surprise, the man sighed and began to stand. Derek winced as the mans bones made multiple cracking sounds as he stood. When he got to his feet, Derek noticed the shirt in his hand, and the man pulled it over his emaciated body. So, the monster has returned, Bones said as he took a wobbly step toward him. The man seemed to be much less disturbed by his prison than Derek had thought he would be. Are you to give us to the kingdom now? Has the guild made a deal to take us back? Maybe feed us to the dogs for our failure? After a few more steps, the thin man finally seemed to look behind Derekbehind him and at Vanessa Hodges, the Shadow With. With a sense of recognition, the skeletal mans eyes widened, and he fell to one knee. Vice Leader! I only jest. So, this is why you brought me here, Vanessa said. We all did wonder what had happened to the duo assassins. Though they were only mid-ranked assassins, they had a stellar record. Whats your opinion on Bones and Ogre? Derek finally asked, letting the man continue kneeling on the ground. They were quite good at their job, Vanessa said. Both taken in by the guild at a young age and raised together, almost as brothers. Never took any missions against those who had yet to unlock the Great System. They preferred a challenge when picking their assassination targets, even from a young age. If they had been left to grow, they surely would have moved up in the hierarchy of the guild. Bones may have even made it to a head position. Ogre not so much. Didnt have the brains for it. You know more than I thought you would about them, Derek said. Vanessa shrugged. It was my job to keep an eye on talented individuals. Something in Vanessas words seemed to provoke a response from Bones. He looked up from the ground and met her eyes. Was? he asked. Vanessa smiled wryly down at Bones. Yes was, she replied. It seems you and your partner are not the only ones who have fallen into harsh times by attacking someone you should not have attacked. B-but youre the Shadow Witch! Bones was beside himself. Youre power it its A lot of good it did me, the Shadow Witch cut him off. This is just what happens when you accept work from the wrong people So the Assassins Guild? Bones asked. No clue, Vanessa shrugged. Its been well for them, I guess its been well over a year since Ive been a part of the guild. A year? Bones asked, then looked at Derek. How long was I in there? Ah, Im glad you asked, Derek said and took a step inside the cell and pulled the man up to his feet. But before that, I have some questions for you. Chapter 325: Bones and Ogre Chapter 325: Bones and Ogre You know, Bones, Derek said as he wrapped his arm around the scrawny man and walked him out of the cell. You sure are taking being captured and imprisoned well. Why is that? That Bones hesitated to answer as they walked. With the Time Prison being cleaned out for the dragonkin, there were no places to have a proper conversation, so Derek pulled out a table and a few chairs and led the man to sit in one. Bones didnt put up any struggle as Derek had him sit downinstead, his eyes seemed to linger on Vanessa through the dim lighting. Dont bother looking at her, Derek said. Like she said, she is no longer part of the Assassins Guild. In fact, she works for the Kingdom of Cydaria now. Shes turned over a new leaf so to speak. Derek saw Vanessa roll her eyes as she also came to the table and took a seat. Avery also took up one of the seats Derek had placed. Though the archer did seem to be enjoying the show, he was still riled up after all the fighting, and anything else seemed boring to the man. Derek, of course, gave himself his specially crafted chair and had a seat. So, are you going to answer my question? Bones shot another glance over at Vanessa, and the woman shrugged. With a sigh, he began. We are taught very young about what happens if you fail a mission or are captured. We are in your hands now. In my hands? What do you mean? Derek asked. He means that because of his failure and capture, there is a price on his and Ogres heads. It would have been the same with me, but Im not worth the risk as long as I dont move directly against the guild, which, from my oaths from my previous position, I cannot. It doesnt hurt that it was the kingdom that I ended up working for, either. Vanessa answered for him. Those two, on the other hand, have no such protections. They are mid-level and while there may not be many, there are enough assassins ready to collect the bounty on them should it be known that they are in the kingdom. Actually, their best shot would be to leave Cydaria for another kingdom, or even cross the ocean to another continent, she continued. That or find a backer that the guild doesnt want any problems with. She eyed Bones to the side. The man was studying Derek and Avery intently. Finally, something seemed to click. Avery Swan? Bones blurted before anyone else got a chance to say anything. Avery raised an eyebrow at the man in confirmation. Then the skinny mans eyes moved back to Derek. Just who are you? None of that matters for now, Derek replied, ignoring the intense gaze from the man. What matters are the questions I have for you. First or I guess second, now why are you so unaffected after being imprisoned in my Time Prison for so long? Was it long? the man asked with genuine curiosity. I really could not tell. Stuck in darkness with no pain or hunger is not real tortureat least not after what we, as members of the Assassins Guild, had to go through to survive. Is that so? Derek rubbed his chin in thought. The man really didnt seem any worse for wear. In fact, he was even a little jovial at the situation, and it seemed that though all system access was cut off, his body still healed itself while he was locked awaywhich seemed odd since his metabolism was kind of paused during his incarceration in the prison. Very much so, the man answered. Starving, whippings, fighting others to survive thats how all orphans who choose to join the Assassins Guild grow up if they grow up. A little sensory deprivation without pain was more of a vacation than anything. Interesting Derek said. He couldnt help but think of the difference reactions of Bones, a trained assassin, and Clay Torith, a young, pampered noble, to the prison. One came out happy and for the better, while the other begged for death. There really were all kinds of different qualities of human beings. So, youre now wanted by the Assassins Guild, not welcome in Cydaria or probably any other kingdom on this continent that knows of you, and youre basically homeless. Is that right? Derek asked. That would seem to be the case, Bones answered. You also dont seem to be afraid of me, Derek said. What use would their be in being scared of you? You hold the life of myself and my brother in your hands. We will either live, die, or be imprisoned again. There is no sense in being afraid of something so far out of my control, Bones answered earnestly. Uhem Bones coughed from the side. I believe I know the reason. Everyone turned to look at Bones, including Ogre. In an instant, Ogre shoved Derek to the side and scooped up Bones while doing a little spin. Bones! Hey Oggy! Bones patted the giant man on the back. After a few seconds, Ogre set Bones down. Then Ogre backhanded Bones, sending the skeletal man flying. Bones hit the ground and bounced a couple of times before skidding to a stop. Standing up from his intimate moment with the ground, Bones rubbed his cheek and winced, then walked back over to Ogre. Ouch! Bones tried to leave Ogre! the ten foot tall man shouted, his voice reverberating throughout the lobby of the prison. It was a strategic retreat, Bones answered back. I would have come back for you. Besides, it didnt work out, now did it? Ogre looked around, his eyes falling on Derek once again, then on Vanessa. Shadow Lady! Even the dimwitted giant man seemed to know the difference in power as he bowed to the woman. You dont have to do that, Oggy. The Shadow Witch isnt part of the guild anymore, either, Bones said, not bothering to explain any more. Ogre seemed to take that in stride, as he quickly stood straight and ignored the former Vice Leader of the Assassins Guild. His eyes fell back to Derek, and he stared so hard that Derek could almost feel a hole burning in him. Put me back in room, he said. I cant, Derek answered. Once someone leaves the cell, they cant be sentenced again for two weeks. I dont make the rule. Besides, why would you want to go back in, anyway? You see Bones cut in to answer. When we were locked away in your prison cells, we didnt experience pain or hunger, like I said before. For me, it was like a vacation, but for Oggy, I imagine it was like heaven. Why is that? Derek asked. Well, Oggy has a condition that comes with his race and class that causes him to have a near constant hunger. It takes so much food or very costly, high-quality food to keep him full that we never had any extra coin after completing a mission. Everything went to our food bill. Though it was overlooked, we did choose some of our missions based on how much food we could appropriate during the mission. So, with your prison taking away the hunger, Oggy was able to live without the gnawing hunger pains for the first time in his life. Therefore, he would want to go back in, Bones finished with his explanation. Oh, Derek said. Well, maybe some other time. Like I said, I couldnt lock you back in for at least two weeks, even if I wanted to. But you said that high-quality food worked as well? Yes. Bones nodded. You two stay here and discuss what we talked about earlier, Derek said. Ogre! he shouted, getting the giant mans attention. Hmm? Have you ever eaten dragon? Chapter 326: Employees Chapter 326: Employees Derek left Bones, Ogre, and the others inside the Time Prison while he went out in search of Silvi. It didnt take him long to find her, as she was just sitting off to the side of the camp, cooking. When he approached her, he waited for her to finish making her food. After all, he didnt like distracting crafters while they were in the middle of creating something, even if that something was food. All that he knew was that whatever it was that she was cooking, it was delicious. It was easy enough to know how delicious it was going to be based on the glances those in camp kept throwing her way. Finally, after a few minutes, a portion of food that would have been enough for a single normal adult was prepared. That didnt seem like much, and to be fair, it wasnt, but it still looked like an extreme amount compared to the bunnys size. And the reason it was so little was because she was being careful and rationing her newly gained ingredients, because she didnt want to waste anything by using spoiled herbs or spices in the recipe. If youre done here, theres something I need to talk to you about, Derek told Silvi as she was tidying up her cooking area. What? Im busy, she replied back via their link, seemingly annoyed that he was there, distracting her from the meal she was soon to be eating. Since she seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to enjoy her food, Derek quickly explained everything that happened with Bones and Ogre while they were in the Time Prison. To Silvis credit, she seemed very interested when he began telling her about Ogre and his situation. So, hes going to be my personal taste tester? The murderbunny seemed oddly excited about having a taste tester. In fact, her excitement was enough to cause Derek to worry a little. But what could he do? It would be a good opportunity for Ogre, especially considering the predicament he found himself in. Still, he had a bad feeling about everythingSilvi had the same look in her eyes that Roman had gotten when Derek offered to test his potions. I mean, I guess you can look at it that way. Really, he just needs a lot of food to sustain himself and keep the hunger away. Whether or not it comes from taste testing food, I dont think it matters, Derek said. Honestly, he was having a little trouble focusing with Silvi tearing into the delicious smelling meat in front of him. It was everything he could do to not ask for his own portion. Finally, Derek pulled himself away from Silvi and headed back to his Time Prison. He needed to see what decisions Bones and Ogre had made. Surprisingly, when he entered the Time Prison, it was a bit different from how he had left it. Instead of the dark lobby that had only been illuminated by the small amount of light seeping through the entrance, it was actually well lit. It seemed that either Avery or Vanessa had felt it necessary to provide the place with proper lighting once again. With the lobby illuminated, Derek was able to take everything in even better. It was hard not to laugh when his eyes fell on the massive form of Ogre. Derek had left some extra chairs with the group before going out to find Silvi, and the giant man had chosen to occupy one. Because of the mans massive size, he looked like an adult sitting in a chair made for a childa particularly small child, at that.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com Derek couldnt help but wonder about the strain that was currently being placed on the chairhe felt that if Ogre moved even slightly, the entire thing would splinter into thousands of pieces and the big man would crash to the ground. At least if that happened, he would probably be at the same eye level as everyone else sitting around the table. When they saw Derek enter, Bones and Ogre both made to stand, but Derek hurriedly stopped them. The last thing he wanted was to see one of his precious chairs break because of formality. Its fine, its fine. Just stay seated especially you, he directed the last part at Ogre, who gave Derek a confused or is that just his normal look? He couldnt help but think. I would prefer it if all my chairs made it out of this raid alive. Wait, raid? Bones asked. I dont need assassins, he clarified before continuing. When you begin working for me, that part of your lives is officially over. There will be no more contracted killings. We do not have any problem with that, Bones said. Assassination was just a joba way to make a living and grow in strength during the process. It was also very high risk. He motioned to his surroundingsto the Time Prison. We would actually much prefer it that way. Great, Derek said. Bones, you seem well spoken and you are either more intelligent than the average person, or you are just really good at faking it. Ive picked up a few things during my years as an assassin, the scrawny man replied. So, for that reason, I would like you to become a sort of pseudo-butler. Actually, there is a man named Bronson who should currently be in the Capital of Cydaria if things are currently going well. I will try to set up a meet for the two of you and would like you to learn from him, Derek explained. If all goes well, after that, you will be working under a woman named Malorie. She is the manager of my shop and everything else. I can do that, Bones agreed. What about Oggy? I do not believe he would make for a great butler. I think youre right, Derek chuckled as he shifted his eyes to the enormous giant of a man. For someone with his distinct qualities I was thinking he could be the main guard for the shop. There wouldnt be any extra training involved, and all he needs to do is stand there and look menacing. We currently only have one other guard, and he needs to spend a decent amount of time adventuring to raise his skills and levels. Having an extra guard on staff would allow for the two of them to rotate. Of course, I do not expect either of you to allow your growth to stagnate, so you will have plenty of time to grow yourselves. That is fantastic. Bones showed more emotion with a single smile than he had since being released from his cellactually, he showed more emotion than Derek had ever seen from the man, even during their battle and capture. That was going to be one of our main conditions. I figured, Derek smiled back. So, you need me to handle butlery duties and Ogre to guard your store. Is that it? Bones asked. For the most part yes, Derek said. Im sure that there will be other times when you are needed, but for the majority of the time, that should be it. Of course, the both of you will also receive a proper wage Derek sighed. To be perfectly honest, I dont know the current state of my shop or my people right now because of this raid. As he spoke, he let his thoughts drift to the others. Ogre gets food? From the side, Ogres deep voice brought Derek back to the present. Yes, I am sure we can find some food for Ogre, Derek chuckled, thinking about him being Silvis taste tester, before shifting his attention back to Bones. For now, I only want the oath of loyalty that we discussed. We can handle everything else through contracts when we get back. I have a person who specializes in contracts back at the shop. His name is Rudy. Just as Derek quit speaking, the table shook slightly and a small purple-white furry creature appeared on the center of it. It seemed Silvi had finally finished her brunch and was ready to meet her new employee. System Universe 4: Trials of Cydaria out today! System Universe 4: Trials of Cydaria out today! Hey everyone! Book four of my series released today! Today marks the launch of System Universe Book 4: Trials of Cydaria. Its now available through Amazons Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, and Paperback with the Audible version narrated by Adam Verner coming soon. Available through this link: Ebook: /amazon/B0C4G3LPX1 Now, as for how people can support the release, there are a couple things, if you were here for the last announcement, you already know this: -Ratings and Reviews: On Amazon (Also, keep in mind that anything below a 5 is basically bad because of how their rating skew) ratings and reviews are the biggest help for authors. Also, you dont have to buy the book to rate it, which is good because you most likely already read it here. Though, I would for sure love for you to pick it up again on KU or Audio to get in on some of that good editing and narration. XD However, none of that has anything to do with Derek any longer. He lent his help and got the job done. Now, hes looking forward to the auction and any gains it may bring him. Maybe its time for him to relax; or maybe a prince has other plans for him. Maybe new trials await. Dont miss the fourth installment of Dereks journey in the System Universe. Join Derek in this unique combination of the LitRPG, Isekai, and Slice of Life genres. He has friends, a bond that should last forever, and even a home. What more could our overpowered protagonist ask for? I want to thank everyone who read book my previous books and left me kind reviews and messages. You are all amazing! I hope you enjoy book four! And as always, Thanks for reading! Chapter 327: Two Peas in a Pod Chapter 327: Two Peas in a Pod Everyone at the table went silent as they took in the small bunny that had appeared out of nowhere. Silvi tilted her head and looked around the table until her gaze fell on the massive giant of a man sitting at the side of the table. Is this him? Silvis voice rang out from the communication crystals attached to her collar. The meatball? Yes, this is him, Derek said for all to hear. It seemed that Silvi had chosen this conversation to be a public one, so he would go along. Silvi, this man is Ogre. Because of his unique constitution, it seems that he needs to consume more food, or at least higher quality food, than a normal person. Hmm Silvis voice chimed as she looked the man over. Ogre, Derek said, turning the giant mans attention away from Silvi and back toward himself. This is Silvi. I have talked with her, and she may be able to help you with your food problem. Ogre frowned and looked back and forth between Derek and his companion. Too small, he finally said. Ogre would still be hungry after eating. Derek stared at the man for a moment before what he was saying clicked. He thinks Silvi is here so he can eat her At that moment, he almost burst out laughing. I think the two of them are going to make a great pair. I bet Silvi is currently assessing Ogre and wondering what a giant would taste like. Truly two peas in a pod. Uh no, Derek said. Silvi is not here to consume. She is a chef, a very good one, might I add, and she has agreed to allow you to work with her. That means you will be consuming the food she cooks quite often. You can literally think of her as your meal ticket. Silvi snorted. As if the meatball could hurt me. Derek rolled his eyes. Anyway, I hope the two of you can get along in the future. If things go well, youll be spending a lot of time together. As soon as Derek finished his sentence, a variety of dishes appeared on the table in front of Ogre. Eat them, Silvi said. She didnt need to tell the big man twice, as he had already started for the food almost as soon as it appeared. However, after grabbing and stuff his face with multiple items at once, Silvi quickly flashed over and kicked a slab of meat out of his hand before he could cram it in his mouth as well. One at a time, her voice sounded out as she appeared back on the table. And wait at least thirty seconds between each item. Derek frowned and mentally asked Silvi a question. What are you doing? Whats up with the food? Experimental recipes, she replied. Changed by stupid Void Travel. Want to see if poisonous. Do me a favor, Derek said. Use your skill and attack me from inside. Lets see if the attacks can actually make their way out. Since it was a specific direction given to attack him, doing so wouldnt break the oath that Bones made. Bones backed up, and Derek watched as a small spatial tear appeared behind the skeletal man. It was the first time Derek saw the skill up close. From the tear, various knives and blades began to shoot out. Unfortunately, it seemed that the system knew what Derek was planning, and the weapons were stopped by the invisible barrier just as the man himself had been. It doesnt look like youll be able to get in on the upcoming fight, Derek said. Thats a shame, he muttered. He had hoped to at least bask in some rewards from his two loyal employees if the system didnt give him any after the fight. Still, he planned to leave the Time Prison door open in case anyone decided that the fight was too much for them and needed to run to a safe place. Perhaps Bones and Ogre would get rewards for just being there with the door open. He could hope, couldnt he? But none of that mattered right now. Instead, Derek was still looking at the small spatial tear in the air behind Bones. After fighting the man once, he had wondered about the mans class, but never got the chance to speak about it. Now that he knew about affinities, he wondered if Bones might actually have an affinity for space. Derek turned around and walked back inside the Time Prison with Bones. The two were alone by the doorway, it seemed that Avery was still intrigued with Silvi and Ogres interaction, so hed chosen to stay. Vanessa was also still sitting at the table, looking relatively bored. Not one to beat around the bush, at least not currently, Derek asked Bones his questions. You dont need to answer if you dont want, but I wanted to know a few things. He began, and seeing Bones nod, he continued. Do you use the space element? Also, how do you control so many weapons? Bones stayed silent for a moment, as if formulating a response, then he said, I have a mark that leave on any weapon I want to control. When I mark it, a portion of my mana is tied to the weapon, which also decreases my maximum amount of mana available. Fortunately, controlling the weapons after linking them isnt as costly as one would think. Derek nodded along with his explanation. It made sense. Most of the weapons that he used had a blue glow to them. He had gotten a decent look at them when he tried to attack from inside the Time Prison. He also made yet another mental note that Bones needed to upgrade his weapons. They honestly werent of very good quality. It seemed he had just marked whatever weapons he found. Derek would remedy that soon. Those weapons may have worked against the people Bones was used to fighting, but now that he worked for Derek, there was no telling what idiot might get it in their head and come after him. So, the man would have to be properly equipped. Luckily, just like they had a resident chef to take care of Ogres needs, they also had a resident smith. And Derek looked forward to seeing just how much she had grown since hed been gone. What about the element? Derek broke out of his daydream and asked. I can not say for certain, Bones replied. The Weapon Storage skill came with my class, and I have since learned to use it in tandem while controlling my weapons. I am more drawn to the blades, so I do not believe my class is elemental based. Unless that element is purely the mana I use to mark my weapons. Hmm Derek rubbed his chin in thought. He may actually have a blade or sharpness affinity. I dont entirely know how affinities work, but I know it isnt possible for them to all be elements like void or lightning. If that was the case, people like Avery would never have the chance to increase it though, thinking about Avery, I would be that man has a stamina affinity. I think affinity is just what your subconscious is drawn towhether you want it or not. That makes sense, Derek said. By the way, you said that Ogres hunger comes from his race and class, right? What is his race? If you dont mind me asking. Hes never concealed it, Bones said. He is a half-giant. I cant be for certain, but I believe there has to be a giant race somewhere out there on one of the other continents. If not that, then he was just born special. His mother died during birth, so too did any answers she carried with her. But, as you have seen, Ogre isnt one to dwell on such things. I guess he isnt, Derek agreed. Alright, Ill let you get back to Ogre. I have some things to take care of. If all goes well, we should be back in Cydaria in around two days. Derek was hoping that the final boss wouldnt take up much more of his time. With the time dilation, every minute counted. Derek left his Time Prison and headed back to camp. He was ready, and he needed to make sure everyone else was ready. He cracked his knuckles and went on his way. He was itching for a real fight, and couldnt wait to see what the system had in store for him. Chapter 328: Preparation Timer Depleted Chapter 328: Preparation Timer Depleted Derek moved over to the camp and looked at the surroundings. In the short time that he was dealing with everyone inside the Time Prison, everyone else had begun loading up all of their belongings. For a group of what was twenty-five people, they had brought much more than they could have ever possibly needed. But, now that they were closing in on the end of the dungeon, everyone was ready to leave. Only a few of the essentials werent yet loaded. Things like Tristans tent where he still worked on growing Cieras limbs back had yet to be packed. Derek nodded as he took in the view. It looked like he wouldnt actually need to go forward and make them pack up. He guessed that since they were all veterans; they knew better than to leave important things out before a boss fight. Stuff like that would probably be part of adventuring 101, after all. So, instead of going over and interacting, Derek found a nice, quiet area and waited. He planned to slip into a light meditation and relaxedpreparing himself for the upcoming fight. He needed to be ready for anything that the system decided to throw at him. And looking at everything that had already happened, he had a feeling that the final boss was going to be much more difficult than all the previous trials. It didnt take Derek long at all to slip into a light meditation. He made sure to keep alert enough to notice any changes in the surrounding atmosphere so he wouldnt be surprised by anything or anyone. And like this, Derek let the time drift by. Derek opened his eyes with only a single hour left before the scheduled boss fight. During his meditation, he had felt Avery and Lyra move close to him before meditating themselves. After checking the dungeon time, Derek nodded and stood. Wake up. Derek walked over to Avery and said, causing the man to open one eye and look back at Derek. Its about time. I need you to help me gather everyone. Without saying a word, Avery stood and brushed off his leather pants with his hands. He gave Derek a slight smile and a nod, then took off. Derek shook his head. It was easy to see the twinkle in the mans eyeshe was looking forward to the boss fight more than Derek was. Almost everyone was already waiting near the trial orbs. Doing a quick head count, Derek counted seventeen peopleeighteen, if he included himself. They were missing Avery, Vanessa, and Tyron. Soon, that was remedied as Avery brought the two back with him. Finally, all twenty-one people in the raid party were gathered. They had started as a full team of twenty-five, but Asana Greenland and Layne Marshall had fallen, while Edgar and Louise Bonilla had left using escape scrolls. Derek inspected everyone one last time before speaking. The entire party was antsywhether they were itching for a fight or just ready to get out of the dungeon, Derek didnt know. Its probably both, Derek thought. Next, his eyes fell on Tristan Allister and Ciera Cook, who were standing very close to one another. The fact that Ciera was able to stand at all after having her legs bit off at the knees by a group of wolves in the first trial said something about Tristans healing skills. Though Derek could see that the woman was still a bit wobbly on her new feet, so she most likely either wasnt used to them, or she wasnt completely healed yet. Tristans eyes locked onto Dereks when he looked their way, and the healer nodded. Derek nodded back and continued scanning the crowd. Victor Greenland was in the middle of everyone, yet alone. People tended to give the elven man with a short fuseat least after Asana Greenland dieda wide berth. Derek hadnt gotten to know the man much before his cousin died, so he didnt know how much of an asshole he really was. Still, he suspected that his normal behavior wasnt far off from what hed shown in their time together. John Doyle and Ray Ferguswind and earth mages respectivelywere the two people who had been left out of the entire dungeon thus far. Looking at them, Derek felt nothing, really. They were both under level 230, and no chances had really come up for lower-level people after the first trial. They would still get rewarded with something for the full dungeon completion, so he wouldnt worry about them. Finally, his eyes drifted over everyone else, one by one. Most of the people who had taken part in the dungeon had already hit level 250 or came very close, and they had been rewarded with something greatwhether it was rare potions or just extra stat points. This group of twenty-one should be stronger than the group of twenty-five that entered the dungeon at the beginning at this point. Well maybe not, Derek thought. Id take Edgar and Blitz over the freshly leveled up people in the group any day. I see that youre all raring to fight this dungeon boss, and get the hell out of here, Derek said, causing anyone who was chatting to stop and look his way. So am I. Seeing that everyone was quiet and now paying attention to him, Derek continued. Our plan for this boss is going to be pretty simple. Myself, Avery, and Vanessa are going to take point and everyone else can join in the fight once we all figure out what were dealing with. The bosss difficulty level is unknown, which means that theres a good chance that it will be legendary rank or even higher. Summoning Dungeon Boss Summoning Dungeon Boss Error System Interference Detected Dereks eyes widened, and he felt a chill go down his spine. Quickly, he looked over at Avery, who was still standing there, calm. Avery! Do you have a notification? What does it say? Avery looked back at him with a frown, but shrugged. Its summoning the dungeon boss. As countless thoughts were running through Dereks head, they were interrupted again by a notification. System Assistance Detected Please Stand By The same message appeared in front of him, but was quickly followed up by anotherone he hadnt expected. Summoning Dungeon Boss Summoning Successful Prepare For Battle Fuck! Derek yelled. Support! Cast your buffs! Healers! Cast regeneration! His roar drew everyones attention. Why the fuck would the system need assistance from that other system?! Seeing how serious he was being, everyone did as told and the buffs soon fell upon him. Support and healers! he shouted again. Retreat into the Time Prison! Anyone with an epic or lower rarity class at a lever below 250, retreat to the Time Prison! Most of the support and healers reacted, but the battle classes looked around, confused. I said fucking retreat! Now! He unleashed every ounce of his aura as Silvi landed on his shoulder. What is it? she asked. I dont know, but I think were fucked! Chapter 329: Raid Boss Chapter 329: Raid Boss Dereks shout hadnt had the effect he hoped it would when he did it. Instead of everyone rushing to retreat into the Time Prison, there were some party members that had no business staying for the fight, who chose not to leavethey didnt want to be left out of yet another possible chance for rewards. Things may have been different if Derek had called out his warning once everyone got a look at the boss, but currently, it had yet to make its appearance. Since it had yet to be summoned yet, it gave Derek some extra time to prepare and think of a way to convince the others to retreat. However, just as Derek was thinking about what to say, he received another set of notificationsones from the other system. Boss Rank Outside Purview of Current System Reducing Stats Stat Reduction Successful Continuing Summoning Derek quickly looked around at Avery and Vanessa to try to get a read on the twohe wanted to know if they were seeing anything other than the messages from the Great System. Seeing that neither one of them looked out of the ordinary or confused, he was almost one hundred percent certain that he was the only person receiving the extra notifications from the other system. With a sigh, he surveyed the rest of his surroundings. Fortunately, all the healers and most of the support members of the party had heeded his command. Elena, Walter, Jasper, and Tristan hadnt thought twice about retreating to the Time Prison when he called out, and along with them, Jasper took his Drake and Tristan brought Ciera with him. Her legs were healed, and looked to have been completely regrown for a while, but there still seemed to be some atrophy and she still wasnt steady on them. Basically, even if they were healed, they were new and she would need to learn to walk on them once again. For the support members, all but one had retreated into the prison. Leave it to the lowest level support member to throw caution to the wind. Timothy Nash had retreated, but still stood outside the Time Prison. Derek shruggedit was good enough probably. It was the fighters that were being pains in Dereks ass. There were five of them who didnt meet Dereks criteria to stay and fight, but only one had retreated and two had distanced themselves closer to the Time Prison. Derek was about to shout at them once again, but before he could, the notification he was dreading popped up before him. Summoning Complete Summoned Starfury Leonarus Along with the message came multiple bright, illuminating lights that started on the ground and made their way up. As the light traveled up the summoned creatures body, Derek took in its massive form. The beast had four legs, each ending in brilliant silver claws that looked devastatingly sharp. From there, the beasts legs were covered in midnight blue fur and speckled with shimmering star-like dots. As the summoning lights continued to move, Derek was able to see even more of the beasteventually, the long, whip-like tail of the same color appeared and was tipped with a crystal-like edge on the end. The lightning hit the top of the beasts head and stayed for a moment before vanishing. All movement in the lion ceased and a spark of joy ignited inside of Derek. Is that it? Derek loaded up his strike again, swinging it before it was fully charged because he didnt want to give the beast any extra time to come back to. But before his strike hit the beast, it let out another roar. It seemed that Silvis Void Lightning Bolt was only able to stun the beast momentarilyan even shorter amount of time than he had been able to with the wyvern when he hit it with his unenhanced void covered fist. This time, the roar caused a rift to open in the space in front of Dereks attacka rift that swallowed both the physical arc and the void arc that followed. As soon as the spatial rift closed, Derek heard a scream from behind him, and a notification alert appeared. He didnt have time to look at it, but from a quick turn of his head toward the scream, he saw Ray Fergus motionless on the ground in front of his Time Prison. It didnt take much for him to connect the dots and realize that the Starfury Leonarus had swallowed his attack with its spatial rift and redirected it at one of the fleeing members of the party. He also realized that if he opened the notification, he would see a kill notificationone for Ray Fergus. Fury blazed through Dereks body as he tightened his grip on Harbinger and vaulted off the void using Void Steps. The beast looked directly into Dereks eyes and he could almost swear that he could see a smirk on the corner of the massive maw of the beast. Dereks rage increased even furtherthe lion was enjoying the fightit was enjoying the hunt. But Derek wasnt alone. As the lion prepared another attack for him, shadows shot out from the ground and wrapped themselves around it as the earth beneath it softened, then began heating up. The shadows pulled and pulled until they dragged the gigantic beast knee deep into the loosened, now lava laced earth. Derek continued his dive toward the beasts head, and he channeled as much void energy into Harbinger as he could. Unfortunately, the lion didnt seem to be in a panic. It continued to lock eyes with Derek, then opened its maw once again. But this time, as soon as its teeth parted, gray-ish drills appeared almost out of nowhere and shot into its mouth. The unexpected weapons caught the beast off guard and caused its next attack to falter. For the first time in the quick fight, Derek saw a dribble of blood flow from its mouth as Averys drill shots tore through the inside of its throat. Derek, with Multi-Strike already spent, came down as hard as he could onto the beasts head. And just like when Silvis attack from before hit it, his strike caused the beast to be stunned. Just after the attack connected, Derek felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise along with a massive amount of heat. At first, he thought the heat was coming from the lava below, but then realized it was much too hot for it to be that. Not taking any chances, Derek used Active Void Shift and moved himself at least fifty feet away from the beast and the heat. But soon, his confusion turned into a smile as he saw the enormous flood of dragon fire raining down from the sky abovea flood of fire coming from the smallest spout possiblea spout by the name of Silvi. He and the others all watched on as the fire drowned the whole of the beast in its intense flames. No one dared get close to the flame. Only Derek knew that the dragon fire being spouted by Silvi was backed by both 1500 wisdom and 1500 intelligence. It was truly a trump card for the murder bunnyone that she would only use when absolutely necessary. The reason for this wasnt because of how much it took out of her. No, it was because if she ended up killing something with the dragon flame, then the body of the whatever was hit by it would usually turn to ash and there would be no ingredients left after the fact. It was truly a hard decision to for the chef bunny to make, but she had sensed the power of the monster before her and chosen to use it. Her flame also continued to occasionally get stronger the longer it lasted. Derek knew that this was because of the low level it had started at. Using it on such a monster would rapidly increase its levels, even if it was a skill that was hard to level. In the short time the skill was being used, Derek counted five times that the power of the flame increased. Derek continued channeling the void into Harbingereven as long as Silvis skill lasted, he had yet to receive the kill notification and was starting to get worried. He could see the same worry on the others faces, too. Soon, Silvis flame died downher mana was almost spent. In an instant, she appeared on the ground next to the Time Prison. Your turn, she sent, then vanished inside the prison. Chapter 330: Starfury Chapter 330: Starfury Seeing Silvi disappear into his Time Prison to take a break was Dereks cue to unleash his currently held attack. Avery, on the other hand, had never let up with his own attacks. Even while the beast was being engulfed in Silvis fires, he was loosing drill shot after drill shot at it. If those arrows hit and actually did any damage, or if they even made it through the flames, Derek didnt know. Derek rushed forward through the smoke and into the slowly calming fire. He didnt know what he was rushing into, but he needed to act quickly. He swung a void infused Harbinger down at full force with his right arm and shot out a Void Lightning Bolt with his left hand. Just after his attacks landed, the smoke and flames were pushed away from above, and Derek felt pressure falling onto him. He looks up only to see a rapidly advancing shadow in the sky. At first, he thought Vanessa was doing something else with her shadows, but then he realized that the silhouette he was seeing was that of an enormous ball-peen hammer crashing down onto the beast, and thus, him. Once again, Derek made his retreat as quickly as he could with Active Void Shift. He appeared back a distance away from the smoke only to see a hammer the size of the beast itself falling onto the smoky area. A loud crash rang out as Tyrons hammer hit home and pounded into the creature. Derek hadnt been able to see the lion hed hit for all the smoke, so he still didnt know what state it was currently in. There was no way he would believe that the beast wasnt hurting. From above, Avery kept releasing arrow after arrow, and drinking potion after potion. Since this was the final fight, the archer didnt look like he was going to hold anything back. Suddenly, Derek felt a warmth flow over his body. Turning to look at the Time Prison, he saw Elena and Kieron standing just outside of it, casting their buffs over the fighters in the party. He nodded at them, then they disappeared back into the Time Prison. That skill really is a cheat, he thought. Derek looked up at where Silvi had originally been, and taking her place was Cain Ibarra. At the moment, he was channeling his own flames and wind. Then, he unleashed the wind backed flames down at the beast. Everyone was truly going all out. From the side, Victor clapped his hands together, and Derek felt the ground move. He didnt know what the man did, but it had to have been some form of an attack on the beast. Derek slipped into Greater Meditation to keep his reserves refreshed, and began firing bolt after bolt of void lightning at the beast. Something had to givehe was in utter shock that they had yet to receive a kill notification, and a sense of urgency was slowly filling his body. Finally, out of nowhere, the flames produced by Cain appeared behind Avery. Luckily, Avery was fast, and avoided being hit by them by the skin of his teeth. Cain stopped his skills, and the fires vanished. Then, a roar came from the charred areaa roar that held within it a great amount of pain, but even more rage and anger. A pulse of midnight blue energy shot out from the beast, and all traces of smoke and fire were blown away in an instant. For the first time since Silvis attack, Derek got a good look at the Starfury Leonarus. The lions formerly beautiful mane was completely missing, and scorch marks littered its body. The previously prideful lion had turned into a burned, hairless cat. But Derek wouldnt take the beast lightly. On top of the charred flesh, small punctures adorn the top of its body. The Starfury Leonarus released a pained roar, then swiped back with one of its remaining silver claws, connecting directly with Rockys back. Bright blood spewed from the wyrm, causing him to release a pained cry and dive back into the earth. Derek could only assume that Rocky went back to his small form, as other than when the wyrm dived into the earth initially, he couldnt feel any vibrations coming from the ground. Dereks eyes focused on the area where the beasts leg used to be. It was leaking blood profusely, but right in front of his eyes, it was regrowing. At the pace he was seeing, the beast would regrow its leg in mere minutesDerek didnt even know that was possible. He wasnt the only person who laid eyes on the scene, though. As Derek watched the leg regrow, he saw a swirl of water wrap around it, then move faster and faster until it vanished. What was left was a partially regrown stump. Derek looked back at the door to his Time Prison and saw the back of Walter disappearing back inside. He had healed the leg before it had a chance to regrow. This lost them the damage that would have been caused by the blood loss while it regrew, but it gained them the possibility of the beast having decreased mobility. It was a good tradeoff, in Dereks mind. But just as Derek thought things were really taking a turn for them, the lion had a different idea. Small pulses of midnight blue aura began flowing out of its body with each heartbeat. The sky darkened around the battlefield as it seemed like stars were pulled forwardcloser and closer. Everyone laid into the beast with their best attacks, trying to stop whatever it was preparing, but nothing seemed to work. As the surroundings darkened, more and more small specks of light began to appear around them. Then the destruction began. Each star shot forward at an unbelievable speedsome going after Avery and the others, but most aiming directly for Derek. In order to not be maimed, Derek used Void Shift back to back, over and over. He used the skill so much that he actually had to break out some of his mana potions and chug them. The stars didnt just shoot straight at a target, then dissipate. No, if they missed, they looped back around and continued their chase. Derek allowed the stars to chase him, though. He moved further and further away from the battlefield with the stars right on himdodging by mere inches with Void Shift. When he was far enough away, he pushed Void Sense as hard as he could, then appeared directly underneath the beast with Harbinger gripped firmly in his hands. The beast was concentrating hard, directing its skill, so it was only able to pull some stars off of the others and launch them at him. But Derek had already thrust a nearly fully void channeled Harbinger directly into the beasts torso, backed by both Sweeping Slash and Multi-Strike. This time, there was no shot the beast could dodge or redirect his attack. His attack landed just as the stars landed on Derek. The first softball-sized star hit him at the base of his right knee, shattering it and taking most of his flesh with it as it blinked out after the hit. The second almost took him at the hip, but a quick summon of Absolute Nullify on the ground was enough to pull it off course and cause it to miss. The same happened for the third star, but it didnt miss completely. Instead of hitting Derek directly in the chest, the magnetic effect of his nullify skill caused it to veer down and hit the bottom of his left legcompletely removing his entire foot in the process. But Derek was willing to make the trade. After being hit by the stars, he knew he was the only one would would be able to take them head on and survive. Well, Avery and his endurance may allow him to survive as well, but he would still be much worse off than Derek. But Derek was the only one who would be able to trade such a blow with the beast. Speaking of which, Derek looked up. In the background, the starry sky began flickeringlight shone through one second, and darkness covered the area the next. Next, a massive amount of liquid poured out of the lions mouth, and Derek took a deep breath in. Did that do it? Chapter 331: Wearing Down Chapter 331: Wearing Down Dereks attention was drawn to the distant sky where each star created by the Starfury Leonarus began to blink out, one by one. While he was distracted by the slow loss of power of the beasts skill, the others in his party were not. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blur speed by, then, as he followed the movement, he saw Avery appear on the beast with his daggers in hand. Avery thrust each dagger into an already weakened part of the flesh of the beastknowing that it would be hard to make fresh wounds with his close attacks, the archer chose to cut into the portions of the monster that his Drill Shots had already cut open. To Derek, it looked like Avery was trying to save some of his stamina while still inflicting as much damage as he could. It was a good strategyespecially since they didnt know how much more damage the beast would be able to soak up. With Avery attacking the beast, Derek broke out of his daze. Even though he knew it wasnt much, he shot out a Void Lightning Boltdirectly behind where his Sweeping Slash had landed. Following his attack, earthen spikes appeared from the ground around him and shot up toward the beast with staggering force. Instead of hitting the monster and breaking, this time they struck with precisionthe tip of each spike landing on an already vulnerable area of the beasts flesh. It seemed that Victor had taken after Avery and traded quantity with quality with his attacks. Derek wished he could get a good look at the massive beasts face just to see how much light was left in its eyes, but his position underneath the beast was just too much to pass up. If he could continue underneath it until his major skills came off of cooldown, he would be able to inflict another major injury on it. So, getting a good look into the creatures eyes just wasnt currently possible if he wanted to stay in his current position. He was, however, growing more and more confident in their combined attacks as the rays of light slowly crept in and the range of the starry night sky above them diminished. If the beast wasnt in good enough shape to keep its skill active, even if it wasnt on the verge of dying, the fact that the skill was disappearing showed that it was at least weakening. By continuing their onslaught of attacks, they would surely whittle the creatures health down, bit by bit. The Starfury Leonarus may have been a beast from another system or world, or even something else entirely, but with their combined might, unless the monster was overwhelmingly strong and was just toying with them, Derek didnt believe they would be defeated. At this point, Derek had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use his trump card. Feeling that it was the perfect time, and he was in the perfect position, Derek gripped Harbinger tightly and inspected the durability of the weapon. It hadnt lost a lot, but just over twenty durability had disappeared from the glaive due to his attacks on the otherworldly beast and its high endurance. He wouldnt be able to keep the skill active long, but Material Drain should be able to cause a massive amount of damage in the short time it would take to repair itself with the beasts material. With both hands gripping Harbinger, Derek willed the repair skill to activate. Slowly, the skill formed into that of a small, deep purple ball on the end of Harbingers blade. With a deep breath, Derek thrust his weapon upwardinto the chest of the beast. If he could take out its heart in one go, that would be for the best. Derek focused on the end of his blade as he waited for Material Drain to begin and the flesh of the beast to vanish and be used as fuel to fix his glaive. However, as seconds passed, and with him applying more and more pressure, the area covered by the deep purple ball at the end of his blade never moved forward, and the flesh never disappeared. Derek examined Harbinger once again and frowned. Not only had the beast not been hurt by Material Drain, but Harbinger hadnt gained a single point of its durability back during its use. In fact, Harbingers durability had actually decreased by a single point. Derek cursed inwardly and put every bit of strength he could muster into pushing his glaive into the beast. Still, it showed no signs of working. What the hell is going on? Doesnt the description say that it works on ANY material? It worked just fine on that big fish and even the materials from the wyvern. Why isnt it working on this asshole? With a curse, Derek withdrew Material Drain and charged up another of his normal void channeled attack in combination with a Void Lightning Bolt. The attacks, even in combination, wouldnt do fatal damage to the creature, but surely they would cause some harm. Maybe they would even help keep the beast stationary long enough for Multi-Strike to come off cooldown. As he attacked, he wondered why Material Drain wasnt working. He didnt know if it wasnt functioning properly due to the monster not being from the Great System, or if it was because the beast was a higher tier than Harbinger. If he had to guess, he would go with the latter. Shut up! Im busy! Silvis reply threw him for a loop. He wasnt expecting her to get testy with him, especially not in the middle of such a big fight. Youre bus he tried to ask, but was cut off by his companion. I said shut up! Busy! Dammit! Derek shouted as he swung his glaive over and over at the beasts skull. Once again, with Derek out from under the beast, the ground grew around ittrapping it inside just above its legs. Victor was doing what he could to keep the beast tied up, just in case it decided to break out of its trance and attack. Whats going on? Averys voice came through via Telepathy. The fuckers meditating, Derek replied. It looks like no matter what we do, its regeneration is able to keep up with our damage. On top of that, I dont know what the hell Silvis up to. I see, Avery replied. How long until you can do that big attack again? Not long, Derek sent. But it wont matter if its already healed itself past where it was before my last one landed. If we need to retreat, are you confident in keeping yourself alive if the others have to move into your space? Avery asked. His tone was serious, without a hint of the usual fun he had during fights. If he was making plans for retreat, the situation was even worse than he thought. I am. I also have a way to get out of here if an escape scroll wont work. Though Im unsure what it will do to everyone else. That will be our last resort, Avery said. Got it, Derek replied. Until then, we need to keep at it. Maybe its more injured than we think. With that, Derek attacked again, and Avery changed his fighting style back to his bow, but continued to stay in close range. Along with that, Derek tossed the man whatever stamina potions he could spare. It was getting down to crunch time, and they needed to be as fresh as possible for whatever came next. Chapter 332: Final Moves Chapter 332: Final Moves As Derek and Avery continued trying to wear the boss down, Vanessas shadows seemed to be trying to force themselves into the beasts mouth, eyes, and ears. But, for some reason, the shadows just couldnt find their way insidethe usual weak spots on such a beast looked to be closed tight and highly defended. Even one of Averys drill arrows did nothing more than leave a small mark on the beasts eyelidone that nearly instantly disappeared. On top of her shadows not being able to sneak inside the boss monster, they also appeared to be weaker than they were at the beginning of the fight. Eventually, Vanessa gave up on whatever she was trying, and her shadows receded and disappeared. Derek looked around the battlefield for her, but she had been hidden well, and he didnt know where she was acting from. However, her shadows didnt make another appearance once they recededshe was most likely running low on mana or willpower, even though they hadnt been in battle long. Using the shadows to constrain the beast at the beginning, along with them being hit by Silvis dragon fire, had to have taken a toll on the woman. On top of that, throwing everything she had at the enemy and nothing being effective was probably a mental blow to the former Vice Leader of the Assassins Guild. But Vanessa wasnt the only one whose attack seemed to be ineffective on the beast. Derek had barely seen Lyra doing anything during the fight. He realized why when the amphithere dove down and hovered directly in front of the meditating beast. The winged serpent stared daggers at the beast, but nothing happened. It looked as though her mind blasts and other mental attacks were having no success against the summoned beast. Finally, Lyra turned her massive head, and Derek saw into her eyes. Averys companion looked exhausted. He wondered how much her attacks had actually done to the boss monster. It was possible that it was her mental attacks that kept the beast from unleashing its full power. Derek nodded at Lyrashe was trying her very best. Derek and Avery continued their close-range fighting for a little longer. They were doing everything in their power to out damage the beasts healing. Lyra pitched in with her mind attacks, but at best, it was helping Derek interrupt the bosss regeneration through Meditationat worst, the beasts mind was shielded and it wasnt doing anything to harm it, and Lyra was exhausting herself for nothing. Suddenly, Derek felt before he saw almost all the darkness above him disappear, causing him to heave a sigh of relief. If the skill was finally broken, it meant that their attacks were working. However, when he turned his head to glance up, instead of only seeing the clear blue sky that he expected, he saw a black sphere the size of a giant beach ball with bright, glittering white lights rotating inside. At that point, he realized that the beast hadnt been losing control of its skillit was condensing it. Wide-eyed, Derek watched as the sphere began to rotate one way faster and faster, while the condensed stars inside the sphere spun the opposite. The surrounding space close to the sphere began to warp and split and a light gravitational pull began to form on the outside of it. The faster the sphere and stars rotated, the stronger the pull, and the more distorted the surrounding space became. At first, Derek wasnt overly worried about the sphere. It was far away, and didnt move. However, once the rotations reached a certain speed, the sphere began to move. Though slow for now, with the amount of spatial distortion caused by the sphere, if it happened to get close to anyone in the party, that person wouldnt last a second before Im not sure what would happen if someone was caught up inside a spatial distortion. As he was staring down at the boss monster and running through the options in his head, he noticed the look in the Starfury Leonaruss eyes change. Gone was both the toying look of a predator playing with its food and the anger once it realized that its prey could fight back. Instead, if Derek had to describe what he was seeing Is is that fear? Is it scared of something? For some reason, the beast looked afraid. But why? Weve thrown everything we have at it, and it still standing. No, its doing even better than that. The beast had basically outlasted them, and Derek was even thinking about a way to retreat. But as he was thinking, the dread that had washed over Derek for some time now instantly vanished. Not only that, but moments later, he noticed that Absolute Nullify was even beginning to overpower the beasts sphere. Confused, he turned his attention back on his skill, but as he did, the boss monster roared louder than ever before. Dereks eyes quickly shot back to the beast, and he looked on as it madly broke itself out of the ground and shot into the air with enough force to crumble the earth beneath. From there, it shot back to the ground and crashed into it with a heavy thud. On the ground, in a crater of its own making, the beast rolled and thrashed about. Spatial arcs formed and shot out in all directions, destroying the surroundings even more. The power unleashed by the beast was devastating, and the entire area was beginning to resemble a wasteland. Finally, the beast paused and fell to its back. Derek watched in awe as the beasts razor-like silver claws clutched at and dug into its own chest. Blood and goremore than Avery had been able to cause the entire time with his daggersshot out from the boss because of its own attack. Whatever it was doing wasnt enough. The Starfury Leonarus slowly rolled over, its chest dripping blood, and limped up with its three remaining legs and paws. It tilted its head into the air and its chest began to expandgrowing bigger and bigger, like a giant balloon. Derek tensed in anticipation of the roar that he knew was coming. But when the beast opened its maw, a torrent of flame was released into the air. Even after a minute, the flame continued to pour out of its mouth and into the sky. The beasts legs were shaky, and it looked like it was taking everything it had just to stay upright and release the flames. Finally, its three remaining legs couldnt take it anymore, and the beast fell to the ground face first. The pressure from the flame continued, but without its open mouth to release it, small amounts of smoke and fire seeped out while its body expanded again. Attack it! Silvis weak voice chimed in Dereks head. Without questions, Derek summoned Harbinger and shifted directly above the beast. He allowed Absolute Nullify to blink out, but the other skill had already lessened so much that he was no longer worried about it. His Multi-Strike still had a short cooldown left, but Sweeping Strike was ready to go. So, with as much void energy he could channel into his glaive, he reared back and just as he was about to launch the attack; he was met with a notification that stopped him in his tracks. Congratulations! You have slain the Starfury Leonarus Chapter 333: Starfurys End Chapter 333: Starfury''s End Dereks attack died on his blade before he even released it. He canceled out Void Step and fell to the ground, landing just in front of the swollen beast. Seconds later, Avery landed beside him, followed by others who were in the fight. They were all speechlesseach of them must have gotten a notification stating that the beast was dead. What happened? Avery asked. He was as surprised as anyone else. Derek, of course, knew exactly what happened. He just didnt quite believe it. It all came to him the moment Silvi told him to attack through their bond. The dread that he felt, it was very common with something elsethe feeling of the portal from Void Travel opening up beside him. How did I not recognize it to begin with? He was too focused on the rest of the fight to really put two and two together until Silvi reached out to him. The first light feeling of dread was most likely her opening the portal from somewhere in the distance. Then the last, more heavy feeling of dread had to have come from her literally opening the portal directly inside the Starfury Leonarus. He felt dumb for not instantly recognizing the flames that the beast began spewing, too. They were obviously the dragon flames that Silvi had used in front of him a few times already. Silvi happened, Derek answered. He was proud of his small companion. She had thought outside the box for her final attack. He was no longer irritated that she had cut him off. He would have done the same if he was setting up an attack like that. Silvi? Where is she? Vanessa asked. Derek pointed at the beast which was slowly deflating. After a few more moments, it had returned back to its previous size, which was still massive, but it was no longer inflated. Finally, the beast started shaking, which caused almost everyone to take a step back. Eventually, the shaking made its way to the head, then, the mouth openedrevealing a small, soot covered beast. Silvi was well, she was naked. Gone was her cloak, collar, and storage rings. Derek even noticed that some of the dark spots on her fur werent actually soot, they were burn and singe marks. She must have injured herself while burning the beast up from the inside. Mostly, her small muzzle and nose were nothing but scarred, burned flesh. But the flesh was slowly repairing itself right in front of everyones eyes. Derek felt bad. His companion was beat all to hell. He quickly searched in his storage bracelet to find the best healing potions he had, then unstoppered it and ran over to Silvi. He kneeled before holding the vial out. Here, drink this. Silvi tilted her head back, and Derek poured the liquid into her mouth. Combined with her endurance and vitality, the healing properties of the potion didnt take long to kick in. She had also closed her eyes and began meditating to expedite the process. Soon, she was technically back to one-hundred percent. Her fur still needed to grow back. Derek would have to ask Roman about a potion for that when he got back. He still wasnt sure how stats affected hair. It was something he never thought about. I cant believe that you did that, Silvi, Derek said. I dont know whether to thank you or scold you for putting yourself in so much danger. At that time, Walter came running out from where the TIme Prison was. He was carrying Silvis collar and rings. When he arrived, he handed the equipment to Derek, who reached out and put the collar around her neck. With the collar around her neck, Silvi opened her eyes and her cloak magically appeared back on her back. Put my rings in my pockets, she said. Derek laughed and slowly dropped her extra storage rings inside her small pockets sewn into her cloak. There you go, he said. Now, why did you do that? It deserved it, she replied seriously. Then, the old Silvi came back and her eyes brightened. And I get to cook it, right? Derek couldnt help but laugh. Everyone was fighting for their lives, and she was worried about doing the final bit of damage so she could use her skill on such a monster. If he was being honest, he looked forward to seeing what she could create from the lion. Ive never had lion before. I never would have thought Id ever want lion before. But after seeing and tasting the plain steaks from the wyvern, he couldnt wait to see what she made out of the lion. Oh, no! Walter called out, then ran over in one direction. What? Derek frowned and followed the healer with his eyes. Soon, Walter stopped, then a flood of water poured out of his hands. Derek watched as the man lifted a body into the airit was Cain Ibarra, the Guild Master of the Adventurers Guild in the capital. Derek had wondered what had happened to the guy. He had taken Silvis place when she went to regenerate, but Derek hadnt heard from him since the boss began shooting stars. Derek rushed over and sighed in relief. The man wasnt deadjust unconscious. Somehow, he had survived having half of his side blown off. Luckily, the attack didnt seem to have hit his heart, brain, or limbs. And because Walter got to him before he was thrown into a Dying State, the man should be fine after a while. That was a close one, Derek said as he walked up to Walter. Let me look at it, Elena said. Kierons healed. She was in a Dying State earlier, so she just needs some rest and shell regain consciousness. Sure Derek said, and sat beside the top healer. Then, with his leg stretched out, he undid his Void Creation. The prosthetic instant vanished and blood begin to pour out. Huh Elena blurted out. Fascinating. She stared at his missing foot in awe. What is it? he asked. Hold on, she said, then, she reached out and held her hand over his leg. Green light spilled from it, and he watched as his foot began to regrowand fast. What!? What is it? Derek asked. I thought only Tristan had the ability to regrow limbs. He is the only person who can regrow limbs she muttered. But your body its like it has its own memory and its regrowing it for you. Im only helping with the healing. Derek frowned. Could it be because of my endurance and vitality? Theyre maxed well, over max. The question marks? Elena asked. Something like that, Derek said. He actually didnt have the question marks beside his stats anymore. No, she replied. That cant be it. Ive healed people who have broken through the final threshold in either endurance or vitality. Neither showed signs of regrowing their own limbs. They didnt have both maxed out, but surely one would have shown something. Its got to be the evolution. My body was completely rebuilt by the void. It even changed my race. Derek didnt know what to tell her. I dont think I can tell her about the evolution without messing with that forced oath. I guess Im just special. Sure Elena said as the rest of his foot regrew. Then, she moved on to his battered knee on his other leg and healed it up. Everybody has their secrets. Derek nodded. Thanks. He rubbed his knee, and wincednot because it hurt, but because of the massive hole in the armor hed just received. Tyrons going to be pissed. Im going to go help Tristan. Everyones stable now. We just need to keep some wounds from healing over. The others are fine. Elena got up and walked away. Derek also stood and went and examined everyone else. Wait, wheres Bones and Ogre? He hadnt seen them since he came in. Finally, he looked over at the cell that Ogre used to stay in, and the door was shut as tight as it could be without actually being shut. He walked over and tugged on it. After a slight resistance, it opened. What are the two of you doing? He asked once he saw that they were both untouched. Well, Bones began. I thought it best for us to stay away from your other visitors for the time being, so before they arrived, we moved to a cell. From the commotion outside, I am happy we did. Me too, Derek replied. Good job. Bones nodded. The boss is dead. All thats left is going to the orb and completing the dungeon, Derek said. Then we can get out of here. Chapter 334: Post Fight Chapter 334: Post Fight Derek left Bones and Ogre in their cell and turned to walk out. The two former captives had decided that they might as well stay in the cell until everything was completely over. There was no sense in leaving it if they couldnt come outside, anyway. Actually, would they be able to leave the prison once we gather the rewards and the dungeon is complete? He wondered. I may have to try it once we complete the dungeon. With that thought, he surveyed all the injured and dead once again and sighed. Then he turned back to the door to the outside and began to walk forward. But no sooner than when he took his first step, he was interrupted by a frantic Silvi. Derek! Its awful. Its terrible! Silvis childlike voice rang out in his head. Hed never heard her so panicked. Hurry! I need help! Without any delay, Derek rushed forward, out of the Time Prison, then he shifted into the void. He quickly pulled himself through a rift and appeared next to Silvi before canceling Void Shift. Silvi, whats wrong? Is everybody okay? Is there another monster? Derek frantically looked around at those who were not in the Time Prison and their surroundings. Help! Make it stop! Silvi cried out once again, this time through her collar with her communication crystals. What is it? At that time, Avery walked forward and tapped Derek on the shoulder. Derek looked at him, then, without saying anything, the archer pointed toward the motionless body of the Starfury Leonarus. Derek followed the direction and his eyes landed on the beast. He frowned. What is it? he asked. However, before anyone responded, Derek saw that dark blue and black specks of light were detaching themselves from the corpse before floating up into the air over the dungeon orb and disappearing into it. Is it? No! That was his and Silvis loot. Hed been screwed out of rewards too many times, and he doubted the final dungeon reward would be any different. Plus, he wanted to know what Silvis Cook What You Kill skill would do for such a beast. He was already looking forward to the meal. He couldnt just let it disappear. Derek rushed forward with the intent of storing the remaining corpse into his storage ring. Weve already tried to store it, Avery said from behind him. Nothing worked. Dereks hand went directly through the corpse and he couldnt put it in the ring. What about my bracelet? His bracelet worked a little differently than the ringsit could even store spatial rings, so maybe it could stop the nonsense playing out in front of him. Derek put his hand, and bracelet, through the incorporeal beast and willed it to go inside his bracelet. Once again, he was let down. This isnt over. With one last ditch effort, Derek tore a hole in the space directly over the beast. If normal methods of storing it didnt work, the maybe Void Storage would be able to. Alas, he had no way to move the incorporeal beast into the Void Storage. He even tried shifting into the void to see if he could gain purchase on the corpse that way. With his final attempt at saving the materials from the Starfury Leonarus thwarted, Derek walked back to Silvi, defeated. Theres nothing I can do, he said. Derek was actually much more disappointed with himself over losing the materials for Silvi than he thought he should have been. It hit him in the gut almost as bad as losing five members of the raid party. His companion had given so much in the battle, and risked her life at the end to defeat the beast, yet the only thing she wanted from doing so was disappearing in front of their eyes. And its all my fault because the stupid system seems to want to screw me over time and time again. Im sorry, Derek said to Silvi as he reached down and place his hand on her head. Well have to find some other things for you and your skill. Once everything is over here and in the kingdom, well go find some good dungeons or something. Silvi wasnt looking so good. She was totally healed, other than the few missing patches of fur, but she actually looked worse off right now than she had when she had made her way out from inside the beast. Promise? she asked. I promise, Derek said. It is close to the top of our to do list. With that promised, Silvi disappeared and reappeared on Dereks shoulder. For the next five minutes, they stood and watched the remainder of the boss monster disappear from in front of them. Nobody else chose to speak during the sightit was a solemn moment. Finally, the corpse of the beast had completely disappeared into the dungeon orb, and the orb began glowing brighter and spinning. It just sat there spinning, doing nothing else. I guess thats it, Derek thought. Time to be ripped off again. Is everyone ready to finish this dungeon and collect our loot? Derek asked. The mood around him shifted to excitement at the mention of finishing the dungeonor, more likely, collecting the loot. Okay, here I go. Derek, with Silvi still perched on his shoulder, moved in front of the dungeon orb, then placed his hand on it and waited for the completion status. Soon, the notification he had been both waiting for and dreading popped up. Dungeon Complete Assigning Rewards Skill Scroll: Spatial Redirection Upon activation, the user will learn the skill, Spatial Redirection. As this is a skill from a scroll, no skill points are required, and it will not be forgotten upon class change. Would you like to learn? Y/N Yes. He mentally agreed. Congratulations You have learned the skill, Spatial Redirection. Derek inwardly jumped for joy. On the outside, he couldnt keep a smile from appearing on his face. To be honest, it was another defensive type or utility type skill, but it still fit perfectly with his meatshield defensive build hed had since the system arrived on Earth. I wonder if it will be affected by my affinity. My affinity is void, which seems to be a combination of space and time, so maybe He thought that, but he couldnt really see how affinity would help with a defensive skill such as Spatial Redirection. Maybe it will increase the power of the attacks that can be redirected or something. Derek shrugged. He would look over the skill, his stats, and upgrades later. For now, he wanted to move on to what was next. Thats the third Title Ive received from the other system, and also the third Title that I couldnt have. He wondered if those titles were things that were now just in the wind and forgotten, or if the other system was saving them and he would eventually get to a point where he could receive them. No use thinking about it right now. Instead, he turned and looked at the others. Each one of themfrom Avery and Vanessa to Walter and Shaehad dumb grins on their faces. They had all obviously received something great. Though it didnt look like any of them had received items or skill scrolls like he had. So, what did you get? Derek asked Avery, who was the closest person to him other than Silvi. Avery broke himself out of his stupor and looked Derek up and down, his eyes eventually falling on his new boots. Nice boots were those your reward? he asked quizzically. Yup, Derek said. Hmm I cant Identify them. Strange Derek shrugged. He hadnt bothered to try to Identify them yet, either. For now, he only knew that they were comfortable as hell. What about you? What did you get? This raid dungeon has been pretty good in terms of physical growth. And the three rewards for completing the dungeon are enough to make even Alanah somewhat jealous, Avery said. Oh? You really dont get the same rewards as others, do you? Avery frowned. I thought you were acting weird in the last trial. Now I know. Dont worry, I wont ask for details about it or anything. Derek nodded. Thanks. I couldnt give you the details, even if I wanted to. Well, Avery started. First were the stat points. 75 free points to put anywhere. Thats pretty damn good, all things considered. Next, we received 4 Skill Upgrade Points, which are always useful. Finally, and I think we all received it, we got an Achievement for completing a dungeon at maximum rarity. All dungeons have a 5% chance of rewarding higher rarity rewards at the end now. Hmm Those rewards were good and all, and Derek would very much like the Achievement and Skill Upgrade Points, but, being overstatted as he was, he actually preferred his rewards. I still have plenty of Void Beast meals to increase my strength, and can get more any time I want. Plus, Roman should have a lot of the potions made in the time it''s taken to complete the dungeon. Those even give dexterity. Oh, Avery said. And all of that was doubled since we were the first ones to complete the dungeon. 150 stat points, 8 Skill Upgrade Points, and the Achievement even gives a 10% change to upgrade the rarity of rewards. Dammit! Derek inwardly cursed. 8 Skill Upgrade Points would have ugh He really was still missing out. But this time, at least he was going to walk away with something to show for it. Congratulations! Derek said, able to keep any of the bitterness out of his words. Avery nodded. Edgar is going to be pissed. Derek laughed. At least he could take comfort in the fact that he wasnt the only person who didnt receive the personal rewards. Yes, yes, he will be. Chapter 335: Leaving? Chapter 335: Leaving? With all the rewards for the dungeon divvied out, and everyone who was outside going around happily discussing them, Derek was left with only a couple of things left to do. First, he looked around, and was happy to see that there was nothing left that needed to be packed by anyonethey had done a good job of storing everything before the boss fight. So, with that in mind, before they left the dungeon, he only needed to get everyone out of his Time Prison. He also wanted to see if Bones or Ogre would be allowed to come out now that rewards had been given. Derek, Silvi, Avery, who seemed eager to leave after bragging about his rewards, and Walter, who had finished stabilizing Cain and left him with Shae before catching back up with Derek and the others, all turned away from the rest and moved back to his Time Prison. If he had tested it before, Derek wouldnt have been worried about just closing his skill and leaving the dungeon with everyone still inside. In fact, that would have been better because of the number of injured or unconscious people still inside. He didnt know what they were going to be getting into when they appeared back at the dungeon entrance in Cydaria, so having them in his Time Prison would keep them safe. Unfortunately, because he hadnt experimented with putting anyone in while inside a dungeon, then taking them out once they left it, he didnt want to risk getting them stuck in his prisonthe system was fickle. So he needed to move everyone out, whether they were healed or not. After the short walk, Derek reentered his Time Prison and headed directly toward Elena. When the woman saw him enter, she turned her head toward him and the others and gave them a nod and a smile as they approached. Did everyone in here received the rewards? Derek asked. He hoped that being inside the Time Prison hadnt cut everyone off from the system and kept them from being rewards. We did, Elena nodded. They made for quite the power boost in stats and skills. A reward fitting for such a terrible dungeon. Especially if you add the other rewards for the trials, Avery said. Yes, Elena replied. She then turned her head and nodded solemnly at Tristan Allister. It seems the Allister boy is making the most use out of his rewards. I believe he spent every Skill Upgrade Point he received leveling his special healing skillthe one that allows him to regrow limbs. Derek looked over at the young man. He actually didnt know how old anybody in the dungeon was except for Silvi and Edgar, who had left, so he didnt count. Elena calling Tristan the Allister boy made him wonder about his age. He also wondered if Tristan spent his skills just to be a better healer and of more use, or if he did it so Cierra wouldnt have to wait as long to be completely healed this time. Why cant it be both? Derek shrugged. Shrugging the thought off, Derek asked Elena, Is everyone ready to leave the Time Prison so we can go homback to Cydaria? Derek caught himself before he called Cydaria home out loud. He had built his shop and did consider it home, but it was hard for him to say it aloudespecially with the promise hed just given Silvi. Who knew where they may have to go to get her some good ingredients? Elena looked over at everyone and frowned. Almost. I wanted to wait for everyone to wake up naturally before taking them out. Ill help, Walter said, then, when Elena agreed, walked off and began going over everyone with his own healing skills. It was odd seeing the different types of healing all in one room. There was light healing, water healing, and there was even healing that used a green auraDerek guessed that was the wood element or something close. In that case, Ill be waiting outside for you. Do your best to get them ready as soon as possible. It may be best to force them conscious if you can do it without hurting them, Derek said. Every second counts. It always did, but now, the delay is on us. Who knows whats going on outside right now? Give us ten minutes, max. If we cant slowly bring them to, I have a way to forcefully wake them. Its just really disorienting, especially if youre waking from being in a previous Dying State, Elena replied. Good enough, Derek nodded, then went over to bones cell while Avery exited the Time Prison. Bones, Derek said when he opened the door. Hop up and follow me. I need to see if you can leave my skill now that rewards have been given. By the way, you didnt happen to receive any rewards, did you? Bones stood up and walked out of the cell, leaving Ogre sitting alone. I did not, but it seems that the rewards were quite well received. Even in the state some of the people in here are in, they couldnt hold back their excitement. Yeah, they were okay, I guess, Derek replied. After a short while, Derek passed through the threshold of the Time Prison, then turned around to look back at Bones. Well? Can you come out? Lets see, Bones said. He then took a step forward and frowned slightly. Then, he moved his hand forward, and it stuck on an invisible barrier. It was the same one that kept him or his skills from leaving the Time Prison before. It seems that Ogre and myself must remain inside here until you leave the dungeon, after all. Thats unfortunate, Derek said. But very informative. Thank you. You can go back to your cell. Everyone should clear out of there within the next few minutes. Well be back before you know it. Bound to User Unleash an attack with the fury of a star. Right, very helpful. Derek chuckled. At least I know where the corpse of the beast went to. The other system must have used it to make the boots, and probably the skill scrolls, as well. Now how do I use these things? Derek focused on the boot on his right foot, and nothing happened. Then he thought about how he activated Material Drain with Harbinger. He felt a tug come from the bootlike it needed something else. With realization, Derek slowly began channeling some of his mana into the boot. Intensely, he watched as the more mana he channeled into the piece of equipment, the faster the stars floating on the boot became. It was just like how they had been spinning inside the beasts final attack that was stopped before it had a chance to do any damage. Is that the attack these boots received? The longer he channeled mana into the boot, the more heat came off of it. Derek glanced up for a moment and saw that most of the party members were staring at him and had begun to back away. Yeah, probably not the best idea right now. Derek stopped the flow of mana and canceled whatever skill he was teeing up. He had an idea about what the boots would do, and he was excited. The other system had given him a piece of equipment that he was pretty sure would unleash a pretty devastating attack. The only problem is that its power is basically capped where it is right now. I certainly cant increase the level of the boots. I dont even know if Tyron would be able to repair them, either. Not to mention that the boots are bound to me. I guess the other system didnt want anybody else getting their hands on them. That was interesting, Avery walked over and said as he stared down intently at Dereks new boots. I take it theyre pretty good? I cant know for certain, Derek shrugged. But I think they may be okay. He inwardly grinned. He really wanted a place to use them just to see. I guess its finally time to go back, Avery said as he looked over his shoulder. Yeah. Seven losses are rough, though, he replied. He turned to see what Avery was looking at and saw the remaining party members making their way out of his Time Prison. Some looked fine, but some acted a little groggy. Believe it or not, its better than most new dangerous dungeons. At least percent wise, Avery said. Some elite dungeons have been known to take out multiple full parties before one comes back with a completioneven if the party is full of elites. I guess. Derek shrugged. Finally, Elena walked out with a very groggy Kieron Dawson, leaning on her as they moved forward. With that, it was everyone. Derek quickly moved and passed by everyone on their way out. He ducked inside the prison for a moment and gave it a quick scan. Seeing only Bones and Ogre coming out of the cell, Derek ducked back out and closed the door before ending the skill. In a few moments, Derek was back at the dungeon orb with everyone around him. Is everyone ready? Can we wait just one more minute? Jasper asked. Terry couldnt fit inside the spaces door, so I had him run far away. Terry? Derek thought, then remembered the mans companion. I guess thats its name. Not long after, Terry made its appearance, and everyone was ready. Ready? Derek asked, and everyone nodded. Remember, we dont know whats waiting for us on the other side. Be prepared. Derek placed his hand on the dungeon orb and chose to leave the dungeon. One by one, the light washed over all the party members, and they disappeared from the dungeon. Derek blinked as his feet found solid footing. He was finally out of the dungeon. However, something was wrong. He wasnt in the cave they had originally found the dungeon orb in. Instead, he was in an empty room with gray walls surrounding him. Confused, Derek looked, but couldnt find anyone other than Silvi, who was still on his shoulder. Whats going on? He was about to move to look around, but was halted by a voice. Mr. Hunt Silvi its nice to finally meet you? Chapter 336: Dave Chapter 336: Dave Derek drew his glaive and Silvi tensed on his shoulder. There was a voice, but nobody visible. In fact, Derek couldnt feel the presence of anyone or anything. Whos there? No need to be so anxious, the voice said. Im not here to hurt you. That didnt help Derek relax at all. He was supposed to be in Cydaria with the rest of his party, but he and Silvi had been what? Intercepted? By someone or something? So no, he wasnt going to relax. Fine, fine, the voice chuckled. Out of nowhere, a figure began to fade into being. Derek watched as the figure solidified right before his eyes. Silvi grew even more tense on his shoulder where she was sitting. After a short amount of time, a fully solid figure was standing before them. How is this? the figure asked. Derek took in the sight in front of him. The figure seemed to be a young member of the elven race. From his feet to his neck, he was covered in a brown robeon which matched his medium length brown hair and deep brown eyes. The person in front of him had the same trademark pointy ears as all the other elves Derek had met. The elven man was about half a foot shorter than Derek, maybe 56 or 57, and he stared at the two companions with questioning eyes and a half smirk. Other than that, his features were basic. Derek had seen some elvesactually, all elves that Derek had the pleasure of meeting had been much more beautiful than the one standing in front of him. If anything, he would say that the elf in front of him was more like an elf with human featuresother than the ears. He had a plain face and a slightly pointed nose. Nothing really stood out about the elf. In fact, nothing at all stood out about the elf. Derek could feel no energy coming from the young looking elven man. Even if he focused hard, if he shut his eyes, it was like there was no one standing there. Forget relaxing. This made Derek even more anxious. Who are you? Derek cautiously asked. Who am I? the man asked as he took a step forward, causing Derek to take a step back. Thats not of real importance right now. Were here to talk about youyou and your companion. But, if you need a name, you can call me Dave. Hmm yes, Dave will work. The man smiled as he took another step forward. Now, have a seat. Weve things to discuss and little time to do so. Derek took another step away from the man, but to his surprise, he tripped over something and fell backinto a recliner. What the!? He couldnt help but look around in awe at the chair he was in. It was thread for thread, identical to some of the reclining chairs Derek had seen or even used back on Earth. This was not something hed seen since arriving in Cydaria. They had some cushioned seats, especially the ones hed gotten for his shop, but never had he seen such a lazy comfortable chair. Coffee? the man asked, and before Dereks eyes, a coffee table appeared next to him with a steaming cup of coffee sitting directly in the middle. It is a very good beverage, might I add? Feeling overwhelmed and struggling to keep up, Dereks body reacted on its own as he reached out and took the handle of the coffee cup and brought the drink up to his nose. It was a heavenly aroma of the smoky and earthiness that comes with a perfectly brewed cup of dark roasted coffee. Hey! Stop it! Silvis words coming from her collar broke Derek out of his thoughts and he sat the cup back down without taking a sip. Derek looked over to his shoulder, thankful to his companion for seeing that he was out of sorts. Wheres mine? then he nearly facepalmed as she requested her own treat. Of course, I wouldnt leave you out. How rude of me would it be to not offer my other guest refreshments? Instantly, another table appeared on the opposite side of the coffee table. This one, however, had a cushion on one side and a few dishes and bowls of liquid sat out in front of it. The cushion was perfectly sized for the small bunny, and she knew it. Before Derek could stop her, she was sitting on the cushion and sniffing at the bowl, then, she gently stuck out her tongue and touched it to the liquid inside. She drew back and closed her eyes before opening them and looking at the elven man who had somehow found his own seat while Derek was distracted by Silvi. Yum. Very sweet. Give me the recipe. For someone who says we dont have much time, you sure are taking your own, Derek said before the man could respond to Silvi. Discussions are much smoother when everyone is comfortable. The man shrugged. It means that your body naturally reached an evolution point with its affinity, and assistance had to be requested to help in the evolution. But instead of the assistance I wanted, the damn Origin System came and assisted. For the first time, Dave seemed to get heated about something. Why is that a bad thing? Derek asked. In the long run? It isnt at least not for you, Dave replied after calming. In the short term? You can no longer be rewarded internal rewards in this system. That means no direct stats, no direct skill points, no direct upgrade points Why? Derek asked. Dave gestured wide at the surroundings. Because your body has evolved past the point of interference from us. If thats so, why am I still able to obtain experience points or increase my skill levels? Derek asked. And what about my durability? Shouldnt have that increased? That beast didnt have a problem taking my foot off, after all. Thats gathered essence quantified into something easy to understand, not directly increasing your level and skills. And the evolution has increased the amount of essence your body can absorb to fit with your high affinity. But Dave waved that away. But that is neither here nor there. The problem is that once the Origin System came, it became interested. And what does that mean? Derek asked. He did have some questions about experience points, but he would let the man finish what he wanted before he asked. With it there, the Great System Derek didnt miss the man rolling his eyes at the name of the system. Defaulted to its basics and we could no longer interfere. You interfered before? Derek asked. Of course I interfered before. I made sure you received the best offensive skill in the reward pool after the second trial. But did you use the Dragon Fire scroll? Nope. You just stored it away. At least it ended up going to someone who can make use of it. The elf looked at Silvi, who was still munching away on her refreshments. But then you evolved. What about the Achievement from the whale? Derek asked. That was after I evolved. That wasnt a dungeon reward, Dave replied. It is a universal title or achievement. Oh Derek thought. Then the Achievement everyone got at the end of the dungeon was specific to the Great System and its dungeons. Avery said that it was for completing a dungeon at the highest difficulty. I guess difficulty is relevant based on the system. Just how many systems are there? Hed finally gotten some system names, though. Theres the Great System, the Universal System, and the Origin System. Well thats answers that question, Derek said. Now, I somehow got to the point to evolve, but the current system couldnt handle it, so it requested assistance. Then, instead of whoever was supposed to help came, this Origin System decided that I was interesting and decided it would help. What else? The man sighed. Because part of it was interested, instead of helping you through the evolution and going on its way, it decided to keep an eye on the dungeon. Then, it decided to test you with a little challenge. I admit, I am not thrilled about lives being lost due to the Origin Systems whims. But there is nothing I can do there. Derek snorted. Hypocrite. You just confessed to doing the same thing with me when I arrived. The elven man looked amused by Derek. May I continue? Go ahead. Chapter 337: Dave II Chapter 337: Dave II Luckily, once you passed whatever test the Origin System gave youwhich I assume had to do with that Starfury beastthe system only lingered for a short time longer before disappearing when you left the dungeon. Thus, giving us the opportunity to have a chat, Dave explained. So how is knowing this supposed to help me? Derek questioned. Ah, you see. Knowledge is power. As I said before, in the long run, everything will be for the bestat least for you. In the meantime, knowing what has happened to you may allow you to prepare for what may come. Still, Derek had some things about experience that he wanted to know. The talk of essence had bugged him a bit. Okay, I understand that, but I have some questions. Will you answer them? Maybe, the man replied. Questions about what has already happened to you I will answer, but other questions well see. I want to know about experience. You said that experience is essence thats quantified into numbers, which makes it easy to understand? Then why do some classes give fewer stat points per level than the other if our bodies are able to hold the same amount? Derek asked. Quality, Dave answered. A beast at your own level that you slay tends to give around ten percent of their total unabsorbed essence, that is, for a regular system user with a common class. For rarer classes, which, if you havent guessed yet, are earned from higher affinity, systems help compress the essence into a more compatible form for your higher affinity. Thus, causing higher rarity classes to need more essence to level up. I see The same is true for skills, except they absorb the natural essence around you. Naturally, this causes some problems. What do you mean? The two skills you received from the Origin System. I am unable to see them, but I imagine they dont have a level? the man asked. Yes, they say N/A, Derek answered. That is because the natural essence in this system isnt of high enough quality to support and enhance them. The one that allows you to move freely anywherewhich apparently included in my dungeonswould not work as well in a system with more dense, high-quality essence. But, it would be able to level and reach that stage and more. Its a very interesting skill. Dave nodded. Void Travel, Derek said. And I was wondering about that. The description says that it may cause harm to things in separate spaceslist storage rings and possible my Time Prison. And Silvi experienced that first hand with her ingredients. Awful, terrible skill, Silvi chimed in. How would that affect a person? Derek asked. I dont know, Dave replied. I know little about the void or its inner workings. That will be something for you to find out. Perhaps when you level the skill, it will allow you to bring others along without harm. What about Void Storage? Derek asked, remembering that it said N/A, too. Ah, that was a basic void skill that I had access to. It grows with your affinity and intelligence. The higher quality essence used to level, the better for skills like those. Which brings me to my other questionskills, Derek said. Why are my skills so utility? I want to say that utility is the nature of the void, but I cant. Void affinity skills are controlled and not easy to come by. As are time affinity skills, and a few others. The skills you have been awarded are the skills we have. And we pushed it a little with Void Call and Time Prison, he explained. What do you mean? Derek asked. Your build has been a very defensive build that is neigh unkillable and uncapturable in this system. There is nothing wrong with that, but as you tend to prefer solo fights or ones with just a companion or two, you need some offensive skills. Exactly, Derek said. Hed been thinking the same thing. First, Ill give you this to help round out your current build, then we can discuss other skills. In the mans hand, a skill scroll appeared. This had all the signs of it coming from his storage ring instead of fading into existence out of nowhere. He tossed the scroll to Derek and he caught it. Derek gave it a cursory look and nodded. It was a Skill Scroll of Mental Resistance. So by round out my current build, he meant in resistances. With this, Ill have all three. Though, this is something I could have gotten eventually by trading with the royal family. Learn it, the man said. Youre not passing things I give you personally off to others. He didnt need to be told twice. Derek quickly accept the confirmation and learned the skill. Resistance skills are lower tier skills, but are rare everywhere, as they work on all levels especially if you have all three. Derek nodded. I see Now for the offensive skills. As I said before, time affinity and void affinity skillsespecially so in the form of scrollsare very controlled and limited. That leaves us with the space affinity if you want skills that are compatible with your void affinity. I do have a nice peak space affinity skill scroll for this system, and it is very compatible with your glaive. Another scroll appeared in the mans hand and he tossed it to Derek. What do you think? Derek raised his eyebrows at the name of the skill. Spatial Rend. Seems violent, he said. Very much so, the man agreed. But isnt that what offensive skills are for? What does it do? Its an unpredictable attack that appears where you direct it. It is very hard to stop by normal defenses, and cuts created contain the attacks properties, which makes the healing process much more complicated, Dave explained. Ill take it, Derek said with a smile. That was something he was going to need if he had to fight more enemies with high vitality and enduranceor upgrade meditation skills. An ability that hinders regeneration and healing would be perfect for him. He definitely watched the Starfury fight. Lets see I have some spatial teleportation and storage skillsincluding the spatial skill used to make storage ringsbut you already have skills like those. And no, you are not getting that skill to give it to that little crafter girl. Barrier constriction movement no infusion? no, not as good as Channel Void ah how about Spatial Collapse? What does it do? Derek asked. Its the ability to collapse space around a target. The skill starts small, but gets better. It is a skill in combination with the gravity affinity, but it is still mostly space. For some targets, the skill would mean instant death, others may have the strength to withstand it, and it will just hinder their movements with the pressure from the collapse. Derek thought about it for a bit. They are both ranged skills, arent they? Yes, that is what you need. Ill take it, too. Derek agreed, and the man tossed him the other scroll. Now, what to give your other half? Silvi looked up from her meal and licked her lips. Recipes! Ingredients! Opposable thumbs! Chapter 338: Dave III Chapter 338: Dave III Recipes, ingredients, and opposable thumbs? Dave questioned with a laugh. I think I can do something about those first two requests, but that last ones a bit much. There are some transformation skillsnone of which I havethat could grant you opposable thumbs for a certain amount of time, but I cant seem to recall any turning a beast into a human or human-like being. Youd most likely be turning into a different beast that happens to have thumbs, and I cant imagine that transformation from your current form being easy or painless. Besides, if you truly wanted changes with your current self, then your evolutionthe one assisted by the Origin Systemwould have helped build you a body that matches your ideal form. Instead, it helped you move away from pure void into a hybrid crafting class, and it even changed your race, but your form barely changed at all, the man explained. Derek took it all in. This Dave was extremely knowledgeable and much too generous. He had taken the time to explain some things that had been plaguing Derek since he arrived in this world actually, even before that. Hed answered questions hed had ever since the system first came to Earth. And now, he was even going out of his way to help Silviif she was even paying attention to his explanationit didnt look like she care much about what hed been saying. So, while he would receive the items hed been given, he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Then ingredients and recipes! Silvi said, seemingly not too upset about his explanation. If Derek were to be honest, he preferred Silvi the way she was. If she wanted to change that, it would be fine, but he just couldnt imagine her being some type of bunny girl orheaven forbidsome transformed bunny ape just so she could obtain a pair of opposable thumbs. How would that even work? Would she be considered some beast chimera if she transformed like that? Recipes and ingredients I can do, Dave said, drawing Dereks attention back in. The fact that he planned on giving Silvi any rewards at all was interesting. That was one of the upsides and the drawbacks that hed always known about their bondthey count as one person in a dungeon, but at the same time, they only get rewarded as one. For recipes, there are a few that I can think of which you may find interesting, Dave said. One is for your precious Void Beasts. With it, you will be able to squeeze more out of the prepared meals than some of the other recipes floating around on this planet. It may not be very helpful to you currently, but it could end up being very handy in the future. There are two others which are personal favorites of mine. Ill have to change some things around so they work with the materials you currently have access tothe benefits may be dramatically reduced, but the taste should still be quite good. With that, instead of taking out a scroll or something, Dave brought out some paper and a writing utensil. In seconds, he wrote down some recipes on the paper, then handed them off to Silvi. Here you go. As a chef, Im sure you can change the recipes to suit your own taste. They are yours to do with as you wish. As for ingredients, I believe you wont have any problems finding base ingredients such as meats and the like, so I have some seasonings that could work. Its best to use them sparingly. Too much can ruin a dish and may even cause harm. Two small containers full of spices appeared in the mans hand. The first container had a flaky red-colored spice or herb in it, reminding Derek of some of the crushed red peppers hed always enjoyed, but a bit more slivery than crushed. The other container contained something he really couldnt compare with anything he could remember. It was an extremely fine green powderlike if garlic powder or even cinnamon powder was green. As soon as the mans grip loosened on the two containers, they both quickly floated up and swiftly moved in front of Silvis eyes. After a short time, it seemed Silvi figured out how the containers worked, as part of the top of the green powder opened, and she brought it to her nose. She took in a deep breath, then released it happily before storing the powder. Though I imagine essenceor levelgrowth will be the least of your problems in the future. Thats the easy part for everyone. Affinity is the problem. Dave gave Derek a knowing look, but Derek didnt really get why. Sure, it seemed that him reaching 50% or even higher in his Affinity seemed to be something impressive. Otherwise, why would this Origin System take so much interest in me? Going as far as to give me a challenge to complete in the process. What do you mean? Derek asked. Dave waved the question off. Youll find out sooner or later. For now, it seems that our time has come to an end. With a swipe of his hand, everything other than where Derek and Silvi were sitting disappeared. Much longer and your raid party may find you missing. Now, hurry and learn those two skills before I take them away. Derek laughed and injected his mana into each of the two skill scrolls Dave had given him. First Spatial Rend was consumed, then Spatial Collapse. He was excited to try out his new skills, and he also wanted to level up his new Mental Resistance skill as fast as possiblehe had the perfect person to go to for help, too. Good, Dave said Up, up. The man waved his hand, and both Derek and Silvi raised off their seats, then were gently placed how they were when they camewith Derek standing and Silvi sitting on his shoulder. Then, before his eyes, everything else in the room disappeared, and Derek and Silvi were left standing there aloneeven Dave had disappeared from the room. Derek searched, but there was no sign that anyone was or had ever been in the space with them. Is that it? Derek thought. After all that, that mans just going to send us back to the party without anything else? Hes just that kind? What? He felt bad about the Origin System interfering? I dont buy it. But soon, Derek didnt have to think about it anymore. He got his answer. Oh, and Mr. Hunt, the mans voice called out from nowhere. Yeah? Derek asked, looking up and around, but still not able to find even a trace of Dave. One day soon, Ill need a favor, the voice said and Dereks heckles rose. Here it comes, Derek said. There are no free meals. I knew it was all too good to be true. You even made me use the skill scrolls so I wouldnt throw them in your face he said on the outside, but inwardly, he had already accepted that there was no way he was getting all this information and skills out of the kindness of the mans heart. Dont be like that. What I ask of you will be beneficial to you, as well as me. A blinding white light washed over Derek and Silvi as Derek heard the man say one last thing. I do hope you accept, for both of our sakes. Chapter 339: Return Chapter 339: Return Once again, the light faded from Dereks eyes, and when he opened them, he saw the sight he had expected beforewell, somewhat. First, all the party members faded into existence at around the same time he did, actually, he and Silvi may have beaten them by a few moments. Once everyone appeared, then the three new bonded beasts appeared all at the same time. What surprised Derek the most was that he had planned on coming to in half a cave or a giant area of nothing but rubble because he knew that if Blitz appeared in the small cave when he and Edgar escaped the dungeon, the wyvern would have destroyed it just because of its sheer size alone. Instead, what met him and the others after their exit from the dungeon was a much more calm and controlled dungeon orb area. The cave was completely goneactually, everything around the dungeon orb was gone. There were no boulders, or remnants of the cave, just sand from the beach. Speaking of the dungeon orb, it had lost all vibrance, and at the same time, stopped moving and fell to the ground, dark and inactive. It looks like the raid dungeon will be inactive for a long time to come, Derek thought about what hed learned about that type of dungeon since joining the raid. Finally, after taking one last glance at the inactive dungeon orb, Derek took in the rest of his surroundings. Where the cave once connected to the water of the ocean, there was nothing but sand and the dungeon orb. Not far away from them, further inland, was what seemed to be a very small outpostone that reminded Derek of the camp that had been set up once the Undying Dungeon was found and the Adventurers Guild took it over. It seems that things are going well here, then Not long after Lyra, the biggest of the companions, made her appearance, multiple peopleguards, it seemedcame rushing over from the new outpost. The amphithere was definitely large enough to draw some attention to the party. See Dustin! I told you the orb activated again, and look, theyre all back this time, too! The first guard shouted over his shoulder as he approached the group. It seemed that Lyra hadnt been what had drawn the guards attention. Apparently, the guard had been watching the dungeon orb and had gone to get the others when it showed signs of activating. Martin! Your station. You are in front of the kingdoms elite, the trailing guardDustin, by the sound of itchided the first guard. The first guard, Martin, came to an abrupt halt and his hand went to his forehead in a salute just before the second guard crashed into him. Derek and the others all stared at the two guards and their antics, while they took in everything else. With the way theyre acting, I guess the kingdom isnt in as bad shape as I thought it could have been. I wonder if Edgar has something to do with that. Derek couldnt help but think about the information Silvi had brought to them, then Edgar leaving in a hurry to save his kingdom. This was not what he expected when he got out. Ugh, the second guard grunted as he stood. I apologize um Sirs Maams Derek took a step forward, as the guards didnt seem to know who to speak to, but he wasnt really trying to help them. He was waiting for the third person heading their way. It was an older man with long dark blond hair and gray-blue eyes. He was a handsome man for his older age. Instead of a frantic run like the other two, this man was approaching at a brisk walk. He wore a well-worn set of plate armor on top of leathers and had a longsword strapped to his hip. Get back to camp you two! the man commanded the two watchmen as he stepped in front of them. Sir! the two men saluted at once, then ran back toward where they came. I apologize for the two of them. They have been stationed at this dungeon for much longer than intended, and we have only recently been afforded the time to come bring proper management to the dungeon once it was revealed. The man bowed slightly to Derek when he finished speaking. Its not a problemrefreshing, even. Makes it seem like things on the outside arent as bad as I had imagined. Derek said with a smile. You must be Mr. Hunt, the man stated with a slight nod. Guilty, Derek said, his sense of urgency to race to Savanna calmed by the previous interactions with Dave, then with what he was met with outside the dungeon. The man nodded. Welcome back, Mr. Hu he started, but was soon cut off. Oh, I know you! Derek said as the mans face and appearance clicked in his mind. Youre the guy from the Adventurers Guild! The one who was over at the Undying Dungeon. Is there anything else? Cain asked. Anything more on the topic of the war? Just that while Prince Edgar and Ms. Swan are able to harass and keep the army back, they arent causing great losses. I believe its too risky for just the two of them to initiate a battle. So, it seems like they are doing their best to give Cydaria a chance for a breather. Other than that, I dont know anything else, Nathan replied. Im just an old man from the Adventurers Guild, after all. I dont have a high enough place to know more than the rumors that Ive already told you. That still doesnt make sense, Avery replied. Mistress isnt so sympathetic to risk herself like that with Edgar. Defending Savannah is one thing she promised to keep Dereks friends safe, after all. But risking her own neck for the kingdom as a whole? I dont get it. As I said, Mr. Swan. I do not know any more than that. From the rumors, it seems that she is selflessly protecting the kingdom, Nathan reiterated. If you want to know more than that, I suggest speaking to her or King Edwin. King Edwin! Derek was startled by Silvis voice suddenly appearing in his thought. That Old Sparky is waiting for me. I almost forgot. We need to go see him! What? Derek asked. The reward for saving Little Sparky. I bet hes gathered it by now. We need to hurry. Oh that, Derek almost chuckled. Derek nodded to Nathan. Is there anything you need with us? Or are we free to go as we please? Ah, yes, Nathan replied. It would be very helpful if I could get a recounting of the dungeon in as much detail as possible for our records and future attempts. And we are able to offer some aid and rest in the camp if you would like. Sure, Derek said, then turned around and looked over the rest of the group, who were listening attentively. Finally, his eyes landed on the person he was looking for. Elena. You and Jasper go with Nathan and give him the details of the dungeon. Between the two of you, you experienced all the trials except for trial four. Okay, Elena replied and Jasper nodded. And well take Nathan up on that rest, too. System knows we need it. Great, Derek said, then turned back to Nathan. As for trial four, I completed it myself. It was an epic rarity duel against a big ass swimming and flying toxic whale with either insane regeneration or its regeneration only seeming insane because of how big it was. It was basically an entire island of nothing but whale. Once in the duel, the escape scrolls were inactive. We lost one of our members because of that. I would suggest mental attacks, or maybe lightning. Anyone who relies on being on the ground is a sitting duck, Derek finished. While Derek was talking, Nathan had already found his way to a notebook and was frantically scribbling down notes. And how did you defeat it, if I may ask? I out survived it and killed it from within, Derek answered. I dont suggest that as a way to deal with it, though. I just happened to be suitable for such a fight. Got it, Nathan said. Anything else? Thats it. Elena and Jasper know the rest, Derek replied. Is there a working teleporter anywhere around here? Unfortunately, there is not, Nathan said. Most of the kingdoms teleporters are still inactive due to the current invasion. Only a few of the main cities still have active ones. I see Derek replied, then turned to his right and looked at Avery. Any chance me and Silvi can catch a ride to Savannah? Its about time we get back. Derek smiled as he looked off in a certain direction. It was time to go home. Chapter 340: Kelvins Complaints Chapter 340: Kelvin''s Complaints Dammit Darvin! Im telling you, the kids not cut out for it. If you do this, youre basically sending recruits out to die. Theres no way hes fit for a leadership role. Kelvin burst through the door to Darvins office and began his tirade before the Malaxi even had time to look up from his screen. Kelvin! What did I tell you about coming to me over this matter? Darvin looked up from the studies he was working on and shouted at Kelvin. He was sick and tired of the man always bothering him over the growth of the new human recruit. The kid has the stats, levels, and skills to be one of your Lieutenants already. Not to mention the Titles he received from the system during the tutorial phase for his planet. Like hell I would ever give a soulless psychopath like Jace the rank of Lieutenant. In fact, I want him out of my army. Send him to that fucking bug, Xephos, for all I care. He just about has the emotions of an insect, Kelvin fell into the seat opposite Darvin. You know the Uloc do not accept other species into their tribe, Darvin said. Exactly! Kelvin said. If you send him to them, theyll have him killed in a matter of days. Then hell no longer be my concern. Its a win-win, really. If you do that, then you wont have to listen to me complain about him. Hell, Ill even owe you one. What do you say? No! Darvin had almost had enough of Kelvin. Well then send him to Briya or Amelia. Those two are close enough humans. They even have humans in their armies. Hed do just fine there, Kevin said with a small amount of hope, then muttered almost silently, He may not die, but at least hed be out of my hair. Kelvin Darvin spoke lightly as he stared directly into the human commanders eyes. Yeah? If you dont drop this subject and treat Jace just as you would any other system reward given person, I will strip you of your rank and be done with it. What? Kelvin shot to his feet. If you do that, then Ill be Thats right. The oaths you made will be broken and you will be hunted down. You wouldnt want that, now would you? Darvin was serious. Kelvin had made a great commander and a decent council member, but Darvins hands were tied when it came to Jace. For placing second on the planet C-182s leaderboards, hed earned everything he was getting. It was possible for Darvin to pull some strings, but that would possibly hurt his own status with the system, and he couldnt have that, especially when he had the feeling something big was about to happen. You would do that to me? You would do that to yourself! Darvin yelled and released his aurasending a mystical blue wave out from his body. What is the phrase that the humans from C-182 said? Suck it up and act like a man. Quit whining and do your job.ph Kelvin fell back into the seat, defeated. It was worth another try No, it wasnt. At this point, you are not trying to rid yourself of Jace No, youre trying my patience, and this is the last time. But to give him a command Kelvin, Darvin said, causing the man to go silent. A command is the next step in his progression, correct? Yes, Kelvin answered. It does not matter the size of the command, though, Darvin continued. But the next step is for Lieutenant. No, youre wrong. Darvin shook his head. That just happens to be the step that is tradition. System rewards do not specify the size of command a person is to be rewarded. You can give the kid a small squad to start with, then go from there. If he does well, promote him, if not, then that small squad is as high as he will be able to get, and he will never be in a position to fight for a council position. Oh, and Greta. Yes? Make sure that whatever they have to say is worth my time. Ill leave it at your discretion. Darvin smiled. Kelvin had been the only council member to take him up on his open door policy to the point where Darvin found it annoying. But the others also like to have it as an option. Now that it was gone, they would be mad. And if anyone needs to know why the policy was canceled, you have my permission to direct any and all blame toward Kelvin. Got it, Greta sent back. Is there anything else? No Greta, thats it. Thank you. With that, Darvin pulled up the files he was so eagerly going over before he was interrupted by Kelvin. He had been digging deep into the history of the system, and he seemed to be getting close to learning some truths. Whether those truths were deliberately hidden, or had just happened such a long time ago, he didnt know. But he had stumbled on some things, and he was beginning to get an idea of where the system was going. If what he was thinking was correct, things were about to get very chaotic. *** You are to pick five members for your new squad. No more, no less. Do you get it? Kelvin stared daggers at Jace, who had a freshly shaven head, so his hair wouldnt get in the way of his fighting. The man had also upgraded his armor and weapons. Instead of keeping his weapons inside his storage bracelet, the young man had chosen to wear his kukri in a cross pattern on his back. His armor was mostly basic leathers, but now of high quality. It seemed that his time on planet A-73 had paid off for the man, both literally and figuratively. I dont want a squad. I work better alone, Jace replied monotone, and looked directly into Kelvins eyes. They will just get in the way. Kelvin swallowed. The look in the young mans eyes was that of a predator examining his prey. The only thing was that the person he was treating as prey in their current situation was Kelvin. Kelvin squeezed his fists. I dont care what you want. You can choose to pick a squad, or you can go back to your precious Earth and enjoy being a big fish in a small pond. Besides, dont you want to take my position someday? You cant get a spot on the council without showing leadership capabilities. Thats not what I want, Jace replied. You are what Im after. If I have to take a stupid seat on some council to get to you, I will. And someday, I will get what I want. Im coming for you. The young man gave Kelvin a wide grin and licked the top row of his teeth. Well, you cant do any of that without making a squad first. So, pick. Kelvin felt some shivers go down his spine. The kid was creepy and would eventually become a problem for the entire system. He just knew it. And none of that had to do with the fact that he seemed to have an obsession with becoming strong enough to take on Kelvin at least thats what he told himself. Fine, Jace said, but it sounded more like a grunt. I can pick any of them? As long as you pick five, Kelvin replied. I pity the poor souls who get chosen by this monster. Jace stepped forward and walked through the passage to a room full of higher-level recruits. They were soldiers of all different classes, and there were over 300 of them currently in the room waiting for their next assignment. They were told that there were five spots available for a special unit, which would be a promotion. Technically, it was true. If they functioned well, the height they could achieve would be limitless. Unfortunately, none of them knew whator rather whothey were getting into. Listen up, soldiers, Kelvin cleared his throat and began to speak. I want to introduce you to Jace For the first time, Kelvin realized that hed never bothered to find out the mans name. Kelvin turned his head to look at the young man in question. Just Jace, he answered. Kelvin drew in a deep breath. This is Lieutenant Jace. It was all Kelvin could do not to spit out the words. He did, unfortunately, have to give the man the rank of Lieutenant. He hated it, but at least he wouldnt be in charge of anything important. Other than five peoples lives. He is looking for five candidates for his special squad. If you are chosen, you will be under his care. Then he looked back at Jace. Go ahead. Are there any smiths? Jace asked before anything else. Of course, there were a couple of crafters among the soldiers. As soon as a hand went up, Jace continued. Do you work with metals? Weapons? He took one of his Kukri off his back, and the man he was talked to nodded. Good. Get over here. Jace continued this way until he had picked out five people amongst the candidates. In total, he had picked one smith, one healer, two ranged, and a support class. The setup wasnt too bad, if a little odd. With the squad composition, it would have only a single close ranged fighter. I guess thats what hes going for The kid honestly chose his squad better than Kelvin had predicted. Maybe Darvin was on to something Kelvin thought. Then he looked back at the five soldiers standing in front of Jace. No hes not. I just hope their deaths arent too painful. Chapter 341: Hitching a Ride Chapter 341: Hitching a Ride Sure, Avery said and nodded toward Lyra in the distance. We were just about to head that way. Great! Derek replied, then turned to the rest of the party. It was good meeting and working with you all. Im sure well see each other again soon. After that, Derek turned back to Avery, and the two of them walked over to the clearing that Lyra was waiting in. With a quick kick off the ground, Avery landed on his companions back and gave her a pat, then, Derek, with Silvi still resting on his shoulder, followed suit, and soon, they were all three on the amphitheres back. Wait! a voice cried out as Lyra was getting ready to take off. Derek looked down to see Shae, Walter, and a hesitant Tyron coming over as well. Mind if we join you? Walter asked. Avery shrugged. A few extra peoples not going to make a difference to Lyra, he said. But you better hold on tight. Were not going to slow down just because you cant stay on her back. Derek nodded at the trio as they made their ways up. It was obvious why Shae wanted to catch a ride to Savannahhe was the Adventurers Guild Master in the city, and his wife was waiting for him to get back. There was both excitement and fear in the mans eyes. He was excited to get back to his wife, but also scared of what she might do to him for leaving her with all the guild work for such a long time. For Walter, it would probably be the best way for the old man to get information about his family. They all knew that the city formerly known as Torith had been hit during the war, and Walter had mentioned that some of the contracts he had with his family members were dissolvedmeaning that those on the other end of said contracts had most likely perished. On top of that, Clare and Bronson should be in the capital and Savannahs teleporter would definitely be one of the few there were still active in the kingdom. He imagined that Tyron was just looking for a way to get to a big city with an active teleporter to get to wherever he wanted to go. Derek didnt actually know where Tyron was from. Most likely, as the best smith in the kingdom, his forge was probably somewhere in the capital. Once everyone was mounted on the back of Lyra, with a strong flap of her wings, and after kicking up a sandstorm, they were off. Derek held on tightused to the pressure caused by the rapid increase in speed. The other three had a harder time, but managed to hang on without much of a problem. Tyron had less of a problem than the other two, but he still looked sick to his stomach. He really wasnt much for flying or being off the ground in general. Avery stood closer to the front with his arms crossed and eyes closed. The man looked like he was deep in thought. In a matter of seconds, everyone they left behind looked like ants, and soon, they were no longer visible. Derek had to hand it to the Avery and Lyra, they were a very fast bonded pair with Lyra dipping into Averys obviously high dexterity and endurance stats. They really did work well together. Once Derek got acclimated to being on the back of a flying beast, he let go with his hands and got back to his feet before taking a few steps and arriving next to Avery. Whats on your mind? he asked. Like I said before, Avery started. Somethings not right. I dont think Alanah would just go out and fight a war alone, just out of the goodness of her heart. Something must have happened that really pissed her off. It also doesnt help that I cant reach either her or Edgar with my communication crystal. Either they are out of range, which is possible, or something is blocking communications. Did you try contacting Stella? Derek asked. I am now, Avery replied. Derek nodded and waited. He didnt want to interrupt him while he was talking to Stella. Instead, he looked at the man and tried to read his reactions. Avery was pretty stoic for the most part, nodding his head occasionally in reaction to whatever information Stella was providing. However, at one point, Derek saw anger flash through the mans eyes, then disappear as quick as it came. Soon, he put his communication crystal away and sighed. Well? Derek asked. She is indeed angry, Avery replied, and clenched his fists. After or even during her defense of Savannah, a few of our lower tier restaurants in some sub-cities were annihilated. She was able to save most, but didnt have enough Deathsworn to protect them all. Luckily, most of the invaders had withdrawn to join the all out attack on Savannah. It wasnt a big loss, definitely not as big of a loss as the combined army suffered at her hands, but it was her people, so shes not going to take it sitting down. I see, Derek said, and he did. He didnt know Alanah all too well, but she seemed to be a rather lonely person who cared about her people. So, even the most minor of losses for her would hurt her. Why? Avery asked. I had a way that I think I could get to Alanah and Edgar quickly after settling everything in Savannah, but theres a possibility that it could harm or even kill everything inside my prison, Derek explained. Thats not a chance I want to take after all that effort we put into catching them. Hmm Avery put his hand to his chin. I guess thats the skill that caused Silvi to give all her stored food to that assassin? There are what? Nine of the lesser dragonkin and two wyverns, right? Yeah, Derek answered. What were there? Two wyverns and a combined nine drakes, wyrms, and winged serpents? Derek nodded. Yup. Lyra could probably handle the drakes and such, and I could constrain the magic based wyvern pretty easily. Im not sure about the second, though Avery seemed lost in thought for a second. We could get Edward and Edwins help, but Im sure they would want one in return It seemed that Avery very much liked the idea of Derek going to find sooner rather than later. Seems like too much work to just give another one away to the Royal Family. M-me and Rocky can do it Tyron shakily muttered from behind them, causing both Derek and Avery to turn toward him. No problem. Great, its settled. Well do that, Avery quickly agreed. I even know just the spot close to Savannah for us to keep them. Derek nodded. Sounds good. Thanks, Tyron. Of course, Tyron said, but the man looked like he wanted to throw up. Derek couldnt help but chuckle again. Apparently, all the stats in the world couldnt help someone get over heights or being thousands of feet in the air, moving at a rapid pace on the back of a monster. Hey, Tyron? Yeah? the big man answered. Are you going to be okay? Well be fine, Tyron said, motioning to Rocky, who was curled up around the smiths feet doing its best to stay as close to the back of Lyra as possible. If we were meant to fly, wed have wings, he muttered. I do have wings! Avery cut in and turned before a magical pair of dragon wings sprouted from his back. See? Derek and Tyron rolled their eyes as Avery put his wings away. You know, Tyron Derek started. You could have just gone into my separate space and I could have let you out when we got to Savannah. Oh the giant of a smiths eyes widened in regret. Can we No, its a static door. Wed have to stop completely. Looks like youre stuck up here with us. Derek smiled and turned back around to look ahead. Not long now. Chapter 342: Back Home Chapter 342: Back Home With the speed at which Lyra was flying, it really didnt take them all too long to make it back to Savannah. Soon, Derek could see the thriving city slowly growing larger in the distance. Seeing Savannah from such a distance and so far above was an eye opening experience. Even knowing that it wasnt the largest city, the sheer size was something else. Everything seemed crammed together with open spaces in the center for all the main buildings. Luckily, in a world full of stats where people could move faster on foot than he would have been able to move in a car, the size and lack of wide roads didnt matter much to the citizens. Hell, in a merchant city such as Savannah, they didnt even need wagons because you could bet that those who could afford to do business there would have storage rings. You really could spend your entire life walking around a few cities and never see every part of them, Derek muttered to himself. Or just the capital, Avery heard him and replied. On top of everything thing else Derek was seeing, there was the miles of expansion the city was currently going throughlike in the area where Derek had put his own shop. How much more dense will the city be when all the newly created space is bought and filled in? Not long later, Lyra slowed her speed as they approached the edge of the city. This is close enough for me, Derek said. Ill jump off here. Where do you want to meet up later? Everyone meet at the Crown in thirty minutes or so maybe an hour? Avery asked. Sounds good to me, Derek replied, and Tyron nodded. Ill be going to the capital from here, Walter spoke up. He didnt have a part to play in keeping the dragonkin docile. Instead, he looked more anxious than anyone else. Id come help too but Shae started. Yeah, we get it, Avery laughed. You dont need to explain it to us. Yeah, Derek said. Enjoy the paperwork and the couch. Shae winced. Dont remind me Alright, Im off. Ill see you two shortly, he said to Avery and Tyron. And Ill talk to the two of you later. Im looking forward to seeing Clares progression. Ill be sure to drop by the Crown in the capital soon. With that, Derek, with Silvi on his shoulder, jumped off of Lyras back and kicked the void. Lets go, he told Silvi. With Void Sense pushed as far as it could be pushed, Derek used Active Void Shift and began blinking toward his shop. Since they couldnt move together, the lazy bunny had to follow behind on her own power. Derek imagined the words she was probably muttering to herself about the injustices of the world. In seconds, Derek and Silvi avoided the guards and the gate, and passed them by without any of them being any the wiser. Of course, all of them were more focused on the giant winged serpent making its grand entrance to notice Derek and Silvi blinking into the city. Im sure Natalie wont mind us skipping the annoying entrance process. With a few more shifts, Derek was standing before his shop. A couple seconds later, and he felt a small amount of weight land on his shoulder as Silvi too made it back. Derek smiled as he surveyed his building. Where there wasnt anything before, now a large sign hung at the front of the shop with the words Void Emporium in an almost neon purple lettering. It really would blend in well with the mystical feel of the materials used to build the place. With a nod, Derek took a step forward, reached out, and pulled the door to the Void Emporium open. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he took a step inside his home. Good afternoon, sir! Welcome to the Void Emporium. a young male voice rang out from the side, behind the counter. If you are looking for an Elemental Sword, we are unfortunately sold out for the time being. A new batch should be ready in a week, but they wont last long. Other than that, is there any way I can assist you? Then this Dina looked down in horror. It seemed to her that she had gone from holding the most preciously cute animal in the world to a viper waiting to strike, or a bomb about to explode. Shes that Silvi With her body tensed up, Dina mechanically lowered Silvi onto the ground and backed away. Im sorry Ms. Silvi Silvi snorted, then was instantly back to her rightful place atop Dereks shoulder. You two get back to work, Jacks said to the two stunned employees. Malories over at Rudys place dealing with some contracts. Im sure they wouldnt mind if you interrupted. Derek nodded, and he was soon led through his own shop by Jacks while leaving the two new workers alone with the other customers. Once they were out of the main shop room, Derek asked, So, hows things been running since the shop opened? Has there been any trouble? Any need for you as a guard? Nothing troubling yet. Ms. Savannah runs a pretty tight ship, and you dont want to be caught causing trouble especially at a shop with both her and the Crowns backing. Oh? Their backing? When did that happen? Its nothing official, but the rumors have already circulated. The Void Emporium is pretty much designated off limits for any untoward antics, Jacks explained as they stepped through one of the door. I see, Derek said. And how is everyone else? Im sure Ill see them soon, but are they all doing well? Much better than most. With the war going on, the kingdom is pretty tense. Even with Ms. Swan and Prince Edgar taking the fight to the combined army, it will be a while before things settle down. At least here, we dont have to worry about anything happeningwell, at least nowhere near as much as others do. Especially those in the smaller cities and villages, Jacks explained. Hmm Derek scratched his chin as he wondered about some of the villagers he met at Thomass old village. I wonder if his grandparents are okay. It was another thing he needed to worry about. Hopefully, the war will end soon. We can only hope, Jacks said. There are too many monsters and backstabbing adventurers around to have to worry about entire kingdoms as well. Finally, Jacks opened the last door separating the Void Emporium part of the shop and Contracts by Rudy. When the door opened, Derek noticed that there was nobody in the lobbyit actually seemed like the store was closed by the look of the entrance door. Is he closed? Derek asked. Yeah, Jacks replied. Todays the day that he and Malorie go over things each week, so he keeps his shop closed for the day. Hes the only contract maker working here, after all. Hows business been doing for him, anyway? Derek asked. His business got a big boost after the auction, then even more when those backing rumors started flying around, Jacks said. Really, hed probably complain and tell you that hes being worked to death. But truthfully, hes loving every second of it. Yeah, that sounds about right, Derek replied. This was perfect. Rudy was one of the first people he wanted to check in with. He needed Bones and Ogre out of his Time Prison and under contract. Theyd already sworn their oaths, but they were general oaths. Jacks took a couple steps forward and raised the counter separating the room in half and walked through. Derek followed along until they were at the door to Rudys office. After a couple of loud raps on the door, Jacks opened it and stuck his head in. Jacks, is something wrong? Derek could hear Malories concerned voice coming from behind the door. At that, Jacks pushed the door the rest of the way open and stepped in. Derek followed behind, and both Malories and Rudys eyes quickly found him. Derek took a step forward and clasped Jacks on the shoulder before giving the two shocked business managers a big grin. I hope Im not interrupting anything important. I can come back later if you want. It was nice being home. Chapter 343: Finally Back Chapter 343: Finally Back Derek! Rudy called out. Youre back! Derek looked over the two people having a meeting and found it kind of funny. Malorie was sitting behind the desk like it was her office, while Rudy was in a chair opposite her. It was plain to see the hierarchy in the room. Derek! Youre finally back, Malories eyes shined. I was beginning to think you were never going to get back here. If you think about it, Mal we actually finished the dungeon much quicker than planned, Derek said. How have things been on this side? At least for the business and such. Im going to get back to the shop, Jacks said, dismissing himself from the room. Derek looked at him and nodded. Awful, Malorie said once Jacks closed the door behind him. Do you know how much work you left me with? Oh, and thats on top of making sure my daughter doesnt forget about eating and doesnt kill herself in an explosion. By the way, what were you thinking leaving those mana things with her before you left? Do you know how irresponsible that was? Uh oh. Mals gone into mom mode. Derek slowly backed away and held up his hands. That youre probably right about the mana cores, actually. She promised she would be safe with them, and I trust her. Why? Did she get hurt trying to use them as materials? Well no Malorie said. Not really. But but Ive gotten more used to seeing her without eyebrows than with them. Thats just not right. Oh Derek couldnt stop himself from breaking out in a smile. Is that it? Eyebrows are overrated, anyway. It comes with the territory of being a crafter. Hmph Malorie snorted. She even has facial protection and goggles, but she forgets to wear them half the time when she gets excited. No matter how many times I tell her she breathed out in a harrumph. Ill uh let you two catch up, Rudy made to leave, but Derek stopped him. Actually, Rudy. I needed to talk with you right now. Me? Rudy asked. Why? Im going to need a couple of contracts prepared and signed in a moment. Im on kind of a tight schedule, so I needed to get this done before anything else. Both Rudy and Malorie gave Derek a questioning look. What kind of contracts? Malorie asked. One second, Derek said, then turned to a free corner of the room and opened up his Time Prisonhe made sure to make the door large enough for Ogre to pass through. Next, he opened the door and took a step inside. Finally inside, he found Bones and Ogre sitting alone in the middle of the lobby. Bones, of course, noticed instantly when the door to the outside opened and the scrawny man was already looking in Dereks direction. Is it time? Are we out? he asked. Yup, Derek said. Were in Savannah alreadyback at my shop. I just need the two of you to come meet with Rudy and well get the contracts all set up. Very good. Bones stood with a bow. Come on, Oggy, its time to start out new lives as store workers. Derek snorted. Indeed. From there, Derek went out changing the time on all the other cellsthe ones holding all the dragonkin. It was the perfect time to do so. He wanted to set them to open close together, but not all at the same time. They needed to be staggered just in case things became iffy with Avery, Lyra, Rocky, and Tyron trying to keep control of the beasts. That way, if the plan failed, Derek could come back inside his prison with time to spare and slow the rate at which their sentences released them. Hopefully, he wouldnt have to do that. Finally, Derek walked back out of his Time Prison and looked up. Im glad I decided on tall ceilings he muttered. Next, the skeletal like Bones stepped through the passageway from the Time Prison and into Rudys office before looking around. This may become a little crowded he also muttered to himself before moving further awayclose to the opposite wall as Ogre stuck his head out of the passage. These two are the assassins? Right? Malorie asked. Former assassins, Derek clarified. They have been reformed. Whats this? Malorie asked. These are all my storage items and everything. He didnt even plan to keep a potion on him. There was no telling what a healing potion would turn into. Potions seemed like the prime candidates for going bad from the use of his skill. Theres something I have to do soon, and I cant take my storage rings along. Why would you not be able she started, but eventually just accepted it. What do you plan on doing? I heard that Edgar and Alanah are out fighting. I thought they could use some backup. Oh, Malorie nodded and pulled all the storage items to her. Do you have any empty storage ring? Derek asked. Middle drawer, Rudy cut in. I keep some just in case. Malorie nodded and pulled out one of the drawers, then gave Derek the rings. Great, Derek said, then he opened up his Void Storage and began emptying it out. He had a lot of dragonkin meat and materials stored in. If he was going as far as to give up his storage items, he wouldnt trust his Void Storage space either. He would experiment with it later, but now wasnt the time. Once he emptied out his Void Storage and handed over those rings, Silvi hopped off his shoulder and onto the desk. These are mine, her voice chimed out as all of her storage items floated out of her pockets from her Telekinesis. Dont look in them. Private things. Ill do my best not to let my curiosity get the better of me. Malorie smiled at Silvi. Derek obviously knew what the woman was thinking. Why would she want to look in storage rings that she knew contained only food and ingredients? Finally, Silvi took off her collar as well. It was created with some storage rings interwoven into it, so she would be unable to take it with her. That also meant that she wasnt going to be able to communicate outside of Telepathy. Derek took solace in the fact that Silvi had obviously decided that going with Derek to fight was more important than whatever deal she had with the king. She was a true companion. Thanks for deciding to help, Derek sent to his companion. Of course, Silvi replied. And then maybe we can try an elf burger? she asked with hope. Maybe, Derek replied. Really? the excitement in her voice was palpable. No! No eating elves. Meanie, she sent back. Just use your helping his other son to try to sucker more ingredients out of the king, Derek replied. Deal! Okay, Mal, Derek said. Well have to catch up later. Im going to stop by the basement, then we have to go. Well be back soon. Be careful, Malorie replied. With that, Derek dismissed himself and left Rudy and Malorie to take care of Bones and Ogre. He needed to check in with Brandi, then he had some dragons to deal with. Chapter 344: Deal! Chapter 344: Deal! Derek made it to the door leading to the basement while Silvi continued to perch on his shoulder. As soon as he opened the door, he could hear the pounding and clanging of a hammer on metal. The sound of the hammering was somewhat nostalgic for Derek, and it brought a smile to his face as he stepped down the stairs one by one. He made sure to close the door behind him so that the sound wasnt able to escape the soundproof basement. Finally, he made it to the bottom of the stair and looked over to where Brandi was working. Currently, the young smith was hunched over an anvil with a hammer in her hand, intently focusing on her work while pounding away on what looked to be a blade for a sword. Derek almost laughed when he saw how the girl was dressed. From the bottom up, she was wearing a pair of well-worn boots, then what looked like a full set of dark purple coverallssomething he couldnt remember seeing yet in this world. The coveralls were long-sleeved, and the end of the sleeves were covered by a pair of work gloves. I bet those coveralls were Malories idea, and that they have tons of protection built into them as well. They really are going all in on the purple void coloring for everything, arent they? First, the two new employees were wearing matching uniforms with the color. Now he was seeing their resident smith wearing the same colors, but in the form of coveralls. Dereks smiled grew wider as he waited for the girl to finish what she was doing. He hoped she would be done soon, because there wasnt a lot of time left before he needed to meet Avery and Tyron. Brandis hair, for the first time since Thomas got ahold of it with the Mana Clippers, was finally somewhat grown out. It was still pretty short, but it had grown out at least four or five inches since the last time he saw her. Of course, her hair was very bedraggled, messy, and pushed back by the pair of goggles that she wasunlike what Malorie had saidwearing for eye protection. As for the tools Brandi was using, they werent the same set that Derek was used to seeing. It looks like she finally started making her own sets of tools. Those look to be a much better fit for the current version of her. Obviously, the tools were basically the same as before. Only, they were smaller and fit the young girls form much better. However, her current tools were already well worn, and Derek suspected that it was almost time for her to be making another set soon. But as he waited, Derek felt the time go by slowly. After a bit over ten minutes passed, he was thinking about leaving Brandi to her work and going to meet Avery at the Crown. However, just before he left, the clanging of Brandis hammer ceases and she raised the blade up in front of her eyes with a pair of tongs. He watched as the young smith nodded her head, then placed the blade back down on the anvil. Finally, she pushed her goggles back, revealing the rest of her soot covered face. Derek inwardly laughed. It seemed that out of all the professions that she had access to, she preferred the smithing side. Just about every time Derek had visited her while she was in the middle of a craft, she was smithing instead of leatherworking or doing alchemy or something else. A new weapon? Derek asked as he took a step forward. Brandi looked over Dereks way, then back to the blade, then, as if something clicked, her head whipped back in Dereks direction and she yelled, Derek! At that, she threw the gloves off her hands and kicked off the groundclosing the distance between the two of them in an instant. Derek soon found himself wrapped up in a huge hug. He actually felt much more pressure from the girl than he was expecting. I wonder just how high her strength stat is right now. Derek reached down and pat the young girl on the top of the head, just as hed always done. Hey Brandi, he said. Your eyebrows arent anywhere near as non-existent as Mal made them out to be. Thats not funny! Brandi said in a muffled voice from her hug. Youre back? Brandi asked as she broke the hug and backed away a couple of steps before looking up at him and rubbing her hand over her eyebrows. For good? The dungeon is finished? Im back, Derek replied. I cant say that Im back for good because I need to go help Edgar and Alanah here in a bit. But Im out of the dungeon, and I dont think Im going to be going to another time altered dungeon any time soon. Well, unless the time is backwards from how it was in the raid, then that wouldnt be so bad. I also think Im done with raid dungeons for the time being. Thats good, Brandi said as the tears that had begun to build up in her eyes when she first saw Derek finally fell down her cheeks, leaving a couple of tear lines in the soot covering her face. This stupid war needs to be finished. Everyones so worried and depressed. What about your sales? Derek asked. Isnt the war good for those? It doesnt matter, Brandi said. Im only one person. I doubt I would be able to keep up with the customers regularly, much less right now with the war going on. There is also a shortage of crafting materials She pouted. Nobody wants to take the chance to gather materials while theres a war. So thats the real reason, Derek thought. He turned his head and looked at Silvi resting on his shoulder, then looked back at Brandi. Silvi only calls her a maniac because she crafts items and not food. Really, they are mostly the same. I see, Derek said. I did bring back some pretty good materials for you to use, but I dont have them on me right now to give you. Really? Brandis eyes lit up even brighter. You always bring back the best materials. I think youre really going to enjoy what I have this time, Derek then summoned Harbinger and held it out. They were used to make this weaponVoids Harbingerand the armor that Im currently wearing. No, Brandi smiled. Thats the whole core! She seemed very proud. What? Once again, Derek looked harder at the small blue gem set in the hilt. How did you manage that? It took a lot of work, and in the end, I wasted a bunch of the water mana cores, but I was finally able to create a set of runes to shrink the core while maintaining a good portion of its mana storing capability, the smith explained. Oh? 6,500 extra points of mana isnt bad at all. How much of the cores capacity did it retain? Derek asked. It should be just over forty percent. Most of the mana cores can hold around 15,000 points of mana. Im still slowly working on my runes and increasing the capacity. Hopefully, Ill be able to get one hundred percent one day. But I think thats a long way away. This is a fantastic product, Brandi. Great job! Derek praised, and he meant it. He had also had the thoughts about using the cores as sort of mana batteries, but he had no clue how to do it. Brandi actually took what he was thinking and made it possible. Theres so much you could do with this. Im looking forward to seeing what else you come up with. Brandi beamed at Dereks compliment. Thank you! Derek handed her the sword back, and she put it away. Finally, she frowned slightly. How much longer until you leave? she asked with a pout. Not long, unfortunately, Derek replied. In fact, I should probably head out soon. Be careful! Brandi said, then embraced Derek once again. I will I will. Derek pat her on the top of her head again. But I guess I really should get going. Ill be back in no time. Fine It seemed hard, but Brandi was eventually able to peel herself away from Derek. Just hurry. Ill try, Derek said, then smiled. By the way. All that material I said you could have Yeah? Its with your mom. You can tell her that I said you could go through my storage items and get what you want out of them. Really? Really, Derek said. Be careful with them, though. Im not sure youre at a high enough level that you should be working with them yet. I will! Dont worry! With that, Derek and Silvi left Brandi standing in the middle of the basement, salivating at the thought of getting her hands on such a great material. Malories going to kill me Chapter 345: Dragon Ranchers Chapter 345: Dragon Ranchers Derek walked out of The Void Emporium, with Silvi still perched on his shoulder, then gave it one last look and smiled. Its good to be back. It was only a handful of weeks for me, but everyone and everything else grew so much. Derek was, of course, talking about the store already being open and him missing the grand opening, and Brandi having grown so much. He really did look forward to having one of their chats about classes and levels later. Huh, back on Earth, I dont think Id have ever looked forward to something like that. I wonder how things are back on Earth. Where he was hadnt mattered much to him. Derek didnt have any attachments left on Earthany that he had disappeared well before the system came. Derek sighed as he turned back and looked ahead, toward the path to the center of the city where the Crown and the Crown Restaurant were. No sense thinking about it now. He actually had some attachments in Cydaria, and those attachments had been threatened while he was gone. Now that he was back, hed see to it that those threats were dealt with. With that decision in his mind, Derek took a step forwardit was time to meet up with Avery. Derek made short work of the long distance between his shop and the city center. The distance was nothing when someone had skills like Active Void Shift and didnt care about etiquette keeping him from using them in the city. He was sure Natalie wouldnt mind him doing so, anyway. It was for a good cause, after all. The worst thing about using the skill in the city was the pissed off bunny who had to also use the skill to keep up. Such a lazy bunny when she wants to be. Are we supposed to meet at the hotel or the restaurant? Derek inwardly questioned. He looked back and forth between the two businesses and shrugged before walking toward the restaurant. Derek opened the door and walked inside before getting the attention of the hostess. Welcome to the Crown Restaurant. May I see your membership? the woman asked. Derek actually didnt have his membership on him at the momentit had been left with Malorie, along with the rest of his items. Im not here to dine, Derek replied. Is Avery here? Im supposed to meet with him right about now. Avery? the woman asked, then her eyes widened. You mean Master Swan? The woman shook her head. Master Swan is currently away. Gotcha, Derek said. I guess hes at the hotel. It looks like he hasnt made himself known to many people yet. He turned and left the restaurant before making his way to the hotel. However, before he made it there, he saw Tyron and Rocky walk through the doors to the hotel, followed by Avery. Right on time, he thought. Perfect timing, Avery waved as Derek approached them. Are you ready to go? Yup, Derek said. Did you get everything taken care of? Stella has everything under control. Im not really needed. I just need to go check on the boys at some point. I cant wait to see how theyve progressed under Alanahs care. Yeah, everyones grown a lot, Derek replied. By the way, wheres Lyra? Shes coming, Avery answered and pointed straight up into the air. Derek looked up and saw it. The winged serpent was barely a dot in the sky, but as he stared and she approached, Lyras figured grew at a rapid pace. Not again Tyron sighed. Im afraid so, Avery laughed. We dont want her coming too close to the city, so we need to go to her. I assume you wont have a problem getting to her? he asked Derek. As Avery was speaking, Lyra slowed her descent until she eventually stopped high in the sky. I guess thats as close as Averys comfortable letting Lyra get to the middle of the city. She was still at a distance where she couldnt really be seen unless someone was really looking for her. I have no problem getting up there. What about you, Tyron? With the door open, Derek walked inside and straight to the cells, where some of the amphithere were locked away. He placed his hand on the door and sped up the countdown timer as much as he couldhed already adjusted them back at the Void Emporium, so it wouldnt take long for each of their sentences to be up when he adjusted them again. It also helped that his Time Prison had been leveling like crazy since putting the dragonkin away. The countdown timer quickly hit zero and the enormous door unlocked, then shot open. As soon as the door swung open, a gigantic head shot out and tried to latch onto Derek with its maw. Derek laughed and jumped backwards. Soon, the rest of the winged serpents body was out of its cell and chasing Derek. Derek casually made his way out of the Time Prison while leading the serpent behind him. As soon as the winged serpents head made its way out of the Time Prison, it froze. Lyra was ready and had immediately stopped it once it was out. Once she was in control, she had the rest of its body move out. Finally, it seemed that she had lessened her control by a great deal. The serpent no longer seemed mindless, but just much less aggressive. It no longer tried to bite or snap at anyone, and didnt try to cast any skills either. How is it? Derek asked. Lyra put a suggestion that this is its home and everyone here currently is its allies. Lyras ability is straight mind control, so it should work longer than Alanahs manipulation that comes with her voice. Shell have to refresh the command occasionally, but this clearing being their home should stick for a whileespecially on the ones like this one, without a lot of wisdom to help fight the control, Avery explained. I also raided the Crown and brought a lot of Mana Potions for Lyra, so she shouldnt have a problem. Great, Derek replied. It would be best if we could start having those who plan on contracting the beasts to come out and do so. Each one would be one less that she would need to control. Derek nodded. He didnt know what levels Rayna or Jacks were. I should have asked Jacks about it when we talked. Its been a long time, but with the war, Im sure they havent leveled up a lot. It could be a good idea to give Bones and Ogre one each once they level, too. But that will depend on how well they do. Then theres Thomas one, and Tyron already got Rocky. He was sure that Brandi wasnt ready to tame one, though. You should contact Tara and have her send her son here to tame his drake. Surely hes a high enough level, right? Ill contact her later and see, and he can come pick it up whenever. Avery said. There are what? Four dragonkin that dont have planned bonds? Any idea what you plan on doing with those? Three, Derek said. And weve got to give Edgar one of them. You and Lyra did most of the work, and were giving one to Alanah and Stella. Anyone else who should take the final ones? If not, then Bones and Ogre really might not be a bad idea. Not that I can immediately think of, Avery said with a shrug. But Stella seemed kind of jealous of Lyra. Once this war is settled, Ill put her through some training and make sure shes capable enough to tame one, so she can claim hers quicker. She may also want one of the winged serpents instead of the drake. Derek nodded in agreements. I was also thinking about finding someone with a tamer class, Derek said. Not to give any to, but maybe they would be able to help with controlling them, or even breed them. It would be quite the profitable business. But wed have to use Alanahs network because I wouldnt want to sell any to bad owners. Maybe, Avery said. I doubt dragonkin have a high fertility rate. If they did, wed see more of them and the world would probably be much more dangerous. True Derek agreed. It still may be worth it looking for someone with a tamer class but thats all in the future. Ill look into it later, Avery said. Is Lyra ready for the next one? Derek asked. Just waiting on you, Avery said with a smile. Alright then. Lets do it. With that, Derek went back into the Time Prison and began pulling the dragonkin out one by one. Not long later, there were only a couple smaller dragonkin left, and the two wyverns. It was time to see if their plan was possible. Chapter 346: Traps Chapter 346: Traps Lyra wants us to move away from her and the smaller dragonkin before we bring out the wyvern, Avery said after Derek brought out the last couple of drakes from his Time Prison. Shes got them under control for now without having to use too much mana, but shes afraid that seeing one of the wyverns will influence them and set them off. Right now, she only has to use suggestions, and they think they are in their territory. Okay, Derek said. Well do that. How far away do we need to go? Not far, Avery replied. The other side of the clearing should work. And if we act fast, we should be able to keep them contained before they are able to do anything to draw much attention over there. Sounds good, Derek said. Lets go. Derek, Avery, Tyron, and Rocky moved to the opposite side of the clearing, leaving Lyra alone with the other beasts. Avery made sure to leave Lyra with plenty of Mana Potions on the off chance that something was to go wrong. Finally, Derek opened his Time Prison once again, except this time, he made sure to make it even bigger than beforethe wyverns were massive. Which one do you want to deal with first? Derek asked. Avery looked over at Tyron and Rocky and rubbed his chin. I think the earth element one should be the easier one to deal with. Rocky and Tyrons own elements should be able to overpower that wyvern pretty easily. What do you think? Avery asked Tyron. Shouldnt be a problem, the big smith answered. Give us a couple minutes to prepare and we should be able to trap it. Derek nodded and watched as the ground on the outside of his Time Prison began to change. The earth slowly moved away and was soon replaced by a bubbling, dark metallic liquid. Oh hes going to trap the earth wyvern inside a metal casing. If he can do it enough to limit all its movement, that should work great. Do you think one of them will be able to survive inside this? Tyron asked. It didnt hurt that last monster in the raid that much. That thing was abnormalextremely abnormal, Avery replied. As I am now, I could take out one of the wyverns by myself. But I think this should work just fineespecially if you are able to trap it all the way up to its neck. Derek couldnt help but agree. Also, the fact that Tyron had ample time to prepare his trap, and didnt have to preserve his mana for a drawn out fight, instead of just casting it on the fly like he had before should make it much more efficient to use against one of the wyverns. Depending on how it holds, it could work on both of them, actually, Derek thought. A few minutes and a couple of potions later, and Tyron was finished creating his trap. The two of you just need to get it to fall into the pool instead of flying on its way out. Can you do that? Shouldnt be a problem, Derek replied, then looked over at Avery. Are you ready? Lets do it, the archer said and moved into position above the giant pool of liquid metal to keep the wyvern from flying on its way out. Hopefully, the roars dont interfere with the lesser dragonkin too much. With a nod, Derek headed inside his Time Prisonmaking sure to avoid the trap by using Void Steps. Soon, he found himself at the very back of the prison, looking at the last two doorthe two massive closed cell doors. Okay now which one was the earth one and which one was the pure magic one? Derek placed his hand on the one to the left, then adjusted the sentence speed and backed away. Whew Tyron sighed. That should hold for a bit. It wont last a long time, but it will give me enough time to create something that will, he said. Though Ill probably have to use some of the wyvern materials to create such a thing. Ill make sure to compensate you well when I get back, Derek said. Well get you some more materials and maybe a Void Beast meal or two. Tyron nodded at that. Okay, I need some time to rest and recover, then we can do the same with the other wyvern. How well will it work on the other? Its pure magic based, Derek asked. It should be easier, Tyron said. This one is earth based, so it has a very small amount of control over the metal, which made it harder for me to manipulate things. Luckily, it was only earth based, though, and was countered pretty easily by Rocky. With one of a different element, it shouldnt be a problem, and Rocky wont need to provide support like he is right now. Gotcha, Derek said. Just say when, and well move to prepare another trap. Okay, Tyron nodded, then sat down in meditation after drinking another couple of potions. Soon, they had another trap prepared, and Derek moved the entrance to his Time Prison over the new trap. The second wyvern fell into the trap even easier than the first, and everything went even more smooth than before. They had played a dangerous game, trapping and corralling all the dragonkin, which is why they chose the position they did and did it all one by one. If anything had gone wrong, Derek, Avery, Silvi, or Lyra would have been able to control the situation. But everything seemed to work even better than Derek expected. Its nice for things to go as planned for a change, he thought. Hows Lyra doing? Derek asked Avery. Shes fine. A little tired, but recovering. The wyverns roars from inside your space made it out into the open and riled the rest of the dragonkin up, so she had to expend some more resources to get them back under control, but now that the wyverns are trapped and silent, their back to grazing like normal. She should be able to keep herself in good enough shape to control any problems that may arise, Avery explained. Thats great, Derek said. Thanks for all the help. And thank Lyra for me, too. No problem. Derek looked at the ground below himthe massive metal ground. Im definitely having Tyron create the foundation for any other buildings I need to make. Well after Bones and Ogres bunkhouse is created. Tyrons going to be busy here when Mal goes to commission that building. Derek looked over at Tyron, who was already creating himself a mobile smithing area so he could create some proper equipment for trapping the wyverns. If any problems come up, Derek started. Dont hesitate to call in a reinforcement or two. We have a couple dragonkin to spare if we really need to. I will, Avery said. Now, dont you need to get to Alanah? The sooner the better. I was thinking the same thing, Derek smiled. But first, theres one last thing I need to do. Chapter 347: Void Travel Chapter 347: Void Travel One last thing? Avery asked. One second, Derek said. Ill be right back. From there, Derek jumped high in the sky with Silvi still sitting on his shoulder, then, his foot found a void ripple and he went even higher. Finally, well above the massive clearing where they decided to relocate the dragonkin, Derek got to work exploring. The clearing was pretty much clear of any monsters other than the dragonkin. If the lesser dragonkin didnt make it so, then the roars from the wyverns had caused everything to run off. So, Derek took off in a random direction. He was soon over a small forest of trees, and still scanning his surroundings. After searching for a couple minutes, his eyes locked onto what he was looking for. There you are, he said aloud. Im void shifting, Silvi, so you can either come with me or just go back and wait with the others. Derek heard a snort from his shoulder and smiled before using Active Void Shift and appearing directly next to a monster. He wasnt looking for any specific beast, so he picked the first ones he saw. What he ended up finding was a flock of flightless birds that looked like giant turkeys, but with forest green colored talons and beards. Derek cast a quick Identify on the flock of beasts and found them to be level 145+ monsters called Avethorns. They will work just fine, he thought as he reached out with both hands and wrapped them around the creatures necks. He only needed two, which was good because as soon as he made his move, the others scattered in all different directions. Of course, he wouldnt have had any problem catching them, but it would have been a bit of a hassle, nonetheless. With the two turkeys in hand, Derek jumped back up into the sky and made his way back to the clearing with Void Steps, where he was met by a waiting Silvi and the rest. During the short distance between where he captured the beasts and the clearing, the two creatures tried their best to do damage to him and escape, but the vines and thorns they cast at him wasnt able to break his armor, much less his skin. The last thing you needed to do was go catch some Avethorns? Avery asked, deadpanned. Are you planning on having Silvi make you a poultry dish before you go? Derek rolled his eyes. The monsters dont matter. I just needed two of anything, he said. Then, Derek opened his Time Prison once again. This time, though, he kept the passageway at a regular human height. Once the passage was open and he opened to door leading to the lobby, he tossed one of the turkey-like creatures inside before closing the door and pulling the void back together. I needed them to run an experiment, Derek said. If he was going to be using Void Travel, he wanted to see what kind of effect it had on both creatures or people stored inside his Time Prison and those who went into the void with him. This would allow him to find out exactly how safe it would be to take others inside. The two beasts that he captured werent exactly high stat creatures, especially in the endurance department, but they were better than nothing. Depending on the effect caused by the Void Travel, he would know what other types of experiments to try. I see Avery said. Okay, Silvi, its time to go, Derek said as he looked around at the present company and all the dragonkin in the distance. I think were going to go off a distance before I use the skill. I dont want it spooking everything and causing them to break out of Lyras effects. Shes already got a hard enough job as it is. Derek kept his eyes closed and focused hard on meditating and recovering his mana. After some time, he opened his eyes, but kept with his active meditation. Finally, he remembered about the passenger he had brought with him. With Void Creation, Derek made a small ball of glowing purple and held it close to his other hand before looking down at the creature he was holding. To his horror, the turkey-like creature had turned into an abomination. The bottom half of the creature had grown and grayedlike it had aged hundreds of years in the short time that hed been inside the void. Some of the top half, however, looked young and vibrant, like a chick that had only just recently hatched from its egg. On top of that, there were many small holes in the creatures body. It was like something had just taken whole chunks of the Avethorn body out all at once. The disappearance of the flesh actually reminded Derek of when he used Harbingers Material Drain skill on something. Needless to say, the beast he was carrying was no longer moving. Derek didnt even know how long it had taken for it to die. Dereks eyes shot open and in a panic, he reached over to his shoulder and turned his head. He sighed in relief when his own eyes met Silvis. She had her head tilted and was looking at Derek with a tinge of concern. Never bringing ingredients in here again, Silvi sent to him after also taking a good look at the creature hed dropped. That could have made some good chicken Yeah Derek laughed, happy that Silvi was with him to help ease the tension he was feeling. That was unfortunate,he said to her. It looks like its being affected by both the time and space elements at the same time. Some of it aged and some of it even grew younger, but the whole time, space was eating away at its body. Looks that way, Silvi agreed. With his makeshift light in his hand, the two continued to watch the Avethorns body change right before their eyes. After a couple of minutes, the space aspect of the void had eaten away the entire body of the beast. I wonder whats going on with the one I locked away inside my Time Prison. Derek let the void ball in his hand die out and allowed his mana to finish recharging. He reached out once again into the distance. He just wanted to see. This time, he kept an eye on his mana. The further he reached with Void Sense, the quicker the mana went down. With that, it was confirmed. Finally, he made it to his old cabin once again, then he began looking for the only other person hed had a decent amount of contact with back on Earth. He was pretty sure that the pink-purple flickering aura he had found belonged to Silvi Jaccobs. The only other aura he knewand knew better than Silvi Jaccobss aurawas Jaces. However, he couldnt find it anywhere near Silvis. Did he die? The thought actually saddened Derek a bit. He never really cared for the man, and even went as far as to call him a psychopath, but he had to admit that at a certain point, he looked forward to Jaces visitseven if they did end up with him getting his ass kicked and being on the verge of death. Derek sighed and began to pull his senses back. He didnt want his aura to bottom out once again. However, as he was pulling back, he felt it. A very solid red colored aura way away from Silvis on Earth. Is that him? That doesnt make sense. The aura was so far away, there was no way that it was on Earth. But it had to be Jaces. Did he leave the planet? Derek didnt have time to think much about it. But he did feel relieved at sensing the aura he was looking for. Maybe Ill be the one to visit him one day, and hell be the one to get his ass kicked. With a smile, Derek pulled his aura back completely, then reached out for the one he needed to find. It was so much easier to find Edgar, Blitz, and Alanahs auras after searching for the distant one. There you are, he said. Now, I just need to hop to them. Derek rolled his eyes. Nah I think Ill walk. Chapter 348: Retreat Chapter 348: Retreat In the skies above Indria, a battle was taking place between Alanah and four others. Alanah had already changed into her Dawn Siren form to be able to keep up with everyone. Apparently, when the eldest heir to the throne of a country is killed before the eyes of the entire army, the king of that country doesnt look kindly upon the person who did it. Alanah, Edgar, and Blitz had pushed the combined Astrus and Indria army all the way past the Cydarian border, and now the fight was in Indrian controlled territory. Since moving into their territory, none of Alanahs or Edgars communication methods had worked when trying to connect back with those in Cydaria. It was like the entire country was somehow locked down in the same way that Ryven had locked down Savannah when they invaded the city. But they had ignored that fact and continued routing the opposing army with the near unrivaled power of the three of them. That was until backup forces arrived on Ryvens sideforces that Ryven himself seemed surprised to receive. The King of Astrus had taken it upon himself to avenge his slain son, and he had brought his brother and army general with him, and this was the second time she had clashed with the four. Alanah had to immediately call upon her Dawn Siren transformation to survive the initial onslaught of the four enemies the first time they appeared, and now that they were fighting again, she chose to transform before the fight even began. Any one of them, and she could have taken them out easily enough, even if it was only the king and Ryven, she would have been able to deal, but with the four of them, even in her Dawn Siren form, she was just able to produce a stalemateactually; she was a bit on the losing end in their exchanges. It was the opposite for Edgar and Blitz. While Alanah was fighting against the leaders of the two countriesminus King OsianEdgar and Blitz were off tackling the rest of the army. It was a very slow going process for the two of them, but they were on the winning side of their exchange, if only by a bit. The army had quickly put counters in place against the two after their many exchanges, thoughmostly using earth-based skills to block and absorb their lightning attacks. Still, the wyvern and prince combination was fast, and still managed to pick off the occasional soldier before one of their defenders were able to block. That was the problem with fighting with elemental abilitiesthere was always a counter. There was also no way the two would be able to survive an all out battle with the entire army, which is why they were sticking with guerrilla tactics and resting when needed. It at least allowed the two of them to keep the army focused on them instead of on Alanahs battle. Edgar and Blitz were strong, but they werent strong enough to take on an entire army by themselvesespecially once Blitzs intimidation factor had worn off. They were lucky that both of them were aerial fighters, and that flying abilities werent exactly common. The army had already nixed the idea of sending those who could fly up to deal with Edgar and Blitz. Those people were easy pickings for the two when they separated from the rest of the army. However, as Edgar and Blitz chipped away at the army, Edgar made sure to take a look to see how Alanahs fight was progressing. He was under no illusion that they would be able to continue their push once those three men showed up for the fight. They all fought almost to a standstill before he and Alanah had to retreat the day before, and it was looking like it would soon be their time to retreat again. Alanah was getting better and better at using that form of hers, but it still took a toll on her body and was limited in the time she could keep it active. And because of the fact that she had to shift into the scary figure as soon as the battle started after being ambushed the previous day, that time would be getting close to its end. I guess its almost time to pull back and call our own army up for the fight. There will be a lot of casualties, but it would be enough to allow me and Blitz to enter the fight with the leaders and tip the scales back in our favor. We need to retreat, he sent back once he regained his bearing. Not yet, she replied, this time not as angrily. I can get this bastard. She was talking about the general that the King of Astrus had brought with him. He was a full on close range physical combatant and was also the one she was clashing with over and over. If not for the black ice and occasional barrier distracting and wounding her, she would have made quick work of the man. Edgar shook his head and was about to send her another message about retreating when the heckles on the back of his neck began to stand. He looked away in a panic and even Blitz roared loudly and changed their direction. Whatever was going on, his companion felt it, too. No longer worried about Alanah, Edgar and Blitz looked back in the direction where they just were once they were a safe distance away from whatever it was that caused that immediate sense of Wait a minute, Edgar thought to himself. Ive felt that feelingthat sense of dreadbefore. It wasnt near as strong as what I just experienced, but I know it. That sense of dread was the feeling he had gotten when Dereks companion, Silvi, had somehow made her way into the dungeon with them before she revealed the news of the war. Did you recognize that feeling? That sense of dread? he asked Blitz. What dread? Was just getting a better look of battlefield. Whos scared? Im not scared. Youre scared, Blitz replied. I didnt say anything about being you know what? Nevermind. Edgar shook his head. He should have known better than to expect a proper response from Blitz. Hed regretted going along with Derek and giving his companion the Telepathy skill ever since the first day Blitz was in Cydaria. But that feeling, its definitely close to the same. Did Dereks companion decided to leave the dungeon and come help? With her help, we may be able to Keeping his eyes peeled on the space that sent that dreadful feeling, Edgar watched as a massive rip in space slowly appeared. He wasnt the only one to notice it, either. The feeling emanating from it was intense, and once the rip appeared, it grew even stronger. Just like what happened before. Edgar was getting excited. Maybe we wont have to retreat after all. Apparently, Silvi has a vendetta against Elves. Maybe she could take that duke out while Alanah deals with the others. And shell probably be out for revenge after the man wanted to eliminate her. Even if she wasnt there when it happened. Speaking of Alanah, her fight had slowed as well, as everyone was now focusing on the tear in space. Edgars heart races as the tear in space began to open a massive passageway into a deep dark nothingness. Then, he couldnt fight the smile from appearing on his face when he saw the bunny. But what he was more excited for was the man whos shoulder she was resting on. With an odd pair of black boots that seemed to have a constantly moving pattern, and a near full set of what looked like dragon-scaled armorminus a big chunk missing from one of the legsa man with dark as night black hair with an odd purple tint and deep purple eyes took a step out of the portal. Well, this changes everything, Edgar thought. Derek and Silvi had both arrived. Chapter 349: Overwhelming Force Chapter 349: Overwhelming Force Derek took a step through the exit portal and into the open sky. Everything had gone exactly according to Silvis cliff-note explanation. Edgars aura while Derek and Silvi were inside the unstable space created by Void Travel seemed quite distant. However, when Derek took a small step, it was like he covered a ton of ground. The battle really would have been just a short hop away if he had gone that route. Of course, Derek knew that traveling in the space would have been much harder if he had decided to travel between his current planet and Earth. The distance and focus alone was enough to make him wonder about if he even could do it. But that was neither here nor there. Right now, he was exactly where he wanted to be. Derek, with Silvi on his shoulder, was standing over an enormous army of elves and humans, along with a few other races that he spotted. He didnt bother trying to count the exact number or even try to get an estimate. The emotions of the soldiers below looked to be a mix of fatigue, worry, and resistance. Derek watched as walls and domes of earth slowly crumbled, revealing the rest of them. It seemed everyone was honed in on his entrance to the battle as well. Damn, that feeling that Void Travel causes really is about as subtle as a punch to the face. Apparently, the warning that he was coming was so much that the entire battlefield had stopped what they were doing to try to figure out what was happening.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) As Derek surveyed the area, his eyes landed on one face that looked extremely excited and happy to see him. Edgar, sitting atop Blitz the Magnificent, was grinning from ear to ear, and as soon as he locked eyes with Derek, the young prince disappeared into a ball of lightning, then in almost a flash, reappeared hovering in the air with his lightning wings next to Derek. Is it finished? Edgar asked. Is the raid completely over, or did you decide to leave early to come fight with us? Its over and done, Derek replied. Everyone who survived is out. Just finished earlier today, actually. After making an appearance in Savannah and taking care of a few things, Silvi and I came straight here. Edgar frowned for a second, then nodded. Thats the best news Ive heard in a month. So, whats the plan? Derek asked as he nodded down at the army below, then looked over to where the small battle in the air had reignited. Are we hitting them all, including the army below, or are we going straight for the leaders? He nodded at the battle with what appeared to be a very odd looking Alanah. Also, are those the leaders? If Derek was to be honest with himself, he didnt exactly like the idea of killing the army below. He wasnt a pacifist by any means, and after the death and destruction hed seen and even caused ever since the system arrived on earth, he probably wouldnt lose much sleep over it, but there tended to be multiple ways to end wars, and a couple less royal families around would probably work for this one. Though, it might not be enoughthats why he was asking Edgar. Ive been wondering that myself, Edgar said with a sigh. The conclusion I came up with was a bit of both, and now that everyones back, I think we can pull it off. I want to hit the army hard, and with overwhelming power, so they dont resist after we take out the leaders. I think if we can get Tyron and Avery to come help with Rocky and Lyra, that will be enough. Then we can put all our focus on those guys, Edgar explained as he nodded at Alanahs fight, too. Who are those guys? Derek asked. The skill didnt seem all that deadly at first, which turned out to be a costly mistake for the front of the army. It was only a decent sized black sphere with a bunch of lights in it, after all. It looked like they didnt notice the distortion until it was too late. The ball hit the front of the army and passed directly through the earth shields and barriers cast to stop it. Derek watched in horror as people were sucked in by its gravitational force and bent and broken in every which waytheir own bodies distorted with the distortion of space. The black ball of death traveled about a quarter way into the army, then stopped. Everyone looked panicked and relieved, but then the stars were unleashed. In a ring around the black ball, small stars circled and expanded almost instantly. Like a saw, the stars bit into and cut everyone even remotely within the range of the sphere. Blood and chunks of body parts began to fly, then, something even worse happened. The stars retracted themselves in an instant, and the sphere exploded. A black dome spread out from the center of the sphere and covered a quarter of the army. The dome stayed static for around five seconds, then collapsed in on itself before imploding. When the dust cleared, there was nothing leftno blood, no body parts nothing. A giantperfectly roundedcrater was left in the shape of the dome from above. It had created a perfect sphere, and anything that was inside was now goneand that included a not small portion of the enemys army. But, unfortunately, Edgar said he wanted overwhelming power, so they werent finished. Derek flashed back down in front of the army and took a step towards them. He didnt have enough mana to do what he just did again, not to mention that the stars on his boots were now static, and he had no clue how long it would take before he could activate the skill again. But he didnt need to do any of that. Two steps were all it took for the army to panic and lob spells at him before turning and running for their lives. Derek allowed a couple of fireballs, some stone spikes, and a few arrows to shatter on his armor as he continued forward. This time, however, Derek wasnt the armys problemit was Silvi. With the army retreating away from Derek, it gave Silvi the perfect opportunity to come in hotquite literally. A massive jet of flames appeared out of nowhereor, if you had extremely good eyesight or some vision skillsout of a very small figure positioned just above the rear of the army. The flames hit the ground and blasted outward as Silvi slowly raised her head and directed the flames to move through the rear of the army. Derek moved back to his resting place in front of his portal and watched on as the army panicked and ran into each other while looking for a way out. Soon, the army was completely busted and everyone scattered in different directions. Thats enough, Derek sent to Silvi. He knew she still had plenty of mana left, but Derek believed that the two of them had made their point. He hadnt expected the skill on the boots to be as effective as it was, so that was both great news, and a bit somber when he thought about it. He wasnt planning on killing so many people or in such a brutal wayhe had planned to show them overwhelming might, just not that much. With a thud, Silvi appeared back on his shoulder and the flames from the sky disappeared at the same time. Edgar, who was still standing by the portal when Derek got back for the second time, was staring at the destruction that had just been caused below. Is that overwhelming enough? Derek asked. That should do it, Edgar replied. Good, Derek answered mechanically. Im going to go help Alanah now. She looks like she could use it. Chapter 350: Joining the Fray Chapter 350: Joining the Fray Silvi hopped off of Dereks shoulder and onto Edgars. Derek laughedshe hadnt left the poor prince a choice. Obviously, she knew that Derek was about to teleport away once again, and if he did that, she would be stuck in the air with nowhere to go. So, she had chosen the best of the available options and picked a new mount for the time being. Derek knew that they were very rare, but he would have to look into getting her a flight, or at least a floating skill, in the future. Using her dragon flame as propulsion just wasnt a viable option. She was very agile while fighting in the sky, but she didnt have any way to maintain her position without using either her Dragon Fire skill or Active Void Shift. I guess I could get her a lid from a pot and she could use that with her Telekinesis skill. It would definitely fit her. Derek made sure to make a mental note that if he couldnt find a proper flight or hover skill for his companion, he would at least get her a very well crafted pot cover. Derek looked the prince in his eyes one last time and said, The three of you need to keep an eye on the army. Dont let them regroup. Got it. Edgar nodded. He did not look the least bit comfortable with Silvi perched on his shoulder. With Silvi off his shoulder, and his mana slightly recovered, Derek slipped away from the prince with Active Void Shift and appeared next to the odd-looking Alanah. With his appearance at the other battle, their fighting ceased once again, and Derek gave a quick look at his new opponents. The elven one, who he assumed was Ryven Elras, did not look happy at the moment. He kept glancing at Derek, then back over to Edgar. No hes looking at Silvi, isnt he? Oh, yeah. Edgar said something like he would probably issue a command to kill Silvi, and the fact that they did indeed attack Savannah means that he really did. At that thought, Derek stared daggers at the commander of the army. The elven commanders eyes also occasionally fell on his now scrambled army. There was a look of uncertainty in the mans eyes, but Derek didnt see anything like fear, or even anger. Even with everything Derek and Silvi had done once they made their appearance, the man still looked pretty calm. Either hes very calm and collected, or hes just really good at not letting his emotions show. The elven commander looked rather young, but Derek knew that the mans age and his looks didnt have much to do with one another. He was a full-blooded elf, and they aged at a much slower pace than humans, and lived longer as well. The man had long silver hair pulled back into a ponytail, and had a striking pair of emerald-green eyes. Derek couldnt help but think back to the rude elven girl hed encountered when he first arrived in Savannah. Wait, what did Shae say about her? She was a dukes daughter sent to Cydaria as a foreign dignitary I think. What was her name Sarina no, Sabrina. That was it. This guy looks a lot like that girl. I wonder if this duke is her father. I didnt ask Edgar if the king had more than one brother. After thinking about it for a moment, the similarities between the duke and that girl were too much to be anything but father and daughter. Moving on from the elven commander, Derek next checked out the three humans. Two of the men both had very pointy facial features, like their chins and noses, and just gave Derek a slimy feeling. What caught his attention the most was the odd shade of hair that they shared. Derek reached up and ran his fingers through his own hair. Is that what mine looks like now that its tinted a bit by the color of the void? What he was thinking about was the extremely dark blue hair that would have looked black if he wasnt closely inspecting the two. So thats the King and Duke of Astrus. Alanah held the hand that she wasnt using to hold her rapier up in front of her face and examined it. It would seem that way, she said. The fingernails, or claws really, looked sharpmaybe even as sharp as the sword she was holding. Derek was about to tell her that she needed to work on getting more sleep, and possibly run a comb through her hair, but the man who was trying to shout at him before cut their reunion short. The next thing Derek knew, a massive spike of what looked like black ice was rapidly closing in on him. Derek was about to dodge the attack by slipping into the void, but he thought better of it. Not knowing how hard his new skill was going to be to use, Derek stopped Greater Meditation so he would have greater control over his own body. After that, he quickly waved his hand, and a rip in space appeared in front of him just before the ice reached him. It was the first time hed used the new skill, so Derek stalled for a moment while figuring out what to do next, but the next instant, he felt, more than realized, what he needed to do next. With another wave of his hand, although he figured it could actually be done with a thought if he practiced and leveled the skill enough, Spatial Redirection instantly opened another tear in space and the ice appeared once again. Well, that worked, Derek said as he looked at the doubled over elven commander who had just taken a large spike of black ice to his gut. Some of it even managed to break through his armor and penetrate into his stomach. Fortunately for the man, he had reacted quickly and was able to slow the spike enough with his hands that it didnt go all the way through him. Derek turned to look at Alanah again to see what to do next, but it seemed that the woman wasnt going to let this chance to attack the enemy pass her by. She had disappeared without him even noticing. Damn, she must be fast. Derek quickly glanced at his still recovering mana and sighed. Hed had Greater Meditation active for most of the time, other than when he quickly dropped it to be able to react fast enough with Spatial Redirection. Looks like were doing this whether Im ready or not. With a thought, Harbinger appeared in his hand and he kicked off the void toward the leaders of the army. Alanah was already on the armored general, attacking him while dodging everything that got close to herand there was a lot trying to hit her. On top of the general swinging his own sword, the two royals from Astrus were shooting ice pellet after ice pellet her way while trying to circle around their fight to get a better angle. Alanah did a great job of keeping the man she was attacking between her and the ice attackwhich also made the king and duke have to be more precise, and thus slower, with their own attacks. Seeing the three of them occupied, Derek decided to deal with the man hed already started attacking. Duke Ryven seemed to have the same thought, as he wasnt even looking at the fighting going on next to him. His focus was on the approaching Derek. I guess I would be like that too if someone had just placed a large icicle in my gut. It was a split second decision, but Derek thought that taking out the commander first would be the best decision. From what Silvi had told them, the royal elf she killed had used barriers of some kind, and since it seemed like most families passed down affinities, even if they didnt know that was what they were doing, it was a safe bet that he was the reason that Alanahs voice didnt affect them. If not, then taking out the commander of the army would still be the best thing to do. The ice mage had already removed the icicle from the elven commanders gut, and he was well on his way to recovering. But Derek had some other things he wanted to try out, and a shiny new training dummy to try them on. If the duke wanted to blame anyone for what was about to happen, he could blame himself because it was his own fault for ordering his army to attack Savannah. Chapter 351: Derek vs. Duke Chapter 351: Derek vs. Duke Derek and the duke squared off in the airDerek using Void Steps to keep himself in the air, and the duke looking like he was standing on nothing. Derek wasnt exactly sure what the mans method of flying was. Probably something to do with his barriers. It was easy to tell how the two royal members of the Astrus kingdom stayed afloat, though. They werent big, but obviously it had something to do with the near static wings on their backs or the small blizzard orbiting around them or both. As for the last personthe general that the two royal members brought with themDerek had absolutely no clue how that person was able to stay in the air. Maybe theres something underneath all that armor theyre wearing. Come to think of it, how is Alanah flying? Ill have to ask her about it later. Wings seemed to be the normal skill method for most peoplewhether it was wings made out of ice or fire or electricity. Some wings, like the ones that the pair from Astrus were wearing, seemed to only be there for a visual effect, and didnt require any movement from them at all to keep the users in the air. While Derek was slightly lost in thought, he saw the duke finally make a move on him, which was exactly what he was waiting for. Dereks overall fighting style hadnt changed much. He still liked to figure out what kind of damage an enemy could output before going all in. Of course, after a couple of realizations, he chose to go about this a little more carefully than before by doing his best to avoid getting hit in the head or heart. Actually, with the way my foot healed, its possible that hitting my heart wouldnt be as bad anymore. Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Derek wasnt sure what the man was doing, so he raised his left arm in front of his face to protect that vital area as best he could. Almost as soon as he brought his forearm up, it was hit by something. Derek was pushed back in the air a couple feet and had to adjust his Void Steps again. Once he was stabilized, he brought his arm out and examined where he was hit. On the side of the left forearm of his Dark Wyvern Scaled Armor, there was an indent, and a white mark around half an inch wide and three inches long. Derek quickly switch Harbinger to his other hand and rubbed at the blemish on the armor. The mark faded some, but it looked like it was there to stay. The small sacrifice made from his armor let Derek knew that if whatever the man just used was his best attack, he was in no danger of being hurt. He wasnt entirely sure, but he put his own skin close to the same level of protection as the armor itself, and since his evolution, he had a feeling it may be even better than he thought. The only real attack hed taken after the evolution was from the Starfury Leonarus, and he couldnt count that as a real testthe thing wasnt from the Great System, after all. Derek looked up from examining his armor and smiled at the duke, who almost looked surprised. While he was smiling, he was hit three more times by whatever attack the man was using. Two hit his chest, and the other hit the palm of his hand as he raised it just in time to block his head from being hit. On his palm, he was left with what looked like a paper cut that barely went deep enough to cause him to bleed. Before his eyes, it healed almost instantly. Dammit, I hate paper cuts. Bastards sting like a son of a bitch. He shook his hand and met the eyes of the duke once again. This time, the elven commander was actually surprisedhis eyes were round as saucers. Taking a hit to armor was one thing, but taking it with a gloveless open palm and only shaking the sting off afterward was another. Dereks smiled grew even wider. It looked like he wasnt a very good match for the duke. I bet hes not too great against Alanah, either. With all that endurance from the Void Beasts, plus the strength, I bet shed overpower him pretty quickly in a one versus one situation. Derek switched Harbinger back to his dominant hand and mouth two words at the duke. My turn. He knew the man couldnt hear him, but those words were pretty easy to understand. Today was a day of firsts for Derek. It was the first time he used his new Spatial Redirection skillwhich worked pretty well, all things considered. The two-minute cooldown timer on it kind of sucked, but hopefully that would get better as he leveled it. Now, it was time for a different first: Spatial Rend. This skill only worked with a bladed weapon, which was perfect for Derek. He searched for the skill and activated it, then channeled the void into Harbinger for a little extra attack power. He didnt have a ton of mana, so he went easy. Then, he felt how to use the skill, and slashed out with Harbinger. What he noticed when he used the skill was that his void was still inside Harbinger. It hadnt been unleashed with the attack. The attack didnt actually start at Harbinger, and more so appeared out of thin air. Im not worried about your mental skills. Youve already shown what attacks you possess, the man said. True, Derek replied. Anyway, lets get straight to it. Youre the commander of the army. The army is scattered. Our entire raid team is back, and are all somewhere around the same strength as Edgar. Youve already lost, so you should give up. Derek waited for a reply while the walls continued to squeeze him. Finally, after some time, the man spoke. The war is not lost. We still have the numbers. Do you think thats our entire army? Once the Dawn Siren is taken care of, the war will be over. But it will be our side that wins. Youre pretty delusional, arent you? Derek said. Reminds me of your daughter. I thought something was up with her, but she was the first elf I met, so I didnt think anything of it. All of you have some sense of superiority to humans, but she and you seem to have it worse than the others that Ive met. Sabrina did say she met you briefly, Ryven replied. She also stalked me a little, too, Derek laughed. There were a couple of times in Savannah when he caught the elf staring at him from a distance. He always ignored her for the most parthe didnt consider her worth his time. Stalked? How dare you! What? She did. Derek shrugged his trapped shoulders as best he could. Anyway, like I said. You should surrender now, and maybe I can talk Edgar into letting your countries off with a less harsh punishment. And like I said. Youve only a couple people that we need to immobilize and the war is ours. We have the numbers, the duke replied. Derek sighed and used Active Void Shift to appear directly behind the man. You dont seem to get it, he sent to the man as he slashed out with his void covered glaive. His attack bounced off of another one of the shields, but he knew that didnt matter. Silvi had killed one of their princes, and Derek was quite sure that the shield wouldnt block his void energy. Sure enough, the void attack passed through the shield and landed on the commanders torso. Whatever skill the man was using broke and Derek heard a sound come from the man for the first time in the form of a grunt, before a mouthful of blood poured out of him and he began to fall to the ground. Youre only alive because I havent killed you yet, he sent to the fallen man. Damn, its fun to fight against people who can talk back again. Chapter 352: The Normal Spiel Chapter 352: The Normal Spiel Dereks void attacks were great, especially against people who didnt have high endurance and vitality. From what he could see from the way the elven commander reacted to his attackand how long it took the area where the ice had penetrated his abdomen to heal beforethe elven man didnt have a high focus in either of those two stats. His defense might have been very high, but that was only because of his barriers. Without thoseor against someone who could ignore themhe was a sitting duck. If Derek had to guess, he would say that the man had a decent amount of stat points dumped in his wisdom and intelligence stats. Why wouldnt he if he had multiple kinds of barriers that could block just about any kind of damage from reaching him? Intelligence and wisdom would be the prime stats. Intelligence to increase the skills powerwhether defensive or attack powerand wisdom to increase the length at which he could maintain the skills, and how well he could control them. It really wasnt a bad build for someone. Unfortunately, the man ran into Derek, who happened to be a pretty big counter to him, if that really was how he built around his skills. And that was why Ryven, the Duke of Indria, was sprawled out on the ground, breathing heavily with his eyes unfocused. But fortunately for the man, Dereks attack hadnt straight up killed him. Well, whether hes fortunate or not isnt decided yet. With that thought, Derek flashed down to the ground next to the reeling man, and opened a rip in the voidrevealing his Time Prison. Derek grabbed the man by the top of his chest armor and lifted him up. for new novels I I the man tried to say something, but didnt quite have enough focus or breath left in him to talk. You you Derek said, imitating the man. Were wrong. And now youre really sorry, and hope I wont kill you, and also hope that we wont take everything out on your kingdom or the rest of your family? Thats usually the normal spiel that comes out of the mouth of someone like you whos just gotten his ass kicked, right? Derek didnt wait for the man to gather himself enough for a reply. Instead, he did a quick search and grabbed what storage rings he could find on his bodywhich turned out to be two, but he doubted that was all the man had, however, he didnt have enough time to do a thorough searchthen pushed the door to his Time Prison open. As soon as the door opened, and before Derek even threw Ryven inside, he saw the corpse of the turkey-like creature he had thrown in before. It hadnt completely disintegrated like the previous one, but it hadnt fared much better. It was missing multiple parts of itself, and also looked old on some parts of its body, yet young on others. Two experiments, and only one inside his Time Prison, werent enough for him to know if the Time Prison had actually shielded the beast somewhat from the space in time, or if it had just gotten lucky. He would definitely have to run more tests later. It was all pretty interesting. What if I used Void Creation and created a layer of void around something, then tried to take it through the tunnel? It was a very interesting idea, and he made a mental note to find some more beasts. Using the cells may work, too. Ill try that sometime, as well. Finally, Derek tossed the wounded man inside the prison. Try your best not to die, he said. Im sure Edgar would like to have a word with you if youre still alive once we finish here. After that, he closed the door and pulled the void back together. He didnt have enough time to go inside himself and arrange a nice room for the man to stay inhed have to make do without the status effects the cells have built into them, and try to survive on his own. Also, he should be cut off from any relevant healing skills that he might have. Okay whats next? Derek thought as he looked back up at the battle going on. His little interference with Spatial Rend was enough to give Alanah a pretty good advantage by taking one of the annoying flies off her for some time, it seemed. The armored person wasnt looking so hot, and just couldnt keep up with Alanahs rapid fire attacks. In fact, Alanahs rapier must have found multiple gaps in the persons armor, as there was now a lot of blood flowing out of it from the waist down. The man who Derek hit with his skill looked like he still hadnt been able to heal the wound he caused. That seems really promising, he thought. He still couldnt see the wound well, but by the black ice pushed into the gap in his armor and his hand resting on its location, he could tell that the man was still hurting. Alanah nodded, and Derek stored Harbinger before he used Void Shift. He opted to go with his regular Void Shift rather than Silvis Active Void Shift this time for a couple of reasons. First, his Void Shift still needed to level quite a bit, and no matter how much he used Silvis skill, it wouldnt go any higher. Also, he could gauge what he needed to do easier from within his shifted state, and he doubted the two royals would have enough stats to break him out of it when he got close. They would probably be able to detect him if they focused enough while trying to escapemaybe somewhere within the realm of how Shae had when they first sparredbut he doubted they would be able to do much else. Though, you never know, he thought. If nothing else, he would learn more about his skill. He hadnt really given it much use since he increased both his intelligence and wisdom to their 1500 point breakthrough. Derek pulled himself through void ripple after void ripple with his focus on the fleeing pair the whole time. They were still moving, but their speed wasnt as fast as Edgars was back when they were racing to save Edward and capture Torith back in the capital. The young prince was built for speed, but the two ice users were not. If they continued to flee side by side, though, he would have a much easier time getting to both of them instead of just one. Derek looked behind him to see how Alanah was doing, and to his surprise, she was moving even faster than Edgar had. She was crazy fastDerek thought it may have just been her dexterity and coordination that made her movements so fast during her battle, but she clearly had fantastic straight-line speed as well. Luckily for Derek, though, the two royals werent anywhere near the distance that he and Edgar had to travel from the teleporter to the castle back then. Hed had to come out of his Void Shift and gulp down some mana potions to keep going back then. But now, even with his current reduced mana pool, he still shouldnt have any problem getting to them in time. He continued to pull himself toward the duo. During his time shifted, they had looked behind themselves and saw Alanahand maybe himcharging forth, and had chosen to split up. Derek clicked his tongue and focused on only chasing the one with the long hairthe King of Astrus. Hed have to find out the mans name later. He didnt really like just thinking of him as a king. Soon, Derek was behind the man. He quickly pulled himself through another ripple and found himself in front of him by ten or so feet. The mans eyes fell onto Derek, and his face slowly fell into a confused look. He definitely can see, or at least sense, me, Derek thought. He did a quick look at his mana pool after that. That took a little less mana than using Active Void Shift would have. But thats only if I dont stay in here any longer. With that, Derek deactivated his skill and appeared in front of the king. In an instant, the man came to a halt to avoid running into him. Who would want to run straight into a person that had basically tanked everything the elven commander had to throw at him? Well, thats if he was watching at all. He definitely looked over when I hit his brother with Spatial Rend. Where do you think youre going? Derek asked. Move out of the way, the king yelled back and a giant wing made of ice came forward to hit Derek. It reminded him a bit of his fight with the wyverns. Hed been hit by a wing before, and that was another attack that he found out he wasnt a big fan of. However, even though the wing was big and, while it wasnt exactly slow, Derek was able to easily dodge it by increasing his elevation with his Void Steps. And if it came to it, he could still Void Shift. That was your one shot, Derek said, and Harbinger appeared in his hand before he struck down with it. You better hope youre more tanky than the duke was. Youre going to need to be. Chapter 353: Ice Chapter 353: Ice With a thought, Derek activated Sweeping Slash after quickly channeling what void energy he could into Harbinger in a short moment. The duke hadnt been able to take a regular strike to his organs well, and now the King of Astrus was in prime position to take a full on hit with Sweeping Slash. Derek was still going for the capture route, but he wouldnt be too broken up if his attack accidentally killed the king. The arc from Sweeping Slash shot out toward the king, who was still in very close range. The king, to his credit, saw the attack and managed to bring up his own defenseputting one wing up, then another in an attempt to block. The king was able to block the blow, though, that wasnt the only thing that came with Dereks use of part of his favorite combo. He knew that even with the multiple feet of black ice, the energy from the arching slash made out of the void would still find its target. To his surprise, however, Derek didnt hear any of the noises or see any of the scenes from behind the wings of ice that he had expected. Usually, when his enemies were hit with the void, theyd at least cough or groan from their internal organs being shaken up or destroyed, or even blood would fall to the ground from their mouths. Even the most powerful of beasts showed signs that theyd been hit by it. He was confused for a second, but moments later, he saw the reasonor at least what was most likely the reason. First the front wing opened up, then the other, making the pair of wings move back to their normal place behind the king. In the middle, Derek found a very interesting scene. Before, the wings connected to the mans back and into his normal human fleshif Averys dragon wings were anything to go off of. Now, the wings of ice connected to even more ice. Other than the mans clothes, his entire body was a dark crystalline blue colorincluding his face and hands. Now this is something new, Derek thought. I wonder if all his organs have turned into ice as well. Hmm I never did get to see what my void infused Sweeping Slash did to those trees back in the raid dungeon. Unfortunately, our sparring and training ended up decimating the entire part of that forest before I got to see if they survived or not. This situation is different, but surely not too different. Both he and the trees are alive I think, but both of them are mostly solid now. Well, at least much more solid than a normal human. Interesting. I wonder if his organs are going to rupture when they thaw out. Dereks grip tightened on Harbinger and he smiled. After getting four of his stats to the 1500 point threshold, he had believed that other than some abnormality, like the Starfury Leonarus, he would be able to crush most people from Cydaria and the surrounding kingdoms quite easily. This was further proven when he had his quick fight against the elven commander of the combined armies. One good swipe with a void infused Harbinger, and one of the strongest people in Indria had been incapacitated so badly that their skill had even stopped functioning. Well, I assume hes close to the top when it comes to people in Indria. Then again, I could probably take Edward and Edwin out with relative ease how I am now, but there are still people in Cydaria like Edgar, Avery, and especially Alanah. Thats a pretty neat trick, Derek said. I wonder how much damage it really negated. Whats going to happen when you thaw out and you need your blood to start pumping again? What if his full ice body is acting like pure armor, and my skill just completely passed through it without causing any harm? Just like it would have normal armor. It could be like attacking golems anywhere other than their energy filled cores. Does he have a core in this form that I could hit? That is not something you need to concern yourself with, Mr. Hunt, the king replied with a toothy, frozen smile. His voice was very muffled, and it sounded like someone was speaking through a pillow. Im flattered that you know my name. No, really, I am. Ive literally never met anyone outside of Cydaria, other than the dukes daughter, that is, yet the king of a country that Im not one hundred percent sure what the name is actually knows who I am. Its Asterisk? Right? Or Astrus or something. Im close, I know I am. The man did not look amused. It is Astrus, and you would do well to remember it. Im not so sure about that. Derek shrugged. I think Asterisk would be a much better name for your country. You know, because thats the only way its going to be mentioned in the history books, as an asterisk. This country was formerly known as Astrus until its royal family got greedy and bit off more than they could chew. You know? Something like that. No, I dont know, the king spat. Im sure the history books wont even remember your name at all. Fine by me, Derek said. Im not one for all that honor and glory for the ages and all that crap. Who cares if someone remembers me a millennium after Im dead? Ill still be dead. Anyway, Im tired of thinking about you as the King of Astrus. Since you know my name, how about you tell me yours? My name? You do not know my name? The King of Astrus glared at Derek in silence for some time. Actually, it was long enough for his Spatial Rend to come off of cooldown and for him to regenerate a decent chunk of his mana through Greater Meditation. I am Tivarian Sinclair, the King of Astrus and soon to be ruler of this entire continent. So, you see your mistake in making me your enemy? Tivarian said. Uh. You made me your enemy, not the other way around, Derek said. Its you and Indria that attacked where I live. Then, Derek held his hand up and showed the man his pinky, that was already at least twenty percent grown back. And no, I dont regret it. You cant do anything to me that I cant fix, and the second your ice statue skill runs out, youre dead or at least capturedjust like the duke. The eyes on the mans statue face widened at Dereks regenerating limb. One digit was much easier to grow back than an entire foot and ankle, and even without a healers support, it was growing back at a rate visible to the human eye. You! The man shot forward once again. This time, Derek covered his hands and every other unarmored part of his body, even his head, with a layer of void armor he made from Void Creation. He didnt know how well it would work, but when he used the skill to make armor, like when he was fighting the whale, the void became physical. So, it should provide at least some protection. Before the man arrived, Derek sliced Harbinger through the air and activated Spatial Rend. Instantly, the space opened and moved rapidly toward the incoming man before landing on his shoulder. Derek cursed his inaccuracy, but the attack still caused damage. His energy based void attack may not have caused damage, but when the physical properties of space landed on the mans shoulder, it immediately vanished a big chunk of ice from him. The man stopped and shouted painfully before clutching his new wound. This time, Derek was close enough to see the lingering effect caused by Spatial Rend. Small things that he could only call spatial tendrils looked to be wriggling around the edges of the injury. It was not a pretty sight. Derek wasnt going to let this opportunity with the man, currently unmoving and clutching his injury, pass him by. With his left hand, he focused and activated Spatial Collapse. He had an idea of how it worked, but Daves warning that it started small was still ingrained in his mind. A hand for a pinky, Derek thought. Soon, a very small transparent black cube appeared on the mans current immobile hand. It was only about two inches by two inches. Okay, a pinky for a pinky, then. Tivarian noticed the small spatial attack too late, and by the time he went to move his hand from the cubewhich Derek felt he could easily break it out ofthe trapping part of the skill changed to the collapsing part. Instantly, two fingers of the mans left hand shattered, and some even disappeared with the space. Derek was happy that he had two skills that worked quite well on the ice man before him, but he had one more trick up his sleeve that would work even better. Edgar, Derek sent, but he had traveled too far away from the prince to reach him with his low level of Telepathy. Dammit. Silvi, can you hear me? What? her voice came through, which made Derek happy. Yay for bond Telepathy over my normal, low-level Telepathy, he thought. Could you ask Edgar if its okay to kill this king, or if he would rather we capture him? A reply didnt come for a short time, but finally, she got back to him. Kill him. Big Sparky said you got the shield guy. Hes enough. Great, he sent. Can you come do it? Im pretty sure hes not so good against fire. Chapter 354: Ice and... Fire? Chapter 354: Ice and... Fire? Tevarian clutched at his now shattered fingers in pain. Its good to know that he somehow feels pain in this form, at least. Derek was intensely taking mental notes in case he ended up fighting an enemy with an ability like the one the King of Astrus was showing in the future. His void channeled attacks worked well on flesh and energyif thats what he could consider was in the golems mana coresbut didnt seem to work well on completely solid objects. Also, seeing that the man could still feel pain even though his entire body was solid ice, gave Derek something to think about. His nerves and pain receptors should have been frozen solid, as well, but clearly, the system wasnt allowing such a thing. Ill tell you what, Derek said. I have a separate space that I can open, and if you go inside without causing a fuss, I wont kill you here and now. Hmph, the man snorted while still clutching one hand with the other. Its true that you may be stronger than me and even have some insane healing ability. But I dont believe you would be able to kill meespecially since I know what to look out for now. Those skills take too long for you to cast. You wont hit me with them again. Thats funny, Derek replied. I hadnt planned on using them again. I have a much better, and easier, strategy to take care of you. The offers available for the next ten seconds. And know that even if I cant kill you in that form, there is no way you can escape me. There is always a way to escape, the man said. Did you think that I came to the front lines without being prepared for something to go wrong? 654 oh, shes here early. Derek was counting down in his mind as he let the king blabber on. I dont think you understand, Derek said. You could teleport to the other side of the world, and I could be beside you in a matter of seconds. You could go into a dungeon, and I will still appear. There is no escapenot from the Cydarian Army, or Edgar, or Alanahbut from me. Lies! the angry king shouted as he flicked his wrist and a scroll appeared in his hand. I dont believe you. Lets see if what you say is true. Wait! Derek held his hand out for the man to stop. I knew it. Tevarian smiled. Theres nothing you can do to stop me. No, thats not it, Derek grinned. Its a pity to destroy a teleport scroll like that. Im assuming thats what that is. A pity? Using such a scroll to preserve ones life is never a pity. Thats not what I was talking about, Derek said. I was just waiting for her to get into position. Wha Tevarian started, but was immediately hit by a terribly hot wave of dragon fire. The scroll in his hand had instantly burned up upon impact, and there was nothing he could do to activate it any longer. Soon, Derek heard a thud as his ice body crashed into the ground from the force of the dragon flame. But Silvi didnt let upthe massive flood of fire continued to pour from just outside her small mouth. It wasnt until Derek received the kill notification that the fire stopped. Your Bonded Companion Has Killed 250 Ice Mage 850,000,000,000 Experience Gained Level Up The mans eyes unfocused for a moment before he turned his head back toward Derek and shot him a glare. How dare you! See, told you, Derek said. Then, with a thought, he pulled out Harbinger and gripped it tightly. After that, he began to push void energy through the weapon. The mans entire head was covered by ice, and it was possible that his heart or other organs were, too. There was still a chance that his insides were solid and it was only the outside flesh that wasnt covered. With a kick off the void, Derek dashed toward his new opponent. The mans wings quickly wrapped themselves in front of the duke in anticipation of his attack. With his free left hand, Derek held it out and cast Void Lightning exactly where he knew the mans stomach would be, behind the wings. Just before Derek arrived at the wings, Derek heard a grunt, and the mans defenses lowered ever so slightlyjust enough for him to get past them. Thats what I like to hear. That grunt was enough to allow Derek to know that the man wasnt as indestructible as his brother had been. It also gave him a target. With a horizontal slash of Harbinger, Derek activated Multi-Strike, and the attack landed almost perfectly on the dukes side. Seconds later, the ice wings broke into thousands of small pieces and began to fall to the ground. The ice on the mans hands and head slowly began to retract, and as soon as his mouth was uncovered, a mass of blood began to pour out of it. He doubled over in pain and began to fall. Derek didnt allow that, though. He quickly moved forward and caught the duke by his neck before lifting him up. The mans eyes were completely shut. Derek stored Harbinger, then took his now free hand and lifted the mans eyelids. He was completely out and unconscious. In fact, when Derek used Identify, he found that the man was in a dying state. What do we do here? Derek turned and asked Alanah, who was slowly moving closer to him. When she got there, she put her arm around Dereks shoulders to stabilize herself. With her arm wrapping around him, he could feel a weird, slight vibration coming from her. Hes dying? she asked. She seemed much more calm and level-headed now that she wasnt in that form of hers. Alanah raised her other hand and tapped her cheek. Lets do this since the king is dead. With a flick of her hand, a potion appeared in it. Here, give him this, then throw him inside your space. Sure Derek said, as he took the potion. Seems like a waste, but its your potion. You have one duke, you might as well get the pair, Alanah laughed. It will be easier to stop the war with a captured high royal. Astrus isnt like Cydaria, theyre much more of a warmongering kingdom. A public execution will go a long way with them. They respect power. Okay, Derek said as he poured the unstoppered potion into the mans mouth before handing the empty vial back to Alanah. Then, he activated Time Prison and tore the sky open with his free hand before opening the door behind. He half expected to see the other duke fly out, but he didnt. Ryven was still on the ground in a fetal positionblood still leaking from his mouth. He wasnt in a dying state, but he didnt look to be faring well. Should we Derek started as he tossed the now only unconscious man in beside the other duke. Let him be, Alanah said. Hes not worth a healing potion. You can manipulate the time of your space, correct? Just make it so not much time passes while they are inside. If Edwin wants to use a potion of his own, he can. Sounds good to me. Derek closed the door back and slowed the time inside the prison. They wouldnt exactly be safe from their wounds, but Derek and the others would be wherever they were planning to go well before their injuries caused them death. Finally, he closed the tear in space and looked at Alanah. I like you better this way, Derek said with a smiled. Less Im going to kill you vibes. Me too Alanah said. Me too Lets go find Edgar and get the hell out of here. With that, Derek held Alanah tight and kicked off the void. The first phase of ending the war was over. It was time to see what Edgar planned to do next. Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Because of how far away they were from where they left Edgar and the Void Travel portal, it took Derek and Alanah a lot longer to get back via Void Steps. Derek didnt mind, though, it gave him ample time to view his entire status sheet. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 227 881,200,550,000/2,100,000,000,000 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37625 37500 37625 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 1115 Derek faced forward and continued going over his skill gains. Unfortunately, those three skills, and Spatial Rend leveling once, which was a happy coincidence, seemed to be the only ones to level since the last time he checked. He had hoped to see Spatial Collapse or Spatial Redirection gain a level, but hed barely used the new skills, so it wasnt enough. From there, he looked up and saw his new level. When he left the raid, he was level 223, so the combined experience he and Silvi gained from those in the army theyd killed and the king gave him enough experience or essence to level up four times. Those four levels translated to 140 extra stats points to use, leaving him with 176 after the level he gained from the Starfury Leonarus. Derek went ahead and dumped 175 points into dexterity, leaving him with a single free stat point left. Hed throw his next few levels worth of stat points into strength to keep a good balance. Min-maxing was a great option with the system if you went endurance and vitality early on, but Derek had been noticing more and more that balancing his statsat least some of themseemed to be the better option as he grew stronger and met stronger people. Nodding at his new stats, he continued down to look over his contracts. Most of them were all unchanged. He still had both his Crown Restaurants with Alanah and Stella since he made them separately. The Torith Adventurers Guild contract was blank since the death of Francesco Jaccobs. He wasnt really sure what that meant. Can the contract be nullified or something now? He shrugged. At the end of the contracts list, he found that the one that Malorie had made with Natalie finally showed the name of his shop, and he could also view the details if he wanted. With one last perusal of his status sheet, he stopped on his experience. The amount of experience he was needing was growing exponentially each level he gained. Thats over two trillion experience needed per level, and for killing someone like the KING of an entire country with a definite high rarity class at level 250, I gained less than one trillion experience. This may take a while to hit level 250 now. Wait is level 250 still even my cap? He still had a lot of questionsnew questionsthat he would like to ask Dave about. But after his cryptic farewell, Derek wasnt sure he was ready to meet the man again anytime soon. With a shrug, Derek closed his stat sheet and focused on moving forward. Hed been able to get all his mana back in the time hed been carrying Alanah to their destination, and his finger was even completely regrown. And because his fights werent too draining, he was close to 100% mentally, too. Hed be ready to go again whenever needed. I wonder if any of the kings gear survived Silvis fire. I bet he would have had something good inside any of the spatial rings he was carrying. But knowing the power of her fire, I doubt it. Derek lamented as he kicked off the void once again and continued his way to Edgar. One last look at Alanah, and he realized that she had fallen asleep. Ifs shes asleep, I guess she wont mind this. With that thought, Derek picked her up in a princess carry and continued moving. Thats a much more comfortable way to carry someone as long as it doesnt end in death or torture afterward. Shortly after, Derek finally came in view of his portal hed left active. And beside itbut at a very safe distance away from ithe saw Edgar standing on the back of Blitz, hovering in the air. When Derek got even closer, he realized that Silvi was actually sitting directly on top of the wyverns head with a smug look in her eyes. Blitz, however, didnt look very happy about it, but also didnt seem to be willing to do anything about it. My small little bunny companion is a bully, Derek thought as he approached the trio. Howd it go? Edgar waved Derek over as he drew close. Derek landed on Blitzs back without ceremony, then gently laid Alanah down before looking back up at Edgar. Im sure youve heard by now, Derek said, shifting his gaze to Silvi, who hadnt turned around. But Silvi took care of King Tevarian. So Astrus is now without a king. She did mention that, Edgar laughed. I had to pry it out of her, though. Alanah beheaded the general, so he or she is dead now, Derek said. Matthew Whitaker, Edgar replied, confirming that the general was a male. He was well known for his thick armor and quick movement in it. Well he wasnt quick enough, Derek said. Especially after I broke whatever spell the Indrian Duke was using to keep her voice from reaching them. I see, Edgar nodded. And the two dukes? You captured them? I did, Derek said. They are both in my Time Prison. Neither one of them is exactly doing well, but they should stay alive long enough for you to figure out what you plan to do with them. Oh, and you owe Alanah a Potion of Resurrection. She used it on the Duke of Astrus to keep him alive. We owe Alanah a lot of things. Edgar looked down at the unconscious half-elf woman. She has fought harder for the kingdom than anyone thought she would, including my father. I know they made her mad after what they did at some of the lesser Crown Restaurants, but after her showing in Savannah, I believe she could have sat back without worrying about anything else happening to her people. At that point, Im sure Duke Elras would have deemed her and her associates off limits. But instead, she came to the front line and has been pushing herself harder and harder. Before, she would pass out as soon as she transformed back from a Dawn Siren. Now, shes gotten so used to the skill in our battles that she rarely loses consciousness afterward. Hmm Derek rubbed his chin. Maybe you could make her Queen of Indria. A half-blooded elf who is looked down upon by the full-blooded ones running an entire kingdom of them. Theres a certain sense of irony in that. Im sure my father would have no problem with doing that, Edgar said. And the prince started, with his eyes shining. We could make you King of Astrus. If theres one thing those people respect, its strength. Youd be absolutely perfect for the job. Do you want another war? Derek asked, deadpanned. There was no way in hell he would take on the responsibilities for an entire kingdom. He wasnt even sure he was doing good enough with the few people he had with him. How would he manage an entire kingdom? Well I guess Malorie could do all the heavy lifting. And Alanah would be the same. Ive spent enough time with the two of you to know that theres no way either of you would want to control a kingdom. That would be a burden for you instead of a reward. Exactly, Derek said. Though I wouldnt mind raiding whatever Astrus has in their kingdoms storage. And Alanah can have whatever Indria has. Those wouldnt be bad rewards whatever they are. Maybe Edgar chuckled. For now, we need to think about how to end this war. Weve taken the first step by routing their army and killing or capturing the majority of their leadership. Theyll be reeling soon, so well need to strike hard when we decide to do it. That shouldnt be a problem, Derek said. Ive never been there, but Im pretty sure I can open a portal directly into their capital city. At least, if thats where the dukes daughter lives. Derek had once unleashed his aura on the elven lady, so he should be able to find her if he focused enough. Should actually be much easier to find her than it was to find the old Silvi. That could be a good plan, Edgar said. But I take it that you cant bring anyone else with you if you do it that way? Right now no, Derek said. At least, nobody but Silvi. But I think I may have an idea that could work, and if it does, then I think me and Silvi would be able to bring one or two people with us. But thats all theoretical for now. I see, Edgar replied. Well keep that plan in our pocket for now. I think its best to go to the palace and have my father and brother figure out what to do next. Im good at fighting, but dammit, do I hate the politics of everything. I can completely understand where youre coming from, Derek said, remembering all the times he refused to create a safe zone or town back when Earth was initiated into the system. He wasnt about to rule a town then, and he wouldnt stick his nose in politics now. Well, he wouldnt actively try to, at least. If whatever he does ends up have political repercussions then thats for Edwin, Edward, and Edgar to deal withnot him. Finally, Derek willed his portal closed and found himself a comfortable seat on Blitz next to Alanah. He didnt want her falling off, after all. Then, Edgar commanded Blitz forward, and they set flight back to Cydariato the capital. Chapter 356: Slanderous Accusations Chapter 356: Slanderous Accusations As they rode on the back of Blitz, Edgar kept his communication crystal in handhe wanted to contact his people as soon as possible, and whatever it was that was disrupting the crystals ability to reach the outside was still active even though the duke had been captured. So, whatever it was, it was not Ryven who was controlling it. Derek wondered if the block spanned the entire kingdom or just portions. Blitz was fasteven faster than Lyraand it wasnt long until Edgar smiled and the crystal in his hand lit up. Soon, he put the crystal away and turned to Derek. Theyre reactivating one of the teleporters in one of our outposts for us. That way, it wont be hours before we get back, the young prince explained. Sounds good to me, Derek said. What about Blitz, though? He knows his way back to the capital. He very much enjoys it there, Edgar patted a part of Blitzs neck as he continued. Blitz is too big for any regular teleporterespecially the one in the capital. Hell have plenty of fun on his way back. He knows what he should and shouldnt do. Besides Edgar let out a deep sigh. Hes very good with childrenhe likes to spin tales of his grand adventures. Oh, yeah Derek laughed. Blitz the Magnificent, right? for new novels Yeah Edgar rolled his eyes. Blitz the Magnificent. Anyway, he wont cause too much nuisance on his way back to the capital, and it wont hurt him to get some relaxing fresh air instead of rushing to one battle after another. Yeah, Derek replied. It sounds like the boy needs a break. Everything that Edgar said made total sense to Derek. I may not have actually been that Blitz was dumb, but he may actually just be immaturelike a child. He couldnt help but wonder about how age affected dragonkin. Is there even an age for them since they were basically spawned in a dungeon to fight? Just more things to think about, Derek thought. Silvi was six years old when we bonded. Now shes seven, probably almost eight. But she was a beast who lived on the overworld instead of inside a dungeon. He shrugged. It was hard to tell how mature Silvi actually was. He mostly just chalked her attitude up to just not caring about things she wasnt excited about. She could be very smart about things, but she was very selective about those things. As for what maturity level she was at Hed maybe put her at mid-teen. She was a bit rebellious sometimesespecially after spending too much time with other chefs. Maturity levels are hard to judge in a world with a system. Though, this system unlocks at 13 years old for humans, at least. I guess the system choosing that age to allow people to shoot fireballs out of their hands is kind of a sign. Derek glanced up to the back of Blitzs head where Silvi was still sitting motionlessly and shook his head. I guess I dont have any room to talk. I may have overdone it with the trash talking earlier He knew that he wasnt exactly the most mature person aroundespecially when fighting sapient creatures. Trash talking just seemed to throw everyone off their game so much that it was a hard habit to stop. Maybe he could have been less immature when meeting all the nobles and royalty. However, during the early days of the system on Earth, he was able to see firsthand how the majority of those that were powerful enough to establish settlements treated others. So, his expectations when meeting rulers or nobles was low to begin with, then the first noble he met when he arrived at Cydaria still failed to meet those low expectations. Still, he was able to find some people who really were good examples of nobles. Well I guess Alanah and Stella arent nobles But Walter had been decent, even if he may have been too lax on his son, and so far, Natalie Savannah had lived up to her name and title well. Finally, Derek glanced at Edgar. And he should be the one to become king. What? Edgar said. Do I have something on my face? No, Derek chuckled. I was just thinking about how good of a king youre going to make. You should stop with such slanderous accusations, Edgar mocked betrayal. Some people might take offense at such words. Very well, Your Majesty, Derek bowed. Stop that! Are you ready, Sir? the soldier asked. Go ahead, Edgar said. The soldier then called two other people to him, and they all stood around the teleportation circle. Each took a knee and placed their hands on a certain part. I bet Brandi would find all of this interestingespecially with her runesmithing skills. From the outer edge, the circle began shining the bright blue that indicated pure mana. The light traced the outer edge, then moved inward. Soon, the entire circle and all the runes inside were shining. Be safe! Derek heard the soldier call out before the blue light engulfed them all and they were gone. The time it took for them to teleport from where they were to the capital took a little longer than any of the other ones hed ever used. Usually, the teleportation was instant. This time, Derek was able to feel a little time pass while they were between places. It was an odd feeling, but still not as odd as being stuck inside the void with no way out. Luckily, the time between teleportation circles only lasted a handful of seconds before they appeared on the one inside the capitals teleportation building. The arrival was actually a little jarringlike the feeling one would get when a roller-coaster begins its descent. I thought I was over things like that, Derek thought with a smile. Sometimes, it was nice to know that the system didnt completely take away some of the old sensations he used to feel. I guess its kind of like Tyron with heights or is it because hes not connected with the ground? Derek shrugged and focused on his surroundings. Umph. Derek heard a grunt as he looked around the building. His eyes soon locked onto Alanah, who was in the process of slowly opening her own. What was that? Were in the capital, Derek said. Just used a temporary teleportation circle to get here. Soon, Alanah regained her bearing and removed her arm from Dereks. She stumbled a little and Derek caught her, but quickly got her balance, leading to Derek letting go, and she soon carried herself like usual. Thanks for taking care of me while I was out, she said. No problem, Derek replied. It was only a couple of hours, and most of that time was spent on Blitzs back. I guess they didnt have enough mana to make the teleport smooth? Alanah asked to nobody. I havent used a teleporter like that in quite some time. No, Edgar said. There were only three of them using their own mana for it. Just a bit more than enough to make using the temporary teleport circle safe. Thats fine. Alanah nodded. At least it woke me up. A couple of hours isnt bad. I havent exerted myself that much since the fight in Savannah. And it took much longer for me to regain my consciousness after that. It seems Im getting more and more proficient in using that ungodly form. I was going to ask you about that, Derek said. Later, Alanah replied. I need to talk to you, anyway. Once this idiotic war is over, well talk. Sounds good, Derek said. Lets go, Edgar said. To the palace. Time to figure out the best way to end this. Chapter 357: Palace Chapter 357: Palace Derek and the others adventure through the capital wasnt quite what Derek was expecting. At least in the capital, it seemed that it was business as usual for the most part. There was absolutely no tension in any of the children running aroundit seemed they didnt have a care in the world, just how it should be. The adults didnt seem too worried about matters, either, but he guessed they were just doing their best to keep up the front in front of their children. When he first stepped out of the teleporter building, he had expected a quiet and solemn city. But when he saw everything, he was happy that quiet and solemn was not what he was met with. And soon, even the underlying tension in the adults will be gone, he thought, knowing that he just may have two keys to end the war stored inside his Time Prison. Derek, Alanah, Silvi, and Edgar made haste through the city and soon arrived at the front of the palace gatesa place that looked all too familiar to Derek. No matter how many times he saw it, and how instant it was, it still stunned him that the carnage from the fight with Gerald Torith had been completely erased even before he had left on the raid. The three people and one bunny were instantly greeted when they arrived, and quickly brought to the Great Hall where Edwin, Edward, and a young woman who looked much like the two royals waited. There was also an older man dressed in a dark gray robe. Derek could only assume that the man was Edwins other adviserthe one who was cocky and complacent, but hopefully had no more similarities to Gerald Torith, and wasnt a complete and total idiot.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Finally, Natalie Savannah was seated off to the side, minding her own business with a communication crystal in her hand. She casually looked up when they all walked in, and her eyes met Dereks own. After a smile and a slight nod, she went back to whatever business she had on the other end of the crystal. Father, Edgar said, as the giant doors behind them were closed by the guards on the outside of the Great Hall. King Edwin waited until the doors were completely shut before replying. Edgar! Youve done well, very well! The king seemed ecstatic, and for good reasons. Hed been informed via communication crystal before they even arrived. Alanah, Mr. Hunt, Sil Ms. Silvi the kingdom owes the three of you a debt of gratitude for all that you have done for it. Really, words do not even begin to express how grateful I am to the tw three of you. Derek didnt bother with a reply, and Alanah was still recovering. However, what was surprising was that Silvi hopped off of Dereks shoulder and onto the bottom step in front of Edwin. The two locked eyes for a few moments, and Derek wondered what kind of exchange they were havingSilvi didnt currently have any of her blue communication crystals with her, so any speaking she did had to be done through Telepathy. Of course, of course! the king said with a big smile. When I heard you were coming, I had it all brought to me. No point in decorum with just us in here. Please take it all. With that, the king reached into one of the pockets on his robe. When he brought his hand out, there were two storage rings laying on his palm. With a flick of his wrist, the two rings flew over to Silvi. Before they hit the floor, they were caught by her Telekinesis and hovered in front of her. Derek watched as she touched one ring with a paw for a few moments, then moved onto the other. Finally, it looked like she was satisfied. Pockets, she sent to Derek, then, before he could comment, the two rings came flying his way. He caught them and stuck them inside one of his pockets without bothering to check them out. Got it, he sent back. I am glad that the rewards are to your liking, Ms. Silvi. If there is anything else you have need of, dont hesitate to ask, the king said. Dont, Derek said, as he knew that Silvi was getting ready to make all sorts of demands. He knew that the king was just speaking in platitudes, but Silvi either didnt, or she didnt care. So Derek decided to stop her before she ended up owning the kingdom or something. Silvi listened to Derek, and in the next instant, she appeared back on his shoulder. Now, the king cleared his throat. Shall we begin? I take it thats my cue? Derek asked. It was an advantage! Ryven snapped. If not for that that his eyes landed on Silvi, who was sitting on Dereks shoulder still. That damn rabbit and the siren! Youre the one that chased Silvi back to Savannah, Derek said. So its your fault. She just wanted to extort uh save Edward and receive a reward from Edwin. If you would have left her alone after that, Alanah probably wouldnt have even interfered. Seems like poor decision making all around, really. I mean, who drops everything just to chase a rabbit? Derek shook his head. But still, you didnt answer the kings question. Why did you attack in the first place. The elven man stared dumbfounded at Derek with his mouth hung wide open. Then, before he came back to, Natalie walked in front of him. Look at me! she half commanded, getting the mans attention enough so that he turned and met her pale gray eyes. Derek watched as Natalie did the same witchcraft on Ryven that she had done to Derek when they first met to find out if he was lying about Gerald Torith or not. Just seeing her eyes like that and the skill active again sent shivers down his spine. Soon, she was finished and walked away, shaking her head. Pathetic, she muttered as she sat back down in her seat. What is it, Natalie? Edwin asked. What did you find out? Its the same pathetic excuse almost every war begins with. Jealousy of your resources, especially the dungeon here in the capital. Superiority over the other races that are a part of Cydaria. Ease with which they would be able to sway Astrus into helping them, and opportunitywell, apparent opportunity we all know how that worked out. There was nothing special they planned to do, Natalie continued. Rule over those of less dominant races and use your dungeon to power level an army of uncommon and rare soldiers. And they knew that if they split Cydaria, it was only a matter of time before they could betray Astrus and control most of the continent, aside from Vallum. They seem to have no plans for the dwarfs. So they threw away all those decades of peace and prosperity for greed, Edwin sighed and slumped back in his throne a bit. Youre right, Natalie. It was pathetic. Seems to check all the boxes when it comes to starting a war, Derek said. The time-tested excuse of we want what you have. Derek shook his head. He really couldnt say that it was pathetic, as it was one of the most common reasons that a war would be fought, and with a system where might makes right, it was probably the top reason, actually. Indeed, Edgar agreed. So, father. What do you want to do with the captives? Show me Duke Terrin, please? Edwin asked Derek. Is that his name? Derek muttered before opening the door to his prison and grabbing the unconscious ice duke before tossing him beside Ryven. Here you go, he said, and this time completely closed the Time Prison behind him. Ive given this a lot of thought while you were traveling here, Edwin said with his hand on his chin. Indria, I believe we may be able to offer terms to, but Astrus, they are a rabid animal and need to be put down. That much was shown in how easily they were swayed into joining a war. For Duke Ryven, we will keep him alive for now, the king continued. As for Duke Terrin, he is of no use. Its time for a new royal linetime for Astrus to begin anew. Chapter 358: Kingdoms Plan Chapter 358: Kingdom''s Plan I could take care of that right now, Derek said, motioning to the still unconscious duke. With someone who had no way out of dying, Derek thought it would be the perfect opportunity to perform his second test with his Void Travel skill. The duke was relatively powerful and would be perfect. No, the king said, disappointing Derek. We will go with Edgars plan. A public execution of the second highest power in the Kingdom of Astrus should have the desired effect, especially after they have learned of the death of their king. Which, might I ask, is there anything left of him? Derek looked over at Silvi, but she just stared back, sullenly. No, I dont believe there is, he said. Thats unfortunate, but it wasnt a necessity. It would have been better to have something, but we can make do with just Duke Terrin, the king said. I am sure that many in the kingdom have already learned of the death of their king. Then what will we do first, father? Edward asked. First, the king began. Your brother, Ms. Swan, and Mr. Hunt, if they are willing, that is, will invade the capital of Indria and bind the royal family with a soul contract. Indrias royal family will be bound to Cydarias royal family, and thus, Indria will become a vassal kingdom to Cydaria. Too many have perished already, and it would be best to end this war with as little bloodshed as possible. What about Astrus? Edgar asked. Once Indria is taken care of, myself and, hopefully, King Osian will execute Duke Terrin in the Astrus capital. Post that, we will establish a new royal family with soul contracts as well, making Astrus a vassal kingdom, the king explained. So, basically, Derek started. You are going to do to the other kingdoms what they wanted to do with Cydaria? No, Natalie chimed in from the side. They wanted to eliminate the Cydarian royal family and anyone close to it and force many of the citizens into servitude that may not have been much better than slavery. With Edwins plan, Astrus and Indria will both continue to exist, just with new rules and lawsthe rules and laws of Cydaria. Speaking of slavery, how deep does whatever Gerald was doing go? Was the royal family involved? Or was that just some side project for him while he fed them information? Because if they were behind it, your plan may need some adjusting, Derek said to the king. Unfortunately the king started with a sigh. The overwhelming majority of those we found involved in Geralds business, were actually noble families from Cydaria. As far as we have been able to tell, he may have initiated some trades with some Indrians, but he never had actual contact with the royal family. At least not that he knew of. Well, I guess I can always find out more once we get to Indria Derek shrugged. Whatever, he said. Im in. When do we leave? Wait, wait, wait, Edgar cut in. If its the three of us going, then how are we going to initiate the soul contract? That would require either Edward or you, he asked his father. Brother, Edward stepped forward and held up his arm that was missing his hand and much of his forearm. I have failed too many times. It seems that at every move that I make, I am being saved by you or others. Father and I have discussed this much over the last weeks. You have proven your strength and commitment No! Edgar flat out stopped Edward, then he shot Derek an annoyed glare. Told you, Derek sent Edgar via Telepathy. My Liege. I refuse to become king, Edgar said. In fact, if you insist on it, once everything here is taken care of, I will leave to go explore the rest of the world. But I will not become king. But King Edwin began. No buts, father. It is impossible. I have a suggestion, Derek said, and everyone looked in his direction. We all know how I feel about how Edwin has run his kingdom. I havent exactly been silent about it. However, Edward has seen his faults, and seems to be of the right mindset. So what if he lost an arm? Edgar brought him a dragon. Or, your daughter could be queen, Derek said as he looked at the woman, who had been quiet all this time. The dragon doesnt exactly have to be Edwards. But I dont know much about her. I am Elouise Cydaria, Princess of Cydaria, the young lady stepped forward. And unfortunately, I am no more cut out for becoming queen than Edgar is for becoming king. Then Edward it is! He smiled at Edgar, who was looking at him thankfully. If you have been discussing it, then I imagine you are planning on stepping down as king? he asked Edwin. I do, Edwin replied. I plan on giving up my throne as soon as this war business is settled. Great, Derek said, then looked at Alanah. Alanah, how long do you need to recover? Put it in, put it in! She didnt have to ask twice. Derek grabbed the lid, which surprisingly felt and weighed just as much as he would have expected a real one to. Then, he put the boar inside. Instantly, the pot lifted into the air and hovered above Silvi as she hopped into the void tunnel. However, Derek watched in dismay as the lid slightly lifted up once they were inside, then fell back shut. The boar had opened the lid, and had been hit with all the void from the tunnel. The current experiment was a bust, and even Silvi knew it. She hopped back out and placed the pot on the ground. Derek opened it and looked inside. Sure enough, in that split second that the lid was opened, a chunk had disappeared out of the boars head. Try the other one, Silvi said, and chucked the body of the dead boar out of the pot. Sure, Derek agreed, and soon he had placed the third boar inside. This time, along with telekinesis carrying the pot, multiple Mage Hands floated around it, holding the lid down. Silvi also waited twenty minutes inside. Then, when she hopped out, she opened the lid, and every looked on with bated breath. Finally, the boar jumped out of the now open pot and began running around the room. It had worked. The boar was still alive. How big and how many of those can you make? Derek asked. Just one. And not too much bigger than that. So I can take one person, hopefully, and she should be able to carry one maybe two. Interesting. Derek turned to the king and asked, Do you have anyone scheduled for execution or the like? Multiple conspirators from some of the great houses, the king replied. We have performed most of our public executions. The others will be taken care of once this war is finished. We have not had the time. Great. Take me there, and give me someone who knows who is to be executed and why, he said. Then he looked at Silvi. Lets go. Close the tunnel. Phillip. The king turned to his adviser. Please escort Silvi and Mr. Hunt to the dungeons and help him with anything he wishes. Yes, Your Majesty. The adviser bowed. Mr. Hunt, if you would follow me. With that, Derek followed behind the Kings Adviser and was soon led to the dungeon below. It wasnt as nice as the one under Natalies residence, but it seemed to work just as well. The cells all had many of the same runes on them as Natalies, preventing any of the prisoners from escaping or using much of their powers. We are here, Mr. Hunt, Phillip said. Do I know anybody? Derek asked. I do not believe so, Mr. Hunt, the adviser answered. Alright, then, just pick someone. Someone who completely deserves to be executed. He wasnt sure how much pain being inside the space would cause, and he wasnt one for torture. So, he wanted to make sure that whoever he experimented with really deserved it if it didnt work and ended up being extremely painful. Phillip opened up a cell, and a middle-aged man appeared. What did he do? Derek asked. He was one of the people Gerald trusted to supply him. Got it, Derek said. He would feel nothing if the man ended up dead from the experiment. Silvi, if you would. Silvi opened the portal, and once again, they began their tests. Chapter 359: Tests Chapter 359: Tests The tests that Derek and Silvi ran went off without a hitchactually, they went ever better than Derek had been expecting. Of course, the test subject, Maxwell, did end up dead at the end of the process. Though, that was neither his nor Silvis fault. At first, Derek had covered the man in a full set of void armor. This had allowed him to lift the man and enter the void with no side effects. It was very straining for Derek to do this for someone the size of the man, but he had done it. After that, Silvi had made a massive pot with a lid and crammed the guy inside. It went just as well as it had with the third boar. She did, however, make sure to put pressure on the lid to avoid it coming open. After that, Derek told her that she could probably imagine clamps for the lid to connect to the pot, and that worked even better. For their final test, Derek actually held the man and moved through the voidcoming out at a different portal he made by the Golem Dungeona place where he suspected there would be nobody around. Then, they came back, and Maxwell, an in between for Gerald and certain unsavory elves, came out of it alive and kicking with no signs of any harm. The death of the man occurred from a slight oversight on Derek, Silvi, and even Phillips part. When Silvi came back from moving through the void with the man, she opened the lid to show that he was fine. Then, she dismissed the pot altogether, and the triomostly Derek and Phillipbegan a short discussion on the results. During that short amount of time, Maxwell was free, with nobody holding him captive. He took it on himself to try to escape via the void tunnel created by Silvi. To his credit, he made it about five steps inside before he realized something was wrong and turned back. Three steps later, the man died. Derek also took note that since Void Travel wasnt an attack skill, and things were killed naturally inside it, he and Silvi didnt receive any experience points. They didnt with the turkeys either. Another thing that Derek noticed was that the man didnt seem to die in pain. It looked painful, but the man made no sounds and his eyes didnt look to be in pain, either. He also noted that Maxwell had been lucky and hadnt been hit by the consuming aspect of space, and instead seemed to die of old age at least on the upper half of his body. All in all, the tests took less than the three hours that Alanah said she required to be back to 100%. And now, Derek and Silvi found themselves being led back up to the Great Hall by Phillip Musgrave, the kings only remaining adviser. Dereks initial thoughts about the adviser once they were alone together were that he was arrogant. However, though he was arrogant, he didnt seem like a bad personat least he was much better than Gerald Torith, but that wouldnt take much. The man was very knowledgeable in most things Derek asked about the kingdom, and actually seemed to have worked for his position as adviser instead of lucking into it, or creating a circumstance to luck into. And if that was so, Derek couldnt blame him for being arroganthe certainly wasnt going to blame himself for being arrogant. He even asked the man about releasing his aura in Torithone of the few or the only story hed heard about him. He just replied that it was something people expected and that it would give the lower class something to keep them occupied with for a time. It also didnt hurt that it prevented beggars from begging him for things afterward, either. Finally, after the long walk from the dungeons to the Great Hall, they made it back. In the time it took for his experimenting, Alanah, looking much better than before, had joined Natalie at her small table off to the side. Elouise had disappeared somewhere, and the prince and king trio were up, speaking silently by the throne. The two captives were bound in opposite corners, being watched over by some guards. Derek did notice that everyone in the room didnt take their eyes off of the captives for long, though. They were ready in the off chance that they tried something, which could have also been why Elouise had left the Great Hall. When Edgar noticed Derek and Silvi make their entrance, he quickly bounded down the steps from the throne and rushed over to him. So, what were the results? he asked. Everyone else dropped their conversations and turned to listen in. Better than we could have hoped for. It looks like Silvi and I will have no problem taking two other people with usthree if two of you dont mind being crammed inside a pot together. Well, we didnt test that, but I figure it would still be the same, Derek answered. So, there were no casualties? Edgar asked. Sir, there was one, Phillip answered for Derek. However, it was not Mr. Hunts nor Ms. Silvis fault. It was my oversight that led to the man trying to escape through the portal that they had been testing. Sabrina Elras had a very stressful last few months. Everything had been okay until her father had attacked Savannah, earning the ire of Alanah Swan, the Dawn Siren. Ever since completing her mission to Cydaria, her uncle Osian, the king, had brought her in on various goings ons in the kingdom. She still wasnt entirely sure why, but she could make some guesses. She hadnt been blessed with the same barrier type class choices as the rest of her family. Instead, all of her upgrade choices at level 50 were rare, but basic. Then, the same thing happened for her level 100 class upgrade. All hope was on her achieving a useful class at level 200, and she had a feeling that her uncle was leading her to some class that he hadnt yet deigned to share. However, she would follow orders and hope that her father could somehow find a way to succeed with their current attack. Because, if he failed, nothing shed been doing would make a bit of difference. But for now, she would put all those rampant thoughts to the back of mind and enjoy the one time at the end of the day that she could relax. Sabrina lifted her leg up out of the bath water, then brought it back down. The bubbles were running low, and the water was becoming cooler. Jessica! Bring more soap and a bucket of hot water. Yes, maam! her servant squeaked and ran out of the room. Moments later, she came scurrying back in with a giant bucket and a handful of her scented cleaner. With a flick of her hand, her servant tossed the scented soap in the bucket, then poured the entire thing into the tub at the foot of the bath. Instantly, the cool water took a refreshing turn and warmed. Sabrina sighed and sunk back down into her bath. Leave! she commanded before lowering her head under. There was nothing as refreshing or sacred as a nice, warm bath. Suddenly, her stomach turned, and she began to shiver. She shot upright in a sitting position and looked around. Her servant, Jessica, was standing in the corner of the room, where she was supposed to be, shaking. She didnt look well at all. An overwhelming feeling soon took hold of Sabrina. She couldnt explain it. T-towel! Sabrina stood from her bath and commanded, but there was no answer. She looked over again, and Jessica was on her knees, frozen. J-Jessica! T-towel n-now! but she didnt move. Sabrina raised her leg and took a shaky step out of the tub, then clumsily made her way over to Jessicaor the towel hanging beside her. She soon made it and was barely able to wrap the cloth around her body when the overwhelming sensation turned into anxietyinto dread. Whats going on? Maam! Is everything alright in there? One of the house guards pounded on the door. Sabrina didnt know what to do. They didnt need to see her in such a state. Where are my storage rings? She had given them to Jessica, but she was near catatonic. I-its fine, she managed to get out. Are you sure? Yes, dont come in here. She could not allow them to see her in such a state of undress. However, the dreadful feeling finally subsided, and Sabrina was able to take in a full breath. Jessica also gasped in a deep breath of air. Give me my storage rings! Sabrina commanded, but her servant still wasnt answering. No, she was staring wide eyed at the opposite side of the room. What is she looking at? Then, all of the sudden, she heard a thud behind her, causing her to turn, but she stopped her motion when she heard somebody speak in a low voice. Looks like we came at a bad time. Chapter 360: A Bad Time Chapter 360: A Bad Time Derek and Silvi were extra careful when transporting Alanah and Edgar. Derek made sure to hold Alanah with both hands, one gripping the top back of her plate armor, and the other on her side. While Silvi was able to make her void creations without having to be in contact with them, Derek had yet to try, so he was very focused on not breaking contact with Alanah when carrying her through the void. Silvi, on the other hand, had still chosen to clamp the top of her pot lid down, just on the off chance that something happened and it tried to come off. The whole time they spent traveling between the Great Hall of the palace, and their destination was mere minutesmuch less time, and much shorter distances than they had traveled while doing their experiments. Soon enough, Derek created an opening, and they quickly stepped out onto a beautiful wooden floor. Making sure that they were all clear, Derek closed the opening behind them, then removed the void covering from Alanah. Silvi did the same with Edgar, but in a more unceremonious way. Instead of removing the lid and allowing the prince to climb out, she just dismissed her creation altogetherleaving the man to fall on his backside from a few feet in the air. Derek looked over and hid a smile that was trying to form. It was quite comical. Finally, he took in his complete surroundings and realized that they had ended up exiting the portal and entering what looked like a bathroom. In front of them was a woman turned around and shouting something about storage rings at another quivering woman crouched down in a corner of the room. Derek looked over at Alanah, then back at the scene and half whispered, Looks like we came at a bad time. Y-you! The woman managed to turn around and pointed at Derek. Her face was a flurry of emotionsfear, embarrassment, anger it seemed she couldnt settle on one. Yes, Derek said lightly. Me. And there is also Alanah Swan, Silvi, and Edgar Cydaria. You should know them. They are quite famous. Y-you wha how? the elven woman managed to squeak out. Surprisingly, she had yet to scream or shout loud enough to draw attention to their arrival. for new novels How about you put some clothes on first? Its rather indecent for a woman of your standing to be addressing her guests in nothing but a towel, Alanah chimed in. And a short one, at that. Finally, with her embarrassment and Alanahs command, Sabrinas face went red as her eyes went distant. She turned back to the woman on the ground, who now seemed to be back in control of herself, at least a little, and held out her hand, requesting the storage rings once again. The human woman patted her pockets, then produced two rings and handed them to the elven woman without saying a word. Moments later, Sabrina Elras was dressed in a gold-trimmed green robe and a pair of sandals. She faced Derek and the others once again, but before anyone could speak, they heard footstep a rapt knocking sounded from the door next to her. Miss Elras, a mans voice came through. Are you sure everythings okay? We felt something. Now its gone. Did you see anything? Sabrina, eyes still distant, stood stock still and quiet, but Alanah quickly flashed over to her and whispered something in her ear. Surprisingly, after the woman ground her teeth, she spoke up and said in a half yell, I told you that everything is fine! Leave me be while I bathe! Y-yes, maam. Sorry, maam, the voice apologized, then stopped. Everything was going much better than Derek and the others had expected. Worst-case scenario, they expected to come out of the void tunnel in a room full of people and instantly draw alarm. Instead, they appeared in a secluded bathroom with a woman who seemed to be too emotional and confused to sound an alarm or give them away as soon as they entered. Then Alanah was able to take care of the rest. Derek waited a few moments to give the person on the other side of the door enough time to leave before saying, Its been a while, Sabrina. You look good. At least a lot better than your father did the last time I saw him. Alanah whispered something else into the womans ear, and she spoke. My father? the elf answered mechanically and at a low volume. When did you meet my father? No, how are you out of that dungeon? I told her to answer as she normally would, but to keep her volume down, Alanah moved back over to Derek and told him. She seems to be quite uninformed, Alanah said as she took a step forward. I guess Osian is trying not to create widespread panic. She looked over at Sabrina. Have you heard nothing about the raid party returning, or your father losing on the front lines? Or of Astrus losing their king? As he looked around, he believed that he had to have been in the rich part of the city, as everything was sparkling clean and beautiful. The city itself wasnt so different from Cydarias Capital, aside from the cleanliness, rich fragrance, building material, and space between buildings. However, as he traveled behind Sabrina, he began to notice that no matter where he looked, he found that he couldnt find an area that wasnt taken care of. Sure, he managed to see some older buildings, but they were just as clean as everything else. And it even looked like some of the older buildings were in the process of being renovated. He had to admit, if not for the ridiculous elitism shown by the majority of elves he met, he could get used to living in a city like Eloria. They continued this way for around half an hour as Sabrina led them through the streets. Luckily, the Dukes Manor wasnt extremely far from the palace, and they eventually arrived without drawing any untoward attention to themselves. Just like the rest of the city, even the palace was made from trees and wood. Other than some of the partially shaped stone streets leading to the palace, it seemed the entire city was built with different types of wood and nature. That would explain the pleasant scent throughout the city. Especially if theyve somehow kept most of the material alive. Sabrina led them through the gates to the palace, and none of the guards even batted an eye at her. It seemed that she had done the same thing often enough that it wasnt unusual for them to see her strolling in with her servants. She was even able to lead them through many parts of the palace before coming to a halt in front of a certain man standing between two guards. Jerum, she casually spoke to the elven man. Miss Elras, what brings you to the palace this late in the evening? the man asked. Ive important news and must report it to the king immediately. If you would, please inform His Majesty that I need to meet him in the Throne Room. Miss Elras, the man began. Im afraid the king is not currently available. Of course he isnt, Sabrina said. It is late. I would not expect him to be in the Throne Room. Im saying that I have information that he needs to hear. Otherwise, it could have waited until the morning. No, Miss Elras. Jerum shook his head. That is not what I mean. His Majesty is in the Throne Room, however, he is not accepting visitors at this time. He is very busy. Oh? Sabrina said. Then he is inside? Yes, maam, Jerum said. Once that was confirmed, Sabrina turned to Alanah and mechanically said, This is as far as I can take you. Sabrina? Jerum asked with concern. Silence, Alanah spoke with a command for Jerum and the two guards next to him. Do not move. Then she looked at Derek, and he nodded. Derek quickly opened his Time Prison, and before the guards or Jerum could break out of Alanahs command, he and Edgar quickly tossed them inside before closing the door and space. Then, the three of them removed the servant and guard disguises they were wearing. That done, Silvi hopped from Alanah and onto Dereks shoulder. That went better than expected, Derek said. Keep your guards up, Alanah told Derek and Edgar. We dont know who Osian is meeting with. They could be powerful. Derek and Edgar nodded, then, they all stepped forwardSabrina still in the lead. The elven woman placed her hands on the two giant doors leading to the Throne Room, then, with a push, they swung open. Every head in the room turned to the arrival of their new guests. Derek smiled as he looked around. Things were about to get interesting. Chapter 361: Meeting Chapter 361: Meeting Derek counted six elves sitting around a long table that had been placed in the center of the Throne Room. There were four men and two women. Three of the male elves looked somewhat similar with their long, flowing silver hair and emerald green eyes. If he had to guess, Derek would say that one was the king, and the other two were his sons. Hmm how many sons does this king have? He thought to himself. It looks like theyre having a late meeting. I bet I can guess the subject. Sister, one of the male elves jumped to his feet. What is the meaning of this? Why are you here? Oh, so at least one of them is Sabrinas brother older, I guess? Its hard to tell. Even though the man had called out to her multiple times, Sabrina didnt answerno, she couldnt answer. After all, Alanah hadnt allowed her to. Sabrina! her brother yelled once again. Answer me! Settle down, Laeryn, another young looking elfthe one sitting at the head of the tablespoke in a light tone. It isnt that she will not speak, its that she cannot speak. Likely, your sister has not been in control of her actions for some time now. Isnt that right? The man stood and gave a light bow to Dereks group. Ms. Swan. Swan? another one of the men asked, then hushed murmurs fell around the table. Father You cant mean It seems my reputation proceeds me, Alanah said as she walked forward, stopping a good ten feet away from the table full of what seemed to be Indrian royalty. Derek and Edgar followed closely behind. Unsurprisingly, everyone at the table seemed to be unaffected, or at least affected very little, by Alanahs casual speaking. Osian, I believe that this is the first time weve had the pleasure of meeting in person. Around the table, everyone except for one woman jumped to their feet and drew their weapons. However, the man who Alanah was speaking to, apparently the King of Indria, held up his hand and motioned for them to stop. Im afraid its too late for that. Put your weapons away and sit down, King Osian commanded with a sigh, and everyone but him fell to their seatsthough not without some hesitation. If Ms. Swan is here, then by that white-silver hair and blue eyes, I assume I am also in the presence of a Cydarian royalI would guess Edgar Cydaria. Which means that the remaining man must be Mr. Derek Hunt and his companion, Silvi. You assume correctly, Alanah said. And I assume you already know why we are here. I have an idea. Though I had imagined we would have a bit more time before you arrived, and I didnt believe your arrival would be so sudden. I guess I can just add that into the growing list of miscalculations made by myself and my brothers part, the king sighed. Miscalculations indeed, Edgar stepped forward and spoke. Now, I believe its time to discuss the terms of your surrender. Surrender!? King Osians son jumped out of his seat once more. With the three of you, you expect us Silence! Olivar! Osian shot his son a glare before turning his head back to Derek and the others. Come, have a seat. The table where the royal family was sitting had multiple empty seats on one end. Edgar gave both Derek and Alanah a look, and they both shrugged. Fine, he said before walking forward and sitting at the opposite end of the table from Osians position. He was the Cydarian royal in their current situation, and thus, would be speaking for the whole of Cydaria. Once Edgar was seated, Derek and Alanah took their own seats to his right and left. Sabrinasince she hadnt been commanded by Alanahcontinued to stay back, not moving. Seeing his niece still standing there, King Osian looked at Alanah and said, May I be so rude to ask you to release my niece from your control? Alanah looked back at Sabrina, then at the king, and shrugged. Thats not something I can control. Shell break out of it when she breaks out of it. Finally, looking back at the girl one last time, Alanah said, Sabrina, go sit with your family. The elven woman mechanically walked over to the empty seat next to her brother and sat. She didnt say a wordonly staring directly ahead. It shouldnt be too long now, Alanah said. I half expected her to break out of it on our way over here. She must not have a lot of points invested in wisdomeither that, or she has horrendous willpower. Thats something shell really need to work on. And will she get to? Osian took that chance to jump in and ask a question that had to have been on his mind for some time now. Will she have the chance to work on her willpower? Thats not up to me, Alanah said with a shrug. Itd be better if you asked Edgar. Everyone in the room, aside from Sabrina, Derek, and Silvi, turned their heads to see what Edgar had to say. Derek, on the other hand, was busy trying to guess the age of the elves at the other end of the table. I didnt think that the youngest looking guy in here would be the king. Damn he thought. Then he turned his head slightly to look at his companion. Silvi well, Derek didnt want to guess at what Silvi was thinkingbeing in a room full of elves and all. Stupid ice enemies. Leaving no ingredients, Silvi sent to him. Exactly, Derek replied. Silvi was sulking from accidentally destroying the kings storage ring with her dragon fire. She was also still salty about the Frost Wargs she had fought in the raid, not leaving her anything but buckets of water. A puddle? Osian asked hesitantly. He turned into pure ice and was a pain in the ass to fight without killing. So he died, Derek explained. The general guy is dead, too, but the two dukes, your brother included, are currently alive. The king looked from Derek to Edgar, and Edgar nodded. Its as he said. The king slumped back in his seat and sighed. It seems that it really is our defeat. Like I said. Edgar leaned forward. Were here to talk about the conditions of your surrender. The room went quiet for what seemed like an eternity, but was really only a few minutes. Finally, Osian nodded to himself and spoke once more. I beg of you to release my brother. Allow my remaining children and family to live, and you may take my life. I will admit to my folly as a king to my people and urge them to foster no hatred. I will take all the blame, for it is mine, and mine alone. Father! Olivar struggled to come up with words. N no! You cant do that. It must be done! Osian raised his voice and glared at his son. It is the price for failure. Actually Edgar began, getting everyones attention once more. Your son is right. You cant do that. Your life is both too much and not enough. Too much and not enough? Osian looked on, confused. What do you mean? I mean that weve already made our plans. The death of a king will not be enough to satisfy our kingdom. Our losses have been too great, and our citizens have lived in fear of your army for too long. That, and we all know what would have happened to Cydaria had you and Astrus accomplished the task you set out for. Then what will happen? You will not die, Edgar said bluntly. Ryven will not die. None of your royal family will die. What? No, you will not die, but your kingdom must change, Edgar said. You and your family will continue to rule Indria. However, Indria will become a vassal of Cydaria. Unlike what would have happened had you won this war you started, however, Cydaria wont mass execute or enslave your people. They will be able to go on living their almost normal lives. A vassal kingdom Osian looked down. My grandfather would be ashamed. Were not done, Edgar said, and Osian looked back up. Your royal family will form soul contracts with Cydaria. The details will be discussed later. But, obviously, your rules and laws, especially how you treat others of different race, will have to change. But you and your family will live. Osian was quiet and didnt speak for some time. Impatiently, Derek decided to speak up. You do have another option. There is also option two, he said. Osian looked up with hope. Oh, I dont think you will like option two, Derek said with a menacing grin. Its the option where I lead the counterattack on Indria and Astrus, along with a dozen dragons and dragon riders. Youve heard of Edgars dragon, right? Well, I brought more. Derek stared intently at the man. Option two is also the option where none of you make it out of this room alive today, and Indria will be nothing but a footnote in the history books. Derek took a note out of Tevarians book. But go on take your time. Im sure its a very difficult decision. Chapter 362: Decision Chapter 362: Decision The king and everyone else on the opposite side of the table stared at Derek slack-jawed after he made such a declaration. What? he asked. Dont think I cant do it. I want all this bullshit over and done with so my people can go back to living their normal lives. This stupid fighting has delayed their growth long enough. I dont care about your petty feuds, but when they start affected me and mine, then we have a problem. Hes right, Alanah said. And Ill be happy to fight alongside him. It is best you take this chance to keep your country alive. It is more than you should receive after your cowardly attacks on my people. And dont think that we wont be able to do it, Derek said, then, with a quick telepathic message to both Alanah and Silvi, he asked them to fully release their auras. Soon, the entire chamber was filled with an aura so heavy that it felt almost physical. Sabrina was too weak to even handle the aura of one of them, much less all three, and as soon as the aura fell over her, she fell unconscious. It was the same thing that happened with the young Torith noble, though. She was still stronger than Clay was. And, after waking Clay up, Derek knew that it would only take another shock to ones system to wake up others affected the same way by aura. He actually didnt know if it was possible to straight up kill with an aura, but he did know that if someone was weak enough, it could prevent them from breathing, and it was possible for them to suffocate. Still, he focused most of his aura directly on the king, and the other two did the same. I understand, the king said hesitantly. The two of no three of you are beyond our ability to defy. We have indeed kicked a hornets nest this time. Please retract your aura. Youve made your point. At that, Derek and Alanah retracted their auras. Silvis aura lingered on the king for a few moments longer before receding as well. With all of their auras in check, Derek surveyed the roommaking sure to look over each individual. Both the kings nephew and son were doing their best to stay calm, but it wasnt hard for Derek to see the shakiness in their hands. Olivar, the prince, was even clutching one hand tightly with the other to try to keep the shaking from showing. Both men had their heads down. The kings wife was still just as calm as ever. She had only widened her eyes initially when they had released their auras. It was more of an expression than shed shown ever since they walked into the Throne Room uninvited. Other than Sabrina, who was completely knocked out with her head on the table, the other elven man seemed to be having the hardest time. He was visibly shaking, and clearly almost passed out at the initial release of the aura. However, other than the king and his wife, the other womanthe one who had been silent the whole timeseemed to be taking it better than anyone. Shes definitely a warrior, Derek thought. Then I would guess that the other weak guy has to be the adviser that Osian mentioned. So, Edgar broke the silence once everyone calmed down enough to continue discussions. I take it you have made your decision? Yes, Osian sighed. I we will sign your soul contracts and Indria will become a vassal kingdom to Cydaria. Great! Edgar clapped his hands, then looked at Derek. Derek, if you dont mind, would you bring my brother and the duke here? Your brother? The duke? the king asked, confused. They are here? Where? Just a second, Derek said as he held his pointer finger up. I need to remove some weight first. With that, he stood from his seat and walked a good distance away from the table and everyone else before opening his Time Prison and tossing the three people theyd thrown in before out to the ground. Derek still had the prison set where the time inside passed much slower than outside, so the two guards were still stunned from Alanahs initial command, and the third seemed to just be coming out of his daze. Huh, Derek thought. That guy might actually be stronger than I thought. The man, who Sabrina had called Jerum, quickly got his bearings and jumped to his feet. Your Majesty! The man was quick to take in his surroundings. These people, they Its okay, Jerum. You may stand down, Osian said and put his hand up in a halting motion. You may as well be here, too. Take a seat. The king more commanded than asked, then, he turned back to Alanah. Ms. Swan. If you would be so kind as to send my guards out. That fight hadnt taken too long, so, a few hours after that, and he was in the palace discussing what to do with the pair of dukes. After that, hed waited a couple hours for Alanah to recover, and finally, theyd arrived in Indria late that evening. Now, it was the middle of the night, and he was moving back and forth between two palaces of warring kingdoms. Good thing Im strong, he thought. Otherwise, Id end up as a glorified taxi. When he stepped out of the tunnel this time, the man who he was waiting for still wasnt there. Shrugging, he went and took the seat Alanah had been sitting in across the small from Natalie. Without saying a word, the petite woman poured Derek a cup of tea, which he didnt really enjoy, but appreciated the sentiment, and they sat in silence while waiting. Luckily, it was only a bit over ten minutes later that a frazzled-looking, middle-aged man arrived. The man was skinny, not Bones skinny, but he definitely looked like he could use a meal or two. He had very messy light brown hairit looked like hed just gotten up and hadnt taken the time to brush or even pat it down. Over his eyes, he sported a pair of thick, round glasses, and he wore a black and gray robe. Derek couldnt tell if this was his sleeping attire or something he normally wore, but he didnt really care. Your the man kneeled and began to speak, but yawned deeply after just one word. Your Majesty. You have need of me? Yes, Callum. Thank you for coming on such short notice. There is a situation, and we are in need of a soul contractor multipleurgently. You neednt worry, as you will be compensated quite well for your time and inconvenience. Yes, my king, the man said as he continued on one knee. But multiple soul contracts in a row that may be difficult. I know of the strain a soul contract put on you, and I wouldnt ask you if it wasnt of utmost importance. Trust me when I say, I will owe you a great favor once this is all over and done. We are on the brink of ending this war that had dragged on far too long. Derek noticed that Edwin made sure to say that hed owe the man, and not the kingdom. And since hed be giving up his seat as king very soon, having the former king owing you a favor wasnt as good as the current king. That sly old man, Derek thought. You may stand, Edwin finally said, and after he stood, he continued. Do you accept this request? To have a role in ending this war? he asked, wide-eyed, and Edwin nodded. Of course, I accept. I will do my best. Good! Edwin chuckled. Now, Im sure you are wondering about that dreadful portal in the room. I wasnt going to say anything, but Well, Im sure youve heard of Derek Hunt, he is the man sitting with Natalie Savannah over there. Edwin pointed to their little table off to the side. Nat Callum shot a look over and stuttered when he saw the two of them sitting there. He hadnt noticed them when he came in. He had been very fixated on the portal, then on the king. Well, this portal was made by Mr. Hunt. He will take you through it, then, you need only follow the instructions of Edward, who is already on the other side. But a portal Dont worry, Derek Active Void Shifted and appeared next to the man instantly. It was a poor use of the skill, but it made for good theatrics. Its not that kind of portal. This is the kind that you die instantly when you go in if Im not with you. Its not one of the bad ones that summons Void Beasts. T-that Lets go. Derek grabbed the man by the back of his neck and steadied him with his other hand. Soon, a thick armor made of void appeared around him. Be careful not to move. We wouldnt want you disappearing on us. Finally, he lifted the now stiffened man and took a step inside. Chapter 363: Soul Contracts Chapter 363: Soul Contracts For Derek, the rest of the night went by in a blur. As soon as Callum stepped foot in Indria, he went to work without asking any questions about what exactly was going on. Basically, to the man, what he was seeing seemed to be way above his pay grade. He knew what he was needed for, and thats what he didnot more, and no less. The process was both simple and elaborate in many ways. It was simple in the fact that when Callum was writing up a contract, it didnt look much different from how Rudy had done many times before. However, once that part was finished, the real fun began. On one side, every royal in the room had signed it, and Derek was even tasked with going back to Cydaria and bringing back Duke Ryven just for the contract to hold even greater weight for the royal family. Before, with Walter, he had taken the burden of his soul contract on his own, and it would pass down to the next patriarch of the family if it was still active when he gave up his position or died. However, Edwin wasnt just going to forgive those who initiated a war against his country and his people. This contract affected all the royal families in the kingdom. And by that, it meant that it affected the king and the crown prince, and the duke and his eldest son. Sabrina was added into the contract along with the adviser, general, and the guard named Jerum, that was in the room. They acted more as witnesses to the contract, but were still affected by it. Callum, though, had limited power, and wasnt able to add everything into a single contract. The first contract hindered the royal familys growth by placing restrictions on the heads and immediate heirs to the family so that they must be either equal or less powerful than the opposite contract holder unless otherwise specified by said holder, which, in this case, was Edward. That meant that without Edwards direct approval, the heads of the family would undergo a considerable debuff and stay that way unless something came up and Edward needed their power for something. When the soul contract went into effect, Derek watched as it separated in two. One contract went to Edward, while the other burst into mana and formed multiple sets of chains. The first, and biggest, set of mana chains wrapped themselves around King Osian and slowly sunk into his body before disappearing completely. The same thing then happened with Dukey Ryven, then their sons. Small fragments of chains then shot into Osians wife, the general, his adviser, and Sabrina. It all happened in the reverse manner of what happened with Walter at the auction. The chains restricting him had come out of his body, and the contract held by Edwin was used as sort of a key to remove them. This meant that the part of the contract that Edward received would also act as the key to Indrias restrictions. It would be a heavy burden to bear. After the restriction came the other soul contract. It was the one that set forth the terms of Indria becoming a vassal kingdom under the rule of Cydaria. It also stated that the country would aid Cydaria with anything they needed, especially if it came to battle. The laws and new rules of the kingdom would be written later and enforced through regular contracts, though the soul contracts would see to it that they were enforced. At the end, on his own initiative, Osian even made an oath to the Great System to abide by Cydarias rule as best he could. The oath was just a cherry on top, or icing on the cake. Honestly, it didnt really mean anything in the grand scheme of things. The man knew how to make an oath, and the phrase as best I can that he used could be used to find plenty of outs. But it was still seen as an act of sincerity and loyalty. Derek could understand that. Cydaria now had all the power, and it wouldnt take much to absolutely decimate Indria and their royal family, yet they had given them a way out of the mess they created. In fact, life wouldnt be too much different for Indria after everything. Sure, they would lose any slaves or servants who didnt want to be there. The royal family did their best to make it clear that the humans werent slave contracts, but servant contracts. Nobody was really buying it, but Sabrina did produce the contract between her and her personal maidservant, Jessica, and, while the terms werent good for the servants, they really werent slaves. Still, they werent going to let the technicalities slide. He was sure that while they might not be slaves, they were probably still treated as such. The servants would be one of the first issues that would be taken care of under their new rule. Even though they werent slave contracts, because of the poor terms, Edgar planned to make sure that the current servants would get more favorable contracts if they chose to keep serving at all, and future servants would start with such contracts. He would have Callum created a new template for servant contracts in the future. The process took the entire night, as Callum had to wait a long time in between each contract he made. By the time everything was finished, the contract maker looked even more ragged and bedraggled than he had before. It was a miracle that the man was able to stand on his own two feet. Derek quickly zipped him back to Cydaria before he fell unconscious in the middle of the palace. Though the man did still end up falling unconscious in the middle of a palace, at least it wasnt the one in Indria. However, King Edwin didnt mind one bit, and even had some of their servantsones with proper contracts in placetake the man away and see that he got properly rested. The king was in much too good of a mood, even after a sleepless night, to let anything get to him. Though, at their levels, sleep was something none of them really needed to do unless they taxed themselves mentally. Derek stepped back through the void tunnel and moved back over to Indria. Now that all the contract signing and oaths were taken care of, he would ask the questions that he really wanted to. Technically, Cydarias side of the contract stated that Indria would also be under Cydarias protection since becoming a vassal of it, but that was also limited. Derek noticed a blush appear on Sabrinas face as she lowered her head, but he ignored her. Is that so? he asked. He wasnt exactly buying it, but the fact that Osian didnt seem wary at all about the line of questioning had him wondering. It is, Osian continued. Look around, Mr. Hunt. Look in our citieson our streets. Our population is composed of more than eighty percent elves. Rarely will you ever run upon a beggar or homeless person. In the grand scheme of things, even servant-wise, there are few humans. Speaking of humans, do you know where most of our human servants come from? Where? Derek leaned forward. Astrus and Cydaria, Mr. Hunt, but mostly Astrus. The tales of how terrible non-elves are treated and how much those of my kind look down on others are spread wide. And all of that is true. I will not deny it, and I will not admit fault with or apologize for it. It has served us well for thousands of years, only coming to an end because of my folly. And for the most part, it keeps visitors out of our lands, other than traders. But when one of your humans is desperate and has nowhere to go and no other options, it is common for them to venture forth into Indria. And what happens to those people? Derek asked. It depends on the person, Osian answered. Oathbreakers are killed on sight. Many are offered contracts, others are turned away. But, one thing most who sign a contract have in common is that when the terms of their contracts are up, they willingly sign a new one. They are atrocious contracts, but if you ask a servant, they will tell you that its much better than what they experienced in your human cities. What about the people who Gerald traded here? What about the citizens of Cydaria? What were you going to do once you took the kingdom? If you must know, Mr. Hunt. The reason that your vile human conducted so little of his other business over here, and the vast majority of it in Cydaria and Astrus, is because he ran out of elves willing to trade with him. As I said, we do not allow slave contracts or slave trade, and I tend to actually pay attention to what my people are doing. He looked at Edward once again. Though I can see how that is easier with a much smaller population. So youre saying Derek started. Those elves are dead or imprisoned. As for the slaves they bought, you will find them in Cordonia. Gerald Torith did what he did for years. Many of the trafficked humans are servants, and the others are taken well care of. Vile man that he was, Gerald Torith was also a well of information, so we couldnt have those people getting back to you, you understand? Though, in hindsight, we should have paid more attention to the man and asserted more influence on him. I imagine our plans would have worked out much better if he hadnt been captured and caused most of those noble families who were dissatisfied with their rulers to be caught up in everything. It would have helped if we would have had more people on the inside. So, if you must kill me for not doing your kings job for him and taking advantage of his ineptitude, then go ahead. But dont lump me in with humans. Humans are far worse to their own kind than we are to them. And for the citizens if you won the war? Derek asked. It is war, Mr. Hunt. Osian shrugged. It is all speculation now, as it is not going to happen. I suspect many would have died, especially your loyal nobles. Of course, we would also take many in as servants. The population of an entire kingdom is too vast, and our elven population is too small. I imagine most of the citizens would have fallen in line under our rule once the noble houses and royal family fell. As for what Astrus would have done youd have to ask them. Derek scratched his chin and hummed. It seemed that, though he didnt like their methods, killing them would be too harsh and would screw up everything Edward and Edwin had planned. I guess them practically being controlled by Cydaria is enough punishment for now. This is more politics than anything else, and I dont want to get into it. So, Mr. Hunt, the king said, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. Was my answer acceptable? Chapter 364: Concessions Chapter 364: Concessions So, Derek said. If I go out and look, youre telling me that Im not going to encounter a single person who has a slave? In the entire kingdom? I didnt say that, Osian replied. I said that we make slavery illegal and punishable. By that, I mean that if any elf is caught doing business with slavers or using a non-standard servant contract on a new servant, then they are punished. And, because our population is small, and our monitoring is quite good, most elves would never even think to try it. With the servant contracts so readily accessible at any Kingdom Supplier Store, it doesnt even make sense for an elf to try it. Those contracts are much less expensive than hiring a contract maker to create a personalized one. Plus, the contract maker would be taking a great risk as well. But there are slaves? Derek asked. Of course there are, the king replied. We cannot do anything about oaths, and what is a system oath of loyalty and servitude with no restrictions if not a slave oath, but with a prettier name? But with that example, the oath is given freely and usually to a person who has done the other a great service. There are elves who take this oath. Do you know no one who has taken such an oath? Derek thought about Bones and Ogre. I have a couple of them, actually, he said. But I put restrictions in place on them. They are treated more as well-paid employees than slaves. And they have their own conditions, too. But that isnt common, Osian said. Most oaths like that are made one-sidedly by the oath takers, and do not usually involve restrictions. As for straight slave contracts it had been a long while since we have seen one. Im sure if you turn the entire kingdom over with a fine-tooth comb, you will find a couple, but you will find more in Cydaria and vastly more in Astrus where it is not controlled. Though, I doubt you will find any in Vallum. So, I ask again, is my answer acceptable? Derek furrowed his brows. I dont know why Im so invested in this. Its not my problem to deal with. Honestly, it wasnt something he thought much about until Brandi and Malorie were capturedthen it became personal. After that, he followed that thread all the way to Gerald Torith until that problem was taken care of. But, since he was invested, hes see it through. Sabrina, Derek said, getting the girls attention. Give me that servant contract that you showed Edgar earlier. He trusted Edgars words, but he wanted to see the contract for himself. Y-yes! The girl quickly produced the contract and ran it over to Derek. Derek took the contract and began reading it over. It was a simple but atrocious contract. He couldnt believe that anyone would sign it on their own free will. But Edgar was correct. It really wasnt a slave contracteven if that was only so via technicality. Obviously, Indria knew of the technical misconception about slavery in their kingdom, but didnt bother to reject it. In fact, they seemed to prefer others to think of them that way. Like they said, it meant fewer immigrants and much easier control. Derek tossed the contract back to Sabrina. Thats definitely going to have to change. A lot, he told her. One thing he did see was that there was a limit on punishment that could be given. Thats something I guess. Thats basically a slave contract all but in name I also want to go to this Cordonia and see whats going on there, and I want to speak privately with one of these servants. But for nowIt wasnt his problem, but he at least wanted to see it through. Derek sat across from Osian and stared deeply at him. He had made his decision, but decided it was best to let the king and his family sweat for a bit. Finally, after some minutes had passed, Derek sighed. I guess that will work for now. No sense killing a bunch of people who are already bound to another and will have no choice but to change their ways. Id hate to see all that hard work that Callum did go to waste. But if you find some loopholes and step out of line, just remember that youll have me to deal with. And this is your only warning. All at once, the members of the Indrian Royal Family let out a collective sigh of relief. It was like his words were like a weight lifting from their chests. It was exactly what he wanted to see. With them still in his sight, Derek let a half smile play over his face before turning to Edgar, who had made his way back over to their side of the table, taking a seat in Dereks former place at the table, during his and the kings stare down. So, what are we doing now? he asked the prince. Technically, he should have been asking Edward, but he much preferred to talk with Edgar, and he didnt care who knew it. This was really as far as I had planned, Edgar answered with a shrug. I guess its time to talk about how were going to deal with Astrus. Father should be involved in these talks, Edward said from his standing position. I dont think so, Derek said, then grinned. Youre basically the King of Cydaria now, Edward. This would be a good opportunity for you. Besides, I doubt that the old man would want to risk coming through the void with mehes much too worried about clinging to lifeand it would be a pain in the ass to take everybody there only to have to bring every back again. Im not a taxi. Edgars brows furrowed, but he shook it off. Hes right, brother, he said, backing Dereks opinion. Father has made the decision to give you this role. He probably expects it from you. Edward closed his eyes, then took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. When his eyes opened, he looked over at Edgar and Derek with resolve. Okay, he said. We will do it that way. Edward then walked around the table and took a seat beside Edgar. He didnt even bother asking Derek to give up his seat at the head of the table. If I may, King Osian spoke up, causing everyone to look in his direction. Yes, Your Majesty. With that, General Nira and Jerum both bowed and exited the Throne Room, leaving everyone else to their discussion. That should help, Derek said, then looked over at Edgar. What if you allowed them access to your power leveling dungeon in Cydaria? he asked. Everyone on Indrias side of the table looked up, hopeful. No, we cant do that, Edward answered instead. Why not? Derek asked. It doesnt do anything but strip those who use it of their future power. Edgar can attest to that. You dont have to open it up to everyone. It could be a reward for people. Thats not a bad idea, Edgar agreed. Its not that. Its the location. We wouldnt want foreigners wondering around in the depths of our palace, Edward said. Then have them sign a contract. Make a direct path to it and make sure that nobody wanders. Derek rolled his eyes. Its not hard, and if they want to use it bad enough, Im sure theyd jump at the chance. Ill think about it, Edward said. If we cannot think of anything else. The dungeon was something they wanted badly and wasnt an insignificant part of this war. I wouldnt want to concede something like that. Derek shrugged. He gave them his two cents. Other than the dungeon, he didnt really know what else Indria would want that Cydaria had. He wasnt very worldly when it came to his current world, but dungeons and their rewards seemed to be the biggest commodity controlled by a kingdom. Equipment and items were crafted by individuals, so that wasnt something Cydaria would or could give. As long as Indria had things to trade, they could try to make deals with any crafter they met. But as a whole What about increasing trade between the countries? I know that you already have some trade, and you even sent Sabrina there as an envoy, so starting that back up and maybe even increasing it could help with the alliance. True, Osian said. But I imagine that was already a given. It would look bad if we didnt continue trade after forming an alliance. Edward nodded his head like it was obvious. Derek half chuckled. Okay tell me Im dumb without telling me Im dumb, Derek thought. It seemed that the king, and probably Edward, had already wordlessly agreed to trade between kingdoms. It was obvious that it would be one of the first things considered in a peace treaty and alliance. Well, Derek said. I really dont have any other ideas. Im not one for all this political stuff. Give me a target and tell me to smash, and Im good. Making peace between nations? Forget about it. Derek sat back and crossed his arms. Derek listened to everyone float different ideas back and forth, but Edward was pretty strict on the terms. This was technically his first act as king even if it wasnt really, and he didnt want to lose out or give them too many concessions after what theyd done. That was understandable. If Derek was in his situation, he would probably do the same. Sure, the soul contracts were a massive hit to the royal family already, but that was more of a private punishmentthe kingdom needed to know their place a little, too. It may have seemed counterproductive, seeing how they were looking for a way to appease nobles, but it wouldnt require a lot, and all the suggestions seemed to be over a mental limit that Edward had set. Alanah looked to be in the same boat as Derek. Neither one of them had anything to do with the peace treaty or running the kingdom. They were just there to stop the war and maybe enact a little justice during the process. Either way, it seemed that the royals in the room, including the Cydarian ones, werent making any progress. After what seemed like half an hour, Derek heard somebody mumble something, but wasnt quite sure what was said over all the arguing back and forth. Did she say what I think she said? If so A lopsided grin fell on Dereks face and loudly cleared his throat. Ahem! The room went quiet and everyone looked over at him. What is it? Edward asked. I think Sabrina had something to say. Isnt that right? Everyone looked from Derek to Sabrina, and the young elven ladys face went crimson as she looked down and fidgeted with her hands. W-what about marriage? Standing behind Osian, a mentally exhausted Ryven facepalmed. Not this again. Chapter 365: Marriage? Chapter 365: Marriage? What was that? What did you say? Osian leaned forward and looked at his niece. I I said that we could h-have a m-marriage between our two kingdoms. The longer she spoke, the more confident Sabrina seemed to become. Yes, a marriage. Wouldnt that solve all of our problems. It would tie our family to Cydaria. Its the perfect solutions. What better way to c-consumma Sabrinas face instantly turned crimson once again before she continued. What better way to solidify our agreement than through a marriage? Huh Osian leaned back in his seat and ran his thumb and forefinger over his chin, thoughtful. Brother, Ryven said. Youre not taking her words seriously, are you? They are just the idle fantasies of a young womanone who has been talking about marriage for decades, mind you. That may be so, brother, Osian replied. But you must admit, it is not a bad idea. Derek leaned back in his seat as well, though he wasnt thinking about it. Instead, he was just enjoying the show. Specifically, he was enjoying the frantic look in Edgars eyes as he thought about the implications of what the young elven woman had said. Derek couldnt be entirely sure, but there were only three royals from Cydaria ready for marriageEdward, Edgar, and Elouise. And, since Edward was about to be crowned king, that would put Edgar in the hot seat. Elouise, from what Edgar had told Derek about her, seemed to be cunning enough to get out of any proposal thrown her way. She was a bit of a daddys girl, and Edwin wouldnt dare force her into a marriage if she didnt want it. Though Derek hadnt asked or heard of anyone mentioning any dukes in Cydaria, it was still possible that the king had a brother or sister who had unmarried children. Edgar had also never talked about his mother, but she could have also had brothers or sisters. There was no reason that a marriage had to be between princes and princesses. Any two people with high statuses in their respective kingdom would work. But Edgar hadnt seemed to work all that out yet. Considering he looked to still be in shock, it seemed he was still frozen on the fact that his bachelor days could be coming to an end. Derek swore he could see steam flowing from his head as his brain began to malfunction. for new novels Edward, however, didnt have the same panicked look on his face as his brother. Instead, he was lost in thought, just as Osian had been. It seems the future king is weighing the pros and cons. It really isnt a bad idea, especially if the two parties agree to it. Dereks eyes met Alanahs, and he could see a sparkle in them. Before, she had been just as bored as Derek was, but now, things had gotten interesting. Who doesnt like a good royal wedding? Back home, they account for a large number of romance movies. The main thing, other than the union between two kingdoms, that a wedding between Cydaria and Indria would show would be the Indrian Royal Familys new stance on races other than elves. Any children from the union would be half-elves, and they wouldnt be born out of wedlock or be bastards, they would be fully recognized children of the upper echelon of both kingdoms. If nothing else, it would make the new changes to the way other races have to be treated easier to swallow. In fact, now that Derek thought about it, a marriage would solve many of the problems they were facing. Is she actually that smart, or He looked over at Sabrina, who seemed to find an empty spot on the table in front of her extremely interesting. No Ryven is right. She just has marriage on the brain. Edward, Osian finally spoke, breaking everyone out of their thoughts. This idea of a marriage. What do you think? Its a good idea, no? That Edward sighed. I can find no flaw in it. A marriage between a high ranked human and elf. It would certainly solve many of our current issues. The only question is, who would be wed? Indeed, Osian said. I imagine that we could rule out both you and my son Olivar. The two of you will become kings in the future, and because of our racial differences, we wouldnt want my son out living his queen by decades or centuries or your queen outliving you. Very true. Edward agreed. It may be best to exclude all immediate members of each royal family. With those words, Derek immediately saw Edgars eyes brighten. The man leaned forward and began to fiercely nod along with his brothers statement. Well that was fun while it lasted, Derek thought. Picking on Edgar had become a bit of a fun pastime for Derek over the last few days. Agreed, Osian said. In that case, does anyone have anybody in mind? Me! Sabrinas voice squeaked out and everyones gaze fell onto her. Actually Edward cut in and Derek felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Derek is well knownat least among the remaining noble houses in Cydaria. And it is within my power to make him a duke of the kingdom. In fact, my father was just talking about rewarding Derek with a title and his own fiefdom. Dereks face went stone cold, and he stared at the side of Edwards face. Unknowingly, Edward shivered, and he turned his head from Osian, eventually looking Derek in his eyes. Im going to kill you, he sent to Edward telepathically. Im going to open a portal, cover everything except a single foot in my void armor, and let the energy eat away at you, finger by finger, toe by toe. Then, when nothings left but your head and torso, Im going to give it to Silvi and have her cook it up nice and good and force feed it to your father. Silvi, Derek sent to his companion. What? Look at Edward and lick you lips, like youre about to eat a tasty elf burger, he commanded. He didnt need to ask his gluttonous bunny twice. In fact, she even added in a little drool for extra effect. Good, thats enough. Edwards entire face was pouring sweat, and he looked like hed seen a ghost. He clutched his remaining hand tightlytrying to keep everyone from seeing his obvious shaking. Fix it! Derek commanded. A-actually Edward swallowed hard. D-Derek has already refused any titles or land. I had hoped he would reconsider, but he isnt one for politics. I doubt even marriage to such a wonderful lady such as yourself could sway him. He doesnt have the time, either. For the first time in the discussion, Alanah spoke up. Mr. Hunt and I have made plans for after this war is settled, and I do not plan on putting them off. Plans? Derek asked. He wasnt sure if she was just helping him out, or if she was serious. Of course. You promised me that we would go dungeon diving when you got back. Do you not remember? Also, I would like to catch a few Void Beasts if you dont mind, she replied. Oh, that. Of course. I cant wait. Actually, Im supposed to take Avery to hunt a few Void Beasts, as well, he said. Thanks for the backup. I dont think Ive ever been in that much danger. Alanah smiled at him. You know, you could have just refused, right? Derek looked at Alanah, dumbfounded. That didnt even cross his mind. He was so taken off guard that hed been dealt a critical blow and didnt know how to respond. Poor Edward oh well, at least he wont try anything with me again. I guess its better this way. Are excuses better than flat out refusal? He wasnt sure. Derek silently chuckled and shook his head as Edward continued. Ah yes, Edward said. We wouldnt want to keep Mr. Hunt and Ms. Swan from their plans, now would we? No, no we would not, Osian agreed. Is there anyone else? Sabrina, would you agree to wed someone other than Derek, or was he your only choice? Sabrinas eyes broke away from Derek, and she pouted. However, she soon got a hold of herself and raised her head. I will have to meet some suitors, then I will decide. Well, that was a quick turnaround, Derek thought. That was almost painful, seeing her flip that switch like that. Of course, there was no way he would ever marry, or even date, someone like Sabrina. Well, I cant say never, he thought. People can change especially with the system. Not to mention, everyone has a past. She may have just been unlucky in the fact that I met her in her villain arc. Derek laughed to himself. Finally, his fate was back in his own hands. Derek sat back and listened to Edward go through a list of high-ranking eligible bachelors in the Cydarian Kingdom. As it turned out, he did, in fact, have a couple of cousins. They just stayed away from court and lived more simple lives. They were put at the top of the list of candidates, along with a few other nobles from the remaining high-ranking noble houses. Uh, you can remove Tristan from that list, Derek said as he noticed Tristan Allisters name had been mentioned. Im pretty sure hes taken. The healer had completed the raid with him, so they were technically comrades. It was only right that he protect the man from all this nonsense. The discussion continued until everything was settled. Sabrina would soon be taken back to Cydaria to meet the list of her potential suiters. Hopefully, everything would work out. Chapter 366: Taxi Chapter 366: Taxi With all the nonsense about marriage settledWell, it wasnt nonsense until Derek had been included in the talks; before that, it had been funeveryone made quick plans about what was going to happen next. Derek would take everyone he needed to back to Cydaria, including Sabrina. Also, it seemed like nobody wanted the pleasure of being carried around in a pot. So, he would have the privilege of being a taxi after all. No matter how much he wanted to stuff Sabrina in one so he wouldnt have to deal with her looks of resentment, embarrassment, and flurries of other emotions she apparent felt toward him. So, Derek was going to have to make multiple more trips than expected. While the Cydarians were getting everything ready on their side, Indria would be doing the same. Their next mission would be a combined assault on Astrusleading up to the execution of the captured duke. Both Ryven and Osian would take part in the assault, and it would be one of the situations outlined in the soul contract where Osian would be able to use his full power. The whole thing with the soul contracts was rather interesting to Derek. Unfortunately, Derek didnt have any way to bring anyone to Astrus, so they would have to travel the old-fashioned way on dragon. He thought about sending someone he knew over there, then locking on to them and using Void Travel, but he decided against it. Dragons were much more intimidatingespecially when they came with somewhat of an army. Derek began taking everyone to Cydaria, one by one, until finally, there was only Sabrina left. Well, Sabrina and her maidservantwho she had managed to bring over while Derek was carefully taking people through the portal. Right then and there, in front of King Osian and Sabrina, he made Sabrina remove any contracts and oaths that Jessica had with her. This, of course, caused the servant to pale and panic, but he had chosen to question the maidservant without any constraints. Both Jessical and Sabrina objected, but he was insistent. After that, he took the dukes daughter through the void, careful to keep her at arms length and not create any unnecessary contact. She did her best to avoid looking him directly in the eyeshe didnt know if that was from their earlier interactions or because of Jessica, but he didnt mind. He didnt want any misunderstanding after what he just went through. Then, he came back for her maidservant newly uncontracted maidservant. Hopefully, she would be able to shine just a bit more light on everything.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Hey. Derek snapped his fingers in front of the young womans face multiple times until she broke out of the daze shed been from not only being in the palace, but also being in a room with the king. Dont worry about him, Derek said. Its just you and me in here. Actually Derek looked at Osian and gestured toward an exit with his head. Give us five minutes. Very well, Osian sighed and walked out through one of the side exits. Y-you King Osian he listened to you? Jessica stuttered through her words. Yeah, Derek said. I have that effect on people. The girl looked toward where the king was just standing, then at Derek, then at the open portal, then back at Derek. She chose not to say anything. There are a few questions I have that I would like for you to answer truthfully, Derek said. Can you do that? I can, she said. Especially with the b-broken contract Do you enjoy being Sabrinas maidservant? he asked right off the bat. Enjoy? she asked. Yes. I not all the time. But other times it can be nice. How so? Derek asked. The young woman paused, as if she was collecting her thoughts. You dont have to worry about anything you say coming back on you, trust me. They wouldnt have the courage to do anything about it, he said with a reassuring smile. Shes better when we are alone and she hasnt had a stressful day. She treats me almost as a friend especially after coming back from her trip, she answered. And does she abuse you? Hurt you? Oh, no! Sabrina quickly replied. That is against the terms of our contract. Her words can be hateful or hurtful sometime, but she has never physically abused me. She the woman paused as if there was something she wanted to say, but didnt dare to. He expected Alanah was on her way to Savannah to see Avery. During all the contract signing, Derek had told her about everything, and she knew where he and Lyra were keeping the dragonkin. She actually seemed pretty excited to meet Lyra, but she didnt seem all too thrilled when he told her that theyd brought a wyvern out of the dungeon for her. He wasnt sure why, but it seemed something strange was going on with her. Once she was fully recovered, when they talked, she seemed a bit anxious. He wondered if it had something to do with her transformation skill, or if the war and all the killing was weighing on her. Youve both done a fantastic job, Derek heard Edwin praise his sons from atop the throne. You negotiated well with the soul contracts, and the marriage idea is not a bad one at all. Thank you, father, Edward said. Edgar didnt look like he cared much about being praised by his father, but Edwards eyes shone with happiness. Derek, Edwin called out. Yeah? Derek asked. I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and I havent exactly lived up to my status as a king, but you still helped the kingdom when you were needed. For that, I am grateful. King Edwin actually stood from his throne and bowed. He then raised his head and said, Without your aid, not only would this war have dragged on for an unknown amount of time, but Edgar would still be inside the raid dungeon, and unable to provide his support. In fact, while Im not certain, I do not believe Cydaria would have been able to weather such a storm in the long run. Even Alanah, for all her strength, would have eventually exhausted herself. Actually, Im not even sure if she would have fought at all, if not for you. So again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Derek shrugged. I didnt do anything for you, he said. It was for my people. Still, you have my gratitude, the king said. And are you sure you do not wish to become a duke? The kingdom will back you in whatever you choose to do. You could, perhaps, build a new, prosperous city. Im sure citizens would travel far and wide to become residents in a city controlled by Duke Hunt. The king smiled. Yeah Im good. Derek shook his head. You dont know how many times Ive turned down the offer to start my own city. I dont think Im going to start accepting it now. He inwardly laughed. At least this time it isnt the system requesting me to build a city. Very well, Edwin replied. I will not ask again. Good. Now, with one kingdom down, I assume you plan on helping with Astrus as well? the king asked. Thats the plan, Derek said. Then I would suggest you prepare yourself, Edwin said. Our journey begins as soon as Edward tames his dragon! The king was all smiles and Edgar rolled his eyes. Oh? Youre coming, too? Derek asked. Im old, Mr. Hunt, Edwin said. I dont believe I will have another opportunity to subdue a kingdom on a dragon. That is the thing of legends, and I wouldnt miss it for the world. Derek laughed and shook his head. Come on Edward, he said. Taming a dragon aint easy, and you dont have a lot of time to waste. With that, Derek, with Silvi perched on his shoulder, pulled Edward into the void, and they headed off to tame another dragon. *** Osian looked at the space where the portal just disappeared from and sighed. Well, brother, he said to Ryven, who had made his way back to the Throne Room. Our father would be disappointed. We took a gamble on what should have been a sure thing, and it blew up in our faces. The fact that we are still alive at all would make father proud even with what we are going to have to endure under the rule of another kingdom, Ryven answered. I am sorry about Orion. Osian clenched his fists and sighed again. That wasnt your fault. It was just the start of the house of cards falling. I will miss him, and unfortunately, he will never be avenged. That man and his companion are anomalies. I doubt the Dawn Siren would even be able to hold her own against either of them. Everything was our fault, and Orion was the first to pay the price. Now its our turn, Ryven replied. Osian nodded. Retake your command. Gather the soldiers and capture those remaining from Astrus. They no longer have a leader. The soldiers had scattered after Derek and his companion attacked, but both parts of the army was still in Indria. If they took care of the soldiersby capturing, not killingthen all they would have left to deal with was the nobles. And Osian doubted that even the strongest of the nobles in Astrus would be able to contend with the combined force of Alanah and Derek. Plus, he would be there, too, and he was looking forward to letting some of his frustration out on Astruswhether they deserved it or not. Chapter 367: One Down Chapter 367: One Down It wasnt hard for Derek to find the area that he originally left fromnear where they were holding the dragonkin. He could see Tyron, Avery, and surprisingly, Alanahs aura all close by, but he chose to appear a good distance away so his skill wouldnt spook any of the dragonkin. He was surprised that Alanah was already there because she couldnt have left much earlier than he had. She must have come straight here without any stops, he thought. Derek opened the portal and stepped out with the prince in hand and Silvi on his shoulder. He made sure to quickly close the portal behind him to keep its effects to a minimum. Come on, Derek said to Edward and began to move toward where he had left the others. Edward followed along without saying a word. They soon broke out of the surrounding trees and into the giant clearing that Avery had picked for their ventures. To his surprise, as he wasnt really looking before, there were two other people standing around. One was Tara Perez, the elven support who theyd promised to give a drake to. Which meant that the tall elven man standing next to her was most likely her son, who had come to tame his new companion. Hey! Derek shouted from the side, getting everyones attention. Tara! I didnt think youd already be here. I figured that you would all still be resting at that outpost. Everyone waited for Derek to get close, then Tara replied, King Edwin began reactivating most of the teleporters in the kingdom last night, and we were able to teleport out of the area at the same one that we used to get there. Im sure that by now, everyones already settled in. As soon as I got home, I got a message that Avery was waiting for me, so I picked up Trent and headed right over. I see, Derek said. Did you pick out which drake you wanted? he asked the young elven man. The lightning one is reserved, but either of the other two is good to go. I think Im going to try to tame the elementless one, he said. Its smaller, and I think it will be easier than the earth one. Im not really suited for fighting things that can alter the ground and cast area skills, and I havent reached max level either. Would that be okay? Go for it, Derek said. Its yours whenever youre ready. You dont have to get it first try, either. Especially right now that we have a bunch of people here. Trent nodded seriously. Lyra is sending it this way. She made sure not to do anything to it that will affect it in a fight, so it shouldnt change any of the chances of a contract working, Avery said. Soon, a gray-ish brown drake appeared in the distance. It reached everyone, including the two wyverns, and ignored them. The drake kept walking past everyone until it stopped alone in the distance. It looked up, confusedlike Lyra had broken off any and all control from it. You better get going, Avery said. Lyras not controlling it anymore. Id hate to see it escape. Yes! Trent half shouted and began running in the drakes direction. The young elf was wearing a set of medium plate armor trimmed in silver and green. As his speed increased, three buffs fell over him. One of haste, one of strength, and one of mana regeneration. Derek looked at Tara, but saw that she hadnt been the one to cast it. She looked back and smiled. He started out as a support class and was able to keep many of his basic buffs as he switched. It was surprising, really, she said. I see, Derek said. Then his current class? Just watch, Tara replied. As the group watched on, a pair of short-swords appeared in the young mans hands. So some time of swordsman? Derek wondered. At about that time, the drake noticed the elf running toward him and turned to face the man. Derek waited in anticipation of seeing what the young man was going to do, and when it happened, he wasnt let down. Trent took a step, then doubled. Instantly, there were two of the man, but it didnt stop there. With each step he took toward the drake, the number of Trents doubled. After four steps, there were sixteen of the young elven warrior. Soon, everyone congratulated the young man on his accomplishment. Youll have to stop by the restaurant one of these days, Alanah said. You can have a meal on me. That was quite the show. Another tell that the boy was actually strong or had very high willpower was that other than an intense blush at Alanahs words, he hadnt lost himself. Of course, she wasnt trying and didnt put anything extra in her voice, but it was still impressive that it didnt have any kind of mental effect on him. Alright, thats one down, Derek said. Thats going to be tough to follow, but we need to do it as soon as possible. Are you ready for your turn, Edward? Edward let out a sigh, then nodded. I am. Okay, Derek said. There is one drake and two amphitheres left I think. He looked over at Avery, and the archer nodded. Which do you want? Ill take the winged serpent, the crown prince answered. I need something that can fly. I cant be too outdone by my little brother. Too late, Derek thought, but didnt let his thoughts escape his lips. Do you care which one you fight? he asked. No, he replied. Just send whichever you think is best over. Derek looked at Avery, and the man nodded. Lyras sending another over. Wait until she lets it loose before you attack, Avery said. Will do. Soon, a medium-sized amphithere flew over from where Lyra was keeping the lesser dragonkin. It was bigger than Lyra was initially, but that didnt mean anything. Derek actually hoped that Edwards class would upgrade just like Averys had. He wasnt sure of what conditions it would take, but being at max level seemed to be one, and he was sure that the crown prince had enjoyed at least some Void Beast meals in his time. The winged serpent flew overhead, and a pair of lightning wings appeared from Edwards back. He shot up into the sky to meet the beast. Poor guy, Derek heard Silvis voice in his head. Why is that? he asked. He used to have two thumbs. Now he only has one. He doesnt know what he lost, Silvi said. Derek rolled his eyes, not deigning to give his lazy companion a reply. Soon, the telltale sign of the beast breaking out of Lyras command happened, and it began to look around in confusion, just like the drake had. Edward, with his sword in his only remaining hand, charged at the beast before it could get its bearing. The creature noticed Edward at the last second, and the two clashed. It was the second time Derek would see a prince battle with a dragonkin. This time, though, it was a lesser prince battling against a lesser dragonkin. But, after everything that had happened, he was still rooting for Little Sparky. Chapter 368: Ill Tame It Chapter 368: I''ll Tame It Edward and the amphithere clashed over and over, neither giving the other any leeway or backing down. Even with the crown princes lack of power, Derek had to admit that he was still very fast. It was no wonder that the royal family had chosen the lightning element to pass downhowever they did that. Derek wondered how close Edward, Edwin, and Edgars classes really were to one another while he watched Edward try to tame the winged serpent. For well over half an hour, he watched the two collide in the air. But, slowly, Edward was getting the better of the amphithere. While the winged serpent may have been physically stronger than the young crown prince, Edward had the edge in speed. He also had what seemed like an unlimited supply of mana and stamina potions to drink. Derek made sure to note down that the mans potions were working perfectly even after going through Void Travel with Derek. That meant that as long as the rings were covered in his void armor, then anything inside of them should make it through the journey just fine. If only I could find a way to keep the Time Prison or my Void Storage covered as well. Next time he went through, he decided to cover himself in the void armor made by Void Creation and move through with another beast inside his Time Prison. Maybe that will be all that it will take. He shrugged and continued watching the fight above. He knew that Edgars abilities far outstripped the three other members of the royal family that he had met. According to Silvibecause of her nicknamesEdward was the weakest of the three males. He wasnt entirely sure how strong Elouise was, but based on what little aura he sensed from her, she would most likely be called Littlest Sparky by Silvi. Or maybe shed call her Sparkette. As he was thinking this, Derek finally saw Edward make what looked to be the deciding move in the fight. The crown prince flash behind the amphithere and stabbed his sword into the back of the beastright in between its wings. He had faked going for a move that the beast had countered multiple times, then used whatever movement skill he had to surprise the beast. From there, a massive amount of lightning pulsed through his sword, and the winged serpent went limp. Soon, the two were plummeting toward the earth. Hes not bad in a one-on-one fight, Derek thought as he watched the man and beast crash into the ground. From what he knew of the times hed had to be rescued, they were because he was ambushed or had to fight off multiple enemies at a time. Once the battle made it to the ground, Edward didnt let up. He sent pulse after pulse of lightning through the beasts bodykeeping it locked in place through the paralytic effect that lightning had. It reminded Derek of himself when he was fighting the wyverns back in the raid. He was able to keep the beasts stun locked just as Edward was. Slowly, Edward moved towards the dragonkins headmaking sure to keep his glimmering sword touching the hide of the beast the whole time. When there was any reaction from the amphithere, he made sure to send out another pulse. Derek hadnt believed that the man would have any problems with one of the lesser dragonkin, and he had been correct. The prince hadnt been as good or as fast as Avery was against Lyra, and it didnt look like he had held back like Avery had. The archer had to make sure he didnt accidentally kill Lyra, while Edward had gone all out at the beginning, then caught the beast by surprise attack to gain the advantage. However, now was the hard partmaking the beast accept Edward as its master. Because of how close the fight actually was, Derek expected the process to take more than one try. Thinking about that, Derek couldnt help but think about Trent. The young elven man had pretty much dominated the drake during the fight and contracted the beast very quickly. At least, that was how it seemed, but Derek knew the young man had walked a tightrope with his illusion skills. One bad hit could have created a much different ending. On top of Edwards fight being closer, his lightning may have stunned the beast, but it didnt look like it had injured the beast all that much. And when he pulled out a scroll and activated it, Dereks thoughts were confirmed. Almost as soon as the crown prince activated the scroll, it disintegrated in failure. Derek laughed, then turned back to everyone elsehis eyes finally landing on Alanah. You ready for yours? he asked. What about the crown prince? Tara asked from the side. Hes got the kingdom backing him, Derek replied to her. Theres no way he doesnt have dozens of contract scrolls on him. Sooner or later, the beast will agree. I dont want to sit here and wait for that. Oh. Y-yes, Tyron quickly said, then hurried over to the trapped beast and began to remove its constraints. What the hell was that? Derek couldnt help but ask. It wasnt even that easy for me to contract with Silvi. And how did you get around it already being constrained by someone else? Overwhelming power, Alanah said. Dragonkin are smart beasts, she continued. And, since they are currently free and no longer trapped in a dungeon and forced to be aggressive, I imagine they are much easier to tame than they were when Avery and Edgar contracted theirs. So, when the wyvern felt my aura, it automatically knew it couldnt beat me, then, with a little convincing and demonstrating my power, it accepted. This was even with the Great System forcibly breaking it out of my abilities, so I couldnt just control it to accept the contract. I see, Derek said. I didnt know any of that was possible. It is much more difficult that way, but since my class is of the same rarity of the beast, and my power was much higher, the usual process could be somewhat ignored. I doubt anyone would be able to do the same if their class wasnt at least the same rarity or highereven if they had overwhelming power. Youd most definitely have to prove your worth in battle. It probably wouldnt be possible in a dungeon, either. Thats good to know, Derek said. Maybe Brandi and Thomas will be able to train tame their dragons sooner than I originally thought. I need to spend more time with them to see how theyve progressed. I especially want to know the full extent of how Brandis class has grown. Thats two dragonkin down, Derek said, then looked back to where Edward was still trying to coax the amphithere into contracting with him. And soon to be three, hopefully. Once Edward tamed his, there would be six lesser dragonkin and a single wyvern left to be tamed. He was sure that with the two lesser dragonkin being contracted right now that Lyra would already be having an easier go at keeping them all in check. Actually, Derek really would like Lyra to go with them to Astrus. No offense to Blitz, but Derek found Lyra to be much cooler looking and more intimidating. Maybe Blitz looked more intimidated initially, but seeing the combination of Lyra and Avery made Derek lean heavily toward that combo instead of Blitz and Edgar. Avery, Derek said. Yeah? the archer replied. Ask Lyra if she thinks the lesser dragonkin will go crazy and kill each other if we load them up in the open area of my Time Prison. I think it would be best if the two of you joined us in going to Astrus. Im sure Alanah has already filled you in on all the details, Derek said, then looked at Alanah, who nodded. She has, and I would very much prefer doing that over staying here and babysitting no offense, Tyron. Avery laughed. Let me see what she thinks. Tyron rolled his eyes. I would much rather babysit the remaining wyvern than ride countless miles on the back of one of your beasts again. The giant of a man shivered at the thought. A few moments later, Avery said, She said that it shouldnt be a problem. Shell push some thoughts into them, then, you just need to adjust the time in your space accordingly so the time they spend inside doesnt seem as long to them as the time that passes out here. She said she didnt think they would hurt each other to begin with. Like Alanah, Lyra thinks that they are much less aggressive now that they are out of the dungeon. Its why she hasnt had any problem controlling them so far. They are happy to be out. Great! Derek said. That just leaves Edward. Hopefully, we can be up in the air by the end of the day or no later than tomorrow.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Chapter 369: Taking Off Chapter 369: Taking Off They, unfortunately, were not up in the air by the end of the day. The problem wasnt in how long it took Edward to contract with the amphithere; it was in how long it took for the dragonkin to evolve. It seemed like it teetered on the cusp of evolving just like Lyra hadwhich most likely would have brought Edwards class rarity up a notch and rewarded him with some stat points just as it had Averyhowever, it didnt quite get there. The amphithere, who Edward ended up naming Voltmuch to Dereks dismay, as he had suggested to call it Spark or Sparkyhad grown, though. It was already big for one of the lesser amphithere, and after the evolution, it was almost the same size as Lyra. It ended up being quite the beautiful winged serpent. Volts scales had all turned a shade of dark blue trimmed in the vibrant blue of Edwards lightning element, causing each scale to look as if it was glimmering in the sun. Its body and feathers were a majestic silver, and it all culminated with the amphitheres sliver-blue crown. All in all, it was fitting for a crown prince of lightning. And, since it wasnt too much smaller than Blitz and Lyra, it wouldnt be easy for others to tell that it was actually of a lesser rarity than them. Everyone would compare Edgar and Edward, which now included their respective dragonkin. The two dragonkin being almost similar in size would allow Edward to save a bit more face than he would have. Though not many people would disrespect someone with a dragonat least, thats what Derek thought. So, during the time it took for Volt to evolve, Derek and the others loaded up all the dragonkin back into his Time Prison. He couldnt put them in any of the cells because of the cooldown, so he just put them inside and shut the door. After that, they all went over to make sure that the pure magic wyvern was still trapped with no problems. Tyron and Rocky opted to stay with it while everyone else invaded Astrus. Finally, they all waited, and it wasnt until late in the night that Volt had evolved into the beautiful creature he currently was. Great, Derek said. Lets go. Ill come too, just in case you need some support, Tara said. Trent, you take your new companion and go back home. Im sure everyones waiting to see why I had you rush off so suddenly. Yes, mother. Trent nodded and left. His drake had also evolved, but it hadnt grown in size. It was still the same, but it changed to a light blue colorindicating that it had also taken on some of the illusion properties that the young elven man had. Derek couldnt help but wonder about the skills the previously non-elemental drake would now have. Ready? Derek asked everyone and received a nod from them all. Were off, then, he said to Tyron. You two take care. Hurry back, Tyron said. Ill be working on a decent pair of gloves for you. Looks like you dont need boots anymore.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) The group soon made it back to the capital. It was quite a sight, seeing the wyvern and two amphitheres flying in formation over the city before landing and taking up so much space in the palace courtyard. Even though it was the middle of the night, and the guards were prepared, it caused a great commotion. Luckily, many of the people already knew of Blitz and Edgar, so they werent too panicked with the arrival of more dragonkin. The fact that none of the beasts made any moves to harm or intimidate any of the citizens didnt hurt, either. The children were more curious than anything after getting to know of Blitz, and many of them were awakened by the excitement and ran out of their homes to see the spectacle. This time, Derek had opted to ride on the back of Alanahs contracted wyvern instead of Lyra, as the wyvern was in the front of the formation. The earthen wyvern didnt have the human-like intelligence that the amphitheres had because it wasnt a bonded beast, but it behaved well and did whatever Alanah asked it to do. Even if they werent bonded, the contract was still binding. The five people jumped off the backs of the dragonkin and made their way into the palace, where Edwin and the others were still up and waiting. Soon, they were back in the Great Hall. Everyone! Edward projected his voice out where it could be heard by all around the palace. I am proud to say that the war with Indria is over and we have made peace! With that, the group cheered once again. It was possible that announcing what was going on right now would lead to Astrus getting wind of everythingif they already hadntand preparing for their arrival. That was fine by Derek and the others. If Astrus prepared a force to fight against their small retinue, then their position would be all the more solid once they took care of it. After some time, the crowd quieted once again. Now! the crown prince shouted. It is time to end the war with Astrus, with my royal family leading the charge! Everyone cheered again. Then Edward nodded to the entrance of the palace, and a group of guards walked out, escorting the captured Duke of Astrus. Seeing the new addition, the group of peoplewhich was steadily growing in size due to the uproarquieted and began murmuring among themselves. The guards quickly brought Duke Terrin atop Volt, and Edgar took him off their hands. After that, the younger prince brought the duke to the forefront so the group would be able to get a better look in the lantern lit night. From behind them, Derek noticed Edwin smiling like a kid in a candy shop. He was enjoying the show his sons were putting on. Many of you may not know who this is, but no doubt, some of you do, Edward motioned to the duke, who was beside him being held by Edgar. This man is Duke Terrin of Astrus. The murmurings grew louder after that, and half the crowd looked on in shock. Many things have happened over the last few days. In particular, we have executed King Tevarian and his general, captured Duke Terrin, and made peace with Indria. With Tevarian Sinclair, the King of Astrus, gone, and his brother soon to be executed, we, with the aid of the elves of Indria, will end this war with Astrus and replace those in power. Our people will soon know peace once again, and Cydaria will be the foremost kingdom of our continent! Edward pumped his fist in the air. The gathered crowd cheered once again, but this time, Edward didnt bother quieting them. Edgar took Terrin back down to the back of Volt and secured him. Tonight! Edward shouted over the loud crowd. We go into battle! Expect great news in the upcoming days! Volt! Lets go! With his final shout, Volt flapped his wings and the winged serpent lifted off the ground. Derek soon felt himself being lifted into the air on the back of the earthen wyvern, then he looked back at Avery. The archer rolled his eyes, but Lyra soon joined the other dragonkin in liftoff. The dragonkin trio shot straight up into the air with the cheering crowd below themtheir cheers continuing even while they were pelted with the intense gusts of wind created by the wings of the beasts. Because of how fast and how vertical they had risen, Derek had to reach down and grab onto one of the wyverns spikes to ensure he didnt fall off. When he looked ahead of him, he saw Edgar doing his best to hold both Edwin and Duke Terrin in place. The man was a Dragon Rider, after all, so he had perfect balance on the back of any dragonkin, not just Blitz. When Derek looked back, he saw the comical sight of the elven support mage holding onto Averys arm for dear life. No part of her body was in contact with Lyra. If not for the archer holding her, she would have already fallen. Soon, they leveled out, and everyone made themselves more comfortable. Was that really necessary? Derek yelled over to Edward. It was hard to speak over the distance between them. I thought it best to give the people a spectacle to be excited about. I think it worked, dont you? Edward yelled back. Derek shrugged. Well see he said to nobody in particular. They had one last stop to pick up some extra firepower in Indria, then, they would head straight to the capital of Astrus. I wonder how much more powerful Osian is than Ryven. That will be interesting to see. Chapter 370: Prepare for the Worst Chapter 370: Prepare for the Worst The flight from capital to capital was long, to say the least. Without the ability to teleport from city to city throughout the kingdoms because of the massive dragonkin, they had to fly the entire way. Just as planned, Blitz met the group before they even left the Cydaria border, and Edgar moved to his own companion from Edwards, leaving the king and crown prince to take care of babysitting the Duke of Astrus. Even with the straight line speed that the dragonkin all flew, it took over a day and a half to get to the elven capitalonce again proving how good Void Travel could be. When they arrived, the Indrian retinue was already waiting for them. It would have been a bit faster and easier if Derek would have used Void Travel to bring Indrias party to Cydaria for them all to leave from there, but, the decision was made that it would look better to the Indrian people of the capital to see their own leaving side by side with Cydaria. On top of that, the royal family had much to do in the two days leading to the departurespecifically, dealing with the combined army that was mostly still located in their borders. Derek and Alanah stayed circling in the air on her contracted wyvern, and Avery and Tara did the same on Lyra, while Blitz and Volt took the royal family and Duke Terrin down to the palace. It seemed that the Indrian royal family had called for a gathering for the event, as there were many more peoplemostly elvesgathered around. There was another speechthis one a combination of Edward and Osianfor the people of Indria. Derek tuned most of it out, as he had already heard the gist of it before when they left Cydaria. The group did a little show with Duke Terrin and, though the cheers were more subdued than those of the Cydarian citizens, the people of Indria eventually got behind everything. Finally, a handful of Indrias peopleincluding the king and dukejoined Edward, Edwin, and Edgar on the backs of their bonded beasts and they lifted off to scores of applause and cheers from the crowd. Derek waited for a bituntil they all got a decent distance away from the citythen looked over at Alanah. Ill be back in a few. Seeing her slight nod, he looked over to Voltwhere the Indrian royals, Edward, and Edwin were gatheredand, after having Silvi hop off his shoulder and onto the back of the wyvern, he used Active Void Shift and appeared just a few inches above the flying beast, then landed on its back. Ryven winced, and the crown prince jumped away before panicking and trying not to lose his balance on the back of Volt. Osian, to his credit, only turned his head slightly to look Derek in the eyes. Edward and Edwin seemed to be becoming immune to Dereks antics, and did not show much of a reaction to him appearing out of nowhere without any warning. So, Derek said to Osian. Did you bring enough people? he asked as he ignored everyone elses stares. He was talking about the five elves who had boarded the back of Blitz instead of Volt. One of which he recognized as the female general, Nira, who was in the meeting the other day. All in all, there were nine people from Indria and eight people from Cydariaif he counted himselfgoing to Astrus. That was if he wasnt counting the dragonkin and Silvi. If he did that, Cydaria massively outnumbered Indria. The King of Indria looked around at Edwin, Edward, and the others. Im talking to you, not them, Derek said. You know more about whats going on with your side than either they or I do. I want to know what we should expect once we get there.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Finally, Osian glanced over at the other flying dragonkin, specifically Blitz, and all the people on his back, and nodded. We had to make a good showing, he said. After our announcements, we had to show that we were in complete support of one another. Announcements? Derek asked. What did you tell everyone? Not much, yet, Osian replied. Mostly that we have withdrawn our support from Astrus and joined forces with Cydaria. The rest will be announced in due time. For now, they know everything they need to know. There was less pushback from some of our elders than I thought there would have been, too. So, that is good. Elders? Derek asked. She is known to be, Osian replied. Not as strong as Tevarian, but from what Ive heard, shes no pushover. So, you think these two will be able to convince everyone to fight us? I cant imagine why or how they wouldnt, the Indrian King replied. Almost all the witnesses to your battle with the army, then Tevarian, have been captured and are being held here in Indria. That is what my brother and I have been doing since you left the palace that and speaking to the elders. They will only have what rumors have spread there from Cydaria and previous battles. With the lockdown of my kingdom, it is not easy for information to spread outside of Indria currently. So, its possible they may not even know that you are back. Even if rumors did manage to find their way out, they arent that believableespecially when it comes to your companion. You seemed to believe them easily enough, Derek said. Osian was quick to recognize Derek when they invaded the palace and act accordingly. I had reports from my brother about your companion already, and Ryven wouldnt lie to me. And when your son dies in a battle, you tend to take it seriously. Even if it was against a horned rabbit. The king clenched his fists, then unclenched them with a sigh. Plus, like I said, everything that happened when you joined the war happened inside my kingdoms borders. So, I doubt they have any first-hand accounts of what actually happened. I see, Derek said. The communication lock that Indria had over their kingdom really could end up being helpful to their current situation. Just because Tevarian and his brother were so high up politically didnt mean that they were the strongest in Astrus. The prime example of this were Edwin and Edward. The father and son duo were most definitely stronger than the average person in the kingdom, but there were many others who were stronger than the two of them. Though, from what Osian said, it does seem like Tevarian was up there. So, with all that in mind, Derek didnt expect to just go in and have everyone roll over for them. He expected a fightand not an easy one. He would allow the leaders of the two kingdoms and their people to take action first, as it would be more impactful that way, but if he was neededwhich he was sure he would behe wouldnt hesitate to jump in. So, we go in hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, Derek said. Yes, Osian replied. That pretty much explains the situation and life in general. Yup, Derek thought.It was an idiom that Derek had heard his whole life back on Earth. And it never applied more back then than it had ever since the system came. Derek had specd into vitality and endurance back then because he was prepared for the worst, and it had helped and saved him countless times. Good chat, Derek said, then turned and looked at Edwin and the others, who had been listening in, but hadnt interrupted their conversation. Did you all hear that? he asked. We did, Edwin spoke up. It is as we expected. Good, Derek said. Im going to head back over to the less crowded wyvern. I look forward to seeing you all fight. He laughed and disappeared with Active Void Shift before they could say anything. The next second, he was standing next to Alanah. Learn anything new? she asked from her seated meditation position. Just that we should be able to watch a pretty good fight between senior citizens, he replied with a laugh. And hopefully, there will be a good fight for us as well. With that, he sat down and slipped into his own meditation. They didnt have long to go, and he wanted to be as fresh as possible just in case. Chapter 371: Icecrest Chapter 371: Icecrest Were almost there, Alanahs voice sounded out from beside Derek. Derek noticed when she had stood from her meditation long ago, but he remained seated and continued his own meditation. He knew that she would let him know if something came up, and now she was. Derek instantly broke out of his meditation when he heard her voice. He opened his eyes and stood before looking around. The dragonkin were all flying relatively close to one another, and he could see that some of the people on Blitz and Volt seemed to be much more nervous than they were when he visited them. He also saw that both Alanahs contracted wyvern and Lyra had fallen to the back of the formation they were flying in. This left the two dragonkinBlitz and Voltthat were holding the representatives of the two kingdoms to fly in front. After that, he looked down at his surroundingsseeing if he could find a difference in Astrus, Cydaria, and Indria. There really wasnt much of a difference in the land of Astrus and Cydaria. Indria was the only one that stood out from what little he had seen. The cities they flew over or by were more nature-based than what he had seen in Cydaria. As for Astrus, it was just regular villages that hed seen everywhere he wentnothing special. Then again, he wasnt expecting anything different to begin with. Did anything happen while I was meditating? he asked, wondering if shed seen anything in the time that shed been aware. He could sense his immediate surroundings and a bit more when deeply meditating, but that was it. Of course, he could just regularly meditate like he did in battle or while moving, but the sense of time passing quickly didnt happen when he did that, so it was pointless considering that was exactly what he was using it for. Its quiet, Alanah replied. Quiet? Derek asked. Yes. The cities weve flown over or close to all seem to be too quietespecially for the current time. Theres just no activity, she explained. The villages all seem to be normalalbeit quite scared when they see us, but, the two cities we came close to, there was nothing. Derek looked around and realized that it was close to noonof the next day. No wonder everyone on the other dragonkin is looking anxious. Theyve been thinking about the battle to come for over an entire day. And the more you dwell on something, the more anxious you get. So theyve most definitely prepared. Looks like it, Alanah replied. Whether it was from leaks in Cydaria or they were just really quick to notice us and prepare when we crossed the border, who knows? Derek nodded. How long until we get there? he asked. We should be able to see the city within the next hour or two, she answered. Good. Derek cracked his neck in anticipation. A little over an hour later, Derek saw the massive Capital of Astrus coming into view. Hed yet to see the Capital of Cydaria from such an angle, but he doubted it was as big as the one he was seeing. The Indrian Capital that he saw from the same vantage point hadnt been, but Indria had a smaller population overall, so that made sense. Damn, he said. for new novels Thats Icecrest, the second largest city on the continent, Alanah answered. It looked like whoever had taken charge had gathered guards and soldiers from around the entire kingdom. They werent close enough to see the quality of the gathered army, but Derek would bet that a good portion of it was as strong or stronger than those from the army he and Silvi had routed days ago. Of course, he also believed that there were definitely guards and soldiers that were there just to make it look more intimidating. Unfortunately for them, numbers werent something that would work on the invading group. In front of the army was another group of people. They werent close enough for Derek to count the number, but it was vastly smaller than the army. Probably those in charge, Derek thought. Damn I really dont want to have to deal with another army again. Thats way too much death that could be avoided. As the formation of dragonkin drew closer and closer, they began to slow. Eventually, they were all close enough where Derek, and everyone else for that matter, could see exactly what they were facing off against. Instantly, he could pick out the lower level guards and soldiers mixed within the army. They were the ones who were visibly shaking at the sight of four massive dragons heading their way. The other soldiersthe veteran soldierswere much more calm. Though Derek could still see uncertainty plaguing many of their faces. Finally, Edward directed the dragonkin to stop and land. The sight of the four beasts all landing at oncestirring up dust and destroying parts of the grassy lands in the processmust have been something. Once the dust settled, Derek could see that much of the opposing army had gone much more pale than they had been before. With the dragonkin landed, the army and those in front of it showed no sign of attacking. They all just stood at the ready. Derek looked over and saw that Edward, Osian, and everyone else on Blitz and Volt began to dismount. He and Alanah exchanged looks. Then Derek shrugged and hopped off the back of Alanahs contracted beast. Alanah followed suit. Eventually, Derek and Alanah fell in beside Avery and Tara, who were both trailing the group of royals and their retinue by a short distance. It was enough to say that Derek, Alanah, and Averywith Silvi on Dereks shoulderwere there with Cydaria and Indria, but werent to be commanded by them. Tara stayed with them because she was only a support class with no real attacks, and obviously she knew she was safer with those three than the others. After some discussion on the opposite side, the group of a few dozen people began to slowly walk forward, too. Derek scanned the crowd containing the Astrus leadership, and his eyes soon fell on the person he would assume was Tevarians father. He actually wasnt the oldest person in the group, as there were a few people who actually looked to be as old as if not older than Edwin. Though nobody looked as much like a walking corpse as the elven elder, Marrick, did. Derek was able to recognize the person by the deep black hair that held a blue gloss to it. It was the same color hair that both the duke and the king had. There were others with the same hair color and shimmer, but they seemed to be much younger. Probably the current princes The man also happened to be walking at the very front of the group heading their way. He was actually walking in stride with a sullen middle-aged woman dressed in a black robe with blue trim and active runes sewn into the fabric. It was easy to tell that she was Tevarians widow. The two seemed to be combining their efforts to lead the others. Everyone else fell in behind the duo. Derek didnt fail to notice that many of the around 35 people had uncertain looks on their faces. Those must be some of the stronger noble houses that are loyal to the crown. Though, I bet their loyalty only goes so far. From there, Derek looked at Cydarias own groupspecifically, he looked to see if he could find Marrick, the old elven elder. He was actually quite easy to spot; he was wearing a green robe and was hunched over walking with a cane. However, Derek had to hold himself back from laughing, as it seemed to be all the old man could do not to pass Edward and Osianwho were leading the groupand run ahead. The elven elders cane wasnt even touching the ground when he walked. Finally, the group came within range of one another and everyone from both sides stopped. Osian! You traitorous bastard! The man leading the other group began by yelling at the Indrian King. How dare you show your face here after betraying Astrus? Have you no shame? Traven, Osian said, just loud enough for everyone to hear him. You know as well as I that when King Tevarian rushed off and recklessly died, our contracts and agreements died with him. So no, I am not traitorous, nor did I betray you. If you want to blame anyone, blame your own son. You did not see me rush off to the battlefield when I received news of my own sons death, did you? No, I had a country to run and people to keep safe. Bah! a withered voice sounded out from behind Osian. The entire Sinclair line is all the same. Acting without thinking, not caring who they offend. You! Traven called out when he saw the person who was speaking. You old man! How dare you step foot Is that all you can say, lad? How dare you this how dare you that youre getting too old for all that. Of course we dare. We wouldnt have come if we didnt, Marrick took a step forward to stand beside Osian and Edward, then cut the former king off before he could speak again. What are you? Teenage noble who just unlocked his first class? Grow up and act your age. Youre making us old folk look bad. I kind of like this old man, Derek thought. He took the words right out of my mouth. Derek laughed inwardly as he stood back and watched the show. It would probably be rude to pull a chair out, wouldnt it? Chapter 372: Not Giving a Damn Chapter 372: Not Giving a Damn Okay, everyone, calm down. Edward motioned with his one hand, trying to get a little control of the situation. And why is the crippled crown prince here? Traven rolled his eyes at Edwards gesture, but did seem to calm down some afterward. Seriously, Edwin? Youre going to let this failure of a prince take charge? Pathetic. And how is your crown prince doing? Marrick cut back in. The old mans former hunched posture was now nowhere to be seen. He was standing straight-backed and actually had a few inches of height over Edward. The former feeble old man was completely gone. I heard he just didnt have the heart for battle. To Dereks side, he heard Alanah let out a small gasp, then a slight chuckle before she covered her face. What is it? he sent to her telepathically. I uh I ripped the Crown Prince of Astruss heart out in front of the combined army, she answered. It was right after I transformed for the first time in decades. Hed kind of struck a nerve Wait hes Before anyonealmost anyonerealized it, a piercing sharp spike made of black ice flew from the former king and at Marrick at a blinding speed. Derek, wanting to make sure that nothing happened to the old coot, quickly shifted into the void and began to make his way toward the man. However, before he even moved a muscle, he saw that the old man had everything in his control. From his place, and while still shifted into the void, Derek watched the spike of ice travel inch by inch toward Marrick. The old elf didnt look scared at all, and just as fast as the piece of ice was moving, earth and sand was beginning to rotate around the elfs feet and move up his body. Soon, the earth and sand formed into a small shield that moved just in front of the old mans forehead. Derek continued to stay shifted just to make sure that the small earthen shield was enough to protect the man. His worries were unfounded, because the spike soon hit the shield of sand. The sand stretched an inch or soallowing an impression in the sand of the ice spike to move within an inch of the mans forehead.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Then, the ice stopped, and the sand completely encompassed it. The sand then began to rotate around the dark ice spikelike a grinder grinding the ice. Soon enough, the sand spread out and rotated back around the old elfs bodythe ice had disappeared like it had never existed in the first place. The whole while, the elven elder stood with a half smirk on his facenot batting an eye. Everything happened in an instant, but because Derek had used Void Shift, he saw the whole proceedings in an almost slow motion. Derek shook his head, then moved back out of the void. Alanah looked over at him with a sly grin on her face as well. It looks like you werent needed after all, she sent to him. It sure seems that way, he sent back. He looked back at Marrick and silently chuckled to himself. His hair was almost completely white, with just a few patches of brown here and there. It was also thinning quite badly with a bald spot threatening his crown, but he had still chosen to keep it longshoulder lengthand in a ponytail. Derek could also see the mans eyes from this tilted head, which were the same brown color as the few patches of colored hair he had left on his head. At that time, Marrick turned his head ever so slowly, and his own eyes met Dereks gaze. The old man grinned devilishly, then winked before changing his expression back to stone and facing forward. What an interesting geezer, Derek thought. The old bastard is correct! a different voice finally spoke up. Derek saw that it was coming from the woman who was standing by his sideTevarians widowCassandra. We didnt gather here to negotiate. You murdered my husbandthe king of this entire country. For that, youre all going to have to pay. You may think youre stronger than us and that wed cower in fear of some wyverns and winged serpents, but youre wrong. Everyone here is the strongest in Astrus, and youre outnumbered three to oneincluding your dragons. If they were so weak that youa crippled princecould force one into a contract, then there is nothing for us to worry about. We have the support of an army behind useven if youre stronger individually, the numbers dont lie. Well I mean they do, really, Derek thought. He couldnt help but wonder how strong the best in Astrus were, though. Derek, Edwards voice interrupted his thought, and he turned to meet the crown princes eyes. Could you and Silvi he sighed, then continued. I hate constantly relying on you, but could you and Silvi unleash your auras and direct them at the group in front of us, then at the army? I dont believe that every one of them is willing to throw their lives away for this. I really didnt want to get involved this early, but I guess it cant be helped, he sent back to Edward. He had wanted to wait until they actually needed him in a battle, but it seemed from the fact that Astrus hadnt outright attacked yetother than what Traven did to Marrick, but that seemed personalthat not everyone was firmly behind the former king and current queen. If using his aura early on would be enough to scare some of them and keep those weaker soldiers from dying for no reason, who was he to say no? Derek looked over at Alanah, but she shrugged. It didnt seem like she planned on getting involved yet, either, and it looked like Edward hadnt asked her to do anythingwhich was probably smart considering she was the one to kill the former kings grandson, and the queens son. With a half snort, Derek began walking and moved between the small group of people who were in front of him. When he took a step beside Marrick, he slapped the old man on his hunched back. It was like hitting steel. Youre much more sturdy than you look, he commented quietly as he took another step and soon found himself standing beside Edward and Osian. And who the hell are you? former king Traven shouted at Derek as soon as he made it to the front. Wait that bunny. Its the pet that killed your son, isnt it, Osian? Travens scowl turned into a toothy grin. And youre working with the pet and its owner? Truly a traitorous bastardeven to your own kin. Osian kept his face set in stone and didnt respond to the other mans jabs. Silvi, on the other hand, didnt seem to enjoy being called a pet over and over. Derek could feel her shaking with excitement on his shoulder. And what was your name? Derek something or other? What do you want? Traven shouted again. Im just here to let everyone know exactly what theyre up against and why youre going to die, Derek said, then, he and Silvi unleashed their auras. Chapter 373: Trigger Happy Chapter 373: Trigger Happy The combined might of Dereks and Silvis auras first fell over the small group of nobles and top brass of Astrus. Derek and Silvi made sure to control the aura and focus it directly on those in front of themcareful not to let it spill over. He wanted it to be as concentrated as possible for the former kings group. All was quiet when they first unleashed their aurasthe only exception was the collective audible gulp that sounded out from a few of the opposing force. A number of the group slowly backed away with shaky legs, though, he believed that those of the group who were on shaky footing were only like that due to shock, not their ability to withstand his aurasurely they wouldnt be in such a group if they were that weak. As the others gawked and reached for their weapons, the former kingas quick to the draw as he wasswiftly fired out another one of his ice spikes. This time, it was directed at Dereks forehead instead of the old elfs. Derek still wasnt into letting an attack crash into his headhe wasnt sure how his vitality and endurance would affect his brain, after allso, he raised his ungloved hand up quickly and managed to bring his palm up in front of the spikes flight path just before it hit. The sharp point drove into his palm and spun almost like a drillhe felt it when it broke his skin. Derek quickly reached over with his free hand and clutched it until all movement from the spike ceased. After that, he took the cold spike and held it in front of his eyesexamining it. The tip of the spike was tinted slightly with blood. Then, in front of everyone, he held the palm he used to shield his head from the attack in front of his face to see what kind of damage the ice spike had done. It turned out that it was not much at all. A small droplet of blood had rolled down a part of his hand, but that was it. The spot where the ice spike had punctured his skin was already almost healed, and the signs of frostbitebluish skin and some tinglingwere on the verge of completely clearing. In fact, after Derek balled his hand into a fist and opened it a couple of times, all signs of any damage other than the small streak of blood were completely gone. And with a quick cast of his Cleaning skill, even the blood disappeared. Derek had felt safe using his hand to block the attack. Hed seen dozens of the ice spikes being used as attacks from Tevarian and Terrin before, when they were fighting against the transformed Alanah, and Derek believed his defenses were at least as good, if not better than her defense. In that moment, the only thing he felt he had to be cautious about was if the former king turned his arm into ice and tried to grab hold of him. Hed already experienced that once, and he didnt want to make a habit out of having to regrow limbs and fingerseven if he could do it. All through the attack and Dereks successful block of it, he and Silvi had never wavered with their auras. Slowly, Derek turned his head to look over his shoulder and he found the already fully hooded Marrick looking his way. After a grin and a wink back at the old man, Derek focused back on the happenings in front of him. Dammit, man, Derek said, speaking to the former King of Astrus. You really are trigger-happy, arent you? First you attack Marrick after he says a few words, then you attack me when all I did was show everyone what theyre getting themselves into. Its no wonder everyone hates Astrus. You bunch of royals arent doing anything to help yourselves out at this point. Before anyone could speak, Derek sent to Silvi, Active Void Shift to in front of the army with me and hit them with your aura. Without waiting for a reply from his companion or anyone else, Derek withdrew his aura and disappeared from in front of everyone before reappearing directly above the army. Being only a dozen or so feet above the army, he unleashed his aura once again as soon as he felt the light pressure of Silvi appearing back on his shoulder. In order for the auras to encompass the whole army, Derek and Silvi werent able to concentrate it, so by the time it reached the edges of the army, it had diluted somewhat. So, you see what youre up against now? Derek asked those behind the former king and current queen. Usually, its enough if you have the numbers. You can wear down whoever youre fighting, and eventually, if you throw enough people at the problem, youll come out victorious. However, Im sure that most of you have realized by now that Im one of the exceptions. You can throw your entire kingdom at me and still lose. Im not saying this because Im cocky well, not only because Im cocky. Im confident. Edward and Osian are trying to end this with the least amount of bloodshed possible. I would suggest you listen to them. With that, Derek turned around and began his walk back to where he and Alanah were to begin with. That was some show and a riveting speech, Marrick whispered as Derek walked past him. I do what I can, Derek whispered back, and continued on his way. So much for staying back and not getting involved until they needed you, Alanah said as Derek returned by her side. Well, Edward asked, so technically, he needed me, he replied. Besides, it felt good to stretch my legs a little after being couped up on wyvern-back all that time. And Im sure that showing off in front of an entire capital citys worth of people had nothing to do with it. Alanah rolled her eyes. Youre just jealous he asked me instead of you, Derek laughed. If Id have gone up there, there wouldnt have been any talking, Alanah said. Queen Cassandra has been eyeing me since we arrived. I am the person who killed her son, after all. Shes doing what she can to hold back, I can tell, but as soon as the fighting starts, shell be coming after me. Just look at her. Derek did look at the woman. She was having a very hard time keeping her eyes away from Alanah, just like she had said. Thats rough, Derek said. First, her son was killed in front of an army, then, her husband was killed by a very small bunny with a cooking addiction, now, if she attacks you first, shes going to be throwing her life away without even the slimmest chance of getting any revenge Derek shook his head. Im not addicted! Silvi sent to Derek, but he ignored her and focused back on the proceedings in front. He and Silvi had done a great job of setting things up. Now it was up to Edward and Osian to decide how much blood they were going to have on their hands by the end of the war. Chapter 374: Watch Chapter 374: Watch As you can see, Edwards voice sounded out, once again, he projected it so that all could hear over the remaining crackling of the dying dragon flames. We came prepared. The dragons? Theyre all for show. The real threat is in those we brought along. Mr. Hunt has proved time and time again that one person, if strong enough, can outdo armies Speaking of armies Edward looked over at Osian. Speaking of armies, King Osian took over from Edward. Our combined army he gestured at Traven and the queen. Was nearly destroyed by just Mr. Hunt and his companion. After that, he took out my brother, Tevarian, then Terrin. And from the reports Ive seen, he didnt even break a sweat doing it. Thats not true, Derek thought. Silvis fire that took out the king was really hot. Surely I broke a sweat then. Along with Mr. Hunt, Osian continued. You have no doubt noticed the attendance of Mr. Marrick, too. Now, Ive not had the pleasure of seeing him in battle, but I have heard storiesspecifically, stories of your father trying to ambush him and barely escaping with his life. And, Im sorry to say Traven, but you are neither your father nor your son, and Mr. Marrick has had many years to grow even stronger since then. And you, Queen Cassandra, Osian directed his words at the woman standing next to Traven. Im sure you havent let it escape you that Ms. Alanah Swan, also known as the Dawn Siren, has been nice enough to provide us with her help. I understand that you may hold a grudge against her, but do you really think that grudge is worth more than just your life? So, former King Traven Queen Cassandra, Edward began. Think of your kingdom for once. Surrender now so that the others may live. Surrender? You want us to surrender our lives? Queen Cassandra yelled. Without my son and husband alive, Id rather see the kingdom burned to the ground than surrender to you. No! I will not surrender! WE will not surrender. So what if that man and his pet have strong auras? Aura means nothing without strength. And you think were scared of a little fire? How much mana did something like that take? How long is its cooldown? Dont think we dont that it was all a show. Were not going to believe your stories either, Traven continued after the queen. They are just three people and a pet. You think youre one of the exceptions? The former king pointedly looked through the crowd until his eyes landed on Derek and Silvi. Thats true for everyone of us you see standing here, too. Exceptions are all around you. You can manage to beat three exceptions? Then well send six or eight. The man turned his attention back to Osian and Edward. You should have brought more people. Do you all truly believe that? Osian said, speaking to those behind the former king and current queen. Do you believe that Indria would ally with Cydaria so easily after waging war against them if there was another way? Even a kingdom such as Astrus is getting the opportunity to survive, just as Indria did, yet youre throwing it away. If Cydaria wanted to, they could just take and destroy everything without you being able to do anything to stop them, yet Crown Prince Edward is being magnanimous. We will give you one last chance, Edward said. Back away. Take yourselves out of this battle and you may yet live. You neednt fight for Cydaria and Indria, but you must not fight for Astrus. The time for talking is over! Traven shouted. The former king seemed to know that if he allowed anymore discussion, he would lose much of his support. Unfortunately, he was too late to realize it, and as he shouted, a few people broke away from his group. With them, Derek noticed thatthrough the lessening smoke behind themmany soldiers slowly backed away, too. It seemed that those soldiers really must have been guards and employees of some of those up front. He could only imagine the relief that those soldiers were currently experiencing, and the sorrow of those whose employers seemed to choose to fight alongside Traven. Garrett! Finn! You dare betray your kingdom? Traven turned and yelled at some of those who had decided to withdraw. When this is over, I will personally see to it that your house is removed from the roots if you dont come back. Thats smart, Derek thought. Its always a great idea to threaten someones family who is apparently quite strong if everything that the former king has said holds weight. Its especially a great idea if they had decided to just not interfere instead of actually turning on you. Thats a great way to get them to fight for you instead of against you. Derek rolled his eyes as he watched the childish former king throw a fit. The runes were glowing a sickly green color, and the same color bled down through all the runes etched in her sleeves and into the back of her hands. The sickly green then spread out like veins and eventually found its way to the needles that the woman was holding between each of her fingers. Is she using poison needles? Derek wondered. He wasnt a big fan of fighting poison, toxin, or acid usersespecially acid users after his encounter with the ghouls from the Undying Dungeon, and the massive whale from the raid dungeon. He had back luck with them ruining his clothing and armor. It was even worse now that he was running low on the majority of the clothing items hed brought from Earth. Im definitely bringing it up with Brandi once this is over. As he was watching the two powerful women face off, Derek felt a cool breeze from beside him and saw that Avery had made his move as well. He appeared in the back of the battle between two men that Derek hadnt gotten the names of. Hed already put his bow away in exchange for daggers, and he was going to work on his opponents. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man with ice wings take off into the sky. Following the former king was the old man, Marrick. He had his hands laced behind his back and continued to stand hunched over, but under his feet was a cloud of sand lifting him into the air. Soon enough, everyone else went their own way so not to interfere with each others battles. It seemed that the poison queen didnt have the ability to fly, so Alanah had been kind enough to charge into her and carry her a great distance away from the center of the battle. Another two people focused their combined efforts on Avery, and he slowly moved backwards, bringing his four opponents with him. As for Edward, he was standing beside his fathernot currently embroiled in any battle. It wasnt because he wasnt prepared or was running away, though, instead, Ryven and Osian were working together to contain ten men and women themselves. Which left Edgar. The young prince was having a field day. It seemed hed gotten used to his previous tactics during the war, and he was flashing between multiple enemies, peppering them each with bits of lightning, one at a time. However, the other side wasnt kidding when they said that their people were exceptional. The remaining elves and humans on Cydarias and Indrias sides were all fighting one on one, and being pushed back from the opposing forces. And that still left a handful of fighters on the opposing side that were free to fight whomever they wished. If they did it right, they would easily be able to take care of Cydaria and Indrias other forces, one by one. Beside Derek, it seemed like Tara had come to the same conclusion, so she quickly raised her hands in the air and began casting her buffs on everyone who looked like they needed it. With her buffs cast, she looked over at Derek. Im going back to the dragonkin so you dont have to protect me. Im useless in a battle like this once Ive done my job. Go to Lyra, Derek said. Shes smart. Just tell her what youre doing. Okay, Tara said, and began her run to the dragonkin. After watching the support mage to make sure she arrived at Lyras side safely, Derek turned back to the battle. It seemed the remainder of the army was preparing to make their move. If Queen Cassandra was Alanahs cue, I guess thats mine. Silvi, you remember back by Torith when fought an army, and I told you not to kill those that didnt attack? he sent. Yes? she replied. Try to hold back a little more this time. With that, Derek took a step forward and disappeared. Chapter 375: Charge and Chop Chapter 375: Charge and Chop Derek reappeared in front of the remaining army. He was standing between them and the line of fire that Silvi had made that had finally begun to calm down. As soon as the soldiers up front saw him appear, they came to a rapid haltsome even crashed into the others. The next instant, Derek felt the light weight of Silvi appearing on his shoulder once again. Im telling you, Derek said to the soldiers in front as he cracked his knuckles and began to walk forward. The second I see one of you trying to slip by to join the other fights or you target anyone other than me or my companion is the final second you will spend in this life. However, if you step down and go back to your city or homes, I wont stop you. It would be better for you that way. He gave them a warning that he hoped they would understand. If they needed to fight to not default on any contracts or oaths, that was fine. However, if they tried to get past him to join the other fights, hed show no mercy. Unfortunately, it didnt look like there were going to be any takers. Many people looked around nervously and some seemed to want to retreat with all their might, but it seemed like they were unable to do so without serious consequences. Derek shook his head in disappointed, then, with his right arm stretched out by his side, Harbinger magically appeared in his hand. He spun the glaive around a couple of times and slashed the air before resting it on his free shoulder. Well, what are you waiting for? If you kill me or my companion, you can go. Remember, Silvi. Try to hold back no instant kills if you can manage it. Though dont put yourself in a bad situation by trying to hold back. If it comes to that, youre free to do as you wish, Derek sent to Silvi one last time. Got it, she sent back, then the weight on Dereks shoulder disappeared. The leading soldiers and guards all looked at one another before nodding in agreement. All at once, those with close ranged weapons began to charge and those with ranged fired their attacks at Derek. Others from the group of soldiers and guards cast buffs all around, and Derek was even hit with a few debuffs. Thats a new feeling, he thought as he felt his strength lessen and his mana grow heavy. With whatever skills he was hit with, it felt like hed gone back to the days when his wisdom wasnt quite caught up to his intelligence. Hed trained and fought plenty while like that, so it didnt seem like it was going to be too much of a burden for him. Silvi, however, was fortunate enough not to be hit by any debuffs. She had disappeared just before any of the spells went off. Before the first close ranged fighter even clashed weapons with Derek, soldiers in the back began to cry out. Derek half-smiled, then reached down with his left hand and grabbed hold of the end of his glaive. With both hands now gripping Harbinger, he prepared for the upcoming assault. The first soldier arrived ahead of all of his alliesboth hands grasping the hilt of his greatsword. With a heavy swing down, the blade of the sword fell onto the middle of Dereks glaive. When the blade crashed down, Dereks legs bent at the knees and his arms almost buckled. If he had to guess, the man leading the charge was built up a bit like Averywith all his stat points pumped into his physical stats. At least, Derek was confident that the mans overall strength was higher than his owneven without the debuffs. The man leading the charge was a human with a rather big build. It was safe to say that hed probably broken through the third threshold in his strength stat. Though, his disproportionate build also seemed to suggest that he hadnt quite made it there with his dexterity. Seeing his attack work and that Derek was even being pushed back, the soldiers eyes gleamed and a small grin broke out on his face. Derek knew the lookit was the look that seemed to think that everything had been for show and that he wasnt actually as strong as he led them to believe. With a light snort, Derek opened his left palm. So, with her strategy set, Silvi used her powerful back feet and sprang off the ground with an immense amount of momentum. A perfectly shaped cleaver appeared horizontal, to her side, grasped in the perfect sized Mage Hand, and she disappeared just before a fireball hit her. In the next instant, she appeared behind the fireball caster and used Charge to increase her speed even more. She aimed her horn at the back of the hooded mages knee and the void created cleaver at the other. Just before her horn hit the mages limb, she activated Chop. The cleaver pulled back and swung forward. Her horn was the first thing to hit. The mage wasnt wearing much in terms of armor, and Silvis horn penetrated the back of her kneeripping through tendons and ligamentsbefore coming out the other side. Just as the horn penetrated all the way through, her void created cleaver made contact with the other leg. The cleaver didnt cut as smoothly as Silvi would have liked, and got stuck about midway through the shrieking womans leg. Luckily, her Charge had been more than enough to lightly explode the ladys leg, so she hadnt gotten stuck in the woman like she had the stupid ice wall. Fortunately, her cleaver was still being held by the Mage Hand, so with another thought, she activated Chop again. That Chop and a level in the skill later, and Silvi had managed to remove both limbs of the stupid fire mage without overly harming her or putting herself in too much danger. She was happy that she found a less fatal way to fight in such a battle. Derek would be proud of her. She was also very excited that she was able to level up her cooking skills while fighting. She never thought that shed be able to do that. Cooking really was the root of everything. Silvi quickly dodged an arrow as a bunch of the fire mages friends ran over to help the not dead woman that Silvi had graciously gone easy onIf she could level her Chop skill up a few more times, it would be even easier on the mages. She didnt even mind the names they were calling her. In fact, she knew that she was a beast, and many would even consider her a monster, so she didnt take offense at it. It was being called a pet that she truly didnt like. She wasnt a pet; she was a companiona bonded companion. She was equal to Derek. If he wasnt her pet, then she wasnt his pet. If Derek would have let her, she would have been fighting that stupid icicle man, not the sandy old elf. Then she wouldnt have had to hold back. That was one of the people that everyone said needed to die. Silvi teleported back and forth as she watched the fire mages friends wrap her stubs in cloth. One of the bigger, tougher looking men in armor charged at her with an axe, but Silvi fired a quick Void Lightning Bolt at his belly, then shifted away. From above, she saw the man fall over, clutching his stomach, but he was okay too. For the stronger-looking ones, Void Lightning Bolt would do if she made sure to only aim for the belly. A light healer had already started to attach one of the fire mages legs back, toothe one that was cut off with Chop. The womans other leg was a bit worse for wear, but as long as Silvi didnt completely destroy it and only exploded it a little, they would be able to reattach itit just might take them a little more time and effort. Another attack flew by Silvis head, and she dodged easily. She knew that her small size was an advantage in fights like this, so as long as she kept moving and using Active Void Shift, it made it hard for anyone to keep up with her. Finding the person who just attacked her, she set her sights on a new mage. Mages were squishy, as Derek called them, and they were the perfect target for her new set of skills. The more time everyone spent defending and healing the helpless mages, the better. They were, after all, just biding time while everyone else fought against the real opponents. Chapter 376: Marrick Chapter 376: Marrick While a battle of dismemberment and destructiontwo versus manywas happening on the ground, an entirely different kind of fight was occurring in the air. An old elven man with a hunched back was standing steadily with a cane atop a cloud of sand, and across from him, another old man with ice wings sprouted from his shoulder blades had his body almost completely transformed into solid dark ice.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Oh? Marrick stared down the angry former king. It seems you have better control over that skill than your father had back in the day. Isnt that something? What was that? Two-hundred years ago? Give or take a decade or two? He made sure to speak just loud enough so that his opponent could hear him. You can hear, correct? I know your brain doesnt work well as it is, but does it being frozen make you even dumber? Yes, I can hear, you old codger! The former king spat out in a muffled voice. Its your fault that father was the way he was with us. Now, I get to have my revenge. Wait Marrick opened his eyes wide and blinked a few times. Youre saying that your father treated you poorly because of me? That it was my fault that I didnt die when he ambushed my granddaughter? That him barely making it out alive and losing most of his men against a single old elf was my fault? Boy, what kind of fantasy land do you live in? If you would have just given him what he wanted, everything would have been fine! Instead, when he came back, he was more angry than ever, and he took it out on me and my siblings. Traven clenched his icy jaw. Then its a good thing you killed him, isnt it? Marrick chuckled and when he saw the surprised look on the other mans faceas surprised as an ice statue could look at leasthe fell into a fit of laughter. What, you thought nobody knew? Your father dying of a fast acting mystery poison while in a dungeon, then, a couple decades later, your son is betrothed to the daughter of the matriarch of House Ileal. It doesnt take much to put that together, boy. Your men and citizens just fear the royal house too much to say or do anything about it. You But hey, your elder brother ended up dying on that same expedition, didnt he? What a coincidence. Luckily, you were there to take up the heavy responsibility of becoming king. Marrick finished with a crooked grin still plastered across his face. Its still your fault, you old bastard! He wanted my granddaughter, Marrick said flatly. He loved her! Hed never even talked to her, and she was already to be married which your father took issue with. Marrick rolled his eyes. You know, I didnt really like that boy if Im to be completely honest, but she did, and thats all that mattered. Then, your father tried to kidnap her while she was still grieving. He deserves everything he got and more. How shameless can one royal family be? He was already married to your mothertheres no way a descendant of mine would play concubine or second wife. Fun story, though, the old elf continued. Did you know that Auna still doesnt know that it was your father who ambushed us or what actually happened to her betrothed? And she thinks that shes just lucky that I happened to decide to go along that day? How convenient was it that I was there? After being couped up for years, that was the day I decided to spend some time with her. Very very convenient. You! All you did was save these old bones of mine the pains of moving. I thank you for that, Marrick said with the smile that had yet to disappear from his wrinkled face. It seems like I wont be getting an answer, after all. Such a shame. It seemed like such a neat ability. The old elf spoke into the air to no one in particular. Soon, a whirlwind of sand appeared below Traven, who was still struggling to get free. It started at the mans feet and slowly worked its way up. The former king cried out in agonizing pain as he fought with everything he had to stop it. His snow and ice clashed with the sand, but every time, it was overpowered and the sand continued to creep up. It looks like whatever that ability was, you cant do it again in such a short time frame. Its a pity. You could have used it to buy a little more time in this world, but such is fate. With the smile still on his face, Marrick let the sand continue grinding through the statue in front of him without letting go. Even when Traven broke his own arms off, Marrick just used the flexibility of his sand to trap him once again. Soon enough, the screaming stopped when Traven realized that it was his final moments. The sand had made its way to the bottom of his chest, and his heart was next. You get it now? Marrick asked. You didnt stand a snowballs chance in hell against me. But to be fair, I doubt many would. The old elf glanced over the battlefield and his eyes landed on quite a gruesome scene. At the back of the army, or what was left of it, was an excessive amount of scattered limbs and mages on the ground. Actually, now that he looked closer, it seemed that every one of the detached limbs was a leg. Not a single arm lay detached in the bunch. The old man didnt quite understand, but he couldnt help but find that mans companion to be interesting with her peculiarities. Hmm Marrick said and raised his now free handnow that the entire arm of Traven had been ground to icy powderand scratched at his chin. It isnt a bad strategy, especially for a beast. Remove the arms, and they cant attack, but remove the legs, and they lose all mobility. And if she isnt worried about any of their attacks, then the only real choice is to go after the legs. She may be quite the intelligent beast. His eyes then fell to the other side of the battle with the armywhere the man he would call one of the few who could fight against him was. The man was a walking meatshield. He had the same qualities as his companion, though in different ways. While the young bunny dodged every attack that got close to hitting, the man allowed many to land. Though, those attacks that landed didnt seem to have much of an effect on the man. If ever an attack broke skin, the wound was healed almost instantly, and with the armor the man was wearing, not many attacks had that chance. Looking the man over, Marrick noticed a part of the extremely durable leg armor was actually badly damaged. I wonder what kind of attack was able to do that, he said to himself. Interesting very interesting. Derek Hunt also seemed to have chosen a similar strategy to his companion. Every once in a while, he would swing his glaive in a horizontal arc and a crescent blade would form, cutting many off at the knees before they even realized it. Sometimes, the arc would hit a powerful soldier and stop, then it was like it hit again and again until it made it through. Though he didnt seem as choosy as his companion, as he had cut a few arms off as well. It looked like the two were going for as few casualties as possible, but also seemed that he had killed a few soldiers in the fight. There were a handful of dead bodies laying between him and the fighting between the others from the three kingdoms. Oh? Over already? Marrick asked to nobody as his sand ran out of material to grind and he received a notification. He might not have gotten anything from the notification, but just hearing it and knowing what caused it was a great feelingone he hadnt experienced in a long, long time. After dismissing the notification, Marrick looked down at his arms where a very thin layer of sandalmost invisible to the naked eyewas constantly revolving around. He should have known better than to try to freeze sand containing no moisture. Poor delusional man An idiot to his last breath. Like father, like son, like grandson The old elf then gave the battlefield one more cursory glance. Lets see should I lend someone a hand? Soon, his eyes fell on the Dawn Siren. Well she sure as shit doesnt need it. Chapter 377: Cassandra Chapter 377: Cassandra Alanah and Queen Cassandra had been fighting for some timeif one could call what they were doing fighting. At the very beginning of the battle, Cassandra had tried striking first and catching Alanah off guard by throwing dozens of poison laced needles at her. Alanah had, of course, easily dodged the needles before returning the favor. Once the fighting began, Alanah kicked off the ground and, to Cassandras bewilderment, grabbed hold of the queen and carried her into the distance at her full speed when she wasnt in her Dawn Siren form. The queen was quite shocked at what happened and before she realized what was going on and tried to counter, the two had already moved quite the distance away from everyone else. The reason for all of this was because Alanah knew that Queen Cassandra was a user of poisonsome would even call her a poison master. Alanah didnt want their fighting to spread to any others. It would only take a poorly blocked needle or Cassandra releasing an area of affect poison and there would be more casualties than needed. Another reason that Alanah dared to be so bold as to directly charge at the woman was because she was confident in her stats and abilities to negate or at least slow the spread of poison within her own body if she was affected. Alanah was, after all, very prepared. She has dozens upon dozens of potions in her storage rings, and a good portion of those potions were anti-toxin, anti-poison, and anti-venoms. She had dealt with poisons beforemultiple times, in fact. Poison was the one element that she refused to allow Zac and Lucas to train in when Avery brought them to her restaurant in the capital. She hated it, and wasnt very fond of people who used it, either. Poison was good for one thing, and one thing only: Killing. Sure, killing was a big part of the Great System, but Alanah, after so many years of being hungry, had a certain appreciation for good food. If a beast was poisoned to death, there was a good chance that it would no longer be edible. That wasnt the only reason she looked down upon poison usersshe wasnt a big fan of how it was used to indirectly kill people. Maybe she was a hypocrite, though. She had used her own Deathsworn to kill others, and technically, that would be considered killing indirectly, too. Maybe her overall reason that she hated poison was just because shed had to deal with it so many times in the past, and barely got away with her life on multiple occasions. She could only scoff that she had ended up having to fight against a person from a house known solely for their poisons. Thats what I get for using that ability when I wasnt sure if I could control it, she thought to herself as she backed away from the poison master. The first thing she did when she transformed was rip the heart out of Cassandras son. It had taken her a short time to get control after she transformed, and by the time she was in control enough, the guy was already dead. I doubt I would have done anything differently, though. The Crown Prince of Astrus had interfered in her fight with Ryven and had already greatly irritated her. She most likely would have taken him out either way because of how annoying hed been without worrying one bit about the consequences. So, there she was, squaring off against the queen of a country while everyone else was in their own battles. Well, everyone other than that old elf who had fought against the former king. In the short time that it took Alanah to move her battle away from the others, then the time she spent dodging attacks from Queen Cassandra and learning more about how her opponent fought, she noticed that a once potent aura that she had felt had simply disappeared. For a short time, she took her eyes off of Cassandra and glanced up at the sky where Marrick and Traven had taken off to have their fight and noticed that the old elf was the only one left in the air. He was floating on a small cloud of sand, hunched over with his hood up and fingers interlaced behind his back while looking over the rest of the battlefield. Alanah had believed that the man would be strong just because of how he talked to the leadership of the other country and his age, but she had no clue he would be that strong. She actually didnt know much about the man, which was rare considering how much information shed gathered in the time that shed been on the continent. She knew of the name, but there really werent many stories or rumors going around about him, and she mostly focused on information related to Cydaria. In fact, his granddaughter was much more well known than he was because of her tragic love story before she eventually found another love and had children and grandchildren of her own. Just how old is Marrick? Alanah couldnt help but wonder. The elven man seemed to have surpassed the usual longevity limits of even an elf. Still, those physical stats were nothing to Alanaheven when not transformed. For the first time in the fight, she held her hand out and her rapier appeared in her grasp. She held the weapon vertical in front of her body, then, with her free left hand, she flicked the blade, causing it to vibrate. Alanah looked around and hoped they were far enough away from everyone so that the high pitch of her skill didnt bleed over into any of the other fight, but at the same time, she was aware that everyone battling were truly elites. Everyone other than the soldiers that Derek and Silvi are entertaining, but it doesnt really matter if it reaches them, it wont have any effect on those two anyway She thought. So, even if her sounds and vibrations reached them, she was sure they would be able to withstand it. Cassandra winced when the vibrations began, and a small droplet of blood even fell from her nostril. She reached up and wiped her face with the sleeve of her robestaining a couple of active runes in her own blood. The woman sneered and, instead of retreating, actually rushed forward to meet Alanah. Surprised by the womans actions to get close to her, Alanah shrugged and kicked off the ground. As a sign of respectwhat little she had for the queenshe had chosen to keep the fight grounded since it appeared that the woman did not have the ability to fly or battle in the air, at least not easily. She was like Avery in that aspect. At least, she was like how Avery was. Alanah thought about the dragon wings that he had told her about and was happy that he finally received an ability that helped negate his biggest weakness. Soon, the two met, and they clashed. Alanah ducked under a set of clawed blades laced with poison and drove her rapier directly into the heart of the Queen of Astrus. The battle was over in an instant. I got you the woman muttered while breathing heavily. Then, a massive green cloud exploded from under her robes. You shouldnt have gotten close. No Alanah said, standing directly in the cloud. You didnt even get close. From there, she increased the vibration of her body, and blew the poison cloud away with it never having reached her. Panting heavily, Cassandra tried to wipe away more blood that had fallen out of her mouth this time, but her arm fell just as she tried to raise it. I guess not. Queen Cassandra took one final deep breath in, then Alanah finished the fight. With a flick of her wrist, her vibrating blade, which had been driven through the other womans chest, cut through her body horizontally before soon cutting directly through her right arm. Alanah ceased her vibrations and her blade appeared solid in front of her againnot a drop of blood staining it. Cassandras arm fell to the ground just before her body fell over. Soon after, Alanah received the notification. Good fight, Alanah muttered quietly. The Queen of Astrus was dead, and with Traven being taken out just before, Astrus was left with no rulersunless they counted a captured dukewhich she didnt. With the foundation destroyed, it was only a matter of time before the rest of Astruss leadership collapsed.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com Chapter 378: One By One Chapter 378: One By One Derek had noticed a significant decrease in the number of soldiers trying to fight against him when he felt the icy aura that was emanating from the former king Traven disappear. He had done his best to see what caused the change, but when he found the old elven elder, the other man was nowhere to be seen. It didnt take a rocket scientist to put together that the former king had died already, and that those who were directly under his command took that chance to get out of the dire situation that they found themselves in by going up against he and Silvi. More soldiers fled from the battle not long after, and he found the reason was because Queen Cassandra had also met her demise. It didnt seem like Alanah had gone easy on the queen. Though Derek was surprised that her fight actually lasted longer than Marricks. When he noticed the odd reactions from the soldiersand the glee they had in their eyes when they realized that it was no longer their fightDerek had quickly looked around to find out who had died. There, he saw a cloud of putrid smoke or something surrounding a silhouette. For a moment, he was actually worried that something bad had happened to Alanah, but then, the cloud dissipated and he saw the half-elf standing next to the corpse of Queen Cassandra and realized that he had been worrying for nothing. With his focus back on the remnants of the army in front of him, Derek sliced out with another Sweeping Slashed enhanced by Multi-Strike. He aimed the skill low, only a foot or two above the ground. This was so that when the skill hit, it would hit his enemies legs instead of anywhere that could cause fatal damage. He had gotten the idea from Silvi earlier in the fight. There were plenty of healers around, and since they werent completely destroying the limbs, it wouldnt be hard to reattach them.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com It also took soldiers out of the fight for far longer than a normal wound. His Void Lightning Bolt to a mans chest, then another to a womans stomach, had caused massive damage to both of them, but it let them keep their mobility and it didnt take long for the healers to fix them up. So, though extremely bloody and quite terrifyingly, he had chosen the same option as Silvi. He felt a little bad about it, but they were soldiers and guardshe was sure theyd experienced moderate to severe pain before. If they hadnt, then that was just bad luck. It was his best course of action that halted the army from joining in the fight against the leadership while creating as few casualties as possible. Unfortunately, even after his announcement that those who tried to get past him to join that fight would die, multiple soldiers still did so. He didnt go easy on those soldiers. He had warned them before, so he would feel no remorse over their deaths. Seven people had chosen that route, and seven bodies lay dead between his battle and the one with the leadership. Youve gone with an interesting strategy, a female voice sounded out from behind Derek as the soldiers in front of him scattered to do their best to avoid the giant arc of energy from Sweeping Slash. Derek turned his head to see Alanah standing there with a half smile on her face. He shrugged. It was the quickest and easiest method I could think of to stop the army from advancing. And the dirtiest, she commented. Well, we all werent able to have an easy one-on-one fight against a member of the royal family, now were we? he asked with a snort. Nope, Alanah laughed. Im going to go join in on the fun, she said. It looks like we may be able to get out of this without any casualties. As he was about to join everyone else to celebrate their victory and figure out what to do next, Derek noticed Terrin stand. To his surprise, the dukes hands, which were supposed to be in a pair of bracelets that had runes to dampen his power, were free. From the tips of his fingers, the dark blue ice began to slowly move up his hands, then his face started to transform. The next instant, he jumped at Tara, who was not paying any attention to the prisoner beside her. Derek made to use Active Void Shift to swoop in and save Tara, but before he could, a massive tail blindsided the duke and he was launched flying through the air. Tara may have taken her eye off their prisoner, but Lyra had not. Lyra didnt move to continue her attackkeeping Tara safe was good enough. Lyra was probably one of the most patient and smartest beings there at the moment. She knew that the one tail whip was all that was needed. As everyone else turned to look at the commotion, Derek finally used Active Void Shift. The next instant, he appeared in the flight path of Duke Terrin, who had already sprouted wings on his back and was working on using his momentum to escape. Derek couldnt have that. With as much void as he could pump into Harbinger in such a short amount of time, Derek swung down vertically with Sweeping Slashed enhanced with Multi-Strike. Terrin saw the attack coming, and his eyes widened as he tried to avoid it. Unfortunately for the duke, Derek wasnt finished. With another swipe of his glaive, Derek activated Spacial Rend. Derek couldnt really see the effects as he had aimed the skill to attack the duke from behind, but he did see the signs of space tearing open, then, the duke let out a gasp and his right wing fell limp. Derek had hoped to hit Terrin directly between the shoulder bladessending him forwardand had somewhat accomplished his goal. He still didnt have the best aim with his new skill. The attack didnt end up pushing the man towards Dereks other attack, instead, it crippled his movement for a short time. That was all his main attack needed to land vertically on the mans chest. Now, from his experience, Derek knew that his attack wouldnt do any damage to the mans head, as it was transformed. However, also from experience, he knew that his organs were still normal. For the second time, the dukes wings shattered, and he fell to the ground like a puppet with no strings. This time, however, the duke wasnt as lucky. The first time hed been hit by Dereks attack was without him adding Sweeping Slash to it, and it was on the side. Even then, the duke had entered a dying state, forcing Alanah to waste one of her precious potions to keep him alive. This time, Derek received the notification of his death before he even hit the ground. Shortly after, Derek moved tot he ground and stored the dukes corpse in his storage bracelet before moving back to where everyone else was. When he arrived beside Alanah and Avery, he dumped the body out with the rest of Astruss dead leadership. He also noted that there was no sign of former king Traven. Just what did that old coot do to that man? Derek wondered, but didnt voice his question. So uh we dont still need the duke alive or anything like that, do we? Derek ran his hand over the back of his neck. He hadnt thought about it when he seen the man attack Tara then try to escape, but the plan had been to hold a public execution of the duke. No I dont think that would be necessary anymore, Osian said as he walked up with his brother. We have the soldiers, a couple of nobles who opted not to fight, and whoever was watching from the city to spread the news. We should be fine without a public execution. It is good that his corpse is easily recognizable, though. Osian glanced up at Marrick, who was slowly floating down. It is good to have it if it is needed. Good, Derek said. What now? he asked to nobody in particular. Now, Marricks almost fragile, but excited, voice sounded out as he landed beside Derek and stepped off of his cloud of sand. We take the capital then Astrus is no more. Chapter 379: What Now? Chapter 379: What Now? You sure sound awful excited about everything for someone who just floated in the air and watched almost the whole time, Derek said with a chuckle. I did what I came here to do, Marrick said. Nobody needed any more help but that. That guy, Derek said, and pointed to the body of the dead elf. Would probably disagree. Raphi was unlucky. Another of the elves that Derek didnt know the name of stepped forward and spoke. He was the first the man started, but then looked at the enemy that Avery had hit with his Drill Shot at the beginning of the battle. He was the second person to die. Raphi was old and tired and entered the fight very aggressively without heeding his own health. He really did some damage to the enemies we had to face. More may have died if not for his reckless use of his skills at the beginning. It let us fight on equal grounds, even outnumberedat least until the Dawn Siren joined us. Then the battle was heavily in our favor. Old bastard was at the end of his natural life, Marrick said, explaining the situation. He had less time to live than I doseems like he wanted to go out fighting. Cant blame the old fool. The elder then reached down and stored the elf known as Raphis body in his storage ring. Least we can do is give him a proper sendoff Derek nodded at Marrick, then turned his attention toward Osian and Edward. So, what are we doing? Are we going to hop on dragon back and storm the city? Kick the gate open and charge in on foot? I dont think that will be necessary, Osian said, then pointed into the distance behind Derek. Derek turned and followed the direction until his eyes fell on three people who were standing out of range of the battle, with a group of guards behind them. The guards were ones who were happily able to retreat early on when the three members of the leadership backed out of the fight. The guards standing behind the two men and one woman each wore very relieved expressions as most of them glanced at Derek and the others, then toward the battlefield where the rest of the soldiers were still healing up at. It was easy to recognize two of the three as Garrett and Finn, the two men Traven had pronounced traitors and threatened before charging into battle. There was an older woman who had silently backed away with them, and Derek never caught her name. The same relief their guards had was plastered on the faces of those three as well. Osian turned his hand over, then gestured for the group to come their way. They hesitated momentarily, but eventually it was in their best interest to comply with the King of Indrias request. Their guards began to move with them, but the three turned and said something, resulting in their guards stopping and staying in their current position. It seemed like they didnt want to present themselves as threatening or rock any boats. When they arrived, Osian began to speak. Your name is Garrett, and your name is Finn, correct? he asked the two men, then turned his focus to the older woman. I am sorry, but I didnt catch your name. My name is Diana. I am the matriarch of House Reeves. Garrett is the patriarch of House Rivia, and Finn is the patriarch of House Barro. Thank you for allowing us the chance to be spared if that offer is still on the table. Diana bowed deeply to Osian and Edward, then turned to Derek and Alanah. Mr. Hunt, Ms. Swan the rumors have not done the two of you justice. Its good to be underestimated sometimes, Derek said, then looked back at Osian. It isnt always as fun when people believe everything they hear about you. Not fun but lucky for those people, Edward chimed in. Indeed, Osian said. Now, would the three of you care to explain what prompted you to withdraw yourselves from battle? Why you chose to stand down and not fight next to your former king and current queen? Some may say that doing so showed a lack of loyalty. That Finn stepped forward and spoke. I cant exactly speak for Mrs. Reeves or Mr. Rivia, but my House Barro has never been on quite the same page as the royal family, if you will. We have become a powerhouse in Astrus by keeping our heads down and staying out of politics for the most part. This being an exception, of course. This caused Derek to snicker once again, but he didnt say anything else. Uhem Osian cleared his throat. Can we get back on topic? he nodded his head pointedly toward Garrett. Oh, well I can only say that I chose to retreat from the battle for the chance at my houses survival. There was no other reason. It didnt take you showing up on dragons to know that winning against your two kingdoms was a fools errand then you showed up on dragons so Garrett answered. And you ranking inside the kingdom? Oh, House Rivia is one of the major noble houses in the kingdom, just like House Reeves and House Barro. I uh Im the new patriarchthe former patriarch, my father, recently died three years ago. I see, Osian said. So, as three major noble houses in the Kingdom of Astrus, what would you suggest is the best approach now? Its simple, Diana said. Eradicate the royal family, then thin the houses that went against you. Once all the royal family is gone, appoint a new king or queenessentially establishing a new royal line. And that will go over well with the kingdoms citizens? Osian asked. Most of the commoners dont care one bit about who is king or queen. As long as their daily lives dont change much, they wont be a problem. As for the middle and minor noble houses with our three houses standing behind youassuming you allow our houses to survivethey will fall in line. Maybe with a new ruler we can make some proper changes to this kingdom she muttered the last bit. Well, there are definitely going to be a good number of changes, but that can wait until we have control of the kingdom. As for a new king or queen Osian looked around. His eyes landed on Derek, but he was quick to turn as soon as Derek narrowed his own. As for a new king or queen, we will figure that out later. So, Marrick spoke up. Shall we finish conquering a kingdom? Edward and Osian looked at each other and nodded. If the three of you would be so kind as to escort us into the city, Edward said. I believe that will make things much easier. Soon, Derek found himself walking in the middle of a group toward the city of Icecrest, the Capital of Astrus. In the front were the three surrendered leaders of major noble houses, followed by Edward and Osian walking side by side, then everyone else from Cydaria and Indria. The guards from the three noble houses followed closely behind. It was agreed upon to leave the dragonkin companions outside the city, so as to not overly scare any of the citizens with their massive sizes and vicious looks. Finally, they reached the gigantic gated entrance to the city, and dozens of guards looked down at the group, unsure what to do. Open the gates! Finn shouted from below. Do it now! You saw what just happened. Stop wasting time! After some discussion between the gate guards, the gates finally opened. Everyone stepped through. They had finally made it to the Capital of Astrus. Derek took in a deep breath. He was already beginning to miss Indrias capital city, Eloria. Theyre definitely going to have to take some cues from Indria and Savannah. Im tired of most of the cities I go to smelling terrible. Chapter 380: Blow it up? Chapter 380: Blow it up? Derek and the others were escorted through the gates of Icecrest by the leaders of three of the most prominent noble families in the entire kingdom of Astrus. As they walked through the gates and entered the outer part of the city, their group was met by numerous lower-level guards with their weapons raised and uncertainty in their eyes. It seemed that the people of Icecrest didnt quite know what to make of the situation. How could they? Derek thought. Im sure this kind of thing is unprecedented. Of course they werent expecting to lose the king of the kingdom so suddenly or for the war they initiated to take such a sudden turn. Now, those same people who were likely responsible for the change had come to their capital and killed most of the leaders of important noble families well, Im assuming those that fought beside the queen and her father-in-law were leaders of noble houses. On top of that, those same people were just escorted into their city by three more well-known noble families and their guards. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out what is going on, but Im sure theyre all still in shock more than anything, and they just havent quite comprehended the situation yet. Dereks eyes landed on many of the flustered guards and citizens behind them as the three noble heads scurried forward to speak to them. Stand down, everyone, Diana, the matriarch of the Reeves family, commanded. Again, the guards didnt seem sure what to do, but after one person lowered their weapons, the rest followed quickly. Finally, one guard, presumably whichever one was left leading the remaining guards while the stronger ones went out to fight, took a small step forward and saluted. Maam, the guard said, speaking directly to Diana. What what are your orders? the man looked past Diana and onto the group of people from Indria and Cydaria before gulping and turning his attention back to the older woman. It looked like after some mental gymnastics from the impromptu guard leader, he made the decision to default to the leaders of the major noble houseswhich was exactly what everyone was hoping for. Diana turned back and looked at Osian and Edward before nodding seriously and facing the guard once again. Please spread the word that there will be an announcement in three hours at the royal palace. Activate the teleporters and send word to each major city. It is highly suggested that each noble familyfrom high to lowbe at the gathering. I will also send word to others to help in this. For the time being, teleportation will be free for anyone who wishes to attend. We will also be activating the backup teleportation circles to accommodate all of our guests. The woman spoke very loudly so everyone in the surround area could hear it. The crowd of gathered people on the outer edges of the city was massive. There would be no problem getting the news out. Yes, maam. We will see to it immediately, the guard saluted firmly once again. Also, Diana spoke again before the guard could run off. Summon any available healers and support classes. I want them to go out and help the injured. The sooner everyone is healed up, the better. Maam! The man nodded, then turned to the other guards and began issuing orders to all those who were following. Quickly, multiple people ran past Dereks group and out of the cityhealers anxious to help the other wounded soldiers and guards. There were even a couple of regular citizens that took it upon themselves to rush out behind the guards to give their help. Looks like theyve been communicating this whole time and already have some kind of plan ready, Derek thought as he stared at the back of the crown prince and king. And Im sure that highly suggest actually means mandatory. It will definitely allow Edward and Osian to get a feel of how the nobles view everything. Follow me, Diana turned and said to the group. Ill take you to the palace. Its well, it should be almost completely empty aside from servants and a few others. All the palace guards were in the battle. Everyone nodded and followed the woman. Surprisingly, instead of leading them through the city, she took them to a building not far away and brought them inside. Its much too far of a walk, and I imagine you need time to prepare yourselves for your announcements later, Diana said. Icecrest has a number of teleportation circles connected to different parts of the city. Thats convenient, Derek said. It would make rushing to the palace much easier. He smiled at Edgar as the prince looked at him. We have weighed the pros and cons of doing the same back in Cydaria, Edwin replied. We always found too many cons in having such a system in place though, after the last two years, it seems that many of those cons would happen with or without quick access to different parts of the city. I told you, Alanah said. Ive been telling Edwin to do this for ages. It should be a common feature within all major cities in a kingdom. Time is valuable, after all, and the extra income generated by people choosing to teleport over traveling by foot would increase the kingdoms coffers. Alanah grinned at the king when he looked at her. You might even be able to use it to slowly dig your way out of the debt you have with Natalie. Edwin winces at that. Maybe The hubris of that family. I dont know if they actually had confidence or just didnt care, Marrick spoke from his position in the group. At least they truly got a fitting end. Diana nodded, but didnt say anything to the old elf. Instead, she turned back around and began walking. From where they were, it would have been a piece of cake for anyone to get to the palace, as it stood out like a sore thumb. Though it was behind multiple buildings and still a bit far away, the palace towered over everything in its surroundings. If Derek had been looking hard enough, he would have been able to see the palace from in the air when they first arrivedinstead, he was just distracted by the pure size of Icecrest. They walked down a street, then turned onto what could be called the palace streetit was a wide street that led directly to the palace. The palace was the same tacky dark blue of the ice that the noble family used. On either sideconnected to the wallswas a guard tower. The courtyard itself was at least double, if not triple, the size of the courtyard in Cydaria. Yeah Derek said. The dragons would have had plenty of room if we would have brought them with us. Youre not joking, Avery replied, then he glanced at Alanah. You just thought Edwins palace was gaudy. Theyve definitely added on to it since the last time I was here, Alanah said. It was just as ugly, but only about half the size back then. I wonder if it was Traven or his father who did it. So youre saying that seeing this palace doesnt change your mind about getting one of your own? Avery snickered. Again if I ever truly suggest building or buying a palace, you have permission to slap me across the face as many times as you need to get me to change my mind. Alanah shook her head. If not for the color and guard towers connected at the front corners of the massive palace, Derek would say that it looked almost like a certain palace in London back on Earth before the system came. Well, its wider and taller I think. Hed never actually seen that palace in personjust pictures. Were here, Diana said to the group as they opened the gates and let themselves in. As she had said, nobody was left guarding the place. What would you like to do? she asked Edward and Osian. Blow it up? Wipe it off the face of this planet? Derek answered and got a side eye from everyone. What? I just said what everyone else is thinking. That may be so, but I think she wanted to know how we would like to prepare for the upcoming event, Osian answered. Indeed, Diana replied, and Derek shrugged. Really? Alanah asked in a whisper, but being so close, everyone could still hear if they tried. Blow up the palace? Hey, Derek replied in a whisper back. The wars basically over. No need to be serious all the time anymore. You can relax now maybe blow up some ugly palaces while youre at it. If only Alanah replied with a sigh, then looked up with a smile. The remodeling alone would cost a fortune, and Im definitely not going to pay for it. Were not blowing the palace up, Edward cut in. We need to gather all staff and anyone else who is residing in the palace, then we need to prepare to receive all the nobles who choose to come. I want everything done outside so the civilians can hear, too. Great, Diana replied. Garrett, you gather all the staff. Finn, see if the remainder of the royal family is still here or if they fled, you shouldnt have any problems. Everyone else, follow me. Chapter 381: Try This Chapter 381: Try This Finn and Garrett quickly entered the palace to handle the tasks assigned to them by Diana. It was interesting for Derek to see how the two other leaders of major noble houses quietly took orders from the older lady without any questioning or concerns. It went to show that either her family was that much more powerful than theirs, or she just commanded a lot of respect. With those two gone, Diana then chose to escort Dereks group into the gaudy structure. Derek fell in behind everyone else and walked up the steps to the palace entrance. As they entered, he hoped to see something different, but as Diana led them through the halls and toward the Great Hall, Derek realized that once he had seen one palace, hed seen them all. Well, the one in Indria was nicer, but that was more about the nature aspect than anything else. The inside design was still pretty similar, he thought to himself as he followed behind the group. Soon, they reached the typical massive double doors leading to the Throne Room or Great Hall. Yup, always the same The difference was that there were no guards standing outside the giant doors this time, as they were all most likely still gathered outside the city, recovering from their injuries. Diana reached forward to the right side door, allowing her hand to rest on it, then, she pushed. The door slowly opened with a loud screeching noise. Damn they really need to do some maintenance. As Derek was thinking that the Great Hall was going to be similar to the other two hed seen, he caught sight of the one in front of him and couldnt help but laugh. On either side of the long hall up to the throne were sculptures of what he could only guess were previous rulers and possibly other members of their royal family. His guess was proven correct when he laid eyes on one of the closest statues and recognized it as Tevarian. Then, he looked to the opposite side, and sure enough, there was a sculpture that looked like a very young version of Traven. Beside each of those statues was a womanone was Queen Cassandra. Derek had never seen the woman on Travens side, but it didnt take much for him to guess that it was the mans wife. Oh wow Avery muttered from beside Alanah. I didnt think it could get any worse, but I stand corrected. Youre telling me, Derek replied. I think we may need to push the minor events of conquering a kingdom down the list of things to do, and set getting rid of these eyesores as the new number one priority. I doubt anyone could get any work done in this place with those things staring at you the whole time. Its unsettling. Avery, do you remember when I told you to slap me upside the head if I ever mentioned building my own palace? Alanah asked from between Derek and Avery. Yes? Avery answered. Good. Add making statues of myself to that list as well, Alanah commanded. Yes, Mistress Swan, Avery replied with a smile. Stop that, the woman said. I thought we were finally over that Master Swan. Avery winced. Fine, fine But you just must keep the decorum up in such a place. Derek did his best mock impression of a proper gentleman, which he was not. Lord Avery and Lady Swan. Not you too Alanah rolled her eyes. But in all seriousness, Derek said, this time speaking loudly so everyone would hear him. You are all going to have to do something about those statues. Theyre seriously creepy. Agreed, Edgar said from up front, then veered off course and ran to one of the statues before placing his hand on it. Its melded into the ground. I cant store in my storage ring. Whelp there goes the easy way, Derek said. They could chance crossing the sea, Alanah said. Go somewhere where few people even know the names Cydaria or Astrus. Not if they value their lives, Diana replied. I would sooner risk my life here than try to take my entire family across the sea. How many people die each year with fancy ideas about establishing a trade with those other kingdoms? Or leave and are never seen again. You have to be crazy to do it. I did it, Alanah said. And how many people survived the trip here? Diana asked. Derek leaned forward. Hed wondered about the sea and what was on the other side, but hed never asked about it. Wrapping his head around one new kingdom and continent was already hard enough. But hed be lying if he said he wasnt curious about Alanahs origins. Me and two others, Alanah. If youre strong, its not a problem. It just takes a lot of time. But the sea monsters are no joke and attack often. And you need a flying skill for when your ship is inevitably destroyed, plus multiple other water crafter to allow you to rest and recover after long days of flying. Like I said youd have to be crazy, Diana repeated. Well, that or strong. However, going as a strong individual is one thing. Taking your family with you is another. I can see a few people going by themselves, but none would be so cruel to try to bring their entire family with them. I bet I could do it, Derek thought. Rather easily, too. Toss some people in my prison space, then borrow a dragon. Wouldnt even need a boat. Okay, Edward said. So, we should expect many of the noble houses to come with representatives, but not all. Diana, would you be able to take note of any and all noble families who dont present themselves at the announcement? Sure, the woman replied. That wont be a problem at all. I have an idea of who will come and who will not. I suppose you should expect a representative from each of the minor houses, as they werent part of the group you fought outside. As for the middle and major houses, it should be mixed. I do believe that more will come than will not. Plus, Osian said. Its a long way through Indria if one wishes to get to Vallum, and they wont have access to any teleporter there, either. Now that you mention it, Diana replied, and summoned a red communication crystal out of her storage ring. I can give the instruction to shut down all teleportation in the kingdom to anywhere other than Icecrest. Do it, Osian replied after getting a nod from Edward. It should increase the amount of nobles that come. If they have no quick alternatives, they may take their chance. If you dont mind me asking, Diana said. What is your plan with those noble families? Will you destroy them? We will set up a thorough investigation, Edward replied and pointedly looked at Alanah. No, Alanah said. You can ask Natalie. Im sure shell offer her services at a reasonable price. Unfortunate, Edward said. But we have pulled many noble families up by the roots lately, so to speak. We will be less harsh on those from Astrus, but with some caveats. It will all depend on our investigations. At that time, the screeching of the doors sounded again, and Derek turned to look. It seemed that Finn had finished his task and was escorting a young man and woman into the room. Speaking of noble families, Diana said. It seems that Finn has found Tyler and Tevara Sinclair, of the royal former royal family. Chapter 382: Fate of the Siblings Chapter 382: Fate of the Siblings The young man and woman staggered inside the Throne Room as they were pushed forward by Finn. Derek eyed each one. Both siblings took after their father, and it seemed that each had the same dark ice affinity that Tevarian, Terrin, and Traven had. Derek had half expected the girl to have some sort of poison related class like her mother had, but that didnt seem to be the case. Both siblings looked to be confused, angry, and afraid. The confusion probably came from the fact that one of the high nobles they knew was giving them commands, and the anger and fear was obviousthey were angry at those now in front of them, and they feared at what was likely to happen. Ill kill you all! the young man, who couldnt be much older than twenty, let his anger win out when he heard Dianas announcement. Finn no longer had to push him forward, as ice crept up his hands and stopped just past his wrists as he shot forward. Tyler! No, stop! the young woman cried out as she watched her brother attack a room of quite possibly the strongest people on the continent, if not the planet. She reached forward to grab him, but her hand found nothing but empty spacehe had already left her range. Derek blinked as the young man drew close to him. A quick Identify as the man rushed forward showed Derek that he was only level 145. He was actually surprised that Tyler was such a low level for his ageit showed that either he, or his father, cared more about skill levels than actual levels. Unless his skill levels are also low, then he could just be lazy. It took a second, but Derek finally realized that the prince was actually heading straight toward himhe was the target. Obviously, the young man wasnt thinking straight, and he chose to go after the closest person to him.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com Derek let out a soft sigh as the man arrived with his ice covered hands. Tyler lunged forward with both palms open. Derek, on the other hand, simply raised his arm to blockhed fought against Tevarian, and knew exactly what the man was going for. Unfortunately for Tyler, Derek wasnt much scared of his fathers ice abilities, so why would he be afraid of the same skills, but from a person who was just over half his fathers level? The young mans palms fell over Dereks armor covered forearm, and he squeezed. Dereks Dark Wyvern Armor was well insulated, and even though water vapor from the cold ice the young man applied rose from his hands, Derek didnt even feel the least bit cool underneath. Finally, Derek looked around, but saw that nobody had bothered to do anything about the young mans attack. Having had enough, with his free hand, Derek pushed his own open palm forward and hit the man in his midsection. Tyler let out a loud gasp and his grip loosed from Dereks arm as the rest of his body flew backwards half a dozen feet before he landed on his back on the ground. Tyler then rolled over onto his knees and abruptly lost his lunch. It was a light strike, so no real damage should have been done, but it did come from someone as powerful as Derek. Even though his strength and dexterity stats still werent through the next threshold, they were more than enough to completely overpower someone at the princes level. Tyler! the young lady yelled and rushed forward to her brothers aid. Like father, like son, Marrick commented from beside Derek. Acting with complete disregard for the consequences. Hes a spitting image of his grand late grandfather. Both siblings soon raised their heads up to look at the old elf. It seemed that after a literal gut punch, the prince had come back to his senses. It also seemed that they finally began to realize the direness of their situation. Derek wasnt even actually sure that they knew that the rest of the royal family was gone. Tyler could have been acting out of impulse solely based on the fact that he knew someone in front of him was responsible for his fathers demise. So, Diana spoke from her position near the center of the table. May I ask what it is you wish to do with them? Bah! Marrick snorted. Better to send them to their fathermake it a clean sweep. Theyre old enough that we neednt lose any sleep over it. The grudge has already been set. Take it from someone with experience. Thats not something that will go away with time. Besides, this continent will be better off with the surname Sinclair disappearing from it. Derek found the words a little harsh, but he had been under no illusion when he came to Astrus that any member of the royal family would survive. If they were children, that could have been another story, but the two were well into adulthood. Actually, they werent much younger than he was according to his status page. Besides, whether to let them live or not wasnt up to him. It was a decision for the rulers of the kingdoms to make. Edward looked over to Osian, but the elven king shruggedleaving the decision completely up to the crown prince. The crown prince frowned and scratched his chin. He had just pronounced that he planned on going easyor at least being less harshon the current noble families. Now he had to make a decision about the remainder of the noblest of families, the royal family. Please, Tevara stood from her position beside her brother and walked forward. Allow me and my brother to live. We have had no say in anything our parents, grandfather, or Titus have done. Forgive my brother for his outburst. You may believe father, mother, and grandfather are evil, but they are still family and he is grieving. Allow us to live and we will swear oaths that we will never go against Cydaria or Indria, nor will we try to spread dissent into any children we may have. Derek raised his eyebrows at her plea. It looked like she had given thought to what she planned on saying. He wondered if that was something she had planned beforehand, just in case something happened, or if she made it up on the spot. She was also very composed and, though he could see the sadness in her eyes, she held herself back from shedding any tears. Hmph Marrick snorted, then finally turned his head to look at the young woman. Seems you have some intelligence in you, after all. I never expected someone from a rabid family like House Sinclair to beg for their lives. Did you know that your grandfather never once pleaded for your lives? Not even when he realized there was no way for him to win as I held his life in my handseven after I told him I would destroy his entire family line. I the young woman opened her mouth and closed it multiple times, but no words came. Instead, a single tear rolled down her face, and she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand. Her brother, on the other hand, clenched his jaw and balled his hands into shaking fists, but he chose to stay on the ground. I see Alanah said. And what of the war? What did you think about it when you learned of it? Nothing. Nothing? Alanah asked in surprised. You had no thoughts about it? Why? Answer completely. It was none of my business. I had no part in it. I had no thoughts of it other than I hoped Astrus would win. Okay Alanah said. Do you consider yourself a good person? I Even in the trance, the young woman hesitated. I dont know. Why dont you know? I try to be good, but I am also selfish and conceited, she said. And your other brother, Tyler, Alanah said. Is he a good person? Explain clearly. He is better than me, Tevara answered. But he does have a temper and sometimes acts without thinking. I do think he is a good person. He tried to stop Titus once by telling father, but was ignored and later beat up by older brother. Tyler. Alanah shifted her focus to the other sibling. Do you agree with what Tevara has said? Explain clearly. I do, but I am also selfish and conceited, the young man answered. Is there anything that you want to ask? Alanah turned and asked Edward, and the crown prince nodded. Answer Edward as you would me, she said to the siblings. Will you truly be able to put your hatred of us behind you and go on with your lives? Would you be able to if you didnt sign a contract or swear an oath? Yes, Tyler answered first. I will try, Tevara answered. Surprisingly, it seemed that the young woman who was so composed earlier had more hatred in her heart than her brother who attacked Derek did. That is all, Edward said. Go stand by Finn, Alanah commanded the two. With the questioning finished, every waited for Edward to make his decision. Soon, he did. I will allow the two to live for now. We will have the oaths and contracts, and I want them to stay in the palace to support the next king and queen. Everyone nodded along, and like Marrick said before, he didnt object. Now, on that topic, Edward began. Who shall be the new rulers of the kingdom? Chapter 383: New Leadership Chapter 383: New Leadership They finally made it to one of the topics they needed to discuss before announcing to all of Astrus that it was going to be under new leadership. The new king or queen, or both, would play a part in how everyone felt about such changes. I believe that with Tevara and Tyler staying on and standing beside a new ruler, it will make the transition go much smoother, Edward said. Allowing the people to see leniency even with the former noble family will calm some nervesespecially to some of the noble houses. Do you agree, Diana? Actually, I do, the head of House Reeves said. In fact, I can speak for myself as the head of a powerful house that seeing the two not only live, but also be kept in the fold, has certainly what was it you said? Calmed my nerves? It has certainly done that. And what about you, Mr. Barro? Edward asked the man who had brought the two siblings in. And please, have a seat and join this discussion. Finn bowed deeply to Edward and moved to take a seat beside Diana. The two siblings, still in somewhat of a trance, stayed where they wore, inactive. I agree with Diana, Finn said. Allowing the two to not only live, but possibly thrive, will go a long way in easing the other noble houses into the situation. It will show that you are thoughtful about circumstance and will not unjustly eradicate whole families. Derek nodded along to what Finn said. He liked that. It reminded him of the term guilty by association that would be tossed around a lot in his old world. Just because one apple was bad did not mean that all the other apples were, too. It was considered a fallacy for a reason. Though, it was good to quickly remove those bad apples, or actual guilty ones, as it was common for the rot to spread. He wasnt around to see it, but Derek knew that Edwin had taken another approach when weeding out the bad actors in Cydaria. Instead of removing the bad apples, he burned down the entire trees. He wasnt exactly certain of the timeline, but if Edwin had taken the time to go through each associated person one-by-one, their position would have been very unstable when Cydaria was attacked, and susceptible to attacks from within. These decisions were another reason Derek refused all the chances to create bases, outposts, and towns back when the other system arrived at Earth. Hed turned the offers many times. It took all that time alone in the void for him to even get behind the possibility of being responsible for just a handful of people. And the number of people under his care was already at the limit of what he felt comfortable with. Good, good, Edward said. Thats good to hear. After that, he turned his focus on everyone who was not from Astrus. I have some ideas in mind, but I would like to get everyone elses opinions on who shall be appointed leaders of this country. I dont think it matters all too much, Derek was the first to reply. As long as they are high-ranking people from Cydaria or Indria, it should work. They are going to be Derek looked at Finn and Diana, then shrugged and continued. They are going to be nothing other than figureheads or managers for now, right? The real decisions will be coming down from the top. Just like Indria, he thought the last part, but did not speak it. Diana and Finn didnt need to know that Indria was actually just a vassal kingdom like Astrus was about to become. That is true, Edward said. But its possible that it wont always be that way. Then its simple, Derek said. Oh? You said you have some relatives who you consider good people, right? Cousins, if I recall correctly. I do. They have lived simpler lives and prefer to stay out of politics, Edward said. Thats good, then. That means that at least for this generation, if you appoint one of your cousins, you dont have to worry about them going against your policies or anything like that. The perfect puppet politician, Derek replied. And throw Sabrina in as the queen, and you have one person from Cydaria, one from Indria, and the two former royal siblings in place as the leadership of Astrus.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only What? Ryven choked out. I dont think we should consider making my daughter a queen. Thats she is much too immature. What does it matter? Derek asked. Shes got plenty of time remaining. Shell learn. And like I said, she wont actually be making any decisions. Thats not a bad idea. Edwin, who had come along to watch how Edward performed and had mostly been quiet throughout everything spoke up. And we could hold the marriage ceremony here at Icecrest we should also do something about renaming the capital That would be perfect, actually, Osian said. We could gather the nobles from each nationwe could even invite those from Vallum. Then, we could have the ceremony here and start these upcoming peaceful times off with a big celebration. It is indeed not a bad idea. What? Edwin asked. Why not? Because its lazy and confusing. When I talk about Cydaria, am I talking about the kingdom, city, or family? Your naming conventions in Cydaria are terrible. I dont have any stake in any of this, but Ill be damned if I let you do the same thing to another poor city. Honestly, I dont know how you havent thought of this before. Bahahaha, Marrick bursted out laughing to Dereks left. Ive always said the same thing. While House Sinclairs biggest problem was being rash and being overly sensitive to minor slights, House Cydarias biggest failures were their naming sense and lack of noble oversight. But you all have a bit of the same naming sense, dont you? Derek asked Marrick. How so? Edwin Edward Edgar Elouise he said. Osian Olivar Orion Frankly, Im surprised Ryven got away without being named Oryven. He really lucked out in that sense. What was the former King of Indrias name? Owen? Oscar? Otis? Actually Across the table from Derek, Osians cheeks turned a blistering red in embarrassment. Our fathers name was Braxian. Oh Derek stared over at Osian, dumbfounded. So this naming sense is something that just started with you, then? Then he looked at Edwin. What about your father? My fathers name was Ethan, and my grandfathers name was Eric, he said smugly. Good to know Edwin did it out of tradition Osian did it out of ignorance or arrogance. Ill have to remember that. Uhem Edward cleared his throat. Now that the history lesson is over, can we get back to topic? I am more than happy to change the name of the kingdom to Indaria after changing leadership. As for the name of this city, lets keep some of the old with it and call it Crestfall. What do you think? Thats too disparaging, Osian said. I would go with something like Cresthaven or Silvercrestif you want to keep part of the old name. I like Cresthaven, Edward said. Is everyone good with this change? Derek shrugged. As long as Robertwhoever he wasdidnt change his surname to Indaria, then move to Indaria in the Kingdom of Indaria, he was fine with whatever else they chose. Everyone else seemed to agree, too, as nobody spoke out against it. Great, Edward said. Now, on to the next thing. I believe we should introduce and enforce the same servant contracts in Indaria that we did in Indria. These contracts will be the bare minimum any servant can start at. In fact, after mulling it over, I believe we should do the same in Cydaria by stocking the City Buildings throughout the kingdom with said contracts. That seemed like a good idea to Derek. Supposedly, Astrus had a good deal of slaves. Introducing the contracts into the kingdom and banning slavery was always a good first step that hed never argue against. For the next while, Edward explained to Diana and Finn about the contracts and changes that were to be made in Indria. The two nobles easily agreed that the same thing should be done in Astrusor Indaria. However, they were quick to point out that there would be quite a bit of resistance. Edward, however, was also quick to point out that those who resisted would be some of the first to be culled, and that the investigations he was planning on doing dealt with many unsavory things, such as that. For the next couple of hours, the group talked about adjustments and changes that needed to be made in Astrus. Garrett arrived with the palace servants in the middle of the conversation, and Edward made sure to release each one from their servant contracts until they got everything changed. The servants were free to act as always after that. Tevara and Tyler also finally broke out of their trances, and that made it all the more easy to remove the contracts and oaths from the servants. The two siblings were relieved to have been allowed the opportunity to serve the kingdombut mostly, they were happy about not dying. Soon enough, the time they had given to everyone to gather for the announcements arrived, and everyone stood. Derek quickly packed up his itemsespecially his beloved chair. Finally, it was time to see who chose to attend the gather, and who chose to run. Chapter 384: Mandatory Gathering Chapter 384: Mandatory Gathering Derek followed along toward the backthe announcements were for Edward and Osian to make, and he didnt want to be anywhere near the front. Dianakeeping to her currently helpful rolechose to lead the part back out of the palace. Everyone agreed that as the leader of the highest noble house there, she would be the perfect person to introduce them all to the rest of the nobles of Astrusat least, the ones who chose to show up. Tevara had also readily agreed to her role as an adviser, and was walking with Edwin, Edgar, and a few others directly behind Edward and Osian. Her brother had also agreed to the advisers position, but he was still having trouble controlling all his emotions, so it was decided that it would be best if he stayed toward the back and only watched and listened. Finally, Diana took a step out of the palace entrance with everyone else right behind her. When Edward, Osian, Tevara, and a few others were outside, on the top stair, Derek was still standing next to the entrance. That was fine by himhe had a good enough view to see everything, and he wouldnt have to worry about hearing anyone because he knew they were going to be speaking very loudly. Plus, with his stats, hed have to actively not listen to be able to avoid hearing anything over a whisper The view they ended up having was insane. The entire back half of the courtyard was completely packed full with people standing shoulder to shoulder. Derek looked at the way they were dressed and came to the conclusion that those in the back were very well off commonersmost likely merchants and well-paid adventurers. The rest of the courtyard was occupied by what appeared to be the nobles. The nobles were too good to stand shoulder to shoulder like the commoners, so, while still closer to one another than they seemed to enjoy, they kept as much distance between each other as they could. Derek wasnt familiar with any noble houses from Astrus, so he leaned in to hear what the others were saying. This is surprising, Diana whispered over her shoulder to Osian and Edward. What is? Edward asked. I see a higher up representative from almost every noble family in the kingdom. I have to admit, I did not expect that. Is that right? Yes, Diana answered sternly, then nodded almost imperceptibly toward a certain man in a black robe with runes etched on it standing toward the front of the gathering. House Ileal didnt run. Or at least Cassandras brother came to the gathering. He could be stalling so the rest of his family can run, but I dont think Simeon Ileal is that selfless. So, the queens family is taking a big gamble by being here. Thats respectable, at least, Osian said. Also, did you see the relief on his face when he saw Tevara standing beside us? His shoulders are relaxed, and hes finally remembered to breathe. Are there any families missing out there? Edward asked. If each only sent one or two people, then it looks like you have a lot of noble families here in Astrus. And that was true. Even with them only taking the front half of the courtyard, Derek counted upwards of fifty different groups of representatives from noble families. Some were alone, and a few groups had three people in them. From my knowledge, Im counting three, Diana answered. One family I expected not to come, but the other two they should be here. They are very minor noble families with no reason to run. To show that were not singling Astrus out, these same changes are planned to occur in both Cydaria and Indria as well, Edward said to the crowd. New leadership and new rules and laws will be a change, but they are all needed for the overall wellbeing and health of our nations. The majority of the nobility were quiet at this, but many commoners seemed happy about the upcoming change. It looked like they werent all too happy about how everything was with the old leadership. A lot of that may have been because of the warwars tend to make most of the population very uneasy. Now, for our first announcement, Edward continued. As I said before, the nobility will be the ones affected the most by the changes. We will be conducting private investigations into each and every noble family in the kingdom. These investigations will determine the future of the noble housesand again, to show we arent singling anybody out, and that everyone will get a fair investigationwe will be beginning with houses Reeves, Rivia, and Barro. The leadership of these three houses has already been very helpful to us as we prepare to move forward, but, as I said, no house will be above these investigations. Edward then looked over at Diana. Diana, he said, and she nodded. As many of you know, I am Diana Reeves, of House Reeves. As the matriarch of the noble house, I have agreed to these investigations and will accept any outcome or punishments that may come from them. I, for one, am in wholehearted agreement that we must clean up the kingdom so that we all may thrive together. After that, the older woman took a step back for the others to speak. Finn stepped forward and gave a near identical speech as Diana. Finally, Garrett came forward, and, though very nervous and uncertain, he gave his blessing as well. It seemed that the man had already accepted that some parts of House Rivia would be in trouble. Edward moved to speak again, this time, he spoke directly down to the nobles up close. I thank all of you for coming today, and hope we can all work well together in the future. His eyes then fell on the patriarch of House Ileal. Mr. Ileal, he said, getting the mans full attention. You have my condolences for your sister. It is a shame that things played out as they did. However, I must thank and applaud you for attending this announcement. It was the correct decision. The middle-aged mans hands tightened into a ball and he squeezed, but he held himself back from speaking or making any kind of scene. Edward wasnt gloating, he was being sincere in his words, and it could be felt. Everyone else who lost loved ones, today or any time during this ill-timed war Edward continued. You have my condolences as well. Again, this entire war and situation was a shame. After that, Edward went on to announce multiple changes that would be happening throughout all three kingdoms. Some nobles grew angry, and some became happynone stepped forward to speak up against anything that was said. Finally, once everything was said and done, Edward made one last announcement. To celebrate the coming together of our three wonderful kingdoms, Edward started. We will soon hold a marriage ceremony right here in Astrus. The marriage will be between two individuals that have been chosen to supersede the former royal family and carry Astrus into a new, better future. The ceremony will be here, in the capital, in the palace courtyard. It will be a day of celebrations and history. It will be a kingdom-wide event, and all cities will be part of the celebrations. More details of what to expect will be provided soon. From there, Edward actually lightly bowed to the people before continuing. Again, I thank all of you for coming, and I look forward to helping lead our combined kingdoms into a great future of cooperation and alliance. Everyone may leave, but I would appreciate it if those representatives of the noble houses would stay. Thank you! The commoners in the crowd cheered heavily, but Derek believed it was most likely due to the announcement of a kingdom-wide celebration. Celebrations, as such, usually came with many free things and fun things to do. The leadership of the kingdom, after all, was way above the vast majoritys pay-grade. As the people cleared out of the courtyard and surrounding areas, all the nobles there chose to stay as Edward requested. The speeches and announcements had gone much smoother than they thought they would, as not a single noble challenged anythingwhether that was because they were too scared to or not, Derek didnt know. Finally, Edward and Osianwith Tevara trailing themmoved down to the courtyard. What happened next would be up to those two. But there was one thing left on Dereks mind. I wonder where the treasury is. Chapter 385: Treasury Chapter 385: Treasury Derek watched for a while as Edward, Osian, and Tevara made their rounds between all the nobles. Everyone was trying to be as cordial as possible to what was essentially the new leaders of the kingdom, so it didnt seem like he needed to worry about an attack coming out of nowhere against Edward. As for Osian, he could take care of himself. Hed only gotten a few glances at Osian fighting, but from what he saw, the man was holding back quite a bit in order to mirror his brothers outputhis brother, who was considered to be quite strong. From what hed heard, Ryven had managed to only be slightly disadvantaged against Alanah in their initial fight well, until she transformed and mopped the floor with him. And even though shed said that he was a good counter to some of her abilities, it was still quite an accomplishment. Even if some of the nobles did choose to attack, with Osian staying withing steps from Edward, Derek doubted the future king would have any problems. Besides, Edgar was watching over his brother like a hawkseemingly worried about the same things. With his speed and the short distance, Derek had no doubt that the young prince would be able to get between any attacks on his brother. On top of all that, Alanah, Avery, and Marrick were still around. That was a trio that even he wouldnt want to mess with. Unless it was in a spar, then that could be pretty fun, Derek thought as he slowly and quietly backed away further inside the palace. When hed told Edgar that he wouldnt mind raiding whatever Astrus had in their storage, he wasnt completely jesting. Of course, Derek wasnt a monster. He wouldnt take everything, but he would definitely choose some good things that Astrus no longer neededor that he decided that Astrus no longer needed. So, he wasnt going to rob them blind just a little blurry. After a few more slow steps away from everyone, Derek turned on his heel and began looking around. Ugh this place is going to be a maze. With a shrug, he chose a hall to the right and began walking. He only made it twenty or so feet down the hall before he heard the pattering of footsteps running behind him. Damn caught in the act. Who saw me? Other that him, everyone else was focused on what was going on outside. Hed thought he had made a clean breakeven Alanah and Avery were off to the side discussing things as they kept an eye out. Derek closed his eyes and sighedhe really didnt want to share with anyone here other than Silvi, who was still perched lazily on his shoulder. Slowly turning to see who was behind him, Derek was surprised when he saw the still moderately angry prince moving toward him. Oh? Tyler Sinclair this could be good. He definitely knows where the treasury is. Where are you going? the man asked with some hostility in his voice as he approached. Tyler Sinclair, Derek said. Just the person I was looking for. I need your help. What? the younger man stopped in his tracks, stunned. Why would I help you? Isnt it obvious? Derek said. Youre soon to be an adviser of the Kingdom of Indariaas soon as the change is announcedso I need you to advise me. This conversation obviously wasnt what the former prince was expecting when he began chase. You youre part of the group that killed my grandfather, father, mother, uncle, and brother. And youre not going to be the king. Theres no reason why I should help. I actually only killed your uncle, Derek clarified. He seemed like a bit of an asshole, too. He tried to kill one of my friends while she wasnt lookingor at least take her hostage. Im not sure. I didnt let it get that far. So, do me a favor and help me out, will you? Besides, if you watched any of the meeting, then you already know that even Osian and Edward are deferent to me. Its basically the same thing as advising the new rulers. That Tyler lowered his head, took a deep breath in, and clenched his fists until they were shaking. Under his breath, he muttered, I promised Tevara I promised Tevara Finally, he loosened his hands and raised his head back up. What is it you need? he asked. Good, good Derek said, and patted the young man on his shoulder. Take me to the treasury room. You know, where your father kept all the good stuff. I need to take inventory. The young mans eyes narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Youre going to steal from it, arent you?Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) What stood out about the doorand the surrounding wallwere the runes that were etched on and around it. They were all glowing different colors. Some were green, some were brown, but the majority were the blue color of pure mana. Derek looked over at Tyler. Well? he asked. Oh, Tyler said. I cant open it. It was set to my grandfather, father, and brothers mana. They were the only ones who could naturally get through all the runes. Of course, there is also a key. A key? Derek asked. Where is that? My father carried it in his storage ring. So, if you know where that is, you can open it. Derek closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Of course, he knew exactly where Tevarians storage ring and all the contents inside were. They had been turned into ashes and mixed with a puddle of Tevarian after Silvi was finished with them. What are the runes? Derek asked. He could identify maybe a handful of runes is all, and those mostly had to do with hot water, cold water, and draining. Are there any runes on there that will cause the destruction of everything inside? Tyler looked hard at the runes and shook his head. The green ones are poison runes. They will activate together with the brown ones if an intruder breaks through. The brown ones will seal the entrance again, and the green ones will fill the room with poison. The same ones are inside that you see out here just in case someone slips by them. The blue ones are all different types of locks. Of course, there are some runes that alert that there has been a breach. But those alert my father, grandfather, and General Whitaker. Hmm Derek rubbed his chin. I definitely dont need to worry about any of those three getting an alert. Ones a puddle, ones just dead, and the other had his head separated from his body by Alanah. I think I can handle that. He nodded his head. Silvi, melt the runes and door. Start small and only use what you need to. Try your best not to cause a commotion. Kay! With a single word of acceptance, a very small lid made from void appeared in front of Derek and Tyler and Silvi hopped on it. Thats new, Derek sent. It seemed Silvi had finally come up with good ways to stay in the air. Your cooking Void Creation combined with telekinesis? he asked. Yup, she replied happily. Could use Chop on people with a created cleaver. Why not fly on lid? Very smart, Derek praised. I know, Silvi replied. Finally, from her perch atop the floating lid, Silvi took in a deep breath. Move back, Derek told Tyler. Were about to break in and you dont want to get caught in the attack. Not needing another warning, the former prince moved quickly back dozens of feet. After that, Silvi released her flame. Chapter 386: Heist Chapter 386: Heist The heat was everything Derek had come to expect from Silvis flames. In fact, with it being so concentrated and on a small area, and the fact that this was pretty much the closest hed ever been to the flames, it may have been even hotter than usual. A bead of sweat even appeared on his forehead and he had to wipe it away with the back of his hand. After that, he decided it best to take a step back. Oh, wow! Tyler muttered from behind them. Derek turned to look at the former prince. He had actually already activated some of his skills. His handsup to his elbowswere made of solid ice, and he had a small blizzard circling around him. However, just as each piece of snow appeared, it melted just as fast. The young mans face had even turned a shade redder because of the heat Silvi was giving off. Whatever the entrance to the treasury room was made of, it was durable. Either that, or some of the runes did more than just lock the door. Silvi seemed to think so too, as another wave of heatan even stronger one that beforewashed over Derek. Finally, with that second effort, Derek saw the stone surrounding the door begin to melt. Soon after the stone began turning to magma and dripping to the floor, the doorwhich was some type of metalfollowed after. Together with the metal and stone, the runes deactivated before disappearing as well. Silvi continued to increase her fire output, and Tyler moved even further back from the flame. Derek also took another step back. Soon enough, Silvis fire made a hole in the door and walls. Carefully, Silvi redirected her flames around the hole so they didnt go inside and ruin the treasures within. She wouldnt have that, not after the amount of possible rewards that shed already lost because of the flame. Eventually, a large portion of the entrance was dotted with holes that led to them being able to see inside the room. Finally, Silvi stopped her skill, and the flames disappeared. Soon after, she moved back to Dereks shoulder, and the pot lid she had been standing on faded into nothingness. That was hard. Silvis childlike voice rang through Dereks head. Too much focus. I know, Derek replied. But you did a great job. Of course, she replied, and Derek chuckled. First things first, Derek said and moved forward to where all the melted stone and metal was. It was all still in liquid form and steaming heavily. He turned around and looked at Tyler. Hey, come cool this down. The former prince broke out of his stunned daydream and rushed forward without a thought. Soon, he was standing over the pool of burning magma and releasing a stream of ice. Combined with the former princes ice, Derek reached forward and touched the rapidly cooling material. With a thought, he willed the stuff inside one of his storage rings. Surprisingly, it worked for the most part. The material was a sludgy consistency, and hadnt completely melded to the floor yet, and Derek was able to store about two-thirds of it. That was a win in his books. He didnt know how useful it would be, but it couldnt be too bad based on the fact that it had withstood Silvis flames for so long. If nothing else, it will give Brandi something new to work with, he thought. The rest of the material had, however, melded to the floor already, and he wouldnt be able to store it unless he either had Silvi melt it again or he broke the floor that it was stuck to up into chunks and stored it as well. Thats good, Derek said, motioning for Tyler to stop with his ice. Now Derek looked at the now quite thin walls and door to the treasury to decide what to do. With a nod of his head, he held out his hand and Harbinger appeared. Checking the durability on his glaive, he smiled slightly. It barely lost any durability, but it did lose some. It should be more than enough to make a hole big enough for us to go through. Woah Tyler let out another word of shock at seeing Dereks glaive. Now thats a weapon. I already thought your armor was amazing when I grabbed it but that weapon. Derek was busy stopping the poison before, so he hadnt had a lot of time to examine the room, but now he could. In the center of the room, there were several glass casesalmost like the kind hed see at a jewelry store back on Earth. Each of those cases held a single storage ring. On the back wall were dozens of scrolls on shelvesalso covered by the glass. Interesting, Derek said, and stepped forward to the first case. He went to open the case, expecting it to be locked or trapped, but to his surprise, it easily opened. I guess they didnt expect someone to make it this far he said as he reached in, grabbed the ring, and began examining the contents. Here, take some of the stuff in here. Just leave at least half or more. It looks like alchemy or cooking ingredients, he said to Silvi as he tossed the ring on the ground in front of her. Well maybe take some more. You can share with Brandi. After that, he went from case to case and picked out some things. He knew that Silvi wouldnt want anything but the ingredients he found in the first ring, so he didnt bother with anything else for her. There were a couple of rings with what looked like crafting materials inside, so he took a portion of each of those for Brandi. He also ran into storage rings holding some very well crafted weapons and armors. These will do great until Brandi can make something better, he thought. He picked out a nice spear for Thomas, and swords for everyone else. He also made sure to grab a few spare swords, too, just in case. Unfortunately, it seemed that Astrus had the same thoughts about knuckle weapons as Cydaria did, and he couldnt find anything for Clare. All the weapons were much better than any of the weapons hed brought with him from Earth. It looks like its about time to get rid of all of those. After going through the weapons, he looked through the armors. He wasnt an expert on armor at all, so he just through in some leather and steel armor that looked pretty good. He doubted they would fit and everything would need to be readjusted. Finally, he came to one of the last storage rings and was happy that he finally found something that he was interested in for himself. Inside the ring, along with other potions, were two dozen of the potions that increased skill experience, and another dozen of the ones that increased class experience. He didnt bother leaving any of those, and stored them in his bracelet instantly. He also took most of the Resurrection Potions as well. Here, Derek said and tossed one of the skill increase potions to Tyler. For your troubles. Finally, he moved to the back wall and began examining the skill scrolls. He was looking for something he could uselike an active movement skill he could level so he wouldnt have to rely on Silvis Active Void Shift so much. But he was also keeping an eye out for anything any of his people could use. Instantly, he yoked up all the passive resistance scrolls he came across. It wasnt many, a few Magic, Physical, and Toxic Resistance scrolls, and a single Mental Resistance one. He thought of how Brandi was probably constantly exploding things and losing her eyebrows, so he did pick up a Fire Resistance scroll this time then he grabbed another one then another. I might need this if Silvis flames get any hotter she may need one, too. Then, he came across a ton of ice related skills and scoffed. In actuality, most of the wall of skill scrolls was littered with ice related skills. He did take a couplehoping that Clare would be able to use them. Though she would be using water-based attacks, so he doubted she would want ice ones. But this Ice Weapons skill could pair really well with her weapon of choice. Finally, he did find a water-based skill scroll. It was actually a scroll that gave the Resurrection skillthe one that cost so much when he was going through Cydarias list of skill scrolls. There was no way he wasnt taking itit was free, after all. In the end, Silvi got a bunch of ingredients and a skill scroll for Physical, Magic, Mental, and Fire Resistance. The rest of his people would all be getting a little something, and Derek walked away with dozens of potions to help him build his skills, and three new skills. One was Powerstride. It channeled his mana into his feet and legs and would allow him to move a great distance. It reminded him of a skill called Flash Step from one of his favorite shows back on Earth, though it did also require good strength and dexterity to work really well. Fire Resistance was another of the skills he found for himself, but that was just a preventative measure. And finally, he found a basic, but perfect attack skill. Hed used Sweeping Slash so much that it was part of his favorite combo, so when he found Whirlwind Slash, he had to have it. It didnt seem to be as powerful as Sweeping Slash, but where the former only arced out in front of him, Whirlwind Slash covered 360 degrees. All in all, he was happy with his heist. He would learn his new skills soon and then use his potions to help with the leveling. He was especially excited to see how Whirlwind Slash paired with his void energy, and how Powerstride would work with Void Step. Hed be able to cover a vast amount of distance without opting for Void Travel. Derek let out a breath and smiled as he walked past the former prince, who was staring at him. With a pat of his hand on the young mans shoulder, Derek said, Its probably best if you dont take too much. Oh, and you should also get someone to fix the entrancecant have just any Tom, Dick and Harry running in robbing the kingdom blind, now can we? Then, he walked out of the treasury with the young man behind him muttering something about who Tom, Dick, and Harry were. Chapter 387: Efficient Chapter 387: Efficient Derek, with Silvi still perched on his shoulder after coming out of the vault, left Tyler alone in the treasury to clean up while he sneaked away. As for Tyler? The young man was still standing in the center of the room, staring stunned in Dereks direction as they moved out of his line of sight. Im sure hell figure everything out. If nothing else, it will give him something to do to get his mind off of everything that has happened recently, Derek thought. It would be much better for the young man to focus more on the odd overpowered guy and acquisition of many of the items in the kingdoms treasury than the fact that hed lost almost all of his relatives in the span of a week. As Derek walked down one of the hopefully familiar halls on his way back to everyone else, he hummed a happy tune. It had been a while since hed accomplished a task that really increased his mood. More than anything, I cant wait to try out these skill increase potions. Those had been the items that hed been particularly jealous of when he saw some of the others in the raid dungeon be rewarded with them. Now, thanks to Astruss abundant generosity, I have many times more than any of the others do. And here I was thinking about trying to trade some Void Beast stuff for some, he thought. Actually, its surprising that Astrus had so many of them. I wonder if they have a dungeon somewhere around here that can reward them as part of its loot. If there is one, itd be level 250, right? If that was so, it would definitely be a dungeon worth running a few timesat least, depending on how the potions ended up working on the skills he wanted to level. While thinking of those skillsparticularly Multi-Strike and Greater MeditationDerek made multiple wrong turns and was lost for a bit until he found his way back to an area he had recognized from before. From there, he was easily able to navigate back to the palace entrance, where he hoped everyone would still be. I wasnt gone that long, was I? He let out a silent sigh of relief when he made it to the entrance and he saw that nobody else had left. In fact, Edward and Osian were now standing in the middle of the massive courtyard with the representatives of all the noble houses surrounding themeach trying to ask questions or talk all at once. Really, it looked almost like a scene from Hollywoodtwo stars surrounded by a group of paparazzi who were all trying to get the latest scoop. Im sure they just want to bring as much information back to their families as they can. As Derek was staring out over the group and thinking, Alanah caught his attention. Where have you been? her voice sounded as she walked over from the top step where she had still been chatting with Avery. Dont think I didnt notice you leave where did you go, anyway? Oh Derek said. I was around. Just went exploring, you know? he asked with a cheshire grin. Ah, Alanah said. I understand. You went exploring. She emphasized the word. Ive been known to explore some places as well. By the look of that smile on your face, I take it that your exploration was successful? It was very successful, actually, he replied. And is your successful exploration going to cause a lot of problems for us in the future? she asked. For us? Derek questioned, then shook his head. No, its not going to cause any problems for us. What could really cause problems for us, anyway? Alanah snorted, then said, Youd be surprised but I understand your meaning. Something like that you were just getting what you were owed. Exactly, Derek said. I was just collecting on a little payment. Speaking of payment, you deserve some too. They have quite a bit of stuff left to explore if you want. If you dont like that, Id be happy to share what I found. Thats fine. Alanah waved the thought away. Thanks for the gesture, but I have more than enough. There are not many things that interest me. I see, Derek said. Well then more for me. Yes, more for you. Anyway. Derek began to change the subject. Whats going on down there? he asked. Are they still kissing hands and shaking babies? He doesnt need my help, Avery said. He needs Lyras help. Soon after that, the massive shadow of Lyra appeared over Icecrest. She was alonenone of the other dragonkin had followed. Slowly, the winged-serpent beat her wings and drifted down to the half empty courtyardmany nobles were still in the process of clearing out. Many of the nobles who were still in the courtyard panicked and tried to hurry out, while some of the others who had already left turned back in curiosity. Finally, Lyra landed on the ground, away from everyone. With her sitting there, Derek walked forward. Youre should charge the kingdom for all the babysitting youve had to do, he sent to her. Hed not really talked with the serpent before, but, even though her affinity made him feel a bit weird, it was nothing compared to Alanahs, and they got along just fine. Theyve nothing that interests me, Lyra replied with her own Telepathy. The sound of her voice that appeared in Dereks head was feminine and slightly seductivealmost like that of Alanahs, but lower pitched. Her reply was basically the same one that hed received from Alanah, too. Leave it to Avery Derek thought. Well, Im sure you could find something if you try hard enough. There are three kingdoms worth of treasuries that could have skills or potions or something that you may find interesting or that may help you. Maybe she replied, then said nothing else. Okay, Derek said. Everyone stand back. Were lucky this courtyard is so big. Though I could have just done this outside the city but that would have taken too much work. With that thought, Derek opened his Time Prison widerevealing the giant door once again instead of the small, human-sized one. Finally, he opened the door and the remaining lesser dragonkin he had stored rushed out one by oneeach halting and slowly moving to the side as soon as their eyes met Lyras. Soon enough, the massive courtyard no longer looked so big, as it was filled with dragonkin. Derek closed his Time Prison, then turned to his audience. Only a select few had seen his Time Prison in action, and even few knew that he had or could store dragonkin inside. Marrick was one who hadnt known, but the old man didnt look surprisedinstead, he looked to be evaluating Derek. On his face was a slight grin as his eyes moved from Derek to the dragonkin. That done, Derek moved back to Alanah and began removing his storage rings and bracelet. With them in hand, he reached out. Would you mind taking care of these while Im gone? Derek said. Hed trusted her with his items before, so hed do it again. Of course, Alanah took the items. Also, I doubt shes going to have any problems, as the remaining wyvern is still back in Cydaria, but if something happens and Lyra loses control, youre probably the best person to help wrangle the dragonkin back in, Derek explained. Its only natural, Alanah said with a smile. In the next instant, Silvi appeared on Alanahs shoulder, which caused the woman to flinch slightly, but that was all. Oh Derek began. And Silvi doesnt want to let go of her storage rings right now, so she wont be coming. It was a sign of respect that Silvi had chosen Alanahs shoulder to rest on instead of her head. Derek still wanted to try to cover his storage items in the void or in one of Silvis void creations and give that a try, but it wasnt the right time for that yet. Alright, Derek said. Are you all ready? If so, lets go to the Throne Room. I dont want to spook the dragonkin. Everyone agreed and soon they were all standing in the Throne Room. Derek directed Edwin and Ryven to remove any and all storage items that they were wearingwhich they did. Derek then used Void Travel and opened the tunnelcausing the feeling of doom and dread to fall onto everyone in the room. With his hand on Edwins back, he covered the king in the void and stepped inside. Soon enough, the two appeared inside the Throne Room in Cydariain front of Phillip Musgrave, who looked to have rushed over when he felt the dread from the portal opening. With the king dropped off, Derek went back to Astrus to get Ryven. Everyone watched as he stepped out of the portal created by Void Travel and gestured to the elven duke. With Ryven standing in front of him, Derek placed his hand on the elven dukes back and covered him with void. As they began to step inside the tunnel, one of the side doors to Astruss Throne Room swung open and a servant rushed in. Its terrible! the servant yelled. Someone has broken into the treasury! With that, Derek took his last step into the tunnel then closed the portal behind themthey were gone. He was nothing if not efficient. Chapter 388: As Thick as Thieves Chapter 388: As Thick as Thieves With Ryven covered safely in the void, Derek carried him out of the tunnel formed by Void Travel and into the Throne Room in Cydaria. Once he made sure that the duke was completely out of harms way, he released Void Creationcausing the void to be removed from the elfand made to shut the portal behind them. With that done, Derek let out a light breath. Wait From in front of Derek, Ryven turned and looked at where the portal once was. What was that? That servant he said that someone had broken into the treasury! What? Edwin came forward from his position beside Phillip Musgrave. What are you talking about? What happened? Ryven went on to explain the last few moments in Astrus before he was taxid to Cydaria. Edwin frowned, then they both looked at Derek. Should we go back? Edwin asked. Why would we do that? Derek asked. It sounds serious, Edwin said. If someone broke into their treasury while we were discussing terms with the nobles Sounds like they should have had better defenses on their treasury to me, Derek replied offhandedly. I doubt that small amount of poison would be able to stop anybody who was already strong enough to break through whatever type of material it was protecting the room. Besides, Derek started again. Were either of you the ones who did it? No, they both answered simultaneously. Then its settled. Derek smiled. You have a much more important task to do now. You can leave all that treasury nonsense to everyone remaining in Astrus. Speaking of tasks Derek looked past Edwin and at his remaining adviser. Where is Sabrina? Ah um The older man looked at Edwin for permission. Once the king nodded, he continued. Well the thing is Ms. Elras and Ms. Elouise they left the palace to go meet suitors, as they were tasked. Thats right, Edwin said with a nod. And how many have they met so far? I dont know, Phillip said. What do you mean, you dont know? Edwin narrowed his eyes. Well since they left, Elouise hasnt contacted me, and she will not respond to my communications. Maybe if its Your Majesty I do not have my storage items with me. Which means that I am currently not carrying my communication crystals, Edwin explained with a frown. Surely, nothing would have happened to them. Have you sent people after them? Did they leave the city? I have, sir, Phillip replied. All of the cities teleporters have been restored, too. But that makes it more difficult to locate them, as it appears that they have teleported multiple times. And since Elouise is the princess, he orders are currently higher than mine without you or Edwards explicit permission, and none of the workers want to risk offending her by giving her away. Is that so? Derek asked as he looked over at the Bones, who was standing with his hands laced behind his back. Derek could see the slight smugness and a smile threatening to appear on his faceunless it was just his imagination. Well, thats good. Youre back. Suddenly, another voice sounded, and Derek glanced over Boness shoulder to see Malorie walk through a door holding what looked like a clipboard. She had bags under her eyes, and it looked like she hadnt had any sleep recently. Were going to have to pump up your vitality and endurance, Derek said. Either that, or you need to get some proper rest. Tell that to Brandi. Malories eyes narrowed, and she stared at himthrough him. You just keep giving her things that cause trouble. I finally get her into a routine where she eats and occasionally takes a break, then you just just ugh. Without another word, Malorie did a 180 and turned around to head toward her office. That Derek opened his mouth, but didnt know what to say. He did literally just leave Brandi with tons of dragon materials. He shook his head. Well, I can worry about that some other time. He turned his attention back to Bronson. Well, Bronson, it was nice seeing you again. Unfortunately, Im only here to pick something up, then I have to get back to saving the world and stuff. Ill treat you to a meal at the Crown once everythings over. Ill hold you to that, Bronson said with a gleam in his eyes. Well see what the best thing they can cook in the capital is next time. Derek grinned. But for now he turned around and focused on two hooded figures in the corner of the room. Hed noticed Elouise and Sabrina as soon as he stepped out of the portal. They were with the other customers who had huddled up when the feeling of dread appeared. Sabrina! Elouise! Dont make me come over there! He stared at the two with an intense glare. He didnt dare release his aura, but he did do his best imitation of his grandma. Get over here. Now! With that, the two hooded figures looked at one another, then scurried to their feet and then hurriedly rushed over to Derek. They seem as thick as thieves. Once they were standing in front of him, Derek took a good look at them. Sabrinas usually pale face was that same crimson color hed seen so many times before. In fact, he was starting to wonder if her faces natural color was actually that crimson red. As for Elouise, she wouldnt even look at him. Her eyes were glued to the groundlike a child that knew what she had done was wrong. You know, Derek said. Im not even going to ask what the two of you were doing here. I dont even want to know. He had thought Elouise seemed to be proper and serious when he met her for the first time in Cydarias Throne Room, but after what Edwin had said, and the fact that the two women seemed to be blowing off their current duties for some reason, his opinion of her changed a little. It wasnt a bad opinion, actually, it changed a bit for the better. At first I thought she was a female Edward. Instead, shes just an Edgar who prefers having fun that doesnt involve fighting beasts and running dungeons. In Dereks opinion, there was nothing wrong with that. There were spoiled rich kids everywhere. At least she wasnt one of the ones who got her kicks from torturing others. Right now, she just seemed like a girl who made a new friend and was having fun shopping. Yes thats what theyre doing shopping. The two of you, Derek said. Give me all your storage rings unless you want them to be destroyed. Sabrina quickly handed Derek a single ring. She hadnt been able to bring any with her to begin with, so it seemed that she was using a loaner. Seeing Elouises hesitation, Derek got an idea. Actually, here, Derek said and tossed the ring hed received from Sabrina to Elouise. Im sure you can get back to the palace yourself. Sabrinas needed immediately. You can bring her storage ring to her later. I Elouise started. Nope, Derek cut her off. Im sure youre not in too much trouble fatherly love and all that stuff. But its be best for you to get back to the palace as soon as possible. He looked around the room and saw that the small group of customers had moved closer to them to see what was going on. Everyone, move back, he said. Im reopening my travel ability and its not safe unless you are being protected by me. Im sure you felt the pressure. With those words, everyone went back to their corners and the edge of the sales floor, but nobody chose to leave the shop. They may have been scared, but what was happening was too exciting to watch to not seeeven if it was scary and intense. Derek quickly opened the portal connected to Void Travel before lightly grabbing Sabrina on her shoulder and placing his other hand in between her shoulder bladesthe method hed figured out was the easiest for him, and thus, the safest for his passenger. With one last look to the side, he smiled. Bronson, it really was nice seeing you again. Bones, keep up the good work. With a thought, Derek used Void Creation and a thick film of void covered the dukes daughter and future queen of Indaria. With his smile even bigger, he moved them into the tunnel and closed it behind them. He couldnt wait to see her reaction to the news. Chapter 389: Of Course Chapter 389: Of Course Derek stepped out of the void, carrying a crimson-faced Sabrina. In front of them, Ryven, Edwin, Adviser Musgrave, and Sabrinas maid, Jessica, waited in anticipationRyven already had a stern look on his face. With a shake of his head, barely believing where and how he found Sabrina and Elouise, Derek let go of the soon to be queen and closed the void tunnel once again. Sabrina! Ryven spoke loudly to his daughter. Where have you been? You were sent here those days ago to get acquainted with your possible betrothed, yet we return and find that youve been missing all that time. What were you thinking? Did you not meet a single person during this time? I the blushing elf started, but couldnt seem to find any words as she tried to look back at Derek. Dont look at him, daughter. I asked you a question, and you will answer me, Ryven commanded. I let your childish behavior slide before, but now, with such an important task, you must grow up. No more embarrassing your uncle or meor the kingdom. You must do your duty. Father I Im sorry, Sabrina finally pulled herself together enough to speak. Even with all that time I spent here in Cydaria before, I never truly got to experience the kingdomespecially with a friend. Elouise and I were mere acquaintances then, but now we have become good friends. Ive not known what it is like to explore a city or kingdom with a friend, so I thought to do so before I married. Speaking of your friend, Edwin cut in. May I ask where my daughter is? Half of the question was directed at Sabrina, but the other half was to Derek. He had, after all, gone to get the two of them, yet only returned with Sabrina and showed no intent on going back. Oh, I figured she wasnt as needed as Sabrina was, so I left her with Sabrinas items at my shop where I found them. Shes a princess, so I guessed that she wouldnt have any problem getting back, Derek replied. Besides, its better that way, as I dont know what kind of items they may have been carrying, and I would rather not leave them at my shop. Your shop? Edwin asked. Why would they be at your shop? As Edwin asked, Derek saw Ryvens own stern face began to turn a shade of redone most likely from either shame or embarrassment. Sabrina! Still, with this? Ryven asked. You have gotten your answer and you need to move on. After, Ryven looked past his daughter and at Derek. Derek I am sorry for my daughters continued infatuation with you. Please accept my apology. Whatever, Derek said with a shrug. Its only a minor inconvenience. Honestly, Im kind of used to her light stalking by now. Though, shes gotten a bit more daring since the times when she used to look at my shop from the distance. To think I found her inside this time. Truly brave. Sabrina! Apologize to this man. Its fine, Derek said. Like I said, its nothing but a minor inconveniencemuch less of an inconvenience than taxiing everyone around all the time. You better not get used to that, either. Once all this wedding stuff is finished and the kingdoms are united youll be traveling the old-fashioned way again. No more free lifts. Either that, or Im going to have to start charging you. And Im not cheap. Just look at Astruss treasury. They surely know how expensive I am by now. He thought, but didnt say out loud. Thats Ryven started. Very well. I will drop the matter. And thank you for all your help. Your traveling skill does make this entire process go much smoother. Derek only nodded in affirmation and chose not to reply. The duke then focused his attention back on his daughter. Sabrina, we have come back here with a slight change of plans. Yeah Derek thought. A slight change of plans. Instead of just marrying someone for the unity of two kingdoms and it only being for show shes going to be marrying for three kingdoms and become a queen of the third one. Just a slight change of plans. Im sure there will be no problems with that. A change of plans? Sabrina asked with worry. What does that mean? Am I no longer getting married? Oh, no. No, no, no, Ryven held his hands up to calm his daughter down some. Thats not it. Actually, you will be getting married sooner than we originally planned. After that, he went on to explain to Sabrinaalong with Phillip and Jessica, who were also in the roomwhat had gone on and their solution. M-me? Queen? Sabrina stuttered. I I I dont think I could do that. I wouldnt make a good queen. First of all, I would like to know if there is a person you fancy, Robert? Edwin asked. Before Robert could answer, the young woman behind them snorted out loud before her eyes widened and she hurried to cover her face. Actually, Roberts mother had done the same, yet was much better at hiding it. No, Granduncle, Robert answered. There is nobody. Good! Very good! Edwin smiled. That makes this next question easier. Would you be willing to marry for a more political purpose? One that would greatly help me and the kingdom? Yes! Of course he would! The woman to the side couldnt contain herself and answered for her son. She looked to have no problem letting her feelings known or carrying on formallyespecially with the prospect of gaining a daughter-in-law. Of course, Edwin. Robert would be more than happy with an arranged marriage. She seemed thrilled at the prospect. I could finally get some grandchildren! Beside Ryven, Sabrinas face turned red again. Do you also feel this way? Edwin asked Robert directly. I cant say that I am as excited as my mother, but it has always been my plan for an arranged marriage. As long as the marriage is helpful to my family and doesnt limit my freedom too much, I am willing. Great! Edwin said. He just completely ignored the freedom thing, Derek thought. Sabrina! Edwin gestured to the elven woman to step forward, and she did. Let me introduce the two of you. This is Robert Cydaria, my Grandnephew. With him are his parents, Hector and Ainsley, and his sister Juliette. To her credit, Sabrina bowed properly and said, It is a pleasure to meet you all. Robert, may I introduce to you Sabrina Elrasthe daughter of Duke Ryven Elras and the niece of the King Osian Elras of Indria. With her is her father, Edwin finished the introductions and Ryven came forward to stand beside his daughter. After that, Derek, for the third time that day, listened to everyone receive all the information about the marriage and why. However, when Robert heard that he was to become king, his only question was to whether or not it would interfere in his training. Of course not, Edwin said. In fact, you will have even more control. You will, of course, always have guards with you, but you will also have access to many training aids and resources than you would normally. And most of all, you will have access to all the dungeons in the three kingdoms. I just ask that you also properly do your job as king as well. In that case, I accept, Robert said. As long as Ms. Elras is willing. Sabrina glanced over at Derek one more time, and Ryven pinched her on her back. She jumped slightly, but then smiled deeply. Of course I accept, she said. Actually, I cant wait. Oh, this is so exciting, Ainsley said from the side. And shes so beautiful. Come, come. The older woman walked forward and took Sabrina by the arm. There is much for us to discuss and so little time. Whew Derek thought. Glad I dodged that bullet. I dont know what would have been worse. A marriage to Sabrina or in-laws. Chapter 390: Silvi’s Initiative Chapter 390: Silvi¡¯s Initiative Derek watched Sabrinas future mother-in-law drag her out of the Throne Roomher maid, Jessica, trailed behind, and Elouise soon followed. Soon enough, it was just the men left in the room. Well Ive done my part, he thought. Okay, I have things to do, Derek said. Ill come back to get you one last time for free if the teleporters arent connected by the time you need them. Make sure youre all ready by then. Who knows how long that he pointed at where Sabrina and the others had just gone. Is going to take. After that, he looked at the young man whom hed just met. Robert, you have my condol congratulations. Without waiting for anyone to reply, and to the shock of the two arrivals who hadnt yet met Derek, he opened the void with Void Travelwhich caused the new arrivals to go paleand exited the palace. His destination was back to Astrus now that there wasnt anything he needed to do for some timespecifically to get his items off of Alanah. He soon found himself back in the Astrus Throne Room, surrounded by everyone who had stayedwell, everyone aside from Silvi. To his surprise, he didnt see his companion around, and when he tried to send her a message or find her through their bond, he couldnt reach her. All he could do was get a general sense of where she was. The only time that ever happened was when the two of them were very far away from one another. As he looked around, everyone looked back at him with different emotions in their gazes. Edgar was sitting at the end of a table and snickering, while Edward just sighed and shook his head. In the corner of the room, Tyler seemed to have found something extremely interesting on the ground and he was doing his best to stare a hole into it, and his sister glared at Derek. Well, it didnt take them long to learn that I went ahead and received my rewards for a job well done, he thought as he shrugged and looked over at Alanah. Where did Silvi go? I thought she would still be here with you. Alanah, Osian, and Marrick were the only ones in the room who didnt seem to care about the treasury one way or another. Marrick was Marrick and most likely because of his age and experience, it seemed to take a lot for him to become interested in things, Osian knew that what Derek did in Astrus didnt concern him one bithe actually looked more relieved than anything. I bet that hes just happy I didnt decide to do my exploring in his palace instead of this one. Alanah, on the other hand, was the first to find out long before the othersshe hadnt even been suspicious, she just knew. She left Alanah replied with a shake of her head. She left? Derek asked. Where did she go? What exactly happened? Shes not exactly the type to take initiative to go do something unless it concerns cooking. Wait, it concerns cooking, doesnt it? With that question, he saw a couple of the elves Osian had brought with him wince. He hadnt bothered to learn their names. Well Alanah started. She told me she was bored. Then, later on she asked me what a wedding was. It seemed that she hadnt been paying much attention to anything. Derek snorted. Thats definitely Silvi for you, he thought. Shes been here the whole time, and never once actually learned what the wedding they were planning was. And what did you tell her? I told her what it was, and that it was going to be a big celebration between the kingdoms, and how important it was going to be, Alanah explained. And she didnt care. At least, she didnt care until I told her about all the food that needed to be prepared for it. That seemed to have gotten her attention.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) She said that the Crown should definitely still make all the food it could, but she was going to do so, too, Alanah replied. I see Derek said with a laugh. I would be worried if she turned down the Crown making food, too. She would never do such a thing. The more food, the better when it comes to her. That seems to be the case Derek was glad that Silvi had done all the guesswork in making storage rings transportable through Void Travel. It would make his current plans much easier. Still, her Void Creation skill worked a bit different than his did, so he would need to do a test of his own to make sure it worked the same. You still have my storage items, right? Derek asked Alanah. Silvi didnt take them, did she? No, she didnt. Alanah reached into one of her pockets and pulled out Dereks storage rings. Then, with a flip of her wrist, his storage bracelet appeared in her hands as well. Did you know that you can store this storage bracelet inside a storage ring? Ive never heard of such a thing. Usually, the Great System wont even let you try. Ive saw crafters try to force it, but usually, the space gets unstable and you end up losing everything. Ive never tried it, Derek said. But, I store rings in it pretty often, so I guess it makes sense that it works the other way around, too. He showed this by waving his hand and causing one of the rings hed just gotten back to disappear into his bracelet. Then, he thought of something, and tried to store his bracelet in a storage ring, but it wouldnt go. It doesnt seem to work if theres a ring stored inside the bracelet, he said. How peculiar, Alanah said. Still, its amazing that you have something that works like that. Alanah wasnt the only person who seemed to feel that way, either. Some of the others looked at his bracelet in envy. Hed been pretty mum about it in the past, but now, he was strong enough not to have to worry about people finding out. Derek nodded, then handed all but one storage ring back to Alanah. The storage ring he kept was one hed used to store a lot of the dragon materials in, and since hed given all that to Malorie, it was almost completely emptyespecially since anything of importance, he kept in his bracelet. He did make sure to transfer over some food and a couple of regular healing potions, though. Since he never closed his tunnel, he went ahead and used his Void Creation skill to cover his hand, which was wearing the ring. Actually, thinking about what Alanah said about Silvi, Derek, instead of just covering the ring and his hand, formed a thin layer of void through his skill, and went ahead and wrapped the ring three times. It would completely seal off the ring from everything that way. Maybe the pots on top of pots did actually matter. With the ring wrapped, Derek stepped inside the tunnel. He then moved around a bit, and chose to stay inside for a few minutes, too. Then he walked back out. Examining the contents of the ring once he was out, he smiled when he saw that everything looked good. Still, to make sure, he took a sandwich out and ate it. It was perfectly fine, with no weird tastes or anything. It was as impeccable as a sandwich could be. Great! Derek said, and took the rest of his items from Alanah. He made sure to store all his rings inside his bracelet, too. In that case, he said to everyone in the roomeveryone who had surprisingly not mentioned anything about the treasury since he returned. I guess they understand the need for the reward after all Ive done either that or they just know better. Besides, its not like I didnt tell Edgar about it after the first fight I joined. Ill see you all at the wedding. Chapter 391: Stop Scaring Customers Chapter 391: Stop Scaring Customers Derek stepped out of his portal into the lobby of his shop. This time, he wasnt there for any specific reasonhe didnt have to fetch a couple of immature royalshe was there for himself. He couldnt remember the last time he was able to rest by doing more than just meditating. So, with the few days until the wedding, he planned on doing just thatresting. He breathed a sigh of relief when his foot touched the floor of his shop. After that, he closed the portal behind him and looked around. It hadnt been too long since he was there last to pick up Sabrina, but it seemed the shop had been very busy at that time. Now, it had mostly cleared outthere was only a couple cowering around instead of entire parties of people. I like that the skill is really intimidating when I use it, but sometimes, it would be nice if it didnt give off such a dreadful aura. Its one thing to scare the piss out of my enemies or people like Edward, but its different when the people are possible customers, he thought to himself as he thought about what to say. Its okay, he finally said to the couple of people huddled up around a shelf of what looked like low to mid-tier swords. The two workers hed seen before were in the lobby, too, but they were staring at him from behind the sales counter. The skill just puts off a stupidly intense aura. Theres no actual danger from it. Unless you happen to stumble inside without protection The couple soon looked at each other and seemed to decide that Derek was telling the truth. They both nodded and stood back up before looking at one of the swords. However, it didnt seem like hed done enough to assure them, as they soon decided that they didnt want anything in the shop and scurried out. Derek watched the door swing closed behind them, and he shrugged with a sigh. I wish you two would stop scaring customers, Derek heard Malorie say from the doorway to the back rooms and stairs. First you come and make a commotioncausing everyone to realize that the princess was the hooded figure. That was finein fact, it was good for business. Now rumors are going to spread that Princess Elouise was caught shopping at the Void Emporium. So, theres nothing wrong, then? Derek said with a smile. I wasnt finished, Malorie rebuked. Not long after that, Silvi appears with a giant pot hovering over her head. You know how scary that feeling that comes with that portal is. It chased out another number of customers, but she came back during peak hours, so dozens of people fled. Then, you appeared again, and you saw what happened. If youre going to use that thing to come back, you should do it either in your room, an office, or in the basement. I guess I should have thought of that, Derek smiled an embarrassed smile and rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. I almost went to the basement, actually. But I didnt want to disturb Brandi if she was in the middle of crafting something. Hmm then just use Rudys office or your room. I already reprimanded Silvi. Shell be teleporting directly into the kitchen from now on. Ill try, Derek said. I think I can be that accurate. So, why are you back again? Malorie asked. Did you forget something or someone? Nope, Derek replied with a smile. I am tired. I think Im going to go upstairs and sleep for three days straight. There hasnt been much time to rest since I got out of the raid, and there wasnt a whole lot of resting in there, eitherwell, I guess I could have, but I mostly meditated. And, Im sure you know, Meditation is not the perfect replacement for actual sleep. I wish you would tell Brandi that, Malorie said. From what he had learned about Vallum, they were a nose down kind of kingdom. Other than trade, they stayed to themselves in their own little crafting world. They were completely neutral to everyone and everything. After the wedding, he truly believed he would have done everything he could for those under him. Thomas could focus on his studies at the academy, Jacks and Raynaand now even Bones and Ogrecould dungeon dive to their hearts content, and Brandi, Mal, and Rudy could do what they needed to. I may have to visit the Assassins Guild because of Bones and Ogre, though. So, Malorie said, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. Youre saying we arent strong enough? That were too weak to even go to a wedding celebration? Well not necessarily, Derek balked, and Malorie looked at him sternly. Well, yes. I know, Malorie said with a smile. I was just joking with you. Thats why youve helped us so much as it is, so we can become strong enough on our own in whatever field or craft we choose. And that is why youre the manager and I pay you the big bucks! Derek replied. Uh what do I pay you again? Pretty much whatever I want, Malorie replied. Which isnt a lot because Ive been so damn busy. Makes sense, Derek said. You should give yourself a bonus. Maybe buy a new pair of shoes or some skills or something. Im sure you could find something you want. Oh, dont worry. I plan on taking a nice vacation just as soon as everything settles down, Malorie said. The two kids, Dina and Lance, do a pretty good job. Theyd be able to run the shop for a few days by themselves. And with the way Bones is progressing in such a short time, hell be able to take care of everything else. Derek took a quick glance behind him at the two workers that Malorie had hired before. They were doing their best impressions of being statues behind the sales counter close to the door. Finally, he turned back and laughed. Thats good. Im happy that you found some good employees, and Im glad that Bones is doing well. I really wasnt sure when I first decided to What do I say? Take them in? Keep them? They arent pets Allow them to live and employ them? Malorie finished what he was trying to say. Yes, that, Derek said. During their short talk, Derek had seen both Jacks and Bones appear for a moment, then disappear once they realized that they werent needed. Well, if you dont mind, there is a shower and bed upstairs with my name on them. I need to crash. Go ahead. Malorie nodded, then stepped to the side so Derek could get past her. As he walked through the hall to the stairs, he heard his manager from in the distance. You two, stop acting so stiff when Mr. Hunt is here. Hes not going to do anything to harm you. Hes a good man who just happens to have some scary skills. And the same is true with Silvi. If you pet her and give her scratches, shes not going to kill you. She enjoys it. And another thing Derek turned and made his way up the stairs as Malories voice got quieter and quieter until, finally, he could no longer hear her. Finally, he made his way to his bathroom, where he was able to have one of the greatest showers of his life because of how hot and pressurized the shower runes could make the water. Theres just something about the Cleaning skill that just doesnt cut it. Nothing beats a nice hot shower. Tossing all his previous gear inside his storage ring after drying off, he threw on one of his remaining pair of shorts and headed to his room to sleep. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out. It had been a long couple of months. Chapter 392: Singed Chapter 392: Singed Derek couldnt respect Malorie any more than he already did, but if he could, it would be because she was able to keep anyone from interrupting his beauty sleep. In the days that he spent doing absolutely nothing except for sleeping, eating prepared food he still had left from Silvi in his room, and occasionally having to get up to go to the restroom, nobody bothered him. Once, on his way back to his bedroom, he saw Jacks going to his own, but the man did nothing but nod in his direction and carry on. It was obvious to him that Malorie had given everyone some type of command, or at least a stern talking to. Hed actually gone to bed expecting to be bothered about something, or at least expecting Brandi to visit, but not even she had. Needless to say, Dereks mental fatigue was lessened greatly after all the sleep hed received. That was one of the most amazing things about being part of a system and having high statshe never had to worry about feeling crappy after waking up from too long of a sleep. That just didnt happen anymore. With his stats and everything, he reckoned he could sleep for days or even weeks and just wake up feeling refreshed. He was no longer jealous of Alanah getting her hours of sleep after she used her odd transformation. Though, hed never actually exhausted himself so much mentally that he passed outat least not since the system came. If he was talking about pre-system in college, that would be a different story. What young man didnt spend days without sleep because a new game came out at the same time as finals? Derek let out a deep breath and stretched as best as he could while laying in his comfortable bed. Then, he sat up and threw his legs over the side and his feet hit the floor. Okay now that the mental fatigue is mostly gone and my heads clear, I can actually go over what Ive gained recently. It probably wont be too much, but I did have to take care of multiple level 250 soldiers the other day, and the battle with the rest of the army should have given me a decent skill boost. Hed not been in a hurry to go over his new status while everything was happening. All he had done was dismiss the notifications as they appearedand couldnt be bothered to check them out. So, now that he was well rested and not in a big time crunch, he pulled up his stats sheet. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 229 1,942,225,750,050/2,500,000,000,000 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37625 37500 37625 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 1115 1290 1505 1505 1500 1500 71 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown Restaurant) Silvi (Bonded Beast) Stella Brighton (Crown Restaurant) No Proxy (Torith Adventurers Guild) Rudolph Mckinney Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom 1115 1290 1505 1505 1500 1500 Skills Active Void Shift Lv. 18, Advanced Cooking Lv. 10, Advanced Mage Hand Lv. 10, Advanced Telekinesis Lv. 7, Battle Chef Knife Mastery Lv. 9, Charge Lv. 18, Chop Lv. 11, Cleaning Lv. 16, Cook What You Kill Lv. 1, Cooking Lv. 20, Fire Resistance Lv. 2, Julienne Lv. 4, Magic Resistance Lv. 1, Mental Resistance Lv. 3, Mince Lv. 5, Physical Resistance Lv. 1, Void Creation (Cooking) Lv. N/A, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 14, Mage Hand Lv. 18, Meditation Lv. 18, Telekinesis Lv. 17, Telepathy Lv. 5 Shared Skills from Companion: Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skills Shared to Companion: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 10 Available Skills to Share: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Battle Chef Knife Mastery Lv. 9, Chop Lv. 10, Cook What You Kill Lv. 1, Julienne Lv. 4, Mince Lv. 5, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 10 Whew Derek let out a breath. It had been a while since he looked over his companions stats. She definitely hadnt been slouchingespecially in her cooking. He couldnt remember where everything was last time he checked, but he was proud that her Meditation was drawing closer and closer to Greater Meditation, and he knew for sure that her Active Void Shift, Charge, and Chop skills had advanced greatly. I only wish we could share skills with each other beyond the level 10 cap. It also looked like she had already learned all the resistance skills she had gotten from the treasurynot only that, but he could tell that shed spoken to Alanah, as her Metal Resistance skill was already leveled to 3. Also, her Fire Resistance skill leveled, too. I bet that comes with the territory of cooking. Of course, her stats were still identical to his own. Derek sighed and dismissed all the status windows. Finally, with a flick of his wrist, the three skill scrolls that hed chosen for himself appeared in his hands. With a thought, he learned all three: Whirlwind Slash, Powerstride, and Fire Resistance. After learning the skills, he viewed them in their entirety. Whirlwind Slash Your slash creates an arc attack 360 degrees around you, damaging enemies up to 3 feet away, causing damage up to 30% of your normal attack. Level the skill to increase damage and range and reduce the cost and cooldown. Cost: 3500 Mana Cooldown: 5 Minutes Whirlwind Slash had a long way to go to catch up to his Sweeping Slash skill. The mana cost was trivial for both skillsat least to Derek. While his new skill cost 3500 mana, and Sweeping Slash cost 130 mana at level 20, it didnt matter to him at all. What he wanted was the increased damage and range, and the decreased cooldown. Sweeping Slash had a cooldown of only 30 seconds at level 20, so he hoped Whirlwind Slash would eventually get there as well. The same was true of its damage and range. Sweeping Slash went as far as 30 feet with 100% power, and when he channeled the void with it, the void energy went even further than that. He hoped that the same would remain true for his new skill. Next, he checked out Powerstride. Powerstride By channeling your strength and mana directly into your legs, you are able to cover a great distance in an instant. Distance covered is based on mana channeled. Continue leveling the skill increase distance and lower mana cost and increase amount of mana channeled allowed. Cost: 3500 + Mana Channeled Just like with Void Steps, the skill didnt have a cooldown. However, even with his giant pool of mana, he would only be able to use the skill ten times in a row before it ran outand that depended on how much mana he channeled into his legs. Of course, that was at level one. He was sure the cost would greatly decrease as he leveled it. He was anxious to see how far he could travel. It was the first skill that hed obtained that required a cost and channeled mana. Thats why it doesnt say the exact distance. I bet purity of mana from intelligence also plays a role in it, too. After dismissing those two skills, he checked the Fire Resistance skill, too. It was nothing specialworking the exact same as Magic Resistance, except with just a single element. He dismissed the skill. Finally standing up, Derek stretched one last time before heading out of his room and into his bathroom for one last shower before he had to go. It was a nice few days, and he hated that he had to leave so soon, but he didthey wanted the wedding to happen quick, and it would. After his shower, Derek dressed in his best black t-shirt and his pair of jeans with the least amount of holes in them. He wanted to look proper if he was going to a wedding. His boots still stuck out like a sore thumb with the flowing star pattern on them, but he wasnt about to not wear them after seeing what the skill infused into them could do. It was an army destroyer, after allthe perfect big weapon. Finally, he headed downstairs and into the basement to check on Brandi. When he got there, it was the first time in a long time that hed arrived when she wasnt in the middle of creating something. Instead, she was leaning against the wall while dressed in a pair of coveralls, and with her goggles resting on her forehead while she downed a container of water. Uhem, Derek cleared his throat to get her attention. Brandi looked over, then, after seeing who it was, quickly made her way to him. Youre finally out of your room! she said excitedly. Mom wouldnt let me see you. She said you needed rest and that I would be a bother. I told her you wouldnt care but she still said no. Haha, Derek laughed and ruffled the girls hair. She was just looking out for me. So you have to go to a wedding? Brandi asked. Mom told me all about it. Yup, Derek replied. But I wanted to give you something before I left. With a flick of his wrist, the Fire Resistance skill scroll appeared in his hand and he handed it to the young smith, who took it. This Brandi smiled wearily and handed it back to Derek. I already have this skill. You should give it to someone else. Its a good skill. Oh I didnt know. Did Mal buy it for you? Derek asked. No Brandi looked down at her feet and her face turned a shade of red. Remember how I kept burning off my eyebrows? she asked, and Derek nodded. After the tenth time you accidentally explode yourself and the project youre working on you get an Achievement that comes with that skill. Its called Singed. Derek couldnt help it. He fell into a laughing fit, and Brandi looked at him with a scrunched-up face. I Im sorry. Its not funny its not funny. He tried to stop laughing, but failed. Okay its a little funny. Hmph Brandi snorted. Thats why I didnt want to tell anyone. Well, I want to know more, Derek said when he finally calmed down. And when I get back from this wedding, youre going to tell me all about it. With that, Derek gave her another quick pat on the head and left. He was sure everyone was waiting for him at the palace. System Universe Book 5 is out today! System Universe Book 5 is out today! Hey everyone! After a six month wait, its finally time for my fifth book in the System Universe series! Today marks the launch of System Universe Book 5: System Interference. Its now available through Amazons Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, Paperback, and Audible (narrated by Adam Verner). Valentines Day has been a pretty good day for me when it comes to releases, so heres hoping for another good one! I mean what better gift for Valentines Day than a book? Available through these links: Ebook: /amazon/B0CDJ566WS Audible: /pd/System-Interference-Audiobook/B0CSGCSTKV Now, as for how people can support the release, there are a couple things, if you were here for the last announcement, you already know this: Not only was a trial dungeon rare and virtually non-existent in raids, but the entire dungeon was also under a time dilationcausing the time inside the dungeon to pass at a different speed than the time outside. Now, with two trials completed and another team working on a third, Derek was able to take time to focus on his own Class Upgrade. But after initiating it, he ran into a new problemthe Great System seemed unable to help and thus requested assistance. With another possible system in play, will it be a one-time assistance? Or will it stick around? If it does stick around, will it help or cause problems? And most importantly, what happened to Silvis cookies? Did they burn, or was Malorie able to save them in time? Find out in the fifth installment of Dereks journey in the System Universe. Join him and his companions as they adventure in this unique combination of the LitRPG, Isekai, and Slice of Life genres. I want to thank everyone who read and continue to read the series, and those who left me kind reviews and messages. You are all awesome! And as always, Thanks for reading! Chapter 393: Kennel Chapter 393: Kennel As Derek walked out the front door of his shop, he couldnt help but chuckle again at Brandi. The girl had been working so hard that shed exploded herself numerous times. I wonder how long ago she got that Achievement? He thought. And how many more times has she accidentally exploded herself since then? That Achievement seems easy to obtain, but, if it only counts for accidental explosions, it would be much harder than it seems. Im sure the system can detect whether something is an accident or not. Derek took his time as he walked through Savannah. There wasnt exactly a set time that he needed to be back, but he figured by now, if they werent already waiting for him, they would be getting close. He was sure that those that were in Astrus were well informed and prepared for everything that was to come. In fact, they were most likely only waiting on the teleporters to all be linkedhowever it was that they would accomplish that he didnt know much about runes or teleporters. Actually Derek stopped and turned around. They can wait for a little longer. For the next couple of seconds, he climbed into the air with his Void Stepit was very frowned upon in the city, but he figured hed get a pass. After that, he positioned himself in the direction he wanted to go, then activated his new movement skill to see how well it paired with Void Steps. With the skills activation, Derek felt the swift surge of mana flood through his body and into his lower limbs. His muscles tensed as it felt like they grew larger. With a breath, he stepped forward. The surroundings blurred as Derek moved through the air at a higher speed than ever before. The instantaneous travel from using Void Shift or Active Void Shift was nothing like what he was currently experiencing. With the speed he was moving in a single step came extreme disorientation. Because Derek was used to moving based only on his on physical stats or with his instantaneous skills, he wasnt ready for how his new skill was going to feel. Also, he imagined that the usual person wouldnt be able to flood the skill with as much mana as he did with it being such a low level. He had maxed out the allowed mana in his first use of the skill. As fast as the movement started, it stopped. Derek had to catch himself from falling to the ground by finding a ripple in the void to step onto. With the end of the skill, the pressure disappeared from his legs, and he was left with a tingling sensation. With that much mana put into the skill, its going to be a while until I am able to control it well, he thought. The disorientation that Derek felt had instantly subsided the moment the skill stopped, and he believed that the next time he activated the skill, there would be even less disorientationif any. Itll be best to start smallmaybe half of the mana that I just usedthen work my way up. He had thought the skill was going to come just as naturally to him as Silvis Active Void Shift, but he had been wrong. I wonder if that has to do with the nature of the skills, or if it has something to do with my affinity for the void. After a few more thoughts about his new skill, Derek turned and looked back. He wasnt the greatest judge of distance, but with the single use of the skill, he was well outside of Savannah in mere secondsif that. Not bad, Derek thought. This skill will definitely come in useful, especially once I get it leveled and am able to use it all the time without having to wait for my mana to regenerate. Both the cost of the skill and the extra cost from the mana he channeled had eaten up a large portion of his mana pool. Luckily for Derek, he had Greater Meditation and a huge mana pool to compensate for his use of the skill. With the amount of mana he just used, it had depleted his mana pool by a bit over twenty percent. With that, he would only be able to use the skill five times before he had to either drink a potion or wait for Greater Meditation and his natural regeneration to refill his tankswhich wouldnt take too terribly long. Okay, lets see if I can get the hang of this a little bit, Derek thought as he activated the skill once again, this time without pouring as much mana as possible into it. Not long later, and after learning to use his new skill easily at around fifty percent, Derek reached his destination. As he stood in the air with Void Steps, he looked down. Tyron had been busy. In the time that theyd been gone, Tyron and Rockywho had been left babysitting the remaining wyvernhad built something of a stable for dragons. The area looked like the perfect place for the dragonkin. How did Derek know that it would be the perfect place for the dragonkin? Well, he knew because they were already there. It seemed like Avery or Lyra had taken it upon themselves to fly the dragonkin back since they were no longer needed and would just cause a ruckus if they stayed in Astrus. Derek looked around and was unable to see any sign of Avery, but Lyra was coiled on the ground just outside of the new dragon kennel. Hey, Lyra! Derek called out with his Telepathy skill to the resting amphithere. She had already spotted him and raised her head slightly, so he wasnt worried that she was sleeping. I didnt know you were coming back. What happened? Wheres Avery? I thought it better to bring the kin back here than have them there when all the festivities began, Lyra sent back. Avery and his mistress are she raised her head higher and turned it in the direction facing the capital. They are back in the capital since last night. It seems that the teleportation between cities that everyone was so worried about has been completed. Huh, Derek sent. I wonder why they didnt contact me. Judging from Averys and Alanahs condition, the lower-pitched feminine voice of the winged serpent sounded in his head. I imagine the two of them are taking this time to rest and recover. Did you not do the same? You are looking much less ragged than the last time we spoke. Ragged? Was I looking ragged? Derek thought to himself. Well, I was wearing my armor with the knee out of it, and I could imagine the bags under my eyes from exhaustion, if not sleepiness. I never looked into a mirror, but I guess I could see myself looking ragged. I did, he replied to Lyra. You should, too. It is what I am doing, she replied. Oh right, Derek said. What about all of this? he gestured with his hands at the massive area that was now home to his remaining dragonkin. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. A quick check of his health pool showed that the attack had knocked him down over fifteen percent. It took over 6,000 health points away from him. Wow, Derek said. That was at half power? It was, Lyra replied. You received the attack surprisingly wellespecially for what Avery would call a kill shot. That was your kill shot? Derek asked. What exactly does it do? It renders the target dead most of the time. It is my Psionic Surge ability. I do not use it often, as I do not enjoy killing. It is a skill that assaults the mind with raw mental poweroverloading it. You withstood it quite well. Congratulations on not being dead. Hahaha, Derek laughed out loud. He thought that the ability that Lyra was going to use would be some controlling ability, not pure attack ability. But his stats held strong, and he was already almost healed from the attack. On top of that, he gained a whopping two levels in his Mental Resistance skill, raising it all the way to level 7and that was truly what mattered. Thanks for that. How often can you do that? Once every six hours, Lyra replied with no hesitation to reveal the truth. Im sure that the skill is almost instantaneously deadly to most creatures you fight, Derek said. Fifteen percent of his health may not seem like a lot, but that was with his vitality, endurance, intelligence, and wisdom, all at 1500 points or greater. He felt like it was even more damage than one of Averys Drill Shots through his chest would do to him, and hed seen that skill kill many times before. It is, Lyra said straightforwardly. It would be better if I focused on leveling it, but as I said, I do not enjoy killing. Well, thanks for the enlightenment, Derek said. Im going to go check out this dragon kennel, then head to the capital. Take care. In reply, Lyra only lowered her head and rested it back on her body. For the next half hour, Derek looked over the place that Tyron had made for the dragonkin. It really was nice. Each dragonkin had its own stable, and the stable was made out of an obsidian-like material that Derek wished he could have built his shop with. As Lyra said, there were many of the same runes on the stables that hed seen when in Natalies dungeon before. Tyron seemed to be so sure of his work that hed taken the muzzle off of the wyvern, as well. I guess with all the dampening runes and whatever those other ones are, it doesnt really matter how strong the wyvern is, Derek thought. After that, he met the Beast Master that was taking care of the place. Her name was Lindsay, and it seemed like shed want to work there even if she wasnt being paid. Its truly an honor to help take care of such magnificent beasts, she said. Well, thanks for your help, Derek replied. After that interaction, he made a little more small-talk before he was interrupted by his storage braceletspecifically the red communication crystal inside it. It was Alanah. Hey Alanah, whats up? he answered. Im surprised that you arent surprised that Im contacting you, Alanah said from the other side. I just finished chatting with Lyra here at the Dragon Kennels, he said. Oh, I see, Alanah replied. Thats good. That means youre already up and out of the house. Were you on the way to the capital? I was. I just wanted to check in on Tyron, but well, you know. In that case. Were at the palace waiting if you still wish to attend the wedding, Alanah said. I do, Derek replied. So they really were already waiting. There was no way in hell he wasnt going to make sure the wedding went off without a hitch after all the effort hed put into it. Ill see you there. Chapter 394: Begin Chapter 394: Begin About an hour and a half later, Derek walked through the front doors of the palace. Instead of using Void Travel, he had just gone back to Savannah and took the regular teleporter to the capital for only a handful of gold. The majority of the time he spent traveling was going through Savannah and waiting for his turn at the Teleportation Building. After he arrived in the capital, he had jumped into the air and made a beeline toward the palace with his new movement ability. Again, it was rude and very frowned upon going through the city like he did, but it was much better than using his ability on the ground while being in crowds of people. After all, he didnt disappear and reappear with Powerstride, he just moved extremely fast. Hed hate to see what would happen if his stat-filled body came into contact with someone else while he was using the skill. Derek was led into the Throne Room right away upon his arrival. Only a few people were there waiting for him. Both Alanah and Avery were there, along with King Edwinthat was it. Is this everyone? Derek asked. It is, Edwin replied. Everyone else has gone on ahead. We thought it best that the bride and groom be given extra time to prepare while in what will become their new homeeven if it is only a few more hours. We decided to wait for you. It took you long enough, Avery said from beside Alanah. Sometimes, its better to take your time and enjoy yourself, Derek replied with a shrug. And did you enjoy yourself? Avery asked. Oh, not at all, Derek said. Spent most of my time getting here waiting in line. Things like that have got to be what hell feels like. Was totally getting some DMV vibes back there. Well now that we have reopened all the Teleportation buildings in the kingdom and declared it safe to use them, there will be quite a bit of congestion until things settle down. Everyone has been stuck in one place while the war was raging, so, now that theres no danger, everyone has flooded the buildings all at once, King Edwin explained. That makes sense, Derek said. So, how many people from each kingdom will be there? I imagine that, since it is taking place in Astrus, they will make up the majority. Will there be a lot of Cydarians going since the teleporters are now working? There will not, Edwin answered. Robert and his family will be there, of course. Of course. But other than them, I have seen to it that it is just us higher ups in the kingdom. Us four, Edward, Edgar, and Elouise. Phillip will stay here to watch over things. I invited Natalie, but she refusedsaying that she wasnt needed for anything and it would be of no value for her to go. Our noble houses are still in quite the mess after the culling, and since the war began so soon after, we werent able to sort through everything. It will be one of the top priorities for meor Edward, actuallyonce things calm down. The one in Icecrest was even more crowded than the one in Savannah that Derek had used. Fortunately, it was all traffic from people coming into the city, and not going out of. It was a kingdom-wide celebration, after all. After they left the teleportation building in Icecrestthe one that was closest to the palace, as Icecrest had multiple teleportation points around the citythey moved to the streets. There, it was standing room only because they were so close to the palace. If Derek was worried that people werent going to have enough time to make it to the capital before, he wasnt anymore. After pushing their way through the crowds, and being hit with some unkind words and a few elbows from angry peoplewhich turned into people with pale faces when Avery got tired of it and let a small portion of his aura trickle out before he was chided by Alanahthey finally made it to the entrance to the palace courtyard. The courtyard was filled with chairs for wedding goers to sit, and a well-decorated platform to hold the ceremony. So all of those who came would be able to see, or at least hear, the ceremony, they had decided that it would take place outside. Currently, the courtyard was clear of peopleaside from the few servants who were putting the finishing touches on the area. With a few words to a guard by Edwin, they were quickly let in and rushed into the palace proper. When a guard opened the double doors to the Great Hall, Derek was instantly able to see that Silvi had been busy. He turned to ask Alanah about it all, but was stopped by the announcement of their arrival. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Derek Hunt, Mr. Avery Swan, Miss Alanah Swan, and the King of Cydaria, Edwin Cydaria, to the celebration! A herald shouted from beside the entrance to the hallgaining everyones attention. Derek couldnt help but feel a bit underdressed in comparison to everyone else. Alanah was wearing a beautiful emerald green dress, and even Avery was wearing a luxurious tunic that looked to be made of a velvet-like material with emerald green trim to match Alanah, along with a nice pair of trousers to complete his outfit. Not just them, but everyone else he could see in the room was wearing something just as extravagant. Derek didnt sweat it, though. At least my boots are better than anything anyone else is wearing. After scanning the crowd, Derek quickly shifted his gaze back to the dozens of long tables adorned with an array of tantalizing dishes. Derek turned to Alanah and asked the question he had been preparing to ask earlier. Did you help with this? he asked in a whisper. Not much, Alanah said. I did have my people prepare dozens of dishes just in case, but it seems that Silvi didnt need any more help than what I gave her. What kind of help did you give her? Derek asked. Surely she couldnt have put it all together in just her kitchen. Its a big kitchen, but its small compared to the amount of food Im seeing. She came back and asked if I could provide her with a kitchen, so I gave her the orders to take to my staff to allow her to use the main kitchen in my restaurant in the capital. She used both her kitchen and that one. According to my staff after I returned, they were very uneasy with the open portal radiating that dread these last days, but they eventually got used to it. Oh, Derek said as he thought about it. Did I feel a portal from Silvi? He couldnt really recall, but he wasnt near as affected by the feeling as everyone else. Maybe I just got used to it. Still, its surprising that she did so much. Its also surprising that she asked for help. I guess when it comes to food and cooking, nothings off limits for her. I just hope that theres not any hidden elf steaks or elf loins among the spread. It is surprising, Alanah agreed. But she did a very good job. Ill have to let her know, Derek said. Then he scanned the crowd, looking for his companion. Finally, he saw her sitting at the head of one of the tables looking smug. Well maybe not. Damn, he thought. Even she dressed for the occasion. When did she find time to get a new cloak? The cloak she was wearing was very similar to the last one, but it looked to be created with a finer material and what looked like a woven collar for her storage rings. And when the hell did she find the time to get that little chefs hat thats covering her horn? Uhem! Derek heard someone clear their throat to gather attention as he was thinking about his companion. He looked up and saw that it was Robert Cydaria. Now that everyone is here, I would like to thank you all for coming. Not far away from Robert, his mother was nodding along with what he said with a smile. Without further ado, if everyone could please follow the staff and take their places outside, we will begin the ceremony. Chapter 395: Cook the Food, Wear the hat Chapter 395: Cook the Food, Wear the hat As Derek was following everyone back outside, he felt the lightweight that could only be Silvi appear on his shoulder. He laughed lightly, as he hoped that she would never change. She was still the number one beast companion in his books. Theyre all stupid, Silvi said to him through their link. Why is that? he asked as they continued to walk. All that food, she answered. Now, its going to get cold. Idiots. Why put everything out, then not eat? Terrible terrible. I imagine they just want everything prepared for when the ceremony is over. You know, so they can get into the celebration faster. Plus, it all looked very good and decorative, Derek said, then, he admitted it. You did a very good job. I know, she replied smugly. Need bigger kitchen. Like Crown one. Alanah told me that you borrowed one of her kitchens, Derek said. I take it you liked it? Mhm. Very good kitchen. Finally, Derek and Silvi made it outside the palace and stepped down to where all the seats were. He looked around, and it seemed like certain people had designated seating areassuch as the families of the bride and groom being up front. It looked like others would be able to sit wherever they wantedwhich was just fine for Derek. As he walked down the center aisle, he passed every row of seats. They were all facing the palace steps where the ceremony would take place. He continued on until he arrived at the final row of seats, then he walked a little further. After moving a bit past the end of the seating area, Derek and Silvi moved to the far left side. After finding the perfect spot, he pulled his own chair out and sat. He did this for multiple reasons. The first and foremost reason was that he wouldnt be caught dead sitting in one of those poor excuses for a chair that Astrus had arranged. At a distant second was the next reasonfrom where he put his own chair, he would be able to see the entire area. He would have a full view of all the guests and the ceremony. If anyone decided to try something, he would see it, and he could stop itdepending on what it was. This looks like as good a spot as any, an old withered voice that Derek could recognize anywhere sounded from beside him. I wasnt sure that you would be coming back here. Im surprised you stayed, Derek said as he waved his hand and another chairalbeit not one as good as the one he was sitting inappeared next to him. I figured that you would have left once the teleporters got connected. I didnt take you for the wedding type. Surely youve already got what you came here for, right? Bahahaha, Marrick laughed at Dereks questions as he hopped into the seat hed been given. You dont see something like this wedding oftenfirst time, even for me. Two people from different kingdoms getting hitched to take over a third kingdom how could I miss that?NewW novels updates at novelhall.com Derek turned to look at the old man and smiled. It seemed that Derek wasnt the only one who didnt dress up formally for the occasion. Marrick was still wearing his long robe, but at least his hood was down this time. You even combed your hair, Derek said. The old man ran his hand through what little hair he had and scoffed. And you finally got rid of that leg armor with the big hole in it. Though Im not sure if your current attire is normal. Interesting pants, though, and that shirt looks comfortable. Always interesting, you are. Oh, you wouldnt believe how comfortable my clothes are, Derek said. I wouldnt be caught dead wearing one of those tunics and pantaloons? Trousers? Whatever theyre called. Id definitely get a robe before wearing any of that shit. Haha, Marrick laughed, but it ended in a light coughing fit. Ugh he shook his head and continued. Robes are niceespecially at my age. Finally, Merrick looked directly into Dereks eyes, and his face turned serious. There is something that I need to ask you about. So young? Fascinating, Marrick said. Id ask to hear your story, but now is neither the time nor the placeand that is if you are even willing to share it. I would not blame you if you wouldnt want to. I dont know if I would, either. Maybe later, Derek said. For now, lets just say that how I obtained my class isnt something that can be replicated, and there is much that I cant speak about. Very understandable. The old man waved his hand. I wasnt looking for tips on getting a Mythic Class, anyway, he shook his head. We cant even replicate legendary classes, and we can barely produce epic classes. Everyones path is different, and I believe that is truly what decides class rarity past epic. So, no, thats not something I would try, or even have my kin try. But a story that can keep me entertained, that is something that I would like to listen to. This need not have anything to do with your class, I am more interested in your story. But yes, it is better left to another time and another place, Marrick continued. Weve a wedding to watch, and perhaps there will be some extra entertainment during the ceremony. Derek saw the old mans hand tighten on his cane. Ah, Derek said. So the truth finally comes out. Thats why you stayed. Oh, you can stop that, Marrick hushed. Is it not the same reason youve come back? The same reason youre sitting back here instead of up front with the other guests of importance? You got me, Derek said and raised his hands. That, and so I could use my own furniture. Did you see those seats they have up there? Purely decorative. Theres not much worse than having to sit in a chair that was made purely for decoration. Used to, I would have argued with you, the old elf said, then he settled himself deeper into the cushion on the chair he was using. But after meeting you, I have to agree. I cant believe I went all those years without thinking about it. Truly makes me wonder what I have been doing with my life. Haha, Derek laughed. Yeah, I cant imagine being your age and having the misfortune of living my life with decorative furniture. Truly, not a life worth living. Thats not something youre supposed to agree with when youre speaking to the elderly, Marrick snorted. Youre supposed to give empty platitudes about how sure you are that our lives were great. But decorative chairs Derek replied slowly. Again, Marrick said. You will introduce me to your chair guy after this ceremony. It is no longer a request. Yes, sir! Derek straighten and half saluted. Geoffrey will be happy to assist you. Im sure of it. Good, good the old man nodded. After that, Derek and Marrick continued their small talk for a while. Derek looked for Alanah or Avery to join them, but it seemed that they had found a pair of seats at the very front, with the rest of the guests of importance. That was good, though. That meant that if anything happened up there, Alanahwho was probably the fastest and definitely one of the strongest people at the ceremonywould be there to stop it. Derek had Void Shift and Active Void Shift, so he would be right behind her. Avery was sitting between Edgar and Alanah, and, by the way hed glanced all the way back to where Derek, Silvi, and Marrick were sitting, he looked a bit envious. It wasnt too much later that the final people were being guided to their designated seats. The seats at the back, which had no designation, had filled up quickly with the non-important people, but it had taken a while for the servants to guide all the others. Where they were seated at such an event looked to be very important for the heads of the noble houses that had chosen to attend the ceremony. Another thing that Derek was about to see as he watched everyone be seated one by one was the amount of people Indria had chosen to send. It looked likesince this was an event that was also meant to mollify his own peopleOsian had chosen to invite many of the top noble houses from his kingdom. Finally, the last person found their seat, and the servants scurried away. Then, from the entrance to the palace, King Edwin and King Osian walked out, side-by-side to begin the ceremony. Chapter 396: Ceremony Chapter 396: Ceremony I would like to thank everyone who has chosen to come to this event, King Edwin began projecting his voice so that everyone could hear him and began speaking as he and King Osian stood side by side on the top of the palace stairs. Both Derek and Marrick had gone quiet and were watching the proceedings intentlyjust in case. Todays ceremony is a monumental event that will change the landscape of our entire continent for generations to come. King Edwin is correct, Osian began his part. Today marks the day that our three kingdoms are united. It will mark the conclusion of the endless tension between our kingdoms, and through this new found peace, all of our kingdoms will prosper. Never in my long life did I think a great day like this would come. Because of the rash decisions made by myself and Astruss previous rulers, I believed that all was lost. The statement caused many in the crowd to begin muttering to one another. Those who were watching and listening from outside the palace courtyard were the loudest. All of the nobles already knew what had happened at this point, but for the regular peoplethe regular citizenseverything had just been pure speculation and rumor. However, Osian began, his voice carrying through all of his surroundings and reaching everyone in the areanear and far. Through the mercy and grace of Cydaria, an opportunity has risenan opportunity that will alter the course of our kingdoms. They have offered us not only mercy, but an alliance forged in unity. The marriage between my niece, Sabrina Elras, and King Edwins nephew, Robert Cydaria, is a union unlike any other in our kingdoms histories. This is a union that will transcend bordersa union that will bridge our nations together. With this marriage, we can hope for a future of peace and prosperity as Robert and Sabrina no as future King Robert and Queen Sabrina begin their rule of Astruswhich will from now on be known as the Kingdom of Indaria! Osian finished his speech and paused, giving the crowd time to applaud. Derek had to say, hed heard Edward give many speeches over the last week, but he preferred the one Osian had just given. It indicated that Cydaria was being merciful to both kingdoms, even though they brought it all on themselves, but he also made it clear that what was happening would be beneficial for all parties involvedhopefully going even further to pacify his own nobles and those of the new Indaria. Thank you, my friend. King Edwin turned to Osian, and the two grasped forearms with each other. After a nod between kings, Edwin turned back to the awaiting crowd and continued. As King Osian has stated, I look forward to my children and their children seeing a peace that lasts long after I have died. For us under the Great System, war and tension have slowed our progress and diminished our numbersI hope that the future generations never have to experience such conflicts between our three kingdoms. Once again, applause rang out from the crowd. Derek still watched closelyscanning the occupied seats over and over to make sure that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. With the ceremony happening so quickly, it had given any conspirators less time to prepare their attacks should they choose to do so. In the back of his mind, Derek still hoped that everything would go off without a hitch, but he also know that the formal investigations hadnt been conducted yet, and that there were surely some noble houses that were hiding things. He also knew that many people who were precious to others had died, and he knew from experience that it wasnt easy to just accept the death of loved ones just like that. So, while Edwin and Osian spoke, he kept watch. Thank you! Edwin half bowed to the crowd, then continued. Now, I am sure that you are all tired of listening to a couple of decrepit old men Edwin looked over at Osian and dramatically rolled his eyes after scanning the elf from top to bottom. Well at least this old man. He muttered, but made sure that all could hear himhe got a light chuckle out of the crowd. Anyway, he said after the laughter died down. Without further ado, let the ceremony begin. With that announcement, Osian moved to the left side of the palace stairs and Edwin moved to the right. Then, a lovely melody began playing, followed by Robert Cydaria walking out beside his father and taking his place between both kings. His father turned and moved to stand behind Edwin, while Robert looked out over the crowd and took a deep breath in, then let it out. Derek could see his hand slightly shaking under the intense stares of all the nobles. The man clenched his fist tightly to stop the shaking. Next, Sabrina walked out from the palace doors being accompanied by Ryven. Again, her father moved to take his place behind Osian, and she stood in the middlenext to Robert. Her eyes wandered the crowd, and soon they fell on Derek, but she quickly adverted them. Now, if I could have you, Sabrina, and you, Robert, each place your hand on the marker on the podium, Callum said, and the two each placed their palm on a part of the podium. Great! Now, if you agree to the terms of the contract, and agree to this marriage, please place your mark into the contract. Sabrina and Robert looked hard at one another for a few seconds, then they both nodded. Soon, each one injected a portion of their mana into the podium, and the pure mana flowed into the contract. The contract rose into the air, then splitone part disappearing into Robert and the other disappearing into Sabrina. Finally, they removed their hands. By the power vested to me as Master Contract Makergiven to me by the Great Systemand the position granted by the Kingdom of Cydaria, I, Callum Taylor, now pronounce you husband and wife. May you find love and happiness in your new journey as one. With that, the crowd erupted, and everyone jumped to their feet. Dereks vigilance hit an all-time high as he thought this would be the perfect opportunity for a strikewhile everyone is celebrating. But soon, the applause died down, and everyone was directed back to their seats by Callum. Thank you for showing your support for the new couple, Callum said. But the ceremony is not over. Today is not only a marriage but also the crowning of a new king and queen. If there are no objections, I will begin. Oh Derek thought. So thats how theyre going to do it, and thats why Callum is doing this. Derek imagined that the contracts for becoming a king and queen of a new nation ought to be much more intensive thanaccording to the mana basic marriage contract. Today marks the day that the new Kingdom of Indaria is formed. With the formation of the kingdom, new rulers must be named. These rulers are the newly wed King Robert and Queen Sabrina. As Master Contract Maker, it is my duty to ensure that Indarias rulers act in the best interest of their kingdom and citizens. As such, I have created soul contracts for each new ruler to sign, Callum informed the audience. Callum pulled out another contract from his storage ring and began. The terms of this soul contract are already known by the couple and have been agreed upon by both Indria and Cydaria. Included in this contract are both the alliance between nationswhich has previously been signed by Cydaria and Indriaand a set of changes that must be made for Indaria to have a more prosperous future. Crown Prince Edward, King Osian, if you would be so kind, Callum said while he once again placed the contract on the middle of the podium in front of him. From the side, Osian stepped forward until he was beside Callum, and Edward stood from his seat in the audience and walked up the stairs to take his own position. Good. Now, if you all agree to the terms as stated before the ceremony, please bind the contract. With that, the four of them all placed their hands on the podium and inject their mana into the contract. Because it was a soul contract, chains arose from it and began their binding. Four chainsone for each personwrapped around them and disappeared into their bodies. Then, the contract split, and a piece of it flew to each person. It was a bit different from the previous soul contract that Derek had seen, but it was also a different contract. This contract also included the alliance and other termssome of which Derek hadnt bothered to learn beforehand. He was sure that Edwin and Edward knew what they were doingespecially now that they had the support of King Osian. Great! Callum, who now looked quite pale, waved his hand and the podium disappeared. He took two steps forward and held his hands out, which were taken by Sabrina and Robert. For the first time as a couple, and rulers of Indaria, I give you, King Robert and Queen Sabrina! Chapter 397: Celebration Chapter 397: Celebration Everyone who was seated jumped to their feet in applause as Callum presented the new King and Queen of Indaria. Behind him, the citizens who were watching from outside the courtyard were much louder than anyone inside. It was a surreal moment for Derekbeing witness to something that had apparently never happened in the history of the continent before. He also stood from his own seat and gave a round of applause while keeping his eyes out for any threats. Callum released the king and queens hands and took a step back toward his podium. After that, he packed it up and disappeared through the entrance of the palace. Osian, Edward, and Edwin then came up to stand beside the newly appointed Royals of Indariawith Edward stepping up in between the two, where Callum had just been standing. Then he took another step forward until he was in front of everyone. Everyone, please! He started speaking while projecting his voice to gather everyones attention. The crowd soon quietened down, however, everyone remained standing. Thank you, nobles and regular citizens alike, for joining us on such a stupendous day. You do not know how much it means to all of us that you came. The crown prince looked over the crowd and nodded slightly. There is one remaining announcement I must make! One for the citizens of Indaria. Everyone looked at one another, but it didnt seem like they knew what else there was. Derek also looked over at Marrick, but the old man just shrugged and continued to look forward. I believe this is something you will all enjoy, Edward said, then continued. As today is cause for celebration, with some rules and regulations, all restaurants in the kingdom will be opened to the public to dine in for free. The nobles ahead of Derek didnt make much noise, but the regular citizens behind him went absolutely crazyeven louder than they had for the announcement of the new king and queen. Well, Derek said to Marrick. You just cant compete with free food. So it seems, Marrick agreed. Naturally, Silvi chimed in. Thats correct! Edward continued in his booming voice. For the remainder of the day, our kingdoms coffers will be footing the bill for all citizens of Indaria. This announcement will be made kingdom wide, so that all may enjoy todays festivities. The rules and regulations of todays festivities will be posted inside each restaurant kingdom wide. Please look out for them and obey. This is a celebration for all, not few. Edward waited a moment before finally yelling, Well? What are you all waiting for? Go celebrate! Damn, Derek said as he turned his head quickly to watch the crowd disperse. Thats one way to get everyone to leave as quickly as possible. Now, Edward continued in a less booming voiceone that only covered the courtyard. For you all, we have made arrangements in the Great Hall for all heads of the noble families and representatives. We have also opened up another dining area for everyone else. This had to be done because, while they could have probably fit everyone into the Great Hall, it would have been very cramped. There were obviously many more people seated outside than Derek had seen when he entered the Great Hall earlier. Many noble heads chose to bring more than just themselves and a representative or two. Some chose to bring whole families to the event. Now, if you would please follow us, Edward said, and everyone began to file back inside the palace. Not long after, Derek found himself as the last person to enter the Great Hall along with everyone else. He had packed up his chairs and followed at the end of the line beside Marrick. He was standing with Silvi on his shoulder and Marrick by his side, at the corner of the room on the same wall as the entrance.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com Oh no! What did they do? he heard Silvi send to him through their link. What are you talking about? Derek asked. Wondering about all that, Derek nodded his head silently. He knew what he would give the couple. Though, with the amount of people going up there right now I think it will be better to wait until things calm down. He wasnt exactly someone who enjoyed standing in line. Derek kept watching as noble after noble walked up to the dais and gave the king and queen gifts. He watched Diana, Finn, and Garrett all follow along with the other nobles. Finally, after watching the show for so long, he saw something. Another noble was lined up behind others, walking toward the dais, just like all others had before, but Derek couldnt help but notice the mans hand. It was shaking slightly, and he kept balling it into and out of a fist. It was then that he recognized the man as the current patriarch of House Ileal and brother of the former Queen of Indria. If I recall correctly, his name was Simeon Ileal. Derek squinted his eyes in concentration and gave the old man beside him a light elbow to the shoulder. I see, Marrick said. Saw it before you. Been watching him all day. If anyone was going to do anything, it was going to be House Ileal. Maybe Ill be able to make good on some of my promise to Traven, after all. Simeon stepped forward, behind another noble. He slowly moved up, one by one. He may just be angry, Derek said. And hes doing that to hold it in. Theres a chance that hes decided to do whats best for his noble house instead of trying to get petty revenge. We can hope, Marrick said. But Im not about to bet on it. Yeah me neither, Derek agreed with the old man as he continued to watch. I imagine he knows that anything he does now is suicide, but that didnt stop his sister. Mhm Marrick muttered. Humans are emotional creatures. And elves arent? Derek scoffed. Did not Young Osian stand down when he knew he had been defeated? Did he not surrender the kingdom over to your people in order to prevent the death of more of his own? And was not his own son killed by your companion? Marrick said. His partnership with Astrus may have been dumb, but his actions afterward were not. Well I guess you have a point, Derek acquiesced. But that could also be because Osian is just like that. It doesnt mean that all elves are like that. A big counterpoint would be Sabrinashe hasnt been very rational in her judgment. Sabrina is still a child, Marrick replied. Honestly, I believe she was still too young and immature to marry, as does her own father. But it was her decision, and it was what would work best with the natural longevity differences between elves and humans. I guess Derek said. He also thought back to when he first met EdwinEdward had been quite emotional with Dereks responses to his father. Derek sighed and continued his observation. It looks like were about to find out. Finally on his turn, Simeon stepped in front of the daisin front of Sabrina and Robert. Derek saw him flick his left wrist, and an item appearedjust as had happened with so many before him. What hadnt happened before, however, was any of the other nobles right hands slowly turning a shade of green at the fingertips. As Simeon presented his gift with his left hand, causing Sabrina to reach out to receive it, his right hand started to spring forward. In that instant, Derek used Void Shift. In the slowed moments from Void Shift, Derek moved and was already centering himself down in front of Sabrinain between her and Simeon. With his feet back on the ground, Derek canceled his ability. As soon as Void Shift ended, three putrid green fingers plunged into his chest as Sabrina let out a screech as an invisible barrier erected by either Ryven or Osian pushed her and Robert backwards. Derek looked down at the hand penetrating through his skin and flesh, and at his shirt being corroded away from whatever acidic toxin the man was using, then back upinto the eyes of Simeon Ileal. Now, why did you have to go and do something like that? Derek asked. That just wasnt very smart. Chapter 398: Estimated Chapter 398: Estimated Derek gazed down at his shirt rapidly disappearing from the corrosive toxin, then, with a sigh, he reached down and ripped the shirt off. Another one down Brandis going to be mad at me over this one. After that, Derek reached out and grabbed Simeon by the forearm so the man wouldnt be able to escape. Though, judging by the mans actions, it didnt look like he would even try. With a quick thought and a flick of his wrist, Derek replaced his current pants with the armor Tyron had made for him. Since he currently had fingers penetrating the outer layer of his chest, he only summoned the pants. Derek glanced up and looked at the pandemonium in the Great Hall. Some nobles were running and screaming, while others fought. Two sections of the massive room were currently filled with a green mist from two men who had exploded themselves with a poison skill. There were three others who tried to do the same, but they had been a split second late on activating their skills, and had been ground into nothingness by Marricks fine sand. The old man still stood off in the corner as if nothing concerned him, but Derek didnt miss the sand moving through the air, creating a makeshift whirlwind to slow the spread of the poison and maybe even try to contain it. Ryven was currently moving Sabrina and Robert away from the action, toward himself and Osian with his invisible barriers, and Osian was watching everything carefully. Derek couldnt tell if the King of Indria was currently doing anything, as, if he was, he was doing so with invisible barriers like his brother. Not very smart? Simeon Ileal spoke. Says the one with my toxin spreading though his entire body. I know what Im doingsmart or not. What you didthrowing your life away for an impostor king and queenwas not very smart. What are you talking about? Derek asked in confusion. Who said I was throwing my life away? Im the one holding onto you. You think some puny little toxin is enough to do shit to me? Man I could tell you a story about a fish and you wouldnt even believe it. He did have to admit, though, the whale that hed fought before had a toxin that was much less potent than what the patriarch of the poison house was emitting. Derek had already activated Greater Meditation to work on offsetting the amount of health he was currently losing. With a flick of his free wrist, a potion appeared in Dereks hand, and he quickly gulped it down. Looking at the scene, Simeon scoffed, Big talk for someone who already had to drink a potion. It was big talk for someone who had to drink a potion. But Derek wasnt going to let this chance to train his skills pass him by. Somebody with the skill of the man before him would surely be a great opponent to level Greater Meditation and maybe even a couple of other skills. So, he had taken the skill potion the first chance hed gotten. So is this it? Derek taunted. He reached down and cast both Cure Toxin and Rejuvenation. The two skills and Greater Meditation were able to fight back visibly against the toxins that the man was emitting. If thats all, Im going to be disappointed. You! The man half-shouted and dug his fingers deeper into Dereks chest, finally hitting his sternum and stopping. Derek saw confusion written on Simeons face as his attack completely lost all momentum when he hit bone. Even the toxin only stayed in his flesh and refused to spread into his sternum. It was one of the perks of having such high endurance, along with an evolution that Derek was still trying to understand. So that was it, Derek sighed. With his jaw clenched, Simeon tensed and Derek watches as the putrid green on his fingers began to spread up his arms. Once it reached his shoulders, it kept going. Soon, the man would be nothing but a walking, putrid ghoul. Getting the sense that this transformation wasnt unlike that which the former King of Astrus had done with his ice, Derek reached to the side quickly and opened up his Void Storage before tossing in all of his storage items and closing it. There was a good chance that something like this would be enough to destroy those items, and Derek didnt want to risk such a thing happening. Next, Derek turned his head and shouted, Osian! Cage! Both of us! But the king hesitated. Just do it! Hed already seen the quick reactions of everyone, and while the poison explosions had hit a few nobles, they were all high-level nobles, and the poison didnt look anywhere near as potent as what Simeon was using. You think this is the only place we attacked? Simeon said with an evil grin. The rest of the nobles families were in a separate celebration. With all the strong gathered in here, who is left to protect the weak? Uh she is? With his free hand, he pointed to the side where a transformed Alanah had appeared minutes ago. At her feet, there was a pile of bodiessome headless, some with gaping holes in their chests, all dead. Derek had wondered where she and Avery had gone off to, but shed been thinking two steps ahead. That the Siren? Simeons garbled voice came out. Yes, Derek said. The Siren. Derek still had a hard time wrapping his head around the actions of the man and his accomplices. Why would you do this? You knew it was suicide. Surely it wasnt because of just the loss of your sister. Tevara and Tyler lost their entire family, yet they were still reasonable in this situation. Youre the patriarch of a noble house. Why lead your house to death like this? We will not serve under usurpers along with all these other traitors! the man spat. Oh, Derek said. So, along with the others that helped you, you did some shady stuff and know that your families arent going to survive the upcoming investigations. Why not try to run or even cross the sea? Thats what we all thought you were going to do. Oaths the man finally spat out after some time. We are bound to the eldest of the Sinclair line. We cannot leave the kingdom with the oaths. So youre saying that because the siblings turned out to be decent people, you couldnt escape? Derek said with wide eyes. Now thats karma if Ive ever heard of it. He laughed as he watched Simeon grow more and more angry. You son of a bitch! the man exploded, then he stepped forward as best as he could. His head and neck stayed pushed against Dereks Absolute Nullify wall, but his body still moved forward a little as his neck stretched. The man wrapped his arms around Derek and squeezed. Lets see you survive this. Dereks eyes widened as the mans body began to swell. There was no telling how much damage Simeon would do at such a distance, and he didnt want to find out. You know, Derek said quickly. With your head still like that, its really hard to miss. Derek raised his hand, and as fast as he could, activated Spatial Collapse. He couldnt see it, but he knew that the small box created by the skill had appeared and was inside the mans head. Simeons swelling had gone all the way from his feet to his waist when he felt it happen. Instantly, the swelling stopped, and the man began to revert back to his original form. Derek let go of his throat and canceled Absolute Nullify, causing the body to fall to the ground with a thud. Simeons eyes were empty and blood flowed from his ears. If that wasnt enough to confirm it, then the notification hed received was. You have killed level 250 Human Toxin Mage 425,600,500,000 Experience Gained Derek dismissed the kill notification and then looked out at the crowd. It was mostly silence at this point. The only noise was the light clang of dishes as Silvi sat eating at a table as far away from the flowing poison and sand that was still permeating the air. The rest of the dishes had disappeared from the tables, as while everyone else was fighting, Silvi took her job as the head chef for the celebration seriously and shifted from dish to dish, storing them all so they wouldnt be contaminated during the fighting. What are you all waiting for? Derek asked the room. The sparring demonstrations are done for the evening. Lets get this all cleaned up and continue with the celebration. Dont think youre getting out of giving gifts just because of a little spat. Chapter 399: Its Good, Right? Chapter 399: It''s Good, Right? The next several minutes in the Great Hall were chaotic as servants rushed in and out as they cleaned the areaeven some of the nobles pitched in with the occasional Cleaning spell here and there. While Marricks way of killing those who attacked left no trace of even blood, many of the other fighters werent so clean. One example was Ryven, who had not taken his daughter being attacked kindly, and went on his own spree. Marricks sand seemed to grind all matter away with how he used it, but when someone was squashed between barriers, it left quite the mess. The other obvious hindrance to resuming the celebration was the poison that still lingered in the air. That was promptly taken care of by a combination of Derek and Osians efforts. Derek recast Absolute Nullify, and Osian was able to direct all the remaining poison into the skill, wiping it away. After that, Marrick chose to do a quick sweep of the area with his sand and sweep up whatever little poison was left into Dereks skill. Finally, after all of that, Silvi was able to begin redistributing her dishes throughout the Great Hall. Smugly, and proudly, she did so by placing everything down how she had originallybefore the servants had stored it all so it would stay fresh. With that, the celebration slowly resumed with an air of hesitation. Everyone was tense, and it seemed like nobody wanted to bring up the matter. There were some nobles who were still visibly shocked at what had happenedthey had been close with some of the attackers, and couldnt believe that it was their close friends who were part of the conspirators. Derek could understand their feelings. It wasnt something hed ever experienced himselfas ever since the system appeared, hed kept all his acquaintances at arms length until he arrived in Cydariabut he could imagine what it would feel like if someone like Alanah or Edgar turned out to be people who were totally different than they represented themselves to him. Seeing that everyone was still so on edge, Derek finally decided to take the first step in making it a proper celebration again. That first step was to present his own gifts to the newlywed couple, who had hesitantly taken their place back on the dais. Just in case the attacks werent over, or something else entirely happened, Osian and Ryven had both decided to stay close by, standing on the dais with the couple and staying behind them. Derek walked forward until he was standing directly in front of the couple. At that point, he opened his Void Storage and brought out his storage devices that hed put inside to make sure they stayed safe from the corrosive toxins Simeon had been using. With them properly equipped, he flicked his wrist and two of the better Void Beast meals appeared in his hands. King Robert, Queen Sabrina, I hope you enjoy my gifts to you, he said as he made to hand each one a meal. This? Robert asked, unsure what it was he was being given. Ah, pardon me, Derek replied in his best noble response. These are Void Beast meals crafted by some of the finest Void Beasts to appear in Cydaria. Their quality has been personally verified by Natalie Savannah herself. With those words, Roberts eyes lit up, and he snatched the meal from Dereks hand so fast that one would think he was worried about Derek deciding against the gift. Derek could see the training addict that he was said to be showing. Next, his eyes glanced over at Sabrina, who had yet to take her gift. The new queen was staring deeply at Derek with her face bright red. Derek tilted his head as he observed her, then realized that she was not looking at his face, but his chest. He looked down and realized that he was still shirtless. Whoops, he muttered, and with a flick of his wrist, another black t-shirt that Brandi had made him appeared on his body. With the appearance of the shirt, Sabrina was broken out of her trance. Her eyes widened and her face turned even more crimson as she panicked. It seemed she was lost for words, so with a chuckle, Derek pushed the Void Beast meal into her arms. Finally, he gave Robert another quick glance, hoping that he wasnt angry or jealous because of how Sabrina had been staring at him, but it seemed he had nothing to worry about. The new king was staring at the meal in his hand with the same intensity that Sabrina had been staring at the half-naked Derek. Derek chuckled again, then with a half bow, he retreated to another corner of the roomone where Tyler and his sister, Tevara, were standing. The former princes eyes sparkled as he approached. That. Was. Amazing! the young man half squealed. You you just tanked everything he had. Everything that Simeon Ileal, the patriarch of House Ileal, and one of the strongest nobles in the kingdom had. How did you do it? What is your vitality like? Is this why those traps uh nevermind. The young man caught himself before he mentioned the traps in the treasure room. His sister, on the other hand, gave him a side-eye and rolled her eyes. Do you have some kind of anti-poison skills? Woah, woah, woah, Derek motioned to slow with his hands. Calm down. S-sorry, the young man apologized. Its just that it was so so wow. Well, you got to see me fight, Derek said. Does that count as my side of the agreement? he asked. For Tylers help earlier, hed agreed to find a spar with someone strong, like Alanah or Marrick. However, Simeon came along, and according to Tyler, the man was strong. Y-yes! Tyler nodded furiously. That was great! Good! Derek smiled and pat the young man on his shoulder before turning his attention to Tevara. You make sure to take care of those two, would you? he asked. I think theyre going to need a lot of help in the upcoming years, and you have a pretty good head on your shoulders. Barely any. Pointy ears was right. Its going to last a long time. A dash is wayyy too much. I only used a couple of flakes, is all. Great. Its really good, he sent to her again. After that, he looked up and noticed that within the minutes hed been dealing with the cake, everyone else had already gotten them a piece too. In fact, it looked like Sabrina was about to take her first bite. Uh Silvi. You didnt serve everyone that cake, right? The one theyre about to eat isnt special, is it? It would be awful if theyd just stopped Simeon and his people from killing anybody just for his companion to accidentally commit mass manslaughter to everyone other than Osian, Alanah, and maybe Edgar and Avery. With that thought, he was preparing himself to Void Shift away and knock the cake out of the new queens hand, but Silvis next words calmed him down. I wouldnt waste the Sylvan Leaf Powder on those idiots, she replied. Pointy eared restaurant owner could have a bite if she asked nicely, though. How nice, Derek teased. Indeed. With that imaginary crisis avoided, Derek and Silvi rejoined the celebration with everyone else. Well, Derek talked to a few of the people he knew, but everyone else seemed too scared or hesitant to even try to introduce themselves, which was fine by him, so he mostly just stayed in the corner occasionally chatting with Alanah, Marrick, or Avery. Derek counted the time until he could go home, and, after hours of waiting, Robert and Sabrina thanked everyone for coming to their official wedding and crowning, and apologized for the unplanned event that took place before they sent everyone on their way. Finally, only the core peoplethose who fought in the battle outside the city, the newly crowned couple, and the former royal siblingsremained in the Great Hall. I would say that turned out better than imagined, Marrick said while Silvi put away any leftovers and dishes. I would have rather my daughter not been in danger, Ryven said. Bah, Marrick chided the man. She was never in any danger. You saw what happened. If Osian wouldnt have acted, Derek still would have been there. And if neither of them acted, I would have. They were fine. Indeed, they were, Osian agreed with the old man. I had wondered why they remained in the kingdom instead of trying their luck at crossing the sea. I thought that with Simeons power, he and his family would have had a good chance of crossing. To think they were oath-bound to you two siblings. Did you know of this? He shifted his gaze to Tevara and Tyler. N-no, sir, Tevara answered. We had no clue. Our parents never told us anything. How very ironic, Osian said. Sparing your lives forced them to stay and meet their demise. Traveling as oath breakers would be very difficult, even for someone as strong as Simeon and those following him. I shudder to think what our investigations will turn up regarding those noble houses. Its not going to be anything good, Derek said. No, it is not, Osian agreed. Anyway, Derek started. Do you all need me for anything else? Or is everything pretty much settled? What do you think? I think you have played your part well, Osian said. Agreed, Edward said. With your performance here, in front of the remaining nobility, I think you, along with Ms. Swan and Mr. Marrick, have become quite the deterrents. I imagine everything there will be no more major problems cropping up. Great! Derek said. In that case, Im going to get out of here. Do your best not to need me anymore. Without another word, Derek turned and opened a portal from his Void Travel skill. After wrapping his storage devices in the void, he stepped inside. I finally have the time to check on everyone. With nothing other than a couple of promises he made to Alanah and Avery to make good on, Derek had time again. He closed the portal behind him and found his favorite location with his Void Sense: The Void Emporium. Chapter 400: Tick Tock Chapter 400: Tick Tock Kelvin sighed as he looked across the room at the returning teama team led by Jace, a human who showed him absolutely no respect. Once the rest of the team was through the teleporter, the leader came through. Jace stood with an indifferent, almost bored, look on his face. The man kept his head shaved for some reason, and wore nothing but a mid-tier set of leather armorit was almost like he enjoyed being injured. The armor had deep cuts that went all the way through in it. There was no way that whatever had caused the damage didnt also cut deep into the man. And the mans weapons of choice completely baffled Kelvin. He wielded two short, slightly curved blades that were actually wider on the end than the base. Not only was the fact that he used the weird weaponswhen a pair of nice swords or even sabers would be more efficientodd, but the fact that he kept them on his back at all times instead of in his storage bracelet was confusing. It was faster, after all, to draw a weapon from a storage device than to reach for it with it strapped to ones back. Kelvin shook his head at the weapon and continued examining the man. The tan that the young man had previously had already disappearedwhether that was because he hadnt spent enough time in the sun, or his stats had grown enough for the sun to no longer affect his skin, Kelvin couldnt say. He almost hoped that the young man hadnt grown that fast, but by the looks of him and his team, he doubted that was the case. Kelvin couldnt help but grumble at the thought of the man being one of his lieutenants. Lieutenant Jace, Kelvin spoke between clenched teeth. Report. Jace yawned and his eyes flickered over to one of his team membersa large human wearing a thick set of steel armor. He was the blacksmith that Jace had chosen first out of his team members. Getting Jaces nod, the man stepped forward. Sir! The smith saluted. I am pleased to report that the mission was successful. You are? Kelvin asked. Rodrick, sir, the smith answered. Fine. Kelvins eyes went from Jace, then back to the smith, and he sighed. Give me your report. Yes, sir! The man saluted again. The King Beasts of planet A-92 have all been slain, and the remaining beasts currently pose no threat to soldiers who are stationed there. Operations have resumed, and the planet is ready for further development. Kelvin nodded slowly. Even with his dislike of the man, he had to give Jace credit. The elite team that he formed worked extremely quickly. His unit had become somewhat of a strike team that would go in and clear out any high-level beasts that were hindering planetary development. This was the third mission that theyd completed in the short time since hed formed the team. Kelvin couldnt figure out how or why, but all of Jaces team members seemed to have the utmost respect for their commander. Still, Jace seemed to have quite the problem with authority, and Kelvin needed to work that out of the man. He thought that the missions hed been sending him and his team on would be enough to humble the man, but he just came back even fiercer and stronger each time. In fact, Kelvin would say that it actually had the opposite effect on the bald man. Very good, Kelvin replied to the smith. In that case, you are all dismissed for the time being. Rest well and prepare. You will be receiving another mission soon. With the dismissal, all the members of Jaces team turned to look at him instead of Kelvin, which struck a nerve. Jace gave them a nod of approval, then his team left. As Jace took a step forward to follow, Kelvin held out his hand to stop the man. Jaces team continued on, and when they were out of the room, Kelvin said, I still need a word with you, Jace. Jace looked down at Kelvins hand, then back up into his eyes. What? You need to fix your attitude. It seems that its rubbing off on your team members, and the last thing we need is a team full of you. Fix it, or Ill fix it for you. Your accomplishments from the tutorial wont protect you forever. Kelvin couldnt help himself, and finally told the man what was what. For a moment, Jaces eyes flashed red, and an unrestrained aura of battle-lust leaked out and almost caused Kelvin to take a step backwards. Instead, he clenched his fists and stared the young man downneither flinching. The aura disappeared almost as soon as it appeared and Jace snorted. What did it say? Holcom asked with bright, glowing eyes. Nothing much, Darvin sighed. It said that our system bumped into another while expanding and issued emergency orders to attack the other system. So they werent friendly? the insectoid Xephos asked. No, it seems like they werent, Darvin answered. What happen after the attack? Thats just it, Darvin said. Thats where the record ends. There is nothing about winning or losingin fact, after that, it seems like a new System Watcher was chosen. So, youre saying Kelvin asked. The human leader had regained his interest in the topic and didnt seem to be worrying about that young Earthling anymore. Something happened to him, Darvin replied. He could have died, been stripped of his class, or a dozen other things. It happened so long ago, and no other records mentioned him. Either the next System Watcher in line wasnt able to record it, or they didnt even know about it. Our records go back millions of years, so, without a goal in mind, its not easy to find occurrences like this. But you said that you found multiple records, Amelia pointed out. And that is true, Darvin answered. Yet, each record of another system ends suddenly with no other records about it. Its truly strange. It truly is, Holcom echoed. So, you believe that we have another system in our midst? I do, Darvin replied. Its the only explanation I have been able to find. And what is your reasoning for the even more erratic behavior displayed by the system recently? Amelia asked. I think it has something to do with Derek Hunt. I believe he somehow ended up in proximity to another system, and our system was able to sense it and chase after it. The erratic behavior were seeing, I believe, has something to do with Mr. Hunt disappearing from our systems detection for a time. So you think that our system was moving toward him instead of the other systemthat he is like a beacon to the other system, and that when he disappeared, the system had to correct itself? Holcom asked. Do you believe our system is still using him, or has it changed? I think that the reason it has slowed is that its no longer locked onto Derek Hunt, and that it is instead carefully moving forward now that there is no beacon. Perhaps he died, I do not know. It could also be that our system is drawing close to the other. Both reasons would explain the movementespecially the expansion of the search area. So, Kelvin leaned forward and licked his lips in an odd mannerDarvin had never seen him do that before. What youre saying is I think we should prepare our best for battle. Chapter 401: Back Chapter 401: Back Taking everything that Malorie had told him before into account, Derek focused as best he could and opened his portal inside Rudys office instead of the middle of the main floor of their shop. If nothing else, the surprised look on the contract makers face more than made up for the extra focus it took for him to get the precise location down. Derek stepped out of the portal with a smile before turning around and closing it. I need a boombox or something that I can play entrance music on, he thought. Seeing a portal appear out of nowhere, along with it producing a dreadful aura, has to leave an impression. Heya, Rudy. Its just me. Theres no need to go breaking your furniture over it, Derek said. Youre already back? Rudy questioned as he pulled himself together, picked up his chairwhich had tipped over from his previous panicand sat down. Of course, Derek replied. It was just an uneventful wedding and a small celebration after. Why would I stay longer? I see Rudy looked at him with narrowed eyes. We just thought that you would be another few days taking care of things there. Nah. Derek waved his hand in dismissal. My work there is done. I was more of a hammer than anything else. Now its just the fine details left. All of that is up to those royal families to work out. Thats good, then. Oh, Derek said, thinking of something. You need to hurry up and learn how to make Soul Contracts. Theyre pretty cool when used correctlya good middle ground when you dont want to kill someone, but regular contracts and oaths just arent enough. What do you think Im working so hard for? Rudy pointed to the piles and piles of papers spread out on his desk. Once I gain that ability, my already popular contract store will skyrocket in fame. There arent many contract makers that are able to create Soul Contracts. Rudy licked his lips as his eyes shone bright. And I think Im close. I just know that my level 200 class upgrade is going to give me the skill. Surely Ill be able to upgrade my class to a high enough rarity to get it. Well, Derek said. Good luck, then. Dont work too hard. Its best to take breaks. He looked down at all the paperwork and a shiver went up his spine. All that paperwork was one of the main reasons that he chose not to follow in his mothers footsteps and become an attorney. There was just no fun to be had with that careerat least not to Derek, based on what he saw growing up. If you dont get the skill, Ill reach out to some people and see if a Soul Contract skill scroll turns up anywhere. Really? Rudys eyes shone. I dont see why not, Derek said. Ill have to look at our accounting, but Im sure I have more money than I know what to do with. And if money wont buy it, then weve got tons of items to trade for it. Derek thought back to his treasure hunt in Astruss treasure room. Though they didnt have anything like that in their treasury, so those scrolls may be ridiculously rare. Well, Rudy began. Thank you in advance, but Im sure Ill be getting the skill. I just know it. Ive done nothing but level up off of contract creation since you gave me this opportunity, and my contract skills are leveling very quickly. Surely Ill be rewarded with even better skills at my last upgrade. Thats great! Derek said. I look forward to seeing it. Me, too! Now, is everyone here? I didnt really pay attention the last few days while resting and recovering, Derek asked. Ive been going over these contracts for the last Rudy raised his head and his eyebrows furrowed. Six hours, he said. But last I checked, everyone was backother than Thomas, who is still at the academy in the capital. Though it is late. Ah Derek realized that the wedding and its celebration had taken the majority of the day. It is, isnt it? It is, Rudy said. But now that youre back actually back Rudy made clear. I think youre going to be in for a surprise, Rudy said with a sly smile. There have been some changes since you were gone, and you didnt come out of your room long enough to see them over the last few days. Welcome back, Derek, Bones said. Thats more like it, Derek replied. So, how are you liking it here? It is Bones paused for a moment. Easy. Easy? Derek asked. There is no danger involved, Bones explained. Coming from a background like the one Oggy and I came from, this is a vacation. A relaxing vacation. There is no struggling for bread, or worrying about other assassins wanting our positions. Acting as a butler is easy. Youre not acting anymore, Derek said. You are a butler. And if its too easy, you can always take off and do some dungeon diving when you want. Just let Malorie know so she can make arrangements if needed. Im not sure about that, Bones said. There is still the Assassins Guild out there. While we are in Savannah, they wont attack, but Im sure that news has already spread, and they are just waiting for us to step outside. Ah there was that, wasnt there? Derek said. Well, there are a few things we can do about that. I can go have a chat with the master one day, but it may be awhile before I have the time to do thatits at the bottom of my list. The other thing is, you and Ogre could just get strong enough where they wont bother you. I kind of have access to three kingdoms worth of dungeons now, so youd probably be fine going to Indaria or IndriaIndaria is the new Astrus, by the way. Oh I see, Bones widened his eyes. Im quite sure that monster still fits you better than Derek. Maybe Derek shrugged, but continued his suggestions. The last thing is that you may be worrying over nothing. If rumors of you being alive and here have spread, then surely they include the fact that youre working for me. I very much expect that, over the next few weeks or months, more and more rumors are going to pop up, and theres a good chance that theyll just write you off as a loss so to not offend me. That is a possibility, Bones nodded. Apparently, killing kings and high noblessome of the strongest in the countrywithout taking any real injuries will do that, Derek laughed. Did I mention that me and Silvi fought an entire army? Twice and won? The rumor of the first time has begun to spread wide. It is but a rumor though, from what Ive heard from your customers, not a lot of people believe the rumor, but it has increased business, Bones said. But I have not heard of the second. It will soon enough, and so will the number of people who believe it, Derek said. Especially now that all the teleporters are connected and there should be easy travel and trade between the three nations. Nothings going to spread a rumor faster than that. And there were quite a few witnesses both times, so I see Bones said again. Well, Derek said. Are you and Rudy the only ones still up? Young Miss Fields is in the basement, as always. She may be awake, but everyone else has retired for the night, Bones answered in his best butler voice. I felt your aura and came down to greet you, as a noble butler should. Gotcha, Derek said. In that case, you can retire, too. Ill see everyone in the morning. It will be nice having a real breakfast for a change. Bones gave a slight bow, then began his journey up the stairs. Derek chuckled a bit, then looked at the door leading to the basement. With a slight shake of his head, he turned and followed the same route that the butler took to the living quarters. He looked forward to being back actually backas Rudy had put it. Chapter 402: What Did You Do? Chapter 402: What Did You Do? The next morning, Derek sat up on the side of his bed and stretched. That feels good, he thought as he cracked his neck and back. Lets see what I ended up with after fighting Simeon yesterday. With that thought, Derek pulled up his current status sheet. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 229 2,367,826,250,050/2,500,000,000,000 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 37625 37500 37625 Stats Strength Dexterity Stat Points Remaining 1115 1290 A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Thats going to come in handy for getting the rest of my skills up to par. Maybe I should have asked Dave for some of those spices for myself. I wonder just how rare they really are. Greater Meditation was known to Derek as probably the hardest to level skill he hadmaybe even harder to level than Void Call. So there was definitely something special about those spices. I bet it will be especially useful in leveling my new Powerstride skill, he thought. Since that skill was still at level 1, depending on how hard it was to level it, it would be possible to eat a little cake, then take off with it to rapidly increase its level. I am anxious to figure out much easier to use that skill will get at around level 10. Right now, its still going to take some getting used to. Hopefully, well be able to find some nice clusters of enemies for me to use Whirlwind Slash on when we go into the dungeons. That, or I guess I could knock two birds out with one stone by summoning some Void Beasts down to fight. I still have a promise with Avery to keep, after all. He was very interested in what it would look like when he leveled Void Call up some more. Hed neglected that skill for far too long. Moving back to the status screen hovering in front of his eyes, Derek moved down until he made it to his list of skills. The biggest gain of everything was his Absolute Nullify skill. It had gained three whole levels during the fight with Simeon. Using Absolute Nullify as a backstop for the guy had been a great idea. The whole time he held the man against the wall created by his skill, it was sucking in the magical toxin that was being produced by Simeons transformed body. That, on top of having drank the skill potions, made the skill skyrocket in levels. Hed not seen a good gain like that since he was grinding his skills on the golems in the dungeon outside of Savannah. If he was still alive, Id give him my thanks alas Moving on, his eyes landed on his Bare Fist Specialty. It had gained a level as well. It wasnt really something he focused much on, so gaining a level in it was just a little icing on the cake, so to speak. The skill didnt come with anything special at level 2. However, Cure Toxin was a different story. That skill had also jumped up three levels, just like Absolute Nullify had. The whole time he was fighting Simeon, he was using the skill to lessen the damage being done to him from the mans toxin, and it showed. If that keeps up, Ill be the bane of poison users. He was still very much against poison, toxin, and corrosive usershe still wasnt over the loss of the chest armor hed brought with him from Earth, even if it wasnt anywhere near as good as his current wyvern-made armor. Plus, those fights are terrible for my clothing. Derek had also gained some Mental Resistance levels, but most of those just came from being around and chatting with Alanah, and his little meeting with Lyra before the wedding. Still, the skill was up to level 8, so that was nothing to scoff at. Rejuvenation had hit level 20, so he now had a maxed out healing skill, and it was a great skillespecially when used alongside Greater Meditation. At level 10, the skill maxed out at 50% HP recovery over 30 seconds. Now, at level 20, it recovered 50% of his missing HP over 15 seconds, the MP cost was negligible, and it had a cooldown of only two and a half minutes. The best thing about the skillin Dereks opinionwas that it worked great when healing specific wounds, and he could use it on other people if he ever needed to. I bet people would crap themselves if they saw me use it to heal a completely chopped off arm or something now that my body regrows things on its own not that Im interested in getting any body parts chopped off still would be funny. Derek chuckled at himself and moved on. Spatial Collapse worked great against Simeon, he thought as his eyes landed on the attack skill. With the one cast against the poison patriarch, itd killed the man and gained two entire levels. It was turning out to be a great assassination skill, especially as he learned to control it. As it leveled, it would be easier and easier to use. Finally, Derek also gained a level in Void Shift when he took the poison claw that was meant for Sabrina. The skill seemed to level best when he used it to put himself in harms way. After looking over everything one last time, he nodded his head and closed the screen. With one last stretch, Derek stood from his bed and left his room. After a quick visit to the restroom, he moved along to the dining areait had been too long since hed sat down and had a real meal with everyone. If only Silvi was he started to think as he opened the door to the dining room and saw Silvi sitting on the table in her little cloak and chefs hat. Silvi! he called to his companion, and she looked up at him. Youre back! He hadnt talked with his companion when he left, so he didnt know what else she planned to do there. She definitely stayed in Indaria longer than he did, though. When did you get back? he asked. Late last night, her childlike voice rang out from her communication crystals. Had to wait to collect my dishes. A bunch of slow eaters. I see Derek said and took a sniff of the aroma that filled the air. That smells like bacon, he thought as he involuntarily licked his lips. Did you cook breakfast? he asked. Almost, Silvi replied. Waiting for biscuits should be almost done. Without warning, Silvi disappeared from her spot on the table, and Derek saw the door connecting the kitchen to the dining room quickly open and shut. It would be a travesty to let the biscuits burn. Derek chuckled and pulled out the chair at the head of the table, and took a seat. It seemed that, although he and Silvi were the last to get in and go to sleepif Silvi even slept, that isthey were still the first up. In a normal house, the noise he made probably would have woke everyone up, as he hadnt exactly been quiet while leaving his room or going down the hall, but that was untrue for his shopeach private room had sound dampening runes inside that could be activated. So, no matter how loud the shop became, they could always retire to some peace and quiet in their bedrooms. Still, the door behind him opened as soon as he took his seat, and Boneswearing his deep purple butler uniformwalked in wordlessly, with only a nod to Derek as he moved directly into the kitchen. Malorie came in next, just trailing the assassin-turned-butler. So, the two of you are back? Malorie asked as she pulled out a chair and sat down to Dereks left. Thats the plan, at least, Derek answered as Bones came back through the door from the kitchen with two steaming cups of dark liquid and gently sat them down in front of Derek and Malorie. He also brought with him multiple additives for the liquid. Please be coffee, please be coffee Derek said over and over in his head before being hit with the aroma. Woohoo! Coffee! He quickly grabbed the cup and brought it up to his nose before taking a sip and sighing in contentment while slumping down in his seat. Great! Malorie said, ignoring his antics with the coffee. I need a vacation. Derek ignored her like a good boss should and changed the subject. So, Rudy told me that I would be in for a surprise now that Im back. What was he talking about? he asked. Tsk Malorie clicked her tongue as she mixed something into her coffee and took a sip of her own. He talks too much. Its not a surprise if youre prepared to be surprised. I promise, Derek said with a smile. Ill act very surprised. Just tell me what it is. Before Malorie could say anything, the door leading from the hall to the dining room opened againthis time, it was Jacks coming in. Well, Malorie said with a sly grin as Jacks stayed at the door to hold it open. The surprise is Derek didnt have to act shocked when he saw who came through next. He hadnt seen hide nor hair of Rayna when he stayed in the shop for the last few daysin fact, this was the first time hed seen her since he left for the raid dungeon, and she was looking very pregnant. Jackson Reginald Herrett! Derek hissed out the mans full namewell, his full name if his middle name happened to be Reginald. What did you do? Chapter 403: Wouldnt Dare Chapter 403: Wouldn''t Dare I-I We? Jacks stuttered while he continued to hold the door open for Rayna. His face was flush in embarrassment, then he furrowed his brows in confusion. Reginald? The two of you must have had some very intense training if that ended up happening, Derek said with a straight face. I mean, really? I knew the two of you were getting oddly familiar with each other during your training trips, but this Jacks opened and closed his mouth more than a couple of times. He obviously had no clue what to say. While he was standing, stunned, Derek pulled a chair out for Rayna to sit. She hadnt said a word yet and seemed to be enjoying Dereks dressing down of Jacks. Surprisingly, she ended up joining in instead. I asked him if this training was really necessary, and he insisted, she said stoically. Who am I to refuse the tutelage of such a veteran? I wouldnt Jacks twitched and looked around the room, lost. I didnt I would never Okay, the two of you, thats enough, Malorie cut in as Jacks seemed to be malfunctioning. Cant you see that his head is about to explode? Youve had your fun. Derek and Rayna looked over at one another, then both burst out laughing. So, Derek said. This guy? Hes a little rough around the edges, Rayna replied. But hes a big softy when nobodys around. Did you hear that, Jacks? Derek looked at the man, who was still trying to put himself together. It seems that youre a big softy. We may have to cut your pay. I hired a scarred up, scary, gruff man to guard the shop. He looked back at Malorie. How much are we paying him again? More than we should, Malorie replied. Your name seems to be all it takes to guard this place. And on top of having Ms. Savannahs blessing there has been almost nobody willing to make any kind of ruckus in here. I see No! Dont do that, Jacks quickly recovered and said. Ive got a child on the way. Do you know how expensive children are? Im just joking around, Derek replied. Sit. He motioned for one of the seats at the dining table. I still have a few questions. Once the man was seated, Derek asked, So, what did happen? Im curious. The two of you were already starting to act a little lovey dovey towards each other before I left hell, you wouldnt even go to the auction with me. What happened after that? Not just with the two of you, Id like to hear what else youve been up to since I left. Its been what? A year and a half for you? The two looked at each other, then Rayna decided to speak. Thats right, she said. We grew close while we were training, then even closer when I became strong enough to not be too much of a burden to him. After that, we began raiding some of the easier dungeon around the kingdom. Eventually, Stella, Jake, and Jensen joined us and we had a full five person dungeon squad. There she is with the whole being a burden to others thing, Derek thought, but he didnt voice them. Instead, he stayed quiet and let her continue her story. Our levels were still pretty spread out, so we had to choose our dungeons carefully, but Jensen is a great healer, so we did well. Also, since we were going into dungeons that were too high of a level for me, I gained a lot of skill levels, and I leveled up quite quickly. Im feeling better and better when using my wind skillswell, I was feeling better and better when using them, she explained. I bet shes gotten comfortable with them because her affinity has increased. Her weapons and style never fit her that well, but she was already too high of a level to start over. Maybe shes grown into her power, he thought. What happened next? he asked. We are, the couple both answered at the same time. Good, Derek said. Not too long after, Silvi came through the door to the kitchen and began serving out plates of bacon-like meats and biscuits, and eggs. Derek couldnt help himself, and tore one of the biscuits apart before placing eggs and bacon on it to create one of the greatest breakfast foods to ever exist. He bit into itthe crunching sound of his teeth breaking through the bacon ringing out. Small amounts of the runny yolk dripped from his bacon and egg biscuit and landed on his plate. Everyone around him looked at him in shock, and he looked up. What? he said with a mouthful of food. His eyes landed on everyone elses plates, and he saw that they were all eating with forks and knives. Prudes, he thought as he took another bite and let out a deep, content sigh. About that time, the door swung open again, and Rudy came walking through. He looked around the table, and his eyes landed on Rayna, then on Derek. Aw I missed it, he whined as he walked around to the other side of the table and took his own seat. I thought I was going to get here early enough. With that said, Rudy did the same as Derek and piled his bacon and eggs on some biscuits and dug in. Mhm he said. I missed this I know that we have plenty of stored up meals that Silvi made before, and that the food stays as fresh as when it was initially stored, but theres just something better about food that has just been made that you know has never been stored. Derek had to agree. The only thing he could think of was that it was more of a mentality thingknowing that the food had been pre-made just made it less special. Soon, everything went quiet, and all that could be heard in the dining room was the sound of utensils clattering on plates, and the occasional sip of coffee or tea. He had expected Brandi to come through the door to join them, too, but by the time they were all finished with their breakfast, and Silvi had cleaned up, she still hadnt arrived. It looks like the best way to get any information out of her is going to the smithy, he thought. With the table cleared, Rayna cleared her throat and got everyones attention. So, me and Jacks have been thinking, she said. With the baby coming along, I think it would be a good idea for us to get our own place. Derek opened his mouth to object, but she raised her hand to stop him, just like he had to others so many times. He wasnt a big fan of it being done to him and decided he needed to do it more often. Its only natural, Rayna said. Plus, you have Bones here, and Ogre will be, too. This way, you wont have to build a special add-on to the shop. Even if they moved out, Derek still planned on making those two their own building, so what she said there didnt matter to him. We have been looking around in the residential district here in Savannah, and weve found a few different places. I know it will be a ways away, but I think it would be best if our son or daughter grew up in the residential area where there are more children around. I want them to live a happy life as a childsomething that neither I, Jacks, or even Jake were able to do. Thats not to say that we wont be here oftenIm sure we will. It is Jacksons job, after all. Rayna laughed. I honestly never thought I would have a family of my ownactually, I wanted one, but didnt dare to have one because of where I lived. But now, with the safety and security of Savannah, I can and am. Rayna stood from her seat and faced Derek directly, then bowed. And its all thanks to you, Derek. Thank you. Jacks stood from his seat and bowed, tooeven deeper than Rayna had. Thank you. Derek sighed. How am I supposed to say no to that? he wondered. Obviously, it would be best for a kid to grow up around other kids instead of in a shop where the only child is a smithing maniac well, she wont even be a child by the time their kid is of age to really start communicating with other children, he thought. Then, Derek sighed and said, Just dont let your kid turn out to be one of those spoiled nobles, and Ill be fine. Jacks laughed at that. Dont worry, we wouldnt dare. Chapter 404: I’m Legendary! Chapter 404: I¡¯m Legendary! After giving it some extra thought, the small bit of sadness that had washed over Derek when he heard that Jacks and Rayna were moving out left him. They deserved a proper life, and where better to have it than in what was possibly the safest city in the kingdom? Well, Derek said. Im coming to help you pick out a house, and were bringing Geoffrey with us, too. He knows what things are worth around here. So, with him, you wont be getting scammed. Of course! Rayna smiled a bright smile. We wouldnt have it any other way. At that point, Derek stood and did something very unnatural for himhe initiated a hug with both Rayna and Jacks. Im looking forward to meeting the little fellow, he said as he released the two from his embrace. From there, with breakfast over and the surprise news given, he dismissed himself and went down to check on Brandi. He was sure that she would have a lot to tell him. Derek slowly opened the door leading to the basement and began the short journey down the stairs. As he walked, he expected to hear the clanging sound of a hammer meeting metal, or some other indicator that Brandi was in the middle of a craft, but instead, he found nothing but quiet. Frowning, he increased his pace a bit and was at the bottom of the stairs in moments. There, he found Brandi sitting at her workstation concentrating intently on some paper. Are those blueprints for something? Derek wondered as he walked towards her. Ahem, he cleared his throat lightly to grab her attention. Instantly, she must have known that he was there, as before her head could even turn, she had a massive smile plastered on her face. Before he could even say anything, he was embraced in a giant hug by the girl. It was the second time in a span of minutes that hed been hugged, though this time, he wasnt the one who initiated it. Youre back already? Brandi asked as she let go and took a step away. Yup shes definitely been eating her vegetables, he thought. Now that he was back, and had nothing else going on to take him away, he could finally see how her stat progression had been going. Im back, he said and ruffled up her hair. And you dont have anywhere else you need to go? she asked. Not that I know of, he answered with a smile. At least, not right now. Oh, good! Brandi jumped in the air and did a little fist pump. Then does that mean you have some time to spend down here? To help me with something? she asked. Of course, Derek answered. What is it that you need help with? With a quick wave of her hand, a little stool appeared, and she ushered Derek to it. Then she walked over to her workstation and pulled the stool she had been sitting on when Derek arrived over before sitting herself. The stool wasnt comfortable, and if it was anyone else, Derek probably would have replaced it with one of his own chairs, but since it was Brandi, he didnt complain. Do you remember oh, wait! Brandi jumped up and ran up the stairs, then quickly came back down and sat. I had to lock the doordont want anyone to hear me. Oh? Derek said, intrigued. What was so important that Brandi needed to lock the door? Do you remember how, when you got back, you asked how I was progressing? And I said that you wouldnt believe it? Brandi asked. I do, Derek said. I did it, Brandi said. She was shaking in excitementlike she was finally getting to tell someone some very important secret. What did you do? Derek leaned forward and asked. Feeling her excitement, he was almost just as excited, and he didnt even know why. Im she looked around, then leaned forward, then in a whisper, said, Im legendary! Youre legendary? Derek half shouted in shock. Shh Brandi put her finger to her lips to shush Derek. Quiet. Haha, Derek laughed. The basement has the sound dampening runes, and you also made sure to lock the door. Theres nobody else down here that can hear us, Derek said. Besides, Im pretty sure we can trust anyone around here, even if they heard us. Im sorry, Brandi said. I dont think Ill be able to brew you any alcohol, or make you potions. You dont have to apologize, Derek said. You did what was best for you. You chose blacksmithing, right? Weapon making? I didnt have to specialize that much, Brandi explained. Its a general smithing specialization. But when I chose it, my class removed the leveling ability of most of my skills that couldnt be made use of with smithing. I can still level my leatherworking, runesmith, and even most weaving skills, but I lost the ability to level a bunch of my alchemy and pretty much all of my brewing skillsalong with many skills I never used from other professions. So, how does that work? Derek asked. You still have some alchemy skills and leatherworking skills and such? Can you do the leatherworking and alchemy still? I can, but Brandi started. I dont get any experience points, skill upgrades, or completion bonuses for those crafts. I see, Derek said. But if I use my leatherworking skills to make something, then use whatever I made as a material or as part of a blacksmithing project, I get everything again, she explained. So, if you make say a sheath out of leather, then combine it with a sword you make, youll get experience for it? Exactly, Brandi said. What if you make a potion for alchemy that you drink to help increase some part of your blacksmithing skill? Derek asked. Like, if you make and drink a potion that temporarily increases your precision or strength, then smith something with it activated? I dont know Brandi said with her eyes shining. I havent tried that. She took a little notebook out of a storage ring and began writing it down. Im definitely going to have to try that soon, she said, but Derek could see that even more ideas were popping up for the girl. Maybe I can still brew, even. How so? Derek asked. Drunk smithing! she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Uh Derek stammered. I dont think thats a good idea. Youre way too young, and plus, I dont think drunk smithing will help you create anything better than what you would have created sober. Lets uh push that idea to the back far far back and not bring it up again until youre at least 21 years old. And keep it between us. Do. Not. Tell. Malorie. He shivered again at the thought. If she wasnt going to kill him before, finding out about that idea would definitely change her mind. Fine, Brandi pouted, but soon it passed, and she brightened up. But theres so many other things I want to try now. I bet, Derek said. But you still havent gotten to what you needed my help with. Oh, Brandi said. Sorry, I got distracted. It happens. Derek laughed. It happened to him when he was thinking about different ways to use his skills, and he was sure that it would happen even more to someone with a more creative type of class. So, why has your crafting slowed down? Well Brandi smiled. When I got my legendary upgrade and saw the stat points I was getting, I ate a Void Beast meal to spread my stats out like you said. Really? Derek asked. Thats good. Brandi nodded. But now, Im right on the cusp of 500 points in my endurance. Ill have it in either two levels or one more Void Beast meal, and I wanted to wait for you to be here before I did it. Thats why I need your help. Will you watch over my breakthrough and make sure I do it right? Derek smiled. Brandi continued to make decisions that made him proud. Other than some crazy ideas, she seemed to think things through very thoroughly. He was even sure that she would have decided against the drunk smithing idea when she actually thought it through. Well probably. I would be more than happy to help you with your breakthrough. Chapter 405: Brandis Skills Chapter 405: Brandi''s Skills Okay, Derek said to Brandi, as the girl could hardly contain herself. How are you going to do it? Are you going to eat one of the Void Beast meals? You said youd need two levels, otherwise, right? I did, Brandi replied. Im level 115 right now, but Im really close to 116. But I dont think Id get the full value out of another Void Beast meal right now, so I wanted to level up to get it. I see, Derek said. Luckily, he had nothing else to do, so waiting on her to get two levels would be finethough he didnt think it would be possible for her to get the levels in a single day. Well, like I said, I have time now. Oh, we wont need much time, Brandi said with a grin. I have just the item to craft. Ive been waiting for a long time to make it because I know that its going to give me multiple levels once I doits already given me some levels when just from failing before. Thats interesting, Derek thought. What kind of item is it? Hehehe Brandi laughed childishly. Youll find out soon. I cant wait. She clenched her fists in excitement. Fine, Derek said. Im patient. You dont know how long I had to wait for my glaive to be finished. It was agony. I bet, the young smith said as she hopped over to her workstationdragging her stool behind herand pulled out a number of papers and began moving them around. Its been weeks since I figured out how to successfully make this. Its been driving me crazy not being able to do anything but work on leveling up my skills. How does that work, anyway? Derek asked. Can you halt your leveling and upgrade your skills fast by working on high-level materials and never finishing the items to gain experience points? Couldnt you just fly through your skill levels? I wish, Brandi said. I thought it was like that at first, but the more I work with a certain material and the more proficient I become with it, the harder it is to use to level my skills with. However, when the rarity and level in a material is much higher than my own, it seems that the initial bonuses I get when learning to use it is much more than common material or things at my own level. Its exhausting, reallyconstantly having to think of new creations and new material combinations to gain levels and skill experience.Findd new stories at novelhall.com Oh, Derek said. That does sound exhausting. But I love it! Brandi said without bringing her head up from one of the papers laying on her workstation. She took what looked like a pencil out of her storage, then scribbled something down. If all else fails with levels, I can always go out and kill stuff I think. I havent tried, but I think thats how it is. Of course, that would also make it where I would lose out on that bonus skill experience from materials that end up under my level. Yeah, Derek said. You wouldnt want that. Its always best to focus on your class skills first and your base level lastunless you really need to, like Edgar had to do. I think hes always going to be mad over having to power level his base level over his skills. Mhm Brandi muttered in agreement as she continued to move things around. Okay! The smith hopped to her feet, then quickly moved to her little crafting area. In the next instant, she was covered from head to toe in gear and goggles. It seemed that she had learned her lessons, and there wasnt an inch of skin left uncovered. Im going to begin now. Go ahead, Derek said and waited for her to begin. As soon as she took out some material and began working, Derek slowly put away the stool and pulled out one of his own chairs. He didnt know how long it was going to take the girl to finish whatever it was she was crafting, but damned if he was going to sit on a wooden stool with no back or cushion the whole time. It was the first time Derek had ever really watched Brandi work, and he had absolutely no idea what she was doing. It felt just like when Tyron was making his glaive and he was watching. Other than seeing the glaive take shape, and some hitting with a hammer, Derek had been totally lost. So, for the next handful of hours, Derek watched as the girl banged on materials with a hammer, chiseled some stuff into whatever it was that she was working on, then continued with the hammer. She heated things and cooled things, struck things, and even moved whatever it was she was working on to other crafting areas where she used different skillsall the while, Derek was happy that he had chosen a combat class. All he had to do was figure out how his skills worked and hit things hard. What do you mean? Derek asked, confused. I just got an achievement called Offensive Powerhouse for getting both my strength and dexterity up to 500 points. Youve gotten the achievement before, right? she answered. Oh, that. Derek nodded. That was the achievement that got me Multi-Strike and Sweeping Slash, right? Those two skills were great for me. I wonder if it gives the same options to everyone, or if its specific to the class or person. Well, theres only one way to find out. Do you have the option to pick Multi-Strike and Sweeping Slash? he asked. Brandis eyes went distant for a moment, then she replied, I can pick Multi-Strike, but theres nothing about a Sweeping Slash. Hmm Derek thought back and tried to remember the skills he had available. It would be good for Brandi to have a couple really good offensive skills just in case she ever had to fight one day. She would definitely have the stats for it. If I recall correctly, there was a mastery skill. It may not hurt for her to pick up an offensive hammer mastery. Tell me what skills you have to choose from. Oh, and do you even have skill points to unlock the skills? He remembered that her class rewarded skills automatically and instead gave skill upgrade points. I do. Ive gotten a few with different achievements. Just that Jack of All achievement gave me 15 points to all my stats and two skill points when all of my stats hit 200, she replied. Ah, Derek said. I had almost forgotten about that achievement. Thats good. Then you should be fine. What skills do you have to choose from? Brandi then read off the list of ten skills that she had been given to choose from. Included on it were Multi-Strike, Enhanced Strike, Rapid Movement, and a mastery skill. Derek remembered having those same options when he chose long ago. However, where the rest of his possible skills were piercing and slashing skill like Sweeping Slash and Lightning Pierce, hers were replaced with blunt type skills that seemed to be made specifically for her hammer. I wonder why I havent seen any people using Multi-Strike. Is it special? Maybe its just not something thats easy to make out to someone watching it. Its a fantastic skill. No matter how you look at it, he couldnt help but think. Ill have to ask Edgar or Avery about it or even Jacks, actually. Surely theyve all received that achievement. Out of the other skills that she read off to him, he was intrigued by one called Smiths Inferno, which was a skill that had her hit the ground with her hammer and release a wave of fire in all directions. There was another called Boulder Crush, which was just as it sounded, a heavily enhanced blunt strike. Other than that, she had an Augment Hammer option, which seemed like it converted mana into a shield to enhance the hammer as a whole. Derek thought that the augment skill sounded good for a smith, but Brandi was quick to shoot it down because she already had other augment skills. Another decent area of effect skill she had was called Seismic Impact, which was almost the same as Smiths Inferno, but caused an earthquake instead of a ring of fire. She also had one that reminded Derek of a skill hed seen Tyron use. It was called Anvils Wrath, and it summoned a massive, spectral anvil that fell from the sky and crushed any enemies in its targeted area. And finally, she had a skill called Blacksmiths Frenzy, which was basically an enhanced berserker skill that lowered her defense in exchange for pure offense. It was like the Glass Cannon skill that Derek was initially offered. If Im honest with you, Derek said. I dont really know. What are you thinking? I like the sound of Anvils Wrath, she said with sparkles in her eyes. He, too, liked the sound of that skill. It seemed like a good ranged area of effect skill. Derek also thought that Rapid Movement would be good for her, but he didnt suggest it because hed seen quite a few movement skill scrolls that he could probably get for her. I would probably pick one of the area skills, like Anvils Wrath or Smiths Inferno. Then, I would also pick Multi-Strike. If it works the same way, you may even be able to enhance most of your other skills with it. It could even help in your smithing, actually. Great! Brandi half shouted with her excitement. Thats what I was leaning toward. Her eyes went distant for a moment, then when they focused again, she gave a big grin. I got them! Nice! Derek congratulated her. Now about that pair of boots. Whats got you so excited? Chapter 406: Stand Back! Chapter 406: Stand Back! Oh! Come look! Brandi said excitedly as she held the pair of boots up. These are going to be soooo awesome! Intrigued, Derek walked over to Brandi and examined the boots without taking them from her. They look like metal boots, Derek said. They are! Brandi replied. But thats not what makes them special look here. Brandi turned the boots around where the heels were facing Derek. I was able to shrink the fire cores from the golems down, and I put one in each of the boots. And what does it do? Derek asked. When you charge the cores with any mana, it stores it and converts it to fire type. Its the same process as with the elemental swords that I made, she explained. But I got the idea for these boots from Jacks and his son. And what idea is that? Well you know how everyone wants to be able to move around in the air or fly? Brandi asked and Derek nodded. But not that many people are able to get classes with a skill like that, and the skill scrolls are super hard to find and expensive. Thats for sure, Derek agreed. Well, I asked around well, I asked Roman, and he asked around and there arent many other ways other than those. Ms. Savannahs aid is able to create talismans that allow him to fly, but those are one time use only, and even then, if he sells them, they cost way too much. I think I see where this is going, Derek said as his eyes went back to the boots and looked them over once more. Youre making equipment that imitates Jackss and Jakes ability to travel through the air? The little explosions that he does. Derek recalled when he and Edgar went to rescue Jacks and Rayna from those half-elf fanatics, and Jake followed. He wasnt as fast as Edgar or Derek, but Derek saw the way he used the small explosions to keep to the air and even propel himself forward. Jacks was able to do the same thing, though he was a bit better at it than Jake was. Well I guess he was a bit better at it. Jake could have caught up to his father by now. Yup! Brandi bounced. See here. With her pointer finger, she traced multiple runes that she had inscribed into the pair of boots. They are all small explosion runes. It took me forever to get the layout right, but now, whoever uses the boots should be able to finely control the explosions. Its much easier for Jacks because hes using a skill and can cast it at whatever angle and power he wants. I wasnt able to do that with the boots, so I had to make up for it with the quantity of runes. So, you feed the mana into the mana core, then the runes draw the fire elemental mana from the cores and cause an explosion? Derek asked. Do you need the mana cores to do that? His own boots didnt have mana cores in themat least not that he could see. All he had to do was channel the mana into them, and the skill would go offwiping out dozens of enemies at once. You dont need the cores. It just makes it a whole bunch easier to use with the cores, Brandi said. With just your mana, the explosion rune itself has to convert it into mana suitable for activationwhich is fire mana. That takes time and consumes a ton of mana. With the cores, you bypass the conversion, making it almost instant, and its able to consume a lot less mana from the cores. Oh, Derek said. So the boots wouldnt be efficient enough to use without the cores. Thats why we dont see many boots that rely solely on runes in stores. Thats not to say that there arent any, though, Brandi corrected. I was talking about it the other day with Carrie. He said that he gets requests to make them. If its someone with a fire element class, then you dont have to worry about the conversion of mana. But we dont see them in stores because they need to be specially made to suit the person whos going to be using it. Okay, Derek said, motioning for everyone to stop. Does this seem good enough? he asked Brandi. He made sure to find a place with nice, not overly hard ground for when her face inevitably found the dirt. Brandi looked up at the sky and then nodded. This is perfect. A lot of space to move around. Great, Derek said. Would you like me or Jacks to give the boots a try first? Just to make sure they work well? My body can definitely take any accidents that may happen. One of the accidents he was talking about was if the boots fully exploded and took off a foot. He knew from experience that he would have no problem regrowing his own limb. Of course not! Brandi huffed. I made it for me, so Im going to test it. She bent down and began to remove her shoes and replace them with her new pair of boots. Are you sure theres nothing wrong with them? Malorie asked. Nope! Brandi answered as she slid a foot into one of the boots. Thats why we have to do testing. Just ask Romanits the same way for alchemy. Derek shivered at the thought. He was, after all, one of Romans guinea pigs when it came to testing his potions. Though, testing blacksmithing gear seemed less random. Unless Brandi wanted to see if a pair of armor could stop a Drill Shot from Avery or somethingif that was happening, Derek would insist that he be the one to wear and activate whatever defenses it had. Just be careful, Malorie pleaded as Brand finished putting on the second boot. I always am, Brandi said, and Derek had to do his damnedest not to crack up or speak the contrary. Your eyebrows say different, Malorie said, taking the words right out of his mouth. Thats just because hair is easily destroyed, Brandi countered. The rest of my body is much stronger. Isnt that right? Her eyes met Dereks. She did breakthrough the first threshold in endurance today, Derek replied. So her body is stronger than your average person at her level. I also broke through in strength and dexterity, she said. All three? Already? Jacks chimed in for the first time. What level are you, exactly? No wait dont answer that. Thats none of my business. Congratulations. That was another reason that Derek brought them where he did. Not only did he want her to test out her exploding boots, but he also wanted to see her skills that she received with the Offensive Powerhouse achievementespecially the anvil one. He also wanted to see if her Multi-Strike skill worked with it, because if it did, then dropping an anvil like that would be a deadly ranged area of effect skill. Thanks! Brandi said to Jacks, then hopped up off the ground. Okay everyone, stand back! Chapter 407: One Was Enough Chapter 407: One Was Enough Derek took a few steps backward to give Brandi more room to work with, and Jacks and Malorie did the same. Derek was actually excited to see what kind of progress Brandi had made in her smithing, and what better way to show it than watching her test out a pair of rocket boots? Okay everyone. Here I go, Brandi said as she let out a big exhale. In three two one Derek watched the young smiths feet closely as she counted down to launch. Right after she said one, he saw the core in the heel of the boot glow red, then watched as it sent mana into the runes at an almost imperceptible rate. He was barely able to make it out as the rune on the front lit up brighter than all the others. That doesnt seem right he had just enough time to think before the explosion happened. In utter fascination, Derek watched as the toes of Brandis boots exploded out with fire. The result of the explosion? Brandis head crashing into the ground as he feet were exploded out from under her. Brandi! Malorie called out as she ran for her daughter, who was in the process of pushing herself up from the ground. Whoo she started to speak, but was unable to complete the words as her mouth was full of dirt. After spitting a few times and then wiping away most of the remaining dirt, she continued. Whoops! she said as she heaved herself back up to her feet. They may be a little harder to control than I initially thought. Are you all right? Malorie finally reached her daughter and began examining her for injuries. Stay still! Mal half-shouted as Brandi tried her best to pull away from her protective mother. Mom stooooop, Brandi pleaded. Im fine. See? Malorie finally backed a step away and Brandi did a little spin to show that she was uninjured. Dont do stuff like that! Malorie huffed. You should have listened to Derek and let somebody else test those things. They are dangerous! Take them off, now! Nooo! Brandi whined. Haha, Derek chuckled out loud. Sometimes he could forget that Brandi was only a young teenager, and seeing this reaction between mother and daughter was truly priceless. Wait shes 14 now, isnt she? He thought. Looks like I missed a bunch of birthdays while I was goneI wasnt even thinking about that. What are you laughing at? Malorie turned her attention to Derek. Youre just as much to blame as she is. You shouldnt encourage her so much. See what happens? Again, Derek couldnt help himself and burst out laughing. After a few moments of uncontrollable laughter, he got a hold of himself and said something that should never be said to an angry mother. Calm down he caught it just as it came out of his mouth. Calm down? You want me to calm down? My daughter almost died and you want me to be calm? Her face was red in anger. Just look at her, Derek said once she finished berating him. He was still having trouble holding back his laughter. She has enough stats in her endurance that she doesnt even have a scratch, cant you see? Of course, Brandi had received a small injury. In fact, it looked like with the way she landed and the force of the pulse from the rocket boots, she had even dislocated her pinky. But, while Malorie was rushing over to her in worry, Derek had seen the girl pop it back in place without even a wince before her mother arrived. He also had the feeling that Brandi was using a Greater Meditation skill that may have been higher level than his own. Just how many mishaps has this girl had in the basement? Well Malorie finally showed signs of calming down. Yeah mom, Brandi said. And my vitality is good enough that even if I had lost some health points, I would have already been regenerated by now. And dont forget that Im here, Derek said. If she was actually in any danger, I would have For the first time in a long time, Derek slipped into Void Shift to demonstrate his power. Hed actually missed doing it. He stopped the skill when he was standing directly behind Brandi and continued speaking without even a delay. Stopped it. Thats always terrifying, Jacks finally spoke up for the first time since the accident. Derek just turned to the former Captain and mouth, I know. Well fine, Malorie finally acquiesced. But she shouldnt be the one testing those things. Derek moved to beside Brandi and bent down, examining the runes again. I dont know much about them, but by the look of those runes, I figured it wasnt going to be as easy as you were thinking. Theres just too many of them. Ill get the hang of it, Brand said. Here, how about this? Derek began. Why dont I take you into the air, then you can practice with them while I make sure you dont fall or hurt yourself? How does that sound? Brandi looked a little defiant, but when her eyes met Malories, she sighed. Fine. We can do that. Great, Derek said. Are you ready to go, or do you still need some time? Im ready, she replied. Alright. Derek grabbed Brandis shoulders, then leaped into the air before using Void Steps to stay afloat. How is this? he asked. This is good, she said. Well do something! Its fine, he said. Ill catch her before she hits the ground. This is good experience for her. Malorie frowned, but said nothing more. It turned out that Derek was absolutely correct and Brandi was able to use the small sputterings from the boots to slowly guide herself to the ground. Whew Brandi wiped at the sweat from her forehead when she reached them. Im going to have to make them more efficientwhich I think I can do. But other than that? Derek asked. Other than that. Brandi grinned widely. They are a great success! Congratulations on the working pair of rocket boots, boost boots, or whatever you plan to call them, Derek replied. Thank you! They are awesome! Brandi said. Now, how about testing out that new skill? Derek asked. Can I? the young smiths eyes went wide. Of course, Derek replied. Its one of the reasons I brought you so far out here. New skill? Malorie questioned. What new skill? Jackss interest was also piqued, as he raised an eyebrow in question. Youll see, Derek said, then turned to Brandi. Okay, Im going to go over there, then you try to use both skills at the same time on me. On you? Brandi asked, concern in her voice. I dont think I want It will be fine, Derek replied, brushing off her concerns. Im much stronger than you think, and Im sure you already think Im pretty strong. O-okay Brandi finally said. After that, Derek moved away from the groupfar enough so the skill would only reach him. That was if it was anything like Tyrons skill. Okay! Derek shouted. Im ready. Here I go! Brandi shouted back. Soon, a shadow appeared above them and it seemed like transparent metals were all pulled into a single spot. Not long after, the metals formed into the shape of a massive anvil directly above Dereks head. It looked to be around the size of a school bus. Derek gulped at it. Maybe she shouldnt try using it with Multi-Strike. The Anvil had an illusory bluish purple spectral glow to it. Then, without warning, the anvil fell. Derek raised his arms to guard himself as the skill hit him. The anvil crashed into him and lightly jarred his bodyhis least favorite type of damage to take was always blunt damage, and thats exactly what the anvil was. Fortunately, he hadnt underestimated his own body one bit. Just after he felt the first impact, he was hit with anotherconfirming in his mind that Brandi was actually able to combine her two new skills together. Derek smiled as the anvilor anvilsbared down on him. He held the skill above him with his arms crossed until they finally faded out of existence. Derek! he heard Brandis voice sound out and draw closer. He turned to look at her, then realized that he couldnt actually see her because he just happened to be standing in the center of a bus sized crater. Jacks reached the edge of the crater first, as he was the fastest, then Derek saw Brandis and Malories faces appeartears coming out of the young girls eyes and worry in her mothers. Derek quickly shifted into the void, then appeared right beside her. He placed his hand on her hair and ruffled it up a bit. Didnt I tell you that I would be fine? I dont know how Jacks was the first to replied. That skill Its a pretty good skill, right? Derek asked with a smile as Brandi calmed down. Youre really fine? the girl asked. Really? Theres not a scratch on me, Derek said, then spun around like Brandi had for her mother before. Didnt even cause a dent in my armor. Whew Brandi let out a big sigh. So, the skill is good? she finally asked. Thats what I said, Derek replied. It takes a little too much time to activate, but the damage it will cause once youre higher level will be devastating. I dont think Id want to be hit by it once you reach level 200. I wouldnt want to be hit by it now, Jacks replied with a laugh. And I thought one monster was bad enough Chapter 408: Research to be Had Chapter 408: Research to be Had After using her boots and learning what she needed to do to make them work more efficiently and better, then testing out her new skills on Derek, Brandi was beat. Slaving away in her smithy day after day was exhausting to her, but using the rocket boots and fighting skills required her to stretch muscles that she normally didnt useespecially when she had to continuously direct mana into the correct pathways to the runes on them. She was both mentally and physically exhausted when everyone got back to the shop that eveningso much so that instead of going directly back down to her workplace and working on an even better version of her boots or writing down her current findings, she decided to head upstairs and have dinner with everyone. This seemed to help get Malorie over the bit of anger and irritation shed had during all the testing. Nothing like having everyone at the dinner table to bring the mood up, Derek thought as he served himself another helping of chilled zesty pasta that Silvi had prepared while they were gone. This normally wasnt a favorite dish for Derek, as he preferred his pasta hot or spaghettibut it seemed like Silvi could make even his least favorite dishes worth eating. And then I face-planted into the ground and mom almost had a heart attack, Brandi said to Rayna and Rudy as she stuffed her mouth full of the pasta. Oh, no! Rayna said. It didnt hurt too much, did it? Not at all, Brandi said, and her eyes shifted to Malorie before turning back to Rayna. I thought mom was gonna kill Derek though. It was bad. He told her to calm down. He didnt? Raynas mouth dropped, and she turned to look at Derek. You didnt really, did you? It just kind of slipped out. Derek shrugged. But she was perfectly fine. Whats a couple of bumps and bruises here and there, anyway? Its still much safer than running dungeons with people at her level. You should have seen Thomas in his first dungeon. He got hurt much worse than Brandi just did, but he came out of it with a much better mindset, and I think hes better off for it. Speaking of Thomas, Malorie said. When are you going to go see him? I was thinking about heading to the academy to give it a look sometime within the next few days, Derek replied. Im interested to see how hes doing and if hes made any real friends. Hes probably been a lot more cautious over things like that since the incident in Torith. Everyone at the table had already heard the story of what happened, and they could only nod their heads in agreement. Of course, Derek was talking about the boy befriending a girl and then being betrayed and almost killed by Malcolm Toriths son, Clay. There was no way that something like that wouldnt have long-lasting effects on a 13, now 14, year old boy. Im sure that hed like that very much, Malorie said. What happened to his grandparents? Derek asked. He knew that Alanah had gotten Delilah and Richard to safety, but he hadnt looked any deeper into it. Do you know? They are fine, Malorie said. They stayed here in Savannah for a while, but after Miss Swan and Prince Edgar pushed back the armies when they tried to take over the city, she made arrangements for Richard and Delilah to go to the capital to visit Thomas. Though Leon, Sana, Bart, and Laura should still be here in Savannah. They come visit occasionally, but mostly they are just enjoying the city, thanks to Miss Swan and Stella. I see Derek said. He remembered Leon and Sana, they were husband and wife and Leon was the chief of Brandis village, which was destroyed, and Bart was the innkeeperor bartenderat Raynas village. Connecting the dots, he figured that Laura was Barts wife that he only barely met when she examined the hide that he used to buy a room at their inn, but he wanted to make sure. Laura? he asked. Barts wife, Rayna confirmed. Shes never been too sociablewhich was always funny, considering her husband. I can see that, Derek replied with a chuckle. Bart was definitely something else. How about the rest of the village? Do you know about it? Unfortunately, Malorie said. We dont. We dont get a lot of news herewere not exactly high on the list of people who need to know things. But, from what Ive heard, most of the people from the cities and villages that were either captured or destroyed are okay, at leastwith some casualties. The excitement in Freias eyes disappeared, and she said, Oh how can I help you, then? Well he said. I was wanting to see Roman and talk with him about the permanence potions and give him a few other materials to work with. I think I have some that could help produce some great new potions. Really? Once again, Freias attitude changed, and another fire was lit in her eyes. What kind of material? No wait, dont tell me. We can find out together, thats much more efficient. Hold on for one second. Freia then sidestepped Derek and walked to the entrance to the shop. Just before she got there, the sound indicating a new customer was entering rang out. Derek turned and watched as Freia rapidly explained to the person that they were closing down for some time to take inventory, then hurried him back outside before closing the door, locking it, then placing a sign on the glass saying that they were closed. It was very entertaining, to say the least. Freia was another one of those people, like Brandi or Edgar. They were all dedicated to their craftor fighting, in Edgars caseso much so that it came first over almost anything else. And, like Brandi was with her smithing, Freia was like that with her alchemy research and herbology. Derek was actually a little surprised that she had made her own potions that needed to be tested. Then again, he thought. Im sure she has to level up and increase her alchemy skills, just like every other alchemist. He just couldnt see straight up research being able to level. Unless she actually has research skills which would be interesting. Okay, thats that. Follow me. Roman is in the back, Freia said as she walked back past him and through the door to the back of the shop. Derek smiled wryly and followed the woman. She wasnt one for mincing words, especially when there was research to be had. Freia led Derek to the same room they had been in when Derek became Romans guinea pig and tested his potions that would have killed a lesser person. Ill go get him, Freia said, then disappeared without waiting for a reply. Moments later, she re-entered the room, this time practically dragging Roman behind her. I said I wasnt finis the halfling half shouted at Freia as they entered, then he paused when he saw Derek standing there. Oh, Derek. Youre back! His demeanor completely changed. Okay, okay. You can let me go now, he pleaded with his assistant, who finally did just that. That seems to be the case, Derek replied. Its good to see you again. Its been awhile, Roman said. I heard that youd made it back from the raid in one piece, then up and joined the shenanigans between the countries. So thats finished now? Pretty much, Derek said. Everyone else is still back there dotting the Ts and crossing the Is, but that paperwork stuff doesnt involve me, so I came back before them. I see I see, Roman said. Thats good, then. That war stuff wasnt good for anybody. Made it much harder to get materials. Luckily, I had already bought enough to last me a few years if anything happened. Its always best to be prepared. I agree, Derek said, then was interrupted. Tell him about the new materials, Freia said, one hand holding her notebook, the other a writing utensil. What materials? Roman asked, his eyes finally matching his assistants. Well Derek started. Have you ever worked with wyverns? Chapter 409: Roman and Freia Chapter 409: Roman and Freia I thought you would never ask, Roman said with a cheery grin on his face. When the prince came flying in on that beautiful beast, I just knew that there had to be more. And here you are! Go figure, Derek said with a snort. But yes, youre right. During the raid, we were able to get quite a few different types of material. He held up a ring that hed filled with an assortment of materials. This has some claws, hides, organs basically a bunch of different parts of multiple kinds of dragonkin inside. Both Freias and Romans eyes went wide, and Derek saw the halfling lick his lips in anticipation. Roman reached out toward the ring, but Derek pulled it back out of his reach. Not so fast, he said, to Romans dismay. I wasnt finished. It also has a variety of other materials from monsters in the dungeonincluding beasts like griffins and lynxes, along with a few other things. During the last trialthe one before they fought the Starfury Leonarus, theyd fought multiple beast types, and Silvi had been meticulous in collecting material from them. Basically, if she thought there was any possibility that a material could be used in cooking, then she was sure to have picked it up. To that end, shed already cooked up some of the weird octopus theyd fought during the trial, and it had been delicious. Unfortunately for Roman, Derek didnt have a lot of those materials, as Silvi was pretty serious when it came to her ingredients. Finally, after watching both alchemists stare at him like lost puppy dogs, Derek gave in and flicked the ring into the air. The halfling alchemist jump multiple feet off the ground and snatched the flying ring before coming down and examining it. Oh Amazing Roman muttered as he went over the items inside the storage device. So, do you think you can make anything good with them? Derek asked. I dont know, Roman looked up and replied. You can never know whats waiting to be created until you run tests. But I can only imagine that materials from beasts such as wyverns or wyrms will be full of possibilities. Perhaps strength or vitality potions, even. I do doubt they will be able to help produce and fertility potions such a shame, considering those are best sellers. Dragonkin are well knownat least in legendsto have very low fertility rates rates even lower than full-blooded elves. Oh I didnt need to know that, Derek said. Everyone should know that, Roman said. Fertility rate is even worse once a dragon grows powerful. It is the same with all powerful creatures. The more power you gain through the great system, the harder it is to conceive. Of course, that power usually also comes with increased longevity to counter that problem, and luckily, we can produce potions that increase the success somewhat. Which is why, as I told you before, my virility and competence potions are best sellers and allow me to afford materials for my passion projects. Still not something I need to know, Derek said. He is very proud of his virility potion, Freia said from behind Roman. And why shouldnt I be? Roman clicked his tongue and moved over to a table. Yes, yes, Derek said as he watched Roman pull out a couple of the smaller materials and set them on the table in front of him. Freia quickly rushed over with her notebook. We are all very proud that you can create potions that help old nobles create more snotty nosed heirs Not just nobles, Roman corrected as he took out a weird-looking lens and examined the materials more closely. Usually, if someone is powerful enough to need one of my potions, then they are easily able to afford it. So, though nobles create most of the market, as they are worried more about having heirs than most, there are many adventurers, both active and retired, that also have need of my potions. If you say so, Derek said. Anyway, what is all that worth to you? What is it worth? Roman looked up at Derek and blinked rapidly. You mean What? You thought I was just going to give it to you for free? Derek asked while shaking his head. You should know better than that. What do you want? Roman finally said after a few moments of silence. I dont know, Derek said. I certainly dont think I need any gold, though. No, I guess you would not, Roman said. What if I give you half of anything I produce from the materials? I thought you were all about not sharing your recipes, Derek said. I am, but she is my apprentice. Since I have personally obtained all there is to out of the recipe, it is time to pass it on, Roman explained. Under a strict contract, of course. Of course, Derek laughed. It is not usual that I receive enough of a single material to grind the experience into the ground, if you will. My plan has always been to begin passing recipes down once I achieve level 250, but now is as good a time as any with Void Beast materials. Roman then walked back around the table, close to Derek, then leaned in conspiratorially and gestured for Derek to do the same. Finally, with Derek bending down and his ear close to Roman, the alchemist whispered, Not to mention her research has been vital in the creation of new potions. Her work with herbology is second to none. I see, Derek said as he pulled back away. Well, it will be a shame to lose materials, but that cant be helped. Who am I to keep your apprentice from increasing her skill level? Go ahead. What he didnt say was that Void Beasts were the easiest and most abundant material that he could come by since he could summon them at will, and since his last foray with his Void Call skill, hed become much stronger and was no longer scared hed call one that he couldnt handle. Great! Roman said. Just work it into the deal with Malorie, Derek said, instantly deflating Roman once again. Very well, Roman replied. Now, Derek started. How did Brandi do while I was gone? She is a fantastic alchemist and a very fast learner, Roman said. She also has a multitude of alchemy skills that I have never seen before. Its a shame that she has been stopping by less and less. She seems to be intrigued by movement potions latelyas that is all shes questioned me about. Though, I have not seen her make any progress on that front. Roman still didnt know about Brandis real class it seemed. It wouldnt be terribly hard for someone like Roman to find out about it if he really looked into it, as Alanah had done, but the halfling didnt have a reason to. And since she had sort of specialized her class into smithing, Derek suspected Brandi would be spending even less time with Roman. Shes very into doing things on her own, Derek said. As I have found out, Roman replied. Still, she is an amazing talent. I even had thoughts about taking her in as a full apprentice instead of just a student, but I actually believe that would hinder her amazing progress. She has a talent for making unusual connections and instructing her in only in my process would hinder that creativity. Derek smiled. He enjoyed hearing one of, if not the, best alchemist in the entire kingdom praise Brandi for even more than her work ethic. Anyone could look at the time she spent crafting and know that he was a workaholic, but only someone who truly spent time teaching and observing her would see her creativity. Thank you for all youve done for her, Derek said with a bow. Ill make sure to let Malorie know to go easy on you during your discussions. Since Brandi is her daughter, Im sure shell do so. That would be great, Roman replied happily. Derek nodded, then decided it was time to leave. Well, thanks for the talk. You can go ahead and get started with those materials. I trust that you wont try to pull one over on me. Just go see Malorie whenever you have time. Will do, Roman said. Thank you so much, Mr. Hunt. Freia came forward with her notebook and bowed deeply. These new materials are much appreciated. She turned her head and eyed the ring on the table. Dont mention it, Derek said with a wave. Ill catch the two of you later. I look forward to see what new potions you create this time. With that, Derek turned and left the room. Behind him, he heard Freia half shout, Oh no! I forgot to have him test my potions! Then, Romans voice sounded out, Stop moving, dont chase him. Hell be back soon enough. Derek shook his head and smiled wryly. He really didnt feel like being a guinea pig today. Hed have to move his next visit to Romans Potions and Brews to the bottom of his list. Unless he finds a way to make a new brew that will work for me. That would be nice, he thought as he walked out the door to the shop. Where to next? Chapter 410: The Doghouse Chapter 410: The Doghouse It was still quite early in the morning when Derek exited Romans alchemy shop. It was always nice to visit Roman, but he preferred visiting him at his bar instead. Unfortunately, that wasnt in the cards as Derek was there to conduct a little bit of business instead of just chatting. Next time, Ill have to check when hes working at his old, run down bar and visit there. He doubted Roman actually had a lot of time to work in his bar or sell his brews with all the Void Beast materials and other assistance that was provided by Derek and Alanah. The halfling Alchemist did, after all, only run the bar and sell his brews to help him be able to afford all the different materials and other items that he needed to progress in his real passion. It was the same as with all the virility and fertility potions that he had a knack for crafting. Derek shook his head at the thought of those potions, then looked around. After standing outside the shop for a minute, and thinking about the first time he met Roman, he figured out where he wanted to head to next while he was making his rounds after returning. With a smile on his face, Derek turned and began walking toward the center of the city. Not long after, Derek found himself outside the doors of the Adventurers Guild. I wonder if Shaes still alive. He seemed pretty scared to come back after leaving Judy with all that work for over a year, he thought as he pushed the doors open and walked inside. Looking around, he was happy to see that the place wasnt busy so early in the morning. That actually may not be the case, he thought. The place was more than not busy. It was practically deserted. I bet the guild has been severely lacking in missions since the war startedthis could just be a result of that. Shrugging, Derek walked over to the counter to the person that he was just thinking aboutthe person who single-handedly held the life of the Savannah Adventurers Guild Master in the palm of her hands. Judy still had her head down going over something, and hadnt looked up since Derek entered. He wasnt sure if she was ignoring him or if she was actually busy, but, being the polite person that he was, Derek waited. Soon, the woman looked up and met Dereks gaze with her own. Derek Hunt, Judy said, monotone. What can I help you with? She sighed, exasperated. Judy definitely saw him when he came in because she didnt look surprised to see Derek at all. And with her dry delivery, it didnt seem like she was all too interested in helping him, either. She obviously knew that Derek was there for Shae, and that he wasnt actually there for any Adventurers Guild business. Wow Derek said in mock shock. He looked around again, but at the moment, it was just Judy and him in the lobby. The customer service of this place has taken a turn for the worse since the last time I was here. It must have really suffered while Shae was gone. Such a shame Yeah a shame, Judy said. Now, what do you need? Im busy, and as you can see, were shorthanded at the moment. Youre short customered, too, Derek said with a chuckle. Why is that? Surely its not just because its early. Is it because of the war? Yes, Judy confirmed Dereks suspicions with a nod. Since the war started, most adventurers either went on vacation or joined the rest of the army to fight. Because of that, the Guild Leader issued orders that missions requiring an adventurer to go outside the city walls were not to be assigned. So, all we were left with were bronze ranked missions inside the city. Other than some bronze-ranked kids looking to make a quick bronze or silver, the guild has been slow. Ah, I see, Derek said. And the Guild Leader hasnt changed those orders back yet? he asked. I dont know if you know this, but the wars over, and Indria, Cydaria, and Indariaformerly Astrusare even allied. I imagine youre going to be swamped with work any day now. No, Judy said, her face still impassive. But as you can see, even with very few people coming here, I am already swamped with work because I am having to do everybody elses jobs on top of my own, the brown-haired woman explained. And no. The news of all that hasnt arrived yet. But seeing you here, it doesnt take much to figure it out. So now, I have to add more work to my list to make sure everything is up to date for when everyone comes back. Though, it will be nice to call back the rest of the workers once we can post actually missions again. This place is boring alone. Maybe try reading a book? Derek said with a smile as he remembered Nia from the Adventurers Guild in Torith and wondered how she was doing. Toriths Adventurers Guild was always pretty slow because of where it was and the fact that it wasnt a full city, so she always had a book ready to read. I hope shes still alive, he thought. Nia had told him in the few times that they met that she enjoyed her job there because the pay was decent and she never had to risk her life for it. Now, he knew that her manager had died, so he wasnt sure about her status. Yes thats that, Judy said, her face still blank. Is there anything else I can assist you with, or will that be it for the day? Oh, I know, Derek said, then slightly leaked his aura a bit. Would you like to see how my aura has changed since the last time? I think youll be impressed. No! Judys eyes widened, and she held out one hand, palm forward, to motion for him to stop. Dont do that, please. The last thing I need is to have to spend part of the day recovering my senses after a monster like you releases his aura. Derek withdrew his aurawhich he hadnt even released enough of to turn the whites of his eyes purpleand laughed. Finally, he said. A bit more of a reaction. For a second, I thought you may have been replaced by a machine or something. Its good to see that you can still act like that. I was getting worried. Youre an idiot, too, she said. Just like Shae. Its not terrible company to be in if you think about it, Derek said. Hes a good idiot, at least. That he is, Judy sighed and finally let her face form into a soft smile. Is that all? Thats it, Derek said. Tell Shae I stopped by to say hi, will ya? And at least leave him some food and water before you go out. The poor guy is perpetually in the doghouse. But I guess its his fault, Derek thought. Shae was a man who enjoyed fighting and adventure, but he also fell for Judy, so he had to make some sacrifices. Sure Judy replied. Ill think about it. Derek chuckled. Then I guess thats it. You have a good day, he said before turning around and making his way back through the lobby, then through the door leading outside. As the doors closed behind him, he was surprised to see a young boy walk past him and enter the building. Must be a bronze-ranked kid looking to get a mission, he thought. There were only a few missions even posted on the mission board that he managed to sneak a peek at as he was leaving. I bet those low ranked adventurers like it, at least. They dont have to stand in line forever just to pick up a mission to go sweep Ms. Annes floors. Huh Derek thought back to earlier at Romans shop. I wonder if Roman had any of the same problems at his shop that the Adventurers guild has been having. He did notice that the old man who worked as the shopkeeper for Roman hadnt been in, and Freia had taken his position instead. If the old shopkeeper had been there, then Freia wouldnt have had to rush that customer out, and the old man could have taken care of him. Well it could have just been because of how early it was. Maybe he just hadnt arrived to work yet, or it could have been his day off or something. The fact that Roman did have a customer so early in the morning showed that he probably wasnt hurting. Then again, his business could be at an all-time high. He could have been selling tons of those potions to bored nobles and people who had nothing better to do because they were trapped inside the city. Just look at Jacks and Raynathe prime examples. Ill have to ask Roman the next time I see him. Derek chuckled and looked across the way from him. I wonder what Stella is up to. Chapter 411: Just to Say Chapter 411: Just to Say Derek first made his way to the Crown Restaurant, but left when the manager there informed him that Stella was at the hotel. I should have guessed, he thought as he walked into the hotel. From there, all it took was the lady at the front desk pulling out a communication crystal. Then he was soon led up to one of the rooms that Stella used as her office. After entering the room, Derek was left waiting for several minutes until Stella arrived. When she walked in, he noticed that she was dressed in a more adventurer-like style than normal. However, even though she was wearing what looked like a full set of leather armor, it looked almost formal. It like she has to go to a business meeting, but she may need to kill some wolves on the way, he thought as he chuckled. Whats so funny? Stella asked as she walked past Derek and sat behind her desk. I was just admiring your armor? It is armor, right? Its quite elegant, he asked. Oh, this? she motioned to the green fitted leather tunic on her upper body. While adventuring with Rayna and the others, I got used to wearing my leathers, and I havent felt the need to go back to dresses or skirts. And that is your armor? This? No, Stella said. It is a business attire I had fashioned from the hide of a Woodland Serpenta level 210 creature that can be found in a couple dungeons in the kingdom. It has the feel and some of the protection offered by such a material, but with a more refined business look, she explained. Why? Do you like it? Sure, Derek said. He had a feeling that the reason she chose the creature that she did was because the emerald green color of the hide really accentuated her crimson red hair and matched her green eyes quite well. Im all about whatever feels more comfortableas you can see. He was, of course, wearing his ever familiar blue jeans and black shirt. This, he motioned to his shirt. Was made out of some level 100 bat thing from that undying dungeon I cleared and crafted by a beginner crafter that had no business using materials of such a high level. Thats nice, Stella said. Anyway, what brought you here today? More items to sell? Business propositions? Void Beasts? Or have you done something outrageous again and what to see the look on my face when you show me? What? Cant I just come to say hi after being gone for so long? Derek asked. You can, but did you? she asked with raised eyebrows. Actually, Derek said. I did, he said. I had to go deliver some things to Roman, then I stopped by the Adventurers Guild. After that, I figured itd be nice to drop in and see what youve been up to. Its only been a month and a half or so since the last time we met for me, but that like, what? Over a year and a half for you? Something like that, Stella replied. So I was third on your list? Didnt really make a list, Derek said. I just knew I was going to deliver some materials to Roman today that was it. I didnt have plans for the rest of the day. Thought I would probably spend most of it relaxing in my shop. Its nice to be lazy for a change. Im sure it is, Stella scoffed. I miss the times when I took over as manager in Torith. I didnt have to do anything there. It was nice, she said, reminiscing. You know If not for you, I would still be there. No, you wouldnt, Derek said. I wouldnt? Nope, he replied. Alanah would have dropped everything and went and picked you up if you were still there when the war started, and you know it. So, you would still be here. Well, maybe not exactly here, but you wouldnt be there. Actually, with the way you work, you probably would have come back for the auction, and if not that, then you would have come back when Avery signed up for the raid. You wouldnt have left Alanah short handed. Maybe, Stella said. But would the auction have happened or would Avery had joined the raid if not for you walking into the restaurant that day? Dont let the merchants hear you say that, Stella said while shaking her head. Though, speaking of skills, it is unfortunate that she had missed out on some class specific ones that would have been available early on. And since she doesnt have a management class currently, she wont be able to get to that class upgrade without fighting to earn the experience. Well, Derek began. Thats not a problem. I can just take her somewhere and let her poke some things with her staff before I finish them off. Im pretty good at hand-feeding people experience points. Also, you dont have a management centered class, do you? That is true, and you are correct, Stella said. She held out both hands and a pair of shiny cleavers appeared before she spun them around, then stored them once again. I am working with skills given to me, or ones that I searched out through skill scrolls. I am quite good at my role here, but I am a fighter at heart. And, if you ask Alanah, Im sure that she will agree that my fighting talent is as good, if not better than my management talent even if my management skills have grown more than my combat skill over the years. What about Avery? Derek asked. Ive never talked with him about it, but he also manages things with Alanah, right? Avery isnt that great at that sort of thing? He gets half the amount of work done in double the time than it takes me when it comes to managing the Crown Restaurant and Hotel, and hell tire himself out completely to not fall behind, Stella said. Hes whats the best way to put it she tapped her bottom lip with her finger. Averys pledged his life to Alanah, no matter how against it she is. She saved him long ago, and his loyalty to her is unquestionable. I like to think that mine is, too, but Averys is on an entirely different level. Ive noticed, Derek said. He has a lot of faith in her. He does, Stella said. She is a good personeven after everything shes been through. Stella sighed. Avery is already one of the strongest people in the world at least, I believe. But if he were to focus more on himself, I can only imagine how powerful he would become. I was so happy when she finally convinced him to go on the raid with all of you. Even when everything is going smoothly, it is hard for Alanah to convince him to take a break from her side. She even had him recruit Zachary and Lucas so he would at least have something more to do. She hoped that training them would light that fire and allow him to be a little selfish for onceshe also wanted us to recruit some people to take the load off of our shoulders too, she continued. But it seems that what really did the job for Avery was when he joined that battle against Gerald and his grunts. Im happy that he has that fire again. Dont worry, Derek said. Your secrets safe with me. Good. Stella nodded. Anyway, Derek started. Avery said that you met Lyra. Thats right. What did you think of her? I think that it was surprising that he tamed a beast that ended up being so like Alanah, Stella replied. Their skills may be completely different in how they work, but they have similar results. Though I didnt speak with the winged serpent, I could feel the tug on my mind just from being close and looking at her. I talked with her not long ago, Derek said. She is very strong. I think theres a good reason that Edgars Blitz goes running any time her name is mentioned. You mean Blitz the Magnificent? Stella asked with a laugh. Yes Blitz the Magnificent, Derek replied with a smile. Blitz had a really good personality. Anyway, you know that we brought you a dragonkin, too, right? Avery did mention that in the short time he visited before joining everyone else, Stella said. Well Derek began. Would you like to go see them? Chapter 412: The Problem with Bonds Chapter 412: The Problem with Bonds You want to go see them? Now? Stella asked with a frown on her face. How long will that take? she asked. Im not blessed with a lot of time these days. Well, that should change soonwhen Alanah and Avery get backso I dont think you have to worry about slacking off for a day or two, Derek said. But to answer your question They are all just outside of the city. To make a long story short, we found a clearing, then Tyron Blacksteel made sort of a kennel for dragonkinwhich is now holding all the remaining ones. And you just trust that nothing will happen? Stella asked. Yes, Derek replied. Tyron didnt hold back with it all. There are power dampening runes among others keeping them inside. Plus, he recruited a Beast Tamer to take care of and watch over the place. Her name was Lindsay? I think? Lindsay? Lindsay Barnes? Stella questioned. No clue, Derek said. I didnt get a last name. Well, it has to be, Stella said. Then, in a slightly lower voice, continued, I cant think of any other Beast Tamers named Lindsayespecially ones that would have the ability to even somewhat control some dragonkin. So you know her? Derek asked. Yes, Stella said. She is the daughter of the patriarch of House Barnes. They used to be a regular noble house. Oh? Dereks brows furrowed. Were they caught up in the noble purge? He didnt know much about what all Edwin and Edward did with their investigations after hed entered the raid and before the war. Edgar had said that there would be some sort of purge, but Derek hadnt asked since hed gotten backhe didnt consider it to have much to do with him. Oh gods no, Stella replied with a chuckle. Its the exact opposite, in fact. House Barness loyalty and character was proven to be above reproach, and Edwin chose to promote their houseamong a few othersas a reward for their steadfast allegiance and exemplary service. And it doesnt hurt to show other houses what can happen if you are loyal to the crown and maintain a good character, Derek said. What happened with House Barnes would be the carrot, and what happened with House Torith would be the stick. Exactly, Stella agreed. What did happen with Gerald? I know that hes dead, but how was it done? He was publicly executed by Edwin with absolutely no dignity left intact, Stella replied seriously. By the time Alanah was finished with him, his mind was brokenhe couldnt even speak. Honestly, I believe the execution at that point was a mercy. Well, Derek said. Mercy or not, its good that hes gone. I agree, Stella said. She did seem to be quite the animal lover, Derek said. Perhaps she would make a good candidate for a companion to one of the extra dragonkin. What do you think? There were only two dragonkin that werent spoken forthree if Alanah chose to not take it any further with the wyvern that she tamedand he would rather them either be set free somewhere far away from people, or end up with a companion that would treat them well. Currently, he was thinking about Bones and Ogre, but those two werent exactly the most trustworthy people yet. Even with the contracts and oaths, they were still former assassins and, though they had certain codes, they had gone around killing for a living. With those two, it would take time to see how well they performed. Bones was actually performing quite well, but he hadnt seen Ogre in a while. So, with Lindsay Barnes being how she was, and with what hed just learned about her noble family, she didnt seem like a bad candidate if needed. Though he wasnt exactly in a rushnone of his people seemed even close to being able to tame their own. Jacks is probably the closest one to having enough power to do so. And I hate to say it, but Brandi may be secondit all depends on what kind of wild things she ends up building next. He could totally imagine the young smith falling out of the air in a full suit of armor rocking Black Sabbath or AC/DC. Thomas, though Im definitely going to have to take him sparring to get an idea on how well hes been doing since I left. Hopefully, hes been working hard on his skills, Derek thought. And I dont think Jacks would like the idea of Rayna battling against a dragon while pregnant. I can only imagine the looks I would get from Malorie if I suggested that he shook his head, but was broken out of his thoughts when Lyra answered. Yes, she said confidently. She would make a very good companion for one of my kin. I have observed her over the last few days, and I have learned some things. Though she is a Beast Tamer, as you say, she has not yet bonded with any beast. I do not know if she wants to avoid that because of the difficulties that come with it, or if she just has not found the proper beast for her. Either way, she would be a good companion. I see, Derek said. Do you think she would even want to if the reason is because of the problems that come with forming a bond? Bonding to a powerful dragonkin eliminates much of those difficulties, Lyra started. The biggest difficulty that I know of, based on my limited understanding and experience, is the problem that occurs when either the bond or the bonded dies. Yeah, Derek said, thinking back to his conversation with Bronson when he accidentally bonded with the best and most fearful companion in the world a bunny. Something about a soul-sickness. Sounds pretty badnot something Id ever want to experience, he replied. Though the loss of the bond would be worse than any kind of stat loss or sickness that happens because of it, he thought, but didnt say. Indeed, Lyra said. And the loss of the bonded to the bond is more than that. From what I understand with my conversations with Avery, the loss can drive the beast madand that is terrible on multiple fronts. Especially if the beast is strong, Derek said. Yes, Lyra replied. But both the beast and the person would eventually be able to get back to normal after the lossit will just take much time. Derek couldnt help but think about his evolution caused by the other systemthe Origin System, as Dave had called it. It had been pretty adamant about severing the bond between Derek and Silvi, but he had refused. Thinking about it, would have it been such a terrible decision? The Origin System had told him that with its help in severing, no harm would have come to either of them, and her growth would no longer be based on his own. Would that mean that she would be able to grow on her own now? Like a regular system user and not a beast? It had been such an unexpected prompt, and he had rejected it as soon as it appeared. Still, even if he had thought more about it, like he was doing now, there was no doubt in his mind that he would have come to the same conclusion and rejected it. If the only problem other than the obvious is that growth will be a little harder, then thats no problem, he thought. Increasing his level was something hed not had a single problem with since he arrived in Cydaria. Hed even been able to increase his skill levels relatively quickly too, so why would he need even easier growth? Derek clicked his tongue and shook his head before getting back to Lyra. Well, he sent to the amphithere. Its not something to decide now, but its certainly an option that should be considered. Agreed, the dragonkin replied. Thank you again for keeping Avery safe, Stella said out loud from beside Derek and bowed again before turning to him. Okay, she said. Lets go see them. Good chat, he sent to Lyra. See ya later! Chapter 413: Crunching Numbers and Monsters Chapter 413: Crunching Numbers and Monsters So, what did you think of Lyra after finally talking with her? Derek asked Stella as they walked toward the entrance to the Dragon kennel. Lyra had already turned her head and was back to resting, or whatever it was that she was doing. She is an amazing beast. Stella said. Lyra is the perfect companion for Avery. How do you mean? Well shes a very intelligent being, Stella replied. Which means? Derek asked with a chuckle, knowing where she was going. Well Avery isnt dumb or anything, but when he fightsactually fightshe gets wrapped up in the combat and doesnt always think things through. Lyra seems to be the exact opposite of that. She can keep him from going overboard in a battle. Its like he somehow picked out a beast copy of Alanah as his companionits such an odd coincidence. I dont really think it was that much of a coincidence, Derek said. When we were fighting, and he was looking for a companion, he noticed Lyra right away. She was the smallest amphithere out of all of themactually, she was the smallest dragonkin in that entire trial as far as I know. But she stayed back, commanding all the other dragonkin, which caught his eye. Once he noticed her, I think it was pretty much a done dealunlike Edgar and Blitz. I think Edgar saw fighting Blitz one on one as more of a challenge than anything else. I see, Stella said. So, because of his time spent with and around Alanah, he was drawn to Lyra and decided to make her his companion. I guess that isnt such a coincidence after all. How many dragonkin were in the trial? Hundreds, Derek said. Im sure there was probably more than a single dragonkin with psyonic or other mental-type abilities, so him choosing her is still a bit of good luck. It seems that you never really know what kind of personality a bonded beast is going to have until after the fact, he explained, thinking that he would have never been able to guess what Silvi was going to turn out like. Then again, most of the dragonkin were your basic earth, fire, wind, and water elements. Even Blitz was a fire wyvern before Edgar bonded with it. I can understand that. You see those elements in classes much more often than you see others. It was lucky that Lyra was even among the others, Stella said as they grew closer to the kennel. Speaking of Lyra, what did the two of you talk about, anyway? she asked Derek. Youre right that Lyra is smart We were talking about bonds and what would be best for the remaining dragonkin once all the ones that are already spoken for are taken. She seems to have a very good understanding of bonds based on what limited information she has, Derek answered. What about you? What did the two of you discuss? We talked mostly about Avery, actually. We seem to have the same opinion on him, Stella replied with a half-chuckle. But I also asked her what she thought I should do regarding the dragonkinwhether I should bond with one or not, and when I should bond with one if I choose to do so. And what did she say? Derek leaned in to asked, he was interested in Lyras take on the question. She had already told him that she thought Stella would make a good companion for one of her kin. So he wondered what she had told Stella. If she were to ask Derek, then he would most likely tell her to go for it. He hadnt regretted bonding with Silvi at all. She told me not to rush into things, she replied. What do you mean? Well she said that it may be possible for me to tame one of the amphithere right now if I really wanted to and was willing to put in the effort. She also said that she would watch over me if I tried, so I wouldnt need to worry about things going badly. But she also thought that it would be best if I waited until I was stronger. She told me about the class upgrade from epic to legendary that Avery received, even though he was already at max level. That was something I didnt know was possible. As I am right now, Im closing in on my final upgrade. I actually would have most likely hit it while partying with Rayna and the others, if not for the war. Im not sure if my epic class will get that upgrade at level 200 to legendary, but odds are that it wont, she explained. Oh, I see, Derek said. So if you dont get the legendary class upgrade Huh Derek ran his hand over the Shadowsteel and was surprised that, though it looked pretty rough, it actually felt like smooth glass. It makes sense, he said. Tyrons at the point where he only makes weapons for trades instead of money. And, he goes out and gathers a lot of his materials himself because of how powerful he is in combat, Derek continued. Its not hard to imagine him finding veins of amazing ores and other materials and just mining it. It will be even easier now that he has Rocky with him, he thought. I guess Stella muttered as she, too, felt of the materials in front of her. Plus, Derek started. Its not like hes not going to be getting all of this stuff back. These dragonkin arent going to be held here indefinitely or anything. In fact, there are only two beasts that arent already spoken for, and I dont think it will be hard to find someone to bond with one. Thats true. Stella nodded her head, then moved around the stable to the front, where she could finally see the amphithere resting inside. Thats interesting, Stella said as she looked upon a winged serpent. What is? It seems relaxed, she said. Like its perfectly fine with being captured. Lyra actually explained all that to me before, Derek said. He then went on to tell Stella about the dragonkin all basically being newborns and infants, and how they were all just living by their instincts at this point. So, the only thing they really want or need is food, and they are getting that in droves. That is interesting, Stella said. That also makes dungeon breaks, and monsters that slip out just before a break, make more sense. With a dungeon break, the monsters just attack everything they seeno real thought involved. Its different from say a beast thats been living in a forest or something for multiple years. Exactly, Derek agreed. Now, was there a dragonkin that you had on your mind that you may want to bond with? he asked. Avery thought you would want an amphithere, like Lyra, so thats what we captured for you, but there is also a drake that isnt taken. It also doesnt seem like Alanah has any plans to bond with the wyvern she tamed. I dont know how those contracts work, but I guess it would be possible for you to bond with that if Alanah really chooses not to. Im not sure if I would be able to even bond with a wyvern without already having a legendary class, Stella said. At least, it would be much harder, maybe even impossible, for me to do. Thats true, Derek said. From there, Stella walked through all the stables with Derek following her. They caught the eye of Lindsay, but the Beast Tamer only nodded at him and didnt come over. Finally, after looking at the biggest beastthe wyvern that was captured for Brandithey stopped. Theres only one wyrm? Stella asked. Yeah, Derek said. We didnt get too many of those. Just RockyTyrons bondand a nature element, one that would be easy for Jacks to fight and contract with if he wants it. Which is why that was the only one you saw. Of course, you could talk with Jacks or Rayna, or even Brandi if you wantedyou all dont have to settle for the dragonkin that we picked out for you. You may find that the wyrm suits you and Jacks may like the amphithere, who knows? They really are magnificent beasts, Stella said. Yup, Derek replied. Just like Blitz. But I truly dont know, Stella said. Ill have to talk with Alanah once she gets back. I am definitely leaning toward the amphithere, though. I know what you mean, Derek said. Lyra really leaves an impression, doesnt she? Yes, Stella said as she turned her head to where the massive winged serpent was resting outside. Yes, she does. Chapter 414: Books Chapter 414: Books Stella continued to window shop for dragonkin for another couple hours. It was like visiting an exotic zoo back on Earthyou could spend hours there just watching the magnificent beasts. During that time, Derek found himself chatting with Lindsay Barnes about herself. They didnt go into anything personaljust her fascination with different beasts. Also, they were correct in assuming that she wanted to bond with a beast, but just hadnt found the right one yet. With her closeness to the animals, she wanted to find the perfectly compatible beast to be her companion. The woman seemed to be a good personbeing on Tyrons speed dial was also another point in that direction. Derek knew the blacksmith pretty well by now, and the fact that he asked Lindsay, and that she came so quickly, were good signs. The more he thought about it, the less he thought Ogre would be a good candidate for a dragonkinor any bonded beast, really. Bones had the organization and mental capacity to take care of a bonded beast, but Ogre was kind of a different story. The way the giant of a man was, Derek doubted he would even want to have a bonded beasthe was too worried about his next meal. Derek also thought the same thing about Silvi. Good thing she didnt get me with that contract trick when we first bonded, he thought with a shiver. He couldnt even imagine the cooking affinity that he would currently have if that were the case. Finally, Stella finished viewing all the dragonkin, and was ready to go back. Overall, she was just excited to spend part of the day away from the business and customers. She hadnt gotten much rest since Alanah joined the fight and with Avery being gone. Im definitely going to have to let Malorie have a break, Derek thought with a sigh as they passed Lyra on the way out. What was that sigh for? Stella asked. I was just thinking that Malorie was in sort of the same position as you, Derek said. Shes had to run everything since Ive been goneand since before I left, to be honest. So she probably needs a break like this as much, if not more, than you did. Probably, Stella agreed. But your little shop has nowhere near the amount of struggles that the Crown Restaurant and Hotels do. Once she becomes fully acquainted with all the ins and outs of itwhich she is already pretty close to doingshell have the shop where it basically runs itself, and shell only have to focus on certain parts. It will become much easier for her as time goes by. And shell have the ability to manage things far better than I can one day. Thats good to know, Derek said. It was a nice feeling, seeing his friends all flourish in their lives. Malorie was shaping up to be a fine business woman, Brandi was well on her way to becoming a crafter just as good, if not better, than Tyron, Jacks and Rayna were starting their own little family, and Rudy was Rudy. He was just happy that he was able to help them. After the long trek back to the Savannah, Stella visited his shop with him before she went back to the Crown. They enjoyed a very late lunch created by Silvione that turned out quite delicious. Silvi had served them skewers of meat and vegetables. They hadnt known exactly what kind of meat they were eating until they asked after receiving a small increase to their wisdom once they consumed it. The meat was actually a mix of the octopus-like creatures and the Astral Vipers that they had fought against in the raid dungeon. It was the first real meal that Silvi had cooked with her Cook What You Kill skill, and whatever the skill did, it drew out the innate effects of the octopus that she had hunted herself. It was an intriguing skill and made Derek rethink his plans of only taking Avery along to hunt Void Beasts with. Silvi was definitely going to have to single-handedly hunt a few of her own just to try the skill. If it worked for regular beasts and recipes, then who knew what kind of gains a Void Beast meal created with Alanahs special recipe they would receive. Or if it would even receive any bonuses since Void Beasts werent part of the system according to the achievement he got for killing them. It was something that they would only be able to find out by testing. Once the meal was over, Stella sluggishly and reluctantly left to get back to work, and Derek finally decided it was time to learn about his shop and how everything was doing. Follow me, Malorie said, then led Derek through the shop and into Rudys office. Do you need anything? Rudy said from behind his desk. Your office, Malorie replied. Oh Rudy said. Once second. He gathered up a few things into his storage ring, then left the room after giving Derek and Malorie a nod. I think we need to get you your own office, Derek said. Do you use Rudys often?Findd new stories at novelhall.com Occasionally, Malorie said as she walked behind the desk and took over the seat where Rudy had been sitting. I mostly do the bookkeeping and inventory in my room or the dining room, but since its more than me this time, I thought it best to use an office. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Makes it more official, Derek said. But you do need your own office. I cant believe I never thought of that. They cant complain about it if its something the city lord does Derek said. Exactly, Malorie said. Then why make the exception for us? Derek asked. For you, Malorie answered. The exception is for you. If you ask me, it is because she sees the value in having you in her city for the long run. So, she has given you the opportunity to set permanent roots. Which would basically forceno, thats not the right word He shook his head. It would entice me to never move to a different city. Yes, Malorie said. I believe that is the goal. The offer only recently came, after all. Ah I see Derek said. The offer most likely came after he returned from the raid, then captured the two dukes. Natalie was at the palace to see that. What do you think? Derek asked. She was the one who ran everything, so he would follow her advice. What will it cost? The cost is quite steep, Malorie said. It is seen as more of an investment into the city instead of just a temporary residence or shop. She flipped through her binder to another page. For lot 33801, we can own it for 268,000 gold. This includes the lower quarterly tax rate of 10%. Once we own it, our only monthly cost will be the 250 gold per month property taxes. If you were to ask me, I would say that its a no-brainer, Malorie explained. You currently have more money than you know what to do with, and you have ways to make as much as you need. Investing it back into the city that you plan on living in would be well worth it. Interesting Derek said. And what about the two lots beside us? Are those for sale? Part of the generous exemption offered by Natalie? When he first visited lot 33801, he liked it because it was between two unoccupied lots that he could possibly use in the future for expansion. I thought you would ask that, Malorie said with a smile. Once the Void Emporium starting taking off in popularity and people saw that it wasnt going to shut down like the previous business that occupied this lot did, they started taking interest in the surrounding lots. I see Derek said. So theyve already been rented? They have, Malorie said. By me. Really? Derek asked with wide eyes. Yes, she said. Of course, I didnt know that you were bringing that giant of a man back to work for you at the time, but now that you have, I see that my instincts to buy the two lots surrounding the Void Emporium were right on target. Yes, Derek said. They were. Malorie then pulled out two contracts from her storage ring. I rented the lots under the name of the business since you werent here and I didnt want to put them under my name. Thats fine, Derek said. But the question is, are we able to buy the two other lots too? He would like to get started on building a place for any workersincluding Bones and Ogrethat they ended up hiring. With the runners looking for different jobs, Derek knew that there would be plenty of people that would take him up on the offer of a live-in employee. Yes. They were included in the offer, Malorie said. But the total price for all three will come to just over 1.1 million gold. It is quite the sum. It is, Derek said. But moneys really not a problem for us, is it? No, Malorie said. No, it is not. Then buy them. Chapter 415: Not for Him Chapter 415: Not for Him Derek left Malorie to her Rudys office with a smile plastered on his face. Hed have to go talk to Natalie about the property information and why he was given such special treatment when she didnt even give herself or her noble house the same kind of treatment. Of course, he wasnt going to look a gift horse in its mouth, which is why he told Malorie to go ahead and buy it all. To be fair, whether he rented or bought the property didnt matter much to Derek. It was all the same to him. Honestly, the biggest factor was that once he bought the property instead of renting it, Malorie would have less on her plate to worry about. It wont be much less, but every little bit counts. If not for that, with the amount of gold he already had, it was enough to rent lot 33801 and the other two for the remainder of his lifespanas long as he made it to the same age as Edwin. I wonder if that evolution changed my longevity. Thats one of those questions I wish I would have thought about when I was speaking with Dave. Im able to regrow limbs, so having a longer lifespan wouldnt be too surprising. What I do know, Derek thought. Is that Geoffrey is going to be a very busy man soon? He half laughed to himself at the thought. The slimy businessman was his go to contractor, and with two more lots to work with, Derek would be building on them sooner rather than later. Hed also just saw the materials that Tyron used for the dragon kennels, and he thought that those would make pretty decent material to build with. On top of that, they seemed to take to being equipped with runes quite well. Hell I love the mystical glow that the Void Emporium has, but it may be worth it to see about adding some of those other materials into the current shop as well. Making the Void Emporium an indestructible fortress hadnt crossed his mind before, but since building it, the war happened, and he didnt know if something like that would come along again. At least weve pretty much secured peace throughout this continent. The dwarves dont sound like greedy folk, and I doubt that, even if they were, they would ever try to wage war against the other three kingdoms combined Still It wouldnt hurt to enhance the shopcreate a sort of fallout shelter just in case. If he were to do that, then hed be able to leave for extended periods of time without worrying about his people. It will make dungeon running with Alanah or farming Void Beasts with Avery much less stressful. The only thing that he could think of that would help even more than that would be a way to alert him if something happened, no matter how far away he was. He was, after all, only seconds away with his Void Travel skill at any time. Derek shrugged as the door connecting Rudys contract shop to the hallway of the other shop closed behind him. Hed have to ask around about some kind of alert system, but he doubted it would be possible. If it were, Alanah would already have one. With that thought, Derek entered the main floor of his shop, then decided to help out for a while. He hadnt taken the time to see how his two employees ran things, and he didnt have anything better to do for the time being. It was too late to leave Savannah and head to the capital to visit Thomas or Clare, but it was also too early to head to bed or have dinner. I bet Silvi wouldnt mind making a second lunch, though, he thought with a grin. So, like that, Derek lived out his dream of customer service. At first, the two kids, Dina and Lance, were extremely nervous with him working alongside them, but after a while, and after learning that Derek had absolutely no clue what he was doing, they started acting normally around him. It helped that Derek asked a bunch of questionseven very stupid onesand didnt treat them like they were beneath him. Finally, after a few hours of some of the most mentally draining and exhausting work hed ever done, the two employees closed up the shop and left. Hed never been a huge people person, though he was getting more used to it, so dealing with strangers all day was very much out of his comfort zone. A century or two trapped in the void was more than worth not having to get a class requiring retail or customer service, he thought as he made sure the front door was locked. Malorie had told him that the store had gotten popular, but he hadnt realized how popular until now. Sure, it wasnt as crowded as some of the other stores or places like the Crown, but the fact that so many people came to shop even though it was so far away from the center of the city, really showed that Brandi and Malorie were doing fantastic. Once finished doing his best job impersonating a retail employee, which he found out was very much not for him, Derek finished the day like normal. That included dinner with everyoneeven Brandi joined them againthen an early end to the night. The next day, Derek decided it was time to head to the capital. With Brandi being as excited as she was to see him, he was beginning to feel bad about not visiting Thomas yet. So, after a nice breakfast prepared by Silvi, he headed out toward the Teleportation Building. Sure, he could have used Void Travel and appeared in the capital, close to the academy. From what he gathered, it wasnt far from the palace, and he had the perfect spot in the center of the Throne Room to appear. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. And how do I get these papers? Derek asked. You can either take your ward to one of the City Buildings and submit an application with them there, or you can send an application to the academy and it will be verified by your ward, the guard explained. And those are the only ways? Derek asked. He could always just use Void Travel and appear directly next to Thomas, but he didnt want to give everyone in the academy a heart attack by doing so. Im afraid so, the guard said. Well I wanted to surprise him but oh well, Derek thought. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he pulled out a blue communication crystal and began channeling his mana into it. Hed already bought and given each of his people at least a blue crystal that he received from Geoffrey back when he was contracted to build the Void Emporium. Thats the guard said, pulling Dereks attention. Probably not going to work. And why is that? Derek asked. Because the academy has runes preventing most communication crystals from working. You need specific runes to get through, he explained. Those are used by staff. Dammit, Derek said. Wait, maybe I can use the noble, do you know who I am? line, and they will be forced to let me in. He seriously thought about doing that for a moment before deciding against it. No, I dont want to cause too much of a commotion. I would hate to embarrass Thomas in front of any friends or enemies that hes made. The biggest problem Derek was having at the moment was that almost everyone was still in Indaria. Id prefer to contact Edgar or even Edwin, but I cant Maybe Natalie can help? He thought, but decided against bothering her for the time being. I guess it cant be helped. Ill be back in a bit, Derek said to the guards with a sigh before leaving. True to his word, Derek was back about half an hour later, and behind him was a very anxious Phillip Musgrave. Hed been left in charge while the royal family was at the wedding, so Derek figured hed be able to help. The adviser was more than happy to drop everything he was doing and follow Derek. Derek had even gone through the front entrance to the palace this time instead of appearing out of nowhere, just to be respectful. After a stern talking to and a light beratingwhich was stopped by Derek because the guards were just doing their jobsDerek was allowed entrance to the academy. Phillip even gave Derek a special token to show if anyone questioned his entrance. As the gate behind him shut, Derek turned around to Phillip and the two guards. Thanks again! he waved back. Once the gate shut, he turned back around and looked at the massive building in front of him. Time to find Thomas. Chapter 416: The Academy Chapter 416: The Academy Derek thought of the academy as a massive building, but that was an understatement. Yes, the building in the middle was enormous, but there was more than that. It was like an entire small city within the capitalone separate from everything else. And the giant wall encompassing it made that all the more so.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com As he strode forward, Derek was at a bit of a loss as to how to find Thomas. The easy way would be to open a tunnel with Void Travel, then use his Void Sense to pinpoint the boys location, but that would also be the unwanted attention way. With a shrug, Derek continued forth to the massive building in the center of everything else. Before he arrived at a small bit of stairs going up to the entrance, he was met by another two guards. With a quick flash of the tokenor badgethat Adviser Musgrave had given him, the two guards bowed with respect, then allowed him inside without asking any more questions. I may have to keep this, Derek thought as he pinned the badge to the right arm of his shirt before walking through the double door entranceopting to wear it out in the open so he didnt run into any problems. Stepping inside and letting the doors swing closed behind him, Derek looked around. The room was empty of people. Instead, it had tapestries of a bunch of men that Derek didnt recognize on either side. However, they all looked slightly familiar. Theres Edwin, he thought as his eyes landed on what looked to be a much younger version of King Edwinhe looked almost identical to Edward on the tapestry. Well, I guess it is referred to as the Kings Academy for a reason, Derek thought as he walked forward, then up one of the sets of stairs that were on either side of the entry room. He never liked the gaudy double stairs that led to the same place, it just took up too much room for his taste. I wonder if theres a principals office or a receptionist or somethingan easy way to find out where the kid is, he thought as he made it to the top of the staircase, then moved to another double door on the center of the wall. Opening the doors, he was relieved to see that it might not be so hard to find the boy after all. The answer to all his questions was sitting at a finely crafted wooden desk in the center of the new room, in front of a wall lined with shelve full of books and what looked like storage cabinets. Interesting choice In a place where it was common for higher ups to have storage rings filled with any and all items, he hadnt expected to see actual bookshelves and cabinets behind a receptionist. I guess it does give it more of an academy feel. Derek knew he was in the right place, as the lobby had multiple gossiping students standing around, and a few even in line to talk to the receptionist. Derek looked the current students up and down. The ages of them had to vary greatly. Some looked as young, if not younger than Thomas did the last time Derek saw him. Then, on the opposite side of the equation, there were students who looked in the early twenties even. One thing they all had in common, though, was the uniform they were wearing. Every student, male and female, wore a dark gray set of tunics and trousers accented throughout with blue patterns. The blue accents matched the color of the royal familys lightning almost perfectlythere was nothing subtle about it. Derek did notice that on the upper part of each students arm, there was a roman numeral. Most of the students in the lobbyespecially the younger oneshad a one plastered on them. Though, the older kids had fours and there were even a five among the bunch. I bet thats what year they are. Then, along with the blue accents and class numbers, each student had a symbol on the left side of their chests. One student had a pair of crossed swords, while another had a shield. There was even a girl who wore the symbol of a literal heart on her chest. He finally realized what it all meant when he saw a person with a hammer and anvil symbol. Its showing what kind of class they have. The swords would be offensive or attack, the shield would be defensive or tanks, I guess. As for the heart probably a healer. After looking around the area and examining all the students, Derek looked at the multiple doors littered throughout the lobby. Some were adjacent to the receptionists desk, and some were on the side wallsnone were labeled. Finally, Derek stepped forward, drawing a bit of attention from the students, but when they saw the token pinned to his shirt sleeve, they backed away with raised brows. He settled in behind the few students in line and waited. The receptionist was pretty quick at handling each student, and after just a few minutes, it was Dereks turn. How may I help you? the man asked Derek, then, when his eyes landed on the badge, he hurriedly stood and gave him a small bow. Sir! Enough of that, Derek said, motioning the man down with his hand. Sit sit he commanded. As the man sat, he noticed that the man was wearing almost the same uniform as the students, but on his upper arm was a symbol of an open book and a crown. I guess that signifies him as faculty or staff or something, Derek thought. The man did not have a symbol woven into his chest like the students did. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Yes, sir! the man said as he retook his seat. What are your orders? Sir! Damn he said that with a straight face. Derek inwardly laughed. He was used to running around with the rulers and most powerful people on the continent, so they didnt exactly have the same reverence as everyone else did for Blitz the Magnificent. In fact, they were more likely to poke fun at him and Edgar about it. Skepticism is to be expected, Derek said. Its hard to believe some things without seeing them with your own eyes. He watched the receptionist nod heavily, then continued. Anyway, about Thomas? Oh, right! The man quickly pulled something out of his storage ring and placed it on the center of his wooden desk. This Derek looked at it, and it was a standing sign that said will return shortly. Oh, Im going to take you to the arena myself. Dont worry about the students, its mid-semester, theres nothing they need right now that they cant wait for. Theyre mostly all just looking for weekend passes and such. Also, theyre used to it, the receptionist explained. Well okay I guess, Derek said with a shrug. The receptionist then moved out from behind his desk and announced, Ill be taking a thirty-minute break. Please plan accordingly. There were a couple of sighs that came from the students behind Derek, but they all accepted everything rather easily. I guess they really are used to it, Derek thought. With the students informed, the receptionist had Derek follow him. He took Derek back out the central door and outside the way hed just come from. The doors inside all lead to the general classrooms for each year. The buildings over here on the south side are the specialized classes buildings. Theres everything from cooking and alchemy to weapons and tactics, the man said as he led Derek between the specialized buildings and the main academy. I see, Derek said with a nod as he followed along. On the opposite side, the north side of campus, is the student and faculty dorms, along with stalls and buildings set up for purchasing items created by the crafting students. Its a good way to earn extra tokens and such since gold and regular coins isnt accepted in the academy, he explained. Oh? Whys that? Derek asked. If you cant tell, I know absolutely nothing about this place. Other than none of the students are supposed to get any kind of preferential treatment. Which is one of the reasons I sent Thomas to this place. I wouldnt expect you to, the man said. Most dont have a reason to learn more about it than the requirements to enroll. As for the Academy Credit, they are used so everyone is on equal footing when they enter. Students are given a small amount during enrollment, then they must obtain more through classwork, battles, selling materials or crafted items. Though, it has been harder on everyone this last year because the fighters arent able to go raid dungeons for materials, which leaves the crafters without as many items to sell. Well, that should change soon, Derek said. Seeing you here, I imagined that would be the case, the man said, then led Derek around a corner to the back of the campus, behind the academy. Here we are. Holy shit, Derek said as he looked over the enormous building. This is a coliseum. Chapter 417: Arena Chapter 417: Arena I wasnt expecting something so huge, Derek said to the receptionist turned guide. It allows for multiple teams to perform at the same time, the guide said. Otherwise, these lessons would take all day, or maybe even longer. I guess I can see that depending on the class size, Derek said. From what hed learned, there wouldnt be many students with epic rarity classes, but he certainly didnt find it hard to believe that there could be a lot of students who met the rare class at level 50, and under 16 years old requirements to enroll. It may have been very tough to reach for commoner children and children of the lower noble houses, but he felt that might not be the case for the higher tier noble houses. Plus, with the number of people throughout the kingdom, even with the extremely low rate of rare classes, there would still be a lot of kids who reached it. After that, the academy and its enrollment requirements were well known throughout the kingdom, so it would make sense that if any villager or commoner had a child who reached such a requirement, they would be quick to try to enroll them into the academy. He also didnt know the graduation rate, or how long they were able to stay in the academy. So, it made sense that there could be classes with dozens, if not hundreds, of students. This allows the students to have their battles in the morning, then enjoy lunch before their afternoon classes, the man said as he led Derek through the entrance to the arena. It also allows for quite the massive audience when students have the occasional tournament or exams that are open to the public. Oh? Tournaments? Derek asked. That sounds interesting. Yes, the man answered. We hold the occasional tournaments for crafting and fighting. There are solo battles against other students, and team battles. Then there are team battles against monsters for the audience to observe. Those are where the support and healers really shine, he explained. Unfortunately, we were unable to hold one last year. That sounds cool, Derek said. He wondered about how other things were planned out, but he wasnt there for that. It was something he could find out later. It is, the man agreed. Now, how would you like to do this? Do what? Derek asked the man. Watch, of course, the man answered. We have booths reserved for the royal family and their menwhich you certainly qualify forwhich allow you to watch from above. The king and Prince Edgar like to occasionally view the students practice without interrupting them. Those booths are private, and you can choose to make the glass transparent or not to protect your privacy. The default runes are set for one-way. A bunch of voyeurs, Derek thought with a chuckle, which got an odd look from the guide. Or, if you dont wish to use a booth, you can make your way to the stands. It will be less private, but odds are, the students wont see a someone sitting in the stands with how huge the arena is. The choice is up to you. Id hate to disrupt them, Derek said. I guess you can just take me to one of the booths. Speaking of students, Derek looked over each one that was currently in battle, but none of them looked like Thomas, especially the lone girl who was using a spear. Unless Thomas grew his hair out really long and changed his hair color to red. I hope he hasnt gone yet, Derek thought as his eyes moved from the groups of students that were fighting the beasts and down into the stands where the rest of the class was located. All he could see was the majority of the students backsother than a few who were turned around gossiping. It was hard to make out which one was Thomasif any of them actually were. For all he knew, Thomas and his group could be under the stands preparing for their turns. He quickly dismissed all the students that were wearing robes as their battle attire as likely candidates to be his ward, then also those in heavy plate armor. After scanning the back of each persons head, he found a handful of people in leathers with sandy blond hair that could be him. Without being able to see much more, Derek shrugged and focused on the fights happening in the arena. The first beast to fall was a gorilla-type monster. A youth with twin daggers had danced his way behind it while the tank held its attention. Then, the assassin had cut vital tendons in its legs, basically hamstringing it, causing its legs to buck and it to fall forward. After that, the other damage dealer with a long sword rushed in and helped the dagger-wielder finish it off. While all this was happening, the healer was locked on to the teams tank, and the support kept their buffs up at all times. If Derek had to grade the battle on a scale of A to F, hed give them a solid B+. The assassin could have coordinated better with the rest of the group, and it seemed like the longsword user was a bit too cautious when attackingwhich led to it taking a little longer to fell the beast. The next fight ended a couple minutes later with another longsword user driving the blade into the back of the head of a giant armored spider. After watching the fight, he actually gave that group a higher score than the previous. Yes, the first group was faster, but the second was dealing with a spider that seemed to have a very high defense and quick movement. They coordinated very well, allowing the sword user to get a good chance to pierce an unarmored vital area of the beast. The archer was on point, tooreleasing arrow after arrow into the spiders many eyes, but not too many to take the attention of the spider off of the groups tank. As for the healer and the support, they did fine healing the team and keeping the buffs up. The support did seem to be a bit more attentive than the other teams support. Hed give them a solid A- for their battle. The other group didnt fare quite as well as the previous two. With the third group, Derek got to see how much damage the team had to take for the instructor to interfere. The answer: a lot. Unfortunately for the group, they were very uncoordinated and were fighting a giant wolf, which meant that it was even a bit quicker than the other two beasts. The way they fought made it seem like they werent even close to the previous teams league. The healer was dead set on healing their tank. The only problem with that strategy was that the tank wasnt able to keep the aggro of the wolf because the archer was loosing her arrows as fast as she possibly could without stopping. The support and spear user both seemed to be irritated at the other three members of their squad, and were busy shouting at them. Finally, the spear user decided to ignore the rest of her team and go in. Honestly, Derek couldnt blame herhe wasnt one for fighting in a group, and if his group was so uncoordinated, he would do the same thing. The difference was Derek could do the same thing and fight it himself. As it turned out, the spear user couldnt. She got a few good licks in, and even drove her spear through the abdomen of the beast, which took some of the pressure from the tank and archer. However, she failed to remove the spear fast enough and the wolfs maw found itself latched onto her torso. She cried out in agony, but, other than taking a few steps closer, the instructor didnt take any action. The wolf shook its head back and forth and soon, the girl went flying through the air. She landed roughly on the groundher armor pierced through and blood slowly flowing out. The healer panicked and cast a heal on the spear user, but while he was distracted, the wolf pounced and swiped its claw across his back. His healing skill landed on the spear user, helping with her wound, but unfortunately, the healer also found himself on his back with a snarling wolf looking down on him. When the wolf opened its maw and started to move toward the healers head, thats when the instructor acted. He was there in an instant and had the wolf lifted up by the scruff of its neck. Derek even thought he could hear the beast whimpering before the instructor put it out of its misery. The wound through its stomach looked pretty bad, and Derek didnt doubt that if left untreated, it would have bled out anyway. Once the beast was stored in the instructors storage ringwhich Derek noted that the other two groups had been able to keep the beast they had battledhe fed the healer a health potion, then collected the rest of the group. He seemed disappointed as he led the failed group back to the stands, talking to them the whole way. Derek could only give them an F+. The plus only being because the tank would have done quite well if the other damage dealers had paid more attention. Derek pulled out some steaming hot coffee and continued watching the exams. He watched six more groups before he finally recognized one with one of the boys hed picked out draw a spear from his storage ring. Everything had already been quite enjoyable for Derek. He thought about bringing Jacks to see it sometimeto be able to see what his son was up to during his time in the academy. Finally, the boy with a spear turned his head, and Derek saw that it really was Thomas. He moved into position with his group, and they all readied themselves for what was coming next. Chapter 418: Soul Spear Chapter 418: Soul Spear Thomas stepped forward with his team and waited for the other two teams to get into their respective positions. He looked around at his team members and was happy that Eric was selected alongside him. Eric was an elven earth mage who Thomas had been paired up with once before, and they worked well together that time. The elf wasnt much of a talker, but when it came to battle, he was great. The other three members were students that hed never been paired with during his exams, but hed watched them fight plenty. Their healer, Sandra, wasnt the best healer in his class, but she was at least above averageat least compared to the rest of them. Then there was Mark, the support mage. He wasnt as good as most of the othershe had a knack for panicking and even missing casts occasionally. That was a shame, because, in Thomass opinion, he had some of the better skills from his class. Finally, he was happy that Syd was selected as their tank. Hed proven himself time and time again to be one of the best tanks in the class. As long as Thomas paid attention to his output at the beginning of the fight, and let Eric do his thing, Syd would have no problem keeping whatever beast was chosen for them to fight at bay. Thomas could feel the nerves and excitement that he got every week during this time. It was the only real time they got to fight enemies that pushed them. Most of his studies in the academy were just that: studies. Hed managed to run a single dungeon before the world shut down and the academy students were barred from leaving the city, and that dungeon was one of the easiest ones in the kingdomselected as a dungeon for freshmen to ease into. Habitually, Thomas ran a quick check of the items in his storage ring. In his hand was the spear that Derek had commissioned for him, and that he received from the dwarven smith, Carrie. He treasured the spear in his handnot only because it was a well-crafted spear made specifically for him, but because Derek had thought about him and had it commissioned before he left on the raid. He was very attached to the spear, and even though he would outgrow it soon enough, he planned to at least keep it as a memento for the future. That wasnt to say that he didnt have other spears, though. In his storage ring, along with the many potions he hadwhich they were banned from using during the examwere a few backup spears just in case something happened to his main weapon. Those spears werent near as good, but they would do in a pinch. What he was truly waiting for was Brandi to be ready to craft him one specifically for him, but he had a hard time asking for such a thing. However, he knew that it was just a matter of time, and he couldnt wait to see it. Thinking about the girl caused him to feel a small amount of embarrassment inside, as he knew that she was already a much higher level than him, and was just getting even further away. Students ready! Thomas was broken out of his thoughts, and pulled his attention away from his storage ring as his Instructor Miles called out for them. Thomas felt the adrenaline pump through his veins as he waited for the instructor to introduce the beast they were to be fighting. He slightly bent his knees in preparation and watched the tunnel where the beast would soon appear. He hoped it wasnt another boar. Hed already fought countless of those, and they also gave him an unpleasant memory. Though, putting him up against one was like giving him an easy exam, so if he really cared about his class rankings, a boar would be best. But Thomass class ranking was fine. In fact, it was more than fine. While he wasnt number one, he easily made it into the top ten, and even the top five in most things. Before going to the academy, he had felt like he was far behind, but after a year in the academy, he realized that he was just used to hanging out with monsters like Derek and Brandi. So, though he felt bad about falling behind his friend, he couldnt really feel too bad. What would the other students think if that were the case? Luckily, his hope came true when Instructor Miles yelled, Fight! and the wolf appeared from the tunnel. Its only move would be to back away or go over, but as soon as it tried, it was met by a reinforced earthen wall that had been erected from behind while it was distracted. Finally, a quick, makeshift ceiling grew from the top of the wall and covered the wolf from the top as well. At that point, Derek knew that the fight would be over soon. The wolfs only option would be to go through Thomas, the tank, or Thomass projectionwhich would be easiest, but the elven earth mage was already preparing another wall behind the projection, stopping that. That only left Thomas and the tank, and it seemed that the wolf knew this. Derek clutched the mug of coffee in his hand and leaned even closer to the glass than beforeif that was even possible. The enraged wolf made its decision and broke the aggro from the tank to focus on Thomas. With a snarl, it swung its head in the boys directionits massive maw opened wide to bite down on Thomas. But Thomas held his ground. Just before the beast took a chunk out of the boy, he sidestepped and silver-blue projections of his spear formedcausing multiple wounds with each thrust. Thomas reminded Derek of Shae at that moment. He was built for speedat least compared to the level of monster he was fighting and the classmates that had gone before. It was like a dance as the spearman ducked under a claw swipe and stabbed, then dodged its bit again and stabbed. The beast even saw a possible out to flee from, but Thomass projection disappeared, then split from the boy once againcovering the escape route. I think he could have won by himself, Derek thought as he watched Thomas dodge every attack from the wolf. His projection moved slower and its attacks were weaker, but that didnt seem to matter. Thomas was like a dodge tank himself with a crazy amount of damage output. I wonder if those projections count as magical or physical damage. If they counted as magical, then that meant that Thomas was outputting both types of damage at the same timemagical with the projections and physical with his spears. That would be a bit overpowered, Derek thought. At this point in the fight, the tank and Thomas had changed positions. The tank had already moved his shield to his back and was two handing his sword. It had a gray glimmer to it as he reinforced it with some other skill. The boy wasnt just a tank, his damage could keep up with the output of many of the students that specialized in damage that Derek had seen throughout the day. The beast let out one last whimper before falling at Thomass feet. Thomas continued to stand at the ready, but he soon relaxed. Must have gotten the kill notification, Derek thought. The earthen wall fell back into the ground, and the elven mage slowly walked over to where the battle took place with his hands in his robe pockets and a bored look on his face. Derek checked the other two battles currently going on and they werent anywhere near close to finishingat least they didnt seem like they were. Damn, Derek thought. Thomass group wasnt the fastest battle of the day, but it seemed to be the easiest. In fact, neither the support nor healer had to do anything other than cast a couple of spells. Though that support should have buffed the rest of the party, too, Derek thought. Unless it was worked out beforehand. The instructor soon walked over to the wolf and said a few words with a smile, then the tank reached down and the wolf disappeared. After that, the five students made their way back to the stands. The healer and support walked the fastest and were the first to reach, while the tank walked alone to the stands. At the back, Thomas happily chatted away at the stoic elf, as the elf only nodded and occasionally opened his mouth to give the boy a short reply or two. Derek wiped the condensation off the glass in front of him, then leaned back in his seat. It was nice to see that the boy was doing wellvery well, it seemed. Chapter 419: Instructor Hunt Chapter 419: Instructor Hunt Derek continued watching the exam after Thomass team finished. The boy had gone to sit with the rest of his class and teammates once they were through and continued watching the other students. Throughout each match, Derek was thoroughly entertained. In fact, after the next group finished, he got an idea. Looking down at the stands where the students were sitting, Derek picked out one of the instructorsa close oneand wanted to try to send him a telepathic message. He hoped the instructor would be able to receive it. Being an instructor in the academy, it would make sense that they would be open to receiving incoming telepathic links just in case something happened. Can you hear me? he sent, and was happy when the instructor he was sending it to began looking around. Ill take that as a yes, Derek said. Come to the kings private booth. Theres something I need to talk to you about. The instructors head then whipped toward the booth where Derek was sitting. The man stared deeply at it with wide eyes for a moment before turning back to another instructor and the rest of the students. After a few words, the instructor got up and headed underneath the stands. While waiting, Derek placed the badge on the door and opened it up as he leaned back and enjoyed the battles below. A few minutes later, and he saw the instructor walking down the hall toward the booth. When he arrived at the entrance, he stopped. Derek looked at him with a smile and said, Come on in. The man hesitated, but when Derek raised his eyebrows and turned his shoulder toward himshowing him the kings tokenthe instructor stepped inside. Mr the man paused. Hunt, Derek replied. Derek Hunt. You may have heard of me. Ah of course, the instructor replied. He didnt seem as happy to meet him as the previous faculty member, but, even though he tried to hide it, his face still showed a bit of shock and surprise. Mr. Hunt. How may I help you? The students Derek started. The hopeful ones how is there willpower? How are they with aura? It was something that Derek wanted to knowhe especially wanted to find out how Thomass willpower was compared to the rest of the kids, because he had already proven that he could compare with the top students when it came to battle prowess. At their current levelswhich were all just under level 100they should have similar stats. That meant that based on their stats, each student should technically be able to withstand close to the same amount of aura. However, those with real dedication and willpower would be able to take even more, and Derek wanted to test just which students were at the top. It would be good for them, too. He even knew that he could wake them up from a coma if he accidentally released too much at once. How are they with aura? The instructor asked, then answered. A few seem to be better than others. We dont conduct much aura or mental resistance training until the students third year. I see, Derek said. And how are you and the other instructors with aura? Derek asked with a smirk. Us? The mans eye twitched. I figure were just about as good as any other elite at our levels. Like the ones who went on the raid with me? Derek asked. He noticed that this instructor didnt go out of his way to be overly polite or respectful like the other one had. He was fine with that, though. After all, he wasnt some snot-nosed noble yet. The few students that received a look from Derek stood a little straighter and wore a proud expression on their facesespecially Thomas. Even the stoic tank followed suit. They dont even know who I am, but I guess they all know what the token Im wearing stands for, so its not like theyre being complimented by some random passerby which they really are. Derek half smiled. Now, Im sure the overwhelming majority of you have no clue who I am, correct? Derek asked, and every student other than Thomas shook their heads. Well thats to be expected. He laughed. Lets see whats the best way to explain my current status in Cydaria? Derek rubbed his chin and tilted his head a bit before continuing. Oh, I know, he said as he raised his index finger into the air. My name is Derek Hunt. I am either the most feared or respected man among all the higher ups and royals in the three kingdoms. And the reason that isnt four kingdoms is because I have yet to visit the kingdom of the dwarves, Vallum. At that, one of the instructors snorted lightly, but caught himself when another gave him a stink-eye. Of course, you dont have to believe me, Derek said. But, I can pretty much guarantee that I am the strongest person here in Cydariaexcept for possibly Alanah Swan, or maybe the Adventurers Guild Leader who I have yet to meet, so I cant actually judge him. Youre stronger than Prince Edgar and his dragon? one of the students managed to speak out. Who do you think got him that dragon? Derek smirked. Edgar is a friend, and he is strong in his own rightone of the strongest in the kingdom, actuallybut the fight between us wouldnt last long. Murmurs began coming from the crowd of students at that. Derek wasnt exaggerating. He was pretty sure he was the strongest in the kingdom, and he did believe that he could beat Alanah if they were both going all out. He knew that she couldnt hold that siren form for long, and his specialty was his battle endurance. So he wasnt just blowing smoke. He wanted the student to realize his strength, so they went all out to impress him when he tested them. Now, you may be asking yourself, why is he here? or shouldnt he be in Astrus with everyone else?, and the answers to those questions are simple. Astrus is now Indaria, and the war is officially over, with peace treaties in place and everything. I decided to come back early while Edwin and the others finished up everything on that side, he answered. As for what I am doing here Like I said, I watched your battles, and I became interested. Im not someone who needs much of a reason for things, Derek said. But, I thought that since the kingdom as you know it will be changing soon with the alliance between three kingdoms, Id give you all a little test. That got the students to stir even more. The other kingdoms are sure to send some of their own students to the academy and maybe even foreign instructors, and I imagine more dungeons will open up for you students to explore than ever before. After all, the teleporters will be connecting all three kingdoms soon enough, so travel will be simple. So, I thought I would help you all to prepare a little, he finished. Then, he looked at the instructors one by one. Instructors if you would, please step to the side. Now, he said directly to the students. Im sure everyone knows how aura works. Its strength is determined by the total combination of all your stats. Im sure that by now, many of you can release at least a bit of an aura, he explained and saw many of the kids nod their heads. What determines your ability to withstand an aura is your own stat enforced aura, and your overall willpowerwhich isnt something that is tangible. Today, I want to test everyones willpower and auras against my own, Derek said. It is possible to fight against someone much stronger than you and win, but that wont happen if you cant even withstand their aura. There could be a mage in front of you with absolutely no defense and his neck wide open for a vital hit, but if you cant move through his aura, you will still have no chance, Derek explained and saw even a couple of the instructors nod along. Now, how many of you received an epic class at level 25 or 50? he asked, and a few students raised their hands. He saw that one of the students was actually the terrible support that hed seen earlier. Really system? Really? He inwardly questioned the systems sanity. Only three of you? Thats to be expected, I guess, Derek said. The three of you will have a small advantage over the others in this test, but dont get cocky. As for everyone else, I image that your stats are all at least somewhat similar. Though Thomas may have a couple Void Beast meals in him too He better do well, then. Now, prepare yourselves! Instructors, please retrieve each student when you determine that they are unable to continue. With that, Instructor Hunt waited for them all to prepare, then unleashed his aura. Chapter 420: Test of Will Chapter 420: Test of Will ¡®Unleashed¡¯ his aura may have been an overstatement. What Derek did was more like letting it trickle out. In fact, he could count this ¡®exam¡¯ as one for him as well. Where he had been, there hadn¡¯t been much reason to hold back when using his aura, so he didn¡¯t have a lot of practice in it. He had gotten better and better at directing it, though, and it was showing as he could tell that with the small amount he was currently holding to, barely any was leaking out in the directions other than directly in front of him. Of course, he knew all that would change once he took it up a few levels. But none of that really mattered. And, on top of all of that, he chose a slower method because he did have more control. He didn¡¯t want to just drop it all like a bomb and have the whole academy rushing over, preparing for the worst. This way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about much¡ªif any¡ªof his aura leaving the arena. ¡°Good, good,¡± Derek said as he kept an eye out on all the kids. He would have disappointed if any of them faltered at such a low level of aura. Their average levels were just under level 100, after all. Thomas had definitely been growing a bit slower than Brandi had, but his skills had looked quite sharp in his previous battle, and Brandi had materials to craft with that would make even the most veteran crafters jealous. ¡°I¡¯m going to turn it up a notch.¡± With that, Derek concentrated deeper and sent another wave of aura out. This should be somewhere around an average level 100¡¯s aura, he thought as he watched closely. Since it¡¯s so close to their own levels, none of them should have any problem what so ever moving or reacting in this small amount. It¡¯s when the level gap¡ªor stat gap¡ªis wide that it gets that gravity-like feeling and overwhelms one¡¯s senses. Unfortunately, Derek did end up being disappointed. Nobody dropped out, but a few of the students began twitching, and a couple even started shaking. If they¡¯re like that after just this much... Derek shook his head. ¡°Another level coming,¡± Derek shouted. ¡°This one should be around level 150. Prepare yourselves.¡± With the warning, he saw a few students clutch their fists in preparation. Others, like the tank that was in Thomas¡¯s group, stood firm without batting an eye. Derek sent out another wave¡ªthis time to a few cries and grunts. Two of the students who were having trouble before fell to one knee. Derek inwardly shook his head in disappointment. They had plenty of stats to withstand the current level¡ªthey just needed a little willpower to reinforce themselves. Other than those two, many others were struggling, but at least they were all still standing. If a student remained standing at his next increase, then he would consider them passing... barely. ¡°Here comes an aura from your average level 200 warrior. At your levels, you may be hindered, but you should at least be able to keep yourself steady and maybe even move a little at this level. If you can keep yourself upright here, and not sprawled out on the ground, then in my eyes, you would at least be considered passing. Though, as academy students, I expect more than just passing.¡± Hehe, Derek snickered to himself. He was getting into playing the wise professor. He was correct in thinking that it would be entertaining. Maybe I could do something like this once I retire... he looked out over the kids. Nah... too much work. I¡¯d rather just drop by randomly and take over a class here and there. That¡¯s much more fun. Finally, after giving the students ample time to prepare, he upped the aura he was using again. To him, this aura was nothing¡ªhell, he hadn¡¯t even pushed enough aura out for the whites of his eyes to turn void-colored yet. Though, in no world did he think that any of the students would still be standing once he went that far. And he did plan on going that far if any of them were left after a couple more increases. Again, voices cried out. The two students that had been on one knee fell flat to the ground. That was the point when the instructors that were on standby began moving in and pulling those students out. More and more students fell to a knee, and some even skipped a knee and fell straight to their face from standing. They had been fighting hard to stand, so when their legs gave out, they really gave out. The instructors continued to flash in and pull students out. ¡°Take the kneeling ones too,¡± Derek said. It was already a given on what would happen with those who were already struggling so much if he increased his aura once again. Derek was glad that none of the instructors showed any signs of slowing down when they moved in and out of his current aura. That wouldn¡¯t have been a good look for the academy if they had of. He figured that the six instructors were all comparable to the members of the raid that joined who were around the 220 level or so at the time¡ªpeople like Ciera Cook or the deceased Sachiko Sato who sacrificed herself blocking attacks that invaded his Time Prison. He doubted they would be on Shae¡¯s level or Tyron¡¯s level once they reached level 250, but he was sure there would be at least a few who would be somewhere within the academy. ¡°Alright! The twelve of you have done a very good job up to this point. There would be no shame in stepping away now¡ªyou¡¯ve already proven yourselves,¡± he said, but seeing that nobody budged, he continued. ¡°The next raise in aura will surpass that of most level 250 warriors that you¡¯ll meet.¡± Instead of seeing fear, he saw excitement flash in all the remaining students¡¯ eyes. Even Thomas had broken out into a grin, and the impassive elf finally had some fire in his eyes. All the remaining students were already on shaky legs. Beside them, he heard some of the instructors whispering to each other... wondering exactly how much stronger an aura could get. ¡°One last warning. I have been known to send people directly into comas just from my aura alone... nobody? Very well...¡± Derek said. Then he pushed. He finally got to the point where he felt his eyes constrict a little¡ªthat was the point where he knew that the void-color must be taking over the whites of his eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight grin form on his mouth. I warned them, Derek thought. Then he pushed¡ªnot all out, but enough that he believed none of them would be able to continue. ¡°Ugh!¡± He heard groans coming from each and every student that was still standing. He also heard a few cries from the side where some of the rescued kids caught a small portion of it that leaked out to his surroundings. The instructors moved quickly and pulled those students back even further as soon as they felt it. Derek glanced over at the instructors once they were finished and saw that none of them could contain their surprised expressions. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because there were still a few students struggling to stand, or if it was because of his aura. He turned and focused on the students. Finally, the final student¡ªthe impressive tank¡ªfell. However, he kept his aura up. He could see that there were some students struggling. Thomas was one of them. Clearly, the kid didn¡¯t want to disappoint Derek. However, to Derek, he¡¯d already proven himself more than capable at his level. Still, he wanted to see how far he would push himself. The tank managed to struggle up to one knee after a while, and still pressed on to try to make it back to both feet. The other students weren¡¯t so lucky. Thomas and two more had made it from a prone position back to all fours, but they looked to be at their limits. Eventually, the tank pushed back one last time, and found himself in a half-crouched position before falling back to one knee. Thomas tried his hardest, but he just couldn¡¯t manage to get to a knee. Finally... Derek felt that it was enough and withdrew his aura. He could have gone even harder and further humbled the students, but he thought he¡¯d humbled them enough by this point. With the release of his aura, all twelve students¡ªwell, the ones who weren¡¯t already sprawled out on the ground¡ªfell limp. A cacophony of heavy breathing sounded out from the arena and Derek¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°Those who fell, A-. Those who continued to struggle, A. And you...¡± Derek walked forward and stood over the tank, who had already managed to roll over onto his back. ¡°A+. Good job.¡± Chapter 421: Lesson for the Instructors Chapter 421: Lesson for the Instructors The tank slowly pushed himself back up to his feet. Once up, he stood directly in front of Derek. The boy even had the courage to look him¡ªa person who just claimed himself to be the strongest person in the kingdom and who just put his entire class down with an aura display¡ªdirectly in the eyes. Derek held the boy¡¯s gaze for a few moments, then, to his surprise, the tank bowed deeply and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Holy shit, Derek thought. He wasn¡¯t expecting the student to act the way he was. He¡¯d been pretty much at the forefront of everything, so he expected the boy to be haughty or something¡ªinstead, he seemed to be humble. Thomas needs to make this boy his friend. They do work well together, after all. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Derek asked the tank. ¡°Syd,¡± the boy said, then caught himself. ¡°Sydney Ibarra.¡± ¡°Ibarra?¡± Derek asked with raised eyebrows. ¡°Any relation to Cain?¡± ¡°He is my uncle,¡± the boy answered. Derek looked Syd up and down before shrugging. ¡°A tank, huh?¡± he asked. ¡°Not an elementalist or some other kind of mage?¡± Cain Ibarra, the capital¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild Master who went on the raid with Derek and the others, was a high rank elementalist. Usually, it seemed that most children of noble houses followed the path as the elders¡ªwith some slight alterations as no two classes were the same. Maybe Cain is the odd one? Derek thought. ¡°I...¡± Syd looked around at everyone and hesitated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me anything,¡± Derek said. ¡°Whatever secrets you have aren¡¯t for me or anyone else to know. If you don¡¯t feel like sharing, nobody¡¯s going to think any lesser of you.¡± Derek still had some of his own secrets that he hadn¡¯t shared yet, so he would be a hypocrite if he forced the kid to do so. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t been one before, but this was something he really didn¡¯t care much about. He just had a slight curiosity, and Cain had left a decent enough impression on him. ¡°I just didn¡¯t take to magic very well,¡± Syd finally answered. ¡°Turned out that I was well suited for defense over everything else.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Defense is the way to go.¡± He laughed. ¡°The only reason I¡¯m still alive to this day. Tank classes are the best classes, after all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a tank?¡± Syd asked with wide eyes. At around this time, the instructors had begun discussing some things, and many of the other students, including Thomas, were beginning to stand. ¡°I started out as one¡ªa solo one, actually,¡± Derek said. ¡°Which meant I didn¡¯t really need any taunts or ways to control aggro,¡± he explained. ¡°But you know how class upgrades can be. Sometimes you have to change down the line because you got a better opportunity, or you picked wrong in the beginning.¡± He looked past Syd at Thomas and grinned. Focusing back on the elite student, he continued. ¡°I still have all my tankiness, but now with a little extra oomph.¡± The boy seemed to be taking everything Derek said in. If he was the only tank in his family, then that meant he couldn¡¯t have had too much guidance in things¡ªof course, Derek was sure that wouldn¡¯t stop Cain from nurturing the kid. Derek was about to pat the kid on the shoulder and send him on his way, but some chatter he caught from the instructors made his eye twitch. ¡°What was that?¡± Derek asked as he turned his head. ¡°Acting big?¡± He hadn¡¯t cared all too much about them talking about him, but the students were also able to hear the gossip. All would become clear once everyone else returned, but until then... who was he? ¡°Yes.¡± One of the bigger instructors stepped forward and spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing but show the children an amount of aura that any one of us instructors can unleash. You say that you are feared and respected throughout the kingdoms on our continent, yet I¡¯ve heard nothing more than rumor. You may have the king¡¯s badge, which may show that you are valued by the king, but does not the king¡¯s adviser and other such people also hold the same badge? So yes... you are acting big in front of the children with no proof other than rumor.¡± Actually... Derek thought. The king¡¯s adviser currently doesn¡¯t have one of these badges. He stifled a laugh at the thought. He expected that within the next week or so, those rumors that people have been hearing would be confirmed. Until then, though, he had nothing more than those rumors and whatever proof he could show on his own. The only real public fight he¡¯d had in the kingdom was against Gerald Torith, but that had been blocked out by Vanessa and her shadow dome. As they say, seeing is believing. I was just going to hit the instructors with my controlled, but full aura. Instead... I think they¡¯d welcome a spar. ¡°I guess I am acting big, huh? I haven¡¯t done anything to prove myself to you yet, after all.¡± Then, he gazed past a couple of the other instructors, then to the one that he had summoned to the king¡¯s booth earlier. ¡°I said earlier that these tests were going to be for more than just the student¡¯s right? That I¡¯ll give a lesson to the instructors, too?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± the man stammered. ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°I thought so,¡± Derek said and cracked his knuckles. ¡°I haven¡¯t had any decent practice in a while. I had an okay spar with Simeon Ileal a few days ago, but he ended up being pretty squishy and kind of died. Poor guy got trapped in an invisible barrier with me. It wasn¡¯t much of a spar. The lot of you ought to do much better.¡± Derek name-dropped the patriarch of House Ileal, as the Noble House seemed to be pretty famous among those in Astrus. He closely watched the look on all the instructors¡¯ faces. Out of them, four showed shock, and the color drained from three. The forth instructor, the bulky one who spoke earlier, initially showed a shocked expression, but soon that changed to one of skepticism. That was about what he was expecting. He didn¡¯t know if there were any political classes or classes on other countries in the academy, but he¡¯d gotten the reaction he wanted. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± the tank said. With the students far enough away in the stands, and his shirt and jeans tucked away safely, Derek held out his void covered palm and motioned for the instructors to ¡®come on.¡¯ ¡°Argh.¡± The tank charged at Derek while the greatsword user and dual swordsman circled to the side and the mage and archer dropped back to get a better view of the field. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back,¡± Derek said as he sidestepped the greatsword and Active Void Shifted away from the dual swordsman. ¡°On me!¡± the tank shouted. Derek felt a light tug at his mind, but nothing more. That must have been an aggro skill. I always wondered how they worked on humans and others with the Great System here. It was nothing compared to Alanah or Lyra¡ªespecially if Alanah was just speaking normally, but in her siren form. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work,¡± Derek laughed, then appeared directly in front of the tank anyway with a shift. ¡°Here I am.¡± With an open palm, he struck forward. His palm hit the tank directly where his armor covered his stomach. Let¡¯s see how that does. He didn¡¯t want to hit a vital part or use Multi-Strike with his current amount of intelligence. He didn¡¯t know how much the instructors would be able to take. He¡¯d tried using Identify on them, but the skill was pretty much useless against anyone close to the mid 200s and with their own Identify skill leveled. Still, he doubted the academy would employ instructors that were lower than level 230 or so unless they had a high rarity class or had somehow stumbled upon a great deal of stat points, so they should all have decent endurance. The delayed reaction that his channeled void was always fun for Derek to watch. As an icicle and an arrow crashed into his shoulder and side¡ªboth splintering upon impact and causing nothing more than a couple of white marks¡ªhe saw the tank clutch at his stomach and grunt. His knees shook a little, too. I see... Derek thought. He had just about figured how much strength he should use for the fight. With another flash from Active Void Shift, he appeared behind the mage and, with another palm, hit her in the lower back. Say goodbye to your kidneys... and maybe liver... and stomach... he thought with a shrug before appearing back in front of the tank. ¡°Hold him down!¡± he heard the dual swordsman shout. The man was sprinting back and forth with Derek¡¯s shifts. He was using some movement skills, but they weren¡¯t enough to keep up with how instant Derek was moving. Using both hands, he clutched them in fists and punched the tank in the same spot as before. At that same time, he heard the female mage cry out and saw her fall to the ground¡ªher wand laying a few feet away. Instantly, a white light fell over her and she slowly began to stand. Derek laughed and appeared behind the healer. With his hand, he reached out and clutched her by the nape of the neck. ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± he said, then let go. ¡°No more healing for now, kay?¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir...¡± she mumbled. ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance to shine soon.¡± Instantly, he appeared behind the archer and launched a void covered fist directly into his back. If he wasn¡¯t built like Avery, it would be more than enough to take him out of the fight for a while with their healer already down. The archer stumbled forward, then fell to the ground and Derek disappeared once again. With a chuckle, he appeared in the distance¡ªaway from everyone. Then, with a bit of focus, he created a small dagger out of Void Creation. He¡¯d gotten better with it since he had to use it as armor or a protective coating to transport people through Void Travel. With it in his hand, he flipped it over and between his fingers before lightly slashing out toward the greatsword user. The man was slow, and he wasn¡¯t able to avoid the space that appeared beside him, then and cut him in his side. Derek had used Spatial Rend. The cut was big and basically disappeared the part of the armor that it touched. Ah... I shouldn¡¯t have done that, Derek thought. He knew how bad it felt to have armor destroyed, after all, and this was just a spar. He¡¯d also said he wasn¡¯t going to use his weapon, but he ended up creating one with Void Creation. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was going against what he said before, but it wasn¡¯t like it was a ¡®real¡¯ weapon. And on top of all that, the wound began to bleed profusely and the surrounding area had an odd dark color of space around it. That¡¯s going to be a pain to heal, Derek thought. The man pushed on the wound, but he couldn¡¯t get it to stop bleeding. He was pretty much out of the fight. That left the tank, who was surprisingly still on his feet, the instructor who visited him in the king¡¯s booth, and the mage who had been healed. Derek flashed back in front of the tank again. ¡°Resilient, aren¡¯t you?¡± he said as he closed his right fist, then drove it into his gut while activating Multi-Strike. ¡°That should do it.¡± While speaking, a massive ice bolt shot toward Derek at an extreme speed. Just before it arrived, he used Spatial Redirection and caught it out of the air mid-flight. Then, with a wave of his hand, the space opened behind the dual swordsman and crashed into his back. The man went flying and landed with a crash as the tank finally fell to his knees and vomited a mouthful of blood. With that, there was only the mage. Derek appeared behind her and grabbed her by the neck as well. ¡°You¡¯re also dead,¡± he said. Finally, he appeared back by the healer. He placed his hand on her shoulder and said, ¡°Okay... they¡¯re all yours.¡± With that, Derek disappeared one last time and the next time he appeared, he was sitting beside Thomas in the stands¡ªhis usual jeans and black t-shirt already on him. ¡°Well... that was fun.¡± Chapter 422: What Did You Learn? Chapter 422: What Did You Learn? Half of the students around where Thomas was sitting and where Derek appeared jumped out of their seats. Derek held in his laughter, and Thomas looked down at his feet in embarrassment. ¡°Calm down, everyone. The fight¡¯s over. Now... what did you learn today?¡± he asked. ¡°I learned that having a teleportation ability in a fight when those that you¡¯re fighting don¡¯t, is a very unfair advantage,¡± Syd replied from the front row of the stands. ¡°No... well... yes, that¡¯s true,¡± Derek said. ¡°As any combat class, you should always keep an eye out for movement skills that work well with your fighting style or allow you the ability to escape. But that¡¯s not what I was going for. So, what else?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Thomas started. ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°That sometimes, no matter how good of teamwork you may have, you may end up against a monster where the only thing you can do is hope to escape with your lives,¡± a voice sounded from the distance and Derek looked up to see one of the instructors¡ªthe tank who had been quibbling the most about Derek only having rumors and no proof before the fight¡ªwalking toward them. ¡°And it¡¯s best to assume the rumors are true when the person is right in front of you and may take you up on proving them true. Especially if he shows no signs of hesitation.¡± ¡°Plus one for instructor...¡± ¡°Jeffords,¡± the tank said. ¡°Ryan Jeffords.¡± ¡°Plus one for Instructor Ryan Jeffords,¡± Derek said, then focused back on the students. ¡°You all seem to be doing very well in group and teamwork training, and I imagine that you will have no problem clearing any dungeon that is close to your level. You just have to always have it in the back of your minds that someone or something may be stronger out there. Dungeons of your own level are probably the safest way to gain experience, both skill and otherwise, because you never know when you¡¯re going to run into a ¡®monster¡¯ out in the open world. At least in dungeons, the strength of the monsters are somewhat controlled.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Syd Ibarra said. ¡°We are currently in dungeon studies, and that is one of the main topics.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°As it should be, but always be prepared for an anomaly, just to be safe.¡± He said as he thought about the interference caused by the Origin System. Then, he looked back to Instructor Jeffords, then past him to the other instructors who were standing by the battlefield or still being healed. His eyes landed on the man he¡¯d hit with his rend skill and the healer who was treating him. ¡°How is he doing?¡± Derek nodded toward the prone man. ¡°I feel bad about his armor. Injuring one¡¯s pride a bit is one thing. Damaging someone¡¯s armor in a spar like that...¡± Derek clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad about any of that,¡± the outspoken Instructor Jeffords said with a chuckle. ¡°In fact, he couldn¡¯t be happier.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Derek asked in confusion. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Whatever you hit him with is causing Instructor Bradford to level his resistance skills rapidly. I don¡¯t know if it is because of the skill or because of your abilities... He even tried to keep Instructor Cruz from healing him...¡± The man shook his head. ¡°But she ignored him and concentrated on the wound, and, as it turns out, the difficulty of healing the wound is also helping her with her healing skills. Just what was that strike?¡± ¡°It was a spatial skill,¡± Derek answered. ¡°It leaves one hell of a wound. It¡¯s great for an extended battle because it has some anti-healing properties, so whoever you hit with it will have to fight with an open wound until the battle is over. The skill is especially nice in fights with multiple people. You¡¯re basically greatly impairing the ability of whoever you hit with it.¡± ¡°Good skill,¡± the man grunted in affirmation. ¡°So the rumors about you... they¡¯re true? You¡¯re the strongest person in the kingdom? Possibly the entire continent?¡± ¡°One of...¡± Derek corrected. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ve never fought against Alanah Swan, and I don¡¯t really want to find out which one of us is currently stronger. There are also people like Avery Swan and maybe Prince Edgar who could at least escape from me.¡± Of course, he failed to mention that with a combination of his Void Travel and Void Sense abilities, he¡¯d be able to track them down easily enough. Derek could basically move as far as his Void Sense skill could sense, but Avery may even be able to move further than that in an instant if he were to go all out. But as far as he could tell, nobody he¡¯d met could truly escape him¡ªespecially if he¡¯d spent any meaningful amount of time with them. ¡°Well... I believe it now,¡± the instructor said. ¡°You won¡¯t hear anything else from me. But I¡¯m not apologizing.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect you to,¡± Derek said. ¡°You had plenty of reason to doubt me.¡± Derek chuckled, then looked at the other instructors again. He sorted through his personal storage bracelet until he found some of the materials he¡¯d kept for himself to repair his wyvern armor when needed, then pulled out a couple of scales. In the next instant, he appeared beside the warrior he¡¯d hit with Spatial Rend and tossed the scales down to him. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said, then gave the kid a warning. ¡°As you know, it would be best to only use that spear around people you absolutely trust,¡± Derek explained. ¡°Even if they know who I am and that you have a connection to me, some people will do extremely stupid things just because of greed.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Thomas nodded somberly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make that mistake again.¡± ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Derek began. ¡°Have you made any friends? Found anyone that you think you can trust?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Thomas sighed. ¡°Not really... no. At least not on the friend part. I am ¡®friendly¡¯ with some people, and there are a few that I do think I can trust, though, and we¡¯re on pretty good terms. And I think they like having me in their group when we do group training.¡± ¡°I would think that everyone likes having you in their group,¡± Derek said. ¡°You pretty much kicked everyone¡¯s ass out there. By the way it looked, I would say you¡¯re what? Top three in your entire class? Maybe even higher?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Thomas¡¯s face flushed in embarrassment. ¡°I do pretty good in the classroom stuff, too, but there are others that do better. I do rank pretty highly in combat, though.¡± ¡°No need to be modest,¡± Derek said. ¡°You took my aura like a champ. The only person who did better was that Syd kid, and he¡¯s going to be a monster. I can tell that he has that chip on his shoulder because of the family he is from and the fact that he doesn¡¯t conform to their normal classes and fighting styles. Plus, he¡¯s got a lot of grit and isn¡¯t afraid to speak out when there is something he wants to know. Seems like a good kid. Is he one of the ones you think you can trust?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Him and Eric... Eric is the elven earth mage that was in my group today. They are too focused on their own strength and honor¡ªespecially after what happened after House Torith¡ªto care about the fact that I¡¯m using such a spear.¡± ¡°Speaking of Eric... his surname wouldn¡¯t happen to be Greenland, would it?¡± Derek asked. The boy reminded him of a certain cocky elf. ¡°Yes!¡± Thomas answered. ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°Not him, but someone that is part of his family,¡± Derek said. Two people, actually, and Svetlana if I can count seeing her at the auction. I wonder if he knows about Asana yet and who she was to him. I hope she wasn¡¯t his mom or sister or something. ¡°Is he always soo... quiet?¡± Derek asked. If he wasn¡¯t, then that could be the reason that the boy didn¡¯t seem too conversational. ¡°Yes,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°He¡¯s always like that. He never says much.¡± ¡°And how is his temper?¡± Derek asked. Victor had one hell of a temper, but he also seemed to be able to calm himself when needed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him get angry or flustered,¡± the boy replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Oh, no real reason. Just that the man I know from his family can be a bit of a hothead,¡± Derek said. ¡°Victor?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s his brother. Probably going to be the next patriarch of House Greenland. He talks about him occasionally when I can get him to. He¡¯s a bit envious of him.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. That would make Asana his cousin as well. ¡°He¡¯s quite a bit younger, it seems...¡± Derek said. ¡°They¡¯re elves...¡± Thomas answered matter-of-factly. ¡°Oh, yeah... right.¡± Derek laughed. Elves lived a long time and weren¡¯t very fertile. Having children with major gaps in ages made sense. ¡°Well, other than all that, how has life been as an academy student? What have you learned?¡± Chapter 423: Growing Up Chapter 423: Growing Up ¡°How has my life been in the academy?¡± Thomas mused to himself. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°How have you been? Other than the dungeon snafu, has it been as cool as you thought it was going to be? Were you let down? Are your instructors good people? You know, the usual. It¡¯s about a year and a half for you already. What do you think about it?¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Thomas scratched his chin. ¡°It¡¯s not been what I thought it was going to be, but it¡¯s been pretty fun.¡± ¡°What did you think it was going to be?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well, I thought it was going to be what it was going to be... you know... before we couldn¡¯t run dungeons outside the capital anymore,¡± Thomas explained. ¡°From what I know, it should have been a bunch of hands on experience with dungeons and monsters outside the city, then reviews of dungeons and monsters, then more dungeons. Instead, there has been a lot more sparring with other students and instructors than usual. At least from what I¡¯ve gathered since I¡¯ve been enrolled.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Learning to fight against other system users is a good thing, though. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re at least getting a lot of that experience¡ªeven if your monster fighting experience is falling behind. We can always go out and find monsters for you to fight, but fighting against so many different students that are at you level and have different classes is very practical.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Thomas agreed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t complaining. I¡¯m glad that they reworked some of the curriculum because of everything that¡¯s happened. It would have been boring if we just got free time when we were supposed to go fight monsters.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be much of an academy at that point, would it?¡± Derek asked with a laugh. ¡°I guess not,¡± Thomas said as he continued to play with his new spear. ¡°As for the academy being cool... it is. When we have free time and get to go into the capital, the looks of envy we receive by some of the children who haven¡¯t unlocked the Great System are crazy to me. Like... I never thought someone would be looking up to me like that. You know?¡± ¡°I can understand that,¡± Derek said. ¡°It makes perfect sense. To most younger kids, getting to enroll in the academy is something they can only dream about¡ªespecially the commoners. Rare and epic classes still aren¡¯t that easy to come by.¡± Derek had seen many people with rare and epic classes lately¡ªjust about anyone he had any real interaction with had such a class. However, those he met were just a drop in the bucket of the entire population. ¡°That¡¯s true...¡± Thomas agreed. ¡°It is still crazy that everyone I walk by in the hallways or meet in a classroom has a class that could be just as powerful, if not more powerful, than my own.¡± ¡°I bet it helps motivate you to get better, though,¡± Derek said. ¡°It does. I can¡¯t help but want to prove myself against all the other students,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°But isn¡¯t it the same for everyone else, too?¡± ¡°Judging from what I have seen, that¡¯s only true for most of the students in your class.¡± Derek explained. ¡°There are definitely some that have no business being in a combat oriented role. There were a couple who would be a detriment to any group they were in. It would be better for the group to go into a dungeon a man down than to have them there to watch their backs.¡± ¡°I think I know who you¡¯re talking about,¡± Thomas said. ¡°If you were to go back to dungeon running, would those few be assigned to groups?¡± Derek asked. He really didn¡¯t want people like the one epic class holder to be someone there to ¡®help¡¯ Thomas and the others. ¡°No,¡± Thomas said. ¡°Well... yes, but no. For the dungeons where the instructors can¡¯t go in and make sure we stay safe, we are allowed to choose our own team. With their showing, I doubt anyone would want them on their team, so I won¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. ¡°It may be mean, but I don¡¯t want you learning anything from those students, if you know what I mean. I would hate if some of their inability to make decisions rubbed off on you after all the growing you¡¯ve done in the last year or so.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Thomas said with a blush. He wasn¡¯t used to being complimented so fiercely by Derek, or probably by many others in that case. ¡°It¡¯s not mean,¡± Thomas said. ¡°I suspect that they got lucky with epic or good rare classes, but are only going through the motions so they can say they went to the academy. All the slackers have one thing in common, as far as I know.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± Derek asked, but he had a pretty good idea. ¡°Haha,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°I should take Silvi over there so they can discuss food. I bet she would enjoy that.¡± ¡°You should,¡± Thomas said. ¡°How is she doing?¡± as he asked the question, he instinctively rubbed the top of his head. ¡°She¡¯s doing fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°She supplied the whole royal wedding in Ast... Indaria by herself. All her food was a hit with everyone, so I suspect she¡¯s going to be a little bit extra... full of herself for a while.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s going to be extra Silvi?¡± Thomas laughed. ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek said. ¡°By the way, how are the cooking instructors? I heard that there are crafting students here as well? So I imagine there are cooking ones?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Thomas said. ¡°I haven¡¯t met them because I¡¯m not in any cooking classes. But, some of the cooking students make food to sell for Academy Credits. Why?¡± ¡°I was just wondering if they may need a special cooking instructor,¡± Derek said with a smile. He imagined Silvi with her little chef¡¯s hat hopping onto a podium and teaching a cooking class. Then he remembered how she acted after cooking lessons in Torith and shivered. ¡°No,¡± both Thomas and Derek said at the same time. ¡°Yeah, that wouldn¡¯t be a good idea,¡± Derek said. ¡°Maybe she could audit one of the cooking classes, but I don¡¯t think it would be a good idea to put her in charge of any students.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Thomas said with a chuckled. ¡°But you should stop by and see Grandpa and Grandma if you get a chance. I¡¯m sure they would really appreciate it.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Derek said. ¡°If they are staying at by the Crown Restaurant at the hotel, I¡¯ll make sure to pop in when I got to check on Clare. She should be there, too.¡± ¡°She is,¡± Thomas confirmed. ¡°She¡¯s doing really well. So are Zachary and Lucas.¡± ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°Avery¡¯s... wards. I bet they¡¯ll be excited once Avery¡¯s back there full time. He certainly seemed to miss them in the raid dungeon. I look forward to really meeting them.¡± ¡°They are nice and hardworking,¡± Thomas said. ¡°But who wouldn¡¯t be with Ms. Swan there? Even if she can¡¯t speak to you.¡± ¡°They definitely have reasons to become stronger,¡± Derek said. ¡°The two of them would do great in the academy if they ever join,¡± Thomas said. ¡°With Avery as their teacher, I imagine they would...¡± After that, Thomas and Derek continued chatting for a good couple of hours. Derek was worried that he would be missing classes, but Thomas said he didn¡¯t have any until the evening. After a while, though, Thomas had to get to one of those classes. Derek accompanied him outside the arena, and Thomas gave him a hug bigger than the one Brandi had given him. Derek smiled as he watched the boy walk away. He was definitely growing up. Chapter 424: Student Row Chapter 424: Student Row Once he watched Thomas disappear around a corner and out of his sight, Derek decided to explore a bit more of the academy before leaving. Instead of going back the same way that Anthony Onis had taken him, he chose to slowly make his way back through the north side of the academy. It was the side of the academy where Anthony had told him that the students had set up stalls to sell items for credits. It was also where all the student dorms were located. He decided to call it Student Row. Of course, Derek didn¡¯t have any Academy Credits to give out¡ªat least, he didn¡¯t think he did, but he wasn¡¯t actually sure if the king¡¯s token he was wearing would allow him to give some out. He hadn¡¯t really gone over the credit system too much with Anthony or Thomas when he was learning about the academy from them. He actually didn¡¯t know if they were physical tokens or accumulated on some sort of card like the bank in Savannah had given him. So, being that it had been a long time since he had last eaten, it could have almost been considered torturous when he made it far enough down the street to start smelling the different aromas from the food items being prepared by the cooking students. For a moment, he thought about seeing if it would be okay to trade some of the things he had in his storage ring for a few credits of his own, or just a straight up trade for whatever the delicious smelling meat kabob was, but after a moment, those thoughts passed. He was literally in the city of the main Crown Restaurant, and he knew that the best dish he found at the academy probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to touch the food prepared at the Crown¡ªeven on the first floor. So, instead of continuing to slobber over all the different foodstuffs, he moved further down until he arrived at some stalls with crafted items. The badge on his shoulder did allow him some perks, as all the students tensed when he moved in front of their stalls. I could probably take advantage of this badge and ¡®test¡¯ some of the food prepared by the students, he thought, but didn¡¯t want to do that because it would literally be stealing from children, and he didn¡¯t see any instructors with stalls up. He couldn¡¯t replace any food he consumed, after all. However, all that was untrue for the other crafted items¡ªother than the consumables, of course.T/his chapter is updated by So, when he arrived in front of a small stall with a bunch of different small weapons¡ªweapons like daggers, knives, needles, and even a couple shortswords¡ªhe didn¡¯t hesitate to pick one up and swing it a few times. It wasn¡¯t like he was going to try to pump it with mana or test it on his own skin. A few swings and a quick Identify was enough for him to get the feeling of the weapon¡¯s quality. At one particular stall in Student Row, Derek picked up a halberd¡ªglaives still seemed to be an unpopular weapon choice, but there were plenty of other polearms¡ªand gave it a couple swings through the air. He thought back to his still damaged glaive, and realized that the weapon he was swinging was already of higher quality than the one that had accompanied back on Earth and through all those years in the void, before finally giving out on him in Cydaria. It was a bittersweet memory for him. His weapon had kept him sane¡ªwell... less insane while he was in the void¡ªso it was a weapon that he would probably never discard, no matter how useless it became. Finally, he swung the halberd through the air one last time, then put it back in the open barrel that had been holding it before. ¡°What year are you?¡± Derek asked the young man, who was watching Derek with gleaming wide eyes. ¡°S-sir,¡± the young man stood straight. ¡°I am Christian Renault. I am a fourth year.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°Good, good...¡± he said with a smile. ¡°When did you create that halberd?¡± he asked. ¡°Sir!¡± the young man called out again before answering. ¡°I crafted that halberd three weeks ago, sir.¡± ¡°And its quality? Is that the best you can do, or do you have better?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I have better, of course,¡± the young man answered with a serious nod. ¡°These weapons are those I deem worthy to sell to the underclassmen, the best weapons I keep for myself, or trade with my fellow classmates.¡± Then, the young man flicked his wrist, and a shortsword appeared in his hand. ¡°This is one of the weapons that I am proud of. I finished it three days ago.¡± He handed the sword to Derek. ¡°Gotcha,¡± Derek said as he looked down at four potions placed on the stall. ¡°Want me to test a couple of potions for the mistake?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You want to test some of my potions? For your own curiosity?¡± the boy looked around conspiratorially¡ªlike he was plotting something and didn¡¯t want anybody to overhear. ¡°Am I not supposed to?¡± Derek asked with furrowed brows. ¡°Are there rules against doing something like this?¡± ¡°None specifically stated,¡± the halfling said. ¡°At least none for someone like you.¡± The alchemist pointed at the token that Derek had pinned on his shoulder. ¡°You have that badge. I¡¯m sure you can do whatever you want. And if you want to sip a couple of potions, who am I to stop you? I doubt any of the instructors or the headmaster would punish me if it was for your own curiosity. In fact, I¡¯d probably be punished for not letting you do what you want.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes brightened as he spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t even know who I am,¡± Derek said with a half smirk. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who you are.¡± The boy shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve read all rules multiple times¡ªstudied them intensely. You have that badge. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°And why have you studied them so much?¡± Derek asked, but he knew the answer, and it wasn¡¯t so the boy would be able to avoid breaking any of them like a good student. ¡°I want to be the best academy student I can be,¡± the halfling said proudly. ¡°Yeah... sure you do,¡± Derek snorted. ¡°And in order to be the best student possible,¡± the boy said as he leaned in and his voice quieted to almost a whisper. ¡°Then I need to be able to know which rules can bend and which ones cannot.¡± He pulled a notebook and a writing utensil out of his storage ring. ¡°And if I happen to overhear any details you find out from drinking my potions... it wouldn¡¯t be student-like for me not to write them down.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Derek chuckled. It was exactly as he expected. With a smile and a shake of his head, he reached out and took the first potion into his hand before gulping it down. After a few moments, he said, ¡°Very small endurance boost. Slows speed by a small amount, too.¡± As he spoke the words, the young alchemist furiously jotted down notes. Derek then turned the next potion up and swallowed. After seeing the effects, he sighed. ¡°Small increase in vitality for a very short amount of time. Will probably kill anyone who doesn¡¯t have a really good health potion on hand if they have less than eight thousand or so health points. I wouldn¡¯t recommend selling it unless it¡¯s to an enemy you want dead.¡± ¡°Yes, yes...¡± The boy nodded quickly as he finished his notes, then looked at Derek with a pair of pleading eyes. Derek had offered to test some of the potions, but the boy had never come out and asked him to, and it didn¡¯t look like he was going to. It seemed to be one of those ¡®bendy¡¯ rules. ¡°Nope,¡± Derek said. ¡°You only get two. One for me waking you, and the other for me assuming you knew Roman. That¡¯s it. Good luck with your alchemy,¡± Derek said with a chuckle, then left. He heard a sigh come from the booth behind him as he walked away. Once he was a decent distance away from the alchemist and his booth, he turned his head to see that the boy had already sat two more potions on his stall to take place of the two that Derek had tested for him. Derek shook his head. Crazy alchemists. All the same. Chapter 425: Cain Chapter 425: Cain Before Derek left the academy, he stopped back by the entrance where he had met Instructor Onis. Luckily, the man was still there, sitting behind his desk and helping what few students were still in the lobby. The man stopped everything and greeted Derek when he entered. ¡°Mr. Hunt,¡± Anthony said. ¡°Can I assume that you found everything you needed? Is there anything else I can help you with?¡± ¡°Everything was fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m all good. I just had a couple questions, so I decided to stop in and see if you were still here.¡± ¡°If you have questions, then I would be happy to answer,¡± the instructor said with a small bow. ¡°Great,¡± Derek said. Then, he asked the man what had been on his mind. ¡°How does the academy deal with students who are... not motivated to get better? I saw a couple while watching over the exams today.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Anthony said. ¡°You¡¯re worried about the fate of a student if they are paired up with an under-performing student. There is no need to worry¡ªat least about that. When it comes time for the dangerous things when the instructors can¡¯t be there to help, we take it very seriously. I can assure you that if there are slackers in the class, they will not be allowed to jeopardize any of the other students. ¡°We have multiple dungeons that are perfect for the students at the bottom of their class. They are very easy, and the casualty rate is almost zero. Besides, when it comes to forming those teams, it is not random. The students will be able to choose their own teams¡ªso if there is a slacker that has yet to be expelled or held back, they will surely avoid them.¡± ¡°And what if the ¡®slacker¡¯ is part of a high noble family and they offer a commoner kid riches or status to be part of their team? I know that status doesn¡¯t mean anything inside the academy, but on the outside, the commoner still has family, and it would not be easy to turn down such offers,¡± Derek asked. ¡°It has happened, but very rarely, and it never lasts long. We punish those who are found out harshly¡ªwith expulsion. If there is an odd pairing, we are sure to see it and investigate,¡± Anthony replied. ¡°As for the current ¡®lacking¡¯ students... they are still here because there have not been any danger to having them. Since dungeons have been closed and we had to revamp our curriculum, we¡¯ve allowed them to stay a little longer to see if they shape up. Before things go back to normal, I can assure you that there will be a massive culling throughout each class.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. I guess I don¡¯t have to worry about Thomas getting paired up with those other students. That¡¯s pretty much all Derek was worried about when he came to Anthony with his questions. Though, I¡¯ll definitely have to warn him about that alchemist, too. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°Nope, that¡¯s it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Thanks for all the help. I guess I¡¯ll get going now.¡± Anthony bowed again before going back to his desk and helping the student he¡¯d been with before. Then Derek turned around and took his leave. He¡¯d learned a lot during his day at the academy, and it was nice to see that Thomas was doing so well. He¡¯d also met a few interesting students and instructors. He smiled to himself as he made his way out of the academy doors and to the gate separating it from the rest of the city. Derek had the guards open the gate, and he walked through. With a quick wave and nod to the two guards¡ªwho were different guards than the ones who were stationed there when he first arrived¡ªhe left. As he was walking away from the academy grounds, he looked at the badge on his shoulder. This did come in quite useful today, he thought. For a moment, the thought of going back to the palace and giving the token back to Phillip crossed his mind, but then he decided against it. That would be too much work, he thought. If he wants it back, he can come to me. Derek shrugged, then pulled the token off his shoulder and stored it in his bracelet. Once Derek left the academy grounds, he decided it would be best to check on Cain Ibarra and see how he was fairing after his brush with death when they were fighting the Starfury Leonaris. And if I happen to meet the Guild Leader or come away with a diamond-ranked badge, that will just be a bonus, he thought as he made his way back through the city. Since he¡¯d never been to the guild in the capital, he didn¡¯t quite know where it was located, but that was remedied with a single question to a passing stranger. They may have looked at him like he was an idiot, but he still got the location. It didn¡¯t take him long to find almost an exact replica of the Savannah Adventurer¡¯s Guild building. The only differences that he could see was the slightly larger size and the banners representing the capital instead of Savannah. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Cain said, as he released Derek¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re looking a lot better than you were the last time I saw you.¡± Derek looked Cain up and down. He was wearing a new robe of blue and red. I think I¡¯ll keep to my jeans and t-shirt, he thought as he inspected the robe. ¡°Yes...¡± Cain sighed. ¡°At least I was able to make it out... I had to go inform Layne Marshall¡¯s family of his fate yesterday. Of course, they already knew of it, but I owed it to them to give them the details, since I was the one who led that mission.¡± Layne Marshall was, of course, the sword wielding warrior who had fallen in the puzzle trial that Cain had led along with Elena Webb. Edgar had told the Guild Master that it was on him since he was the prince and leader of the raid, but it didn¡¯t seem like Cain took that to heart. ¡°That couldn¡¯t have been easy,¡± Derek said. ¡°It never is,¡± Cain replied. ¡°But, unfortunately, in a life like we live, you get used to it sooner or later. I can¡¯t even count the number of adventurers I¡¯ve seen leave and never come back. It¡¯s just one of the things you have to accept when you become an adventurer or warrior.¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Derek said. It had been a very long time since the last person he was really close with died. Seeing the death of strangers in his party was something that Derek had grown numb to over the years. But someone he was close to was another thing altogether. He wasn¡¯t sure how he would react if someone like that died again¡ªespecially now that he was powerful. ¡°So... about that badge.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Cain nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to be tested. We¡¯ll just wait for the leader to get here and he¡¯ll take care of that.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± After some time, the door swung open again, and Derek looked up from his conversation with Cain. He sighed a bit when it was just the elven woman coming back to her station. But not long after the door shut behind her, it opened again and another person walked out. It was a dreary looking older man with dark blond hair and gray-blue eyes, wearing a set of plate armor. Derek looked him up and down, then he realized that he recognized the man, it was Nathan. The same man who he¡¯d met at the Undying Dungeon, then again once they got out of the raid.¡± Derek looked to his shoulder and on it was a platinum badge where his gold one had been before. It can¡¯t really be him... can it? He¡¯s not going to hit me with an ¡®ah-ha! I¡¯ve been the leader this whole time,¡¯ is he? He wondered. ¡°You?¡± Derek asked out loud, and the man looked up. ¡°Huh?¡± the man grunted then turned his head to look at Derek¡ªrecognizing him almost instantly. ¡°Oh, Mr. Hunt. Nice to see you again.¡± He said as he bowed slightly. ¡°I must thank you again for that map. Before the war began, the success rate of that dungeon had grown by leaps and bounds. I am still surprised that was you. Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯re not... the Guild Leader, are you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± The man pointed to himself, then laughed. ¡°Oh, heaven¡¯s no.¡± He looked over at Cain. ¡°Could you imagine me being the leader?¡± He looked back at Derek with a smile. ¡°No, I¡¯m just here because I hate senseless death, and even though I¡¯m not the strongest or the smartest, I can at least do my part to help prevent it.¡± ¡°No, Nathan isn¡¯t the Guild Leader,¡± Cain said with a laugh. ¡°He¡¯s here often because he specializes in collecting information on dungeons for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Especially any new dungeons. So, if you¡¯re in this particular Adventurer¡¯s Guild, you will see him often.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°My bad. I was seriously surprised for a second.¡± ¡°Yes... he is not the Guild Leader,¡± Cain said. ¡°He¡¯s just really good friends with him.¡± Chapter 426: …and Whatnot Chapter 426: ...and Whatnot ¡°Whew...¡± Derek said. ¡°I thought Nathan may have been playing me for a fool this whole time.¡± He laughed. ¡°That makes much more sense, though.¡± ¡°Definitely not me,¡± Nathan said with an embarrassed smile. ¡°I¡¯ve had a hard enough time just working my way up to this platinum rank. I¡¯m not much for fighting, nor do I have the best abilities for running dungeons in a team. I¡¯m more of a cartographer and adventurer than a fighter. I¡¯m much better at gathering information from others than finding it out myself.¡± ¡°He¡¯s being modest,¡± Cain interjected. ¡°Most of the best dungeon guides we have are written by Nathan. His talent lies in seeing through lies and deceit and piecing together wholes from just fragments.¡± ¡°So, I take it you¡¯ve written up quite the report or guide for the raid dungeon we just came back from?¡± Derek asked. ¡°That is why I¡¯m here, actually,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°I¡¯m submitting my reports and the like. From everything I¡¯ve gathered, it was a very strange dungeon¡ªunprecedented, even.¡± ¡°It was,¡± Derek said, but he failed to mention that both Dave and the Origin System had their own parts in interfering with the dungeon, and that once it opened back up sometime far away in the future, it may be completely different. ¡°At least you¡¯ll have enough information to prepare any other...¡± Derek paused mid-sentence as he felt an odd sensation coming from behind him. Instantly, he shifted into the void and pulled himself through a ripple to appear closer to the entrance to the building. He watched with wide eyes¡ªwhile shifted¡ªas a shape began to form from the ground up, just behind where he was previously standing. Nathan was almost static as Derek looked over, but Cain seemed to still have a certain amount of awareness of Derek while he was shifted. The Guild Master¡¯s head ever so slowly shifted toward Derek, and his eyes squinted as he looked in his direction¡ªit was quite a bit slower than Alanah¡¯s reaction, then her ensuing ability that allowed her to knock Derek out of his own skill. However, neither Cain nor Nathan was what Derek really had his attention on¡ªit was the slowly forming body from where he was just at. No, that isn¡¯t slow, Derek thought. I¡¯m void shifted right now, and it¡¯s forming at a speed fast enough to seem normal. If I weren¡¯t shifted, it would seem to be instant. Is this... teleportation? Is it the Guild Leader? Does he actually have an affinity with space or time? The thoughts ran rampant in Derek¡¯s head as the person finished forming. The man was standing facing Cain and Nathan, and would have been just behind Derek¡¯s back if Derek had not moved first. From the back, he was wearing a pair of brown trousers and a tunic with a gold trim throughout¡ªa golden trimmed belt was wrapped around his waist over his tunic. From the back, all Derek could see of his head was his dark brown hair with gray streaks through it. Feeling that he was at a safe distance, Derek shifted back to reality and out of the void. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Nathan muttered as his brows shot up in surprise as he was now looking at the new arrival instead of Derek. ¡°K-klaus?¡± Cain¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t as intense as Nathan¡¯s. He¡¯d been able to ¡®see¡¯¡ªeven if he couldn¡¯t keep up¡ªthat some things were happening. When his eyes landed on Derek, he nodded slightly, then turned his focus back to the man in front of him¡ªKlaus. Cain gave the man a short bow. ¡°Damn,¡± the man¡¯s voice sounded out as he clicked his tongue and turned around. His eyes met Derek¡¯s own, and he shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re much faster than I expected you to be.¡± Finally getting a look at his face, he saw that the man¡¯s clothing was just as casual as it seemed from the back. He was only wearing a loose tunic over a pair of pants, and his hair was parted as if it had just fallen naturally after being combed back. His eyes, though, they were what caught Derek¡¯s attention. When he first saw them, they were shifting from one color to the next. First was green, then was pink, now they were silver-blue, but they seemed to have finally stopped changing once they landed on the color. ¡°You¡¯re pretty quick yourself,¡± Derek answered casually. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to appear out of nowhere. My focus was on the door¡ªwaiting for you to come out like a normal person. Well... that is if you are the Guild Leader I¡¯ve heard... not very much about.¡± ¡°You can call me Klaus,¡± the man said with a slight bow, then he yawned. ¡°Excuse me... it¡¯s been a long week.¡± ¡°Has it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Has it been a long week for you? I¡¯m not sure I recall seeing you battling Indria and Astrus or creating new kingdoms with us. I guess you¡¯ve had other, more important things to attend?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourselves short, Derek¡ªI can call you Derek, yes?¡± ¡°Sure...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourselves short, Derek. I had all the faith that Ms. Swan and the young prince would be able to handle everything. Then you showed up with Ms. Swan¡¯s second and the Walking Forge, and... almost everyone else who joined your raid. What would have been the point of me interfering at that point?¡± ¡°You could have interfered before we all got back,¡± Derek said. ¡°Why?¡± Klaus tilted his head and questioned. ¡°Because it¡¯s your kingdom?¡± Derek said and asked at the same time. The conversation wasn¡¯t going the way he expected. ¡°Yes.¡± The Guild Leader shrugged. ¡°For the most part. Some wear and tear, but few casualties, and only at a couple of branch guilds. Wilmette could have been bad, but we evacuated quite quickly. Other than that, the Crown was so kind in taking in refugees, after all. It may have been worse had Savannah not been attacked, but that attack changed everything. I was very surprised the Ms. Swan stepped up to defend. She¡¯s usually so... neutral.¡± ¡°I... see...¡± Derek said. ¡°Ah, but you¡¯re not here for any of that, are you?¡± Klaus tilted his head and asked. ¡°You¡¯re here for your diamond badge. To be one of the very few to receive it. To be looked upon in envy by every other member of the guild, and whatnot.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Derek said, then he watched as Klaus¡¯s casual expression he¡¯d worn the entire time faded away. Then the man disintegrated, literally. One second, he was standing there talking, the next, and he was in countless small orbs or molecules. After that, Derek felt the same feeling as he had before, and he shifted back over to Cain and Nathan. ¡°Damn,¡± Klaus called out as his body instantly formed where Derek had just been. ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a movement skill. I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re moving extremely fast, or if time is just slowed for you. Are you in another dimension when using that skill? Very interesting. The void is a wonderful element, is it not?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Derek said as he covered a fist in void, then used Active Void Shift to make his own appearance behind Klaus. He pushed forward with a palm, aiming for the bottom of the man¡¯s back¡ªruptured kidneys were a pain to fight with. When his hand reached the man, it pushed through as if nothing was there. The small particles scattered out from his midsection, then the rest of him scattered before reforming in front of Derek. ¡°Wow!¡± Klaus half-shouted. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. A very scary skill. No real strength involved, yet the damage occurs at such a... deep level.¡± He held his right palm up and a few small, inert balls of the matter that had scattered from Derek¡¯s attack fell into it. He tapped the matter with his left index finger a few times slowly, then faster, then even faster until, eventually, the matter rose, then shot into the Guild Leader¡¯s midsection. ¡°What the hell are you?¡± Derek asked in amazement. He reminded him of how Tevarian had changed his entire self into his dark blue ice or how Simeon had formed his body out of toxin, but still, the Guild Leader seemed different. A big difference was that Derek¡¯s void was still able to hurt him, as shown by what happened after his attack. ¡°Me?¡± Klaus looked at Derek. ¡°I¡¯m the Guild Leader.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Derek said. ¡°You should be more specific, then,¡± Klaus answered. ¡°What kind of skills are you using?¡± Derek wasn¡¯t much of a science guy, but it seemed the Guild Leader could break his body¡ªand clothing¡ªdown into small balls of matter. He wondered how small he could go even. Can he separate into molecules? Or even atoms? How would that work? Instead of answering, Klaus smiled, then walked over to one of the tables that adventure teams would usually sit at. He reached down and grabbed a chair. ¡°Don¡¯t do that...¡± Cain pleaded. Klaus laughed, then Derek watched as the wooden chair disintegrated, then formed back together. But this time, it was in the shape of a metal spear. ¡°What the hell?¡± Derek thought out loud. Is he an alchemist? He was really too dumb for whatever was going on with the Guild Leader. But he didn¡¯t have too much time to think, as the man soon threw the spear directly at Derek. Knowing that they weren¡¯t going all out or doing anything that would really hurt one another, Derek, instead of dodging, held his hand up and blocked the spear with his palm. The spear hit his palm, then stopped. Derek expected something insane to happen, but nothing did. Instead, once Derek caught it, it disintegrated once again. But this time, it didn¡¯t reappear¡ªnot as another spear nor as a wooden chair. It was just gone. ¡°Why?¡± Cain asked from the side. ¡°He wanted to know what my skill was...¡± Klaus said with a shrug. ¡°And how does that help?¡± ¡°Well... that was Molecular Reconstruction,¡± Klaus said, telling them the name of the skill. So it can be at a molecular level? That¡¯s way above my pay grade. ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. Then, he caught another object flying quickly toward him and looked at it. It was a badge¡ªa diamond badge. ¡°You can give your other one to Cain. He¡¯ll take care of the rest...¡± Klaus said with another yawn. ¡°Congratulations on becoming a diamond ranked adventurer. May you be a shining example of what other adventurers... yada yada... and whatnot...¡± Chapter 427: Klaus Chapter 427: Klaus ¡°Is that it?¡± Derek asked the odd man who had just thrown him a diamond ranked adventurer¡¯s badge. ¡°Is that it?¡± Klaus echoed. ¡°What more do you expect? You¡¯re obviously at the level of one of those freaks like Ms. Swan. The little palm strike you hit me with was enough to actually do damage to me... which isn¡¯t easy to do... trust me. Would you like to take Cain to one of the back rooms and wipe the floor with his face? Would that make you feel more worthy?¡± ¡°I would rather not...¡± Cain said from the side. ¡°That...¡± Derek started, but he was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t know what he was expecting. His last upgrade, he¡¯d had a pretty long spar with Shae. I guess that little scuffle could be considered a test. ¡°Well... whatever.¡± Derek shrugged, then took his onyx badge and moved toward Cain. ¡°Here you go,¡± he handed both badges to the Guild Master. After a short while, Cain finished up with the upgrade process, and Derek was finally a shining example and... whatnot. ¡°That was easier than I thought it was going to be,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you thought it would be hard,¡± Klaus said with a shake of his head. ¡°You know your strength. I know... some of your strength. Much of the kingdom knows a bit of your strength. It would be weird if you weren¡¯t able to get the badge so easily. I guess I could send you on a mission to fight some legendary monsters... but considering that little dragon pen you had the Walking Forge set up... I think that would be a bit pointless... and time consuming.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°Just feels weird. I¡¯ve completed maybe a few Adventurer¡¯s Guild missions, and I¡¯m already at diamond rank.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you,¡± Klaus said. ¡°If you want a challenge next time, how about not getting so strong? Or go somewhere where you don¡¯t already have a reputation that is easy to find out about.¡± ¡°No, this is fine,¡± Derek said, then pinned the badge to his shoulder. I might as well wear it while I¡¯m in the guild, at least, he thought. I wonder what kind of discounts I could get from some building contractors now that I¡¯m diamond ranked. He remembered what the builders were willing to do with him only being onyx ranked. I guess that¡¯s pointless to think about, he thought. I already have that slimeball Geoffrey to do whatever I need. He¡¯s been good to me, might as well stick with him... as long as he can make some decent recliners. ¡°Hey... you there?¡± Klaus broke Derek out of his daydream with a couple snaps of his fingers. ¡°Good,¡± he said when Derek looked at him. ¡°Follow me.¡± Derek didn¡¯t have time to refuse or even react to the Guild Leader before the man had already left the lobby and the door to the back swung shut behind him. Derek looked back over at Cain, but the man gave him a shrug. ¡°He does what he wants,¡± Cain said. ¡°I can see that,¡± Derek replied, but still followed behind the man deeper into the guild. His curiosity outweighed any other feeling he had at the moment. ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t have all day. I¡¯m a busy man, and I¡¯m about to be a lot busier.¡± Klaus stuck his head out of a doorway on the right side of the hall and spoke. He motioned with his hand to ¡®come on,¡¯ then ducked back inside whatever room he was in. ¡°Is this what it feels like dealing with me?¡± Derek muttered to himself as he continued forward. Is this his ¡®eccentric mode¡¯ or is it just what he¡¯s like? He wondered. Soon enough, though, he found himself in a private room, sitting at a desk full of paperwork, opposite Klaus. ¡°What is this about?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well, you seemed to want to know more about me, so go ahead and ask. I¡¯m an open book,¡± Klaus said, then yawned again. ¡°But like I said, let¡¯s make this quick. I¡¯m sure we¡¯re about to get a flood of new quests and new adventurers signing up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably true,¡± Derek said. ¡°I take it Cain let you know everything?¡± ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ve been keeping up with the other news too ever since the teleporters came back online,¡± he said. ¡°But enough about that...¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Derek said. ¡°Were you really not going to help with the war until they came to the capital?¡± It would have made my job easier if you had, Derek thought, but didn¡¯t say aloud. ¡°That was the plan,¡± Klaus said. ¡°It would have been pointless for me to do so. My abilities are purely defense and recovery for now. I could have maybe flown around Ryven for a bit and provided distraction or locked him down. But why provoke them by joining the fight?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°If you go look at the sub-cities and Wilmette that were taken over, along with most of the villages, you¡¯ll see that for the most part, all the regular citizens were left alone¡ªthis included my Adventurer¡¯s Guild staff. Most of the casualties came from soldiers, guards, and mercenaries. If I would have joined with my limited offensive power, what good would have that done anyone? By the time I wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about that anymore, you¡¯d already shown back up.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Derek rubbed his chin. ¡°I guess it makes sense not to join, but I¡¯m having a hard time believing that the Guild Leader of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild would be so weak. You moved fast enough, and I can imagine some very... interesting ways to use those abilities of yours.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Derek flipped the axe around in his hand before handing it back. ¡°It¡¯s cool, though,¡± he said. ¡°Seems like a very convenient skill.¡± I could make the fluffiest chair with that skill... ¡°But you see the problem with what you suggested now?¡± Klaus asked Derek. ¡°I do,¡± Derek said. ¡°But couldn¡¯t you continuously inject mana into a person until their... molecules settled? Is that how it works?¡± ¡°No... it doesn¡¯t work like that. Like I said, it doesn¡¯t work on ¡®living¡¯ creatures,¡± Klaus said. ¡°And even if it did, other people don¡¯t have a Molecular Body like I do, so they would always revert.¡± ¡°Oh... that sucks,¡± Derek said. It was pretty tragic if he thought about it. Outliving multiple generations of your loved ones would be terrible, he thought. ¡°It does, but if you live long enough, you learn to deal with ¡®suck,¡¯¡± Klaus replied. ¡°So... about your offense?¡± Derek asked, hoping to change the conversation. ¡°My offense? It isn¡¯t bad, per se.¡± Klaus stored his axe-sword, then held his hand in the air, pulling the sleeve of his tunic down to his elbow in the process. Derek watched as the man¡¯s arm transformed into a sleek and shiny blade. That¡¯s cool, he thought. ¡°Touch the blade,¡± Klaus said as he ¡®reached¡¯ across the desk with his blade-arm. ¡°Uh...¡± Derek felt a bit uncomfortable, but still reached out and ran his finger along the blade. To his surprise, when he pushed down hard, the blade was actually able to draw a little blood from his finger. The wound healed instantly, and he used Cleaning to get rid of the blood, but it had cut him. ¡°Wow,¡± he said. ¡°Damn,¡± Klaus clicked his tongue. ¡°I thought it would do more than that.¡± He shook his head. ¡°This is my best blade.¡± ¡°That¡¯s some material,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is. And I can make it extremely sharp. The problem is that every time I restructure myself, I lose stats permanently. Not a lot, but enough that it starts to add up after all this time. So, I have a very good weapon, and quite a few skills I¡¯ve collected over the ages, but my stats aren¡¯t what they once were,¡± Klaus explained. ¡°So, I¡¯m not as fast or as strong as most ¡®elites¡¯ these days.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°And the defense?¡± ¡°Oh... pretty much invincible,¡± Klaus said with a grin. ¡°Though, that was the first time in my long life that I¡¯ve experienced such a void attack. You literally made my Molecular Body¡ªparts of it anyway¡ªinert. That was a first. I¡¯ve been frozen solid, fried by lightning, squished between barriers, trapped underground, and all sorts of different things, but nothing has ever affected me that way. It was very interesting.¡± ¡°Lightning... barriers... ice...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Did you piss off every royal family on the continent at some point?¡± ¡°It was a different time back then,¡± Klaus said. ¡°Why are you telling me all of this?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll use it against you?¡± ¡°Why would I be afraid?¡± Klaus asked. ¡°Your void caused a different reaction. I¡¯m not sure how bad it actually is. Besides, you asked. And if you wanted, it¡¯s not hard to find out about me if you ask the right people. I usually stay in the background, but ask Cain, or Ms. Swan, or Edwin, and they¡¯ll let you know. Nothing about me is a secret after being around so long.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± Derek said. He¡¯s at the point where secrets no longer matter to him. He doesn¡¯t have anyone close, and he¡¯s pretty much invincible¡ªaccording to him¡ªso why would he lie? ¡°I also have a couple questions for you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking,¡± Klaus said. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s why you so easily answered my questions. If you offer information on yourself, then maybe I¡¯ll do the same...¡± There¡¯s always a catch with these old bastards, he thought, then shrugged. ¡°But I don¡¯t care about hiding much these days, so I¡¯ll return the favor if I can.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Klaus smiled, really smiled this time. Then, his eyes began shifting through multiple colors at a rapid pace, and Derek even felt some of his aura leak from him. ¡°Your body...¡± Klaus began as he eyed Derek up and down with his ever-shifting eyes. ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Chapter 428: Fascinating Chapter 428: Fascinating The way Klaus was staring at Derek made him unconsciously tense up. It wasn¡¯t unlike how it had been when Natalie had basically looked through him and some of his experiences. It was always the unique abilities and skills that threw Derek off. He could handle physical and magical attacks¡ªhe could even handle mind attacks now¡ªbut mysterious, non-threatening abilities seemed to give him the chills. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Derek asked. Inwardly, though, he wondered if the man was able to see things that whatever the evolution he¡¯d gone through changed. He didn¡¯t know exactly how deep Klaus could see, but it looked like he was about to find out. ¡°Your body... your molecules... their structure...¡± Klaus muttered as he continued eying Derek up and down. ¡°It¡¯s all different from anything I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±T/his chapter is updated by ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well... yes and no,¡± Klaus took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. After a moment, his continuously shifting eyes landed on a single color and stayed static. ¡°Everyone has a different structure, and by that, I mean that no two people are the same. Then there are the differences between humans, elves, dwarves, and other species, but there are commonalities among everyone. Especially in how they combine with their classes.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked, intrigued. ¡°Well,¡± Klaus said. ¡°When I examine the makeup of someone who has yet to awaken the Great System, there is nothing very special about them. They have the basic structure that all others of that species have¡ªother than the small bits that make them unique. Then, they awaken the system, and the higher they level and more powerful they become, their structure changed. In most instances, one¡¯s structure is made of the basic structure of their species, but their class adds to that structure. Let¡¯s take one of the more basic magic classes... Fire Mage, for example.¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°If I examine someone¡¯s molecules just after they get the class, they are all pretty normal. But, if I examine them again, long after they¡¯ve obtained their class and upgraded and grown stronger, I will be able to see the structure that represents their class along with the structure that represents them, but, though the molecules representing their class are there, they don¡¯t formally combine or blend together¡ªat least not much.¡± It sounds like he may be talking about affinity, Derek thought. ¡°What do you see with me?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Klaus replied. ¡°Your structures aren¡¯t separated. With everyone else, I can see that they are human or elf and are using fire or ice, or even sword or spear, but with you... you are your element. You are void. There is no separation in you. Your human structure has blended so perfectly with your class that I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin. It¡¯s completely and utterly fascinating. I didn¡¯t even think it possible.¡± It is definitely affinity that he¡¯s talking about, Derek thought. The word affinity had come up in his conversations with Alanah, Natalie, and even Walter, but it didn¡¯t have the same meaning behind it as it had when the Origin System stepped in to help Derek evolve. For them, it was just a word to describe someone¡¯s closeness or fondness to their class or element¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t too far off. But as far as he knew, they didn¡¯t know that it was an actual calculated, quantitative thing. Because of the Origin System, Derek knew that his affinity with the void element was over 50%. Derek didn¡¯t know exactly what that meant, but his conversation with Klaus was giving Derek a little more insight into his evolution. Maybe reaching 50% with one¡¯s affinity is what triggers the evolution and causes someone to actually combine with their affinity. It was a sobering thought that he was actually combined with the void¡ªespecially after all the trouble it had caused him before. I really am ¡®one with the void.¡¯ I wonder what he would see if he examined Silvi. Actually, this also kind of explains why some bonded beasts change to their master¡¯s element and others don¡¯t, especially with the system helping them along in their evolution. In his mind, Derek visioned a beast companion being forcefully invaded by ¡®molecules¡¯ of the ¡®master¡¯s¡¯ class. It certainly wouldn¡¯t want to give a pig an affinity with a spear, so I imagine that¡¯s where the system¡¯s help comes in. Avery chose Lyra for her mind abilities and because she reminded him of Alanah, so her keeping that affinity makes sense. Silvi, on the other hand, was pretty mindless and had no real affinity... unless head-butting is considered an affinity¡ªif it is, her affinity would have been at 100%. But since it isn¡¯t, her picking up the void lines up. Later on, as he knew with Silvi, the bonded companions with full system access¡ªmostly¡ªwould get a chance to help direct their own evolutions. If that wasn¡¯t the case, then Silvi would have continued to be that same full-on void companion instead of a void and cooking companion. Overall, Derek had to agree. It was pretty fascinating. And it¡¯s also way above my pay grade. ¡°There you go again,¡± Klaus said. ¡°Deep in thought.¡± He snapped his fingers in front of Derek¡¯s face. ¡°Do people not call you out on that?¡± ¡°No,¡± Derek said. ¡°Not usually.¡± ¡°Well... it¡¯s not noticeable to anyone who isn¡¯t studying you deeply,¡± he said. ¡°Anyway, in all my years and travels on this planet, I have never seen a specimen such as yourself. Simply amazing!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°As I just said, I am old and lacking in strength. I am still invincible, but I do not feel that my offensive capabilities are what they should be for a Guild Leader anymore,¡± he explained. ¡°But the biggest selling point was that I cannot see your age... or should I say... your capacity for longevity.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°As far as I know, with your blended or fused structure, your longevity could have extended beyond what the final breakthroughs in vitality and endurance can grant. But I can¡¯t be certain... it¡¯s only a theory. I wouldn¡¯t know for sure without studying you.¡± Klaus pointed at Derek. ¡°But, if I¡¯m correct, then having a Guild Leader that will be around for centuries or even millennia again would be a great boon. And as far as I can theorize, you won¡¯t lose your own capacity as you get older.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± Derek muttered. Once he saw that his vitality and endurance had surpassed the 1,500 point mark and had gotten rid of the question marks behind it after his evolution, he thought it may have been the case that his longevity could have been expanded. Still, though... ¡°Just like I told the others when they asked me to become ¡®king¡¯ of Astrus after everything... no. I¡¯m not becoming the Guild Leader,¡± he said. What¡¯s the deal with everyone asking me to run things? That would just be so much more work for Malorie. ¡°That is too bad,¡± Klaus said with a sigh. ¡°I still have some centuries left to find someone, though. Perhaps I¡¯ll have better luck later, now that I am looking for someone.¡± ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Derek said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Klaus nodded. ¡°But as far as things I can offer you, I do not think I have anything that would be of interest. I do not believe I have any skills or potions left that would be of benefit to you¡ªI have given many out as rewards over the centuries, and I haven¡¯t been out to collect more in some time. So, other than sharing whatever discovery I might make with you, I don¡¯t believe I have anything else to offer... assuming you don¡¯t need any gold.¡± ¡°I definitely don¡¯t need any money,¡± Derek said. Then, with a shrug, he said, ¡°But I am interested in what is so different between me and others. And, it¡¯s probably not a bad idea to have the Guild Leader of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild owe me one.¡± He smiled. ¡°You can never have too many of those,¡± Klaus said as he nodded, his eyes shining in anticipation. ¡°And I would definitely be in your debt.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make you take an oath or anything, but I would appreciate it if you do your best not to go telling anyone anything you may learn about me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I wouldn¡¯t dare unless I had explicit permission granted by you.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. Then, he held his hand out in front of himself with his fingers spread and focused on activating and aiming his skill. Soon, a very small cube appeared just over the final knuckle on his pinky finger. With a deep breath, Derek activated Spatial Collapse. The skill didn¡¯t have the same anti-healing properties as Spatial Rend did, so he wasn¡¯t too worried about healing. He prepared himself for the pain, but it actually wasn¡¯t that bad. He¡¯d definitely been through worse. It wasn¡¯t even as bad as when he lost a finger to Tevarian, and he still hated blunt damage and his organs being jarred around much more than being cut. With a ¡®thud,¡¯ the top half of Derek¡¯s pinky fell to the table. The bottom half¡ªwith his knuckle¡ªvanished from the collapse in space. Derek shook his hand a few times, causing blood to be strewn about. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Klaus said, half shocked, then a red communication crystal appeared in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll call for a healer.¡± He made to use the communication crystal, but Derek stopped him. ¡°Stop.¡± He held up his freshly wounded hand. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Then, Derek activated Greater Meditation and focused on his missing finger. He wanted to be prepared to stop just in case his foot and other pinky growing back were just anomalies. Fortunately, they weren¡¯t. In front of his eyes¡ªand Klaus¡¯s color shifting gaze¡ªhis pink finger grew back. ¡°Fascinating,¡± Klaus said as he stared at Derek¡¯s fully healed hand. ¡°Truly fascinating.¡± Chapter 429: Great Team Chapter 429: Great Team ¡°That¡¯s just...¡± Klaus looked down at Derek¡¯s severed pinky laying in the center of the desk, then up at his already fully recovered hand. ¡°Do you have a healing skill?¡± he asked. ¡°I do,¡± Derek replied with a smile. He was talking about Rejuvenation¡ªit really was a healing skill, however... ¡°But I don¡¯t have one that can regrow limbs or... fingers, if that is what you were asking.¡± ¡°So, your body can just regenerate like that? Naturally?¡± ¡°Apparently so,¡± Derek said. ¡°But you should really... uh...¡± he pointed at the finger that was still laying in a small puddle of blood. ¡°Oh, right!¡± In a few seconds, Derek¡¯s finger had vanished inside one of Klaus¡¯s storage rings. ¡°I am in your debt, really,¡± he said. ¡°But if you don¡¯t mind, may I ask you a few more questions?¡±Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have a lot of time,¡± Derek said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy? Don¡¯t you need to prepare for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to basically open back up?¡± ¡°For something like this? I have time,¡± Klaus replied. ¡°When I first asked, I knew it would be interesting, but I didn¡¯t know how interesting.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll answer a couple of questions if I can,¡± Derek said. ¡°Just because they may help you with your research.¡± ¡°Your class,¡± Klaus started. ¡°It is legendary? Or is it... mythical?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Derek asked with a half-smile. ¡°Truly?¡± Klaus widened his eyes, and Derek nodded. ¡°In my entire life, I have seen legendary classes. I, myself, have a legendary class. But in all that time, I was never able to to witness someone break through and reach mythical. At least, as far as I know. There is still the off chance that I¡¯ve met others with mythical classes, but they didn¡¯t make it known. However, I doubt that is the case.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Derek said. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind... how did you come upon such a class?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Derek leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. In his head, he was going over what he could and couldn¡¯t say. Best to keep out the Origin System and even the evolution. Klaus may actually be able to guess that there was an evolution involved, anyway. And probably shouldn¡¯t talk about ¡®real¡¯ affinity for classes. In the end, Derek told Klaus pretty much the same thing that he and Silvi had told Marrick, which wasn¡¯t much more than the fact that he had a mythical class and that there were many things that he ¡®couldn¡¯t¡¯ speak about on the subject. At least he already knew that speaking of that information wouldn¡¯t be breaking any forced oath from the Origin System¡ªanything else could get a bit risky. ¡°Then it is possible that this is just what the molecular structure of someone who has pushed themselves far enough to receive a mythic class looks like,¡± the Guild Leader sighed deeply and rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°You know, there were rumors of an elf from Indria obtaining a mythical class. It was still way before my time, but not so far away that it had been forgotten.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Derek asked. What Klaus just told him lined up perfectly with what Marrick had said. Though Marrick spoke of it more as if it was a myth, where Klaus seemed to genuinely believe the rumors. ¡°Yes,¡± Klaus nodded. ¡°Supposedly, he was one of the greatest earth mages to exist on this continent, or even the entire world.¡± ¡°Do you know what happened to him?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t say,¡± Klaus said. ¡°The rumors I heard all that time ago all ended with him just disappearing¡ªnever to be seen again. He could have just gone into solitude to die¡ªwhich happens more than you would think. That is what I believed, too. Until meeting you. If his earth class changed his structure the same way that your void class has, then I doubt he would have just died of old age... interesting... so interesting.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Derek agreed with a nod. ¡°This opens up so many possibilities that I¡¯ve never thought about before.¡± Klaus shook his head. ¡°If only I didn¡¯t have the duties to the guild, I could put all my time and effort into this fascinating subject.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Derek said with a shrug, then left the room. Soon enough, Derek was back in the lobby with Nathan and Cain. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Cain said. ¡°I assume your impromptu meeting went well?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Derek shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s... different.¡± ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Cain said with a nod. ¡°But he isn¡¯t a bad guy,¡± Nathan chimed in. ¡°He¡¯s quite good, as far as I know. Even if he sometimes chooses to do things in a questionable manner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for me to decide,¡± Derek said. ¡°But he did tell me to tell you to that something has come up that has to take priority and that you should speak to Cain instead.¡± ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Nathan said. He didn¡¯t seem all that broken up about it. ¡°We were discussing creating a team of dungeon surveyors, since we¡¯re most likely about to have access to a whole new range of dungeons.¡± ¡°Sounds like an idea,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is...¡± Nathan replied. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll let you all get down to business.¡± Derek grabbed the diamond ranked badge from his shoulder and placed it inside his storage bracelet. ¡°Thanks for the badge.¡± Derek left the Adventurer¡¯s a diamond ranked badge heavier and with more questions if he ever had the chance to meet Dave again. ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡± he murmured as he looked around. It was late, but there was still a couple hours of sun left. This is frowned upon, but oh well. What are they going to do? Arrest me? He thought. Looking into the sky, Derek used Active Void Shift and appeared high up. Okay... which way was it again? He looked around until he found what looked to be what he was searching for. There it is. With another flash, Derek disappeared and reappeared in the sky over the Crown Restaurant and Hotel that he had passed by on his way to the academy. Oh, good, he thought as he looked down onto the courtyard separating the two establishments. In the courtyard, he saw four people training, and there was another off to the side. He recognized three of them¡ªClare, Jensen, and Walter Searidge. The other two, he didn¡¯t know, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to guess their identities. With a smile, Derek shifted into the void and pulled himself down toward the action. It was easier for Derek to use Void Shift over Active Void Shift to get exactly where he wanted because he could precisely control himself and he was able to get a better feel for the situation since everything from his point of view seemed to be slowed to an extreme¡ªalmost paused even. Derek soon pulled himself through a ripple in the void and appeared on the edge of the building, looking down on everyone. From there, he looked at the situation happening in the middle of the courtyard. In the paused scene before him, he saw Clare in her brawling stance with a pair of knuckles equipped on her hands. However, on top of the weapons she was using, small streams of water coiled themselves around both of her arms. Other than Clare, there were the two boys. One of the boys wielded a shield bigger than his own body. He was covered from head to toe in thick, shoddy metal armor. Why would he be wearing that? Derek questioned to himself. On the other hand, the other boy was wearing a thin mixture of plate and leather armor, and he was in the process of using a skill. He had his hand held out, palm forward, and yellow, sparking energy was gathering. Lightning? Derek wondered. That¡¯s what it seemed to be because of the spark, but it wasn¡¯t the same blue lightning that he¡¯d seen the royal family use on countless occasions. Interesting... I wonder if it has any different properties than Edgar¡¯s lightning, or if it¡¯s the same, just a different color. As for the final person, Jensen, he was dressed in a light, ocean-blue robe with a white trim. He had a big smile plastered on his face as he was in the process of side-stepping a shield bash from one of the boys. So the three of them are sparring against Jensen. I wonder how they¡¯ll do. With that thought, Derek left the void and time resumed. He quickly used Identify on Clare to see if she was still doing as planned. She was still only level 7, so Derek smiled. Good, he thought. She¡¯s still working on her affinity before choosing a class at level 10. It was only natural that she had gained some levels along the way. There were some Achievements that she needed to get that would definitely level her up a bit, after all. The other two boys, however, had already chosen their classes, but they were still under level 25. The one with the shield was level 23 and the lightning wielder was level 22. It seemed that all three of the children seemed to be taking a very slow and methodical approach to training themselves with the system. If they continued like they were, who knew how high they would climb by the time they reached the level 200 class upgrade? One thing was sure, though, he was looking at the makings of a great team. Chapter 430: Clare, Zac, and Luke Chapter 430: Clare, Zac, and Luke They must have found Clare some decent skill scrolls to use before she¡¯s able to unlock her own through her class, Derek thought as he watched the young, classless girl, who was only level 7, weave streams of water around her body. Looks like some kind of water manipulation skill, he thought. Maybe the water equivalent of my Channel Void skill? Whatever it is, he thought. Having it should really help her once she¡¯s finally able to choose a class. Whatever the skill was, Clare wasn¡¯t using it offensively at the moment¡ªwell, at least not exactly. Instead, she was focused much more on her brass knuckles and brawling style. While she was brawling, she had the water moving around her naturally¡ªproviding some extra defense. There were times when she even used the water as a platform to launch herself into the air, then catch her on her way down. Her main attacks and offensive power came from her physicality, and her water elemental affinity seemed to be used as a utility more than anything. If that¡¯s the way she¡¯s learned to use it, I can¡¯t knock it, Derek thought. She¡¯s already really smooth with it, and it seems to come naturally. Not to mention that her fighting style already seems leagues above many other children at her same age. Of course, those other children did not include Zachary and Lucas. Derek could already tell that the pair of boys would become great fighters if they continued on training in whatever ways that Avery and Alanah had set for them. Hell, they could end up becoming monstrous, even, Derek thought. Now, he couldn¡¯t get a full read on the boy with the shield in such a spar¡ªother than the fact that, as far as Derek could tell, he was making all the right decisions for his team. However, that¡¯s what a group looked for in a tank. For a team, a tank being consistent and reliable was much more important than showing off and flashy moves. It was also a reason why Derek was a great tank, but a terrible tank when it came to being in a group or on a team. Because of his ¡®lone wolf¡¯ style of surviving back on Earth, all of his skills were meant to help him, and him alone. He¡¯d even forgone any ¡®aggro¡¯ skills and instead chose to focus on skills like Impenetrable Skin and Wide Sweep¡ªwhich had combined with Sweeping Slash when he arrived in Cydaria. But the boy Derek was watching was different. If Derek had to describe it, he would say that the boy was a tank that wanted to protect instead of one like Derek¡ªone built up strictly for survival above all else. He was well on his way to being a true and proper tank. He may even give Cain¡¯s nephew a run for his money one day... and speaking about giving someone a run for their money. Derek did eventually catch something interesting about the tank, though. Occasionally, it seemed like the greatshield he was wielding would extend and block an attack that looked to be going around it. Interesting... he thought. Is that a shield skill? Or maybe metal? Derek focused on the lightning user. He was controlling and using the yellow lightning much in the same fashion that Clare was using her water. The only difference was that he was also peppering in a lot of offensive strikes with it as well. The boy also occasionally timed one of Clare¡¯s defensive blocks and injected her water with his lightning, causing what would have been a very painful combination for Jensen if the healer wasn¡¯t so much higher of a level than the children were. Derek got the feeling that he was watching a young Edgar learning to fight. As for Jensen, Derek had heard that he had joined Rayna and the others occasionally, so he assumed the young man was a good healer. For the moment, he wasn¡¯t able to tell. Him sparring with children isn¡¯t quite enough to let me see what he¡¯s made out of, Derek thought. For the next half hour or so, Derek continued watching the children and Jensen spar from his perch atop the building. During the children¡¯s¡¯ training¡ªboth Thomas¡¯s and Clare¡¯s¡ªDerek found out something about himself after being gone for some time. He really enjoyed watching those he¡¯d helped, and those he cared about shine in the field of battle. He hadn¡¯t given Clare as much help as Thomas or Brandi¡ªespecially Brandi¡ªbut to see what help he had given her, and the advice he gave Walter for her training, be put to good use was quite heartening. She was well on her way to becoming strong. Finally, the training ended once the children began to run dry on mana and Jensen took them down one-by-one. It was a bit anti-climactic, but also just about what Derek expected to see. From there, the three children gathered in front of Walter and the old healer started walking them through their spar¡ªhighlighting what they had done correct, and what they should work to improve on. Derek smiled as he used Active Void Shift and appeared directly behind the children and Jensen, who were all facing toward Walter. He had to give the old man credit, even though Derek appeared out of nowhere, other than a slight pause and cough, the man had barely acknowledged his arrival and continued to go over the spar. Dang, Derek thought. I was hoping for some kind of surprised reaction... Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°And Jensen,¡± Walter said. ¡°Next time you train with the children, I want you to lean on your water element during the spar. On top of physical fighting, they need to get used to fighting against magic attacks.¡± The old man¡¯s eyes then gazed over all four of them, before landing on Derek. ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked with a grin. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself,¡± Derek replied, startling the three children and causing them to jump before turning around to see who it was that spoke. Jensen was much less startled, but still quickly turned to see Derek before letting out a sigh. ¡°Derek!¡± Clare cried out, then took off running at him. Derek smiled, took two steps back, then held his hands up, palms facing forward. Clare, unlike Thomas and Brandi, greeted Derek with a mini-spar instead of a giant hug. She led with her right hand, then left. Derek blocked each thrown punch that came from the small girl. Then he almost laughed when he saw a small stream of water wrap around his ankle. Her fist landed on his chest and Derek felt the jarring feeling that comes from a blunt attack. Of course, what he felt wasn¡¯t much, but compared to her size, level, and age, her punch held a pretty large amount of power. ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯re well on your way to becoming one hell of a fighter. Just continue what you¡¯ve been doing and don¡¯t let up, and nobody¡¯s going to be able to keep up.¡± He ruffled the girl¡¯s head again, then turned his attention to Zachary and Lucas. ¡°The two of you must be Zachary and Lucas,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Both boys took a step forward and bowed slightly to him. ¡°I¡¯m Derek Hunt, but I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ve already gathered that,¡± he said. ¡°Yes!¡± they both replied in unison again. ¡°Excuse my ignorance,¡± Derek said to the boys. ¡°But... which one of you is Zachary, and which is Lucas?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zac,¡± the boy who had been controlling the lightning throughout the spar earlier took a step forward and introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Luke,¡± the tank said as he stepped up beside his friend. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet the two of you,¡± Derek held out his hand and the two boys shook it, one after another. ¡°It looks like the two of you have been training hard.¡± The boys nodded and did their best to hide the pride that was forming on their faces, but weren¡¯t able to. ¡°Zac,¡± Derek said. ¡°Continue to use lightning like that, and you¡¯ll be better at it than the royal family. You already remind me of Prince Edgar, so I expect great things out of you.¡± Zac blushed deeply, but finally nodded seriously. ¡°And Luke, you¡¯ve got the makings of one hell of a tank already. If you don¡¯t mind my asking, was that a shield skill that allowed you to extend your shield like that, or was it metal magic?¡± ¡°It was metal, sir,¡± Luke answered. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Derek said. ¡°Very good. With your skills, if you keep developing the way you are, you¡¯re going to be an essential piece in any party you end up joining if you choose to go that route. But I also have no doubt that you¡¯ll be able to shift to a solo tank if you choose to.¡± ¡°No sir,¡± Luke said. ¡°I am my brother¡¯s shield, and he is the sword.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Derek said. ¡°Gotcha.¡± After that, Derek nodded to Jensen and received a nod back, then he looked at the whole group. ¡°What say we all go get something to eat? I¡¯m famished!¡± System Univers Book 6 is Out Now! System Univers Book 6 is Out Now! Hey everyone! It¡¯s finally June, which means that my sixth book in the System Universe series is here! Today marks the launch of System Universe Book 6: Indaria. It¡¯s now available through Amazon¡¯s Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, Paperback, and Audible (narrated by Adam Verner).Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Available through these links: Ebook: /amazon/B0CV28VP2W Audible: /pd/Indaria-Audiobook/B0D5YZHQB3 Now, as for how people can support the release, there are a couple things, if you were here for the last announcement, you already know this: Here¡¯s the description! Things are never easy. On their way out of the dungeon, Derek and Silvi were abducted by a strange elf of unknown power. This man, known only as Dave, was strangely helpful and shared much of Derek¡¯s own distaste of the system interference that had been occurring ever since his evolution. Now, with more questions than ever before, and answers to questions that he¡¯d never thought to ask, Derek and Silvi head back to Savannah to lend their help. What has happened to Cydaria? Was Edgar and Lyra leaving the raid the correct decision? Did Cydaria even need the prince¡¯s help? What does dragon taste like when properly cooked? Don¡¯t miss the sixth installment of Derek¡¯s journey in the System Universe. Join Derek in this unique combination of the LitRPG, Isekai, and Slice of Life genres. He has friends, a bond that should last forever, and even a home. What more could our overpowered protagonist ask for? I want to thank everyone who read and continue to read the series, and those who left me kind reviews and messages. You are all awesome! And as always, Thanks for reading! Chapter 431: Comfortable Chapter 431: Comfortable Derek smiled as he slowly strolled toward the Crown Restaurant with the five people in tow. Zac and Luke seemed happy enough at the prospect of getting dinner at the restaurant, but, being Avery¡¯s wards, Derek was sure that the two boys got to eat delicious meals at the restaurant often. Clare was also happy, but she was still preoccupied with her fighting, as she shadowboxed as they walked. Jensen and Walter, however, were visibly shaking in excitement. Just eating at the restaurant for normal civilians or even lesser nobles was a treat, and both Walter and Jensen knew that Derek was one of the very few that had a tier four membership. ¡°Ah,¡± Derek said, as he stopped walking. ¡°Do any of you know Delilah and Richard Steward?¡± he asked. ¡°Thomas¡¯s grandparents?¡± Clare stopped her boxing and answered. ¡°Those are the ones,¡± Derek said. ¡°I know them,¡± Clare said with a nod. Zac and Luke also nodded their heads in affirmation that they knew them, too. ¡°Thomas comes by to see them every once in a while when he has a free day from the academy. Sometimes, he trains with us and they watch.¡± ¡°Do you know where they stay?¡± Derek asked. ¡°They are in the hotel,¡± Clare answered. ¡°Their room is close to the one that I stay in.¡± She finished. ¡°Oh? Good!¡± Derek said. ¡°Would you mind running to fetch them? Thomas wanted me to check in on them, and what better way than to treat them to a meal with everyone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go see if they¡¯re in the hotel,¡± Clare said, then turned to run the opposite direction, where the hotel was. ¡°We¡¯re coming too!¡± Zac and Luke yelled out and then followed behind Clare. ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡± Derek said. ¡°When those two get here, there will still be one person we¡¯re missing, and it will be a pain if I don¡¯t bring her along,¡± he muttered almost silently to himself, but Walter and Jensen still heard him because of how close they were. After that, he flicked his wrist and a communication crystal appeared in his hand. After just a few moments, it disappeared, and he smiled. ¡°Who is coming?¡± Walter asked. ¡°You¡¯ll see in a minute.¡± Derek waved off the question. ¡°Have you been having a good time since coming back?¡± ¡°It has been a great experience,¡± Walter said. ¡°I almost forgot what it was like to not have the burden of being the patriarch of a noble house. I no longer have to stay in Tor... Searidge at all times, and I get to do what I want for the first time in ages.¡± ¡°How is... Searidge?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Many of the people there were unharmed, at least during the invasion, so they¡¯re working on building it back up,¡± Walter answered. ¡°With a little help, we¡¯re going to make it a bigger sub-city with the hopes of it becoming a true city one day. Though, it may still be a little too close to Wilmette for that to happen. Still, it¡¯s looking like it¡¯s going to become better than ever. I plan on trying to speak with King Edwin when he gets back and seeing if we can install a teleportation building in the city.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll allow it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Oh, I know he¡¯ll allow it,¡± Walter said. ¡°The question is if he¡¯ll fund it. Those buildings and circles are not cheap, you see.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°Well, if he won¡¯t fund it, I¡¯ll talk with Malorie and see what we can do. I just recently learned that I am quite rich,¡± Derek laughed and slapped Walter on the back, sending him forward a couple of steps. ¡°Ugh,¡± Walter murmured, then a small stream of water circled around him before focusing on his back. ¡°Be careful,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m still an old man.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said dully. ¡°I saw this old man fight in the raid. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡± After waiting for a couple more minutes, Derek felt something he¡¯d been expecting since putting his communication crystal away. The feeling of dread washed over him, and Walter and Jensen looked over with wide-eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s just Silvi. She¡¯s not about to miss a good meal.¡± ¡°You look great,¡± Malorie said from the side. ¡°Besides, we¡¯ll be eating with this...¡± she motioned to Derek. ¡°Person with only one set of clothes, so any kind of dressing up will put you leaps and bounds above him.¡± ¡°Malorie!¡± Delilah ran over to the woman and gave her a big hug, too. ¡°You¡¯re still so beautiful,¡± the older woman said before looking around. ¡°Where¡¯s little Brandi and Rayna? Are they coming?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Malorie replied. ¡°Brandi¡¯s busy doing whatever it is she¡¯s doing now, and Rayna is out with Jacks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Delilah said. ¡°Maniac,¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed out. ¡°Crazy to miss such good food.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like you wouldn¡¯t be doing the same if we were doing something other than eating,¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯d say, ¡®I¡¯m making a new kind of cookie, I can¡¯t go!¡¯ for anything other than a meal.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Silvi agreed. ¡°I do need to make new cookies.¡± Derek rolled his eyes and nearly facepalmed. Finally, he shook his head. ¡°Alright!¡± Derek said with a clap of his hands. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s go!¡± If nothing else, Derek was excited to try out what his legendary tier four membership card could get him. The group all fell in line behind Derek, and they followed him to the front of the restaurant. Once there, they all went inside and waited for a couple of groups in front of them to either be led upstairs or to be seated at the ground level. Derek¡¯s group got a few interesting stares and even a couple of scoffs when one of the more well-dressed customers looked over their ragtag group. The adults¡ªexcept for Derek¡ªmay have all dressed nicely, but Clare, Zachary, and Lucas were all three in the clothing they had worn during their spar, minus any armor they were wearing during it. They had all been gone over with a round of Cleaning, but their clothing was still basic. Plus, bringing beast companions to such a restaurant wasn¡¯t exactly something that people did. However, Silvi saw the stares they were getting and just turned her nose up at them. They may have thought that Derek¡¯s group was beneath them, but Silvi knew that they were beneath her. Finally, after waiting for the next group to be seated at the base level, it was Derek¡¯s group¡¯s turn. ¡°Welcome to the Crown Restaurant. My name is Ester. How may I help you today?¡± the hostess asked, but her eyes were switching back and forth between Silvi and Derek the whole time. ¡°Oh... uh...¡± Derek muttered, then began looking through his storage bracelet until he found the black card he was looking for. With a flick of his wrist, it appeared in his hand and he handed it over to Ester to take. ¡°My group is pretty big, so I think we¡¯re going to need one of your suites,¡± Derek said. ¡°Mr. Hunt!¡± Ester said with a small bow before taking the card from his hand. ¡°I have been looking forward to meeting you.¡± ¡°You know me?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Our whole staff knows who you and your companion are,¡± Ester said. ¡°It¡¯s very nice to see you again, Ms. Silvi.¡± ¡°Hi Ester!¡± Silvi¡¯s small voice rang out from her crystal. ¡°I¡¯m here to eat today!¡± ¡°So it would seem,¡± Ester chuckled. ¡°If you will all follow me, you have a suite waiting for you.¡± To the amazement and awe of the other guests, Derek and his group was led past them, then up the stairs. Apparently, Clare had seen how everyone was staring, and when they passed by, she stuck her tongue out at the other guest. ¡°Stop that!¡± Walter whispered a reprimand to his niece. ¡°Just because they behave poorly does not mean you should, too.¡± Derek smiled as he heard Walter¡¯s light rebuke. She¡¯s going to grow up as a much better person than Wallace was. It¡¯s good that he doesn¡¯t have to worry about being the patriarch anymore and can spend time with her and Jensen, he thought. ¡°In here,¡± Ester said as they arrived at a closed door on one of the top floor. The hostess grabbed the handle, and the door opened¡ªrevealing a beautifully decorated private room with a single large table in the center that could seat at least 14 people. ¡°Please have a seat and I will be with you shortly with the menu.¡± With that, Ester bowed out of the room and everyone walked over to the table. Derek grabbed a chair at the head of the table, then took a seat. Immediately, he jumped up and looked down at the chair. ¡°Holy shit!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s actually comfortable!¡± Chapter 432: All the Decisions Chapter 432: All the Decisions ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Malorie asked with some concern in her voice. ¡°It¡¯s comfortable?¡± She looked from Derek to the chair he was just sitting in, then back at him. Derek stared at the chair again. ¡°It is,¡± he said, then slowly sat back down into the chair. When he was fully situated, he closed his eyes and sighed, then chuckled. ¡°I never thought I would see the day that I would sit in something comfortable without having to have it made myself. I thought that this entire kingdom lacked the concept of comfort and cushions.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± Malorie hummed, then took a seat herself on the right side of Derek. ¡°It is quite comfortable,¡± she said. ¡°But it¡¯s not...¡± ¡°I know,¡± Derek said, cutting her off mid-sentence. ¡°It¡¯s not quite as comfortable as some of the chairs we¡¯ve commissioned through Geoffrey, but still... it¡¯s a very good start.¡± His favorite chair, the one he made sure to carry with him almost everywhere he went, was still the best. Soon, everyone else sat down. They all agreed that their seats were quite good, but none of them seemed to have the same reaction or happiness that Derek had when they sat. In fact, it didn¡¯t seem like they cared much at all. They¡¯re all barbarians, Derek thought to himself as he saw them practically ignore the revolution that was comfort happening right before their eyes. Shortly after they were all seated, Ester came back with the menus and passed them out. ¡°What can I get you all to drink while you take a look at the menu?¡± she asked. Their orders included a variety of different drinks¡ªcoffee, tea, juice, and even water. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with that,¡± Ester said. ¡°One second,¡± Derek said, stopping her before she was able to leave to go fetch the beverages. ¡°Yes?¡± she asked politely. ¡°I had a question about these chairs,¡± Derek said, and the woman waited for him to continue. ¡°Why are these chairs comfortable, but all the other ones that I have sat in when dining here are so... not?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, Mr. Hunt,¡± she said. ¡°This is your private suite.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s the tier four private suite.¡± ¡°No...¡± she slowly shook her head with a sly smile. ¡°It seems you misunderstand. This is not a tier four private suite. This is your tier four private suite. Yours, and yours alone.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said, slightly taken aback. ¡°So it is made specifically for me?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ester said with a nod. ¡°You will find another just like it at the Savannah branch of the Crown Restaurant, as that is your current place of residence. You also have a prepared suite in the Crown Hotel if you should ever need to use it.¡± ¡°I... see...¡± Derek said. ¡°So these chairs...¡± ¡°Commissioned specifically for you. Mistress Swan noticed your... peculiarities when it comes to seating and had them created specifically for you. Of course, she hasn¡¯t had the chance to see them quite yet, as they were only finished a short while ago. However, I am happy that we were able to receive them before you chose to come dine with us,¡± Ester explained.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°I¡¯ll have to give Alanah my thanks, then,¡± Derek said and gave Ester a smile. ¡°I am very happy you like them.¡± Ester bowed to Derek and the others. ¡°Then, if there isn¡¯t anything else...¡± ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± Derek said. ¡°Very well,¡± Ester replied. ¡°I will be back shortly with your drinks. Please excuse me.¡± The woman excused herself and soon after, she was out of the room. Silvi was another that didn¡¯t hold back. Derek had to stop her after she called out every item from the tier four, three, and two menus. If he didn¡¯t, he was sure that by the time she was finished, she would have ordered one of everything, and to be honest, he couldn¡¯t blame her. He¡¯d actually thought about doing the same thing when he was going over the menu. Malorie ordered for herself, but also ordered multiple things to go for Brandi. She was a mother, after all. Even if she couldn¡¯t get her daughter to go out and eat, at least she could take her some of the goodies back. ¡°Is that... everything?¡± Ester asked with wide eyes that were mostly staring at Silvi. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like we ordered everything,¡± Derek said with a laugh as he pointed at the very few items from the menu that his group hadn¡¯t ordered. He saw Malorie roll her eyes at his stupid joke out of the corner of his own. ¡°But I think that¡¯s all for us.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Ester said, then went around the table and collected the menus. ¡°Your items will be out promptly. I do hope you enjoy.¡± Once again, Ester bowed and dismissed herself from the room. ¡°Meanie,¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed out from her communication crystal. ¡°I wanted to try everything.¡± ¡°I know you did,¡± Derek said. ¡°But you know as well as I that the items you didn¡¯t order are things that you have already tried, or that you could easily create yourself. There was no sense in you ordering it all. I don¡¯t even know if you would even be able to eat it all.¡± ¡°Nothing wrong with leftovers,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Food for later.¡± Derek shook his head at Silvi¡¯s antics, then shifted the conversation to the three children. ¡°So, the three of you,¡± he started. ¡°Do you plan to become a team? Or are you just training together for now?¡± he asked. Zachary, Lucas, and Clare all looked at one another, then Zac, the lightning user, finally spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ve been training together for a long time,¡± he said. ¡°Me and my brother always planned on becoming adventurers together anyway, and we¡¯ve had a lot of fun working with Clare since she unlocked the Great System.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± Clare chimed in. ¡°But we¡¯ve talked about it. I really enjoy training with the boys and they are really, really good fighters. I definitely wouldn¡¯t mind being in a party with them.¡± ¡°First, we need to find out what Mr. Swan and Miss Alanah wants us to do. Mr. Swan will surely want to see what kind of progress we have made first. I don¡¯t know if they will send us to the academy or keep training us,¡± Zac explained. ¡°Thomas sure does make the academy sound like fun when he comes around, though,¡± Luke said. ¡°I think I would like to go if Mr. Swan and Miss Alanah let us.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°I doubt it would hurt things,¡± he continued. ¡°But¡ªand I¡¯m sure you already know this, as you all seem quite mature¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t rush things. You need to keep growing slowly like you have been and work on your skills and... elements. That should take priority over your levels.¡± All three of the children nodded seriously at Derek¡¯s words. ¡°Now, Clare,¡± Derek said. ¡°Speaking of plans, what are yours? With you levels and such.¡± ¡°I think...¡± Clare looked over at Walter and Jensen before continuing. ¡°We want to wait and train my skill levels for at least another six months before moving on to level ten and getting to choose a class. Maybe even longer, depending on how hard they become to level.¡± ¡°Yeah... Skill levels become much harder to level the higher they are. And it¡¯s especially true when you can¡¯t really fight and slay monsters because the experience will push you to level ten really quickly,¡± Derek said. ¡°I agree that once you start feeling like you¡¯re making absolutely no progress any longer, it will be time to think about getting a class.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just as we¡¯ve planned,¡± Walter said. ¡°I very much look forward to seeing what kind of warrior my niece will become in the future using this strategy. I have high hopes for her. She is the future of House Searidge.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t wanna be the matriarch,¡± Clare cried out. ¡°I just want to fight and adventure. I don¡¯t want to have to run things. That¡¯s what cousin Jensen is for. He can take over. I¡¯ll be the muscle.¡± Clare punched the air a few times to make her point, and everyone had a good chuckle. ¡°We still have plenty of time to figure that out,¡± Walter said in between chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re not even level ten yet. For now, just focus on getting stronger.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek agreed. ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t rush things,¡± he said, then he sent Clare a message telepathically. ¡®And once you become strong enough, you won¡¯t have to take over House Searidge even if they want you to. After all, the strongest people are the ones who get to make all the decisions. Chapter 433: Instructions Unclear Chapter 433: Instructions Unclear After the advice that Derek gave Clare through private telepathy, the young girl smiled at him and no longer bother to speak about becoming matriarch of House Searidge¡ªor, in her case, not becoming matriarch of the family. It also wasn¡¯t difficult for the others to see that Derek had secretly said something to her, as neither of them did anything to hide that fact. Soon after all of that, Ester and some other restaurant staff arrived with the first round of food. Even if they weren¡¯t hungry before, it was hard not to become so with the mouthwatering aroma of the culinary creations placed before them. The first round of cuisine was a hit and barely lasted long enough for the next round to be prepared. Other than some sighs of satisfaction, gasps of pleasure, and many whispers of appreciation caused from the taste of the dishes, the group was quiet and focused all their attention on consuming what was in front of them. The next round came out soon after, and the same experience happened once again, then again. Finally, everyone other than Silvi had consumed every crumb of food that they had ordered. The only reason that Silvi hadn¡¯t yet was because the staff was still preparing and bringing out the items she had ordered. Silvi was not a happy bunny when Derek decided that it was rude for to still be dining while everyone else had already finished and made her split the remaining meals between everyone¡ªwho, despite already being stuffed full from their previous consumption, had no hesitation finding room for even more. Derek could have almost felt bad for the small bunny and the pouting faces she was making, if not for knowing how greedy she was being. Once again, Derek wondered if the ¡°Void¡± in the ¡°Mythical Void Bunny¡± part of her status sheet was an indicator of all the food she consumed just disappearing into the void. However, though she would never turn down a meal no matter how much she had already eaten¡ªunless, of course, the food sucked or had been damaged from Void Travel¡ªshe didn¡¯t seem to be ravenously hungry at all times or anything. Derek remembered reading about various all consuming creatures during his solitary time on Earth before the system came, but so far, Silvi didn¡¯t remind him of any of the descriptions just yet. She also¡ªluckily¡ªhadn¡¯t attacked or killed anyone for stealing the final slice of pizza yet. Though he could definitely see the temptation in that scenario. Still, he wondered what her future growth¡ªand possible other evolutions¡ªwould bring. He would actually prefer her affinity to steer further away from the void affinity and more toward her cooking affinity if at all possible¡ªand that wasn¡¯t entirely for selfish reasons, either. The final courses went by quickly, and soon, everyone was finished enjoying their food. It too... a very long time for Delilah and Richard to settle down and come back to once they received all the temporary buffs that the dinner had given them. Derek¡¯s stats, too, were receiving temporary buffs¡ªall of them. Even his stats with 1500 or more points received small stat increases for half an hour or more. He also had the same sort of feeling in his head¡ªalbeit much less intense¡ªas he did after being surprised with a piece of Silvi¡¯s special cake. ¡°Everyone,¡± he announced once he realized it. ¡°Use Mediation or any other skill that you want to level up while you have that weird feeling in your head. You should be able to gain skill levels must faster with it.¡± Clare, Zac, and Luke all looked at one another before turning to the adults. ¡°Can we leave? We need to spar,¡± Luke asked. ¡°You better hurry,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long this effect will last.¡± The next moment, the children left and Jensen followed them¡ªwhether that was to also train or to watch and make sure they were okay, Derek wasn¡¯t sure. However, the young man would be missing out if he didn¡¯t do anything with the opportunity. Everyone else did their own thing, too. Malorie and Walter seemed to already be using Meditation before Derek even mentioned it. Rudy had already cleared the plates out from in front of him and had brought out multiple contracts to go over. Delilah had her eyes closed, clearly meditating, and after some hesitation, Richard seemed to decide that Meditation was the simplest, but also an important skill to level. Derek, even knowing that it probably wouldn¡¯t provide near as much help for his skill as it did for the others, also decided to meditate. Greater Meditation was still his most used and useful skill in his opinion. However, because he had Greater Meditation, which allowed him to keep it active, and because the buff from the meal wasn¡¯t near as overwhelming as the one from the cake, Derek was able to work on multiple skills at once. There really wasn¡¯t much he could use while just sitting there and not fighting, so he decided on casting Absolute Nullify behind him, out of the way. At least that way, he could at least work on two skills. Instead of meditating like everyone else, Silvi also cleared the table around her and took out a bunch of ingredients. Using Void Creation(Cooking), she made multiple knives, and using Mage Hands and Telekinesis, she began to chop, mince, and cut up the ingredients in other ways. She was really making the most out of the temporary buff. The group continued their impromptu training until the buffs ran out. As to show her great timing, just after the buffs stopped, Ester opened the door and came in with a smile plastered on her face. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°I hope you all enjoyed your meals and their benefits,¡± the woman said as she strolled forward. ¡°It was very surprising,¡± Derek said. ¡°You should warn people about that buff before they eat,¡± he laughed. ¡°Great!¡± Ester said happily. ¡°Is there anything else I can do for you today?¡± Derek looked around the table and other than Silvi¡ªwho seemed to want to order even more food¡ªeveryone seemed good. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Great,¡± she said again. ¡°In that case, the room is yours. You may stay as long as you like and leave whenever you wish. You may leave on your own or call someone over to lead you down. The rune to do so is just beside the door there.¡± After that, Ester bowed once again to dismiss herself for the final time. ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± Malorie said to the woman before she left. ¡°It was very good.¡± ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± Ester said before leaving. ¡°Whew.¡± Derek leaned back in his chair and whistled before patting his belly. ¡°I¡¯m stuffed.¡± It was like a scene out of a family Thanksgiving. ¡°I couldn¡¯t eat another bite,¡± Rudy said as he gathered up all the contracts he had been working on during the skill increase buff. ¡°Well... I probably could if another dish was placed in front of me. It¡¯s just too good to let it go cold or go to waste.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Delilah said. ¡°It was delicious. The best tasting food I¡¯ve ever had in my long life.¡± ¡°It looks like we owe you even more,¡± Richard said with a bow from his seat. ¡°Nonsense,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s just a little meal. And you don¡¯t owe me anything for bringing Thomas with me. He¡¯s a good kid and can already fend for himself¡ªas he¡¯s done in the academy so far.¡± Richard and Delilah looked at each other and smiled, proud of their grandson. ¡°Still,¡± Delilah said. ¡°It was delicious, and I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t cheap.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Silvi snorted, then, from her communication crystal, said, ¡°Just wait until you try dragon. Sooo good. Getting better each time I make it.¡± Derek recalled the taste of the meat when it was only cooked with a little salt and pepper, then roasted with Silvi¡¯s dragon flame. It was definitely something that could be prepared and would possibly be just as good, if not better, than any of the food they had just eaten. And if she added some of those spices that Dave gave her... Derek thought. Then again, only a few people would be able to try it at that point. ¡°Wait,¡± Derek said. ¡°How many times have you made dragon meat?¡± ¡°Dunno,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Whenever I want meat.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°Well,¡± Walter said. ¡°I, for one, look forward to tasting any of Ms. Silvi¡¯s cooking. She is a fine cook,¡± he praised the bunny. ¡°However, it is getting late, and I must go find the children and make sure they¡¯re doing well.¡± He stood from his seat and bowed to Derek. ¡°Once again, Derek... thank you for the meal.¡± Derek only nodded. After that, Delilah and Richard dismissed themselves as well. Finally, all that was remaining was Derek¡¯s group. ¡°It is getting late,¡± Derek said to them. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to go home.¡± Chapter 434: Change in the Kingdom Chapter 434: Change in the Kingdom After Derek¡¯s long day of catching up, weeks passed in the blink of an eye. During those few weeks, almost everything that Derek thought was going to happen happened. The royal family, along with everyone else who had chosen to stay in Indria and help them get things set up, had returned. Not only had they returned, but they had allowed access to the inter-kingdom teleporters to everyone. Of course, this meant that the security in and around the Teleportation Buildings throughout the kingdoms had been significantly heightened. However, nobody seemed to mind any of that, as they were all more interested in exploring new places that they hadn¡¯t before¡ªespecially many of the lifetime adventurers. Not only were there adventurers looking forward to exploring the dungeons of other kingdoms, though. Just as Derek had suspected, the royal family had set up a sort of exchange program for students. In the few times that Thomas was able to come to Savannah for a visit, he excitedly told everyone about the new students and even the current students who had chosen to try their hands at some of the learning centers of the other kingdoms. Also, according to the boy, after Derek¡¯s little visit, the academy instructors had stepped up their teaching. They weren¡¯t bad before¡ªby any means¡ªbut now, they were much more hands on, providing even individualized lessons to the students. It very much seemed that they didn¡¯t want their positions taken away by any foreign instructors coming in because of the alliances. That, or they wanted to make sure the academy looked as good as possible for the new recruits¡ªprobably a bit of both.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Another thing that Thomas was able to do was talk Judy into letting Shae pick up their training where it left off. Shae, who because of all the shake ups going on at the guild, and Judy¡¯s punishments, was eternally grateful to the boy for helping to allow him some non-work-related fun. Derek even sneaked into their training session and got to see that Shae was just as, if not more, proud of Thomas that he was. Other than all of that, Alanah and Avery had come back from Indria as well. However, they had gone completely radio silent since their return¡ªStella included. It was odd¡ªDerek just couldn¡¯t figure it out. Alanah, and even Avery, was one thing, but Stella had always been happy to drop by from time to time. But, since their return, Derek had heard nothing. Even when he asked Thomas, the boy hadn¡¯t seen anything. Even though he occasionally stopped by to visit his grandparents at the Crown Hotel and trained with the other children, he hadn¡¯t seen Avery¡ªwho Derek thought would be raring to see the progress that his two wards had made during his time in the raid and then in Indria. Derek could only chalk it up to Alanah planning something big with the Crown¡ªhe didn¡¯t know what else to think. He also didn¡¯t bother trying to visit or communicate via crystal because he didn¡¯t want to disturb them if they were planning something. Their actions piqued Derek¡¯s curiosity, and he was anxiously awaiting anything that the trio might have in store for them or the kingdom¡ªwhatever it was, if it had anything to do with the Crown, it would be major. The royal family, on the other hand, had made another big splash in the previous weeks. Edwin wasn¡¯t lying when he said he planned to step down as king. While the kingdom was happy and cheerful, Edwin took it as the perfect time to announce Edward as the next King of Cydaria. The announcement caused another wave of celebration to arise throughout the kingdom. Not only that, but they held the celebration and coronation soon after. Derek had avoided many invites to certain events, but he felt it was only right to attend that one. The event wasn¡¯t as eventful as the one in Indaria. Nobody tried to ruin the celebration or kill the new king. Edgar was giddy with excitement the whole time, though. It wasn¡¯t because the younger prince was happy for Edward¡ªwell, not just because he was happy for his brother. It was more so because he was happy that he no longer had to worry about Edwin and Edward changing their mind and trying to crown him king once again. He¡¯d finally permanently dodged that bullet¡ªat least if nothing happened to Edward in the future. The girl actually had a perfectly function way to ¡®fly¡¯ without relying on a skill. To make things even better, it was a way that anyone who had a decently large mana pool could use. If or when she massed produced¡ªbecause now that she¡¯d made them well once, she would be able to replicate them and the time to craft them would only get shorter and shorter as she did so¡ªDerek knew that the market would be all over them. With access to Savannah throughout the continent instead of just Cydaria, the market for her boots¡ªand everything else unique that Brandi created¡ªwould soar. There really wasn¡¯t a ceiling on what she could get away with charging for her creations¡ªshe had the market, and she would be able to set the price. Heck, she could make them and only put them up for trade if she wanted. And speaking of Savannah, in the short time that the teleporters were open across the continent¡ªminus Vallum¡ªthe city had become extremely busy. It was already a bustling city with it being the capital of trade in Cydaria, but it was soon realized that not only was it good enough to be the capital of trade in Cydaria, but possibly the entire continent. With all that being so, Natalie was up to her eyeballs in her lordly duties. With the large amount of visitors to the city came extra problems. The city lord had to bolster the city¡¯s security and enact new rules and regulations. Before, Savannah was always a city that was in a slow expansion, but now that its popularity had sky-rocketed, Natalie had pushed the expansion into high gear. It seemed that every day the city became bigger and bigger. Derek reckoned that it wouldn¡¯t be long until Savannah was not only the most popular city in the kingdom, but the biggest as well. This once again made Derek thankful that Malorie had taken it upon herself to rent some lots around his shop while he was gone. He was also happy and thankful to Natalie for allowing him to break conventions and actually own said property instead of renting. Because, with the growth of the city, all the surrounding properties that weren¡¯t previously in use were yoked up extremely quickly. Hell, the Void Emporium even had visitors trying to buy the empty lots that they weren¡¯t yet using for outrageous prices. All of which Malorie politely refused. Derek had yet to go to Geoffrey and contract new buildings, as he¡¯d been enjoying lazing around and catching up far too much lately, which was something he wouldn¡¯t have even dreamed about back on Earth after the system came, and even before it. However, seeing everything being rapidly bought up and the city expanding, he knew it would be better to do so sooner rather than later. Geoffry wasn¡¯t exactly the most popular contractor in the city, but with all the new people coming into the city, Derek was sure that the slimy-looking contractor would be booked up before long. He was sure that the man¡ªor probably any other contractor¡ªwould push any work that they had scheduled back for him and he¡¯d be a priority, but the man had been quite good to Derek, so he didn¡¯t want to put him in that situation. With those thoughts, Derek rolled out of his bed, totally refreshed after all the rest he¡¯d gotten over the weeks. He slowly stretched, got up, and got dressed, then walked over to his bedroom door. The moment he opened it, he saw a slightly confused, if not panicked, Malory reaching out to touch the soundproofing rune to his room¡ªthe one used to turn it off to allow noise, particularly a knock¡ªto get through. ¡°Malorie? What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Derek asked. ¡°There¡¯s...¡± the woman started. ¡°There¡¯s an old goblin downstairs asking for you.¡± Chapter 435: Old Goblin Chapter 435: Old Goblin ¡°An old goblin?¡± Derek asked, also in confusion. I¡¯ve not seen any goblins in this world yet. I wonder if there really are any outside of dungeons. Definitely had some lower-level dungeons filled with goblins back on Earth after the system, though. Maybe a dungeon break? ¡°What do you mean? Wait, do goblins even have sentience? Are they like elves and dwarves?¡± ¡°No... it¡¯s...¡± Malorie shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s not a goblin, but his looks... he really does look like an old, pale white goblin. It¡¯s uncanny.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said as he thought about what she was saying. ¡°Is he really short, hunched back with a cane, and wearing a robe that pretty much covers his whole body and head?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Though he took his hood off to ask for you. That¡¯s how I saw...¡± ¡°His pointy ears and lack of hair? And his general goblinesque appearance.¡± Derek asked, deadpanned. He knew exactly who was there to visit him. The old man had said he would be paying Derek a visit. He just didn¡¯t know when. It looked like he¡¯d finally come to make good on his promise. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him,¡± Derek said. ¡°He¡¯s harmless.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Malorie breathed out a sigh. ¡°Well... he¡¯s not harmless,¡± Derek corrected. ¡°He¡¯s actually one of the strongest elves in the world, if not the strongest elf in the world. He is very harmful, in fact. Piss him off, and there likely won¡¯t be any of you left to piss him off any further.¡± Derek thought about the former king that had been ground to nothing by Marrick. ¡°But generally, he¡¯s a nice guy. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Malorie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯ll just tell him that you¡¯ll be down in a minute.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me. I¡¯ll be right behind you,¡± Derek said. After quickly washing up and splashing some cold water on his face, Derek walked down the stairs to meet the old elf. On his way down, he smelled something good coming from the kitchen as he passed. ¡°Derek!¡± the old elf said as Derek opened the door to the main lobby of the shop. ¡°Hey old man,¡± Derek said. ¡°I see you finally decided to come pay me a visit.¡± ¡°I did.¡± Marrick nodded. ¡°I would also like to visit this ¡®chair guy¡¯ while I¡¯m in Cydaria. It¡¯s been a while, so I may stick around for a bit.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Derek said. ¡°Well, do your old bones can make it up some stairs to grab some breakfast? If you can, it smells like Silvi is cooking up something good.¡± ¡°For some of her cooking, I can make myself,¡± Marrick said with a chuckle, then slowly hobbled forward with his cane. Derek did what he could to keep from rolling his eyes. He still wasn¡¯t sure if the cane and old man bit were for show or not. He¡¯d actually seen Marrick be quite agile before in his fights, but it was also true that at his age, doing all of that could take quite a bit out of him. Then again, he did move pretty fast when he beat Avery to one of my chairs... ¡°Oh, wow...¡± Marrick said with a sigh as he situated himself into one of Derek¡¯s dining chairs. ¡°You just have these things all around, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It would be dumb not to,¡± Derek said with a laugh. At that time, Silvi came out with her chef¡¯s hat on and started putting all her dishes on the table. She hesitated for a moment when she saw that they would be having an extra guest for breakfast, but relented soon after¡ªafter all, Rayna and Jacks weren¡¯t there and instead of making less food, the chef bunny had been making the same amount as before and giving herself an extra portion or two. But today, she would have to suffer eating only a bit more than a normal amount. ¡°Oh? So what¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I visited all the young¡¯uns,¡± the old man said. ¡°I think it¡¯s probably going to be the last time I¡¯m able to do so.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go out on one final adventure¡ªexplore some dungeons that I haven¡¯t before. Heck, I may even see if I can live long enough to travel across the sea and have a little fun on the other continent. I believe that dying at my age on an adventure is just about the best way to go out, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I definitely can¡¯t argue against it,¡± Derek said. ¡°If nothing else, it beats sitting at home, waiting to die. Unless you¡¯re someone who is into dying beside your loved ones, that is.¡± ¡°Either way is fine,¡± Marrick said. ¡°But going out doing something interesting will be my way. It¡¯s much more fun that way. Besides, I¡¯ve already said my goodbyes, wouldn¡¯t want to be a hypocrite, now, would I?¡± ¡°I guess not,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Um... excuse me,¡± Rudy said. It seemed he finally couldn¡¯t take it. ¡°Derek, would you mind introducing us to your friend?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°This is old man Marrick. He¡¯s an elder¡ª¡± he began but was cut off. ¡°Former elder,¡± Marrick said. ¡°He¡¯s a former elder from Indria, and I¡¯d say one of the top five strongest people in the kingdom based on what I know and have seen,¡± Derek explained. ¡°He is also someone who is in dire need of a hair transplant, less he is mistaken for a goblin.¡± Malorie choked and went into a coughing fit before staring daggers at Derek. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Marrick began laughing, then pulled out a mirror from his storage ring. He moved the hand mirror around so he could get a good look at his entire head. ¡°Hmm...¡± he muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know about a transplant, but I guess I could go for a potion or two to regrow it. It¡¯s been kind of pointless to maintain it over the last couple of decades, but since I¡¯ll be going out again...¡± He looked over at Derek. ¡°Do you know any good alchemists?¡± ¡°I was joking,¡± Derek said. ¡°You could use your looks as a surprise attack. They¡¯d never expect anything from someone who looks like you. Or you could find a tribe of goblins and see what it¡¯s like to live like them. The number of things you could do with your looks is endless.¡± ¡°An alchemist?¡± Marrick asked again, ignoring Derek. ¡°I guess someone like you doesn¡¯t really need to surprise anyone in a fight,¡± Derek said with a sigh. ¡°Yes, I know a good alchemist.¡± Derek then explained to the man where Roman¡¯s shop was located, and Marrick decided to pay him a visit before leaving on his final adventure. Derek would be sad to see the old man go, but he knew he¡¯d lived a long life and there was nothing Derek could do to help him live even longer. At least not unless the old Guild Leader had a breakthrough and became able to use his abilities on others¡ªeven then, he wasn¡¯t sure if the old elf would accept. For the rest of the meal, everyone¡ªmostly Brandi¡ªchatted with Marrick. She asked him about his adventures and his life in general, and he seemed genuinely curious about her rocket boots and gauntlets. The two seemed to really hit it off once Brandi got over the shock of how strong the old man was¡ªshe didn¡¯t even bat an eyelash at his goblin-like looks. In fact, Marrick even told Derek to use Void Travel to find him if he was still alive in a year or two, and he would give him any interesting materials he found to take back to Brandi. It was a better option than letting them all go to waste, after all. Finally, after a fun meal and chat, everyone finished. ¡°I¡¯m stuffed,¡± Marrick leaned back in his chair and slapped his belly. ¡°Now, how about introducing me to your chair guy? If I¡¯m going on a final adventure, I want to do it in comfort.¡± Chapter 436: Alabaster homes Chapter 436: Alabaster homes ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll actually be able to help us right this instant,¡± Derek said as he and Marrick slowly walked from his shop to the area where Geoffrey¡¯s was located. He motioned in front of himself, then all around. ¡°As you can see, Savannah is extremely busy right now because of the new alliance and open border policies.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Marrick said, then nodded to an earth mage who was slowly and methodically moving dirt and rocks out of an area of a lot that looked to be where a future shop would be located. ¡°That¡¯s something that I¡¯m glad I never did get into. I wouldn¡¯t have to die of old age if I was nothing more than an earth mover for some two-bit construction company... I would have already killed myself.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time,¡± Derek said with a laugh. ¡°Not to kill yourself, but to feel what it¡¯s like to work like your average, every day, run-of-the-mill earth mover.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me do it,¡± Marrick said as he raised his hand, palm facing up, and a small, spike-like object formed out of gathered sand and floated in front of the old man¡¯s head¡ªpointy end facing himself. ¡°Fine... fine...¡± Derek said as he shook his head¡ªhe really enjoyed chatting with the old elf. ¡°But they really may need your help if everything keeps going the way it is. I¡¯d say that if nothing happens to sour relations between each kingdom¡¯s citizens, Savannah will be double its size in one or two years. And that¡¯s me being conservative. I knew it would be popular, but I thought the other kingdoms would have a city like it that would draw some of the others¡¯ attention as well.¡± ¡°Young Miss Savannah has done quite the job with her city. The last time I visited¡ªhowever long ago that was... two... maybe three lords ago...¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. The last time I was here, it was nothing like it is now. All it takes is one kindhearted, greedy, charitable person with a knack for business as lord, and you get something like this.¡± Marrick motioned all around him with his arms¡ªhis cane somehow standing perfectly how it had been. ¡°It is quite the accomplishment.¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Derek agreed. Still, he¡¯d been to places like New York City and seen many others back when he was on Earth, so, while he could agree that Natalie was running the city quite well, the buildings and style still lacked in comparison. Well... he thought as he looked into the air. The air isn¡¯t smoggy and all water I drink from runes is completely pure, so... maybe it¡¯s better in that regard too. There wasn¡¯t even a proper New York City still standing after the Universal System came, anyway. I guess this is much more sustainable when there are monsters capable of leveling villages constantly at your doorstep. ¡°This city could give Stonehaven a run for its money soon,¡± Marrick said, then, seeing the look of confusion on Derek¡¯s face, continued. ¡°Stonehaven is the above ground version of Vallum¡¯s capital, Stonehelm,¡± he explained. ¡°Stonehaven and Stonehelm...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Mhm... Dwarves are second to none when it comes to crafts, and they even flourish in business... but they have the naming sense of...¡± ¡°A Cydarian royal family member?¡± Derek finished. ¡°No...¡± Marrick said seriously. ¡°They are at least still better than that.¡± The two men burst out into laughter at the royal family¡¯s expense as they continued their stroll through the city toward Geoffrey¡¯s business. The two made a strange sight to any passerby. Marrick, with his striking resemblance to an old goblin had he been green, wasn¡¯t the only thing that stood out, as Derek had also decided to slap his new diamond ranked adventurer¡¯s badge on his shoulder and give it a test drive. So far, it was doing its job quite well, as, after a while, the two were able to make it to Geoffrey¡¯s place with zero interruptions¡ªrunners, guards, adventurer¡¯s, and even regular citizens gave them a wide berth because they all knew what the badge meant. ¡°Here we are,¡± Derek said as the two of them approached Alabaster Homes, Geoffrey¡¯s business. ¡°Alabaster Homes?¡± Marrick asked, confused. ¡°I thought you were taking me to a furniture person, not a home constructor.¡± ¡°He did say that he knew you,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°But, from what I gathered, he has already done most all the adventuring that is available here, and he does the Adventurer¡¯s Guild stuff because he¡¯s bored and it is entertaining to him watching the younger generations grow.¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Marrick said. ¡°I met the man in my middle age and he was already quite the character. I can only imagine he¡¯s certainly not changed for the better. Quite annoying, that guy. But I guess he has every right to be like that since nobody was able to do anything about it. I believe death is allergic to that man.¡± ¡°Hah,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°That is certainly one way of putting it. And yeah, he¡¯s quite eccentric, but seems very smart with what his abilities can do. I¡¯m interested in any findings he comes up with after the sample I gave him.¡± Derek held up his pinky finger. ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± Marrick asked with wide eyes. ¡°I... Well, I don¡¯t know enough about him to know whether I would trust him with such things or not. But be careful, I never cared much for the fellow.¡± ¡°Even if he makes a breakthrough, I don¡¯t think he could do me any hard,¡± Derek said with a smile. ¡°I have a way to deal with certain individuals who may consider themselves indestructible.¡± The first person who was like that was Tevarian¡ªthe former, now dead, King of Astrus. Opening the void via Void Travel and tossing someone in was Derek¡¯s trump card and his next step to deal with the ¡®genius¡¯ king if Silvi¡¯s dragon flame didn¡¯t work¡ªunfortunately for him, he didn¡¯t get to test it out. However, it was better that way, as he was at least able to get the experience points for the kill when Silvi turned him into a puddle. He wondered what kind of effect dragon flame would have on Klaus as well. If he was able to survive it like Derek thought, though, the void was only a couple steps away, and he was certain that the man couldn¡¯t survive the rapid change in his body coupled with the crazy spatial energy ripping through it. ¡°If all else fails,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll just throw him in a hole.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Marrick replied. ¡°I guess that certainly is something that you could do. I also imagine that if that didn¡¯t work, you could just close the hole, and we¡¯d never see hide nor hair of the person again¡ªwhether alive or dead.¡± ¡°That sounds about right,¡± Derek said. ¡°But I can almost guarantee that nobody other than myself and Silvi would be able to survive being in there for more than a few second or minutes without us being there to shield them. It is a pretty terrifying place.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Marrick said. ¡°With the feeling that portal gives off when you open it, I certainly can¡¯t imagine it being sunshine and rainbows inside. Still, it is quite the convenient skill and a good ¡®out¡¯ if you need it. You may be just as slippery as Klaus with that traveling skill.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Derek replied. After that, they waited a few more minutes, then Geoffrey finally appeared in his slimy suit with a big grin on his face. ¡°Mr. Hunt!¡± he greeted. ¡°And you have brought a guest?¡± The man looked down at Marrick, and Derek thought he could even see the shiver coming from the ancient elf¡¯s spine. ¡°Marrick,¡± the old man replied. ¡°Marrick... I do believe I have heard of that name somewhere before, but I can¡¯t put my finger on it... oh well.¡± Geoffrey shrugged. ¡°Mr. Hunt, Mr. Marrick, what is it that you are looking for today?¡± Chapter 438: Spoiled Chapter 438: Spoiled Marrick didn¡¯t have all that much going on for him while he was in Savannah waiting for his chairs, so Derek decided to show him around. One introduction that Derek made sure to make for Marrick was to Roman¡ªif for no other reason than to see if there really was something like a potion for restoring hair. Seeing the small elf and the halfling negotiating with one another was also something that Derek didn¡¯t know he would enjoy. Marrick¡¯s bluntness and Roman¡¯s eagerness for both money and materials¡ªplus his hardheadedness¡ªmade for an interesting scene. A scene which was made all the more entertaining because of the size of the two of them. If Derek didn¡¯t know any better, or if he was watching from a distance, he would say that it looked like two children fighting over some candy... or a soda, in this case. It turned out that Roman did, unfortunately, have some potions of hair restoration in stock. When Marrick drank said potions, his hair did come back¡ªfully colored and everything. Now, why was that unfortunate? Because the hair didn¡¯t seem natural at all. It was way too black and looked almost like a bad dye job. He could have just looked weird because Derek was used to seeing the old elven elder with almost no hair other than a few white and gray strands. It was just that very odd look that an older person, who everyone knew should have white or gray hair, had when they dyed it. It wouldn¡¯t have been so bad if it wasn¡¯t black, either. But apparently, the old man¡¯s hair color in his youth had been just as coal black as Derek¡¯s own before his void affinity gave it a purple tint. Marrick also felt the same way when he saw himself in a mirror, so he was quick to chop off his newly flowing locks. A few bottles of hair growth potions and multiple haircuts later, and the effects of the hair restoration potion left, and all that remained were the few white and gray strands of hair that he¡¯d had before. Apparently, the hair restoration potions only lasted for a couple years¡¯ worth of hair before running out and reverting the hair back to its normal form¡ªwhich was great for the demand of the potions. Also, this could be hastened by the hair growth potions speeding the reversion up. After they left the happy Roman¡ªwho was so happy because he had sold an expensive hair restoration potion and multiple hair growth potions¡ªDerek decided to take Marrick to lunch at the Crown Restaurant. He needed to do something to see if he could help the old man¡¯s mood change back to how it was before the hair incident¡ªcranky Marrick was still fun, but not as fun as normal Marrick. Luckily, a pleasant lunch was all it took to have Marrick back to his normal self¡ªwhich, albeit, was still a bit cranky. For the rest of the day, Derek took the old man sightseeing around the city. Finally, he ended the day by taking him to the dragon kennels and letting him see the different dragonkin. He wasn¡¯t very impressed. The old man had lived a very long time and had seen many different kinds of monsters. And, since he¡¯d already seen Blitz and Lyra, the other dragonkin just weren¡¯t as interesting. Still, they had a fun day hanging out together. The next two days passed by in a flash. Derek refused to let Marrick stay at one of the hotels in the city and had him stay at the Void Emporium instead¡ªwhich the old man was happy to do because of the bunny prepared meals that came with the invitation. Out of everything¡ªDerek¡¯s mythical class included¡ªMarrick was more interested in the fact that a horned bunny had become a proper chef. The fact that she, too, was technically sporting a mythical class only added to his interest. Another thing¡ªor person¡ªthat Marrick found particularly interesting was Brandi and her smithing. Their bond had grown as the old man treated her more like one of his grandchildren than a stranger, and the young smith even found herself spending more and more time with everyone else instead of alone in her basement forge. ¡°See, so you just channel a little of you mana¡ªany mana really¡ªinto these runes here, and the next thing you know... bang!¡± Brandi said, imitating an explosion with her hands. ¡°You¡¯ll be in the air.¡± She was currently sitting at the dining table next to Marrick, explaining and showing the old elf how her rocket boots worked. The young smith had taken to the old man, as he asked questions about her crafts as if he was truly interested¡ªwhich he actually did seem to be. He also had many years of insight and experience that had helped spark new ideas and answer questions she didn¡¯t even know she had when he spoke of them. ¡°They really are quite amazing, aren¡¯t they?¡± Marrick said as he examined the boots. ¡°They are!¡± Brandi agreed. ¡°And I can¡¯t believe I was so dumb about the gauntlets. Of course, they didn¡¯t need as much power as the boots do. They are mostly for stabilization. I¡¯ll have the new version of them finished in no time.¡± In the last two days, Brandi had made great strides in creating her new gloves¡ªhe had also adjusted their working name from ¡®rocket gloves¡¯ to ¡®stabilizing gloves.¡¯ And, since the same force wasn¡¯t needed for the gloves, she even changed the cores and runes she was using for them. Now, she was using wind runes for them with the plan that they would coordinate well with the boots. The boots would blast off and thrust, while the gloves would make any minor adjustments¡ªthey would also allow the use of the wind to glide after initial propulsions provided by the boots. ¡°All great smiths make mistakes or don¡¯t see the obvious sometime,¡± Marrick said. ¡°You just need to keep at it, and eventually you will overcome whatever it is that you¡¯re struggling with. And let me tell you a little secret.¡± The old man leaned in toward Brandi conspiratorially, and Brandi leaned in as well. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°What is it?¡± the young smith whispered. ¡°Well said,¡± Derek replied. ¡°You spoil her,¡± Malorie said to Derek. ¡°Maybe,¡± Derek said. ¡°But until she loses that work ethic, is it really spoiling her? If she was lazy, that would be one thing. But she hasn¡¯t let anything go to waste.¡± ¡°Derek does have a point. As a grandpa, great grandpa, great great grandpa, great gre...¡± ¡°We get it.¡± Derek cut Marrick off and spoke. ¡°Uhem...¡± Marrick cleared his throat. ¡°It is only natural for one to want to give their loved ones¡ªespecially the children¡ªwhat they didn¡¯t have growing up. But it is also your responsibility to keep an eye out and watch to make sure they are making proper use of what they have been given. ¡°You can take my family, for example,¡± Marrick continued. ¡°I don¡¯t think I did a poor job of raising my children and spoiling the next couple of generations. Unfortunately, in the later generations¡ªthe ones which I did not oversee during my self-isolation¡ªit seems that things got out of hand. Luckily, I believe I was able to step in before things got too out of hand.¡± ¡°Ah, yes...¡± Derek said. ¡°The children you hadn¡¯t met yet.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Marrick said. ¡°But that is neither here nor there. My point is that I don¡¯t believe you will have any problems spoiling this young lass.¡± He pointed at Brandi. ¡°At such a young age, she is already so strong. I can feel it. And it¡¯s not that fake strength like some nobility has. It is a strength that she worked hard for. It may not be fighting strength, but it is there. Though... I do not doubt that, if paired against any other child of similar age, she would win physically, too.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Derek said. He believed she could at least give most of Thomas¡¯s classmates a run for their money in an actual fight¡ªespecially with her new skills. ¡°She...¡± Derek was about to continue praising the girl¡ªwho was loving it¡ªbut a knock sounded on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Malorie said. Behind the door, Bones, who had been downstairs watching over the shop all this time, stood. ¡°Please excuse me, but a guest has arrived,¡± he said with a bow. ¡°Who is it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It is Mr. Geoffrey Tate of Alabaster Homes,¡± Bones answered. ¡°Would you like me to bring him up?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Derek said, excitedly. I wonder what the prototypes are going to look like. Chapter 439: Delivery Chapter 439: Delivery ¡°Bring him up!¡± Derek finished instructing. ¡°Right away, sir!¡± Bones bowed and quickly dismissed himself, the door to the dining room swinging closed soon after. Derek was almost shaking in excitement. He looked over at Marrick, and the old man looked to be almost in the same state as himself. The difference was, the old elf didn¡¯t know what to expect, but Derek did. His bottom had been accompanied by many cushioned reclining chairs back on Earth¡ªit had gotten opportunities to experience the best from all the biggest names back then. However, recently, it was able to experience a combination of many of the best qualities of the brands combined in the form of the chair that Dave had allowed him to sit in. Unfortunately, at that time, Derek wasn¡¯t able to properly enjoy the chair, as he had much more pressing and concerning matters to tend to¡ªlike finding out who Dave was and why he was doing what he was doing. He... didn¡¯t really find out either of those things, and by the time Dave took his chair away, he had more questions than he did answers. But now, with the blueprints that Brandi helped him design, and Geoffrey handling all the logistics, he would at least have the chance to rectify his failure to really enjoy the chair Dave had. ¡°He¡¯s the guy who built the store?¡± Brandi asked, but more in the form of a statement. ¡°He is,¡± Derek said, a little surprised that the girl even remembered any of that. She had definitely heard of him before, and maybe even met him, but he figured since he didn¡¯t have anything to do with her crafting... well, I guess he did technically build her crafting lair for her and got her most of her equipment. It makes sense that she remembers him, now that I think about it. ¡°Is he coming to build more things for us?¡± she asked with a sparkle in her eyes. ¡°I take it you have some adjustments you want to make to your crafting area?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I do!¡± Brandi nodded hardily. ¡°I have some ideas to make it more efficient since I¡¯ve given up...¡± she paused and looked over at Marrick. Though they had spoken a lot, Brandi only spoke about her blacksmithing with the old man¡ªshe never once slipped and spoke of any other craft that she could do other than that and the runesmithing to go along with it. But it was natural for a blacksmith to also have some runesmithing skills later on, so the old elf hadn¡¯t questioned it. ¡°You can trust him,¡± Derek said. ¡°He¡¯s good at keeping secrets, and he¡¯s a trusted friend of mine. I¡¯ve even told him some things about myself.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Brandi said as Marrick raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Since I¡¯ve given up many of my other crafts to specialize in the ones with more relation to blacksmithing, I can get rid of that equipment and open the area up for more equipment for smithing. With what I¡¯m thinking, we may have to adjust the height... or depth of the basement, and we will definitely have to add more utility runes.¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re finished here,¡± Derek began. ¡°You should go draw a blueprint of what you want your basement to be, and Malorie can add it to the list of things we need from him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go do it now!¡± Brandi hopped up from her chair and began a mad dash toward the door. ¡°Woah!¡± Derek said as he caught the girl as she ran by him, then he pointed back at her vacated chair. ¡°Go have a seat,¡± he said. ¡°There is no hurry. Whether you make a blueprint now or tomorrow doesn¡¯t matter¡ªit will take the same amount of time either way. So, before you do that, I at least want you to see something else. Geoffrey isn¡¯t only here to talk about building, after all.¡± Brandi stood still in front of Derek for a few seconds¡ªlongingly staring at the door. Finally, she nodded and walked back to her seat at a glacial pace compared to how fast she had left it. ¡°What is it?¡± she finally asked. ¡°You should already know,¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯re the one who helped make the blueprints for them.¡± ¡°The recliners!?¡± she asked excitedly. Brandi was eager to help Derek when he asked her to make the blueprints for the chairs, but she had not bothered to ask what he was planning to do with them or how long it would take for him to do something with them. She had probably known that Geoffrey also had most of the furniture in the shop built, along with much of the stuff in the basement, but her mind never lingered on that stuff because it didn¡¯t have anything to do with her own crafting. It was not important¡ªat least, that¡¯s what Silvi would say. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek said. ¡°The chairs.¡± ¡°Ohhh!¡± Brandi smiled wide. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so?¡±Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°I just did,¡± Derek answered, amused. ¡°I figured you would want to see the end results of your drawings.¡± Brandi just nodded quickly multiple times. Malorie rolled her eyes and shook her head, but the smile never left her face. Derek then looked over at Marrick, who he was sure had already pieced together a lot of what Brandi had said about her crafts. Derek had been watching him, and to the old man¡¯s credit, he had only raised a single eyebrow in contemplation before lowering it and seemingly accepting what he heard. He¡¯d not bothered with asking any questions about it, and he still seemed much more excited about the possibility of having one of the world¡¯s most comfortable chairs that any particulars about Brandi¡¯s crafting class. The group sat in silence for a short while longer before another knock came from the dining-room door. This time, Bons didn¡¯t wait for the okay to enter. After two knocks, he opened the door and stepped inside¡ªGeoffrey was right behind him. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Derek said, and he watched as his companion slowly hopped around the chair¡ªinspecting every inch of it. Finally, she hopped up into the chair and scooched around in it until she seemed to find a comfortable position. ¡°This will do,¡± she said. ¡°Try the lever on the side,¡± Derek replied. The next instant, a small, almost transparent, Mage Hand appear beside Silvi and the chair, and it reached down and pulled the lever. With it, the back of the chair leaned back a small amount, and the footrest popped out from the front. Silvi leaned back a bit with the backrest, then she tried to kick her feet out to reach the footrest. ¡°Legs too short,¡± she said. ¡°Can¡¯t reach.¡± Derek almost burst out laughing at the picture of his companion sprawled out in the chair like some lazy dogs back on Earth. Her little legs kicking in the air to try to reach the footrest didn¡¯t do anything to help the situation, either. Brandi was already sitting at the side of the table in a fit of silent laughter, and even Malorie and Marrick had a small grin on their faces that they couldn¡¯t hide. Eventually, the Mage Hand pulled the lever back up and the footrest disappeared back under the chair. ¡°Good!¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed out once again. ¡°Very comfortable. I like. Can be comfortable while waiting for things to bake.¡± ¡°I... am glad you like it,¡± Geoffrey answered. He was the only one who wasn¡¯t laughing when she was unable to properly use the chair. It seemed to have slipped his¡ªor the crafter¡¯s¡ªmind that she was a bunny and didn¡¯t have the same anatomy as a human. Derek had thought about asking the man to make a nice soft cushion for her to lay on, but he felt that the ones he was thinking of would make her resemble a pet too closely. She already had a collar, but her cloak did a good job meshing with it, so it didn¡¯t look like a pet collar¡ªit was more like a utility collar. And since it had storage rings and communication crystals implanted in it, nobody questioned it. But he really didn¡¯t want to get her what would pretty much be a dog bed. This chair had solved his little dilemma. I¡¯ll have to give Geoffrey something extra for his initiative, he thought. ¡°Our turn,¡± Marrick said from the side once Silvi got back to her most comfortable position on her chair. ¡°Sure,¡± Derek replied, then all eight of the full size chairs appeared between the wall and the dining table. For the next ten minutes, Derek, Marrick, and Brandi hopped in the chairs and tested them out. Eventually, even Malorie stood and made her way to one of them. She seemed to enjoy it. ¡°Geoffrey,¡± Derek said from a chair that he found most to his liking¡ªa recliner that matched Silvi¡¯s own and seemed to be created with the same materials. ¡°You have outdone yourself.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Geoffrey said with a bow of his head. ¡°Have you found the ones you like yet?¡± Derek asked Marrick. ¡°I like them all,¡± Marrick replied. ¡°But I think I like this one the best. It¡¯s a shame about the color, though.¡± The chair Marrick was sitting in was one that Derek didn¡¯t really care for. It was a forest green color and was the softest of all chairs in the room. When he had sat in it, he sunk so deep that without the system and the stats it had given him, he would have had a difficult time getting up. ¡°Take what you want,¡± Geoffrey said from the side. ¡°That sofa chair is yours, too. I only created the two of them¡ªone for each of you.¡± With ease, the old man hopped up and walked over to a sand-colored chair and stored it into his storage ring. It was obvious that Geoffrey had made the initial prototypes for Derek and Marrick a color closely related to them. Derek also hopped up, stored his recliner, then went over to store his purple sofa chair. Instead of storing his recliner, Marrick went back over and sat in it again. ¡°What are you doing with the other chairs?¡± Derek asked. ¡°They are yours. Do as you wish,¡± Geoffrey replied. ¡°I have more of the being created for sale as we speak. I imagine they are going to be a very popular item.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. Finally, Geoffrey looked over to Malorie, who had taken her place back at the table. ¡°Ms. Fields, shall we focus on business?¡± Chapter 440: Rude Chapter 440: Rude With his two new chairs packed away, Derek couldn¡¯t leave the dining room fast enough. The last thing he wanted to do was get caught up in the negotiations he¡¯d arranged for Malorie. Apparently, Derek wasn¡¯t the only person with this feeling. As he rushed out the door and down the stairs, he noticed that Brandi was hot on his heels. He laughed as he stopped at the bottom of the staircase and Brandi crashed into him. ¡°Careful,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± the young girl asked. ¡°Because I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do, and I¡¯m at the bottom of the stairs. Why would I keep going?¡± he asked. ¡°To get even further away from all that business stuff,¡± Brandi answered. ¡°She made me sit in on some of the negotiations for my equipment once. After an hour, my brain felt I¡¯d been using Greater Meditation for a whole month without sleep. Mom is scary,¡± the young smith explained. About that time, both of them looked up the stairs and saw Marrick turn the corner and slowly began walking down the stairs. With slow precision, the elven elder took step after step with his cane. When he drew close, Derek saw that he had a scowl on his face. ¡°That was very rude,¡± Marrick said. Brandi looked down in embarrassment, and Derek just inwardly chuckled. Malorie wouldn¡¯t mind the abrupt departure. She complained a bit about all the business she had to do, but he knew that it made her happy. She was the most important person from the Void Emporium other than him, after all. The business part could function without her, but it would all be on Derek, and he for sure wouldn¡¯t get the best possible deals because of how much he didn¡¯t like that aspect of everything. ¡°The business part is Malorie¡¯s job,¡± Derek said to Marrick. ¡°Huh?¡± Marrick frowned. ¡°Oh, that? I wasn¡¯t talking about that,¡± he said. ¡°Then what?¡± Derek asked, confused. ¡°You left this old man behind,¡± Marrick replied. ¡°That¡¯s what. Do you think that my idea of a good day is listening to mundane discussions about building addons to a store and constructing various buildings? No, it isn¡¯t. If I would have stayed any longer, I may have died before I had the chance to go out on my final adventure.¡± Derek chuckled. He couldn¡¯t have agreed more with the old man. Marrick truly was a man of great wisdom and taste. ¡°I¡¯m going to go draw up the adjustments I want to my basement,¡± Brandi said, then looked at Marrick and bowed. ¡°Thank you sooo much for all the help, Mr. Marrick.¡± ¡°It was my pleasure, child,¡± Marrick said as a warm smile appeared on his face and any trace of the scowl he had before disappeared. ¡°I predict that in a few short years, your name will be known all throughout this continent¡ªeven Vallum.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about all that,¡± Brandi blushed and rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. Did she pick up that habit from me? Derek thought to himself. Rubbing his neck was something he instinctively did when he was embarrassed, and he hadn¡¯t seen Brandi do it before. He shrugged to himself, then said to Marrick, ¡°Yeah, best not to praise her too much. Don¡¯t want her getting a big head. There would just be so much more surface area for the fire from the explosions to burn if that happened.¡± ¡°You!¡± Brandi looked affronted and punched Derek twice in the side. ¡°Ow!¡± Derek jumped back. ¡°I¡¯m just joking.¡± The girl stopped trying to hit him, then he continued, ¡°It¡¯s not like your head actually gets bigger pride, so the fire would just burn the same amount.¡± The girl punched Derek a couple more times before Derek put his hand on her head and ruffled her hair. ¡°You know I¡¯m just teasing. But Marrick is correct. You are going to be one hell of a force in smithing¡ªand soon.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Brandi snorted, then turned. ¡°I¡¯ll show you. The next time I make something with one of the fire cores or fire related runes, I won¡¯t burn off a single eyebrow.¡± A short while later, and the duo was standing outside the doors to the teleportation building. ¡°You better have as much fun as you can if you plan for this to be it,¡± Derek said. ¡°I plan to,¡± Marrick replied. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality and for helping me around the city. At least my last adventure is going to be one of utmost comfort.¡± He rubbed the storage ring on his middle finger. ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°My shop is always open to you, whether I¡¯m there or not. I¡¯m sure Brandi would enjoy seeing you again, and Malorie definitely took a liking to you after she heard all your suggestions for crafting.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Marrick laughed. ¡°A child needs to spend time with their mother whenever possible. Besides, it¡¯s not like I was lying. All the advice I gave her, I truly believe.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Derek said. ¡°I do wish I would have been able to meet this Thomas boy that Shae was blabbering about all night,¡± Marrick said. ¡°The academy is pretty strict, and his day off isn¡¯t until tomorrow,¡± Derek replied. ¡°He¡¯s very hard working. He knows that he may not be as talented as someone like Brandi, but he makes up for it with hard work. He really surprised me when I got back. And the thing is...¡± Derek paused. ¡°He¡¯s not near as talentless as he thinks he is.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Marrick nodded. ¡°That young girl is a monster. There¡¯s no winning comparing yourself to someone like that...¡± He looked up at Derek. ¡°It would be like anyone in the Kingdom of Cydaria trying to compare themselves to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Derek said as he rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°It would,¡± Marrick said with finality. ¡°The Dawn Siren is strong, but you are stronger. She is the only person who would be able to come close. Your Adventurer¡¯s Guild Leader wouldn¡¯t be able to fight this old man, much less you. The Assassin¡¯s Guild Leader is the same. Sneaky bastard, but even if he ambushed you, you have an unfathomable endurance. He¡¯s about the same strength as that bastard you killed at the wedding. So, I¡¯ll say it again, nobody in this kingdom¡ªor continent¡ªat least that I¡¯ve ever heard about, can compare themselves to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just take your word for it,¡± Derek said. ¡°But who knows?¡± Marrick said. ¡°Perhaps a genius has popped up across the sea. That would be something interesting.¡± ¡°I guess it would,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Well,¡± Marrick said, then held out his hand for Derek to shake. ¡°It really was a pleasure meeting someone like you after all these centuries.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Derek said, and he meant it with all that time spent in the void. It really could have been centuries, after all. He shook the old man¡¯s hand and said, ¡°This won¡¯t be the last time I see you, though. I¡¯ll check on you occasionally. You¡¯ll be a single skill use away, after all.¡± ¡°That, I will!¡± Marrick said happily. ¡°Then, in that case, I look forward to our next meeting.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be off.¡± Marrick pulled his hand away and turned to the building before strolling forward slowly with his cane. With one last look and a nod over his shoulder, the elven elder opened the door and went inside. Derek stared at the door for a few moments before letting out a sigh. He would definitely make himself remember to check in on the old man occasionally to see how his adventuring was going. Derek would make sure that this wasn¡¯t the last time they met. Chapter 441: Antsy Chapter 441: Antsy Derek¡¯s day-to-day life fell into another lull with Marrick gone and Shae grounded¡ªthis time, possibly for forever. So, when Thomas came around, he jumped at the chance to help the boy out. Besides, training with the boy gave him something fun and entertaining to do¡ªsomething to keep him occupied. He looked forward to every time the boy got a day off. After sparring for a while, Derek even took Thomas out to ¡®fight¡¯ monsters and beasts. It wasn¡¯t just any kind of fighting, though. Derek put Thomas up against beasts that the young teen could not possibly hold a candle to. It wasn¡¯t a punishment or anything like it, as the boy happily agreed to the idea, and was very excited about it. Derek was there for safety, and Thomas didn¡¯t have to worry about killing the monsters and increasing his level because he couldn¡¯t actually kill the monsters. Well, he wasn¡¯t supposed to have been able to kill them, but he somehow managed to down one of them. It was a Razorback Swine. Thomas seemed abnormally good when fighting against pig-type enemies. However, when Derek saw that the pig was about to bleed out, he hit it with a quick Spatial Rend to finish it off so Thomas wouldn¡¯t get the full experience points. The boy did, however, end up with quite the amount of skill level ups during their day hunting. None of this would have been possible for Thomas and Derek¡ªwell, it would have, but it wouldn¡¯t have been ¡®okay¡¯¡ªif not for the academy removing all the restrictions it had during the war, and even loosening up their former ones for the current students who missed a lot during that time. The biggest reason that Derek chose this method of helping to train the boy¡ªother than the experience of fighting something that was more powerful than himself, but not impossible to beat¡ªwas because the boy¡¯s second team dungeon was coming up soon. With the kingdoms¡¯ teleporters all linked and very lax, dozens of new dungeons in the level range of the students became available, and it became easier to book dungeon runs for the classes. Thomas and his class would have a very hectic schedule of dungeon diving soon. They were about to make up for all the dungeon time they had missed in the previous year. ¡°Remember,¡± Derek said as he walked the student to the teleportation building, causing Thomas to look up at him. ¡°Don¡¯t just accept anyone who wants you on their team. Choose your teammates wisely.¡± Derek knew that it wasn¡¯t something that needed to be said to the boy again, but he chose to say it anyway. ¡°I know,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°I¡¯ve already talked with Syd and Eric, and we are going to form a team. If we can find a decent healer who can work well with us, we may try to run some of the harder dungeons in our level range. I think we can do it, but if we can¡¯t, we will at least have the escape scrolls provided by the academy to those at the top who want to test themselves. Though using such a rare scroll comes with its own set of consequences.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Derek agreed, then looked around the area before swiftly handing Thomas two escape scrolls that he¡¯d managed to get his hands on over the last few weeks. ¡°Just in case. I hope you don¡¯t have to use them.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Thomas said with wide eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t have you dying on me because of something like picking the wrong dungeon, now can I?¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°No, I guess not,¡± Thomas replied, then sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that these scrolls are so rare,¡± he said as he put them away into his storage ring. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be as many dungeon casualties if they could be provided to everyone.¡± ¡°There wouldn¡¯t, but at the same time, some students would probably misuse the scrolls and take them for granted if they were given out so easily.¡± Derek said and smiled warmly at the kid. Even after his experiences, Thomas was still a kindhearted boy. ¡°But I don¡¯t care about everyone else. You take care of yourself first, then you can worry about others later. Remember what I said to you when we first met? One of the most important things about living in a world like this?¡± ¡°Be an asshole?¡± Thomas said with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Be an asshole, get strong, then be a hero. You can¡¯t save anyone or anything if you¡¯re already dead.¡± It¡¯s good to see that my sage wisdom has been taken so seriously by the boy. He¡¯s going to go far. ¡°I¡¯ll remember,¡± Thomas said. ¡°Me first, then whoever I can help after.¡± Finally, Derek walked upstairs to see all the work being done there. Gone were all the bedrooms on his side of the floor. Derek had made sure that it was the first area that they worked with, as he didn¡¯t actually need any sleep, so it didn¡¯t matter to him if he no longer had a bedroom for a while. Luckily, it took them no time to create the sitting room, and Derek had already decorated it with all the extra chairs except for his own. There was an open space in the corner of the room specifically for him, which he walked over to and placed his chair. Derek popped the footrest up and leaned back to relax. ¡°You¡¯re getting antsy,¡± Malorie¡¯s voice sounded out as she walked through the door into the sitting room. She didn¡¯t bother keeping her chair stored, so she walked over and sat in it. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You¡¯re constantly up and about looking for something to do,¡± she answered. ¡°This is the longest you¡¯ve stayed put since we met you, as far as I know.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Derek said. He couldn¡¯t disagree with the woman. He had such a nice place in a nice city, but the longer he was there, the more anxious he became. He still had experience¡ªor essence¡ªto get and skill levels to earn. Even back on Earth after the system came, he went out hunting and fighting by himself very often and only stayed in his cabin to rest or to heal from a particularly hard fight... or a beating from Jace. ¡°No maybe,¡± Malorie said. ¡°You are, and we can all see it. It¡¯s the same reason we told you to go on the raid. You were already running out of things to do in the city back then. You should go hunt, explore. Don¡¯t forget about that skill you have. You¡¯re what? Less than a minute away from your home, no matter where you are in the kingdom?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you don¡¯t enjoy watching Brandi crafter her items near as much as you make it seem you do,¡± Malorie said. ¡°And I know Thomas appreciates the one-on-one time with you¡ªprobably more than either of us know¡ªbut, so what if you miss training with him occasionally? I think he needs time to visit instead of just coming from the academy straight to training with you. He definitely enjoys his time with you massively, but his grandparents also enjoy their time with them.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Derek said. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. I have been pushing him a lot lately and hovering around Brandi, now that I think about it. They are both growing fast.¡± ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Malorie said. ¡°And that¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you go do something? Reward yourself. Have a little fun,¡± Malorie said. ¡°I will,¡± Derek replied. ¡°I¡¯ve made the plans, at least, but Alanah and Avery have gone dark.¡± Derek had made plans to go adventuring with Alanah and to hunt Void Beasts with Avery, and he was ready, but he hadn¡¯t heard from either of them since they got back. He didn¡¯t want to be gone if one of them came looking for him. ¡°That is my fault,¡± a seductive voice that he would recognize anywhere sounded from outside the door. ¡°I really like what you¡¯ve done to the place,¡± Alanah said as she strolled inside with Stella on her hip. ¡°I think... we need to have a chat.¡± Chapter 442: Merit Chapter 442: Merit ¡°Alanah!¡± Derek called out with a bright smile as he stood. Then, realizing something, he looked over to the chair that Malorie was sitting in and noticed that the woman was acting perfectly fine. Malorie had a decent amount of wisdom because of the skills and class that she hoped to obtain in the future, but he wasn¡¯t sure that she had enough to combat the effects of even Alanah¡¯s casual speaking. Maybe she¡¯s had a massive improvement in her willpower as well during the time I¡¯ve been gone, Derek thought to himself. Or maybe Alanah¡¯s just been here all day and Malorie has had enough time to get acclimated to her presence. With that thought in mind, he looked past Alanah and saw Stella¡ªthat had been the method that she used when she was going to be around Alanah for any length of time, so it would make perfect sense if Malorie had already gone through the same process. Derek mentally shrugged and cast the questions out of his mind. In reality, it didn¡¯t matter how Malorie was able to sit there casually, just that she was. ¡°Derek, dear,¡± Alanah said with a smile even brighter than his own as she walked over to where he was sitting. ¡°It¡¯s been too long. I¡¯m sorry I was unable to visit until now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here now,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°Take a seat. We have plenty.¡± Alanah nodded, then casually moved over to one of the chairs and sat down lightly. Stella took a seat in the chair next to her, then Derek sat back down. ¡°Nice, huh?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Quite nice, indeed,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°So, you wanted to talk?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I did,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But first, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Derek raised his eyebrows. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± she asked. ¡°To go?¡± Derek tilted his head in confusion and furrowed his brow. ¡°To go dungeon running?¡± It was the only thing he could think of that she would be asking about. That, on top of the fact that he and Malorie had just been speaking about it when Alanah arrived. ¡°Yes,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°There were many things that I had to take care of at the Crown.¡± She turned her head and looked at Stella, but the woman only sat there without a reaction¡ªalmost even avoiding looking at her. ¡°But now that I am finished with those tasks, I am quite ready for a little adventure. I¡¯ve even gone as far as to find information on some of the more intriguing level 250 dungeons.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. Am I ready? He asked himself. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m ready anytime,¡± Derek said. ¡°Like Malorie said, I¡¯m only a skill away from coming back. Technically, I don¡¯t even need to tell anyone goodbye because of how soon I can come back. So yeah... I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Alanah said happily, then quickly stood. With a flick of her wrist, a small golden badge appeared in her hand and she tossed it over to Derek, who easily caught it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked as he flipped it around in his hand a few times. ¡°That... is an Indaria Token of Merit from the allied kingdoms,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°Okay...¡± Derek said. That explanation didn¡¯t help him one bit. ¡°And what exactly is it good for? What does it do?¡±Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Well, first and foremost, it is a sign of you status among the kingdoms. It is the highest merit that the allied kingdoms has chosen to hand out. But, I¡¯m sure that you don¡¯t care about any of that, am I correct?¡± Alanah asked with a sly smile. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°Though I have been getting used to people parting as I walk down the street because of my diamond ranked adventurer¡¯s badge. Will it have the same effect in the other kingdoms that the diamond badge has here?¡± ¡°Currently? Probably not,¡± Alanah answered truthfully. ¡°It is a new merit, and it will take some time for regular citizens to learn to recognize it. I imagine most of the noble houses¡ªat least the higher tier ones¡ªin the kingdoms and their guard will recognize it and act accordingly very soon.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then what else is it good for?¡± he asked. ¡°Well...¡± With another flick of her wrist, Alanah pulled out another one of the tokens. ¡°The best part is that it comes with unlimited free teleportations to any city within the three kingdoms, and we get to skip any pesky lines. I believe that it will be quite the boon for our little adventure. What do you think?¡± ¡°You should have led with that,¡± Derek said, then stored his Indaria Token of Merit into his own storage bracelet. ¡°Lines are the worst,¡± he said with a laugh. ¡°Indeed, they are,¡± Alanah said with a giggle, then turned to Stella. ¡°Stella,¡± she said, causing the woman to finally look up at her. ¡°I¡¯ll leave everything here to Avery. You may decide what it is you want to do from now on.¡± ¡°Yes... Alanah,¡± Stella answered with a light nod. ¡°Well...¡± Derek said with a faux sigh and turned to Alanah. ¡°It seems that I¡¯m not needed here anymore.¡± ¡°That seems to be the case,¡± Alanah said, then, to Malorie, said, ¡°Don¡¯t start a full service business like a restaurant or hotel. You will never have any time if you do that.¡± ¡°Especially if it doubles as an information gathering business,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Malorie said. ¡°We¡¯re going to stick strictly to retail for now. If Silvi wants to create a small restaurant or something, I will hire someone to manage it all, and Rudy is good at doing it all himself and just giving me reports.¡± ¡°That is the best way to do it,¡± Alanah said, then turned back to Derek one last time. ¡°Shall we go?¡± she asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Derek replied, then quickly gathered up a couple of chairs in the sitting room. ¡°Just in case,¡± he said to Malorie when she gave him a deadpan stare. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to come back in two weeks to see Thomas,¡± Malorie reminded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to his tales of dungeon exploration just as much as I¡¯m looking forward to doing it myself.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Malorie said. ¡°In that case, you better get going before everything closes.¡± ¡°The teleportation buildings are never closed with these,¡± Alanah pointed to the merit badge on her arm. ¡°Another perk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something,¡± Derek said. Though, once I go somewhere, I won¡¯t need to teleport anymore because of Void Travel... but still, I guess it¡¯s less exhausting. Derek inwardly chuckled. It¡¯s kind of like unlocking fast travel locations. It¡¯s such a cheat. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Sure,¡± Derek replied, then followed the woman out of the sitting room, down the stairs, then out the shop. ¡°So,¡± Derek started as Alanah took the lead¡ªbringing them to the teleportation building that Derek had dropped Thomas off at earlier that day. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you and Stella? Seems kind of... tense.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get into the specifics of that later when we get to somewhere more private,¡± Alanah said with a sigh. ¡°For now, just know that there are some changes that must happen, and that have happened, that not everyone is happy about.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well, it¡¯s none of my business, anyway.¡± ¡°It may be,¡± Alanah said, but then said nothing else. Derek didn¡¯t prod any further. Soon enough, the two easily made it to the teleportation building. Their looks and the badges on their arms made it easy to get where they were going without any interference what-so-ever. ¡°W-welcome,¡± a worker in the building said with a stutter. It was the same man who knew Jacks when they first came to Savannah. Derek didn¡¯t know if the man was nervous because Alanah was in front of him, or because there were two people with diamond-ranked badges on their arms. ¡°Miss Swan.¡± ¡°Tavors?¡± Derek said, hoping he remembered the man¡¯s name correctly. ¡°Mr. Hunt?¡± the man questioned. He had much less trouble speaking to Derek than to Alanah. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Derek said. Must have been because he was speaking to Alanah, I be she gets that everywhere, especially when in that armor, he thought. ¡°Looks like we need to use your teleportation circle.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Tavors replied. ¡°Where to?¡± Derek looked at Alanah, and Alanah looked back at him before turning her head to Tavors. ¡°Eloria.¡± Chapter 443: Eloria? Chapter 443: Eloria? ¡°Eloria?¡± Derek turned his head and looked at Alanah with confusion. ¡°Are there a bunch of good dungeons around the capital of Indria or something?¡± he asked. He thought that Alanah would probably take him around some of the dungeons in Cydaria before moving to dungeons in other regions, so he wasn¡¯t sure why they would start their little adventure in Indria. ¡°Well...¡± Alanah said. ¡°There are many decent dungeons around Eloria, but that is not why we are going there. There is something we need to take care of before doing anything else,¡± she explained, but didn¡¯t go into any further detail. ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m just a passenger on this trip. We¡¯ll go with what you have planned.¡± Though curious, it didn¡¯t make any difference where they went. He was actually just glad to be out doing something. He felt like he was beginning to get back to being himself after all those decades or more trapped in the void¡ªalbeit, he was getting back to himself, but while actually having friends and people he cared about. After the system came to Earth, he spent most of his time alone, and only used his cabin for sleep and a modicum of safety. The rest of the time, he was always doing something like hunting monsters, grinding skills, or getting his ass kicked by Jace. So, after his longest stretch of being home in Savannah, it only made sense to him that he was getting ¡®antsy,¡¯ as Malorie put it. If Alanah wanted to go to Eloria to start the adventure, who was he to say no? Besides, Eloria smells really nice. It will be good to get out of the ¡®aroma¡¯ of a regular city like this. Natalie did a great job at keeping Savannah cleaner than any of the other cities in Cydaria that he¡¯d been to¡ªand the one in Astrus¡ªbut it still couldn¡¯t compare to the natural City of Elyria. ¡°There will be two teleports to get to Eloria,¡± Tavors said, breaking Derek out of his thoughts on the matter. The man reached out to hand Alanah something that looked like a small set of papers, then said, ¡°Once you arrive through the teleporter, give this to the clerk and they will prepare your next teleport. It should not take very long to get where you are going now that the kingdoms¡¯ teleportation centers are properly connected.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Alanah said and took the papers that appeared to be Cydaria¡¯s interpretation of a traveling ticket. Derek looked at Alanah and Tavors strangely. Again, he noticed that something was off with her. She had spoken, and the clerk hadn¡¯t fallen under her passive skills. Maybe clerks invest a lot in wisdom? I guess they don¡¯t really need a lot else for what they do, he thought, but inwardly, he knew that couldn¡¯t be the case. If it was, Alanah wouldn¡¯t have been so happy to have someone other than the elites of the kingdom to speak to when they first spoke. And, on top of all of that, Alanah seemed to be oddly cheerful and forthcoming in her interactions. He was going to chalk it up to the excitement of going on an adventure, but now, he wasn¡¯t sure. However, Derek didn¡¯t make his suspicions known, and just went along with everything for the time being.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com Now that I think about it, though... I don¡¯t think she¡¯s been too cautious about speaking to people for a while¡ªat least, not that I can think of. Back at the Indaria wedding, she had spoken with Avery for a long time during the ceremony, and, while not overly loud, there had to have been people within earshot that would have heard her voice. Then there was Tara¡¯s kid when he contracted his drake, he thought. Though, he wasn¡¯t sure about that one¡ªthe boy was very strong and his class seemed to use a lot of intelligence and probably wisdom. Flashes of his time spent with the half elf went through his head, but he didn¡¯t have enough proof that something was different. She seemed very much herself when we had ¡®meetings¡¯ with the rulers of the kingdoms, he thought. But it¡¯s possible that she was leaning into her passive skills during that time as more of a way of intimidation... and why wouldn¡¯t she? I wonder what all happened with her while I was in the raid dungeon... The problem was, other than during their little conquest once he left the dungeon and the short amount of time he spent with her before the raid, Derek still wasn¡¯t all too familiar with the woman. Alanah noticed the look that Derek was giving her and Tavors, and sent him a half grin back. Yup, he thought. There is definitely something up with her skills. ¡°Please step into the teleportation circle,¡± Tavors said, and the duo followed his instructions. ¡°Please remain as still as possible.¡± ¡°Here you go,¡± the overly enthusiastic elven clerk handed the papers back to Alanah, and she took them. ¡°If you would please¡ª¡± he started, but Derek cut him off. ¡°Stand in the center of the circle and don¡¯t move,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Yes... that,¡± the man answered, then prepared to activate the circle. ¡°Teleportation ready. Activating in 3... 2... 1...¡± For the third time on their currently very short journey, the blue light washed over them and they disappeared. Derek had to say, he wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of these constant teleportations. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he didn¡¯t full trust them or the people activating them, or because he was just used to his own traveling skill. It did allow him to make a much more grand entrance, after all. Finally, the light died down and they were in yet another city¡¯s teleportation center. The look of his current surroundings made Derek think that the first place they teleported to was either in Cydaria or very close to the border, because¡ªif they were in Cordonia like he thought¡ªit was laid out just like Eloria had been. The sweet smell of fresh flowers and nature wasn¡¯t as strong, but it was still there. Also, there were a bit more man-made items and flooring in the building, but overall, it was still mostly natural. ¡°Welcome to Cordonia,¡± a feminine voice called out upon their arrival, and Derek took a look at the speaker. She was just about as beautiful as any other female elf Derek had come across. She also had a bright smile plastered on her face that increased her beauty, but, once again, the smile fell away to shock, then excitement, once she saw the tokens pinned to their arms. ¡°How may I help such esteemed guests today?¡± she asked. That¡¯s two for two on the overly respectful elves, Derek thought. That first place was definitely still in Cydaria. The clerks here in Indria must have already had these merit badges and proper treatment of those who wear them hammered into their heads. I¡¯m sure everyone in Indria is on edge because of everything that happened. ¡°Thank you for your concern,¡± Alanah answered to the woman. ¡°But we will be able to manage ourselves.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam,¡± the woman bowed deeply to the half-elf, then stepped to the side to allow a path out of the teleportation circle and through the building. ¡°Please do not hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do for you.¡± Alanah nodded to the woman and stepped forward¡ªout of the circle¡ªand Derek followed. As they were walking through the building, Alanah whispered, ¡°From what little research I was able to do, I do not believe Cordonia is a very large city. It should be closer to one of the sub-cities in Cydaria, or even smaller.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Derek said. ¡°Especially if it was just a place to send ¡®refugees¡¯ from other kingdoms.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Alanah shook her head. ¡°It is still a proper city in Indria, and Indrian citizens have chosen¡ªof their own accord¡ªto live here. It is not only a refugee city.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see what it looks like,¡± Derek whispered to her. ¡°Then you can tell me all about whatever is going on with you.¡± Chapter 444: Cordonia Chapter 444: Cordonia ¡°All in due time,¡± Alanah said with a chuckle as they continued to make their way through the building, then, with a whisper, she said, ¡°But let¡¯s focus on this city for now¡ªleave the questions and answers for later.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said. Her reply had all but confirmed that there was something going on with her passive ability to control people. Maybe it¡¯s somehow changed from a passive ability that she couldn¡¯t turn off to one that she can? He thought. Or she could just have complete control over it now. Did she evolve like me at some point? He had many questions racing through his head, but she was right. It wasn¡¯t the time or place to ask or answer those questions. Finally, the duo made it to the front of the building while being presented with bows from almost everyone they walked past. The only people who did not choose to bow were the ones who were busy cleaning or doing other tasks and didn¡¯t happen to see them. These badges really make a guy feel like a celebrity, Derek thought with a grin. ¡°Allow me,¡± one of the workers said as the two stepped in front of the exit. Then, with both hands, he pushed the double doors open¡ªrevealing the city behind. ¡°Thanks,¡± Derek said as he fell in line behind Alanah and walked outside. ¡°This is it,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Cordonia.¡± She looked around where they were and up and down the streets. ¡°Looks pretty normal,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting.¡± ¡°This is my first time here,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But it¡¯s about what I was expecting if the information given to us by the royal family of Indria was accurate.¡± The surrounding city was basically a mini version of Eloria, just like how the teleportation center was a mini version of the capital¡¯s teleportation center. Small children of many races were running up and down the streets¡ªall the while laughing and giggling. ¡°That¡¯s a good sign,¡± Derek said, pointing to a pair of human children¡ªa boy and a girl¡ªthat looked well fed and happy. As they made their way past Derek and Alanah, Derek stopped them by holding out one of the very few silver coins that he was carrying. ¡°You can have this if you answer a few questions. What do you say?¡± ¡°Is that a silver piece?¡± the boy asked with bug-eyes. ¡°It is,¡± Derek replied. The boy hesitated and looked at the girl, who may have been a little older than he was. After a few seconds of looking at each other, then back at the coin, the girl answered, ¡°Okay, but we can¡¯t be long. Momma will be mad if we don¡¯t get back soon.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Derek said and flipped the coin with his thumb to the little boy, who quickly snatched it out of the air. Derek waited for the glee and excitement to leave the boy before beginning his round of questioning. ¡°How long have you lived here?¡± he asked. ¡°In this city.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± the boy answered, then looked at the girl. ¡°We left with momma, then some elves brought us here. I was six then, I¡¯m eight now,¡± the older of the two children answered. ¡°Great,¡± Derek said, praising them for their answer. ¡°Do you like it here? Are you treated well here?¡± ¡°I love it!¡± the boy quickly answered. ¡°I have friends here. Momma has work. And we always have food!¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Derek said, and couldn¡¯t keep himself from tousling the boy¡¯s hair like he always did with Brandi and Thomas. ¡°Nobody¡¯s ever mean to you or your momma?¡± he asked. ¡°Some of the other kids are mean to me,¡± the boy answered with a pout. ¡°He¡¯s not talking about the other kids, Paulie,¡± the girl informed her brother. ¡°He¡¯s talking about the elves¡ªthe ones that brought us here. Right?¡± ¡°Smart kid,¡± Derek said to the girl with a smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m talking about the elves who brought you here, or just the elves in general. Do they treat you well?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t treat us bad,¡± the girl answered. ¡°But?¡± Derek said. ¡°But they aren¡¯t very friendly,¡± she replied. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°We had a friend, but his daddy said he couldn¡¯t play with us,¡± Paulie, the young boy, answered, then a bright smile appeared on his face. ¡°But his daddy changed his mind, and he¡¯s able to play with us again.¡± ¡°When did his father change his mind?¡± Derek asked. ¡°That is probably so,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But at least I did not sense any animosity toward either your nor myself when he looked us over.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s the best you can hope for in some cases with nobles,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Neither overly good nor overly bad.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Derek agreed, then nodded his head at the store in front of them. ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± A few seconds later, the duo of two of the continent¡¯s strongest people walked into one of the supply shops of the Indria kingdom. It was a regular-looking shop, not unlike his own¡ªexcept for the shop not having weapons or a cool ethereal glow because of the material used to build it. There were cases with items¡ªsome potions, accessories, and other small items. There was also what looked like a chalkboard on the back wall behind the clerk¡¯s counter with a list of items and prices. On the board, Derek saw a category that said ¡®NEW¡¯ and underneath it, he saw the ¡®Standard Servant Contract.¡¯ Nowhere on the board did he see anything about the old contract, so that was good. The shop was surprisingly empty, with he and Alanah being the only two customers. Derek walked up to the counter, and a bored-looking elf finally looked up to see his new customers. ¡°Welcome to the Kingdom Suppl¡ª¡± the man started, but his eyes went wide when they looked upon his and Alanah¡¯s gear. Then, though Derek didn¡¯t know it was possible, they went even wider when they landed on the two badges on their arms. ¡°Uhem...¡± the man cleared his throat and got a hold of himself. ¡°Welcome to the Kingdom Supplier Store of Indria. How may I help the Honored Customers?¡± ¡°No need for all that,¡± Derek said, waving the man¡¯s decorum off. ¡°I just wanted to have a look at the ¡®new¡¯ servant contract.¡± Derek fished out another silver from his storage bracelet and tossed it onto the counter. ¡°Keep the change,¡± he said. Osian wasn¡¯t lying when he said that the contracts were cheap, was he? Derek thought. The price next to the contract didn¡¯t even cost a single silver. ¡®I may need some of your magic in a second,¡¯ Derek said to Alanah telepathically, and she just nodded from beside him. ¡°Here you go, Honored Customers,¡± the clerk said as he handed the scroll over the counter to Derek. Derek quickly took the scroll, opened it, and began skimming. Well, all this looks pretty good, he thought as he went over the requirements of the servant and their compensation. It¡¯s like a real job or career now, he thought. ¡°Great,¡± Derek said to the clerk. ¡°Now, do you have one of the ¡®other¡¯ servant contracts I can buy?¡± ¡°No, sir!¡± the clerk swiftly answered. ¡°We were made to destroy those contracts and are no longer allowed to sell them.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Derek asked, then looked at Alanah and nodded. ¡°Answer me truthfully, and add anything you may think relevant to your answers,¡± Alanah said, and for the first time, Derek felt the telltale tug on his mind that comes from Alanah¡¯s commands. ¡°Did you really destroy all the other contracts?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the clerk answered with blank eyes. ¡°Why?¡± the siren asked. ¡°The penalty and punishment for carrying or selling those contracts is severe. I would not dare be caught with them,¡± he answered. ¡°Good!¡± Derek said. ¡°We¡¯re good, Alanah.¡± Looks like she has no problem turning the skill on when needed. Interesting... ¡°One moment,¡± Alanah said, then focused back on the clerk. ¡°Are there any black markets around here that sell those contracts or do anything shady with non-elves?¡± ¡°No, not that I am aware of. Any such known organizations throughout the kingdom have been snuffed out over the last months,¡± the clerk said. ¡°Very well,¡± Alanah said, and Derek felt the tug completely disappear from his mind. ¡°I think that¡¯s good enough,¡± Derek said to Alanah as he turned and left the shop. ¡°The kids seemed happy enough, and they have been here for a while, and it seems like the shops are on the up-and-up.¡± ¡°That seems to be the case,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Back to the teleporter?¡± Derek asked and took a step forward, but Alanah held out her arm and stopped him once again. ¡°Nope,¡± she said. ¡°You said your little smith like golem cores, right?¡± Chapter 445: Let the Adventure Begin! Chapter 445: Let the Adventure Begin! ¡°Golem cores?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Golem cores. I was going over the information I... borrowed for our dungeon adventure the other day and came across a pretty unique dungeon close to Cordonia.¡± ¡°I knew there was more than one reason you would bring me here,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°More like I knew we needed to come here, so I looked around to find what else we could do around here so we wouldn¡¯t waste too much time,¡± the siren explained. ¡°In that case,¡± Derek said. ¡°Go ahead and lead the way. Brandi has been doing extraordinary things with the mana cores I got from those lower-level golems, so if we can get her some from some higher-level golems, then that would be amazing.¡± ¡°I thought that would be the case,¡± Alanah said, then began jogging down the street. ¡°I was able to examine one of her mana core powered swords. It was quite the piece of work. The quality isn¡¯t quite there yet, but the ingenuity is. One day, probably soon, she will give The Walking Forge a run for his money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let Tyron hear you say that,¡± Derek laughed as he kicked off the ground and began running beside the woman. ¡°Imagine telling him that a fifteen-year-old girl was closing in on him just two years after unlocking the system.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Alanah agreed as she increased her speed. ¡°Though, once you get to the point where he is¡ªwhere... others are¡ªthe smallest improvements become major accomplishments. She will hit that wall once her level and skills reach a certain point. That is where you will find out what she¡¯s made of.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°I can see that.¡± Soon, the duo formed from the combination of two of the strongest people on the continent was moving at a blur to most other people. They were careful to avoid any pedestrian and did their best not to affect anyone on the street. What they were doing was frowned upon in most places, but it was less rude than simply jumping into the sky and moving above the city. Besides, the majority of people was barely able to notice them before they passed. ¡°If she chooses to, she can make a fantastic living anywhere on the continent by crafting bulk weapons for kingdoms and adventurers, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. But her growth and progression will halt or at least severely slow.¡± ¡°She knows,¡± Derek said. Marrick had given some of the same lessons to her before he departed. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we have to worry about that with her. She¡¯s not the type to settle like that. The only time I can imagine her bulk crafting weapons or armor is if it¡¯s for those she cares about¡ªwhich I still imagine she would put as much effort as possible equipping them¡ªor if it¡¯s for materials that she needs, or money to obtain them.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alanah said with a nod as they reached the gates to the city. ¡°H-halt!¡± an elven guard atop the wall half yelled as he breathed in a deep breath. There was no need for him to say or do anything, though, as Alanah and Derek had already stopped once they arrived at the gates. ¡°Ah,¡± Derek said. ¡°We¡¯re doing this all official-like.¡± ¡°It¡¯s faster if we have to come back to use this teleporter,¡± Alanah said, then pulled the papers out of her storage ring and tossed them to the guard who barely had time to see and catch them before they hit him in the chest. ¡°Nice throw,¡± Derek said. ¡°Uh...¡± the guard muttered before finally moving his eyes from the duo to the papers. ¡°Oh... I see.¡± The man tossed the papers back to Alanah without doing anything else to them. ¡°The token?¡± he asked. Both Alanah and Derek turned their bodies a bit, just to where he could see the adventurer¡¯s badge and Token of Merit on their arms. ¡°Very good,¡± the guard said as he bowed. ¡°You may enter and exit any proper city within Indria. We have been made aware of the token¡¯s status. There is no need for any extra papers when entering and exiting our cities,¡± he explained. The guard pulled a crystal out of his storage and in the next moment, the gate began to open. ¡°I wish the honored guests luck in their adventures.¡± He bowed deeply once again. Alanah raised her eyebrows, then turned to look at Derek. ¡°Neat,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°I guess Indria is really on top of their game. I wonder how far behind Indaria and Cydaria are lagging when it comes to the tokens.¡± ¡°Golem dungeons.¡± Alanah shrugged. ¡°There aren¡¯t many people who enjoy them because they don¡¯t really give materials to use or sell, and, as far as I know, the completion reward isn¡¯t worth the pain of dealing with golems or running the dungeon over and over for a small chance at more rewards,¡± she explained. ¡°They don¡¯t give materials for most people,¡± Derek corrected. ¡°But with my methods.¡± He covered his hand in purple void energy and punched out. ¡°They give some really good material,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve not found a better opponent for leveling my skills yet. They don¡¯t drop a ton of experience, and there aren¡¯t too many of them, so you can focus on skill grinding with leveling yourself much.¡± That was his favorite thing about the golem dungeon outside of Savannah. ¡°True,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But for most people, to enter a level 250 golem dungeon without being level 250 would be tantamount to committing suicide.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Derek replied. ¡°So, what is the completion reward for the dungeon?¡± ¡°According to this.¡± Alanah pulled out the map again. ¡°The completion reward is potions. Potions are very common rewards for dungeons,¡± she explained. ¡°Looking at the map, I¡¯d say that at least thirty percent of the dungeons reward potions.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°I imagine that if you¡¯re looking for potions, there are much easier dungeons to take part in that offer them as rewards than this one?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the siren agreed. ¡°Do you know anything else about this dungeon?¡± Derek asked. He wondered if it was going to be a multiple stage dungeon like the first golem dungeon he¡¯d completed. ¡°I do.¡± Alanah nodded, then smiled widely. ¡°It seems to be a sort of wave-type dungeon with bosses.¡± ¡°Which means what, exactly?¡± ¡°It means that there will be multiple waves of golems with a boss golem included in each one, and there will be limited downtime between waves. Are you up for that?¡± ¡°Sounds pretty easy,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alanah chuckled. ¡°Easy for you and me.¡± ¡°True,¡± Derek replied with a nod. ¡°But it also seems kind of perfect for me, at least, if the waves of golems don¡¯t actually include hundreds of them in each wave.¡± If that was the case, then he would basically gain his remaining 21 levels to level 250 in just a couple of runs, and he didn¡¯t want that. He wanted to milk his lower level for skill gains as best he could. He knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before he was forced to hit level 250, so he was going to make the most out of what he could. ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± Alanah pointed at the map. ¡°Looks like at least six regular golems in each wave, plus the boss, so seven enemies in each wave, minimum, but there shouldn¡¯t ever be many more than that. Though, what we get is a bit random.¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be too bad, then,¡± Derek said. ¡°Does it say what kind of golems we¡¯ll be dealing with?¡± he asked. ¡°Nope.¡± Alanah shook her head. ¡°According to this, it¡¯s random. If we run it more than once, it should be different every time. Max level dungeons usually have something extra like this to make them harder since we can continuously complete them for rewards.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Derek nodded. ¡°A way for the system to stop or slow exploiting a single dungeon,¡± he said. It¡¯s probably also why most of the dungeons have lower tier rewards. I bet the dungeons with better rewards are much harder¡ªlike the raid ones. ¡°Probably,¡± Alanah agreed, then took a step toward the dungeon orb. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Let the adventure begin!¡± Chapter 446: Duo Diver Chapter 446: Duo Diver ¡°Am I ready? To run a golem dungeon?¡± Derek asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m kind of a golem exterminator. I¡¯ve probably destroyed more golems than anybody on this continent. Just ask Brandi how many cores I brought her back.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯re ready?¡± she asked again with a chuckled. ¡°Of course I¡¯m ready.¡± Derek snorted. ¡°Great!¡± Alanah said, then reached out and placed her hand on the dungeon orb. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Derek followed right behind her and placed his hand on the orb, too¡ªeven though he didn¡¯t need to do so since he was already within the area of the orb¡¯s influence. His hand was instantly stuck to the orb while he waited. It took a while, but he soon received the notification he was waiting for. Dungeon Countdown Timer Depleted Participants: 2/6 Alanah Swan: Level ??? Derek Hunt: Level ??? Please Choose an Option Below View Dungeon Enter Dungeon Leave Dungeon It had been a while since he had to wait for a dungeon countdown timer because of his Solo Diver Achievement and the fact that the raid dungeon had the maximum number of people participating in it. ¡°Do you have the Solo Diver Achievement?¡± Derek asked Alanah. ¡°I do,¡± she answered. ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Derek said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like we can just instantly start it up, even though both of us have the achievement. That¡¯s going to add a lot of time on each run...¡±Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°It¡¯s not too bad,¡± Alanah said with a shrug. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s another achievement we can get for just the two of us¡ªa Duo Diver Achievement.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope so. That¡¯s like... thirty seconds or something that we can¡¯t get back... Which, now that I think about it... really isn¡¯t anything,¡± he replied. ¡°Okay. Apparently, I¡¯m just impatient.¡± Derek shook his head, then mentally selected ¡®View Dungeon.¡¯ Another notification popped up in front of him. Dungeon Status Dungeon Level 250 Dungeon Type Rock/Elemental Dungeon State Approaching Instability That¡¯s cool, he thought. The last golem dungeon was water, fire, wind, and earth golems. He¡¯d been in this level 250 dungeon for less than a minute and he¡¯d already ran into a golem with a different element. Brandi¡¯s going to love this. Mentally, Derek marked the nature cored golem as the ¡®experimental¡¯ golem. Derek used Void Steps to jump higher into the air away from the attacks, then, with a flick of his wrist, a potion appeared in his hand and gulped it down¡ªit was one of the skill potions he¡¯d been... awarded for all his hard work. As soon as he drank the potion, he felt a sort of Zen-like feeling of calm wash over him and he smiled. With the potion active, he focused his attention away from the nature golem and on the water one. Seems like the perfect time to work on my accuracy, he thought as he reached out with his free hand and made a grasping-like motion. Damn, just missed. He watched as the small box representing his Spatial Collapse skill took out a portion of the golem¡¯s torso just to the left of its core. I¡¯ll get it next time. Derek kicked off a void ripple to dodge another jet of water, then winced as a huge explosion threatened to knock him out of the air. He looked over to where the fire golem was and saw Alanah floating above a pile of rocks. That was fast, he thought. Alanah then disappeared from sight and reappeared in front of another golem. Derek brought his focus back on the water golem he was fighting and continued. This time, he didn¡¯t miss. With a swipe of Harbinger, he activated Spatial Rend and a small space opened up directly in the center of the golem¡¯s torso, where its core was. The next instant, a portion of the core disappeared, and the core began to glow brightly. More and more cracks spread out through the core like spiderwebs, then the bright light shot out of the core like a laser before a deafening explosion of blue light and shrapnel rang throughout the arena. Derek batted a couple of pieces of stone down with his free hand as he waited for the dust on the ground to clear. Once it did, all that was left was another pile of rubble and a crater in the ground. Now she has one and I have... he began to think but was interrupted by another explosion in the distance. Like I was saying, now she has two and I have one. He chuckled, then focused on an earth golem in the distance¡ªleaving the nature golem for later. For the next two minutes, he used Powerstride to move between golems, and used every unleveled skill he had when it came off cooldown. Because there weren¡¯t a ton of enemy golems, he took his time so he would have more opportunities to use his skills. This included Spatial Rend, Spatial Collapse, Chain Lightning, Multi-Strike with Whirlwind Slash, and even Chain Lightning¡ªwhich, unfortunately, didn¡¯t seem to do much to any golem other than water-based ones. It would be dumb to defeat all the enemies quickly¡ªwithout getting everything he could out of them. After all, each wave was timed and the next wave wouldn¡¯t start just because they defeated all the other enemies. With two minutes left until the next wave came, the entire area began to rumble as another golem¡ªthis one at looking to be at least three times the size of the others¡ªrose from the center of the arena. Once the rumbling stopped, and Derek was able to make out the extremely bulky enemy, he saw that it was a giant, earth-based golem boss. Derek licked his lips and prepared to launch himself toward the new threat, but before he was even able to activate a skill, he saw the cracks begin to spread out through its core as it prepared to explode. What the hell, Alanah? He clicked his tongue as the green-haired half elf appeared above the golem and she shot Derek her widest grin. With the boss of the wave defeated, there were only two golems left standing¡ªthe nature-based one that Derek had kept alive, and what looked to be a lightning-based golem that Alanah had found. Derek finally set his sights on the nature golem, but before he went to fight it, Alanah appeared next to him. ¡°I want to watch how you do it,¡± Alanah said when he looked at her questioningly. ¡°Fine by me,¡± Derek replied before kicking off a void ripple and launching himself at the golem. The next instant, Harbinger disappeared back into his body and he began channeling as much void into his fist as possible. A moment later and Derek was directly in front of the nature golem¡¯s core. He activated Multi-Strike, then, with as much strength as he could muster, he struck out with his fist. His fist landed directly on the middle of the core and it began to glow. Dammit! He inwardly shouted as the core prepared to explode. Quickly, he moved his void energy to his other hand and struck with a palm. A second after the palm hit, the core glowed brighter, then dimmed. The nature golem then lost all form, and the stones fell to the ground with a muffled thud. Derek breathed a sigh of relief as Alanah appeared next to him. ¡°That took more than I was expecting,¡± he said as he let the void energy fade away from his hand. Next time I¡¯ll try channeling the void into both hands and activating Multi-Strike, he thought. When he was sparring against the instructors of Thomas¡¯s academy, he¡¯d found out that he could easily split and channel the void into both hands because of his high wisdom and intelligence. ¡°Interesting,¡± Alanah said from beside him. ¡°Do you think you can do it?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe,¡± she answered. ¡°I don¡¯t have any delayed attack that... it looks like... hit the inside of something?¡± she both said and asked at the same time. ¡°Something like that,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m actually still not sure how it all works.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I just know that it does.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Alanah said again. ¡°That¡¯s something you should look into. If there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve learned recently, it¡¯s that you need to know the ins and outs of your own power.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t try,¡± Derek said as he watched the lightning-cored golem zip at them from across the arena. He looked at the countdown timer and they still had a short amount of time before the next wave. ¡°Void is just...¡± He sighed and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a mystery, really. At least I know a bit more about it after some recent fights, but I feel like I¡¯ve only just touched the surface. But I¡¯m definitely trying.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Alanah shrugged. ¡°At least you have a goal,¡± she said. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if I can match what you just did.¡± After that, she vanished from Derek¡¯s sight, and when he saw next, she was hovering right in front of the lightning golem¡¯s core. From the distance, he watched as she spread her arms out like she wanted to give it a giant hug, then she swiftly pushed them forward until they were resting on the front of the core. ¡°What the hell is she doing?¡± Chapter 447: Worth It Chapter 447: Worth It Derek stared in awe as the siren worked on shutting down the lightning golem¡¯s core like he had done with the nature golem. Still, he was unsure what her plan was and what exactly it was that she was doing. All he could see from where he was at was her floating at its core height with her hands placed on the core itself. He may have been confused, but if the golems had emotions, the lightning one could be considered pissed. Derek winced as he saw a bolt of lightning land directly on the siren¡¯s back. He expected Alanah to dodge or have some kind of reaction, but she seemed far too focused on the task in front of her to do anything else. Maybe I should go tank some of the blows for her? Derek thought to himself. Nah. He shook his head. She said that she wanted to go see if she could do it on her own. Me helping would just be defeating the purpose. So, instead of helping, Derek kept one eye on the ¡®fight¡¯ and another on the timer. There was less than a minute left until the next wave came. That didn¡¯t mean much to him, as he wasn¡¯t worried about it in the slightest, but he was concerned that the next wave would ruin whatever it was that Alanah was trying to do. I doubt I can get rid of them all without any of them interfering. Luckily, he didn¡¯t have to worry about any of that. Or, as Alanah might put it, ¡®unluckily,¡¯ because whatever she was trying failed after another bolt of lightning zapped her, then was followed by a massive stone fist. She kicked back from the core to dodge the fist¡ªfinally allowing Derek to have a good look. The core was brightening at a visible rate, and cracks began to spread throughout it. Alanah launched herself back to the core and reached for it, but a few seconds after she grasped it, the golem exploded just like all the other ones¡ªminus the one Derek deactivated with his void skills¡ªhad done. With dust and shrapnel flying all around, and some even reaching Derek in the distance, he lost track of the siren. Soon, however, she appeared next to him, not looking much worse for wear. Other than some slight golem dust on her face and a pair of singed hands that had finished healing before his eyes, Alanah was fine¡ªa bit dejected, but fine. ¡°That didn¡¯t work,¡± Derek said keenly. ¡°No...¡± Alanah replied. ¡°It did not.¡± ¡°Oh, well,¡± Derek said. ¡°I guess that means there¡¯s more for me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too ahead of yourself.¡± Alanah shook her head and smiled slyly. ¡°That was just my first practice round.¡± She raised her hands in front of herself, and Derek finally saw what she was doing. Or... he almost couldn¡¯t see what she was doing. At first glance, her hands looked like they were static¡ªnot moving at all. But upon another quick inspection, he saw they were actually moving¡ªor vibrating¡ªso fast that they looked like they weren¡¯t moving at all. The movements were so small that it was almost impossible to see. ¡°Is that vibration how you fly?¡± he asked. He had wondered about her skills for a while now. Derek had seen her fight on a few different occasions, but had never really gotten a chance to really watch her. ¡°There¡¯s a bit more to it than that, but the vibration plays a key role in most of my movement skills and many of my other ones,¡± she explained. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek replied. ¡°So, you were trying to push the vibrations through the core without breaking it from the outside¡ªtrying to shut it down before it exploded.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± She nodded. ¡°And I think I almost had it. I think that if I start slower, then ramp up the vibrations much quicker than I did just then, I¡¯ll be able to do so before it explodes¡ªand maybe even before it¡¯s able to unleash an attack on me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Derek raised his eyebrows. ¡°You actually think you can do it?¡± he asked. If she was able to do it, then that would mean that there was hope that even more people would be able to do it in the future. If both void and vibration can shut down the cores, who¡¯s to say that some other elements won¡¯t be able to? ¡°I¡¯m quite certain of it, actually,¡± Alanah replied. Then, apparently thinking along the same lines as Derek was, she said, ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure that the lightning element will be able to do so as well. Actually, I think that it could work almost as well, if not better, than what I¡¯m doing.¡± Once again, Spatial Rend completely devastated a golem. Before it had even had the chance to attack, Spatial Rend had completely removed a chunk of its core and it exploded. And, because the level of his skill had increased in the previous wave, the explosion caused by damage to its core was less than before. This, Derek assumed, was because of the fact that his skill had removed even more of the core than before¡ªleaving it with less power to use in the explosion. Next, Derek turned and reached out toward another of the golems¡ªthis one of fire. He clenched his fist, and smiled as he felt Spatial Collapse land true. He couldn¡¯t physically see his skill activate because it had landed almost perfectly in the center of the golem¡¯s core. However, his smile grew even wider as he watched the brightly glowing red core dim, then deactivate. Huh... he thought. Does that prove Alanah¡¯s theory? He actually wasn¡¯t sure. Space-type skills were weird, to say the least. It does prove that all that is needed to deactivate the cores is a strong skill that can disrupt the mana inside... I think. If that was the case, then it was quite possible that the Cydarian Royal Family would easily be able to farm the cores. It also opened up a wide range of possibilities for other elements. While Derek was thinking, he felt a massive chill coming from behind him, and turned in time to see what appeared to be a beam of ice rapidly approaching him. With a quick thought, he activated Spatial Redirection and directed the beam to the core of another golem¡ªa wind golem¡ªthat was close by. The beam continued for quite some time¡ªlong enough to completely freeze the wind golem¡¯s core, causing the golem to lag in its movement until it stopped. I guess that¡¯s another way to disrupt the flow, Derek thought. Freezing may work just as well as lightning... maybe. The frozen core hadn¡¯t deactivated or exploded... just stopped. If nothing else, it¡¯s a way to bind some of the golems while others find a way to deactivate the core. With a shrug, Harbinger disappeared and Derek activated Powerstride, almost crashing into the ice golem¡ªstopping just in front. With both hands, he channeled the void and began swinging as fast as he could. After three rounds, the core began glowing brightly¡ªan indicator that it was about to explode. However, instead of backing away, Derek continued beating on the core. All-in-all, it took him over five rounds of punches to get the core to power down, and he came very close to tanking an explosion just like Alanah had. But he was successful in deactivating the core using none of his active skills¡ªother than Channel Void. Nice! He thought as he collected the core and brushed some frost from multiple attacks he¡¯d had to tank while punching it. I don¡¯t have to wait until Multi-Strike or Spatial Collapse comes off of cooldown to deactivate the cores. With that thought, Derek went around and started collecting cores from each golem he came across, while also using any skills that needed leveling while doing so. This time, he had moved quicker than Alanah, and was waiting in the center of the arena for the boss of the wave to spawn. Surprisingly, however, from Alanah¡¯s side of the arena, he had only felt a couple of explosions during his whole time fighting. He looked it over and saw that multiple piles of stones were lying around¡ªstones that were whole and that had not been turned into shrapnel. Looks like she figured out how to do it, he thought. Soon enough, there were only two minutes left until the next wave, and Derek readied himself. Just as expected, another massive boss golem began to appear in the center of the arena. With a deep breath, Derek prepared to extract the core from the boss. He knew it would be much more troublesome than any of the others, so he had made a plan. He would use Spatial Collapse, then charge in with Multi-Strike and Channel Void. If that wasn¡¯t enough, he would continue pounding away. It wasn¡¯t exactly the best plan, and it was very brute force, but it was the best he could think to do with the skills he had. Once the glow went away, the golem became visible. It was pure fire¡ªeven the stones that created it looked to be burning. That¡¯s... going to be harder than I thought. Derek let out a sigh. What¡¯s a little fire going to do to me, anyway? Nothing... hopefully. With his foot on a void ripple, he kicked off it toward the golem and started his plan of attack. Spatial Collapse landed perfectly, and the next thing Derek knew, he was covered in flames and striking the core with all he had. The core started glowing, but Derek kept going. However, the glow intensified instead of slowing. Dammit! I guess it¡¯s not... he began to think as he pounded away, but just when he knew the core was going to explode, a completely transformed Alanah appeared next to him and practically hugged part of the core. Not hesitating, Derek struck out again, and it happened. The glow in the core dimmed slowly until it stopped altogether. The fire surrounding the golem disappeared and the multiple tons of stone that made up the enemy fell to the ground¡ªstirring up dust as it landed. All that was left was Alanah hovering in front of him, holding the massive deactivated core. With a creepy smile and a voice that was almost able to command Derek, the transformed Alanah said, ¡°Next time, we do it together.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice,¡± Derek said with a laugh as Alanah tossed him the core. Even though you didn¡¯t wait for me for the first one... he thought but didn¡¯t say. With a quick peek, Derek looked over a notification that had continuously been updating during the fight and laughed. Ten whole levels in Fire Resistance. Derek looked at the massive core in his hands and smiled. Worth it. Chapter 448: Skills Chapter 448: Skills ¡°Whew,¡± Derek said with a sigh. ¡°I should have left a smaller golem or two alive.¡± Unlike the first wave, Derek and Alanah¡ªwith her new found way to deactivate the cores¡ªeradicated all the golems that spawned well before the third wave began. Since he wanted to try to get one of the boss cores, he didn¡¯t bother leaving any alive to grind his skills on after defeating it. After all, he didn¡¯t know how long it was going to take to pull the core out of the boss. ¡°To work on your skills with?¡± Alanah asked.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek replied. ¡°I still have a lot that I need to level.¡± Now that he knew that he and Alanah could attack together and shut down a boss core without it exploding, he would be able to plan better and grind his skills better in the upcoming waves and repeats of the dungeon. He figured that after they ran one or two more dungeons, they would be able to perfect it. Well, it does still depend on how many times Alanah wants to do this dungeon before moving on. Derek was fine running the golem dungeon as many times as she wanted. Golems, after all, were some of the better monsters for him to fight to gain skill experience without gaining too much experience toward his own level. And, since he was able to split experience with Alanah¡ªwho couldn¡¯t actually do anything with it as far as he knew¡ªhe would be able to fight even more golems before hitting level 250. ¡°Just how many skills do you have that you need to level, and can level, in this dungeon?¡± Alanah asked, while the countdown to the next wave continued to run. She continued to stay in her siren form that caused even him to feel the influence from her voice when she spoke. This, in turn, caused another notification to appear in the corner of Derek¡¯s vision. ¡°That I can level in here?¡± Derek asked as he swiped away the notification showing that his Mental Resistance increased to level 9. Then, after thinking for a moment, he gave his current skill sheet a cursory glance so he could properly answer her question. Skills Absolute Nullify Lv. 16, Bare Fist Specialty Lv. 3(View Upgrades), Basic Repair Lv. 1, Chain Lightning Lv. 17, Channel Void Lv. 20, Cleaning Lv. 10, Cure Toxin Lv. 15, Dismantle Lv. 12, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 2, Fire Resistance Lv. 11, Greater Meditation Lv. 14, Identify Lv. 19, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Mental Resistance Lv. 9, Multi-Strike Lv. 18, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Polearm Specialty Lv. 2 (Void¡¯s Harbinger), Powerstride Lv. 4, Rejuvenation Lv. 20, Spatial Collapse Lv. 4, Spatial Redirection Lv. 2, Spatial Rend Lv. 4, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 8, Time Prison Lv. 15, Void Call Lv. 4, Void Creation Lv. N/A, Void Sense Lv. 20, Void Shift Lv. 12, Void Steps Lv. 16, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A, Whirlwind Slash Lv. 3 Skill Points Remaining: 15 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 0 Shared Skills from Companion: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 10 Shared Skills to Companion: Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skills Available to Share: Absolute Nullify Lv. 10, Channel Void Lv. 10, Time Prison Lv. 10, Void Call Lv. 4, Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Steps Lv. 10, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A Damn... Derek thought. All that with just two waves of level 250 golems. Looking at the skill list, he could see that his Bare Fist Specialty had increased a level due to the way he shut down the golem cores by striking them with his bare fists while channeling the void through them. He laughed a bit when he saw that Chain Lightning had gone up two levels, even though he only used it when everything else was on cooldown, and it did next to nothing to any golem unless it used the water element. He just didn¡¯t have the affinity for regular lightning element skills to do much. The fact that it actually did do some damage to water golems said a lot about his current intelligence stat. Moving down the list, he skimmed over a few of the utility skills he had, like Cleaning and Dismantle, until his eyes fell on his Fire Resistance skill. He could barely contain his laughter when he saw that it had jumped from level 1 to level 11 just from him standing in the boss¡¯s flames while trying to shut down its core. If only all skills could level like that, he thought. Damn, I need to find every type of resistance skill I can and level them. Those, on top of Physical Resistance and Magic Resistance... I wonder if there¡¯s some kind of secret Achievement I can get from that. After viewing his Fire Resistance skill, he moved to Greater Meditation, which had, unfortunately, stayed at level 14 even though he kept it active at pretty much all times during a fight. This has to be the hardest skill to level... well... maybe, he thought. Well... at least I gained another level in Identify by using it on the golems. Usually, he didn¡¯t even bother to look at the information provided by Identify. He only continued using it to increase its level in hopes that it would work better on system users one day. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off.¡± The rest of the dungeon continued almost without a hitch. With Alanah¡¯s weird sound wave attack, Derek was able to fight his golems without worrying about getting too much experience. He slowed his fighting down and only went after the cores of the smaller golems when the end of the timer drew close. When the boss of the wave appeared, both he and Alanah stopped their fights and charged to the middle of the arena to focus on it. The third wave¡¯s boss didn¡¯t go down easy, as it was a metal element golem, and kept its core covered while attacking. Derek didn¡¯t have to worry about hitting the metal defense of the golem, as his void energy went right through it, so when Alanah was able to get her hands inside the metal golem¡¯s defenses, it fell quickly. After the metal golem, there were no more hiccups, and the duo finally made it to the final wave at the end of the dungeon. The final wave wasn¡¯t much different from any of the others. There were six normal golems and a single boss. Being the final wave, neither Derek nor Alanah held back. As soon as the golems spawned, they were on them collecting their cores. Once those golems were destroyed, they waited for the boss and easily double-teamed it. With the boss defeated, Derek and Alanah received their first clear rewards. Dungeon Complete... Assigning Rewards... Congratulations, you have received Potion: Skill Experience Derek stared at the notification, then at the potion that appeared in his hand. You¡¯ve got to be kidding me, he thought. He wasn¡¯t angry at the reward. Hell, it was probably one of the best rewards that the dungeon could give. My Lesser Dungeon Traveler Achievement¡¯s 10% increase in dungeon reward rarity definitely kicked in on this one, he thought. He also sighed in relief when no super beast from a different system was thrown at them for no reason. I think I prefer not having any overt system fuckery. He turned to look at Alanah, who had already dismissed her siren form and was turning a yellow potion over in her hand. Finally, she put it away, and Derek asked, ¡°Anything good?¡± ¡°Just a major stamina potion. Not bad, but not needed,¡± she answered. ¡°But I never expected to get a good reward from this dungeon¡ªjust the cores.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Well, and the skill levels.¡± Alanah nodded, then said, ¡°Again?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Derek happily agreed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± With a swift touch of the dungeon exit orb, a wave of light washed over the two of them and they were gone. Don¡¯t be in a room with a weird elf, don¡¯t be in a room with a weird elf, Derek inwardly chanted to himself as he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing that he was beside the golem dungeon¡¯s orb, he let out another sigh. Looking over to Alanah, he asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s this idea you have to help me level my skills?¡± ¡°Give me one moment,¡± the half-elf said, then her eyes went distant. When they finally refocused, she said, ¡°Okay. It will take an hour or so. We can run the dungeon again, or we can wait. It¡¯s your decision, though. If you wait, you probably won¡¯t have to worry about your level increasing much anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine with waiting,¡± Derek answered, then pulled out a rug from his storage and placed his chair on top of it so it wouldn¡¯t get dirty. With a serious expression, he leaned forward and looked deep into Alanah¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, are you going to tell me what¡¯s going on with you?¡± Chapter 449: Secrets Chapter 449: Secrets Once Derek was seated comfortably in his chair, he went ahead and pulled another out and sat it across from him on the rug. Alanah half-snorted, then walked over to it and sat down. ¡°You and your chairs...¡± she quipped, but then sighed. ¡°Do I really need to do this now?¡± ¡°No,¡± Derek said. ¡°Not at all. Whatever it is, it¡¯s yours to share or keep secret. If you don¡¯t feel comfortable sharing it with me, then, by all means, don¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t want you to do something you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°No...¡± Alanah sighed again and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no point in delaying the inevitable¡ªI might as well tell you sooner rather than later, so you¡¯re not wondering about it while we are running the dungeons.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something important?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Is it bad?¡± ¡°That depends on who you ask,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Personally... I¡¯m quite thrilled. But also, I¡¯m sure there are going to be many, many people who are even more thrilled than I am about what is going on.¡± ¡°Stella didn¡¯t seem too thrilled,¡± Derek replied. ¡°She seemed pretty put off, actually.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Alanah nodded her head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know the specifics¡ªI can¡¯t... I can¡¯t tell her the exact specifics. But, it affects her and Avery the most... well, other than myself. I¡¯m unsure if I¡¯ll be able to tell you the specifics, but something tells me that I¡¯ll be able to tell you more than I can most people.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Derek leaned forward. He was pretty interested in what had kept Alanah from visiting for so long, but with what she was currently saying, he was on the edge of his seat... quite literally. ¡°Mhm...¡± she muttered again, then sighed for the third time. ¡°I think¡ªI¡¯m not sure¡ªbut I think that I¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± ¡°Leaving?¡± Derek furrowed his brows. ¡°We already left,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re not even in Cydaria anymore. Do you mean that you¡¯re leaving the continent¡ªgoing across the sea? That¡¯s where you¡¯re from, right? Is there something there that you need to do?¡± ¡°No... well, yes, actually,¡± Alanah said. ¡°If we have time, I would like us to cross the sea and explore over there. And there is a place that I would love to visit now that I¡¯m not a young girl. It¡¯s a place that I spent a very long time in, and all I could do the whole time was try to survive. However, that is not what I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well, I would be happy to check out the other continent with you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Alanah chuckled. ¡°But what I¡¯m talking about is that I think I will be leaving everyone... behind.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°That¡¯s the tricky part,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°When I try to say more than that...¡± she looked up into the sky. ¡°When I try to say more than that, the Great System...¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s a system oath.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out what she was hinting at. He also had a forced system oath that he had to abide by unless he was speaking to Silvi¡ªwho was kind of part of him¡ªor the weird elf, Dave. He knew that the reason he could speak to Dave about the other systems and everything else was because the guy was likely an admin for the Great System, so he already knew everything¡ªmost things¡ªthat was going on with Derek. ¡°Exactly!¡± Alanah said with a bright smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even able to get that far with my words when I was speaking with Stella and Avery.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why Stella didn¡¯t seem herself,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes. I basically told her that I may be leaving, but I couldn¡¯t give her an actual answer on why. She isn¡¯t mad at me... she¡¯s just mad at the world right now,¡± Alanah said. ¡°And Avery?¡± Derek asked. ¡°He took it much better,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It was easier for him to understand that it is something that I must do. He was disappointed, of course, and sad. He has been with me since he was very young. He...¡± she chuckled again. ¡°He¡¯s like a son to me and my best friend. I practically raised him, so he understands me better than anyone.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°My Metamorphosis skill...¡± she said. ¡°The one that turns you into an actual siren?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. ¡°It is called Metamorphosis: Dawn Siren,¡± she explained. ¡°It was both an active and passive skill. My class already causes my voice to have influence over others, but I had begun to be able to control that. Then, I received my class upgrade, and with it, that skill. It was the only way I was able to survive like I did, so, even though I couldn¡¯t control it at all, I still used it. ¡°If we go to the other continent, I¡¯m sure there will still be horror stories being told of the Dawn Siren because of my lack of control when I used it,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°It wasn¡¯t especially bad at the beginning, but when it started out leveling my other skills and my wisdom stat, I began to lose more and more control. When it was at level 19, I crossed the sea. After that, I was more cautious. Nobody knew who I was. So I never had to use it again. ¡°Unfortunately, as the skill leveled, so too did the passive influence of it¡ªto the point where very few people would be able to hold a conversation with me. It took a very long time to gain what control I had and allow the influence to fade once someone was with me for a long period. That is also how I learned that there was something else other than wisdom that could combat it¡ªsomething innate...¡± she explained. ¡°Willpower,¡± Derek said. ¡°Exactly,¡± Alanah said with a nod. ¡°Avery has more willpower than anybody I¡¯ve ever met¡ªanyone other than you. I believe that you may be the one person whose willpower may surpass his own.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Derek said. I suppose you gain quite a bit of willpower being stuck in the void for decade or centuries... or millennia even. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s my insanity working in place of willpower,¡± he chuckled. Maybe my mind broke so many times that it¡¯s too fucked up for someone else to gain control over, he thought, but didn¡¯t say. ¡°You¡¯re actually being serious...¡± Alanah said with raised eyebrows. ¡°I... I want to know more... but later.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said. It¡¯s about time I let someone know about me. ¡°Anyway,¡± Alanah said before continuing her story. ¡°Because I was finally able to speak freely with Avery, I was terrified that if I ever leveled that skill again, I would never be able to speak freely with anyone again. So, I refused to even acknowledge its existence. But again, you came along. I used my full active voice on you, and you barely flinched. That gave me a bit of hope.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Yes... I¡¯m sure it is...¡± Alanah rolled her eyes. ¡°But yes, when the combined army of Indria and Astrus attacked and things were looking grim, I was forced to use Metamorphosis once again. In my head, I prayed that I could use it just long enough to not level it, then your raid party would return and I wouldn¡¯t have to use it again. However, if it did level, in the back of my mind, I knew that I would still have you to speak to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s putting a lot of faith in me,¡± Derek said. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. You¡¯re strong. Stronger than me, and you aren¡¯t even finished growing.¡± She pointed at the dungeon orb. ¡°All of this is proof of that.¡± ¡°Okay... I probably would have been fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°Exactly,¡± Alanah said with a nod. ¡°So,¡± she continued her story. ¡°With all that in mind, I transformed. Surprisingly, I had much more control over the transformation than ever before. Of course, my wisdom and other stats had increased greatly over that time, but I have to imagine that my willpower did so too. ¡°I went all out in the fight. I drove back the entire army¡ªincluding Ryven and his barriers. Savannah was safe. Then I saw Edgar appear on Blitz. After that, I lost consciousness.¡± Alanah took another deep breath. ¡°When I woke up, Stella came in to speak with me. And when I spoke back, she was fine. So, I believed that the skill hadn¡¯t leveled during the fight. ¡°However, after she left, I looked over my notifications, and, to my shock and happiness, the skill had leveled. You do not know how immensely happy I was at that moment. My Metamorphosis skill had leveled to max, and Stella was able to speak freely with me as usual, without me putting in any extra effort to control it than usual.¡± ¡°I can imagine the relief,¡± Derek said, then waited for the siren to continue. ¡°The skill was level 20, and I could control it. Not only that, but I could also speak to my people like usual. Instantly, I knew that I had a trump card and that I, along with Edgar and Blitz, would be able to hold the army off until you and the raid party returned,¡± the woman explained. ¡°Then, however, I reached the final notification I had gotten once the fighting was over.¡± Chapter 450: Requirements Chapter 450: Requirements ¡°What notification was that?¡± Derek asked, still enthralled by the story the siren was telling. ¡°Do you know about the...¡± Alanah paused in preparation for what she was going to say next. ¡°The... Requirements... for... Advancement,¡± she muttered, then clenched her fists in victory once she got all the words out. ¡°Do I know about them?¡± Derek asked rhetorically. ¡°I know of them.¡± And I¡¯m pretty sure that the stupid Origin System blocked them when I¡¯m going to receive one from the Great System, he thought. But I do have that one requirement met from the Origin System tucked away somewhere. ¡°So, you know that one of the requirements is to...¡± She paused again. She seemed to do that every time she came upon something that she had never been able to say before because of the Great System. ¡°Get four of you six stats to 1,500 points.¡± ¡°Sure... yeah... that sounds about right.¡± He thought back to when the Origin System blocked the Great System when it gave him a notification about reaching a requirement for something. So, it was the advancement, like I thought. That makes sense. It was when I increased my and Silvi¡¯s wisdom stat to 1,500 when I got the system interference. Once I did that, I had endurance, vitality, intelligence, and wisdom all at or over 1,500 points. ¡°Well...¡± Alanah looked at Derek with a frown, but continued. ¡°I have had four of my six stats at 1,500 points for decades. Which means that I have had the Requirements for Advancement row in my status sheet for decades. The two stats that I don¡¯t have up there are my dexterity and my vitality.¡± ¡°The two stats that don¡¯t really increase with Void Beast meals,¡± Derek said. He also found that it was interesting that gaining one of the requirements added another row to the status sheet. It was kind of like when he signed his first contract and got a ¡®contracts¡¯ tab. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what else there was that could be added to the status screens. However, he didn¡¯t mention any of that, and continued listening. ¡°Exactly.¡± Alanah nodded. ¡°Well, except for the young Void Beast¡¯s vital blood, and now the potions that your alchemist friend is able to craft,¡± she explained, then continued. ¡°So, after such a long amount of time, I had given up on ever getting the second requirement. I assumed that it would take getting all six stats to 1,500 points or more. Which is why I was thrilled when I found out that you could practically summon Void Beasts. Then I was even more ecstatic when Mr. Pascal created the potion that gave a permanent boost to stats¡ªincluding dexterity. Of course, it was a small increase, but with time, I would have been able to get there and learn what the ¡®advancement¡¯ was before I died of old age. ¡°However, for some reason, when I got my last class skill to level 20...¡± she paused again, but nothing happened. ¡°When I got it to level 20, I met the second requirement. I can¡¯t say for sure that the requirement was met because I got it to level 20, or if I did something else, but that seems to be too big of a coincidence for it not to be that.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Derek said with a nod. Though, what if her affinity with her path reached a certain percentage once she got that skill to 20? It could be either of those things, he thought. ¡°It would definitely make sense that maxing out all of your class skills would get you some kind of reward. Why not advancement?¡± Derek thought about his own class skills. Will I ever be able to get Void Call to that level? He wondered. Time Prison, Void Shift, and Void Steps are well on their way to it. If I really just focus on them, then I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have them to twenty in no time. But Void Call... And that¡¯s if it¡¯s even the case. I¡¯m sure that the requirements from the Origin System are different than the ones from the Great System. I mean, I unlocked a requirement from it before I even had the four stats to 1,500. ¡°So,¡± Alanah said with a nod¡ªbreaking Derek out of his thoughts about his own skills. ¡°I leveled the skill, unlocked the second requirement, and received the notification for advancement.¡± Alanah was still hesitant about everything that she spoke of, but as she continued, she seemed to be less and less so as the system didn¡¯t take any action against her. ¡°And what was the notification?¡± Derek asked. ¡°What does it say?¡±Findd new stories at novelhall.com ¡°This is what I¡¯m most unsure about the Great System allowing me to discuss... but here we go,¡± Alanah explained after letting out a deep breath. ¡°Specifically, the notification said, ¡®Congratulations! You have completely the requirements for advancement. Prepare for...¡¯¡± Alanah paused for a moment, obviously concerned about what she was going to say next. ¡°Prepare for ascension to a different system...¡± ¡°Ascension? To a different system?¡± Derek asked with wide eyes before she even finished, wincing when he realized he cut her off, but since he already had, he continued. ¡°Did it say to what system? Was it the O¡ª¡± he began to say ¡®Origin System,¡¯ but was immediately hit with an overwhelming sense of dread that if he continued on that path of speaking, something horrible would happen. ¡°Uhem...¡± he coughed. ¡°What about the Uni¡ª¡± he tempted fate by trying to speak about the Universal System, and was surprised when he didn¡¯t get the same feeling as before. ¡°Is it the Universal System?¡± Now, Derek very much doubted that would be the case¡ªas Dave had told him that the Great System was one of quality, and the Universal System was one of quantity. Alanah was nothing, if not quality. Not to mention that she had said that her notification read that it was an ascension, which meant it should be a higher system¡ªthe Universal System would be more of a horizontal move. But Derek also knew that the Universal System was huge, and there was probably a lot that Alanah could explore or Achievements or Titles that she could get by changing systems like that. ¡°I can always try,¡± Derek said. Maybe, after the evolution from the Origin System, I can at least speak about whatever I know about the Great... now, Davenresh System to others, without any problems. But I doubt that it¡¯s that easy, he thought. ¡°So the system gave you a countdown, then?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°Though it seems that I can activate it myself any time I want. If I choose to, I can accept the ascension right now.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. He wasn¡¯t sure what to think. The way it sounded, Alanah was definitely going to be gone before too long. I wonder if I will still be able to locate her with Void Travel, Derek thought. I may be able to go get her when she leaves or maybe I could hide her in my Time Prison. The system is cut off there, I think... wait... ¡°Are you looking forward to going?¡± he asked. ¡°If not, I may be able to come get you or keep you from going with my Time Prison. ¡°I am going,¡± she replied firmly. ¡°I have been stagnant in my growth for far too long. If this is an opportunity to grow stronger¡ªto live longer¡ªthen I would be a fool not to take advantage of it.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Derek said. Remembering that his stats used to have question marks to anything past 1,500 points until the Origin System came in and helped him with his evolution, Derek could almost guarantee that the siren would be heading to a system with fewer restrictions on strength. Wait... Derek knew that he could speak about ¡®essence¡¯ or ¡®affinity¡¯ if he used them as general terms, but if he used them more specifically, like how Dave had used with him, would he be able to? Only one way to find out. ¡°Do you know about... what about...¡± Nope... he thought when the dreadful feeling washed over him again. Maybe it¡¯s an Origin System only thing. Hold on... Derek thought he might have a way to ¡®cheat¡¯ a little. He was, after all, able to help Clare with her training by basically telling her to get closer to her element. After that, Walter had even gone as far as to put her living quarters in the middle of a pond. ¡°Ran into another hiccup?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°I did,¡± Derek said. ¡°But maybe... once you go, you should really focus on your training with your class¡ªerr... whatever makes you a siren. Try to get closer to it¡ªyou know, like how I had Clare training so she could get a better class. Accept it, don¡¯t reject it. And don¡¯t rely just on your given skills.¡± That seemed to work just fine, Derek thought. And why wouldn¡¯t it? It¡¯s something that I had already talked to people about while I was still ignorant of the importance that one¡¯s affinity holds. ¡°Accept it?¡± Alanah asked with a bit of a frown. ¡°So... grow closer to my class without only relying on my class skills? Got it.¡± She readily accepted his advice. A smile grew on Derek¡¯s face as he nodded with a smile. Derek thought about the times when he or others had used the word. Some people had actually used it like he was trying to¡ªboth Natalie and Alanah had. Yeah... it seems like it¡¯s fine when you¡¯re actually ignorant of how valuable it is to know, but when you know the specifics, it becomes taboo. ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that once I leave,¡± Alanah said, then she turned serious. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be right behind me, though. But I was hoping you¡¯ll help take care of Stella while you¡¯re still here.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Derek replied, knowing that there probably wasn¡¯t a chance that he would be going to the same place she was if he ascended. She wants to get stronger, huh? He thought. I¡¯m pretty sure when or if I ¡®transfer systems,¡¯ I¡¯ll be going to the Origin System... wherever that is. And the way it sounded from Dave, it¡¯s kind of THE system. If I can find her with Void Travel once I get there... I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy to come back with me to an even better system. Derek smiled on the outside, but inwardly, he was making new plans¡ªplans that wouldn¡¯t leave anybody who wanted to grow stronger with him behind. The new revelation that one could just be ¡®transferred¡¯ to a better system once they reach a certain potential opened up many ideas for Derek. Right then and there, he made a decision¡ªhe would embrace the void. He would no longer be skittish about it. Because... the void was his chance to grow, to protect his people, and to help them grow as well. Who says you need one system¡¯s help to change to another? I did it unknowingly with the void once. I¡¯m sure I can do it again. Chapter 451: Derek’s Story I Chapter 451: Derek¡¯s Story I ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Alanah asked Derek, who was still lost in thought. ¡°Huh?¡± Derek came to and shook the thoughts out of his head. All this system bullshit is future Derek¡¯s problem. Present me should focus on making the most out of whatever time Alanah has left here. ¡°Oh... nothing really. Just about the ascension and stuff. I wonder how close Marrick is to completing both of those requirements.¡± ¡°There is no telling,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But surely he has gotten all of his class skills to max level and received the one requirement.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°That is if that is the requirement, and it¡¯s not something else that you just happened to do at the same time.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Alanah agreed. ¡°However,¡± Derek started. ¡°If it is one of the requirements, and Marrick does already have it completed, then that means that he¡¯s only lacking in the stats department.¡± He could certainly see how hard it would be for someone other than himself, Alanah, or some others who had access to Void Beast meals to gain the required amount of stats points to get four stats to 1,500 points each. It was something that very few people would be able to obtain. Even if someone began with a legendary class¡ªwhich Derek didn¡¯t even know if it was possible¡ªone would still barely have enough stat points to get four stats to that level. And all that was assuming that the person received free stat points after each level, and none were automatically assigned. On top of all of that, the person would have to completely ignore the other two stats to do so. That meant that for a legendary class, the user would have to be either all physical or all magical. The two stats that would have to be ignored would have to be either strength and dexterity, or intelligence and wisdom. There was no way¡ªthat Derek could see¡ªthat a person would be able to get by in a system world without having any vitality or endurance. They simply wouldn¡¯t be able to survive long enough to get all the levels. Well... maybe a noble that was completely spoon fed or a crafter like Brandi. But I can¡¯t see anybody who is spoon fed like that unlocking a legendary class to begin with. Would you even be able to survive all the breakthroughs without those two stats? Even Brandi¡ªwho had increased her class tier pretty much at the same speed as Derek had¡ªwouldn¡¯t be able to reach the required points in those four stats without the assistance of Void Beast meals. It would be a different story if the girl received all the stats as free points, but her class didn¡¯t do that¡ªinstead, it divides the stat points that she earns out for her. Looking at it, she¡¯ll have all stats at over 1,000 points by the time she hits level 250, but none will be at 1,500. Luckily, Brandi had Derek and his ability to collect Void Beasts to give her a boost. The same was true for Thomas. His class was one that wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore any stats. He would need to build himself up in a balanced way. He needed strength and speed for his spears and close range attacking, but he also needed intelligence and wisdom for many of his spear skills. And to top all of that off¡ªsince he was a close-range fighter¡ªhe absolutely had to invest in endurance and vitality so he could last long enough and survive a few hits in the process. No, getting those four stats up to the right level would not be an easy task. After doing some thinking, Derek was almost certain that Marrick wouldn¡¯t have that requirement completed. In fact, Derek wanted to travel to the old man that instant and stuff some Void Beast meals down his throat. But that probably wouldn¡¯t work either, since it takes time for one¡¯s body to process all the essence from the meal. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that even if that is the case, that old man would not be able to reach the required stats in time. It is truly unfortunate. He certainly seems like a decent man.¡± Alanah echoed Derek¡¯s own thoughts with her words. ¡°I suspect that the same is true for Edwin, as well. He was never the strongest, and though he has eaten his fair share of Void Beast meals, he has never had a class rarity high enough to support the meals with its own stat points.¡± ¡°Hindsight is twenty-twenty,¡± Derek replied. ¡°It may not be something that we can help the past generation with, but the current generation and future generation are different.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Alanah nodded in agreement. ¡°Avery and Stella already have great foundations for building their stats up. They will only need to work on their skills and continue a Void Beast meal regimen. I do hope you can help them with that.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Derek said. ¡°I need to level that skill up¡ªespecially if it is what is needed for one of the requirements. It is harder to level than Greater Meditation, so I suspect I will be awhile if that is the case. By the time I am finished, Void Beast materials will be considered common material. There should be more than enough to support my people and yours. There should even be enough for those two kids that Avery speaks so highly of.¡± ¡°Then I am in your debt,¡± Alanah said seriously. ¡°My upbringing was... ugh... this pains me to say, but... I was a bit like one of your spoiled nobles,¡± Derek answered. ¡°No, not the kind that looked down and spat on others, just in the fact that I was very lucky and privileged while growing up.¡± ¡°How is that?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°Well... my parents were very wealthy,¡± Derek said. ¡°We didn¡¯t have a royalty system or anything like that where I grew up, but money really made the world go round. And the fact that my mother was a contract attorney at a giant law firm, and my father was a doctor¡ªa surgeon, to be precise¡ªmeant that we had a lot of it.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Alanah said with a slight smile. ¡°The noble Derek Hunt.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows, though. I was your typical teenager, always butting heads with my parents. My father was stern, and everything had to be his way¡ªthis included my schooling, my friends, and pretty much everything. My mother also agreed with my father on most things. The only thing that really kept me from leaving sooner than I did was my sister.¡± Derek shook his head and sighed. ¡°I realize now that they just wanted what was best for me. I wish I wasn¡¯t so stubborn back then.¡± ¡°When the Universal System... found you...¡± Alanah started cautiously. ¡°Did your parents... were they...¡± ¡°Oh... no...¡± Derek said. ¡°I was alone well before the system came.¡± He forced a smile. ¡°You see, back on Earth¡ªwhich is what we called our planet¡ªwe had many... think of them as academies for adults. Schools that helped young adults figure out their paths in lives... and take their money. Both my father and mother went to one of these schools called Duke University. So, obviously, I was expected to do the same. It was only natural¡ªbeing a legacy and all.¡± ¡°I can understand that,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Your parents went to this academy and their situation seemed to turn out good, so I can understand why they wanted you to do the same.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Well... I was a stubborn asshole at the time, and I always butted heads with my father¡ªwho was an even more stubborn asshole with an ego. So, I took the one thing I was good at¡ªwhich was a sport we played¡ªand when I turned 18, I secretly applied to other schools on the opposite side of the country in hopes of receiving a scholarship.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Alanah asked, and she seemed to genuinely want to know. ¡°Well... I got one. A scholarship, that is. What we call a ¡®full ride.¡¯ It meant that pretty much all the costs of schooling were taken care of. As soon as I got that letter in the mail, that was it. I was out of there. My father and I had one last huge fight, then I left for greener pastures... in Arizona...¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°That fight was the last time that I got to talk to my father...¡± His smile turned into a frown, and it was all he could do to keep tears from forming in his eyes. ¡°Oh, no...¡± Alanah muttered. ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek shook his head and took a deep breath to keep his voice from cracking. ¡°And that¡¯s not even the worst of it. Those four years in Arizona were some of the best years of my life. And, as it turned out, I was quite good at that sport. See, I was what was called a defensive-end in a sport we called football, and I got to hit people. And damn, did I enjoy hitting people? I racked up some school records, and it looked like I was even going to be able to go professional... even from a university like Arizona State. So, when that became a possibility, my pettiness kicked in. I thought, ¡®That will show him that I didn¡¯t need any help from him to become successful.¡¯¡± ¡°And did you ¡®go professional?¡¯¡± Alanah asked. ¡°No...¡± Derek laughed a defeated laugh. ¡°The entire time I was in school, I only kept in touch with my sister and my mother on occasion. Stace... uhem... Stacy, my sister, she was five years younger than me. She wouldn¡¯t have left me alone even if I wanted her to¡ªwhich I didn¡¯t. So, we talked weekly, all the way up until the worst day of my life.¡± Chapter 452: Derek’s Story II Chapter 452: Derek¡¯s Story II ¡°The worst day of your life?¡± Alanah asked¡ªshe was even becoming emotional. It was easy to tell that she already had an idea about what had happened with Derek and his family. ¡°It¡¯s probably worse than you think,¡± Derek said. ¡°I guess my sister put in a lot of work and got my mother, and even my father, to agree to come to my graduation. But I didn¡¯t know any of this at the time and Stace never told me about it. I guess she wanted it to be a surprise.¡± Derek swallowed the lump forming in his throat. ¡°That day, I walked out with the rest of my class and got my little rolled-up piece of paper, shook hands with the president of the university, then went back down. Finally, after four years, I was a college graduate with a degree in some that I would never use, and I had plans on becoming a professional football player,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then, when I got back to my dorm, I grabbed my phone¡ªa communication device¡ªand saw a bunch of missed calls. ¡°When I called the number back, it turned out that it was the hospital nearby, which confused me,¡± Derek said, and he took a deep breath. ¡°But after a minute, they figured out who I was, and I was connected to somebody else¡ªI don¡¯t even remember who. It was all a blur after I heard the words that my family had been in an accident. ¡°I mean, how could they have been in an accident in Arizona? They lived in North Carolina, and my mother, for as amazing as she was in her professional career, hated flying.¡± Derek shook his head as a tear finally rolled down his cheek. ¡°But no, they gave me my father¡¯s, mother¡¯s, and sister¡¯s name. It was them.¡± ¡°Oh, no,¡± Alanah muttered again, this time with her palm over her mouth. ¡°Apparently, they had driven through the night to get there in time for my graduation ceremony, but some kids who had been partying the night before decided that they were in good enough condition to go for a ride,¡± Derek said and clinched his fist. ¡°My family never made it to the university...¡± He took another deep breath in. ¡°When I got to the hospital, my mom and dad were both gone already... and Stace was barely hanging on.¡± Derek gripped the arm of his chair and was barely able to keep himself from crushing it. Alanah just sat in silence, staring at Derek. It seemed she didn¡¯t really know what to say to him. ¡°I sat beside her bedside and hoped and prayed... I held her hand in mine...¡± Another tear ran down Derek¡¯s face as he spoke. ¡°She opened her eyes, and for a second, I thought she was going to be okay... I thought my prayers worked... do you know what the last thing she said to me was?¡± he asked rhetorically. ¡°She gave me a weak smile and said, ¡®Looks like we missed your graduation...¡¯¡± Derek snorted and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s just like her. She was so used to making light of everything to keep me and my parents from fighting...¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry...¡± Alanah finally said. ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Derek nodded. ¡°And our world was relatively peaceful,¡± he continued. ¡°We didn¡¯t have monster attacks or anything like that. Sure, we had wars with other countries occasionally, and there were always some bad apples out there prone to violence, but, at least where I grew up, you never woke up one day thinking that everything could turn to shit in an instant. Honestly, I had never lost anybody that close to me, other than my grandma, but we had time to prepare with her. With my parents and my sister... I wasn¡¯t prepared.¡± ¡°And how could you have been?¡± ¡°So, no, I didn¡¯t go pro. I fell into a bout of depression...¡± Derek said. ¡°I moved back to North Carolina, but I couldn¡¯t stand to be in the house I grew up in, so I moved some of my stuff out to a family cabin we owned, and I just stayed there¡ªisolated from the rest of the world. Occasionally, I made my way into the city to pick up some groceries or stop by a bar for a drink and a hotel afterward. Never once did I drive if I was even remotely not sober. That¡¯s something that sticks with you...¡± ¡°That sounds... horrible,¡± Alanah said. ¡°That must have been horrible. Living a relatively peaceful life, then thrust into a world full of monsters and magic,¡± Alanah said. ¡°For most... it probably was,¡± Derek said with a real smile for the first time in a while. ¡°For me, it was perfect. I thrived in a world full of monsters. I fought without regard for my life because of what I was going through before it came. But I was good at fighting, good at hitting and being hit, and no matter how much the system threw at me, I somehow came out alive. In fact, the tutorial phase of the system introduction had leaderboards, and before I left the planet, I was one of the top ten strongest people on the planet. People would seek me out for help, invaders would run from me when I approached.¡± Jace would seek me out and beat the ever-loving shit out of me... he thought but didn¡¯t say. ¡°I was basically alive again after all those years of living in that cabin.¡± ¡°So the system coming gave you a new life,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It did... sort of,¡± Derek replied. ¡°I still avoided people. It was much easier to just seek out beasts and monsters and grind levels that way. I still only went into town for food and drink¡ªor to exchange system credits at one of the hubs. Oh, that is something the Universal System has that this one doesn¡¯t... system credits.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Alanah raised her eyebrows in interest. ¡°What do those do?¡± ¡°Well, each system curated base or city would have a sort of system hub. Among other things, you could use it as sort of a digital shop with your system credits¡ªwhich was earned by gaining Titles, selling things on the hub, and even killing monsters. Though, it seemed like I was gaining less and less credits by slaying monsters as time went on. But, you could take those credits and buy a lot of stuff. Food, drink, land, buildings, armor, weapons, and there were even some skills. See, we didn¡¯t have skill points used to purchase skills like this system. We got the skills based on class, and we could supplement those with other skills purchased from the system hub. ¡°Now, there was a lot of stuff that couldn¡¯t be purchased, or was way too expensive to purchase. It was basically an auction that was constantly running,¡± he explained. ¡°It made buying things much easier. And I never had to actually carry physical coins or money.¡± ¡°That sounds very convenient,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It was, though, only a few people ever had enough credits to make real use out of it,¡± Derek said, then pulled out his old glaive¡ªthe one with all his memories. ¡°I special ordered this through some intermediate blacksmith on the hub. I paid a pretty penny for it back then.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Alanah said as she looked over the glaive. ¡°Maybe this new system I am going to will have something like that. That would make things much simpler.¡± ¡°Hopefully,¡± Derek said. ¡°And the best part about it was that you could sell things anonymously. You didn¡¯t have to worry about being killed because you sold something you shouldn¡¯t have.¡± ¡°That is always a pain to deal with,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I take it you¡¯re speaking from experience,¡± Derek said. ¡°More than you know,¡± Alanah laughed before adding, ¡°So, the system came, you thrived, yet you still avoided people. So... how is it that you ended up here?¡± Chapter 453: Derek’s Story III (Final) Chapter 453: Derek¡¯s Story III (Final) ¡°How did I end up here?¡± Derek asked back with a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s actually a funny story,¡± he said. ¡°How so?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°Well, as you know now, I stuck to myself, and rarely every interacted with anybody,¡± he started. ¡°There were a few teams of people who pushed hard enough, and through those years, I joined up with them for some things¡ªlike fighting hordes of monsters trying to overtake an outpost and things like that.¡± ¡°I can understand that,¡± Alanah said. ¡°You have to protect those hubs, I would assume?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek answered. ¡°But a couple of the teams were pretty extroverted and outgoing, and I ended up seeing them more often than I would have liked. I mean, I did actively try to avoid them, but they tried to speak with me enough for me to say that I was at least on friendly terms with them as acquaintances¡ªthough I didn¡¯t exactly consider them friends. I hadn¡¯t even bothered to learn all of their names.¡± Alanah nodded along, waiting for Derek to continue. ¡°So, I was coming back from a bar, and the leader of one of the teams was running around frantically. It was none of my business, so I just tried to blend into the surroundings and sneak by, but she ended up seeing me and rushing over,¡± Derek explained with a sigh. ¡°Still to this day, I don¡¯t know why I allowed myself to be talked into helping her.¡± ¡°What did she need?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°Well, her whole team was ambushed, I guess¡ªfighting for their lives. She had run back to search for some help because of it, then she saw me and basically dragged me along with her to save them,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Honestly, I could have turned around or said no at any point, and it wasn¡¯t like she¡ªor anyone else around the area, for that matter¡ªwould have been able to stop me.¡± ¡°So, why did you help?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± Derek replied with a shrug. ¡°Honestly, I was technically risking my life, but not really. Even at that point in time, I knew that there were very few people or things on the planet that could kill me, and even fewer that could keep me from escaping. Really, I guess I was bored and allowed myself to go along with her, even though I inwardly complained the whole time. Funnily enough, the only thing I was really concerned about was the Portal skill that she was using to send me to her team¡¯s location.¡± ¡°She was using Portal?¡± Alanah asked with wide eyes. ¡°On this planet with people that had only just gotten this Universal System? Surely there couldn¡¯t have been many max level people by then.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek replied. ¡°There were no people at max level by then. There wasn¡¯t even anyone with a level over 100 at that point in time.¡± ¡°Then using Portal could be devastating,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Even with her team in danger... she would be taking a huge risk. Why would she even rely on a skill like that? One mid-tier Void Beast and the destruction it would have caused would have been unimaginable.¡± ¡°Oh, why did she have the skill, and why did she use it?¡± Derek asked back with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s easy. See, we Earthlings have this thing about reading directions and instructions. I know that on the Universal System hub we could buy booklets on many of the basic class skills for next to nothing. I even seem to recall one that was always listed at the top of the list each time I scrolled through them. It was the cheapest thing on the hub¡¯s marketplace that one could buy, actually. I can¡¯t remember the exact name of the booklet, but I remember it being something about not using Portal. I didn¡¯t know why back then¡ªI didn¡¯t have the skill. But I certainly know why now.¡± ¡°That sounds nice,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Being able to learn about your skills as you get them instead of having to do things yourself.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek replied with a nod. ¡°The basic ones were sold by the system itself, but there were some advanced ones written by other users using their personal experience with the skills. That information was drastically more expensive, even with the saturated market.¡± ¡°I can only imagine,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Learning like that would take months, if not years, off of learning your skills.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, obviously... I never bought any for my own skills either.¡±Fo?ll0w current novE?ls o/n n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(c/o/m) ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t,¡± Alanah said while rolling her eyes. ¡°It was,¡± Derek replied. ¡°And do you know how I managed to escape?¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I guess there was a Void Beast here in Cydaria, and it broke through into my dark, little tunnel while escaping,¡± Derek explained. ¡°When I saw it, I took my chance and jumped out of the crack it had made to get inside. I didn¡¯t know if I was jumping into the abyss, another void tunnel, or what. Hell, I could have been jumping to death, and I would have happily accepted it at the time.¡± Alanah nodded along with his explanation. ¡°But luckily, I ended up in Cydaria,¡± Derek said. ¡°I actually fell to the ground not too far away from where Thomas was. He was lost at the time, so it¡¯s good that I was there to help him out. With that, the boy helped me learn things that he knew¡ªor thought he knew¡ªabout the world here and the Great System.¡± ¡°That is quite the story,¡± Alanah said. ¡°And no, I can¡¯t imagine many, if any, other people could have the same luck you did in escaping the void. I imagine that if they do not die by starvation, thirst, suicide, or even Void Beast, they would spend an eternity inside suffering. That is a terrible fate.¡± ¡°Yeah, also, I believe that there are layers to the void,¡± Derek said. ¡°The Portal skill opened more of an outside layer that messed with time and stuff, but my skill¡ªthe Void Travel skill¡ªI think it opens up a much deeper layer. One where space is more the focus, and time affects the being itself. It leads me to believe that there may even be more layers.¡± ¡°It is certainly possible,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It is one of the most mysterious elements I can think of,¡± she explained. Then, tapping the arm of her chair with one of her fingers, she asked, ¡°Can I ask you one more thing?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Like I said, you can think of me as an open book right now. Well, an open book about anything that won¡¯t get me killed by the system.¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t say which system would be doing the killing. ¡°How did your Universal System react to all of this? And what happened when you were introduced to the so-called Great System?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°Oh, that...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Well, at the beginning, the Universal System was there with me and helped keep me sane... ish. I did nothing but train my skills and look at my stats and stuff. But eventually, I left the range of the system and lost access to it¡ªthat was terrible. In between bouts of Meditation and craziness, I could only occupy myself by continuing that ¡®training¡¯ without knowing if it was helping anything. ¡°When I made it here, though, the ¡®Great System¡¯ noticed me. It... connected to me, noticed the other system, and it tried to eliminate any remnants I had of it. But that¡¯s the thing,¡± Derek said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t able to. All I know is that it suppressed it. From there, it pumped its system language into my head so I can understand everyone here even though it feels like I¡¯m still speaking my own language. Which... is weird because I know that there should be no way you know what some words I speak are, yet everyone almost always understands. I¡¯ve just figured that the system language translates it to whatever word you would use for it instead... unless it is something specific that isn¡¯t already here¡ªlike coffee... or America. ¡°With the Universal System, we had to level up Linguistic skills if we wanted to speak other languages on our own... or buy a very expensive language skills from the hub¡ªwhich I guess may have done what the Great System did for me.¡± ¡°Uh huh...¡± Alanah said. ¡°I never thought about any of that. There are some legends about languages that used to be here, but they are all dead and I¡¯ve never seen them. We¡¯ve all just heard fairy tales and myths about them.¡± ¡°Huh... well... no point in wondering about it,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°It is what it is. System fuckery at its best.¡± ¡°Oh... I like that,¡± Alanah said with a giggle. ¡°It¡¯s just how it works,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Anyway, after the suppression and being blasted with a new language, I started over at level one, but I kept the stats I already had from the other system. That¡¯s how I was able to grow so fast. The ¡®Great System¡¯ even combined similar skills with ones I received here¡ªgiving me a much higher starting point.¡± ¡°Interesting...¡± Alanah muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t believe something like that is actually possible, but here you are. Literally living proof.¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Derek replied with a nod. ¡°And as for the rest of it, I think you pretty much know.¡± Chapter 454: The Plan Chapter 454: The Plan ¡°Yeah, I know most everything else,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°And your story and explanations answer the other questions I would have had about your power. It also explains your void class, since you spent an ungodly amount of time inside a portal, and it explains why you were insistent that I try to grow closer to my class. And just to confirm... You have a Mythical Class, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Sure do,¡± Derek confirmed her suspicions. ¡°Thought so,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°If nothing else, it is nice to know that such a class rarity exists. For the longest time, I thought Mythical rarity was nothing more than... well... a myth. But many believe legendary rarity to be a myth, as well. And I know from experience that legendary classes exist.¡± ¡°That¡¯s completely understandable,¡± Derek said. ¡°It seems that only unique people end up with high rarity classes. You can¡¯t just go with the flow and expect to increase your class rarity¡ªit takes willpower and unique situations. The best example for this would be the Cydarian Royal family.¡± ¡°Yes, you are correct,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Edwin, Edward, Eloise, and even the two youngest¡ªEliot and Everett¡ªwill most likely never gain a class beyond epic ranked. But Edgar, and his personality that causes him to constantly push himself forward, has gone beyond that, and that is proof of your statement... if you ask me.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek said. Though I¡¯ve never met these two ¡®younger brothers,¡¯ he thought. He had heard Edward speak of his younger brothers, but Derek had never heard their names before. According to what Alanah said, though, the two youngest took more after Edward and Eloise than they did Edgar, which was a shame. Just one of them pushing themselves like Edgar would take a lot of weight off of Edward and Edgar. ¡°I doubt it¡¯s easy for someone growing up in such luxuries to make themselves better.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Alanah nodded in agreement. ¡°It is a problem that many noble houses end up having after a few generations.¡± ¡°You fight to get to the top,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then, once you get there, you let up to bask in your accomplishments and your family ends up falling behind again.¡± He sighed. ¡°It seems like you just can¡¯t relax too long when you live with systems...¡± ¡°That seems to be the case,¡± Alanah replied. After that, the two sat around and made small talk for a good while longer. Soon enough, though, Alanah¡¯s eyes went distant again, and she said, ¡°Oh... looks like it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Time?¡± Derek asked as he looked around to try to see what the siren was talking about? ¡°Time for what?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see very soon,¡± Alanah replied with a smile, and sure enough, a few minutes later, Derek certainly did see what she was talking about. ¡°These are?¡± Derek looked around hesitantly at seven figures that all showed up one at a time. Each one of them was wearing a dark cloak, which he was unable to see under. ¡°These... are some of my Deathsworn,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°I thought that, to eliminate the waiting period for this dungeon, that I could bring in some reinforcements. Also... they should be able to help with your problem of leveling too fast.¡±U//ppTodated fr/o/m ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°Then each of these people...¡± ¡°Are the worst of the worst. Some of the most vile people I¡¯ve come across in my long life. Each one would be on the same level as Gerald Torith, if not worse,¡± Alanah finished. ¡°Hmm...¡± Derek rubbed his chin in thought. He hadn¡¯t thought much about Alanah¡¯s control power, but seeing the Deathsworn... he couldn¡¯t help himself from having questions. ¡°What is going to happen to these guys once you leave?¡± he asked the main question on his mind. ¡°I do not believe I will be able to take them with me,¡± Alanah said. ¡°And it is possible that they would eventually break out of their trances if I am no longer around to reinforce them. If that happens, then they will create problems for the kingdom. Therefore, it is only right that I eliminate them before my ascension to another system. There is no way of getting around it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°That makes sense. Each one feels rather strong¡ªnot strong like myself or you, but like... Edward maybe. Maybe a little stronger, actually. Like someone with an epic class, but who hasn¡¯t quite gotten all their skills up.¡± ¡°That is about their skill level,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Some are a little more powerful, some a little less. But yes, it would certainly be a problem leaving them here. They have suffered inside their own heads for long enough. They have had their torture for many of the heinous deeds they have done. I shall finally end their suffering. It is a skill that I do not like, but one that was vital for my survival when I was younger and less experienced.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting set of names,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize any of the surnames there. I thought you would have some very bad nobles from Cydaria in your little group.¡± ¡°There have been times in which I almost did,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But, as you know and can see...¡± all the Deathsworn around the two of them removed their hoods and Derek noticed something most of them had in common. ¡°It¡¯s not a skill I like to use often.¡± Out of the seven Deathsworn, two were elves, one was what looked like a halfling, and the other four were human. Of them, the four humans were quite old. They were either as old as, if not older than, Walter¡ªand coming up on Edwin¡¯s age even. Derek was pretty sure that the two elves were just as old, but not yet showing their age. The halfling woman seemed a bit younger, but still past middle-age. She didn¡¯t appear quite as old as Walter, but Derek didn¡¯t know what kind of skills or stats she had invested in. Wait... how does that even work? Does Alanah just tell them to read their status sheet, then tell them what to invest into? Derek shrugged at the thought. It doesn¡¯t really matter, anyway. ¡°Most of my Deathsworn have come from the other continent. If or when we go there, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll recognize a few of the surnames you see on the list of participants. There are plenty of noble houses that may still harbor a grudge against the beastly Dawn Siren. In fact, the seven here are the strongest of my Deathsworn¡ªall level 250 with epic classes. And I suspect that a couple of them would have upgraded to legendary at their final class upgrade if not for being controlled by me,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that if we go over to your home continent and don¡¯t hide, there will be a lot of fun to be had?¡± he chuckled. ¡°If that is what you would call it... yes,¡± Alanah answered with a smile. ¡°Especially if the Laurent family learns of my appearance. They are one of the royal families, after all, and they wouldn¡¯t take kindly to one of their princes¡ªperhaps their most genius prince¡ªbeing under control of one such as I.¡± ¡°No... I bet they would not,¡± Derek said with a laugh. ¡°Okay, are you ready?¡± Alanah asked one last time. Seeing that Derek nodded toward her, she continued, ¡°Great. Here we go.¡± With that, the list of participants showed all six people with a ¡®ready¡¯ status. As soon as the last one switched to ready, the entrance timer counted down from three, and they soon found themselves inside the golem dungeon without having to wait any extra length of time for not having the required amount of participants. As the blinding light disappeared from around them, Derek checked his surroundings. All the Deathsworn had raised their hoods back and were standing silently beside Alanah. ¡°Okay,¡± Alanah said. ¡°We¡¯re going to do it all different this time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Derek asked. ¡°All six of us are going to stick together, and we¡¯re going to go around taking out golems one by one. That way, each of us can get a hit on each golem that you¡¯re fighting, and you will end up with a sixth of the experience that you would have gotten by fighting alone,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°My Deathsworn, Gianna, is a particularly strong elven light mage that focused on battle skills instead of healing. She was cast out of her family because of her cruel ways¡ªusing light to bind and torture people. Her family was a very renown healer family with¡ªmostly¡ªkind hearts. So kind that they exiled her instead of killing her outright.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said with raised eyebrows. ¡°Yeah...¡± Alanah said. ¡°I was in a party with her at one point and found her with one of our other party members... it wasn¡¯t pretty. From there, she became one of my strongest Deathsworn. She is also one that I have no doubt would have received a legendary class. Instead, I turned her focus a bit toward healing and combat arts instead of specifically combat. That way, I always had a healer with me if needed.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. Alanah didn¡¯t explain what the woman was doing with her party member, but it couldn¡¯t have been good¡ªespecially after explaining her cruelty. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°I want to see if she can inject some of her light into a core and burn it from the inside out¡ªshutting it down instead of destroying it. I believe that it¡¯s quite possible,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said. Then, the countdown to wave one began. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 455: Deathsworn Chapter 455: Deathsworn The first wave began and Derek immediately launched himself towards a corner of the battlegrounds where one of the golems spawned. Just like Alanah had explained, the four Deathsworn and Alanah all stuck by his side. ¡°I can gain just about as much skill experience fighting a single one as I would if I went through and fought against them all,¡± Derek said as they moved forward. ¡°So... once everyone hits the one in front of me to reduce the experience points, you can all go do your own thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Alanah said as she traveled right beside him. Derek looked at Alanah and nodded, then back at the four Deathsworn. He realized he was speaking to them the same as he would have anyone else instead of only talking to Alanah. ¡°Can they...¡± he started. ¡°Can those four listen? Like, will they do what I say, or are they just on autopilot?¡± ¡°They will listen to you as long as it doesn¡¯t go against any commands that I have given them,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°You can even message them via the Telepathy skill if you would like. I have already commanded them to listen to you as they would me for now.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Derek replied. Finally, he reached what seemed to be a wind golem just as it finished putting itself together. ¡°I guess this one is mine,¡± he said. ¡°Go!¡± Alanah commanded her Deathsworn, and they all rushed in and landed a hit on the wind golem. Actually, they did more than just land a hit. Each one unleashed what would have been a devastating attack if it had been against any enemy other than a golem. A blinding light appeared as an entire lower joint of the golem¡¯s stone base was melted away from Gianna, the light mage. Derek was even surprised when he saw a greatsword appear in the hand of one of the older men. I guess I shouldn¡¯t be, he thought. It only makes sense that she has outfitted all these guys with proper equipment¡ªincluding storage rings. The man crashed down on the wind golem¡¯s shoulder with his greatsword¡ªcausing stone shards to fly everywhere as it crushed the rock beneath. The two other Deathsworn weren¡¯t as destructive as the first. One hit the golem with some debuffs, and the other whipped out a giant shield and bashed it against the golem¡¯s abdomen. Following her four fighters, Alanah appeared behind the golem and jabbed her rapier into its other shoulder. Then, with a flick of her finger, the golem¡¯s shoulder exploded more than the other had when her Deathworn crushed it with his greatsword. ¡°That should be enough,¡± Alanah said as she appeared next to Derek, who was still hovering in front of the golem with his Void Steps skill. ¡°Yup,¡± he said to the siren. ¡°That should do it.¡± With a flick of his wrist, Derek summoned another of the skill experience potions from his storage and drank it down. ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn now.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go collect the other cores,¡± Alanah replied before vanishing once again. Behind her, three of the Deathsworn kicked off the ground and chased after¡ªthey were fast, but not as fast as Edgar or Avery. Surprisingly, the elven light mage shone brightly, then completely disappeared from Derek¡¯s sight. Derek looked in the direction that Alanah had gone while the wind golem worked on putting itself back together. Almost as soon as his eyes locked on to the siren, a bright flash caught his attention and the light mage appeared, floating in the air next to her. Now that¡¯s one hell of a skill, he thought. I wonder if it¡¯s some type of teleportation skill, or if it¡¯s more like the one that Edgar uses with his lightning. Actually... is she able to travel at the speed of light with that skill? How the hell was Alanah able to catch her? He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, but shook his head. No... I bet she didn¡¯t have a problem at all. Derek quickly raised his forearm as a wind blade collided with him. His wyvern armor shook the attack off, with nothing more than a light scratch being left. Look like it¡¯s ready, he thought to himself as he launched himself forward and began his own duel. Once again, Derek fell into a rhythm of grinding skills through fighting golems. After everything that Alanah had told him, he focused much of his attention on Void Steps and Void Shift. Void Shift was a relatively hard skill to level, but in reality, he hadn¡¯t had the need to use it much recently. However, it was part of his class skills, so it was definitely one that needed to take precedent over others. Still, he had no doubt that if the fire golem had gotten a hold of him and hit him directly with its active skills, his Greater Meditation wouldn¡¯t have such an easy time countering the flame. ¡°That¡¯s that,¡± Derek said to Alanah while wiping the sweat off his brow. ¡°Time for the next wave,¡± Alanah replied in the eerily seductive voice that appeared when she transformed. ¡°Same thing?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Same thing,¡± she answered. The rest of the dungeon was simple. It was easy for Alanah and Derek to fall into a rhythm as they cleared each wave. Derek couldn¡¯t help but notice how much easier and more relaxing it was to run dungeons with someone like Alanah. He knew that she would be wherever he needed her, whenever he needed her. Sure, he trusted Avery and Edgar to have his back in a fight, but he felt that Alanah was much more... natural at it. The final wave came with a surprise to both him and Alanah. They retrieved the inactive core from the boss golem, then looked at each other with raised brows. The surprise was that one of the types of golems they had fought before the boss appeared. His Identify skill identified the core of the golem as a spectral core. Derek thought it was illusion or something like that, but he was wrong. ¡°Do you mind if I take that core?¡± he asked Alanah once everything was settled. ¡°Of course not,¡± Alanah said, then tossed the spectral core to Derek. ¡°For Thomas?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek answered. As soon as he saw the core, he thought it would pair well with Thomas. His ¡®element¡¯ was soul, but from what Derek had seen, it wasn¡¯t too different from how the golem was fighting the Deathsworn before. ¡°I think it will make a great spear or piece of armor for the kid. Brandi will surely figure out something amazing with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she will,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°And maybe we¡¯ll find something even better for her to work on.¡± The two of them had known that all kinds of golems were able to appear in the dungeon, but getting such a core gave them hope for some even more rare loot. Derek took a cursory glance at his skills sheet and nodded. He still had a way to go, but he was getting the fast. He looked at Alanah and said, ¡°Again?¡± She, in her regular form, smiled back and replied, ¡°Again.¡± Chapter 456: Making Gains Chapter 456: Making Gains For the next while, Derek, Alanah, and her Deathsworn continuously ran the dungeon¡ªinstantly restarting it as soon as they came out due to having the correct number of participants. If Derek had to pick one thing about the dungeon that he wasn¡¯t a fan of, it would be the fact that each wave had a time limit. Sure, it was a minor thing, but he knew that if the waves ended as soon as all the enemies fell, they would have been able to farm many more cores than they were. Of course, the problem was really not a problem at all, as it forced Derek to focus more on his skill levels. However, with the assistance of the Deathsworn, even if they were able to run through the dungeon with no time limits, he suspected that it would be just fine. Speaking of the Deathsworn, while Derek was working on his own skills, Alanah was experimenting with her Deathsworn. Early on, she had decided to test out as many ways as she could think of to deactivate the golem cores before they exploded, and after some time, she had quite a bit of success. A couple of times, she substituted the Deathsworn that were waiting outside for the ones that went in with her. Through this, she found different combinations of attacks and elements that could stop the explosion of the cores. With those experiments came meticulous note taking, which was something that Derek hadn¡¯t really seen her do. When he asked her about it, she said that it would be easier to write the strategies down now, and just have one of her Deathsworn deliver those notes to the Cydarian Royal Family once they were through with the dungeon¡ªthat way, Alanah wouldn¡¯t have to waste any of her precious time on the matter. This was all well and good for Derek. Because of the timer, Alanah was able to do all of this without wasting said time. She was really packing everything into the short time she had left before ascending. Eventually, Derek lost track of how many times they completed the dungeon. However, it had to have been a lot because for the first time in a long time, one of his Achievements leveled up. He hadn¡¯t even been sure that they would be able to after the interference of the Origin System, so when his Repetitive Dungeoneer Achievement turned into Major Repetitive Dungeoneer, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. The upgrade to the Achievement had given him an extra 5% bonus to obtaining reward when completing a dungeon he¡¯d already completed before¡ªtaking the total up to an impressive 15%. Currently, he was receiving the reward for completing the dungeon again, one out of every six or seven times. Of course, he wasn¡¯t getting the skill increase potion every time¡ªinstead, his loot was a mix of different potions. Still, every time he received a useful potion, he was happy. Alanah, on the other hand, already had Greater Repetitive Dungeoneer. With her age and experience, it only made sense that it was one of her highest tiered Achievements. Unfortunately, that Achievement increasing in rarity brought with it more questions. Dave had told him that he had received the ¡®The Bigger They Are¡¯ Achievement because it was a ¡®universal¡¯ Achievement. Now he wondered if the Repetitive Dungeoneer Achievement was considered a universal Achievement or if he was able to increase its level solely because it was one that he had already unlocked. Then again, it could easily be both. ¡°I think I¡¯m through fighting golems for now,¡± Derek said to Alanah once they appeared outside of the dungeon again. ¡°You¡¯ve pretty much done all the experiments that you can think of already, so we¡¯re just wasting your time right now when we could be doing something to help you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Alanah replied before bringing a chair out to sit in. ¡°The stronger you are, the better. I¡¯m pretty much capped out on what I can do for myself¡ªother than consuming Void Beasts. Really, I just need some time getting back into the swing of things again after not truly adventuring for quite the long time.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Derek replied as he sat beside her in his own chair. The Deathsworn all stood around them¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a point in wasting fine seating on them. ¡°But there is plenty you want or need to do before you leave, and I can always come back here if I need to work on leveling my skills more or farming cores.¡± ¡°Speaking of cores,¡± Alanah said, then tossed Derek a couple of storage rings. ¡°I have so many, and really don¡¯t have a need for them.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Derek said as he checked out the contents in the rings. ¡°But if the system lets you take all these things with you, then you may be missing out on something. What if they don¡¯t know about the cores where you¡¯re going? They could fetch a great price¡ªkind of like my coffee.¡± ¡°Oh, I know,¡± Alanah replied, then held her hand out. It contained even more rings. ¡°But I have plenty, just in case.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said, then flicked his wrist and stored the rings he was holding inside his storage bracelet. ¡°I also have other things that I plan to try to take along that could help me get started somewhere else,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°However, I¡¯m sure my items and their rarity will be low if I end up in a place with more powerful people and beasts. There is almost no way that I won¡¯t. It will be like starting over again¡ªthe thrill of fighting for your life. The excitement of surviving a battle that you shouldn¡¯t have¡ªof growing stronger than you ever dreamed possible.¡± ¡°You certainly make it sound exciting,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°As I said, my growth has basically been stagnant for years now. Of course it¡¯s exciting,¡± she replied. ¡°Anyway, how have you progressed over the last week or so?¡± she asked. ¡°Hmm...¡± Derek rubbed his chin in thought as he pulled up his new and improved status sheet and took a quick glance. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 242 762,866,481,050/7,900,000,000,000 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: Shared Skills from Companion: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 10 Shared Skills to Companion: Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skills Available to Share: Absolute Nullify Lv. 10, Channel Void Lv. 10, Time Prison Lv. 10, Void Call Lv. 4, Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Steps Lv. 10, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A Achievements Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Lesser Enforcer of Oaths, Major Repetitive Dungeoneer, Minor Slayer of the Unknown, Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse, The Bigger They Are ¡°I...¡± He started. ¡°Well... let¡¯s just say that golems have been kind to me.¡± Derek chuckled as he moved his eyes back to the top and began going over all his gains in detail. First off, he¡¯d gained 13 whole levels in the dungeon. Or... I ¡®only¡¯ gained 13 levels, he thought. If it was before the Deathsworn had come along, he would have been level 250 long ago. However, splitting every kill he made with five other people drastically slowed his base level, and he couldn¡¯t be more happy with it. There were still good things that came with his 13 new levels, and that was the over 450 new stat points that he received on top of those that he had yet to spend. He was currently sitting on a massive 526 stat points, and he knew exactly what he was going to do with them. Once he was ready, he would increase his dexterity to 1500 points, then toss the remaining points into strength. Strength was good and all, but he had to admit that he preferred the lighter feeling and easier movement that came along with increased dexterity. It was the same for intelligence and wisdom. He preferred the clear-headedness that came along with wisdom over the thick and strong magic density that increased with intelligence. After going over his stat points, he moved down to the real meat and potatoes... his skills. First of all, Absolute Nullify had hit level 20 towards the end of the dungeon running. He now had one of the strongest defensive skills he¡¯d seen maxed out, and, after hearing Alanah talk about the excitement of new adventures, he couldn¡¯t wait to test it out in a situation where he actually needed it. Until then, he had it as a defensive ace in the hole. His Bare Fist Specialty had also leveled some, and he now had another choice to make. His previous increased durability from his first choice had jumped from 5% to 10%, and he was left with another upgrade option. Choose Upgrade Power, Swiftness, or Density Huh... there¡¯s a new upgrade for it. I wonder what density will do. He thought about it for a bit and decided that the most likely case would be that density would make his fists heavier and more durable, but would most likely decrease the speed at which he could swing them. Overall, he preferred density to power as his void element didn¡¯t have much need for the power in the punch, but he preferred swiftness even more. The faster I can hit, the more damage I will be able to do with my void. So, looking at the list, Derek chose to increase his bare fist¡¯s swiftness. Swiftness Selected The speed and quickness that you can use your bare fists have increased by 10 percent. Continue to level the skill to select more upgrades. Instantly after selecting the upgrade, Derek felt the skin on his hands grow taught¡ªso much so that he thought that there was a possibility that a bone or two was actually going to break, even with his durability. Soon, though, the tightness disappeared and his hands felt lighter. Derek balled them into fists and threw a few punches into the air. It was hard to notice the increase, but it was definitely there. And it looks like the upgrades start out all at the same increase¡ªI just have to unlock them before I get them. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Alanah asked as she looked at him with raised eyebrows. ¡°Fine,¡± he replied with a little embarrassment. ¡°Just checking out some upgrades.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Go on ahead,¡± she said, and he nodded. Pleased with his new punching ability, Derek continued his way down the list and snorted when he saw that Chain Lightning was maxed. It was such a cool skill that just happened to be almost entirely useless for him with his void affinity. Still, he had it, so why not level it? His Cleaning skill had also jumped a little because of all the dust he had to continuously clean off of himself, and his Cure Toxin skill had done the same when he fought against poisonous and toxic golems. Whew... Derek thought as his eyes found his Fire Resistance skill. That was the easiest it¡¯s ever been to level any skill to max. It had reached level 20 all in a single dungeon¡ªran many, many times. Greater Meditation had also gained a level, and he was more happy for it than almost anything else. It had been a pain ever since he got it. Sometimes he wished he received all those upgrade points that Brandi got so he could just level it easily. But I can¡¯t even get those from this system anymore it seems. With a shrug, Derek moved to Identify and was saddened that it hadn¡¯t changed to an upgraded form. There¡¯s still a chance, though, he thought. Maybe it just has to work its way through level twenty before turning into a level one Greater Identify or something. His Mental Resistance gained four levels thanks to Alanah¡¯s assistance. He had told her about it, and she had occasionally been sending commands to him while in her siren form for him to resist so he could speed up the leveling process. It wouldn¡¯t be long until that skill was at twenty. Derek¡¯s greatest gains this time around came from Multi-Strike. It had finally hit level twenty and with it, his attack damage had increased greatly. His Polearm Specialty hadn¡¯t moved because he hadn¡¯t used Harbinger during the raids. He would be risking damaging the cores if he used it, but after seeing the upgrade for his fists, he wanted to lean on his glaive a bit more in the future to gain those levels. After viewing all of that, he looked over his newest skills¡ªPowerstride, Spatial Collapse, Spatial Redirection, Spatial Rend, and Whirlwind Slash had all gained some levels. Unlike Chain Lightning, every level that those skills gained actually increased his combat ability. Finally, the two skills that he was focusing on the most during the dungeon runs had made great gains. Void Shift¡ªanother one of the harder to level skills¡ªhad increased three whole levels, and Void Steps was only a single level away from level twenty. Happy with his gains, Derek closed his status sheet and let out a content sigh. ¡°Well?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°What?¡± he asked back before remembering. ¡°Oh, you wanted to know how much progress I made...¡± Derek then told her about all of his gains. ¡°Now all I have to really focus on is my shifting ability and my calling ability and I will be set,¡± he said. Naturally, Void Steps would hit twenty just because of how common it was for him to use it. ¡°That¡¯s astounding,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Your increased stats at level one that you had have certainly made it easier for you to grow powerful.¡± ¡°Indeed, they have,¡± he replied with a nod. Alanah looked around the area¡ªscanning their surroundings and her Deathsworn¡ªthen said, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay here longer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Derek said. ¡°Just give me a couple minutes to distribute some stat points, then we can go. Speaking of... where to next?¡± Chapter 457: Priorities Chapter 457: Priorities Hearing Derek¡¯s question, Alanah quickly pulled out a map from her storage ring. After unfolding it, she marked some spots on it, then passed the map to Derek. Derek took the map from her and began examining it. ¡°These are...¡± he started. ¡°Those are the three dungeons that I wanted to run in this kingdom,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. One of the dungeon that she had marked was the golem one that they just finished. So, ignoring that one, he looked at the other two. Surprisingly, one of them wasn¡¯t too far away from where they were, but the other was on the other side of the kingdom¡ªclose to the border of Indria and Indaria. ¡°Why these dungeons specifically?¡± he asked. ¡°Look at the reward for the closer one,¡± Alanah replied. Derek took a good look at the dungeon reward and almost snorted when he saw it. ¡°Really?¡± he asked. ¡°Really,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, like you already know, I¡¯m not really doing these dungeons for me,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°There are no rewards in the dungeons worth my time, really. I¡¯m just doing all this to get back into the swing of things. So, the dungeons I have picked are the ones that may help you¡ªthink of it as me paying you for taking care of Stella while you are still here. ¡°So, my standards for choosing dungeons this time are whether the rewards can help you, and whether the dungeon may be fun or challenging,¡± she explained. ¡°So, an avian beast dungeon that rewards ingredients would be perfect. Well, it may not be the perfect dungeon for you, but I can think of someone that would very much want the rewards from it.¡± ¡°I... guess,¡± Derek relented. ¡°But if there are a lot of beasts, I may level too fast.¡± ¡°Who said you have to fight?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about any of the enemies. I will take care of them myself. They are all level 250, but this dungeon is classified as one of the easiest max level dungeons around.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s so easy... won¡¯t there be a lot of people lined up to do it?¡± Derek asked. It was obvious that such a dungeon would be treasured amongst restaurant owners and those with cooking classes. ¡°It is...¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Usually,¡± she continued. ¡°However, I only need to send one quick message, and the dungeon will be shut down for two days. I thoroughly vetted all the dungeons in the days before I picked you up, so Ryven is standing by, waiting. As soon as he hears from me, the dungeon is ours.¡± ¡°I... see...¡± Derek replied. ¡°You may consider this a slight abuse of my power... and it is,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But I¡¯m probably not going to be here much longer, and, quite frankly, we deserve it.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Derek finally said. ¡°Why not... I could go for some fried chicken...¡± he muttered almost silently to himself, causing Alanah to give him a side eye. ¡°What?¡± he said. ¡°Fried poultry is one of the greatest foods you can eat. And almost nobody would turn down the chance to have an infinite amount of it for whenever you get the hankering.¡± ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Now... you said something about your stats?¡± The siren¡¯s question reminded him of what he planned to do. ¡°Right!¡± Derek nodded, then, he looked at his stats, then his free stat points. With a quick selection, he tossed 210 of his 526 free stats into dexterity, then he confirmed his decision. Derek felt his skin, muscles, tendons¡ªalmost every place in his body¡ªtighten once he accepted the change. He closed his eyes, preparing for the pain, but it turned out not to be nearly as bad as he had imagined. A few of his bones creaked under the pressure, but they stopped just before they reached the point of cracking. His taught skin loosened back to its original tightness, as did his joints and muscles. Finally, the breakthrough ended anticlimactically. Just as he did when his bare fists received their swiftness update, Derek threw a few punches. This time, his shadowboxing included feet movement as well. He couldn¡¯t believe how light he felt on his feet. And the agility and reaction time felt like they had gone through a massive upgrade. This is much more pronounced than just the swiftness upgrade. Derek wasn¡¯t regretting his decision to level dexterity before strength one bit. ¡°Dexterity?¡± Alanah asked from the side as her eyes moved up and down his body as if examining him. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek answered. ¡°For having such a mild breakthrough, dexterity seems like it comes with some of the best upgrades,¡± he said. ¡°Interesting,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°All my speed and agility comes from my class skills and transformation,¡± she said. ¡°I very much look forward to one day breaking through with my own dexterity,¡± she explained. ¡°Though your body transformation doesn¡¯t seem like one of someone who has only just broken through with dexterity. You¡¯ve not done anything to offset the lack of balance between your strength and dexterity stats, yet your body seems to have gone back to how it was mere minutes ago...¡± she said. ¡°Or is your strength almost at the breakthrough limit already?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Derek said. ¡°I haven¡¯t added to my strength stat just yet. I¡¯m about to though.¡± The lack of much or any of a physical change is probably because of the void evolution thing that the Origin System did to me, Derek thought, but he knew that talking about his evolution was one of the things that could get him in trouble. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just lucky...¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Brandi said with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s easy! Well... it¡¯s not easy because storage rings are still rare... but it¡¯s also not that hard if you have enough money.¡± Brandi grinned big and nodded her head toward her workstation. ¡°You¡¯re pretty spoiled, aren¡¯t you?¡± Derek asked with a chuckle. ¡°Of course I am!¡± Brandi said. ¡°That¡¯s why I have to work even harder.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to look at it,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Alright, you do that and keep up the good work,¡± Derek said. ¡°I will!¡± Brandi replied. Derek then decided to do the other thing that he came back to do. With a thought, he sent to Silvi, ¡®We¡¯re about to go run some bird dungeons with ingredients as the rewards if you want in.¡¯ ¡®Ingredients!?¡¯ his companion replied via their bond quicker than she ever had before. ¡®When? Where? How many?¡¯ the bunny, who didn¡¯t really like speaking via telepathy, sent back question after question. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t take us too long to get there... maybe half an hour or so. It¡¯s a dungeon in Indria¡ªthe place with all the elves that you are not allowed to make burgers from. From what I know, it¡¯s a kill dungeon with a bunch of level 250 avian-type creatures. You should be able to get quite a bit of poultry,¡¯ Derek answered each question in order, then added even more information. ¡®How long will you be there? Baking cake. Can¡¯t leave with Malorie to watch... she¡¯ll eat it,¡¯ Silvi sent back. ¡®We¡¯ll probably be there for a while. We¡¯ll definitely still be there by the time your cake finishes cooking,¡¯ Derek responded. ¡®Will come after cake finishes baking,¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®Great,¡¯ Derek sent. ¡®I¡¯ll see you there.¡¯ Derek shook his head. Glad to see she has her priorities straight, he thought before making to step back through his portal, but was interrupted by his companion before he made it. ¡®Warn me next time you upgrade,¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®You said you would, but didn¡¯t. Made me slice strawberry crooked. Had to eat it so nobody saw the ugly thing.¡¯ ¡®Sorry,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®I wasn¡¯t thinking. It won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ll do my best to remember and come to you before I breakthrough in our strength.¡¯ ¡®Kay,¡¯ Silvi replied. ¡®Bye.¡¯ ¡®See ya,¡¯ Derek said, then, ¡°See you later, Brandi,¡± he called out over his shoulder as he stepped through his portal. ¡°See you soon!¡± she called back. Finally, Derek closed the portal behind him and moved back through it before coming back out by Alanah. When he stepped out, he saw a dead animal laying in front of his portal with a rope tied around it. He looked up at Alanah and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Saw a wolf and decided to see what happens...¡± the siren shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not pretty.¡± ¡°No... no it¡¯s not,¡± Derek said as he closed the portal. He could barely believe that the corpse he saw was that of a wolf. He shook the thoughts out of his head, then tossed Alanah¡¯s rings back to her. ¡°Here you go. I unloaded the cores.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Alanah said. ¡°You ready?¡± she asked. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek said as he put away his chair. ¡°Race you there!¡± ¡°You¡¯re on,¡± Alanah replied, then transformed into her siren form. With his new found speed, Derek kicked off the ground and took off. He¡¯d see just how much faster his new breakthrough made him. Chapter 458: A Poultry Dungeon Chapter 458: A Poultry Dungeon ¡°You cheated,¡± Alanah said as they stood at the entrance to the next dungeon. ¡°Nope,¡± Derek replied. ¡°You didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t use Void Shift.¡± Somehow, Alanah was still faster than Derek, even with his increased dexterity and his Powerstride skill. However, this time, he was at least able to stay behind the siren without losing sight of her. When he saw the dungeon orb getting close, he shifted into the void and made his move before he was broken out of it. Even with all his stats and skills, his skill grew shaky when he got close to Alanah in her Dawn Siren form, and he was eventually broken out of it. It was a bit like when he was going up against the wyverns in the raid dungeon, but more intense. Though, he expected that which each level in the skill, it would be harder and harder to break him out of it. He was sure that if he entered Void Shift against the wyverns again, they would have a hard time stopping him from using the skill, or at least it would take them more than just focusing on his presence to do so. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the skill would be like when it hit level 20¡ªit was already level 15, so he wouldn¡¯t have to wait too long to see. He just hoped Alanah was still there to test it on once it did¡ªshe, and to a lesser extent, Marrick, were probably the only people on the continent able to counter the skill as it was. And he wasn¡¯t exactly sure that Marrick would be up to the task at the moment. ¡°I thought it was implied,¡± Alanah snorted. ¡°If my skill is banned, then I would have to pick a skill of yours that you can¡¯t use,¡± Derek tossed back. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure you know which skill that would be.¡± He was, of course, talking about her transformation skill. ¡°Oh well...¡± Alanah relented. ¡°Just wait until I get my dexterity up. Then, even with that cheat skill of yours, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Derek said. Once their discussion was over, the duo still had to wait for all of Alanah¡¯s Deathsworn to join up. Alanah¡¯s and Derek¡¯s speed was so fast that the first Deathsworn to arrive¡ªthe elven light mage¡ªwas multiple minutes behind the two. Derek could only guess that, while the light mage could teleport to places almost instantly, she couldn¡¯t do it many times, or at least she couldn¡¯t go very far each time. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure, but those were his best guesses. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Alanah said as she stepped forward toward the dungeon orb. Derek looked around and realized that they were missing people. ¡°But all your Deathsworn aren¡¯t here yet,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s a four person dungeon,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°We only need the two extras.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Besides, you aren¡¯t killing anything in this dungeon,¡± Alanah began. ¡°You are only here to leech the reward from it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. Then, with a nod, he stepped forward and put his hand opposite Alanah¡¯s on the orb. It wasn¡¯t necessary for him to do so, but it felt right. He could have just stood around and waited for Alanah to select him. Instead, Alanah quickly selected two of her Deathsworn and all the dungeon notifications popped up. Derek quickly looked at the dungeon¡¯s status. Dungeon Status Dungeon Level 250 Dungeon Type Beast Dungeon State Stable Dungeon Rewards Material (Ingredients) Max Participants ¡°Well...¡± the siren started. ¡°It kind of rubbed off on me,¡± she said. Then, with a powerful flick of her finger, Derek watched as all the energy she had been building up in her hand instantly transferred itself to her rapier. After that, an almost silent ring was let out around them. Derek could barely hear it, but he actually felt his vision blur because of it. However, it didn¡¯t do much damage¡ªif anything, he would say it felt like a debuff that only lasted for a few moments. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± he asked. ¡°It is tailored to and works better on beasts as those are what I grew up around,¡± Alanah said, then nodded ahead of her at the incoming¡ªformerly incoming¡ªavians. ¡°What the...¡± Derek muttered. The beasts hadn¡¯t all just fallen from the sky or died on the ground. No... instead, every one of them had blood-red eyes, and looked like they had been driven insane. In fact, they had all turned on each other before they reached the duo. It was just as she had said. Her skills were all modified to suit the area in which she grew up. If she had been telling the truth about her circumstances¡ªwhich Derek had no doubt that she was¡ªthen what was going on was further proof of that, and a reason that she had an idea about affinity. It was a slaughter. The thing was, it was like none of the creatures knew that Derek and Alanah were standing so close to them. As soon as they were hit with the skill, they had all gone to attack the closest living thing to them¡ªand since the duo was still further away than the avians¡¯ companions, they could only attack each other. ¡°This is brutal,¡± Derek said honestly. He never expected to see a penguin-like bird flap its wings and cut the head off a chicken, but it was something that he witnessed right before his eyes. ¡°It is,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that it doesn¡¯t work well on people¡ªor system users, I guess. Well, it works fine on anyone of lower level, but an actual intelligent being with more than 1,000 points invested into their wisdom... you get nothing but blurry vision and a migraine for a while.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Derek said. ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong... it is a fantastic way to farm beasts. If only they weren¡¯t tearing each other apart so badly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the price for the power of the skill,¡± Alanah said with a shrug. ¡°I have a feeling that I¡¯m going to be needing it again soon, so I thought this would make the perfect place to use it once again. It has been decades since I used Echoes of the Abyss on anything. It was my first skill to reach level 20 because of the chaos it caused.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is definitely a good skill to have in your bag.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Alanah nodded, then took a few steps forward. Derek looked out in front of them and noticed that only a single avian creature remained alive¡ªit was a falcon-like bird that was half the size of a car. After it won the fight, its attention moved to Alanah and Derek¡ªthe closest living things to it. Instantly, Alanah disappeared, then Derek saw a stream of blood fly out of the bird¡¯s head. The next instant, he saw the hole, and Alanah appeared back right beside him¡ªher siren form disabled. ¡°That was fun,¡± she said, then the door behind them opened and her Deathsworn ran out. ¡°I kept them back just in case my skill was much stronger than it was before because of my stats. I don¡¯t want to rid myself of the Deathsworn just yet.¡± Derek only nodded as he watched the Deathsworn go to work dismantling the corpses. ¡°Oh!¡± he half shouted, then withdrew a blade from his storage and did the same. His level 12 Dismantle skill was an eyesore, and he figured that this would be the perfect time to get it leveled because of the creatures¡¯ high levels. He was also sure that Brandi could use a few feathers in her crafting if she ever decided to make arrows or something. Sure enough, by the time he was able to Dismantle what he could of the birds, the skill had already gained two levels. After that, Alanah walked forward and claimed their rewards. Dungeon Complete... Assigning Rewards... Congratulations, you have received items: Frostmint x5 Five small, leafy plants appeared in his hands. Derek moved the Frostmint to his nose and took in a deep breath. Hmm... it¡¯s kind of like menthol, but colder and stronger. He nodded as he stored the plants. ¡°Okay, time to...¡± Alanah started, but stopped mid-sentence. A couple of seconds later, a portal appeared and Silvi hopped out with a floating pot made of the void beside her. She quickly closed the portal behind her, then dismissed her creation¡ªallowing her to equip her storage items. The bunny frantically looked around, and when her eyes landed on the corpses that were too mangled to be worth saving, her voice chimed out from her communication crystal, ¡°No! Am I too late? What happened to all the poultry?¡± Chapter 459: Juicy Birds Chapter 459: Juicy Birds ¡°Calm down, Silvi,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°You just joined at the end of the dungeon when we were about to leave, that¡¯s all. We¡¯re going to do the dungeon multiple times¡ªyou¡¯ll be able to get yourself a bunch of poultry.¡± ¡°I thought I would make it,¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed out through her communication crystal. ¡°Even took the cake out a little early. It¡¯s very moist now, but still good.¡± ¡°You still have plenty of poultry to gather, Miss Silvi,¡± Alanah said from the side. Then, with a flick of her wrist, a few ingredients appeared in her hand¡ªaround her, her two Deathsworn did the same and ingredients appeared from them, too. ¡°Plus, we have decided that you will get whatever ingredient rewards we receive from completing this dungeon.¡± She tossed the ingredients to the now not sulking bunny, and Silvi caught them before they even got close to the ground. The same happened with Alanah¡¯s Deathsworn. ¡°Well then, what are we standing around for?¡± Silvi asked in excitement. ¡°Go, go!¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Alanah chuckled before placing her hand on the dungeon orb again. Soon after, the group was taken out of the dungeon and back to the open world. When the blinding light disappeared, Derek saw that all the other Deathsworn had arrived while they were completing the dungeon. Alanah made to reach out to touch the orb again, but Derek interjected. ¡°One second,¡± he said, then turned to his companion. ¡°Silvi, do you see our level on your stat sheet?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°I want you to be very careful when choosing which beasts to kill,¡± he began to explain. ¡°We don¡¯t have many levels until we get to 250. So, since it¡¯s unfair to you for me to only level my skills quickly, I want you to do so too. So, you can kill until you get to level 245, okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not unfair,¡± Silvi countered. ¡°I have cooking skills. They level with cooking, but I don¡¯t gain experience with cooking like the mani... Brandi does with crafting. It¡¯s perfect! Can use most cooking skills in battle, too. Like Chop!¡± ¡°Well, you still have to level your Cook What You Kill and your resistance skills in battle, so it¡¯s all the same,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, I have three levels to earn?¡± Silvi asked for clarification. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Kay!¡± Silvi hopped up to sit on Derek¡¯s shoulder. She was very excited. ¡°I¡¯m going to find and kill the biggest, most juiciest birds in the dungeon. Then I¡¯m going to use those birds and bake, fry, roast, braise, poach, grill, smoke, and whatever other cooking technique I can think of to do with them. They will be delicious!¡± ¡°I hope you are kind enough to share with us,¡± Alanah said to the bunny. ¡°Of course!¡± Silvi replied. ¡°I am a kind bunny! Even fought those people without killing them, remember? All I had to do was chop and explode small parts of them.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Very kind...¡± honestly, he couldn¡¯t say much about what she did. Those people may have suffered quite a bit, but, in the end, each one of them made it out whole because she ¡®only¡¯ exploded them a little. ¡°Mhm.¡± Silvi nodded in agreement. ¡°I wonder what ingredients we will be rewarded that will pair well with the juicy birds. Can¡¯t wait! Let¡¯s goooo! Hurry!¡± ¡®A couple,¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®Take one,¡¯ Derek replied. ¡®If you run out, I still have some left. I ended up not using them all when I was leveling my own skills earlier.¡¯ ¡®Okay!¡¯ Silvi said. Then Derek saw a potion float out in front of her while she was circling around the group of avian beasts. It tilted, then the liquid poured out of the vial and into Silvi¡¯s mouth. ¡®Yuck! Need to add more flavor. Anything you eat or drink should be tasty. Hate potions.¡¯ Derek inwardly shrugged, but didn¡¯t reply. Silvi was right, though. None of the potions really tasted very good. Some were better than others, but for the most part, they didn¡¯t have much of a taste at all. He wondered if potions that tasted good would sell better than regular potions. I really don¡¯t think that person who is bleeding out in battle cares whether the potion tastes like ass or candy¡ªas long as it keeps them alive. ¡°Here we go!¡± From the side, Alanah yelled out¡ªactually, she yelled so loud that Derek was sure that Silvi heard her from up high. Almost as soon as her yell ended, a blinding flash fell over the gathering of birds. Derek hadn¡¯t been paying attention, but at some point, the elven Deathsworn with light magic had appeared in the center of the beasts, just above them. The light explosion made Derek wince and look away¡ªhis eyes felt like they were on fire with just the brief instant he saw the light. He quickly regained his sight and looked up at Silvi. She was a little wobbly, but otherwise looked fine. Even more so when she sent him a message. ¡®Magic Resistance went up! These are some nice people. Should go do dungeon with you more often,¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®I need to get a mobile kitchen. Like that big guy with the worm and his maniac crafting station.¡¯ Are all blacksmiths considered maniacs now? Derek couldn¡¯t help but wonder as he saw the second Deathsworn jump into the air and make his way toward Silvi. ¡®I¡¯ll look into it,¡¯ Derek send to his companion. ¡®I¡¯m sure it can all be done with the proper runes... for a price. And money is no problem...¡¯ he said. ¡®Tell you what. When you get back, tell Malorie to look into getting a full kitchen setup that you can keep on you person at all times. Or, we could set up a big kitchen in my Time Prison.¡¯ ¡®Have her go to Geoffrey and see what he can do. Or, you can. He may be even more receptive if it¡¯s you that asks. You can even take him a nice meal or cake or something. If he can¡¯t do it, I¡¯m sure he knows someone who can. And if you don¡¯t want to, I will the next time I pop in to give Brandi more materials,¡¯ Derek finished. ¡®Sound good?¡¯ ¡®Great! Can level skill and cook at same time!¡¯ she sent back. ¡®Will still cook in home kitchen some. Someone needs to protect mani... Brandi and beautiful delicious cookie stealing lady.¡¯ ¡®If you want,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®I¡¯m sure there isn¡¯t much need for protection now that all the war is over.¡¯ ¡®Mhm,¡¯ Silvi sent back, but didn¡¯t say anything else. Soon after, the Deathsworn made it close enough to Silvi, and held out his hand. Instantly, a yellow light fell over Derek¡¯s companion¡ªthe man had hit her with what looked like a stamina or speed buff. ¡®Looks like you¡¯re up,¡¯ Derek sent. He didn¡¯t need to tell his friend twice. Silvi rocketed off on her pot lid and swooped down toward one of the fatter chicken-like birds. As soon as she got close, a spiral of purple void formed on her horn and gathered at the tip. The next second, a Void Lightning Bolt shot out and collided with the chicken¡¯s head. The chicken twitched for a moment, then looked around almost in confusion. Then, the chicken-like beast began spasming as Derek received the kill notification from Silvi¡¯s kill. Surprisingly¡ªor not¡ªthe chicken-like beast ran around for a moment after the notification until it finally fell. Derek didn¡¯t see much more, as Silvi swooped in and stored the beast in her storage ring as soon as she could. She obviously didn¡¯t want anything to happen to her kills. That was the reason that she had so meticulously used Void Lightning Bolt on the bird. That skill of hers¡ªwhich was much more powerful when she used it than when Derek did because of the level 10 cap on shared skills¡ªwas the best skill she could use to kill without causing much physical damage to anything. This was especially true if it was used on the brain. And the brain was the perfect part for Silvi to hit because it didn¡¯t have any ¡®tasty, juicy meat.¡¯ Once the first avian beast was slaughtered, more began dropping from Void Lightning Bolts until, eventually, Silvi circled back and floated between Derek and Alanah. ¡°All done!¡± Silvi said from her crystal. ¡°You can kill rest. Don¡¯t want them. Meat would be too tough or unflavorful. Will get more next time.¡± With that, Alanah stepped forward and disappeared instead of just waiting for her controlling skill to finish the beasts off. It was probably because she wanted to end the fight sooner so Silvi could get back and do it all again before her skill potion wore off. Derek had to agree with Silvi on one thing. Alanah... she was definitely kind... kind, and scary. Chapter 460: 245 Chapter 460: 245 Watching Silvi as they continued to run the avian dungeon was a treat. Derek¡¯s little murder bunny companion was basically in heaven, as she seriously selected the best birds for cooking during each entry. He had heard the phrase over and over back on Earth, but Silvi truly was like a kid in a candy store. Now, the avian dungeon was much simpler to complete and restart than the golem dungeon before. Since the golem dungeon had time limits on each wave, there was a minimum amount of time that they had to stay in the dungeon each time they entered. The avian dungeon, however, did not have any of those limits, so completing it was all based on ability, and Alanah¡¯s ability to clear such a dungeon was second to none. Derek was sure that not even he could clear a whole dungeon as fast as Alanah could clear this one. All of that meant that the whole group was rapidly completing the dungeon in minutes each time. And since each person who could gain the rewards had some version of the Repetitive Dungeoneer Achievement, it meant that the flow of extra ingredients for cooking almost never stopped. Silvi¡¯s already liked the siren, but the bunny¡¯s affection for the siren increased with every reward, as all the ingredients were given directly to her. However, all good things had to come to an end. Alanah was putting everyone else before herself, so when the time came that Silvi killed a bird and their level jumped to level 245, Derek had to be the bad guy and call it. They had completed the dungeon more than enough times. Luckily, the combination of Alanah and her Deathsworn had greatly increased the speed of completion, so by the time Silvi hit her limits, they hadn¡¯t yet stayed in the dungeon for as long as Alanah had planned. Derek was even beginning to feel bad¡ªlike he was taking advantage of the siren. It seemed like most of the dungeons the woman had picked out were all to help Derek or his people. She could say that she picked them because they were interesting, which they may have actually been, but they still all had the underlying effect of helping Derek. ¡°Okay, Silvi,¡± Derek said with a clap of his hands after they exited the dungeon for what he planned to be the last time. ¡°You hit level 245. That was your last dungeon run.¡± ¡°But what about all the chickens?¡± the bunny whined. ¡°Just think of the meals I can cook.¡± ¡°Look,¡± Derek continued. ¡°Your skill has already hit level 6 in this short amount of time. And your Void Lightning Bolt is only one level away from 20. Not to mention that your storage ring is already bursting at the seems with birds and other cooking ingredients. Alanah has been very kind and generous to us. It is time for us to do the same. Do you understand?¡± The little bunny pouted, but eventually nodded her head. ¡°Besides,¡± Derek started. ¡°You have all those new ingredients, and all those juicy birds that you killed with your skill. Isn¡¯t it time that you go use some and see exactly what the skill does for you? I certainly wouldn¡¯t turn down any fried chicken if you were to go cook up some.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Silvi¡¯s eyes brightened and all traces of sadness left her cute little face. ¡°I¡¯m going to go do that now! And I¡¯m going to talk to the beautiful, delicious cookie stealer about getting a portable kitchen.¡± She nodded seriously. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Derek said. ¡°Definitely something you should do.¡± Derek instantly felt the dread that came from opening a portal with their Void Travel skill and realized that Silvi wasn¡¯t taking her time at all. Soon, the portal appeared behind her and Silvi conjured a pot with a lid out of her Void Creation skill. She tossed all her storage items in the pot and slightly lowered her body to prepare to hop inside. ¡°Wait!¡± Derek half-shouted before the bunny jumped in. ¡°What?¡± Silvi turned and looked at Derek. ¡°Well, we just made it to level 245. You know what that means?¡± There was another reason that Derek gave Silvi that particular level cap. ¡°What does that mean?¡± the bunny asked. ¡°It means that we just received 105 free stat points to use,¡± Derek answered. Silvi¡¯s eyes went blank, and she stared in the distance¡ªseemingly not looking at anything¡ªfor a moment. ¡°Oh,¡± she finally said when her eyes refocused. ¡°You want to increase strength before I start cooking.¡± She nodded seriously a few times. ¡°Good idea. Don¡¯t want to interfere in my fried chicken.¡± ¡°No... well... yes,¡± Derek replied. ¡°But it¡¯s more than just that.¡± His gazed moved over to Alanah, and since he had stopped keeping secrets from the woman, he continued, ¡°This will put all of our stats over the 1,500 point cap, and I¡¯m not sure what will happen.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Alanah said as she lowered her head in thought. ¡°Well, it is something that you and you alone control, so if you are unsure, you could always wait to do so. Though, I have to admit, I am beyond curious as to what will happen myself.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Derek replied. Congratulations You have brought your strength to the maximum system allotment. You are at the top of users in ¡®The Great System¡¯ in strength. Be proud of yourself as few users ever reach such heights. The first notification was the normal spiel that he had received and ignored pretty much every time that he brought one of his stats to the 1,500 point cap. Again, he ignored the general notification and dismissed it. The next notification was different, and it brought with it more meaning. ... Congratulations! New Title unlocked! User cannot currently receive Titles. ... That was a notification he had seen before, back when he evolved. He had other Titles waiting for him for whenever he advanced¡ªat least, if that was how it worked. The notification also showed him that, even though the Origin System seemed to have gone, it was still somehow watching Derek, even if it wasn¡¯t completely focused on him anymore. Surprisingly, the next notification was from the Origin System, as well, and actually answered one of his questions. ... Advance to receive unlocked Titles. One out of two requirements met for advancement! Meet more requirements for advancement. Congratulations on all your current accomplishments! We eagerly await your future achievements! ... Derek breathed a breath of disappointment. He just knew that getting all of his stats to 1,500 points was going to do it. ¡°Well?¡± Alanah eagerly asked again. ¡°No advancement,¡± Derek said, dejected. ¡°It was a long shot anyway,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Did you receive anything at all?¡± Derek moved his eyes to the final notification he hadn¡¯t opened yet. With a thought, he opened it¡ªit was an Achievement. As Dave had said, some Achievements and Titles were universal, and it appeared that he had just unlocked another one. Chapter 461: The Impossible Chapter 461: The Impossible Derek went over the new Achievement in front of him a few times¡ªnot really knowing what was going on. He understood that he had received an Achievement, but he had never had one that was so... odd. Finally, he decided to go over it one last time just to make sure he wasn¡¯t missing something. Achievement ¡®The Impossible¡¯ Unlocked ??????? Requesting assistance from another system... Requesting assistance from another system... What does all of this mean? Derek had gained another Achievement, but it didn¡¯t seem like the ¡®Great System¡¯ was able to award him for it. However, instead of just ending in failure, it seemed that the Great System¡ªor maybe Dave¡ªwas opting to request help from another system. Derek wondered if it would even work¡ªwould the Origin System be the one to help, or would it be some entirely different system? What happens if the request is denied? ¡°Derek... dear... are you... okay?¡± Alanah muttered almost silently from in front of him, like she was afraid to interrupt him if there was something important going on. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Derek said, shifting his eyes from the odd message in front of him to the siren. ¡°It¡¯s just... the Achievement that I¡¯ve earned is nothing but a bunch of question marks. And it looks like the Great System is trying to...¡± Derek had to stop talking, as an immeasurable sense of dread overcame him. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. ¡°It looks like that¡¯s about as much as I can tell you right now.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m even more curious... damn systems and their secrets,¡± Alanah said. She was obviously a little fed up with all the secrets she had to forceably keep¡ªespecially after not being able to explain to those she treasured why exactly she was going to have to leave them. And why wouldn¡¯t she be? She had every right to be. ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek muttered back to her. ¡°Let¡¯s see... what can I tell you? Uh... It looks like it¡¯s going to take a minute for the Achievement reward to be given to me.¡± ¡°I have never heard of anything like that,¡± Alanah said. ¡°An Achievement that is given out instantly? That is so very interesting.¡± ¡°Yeah... sorry,¡± Derek said. ¡°No worries,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything you can do about it. It is just something that I¡¯ll have to try to find out on my own¡ªor maybe, if we are able to meet again after I leave, you will be able to tell me then.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll certainly see,¡± Derek said. ¡°I look forward to it...¡± ¡®Stupid Origin System?¡¯ Derek received from Silvi, who had been silently listening to their conversation. ¡®Seems to be,¡¯ he replied. ¡®The Achievement is hung, and the Great System¡ªor even Dave¡ªis requesting assistance in rewarding me the Achievement.¡¯ ¡®Well, tell it to hurry up,¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®I have chicken to cook.¡¯ ¡®If only I could...¡¯ After that, the three of them¡ªalong with Alanah¡¯s Deathsworn¡ªstood in silence for some time. Every once in a while, Derek pulled up the notification just to see if it had made any progress. Requesting assistance from another system... Requesting assistance from another system... Requesting assistance from another system... ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever...¡± He was about to suggest they start heading toward their next destination when he noticed a change. ¡°You don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll ever... what?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°One second,¡± Derek said, holding up a hand. ¡°It looks like something is happening with the Achievement. Requesting assistance from another system... Requesting assistance from another system... Connected to other system... You have earned a one-time, permanent stat boost of 10% of your distributed stat points, or 150 points into each stat¡ªwhichever is smaller. Note: This (Title) Achievement has been graciously granted by a stronger system, and thus, will be carried with you throughout your journey. Derek stared dumbfounded at the Achievement he¡¯d just received. After going over it time and time again, there was really only one thing that he kept thinking over and over. Did I just get an Achievement because my stats are... over 9,000? In his head, it made sense that such an accomplishment would lead to earning an Achievement. After all, six stats that all have a breakthrough at 1,500 stat points do equal 9,000 points. But to think there was an Achievement out there for being over 9,000¡ªDerek thought the systems had to have been messing with him. Or does it have a different description for other people? At least the Achievement isn¡¯t called ¡®Over 9,000,¡¯ Derek thought. I don¡¯t know if I could take my Achievements seriously if that was the case. ¡°Well?¡± Alanah finally couldn¡¯t keep herself from asking again. Derek didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been staring in space going of his new Achievement, so he quickly closed the notification and looked at Alanah with a crooked smile. ¡°I got the Achievement,¡± he said. ¡°Can you speak about it?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°I think I may be able to,¡± Derek said. The Achievement was one that looked like it could be universally given, and if a system couldn¡¯t deliver it, it could always get assistance from the Origin System... maybe. Or, Dave could just be treating me special for some reason¡ªhe already has before. With a mental shrug, Derek locked eyes with Alanah and said, ¡°It¡¯s an Achievement called ¡®The Impossible.¡¯ ¡°Is it for having a breakthrough in all available stats?¡± Alanah questioned. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that simple,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is not just about the stats. Apparently, you have to distribute over 9,000 stat points to get it. I don¡¯t actually think it has anything to do with a breakthrough in all six stats. I feel like I could have put all my stat points into vitality and still earned the Achievement.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± Alanah furrowed her brow. ¡°What about the question marks that stop your stat sheet from allowing any stats to show over 1,500? If they continue to block that, then how would you go over 9,000 and get to 9,001? You would be stuck.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek muttered. What can I say about that? I got rid of those question marks at the same time that I got my mythic class. But I also got them after I evolved, and I don¡¯t think I can speak about the evolution. Is the evolution tied to getting a mythic class? Or can you get one without evolving? Derek thought about it for a minute, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t have those question marks. They were removed after... I got my mythic class.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Alanah muttered and frowned. ¡°But,¡± Derek said, gathering her attention again. ¡°It¡¯s not something that most people should, or can, worry about.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Getting that many points was only part of the requirements for the Achievement. The other part is doing it before you reach level 250,¡± he explained. I now have another goal for Thomas and Brandi, though. I¡¯ll have to pump them so full of Void Beast meals that they¡¯ll dread the sight of them. But how do I push them to evolve? Honestly, Derek thought that it wouldn¡¯t be too hard for Brandi to get to the point of evolution. Whether it was from earning a mythic class or his affinity with his element reaching a certain level, Derek was sure that with the young smith¡¯s hard work and dedication to her craft, she would reach those points and evolve. The only question was whether she could do it before she reached level 250. She was taking close to the same route as Derek, after all. She already had a legendary class. It was only a matter of time before she turned it to mythic. Thomas, on the other hand, was a different story. He would have to work his ass off to get to that point, and Derek didn¡¯t know if the boy would be able to. How do you even increase your affinity with the ¡®soul¡¯ element? Does he just need to meditate for a few hundred years? Will that do it? Or maybe it has something to do with willpower? Derek would need to talk with the boy about it, and they would have to experiment at some point. ¡°I see,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Having that as an additional requirement would make such a feat nigh impossible.¡± Derek couldn¡¯t help himself from grinning at the woman¡¯s words. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°That¡¯s the name of the Achievement,¡± Derek answered. ¡°The Impossible.¡± ¡°Very suiting.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± he chuckled. ¡°Do you mind sharing your reward for earning it?¡± Alanah finally asked. ¡°Not at all, if it will let me,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Basically, when you unlock the Achievement, you earn 900 extra stat points. It says it rewards the lesser of 150 points for each stat or 10 percent of total distributed stats, but that basically means that it rewards 900 stat points.¡± Which for me is... Derek did some quick math in his head. Almost 26 levels since I get 35 stat points per level right now. ¡°I see,¡± Alanah said. ¡°That is quite the reward. It would take years or even decades of consuming Void Beast meals to earn that much, and that is if you space them far enough apart that your body doesn¡¯t build up a tolerance.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining.¡± ¡°I believe that it is impossible...¡± Alanah grinned when she said the word. ¡°... that you are not the strongest person in this system or that other system you mentioned.¡± Once again, she thought of something else and her brow furrowed. ¡°If you don¡¯t have those question marks anymore, does that mean that your level cap isn¡¯t level 250 like the rest of us?¡± ¡°Actually...¡± Derek said. ¡°I... have no idea.¡± Chapter 462: We Wait Chapter 462: We Wait ¡°It has certainly been something that I¡¯ve thought about since the question marks disappeared and I was able to see numbers above 1,500,¡± Derek explained to the siren. ¡°I would be the same,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Currently, I am interested in what it takes to unlock such a possibility. Even though I am soon to ascend, I continue to have the ¡®cap¡¯ of 1,500 stat points in each stat. However, I know that it is one of the things which you cannot explain to me, and that reaching a mythic rarity class seems to not be the real reason, so I will cease my questioning on the subject.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Derek said. It was easy enough for Alanah to read between the lines of his explanation and to know that there was likely more to it than just earning a mythic class. Still, there was a chance that he unlocked the cap by obtaining the class¡ªeven if it was much, much less likely than it being caused by the evolution. This was especially so based on the little that Dave had explained to him about essence. ¡°I am very anxious to raise my level to 250, but, at the same time, I don¡¯t want to rush and miss the opportunity to raise my skills at a faster pace.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it on my part,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get there naturally while we run dungeons...¡± he continued. ¡°Speaking of which...¡± Derek nodded his head at Alanah to take out her map of the dungeons. ¡°Right!¡± Alanah nodded back, then, with a flick of her wrist, the same map as before appeared. Alanah held the map up and traced her index finger down it. ¡°I was thinking that from here, we can go to this dungeon here.¡± Derek walked over to beside the siren and studied where she was pointing. ¡°One in Astrus... er... Indaria?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alanah replied. As he continued to look at the dungeon and everything around it, he asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to go to this one?¡± The dungeon she had selected was decent, but it wasn¡¯t anything special. It was another one sort of like the golem dungeon, except with a low number of bigger beasts. As for the reward, it was common weapons¡ªsuch as bows, swords, and daggers. ¡°What kind of rarity are we looking at with the weapon reward?¡± ¡°Nothing that you or I would use,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Nor any higher tier member of noble society.¡± ¡°Then why select this one?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I figured that it would help with your skills while not providing a ton of experience points, and the reward can help you fill your shop with some mid-level quality weapons,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°It is a win-win.¡± ¡°And nothing in it for you?¡± Derek asked. He¡¯d already gone over this. ¡°Still just the ones that you selected to help me and nothing for you?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Alanah started. ¡°That¡¯s a no, then,¡± Derek said. ¡°Go ahead and mark out any of the dungeons you are doing solely because of me or my people. Then we can choose what to do next.¡± ¡°About that...¡± Alanah went through and did as Derek had asked, and, in the end, there were only a few dungeons left. ¡°There aren¡¯t many.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Derek said. ¡°You wanted to go to the other continent anyway, right? You¡¯re under a time crunch¡ªif we do all the ones you¡¯ve selected just for me, then we¡¯ll never make it there before you have to go.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Okay,¡± from beside them, they heard Silvi¡¯s voice chime in. ¡°I¡¯m going to go cook chicken now. Be back later. If you find a juicy, tasty dungeon, don¡¯t forget to come get me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Derek replied to his bunny companion. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°No,¡± Alanah said with a shake of her head. ¡°There are still Deathsworn that are not here remaining. But these were the strongest¡ªand would have been the biggest problems of the bunch if they were ever to break away from my control. I will take care of the rest before I leave. Right now, they have been given the command to gather, so it will be easy for me to handle later on.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek replied as Alanah stored the bodies in one of her storage rings. ¡°I guess that¡¯s it, then.¡± With a thought, he summoned a portal through Void Travel, then, with Void Sense activated at its max, he locked on to where he planned on taking Alanah. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Alanah came forth and stood in front of Derek¡ªbetween him and the portal. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Derek said as he placed his right hand on the woman¡¯s right shoulder, then his left on her side¡ªby her hip. Once he had a good hold of the siren, he slowly formed a thin armor of void around her. Derek went ahead and stretched it over himself, too, so it would completely cover any storage items. Then, he stepped inside¡ªmaking sure to close the entrance once he did. Moments later, Derek walked out of the portal while carefully carrying Alanah. He closed the portal behind him, then looked around. They were in a very small clearing inside a forest. The clearing definitely wasn¡¯t natural and was something he¡¯d created a while ago. ¡°This is...¡± Alanah started. ¡°We¡¯re pretty close to Savannah,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s where I farmed a bunch of Void Beasts before. It may not have been such a good idea doing it at a place so close to Savannah before, but now, I don¡¯t think we have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alanah muttered. ¡°So we are due east of that golem dungeon that is close to Savannah.¡± ¡°You really are well informed,¡± Derek confirmed. ¡°Give me one second,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then we can get started.¡± Derek jumped into the air with Void Steps and went higher and higher. The odds were that they were alone, but he wanted to make sure. He gave the entire area a few scans to make sure there weren¡¯t any people that could get caught up in their actions close by. Once he confirmed that they were alone¡ªat least as far as he could tell¡ªhe came back down. ¡°Are we clear?¡± Alanah asked, already knowing what Derek was doing. ¡°Seem to be,¡± Derek confirmed. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked. He sure was, though. After all, Void Call was the skill that he needed to level up the most, but also the skill that was hard to do so. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to see this with my own eyes,¡± Alanah said as she took a step back to allow Derek to do his thing. ¡°I am ready.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Derek replied. Then, with his eyes closed, he thought about activating Void Call. He felt the void energy rush throughout his body as always, then it gathered toward the top of his head. He felt the void build and build until, after a bit, it was all gathered. Finally, all the void energy needed was gathered, and it exploded from him and shot into the sky. That was much easier than any of the times before, he thought. This time, the skill hadn¡¯t almost depleted his mana¡ªhe still had plenty left to work with. In fact, he had enough that he could use the skill again before it even regenerated any. Still, he made sure to keep Greater Meditation going for his mana to recover even quicker. ¡°There we go,¡± he said to Alanah, who had watched the beam shoot into the air until it slowly vanished. ¡°So it is more like a beacon that draws them to it,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Derek replied. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°What do we do?¡± Derek mirrored her question. ¡°Easy... we wait.¡± Chapter 463: The Real Beast Chapter 463: The Real Beast As Derek had found out before when he was farming Void Beasts by himself, the call to draw the beasts near was near instant, but their response was not. So, once he watched the purple beam of void energy disappear and focused on regaining his mana, he let out a sigh. ¡°If we are going to be farming Void Beasts, shouldn¡¯t we message Avery and Silvi to come out? I¡¯m sure our communication crystals would work with us being this close to Savannah,¡± Derek asked Alanah, who was standing by, waiting for the Void Beast to appear. ¡°I doubt Silvi will like the fact that I didn¡¯t bring her out to do this with me.¡± ¡°I think it will be okay,¡± Alanah replied as she continued to look up at the sky where the energy had disappeared. ¡°I only want to do this to satisfy my own curiosity and because I suddenly have a little extra time to spare since we skipped so many of those dungeons I had picked out for you...¡± she continued. ¡°Besides, I only want a few of them¡ªenough to see how your skill works and to see if we can get one of the better ones. After that, we can cross the sea and I can take care of a few... loose ends.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Derek said. ¡°But you have to tell Silvi that it was your idea if she asks. I would rather not spend my mornings eating burnt toast and scrambled eggs.¡± That was just about the only thing that Derek could cook, other than the usual steak and potatoes. He¡¯d also become quite proficient in frying fish before the system came. ¡°Silvi would never ruin food just for revenge,¡± Alanah said. ¡°No,¡± Derek replied. ¡°She definitely wouldn¡¯t. But she would refuse to cook for me, and then cook extra just so she could eat it in front of me.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Alanah touched her chin in thought. ¡°Yeah, I could see her doing that.¡± As Derek was about to speak again, his Void Sense caused him to turn his head to look into the sky. Sure enough, he saw a fluctuation of void energy leaking out. And soon after that, the telltale sign of a Void Beast appearing began. A pounding sound like that of a hammer beating on a hollow drum began sounding out from the sky. ¡°This is it?¡± Alanah asked¡ªher eyes locked on the part of the sky where the pounding seemed to be coming from. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek answered. ¡°It¡¯s the typical appearance of a Void Beast,¡± he explained. ¡°This is a pretty good-sized one, too.¡± ¡°You can see it?¡± ¡°I can see the energy it¡¯s emitting,¡± Derek replied. ¡°It¡¯s not the strongest that I¡¯ve seen, but it should be just a bit less powerful than ones that are able to speak intelligently. Actually, there¡¯s a possibility that it will be able to speak now that I think about it.¡± ¡°Exciting,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°What now? Will it just break out? Will it make a Portal and come out?¡± ¡°How did it work with that skill? Portal?¡± Derek asked. ¡°There was no warning like this,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°The beast would just somehow find its way to the tunnel that connected both sides of a portal, then it would come out of one of the exits.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°This looks like it is more like how they tend to escape when being chased by a being more powerful,¡± Alanah continued. ¡°How it shatters the sky, then jumps inside¡ªallowing the sky to heal behind it.¡± He was able to watch as multiple emotions appeared on the savage beast¡¯s face throughout the process. At first, before Derek used even Void Sense, the beast looked rabid¡ªlike it wanted to kill anything and everything in sight. Then, when some of his aura leaked out with Void Sense, all of its focus was drawn to him, and it seemed like it wanted to do the same to him as the first intelligent Void Beast he fought did¡ªit wanted to take him out before he got too powerful. Then, when he began letting more and more of his aura seep out, he watched as the beast¡¯s anger and ferociousness changed to caution and hesitation. But Derek¡¯s aura continued to pour out and become stronger and stronger, which led the beast¡¯s caution to be replaced by fear. Derek had never seen such a look of fear in a beast¡¯s eyes before. With that look of fear, the Void Beast no longer wanted to be there, and its body instinctively began to turn in an attempt to flee. Unfortunately for the Void Beast, Derek still wasn¡¯t finished unleashing his aura at that time. No, he pushed it harder and unleashed more until he could no longer do so¡ªuntil it actually became mentally draining to just direct it. At that point, the beast was no longer scared, cautious, or mad... it looked... emotionless. The beast was now standing stock still, and the look in its eyes displayed absolutely no emotion. It was like it had accepted its fate that it was going to die, and now stood there, waiting for it to happen. With the intelligent and aware Void Beasts, it seemed they were able to instinctively feel or see the void running through Derek, as, the last time he faced off against one, it instantly tried to run as soon as its feet hit the ground. However, it turned out that the Void Beast, now in front of him, hadn¡¯t quite gathered such an amount of intelligence or awareness, and relied strictly on its emotions and instincts. ¡°I... think it¡¯s catatonic,¡± Alanah said from the side, causing Derek to break out of his thoughts. ¡°That would seem to be the case,¡± Derek said. ¡°Let¡¯s see if it regains its vigor when I cancel my aura.¡± With those words, Derek withdrew his aura and even turned his Void Sense down a bit. ¡°Whew...¡± Alanah let out a breath from the side. ¡°That was a bit more than I was expecting.¡± ¡°I told you to prepare yourself,¡± Derek replied with a smirk. ¡°More than I was expecting, but not near enough to really affect me,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Even so, did you see your surroundings?¡± ¡°My surroundings?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I was focused on the Void Beast the whole time.¡± He nodded at the beast, which had yet to regain the light in its eyes, and was still staring blankly at nothing. ¡°Mhm...¡± Alanah nodded her head in confirmation. ¡°The surrounding space was distorted by your aura... Like... actually distorted. It even had a small amount of that dreadful feeling that your traveling skill has when you or Silvi use it.¡± ¡°Oh... really?¡± Derek asked, but didn¡¯t wait for an answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that is a good or bad thing.¡± Many different thoughts ran through his head. It seemed like every time his power increased, he was left with more and more questions about it. ¡°If it¡¯s like inside the portal created by Void Travel,¡± he started. ¡°Then, what would happen if someone like... Thomas was around me when I went full out? Would the void hurt him physically like it does inside the tunnel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But I was standing this close to you, and I¡¯m no worse for wear.¡± The half elf siren turned her hands and arms over and examined them. ¡°Not missing any health points either,¡± she continued. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a visual thing? Or the beginnings of a natural evolution of your aura?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. ¡°But I¡¯m going to have to be very careful with it from now on, and only use it when there are no allies around.¡± ¡°That would probably be for the best,¡± Alanah agreed. ¡°Now...¡± Derek raised his hand again and pointed at the near comatose Void Beast in front of him. The beast was still showing no signs of coming to. Am I the real void beast now? He wondered, but didn¡¯t think too long about it. Instead, he shoved those thoughts aside and asked Alanah, ¡°What are we going to do with that?¡± Chapter 464: Unexpected Chapter 464: Unexpected ¡°Umm...¡± Alanah rubbed her chin in thought. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she finally said, after thinking for a few moments. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a Void Beast so... passive. They are usually either very angrily rushing toward whoever is closest, or very angrily running away because of their instincts telling them to flee.¡± The woman walked up to the beast, then, with her pointer finger, poked it on the back of its head, which was hanging toward the ground. Still, the beast made no attempt to move at all or any other reaction to Alanah. ¡°That was... unexpected.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Derek replied with a frown. With the beast being one of the stronger ones, but still not quite there in the intelligence or sentience department, Derek thought of an idea¡ªespecially since it seemed the beast was completely checked out. ¡°Do you mind if I keep this one?¡± he asked Alanah, since it was her idea to gather a few of the beasts. He had originally planned on waiting for when he and Avery went hunting to do what he was thinking, but since the beast was right there... ¡°Go ahead,¡± Alanah said, poking the beast once again, this time with more of a shove. The beast made to fall, but somehow righted itself before it did so. ¡°So... it still has some reflexes and instincts...¡± Alanah muttered, then took her eyes off the beast and moved them back to Derek. With a shrug, she said, ¡°You summoned it. You... well... you disabled it. So, it¡¯s yours,¡± she explained. Derek took a small step toward her and the beast that she was standing beside. He cracked his knuckles and prepared to use a skill. ¡°Wait one moment,¡± Alanah muttered, stopping Derek before he could go any further. ¡°Can you do anything else with the beast? Can you control it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Derek said with a shake of his head. ¡°But not for the lack of trying. I thought, and still think, that at some point, I will be able to do something with them. I don¡¯t know if it will be full control like you are able to do with your Deathsworn. I can feel... something in the back of my mind when I focus my aura on the beast, but I just can¡¯t quite do anything with it... other than, apparently... disable the beast completely. But I¡¯m not sure if that is part of the feeling or just because of how strong my aura has gotten. I also wonder if I¡¯ll be able to do the same with even stronger ones, or if this beast is my current limit.¡± ¡°Well, with the way the beast reacted, I think there is a good chance that you will be able to do much more, and to much stronger beasts,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Even if it is only a reaction to your current aura, I think there is still quite the gap between most Void Beasts and the current you... Now, what exactly are you planning to do right now, anyway?¡± ¡°Oh, well... you see,¡± Derek began speaking, but also reached out and activated his Time Prison skill at the same time, ripping the space open, then opening the door leading to the lobby as he did. ¡°As you know, it seems that no matter what I do, unless I cover something or someone in a sort of void casing, they are pretty much destroyed when going inside the tunnel I create to travel with¡ªat least when it comes to organic things. The same is true for when I put things inside my Time Prison and try to travel with them. I have yet to think of a way to keep them preserved inside the prison while I travel on the outside... at least for the most part.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Alanah said as she listened to Derek. ¡°So then...¡± ¡°Well... it¡¯s mostly just curiosity, but I want to see if a regular Void Beast is able to stay alive like both me and Silvi are when we are inside that part of the void. I¡¯m not sure what I will be able to do with the information I end up with, but, if nothing else, it will satisfy my curiosity, and perhaps even make it easier to level my Time Prison skill because I¡¯ll at least be able to keep a Void Beast inside without dying... if it works.¡± Derek¡¯s current plan, if he needed to move everyone all at the same time, was very dependent on how large of a pot and lid Silvi could create with her Void Creation skill. If Derek could combine her transport pots with his Time Prison, then it would make things even better. He could¡ªprobably¡ªuse his skill to make it where Silvi wouldn¡¯t need to keep her skill active for as long as he had to travel. No skills were able to grow when inside his Time Prison once the door was shut, but his companion should at least still be able to shield the others with her skill while inside. Hopefully, after their latest round of upgrades to their stats, the young bunny would be able to use Void Creation at an even higher level than before. However, the two of them still have a good amount of room left to grow stronger and enhance their current abilities, so even if his companion couldn¡¯t yet, he suspected that she would be able to in the future. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Though he still wasn¡¯t sure about how the time difference would work once he entered the ¡®deeper¡¯ part of the void created by Void Travel. And that is where his plan to toss a Void Beast inside came in. That, and, as he told Alanah, he hoped that maintaining a Void Beast or two inside his Time Prison would help him level it up since he very well couldn¡¯t keep normal system users or beasts inside without them dying. With the door to the prison open, Derek stepped forward, reached up, and placed his hands on the shoulders of the Void Beast. He half expected it to break out of its stunned gaze and attack, but it didn¡¯t move so much as a finger, with Derek standing right in front of it. With a shrug, he squeezed lightly on the shoulders, getting a good grip, then lifted. ¡°And that list will keep growing bigger and bigger,¡± Alanah replied with a nod. ¡°Just look at me,¡± she continued. ¡°I thought I was finished with my own growth, yet still had dozens or more questions I was never able to answer in my life. Then, I reached the second requirement, got an answer to one of my questions, then had to add even more questions to my list of ¡®things I don¡¯t know.¡¯ It seems that if you don¡¯t have a growing list like that, you have either given up, don¡¯t care, or are completely daft.¡± ¡°Or you have made it all the way to the top and have had them all answered,¡± Derek chimed in. ¡°Yeah... okay,¡± Alanah rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s something for you to aim for now that you know that this...¡± Derek motioned to their surrounding with both his arms sticking out. ¡°... isn¡¯t the end of everything. Hell, it quite possibly could just be the beginning.¡± ¡°Oh, more questions,¡± Alanah said with a light chuckle. ¡°Just what I was looking forward to.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Derek replied. ¡°Now, shall we get back to work?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± After that, Derek activated Void Call again, surprisingly leveling up the skill to level five from level four in the process. I guess I was already pretty close to gaining that level, he thought as he watched the beam of void energy dissipate into the sky. Soon enough, another Void Beast came knocking. This time, the Void Beast that was summoned was not a particularly strong one. So, Derek answered the knock by jumping into the sky and helping out. He ripped pieces of the shattered sky out and let them fall and disappear. Finally, he was able to make out some of the Void Beast inside. Instead of waiting and removing more and more of the sky with the beast, he reached inside and grabbed the creature with all of his strength, then he pulled. He ripped the beast out of the void and tossed it down¡ªdirectly at Alanah. With barely a movement, Alanah held up her rapier and the beast¡¯s head was impaled directly onto the blade. Like that, the beast was dead and already stored inside Alanah¡¯s storage ring. Derek raised his eyebrow in question, but Alanah only shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t strong enough to be worth any extra effort,¡± Alanah said as Derek came down, allowing the sky to heal itself again. ¡°Can you go again?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Derek replied. ¡°It used to be a very taxing skill to use, now... it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alanah said. ¡°How about summoning multiple at a time?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Chapter 465: Its Your Show Chapter 465: It''s Your Show Derek closed his eyes and felt the void building up inside him once again. With another thought, he activated his skill, and the gathered energy exploded into the sky again. Instead of changing his focus to recovering his mana this time, Derek prepared Void Call again. Before any Void Beast made a move to break out of the void, Derek already had another beam of energy flying into the sky. But he didn¡¯t stop there. His natural recovery was amazing, and he¡¯d also already gotten used to keeping Greater Meditation activated whenever possible. So, he still had plenty of mana left to use the skill again... and again. He was, after all, with probably the strongest person from his current system¡ªother than himself, of course. So, what point would there be in being careful? He did believe that there were Void Beasts out there who could give Alanah a run for her money, but he didn¡¯t believe that there would be any stronger than him¡ªat least not in his current system... and not after many of the things he¡¯d learned. Specifically, he recalled Dave speaking to him about the ¡®level¡¯ of Void Beasts he would be able to call. The mysterious elf had been pretty confident that the strongest Void Beast that he could bring to him would be close to how strong Derek was at the end of the raid. Since then, he had increased his stats and skills by not a small amount, so, putting two and two together, he figured that, if he believed the elf¡ªwhich he did, at least about that¡ªthen there would be no worries for him and Alanah no matter how many he called at once. And, on top of all of that, it would give him a chance to see and prepare for whenever he did the same with Silvi and Avery. A little preparation never hurt anyone, and I doubt I could find a better time than with Alanah right here by my side, he thought to himself as he shot a third beam of void energy into the sky with his skill. With all that in mind, Derek went ahead and used his skill two more times before stopping when he heard a loud crash coming from above that could only be a Void Beast arriving. In total, Derek was able to fire off five Void Calls before the Void Beast made itself known. Unfortunately for the beast, it wasn¡¯t even as strong as the previous one. However, before Derek jumped into the air to give it a hand with breaking out, Alanah disappeared and reappeared in the sky close to the cracks. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve done this,¡± she looked down at Derek and shouted to him. ¡°Not all Void Beasts are even able to break through, so I¡¯ve had to ¡®help¡¯ my fair share back on the other continent. I can¡¯t let you have all the fun.¡± ¡°You do you,¡± Derek replied to the siren with a shrug, and the half elf did. Using her rapier as a sort of pry-bar, Alanah jammed it into one of the bigger cracks and went to work. Piece after piece fell out and vanished before hitting the ground, but soon enough, a disappointingly small Void Beast appeared. When it saw the person helping it out, it let out a loud roar. Derek considered the beast disappointing because it was small, but not small enough to be one of the Void Beasts that carried the vital blood. This also meant that it wasn¡¯t large enough to be a beast that would end up giving particularly good stats. Sure, nobody would complain about getting a meal or potion made from it, but there were far better ¡®ingredients¡¯¡ªas Silvi would put it. The beast roared again, then vaulted out of the void. But, before its entire body even cleared the hole, it had grown its own hole in its head courtesy of Alanah¡¯s lightning quick rapier skills. Its roar was immediately silenced, and its body was stored in the blink of an eye. If Derek hadn¡¯t been watching closely, he may have even missed the death of the beast. ¡°That was disappointing,¡± Alanah raised her voice again and said to Derek. Derek began to reply to her, but before he did, he saw a giant claw with razor-like nails reach out of the break in the sky and grab Alanah¡ªgripping most of her upper arm and a good portion of the armor on her shoulder. The siren¡¯s eyes widened, then realization struck her and she smiled. A massive Void Beast appeared behind the claw, and just as it made to strike down on the siren with its other claw, Alanah flicked the blade of her rapier with her finger. The first claw released the siren, then mirrored the second when the massive Void Beast reached for the sides of its head to protect itself from Alanah¡¯s attack. The next moment, the beast had six holes in its chest and it fell forward out of the void, flipping end over end until finally crashing into the ground. The beast hadn¡¯t died instantly, but not long after touching the ground, it breathed its last breath. ¡°It¡¯s your show,¡± Derek muttered, not sure if Alanah was even able to hear him. He directed his skill into the sky once again, then focused on Greater Meditation to bring his mana back up so he could continue doing so. The next time he used the skill, he was pleasantly surprised when he gained another level in it¡ªgrowing Void call to level 6. A bit over an hour and a half of constantly using the skill to gain the level¡ªand that was with the potion... Is it leveling quicker than it should because Alanah is fighting creatures not from this system and I¡¯m close by, technically having a part in the battle since I am continuously directing a skill in their direction? There were so many things that Derek didn¡¯t know, but, like usual, he shrugged and continued. ¡°I just leveled the skill!¡± He shouted up at Alanah so she would be able to hear him. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± she shouted back as her rapier pierced the skull of a particularly huge beast¡ªkilling it instantly. Once again, Derek fell into a rhythm with casting his skill, and Alanah fell into a rhythm slaughtering. However, after another hour or two¡ªDerek completely lost count after leveling his skill¡ªVoid Beasts stopped appearing in the sky. Alanah ripped at the cracks for a short while¡ªkeeping it open for any would be summoned beasts, but nothing ever came. ¡°Huh...¡± Alanah shrugged when she landed beside Derek. The two watched the sky completely heal. ¡°Was that all of them? Surely not...¡± ¡°Yeah, I doubt it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Maybe they got wise to what was going on, or you slaughtered all of them that were kind of close by. Like I said, I don¡¯t really know the details of how the skill works. I¡¯m not sure if more will come here or not. And I¡¯m not sure that more will come if we leave Cydaria and go to... Indaria and try there,¡± he explained. ¡°So, what do you want to do?¡± ¡°Well, I was having quite a bit of fun slaying Void Beasts,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°There is just something about them that makes them very fun to fight. I¡¯m not sure if you noticed, but there were a few that could even talk in the bunch that I fought.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Derek asked, with brows raised. ¡°I didn¡¯t see them. You must have taken them out before they even poked their heads out of the hole.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Alanah nodded. ¡°The first two, I was just mechanically killing, and barely heard them say a word or two before they died,¡± she explained. ¡°The last one gave me the ¡®how dare you¡¯ spiel before it died.¡± ¡°Ah... one of those...¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Should we go?¡± Alanah finally asked after standing silent for a bit. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like...¡± she started, but was interrupted by a single, massive pounding sound from the sky where she just was at. Both Derek and Alanah looked up to see what was going on. Shockingly, instead of the sky breaking piece by piece, it spider-webbed, then, with another bang, an entire large area of the sky was destroyed¡ªrevealing a Void Beast that was about the same size as Derek. ¡°Looks like the boss has arrived,¡± Alanah said as she pulled out her rapier and slowly began to transform into her Dawn Siren form. With her now unsettling, seductive voice, she said, ¡°This one is mine, too.¡± Chapter 466: New Boss? Chapter 466: New Boss? Looking up at the broken sky and into the void, Derek stared at the beast. The way it had shattered the sky and caused shards to fly at a nearly unperceivable pace automatically told him that the beast they were dealing with was one with intelligence. None that he faced, other than the ones that had this intelligence, had the ability and power to cause the sky to fracture and break out of the void in such a manner. Yet somehow, it looked different from any of the other Void Beasts he¡¯d seen since coming to his current system. Mostly, that was due to its size, or lack of, that is. Its body was almost identical in size to Derek¡¯s own body after he had gone through his evolution¡ªthe perfect body for him. And, from what he was able to tell from the distance, it was actually very close in height to him. But, after staring at it for a few moments, it finally clicked. It has a sort of void aura that none of the other ones I¡¯ve me have, not only that, but its coloring is much closer to the void element. All the Void Beasts he¡¯d fought so far had been very dark gray with various shades of void purple. However, with the beast in front of him, it no longer had that dark gray coloring¡ªits entire body was the same color as his own void energy. ¡°Hold on,¡± Derek said to Alanah as she prepared to launch herself up into the sky to battle the creature. ¡°Wait for a second before you attack.¡± ¡°What?¡± she half snapped back¡ªher siren form causing her personality to become on edge and icier than before. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different, don¡¯t you see?¡± Derek replied. ¡°Just look at it.¡± He pointed at the beast above them. ¡°Look at the coloring, the size... feel the aura.¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Alanah muttered, then closed her eyes for a moment before releasing her own terrifying aura¡ªcausing her own to clash with the beast¡¯s for a moment. ¡°Hmm...¡± she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Derek after withdrawing her aura. ¡°Its aura feels very similar to your own. Not as... intense, and not as controlled, but very similar.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek said. ¡°And have you noticed?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That it is studying us,¡± Derek answered. ¡°When have you ever seen a Void Beast break out of the void and not try to come out? Not to mention, you directly hit it with your aura just then, and it didn¡¯t do much more than wince¡ªI was watching it the whole time.¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen one of the beasts behave like this¡ªnot try to jump out of the portal, that is,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Well, unless it is met with a power force before and killed before it is able to come out. But this...¡± her tone wasn¡¯t as icy as it was before when she was geared for a fight and had her guard up, but it still held the edge it always had when she was transformed. ¡°Not only is it intelligent... it¡¯s cautious,¡± Derek said. ¡°I think it¡¯s more than just an intelligent Void Beast. I think it may be acting more like a person than a beast. Like it has much more control over itself. It is able to make the decision not to follow its bestial instincts.¡± ¡°So it does...¡± the siren replied, then closed her eyes again. Soon, what little aura she still had leaking out while in her siren form disappeared and her body changed back to that of a beautiful half-elf. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± she asked, her voice no longer biting, and the seductiveness toned down by a lot. ¡°I... don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. It almost seemed to be a waste if he were to just kill such a beast without speaking to it first. ¡°I¡¯m going to go see if it will talk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Fine by me,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Just stay a bit behind me. I don¡¯t want to spook it and cause it to attack instantly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the beast answered like it was the most natural thing to do. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Hmm... Derek thought. I guess cannibalism is just something the Void Beast would do. It made sense. It really was natural for many creatures and insects back on Earth¡ªthings like certain fish, reptiles, or spiders were known to eat their own kind under normal circumstances. Even wolves and bears would do so if food was scarce. Some species even used cannibalism as a way to control overcrowding. So, if a beast could get stronger in conditions such as the one that Void Beasts live in by consuming each other, why wouldn¡¯t they choose to do so? It really did seem... natural. ¡°I guess... it does make sense,¡± Derek said after thinking about it. ¡°It is just something that, as a human, is extremely frowned upon, and only the worst of humankind would do such a thing.¡± ¡°More than you would think,¡± Alanah said from behind him, causing him to turn and look. ¡°What? You never know what kind of skills and classes one may get, so it isn¡¯t uncommon to notice people disappearing. I have wiped out a line or two that I learned was doing such things¡ªand many other individuals. I would bet that if you asked Edwin or even Osian, they have done the same.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± He hadn¡¯t even thought about classes and skills. What would it take for one to be given such a class or skill by one of the systems? And, what kind of person would accept such a class over other choices? Sure, he¡¯d read novels and such about characters that consume skills or strength from killing, and that made sense. It was kind of the same with the essence or experience he gained from killing system users, but to have to actually consume someone... no, it was not something he would ever be able to do. However, it made him understand Silvi¡¯s obsession with elf burgers more. She was still a beast, after all. ¡°See? The pointed ear one understands,¡± the Void Beast said. ¡°And you... being a Void Beast that is... intelligent, don¡¯t feel or have any hesitation when doing so? There aren¡¯t any problems that occur by doing so?¡± Derek asked, still surprised that the beast was being as civil as it was. ¡°And you are just fine consuming your own kind?¡± ¡°Why would I have any hesitation? And ¡®my kind?¡¯ They are not my kind. They are only my kind in the fact that they look similar and become an existence in the same way, but they are no more than beasts. We are formed of the void¡ªeach of us is our own kind,¡± the creature explained. ¡°Oh...¡± That... sort of makes things different... I guess. I wonder if you took blood from two Void Beasts, if the DNA would show that they are even the same. The essence is what we are consuming... I guess it¡¯s not necessarily from their blood or parts. It¡¯s just the essence that has been stored inside their muscles, blood, and everything. ¡°Well... thanks for the information. You have given me some things to think about.¡± ¡°You asked, and I answered. That is all,¡± the beast said, still staring at the two of them with narrow eyes. With the way it was positioned in the air, it could likely attack at any given moment with no notice. ¡°So...¡± Derek said. ¡°Are you going to attack?¡± ¡°Attack?¡± the beast said, tilting its head once again¡ªkind of like a puppy would. ¡°Is there a need to attack? You did not attack.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then, you don¡¯t want to kill be because of my control over the void?¡± The beast looked deeply at Derek for a moment, then slightly shook its head. ¡°I cannot kill you. I can feel the void inside. Attacking would be nothing more than a death sentence, and I have worked too hard to throw my life away in such a meaningless struggle. Will you attack? Will you put an end to my progress and consume me? Like you will do to my ¡®kind?¡¯¡± ¡°That...¡± Derek turned and looked at Alanah. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But I think I¡¯ve hunted enough Void Beasts for today.¡± Chapter 467: Asher Chapter 467: Asher ¡°You know,¡± Derek said to Alanah. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll call it quits for Void Beast hunting today.¡± Then he turned back to look at the Void Beast in the air in front of him. ¡°Would you mind coming down with me and answering a few questions about the void and other things?¡± He asked because the beast didn¡¯t seem too opposed to having a conversation with a human, and he didn¡¯t know when he would get another opportunity like the one he currently had. The Void Beast shifted its eyes back and forth between Derek and Alanah, then, after a moment, it said, ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Derek replied before checking their surroundings one last time to make sure that there wasn¡¯t anyone around. Then, he canceled his Void Steps skill and started his free fall to the ground. This time, the ground wasn¡¯t muddy, so when he landed, it was perfect. Moments later, there were three reclining chairs¡ªone for each individual. ¡°This is interesting... decoration,¡± the Void Beast said. It had sat down and even showed a hint of emotion on its face when it did. Derek had only smiled at this scene. There was nothing like a set of comfortable chairs to ease a tense situation. ¡°So, first thing I have to ask since I have you here and it seems that you are open-minded... do you have a name?¡± ¡°A name?¡± the beast said back, then ever so slightly shook its head. ¡°No, I do not have a name. I have never had a reason to obtain one.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s odd calling or thinking of you as the ¡®Void Beast¡¯ or ¡®beast,¡¯ so I thought I would ask.¡± ¡°If it is better, you can call me whatever you like,¡± the beast said. ¡°Great!¡± Derek replied. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Asher!¡± He smiled widely when he said the name. It was true that the name didn¡¯t fit the Void Beast in front of him as well as it did the first beast he battled in Cydaria¡ªas this one was more of a pure void purple and not the ashy color of the others¡ªbut the name had been stuck in his head ever sense he met that Void Beast and thought it was his summoned creature, so he was finally going to use it. ¡°Asher...¡± the beast muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use it if you don¡¯t like it,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is fine,¡± the Void Beast¡ªAsher¡ªfinally said after saying the name a few times. ¡°I do not hate the name.¡± ¡°It will also be good for you to have a name in case you run into any other person or intelligent Void Beast later on and don¡¯t want to get into a fight,¡± Derek said. ¡°Nothing breaks the ice and lowers one¡¯s guard like introducing yourself with a name.¡± ¡°Then you have decided to let me live?¡± Asher asked once Derek was finished. ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°I would have let the last Void Beast that spoke to me live if it hadn¡¯t tried to end my life. I still don¡¯t know how I feel about eating meals made from Void Beasts after that.¡± ¡°Feel nothing,¡± Asher said. ¡°We ¡®Void Beasts¡¯ would not hesitate to eat you. Why should you hesitate to do the same?¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Derek said. ¡°Anyway... the previous Void Beast was very concerned over its kind and was basically trying to kill me over it all. If I recall the words correctly, it said that I was the enemy of all your kind, that when I call you must come. It was very adamant about killing me before I gained control. However, you don¡¯t seem to have that same worry... why is that?¡± ¡°A youngling...¡± Asher answered. ¡°A youngling?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes. The ¡®beast¡¯ you speak of must have been one that had only recently evolved its intelligence¡ªa baby, if you will,¡± Asher explained. ¡°Those pesky emotions are strong when one first develops intelligence. I did not have full control over my actions and thoughts when I first evolved my intelligence, either. Therefore, the beast must have either been a youngling or it could have been stupid and thought it could defeat and consume you. It could have been both.¡± ¡°Oh... what about the part where you must call when I come? It seems to have done the same with you, right? When I used my skill, you did show up. Isn¡¯t that something that you would want to stop?¡± Derek asked. For now, he ignored what the beast said about consuming him. ¡°It is true,¡± the beast said. ¡°When I felt the call, I had an urge to find it, so I did. But I am not a youngling. I do have control over my emotions. I may not have been able to resist the call, but it took dozens of them for me to arrive. If you would have stopped before, I would have never come. Even still, the urge vanished once I broke the void and found you. I did not have to leave the void. I could have turned around and gone back because of my emotional control.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You did not try to attack, and you stopped your pointy eared companion before she could attack. After that... I was curious, so I stepped out,¡± Asher answered. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t matter...¡± Derek said. Just how long would it take to have to do and learn everything on your own? If there are Void Beasts out there that do this, does that mean there are other beings that do the same as well? But... about Asher¡¯s skills... Derek thought, then asked, ¡°So, you learned Void Steps on your own? That skill that allowed you to stand in the air with me.¡± ¡°Yes... after much trial and error directing the void energy inside my body,¡± Asher said. ¡°Are there no Void Beast societies out there? Like, elders that can pass on skills to those who have recently evolved their intelligence?¡± ¡°Not that I have ever seen.¡± Right... it never needed a name. If there was such a thing, Asher would have needed some way to be addressed, Derek thought. ¡°That is not to say that they do not exist, though,¡± Asher continued, and Derek listened intently. ¡°We can also ascend... though, without the help of your systems. I do not know where we go or what happens, but I feel that I am close. Perhaps there is one of these ¡®societies¡¯ there. Only those with evolved intelligence are able to ascend, so I believe that it is possible.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Derek said with a nod. I really do wonder why Void Beasts don¡¯t have access to any system. Honestly, they don¡¯t seem to be too picky about who gets one. Derek¡¯s thoughts immediately went back to Big Jim, who he¡¯d met on a couple occasions. He had been a founder of one of the largest cities on Earth after the system came. He was a lovable big guy who called that city Muscle Town. He¡¯s probably more like one of those emotional ¡®younglings¡¯ that Asher was talking about. ¡°One last question...¡± Derek said. He was sure that there were things he was forgetting, but Asher had played ball quite nicely, so he didn¡¯t want to keep him so long that others found him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I know how I am able to understand Alanah. I grew up speaking a vastly different language... I think, and the system grants us the ability to understand each other and translates concepts into things that we are each able to understand...¡± Derek said. ¡°How am I able to understand you and your kind?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know that?¡± Asher asked. ¡°Gotcha...¡± Derek muttered. Then, almost silently, ¡°System fuckery...¡± ¡°Is there nothing else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll think of something after you leave, but if it¡¯s too important, I¡¯ll just have to go find you to ask,¡± Derek said with a knowing smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that I am the one who will come if you call,¡± Asher replied. ¡°But... if you call enough, I am sure I will eventually hear it.¡± Derek turned to Alanah. ¡°Is there anything you want to know?¡± ¡°Yes... there is,¡± Alanah said. ¡°What do you eat?¡± ¡°My kind... and the void,¡± Asher answered. ¡°Occasionally your kind and whatever food you have at the time. But I must consume it quickly and cannot take it with me. Your food is destroyed by the void.¡± If only Silvi would have met Asher before she tainted all that food... Derek thought with a slight smile. Alanah then produced a plate full of steaming meat and vegetables. ¡°Would you like some of this? It is prepared by some of my best chefs.¡± Asher reached out and took the plate, then opened its massive maw and threw the food into it, plate and all. ¡°Delicious...¡± he said. ¡°Best I have ever had. Do you have more?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Alanah then started producing meal after meal, only for Asher to put it away like his stomach was a black hole. He would give Silvi and Ogre a run for their money. Derek inwardly chuckled, then he had another thought. ¡°Do you get stronger if you eat... us?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes...¡± Asher answered while shoveling the food into its mouth. ¡°Some more than others, but creatures that speak give the most.¡± ¡°Interesting...¡± Derek said. ¡°Very... interesting.¡± Chapter 468: Survival of the Strongest Chapter 468: Survival of the Strongest ¡°So...¡± Derek started. ¡°Earlier, you mentioned that the other Void Beast may have been trying to kill and consume me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Asher tilted his head and answered. ¡°What kind of power boost do you think I would have provided the beast if it had been able to do so?¡± he asked. ¡°What kind of power increase?¡± the beast muttered. ¡°It is much too hard to tell. Was your power at that time as devastating as it is now, or have you grown since then?¡± ¡°Well... it was quite a bit less, actually,¡± Derek answered. ¡°But still of the void?¡± ¡°Yes, still of the void,¡± Derek said. ¡°I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to beat you at that time. Alanah here...¡± He nodded in Alanah¡¯s direction with his head. ¡°She would have been able to wipe the floor with me at that time. It wasn¡¯t an easy fight for me, either. Well... it was easy, but that was only because of my defense and regeneration. If not for that, I couldn¡¯t have kept up with it.¡± ¡°If that is the case...¡± Asher unconsciously tapped its razor-like claw on the arm of the chair¡ªjust where the previous rips were. ¡°I can only assume that the beast would have received a boost about the same as if it had consumed another ¡®Void Beast¡¯ that was a little stronger than it was... hmmm... no... that¡¯s most probably not correct,¡± the beast muttered at the end. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Why would that not be correct?¡± He was thinking the same thing when he asked the Void Beast the question. He figured that since he was sort of void like the creatures were, he would provide the same benefit. He could only imagine Stella serving ¡®Derek Hunt¡¯ meals at the Crown Restaurant. I bet if Silvi didn¡¯t know me and she was intelligent like she is now, she would be the first in line for the special of the day... the DH Burger. A chill ran down his spine at the thought. ¡°I mean that your void energy is much purer than any I have ever seen before,¡± Asher said, causing Derek to break out of his daydream. ¡°I have void energy that is quite pure as well. In fact, I have yet to see another ¡®beast¡¯ with energy that is purer than my own. And that makes sense, considering I believe I am close to reaching ascension¡ªor the next stage of my evolution.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°Then me...¡± ¡°If your energy was as pure back then as it is now.¡± Asher took a pause to think for a bit. ¡°If it was the same... there is no way I would be able to calculate the potential benefits of consuming one such as you. It could be the same, or it could be outrageous. Who knows, it may have pushed the ¡®beast¡¯ all the way past me and into its next evolution just like that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it was as pure as it is now,¡± Derek said. Back then, his hair was still coal black and his eyes only turned void purple when he unleashed his aura. Now, his hair always had a distinct purplish shine that one could see if the sun hit it just right, and his irises were no longer the cool blue color that they had been. Instead, the color had been replaced by pure void purple. ¡°I would say that his energy was a little less pure than yours currently is right now,¡± Alanah spoke up from the side. ¡°At least, according to Stella,¡± she said to Derek with a shrug. ¡°Then that,¡± Derek said. ¡°If it¡¯s her, then she¡¯s probably right.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Asher began. ¡°Then it would have gotten quite the boost¡ªwould have taken centuries off of training, at the very least. It would have been quite the boon for the ¡®beast.¡¯ I can see why it would be drawn to attacking you¡ªeven if it wasn¡¯t a youngling.¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think that you all have different personalities¡ªjust like everyone else. And your personality is... how do I say... uh... self-centered or a bit narcissistic... maybe. You seem to only think about yourself and not others. Whereas the other Void Beast was very emotional or empathetic, and, if nothing else, acted like it was fighting for a cause bigger than itself.¡± It was hard to say that without it sounding like an insult, but he had a feeling that the beast would understand what he was trying to convey. ¡°Yes...¡± Asher nodded. ¡°I can understand this. That seems correct.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mad that I called you a narcissist that only cares about yourself?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No.¡± Asher shook its head. ¡°I believe that is an apt assessment. Power is everything in the void. The weak die while the strong live on. I do not want to die, therefore I do not want to be weak, so it is only right that I care about making myself stronger.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Derek said. ¡°Survival of the fittest...¡± ¡°Yes. Survival of the fittest, survival of the strongest...¡± Asher nodded as it took a small cup of some beverage that Alanah offered to him. Then Asher threw the entire drink into its maw¡ªcup and all. After munching the glass and drinking whatever was in it, the beast continued. ¡°That is very good¡ªvery accurate.¡± Derek¡¯s eye twitched as he watched the beast dine. Well... I guess I shouldn¡¯t expect anything else. Asher is a beast, after all. He mentally shrugged. With his last questions answered, Derek couldn¡¯t think of anything else to speak with Asher about at the moment. Honestly, one of the things he was most looking forward to was seeing if he could track the beast down with Void Travel once it left. If he could, it would open up more opportunities. Once the beast finished everything that Alanah had given him, it looked back at Alanah with high expectations. However, Asher only received a shrug from the siren in return. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s all I have that I can share with you.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°It is fine,¡± Asher said. ¡°I can feel it. It will not hurt me. It is... deeper than I have ever traveled. I will be able to ascend easier if I go in.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Derek asked. He wanted to know what Asher thought about the space, but he didn¡¯t want the beast to just walk inside and die, just like everything else. ¡°No,¡± Asher said honestly. ¡°Nothing is certain.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Derek rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°How about this?¡± He grabbed the beast¡¯s wrist, and before it could object, he used Void Creation and created a small layer of void around the beast. ¡°This is how I let people travel with me. The layer of void that I make acts kind of like a shield to protect them. We can walk in together and I¡¯ll slowly remove it to see if it will harm you. If it does, though... you will most probably be left without an arm.¡± Or you¡¯ll be left with a little baby arm... Derek thought, but didn¡¯t say. ¡°Then I thank you,¡± Asher said. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go,¡± Derek replied, then took a step inside the void. Asher walked right beside him, step by step. ¡°This is amazing...¡± Asher muttered. ¡°I¡¯m going to slowly withdraw my void now,¡± Derek said. ¡°Be prepared.¡± Asher didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, it nodded its assent. Derek focused hard, then slowly pulled the layer of void protecting Asher¡¯s hand away¡ªall the time hoping that having a hole in the void wouldn¡¯t allow the effects of the space to enter the beast¡¯s body as a whole. Luckily, it didn¡¯t seem to do the beast any serious damage. ¡°You may let go,¡± Asher said. ¡°Okay...¡± Derek nodded and removed his hand from the beast, allowing all its whole body into the unprotected space all at once. ¡°Ugh...¡± Asher grunted and fell to its knees, but when Derek quickly moved to put a layer of void around it, the beast begged him to stop. ¡°No! Please... let me do this.¡± ¡°But...¡± Derek muttered, but when the beast looked at Derek, he could see the resolve. ¡°Okay...¡± he relented. Derek watched as the beast¡¯s body moved and morphed¡ªit was like every muscle in its body was twitching like crazy. However, none of the typical things happened¡ªits body didn¡¯t reduce in age or instantly become older, and it didn¡¯t look like the space ripples made any devastating cuts on its body. I guess... it will be fine... maybe... Soon Asher made its way to its feet. This time, it turned to Derek and even bowed slightly¡ªshowing earned respect instead of only deference. ¡°Thank you for this...¡± ¡°Uh... I didn¡¯t really do anything...¡± Derek said. ¡°With this, you have made my journey... much easier, but much more painful... but pain... pain is nothing on the path to power...¡± Asher replied. ¡°Well... That¡¯s good... I guess,¡± Derek said. ¡°I take it you want to stay in here?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Asher said. ¡°From here, I will make my own way.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Derek replied. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m going to go. And you¡¯re one hundred percent sure you want to stay in this part of the void?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the beast answered firmly. ¡°I will stay. It is... survival of the strongest... I... will become strong.¡± It was hard for the beast to speak, as it seemed to be in intense pain the whole time. But its eyes and words were resolute. ¡°Then I will see you later,¡± Derek said. ¡°Have a good... journey.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Asher grunted in pain. ¡°Farewell.¡± Derek chuckled, then turned around and stepped out of the space. I hope something weird doesn¡¯t happen when I close it, he thought. He took one last look behind him¡ªat the back of the beast¡ªthen, with a thought, canceled his Void Travel skill and closed the opening. Good luck... Chapter 469: Good Luck Chapter 469: Good Luck ¡°What was all that about?¡± Alanah asked as Derek came to stand beside her. They both stared at the spot where Asher had just disappeared from. ¡°I wanted to see what Asher thought about the space made when I Void Travel...¡± Derek said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the beast to have such a reaction to it.¡± ¡°So... Asher is okay in there?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. ¡°He seemed to be in pretty excruciating pain, but he was also pretty adamant about not leaving. It seems that the beast took quite a liking to that space. He thinks that being in there will speed up his ascension. Hopefully, he¡¯s right, and he doesn¡¯t end up biting off more than he can chew.¡± ¡°Well... it was Asher¡¯s own choice,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Anything that happens to him from now on rests solely on his own shoulders... You gave him what he seems to see as a great opportunity. It¡¯s up to him whether he can grasp it or not.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well... good luck to him.¡± ¡°Indeed...¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said as he turned to Alanah. ¡°What now? More Void Beasts, or are you really finished?¡± ¡°I am fine with what I have for now,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I have more than enough to last me for quite some time. Hopefully, they will have the same effect on my body wherever it is that I end up.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not freaked out about hunting and consuming them?¡± Derek asked. ¡°After meeting Asher?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°Maybe if they were all sentient and intelligent, or were also system users... But they are beasts before they are anything else. Their intelligence is only gained through this... evolution.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... one way of looking at it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Do you not see it the same way?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I think about it, really,¡± Derek said. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve kind of stayed away from consuming Void Beasts for the most part. I mean... I haven¡¯t not consumed any, but I haven¡¯t actively sought it out. Not necessarily for any moral reasons... just that I haven¡¯t felt the need to do so. I¡¯ve grown pretty strong without doing so, and I still have a lot of room to grow from here without doing so. Also... I forget about it pretty often. ¡°It¡¯s probably hypocritical considering the fact that I¡¯m pretty much shoving Void Beast meals and potions down everyone¡¯s throats so they can grow faster and stronger without gaining levels...¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± Alanah said. ¡°At least with the Void Beast meals and potions, you are thinking of those you care about before yourself since you already have the strength. It will allow them to grow faster and not become as much of a burden to you¡ªnot that you seem to care whether they are a burden or not. Not to mention your earlier cheating when you changed systems...¡± ¡°Yeah... there is that, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Alanah said, mimicking Derek. ¡°Now, you asked me what I want to do now?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have all that much time left here,¡± Alanah said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll have enough time to both visit Stonehelm and travel across the sea, and there is something important I must do on the other side of the sea. I¡¯m hoping we can get back in time, but if not, you will have plenty of time to visit their underground city. The only real reason I wanted to go there was to speak to the family of the blacksmith who crafted my armor and weapon and give thanks. The gear has accompanied me for many years and has yet to fail me. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Fine by me,¡± Derek said. He wanted to visit the dwarves¡¯ underground cities. He also wanted to see if they could make him an even better set of armor, since Tyron¡¯s specialty was weapons, but he could do all that any time he wanted¡ªthere was no rush for him to do so. ¡°This is your trip¡ªI¡¯m only along for the ride.¡± ¡°There is no sense in it suffering,¡± Derek said. Then, he quickly thrust out with his palm¡ªaiming at the beast¡¯s head. His palm was infused with void energy, so when he struck, it only took a couple of seconds, then the beast was dead. ¡°That¡¯s... rough,¡± Derek said. ¡°I think this is what Asher was going through, but his body was somehow able to withstand it. I wonder if it was because of the pureness of his void energy, or maybe the evolution of his body.¡± ¡°Maybe a combination of both,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Probably,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Do you want this corpse?¡± he asked. ¡°No...¡± Alanah said. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone should consume that. At least I wouldn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Derek said, then he bent down and stored the corpse in his ring. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Derek¡¯s mood was a bit off after that. He had found a way to give his Time Prison a chance to level, but it seemed that it meant excruciating torture for the beast within¡ªand he wasn¡¯t one for that. He could pack it full of the strongest beasts he could find, and they would all have some sort of chance at living if he had to use Void Travel, but it just wasn¡¯t worth it to him. And it wasn¡¯t like he could just take the beasts out of the prison and tell them to stay there until he got back if he needed to use his Void Travel ability. Or could I? He thought back to the way the beast had acted before he put it inside. No, he thought. I bet that as soon as I go into the void, the beasts will become active again. He could test it out, and he would test it out, but he very much doubted that was an option. No sense in dwelling on it for now, he thought, then he raised his head up and looked forward. The sea was quickly approaching. ¡°What are we going to do from here?¡± Derek asked once they reached the edge of the sea that seemed to stretch on forever with no other land in sight. Technically, they could have left the continent from many places, but Indria was the kingdom closest to the other continent, and it was easier to travel by land for as far as possible than to just head straight there. ¡°I was thinking that we could just go,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I have a small boat in my storage ring that we can use as a place to recover when we get tired, but the fastest way would be for us to go as far as our mana can take us before doing so. It has been a long time since I crossed, and I did not do so easily, so I¡¯m unsure of how long this journey will take.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°And do you have a way to make sure we¡¯re heading in the right direction? It¡¯s not the easiest thing to do when you are surrounded by nothing other than water¡ªat least, it doesn¡¯t seem easy to me. I would hate to miss the continent by a few hundred miles, then end up back in Cydaria.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Alanah nodded, then pulled out what looked to be a compass. ¡°Once we get far enough away from this land, and are finally closer to the other continent, this device will point us to where we need to go. We need only to check it occasionally to correct our path. Though, I don¡¯t think we will have any problems as long as we just try to go in a single direction the entire time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s convenient,¡± Derek said, talking about the compass. ¡°How does it work?¡± ¡°It is a device that seeks land. So, it will always point to the closest large landmass possible,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. It wasn¡¯t as cool as he had thought. He thought it was some kind of gps-like device, but it turned out that it was just something that sought out large masses of land. Still, it was more than enough for their trip. As long as they headed in one direction far enough, eventually, once they were halfway there, the device would point them in the right direction. ¡°It¡¯s primitive, but you can adjust how large of a landmass you want to be directed to,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°That way, it doesn¡¯t take you to any small islands out in the sea.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s better than I thought. I didn¡¯t know you could adjust the parameters. It won¡¯t be too bad then.¡± ¡°It is quite amazing what a combination of earth mages, runesmiths, and blacksmiths can do together if they put their minds to it,¡± Alanah said as she put the land finder back into her storage ring. After that, she looked at her surroundings. In the distance, they could see a city wall, and even some of the guards stationed on top. Alanah sighed. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to miss all of this when I leave.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Derek put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°If wherever you¡¯re going is anything like I think it¡¯s going to be, you¡¯ll be so busy growing more and more powerful that you won¡¯t even have the time to miss anything here.¡± He grinned at her. He knew it was basically a lie¡ªthere was no way that she wasn¡¯t going to miss all the relationships she¡¯d cultivated over the years, no matter how busy she was. ¡°Sure...¡± she said, then, changing the subject back to their journey ahead, she asked, ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± After that, two of the strongest, if not the strongest, people on the entire continent set off over the sea. Derek couldn¡¯t wait to find out what was waiting for them on the other side, and he also couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Alanah had to do over there that was so important to her. He certainly knew one thing, though. Whatever it was, as long as she would have him on her journey, he would be by her side. Chapter 470: Over the Sea Chapter 470: Over the Sea ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been easier if we had brought your wyvern along?¡± Derek asked as he sat down on the little boat that was nothing more than a dingy that Alanah had pulled out to rest on. ¡°Easier? Probably,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as quick. With our skills and stats, I¡¯m sure we are traveling twice as fast as that wyvern would have been able to. It would have needed breaks to rest too, and I do not have a boat that size.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°Speaking of the wyvern, have you decided what you¡¯re going to do with it? Are you going to bond with it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°The last thing I need with me if I¡¯m going to another system that could quite possibly allow for higher levels is a giant beast that would be easy to spot and kill by... well... a lot of things. If the level cap is higher there, then there could be level 400 gnats for all I know. Bonding with the beast would make me very vulnerable, and I can¡¯t have that. I¡¯d be a sitting duck if it was killed¡ªand that is if the soul sickness didn¡¯t kill me to begin with.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. What do you plan to do with it, then?¡± ¡°It can either go free or Lyra can take it back in,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I will annul the contract before I go, and it will be a free beast. From there, you can do what you want¡ªgive it to whomever you want.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± Having an extra wyvern back would be nice, but Derek honestly wasn¡¯t sure who would be able to contract with the beast other than Alanah. There really weren¡¯t many people on the same level as Edgar and Avery¡ªand even fewer that Derek would feel comfortable giving a wyvern to. His first thought was Thomas, but he quickly dismissed that idea, as he wasn¡¯t sure that the kid would end up with a legendary class. Clare maybe? He shook his head. No... it would take way too long for her to be able to do it, and that¡¯s IF she¡¯s able to get a powerful enough class. Maybe Walter? He thought, then shook his head. I have a feeling that he¡¯ll eventually end up with a legendary class, but he doesn¡¯t have the offensive power even if he did... oh well... I¡¯ll give it some thought later. ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°No... why would I be?¡± ¡°You went out of your way to capture a wyvern for me, yet I refused,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Well, technically, it was Avery who wanted it for you,¡± Derek said. ¡°I just happily agreed. And it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have one hell of a reason for refusing. I¡¯m just worried about who to give it to.¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°You could just release it out into the wild if you can¡¯t find anyone for it. I¡¯m sure it would be more than happy if you did that. And according to Lyra, it seems that all the dragonkin are calming down and growing smarter as time goes by. Something about being out of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°She mentioned that they all basically had the minds of baby dragonkin instead of fully grown ones.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the longer they are out and not contracted, the harder it¡¯s going to be for others to contract with them,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°The lesser dragonkin may not become too hard, but the wyverns may be another story.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that,¡± Derek answered back. ¡°Brandi won¡¯t have any trouble at all once she gets to a high enough level. As for the other one... it¡¯s just extra for now.¡± ¡°You really believe in that girl, don¡¯t you?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°More than you know,¡± Derek replied. ¡°And it¡¯s well deserved. She¡¯ll be making me some of the best gear ever crafted soon enough. Just wait.¡± He wasn¡¯t worried about him and Alanah becoming separated¡ªthey already had on a couple of occasions. When he found himself alone for too long, he would just tear some space open and Void Travel back to her. He also traveled back to his shop a couple of times¡ªgiving Silvi some freshly caught fish. It probably wasn¡¯t the smartest thing to do, using what little experience points he had left to kill some level 200+ fish, but he couldn¡¯t help himself on those occasions. Still, his level was already above a lot of the fish and other sea creatures, so, with the diminishing returns given for killing beasts that were a lower level than him, it wasn¡¯t like he was gaining too much experience points in the process. Besides... that tuna-like fish was delicious once Silvi finished smoking it. Derek had to keep himself from drooling at the thought as he continued on. Like this, the duo continued their traveling both together and separately, since Derek could find Alanah at will with his skills. Their journey continued for a few days longer before one of them finally caught sight of something other than water and fish. ¡°Is that it?¡± Derek asked out loud to nobody as he finally saw land off in the distance. ¡°It has to be...¡± With that, he quickly used Void Travel, opening a space in the sky, then closing it behind himself. After that, he looked for Alanah¡¯s aura, only to see that it wasn¡¯t too far away. Great... I didn¡¯t stray too far away this time. Derek quickly moved to Alanah¡¯s aura and opened an exit from the void. ¡°That was fast,¡± Alanah said as Derek stepped out of the void. She had stopped just like always when she felt the dreadful aura coming from when he used his skill. ¡°You get tired or something? I guess that whale didn¡¯t put up much of a fight.¡± The last time that the two separated, it was because Derek had caught sight of a massive whale jumping out of the water, and he had gone to ¡®investigate.¡¯ ¡°No,¡± Derek said, canceling his skill and closing the space behind him in the process. ¡°I¡¯m pretty much an expert on whale anatomy these days.¡± He recalled the time spent inside the toxic whale during the raid. ¡°I gave it a couple of slaps, then let it go. Didn¡¯t seem like it was going to put up much of a fight.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Then why are you back so soon? You¡¯re usually gone much longer.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Derek repeated. ¡°Because it looks like I got a bit ahead of you and I ran into what looked like land in the distance. So, I decided to come back so we can enter this new land together.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Alanah let out a sigh of relief when Derek nodded, then she took off again, in the direction that her compass was pointing. ¡°Finally. I was beginning to think that the land-finding compass was broken. I really thought we would make better time with as fast as we can both travel.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Derek pointed at the siren as he followed beside her. ¡°So I wasn¡¯t the only one who didn¡¯t trust that thing... though... I guess it does work, after all.¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± Alanah pointed out in front of her to the barely visible outline of land in the distance. ¡°You know,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll want to do any more sea crossing for a few years... or decades...¡± ¡°Or centuries...¡± Alanah said. ¡°And I don¡¯t blame you. At least on the ship I took when I first crossed... well, the ship we had for a good portion of the trip, that is...¡± Alanah continued. ¡°On it, there were a few people to speak to, and a place to sleep if needed. So it didn¡¯t seem as dull.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. ¡°Flying forward in one direction for days on end is something that I now know I¡¯ll never look forward to doing again.¡± Alanah nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything else. Instead, the duo focused on the land in front of them and put everything they had into getting there quickly. Before long, the edge of the continent was very visible, then finally... ¡°We¡¯re finally here!¡± Derek fell to his knees and scooped up a handful of sand, letting the grains fall from between his fingers. ¡°Yes...¡± Alanah replied as she looked out ahead of them¡ªa myriad of emotions flashing on her face. ¡°We are here.¡± Chapter 471: My Dumb Friend Chapter 471: My Dumb Friend ¡°Hey!¡± Derek said, snapping his fingers at Alanah to get her attention after standing back up. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Alanah shook her head quickly, like she was clearing out some thoughts. ¡°Oh... I¡¯m fine. It... it¡¯s just been a while. I wonder if the commonpeople still remember me.¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°I know that there are some that will still remember me. There is no way they would be able to ever forget about me.¡± ¡°Left an impression, did ya?¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Something like that,¡± Alanah said, and her mouth curved into a slight smile. ¡°Well... I doubt it matters, anyway.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°What are they going to do, fight us?¡± Alanah snorted. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are some strong people, but I very much doubt any of them can hold a candle to either of us¡ªespecially you.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it...¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯re going to make me blush.¡± Alanah rolled her eyes and shook her head. ¡°You know that it¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Well... it could be fun if everyone on this continent went on a witch... siren hunt for you,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Maybe,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But not everyone that hates me is bad. I wasn¡¯t exactly a shining example of righteousness back then. I did what I had to do to survive, and that hurt many people and families¡ªa fact that I am not proud of.¡± ¡°So we¡¯ll go easy on the good ones.¡± Derek shrugged. ¡°Now...¡± he nodded out in front of them. ¡°Do you have any idea where we¡¯re at?¡± ¡°Maybe...¡± Alanah replied, then, with a flick of her wrist, a map appeared in her hands. ¡°This is a very old map, and I¡¯m sure a lot of things have changed since I got it, but we should at least be able to use it to find our general location.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek moved over and stood to the side of Alanah and watched as she traced her finger over the map. ¡°I think we are somewhere around here,¡± she said as she pointed to one of the coasts. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to find a landmark or something before I can know for sure.¡± ¡°We could...¡± Derek nodded, then said, ¡°Or... we could just ask those guys.¡± He nodded towards two figures quickly approaching. ¡°What?¡± Alanah quickly whipped her head around to see the people. ¡°Oh. I guess that would work as well. I wasn¡¯t thinking about there being guards and outposts by the coast, but I don¡¯t know why... obviously, they would have the same kinds of protections against sea beasts and other things that Cydaria and Indria have.¡± ¡°True...¡± Derek replied. ¡°What do you want to do? Do you want to go meet them?¡± ¡°No.¡± Alanah shook her head. ¡°Let them come to us. We don¡¯t want to seem like a threat, and us rushing up to them could be seen as such.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Derek replied, then the duo waited for the two figures to get closer. When they were finally close enough for Derek to make out the details, his thoughts were confirmed. ¡°Yup,¡± he said. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s two guards from somewhere.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Alanah agreed. The two approaching men were both wearing the same set of blue and white, medium plate armor. Both of them were wearing helms that covered everything other than their faces, and each sported a white cloak trimmed in blue that matched the rest of their armor perfectly. ¡°That definitely narrows down the possible location where we are.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alanah said with a nod. ¡°The blue and white cloaked soldiers... it¡¯s the color of the Draylanthian Royal Family. Looks like we missed my target by a bit...¡± ¡°You have a history with them?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I have a bit of history with pretty much every country on this continent. Draylanthi, where we just happened to land is a very military focused country that isn¡¯t big on intruders¡ªespecially ones from afar. But they have always been on decent terms with the kingdom of Vorandell. ¡°Vorandell is a nation not unlike Cydaria in its ways¡ªother than their naming sense, that is¡ªand also the country where the family of my Deathsworn Gianna lived. Then there is Linderis. Technically, it would be considered my home country¡ªit¡¯s a bit like Indria in its prejudices... maybe even worse. There are two other kingdoms on the continent, as well, Helcomir and Fitali, but there should be no need for us to have to visit them,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°What kind of whale was it?¡± one of the guards asked. ¡°It was called a Maelstrom Whale,¡± Derek replied. He had been sure to use Identify on the creature he had played with before they made it to the beach. Technically, he wasn¡¯t lying about much. He did fight the whale, and he did blind one of its eyes. Of course, by the time he let it go, the whale had already healed its eye. ¡°It was one big son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± The guard on the left stepped forward and clutched at the sword strapped to his waist. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked, confused. ¡°There is no way you met a Maelstrom Whale and got away,¡± the guard said. ¡°And not only did you get away, but you¡¯re also saying that you chased it off? Bullshit! Do you know how many elites it takes to push one of those whales away from our shores? Do you know the casualty rate?¡± ¡°Uh... no?¡± Derek said. ¡°Two?¡± Derek saw the side-eye that Alanah gave him. ¡®What?¡¯ he sent telepathically. ¡®How was I supposed to know that the whale that I went out to play with was some big bad monster?¡¯ It was all he could do not to laugh. If I had known that, I would have just jumped on top of it and rode it here, he thought, but didn¡¯t say. ¡®You¡¯re antagonizing the guard,¡¯ Alanah sent back. ¡®Draylanthi may be a militaristic country, but it isn¡¯t bad. I don¡¯t want to hurt these guards. They are just doing their jobs.¡¯ ¡®I know,¡¯ Derek sent back. ¡®And we won¡¯t hurt them... a little intimidation never hurt anyone, though.¡¯ ¡°You...¡± ¡°Please, sir,¡± Alanah said, holding her hands up. ¡°My friend is not lying. He does not mean to antagonize you. He is just a bit blunt and dumb. I¡¯m sure there was a better way for him to go about it, but... like I said... he¡¯s a bit dumb.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Derek blurted. ¡°Quiet...¡± Alanah said. ¡°Still...¡± It seemed that the man had calmed some, but he didn¡¯t believe their story. ¡°Just you two?¡± ¡°My name is Lana, and this is Derek. We are what the two of you would probably consider elite adventurers... the elite of the elite,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°Occasionally, we take on tasks that others will not. And occasionally... my dumb friend likes to go chase around big monsters just for the fight.¡± ¡°Prove it,¡± finally, the other guard spoke up. ¡°Prove it?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°Prove that you are ¡®elite adventurers¡¯ that wouldn¡¯t instantly die to a whale capable of creating disaster sized whirlpools in an instant. That you would even have the strength to survive.¡± ¡°Oh... that¡¯s easy enough,¡± Derek said, then he disappeared. ¡°Derek, don¡¯t...¡± Alanah said, but it was too late. Derek was already standing behind the two men, and he was lifting both up by the back of their necks. If she wanted him to play the blunt and dumb friend, then he would. Next, both men drew their swords and stabbed backwards into Derek¡¯s torso. However, the swords were barely able to leave a scratch on his armor. After that, he dropped the two guards, then disappeared again, standing beside Alanah in the next instant. ¡°Is that enough?¡± he asked. ¡°Did you have to do that?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°They wanted me to prove it... what better way than to show them a little power?¡± Derek asked. ¡°See? Look.¡± He nodded his head in the direction of the guards. ¡°I think they believe me now. Don¡¯t you? Nobody got hurt, and everyone is completely fine.¡± Alanah blinked a couple of times, then sighed. Finally, she bowed slightly and said, ¡°I am truly sorry about my dumb friend. He¡¯s... well... there is a reason I¡¯m the one who usually deals with other people.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± the guard on the left said once he got his bearings. The look after witnessing a portion of Derek¡¯s power had changed from one of complete suspicion to one of hesitation, respect, and a little bit of fear. However, Derek had quickly withdrawn after giving them a little show and did not even leave a mark on them or hurt them in any way. With a sigh, the guard said, ¡°You have my sympathy.¡± Chapter 472: Modestest Chapter 472: Modestest ¡°Hey!¡± Derek said with false indignation as he took a step forward toward the man. He was, after all, playing his new role as the blunt and dumb friend. ¡°Your sympathies? What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°I...¡± The guard was slightly taken aback. ¡°I just... I know the feeling,¡± the guard finally said¡ªhis eyes finding Alanah¡¯s and avoiding Derek¡¯s. ¡°Relax, Derek,¡± Alanah replied with a sigh as she reached out and grabbed Derek by his collar. ¡°The guard is only relating to our shared experience.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± The other guard turned to look at the first. ¡°Who is your dumb friend?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± The first guard was at a loss for words. ¡°Ahem...¡± he cleared his throat then turned back to Alanah. ¡°So, the two of you are from Vorandell?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Alanah replied, glad to see that neither guard seemed to hold much suspicion toward them. ¡°I see.¡± After a moment, the first guard took a step forward and held out his hand for Alanah to shake. Not passing up the opportunity to get along, she took the man¡¯s hand and shook. ¡°My name is Jesse, and this is my... brother Barry. We are guards for the Draylanthian Royal Army stationed by the coast to watch for any high-level threats coming from the sea.¡± ¡°To watch?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Not to take care of?¡± ¡°Take care of?¡± Jesse asked back rhetorically. ¡°Oh, no.¡± He waved his hands back and forth. ¡°We are near the bottom in the ranking hierarchy¡ªlookouts, really.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek was a little disappointed, but it made sense, as the two hadn¡¯t even been able to react or leave more than a scratch in his armor with their swords. That meant that even with the small amount of strength he showed, neither of them would really be capable of telling exactly how ¡®elite¡¯ he and Alanah were. They were probably level 250 rare classes at most, Derek thought. Maybe even uncommon classes until their final class upgrade at level 200. ¡°You seem disappointed,¡± Jesse said, not allowing Derek¡¯s words to go unnoticed. ¡°He just likes hitting things that can prove challenging for him,¡± Alanah answered in Derek¡¯s stead. ¡°Think of it this way,¡± she said. ¡°At least my friend won¡¯t be pestering you two for a spar.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Jesse¡¯s eyes glanced over at Derek. ¡°That is good indeed.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Alanah said with a nod. ¡°Now, if you will excuse my ignorance, would you mind telling me how the Noble Brandt family has gotten along? A very, very long time ago...¡± Alanah swept her hair back and pointed to her elven ears. ¡°When I was adventuring here in Draylanthi, I met someone from their house, and we hit it off. However, after we separated, neither of us kept in touch with one another. And since I have not stepped foot in this kingdom since then, and I don¡¯t make it my business to keep track of politics and other nations, I have not heard anything about them.¡± ¡°The Brandt family?¡± Jesse asked with wide eyes. ¡°The Brandt family has grown very powerful under their family¡¯s patriarch.¡± ¡°Have they?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°And who is the current patriarch?¡± ¡°That would be Sir David Brandt,¡± Jesse answered. ¡°I see,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°It is nice to know that they are doing well.¡± ¡°They are indeed doing well,¡± Jesse replied, then his eyes turned serious. ¡°Now... I have to ask, are you planning on staying here in Draylanthi? Or...¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alanah said as she waved him off. ¡°No, we are not. I would very much like to visit the Brandt family, but just knowing they are well is good enough for me, as, unfortunately, we must get back to Vorandell and report our success in driving the Maelstrom Whale away, and our failure to slay it. I wish that were not the case, but... a mission is a mission, after all.¡± ¡°Indeed...¡± Jesse replied. His brother was still staring at him with daggers in his eyes after being inadvertently compared to the ¡®dumb¡¯ Derek. ¡°No, he knows me better than that. He¡¯ll know that if I want to see him, then I will,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°And yes, we were close. But no, we weren¡¯t intimate, if that is what you are asking.¡± She turned to Derek with a mischievous grin. ¡°Why? Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Me? Jealous?¡± Derek snorted. ¡°Who would ever be able to compete with me? One little burst of aura and I¡¯m sure whoever was trying would go running for their momma.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very modest, too, aren¡¯t you?¡± Alanah laughed. ¡°The most modest! The modestest! Extremely humble, too,¡± Derek replied as they flew forward. ¡°I am also quite handsome, if I do say so myself. Quite the catch.¡± ¡°Eh...¡± Alanah shrugged. ¡°That is debatable.¡± She then brightly smiled again. ¡°I do, however, have it on good authority that I am extremely beautiful.¡± ¡°Sounds like a very smart, humble, modest, and handsome man,¡± Derek replied. ¡°I would like to meet such a character. I¡¯m sure the two of us would get along. We¡¯d be fast friends.¡± ¡°That would be...¡± Alanah sighed. ¡°If there were two of you... just... pure chaos. I don¡¯t even want to think about that.¡± ¡°Chaos? That sounds fun,¡± Derek replied, then the two looked at each other and laughed. ¡°So,¡± Derek said once he finished chuckling. ¡°Are we really going to this Vorandell now, or was that something you just decided to tell those guards?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re really going there now,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°It will be much easier to move around in Vorandell. Which means that we shouldn¡¯t have any trouble getting to the border with Linderis. Once we are there, however, that won¡¯t be the case. That is, unless any major changes have happened since the last time I was there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Derek said as he punched the air a few times. ¡°Let¡¯s try to get through this without too much killing,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°Fine by me,¡± Derek said. ¡°I do have a question for you, though.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Alanah raised her brow. ¡°What question is that?¡± ¡°You could have just commanded those two guards to give you information, then forget that they ever saw us,¡± he said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you? Was it specifically so you could get that vague message to the head of the Brandt family?¡± ¡°No, that was not the reason.¡± Alanah said. ¡°It was mostly because I¡¯ve always hated that about my class¡ªcontrolling everyone that I speak to. It always pained me to do so to those who don¡¯t deserve it. Now that I am able to control it, I would prefer to only use it when absolutely necessary, or on non-intelligent beasts and such.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Derek said. ¡°I am happy for you that you can control it now.¡± That was something that he wasn¡¯t really able to understand, and he hoped he would never experience. Having people become controlled just by interacting with him and he not being able to control it sounded awful, and he truly was happy for Alanah that she could control it. ¡°Yeah...¡± Alanah nodded. ¡°There is also the very slim chance that someone could be watching our interactions with others that we don¡¯t see. And if they interacted with two guards that don¡¯t remember us even though we just left, it would be easy enough to piece it all together and realize who I am. Right now, I¡¯m sure that only David would put together that fact, and only because I specifically mentioned his family. I am not the only green-haired half elf around, and most all people with elven blood are beautiful, after all.¡± ¡°Well... I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you are the only half-elf with green hair that I¡¯ve met. Or at least the only one that I¡¯ve met that I¡¯ve bothered remembering.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see many more here,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Green hair color is quite common around here¡ªat least more so than it was back in Cydaria.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± Derek replied, then the two of them continued on their way. Their next stop: Vorandell. Chapter 473: Knick Knack Chapter 473: Knick Knack ¡°There we go,¡± Alanah said as she stopped in mid-air and pointed toward the shore. ¡°What is it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°We¡¯ve technically crossed over into Vorandell,¡± the siren answered. ¡°How do you know?¡± Derek asked. He looked toward the shore and squinted to see better. ¡°If you look closely, you can see the shape of those cliffs,¡± Alanah said before pulling out her out-of-date map. ¡°At least some things haven¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek muttered, then looked from the map to the shore a couple of times. ¡°I think I see it. There are also...¡± ¡°The outposts?¡± Alanah chuckled. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the other dead giveaway. There are two of them, and they are close together. Even without being able to see the people or colors in them, you would know that there is no sense for two outposts being built side by side.¡± ¡°Yeah... unless it was two separate kingdoms that made them.¡± Honestly, it was all quite blurry for Derek at their current distance away from the land, so he didn¡¯t see anything other than vague shapes of possible outposts and cliffs. But what Alanah was saying made perfect sense to him. If one kingdom decided to build an outpost close to the border with another country, then the other country was sure to build one of their own just as close. Even for allied kingdoms, this would probably be true¡ªwhether it was to not look weak, just to keep an eye on the other country, or for dozens of other reasons. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan from here?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t want to be seen going inland by either side. I would rather we not make a formal appearance in Vorandell until we are well within their borders. It will be easier to not draw attention that way¡ªeven though it doesn¡¯t really matter if we gather attention here. Unless, of course, if they somehow figure out who I am, but I doubt that will be possible unless I use my known powers wildly, which I will not. I am not dumb, after all,¡± Alanah said the last bit with a light jab at Derek. ¡°Psh...¡± Derek snorted at the joke. ¡°They didn¡¯t see any powers that I have,¡± Derek said. ¡°They only saw that I was behind them in an instant. I don¡¯t even think they saw when I moved back to you¡ªthey were much too busy panicking for that. Besides, I imagine there are dozens, if not hundreds, of different instantaneous movement abilities. They won¡¯t know if I teleported or just moved really fast¡ªof which I did neither.¡± ¡°I was just joking,¡± Alanah giggled. ¡°You are far from dumb.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Derek said. ¡°How do you want to do this?¡± ¡°How high into the air can you go with your skill?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek answered. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried to find out. Before, it was as far as my mana could take me, but now... I have no clue.¡± ¡°I was thinking that, since this isn¡¯t Indria with all those pesky invisible alarms and shields and such, we could just fly really high, then come down somewhere well within the boundaries.¡± ¡°Seems like kind of a basic plan,¡± Derek said. ¡°You sure that will work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they have some kind of system in place to alert them... maybe,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But it isn¡¯t as easy to do as you would think. The price Indria has to pay to do it is outrageous, and their royal family is basically built for it. That is why they only use it during high tension times, or in small areas around the border.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°And besides,¡± Alanah continued. ¡°It¡¯s us. We are just taking some slight precautions. If they do somehow sense us, it won¡¯t matter. You can just disappear from pretty much anyone, and I doubt any of the guards patrolling would be strong enough to even see me if I go all out¡ªmuch less make out any description.¡± ¡°Should we wear cloaks or something?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No,¡± the siren replied. ¡°At least not in this kingdom. Our armor¡ªeven as outstanding as it is¡ªwill let us blend in better than covering ourselves up.¡± ¡°O-of course!¡± the man stuttered. ¡°R-right this way, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Such a gentleman,¡± Alanah gave the man another flirtatious giggle. It was all Derek could do to keep from rolling his eyes. Still, he must have twitched because the guard, seemingly for the first time, finally saw him. The man cast Derek a quick sneer, then turned his head back to Alanah with a bright smile on his face... as if Derek never existed. Then, the man turned toward the village and began leading them inside. This time, Derek didn¡¯t bother trying to hide his eye-roll. ¡®Stop that,¡¯ Alanah sent to him mentally. Derek didn¡¯t bother responding. Instead, he fell in line beside the siren and marched behind the smitten guard. ¡°Here you go, ma¡¯am,¡± the guard stopped at a small building and pointed. ¡°This is Nick¡¯s Knick-Knacks. We don¡¯t have any true merchants or shops here in the village¡ª¡®least none like you see in the big city. But Nick buys and sells everything. If there¡¯s a map in the village, he has it.¡± ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Alanah said to the man. ¡°Mr....¡± ¡°Lance... you can call me Lance,¡± the guard said. ¡°Lance.¡± Alanah nodded seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to remember.¡± ¡°T-thank you,¡± the guard, Lance, mumbled. ¡°I-I have to get back to my post.¡± ¡°Well, Lance...¡± Alanah fluttered her eyelashes at the man a few times. ¡°Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to help me. I wouldn¡¯t want you to get in trouble because of me. Have a good day. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll see you again when we leave.¡± ¡°I-it was n-no problem, ma¡¯am.¡± The guard bowed deeply, then scurried away. ¡°Wow...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you sure you ever actually had mind-controlling powers?¡± Derek narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°You sure you just don¡¯t run around seducing everyone you meet, then say, ¡®Oh goodness me. It¡¯s all my skills¡¯ fault. I just don¡¯t know what to do.¡¯¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Alanah snorted and turned her head. ¡°Let¡¯s just go get a map and some money and get out of here.¡± Without waiting for Derek¡¯s reply, she pushed the door open and waltzed right into the store like she owned the place. ¡°Oh... wow,¡± Derek muttered as he stepped inside behind the siren. Knick-Knacks was right... Derek thought. The store¡ªif it could be called that¡ªwas wall to wall with junk. At least, as far as Derek could tell, most of the things he saw were junk. There were barrels with assortments of different junk weapons, shelves with jars full of... stuff, and just... junk everywhere. To top it all off, a short elf in a robe about six inches too long was running around putting more things on shelve, or on top of things that were already on shelves. Derek hesitated to distract the man as he was speeding around the shop muttering. ¡°No, no... this goes over here... yes, perfect... Now this... here and this here... no... over there... yes... perfect now this...¡± The man was muttering to himself faster than he was running around. It seemed that Alanah was also at a loss, as she hadn¡¯t moved a step since she entered the shop. If she wasn¡¯t moving, then Derek wouldn¡¯t either, so he just waited beside her. Soon, the elf noticed the duo standing there, and he tried to stop all at once. Instead, his feet got caught in his robe and he tumbled head over heels. Two jars that he was carrying shattered on the floor, and the man jumped back up to his feet. Acting like he hadn¡¯t just dropped anything, he stumbled forward and gave a quick bow. ¡°Welcome to Nick¡¯s Knick-Knacks. My name is Nick, and these are my knick-knacks.¡± The elf motioned all around him. ¡°How may I help you?¡± Chapter 474: Never Again Chapter 474: Never Again ¡°Uh...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Is all of that going to be okay over there?¡± He pointed at the broken jars and materials scattered around on the ground. ¡°Huh?¡± Nick turned and looked to where Derek was pointing, then said, ¡°How did all of that get over there?¡± He stared intently at the mess, then shrugged. ¡°Should be fine.¡± Finally, he turned back around. ¡°Now, what do the two of you fine customers need?¡± ¡°Well, sir.¡± Alanah stepped forward, flashed the man a smile, batted her eyelashes, and even went as far as flipping her hair. ¡°We were hoping you could help get us some information, and maybe even a map.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The odd elf eyed Alanah up and down. Then he turned to Derek. ¡°Is your friend okay? She is showing some odd behavior. I may have a few potions in the back to help with those tics.¡± ¡°Oh... she¡¯s fine,¡± Derek said as he did his utmost to hold himself back from laughing. ¡°If you say so.¡± The man shrugged again, then looked back at the now crimson face of Alanah. ¡°You need a map and information?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the siren said through gritted teeth. ¡°Is that all?¡± the shopkeeper asked. ¡°I have some items that you may be interested in buying or trading,¡± Alanah said, no longer trying to charm the man. ¡°It looks like your friend was correct,¡± Nick said to Alanah. ¡°Whatever was wrong with you seems to have cleared up on its own. Very intriguing.¡± Finally, he brushed that aside and continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can wrangle up a map or two. Would you like one of any specific location? Or will any map do?¡± ¡°Any... map?¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Well... yes.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°You said you needed a map, but you didn¡¯t specify what kind of map.¡± ¡°We need a map of the kingdom,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Which kingdom?¡± ¡°Vorandell...¡± Alanah muttered, completely deflated. She seemed almost exhausted after the extremely short interaction with Nick. ¡°Vorandell? A map of here? Well... why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± Nick quickly turned, then stumbled on his robe before rushing off through a door. Moments later, he came scurrying back with a long rolled-up map. ¡°Will this work?¡± he asked as he unrolled the map and held it out in front of Alanah. ¡°Where are we on the map?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re not on the map?¡± Nick peeked his head around the map to look at Alanah. He wore a very confused look on his face. ¡°You¡¯re in my shop.¡± ¡°Could you show us where this village is located? And where the closest cities are in relation to this village? Show us by using the map?¡± Derek asked, trying to explain as best he could to not confuse the elf. He was really starting to wonder if the shopkeeper was okay. ¡°Oh! Of course,¡± Nick said. ¡°Hold this.¡± He handed the map to Alanah, then walked around the side until he was standing beside her and looking at the map. ¡°This is the area where our village is located.¡± He pointed at a specific location near the edge of the map. ¡°And here is the closest city... and here is the next to the closest. They are around the same distance away from our village.¡± ¡°Do these two cities have teleporters?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Nick said. ¡°I think. I¡¯ve never used one.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll take the map.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Nick quickly pulled the map out of Alanah¡¯s hands and backed away from the duo. ¡°Why not?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No stealing! You have to buy it,¡± Nick said. ¡°Oh...¡± Derek muttered. He was beginning to know what Alanah felt like. ¡°That¡¯s what I meant. We will buy the map, then take it with us.¡± ¡°Oh! Of course!¡± Nick quickly rolled up the map and handed it to Derek. ¡°Here you go.¡± Derek took the map from the man, then let out a long breath. After all that, and he just... hands the map to me before payment. ¡°That will be...¡± the man began counting on his fingers while muttering to himself. ¡°Add the two... carry the one... no, not that way... four, five, six...¡± He looked up. ¡°Two gold, 67 silver, and 32 copper. Or the equivalent in trade.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Alanah said. ¡°May we move over to your counter? I have some... items that I would like to sell or trade.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Nick replied before shuffling over to stand behind his counter. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no bother at all. In fact, I could escort you all the way to Kyllar City if you wish,¡± he replied. ¡°It won¡¯t be any trouble.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But we will be able to get there just fine from here.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± The man slightly deflated. ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish. But don¡¯t hesitate to stop by again.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m ever in the area, I¡¯ll make sure to stop in to say hello,¡± Alanah smiled and nodded to the man. ¡°Very well,¡± Lance replied. ¡°Travel safe.¡± He then looked over at Derek and narrowed his eyes. He stepped close to him, then, in a whisper, said, ¡°You better not let anything happen to her.¡± Derek¡¯s eyelid twitched as the man backed away. Derek only looked at the guard and shook his head before turning to Alanah. ¡°Are we finished? We could have been to the city by now,¡± he said, causing a look of confusion to pass over the guard¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But yes, we should get going.¡± The next instant, the two of them both shot into the air. Derek looked down to see the guard staring up with his mouth nearly touching the ground. Derek snorted, then kicked off the void¡ªlaunching himself forward. Alanah looked down and waved to the man one last time, then she disappeared. Not long after, Derek stopped in the sky once he saw the outline of a massive city in the distance. It took a few moments, but Alanah soon stopped beside him. They had raced a bit in the final stretch, and Derek pushed his Powerstride skill to the limits of his mana¡ªallowing him to beat the non-transformed Alanah by a small margin. ¡°Looks like Kyllar,¡± he said. Alanah pulled out the map she had bought from Nick and looked it over. ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°At least, if that man sold us a real map. If not, then we lucked out and found a city.¡± ¡°He was odd, but I don¡¯t think he would try to pull one over on us... well... except for the price of those hides,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t think all that was an act.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Alanah shrugged. ¡°But we¡¯ve definitely made it to a city. Let¡¯s go down so we don¡¯t draw too much attention on our way in.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Derek replied, then slowly jump down the void ripples until his feet touched the ground. Alanah gently landed beside him, then they began walking at a brisk pace. Half an hour later and the duo found themselves standing in a small line waiting to enter the city. The line moved quickly, and soon it was Alanah and Derek¡¯s turn. ¡°Names?¡± The guard asked. ¡°First and last.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Lana Brighton and this is Derek Hunt,¡± Alanah answered for the two of them. To make things quick and easy to remember, Alanah chose to use Stella¡¯s surname as her own. ¡°Are you residents of Kyllar?¡± the guard asked. ¡°No,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°We are from the capital and are on our way home.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the guard said as he jotted down something on what looked like a clipboard. ¡°Entry for the two of you is ten gold.¡± ¡°Ten?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the man replied. ¡°Five a piece.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m running low on gold right now,¡± Alanah said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t, by chance, be willing to take a trade?¡± ¡°A trade?¡± The guard looked up, then glanced around. ¡°I cannot trade for you entry fee, but I could be willing to buy something from you for say... five gold... if it catches my eye, of course.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Alanah said with a smile. It seemed that her charm didn¡¯t work quite as well on city guards who dealt with people all the time. Nothing like bribing guards, Derek thought. Alanah then flicked her wrist, and a set of potions appeared. It was the same three potions from before¡ªworth well over five gold a piece... if the rate was the same as back in Cydaria. The man quickly took the potions, produced five gold, and handed it over the Alanah. She then went through the motion of paying the man the ten gold required for entrance. ¡°Enjoy your time in Kyllar,¡± the guard said, then looked past the two. ¡°Next!¡± Alanah and Derek then walked through the doors to the city. ¡°We¡¯re finally back to civilization,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Indeed, we are.¡± Chapter 475: Border Town Chapter 475: Border Town As Derek and Alanah walked through the streets of Kyllar, Derek took note of how much it resembled some of the cities in Cydaria. To be exact, the city very closely resembled Wilmette¡ªthe city, which was in the closest proximity to Torith, now Searidge. It wasn¡¯t a huge city like the capital, or a bustling business city like Savannah, but it still had the mix of people that one would see in any of the big cities in Cydaria. He passed humans, elves, dwarves, halfling, and mixes like half-elves. Honestly, it seemed like he was back in Cydaria and not thousands of miles away. Even the small village with the odd shopkeeper reminded him of Cydaria and its villages. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re really not in Cydaria?¡± he half snorted and asked Alanah. ¡°They are rather similar,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°I really enjoyed my time in Vorandell over every other kingdom on this continent. Everyone seems to accept one another¡ªunless it¡¯s a refugee from Linderis, then it may take them a while to become custom to such a diverse population. But eventually, they come around and realize it is all for the best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Indeed, it is,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan from here?¡± he asked. ¡°Well...¡± Alanah sighed heavily. ¡°It seems I must find a shop to sell some of my items so we can have the funds to use the teleporter.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Well, good luck with that. I¡¯ll just wait outside for you to finish.¡± Alanah glared at Derek, then eventually, both of them laughed. Nick and his knick-knacks were still fresh in both of their minds. The last thing either of them wanted to do was deal with another shopkeeper. ¡°At least we are in a real city now,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll run into any situation like the one we had back in that village. I don¡¯t think such a character would be able to survive running a shop in a full-on city.¡± ¡°Yeah... I imagine you¡¯re right about that,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Unless, of course, that person was somehow a hidden master or something.¡± ¡°Which Nick was not,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°He was only level 67,¡± she said. ¡°Just a non-regular, low-leveled villager.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek nodded, then the duo continued trekking through the city in silence. Soon, Derek stopped and pointed at a sign hanging over a door. ¡°Looks like you found your shop,¡± he said. They were somewhere around the middle of the city at the time, and the sign he pointed at was wooden, with a drawing of a pouch with a few coins spilling out of it. ¡°Either that or a bank of some kind,¡± Alanah said as the two approached the building. Once there, Derek looked in the windows and said, ¡°Definitely a shop.¡± The inside had the standard layout of a shop. There were shelves with items¡ªeach having a number marked below for the price¡ªand there were people wandering around inside looking at said items. There was also a person standing behind a counter and what looked like a well-equipped guard standing by the entrance on the inside. ¡°Looks that way,¡± Alanah replied, then stepped forward and placed her hand on the door. ¡°Are you coming?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Derek said. ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ve had enough shopping for one day, so I¡¯ll just wait out here. I¡¯ll let you pay for all the fees for us since I am a gentleman like that. It is your adventure, after all.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Alanah rolled her eyes, then went inside. The siren didn¡¯t take long to come back out¡ªabout half the time it took in the village. She came out with a slight smile and sighed. ¡°That was much easier.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No problems?¡± ¡°None,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°It looks like our armor and gear actually mean something when we aren¡¯t in some backwater village. None of the customers got in my way, and the clerk was all too happy to give me good prices without trying to haggle.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s the way it should be,¡± Derek replied with a chuckle. ¡°That is why,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Because we are in the city closest to the border between Vorandell and Linderis,¡± she explained. ¡°Even when I was on this continent last time, Linderis was constantly on the verge of invading¡ªor at least they made it seem that way. Any city or citizens close to the border were always on edge because of that, and it seems that nothing has changed since then. I was hoping that wasn¡¯t the case, but it looks like my hopes were for naught.¡± ¡°Did they ever actually attack?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Or was it always just the threat of attack? And why would Vorandell allow something like this for so long?¡± ¡°No, they never didn¡¯t anything more than have some light border skirmishes,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°At least not that I know of. Occasionally, a fanatic elf will cross the border a couple times a year and throw their life away in the name of elf superiority. That¡¯s probably what they were talking about with the disappearing guards. ¡°I don¡¯t believe Linderis would be able to handle Vorandell if they tried. Vorandell has never done anything about it because Linderis never attacked. The Vorandell Royal Family are known to be kind and peaceful,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°If this was Draylanthi, I imagine Linderis would no longer exist, or it would be vastly different from how it is right now, but Vorandell is not going to be the ones to start a war¡ªeven if provoked. Now, if Linderis ever did actually step foot in Vorandell and attack, Vorandell would not go easy on them. Honestly, Linderis is just full of a bunch of old elves set in their old ways, with nothing better to do than provoke other races.¡± ¡°Sounds like they all need a good ass kicking,¡± Derek replied. ¡°It certainly wouldn¡¯t hurt,¡± Alanah giggled. ¡°It is the same as always,¡± she sighed. ¡°This isn¡¯t the only border city, either. You¡¯ll hear the same conversations in any of the border cities that you go to.¡± ¡°Definitely doesn¡¯t sound like a fun place to live,¡± Derek said. ¡°No, but like you just heard, the border cities are much cheaper¡ªespecially when it comes to cost of living,¡± the siren explained. ¡°Plenty of people are willing to put up with the intense atmosphere and the occasional psychotic elf to live well off in a real city. And it¡¯s not like other cities don¡¯t have crime and murder. Really, it¡¯s only the atmosphere that keeps people away. Nobody likes being on edge all the time.¡± ¡°I can understand that,¡± Derek said. ¡°Lots of people where I¡¯m from had to live kind of the same way. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something that will ever change, no matter what system you¡¯re in.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the siren said. ¡°One day,¡± Derek said with a slight laugh. ¡°We¡¯ll find a kingdom ruled by elves that don¡¯t have that superiority complex.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a superiority complex,¡± Alanah said. ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, it¡¯s also the history of the elves and others. At one time, humans were the bogeyman that haunted the elves. Then, eventually, that shifted, and the elves were the bad guys. It¡¯s a cycle,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But Indria may end up being different. Give them a generation or two,¡± Alanah said. ¡°They are well on their way to getting there.¡± After that, she flicked her wrist and handed Derek what looked like a hooded cloak. ¡°Speaking of elves... keep this,¡± she said. ¡°Once we get to the border, we¡¯ll need to wear them.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that just make us more suspicious?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because at least with the hoods on, the citizens of Linderis won¡¯t be able to tell that you¡¯re a human,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°At least, they won¡¯t be able to tell until they get close enough or if you take it off. Not wearing one would let them know you were human right away. At least my ears are somewhat pointy, so from a distance they won¡¯t notice I¡¯m not full blood. And even if they did notice, they at least wouldn¡¯t try to harm me¡ªmost likely they would just ignore me.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. With a thought, he went ahead and stored the cloak in his own storage ring. ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°Plus, there are plenty of people who prefer not to show themselves,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°We should be able to travel just fine outside of populated areas. And it¡¯s not like I¡¯m here to visit any cities or people specifically, so we won¡¯t be going to those areas. I¡¯d like to get to Linderis, head straight to my destination, then leave. I don¡¯t want to spend any more time there than I have to.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Derek said as the two approached the gate leading outside the city. They walked out to some rather surprised looks¡ªit didn¡¯t seem like the guards saw too many non-soldiers or guards leaving the city. ¡°You know,¡± Alanah said, grabbing Derek¡¯s attention. ¡°If Linderis is even worse than it used to be, I know a way that may set them straight for a while.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Derek asked. ¡°And what way is that?¡± ¡°I know of a certain chef who could cause a lot of mayhem if let loose in the kingdom. And I may or may not have some rather... interesting recipes that she could use,¡± Alanah said as she gave Derek a big smile. ¡°It would certainly give the elves a new bogeyman to fear.¡± ¡°No, Alanah.¡± Derek nearly facepalmed. ¡°Silvi is not, and I repeat, not making elf burgers.¡± Chapter 476: Strange Gathering Chapter 476: Strange Gathering ¡°So... that is your home country?¡± Derek asked. Both he and Alanah were already wearing cloaks, covering them from head to toe to hide their identities as a human and a half-elf once they passed through into Linderis. Currently, they were still on the Vorandell side of the border, but when they wanted to, it would only take them mere moments to move to the other, less accommodating, country. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°That¡¯s it... the country where I was born, and where I spent the first decades of my life. Though, the vast majority of those years were spent trying to survive The Echoing Abyss.¡± ¡°Do you remember how to get to the abyss that you were talking about?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I don¡¯t need to,¡± Alanah answered as she flicked her wrist and pulled out another map. ¡°I thought it would be a good idea to ask about a map of Linderis when I was in that shop in Kyllar, and to my surprise, they actually had one.¡± She unraveled the map, then she pulled out another, and held them up together. ¡°This is the city we just came from, so we would be somewhere around here,¡± she said as she nodded to an area on the map of Vorandell. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°So that would put us... there?¡± He pointed to a spot on the Vorandell map just a short distance away from the city of Purna. ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Then that would put us right around here.¡± The map of Vorandell disappeared, and Alanah pointed at a spot on the Linderis map to the far east side. If they crossed the border where they were, then they would step into the boundaries of the map and they would be able to go from there. Alanah then traced her finger to the west until it landed on a dark spot near the bottom-middle of the map. ¡°This is The Echoing Abyss, and our destination.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look too far away... at least it isn¡¯t on the complete opposite side of the country.¡± ¡°And there most likely won¡¯t be many settlements near it,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°The village where I lived was an exception, and its proximity to the abyss is one of the reasons that it was invaded in the past. Since it was so close to the dangerous area, the humans who raided my village¡ªwho killed my mother¡ªwere most probably traveling through that area to avoid any of Linderis¡¯s major cities or soldiers. Not many people go through that area, after all. Other than raiders, only some either brave or foolish people will take that as a shortcut. Even our village was built on the far edge of what could be considered part of the area around the abyss.¡± ¡°And why do people avoid it? The surrounding area, not the abyss itself,¡± Derek clarified. ¡°Because, occasionally, a high-level monster that was driven insane by the Echoing Abyss will escape and wreak on anyone around. However, in the years that I was in my village, one never attacked us. I believe we were just far enough away to not have to worry about it,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°I believe that, before the creature would arrive close to our village, they would have turned back to return home to the abyss. You see, once it grabs hold of you, The Echoing Abyss is very hard to escape.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°And you don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have any problems there?¡± ¡°I know for sure that I won¡¯t,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I already escaped its control¡ªescaped its control while being in the abyss. And you... well... I don¡¯t think you will have a problem with your wisdom stat and your willpower. After all, you can all but ignore my attempts at controlling you.¡± ¡°I think you would be able to at least stun me for a moment if you tried,¡± Derek said. ¡°And that instant of unguardedness is all it takes for most people to die.¡± ¡°Most people,¡± Alanah said with a chuckle. ¡°But you... you are not most people, are you?¡± ¡°I guess not,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Still, I would rather not find out.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Alanah agreed. ¡°Now, shall we make our way to the abyss? The second most dangerous place on the continent.¡± ¡°The second most dangerous place?¡± Derek asked with surprise in his voice. ¡°If it¡¯s the second most dangerous place, then what¡¯s the first?¡± Alanah paused for a moment, then stared seriously into Derek¡¯s eyes. ¡°Nick¡¯s Knick-Knacks.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. ¡°We just need an elf, right?¡± ¡°We do...¡± Alanah answered. ¡°Any elf?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well... oh...¡± Alanah said with half a chuckle. ¡°I see. I suppose it would be better if the elf was at least moderately strong.¡± ¡°I know just the person,¡± Derek said, then he and the siren took off¡ªmoving to a place far enough away so that nobody would be able to see him and his skill or sense him or the dreadful aura that may be released.. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With a quick rip in space, he stepped through his portal, closed it behind him¡ªthe longer it stayed open, the more risk of someone finding it. Derek then pushed his Void Sense to the max and began searching. Dang... that¡¯s a bit further away than I was thinking it was going to be, he thought. Oh, well... here goes. While waiting for Derek to get back from fetching whomever it was he was going to get, Alanah sighed. Her time on the planet and in her current system was almost up. As someone who was great at hiding her emotions and showing restraint, it was all she could do to not appear a mess on the outside because of her internal anxiety. The time it took to cross the sea took longer than she had expected¡ªshe honestly thought that, with their speed, it would take no more than a few days to make it across. That was nai?ve, Alanah thought. It¡¯s been ages since I made the journey. I can barely remember the events on the sea, much less how long it took me to make it across. Especially when one day begins to blend with another... she thought, but would she have done anything differently? No, most likely not. I shouldn¡¯t have looked for Void Beasts, she thought. No... then I would have never met Asher, and I wouldn¡¯t have learned so much about Void Beasts. It doesn¡¯t matter, Alanah thought. If I don¡¯t make it, I don¡¯t make it. I don¡¯t even know if anything is still there. It¡¯s my fault for putting off this trip for so long... but how was I supposed to know I would end up having a time limit? She sighed aloud. I could always try to take one of the guards while nobody is looking and command him to tell me what¡¯s going on. It would be a little risky, but if it¡¯s nothing major, we could just brute force our way through. We won¡¯t be followed deep into the danger area, and if we are... A glint of ruthlessness flashed through Alanah¡¯s eyes. There is no love lost between me and the people of this country. About that time, the same dreadful sense appeared out of nowhere. That was fast, Alanah thought. I wonder who he got. I hope it¡¯s not that cranky old man. He¡¯d start a fight trying to find out with his crassness. She turned to where the sense was the strongest and waited a couple of seconds. Finally, a rip in the space in front of her appeared, and Derek stepped out carrying a man. Oh... I guess he¡¯ll do, Alanah thought, then said, ¡°Duke... it so nice of you to help us in our time of need.¡± ¡°What? Why... Ms. Swan?¡± Ryven muttered, apparently shocked at the events taking place. ¡°Did he... did he just snatch you up without saying anything?¡± Alanah tilted her head and asked. ¡°They all seemed busy,¡± Derek said as he closed the portal behind him. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to distract them when I only needed one, and there were so many to choose from. I just grabbed the one closest to me. To tell you the truth, I was going to bring back Osian, but he seemed to be the busiest of the bunch, so I fetched the next to the best thing... his brother.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Alanah muttered. ¡°Osian would have been better,¡± she said. ¡°He is much more diplomatic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Derek replied. ¡°But I figured a duke would do.¡± ¡°A duke would do?¡± Ryven asked, confused. The man was obviously still trying to wrap his head around what was going on. ¡°Where are we?¡± He looked around. ¡°And what is this duke supposed to do?¡± Chapter 477: just Another Elf Chapter 477: just Another Elf ¡°Follow us,¡± Derek said, then took the lead and slowly moved back to within sight of the edge of the danger area where all the settlements were located. ¡°This place doesn¡¯t look familiar...¡± Ryven said once they stopped, and he was able to get a good look around. ¡°We¡¯re definitely not in Indria, Cydaria, or Indaria... at least I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in Indaria. I¡¯ve done quite a bit of studying the kingdoms lately. Where exactly are we? It doesn¡¯t seem like a place inside Vallum, either.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in Linderis,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°The kingdom that I was born into.¡± ¡°Linderis?¡± Ryven frowned. ¡°Wait! Did you say we¡¯re in the kingdom you were born in? So... we¡¯re on another continent, then?¡± ¡°Got it in one,¡± Derek said. ¡°Your traveling skill works from this distance away?¡± Ryven stared at Derek with wide eyes. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t even know the half of it,¡± Derek said. ¡°I could take you to places you wouldn¡¯t even believe.¡± ¡°Monster...¡± Ryven muttered under his breath, but neither Derek nor Alanah said anything about it. ¡°Uhem...¡± Derek cleared his throat, getting Ryven¡¯s attention. ¡°We need a little help here,¡± he said. ¡°What do you need?¡± Ryven asked with a sigh. ¡°You see,¡± Alanah started, then pointed toward the encampments. ¡°Linderis is an even less friendly kingdom to non-elves than Indria was before all the contracts and alliances. For Derek¡ªespecially this far in¡ªmost elves from the kingdom would try to kill him on sight, or, at minimum, report him. And nobody here wants a bloodbath.¡± ¡°And it would be exactly that...¡± Ryven said as he looked at Derek. ¡°That would be all up to them,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°And...¡± Alanah continued. ¡°Half-elves aren¡¯t treated much better here. It¡¯s one of the reasons I left and only came back a couple of times before crossing the sea.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Ryven said. ¡°Good,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Now, this is a very dangerous area called The Echoing Abyss. All of those encampments are built around the edge of probably the most dangerous place in this world. Last time I was here, people avoided this area like a plague¡ªonly occasionally sending the strongest out to deal with a monster escape if it wasn¡¯t dragged back in.¡± ¡°So... you want me to...¡± ¡°Yes. We need your help to see what is going on. I need to get close to the center of the area, and I want to make sure that nothing drastic has changed since the last time I was here. I can think of a couple of reasons for the encampments that would make sense, but I want to make sure that there¡¯s nothing that Derek and I should be worried about if we go in. And seeing that you are a relatively powerful elf, we thought that you may be able to provide a little help¡ªtouch up on your diplomacy, if you will.¡± Ryven looked toward the encampments, then back to Alanah. He did this a few times before sighing. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Will they accept me just because I¡¯m a full-blooded elf?¡± he asked. ¡°If nothing else, their suspicions will be reduced drastically,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Just keep an eye out, and if things go south, be prepared,¡± Ryven said to both Alanah and Derek. ¡°I would like to live to see my daughter become a proper queen in the future and meet any half-elf grandchildren she may have.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure everything will be fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°And I¡¯ll definitely keep an eye on you. I can be by your side in an instant if needed.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Ryven sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. If I make it out fine, I¡¯ll meet the two of you back where you brought me after kidnapping me,¡± he said before turning and leaving on an invisible barrier floating extremely close to the ground.. ¡°But...¡± Derek started, but there really wasn¡¯t anything he could say after the duke turned and gave him a look that said ¡®really?¡¯. Derek turned to look at Alanah, but the siren could only shrug and agree with the man. It¡¯s not my fault that he¡¯s the one I grabbed... well... it is, but... Derek sighed, then inwardly chuckled at the ridiculousness of it all. He can think of this as a mini-vacation. I bet he¡¯s the only one in his family who has traveled to another continent. He¡¯ll be the envy of the royals. Once they were there, they eventually saw the duke draw near. From there, they paid even more attention to making sure that the encampments didn¡¯t send anyone to spy on him. They were also sure to cover the sky just in case they sent someone with flying skills. However, to both their surprise, it seemed that Ryven was able to leave without any tails, and soon, he made it to the duo. ¡°Well?¡± Derek asked impatiently. ¡°They were some very nice people,¡± Ryven said. ¡°You¡¯re an elf,¡± Alanah answered, deadpanned. ¡°Still...¡± Ryven replied with a shrug. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take away the fact that they treated me, a stranger, well, when they could have told me to leave or even resorted to violence.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re an elf,¡± Alanah said again. ¡°Their views are so swayed that they are more inclined to trust their own kind than a normal person is to trust anyone else.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Ryven said with another shrug. ¡°But they gave me tea, and it was delicious.¡± ¡°Whatever...¡± Alanah muttered. ¡°Were you able to get any information out of them? Why there are so many encampments built around the border of The Echoing Abyss.¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Ryven said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe it.¡± He paused, and didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Spit it out,¡± Derek finally said. ¡°Or are you fucking with us because I... borrowed you without your permission?¡± ¡°You really should ask next time,¡± Ryven said. ¡°Fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, spill.¡± ¡°So, they told me about this monster from over a century ago,¡± Ryven started. ¡°A monster?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Is it the one that makes The Echoing Abyss what it is?¡± ¡°Oh, no,¡± Ryven said. ¡°It¡¯s much better than that.¡± Then, he gave the duo a wide grin and said, ¡°The monster was this evil half-elf with fangs and razors for fingers. She has dark sickly green hair, and with a single word, she can bring an army to its knees.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alanah said, stunned. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m dead serious,¡± Ryven replied. ¡°You are quite the legend around here. Oh, and they may treat humans and dwarves extremely poorly, but because of your legend, it seems that they don¡¯t actually treat half-elves as bad as they once did. There were even a few half-elf guards, and some of the full-blooded elves didn¡¯t give them disgusted gazes.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Alanah muttered. ¡°Well, what do I have to do with why they are camped around the abyss?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Ryven said. ¡°It seems that The Echoing Abyss has been turned into a training ground for adventures, nobles, and students. Elves come here to stay on the edge and move deeper and deeper just to train their Mental Resistance skill and their willpower. It¡¯s quite the idea, actually. Not a bad one, either.¡± ¡°Then that means that the people guarding here...¡± ¡°Are some of the strongest elves around. Instructors from schools are here to protect the students. Noble guardians are here to protect their lineage. And many high level guards are stationed here to help,¡± Ryven explained. ¡°Damn...¡± Alanah said. ¡°That¡¯s going to make sneaking inside very hard.¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± the duke said. ¡°I may just have a way to help.¡± Chapter 478: Borrowing the Right Elf Chapter 478: Borrowing the Right Elf ¡°You?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You can help us sneak through multiple encampments full of some of the entire kingdom¡¯s strongest guards and fighters? I¡¯m sure you hit it off with them, but I doubt they like you enough to allow you to bring a human through.¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing like that,¡± Ryven replied. ¡°You forget, I am not only the Duke of Indria.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Derek nodded seriously. ¡°You are also a very bad military commander.¡± ¡°That...¡± Ryven sighed. ¡°I am in charge of the kingdom¡¯s information network. But before that, I was part of the kingdom¡¯s information network. Like my daughter would have been had the invasion succeeded.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re a...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°He was also a spy,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But I don¡¯t see how any of that helps us right now.¡± ¡°Well, as a spy, I would need a way to go undetected, right?¡± Ryven asked. ¡°Especially since I do have a very recognizable face.¡± ¡°And your way of going undetected?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Simple,¡± Ryven said. ¡°Reflective barriers and pass-through barriers. The Elras¡¯s barriers are useful for things other than defense.¡± ¡°Yeah. Squishing people and containing lethal poison,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Well... yes.¡± Ryven shook his head. ¡°But they are also fantastic for stealth. So, if you would like to jump on...¡± Ryven summoned an invisible barrier and hopped onto it. ¡°I would like to get back to Indria. That meeting was quite important, after all.¡± Derek and Alanah looked at one another, then both shrugged and hopped onto the invisible floating barrier, standing just behind Ryven. ¡°Great,¡± the duke said, then he moved his hands and summoned five more barriers. Soon, the trio was surrounded by barriers on all four sides, and their top and bottom. ¡°Now, if anyone looks at us, they will just see the reflection of what the barrier opposite it sees. It will be almost as if they are looking straight through us.¡± ¡°Nice trick,¡± Derek said. ¡°Indeed,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Okay...¡± Ryven said. ¡°If I move us slow enough, I should be able to pass us right over the top of their encampments without being found out. If I move too fast, then the barriers will get distorted, and someone may be able to see the odd anomaly in the sky. Plus, moving faster requires more mana consumption and risks the chance of someone feeling my aura.¡± ¡°Slow is fine,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I¡¯m also going to need the two of you to stand as still as possible,¡± Ryven explained. ¡°If you can do that, then we shouldn¡¯t have any problems getting through the encampments and closer to the center of this danger area.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. ¡°And Derek,¡± Ryven muttered. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Once I get the two of you where you need to be,¡± the duke began. ¡°Then, I would appreciated if you would take me back home, as I¡¯m sure the two of you will not have any more use for me.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Derek said. ¡°Mhm,¡± Alanah replied with a nod. ¡°You would only get in our way. It will be too dangerous for you if we don¡¯t protect you, so that will be for the best.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not weak,¡± Ryven replied. ¡°No,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But you are also not truly strong.¡± Ryven let out a light snort and a sigh. Then he shook his head. ¡°Well, whatever you say, ¡®oh great monster of Linderis¡¯. Now, I¡¯m taking us up.¡± The duke breathed deeply, then concentrated on moving the barriers. ¡°I take it you didn¡¯t find what you were looking for?¡± Derek asked. Beside them, Ryven continued concentrating on their movements, but he was also listening intently. ¡°No... well... I did, but there wasn¡¯t anything I could do at the time,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Even after all that time and all that power, I still wasn¡¯t strong enough. But now... with you... I¡¯m sure it will be fine.¡± ¡°Well... I got your back,¡± Derek said. ¡°Thanks,¡± the siren replied, then shifted her body and pointed out in front of them. When Derek turned to look, he frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t really look like much of a canyon. The way you were talking, I didn¡¯t think I was going to be able to see the other side.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°I can,¡± Derek said and pointed at where he saw the land reappear. ¡°It¡¯s right there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the land,¡± Alanah said with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s the creature emitting the vibrations¡ªthe one in control of The Echoing Abyss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a monster?¡± Derek raised his eyebrows. ¡°That has to be at least as big as that whale I was playing with¡ªmaybe even a bit bigger.¡± ¡°It is for sure,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°And there is no telling how old the creature is. As far as I know, nobody has been able to push through the vibrations to get close enough to attack it either.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t they just go at it from above?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Nobody would want to take that risk,¡± the siren said. ¡°Just think about how much the vibrations have increased since you first started feeling them, then think about how bad they must be when you get close. Better yet, just wait. You¡¯ll soon feel them yourself.¡± ¡°About that...¡± Ryven said, causing Derek and Alanah to turn to look at him. ¡°Oh...¡± Derek muttered. He saw sweat running down the duke¡¯s forehead and dripping down onto his clothing. ¡°How much more can you handle?¡± ¡°Not all that much,¡± Ryven answered. ¡°I will probably just be able to reach the edge of the abyss. After that, I will need my focus for the vibrations instead of the barriers, and I won¡¯t be able to fly us any farther.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done more than enough on short notice,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It looks like I borrowed the right elf, huh?¡± Derek added. ¡°Who knew you would be so handy?¡± ¡°Hmph...¡± Ryven snorted, but couldn¡¯t keep himself from letting a small grin appear. ¡°It has been an interesting day, that is for sure.¡± ¡°See, it wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Derek said. ¡°You got to meet some new people, explore a new place, and you got to get away from that god awful meeting you were in. That did not look fun.¡± ¡°And they happen weekly,¡± Ryven responded. ¡°Yeah... no thank you,¡± Derek said. After that, they flew silently for another short time. Finally, Ryven let out a deep breath. ¡°This is as far as I can take you. I just lost the top barrier. I¡¯m going to sit us down.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Alanah said, and they began their descent. Eventually, they found themselves hovering just a few feet above the ground, then the barrier below them disappeared and they dropped the short distance down. ¡°Thank you again.¡± ¡°It... was no... problem...¡± Ryven heaved in and out, trying to catch his breath. Derek looked around and even jumped into the sky to check out their surroundings. Finally, he came back down. ¡°Looks like the coast is clear,¡± he said, then used Void Travel. He walked behind Ryven and placed his hand between the elf¡¯s shoulder-blades. ¡°Are you ready to go home?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Derek sent a small film of void to encompass the duke, then took him into the portal. He then found Osian and dropped the duke off with his brother. Before any questions could be asked, he jumped back into his portal and closed it behind himself. Finally, he made his way back to Alanah and stepped out, closing the entrance as well. ¡°Now what? We gonna go jump in?¡± he asked, and his words were met with nothing more than a smile from the siren. Looks like we are. Chapter 479: Echoing Willow ¡°Come on,¡± Alanah finally said. After that, the two of them walked the rest of the distance to the edge of the abyss¡ªwhere Ryven was unable to go. It didn¡¯t take very long before Derek and Alanah were standing at the very edge, looking down at the steep drop off. ¡°Whew...¡± Derek whistled. ¡°That¡¯s a long way down,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Close your eyes and listen,¡± she said. ¡°Do you feel how powerful the vibrations are just at the edge?¡± ¡°Let me see,¡± Derek said before closing his eyes and doing as he was told. The vibrations were certainly jarring¡ªeven to him, they were enough to make him a little more than uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s about at the point of your control when you try to give me a command when you aren¡¯t transformed. I¡¯d say that it¡¯s enough to really affect or harm any person under level 200, or even many over level 200 that don¡¯t have high rarity classes.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Alanah nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s about where I would put it, too,¡± she said. ¡°Using The Echoing Abyss to train up everyone¡¯s Mental Resistance and willpower was certainly a good idea.¡± ¡°I also didn¡¯t see any monsters around on our way here.¡± Derek pointed out. ¡°Do you think those strong guards and fighters have somewhat got them under control?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just about the only thing that makes sense,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°If there were still level 220 plus monsters roaming around the edge here, there would be more guards around the more talented heirs and students that are training close to the edge.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Derek said. ¡°I bet there¡¯s also someone who patrols the edge, too.¡± ¡°I would imagine so,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°And if there is, then they won¡¯t be your run-of-the-mill guard.¡± ¡°Should we jump down?¡± Derek asked as he looked out over the drop off once again. ¡°Not just yet,¡± Alanah replied. Then she pointed at the monster that Derek had mistaken for land earlier. ¡°The monster. What do you see?¡± ¡°That... I¡¯m not sure,¡± Derek answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s moving at all, and I think that, at its size, it would be easy to see even the subtlest of movements.¡± ¡°You are correct.¡± Alanah nodded. ¡°The creature is static. As long as I¡¯ve known it, it hasn¡¯t moved an inch from where it¡¯s at... well... that¡¯s not true.¡± She corrected. ¡°It has grown a bit, which means that I guess it has moved. But it hasn¡¯t moved based on anything other than growth.¡± ¡°What kind of monster is that big, yet doesn¡¯t move?¡± Derek asked. ¡°And is able to make an entire area a danger zone just by sitting there.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never guess,¡± Alanah lightly chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not even going to try,¡± Derek said. ¡°I would rather you just tell me.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Alanah said. Then she pointed. ¡°You see that part that looks like land?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That is a very dense canopy,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°Really?¡± Derek asked. ¡°If that¡¯s a canopy, then that means that the creature is...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tree,¡± Alanah finished his sentence. ¡°Valuable...¡± Alanah tapped her finger against her leg armor. ¡°Yes... it is something that I would deem very valuable.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Derek said. ¡°After we get this item, I think I may have a few ideas to try on that big piece of firewood out there.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Alanah said. ¡°My plan is to challenge it with my own controlling powers. I may be able to beat it at its own gain at this point in my life. But if that doesn¡¯t work, I welcome you to try whatever you can. I would hate to let these people of Linderis have such a good training area.¡± ¡°A little vindictive, are we?¡± Derek said with a laugh. ¡°Sometimes, it is okay to be petty,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Derek said. ¡°Now... where is this item you¡¯re looking for? Let¡¯s go get it!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Alanah halted Derek. ¡°Before we go down there, I must ask... are you okay with gaining experience points and increasing your level?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Derek frowned. ¡°Well... once we get down there¡ªif it is anything like it used to be¡ªit will be hard to avoid fighting. Even close to the walls, the beasts go on rampages. And if we choose to go to the Echoing Willow, there will be more and more beasts there¡ªbeasts that the tree will be able to control. I can¡¯t imagine we will be able to get anywhere without you killing some beasts and gaining levels.¡± ¡°You have helped me greatly so far, and have made this trip fun,¡± Alanah continued. ¡°For obtaining my valuable, I, alone, will be enough. You do not need to follow me there. You can find a spot and hide until I return. After that, if we head straight for the tree, we should be able to avoid the monsters between us and the tree, but the monsters that are around the tree are a different story.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. ¡°I think a giant tree that can¡¯t move may make for one of the best training dummies out there. I only have five levels until I hit level 250, anyway. I¡¯m sure Silvi is itching at getting out there and leveling her own skills up.¡± Specifically, he was thinking about her Cook What You Kill skill. It was something that she hadn¡¯t been able to use much, and he looked forward to seeing what it could do¡ªespecially at higher levels. ¡°That is true...¡± Alanah muttered. ¡°And I should be able to take care of any of the beasts that aren¡¯t in the core region of the tree quite easily.¡± ¡°If I can make it to the tree with a few levels left to gain, then that will be more than enough for me,¡± Derek said. ¡°It will hopefully give my skills a small boost alongside the skill potions. Besides... I¡¯ve been holding my level back for too long and now that I¡¯m so close, it¡¯s hard to not just push it right up there alongside everyone else.¡± ¡°Yeah... your level may be the same as everyone else, but with the quality of each of your levels, there will be a massive difference,¡± Alanah said with a smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll finally be at the point that everyone already thinks I¡¯m at. That means I won¡¯t have to shrug any questions off about it if anyone asks. And like I said, it will free Silvi up to go collect as much dinner as she wants.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°In that case, I must thank you once again for taking this journey with me. And seeing it through to the end.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it.¡± Derek rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°You¡¯re going to make me blush,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re way past all this decorum. I just did what a friend should do.¡± Especially if said friend is growing antsy from sitting in a shop all day with nothing much to do there, he thought, but didn¡¯t say. ¡°Still,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It is all the same.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°You are welcome... Now, let¡¯s go get you shit!¡± ¡°Ah... yes...¡± Alanah said. ¡°Let¡¯s go get my... stuff.¡± Chapter 480: Dig Alanah approached the edge of the abyss. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time,¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°I hope still remember where I¡¯m going... and that it¡¯s still there,¡± she spoke lightly, but was easily heard by Derek. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find whatever it is that you¡¯re looking for,¡± Derek said. ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± Alanah replied. Then she took the final step and walked off the edge into the abyss. ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± Derek muttered, then followed suit. Many levels ago, a fall like the one they were experiencing would be enough to splatter them on the ground, but at their current levels and stats, it was nothing more than a slightly invigorating jump. After falling for a little while, Alanah began to slow, and Derek passed by her. Seconds later, he landed on solid ground¡ªcreating a couple of holes where his feet were. Alanah floated down lightly beside him. ¡°Brute,¡± Alanah chuckled as she landed gently on the ground beside him. ¡°I am the big dumb friend, after all,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Indeed,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Now, do you have any idea where to go from here?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Not a clue,¡± Alanah said. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a cave at the edge of the abyss. I am unsure where we came down in relation to the cave, but it is along the abyss¡¯s wall here. There are some markers that I can recall like it was yesterday, so if they are still there, it won¡¯t be too hard to find as long as we stick to the edge.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Derek said. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Alanah nodded, then flicked her wrist¡ªcausing her rapier to appear in her hand. After that, she took off at a sprint. She ran just fast enough that Derek was able to keep up with her stride without using any skills to do so. The duo ran through and past overgrown forest, boulders, and even heaping clumps of moss that Derek could have sworn was alive. Actually, it probably was alive... he thought. If a big ass tree is the center of all this, then why wouldn¡¯t some moss be alive, too? Occasionally, Alanah would slow to a halt and survey their surroundings. Then, she would let out a light sigh of disappointment and take off at a sprint again. This happened multiple times. The duo was also met with attacks from a multitude of different beasts that weren¡¯t nearly as docile as the clumps of moss they left alone. Derek didn¡¯t have to do anything in those instances, as the siren was quick to disappear a leave a hole in the head or heart of just about every beast that chose to attack. Derek was prepared to launch a void covered fist at anything that got by the woman, but, in the end, he didn¡¯t need to. Alanah was correct that the edge of the abyss was where the weaker, crazed beasts gathered. Some of the beasts they came upon completely ignored the duo and kept fighting one another. One thing that each and every beast they came across had in common was a pair of bloodshot eyes. It was obvious that none of the monsters really had any idea what they were doing and were just attacking anything that drew close¡ªwhich is why some of the monsters chose not to attack the duo... they never got as close as the monsters that they were already battling. ¡°Stop!¡± After about an hour and a half of running along the abyssal wall, Alanah came to an instant halt and stopped Derek as well. ¡°Do you see something that you recognize?¡± Derek asked, hopeful. ¡°I do!¡± Alanah answered enthusiastically. ¡°Look at that.¡± She pointed at the wall. Derek took a step forward and looked down. Alanah was hovering over a hole that was not much bigger round than a basketball. ¡°You lived inside there? How did you fit?¡± ¡°I was a child when I found it,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It was a hole made by a snake-like monster that I found dead. It was about twenty feet long and... well... this hole wide.¡± She positioned her hands at the side of the hole. ¡°Its body was sticking halfway out at the time, and its head was completely gone¡ªmust have been killed by some other beast as it was trying to leave.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°It took me a long time, but I was eventually able to pull the rest of its body out of the hole,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°At that point in time, I was plenty small enough to go inside, and because of my diet¡ªor lack thereof¡ªI was never too big for it. Not to mention that my dexterity grew faster than my strength did at that time, so it kept me very slim.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°I could probably work my way into it right now if I weren¡¯t wearing my armor,¡± Alanah said. ¡°But there is no point in doing that...¡± she sighed. ¡°Could you help me make this entrance a bit bigger?¡± she finally asked Derek. ¡°No problem,¡± Derek said. He then summoned Harbinger and cut into the ground around the hole. It would have been a bit faster if his glaive was currently damaged¡ªif it were, he would have been able to use the weapon¡¯s Material Drain ability¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t, so he had to go about it in a slightly slower way. He cut into the ground, then picked the chunks of ground up and tossed them over to the side. He wasn¡¯t nearly as gentle with the pieces that he moved. ¡°Just keep digging along the route if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I aim to please,¡± Derek replied with a chuckle, before continuing to use his legendary weapon as a makeshift shovel. The ¡®route¡¯ that had been dug out by the snake turned out to be very long. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that nothing ever found you in here,¡± he said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look much like a cave, though...¡± ¡°Yeah, I was extremely lucky to find such a shelter so soon after my fall. If not for this place, I would have been dead and monster food many times over,¡± Alanah said. ¡°And like I said, it gets much bigger eventually. It actually is a cave of sorts.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek nodded and kept digging. Eventually, he reached where the hole went underneath the wall of the abyss. Once there, he kept digging¡ªthis time, he began clearing an entrance in the wall as well as expanding the tunnel. His glaive sliced through the wall and ground like a hot knife through butter. He even began storing the wall and ground in one of his storage rings because it was much faster and easier to do than try to move it out of the way. ¡°Where is an earth mage when you need one?¡± ¡°I think the old man would be the only earth mage I know who I would trust not to go crazy because of the willow,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°And I would rather all this be kept between the two of us. I wasn¡¯t exactly at my best when I lived here.¡± ¡°Well... if we did bring Marrick, I think he would have been able to fit in the hole and crawl all the way. He wouldn¡¯t even need to use his earth or sand or whatever it is that he¡¯s good with,¡± Derek said. ¡°But I get it. This is all very personal and probably bringing back some memories that you would rather others not know.¡± Alanah didn¡¯t say anything. She just stood behind Derek and let him work. Soon, he found that the tunnel he was expanding no longer needed expanding, and he was able to fit inside without even ducking. ¡°Looks like my part is done,¡± he said, then squeezed to the side to let Alanah pass him by. ¡°Thank you,¡± Alanah said as she took the lead and slowly walked forward. Soon, they were deep enough in that there was no light coming in from the outside. At that point, Alanah flicked her wrist and brought a runesmithed orb of light to brighten their way. ¡°So, this is what it looks like inside,¡± the siren muttered as she continued forward. ¡°Looks like a cave,¡± Derek said. ¡°I take it that you were stuck in here in the dark?¡± ¡°I was,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°But I¡¯d rather be safe and in the dark than in the light and in constant danger. At least in here, when I had control, I could rest.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Derek said. ¡°Also, it really does seem like the controlling effects from the big piece of firewood aren¡¯t as bad in here. I mean, it is still pretty bad, just not as bad.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Alanah nodded. After that, the duo silently ventured forth. Not long after, the tunnel opened, and they found themselves in what seemed like a room. It wasn¡¯t very big¡ªonly about the size of one of Derek¡¯s bedrooms back in his shop. Finally, Alanah took in a deep breath, then said, ¡°I thought it was bigger than this.¡± Chapter 481: What Was Left Derek opted to stay at the entrance and to not say anything as Alanah took in the cave where she spent much of her childhood and early adult life. As far as he could tell, with the cave being only dimly lit by Alanah¡¯s light orb, there certainly wasn¡¯t very much scattered around the area. But Derek was able to make out a few shapes lying around¡ªhe was unsure what they were, but they were definitely different from the rocks and dust that occupied most of the cave. The siren slowly moved around the cavern from one side to the other. Occasionally, she would crouch down and pick something up before tossing it toward the middle of the room. Eventually, the woman made her way all the way around the cave and came to be standing beside Derek. After a short moment to breathe deeply, she turned to Derek and smiled lightly¡ªin the dim light, he saw a tear roll down the siren¡¯s cheek. ¡°Come here,¡± Alanah said. She waited for Derek to nod, then led him to the back side of the room. Finally, she kneeled down, sat the light orb off to the side, and began rubbing dust off of a certain area. ¡°Even after all these years, some of the stuff here is still intact. And if some of the things laying out in the open are still whole, then what about something I took great care with?¡± she asked rhetorically. Again, Derek knew she wasn¡¯t waiting for an actual answer from him, so he stood silently behind her and watched. Eventually, a great deal of dust and dirt was removed from the ground, and Derek saw that there were actually some breaks in the rock beneath them. As it turned out, the cracks weren¡¯t natural at all¡ªthey made a rough rectangle in the ground and were obviously man made. Once the entire area was revealed, Alanah took a deep breath and tried to fit her fingers in the small cracks, but could not. ¡°My fingers aren¡¯t as small as they were when I made it, and I never increased the size of the cracks to accommodate my adult hands. I used to use a rock to pry it up when I needed to get to it,¡± Alanah explained, after which she summoned a very normal-looking dagger from her storage ring. ¡°Now... just have to be very, very careful,¡± she muttered to herself. Very carefully, Alanah wedged her blade into the crack. With a slow and steady motion, she pushed down on the dagger and used it to slowly pry the stone up¡ªbeing careful not to let her current strength damage anything in the process. Derek guessed that this was why she used such a weapon to do the job instead of her rapier or another, sharper weapon¡ªmost of the stuff that they would use at their levels would absolutely devastate any normal ground or stone they even lightly touched. This could be seen in the way Harbinger was able to slice through the walls of the abyss. As soon as the dagger brought the side of the stone up, Alanah quickly grabbed the raised edge with her fingertips. Once she had a good hold on the stone, she took a deep breath and raised it up and out of the ground. It took a lot for Derek not to lean over the siren and get a peek at what was inside the storage hole that she¡¯d made when she was younger, but he was able to control himself and wait. Alanah sat the stone gently on the ground beside her, then she leaned forward on her knees and reached slowly into the hole. Being more careful and gentler than Derek had ever seen her be before, Alanah slowly raised something up out of the ground. Whatever it was, was wrapped up in an extremely tattered and dirty cloth. With a flick of her wrist, a stunningly regal and clean white sheet appeared on the ground in front of her, just on the other side of the hole. For the first time, Derek saw that Alanah¡¯s hands were slightly trembling while clutching the object. Lightly, the siren laid the object on the sheet¡ªafter which, she picked up and placed the stone back in the hole. ¡°My mother was a seamstress for our small village,¡± Alanah said, breaking the silence. She bent forward and took one edge of the cloth off of the object. ¡°Well... she was until she became pregnant with me. After I was born, she was shunned, and it was hard for her to find any real work to do there. Even though she was far more talented than any of the other seamstresses, she only received work than none of them wanted to do.¡± Alanah continued to remove the tattered cloth from the item. ¡°Before our village was raided, and I lost her, I think she was planning on bringing me out of Linderis and to one of the other kingdoms. But I don¡¯t think she meant to stay with me¡ªbut I¡¯m not sure about that. It¡¯s just a feeling I get. I believe she planned on finding a way to give me a good life away from Linderis, even if it meant giving me up.¡± Finally, Alanah removed the last bit of tattered cloth away. Delicately, she reached down with both hands and picked up the now unwrapped object. Derek saw a doll in her hands that was almost as tattered as the cloth it was wrapped in was. With a flash of light, all the dirt and grime were removed with the use of Alanah¡¯s cleaning skill. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Just telling you what I guarantee is true,¡± Derek said. ¡°I need to get this to Cydaria¡¯s best seamstress. I won¡¯t let them out of my sight until it¡¯s repaired.¡± Alanah said, turning the doll over and frowning at some of the damage to it. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it¡¯s still in as good of a condition as it is.¡± ¡°Like you said,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Your mother was great at her craft. Obviously, items she crafted¡ªespecially ones that she put her all into¡ªwould have great durability. I don¡¯t know what her level was, but even a lower-level crafter would have that increased durability.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what level she was either,¡± Alanah said. ¡°She never talked about levels or the Great System or anything. I think she planned to leave with me soon¡ªbefore I unlocked the system¡ªand didn¡¯t want to sway me toward any one class or another, so she never talked about any of it. I feel like her plan was to find a place for me and let me unlock the system there¡ªwith help from people who knew more than she did. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much copper, silver, and gold she had saved for me,¡± Alanah continued. ¡°We lived very frugally my whole life, and even though it was hard for her to find work, I know that she never spent everything she made. I also saw her putting some copper away once. For decades, I have been thinking about these things,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°If we would have left sooner, if my birthday had been earlier, if she would have gotten a few more jobs... all the ¡®ifs¡¯ that I¡¯ll never know. It¡¯s useless thinking about them, but I can¡¯t help myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural,¡± Derek said. ¡°We all have those ¡®ifs.¡¯ And even though there¡¯s nothing we can change, we can¡¯t help but think about it... over and over.¡± ¡°Oh... right,¡± Alanah said as she looked at Derek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I wasn¡¯t thinking...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s all those experiences that made us who we are today, and I have to say, we¡¯re pretty badass.¡± ¡°We are, aren¡¯t we,¡± Alanah chuckled. ¡°Yes, yes we are,¡± Derek said. ¡°I mean... you¡¯re a living legend in this kingdom. A very horrifying, bogeyman, but a legend, nonetheless. I¡¯m pretty sure this entire continent is terrified of you. And then, if you go back to the other one, you are one of the most well-known and respected people of all the kingdoms¡ªespecially Cydaria. Like I said, pretty badass.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Alanah nodded. ¡°And you... well... you are you.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Derek said, and at the same time, he felt the vibration pick up in his ear. He furrowed his brow and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Alanah looked at the doll of her mother and hugged it tightly before storing it in her ring. Then she stored the tattered cloth that had protected it all those years and the sheet she¡¯d spread out on the ground. After that, she cast Cleaning on herself, then looked at Derek. ¡°That is our chance to take care of the willow.¡± Chapter 482: Assemble ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°The Echoing Willow always releases a few intense bursts of its power before going dormant for a short amount of time. Unless it has changed after all of these years, this doesn¡¯t happen often. We¡¯re lucky. It means that soon, the willow will lose control of the abyss for a short time.¡± ¡°And it will be vulnerable?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Not necessarily...¡± Alanah said. ¡°I¡¯ve never gotten close to it. It does, however, mean that it will lose control of all the beasts. In other words, the beasts will gain control of themselves for this short amount of time. They will all be busy gathering themselves and even trying to escape the willow. It will be our perfect chance to go there. They shouldn¡¯t attack us or anything else that gets close to them. This could be the best time for us to attack.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure you still want to do that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Kill the willow?¡± ¡°Even if I wasn¡¯t before,¡± Alanah started. ¡°Knowing that the bastards in this kingdom are using the tree to grow stronger has made me sure. This horrifying bogeyman can¡¯t leave them without giving them one last parting gift, after all.¡± ¡°No, I guess you can¡¯t,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Well, how are we going to do this?¡± he asked. ¡°You said you might have a plan, right?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to get this opportunity¡ªespecially so soon. What are you thinking?¡± ¡°I think that neither of us are well equipped to fight against something as big as that giant tree seemed to be,¡± Derek said. ¡°I have a couple of attacks that may work on something of its size, but the rest of my skills are much more suited to fighting single opponents.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°I also have to imagine that my main controlling abilities will not be very useful in a fight with it. After all, our abilities are very similar. The Echoing Willow may be even less susceptible to my skills than I am to its skills. I do not know if the tree actually has a way of hearing me.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek said, agreeing with the siren¡¯s assessment. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like the two of us have to fight it on our own,¡± Derek said. ¡°Once I saw the thing, I started thinking about ways to defeat it.¡± ¡°Very true,¡± Alanah said. ¡°That is one of the things that makes your traveling skill so powerful. Who did you have in mind?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, most of our friends will be too affected by the tree¡¯s abilities,¡± Derek said. ¡°You saw how much of a toll it took on Ryven just getting to the edge of the abyss.¡± ¡°Mhm. That was with him carrying us and not protecting himself with his sound barriers. The Elras family are quite good at countering sound-based attacks with those barriers,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Ryven still may not be too much help in the matter, but I imagine that Osian would be capable of withstanding the echoes with or without his barriers. I do believe that he is quite a bit stronger than his brother. We have never seen the king go all out, after all. And he could provide protection from the control to any others in the fight.¡± ¡°True,¡± Derek replied. ¡°He would definitely be good at crowd control of any beasts¡ªbut because of the current situation, we may not need anyone to control the beasts. And honestly, anyone who can¡¯t withstand the echoes on their own probably won¡¯t be much help against the willow. It also seemed like the elves were having a pretty important meeting. Borrowing a duke without permission is one thing, but borrowing king may be a bit much.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Alanah nodded. ¡°Who else do you have in mind? Obviously, you¡¯re going to bring Silvi in. I know that those flames of hers are no joke. She completely melted the talented King of Astrus with those flames. Plus, you have been calling the Echoing Willow a piece of firewood for some time now.¡± ¡°Got it in one,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m also curious if one of her skills will work with firewood. Other than her, I think it would be a pretty good idea to bring Edgar into the fray. Where I¡¯m from, there¡¯s a lot of lore about lightning striking trees. We also know that he can withstand the echoes on his own, and he has mobility that is close to your own when you are in your siren form.¡± ¡°The prince would be a good choice,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Do you think he would be up for the fight?¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Derek replied. ¡°That guy really gets into it when fighting strong opponents. He also missed the fight with the final raid boss, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯s itching for some action. He¡¯s probably been drowned in politics lately¡ªhe¡¯d take any excuse to get away from that,¡± he explained. ¡°I¡¯m also thinking we should bring Avery along.¡± ¡°We should,¡± Alanah replied almost instantly. ¡°I would like to have one final battle with him by my side. He is also single target damage for the most part, so he may not be extremely useful, but I wouldn¡¯t want to fight without him.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll go pick up Avery, Edgar, and Silvi. I¡¯d like to bring a healer or support just in case, but to do that, I think we would need Osian to come to protect them¡ªI¡¯m not sure if any I know would be able to withstand the echoes. I also think that our recovery stats are enough to get by, and we can always retreat if needed.¡± ¡°Those three should be good enough,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Too many more and it could get crowded. You should go get them. I will make my way out of the cave and will be waiting for you outside.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek replied. Alanah still seemed a bit wary about showing other parts of herself¡ªparts that would show her vulnerability¡ªso she surely didn¡¯t want them to gather in her former home. ¡°Then I will see you soon,¡± Alanah said. After that, the siren began a slow trek out of the cavern. Derek watched as the small orb of light she was holding moved further and further away. Soon, the light disappeared, and he was left standing alone in the complete dark of the room. ¡°I guess that¡¯s my cue,¡± Derek muttered to himself. After that, he activated his skill and stepped inside the void. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. When Derek stepped back out of the void, he was inside Rudy¡¯s office¡ªor at least what used to be Rudy¡¯s office. There were walls knocked out, and there were also a couple of people that he didn¡¯t recognize huddled scared over in the corner of what was Rudy¡¯s shop. Uh... what the hell? He thought before remembering that he¡¯d left Malorie and Geoffrey to work out details of different things to do. They had bought the extra lots, after all. Avery then turned around and spoke to the three children. ¡°Your lessons with me end here today,¡± he said. They weren¡¯t able to respond, though, as the feeling that Derek¡¯s portal was emitting was just too strong. ¡°You can train how you like if you want or take the rest of the day off¡ªwhichever you all think is best.¡± After that, he turned to Derek. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Stand still.¡± As he did with Edgar before, Derek took Avery through the portal and out to Alanah. Once Derek withdrew his Void Creation shield from around the man, Avery walked forward and stood beside Alanah. ¡°Finally getting revenge?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Finally.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Derek said, causing Alanah to turn to look at him. ¡°There¡¯s a couple more people that I think would be good for this. I¡¯m going to go see if they want to come. Should be great for the roots.¡± ¡°Whatever you think is best,¡± Alanah replied. Derek nodded, then left once more. ¡°Fucking hell,¡± a deep voice sounded out as soon as Derek exited his portal. ¡°Ah... sorry,¡± Derek said. Tyron was standing over an anvil with his ball peen hammer in his hand¡ªhis arm frozen mid-swing. ¡°Just eight hours of work down the drain,¡± the smith said, then with a sigh, asked, ¡°Can I help you with something?¡± ¡°You can, actually,¡± Derek said. ¡°Are you by chance in the need of some extremely high-quality wood?¡± ¡°High-quality wood?¡± The Walking Forge asked. ¡°I¡¯m always in need of high-quality materials. Why? Do you have any?¡± The smith¡¯s eyes turned from annoyed to hopeful the instant Derek mentioned high-quality materials. ¡°On me? No,¡± Derek said. ¡°But we are about to fight an extremely strong tree, and I thought you and Rocky may be able to help. I figure your lava or magma or whatever would be very good against such an opponent. Once we kill it, I¡¯m sure there will be plenty of wood to go around.¡± ¡°A battle, then?¡± Tyron asked. ¡°Yes, a battle.¡± Tyron cracked his neck, then reached out and cracked his knuckles. ¡°I guess I could take a break from the forge for a bit. What do you think?¡± At that, Rocky¡¯s worm-like form slithered out of the man¡¯s shirt and onto his shoulder. Tyron laughed, ¡°Rocky¡¯s in. What do you need us to do?¡± ¡°I just need the two of you to stay really still,¡± Derek said. ¡°We won¡¯t have to fly, will we?¡± Tyron asked. ¡°No, no flying,¡± Derek said. ¡°Good.¡± Next, Derek stepped forward and covered the two in his void. After that, he picked them up and walked into his portal¡ªclosing the opening behind him. He hadn¡¯t bothered closing the other side of the portal, so he soon stepped out next to everyone else again. ¡°That... was almost as bad as flying,¡± Tyron said. ¡°There¡¯s no floor, but there is a floor...¡± ¡°Nothing I can do about that,¡± Derek said with a chuckle as he closed the portal behind him. ¡°Mr. Blacksteel,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Thank you for joining us.¡± After that, she turned to Derek. ¡°Yes, Mr. Blacksteel will be a great addition.¡± ¡°I thought so,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°And he comes with a dragon.¡± Rocky poked his head out of Tyron¡¯s shirt and gave a quick nod. ¡°Thank you for your help, too, Rocky,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Now, is there anyone else?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re just waiting on...¡± Derek started, but felt the dreadful aura appear behind him. ¡°Nevermind,¡± he said. A few seconds later, Silvi hopped out of the portal with a void created pot and lid floating above her. After she closed the entrance, she dismissed her pot and lid, and quickly re-equipped all her gear. She looked around at everyone, then, with a chime, said, ¡°Noodle!¡± Causing the dragonkin to quickly dive back into the safety of Tyron¡¯s shirt. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°You have the lead.¡± Chapter 483: Approach Chapter 483: Approach ¡°Okay,¡± Alanah said, looking over the group. ¡°First thing that you all need to know is that the enemy, the Echoing Willow, is a monster unlike what any of us has fought yet... well, unless you have fought me in my siren form, which none of you have.¡± ¡°What do we have to look out for?¡± Tyron asked. The blacksmith was taking all the information in calmly. ¡°The main thing that I know of is the tree¡¯s controlling effects through vibrations and sound,¡± Alanah explained. ¡°I am confident that myself, Derek, Silvi, and Avery will be able to fight without being affected by its skill much, but the two... three of you, I am unsure. I believe that you will be okay, Prince Edgar. As for you and your companion, Tyron, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Tyron closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. ¡°How much worse do you believe it will be once we get closer to the monster? As it is right now, it is no problem for me and Rocky.¡± ¡°I am unsure,¡± Alanah answered. ¡°Neither I, nor anyone I know of, have gone close enough to know.¡± ¡°And the controlling effect is only through the sound and vibrations?¡± Tyron asked. ¡°I imagine it would work via telepathy, too, but, unless you allow it in, you won¡¯t have to worry about that, so yes, it is the sound and vibrations that need to be watched out for,¡± the siren explained. ¡°In that case, if I dampen the sound that reaches me, then I should be okay?¡± ¡°If you are able to do so, then yes,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Very well.¡± Tyron held out his hand, palm face up, and concentrated. Derek and the others watched as small grains of metal, earth, and other materials slowly rose out of the ground and began forming an object in the smith¡¯s hand. Before long, the Walking Forge had what looked like two ear covers connected to one another. Did he just make some noise canceling earmuffs? Derek inwardly chuckled. ¡°Clay is a good sound dampener,¡± Tyron explained. ¡°I mixed some of it with different metals. It¡¯s makeshift and not something that will last long, but it should get me through a fight or two.¡± With that, he slipped his temporary covers over his ear. ¡°How is it?¡± Alanah asked. ¡°What?¡± Tyron leaned in, then took the covers off. ¡°They have completely eradicated the vibration that was reaching here, but I can¡¯t hear anything else with them on. During the fight, if you need me for something specific, you will have to reach out via Telepathy.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Alanah said. ¡°We will remember. Good idea, Tyron.¡± ¡°Edgar,¡± Tyron said as he turned to look at the prince. ¡°Would you like a pair?¡± ¡°Thanks for the offer,¡± Edgar replied. ¡°But I think I will be fine.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± the smith said. ¡°Anyone else?¡± He looked at Derek, Silvi, and Avery, but Derek and Avery only shook their heads, and Silvi ignored the man completely. ¡°Will Rocky be okay?¡± Derek asked. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Tyron said. ¡°We¡¯ve already made a plan. He¡¯s going to go underground and fight from there. I don¡¯t believe there is much out there with better underground control that Rocky. He¡¯ll have an entire ground¡¯s worth of sound and vibration dampening under there.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Derek said. ¡°Okay,¡± Alanah said. ¡°Now that that¡¯s settled, is there anything else that anyone needs to discuss?¡± She waited for a bit, and seeing that nobody spoke up, said, ¡°Great! In that case, the willow should let out one more big burst of vibrations, then go quiet for a short time. We¡¯ll start making our way to it, and once the burst happens, we¡¯ll move as fast as we can.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Derek said. ¡°Do you have any ideas on strategies against the thing?¡± he asked. ¡°Not a single one,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It is a deeply rooted, massively sized tree. I doubt any of us have ever had to deal with such an opponent.¡± ¡°True,¡± Derek said. ¡°And I doubt there¡¯s any way to get inside it and kill it from the inside out. Will a tree even have a vital area like a brain or heart?¡± ¡°Doubt it,¡± Alanah said. ¡°And those pulses must be what it does to personally kill any remaining close by beasts,¡± Alanah said. ¡°It may still hibernate, though,¡± Derek said. ¡°I know I like to after a nice big meal.¡± Alanah snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s just be thankful that we got here when it was hungry.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Derek said, before looking around. ¡°I¡¯m sure Tyron will be here any minute now.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll give him five minutes,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°If he¡¯s not here by then, he can join the fight in progress.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Derek said. The five then waited for the smith to arrive with Rocky. The man was cutting it close. ¡°It¡¯s been four minutes,¡± Avery said. The Archer had both of his daggers gripped, and he was anxiously fiddling with them. ¡°Looks like...¡± Derek started, but before he finished, he heard rustling coming from the trees behind him. ¡°Right on time,¡± he said as he turned and saw the giant of a smith walk out¡ªhis face passive. ¡°Thanks for waiting,¡± Tyron said. He had removed one of his ear covers, and it was hanging down off the side of his head. ¡°I was afraid you were going to miss the signal,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°And what exactly is this signal¡± Tyron asked as Rocky hopped out of his shirt and burrowed into the ground. ¡°Just watch closely. I call this overwhelming force,¡± Derek said with a grin. At that, Silvi hopped off of Derek¡¯s shoulder and onto a void created pot lid, then hovered around the small group of elites. ¡°Now, don¡¯t fall too far behind.¡± Derek began walking toward the tree and a pretty quick pace. It was still a long way away, but it was in clear view, with nothing else around it for thousands of feet¡ªmaybe even miles. During his walk, he moved past a couple of roots wrapped around carcasses and was happy when they chose to stay focused on their meal instead of switching targets to him. Once Derek reached the halfway mark, he took a deep breath and slowed his approach. With his next step forward, he channeled his mana directly into his boots at a steady pace. This time, he didn¡¯t want to inject it all at once. He wanted a slower build up. He also did all he could do to keep Greater Meditation active. The more he walked, the more pain he felt in his legs. With less than a quarter of the way left to the giant tree, two vines shot out of the ground and wrapped around his aching legs. Before he was able to do anything about them, they were instantly split in two by a single arrow. He turned his head and nodded at Avery, who was following closely behind. With the severing of the vines came an overwhelming screech from the tree. The noise was painful in his ears, and he felt like he wanted¡ªno, needed¡ªto attack something close. But that feeling passed as soon as it appeared. Derek quickly looked behind him. Avery and Alanah didn¡¯t look any worse for wear. Edgar was frowning and slapped himself in the face a couple of times, and Tyron was standing still, breathing deeply. A moment later, the smith opened his eyes and took a step forward with everyone else. Derek smiled¡ªhe doubted the screeches were going to get much worse than those. Sure, Tyron and Edgar would be in danger if they were fighting it alone, but they weren¡¯t. They could afford to become momentarily distracted¡ªespecially with Avery and Alanah there beside them. His smile then grew bigger as he felt everything click into place¡ªhis armor¡¯s skill was ready. With as much strength as he could muster, Derek kicked off the ground and toward the Echoing Willow. As he moved through the sky, a black sphere about the size of a bowling ball appeared beneath his left boot. No more than a couple hundred feet away from the tree, Derek halted himself with a Void Step. He looked down at the sphere, then at his right boot. Stars were rapidly circling the boot, and he smiled. With as much force as he could muster, he reared his leg back and kicked. The stars quickly transferred from his boot to the sphere, and the sphere shot forward¡ªtoward the willow at center mass. The sphere rotated one way, and the stars the opposite as he watched the ball fly forward. Derek canceled Void Steps and fell to the ground with the rest of his group. Edgar had seen him use the move before¡ªand he was pretty sure Alanah caught a glimpse of it while she was fighting the King of Astrus. But to Avery and Tyron, the skill was new. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Avery muttered. ¡°The lion...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s the same skill.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Avery said. ¡°So that¡¯s why you called it overwhelming force.¡± If the Echoing Willow didn¡¯t know it was about to experience a full-on assault before, it would soon find out. Chapter 484: Echoing Willow The Echoing Willow hadn¡¯t reacted much to Derek and the rest of his group¡¯s approach. Why would it? There was no telling how long it had lived in the abyss, and there was also no telling how long it had been since a legitimate challenger¡ªor group of challengers¡ªhad attacked. So, while it had tried a couple of times to wrap its roots and vines around Derek and the others, those times had been done very casually, like someone shooing a fly away from their food with their hand. There was no real intent in anything the willow had done so far. Yes, Avery¡¯s arrows had split a few roots, but, other than a quick, albeit overwhelming, screech, the willow tree had not initiated any real attacks. However, Derek knew that all of that was about to change as he watched the ball filled with stars and space fly slowly forward¡ªbecoming bigger and bigger as it built momentum. ¡°Prepare yourselves,¡± Derek shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t have to tell me twice,¡± Edgar replied, then jumped into the air with a pair of lightning wings on his back. ¡°Right behind you,¡± Avery said. A pair of dragon wings sprouted from his shoulder blades, and the archer also took flight. ¡°Since I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to provide adequate offense, I¡¯ll keep an eye out on everyone,¡± Alanah said, after which she slowly transformed before his eyes. Then, in her intense but sultry voice, said, ¡°If I see anyone in danger, I¡¯ll rush over to support them since I¡¯m the fastest here. I¡¯m also carrying a large supply of potions on me, just in case we need them.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Derek replied. With Alanah playing the role of support, he could rest easy knowing that he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about anybody¡ªnot that he thought he would need to, anyway. After all, he trusted everyone he brought with him to be able to take care of themselves for the most part. But there was always a chance that things wouldn¡¯t go as planned. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll recover my mana, then go see what else I can do.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get a better view,¡± Alanah, in her siren form, said, then disappeared from sight. ¡®Neat trick,¡¯ Tyron said via Telepathy, since he had his ears covered and was unable to hear anyone. ¡®It is,¡¯ Derek sent back to the man. ¡®Alanah¡¯s playing support and the other two are trying to figure out what they can do to help. I¡¯m about to do the same. I¡¯m banking on you, Rocky, and Silvi to be our heavy hitters for this fight. Hopefully, fire will work on this tree just like it works on all other firewood.¡¯ ¡®Rocky is currently setting up a parameter about 100 feet out from the tree,¡¯ Tyron said. ¡®It¡¯s going to take him a while to make his way all the way around it¡ªespecially with all the roots down there that he has to avoid. But when he finishes making it, the monster will hopefully have to say goodbye to its root system. I¡¯ll act as soon as he is finished.¡¯ ¡®Great,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®In that case, looks like I need to go make myself a distraction.¡¯ Without another word to Tyron, Derek jumped into the air. Moments later, his attack finally finished growing and sped up. In seconds, the giant ball of stars and space hit the body of the giant willow, and everyone held their breath. Slowly, the orb began sinking into the body of the tree until it stopped¡ªonly half of it was visible. Derek finally saw Silvi zip by his head in her pot lid. He wasn¡¯t sure what her aim was, so he followed her with his eyes. Originally, he thought that the bunny was going to go straight in and hit the tree in the same spot that Derek had¡ªstacking all the damage in a single area¡ªbut it looked like his companion had another idea. Once she got close to the tree, she changed her direction and shot straight up into the sky. Derek lost sight of her when she made it to the tree¡¯s canopy. ¡®Oh well,¡¯ Derek thought, then flicked his wrist and summoned Harbinger. If Silvi wasn¡¯t going to stack the damage, then he would just have to do so himself. He kicked off the void and shot forward. Mid-flight, he reached forward with his free hand and activated Spatial Collapse¡ªaiming it anywhere within the tree behind where his first attack hit. With an opponent so large, it was impossible for him to miss¡ªthough he did not see where the attack hit, either. He just knew that it hit somewhere inside the willow. If nothing else, then his use of Spatial Collapse got the entire tree¡¯s attention. Before he was able to reach within twenty feet of it, he was pelted by a flurry of razor-like leaves. They circled around him like a tornado, and a few that reached his hands and face even left cuts on his open skin a little deeper than a paper cut. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m the slow one out of the bunch unless it¡¯s in a straight line, he thought to himself as he activated Absolute Nullify and used it to redirect and nullify the attack. If the others were slow, these leaves could prove fatal. Once the leaves were thinned out, Derek deactivated his skill and continued on¡ªseconds later, he found himself standing inside the spot created by the spatial implosion. He activated Absolute Nullify once again and placed it behind him¡ªusing it as a shield to block any magical attack thrown at him while his focus was trained on the tree¡¯s inner layers. With his feet firmly planted, Derek let the void flow through his body and into Harbinger. If anything were to be able to find a vital area in a giant piece of wood like the willow, it would be one of his go to void attacks. Derek thought for a moment about using Whirlwind Slash to increase the area covered, but doing so would miss a good portion behind him¡ªplus, this was a real fight, not one where he should be focusing on his unleveled skills. So, with that in mind, he activated his level 20 Multi-Strike, then combined it with his level 20 Sweeping Slash. Once as much of his void mana was channeled into Harbinger as possible, and the deep purple projection of his blade was massive and almost completely solid, he swung with all his might. The tip of Harbinger¡¯s blade bit into the inner part of the tree in front of him and left a deep cut from one side to the other, and the blade arcs from the skill followed in the blade¡¯s footsteps and caused the cut to become deeper and deeper until it was multiple feet deep. The arcs of void energy had shot out and into the tree and disappeared. Derek didn¡¯t know what kind of damage they were doing¡ªif any. He hoped that they would find something important to sever, but there was no way to know for sure unless the Echoing Willow gave some kind of physical reaction. With a shrug, Derek continued to channel the void into Harbinger over and over, then activate any and all skills that he thought may be able to help¡ªthis included Whirlwind Slash, Spatial Rend and Spatial Collapse when it came off of cooldown. He hacked and slashed away at the wood¡ªtreating Harbinger like a wood-chopping ax. As a backup plan, he wanted to lose some of Harbinger¡¯s durability so he could repair it with Material Drain if things got hairy. And, if all else failed and he and his companions weren¡¯t able to fell the tree, if he could get deep enough inside the thing, he could always channel his inner Silvi and create a void tunnel with Void Travel, and hope that opening the portal inside it would cause some kind of extra damage. Unfortunately, unlike the Starfury Leonaris, the tree seemed to be completely solid inside, so it didn¡¯t look like his companion was going to be able to just appear and cook it from the inside out. Speaking of Silvi, Derek thought. I wonder how she¡¯s fairing up there. Chapter 485: Ignite Silvi was having one hell of a time dashing and darting around on the pot lid she created with her Void Creation (Cooking) skill. Once again, she was happy that she kept her small form after her evolution. Opposable thumbs wouldn¡¯t have been enough to make up for the loss of her smallness and mobility created because of it. Before she left, she had thought the ground with all the noodle-looking vines coming out was going to be the dangerous and fun part of the fight, but once she flew into the canopy of the tree, she realized that wasn¡¯t the case. She zipped in and out with her giant void created cleavers and cut all the small limbs of the tree she could find clean off of it. And because she was such a smart bunny, she made sure to store any free-falling wood in her storage rings. Because, once they killed the giant toothpick, they would have to split all the material. So, if she took as much as she could during the fight without anyone else knowing, then she would be able to make a lot more meals with the wood. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what that Noodle would taste like if skewered with an Echoing Willow stake and roasted over an open dragon flame. But just like with the tasty-looking pointy ear people, nobody wanted her to eat the noodle, either. Speaking of Silvi¡¯s smartness, she had gathered over a dozen empty storage rings from Malorie before she left. Derek had said that the tree was big, but now she was wondering if she had brought enough. Luckily, she had her pot and Derek¡¯s traveling skill, so she could always go dump the wood somewhere safe and come back to gather more. After filling up her third storage ring, she decided that she had enough of the small sticks for the time being. After all, she knew that she was important in this fight and that everyone was counting on her, so she should only spend a small amount of time gathering material for herself. Yes, she was a very powerful bunny, so she should help Big Sparky and the others before they got themselves killed. Who knows? If she saves another prince¡¯s life, maybe she can con... get rewarded with more ingredients from Sparky... No. Little Sparky is king now. He has the ingredients. Silvi dodged another one of the pesky leaves that kept trying to chase after her, then changed her direction. She wanted to fly out of the tree¡¯s canopy to get a better look at the battle. Since she was smart, she should do smart things. She was no longer the small bunny who liked to head-butt everything¡ªno, that skill was reserved for the hardest of opponents. While making her way up and out of the canopy, countless small leaves finally surrounded her. They began circling around her in all directions¡ªtrapping her inside. Silvi¡¯s eyes widened, and she licked her lips in preparation. The sphere of leaves soon began to collapse in, and the free space the bunny had to move began getting smaller and smaller. Once the leaves were finally within range, and one even made a cut in her cloak, Silvi acted. She went all in on her Chop, Mince, and Julienne skills. The salad thought it was trapping her, but in reality, she had trapped the salad. Once she filled an entire storage ring with greens, Silvi used Active Void Shift and left the rest of the angry leaves behind. After all, she wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of non-meat dishes, but others liked them. Plus, sometimes, the vegetables could be used as garnish and make the tasty dishes look even tastier. She found that, for some reason, a dish that looked delicious tasted even better than the same dish that didn¡¯t look as good. It was a mystery, but since it was like that, she made sure to make her delicious dishes look pretty whenever she could. With the salad confused at her disappearance, Silvi continued to make her way up. Soon, she and her pot lid broke their way out of the canopy and into the sky above. As soon as she was above the tree, she saw her two allies. Big Sparky was raining lightning down on the tree from above, and the restaurant owner¡¯s sidekick was doing the same with his arrows. It didn¡¯t look like either one was doing all that much damage to the tree¡ªbut some of that was because it was hard for them to focus because of the windstorms, limbs, and a weird green mist that kept chasing them. But the two were fast with their wings, so the attacks from the tree kept missing. Let¡¯s see... Silvi thought. Need to go up more. With that, Silvi flew even higher above the tree. This is good, she thought. Now, need to go over. She flew off¡ªtrying to get herself floating above the center of the willow. Good, good, the bunny thought. Now... Silvi took two potions out of one of her storage rings, popped the caps off the vials with her Telekinesis, and drank them down. One potion was a big mana regeneration potion, and the other was a big mana recovery potion. The tree was big, so she was going to need a bunch of mana if she wanted to kill it. Silvi had been pretty diligent in practicing her Dragon Flame skill. It left the perfect char on many meats, and she had figured out how to make it burn cooler and not destroy the meat instantly. It all took a lot of practice, but it was worth it. While cooking with it and turning ice cube kings into puddles of water, her level in the skill had reached level 9. She still had a long way to go with the skill, but it was a good start. Need to get Derek¡¯s skill potions and roast pigs. That will level it up faster, she thought as she prepared to do her job. With her four paws holding tightly to her void pot lid, Silvi angled herself down at the center of the tree. At her current distance, her Dragon Flame should be able to reach its widest spread before hitting the top of the tree¡¯s canopy. Silvi took a deep breath in, then blew. Alanah felt next to useless in their current fight. It had been a very long time since she last felt this way. It wasn¡¯t that the opponent countered her; it was just that she wasn¡¯t built for fighting giant creatures¡ªthe same was true of Derek and Avery. However, even though Derek wasn¡¯t exactly built for it, he was at least able to do some relatively good damage at the start of the fight, and he found a way to keep doing so with his abilities. The siren looked up at the crater in the tree that Derek had made with his black hole skill. She couldn¡¯t see the man or what he was doing inside, but she was sure that he was giving it his all. He had used an ability that seemed to negate any of the magical attacks launched by the Echoing Willow. With that protecting his back, surely, he would make some headway. Once again, a root shot up and went after Tyron, and once again, Alanah shot down and cut the thing in half. Her job had been relegated to root duty, and if that¡¯s all she could do, she would do it as good as possible¡ªit was her fight, after all, so she couldn¡¯t sit back and watch as all of her companions fought it for her. ¡°It would be for the best.¡± The giant of a smith then took another step forward, and the same thing happened once again, only this time, it happened closer to the tree. The Echoing Willow¡ªalong with its screeches¡ªbegan swaying. Burning roots shot out of the ground like tentacles, then fell to the ground, unmoving. Not only was the smith¡¯s and his companion¡¯s skill working above ground, but Alanah could only imagine what it was doing underneath. Then, if the burning lava didn¡¯t illuminate the dark area under the canopy of the tree before, then Silvi¡¯s Dragon Flame finally breaking through the top at that moment, would have. The entire canopy¡ªno, the entire willow tree¡ªnow looked like a giant torch lit on both ends. While all this was going on, a bolt of lightning zipped in and out of the burning canopy and soon arrived beside the siren, where it turned into Edgar. The prince stepped forward and let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s way too dangerous up there.¡± Avery landed right beside the prince and retracted his wings before wiping a great deal of sweat off his forehead. ¡°That small creature is a monster. She¡¯s lit the tree up like a beacon. I don¡¯t think I could have stayed up there for another second without burning alive. It¡¯s probably visible from anywhere in this kingdom by now.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alanah said. ¡°I want them all to see their hope for withstanding my return burn before their eyes. It does give me a warm feeling inside.¡± ¡°I...¡± Avery muttered, then he looked at Edgar and back to Alanah. ¡°I think you¡¯ve been hanging around Derek for too long.¡± ¡°No,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°This is just something I¡¯ve hoped for to happen for decades... or even longer. I¡¯m just savoring the sight.¡± ¡°Whew,¡± Edgar whistled. ¡°Remind me not to get on your bad side.¡± Then the prince looked out over the field of lava. ¡°Looks like Tyron¡¯s making his presence known, too.¡± After that, he looked up at the wall covering part of the tree. It was sucking in falling embers and leaves. ¡°Silvi¡¯s got the top, Tyron¡¯s got the bottom, and it looks like Derek has the middle. I can¡¯t help Tyron or Silvi, but I may be able to help Derek.¡± With that, the prince flashed away and appeared on the side of the tree at the same height that Derek was fighting at. He began directing bolt after bolt of lightning into the bark of the willow¡ªcausing it to crack and fall away. ¡°I¡¯m going to do the same,¡± Avery said, then disappeared, too. When Alanah next saw him, he was on the side of the tree opposite Edgar. As the tree burned from the top and bottom, and Edgar, Derek, and Avery wailed on it at center-mass, the attacks from it lessened greatly. The green mist that had begun gathering and floating down was no more. As soon as Silvi¡¯s flame broke through, the mist had caught fire and exploded. It seemed that whatever it was, was very flammable. As the attacks from the tree lessened, so too did its screeches and echoes. Alanah almost felt bad for the thing as it wailed... almost. Derek had gathered the perfect people for this fight¡ªshe was glad she brought him. And even though she wasn¡¯t able to do much, she basked in the heat generated by the burning tree. Her job was done¡ªTyron was no longer in any danger. Any root or vine that tried to get at him was intercepted and burned down by Rocky, or just didn¡¯t make it through his area attack. With the momentum the smith had, there was no stopping him. He was like a metallic juggernaut¡ªperfectly built to fight immobile enemies. Soon, the smith made it all the way to the trunk of the tree. There, he placed his metallic covered hand on the trunk and lava once more shot up out of the ground¡ªthis time, it pooled around the base of the tree¡ªfinally burning more than just the roots. Along with that, the fire from above had slowed in its burning. The Dragon Flame was so strong that the canopy of the tree was no longer there. All that was left was the main stem, or trunk, of the tree. Most of the limbs and branches had burned or were in the process of burning and falling. The thing¡¯s wailing got deeper as it burned. Finally, it also began to pale in the middle some¡ªwhere the others were. Then, with a boom that sounded more intense than any thunder Alanah had ever heard, the top half of the tree began to fall over. The tree slowly crashed into the ground¡ªleaving a giant crater and devastation in its wake. Once the dust settled, Alanah looked up. Derek, Avery, and Edgar were all standing on what was now the top of a giant stump. Derek held his glaive forward, digging it into the tree and seemingly eating away at it. Moments later, Alanah received the notification. Chapter 486: World Boss ¡°Looks like all that¡¯s left here is an Echoing Stump,¡± Derek said to Avery and Edgar, who were standing at his left and right, respectively. ¡°Uh...¡± Edgar muttered. Derek tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What is it?¡± He looked over at Avery and saw that the archer was looking forward with raised eyebrows and wide eyes. Avery met his gaze, and the archer smiled. ¡°Just check your notifications,¡± the archer said. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be pleasantly surprised.¡± I guess there were a few notifications after toppling the tree, he thought. He hadn¡¯t bothered checking any of them yet, but since it looked like there might be something good¡ªconsidering how his two friends were reacting¡ªhe guessed that he¡¯d go ahead and give them a quick browse. You have assisted in killing level ??? Echoing Willow 8,800,000,000,000 Experience Gained 8,800,000,345,850/11,600,525,450,650 Experience to Next Level ¡°Whew.¡± Derek whistled. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of experience gained for a single kill¡ªespecially when splitting it between five people.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Edgar muttered. ¡°Ignore that. Check your next notification.¡± Derek shrugged. He wasn¡¯t exactly all that excited about checking his notifications. After all, in order for him to gain Achievements or Titles, he had to accomplish a great feat that would require the Great System to request assistance from the Origin System to gain a reward. Now, the tree was tough and all, and he doubted he would have been able to beat it by himself, but he figured that he and Silvi could have taken it out as a duo. Actually, Silvi may have been able to do it herself with enough mana. Oh well, Derek thought before moving on to the next notification. ... Congratulations! New Title unlocked! User cannot currently receive Titles. ... Now that¡¯s a familiar sight. Just like before, when he gained ¡®The Impossible¡¯ Achievement, the Origin System had made itself known before the Great System came in. He hoped that everything else would play out the same as before. ... Advance to receive unlocked Titles. One out of two requirements met for advancement! Meet more requirements for advancement. Congratulations on all your current accomplishments! We eagerly await your future achievements! ... Looks like whatever this Achievement is going to be wasn¡¯t enough to push me through whatever the second requirement is. Oh, well... Derek then moved to the next notification. Achievement ¡®World Boss¡¯ Unlocked ??????? Requesting assistance from another system... Requesting assistance from another system... ¡°Oh, damn!¡± Derek blurted out. ¡°I know, right?¡± Edgar replied. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of a World Boss before.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek replied. He had heard of World Bosses before. Not through the systems, but from different video games from before the system took over Earth. Looks like they got the same Achievement, he thought. But it seems like the Great System was able to reward them, while it has to request aid to reward me. Still, it¡¯s a good sign, at least¡ªespecially since the Origin System has already sent a notification. Surely it will assist again. Derek waited while the system requested assistance. Requesting assistance from another system... Requesting assistance from another system... Connected to other system... This time, it didn¡¯t take as long to connect to the other system as it had when he earned ¡®The Impossible¡¯ Achievement. Does this mean that it¡¯s not as good? He questioned internally. Honestly, permanent stats are a crazy reward. I doubt I gain anything like that again. While he was thinking, an all too familiar notification flashed in front of his eyes again. ... Request for assistance received... ¡°And the two Skill Upgrade Points are awesome, too,¡± the prince said. ¡°Man... my brother and father are going to be extremely jealous.¡± ¡°Just out of curiosity,¡± Derek started. ¡°How many stats do you have to 1,500 points?¡± ¡°Just the one right now,¡± Edgar replied. ¡°My wisdom stat. And I¡¯m about to have 1,500 in my intelligence stat once I distribute these points.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Derek said. ¡°Don¡¯t?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°Edgar... do you consider me a friend?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Edgar said. ¡°One of my only, actually. I mean, I have other ¡®friends,¡¯ but they are also my soldiers or trainees. It¡¯s hard to maintain friendship when you have more power and command over people. I don¡¯t have to worry about that with you. I actually dropped in on my old team once the war was over. They¡¯re in good hands and are doing just fine without me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is what it is,¡± Edgar replied. ¡°Now, why do you ask? Do you not consider me a friend?¡± ¡°Oh, no...¡± Derek replied. ¡°I was just thinking about it, and I do. Both you and Avery.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Edgar nodded. ¡°But if you consider me a friend, don¡¯t put those free stats in intelligence,¡± Derek said. ¡°But increasing my intelligence¡ªbreaking through with it¡ªwill put my strength on a whole new level,¡± Edgar explained. ¡°Yes, it will,¡± Derek said. ¡°But intelligence is one of the few stats that is very easy to get out of Void Beast meals¡ªalong with strength and endurance.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Edgar said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ve had a bit.¡± ¡°Then let me supply you with those,¡± Derek said. ¡°Or, not that, necessarily. Talk with Alanah¡ªI think that she would be more than happy to give you the recipe now. Then we can go hunting.¡± ¡°You think she would do that?¡± Edgar asked with wide eyes. ¡°I do,¡± Derek replied. ¡°As long as you promise not to spread it. I¡¯m sure she trusts you to do the right thing.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t increase my intelligence,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Vitality it is.¡± ¡°That is a good choice,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s a hard stat to get¡ªalong with dexterity.¡± Derek liked Edgar. Like Alanah, both Avery and Edgar were able to fight beside Derek without being a hindrance. Of course, Alanah was on a different level, but Derek had a feeling that both Edgar and Avery could get to that level as well. As for Tyron... Derek liked the smith, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he considered him a good friend yet¡ªmore like a friendly acquaintance. The man was too consumed with his crafting to really get to know. Besides, Derek was sure that he¡¯d be over the moon with his new stat points and materials from the tree. The Walking Forge really earned them in that fight. Derek and Edgar spoke for a few minutes, then they both came down off of the broken trunk of the former World Boss. Soon, everyone gathered at the base of the tree¡ªthe molten lava having finally gone away. ¡°We¡¯re taking this whole thing,¡± Derek said out of nowhere. ¡°The whole thing?¡± Edgar looked at the tree and took a deep breath. ¡°Yes,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Silvi,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah?¡± his companion replied. ¡°Sorry to ask this of you, but are you okay being the workhorse for now?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I¡¯m not a horse,¡± she replied. ¡°I mean... nevermind,¡± Derek said. ¡°Are you good to transport this tree if we store it in rings? You can drop it all off by the dragon kennels.¡± ¡°Only if I can have a lot,¡± Silvi said. Derek looked around at everyone, and they all shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to have more than you would ever need,¡± he said. ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Will need mana potions though...¡± the bunny tilted her head and looked at the giant dead tree. ¡°Lots and lots of them.¡± Instantly, everyone but Derek dropped a bunch of mana potions in front of the bunny. ¡°It¡¯s a start,¡± she said. Then she formed a portal, tossed all of her stuff in her pot, and made to hop in. ¡°Wait,¡± Derek said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Storage rings full,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Need to go empty.¡± ¡°They¡¯re full...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°You know what? Nevermind. Just do what you need to do.¡± Silvi nodded, then hopped inside her portal. She didn¡¯t bother closing it behind her. She was a smart companion, no matter how dumb she might act at times, and she knew that it would be easier on her mana if she left it open. After all, she didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone going inside and dying at the moment. ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said. ¡°Now that transport is taken care of...¡± he looked at Tyron. ¡°Time for Dismantling.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get on it,¡± Tyron said. He was obviously the best person for the job. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that everyone else wasn¡¯t going to help. Everyone scattered and began dismantling the massive tree. It was going to take a while. Later on, Alanah emptied a few storage rings and handed them to Silvi so she could carry more. Both Edgar and Avery did the same. Chapter 487: Confrontation/Epilogue Chapter 487: Confrontation/Epilogue While everyone was working hard, Derek checked out the description for his new Achievement. World Boss I This Achievement (Title) is awarded for defeating the monster designated as a World Boss by a system. World Bosses are rare creatures that are known to devastate worlds if not defeated in a timely manner. These creatures do not appear often, and once defeated, do not respawn. It is impossible to know when a new creature capable of carrying the title ¡®World Boss¡¯ will appear again and receive the designation. Because of how rare these creatures are, few ever encounter them, and even fewer are capable of defeating them. For accomplishing such a feat, you have earned a free stat point boost of 5% of your total combined stat points, or 350 Free Stat Points¡ªwhichever is smaller. You have also received Three Skill Upgrade Points granted by the Origin System. Defeat more World Bosses to increase rewards. Note: This (Title) Achievement has been graciously granted by a stronger system, and thus, will be carried with you throughout your journey. Oh... I get it now, Derek thought. This is something else I need to talk to Dave about if I ever see him again. Was he the one who designated the tree as the World Boss? Or did it just grow strong enough to automatically be given the title? Derek shrugged. I¡¯m liking the fact that this is an upgradeable Achievement, too. Derek licked his lips¡ªif anyone would eventually be in position to find and hunt World Bosses, it would be him with his traveling ability. I wonder if there¡¯s one on Earth, he thought. But that system encompasses a lot more than just Earth, and it doesn¡¯t sound like each world actually gets one. Oh well. He shrugged. I¡¯ll find out later. After going over everything one last time, Derek nodded. The journey with Alanah was well worth the small inconveniences. With it all over now, Derek looked at his status sheet to see all the gains he¡¯d had over that time. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 245 8,800,000,345,850/11,600,525,450,650 Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 41375 41250 41375 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 1650 1650 1655 1655 1650 1650 386 Contracts Alanah Swan (Crown Restaurant) Silvi (Bonded Beast) Stella Brighton (Crown Restaurant) No Proxy (Torith Adventurer¡¯s Guild) Rudolph Mckinney Natalie Savannah via Malorie Stewart (Void Emporium) View Contract View Status View Contract View Contract View Contract View Contract Skills One of the elves went and picked up the remains of the leader, then they all took off at a speed far greater than they had before. Finally, all that was left was the single young elf. She gulped audibly, then stepped forward. ¡°Please excuse my insolence,¡± she said, then bowed. ¡°It is an honor to meet the legendary Dawn Siren. You have my thanks for taking it easy.¡± ¡°I tried to, at least,¡± Derek said. The woman bowed deeper at Derek¡¯s words, then raised her head. ¡°If you will excuse me.¡± She turned around and left. ¡°Smart girl,¡± Derek said. ¡°I agree,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°Mhm,¡± Edgar muttered with a mouth full of some fruit. ¡°Pretty, too.¡± ¡°We should finish up here, then leave before they send a whole army after us,¡± Alanah said. ¡°A small group is fine, but I may feel bad if we have to destroy another army.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Derek said. After that, they all turned back around and got back to work. It had been a busy day, and Derek couldn¡¯t wait to get back home and take a nice, warm shower. *** A few days after coming back home, Alanah woke up from a dead sleep and stretched. She had thought that there would be no way that she¡¯d get to sleep the night before because of what today would bring, but ever since she, Derek, and the others destroyed the Echoing Willow, she had slept like a baby. It was actually some of the best sleep she¡¯d ever gotten in her long life. The last few days were nice. She had a very good conversation with Avery after they all earned the ¡®World Boss¡¯ Achievement, and she was able to tell him more about what was going on¡ªnot a lot more, but enough that the man was able to convince Stella that it was something that Alanah had to do, even though neither of them could go into details. Alanah threw her legs over the bed, sat up, then reached over to her dresser and opened a drawer containing a dozen storage rings of different sizes. She slid one on each finger, then attached the rest to a necklace she was wearing. All the items inside were things that she thought she might need wherever she ended up. With a sigh, the siren stood from her bed. After that, Alanah went to her bathroom and took a very pleasant shower. She, too, was happy that Derek had brought the idea of showers to their world. In fact, one of her storage rings had a few different showers¡ªsome temporary, and some permanent. She also made sure that Natalie and Geoffrey didn¡¯t give her any of those damned things that broke after so many uses and had to be repaired. As Alanah walked down the stairs of her hotel for maybe the last time, she looked around and smiled¡ªshe had built herself a pretty good life in Cydaria. Her workers all gave her nods, waves, and smiles as she left. After that, she went to her restaurant to grab something good to eat before leaving. When she walked inside, she was met with all of her chefs, servers, and remaining employees on her main restaurant staff. Each and every one of them bowed and thanked her for everything. Seems like they are all just trying to make me cry, Alanah thought. Finally, her eyes found Stella. ¡°What is all of this?¡± she asked. ¡°I let the staff know that you would be going away for a while, and wasn¡¯t sure when you would be back,¡± Stella replied. ¡°They wanted to do something special.¡± Stella motioned all around her. ¡°What do you think?¡± The first floor of her shop had a delicious aroma, and on the tables were some of the restaurant¡¯s best dishes, and even some that she¡¯d never seen before. Looks like they¡¯re all getting creative, she thought. ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Alanah then sat down and had one of the best breakfasts she¡¯d ever had. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the food or just the general thanks and love she felt in the air, but it was very nice. ¡°Thank you for all your hard work,¡± Alanah said as she gave her staff a slight bow before leaving. ¡°Come on,¡± she said to Stella, then left the restaurant. ¡°You sure you have to do this today?¡± Stella asked as they walked down the street. ¡°I could wait a little longer, but I want to do it on my terms,¡± Alanah replied. The two had already had the same conversation a few times since she and Derek came back to Cydaria. It always ended the same way¡ªwith Stella telling her that she would be missed¡ªand this time was no different. Once the conversation was over, they went silent and headed to their destination. It didn¡¯t take too long before Alanah and Stella found themselves outside the dragonkin kennel. It was a location far enough away from any of the cities to keep some things secret, and if something went wrong, maybe it wouldn¡¯t destroy the city from this distance. There weren¡¯t a lot of people gathered there, but there were more than she had expected. Edgar and Edwin were both there. Alanah smiled and nodded at the former king, who tried time and time again to gain her affection while he was young. Along with those two, some of Derek¡¯s people were there. Both Malorie and her daughter had come. The young girl looked like she had better things to do, but it looked like she was doing her best. Alanah giggled a little, thinking about the young smith and what she was going to make of herself in the future. Natalie Savannah had also dropped some things to make it. There were only a few people who knew a little of what was going on. The others had come only because they had been informed that Alanah would be leaving for some time. Even the Walking Forge had come by to see her off¡ªbut some of that was because he wanted to check the kennels, and his companion was having fun with his kin. Finally, Alanah saw Derek, Avery, and Silvi waiting for her. Alanah looked at her friends, then over to Lyra, who seemed to be slumbering in the distance. ¡®Lyra, can you hear me?¡¯ Alanah asked. If the dragonkin didn¡¯t answer, she wouldn¡¯t disturb her more. ¡®I can hear you just fine,¡¯ the beast sent back. ¡®Great,¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®I thought you may have been asleep.¡¯ ¡®No, not asleep,¡¯ Lyra said. ¡®What is it that you need?¡¯ ¡®I just wanted to thank you for watching over Avery, and to ask that you keep doing so,¡¯ Alanah said. ¡®Of course I will,¡¯ Lyra replied. ¡®You need not worry.¡¯ ¡®Thank you,¡¯ Alanah said. After that, the siren moved forward, closer to Derek and the others. Finally, she found herself just a few feet away from them. ¡°This is it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°This is it,¡± Alanah answered. She looked behind them and saw that they had cleared out a large area for Alanah to do what needed to be done. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy,¡± she said. ¡°Not really,¡± Derek said. ¡°It didn¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°Well, better get this started,¡± the siren replied. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want all this work to go to waste.¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to try to trick it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I could always put you in my Time Prison and close it until your deadline passes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But thanks.¡± ¡°Anytime.¡± After that, Alanah turned to Avery. ¡°Avery, you take care of those kids. They need you. And do look after Stella until she¡¯s back to herself.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Avery replied with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll do so until it¡¯s time for me to go find you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get there before too long,¡± Alanah replied. After that, she turned to Silvi. ¡°You make good use of those recipes and ingredients that I help get you.¡± ¡°I will, I will...¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed from her communication crystal. ¡°You sure you need to go? Will miss delicious restaurant owner.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure,¡± Alanah replied. ¡°But I appreciate the care.¡± Once she finished with those three, she sighed. I¡¯ve been looking forward to doing this, but now that the time has come, I am quite nervous, she thought to herself. Better just do it before it gets worse. Finally, Alanah looked at Derek once more. She walked forward and grabbed Derek¡¯s wrists with her hands. After which, she stood on her tiptoes and leaned forward. Alanah gave the clueless man a quick peck on his cheek, then whispered, ¡°When you come find me, you¡¯re taking me on a real date. No more of this dungeon running bullshit. I want food and candles, and you¡¯re paying.¡± ¡°You just remember your words,¡± Derek looked down at her and smiled¡ªcausing the siren to actually blush a small amount. ¡°Would never forget them,¡± Alanah. ¡°Just don¡¯t take forever.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s do this.¡± Alanah pulled back from Derek, then walked past him to the center of the cleared area. When she turned around to look, everyone had gathered on what could be considered the edge. ¡°Take care of each other,¡± she shouted out to everyone. Now... let¡¯s see... Alanah opened her status, then focused on the part that showed that she had met the requirements for advancement. She focused on the tab and received a notification. Would you like to initiate advancement? Yes/No? Note: There is still time remaining before forced advancement. Alanah focused on ¡®Yes.¡¯ She looked up and waved at the group of her friends and companions. They all waved back¡ªincluding Stella, who was very teary-eyed. With one last deep breath, Alanah selected yes. Next, she was enshrouded in a bright white light. After that, she was gone. Book 7 of System Universe is out today! Book 7 of System Universe is out today! Requirements (System Universe Book 7) Now Available on Amazon Hey everyone! It¡¯s finally December, which means that my seventh book in the System Universe series is here! Just in time for the holiday season! Today marks the launch of System Universe Book 7: Requirements. It¡¯s now available through Amazon¡¯s Kindle Unlimited, Kindle, and Paperback. Audible will come at a later date, hopefully not too far out. Available through this link: Ebook: /amazon/B0D71QNNZY Here¡¯s the description! Then, he and Silvi joined a war effort that began while he was clearing the dungeon. With their might included in the efforts, Cydaria defeated the allied countries of Astrus and Indria¡ªallowing for a never-before-seen peace to wash over the entire continent. Now, with the war over, Derek¡¯s companions are finally safe, and he can stop worrying about forces threatening them. So, with his people no longer in harm¡¯s way for the first time, what will he choose to do next? Should he take a break? Should he try to learn more about the System Universe? Or maybe it¡¯s time to make good on some promises. Don¡¯t miss the seventh installment of Derek¡¯s journey in the System Universe. Join Derek in this unique combination of the LitRPG, Isekai, and Slice of Life genres. He has friends, a bond that should last forever, and even a home. What more could our overpowered protagonist ask for? I want to thank everyone who read and continue to read the series, and those who left me kind reviews and messages. You are all awesome! And as always, Thanks for reading! Chapter 488: Prologue Book 8 Chapter 488: Prologue Book 8 In a dark room, the silhouette of a humanoid figure slowly faded into existence. If Derek were to look at the figure, he would instantly recognize him as Dave. Once his figure was finished appearing, Dave walked forward. He went through the room he appeared in, then into another. The new room had one center, throne-like seat, and then was surrounded on either side by more, smaller throne-like seats. Dave continued walking forward until he reached the middle seat, then sat down. ¡°Report,¡± Dave said to nobody. However, as soon as he spoke, one transparent figure after another began appearing in many of the remaining seats. Finally, an elf at the side stepped forward and came before Dave. ¡°Master Davenresh.¡± The elf bowed. ¡°It is as expected. The siren has met the requirements and advanced systems.¡± ¡°Tsk...¡± Dave clicked his tongue. ¡°How lucky can my brother be? What terrible timing.¡± The elf shook his head. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Well, before the siren advanced, she led a team to defeat the World Tree,¡± the man replied. Dave held his arm up¡ªcausing a holographic screen to appear. After that, he punched in a few commands, then nodded. ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°I guess my brother doesn¡¯t have all the luck, after all.¡± He continued to read something on his screen, then raised his brows. ¡°The Origin System assisted again in awarding an Achievement? Very good.¡± ¡°It did, sir,¡± the other elf replied. ¡°Though I do not understand everyone¡¯s obsession with that man. You were well on your way; I do not understand why you decided to take that gamble.¡± ¡°Sereph,¡± Dave said, and the elf before him bowed once again. ¡°Let me ask you a question.¡± ¡°Yes, master?¡± Sereph asked. ¡°Think of all the void-based users in the entire Origin System and below, how many can you name?¡± ¡°Well... There¡¯s the Void Emperor... and...¡± ¡°And his subordinates?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°Who else?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I... I can¡¯t think of any,¡± Sereph answered. ¡°Exactly,¡± Dave replied. ¡°And do you know why that is?¡± ¡°Well... because of the Void Emperor?¡± the man answered with a question. ¡°Yes, because the Void Emperor does not allow any void users to live if he cannot control them,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Yet, because Derek Hunt has grown away from the Origin System, he is not yet known to the Void Emperor. The Origin System has also rewarded him with a skill that is unknown to me that completely disconnects him from the system when he uses it. It is almost like the Origin System is looking out for him.¡± ¡°But still... because of that man, the Universal System will arrive well before we are ready,¡± Sereph said. ¡°And losing Alanah Swan was a blow to our preparations,¡± Dave said. ¡°However, Mr. Hunt is here, and because of him, that old Sand Sage has received a second wind. Not to mention the growth of those around him¡ªespecially that of Avery Swan and Edgar Cydaria. I was not expecting to see a World Boss Achievement be given out so soon.¡± ¡°Nor was I,¡± Sereph replied. ¡°World Bosses usually grow strong enough to cause great disasters before they are defeated. But the Echoing Willow was cut down soon after it received the designation.¡± ¡°That was pure luck,¡± Dave said. ¡°We are lucky that the siren had a bone to pick with the Echoing Willow. I had hoped she would take action against it before leaving, but I wasn¡¯t sure she would have enough time.¡± ¡°What are your plans with the void user?¡± Sereph changed the subject back to Derek. ¡°My plans?¡± Dave muttered and scratched his chin. ¡°Mr. Hunt is not the type of person to be controlled. We have watched him for some time, and that much is apparent.¡± ¡°Why did you not offer the siren a seat before she ascended?¡± ¡°Ms. Swan does indeed have potential,¡± Dave replied. ¡°However, do we not already have Calyren? Alanah may have been immediately helpful, but I do not believe the acquisition would have been a good idea in the long run¡ªnot with the similarities between Calyren and her.¡± ¡°But what about your brother? Will he not make the siren an offer?¡± Sereph asked. ¡°He may,¡± Dave replied. ¡°And, as unfortunate as it is, Alanah Swan would be a perfect addition for Vincent. However, my brother will choose to observe and evaluate before acting on it. Ms. Swan will be in his sights, though, because, as you know well, it is not often that someone advances systems. I do not think I need to worry about her, though. In that regard, I believe she is somewhat similar to Mr. Hunt. For the many decades that we have observed her, she has never conformed to someone else¡¯s wishes.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Sereph replied. ¡°Not to mention that my brother will have to go through the proper channels to communicate with those under his system,¡± Dave explained. ¡°Mr. Hunt is a one in a billion exception¡ªno... even more than that. He is under the Origin System¡¯s purview now, so I can speak to him without upsetting the balance. Still, I must be careful about the things I choose to tell him.¡± Dave could tell that Sereph still didn¡¯t like speaking about Derek. The man really was jealous of the void user. But he was under Dave¡¯s orders, so it wasn¡¯t like there was anything that Sereph could do to hinder Derek¡¯s growth. ¡°Is there anything else that we need to discuss?¡± Dave asked. ¡°At the current rate that the Universal System is covering ground,¡± Sereph began. ¡°If something doesn¡¯t happen to slow its progress, I predict that it will reach the Davenresh System in less than a year... maybe even months. Are you sure you are ready?¡± ¡°Am I ready? Of course not,¡± Dave said. ¡°It¡¯s not something one can truly ever be ready for. Do I like our chances? I do,¡± he explained. ¡°Besides, the worst-case scenario is that we fail, and I lose progress. I am already progressing at a pace that is faster than anyone else in my family¡¯s history, so if we fail, then I lose some progress and match my brother. However, if we succeed...¡± Dave¡¯s eyes shined. ¡°If I succeed, I will make history in my family.¡± ¡°But you would have made history had you not granted the void user those boons and caused the Universal System to take note,¡± Sereph said. ¡°That may be true,¡± Dave replied. ¡°But is it not better to succeed in a spectacular way? And by doing so, leave nothing up for debate? If I fail, nothing really changes, and if I were to succeed normally, it could all be chalked up to a lucky break. But to succeed in such an overwhelming fashion... I will be a legend in my own family. Becoming the next patriarch would not be out of the question at that point.¡± ¡°I did not know that the master had aspirations to become the next head of your family,¡± Sereph said. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t,¡± Dave replied. ¡°But, to see the look on all their faces when I¡¯m offered the position just to turn it down... that is worth taking all the chances in the universe. Just imagine father¡¯s and brother¡¯s faces when the sibling who never takes anything seriously and who they said will never amount to anything sets family records. It would make all this hard work worth it.¡± ¡°Sir... you can¡¯t be doing all of this just out of spite,¡± Sereph said. ¡°Spite? No...¡± Dave said. ¡°I¡¯ve never taken offense to anything anyone else has said. I am not that kind of person. They can call me the family screw up all they want, but this could become one of the biggest practical jokes in the universe. Besides, if I do so, I¡¯ll have enough status to call off that pesky engagement. Who would want to marry such an uptight noblewoman? I enjoy my freedom and peace of mind more than anything else, after all. And if I have to go through with that engagement, then I imagine I will lose both. So, it is all worth gambling on Derek Hunt.¡± ¡°If you say so, master,¡± Seraph sighed. ¡°I do say so,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Now, is there nothing else?¡± ¡°I believe that is it for now,¡± Seraph replied. ¡°Good,¡± Dave said. ¡°Continue to observe and report to me once Derek completes his second requirement. When that time comes, I think it will be time for another talk.¡± ¡°Of course, master,¡± Sereph bowed, then went back to his seat. ¡°Great!¡± Dave clapped his hands, then stood. He walked to the entrance that he had come from, then turned around. ¡°Keep up the good work, everyone! If we get through this successfully, then you will all be greatly rewarded.¡± ¡°Yes, Master Davenresh,¡± everyone shouted in unison. Dave nodded, then left the room¡ªmoving back to the dark room he usually entered from. With a bright smile on his face, he closed his eyes, and his body faded out of existence. Chapter 489: Gone ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Derek stared at the spot that Alanah had just been standing. Everything was so... smooth. One second, she was there, and the next, she was gone¡ªonly accompanied by a very short flash of light. There wasn¡¯t even as much fanfare in what just occurred as there was when entering any dungeon. ¡°I... was expecting more,¡± he said. ¡°As was I,¡± Avery stepped forward and looked to the same place as Derek was. Then, he turned his head and whispered in Derek¡¯s ear, ¡°It seems like you have a lot to prepare for, so when you next meet her, you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°That does seem to be the case, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Derek replied as he reached up to touch his cheek. The small peck on the cheek and the words that Alanah had told him didn¡¯t really catch him by surprise. The time he spent with the siren had been very fun, after all. If nothing else, he now had even more of a reason to figure out a way to the woman. ¡°Actually...¡± he muttered, then turned back to look at everyone. ¡°You all stand back.¡± Everyone nodded, and Avery also took a few steps back. Moments later, Derek activated Void Travel and stepped into the portal to the void when it appeared. Silvi, too, hopped up to his shoulder and went inside. Derek pushed his Void Sense as much as he could and searched for Alanah. Her aura was one of the bigger ones that¡¯d he had ever seen, so if he could find anyone, it would be her. To his dismay, as he pushed and pushed, he was never able to totally locate her. It was like he was on the verge of being able to feel the woman, but he just couldn¡¯t quite do it. Still, just that fact that he managed to feel anything while looking for her gave him hope. I just need to get stronger is all, he thought. Eventually, I know that I¡¯ll be able to move to her. It will just take some time. I hope everything goes well on her end. ¡°Do you feel anything?¡± Derek asked Silvi. ¡°Nope,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Restaurant lady is gone. No trace left. Maybe she¡¯ll make more restaurants wherever she went. Very good at making restaurants and food.¡± It seemed that because Silvi only shared Derek¡¯s Void Sense with him, and she could only have it at level ten, she couldn¡¯t even feel the sensation that Alanah was still out there like Derek could. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°She is pretty good at doing all that, isn¡¯t she?¡± Finally, while Derek was still inside his portal and he wasn¡¯t in any kind of rush anymore, he began searching for others who were far away. First, he thought about Silvi Jaccobs and pushed his Void Sense to its limits. He wasn¡¯t overly familiar with her aura, as he didn¡¯t have the senses back when he left Earth as he did now, but he was still able to see and feel her faint aura. I think I would have to rest a few times if I were to go to her, but I can definitely do it, he thought. That was another good sign. And Silvi still seemed to be in the same place she was the last time he searched for her. After finding Silvi, he focused on locating Jace. His aura was even easier to find that Silvi¡¯s, as, even though he¡¯d never sensed much of it, he¡¯d fought with the man countless times. Once again, Jace¡¯s aura appeared a large distance away from Silvi¡¯s. Derek just knew that, with the auras so far apart, there was almost no chance that they were both still on the same planet. After that, just for giggles, Derek searched for some of his other acquaintances from Earth. Some were easier to find than others¡ªlike Big Jim and some of the other more powerful people he knew from Earth. But there were also a few that he couldn¡¯t find. Whether that was because he didn¡¯t really know them, or because they were already dead, he did not know. Honestly, he¡¯d not had much of a problem finding people through his Void Sense and Void Travel abilities, so he leaned toward the former explanation¡ªthat a few of those he looked for had gotten themselves killed somehow. It was a morose thought, but it was certainly a possibility¡ªactually, it was probably more probable than not. It wasn¡¯t like Earth was safe, after all. Derek let out a sigh and stopped trying to sense people. He stopped pushing on his Void Sense skill, then turned around and walked back out of the portal. After that, he made sure to shut it because of how dangerous it was. ¡°So?¡± Avery took a step forward and asked. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m really close to being able to sense her, but there is just something in the way. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s actually something blocking me, or if she¡¯s just so far away that I can¡¯t quite reach her yet. Either way, I can at least feel her¡ªsense that she¡¯s out there¡ªeven if I can¡¯t actually locate her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Avery replied. ¡°That¡¯s all that we could really hope for. You¡¯re a monster that continues to grow, so I have no doubt that you will be taking her out on that date in no time.¡± Avery looked Derek up and down. He was wearing his normal outfit¡ªa pair of blue jeans, his boots he received from the Starfury Leonaris, and a basic black t-shirt. ¡°I do believe that she would appreciate it if you showed up in... something other than your usual garb.¡± ¡®What about Alanah¡¯s contracted wyvern?¡¯ Derek asked. In the recent days, Alanah had made sure to break the contract with the beast before she left. Since she had only contracted with it, and not bonded, doing so did not come with many drawbacks. ¡®He is doing well,¡¯ Lyra answered. ¡®He is a little sad and sullen that his former contractor has left, but his intelligence is not high enough to truly miss her. Though, with just his brief time contracted with her, his intelligence has increased at a much higher rate than the others.¡¯ ¡®Is that so?¡¯ Derek said. ¡®What should we do with him?¡¯ he asked. ¡®I believe that if someone with a legendary class would try to tame him currently, it would not be too difficult,¡¯ Lyra explained. ¡®However, I also believe that soon, contracting with him will become very difficult. He is currently experiencing that loss and is mentally weak. Once he heals, he will be mentally stronger than before¡ªmore so than either I or Blitz were when we were contracted. At that time, it will not be easy.¡¯ ¡®Alanah told me that setting him free was an option if I couldn¡¯t find someone to contract with him,¡¯ Derek said. He was having a difficult time thinking of someone who would fit the description. He was also in a bit of a hurry and worried because he was unsure how much longer he had left on his current world and in his current system. Seeing Alanah go increased that worry. ¡®Allowing him freedom would not be a terrible option,¡¯ Lyra said. ¡®Avery¡¯s mistress has warned him against attacking people unprovoked, and I believe that warning will last. However, gaining said freedom would be lonely for such a wyvern.¡¯ Hmm... Derek thought. There were still people, such as Brandi and Thomas, who needed to gain strength enough to contract some of the dragonkin if they chose to. However, I¡¯m not sure that anyone else I know has or will have a class of high enough rarity to make taming the creature possible. With that specific wyvern, Derek was stuck. ¡®Perhaps we let him have some freedom on a trial basis?¡¯ Lyra asked. ¡®I will keep him under control and close and see how he reacts. The option of contracting with him will always be there unless he leaves for good.¡¯ ¡®That is true,¡¯ Derek replied. Out of the people he could think of, Vanessa, The Shadow Witch, came to mind, along with Marrick and possibly Alanah¡¯s old friend from way back, David. There was also Walter and possibly Clare, but he was sure that Walter wasn¡¯t strong enough¡ªespecially with his class being mostly healing based. Plus, he did not have a legendary class. He believed that Clare would eventually gain such a class, but there was no telling how long that would take. Derek crossed Vanessa¡¯s name off the list pretty quickly. He wasn¡¯t actually sure, but he doubted that the woman had a legendary class. It was a great class, but he just wasn¡¯t sure how great it was. Marrick had already refused, so there was no reason asking again. I am going to have to meet this ¡®David¡¯ at some point, Derek thought. He could easily switch continents whenever he wanted, so he put that on his mental list of things to do. ¡®We¡¯ll just do that,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Allow him the freedom to roam around the area and observe his reactions. We¡¯ll think of something else later.¡¯ ¡®Very well,¡¯ Lyra replied. ¡®Is there anything else?¡¯ ¡®That is all,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®Do your best to look out for Avery.¡¯ ¡®I will,¡¯ the winged serpent replied. ¡®Please take care and take care of him whenever you can.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll do what I can,¡¯ Derek replied. He patted Lyra on the side of her neck, then turned around. ¡®I¡¯ll see you soon,¡¯ he said before walking off in the direction of Savannah. It was time to really see what all Malorie had decided to build, and how Geoffrey was doing it. Chapter 490: Renovations Derek enjoyed his slow walk back to the city alone. He may become restless and antsy after staying couped up in a city for a while, but it was nice to take a moderately long break after doing a raid or going on an adventure like he just had with Alanah. Sometimes, it was just nice to slowly take things in and be alone with his thoughts. And Derek did take his time. He was sure that everyone else who went to see the siren off had already made it back to Savannah by the time he entered through the city gate. He still wore the badges that he and Alanah had received on his shoulder, and the guards knew him, so he didn¡¯t have any trouble making his way inside on foot¡ªalso, nobody tried to stop him for a chat, and that was nice most of the time. Once inside the city walls, he leisurely strolled the outer region of the city until he made it back to his shop, which was still very much under construction. Derek stood outside the shop and examined everything in front of him. The lots around the shop were all being built up. On one of them, he saw what looked like a massively sized barracks. It was the bunkhouse that they had talked about building. The reason it was so big was because they had to make sure and make it large enough for Ogre to live within comfortably. Derek ventured over to it and walked inside. The building wasn¡¯t finished by any means, but he could see exactly what they were going for. He thought of it as a bunkhouse, but it was really more of a massive building with apartment-like rooms. It was a one-story building with a ceiling tall enough to be the top of a two-story building¡ªthat was all for Ogre¡¯s sake. Geoffrey had gone above and beyond in the construction of the building, too. It was very basic, but also very comfortable. When he walked in through the central door, his first sight was that of a sort of living area with a small kitchen. It was very open, had sitting places all around¡ªincluding some reclining chairs¡ªand the kitchen was equipped with a bar, stove, and his current world¡¯s version of a refrigerator¡ªwhich was a big box with cooling runes etched inside. After scanning the living area, Derek went on to check out the personal rooms. There were basically two wings of rooms¡ªone to the left of the living area, and one to the right. He opened the door to one of the rooms and nodded after giving it a quick look. Each room was actually bigger than the one he lived in at his shop and had a built-in bathroom. They were basically one-room studio apartments. The only difference was that they didn¡¯t have their own kitchen in each one¡ªfor that, the residents would have to use the central kitchen. For now, each room was bare¡ªGeoffrey and Malorie hadn¡¯t gotten around to furnishing all the beds and the rest of the furniture for each one. When Derek stepped inside the shower, he let out a slight chuckle. Since Geoffrey didn¡¯t know which room Ogre was going to choose, he made it so each room would accommodate him. This meant that, just as the rooms and the building were, the showers were also massive. The shower head was very high up. Luckily, the rune to control it was in an easy to reach area for anyone. Derek stood to the side and turned it on. Oh... this is neat, he thought as he played around with the runes. Looks like Geoffrey has been busy with upgrades. The upgrades he was thinking about were different shower patterns from the shower head. There was the classic jet patter, a massaging one, mist, rainfall, and a few others. There was also what appeared to be a warning label on a couple of the patterns, and when Derek changed to them, he knew exactly why. Whew... this would take the skin off of someone without a decent amount of endurance, he thought. He also found another rune he wasn¡¯t sure about, so he did the only thing one should do in that situation and activated it. To his surprise, the rune actually raised and lowered the shower on the wall. That was something he was wondering about because of how high it was¡ªit would be great for Ogre, but for anyone else, it was just too high. Looks like they thought of everything, Derek thought. Derek soon walked out of the building with a nod and a smile on his face. The place would be perfect for Bones and Ogre and could be used for guests or any live-in workers that they may end up supporting. It would do just fine. After leaving that building, Derek walked over to another one. It was a smaller version of his own shop building. It was a building that Malorie was having built specifically for Rudy. Once he got to it, Derek walked inside. It was a nice, almost cozy, building. ¡°Derek!¡± Rudy said when he saw Derek enter. ¡°Rudy,¡± Derek replied. ¡°How are you liking this place?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to love it,¡± the contract maker answered. ¡°Look over here.¡± Rudy walked over to the side wall. There was a glass display case¡ªone that would be in some jewelry shops. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Once everything is finished, I¡¯m going to write up a bunch of specialty contracts,¡± the man explained. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to put a template for each one in these display cases for people to peruse. If they find one that they like, they can purchase it for a price, or they can have me customize it to fit their needs for a price.¡± ? ¡°Good thinking,¡± Derek said. ¡°On this side,¡± Rudy said as he walked to the other side of the store. ¡°Are all the generic contracts. Things like your normal employee agreements, rental agreements, and various other service contracts. Of course, I¡¯ll also customize these within reason, as well, for a price. But I don¡¯t suspect there will be a need for much customization on these.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°What about over there?¡± he asked as he pointed over to the main counter. It was just like the one in his previous shop¡ªwith another room behind it and everything. But beside that room was another that Derek was unsure about. ¡°Is she now?¡± Derek asked rhetorically. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to that as well.¡± With that, Derek left Rudy¡¯s new building, then walked over to his own. Instead of entering the front, he entered through the door to Rudy¡¯s old shop. As soon as he walked in, he saw Malorie and Geoffrey discussing something. ¡°Derek,¡± Malorie said. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. Mr. Tate has been waiting for us to return for quite some time. He has something he wants to show you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Geoffrey said with a nod. ¡°If you would follow me, please.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Derek said, then followed the man. ¡°So, Ms. Fields said that you needed a space away from everyone else. Preferably one that would block auras, so I have been personally overseeing it,¡± Geoffrey said as he led Derek down the stairs to Brandi¡¯s basement. He opened the door and walked in. As soon as Derek stepped inside the basement, he was left stunned. ¡°Ah, yes...¡± Geoffrey started. ¡°We expanded the basement to cover more of your land.¡± What he saw of the basement was at least a third bigger than it used to be. Along with that, there were shelves around that had crafted weapons and armor sitting on them. They were items that Brandi probably planned on selling soon. The rest of the area was arranged in a much more neat and tidy way. ¡°We also upgraded some of that young smith¡¯s equipment¡ªparticularly her furnace and the ventilation runes. But that is not what I wanted to show you,¡± Geoffrey said. ¡°Come on.¡± Derek followed the man to a door that wasn¡¯t there before. Geoffrey opened it and they walked inside. The room was only around 150 square feet, but there were runes etched into every side, the ceiling, and the ground. ¡°All of these runes are used to dampen aura,¡± Geoffrey explained. ¡°With this, you should ¡®scare¡¯ any customers. Ms. Fields said that was an issue that you had.¡± ¡°It was,¡± Derek said. ¡°Leave the room. Let me see how well it works.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Geoffrey said, then quickly left. Derek opened a portal with Void Travel and stepped inside for a moment after covering all his storage items. After a couple of minutes, he stepped back out and closed the portal. He looked around and saw that many of the runes were glowing a bright blue color¡ªthe color of mana. With a shrug, he opened the door and walked out. ¡°So?¡± he asked. ¡°Hmm...¡± Geoffrey scratched his chin. ¡°Standing so close, I could still feel some ominous aura, but it didn¡¯t affect me much. I am surprised that it was able to leak out... unfortunately, I believe that is the best we can do for the time being. I am sorry. Though I do believe that it will be enough not to affect any of the other floors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s much better than nothing,¡± Derek said. ¡°Thanks for the room.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Geoffrey said with a wave. ¡°Now, if you will excuse me, I have a few more things to oversee.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Derek replied, then the man left the basement. Derek also took one last look around at the basement before leaving. Once back upstairs, Derek left the shop through the entrance this time. He walked a short distance, then turned around and looked at everyone all at once. Inwardly, he sighed. Everything was great, but if he met all of his advancement requirements, would all the building be for nothing? It¡¯s not like I can take it with me... He scratched his chin. Can I? Chapter 491: Making Good Derek continued to stare at his property for a moment. I think the Time Prison should be able to hold a bunch of it, he thought to himself and nodded. Yeah... if it can hold all those dragonkin, surely a building or two will be fine. As long as I can figure out a way to move it. With that decided, Derek went back inside with Malorie. ¡°Great job,¡± he said when he saw her in what would soon be her complete office. ¡°This should make things more streamlined,¡± Malorie replied. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°By the way, where is Brandi? I didn¡¯t see her when I went to the basement.¡± ¡°Thomas has a bit of free time this morning, and since we¡¯re doing all these renovations, I suggested that Brandi head to the capital to spend time with him and the other kids,¡± Malorie answered. ¡°Thomas is building quite the little friend group over there and spending a lot of time at the Crown¡¯s training grounds when he¡¯s not in school.¡± ¡°How did his dungeon running go?¡± Derek asked. Last time that he spoke with the kid, he was preparing to go with his classmates to complete some dungeons and get some experience. ¡°He did well,¡± Malorie answered. ¡°His team had the fastest times and the best scores. None of them came back injured or even scratched up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to go celebrate with him and his team.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they will appreciate that,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Yeah... it¡¯s not like I have much else to do...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Anyway, what about the rest of their class? Did you hear about any of them?¡± ¡°I think he mentioned that there were two teams who had to use escape scrolls, and three people came back critically injured,¡± Malorie answered. ¡°Fortunately, there weren¡¯t any casualties.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. He also had a guess about which team may have failed. There was that kid who, despite having a great class, just had no willpower at all, he thought. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait to celebrate with Thomas and his team, though,¡± Malorie said, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The reason that Brandi went there this early is that, here shortly, the academy students will be going out again for more experience,¡± Malorie said. ¡°In fact, Brandi will probably be back very soon.¡± ¡°Speaking of...¡± Derek said. ¡°Did she go to the capital by herself? I guess she is stronger than most people already, so I probably shouldn¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± Malorie said with a slight smile. ¡°She¡¯s fifteen now, so she is old enough to go alone. And like you said, she is very strong for her age.¡± ¡°But?¡± Derek asked, knowing that there was one. ¡°But... I did send Bones to keep an eye on her from a distance,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Of course you did,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°I would have, too,¡± Derek replied. ¡°He¡¯s kind of perfect for that sort of thing.¡± ¡°He is.¡± Malorie nodded. ¡°He is doing very well as a butler, too. He takes on many tasks that a butler usually doesn¡¯t. Actually... on top of those duties, he has become a bit of an assistant to me. Having him around has made my life much easier.¡± R?¦¡? ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Derek said. ¡°And Silvi really loves having Ogre around, it seems.¡± ¡°Yes... she does,¡± Malorie said. ¡°And Ogre really loves being around Silvi... and her food.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad things are working out with the two of them.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Malorie replied. ¡°But... I think you need to go have a talk with the Assassin¡¯s Guild. I don¡¯t believe they are still after the two... especially after knowing that they work for you¡ªwe haven¡¯t exactly been quiet about it lately. Still, Bones is on edge about going out with Ogre and training. On one hand, he wants to get stronger so he can be more helpful to you, but on the other, he is still scared that the Assassin¡¯s Guild may retaliate.¡± ¡°So, the two of them haven¡¯t gone out and completed any dungeons?¡± Derek asked. ¡°They have,¡± Malorie said. ¡°But only a couple. And they have been very, very careful when doing so. They went to Indria to do so. I had a chat with Olivar over there, and he was helpful in making everything go smoothly for them.¡± ¡°Olivar?¡± Derek asked. The name sounded familiar... Was that one of Ryven¡¯s kids? Or maybe Osian¡¯s? ¡°The prince. King Osian¡¯s son,¡± Malorie explained. ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°I remember him a bit. How did you end up talking with a prince of Indria?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Well...¡± Malorie looked at the ground for a second. ¡°Your name goes a long way over there.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°But with you, it¡¯s never anything good, is it?¡± ¡°That depends on your definition of ¡®good,¡¯¡± Derek replied with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s a no...¡± ¡°Maybe...¡± Derek said. ¡°I need to speak with the Assassin¡¯s Guild Leader.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vanessa¡¯s eyes opened wide, and she said, ¡°What the hell do you want with him?¡± ¡°Just a little meeting,¡± Derek said. ¡°How about you tell me where the guild is located?¡± ¡°I... can¡¯t,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I have oaths that don¡¯t allow me to do anything detrimental to the guild unless it acts against me first.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t detrimental,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m a nice guy.¡± ¡°Sure you are,¡± Vanessa snorted. ¡°And I¡¯m the Queen of Cydaria.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Edward is looking for a wife,¡± Derek said. ¡°I could probably make that happen. What do you think? Ya¡¯ll could have a litter of shadow lightning users... is that a thing?¡± ¡°I would rather not joke about something like that...¡± Vanessa muttered. ¡°Fine...¡± Derek said. ¡°But about the guild leader. I need to talk to him.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take you to him without his knowledge, but I may be able to get him to allow it,¡± the Shadow Witch said. ¡°If he does, then there will be no problem.¡± ¡°Then what are you waiting for?¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Vanessa then flicked her wrist, causing a red crystal to appear. Derek watched as she channeled some of her mana into it, and it began glowing. The woman¡¯s face went through a myriad of expressions as she spoke with whoever was on the other side¡ªpresumably the Assassin¡¯s Guild Leader. She even winced a couple of times at the very beginning. I wonder what caused that. The conversation lasted longer than Derek had expected it to, but after a while, she stored the communication crystal and sighed. ¡°He¡¯ll meet with you,¡± she said. ¡°Great!¡± Derek replied. ¡°Where do I need to go?¡± ¡°The condition is that I come with you,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°So?¡± Derek asked. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably going to try to have me killed once I¡¯m in his territory,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare try to do so out in the open, but in his territory, where he controls everything and everyone, while it wouldn¡¯t be easy, it may be possible.¡± ¡°No, it won¡¯t,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°And you will protect me?¡± Vanessa asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯re doing me a favor. What kind of person would I be if I just allowed you to be killed after that? Plus, we go way back. We fought that big cat together, remember?¡± ¡°Big... cat...¡± the Shadow Witch muttered. ¡°Yeah... I remember that big cat... the one that almost killed me and everyone else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Also, you work for the Kingdom of Cydaria now. That¡¯s the better side.¡± ¡°The better side?¡± ¡°Yeah... I mean... it¡¯s not necessarily the good side,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt for a second that Edward would use your skills to assassinate someone if needed. But Edward is a decent person, and you work for him now, so... it¡¯s the better side. Much better than killing for money and protecting scum, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I... never thought about it like that,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°But... I guess.¡± She shrugged. ¡°So, what is it that is so important that you need to talk to the Assassin¡¯s Guild Leader?¡± ¡°Oh. I just want to make it clear to him that Bones and Ogre are off limits and that if the Assassin¡¯s Guild touches them, it will cease to exist within an hour.¡± ¡°You... are going to tell him that?¡± Vanessa asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you should be meeting with him. And how would you destroy a guild within an hour?¡± ¡°Well... if I meet him, I¡¯ll always be able to find him,¡± Derek said with a big grin. ¡°Now, how about we go pay him a visit?¡± Chapter 492: To the Assassin’s Guild ¡°Oh... now that sounded ominous,¡± Vanessa said and shook her head. ¡°Now, where is the nearest teleporter?¡± ¡°We¡¯re in Savannah,¡± Derek said. Then moved over and opened the door to his private Void Travel room. After that, he led the Shadow Witch up the stairs, then out of his shop. ¡°Follow me.¡± He took a step and headed toward the Teleportation Building. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d end up going back to the guild¡¯s base of operations again,¡± Vanessa said as they walked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°For starters, it¡¯s part of my oaths and contracts with the Kingdom of Cydaria. I can¡¯t knowingly reach out to and associate with my former assassin acquaintances.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing it now,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s a special circumstance,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°King Edward, through his intent, gave me permission to help you¡ªand since that help included contacting the Assassin¡¯s Guild, it is being allowed. As long as I am with you and we are not plotting against the kingdom, it will be okay. Surprisingly, the oaths and contracts are not overly convoluted and put great meaning in my intent. Since I have no intent on going against the Kingdom of Cydaria, there is no problem with me doing what I am doing now.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s good. That means that I don¡¯t have to take you back to the palace to get specific permission from Edward, so you don¡¯t break any oaths or anything.¡± ¡°It is because the new king places a lot of trust in you,¡± Vanessa said with a nod. After a short while, the two made it to the Teleportation Building and Vanessa took the lead. Before long, the two were standing outside another Teleportation Building in a city known as Rivalt¡ªwhich was one of the more mid-sized cities in the kingdom¡ªand located in the west central part of the kingdom. It was a city that Derek had not heard anything about before. ¡°I guess the Assassin¡¯s Guild does a good job of keeping their location a secret,¡± Derek said as he walked beside Vanessa through the city. ¡°They do a very good job. The guild even keeps Rivalt as average as possible,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°But the guild is not actually located in this city, if that is what you were thinking. It is also not the...¡± she started, then shut her mouth. ¡°Looks like I was on the cusp of giving out too much information about the guild.¡± She shivered. ¡°I cannot say that I¡¯m a fan of that feeling.¡± ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t want to be stuck between two oaths like that,¡± Derek said. ¡°It could be worse,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°Neither the guild nor the kingdom are exactly at odds with one another. The assassins are punished harshly if caught, but unless the guild completely oversteps, the kingdom does not go out of its way to hunt them down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sort of balancing act, then?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°And you used to be second in command, huh?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Vanessa said as she led Derek down one of the streets in the city, and eventually into an area that looked to be the slums. ¡°It was not a position I wanted, but it was more so forced upon me because of the death of the previous Vice Leader and a few other circumstances. That is why I tried to take some long-term missions whenever possible. It was always more work for me when I wasn¡¯t on a mission than when I was. And... sometimes, I would do a little freelancing once a mission was over, just to not have to go back as soon.¡± ¡°And that freelancing is why you were with that piece of crap noble,¡± Derek said. ¡°Come, step into the circle,¡± Lazrus said as he stepped into the circle himself. Both Vanessa and Derek stepped in with him, then his underlings activated the circle from the outside. The familiar white light of a teleportation circle washed over the three of them, then they all disappeared. Once the light disappeared, Derek found himself in a room almost identical to the previous one he was in. In fact, if not for the increased number of robed figures in the room, he¡¯d think that he hadn¡¯t even left it¡ªthat, and the fact that he was standing in the middle of a teleportation circle on the opposite side of the room than the last one he was in. ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t have all day,¡± Lazrus said as he walked out of the circle, then into another¡ªthis one was located at the same place in the room as the previous had been. ¡°You¡¯re the one who chose to escort us,¡± Vanessa said. The man was obviously angry that his appearance didn¡¯t get the reaction he was hoping for. Derek saw the man in front of them clench his fist, but, in the end, Lazrus didn¡¯t say anything. Derek laughed internally. The man in front of them really was envious of Vanessa, and it seemed like he¡¯d volunteered to escort them just to rub in the fact that he had her old position and that she wasn¡¯t part of the guild any longer, however, none of anything that Lazrus did seemed to have any effect on the woman. The duo and Lazrus continued doing the same thing multiple times. They would teleport through a personal teleporter to one building, then move on to the next. After the sixth time, the blinding light left Derek¡¯s eyes, and he finally saw something different. No longer was he in a basement of a building in the slums. Instead, he was in an obsidian black room built out of stone with a single center teleportation circle in the middle. In the low light of the room brightened only by the mana running through different runes, Derek saw ten new figures standing around. Other than those figures and the teleporter, the only thing left in the room was the door¡ªwhich had five of those standing figures on either side. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Vanessa whispered. Derek looked at her and saw her looking around. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was going through her mind at the moment. Did she miss being a member of the Assassin¡¯s Guild? How much did she regret getting caught by Edgar? ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lazrus huffed and walked out of the circle, toward the door. The ten figures in the room made no attempt at moving¡ªapparently, they were there specifically for the teleportation circle, and that was it. The new Vice Leader of the Assassin¡¯s Guild opened the door leading out, then walked out. The duo of Vanessa and Derek followed. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with all these damn mazes?¡± Derek asked as he followed the man through dimly lit hallways. After around the eighth turn, he stopped trying to keep track of where he was and how to get back. After all, it didn¡¯t matter if he could remember where the teleporter was or not, he had his own ways of leaving. ¡°It¡¯s all Assassin¡¯s Guild redundancies,¡± Vanessa answered. ¡°They can¡¯t make anything easy... ever.¡± Eventually, Lazrus led them through what looked to be a train room for the younger recruits. All the recruits in there at that time were about Thomas¡¯s age, maybe a little younger. They were paired off and sparring with one another. They were being watched over by multiple cloaked instructors¡ªand the only thing that Derek had any problem with was the fact that the instructors let the sparring continue a little long for his liking. Instead of declaring one of the recruits a winner when the situation was made obvious, they chose to wait to step in until the loser was no longer able to make any attempts at defending themselves or fighting back. However, Derek knew that the kids all chose to be there¡ªor at least, they ran out of other choices. It was the same way with Bones and Ogre. They were orphans who joined the guild at a young age, then made their way up through the brutal training. By the looks on the recruits¡¯ faces, they all knew what they were doing there. Derek wondered whether the Vice Leader took him through the training room for a reason, or if they actually had to go through it to reach wherever it was that they were going. In the end, Derek could only shrug and continue to follow. The Assassin¡¯s Guild training was none of his business¡ªit wasn¡¯t something he was there for. In his opinion, system worlds were brutal, and it wasn¡¯t like they were slaves. Sure, they were all getting into something that they would never easily be able to leave, but it was a choice they made for themselves once they unlocked their systems. Kids with lives like the ones in the training hall had before coming to the Assassin¡¯s Guild tended to mature fast. The system seemed to think that thirteen was the appropriate age for the children in the world to make the most important decision in their lives, and it seemed to be well accepted by everyone. So who was he to say anything about it? In fact, he had to admit that he wasn¡¯t exactly easy on Thomas when he trained him in the beginning. He was actually pretty hard on the kid, but in the long run, he felt that it worked out quite well. Finally, Lazrus took Derek and Vanessa through one last corridor, then opened a pair of heavy double-doors. The doors creaked as they opened, and soon, Derek got a peek inside. However, before he could really scan the area, his attention was drawn away by a voice. ¡°Vanessa... welcome home!¡± Chapter 493: The Assassin’s Guild ¡°Welcome home?¡± Vanessa asked as she stepped forward into what looked like a giant meeting room. There was a massive oval table in the center that was surrounded by chairs. On the table was what looked like a map, not only of the Kingdom of Cydaria, but of the entire continent. Even the Dwarven Kingdom of Vallum was there in all its glory. ¡°This place has never been a home to me, and you know it. Some may have chosen this life, but as you well know, I am not one.¡± That sparked Derek¡¯s interest, but currently, his interest was more focused on the table. He stored what Vanessa had said in his mind for the moment and took a step forward. ¡°Sure it has,¡± the Guild Leader said, ignoring Derek, who was no longer standing beside Vanessa. ¡°The guild was your home for some time. You moved all the way up the ranks to eventually become the Vice Leader of the Cydarian branch. If this life was not for you, you would have never been able to accomplish as much.¡± ¡°Cydarian branch?¡± Derek¡¯s attention finally moved away from the map, and his eyes moved up to look at the man who had just spoke. It was interesting, as there didn¡¯t seem to be a head seat. Instead, four seats were arranged around that part of the table¡ªthree of which were occupied. The seat furthest to the left was occupied by a woman with silver-gray hair and dull, white eyes. The one next to her was empty. The third one was occupied by the man who was speaking with Vanessa, and another figure who was wearing a cloak covering all of their features was seated in the final chair. Derek ignored the other two and focused his attention on the man carrying on with Vanessa. He was completely bald, with the same black eyes that Vanessa had. Apparently, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for someone who was raised in the Assassin¡¯s Guild to earn a class related to darkness or shadow. Even the man from before, Lazrus, seemed to have some kind of dark based class¡ªaccording to his eyes. Derek¡¯s eyes looked over the man for a few more seconds, then back down at the map imprinted into the table. I see... he thought to himself. ¡°You know exactly why I worked my ass off to get to where I was,¡± Vanessa said, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. ¡°The higher your rank in the guild, the fewer restrictions. Since I wasn¡¯t able to choose a different lifestyle, the only other way to live was to gain enough power to get some modicum of freedom.¡± ¡°Such potential...¡± the Guild Leader muttered. ¡°It is a shame... truly.¡± ¡°Yeah... right,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I had so much potential that I¡¯m sure you were plotting something well before my capture. I was growing too powerful and influential for you.¡± ¡°I would never.¡± The man reached up with one of his hands and scratched at his face. ¡°You are my niece, after all.¡± ¡°Only in blood,¡± Vanessa said. Finally, she moved up beside Derek, then looked down at the unoccupied chair opposite the Guild Leader, then pulled it out and sat. ¡°A lot of good that did my father.¡± ¡°Get up!¡± a shout was heard from behind both Derek and Vanessa. Derek turned his head and glanced at Lazrus, who was genuinely fuming. ¡°That is my seat. I earned it.¡± ¡°Lazrus!¡± the Guild Leader hissed. ¡°Mind yourself! We have guests.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°But nothing! Do not embarrass yourself in front of everyone,¡± the leader said. Derek inwardly chuckled at the mind games Vanessa was playing with the new Vice Leader. Even after taking the seat, she never even attempted to give the man any attention. Though Derek was a little taken aback, he had been eying that very seat before Vanessa took it for herself. ¡°So,¡± Derek said after also ignoring the jealous Vice Leader. ¡°This is more than just a kingdom wide organization, then? You work throughout the continent.¡± His eyes then lingered on the leader, then the two other people who seemed to be seated at the head of the table. ¡°So... you are each a leader of a specific branch, right?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± the bald leader said. ¡°The reports didn¡¯t say that you were smart, but I guess they wouldn¡¯t know that, would they?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m the dumb one. I just hit things ¡®til they stop moving. May have learned some things along the way, I guess.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s funny,¡± the leader quipped. ¡°So, I take it that we¡¯re inside the Assassin¡¯s Guild¡¯s headquarters?¡± Derek asked. ¡°And we¡¯re probably not in Cydaria anymore, either. At least, not after all of those teleports it took to get here.¡± r? ¡°To continue on with your guild?¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good deal.¡± ¡°You may be strong¡ªyou may have even been able to take out half an army with one skill¡ªbut do not think you can threaten us,¡± Maven half shouted. ¡°In fact, if you think you can...¡± he started, but was interrupted. ¡°Do it.¡± For the first time, the fully cloaked person spoke. ¡°Give him what he wants and let him leave.¡± The man had a very deep voice, and the other two leaders seemed to put some weight into his words. But Maven still seemed reluctant. ¡°Why should we do that?¡± he asked. ¡°We may not be able to defeat him, but isn¡¯t the same true for him as well?¡± The man looked back at Derek. ¡°And nobody wants to live a life where they have to always look over their shoulder. Not to mention your friends and...¡± ¡°Maven!¡± the cloaked man shouted. ¡°I said to give him what he wants, and let him go. Let the Assassin¡¯s Guild be done with it.¡± ¡°Wait...¡± Derek said. ¡°Did you... just threaten my friends?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± the cloaked figure said. ¡°Maven is just a bit riled up after seeing his niece. Pay no mind to anything he said.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like he even knows where we are,¡± Maven spat. ¡°What is it that has you so worked up, Nyx?¡± Derek stood from his seat, then took a couple of steps back. After that, he ripped open the space in front of him and took a step into the void. With his Void Sense, he sought out all the auras that he could. He was looking to see if he could get an idea about where they currently were. It wasn¡¯t easy, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he would even get the correct location, as it was impossible for him to judge distances without locking onto specific auras or places special to him. Inside the void tunnel, there was no real up or down or left or right. In fact, there was still a slight fear in his mind when he used the skill¡ªit was what was holding him back from using it without aiming directly at an aura with his Void Sense. He didn¡¯t know where he may end up if he left the void at a random spot. For all he knew, he could take a single step, open a portal, leave, and end up in the middle of space. Every time he went inside, he had to use his Void Sense to orient himself by searching for auras or places that held meaning to him. By looking at the cluster of auras of the Cydarian Royal Family, he knew they were at Cydaria¡ªit was the same if he looked at the auras of the Indarian Royal Family. The thing was, unless he kept the portal open, the direction was almost never the same, which made it extremely difficult to judge anything. Derek ignored those thoughts and looked for the auras closest to him. It wouldn¡¯t be precise, but he could at least get a general sense of where they were if one of clusters was close by. Derek saw all the auras of his friends and acquaintances and muttered, ¡°Interesting...¡± After that, he stepped back out of his portal and closed it. He looked at Maven dead in the eye and said, ¡°Are we in Vallum?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Maven muttered. ¡°You idiot,¡± Nyx said to Maven. ¡°Have you not read the latest reports on Mr. Hunt? About his... teleportation skill?¡± The cloaked Nyx took in a heavy breath and released it. ¡°According to the reports, it is speculated that he can teleport to anyone that he has met before. And you brought him here.¡± ¡°I...¡± Maven looked from Nyx, then to Derek. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true, is there?¡± Derek studied the cloaked figure for a moment, then looked back at Maven. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s true, it¡¯s very true. There is no hiding from me. You can think of me as your own personal bogeyman if you piss me off. And that stuff you said about my friends earlier... you¡¯re well on your way to doing so.¡± ¡°But you came in here and started making demands!¡± Maven said. ¡°Because he can!¡± Nyx shouted at Maven. ¡°Kaelus, you¡¯ve been quiet. What do you think?¡± ¡°I am afraid that I was as in the dark about this man¡¯s ability as Maven was,¡± the silver-gray haired woman said with a sigh. ¡°Why were the reports on Mr. Hunt not made priority?¡± ¡°I did not believe he was someone who we had to worry about,¡± Nyx replied. ¡°Mr. Hunt,¡± the cloaked man said, then he pulled his hood down. What was left after that was a solid white mask. Once that was revealed, he reached up and took the mask off. Underneath the mask was a very disfigured face. The man had no ears, no nose, and one eye was even missing. ¡°Please accept my apologies. If it makes you feel better, know that I placed your friends¡¯ names in our Black Ledger. You need not worry about them from now on.¡± Chapter 494: Black Ledger ¡°The Black Ledger?¡± Vanessa said from Derek¡¯s side. ¡°You ¡°Yes, Vanessa, I have,¡± Nyx said. ¡°I did this long ago... actually... just after you returned from that raid dungeon. I was already keeping an eye out. Then Mr. Hunt and his... companion showed up to the battlefield and flipped the Astrus and Indria war effort upside down in moments. That was when I did it. It wasn¡¯t hard to know and see the potential.¡± ¡°I¡¯m missing something,¡± Derek said. ¡°What is the ¡®Black Ledger?¡¯¡± ¡°Vanessa, you may give the explanation,¡± Nyx said, letting the woman speak freely about the ledger without any negative effects happening because of any contracts or oaths. The Shadow Witch nodded at the Guild Leader, then said, ¡°It¡¯s a list of untouchables,¡± Vanessa explained. ¡°Very few names have ever been placed in the ledger. No assassin would ever dare accept a mission to assassinate one of those names.¡± ¡°Not only that,¡± Nyx said. ¡°But our assassins are bound by oath to report anyone believed to be trying to assassinate one on that list. After that, measures will be taken.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. ¡°Which of my friends are on this list?¡± ¡°That would be a Ms. Malorie Fields and her daughter, Mr. Thomas Stewart, Ms. Rayna West and her husband Jackson Herrett, along with their future child, a Mr. Rudolph Mckinney, and a Ms. Clare Searidge,¡± Nyx explained. ¡°Hmm...¡± Derek rubbed his chin. ¡°No Avery, Stella, Shae, Edgar, Alanah, or Walter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Nyx replied. ¡°It was a stretch, allowing so many names on the ledger as it is. But, as I said before, Maven¡¯s threat was hollow and he knew it. All in here know the names on that ledger by heart, and he knew that he would never be allowed to attack any of them. The threat was empty. And the others that you mentioned... they are almost untouchable by association.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Maven finally said. ¡°We¡¯ll release those whelps from any and all obligations, oaths, and contracts with the Assassin¡¯s Guild. It¡¯s not like they contributed much anyway. Maybe in a decade or two... I just don¡¯t want any current members getting ideas...¡± ¡°And, while we are not able to add their names to the ledger, we will make them known to all as unofficial untouchables,¡± Nyx said. ¡°Is there anything else we can do for you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Derek said. ¡°I want you to do the same with Vanessa here.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Maven spat. ¡°But you never...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t plan on it,¡± Derek said. ¡°But you can consider it a bonus for wasting my time.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Nyx said before Maven could say anything else. ¡°For Bones and Ogre, it shall be done within the week. As for Vanessa...¡± Nyx looked over at Maven and glared at the man with his single eye. ¡°Fine!¡± Maven finally ceded. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out multiple contracts and ripped them up in front of Derek and Vanessa. Mana shot out of the contracts and entered both the Shadow Witch and Maven. After that, Maven said, ¡°As the current Guild Leader of the Cydarian Branch of the Assassin¡¯s Guild, and holder of your oath, I release you, Vanessa Hodges, from any and all oats made to me or the guild.¡± Beside Derek, Vanessa took a deep breath in and let it out. Derek looked at the woman and saw that she was actually holding back tears. It wasn¡¯t something that he had planned on doing when he went to the Assassin¡¯s Guild, but the woman had been helpful, and not being bound to the guild would help her serve Cydaria better. ¡°You will know when the other oaths are released, we will want to release them from their contracts first, and as lower former members of the guild, we do not keep those contracts on hand,¡± Nyx said. ¡°Good,¡± Derek said, and pulled his feet off the table before standing up. Vanessa stood up beside him. After that, he stored his chair. ¡°It was a pleasure doing business with you.¡± Derek turned and was about to make a tear in space, but was interrupted by Nyx. ¡°Vanessa,¡± Nyx said. ¡°Please, wait.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± the former guild member asked. ¡°You are no longer bound by oath or contract, but you would have my gratitude if you didn¡¯t give away all the secrets you know of the guild,¡± Nyx said. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I at least owe some parts of the guild that much. Much of the time I spent at the guild, I was treated well. I was just never able to find the freedom I wished for. But if it is relevant to something that I must help the kingdom with...¡± ¡°That is understandable... thank you,¡± Nyx said. Then he shifted his attention to Derek. ¡°And Mr. Hunt...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Derek looked at the disfigured man. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°About that chair you were just sitting in,¡± Nyx started. ¡°I have been wanting to get myself one after reading the reports. What do you...¡± ¡°So, speaking of Guild Leaders,¡± Derek said. ¡°What about the other two?¡± ¡°Mara and Maven?¡± Vanessa asked, to which Derek nodded. ¡°Mara is the Guild Leader of the Astr... Indaria branch, and Maven is the Guild Leader of the Cydarian branch.¡± ¡°Then the missing one...¡± Derek said. ¡°Vallum Branch¡¯s Guild Leader,¡± Vanessa answered. ¡°Nobody knows much about Mara, actually,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°She became a Guild Leader around the same time that I made my way to Vice Leader. So, she is the newest member. My focus was mostly on Cydaria, so I never learned too much about the woman either. All I know is that she is cutthroat, but fair... and quiet.¡± ¡°Then Maven?¡± ¡°Maven is my uncle. I say that I never had the choice to be in the guild because I was born into it. Both my father and mother were members of the Cydarian Branch. When my father and Maven were making their way up, my father was always just that one tiny step ahead of Maven. As the former leader was dying from a poison, my father and mother mysteriously died on what should have been a simple mission. I have no proof, but I believe that my uncle had them killed¡ªif he didn¡¯t do it himself,¡± Vanessa explained. ¡°Hmm... the more we talk about him, the more I think it would be a good idea to pay that man another visit,¡± Derek said. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be the kind to let something go.¡± ¡°No, he isn¡¯t,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°But, because of the sacredness of the Black Ledger, I will say that you don¡¯t have to worry about any of your friends being harmed by him. Not even he and his pettiness would commit such a taboo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Also, was I correct in assuming that we were in Vallum?¡± ¡°You were,¡± Vanessa said with a nod. ¡°The base is an underground headquarters in the western part of the kingdom, and it is only accessible through a series of teleporers. There is no way aboveground without the use of a teleporter.¡± ¡°That would explain why it hasn¡¯t been discovered,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes,¡± Vanessa agreed. ¡°Well, thank you for the help,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s time to get you back to your kingdomly duties.¡± ¡°My babysitting duties, you mean?¡± Vanessa deadpanned. ¡°They are one and the same,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Come on.¡± Vanessa stepped forward next to Derek before he opened the portal, then said, ¡°Derek... if you do choose that Maven¡¯s life isn¡¯t worth him living... would you please bring me with you? Or better yet... if you can get me alone with him... I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see...¡± Derek looked the woman in the eyes. ¡°But I will make sure to inform you of any decisions I make about it. We can go from there...¡± Vanessa nodded her head, then Derek turned back around to look in front of them. He then opened another portal, and within moments, the two were standing back in the Throne Room of Cydaria. Vanessa looked at Derek one more time, gave him a quick nod, then moved back to her normal position at the side. ¡°Derek, I assume you accomplished your task?¡± King Edward asked. ¡°I did,¡± Derek said. ¡°And then some...¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Edward said. ¡°May I ask what it was that you needed Vanessa¡¯s help with?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Derek said. ¡°I just needed to go threaten the Assassin¡¯s Guild and make sure they never touch any of my people. It went well.¡± ¡°It... went well?¡± Edward¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Brother,¡± Edgar said from the side. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why you¡¯re surprised anymore. Just accept it, it will make things much less stressful.¡± The prince walked over to Derek and slapped him on the back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you paid a visit to the Assassin¡¯s Guild and didn¡¯t invite me.¡± ¡°Maybe next time,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a next time?¡± Edgar asked with a spark in his eyes. ¡°Who knows?¡± Derek said. ¡°Anything can happen.¡± Chapter 495: Next Assassin¡¯s Guild HQ, Vallum Once the monstrous Derek Hunt left, Nyx dismissed all the Vice Leaders of the guild. All that remained in the meeting room were Maven, Mara, and himself. What they needed to discuss didn¡¯t need to be heard by the lower members. The disfigured elf gazed at Mara and shared a knowing look with the woman. They were in a predicament that the guild had never found itself in before¡ªat least, not during Nyx¡¯s long life as a member. ¡°Are the two of you just going to sit there?¡± Maven asked with a sneer. ¡°We have to figure something out. We have to do something about that bastard.¡± However, before either of them could answer, the doors to the room swung open and a dwarf with a shaved head and a golden-brown beard that reached all the way past his chest entered. He was wearing a full set of plate armor and had a massive war hammer strapped to his back¡ªthe butt of the shaft almost touched the ground, while the top of the hammer was well over a foot taller than the dwarf was. The short, dwarven man walked around the table, leaned his hammer against it, then hopped up into the empty seat beside the other Guild Leaders. ¡°What the holy hell is going on around here? We having a secret meeting? One without the Vice Leaders?¡± he asked, but didn¡¯t bother giving anyone a chance to answer. ¡°Did the three of you feel that dreadful aura not long ago? Was that you, Mara? It almost woke me from my nap... almost. Or maybe it was just a dream...¡± He then looked over to Nyx and said, ¡°Holy hell Nyxy boy, put your mask back on. You¡¯re going to scare the ghosts half to death like that.¡± The man then flicked his wrist, and a jug appeared on the table. He grabbed it with one hand and put it to his lips¡ªturning it up and taking a big gulp. After letting out a belch, he said, ¡°Great stuff. Not quite as good as the king¡¯s ale, but it¡¯s getting there.¡± ¡°Braxton...¡± Nyx muttered, then reached up and put the mask he was wearing before back on his face. ¡°Ah... that¡¯s much better. I wasn¡¯t sure I was going to be able to hold this brew down with you like that,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I¡¯d offer the three of you some, but I only brought enough for me.¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°We don¡¯t want any of your nasty ale, old man,¡± Maven said, then he looked back to Nyx and said, ¡°Can we get back to what we are going to do?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Braxton said with another belch. ¡°Don¡¯t make me put you over my knee like ma used to do with me. I can, and I will.¡± After that, he looked around and saw that he didn¡¯t get the reaction that he wanted, and continued, ¡°Wow. Something interesting really must have happened. What was it? Did a bug crawl up each of your asses? Wait, that aura from before wasn¡¯t Mara upgrading one of her skills, was it? And why aren¡¯t the Vice Leaders here again?¡± Nyx looked at Mara once again, then the woman nodded, and Nyx spoke. ¡°A problem for the guild has arisen. A big problem.¡± ¡°A big problem?¡± Braxton asked. ¡°What kind of problem?¡± He stroked the top of the warhammer with his hand. ¡°I can solve a lot of problems.¡± ¡°I believe that we will soon have to find a new Guild Leader for the Cydaria branch,¡± Nyx said. ¡°You!¡± Maven shouted, but was interrupted by the dwarf. ¡°Oh? Maven boy went and did something stupid? What happened? Are you poisoned so bad that Mara isn¡¯t able to help? Drink the wrong brew?¡± Braxton laughed. ¡°And here I thought I was going to be the next leader to be replaced. Just as soon as someone from Vallum comes along and can take me on, I¡¯m retiring,¡± the man laughed and took another gulp from the jug¡ªfinishing it off. After that, he flicked his wrist, and another appeared next to the empty one. ¡°But seriously, what the hell did you do to make Nyx and Mara look so grim?¡± ¡°Do you know Derek Hunt?¡± Nyx asked. ¡°Derek Hunt?¡± Braxton asked rhetorically. ¡°Of course I know Derek Hunt. Not a man you want to mess with. Your report said that he¡¯s most probably somebody that you can¡¯t escape from no matter what, right? Has some great friends, too.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nyx said. ¡°You... read that report?¡± Maven asked, stunned. ¡°You... a drunken old dwarf, read the latest report on the man?¡± ¡°Of course I read it,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It was a report written by Nyx, not one of his lackeys.¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t a priority...¡± Maven said. ¡°Really?¡± Maven asked with hope in his eyes. ¡°Yeah, I have the perfect plan,¡± Braxton said, then reached over and placed his hand on his weapon. ¡°We could take Maven out right now and give his head to Derek. That would get us in good with the man and make it easier for me to have a good relationship with the Alchemist.¡± ¡°That...¡± Nyx glanced at Maven, who was staring slack-jawed at the dwarf leader. ¡°That is not something we should do,¡± he relented. ¡°Well... in that case, just put that the Alchemist also under the guild¡¯s protection. Double up on the protection without having to add him to the ledger,¡± Braxton said, then sighed. With a flick of his wrist, a very small mug appeared on the table beside his current jug and the empty jugs. He grabbed the jug with some remaining liquid and poured a little of the contents into the mug. He then painfully slid the mug over to Nyx. ¡°Have a... taste,¡± he said. ¡°Very well,¡± Nyx said. He picked up the mug with one hand and tilted the mask on his face with the other¡ªjust uncovering a small portion of his mouth by doing so. He brought the mug up and took a sip. The disfigured elf coughed a few times, even spitting out a very small amount of blood in the process. He put the mask back into place, then slid the mug forward. ¡°That... is very strong...¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it?¡± Braxton said with a smile. Curiously, Mara reached over and grabbed the mug, which still had a very small amount of liquid remaining in it. She brought it to her pale lips and also took a sip. She closed her eyes and sloshed it around in her mouth before swallowing. After that, she brought the mug back up and drank the rest. ¡°This is very good,¡± she said. ¡°We should make a partnership with this Roman,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying,¡± Braxton laughed. ¡°Yes...¡± Mara said. ¡°This poison is very lethal. It could make many of our jobs much simpler. Disguised as ale, the poison would be undetectable until it was too late. Without a proper amount of vitality, endurance, or resistances, the targets would be dead before they know what hit them. It never hurts to have a variety of different poisons and toxins.¡± ¡°And the taste is immaculate!¡± Braxton said as he finished the next jug. Then he took out another jug and looked at it longingly. After staring for a moment, he sighed and put it away before muttering, ¡°I should save some for later.¡± ¡°Why are you all making so light of all of this!?¡± Maven yelled. ¡°Is the man not going against the guild? Are we going to allow this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Braxton said. ¡°We are. If Nyx thinks we should, then we shall.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Nyx said. ¡°The man is not going against the guild, he is going against you and your foolishness,¡± he told Maven. ¡°You brought this on yourself. Besides, there is nothing we could do if we wanted, and I would rather not spend the few remaining years of my life looking over my shoulder waiting to die once we failed to eliminate the man¡ªwhich we would absolutely do.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Braxton said. ¡°Now that everything is settled, you three can find Maven¡¯s replacement. You don¡¯t need my help. I gave you my only suggestion.¡± He hopped off his chair and stood¡ªmaking sure to store the empty jugs in the process and strap his weapon to his back. ¡°I¡¯m going back to Savannah to see if I can work something out with that little fellow, since we are all in agreement. Nyx, keep up the good work. If you want, you can take over my duties as well. Just let me know when someone needs a good bashing.¡± He then looked at Maven. ¡°Someone who is not Derek Hunt. I would hate to die when such exciting innovations are coming about.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Nyx said. ¡°You may do as you please. I will add your name next to Roman Pascal¡¯s, showing that he is under your protection.¡± ¡°Add mine, too,¡± Mara said. ¡°It is great poison, but it is also good... ale?¡± She looked at Braxton. ¡°What does the man call this drink?¡± ¡°His Brew,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Then, it is a very good Brew,¡± Mara said. ¡°It would be good to have a consistent supply of it.¡± ¡°I will add yours as well,¡± Nyx said. ¡°Now... on to the matter of the next Guild Leader of the Cydarian Branch of the Assassin¡¯s Guild.¡± Chapter 496: Decision ¡°So...¡± King Edward said from atop his throne. Derek turned away from Edgar and looked at the man. ¡°Would you mind sharing exactly what happened? You said you paid a visit to them just to threaten them? Would you please explain? Is this something that is going to have consequences for Cydaria?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Derek started. He didn¡¯t mind explaining things in a bit more detail to the king. He knew that Edward was just trying to do his best to protect his people. ¡°As you know, I¡¯ve made Bones and Ogre servants for my shop and such. They are former assassins from the guild and were very worried that the guild still has it out for them. So, I had to go and make sure that wasn¡¯t true anymore. And... it isn¡¯t now.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s it?¡± Edward asked. ¡°Well, there was the part about Vanessa,¡± Derek said as he looked at the Shadow Witch. He then explained in detail pretty much everything that happened from start to finish. ¡°And that¡¯s pretty much it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Edward asked rhetorically. His eyes were wide, and Derek was pretty sure if his mouth opened any wider, it would fall off. ¡°I... I can¡¯t believe you did that.¡± ¡°Again, brother...¡± Edgar said from the side. ¡°This is Derek. Why are you surprised? I¡¯m still jealous that he took Vanessa along and not me...¡± the prince clicked his tongue. ¡°Wait!¡± Derek said after realizing something. He looked at Edgar. ¡°You¡¯re not a prince anymore, are you?¡± ¡°Uh... I guess not,¡± Edgar said. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought much about it, but I guess I¡¯m technically a duke now.¡± ¡°Duke Edgar...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°I liked Prince Edgar better. Had a nicer ring to it.¡± ¡°Nothing I can do about it.¡± Edgar shrugged. ¡°Can we please get back to Derek trying to intimidate the Assassin¡¯s Guild and it actually working?¡± King Edward asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Derek said. ¡°But there isn¡¯t much else to it.¡± ¡°I know, but there¡¯s something else,¡± Edward said. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Vanessa, will you please step forward?¡± Edward asked, and the Shadow Witch did so. ¡°Is it as he said? You no longer have any oaths or contracts, or any real ties to the Assassin¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Well, to be completely honest, there are a few people inside the guild that I would consider friends, but other than those few, I have none. As you heard, my uncle is one of the four Guild Leaders, but there is no love lost between the two of us.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Edward muttered. ¡°In that case... Vanessa Hodges, as King of Cydaria and holder of your oaths, I release you from all but the single oath that you, to your best ability, do no harm to the Kingdom of Cydaria.¡± After that, Edward took multiple contracts out of his storage ring and ripped them up right in front of everyone. ¡°K-king Edward...¡± Vanessa muttered with wide eyes. It wasn¡¯t often that people other than Derek did something to surprise the woman, but it seemed like what the king had just done was more surprising to her than anything else. ¡°Why did you do that? Are you sure?¡± ¡°I am sure,¡± Edward said. ¡°According to my brother and Mr. Swan, who I met with recently, you played quite the role in subduing the Raid Dungeon with everyone else. On top of that, you have protected my sister better than I ever could have imagined. She does not even know of the attempts on her life by Astrus once Derek joined in and caused them to panic, nor about the ones that happened shortly after the war ended.¡± ¡°Attempts... on my life?¡± Eloise asked from the side. She was shocked. ¡°But... after everything I did to you,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°You were contracted to do, and yet you never once tried to end my life,¡± Edward said. ¡°Instead, you were adamant about not doing so, if I recall.¡± ¡°No... but your guard...¡± Vanessa said. ¡°It is true that you halted them with your shadows, but it was not you who killed them,¡± Edward said. ¡°In fact, you didn¡¯t do much damage to them at all. It was that vine user and Cliff Aarden who killed them, and we all know how that worked out for those two.¡± ¡°It... wasn¡¯t part of the contract,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Way to ruin the moment,¡± Edgar said from the side with a snort. ¡°My bad,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Well, since it seems like you all have a bunch of stuff to sort out, I¡¯ll take it as my cue to get out of here. Vanessa, thanks for the introduction.¡± Vanessa turned and looked at Derek. She had been all smiles before, but when her eyes met his, her face went serious. ¡°Let me know what you decide to do about Maven.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t sinister at all,¡± Edgar said before Derek could reply. ¡°It is, and it isn¡¯t,¡± Derek replied to the former prince, now duke. ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯m going to have to think about.¡± ¡°Well, once you decide to take care of your problem,¡± Edgar said. ¡°How about taking me with you this time?¡± ¡°You really are bored here in the palace, aren¡¯t you?¡± Derek asked. Edgar moved closer to Derek and threw his arm around his neck. ¡°You do not know the half of it. Who knew that my brother becoming king would make my life so... dull?¡± ¡°I could have guessed,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for showing everyone how useful you really are.¡± ¡°It is... isn¡¯t it?¡± Edgar clicked his tongue. ¡°The horrors of being strong.¡± ¡°I feel you,¡± Derek said before looking around, then said, ¡°I¡¯m out of here. Vanessa, I¡¯ll let you know when and if the time comes.¡± The woman nodded. Then Derek forcefully removed Edgar¡¯s arm from around him and left the palace through Void Travel. Moments later, he found himself back in his ¡®traveling¡¯ room. He had a lot on his mind, and he needed help to make the decision, so he headed upstairs to find Malorie. ¡°It¡¯s not that hard of a decision, is it?¡± Malorie asked after he told her about his current predicament with the Assassin¡¯s Guild. ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No, not at all,¡± Malorie said. ¡°He threatened Brandi, so he dies. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek replied. Maybe she wasn¡¯t the best person to bring the problem to. ¡°What happens if the Assassin¡¯s Guild decides to take everyone off their Black Ledger because of it? That¡¯s my main concern. Everyone but Maven has been pretty reasonable, but if I kill one of their leaders...¡± ¡°If they do that, then you cut through them until the guild doesn¡¯t exist anymore, or until they place her... us all back on that ledger,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the threat you went to them with, anyway?¡± ¡°It is...¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s just that this... premeditated killing thing makes me feel a bit... icky. There¡¯s not a war going on, it¡¯s not in the heat of the moment, he¡¯s not some vile criminal already sentenced to death¡ªat least, as far as I know... I actually don¡¯t have any clue what ¡®bad¡¯ things he¡¯s done¡ªit¡¯s... planned.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your fault,¡± Malorie said. ¡°You should have done it as soon as he made the threat. Then it would have been in the heat of the moment and you wouldn¡¯t have felt ¡®icky.¡¯ Besides, did he not bring everything that¡¯s coming to him on himself? You don¡¯t even have to do it. The way I look at it, all you have to do is get that Shadow Witch next to him, and she¡¯ll handle the problem. At worst, it¡¯s premeditated... assisted killing.¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m convinced. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s a good guy or anything. He is an assassin, after all. I guess him getting assassinated by his own niece would be kind of ironic. And she has every reason to do it, too. I¡¯ll just look at it as helping a friend.¡± He sighed. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I could be of use,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Now, get out of here and let me finish my work.¡± She stood from her desk and pushed Derek until he was out of her office, then she closed the door. ¡°How rude,¡± he chuckled, then walked away. Derek finally had a decision. He knew what he was going to do, he just needed to figure out when. After that, I can take Edgar and Avery on that hunting trip. I have to get Edgar out of that place before he does something stupid. With most things settled, Derek wasn¡¯t in any immediate hurry to do anything. He could finally take his time and do the things he¡¯d been planning to do for a while. Things like taking his friends Void Beast hunting and visiting the Kingdom of the Dwarves¡ªall the fun things he¡¯d plan to do, but wasn¡¯t able to because of raids, wars, and... farewells. Eventually, Derek found his way into the building¡¯s sitting room and kicked back in his chair. After all, he wanted to wait until the Guild Leader was away from the other leaders and not still in a meeting. And he wanted to wait until he was sure that Bones and Ogre were free of their oaths and contracts. Since Maven was the head of the Cydaria branch, he was the one who held the oaths, and he didn¡¯t know what would happen to those oaths if he died before dissolving them. Would they default to the guild like mine did with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild? And if they do, will they have to wait until a new leader is chosen before they can be released? If so, then it¡¯s much better to wait. So, the best option for the time being was taking a nice, long nap. Chapter 497: Long Nap Derek woke up from his nap, or rather, extremely long sleep, the next morning. He was surprised that nobody bothered to disturb him, and he was able to sleep all the way through the day, then all the way through the night. It was something he hadn¡¯t done in a really, really long time. Luckily, because of the system and his stats, the awful feeling that he would normally get when he slept too long did not appear. Instead, he only felt mentally rejuvenated. So much so that he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he had even been hesitating over something as small as taking out a person who threatened those he cared about. Huh... maybe I really did need a super long nap, he thought with a chuckle. ¡°Oh good,¡± a voice said from the entrance. It was Malorie waiting with a big mug of something that was giving off a bunch of steam. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± ¡°I am!¡± Derek replied cheerfully as he hopped up from his chair and made his way to Malorie. Looking at the mug once again, Derek paused. ¡°Oh... no...¡± he muttered. ¡°Did you realize it?¡± Malorie asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come wake me up?¡± Derek asked. He had been looking forward to the dinner that Silvi had been planning on making with the wood from the Echoing Willow and her dragon flame all day the previous day. Then, he¡¯d gone and slept through it because nobody chose to wake him. ¡°Silvi actually came to get you, but after seeing you, she decided not to wake you. Your companion is at least a little considerate when it comes to you,¡± Malorie replied. ¡°Yeah... that, or she decided that having one less mouth to feed would mean that there was more for her to eat,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well... there is that, too,¡± Malorie chuckled. ¡°So... how was it?¡± Derek asked as he reached forward and took the mug that Malorie offered him, glad that she hadn¡¯t been holding it to just tease him. He took a sip of some of the most divine, strong black coffee that he ever had. ¡°This is fantastic,¡± he said and took another sip. ¡°It is,¡± Malorie said. ¡°As for your question... I do not know.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Did you not eat it?¡± ¡°Nobody did,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Except for Silvi, but she only ¡®tasted¡¯ it to make sure it was good. We ended up all having stored dinners instead. Which, there was nothing wrong with because her cooking is so good no matter what it is, but yes, we were a little disappointed.¡± ¡°Why did that happen?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Why?¡± Malorie tilted her head and looked at him. ¡°Because you were asleep,¡± she said. ¡°Silvi stored it all and we will have it tonight instead.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Derek asked with a gleam in his eyes. ¡°She actually did that?¡± ¡°She did,¡± Malorie said. ¡°I was surprised. I can¡¯t tell if your companion is maturing a little, or if it was just one of her whims.¡± Derek and Malorie stared at each other for a few moments, then, they both said at the same time, ¡°It was one of her whims.¡± After a snort, Malorie said, ¡°Roman was looking for you yesterday. I told him that you were busy and asked if it could wait until today. You are to meet him at his bar whenever you get the chance today.¡± ????a?No??§¦S ¡°Oh?¡± Derek muttered. It had been a long time since he¡¯d met with the halfling Alchemist. He wondered what the man had been able to do with all the ingredients that Malorie had been supplying him with while he and Alanah were gone. ¡°He wants to meet at his bar, though?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he said,¡± Malorie replied. ¡°Did he tell you why?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Malorie shook her head. ¡°Just that he had a surprise for you.¡± ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll head that way,¡± Derek replied. ¡°It¡¯s...¡± He checked the time and saw that it was actually almost noon. ¡°Oh... wow. I slept even longer than I thought. I missed dinner and breakfast.¡± ¡°Looks like it,¡± Malorie replied. ¡°Now, I have more work to get through. If you need anything, I¡¯ll be in my new office. Also, Brandi is back and working in the basement if you need her.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Derek said. ¡°I may check on her once I¡¯m back from Roman¡¯s.¡± ¡°I did!¡± Roman said as he waved his hand and made a jug appear in front of Derek. ¡°And the best thing about it is that the brew doesn¡¯t actually require that much from the Vortex Drifters. Just a drop or two of the ink is enough to brew a rather strong concoction. Though the other materials aren¡¯t exactly common, I don¡¯t have much of a problem obtaining them¡ªespecially with all the open borders now. So, the only really rare ingredient is the ink from the drifters, and I was able to get a lot of that from Ms. Fields and Silvi. Your cooking companion isn¡¯t too fond of it.¡± ¡°So, as long as you ration the ink, you¡¯ll be able to create a lot of this new brew,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes!¡± Roman said. ¡°As long as I can keep a supply of the other ingredients, I have enough ink to make tens of thousands of jugs of the new brew, if not more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Does it sell well?¡± He finally reached forward and grabbed the jug after asking the question. He could tell that Roman was on the edge of his seat, waiting for him to take a drink. As the liquid entered his mouth, he felt that it was a little denser than most liquids he was used to. It wasn¡¯t syrupy by any means, but it was definitely heavier than water. As he sloshed the brew around to get a good taste, he could feel it trying, and failing, to eat through the inside of his mouth. Finally, he swallowed. Surprisingly, the drink had a more floral and spicier flavor to it instead of the fishy flavor that he¡¯d expected. This actually doesn¡¯t taste half bad, he thought. Much better than that other stuff that was just there to try to get people drunk. ¡°What do you think?¡± Roman asked. ¡°Do you think it sells well?¡± Derek saw his health pool take a relatively big hit, then recover, once the drink entered his stomach. It was enough of a hit to kill some mid-level or even higher adventurers. Still, he figured that he could drain the entire mug and it wouldn¡¯t even be able to give him even the slightest buzz. But, when I¡¯m tired of coffee and tea, this would pair great with some good cooking, he thought. But I¡¯d have to be very careful with it. Though I doubt it would instantly kill someone because of how it is, I don¡¯t doubt it would be able to instantly push someone to a Dying State. ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Really good.¡± ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Roman asked with joy. ¡°So, is it a good seller?¡± Derek asked again. ¡°Nope!¡± Roman laughed. ¡°Well... yes and no.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Do you see these jugs on the wall behind me?¡± Roman asked and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. ¡°What about it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well, because I can¡¯t have customers coming in and dying because they think they can handle anything, I¡¯ve created a new system,¡± the halfling said. ¡°What system is that?¡± ¡°Starting from the left, each brew in the jug gets more potent and thus, more dangerous,¡± Roman began to explain. ¡°But those are all trash brews. They just happen to mirror what would happen if you were to drink one of my actual brews.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, they are basically just poison with no redeeming qualities that you used to see if someone has the constitution to handle some of your real stuff.¡± ¡°Exactly that,¡± Roman said. ¡°Which brings you to the new brew not selling well,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yeah...¡± Roman replied. ¡°There have only been a few people able to work their way all the way up the wall and reach the new brew. And of those people, one almost died because the brew is still a little more potent than the rightmost jug on the wall.¡± ¡°But you said it does sell?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It does,¡± Roman said. ¡°There¡¯s an odd dwarf that seems to have taken a liking to the brew, and I swear he is just made of money. Buys jug after jug with no haggling at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°But is this all you wanted to show me? Don¡¯t get me wrong, this is some really good stuff, and I¡¯d be happy to take a couple dozen jugs off of you if you have them. But we could have done this anywhere.¡± ¡°Oh, no,¡± Roman said, and Derek saw a gleam appear in his eyes. He pulled out another jug and sat it gently on the bar in front of Derek. ¡°Remember the dark wyvern you killed?¡± Chapter 498: A Good Threat ¡°The dark wyvern I killed?¡± Derek asked before opening his arms up and leaning back, giving the alchemist a good look at the armor made out of the same wyvern. ¡°It was more of an undead wyvern with darkness abilities,¡± he said. ¡°But yes, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d forget the beast that my armor and glaive are made out of.¡± ¡°Well, I took some of the parts that would be of use in armor or weapon crafting¡ªthe stuff that Brandi didn¡¯t seem to want¡ªand I did some experimentation. There¡¯s not a whole lot you can do potion-wise with materials from a beast with such elements¡ªwell, other than poisons.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. The wyverns that they have killed were big, and they had split a lot of the materials, still, after Tyron finished harvesting all the dragonkin that Derek had brought back, Derek had ended up with a ring packed almost full with wyvern parts, and another packed with the meat¡ªon top of a bunch of rings that had the lesser dragonkin in them. So, he was perfectly fine if Roman used some of it¡ªespecially since he obviously had gotten it all from speaking with Malorie. If she thought it was okay, then Derek wouldn¡¯t dare be mad. ¡°So, since poisons and toxins are only one step away from a high-leveled brew, and I had been able to create a new brew out of the other materials I received from you, I gave it a shot in the hopes I could make something that worked for someone like you,¡± Roman explained. ¡°And you succeeded then?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Now, that¡¯s the thing,¡± Roman said. ¡°I¡¯m unsure if I succeeded. Seeing how potent the last brew was, I really don¡¯t have a way to test this one without jeopardizing the life of whomever drinks it. I¡¯m even hesitant to give it to you.¡± ¡°Hesitant, but totally willing,¡± Derek replied with a laugh. ¡°Well... yes,¡± Roman smiled and put his hands behind his head. ¡°You are such a great potion tester, after all.¡± ¡°So you brought me here, once again, to be your guinea pig...¡± Derek smiled and shook his head. ¡°In that case, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and pour me a mug of it,¡± He hit his fists on the counter before looking around. When he looked to his left, he frowned. A dwarf with a giant warhammer strapped to his back was only a handful of seats away from him. This wouldn¡¯t have been odd, but when he first saw the man, he was one of the customers at the far end of the table. It seemed like the dwarf had moved closer. As Derek was looking at the dwarf, the dwarf finally turned and looked at him. Apparently seeing that as an invitation, the dwarf hopped off his stool, landed on the ground with a stud¡ªeven cracking some of the ground below him, and moseyed over to Derek while carrying a large jug. Derek stared at the cracks in the floor and thought, Just how heavy is that hammer on his back? He didn¡¯t say anything out loud as he watched the dwarf gingerly climb on top of the stool directly beside Derek. The man looked around for a moment, then finally said, ¡°Did I hear someone say wyvern brew?¡± A gleam fell over his eyes as he mentioned the brew. ¡°Little man, you¡¯ve been holding out on me!¡± He took the jug he¡¯d been carrying and turned it up, finishing the contents in one go. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you have an even better brew and didn¡¯t tell me about it.¡± ¡°That is because I am not sure if your body will be able to take it,¡± Roman replied dully to the man. He then saw Derek¡¯s eyes moving back and forth from him and the dwarf, and said, ¡°Derek, do you remember the dwarf I told you about who frequently buys the octopus brew? This is him. His name is...¡± He started, but was cut off by the dwarf. ¡°I¡¯m Braxton,¡± the dwarf said to Derek and held out his hand. Derek reached out and shook his hand. In a lower tone where only Derek and Roman could hear, but still quite gruff, he said, ¡°I¡¯m the Guild Leader of the Vallum¡¯s branch of the Assassin¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°G-guild Leader... Assassin¡¯s Guild...¡± Roman muttered from the side, dropping the mug he¡¯d brought out for Derek onto the floor. Luckily, all his stuff was rather durable, so there was no chance of the mug breaking from such a thing. ¡°Y-you...¡± ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± Braxton said as he let go of Derek¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you, Derek Hunt.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re the leader who was missing during my visit?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yup! I try not to attend those meetings as often as possible,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°They can become downright boring. But it looks like I missed a good one, eh?¡± ¡°That depends on your definition of good,¡± Derek said. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what to think of the dwarf beside him yet. He at least didn¡¯t seem hostile so far. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Oh, it definitely met my definition of good,¡± Braxton said as he shifted his eyes from Derek to Roman. He looked at the halfling, then at his mug, then back again a few times. Finally getting the hint, a shaking Roman exchanged the empty jug out with a full one. The dwarf took a long drink, then sat the jug back on the table and sighed, ¡°So refreshing!¡± ¡°Nope, it wasn¡¯t that,¡± Derek said. ¡°But it¡¯s not my place to tell you that. You¡¯re an assassin...¡± Derek looked the dwarf up and down after he said that, and some doubts grew in his mind. ¡°Are you actually an assassin?¡± ¡°How dare you ask that!¡± Braxton said in mock anger. ¡°Do I not appear as the perfect assassin? I¡¯ll have you know, I am not only an assassin, but I am the greatest assassin in the guild. I have never once failed a mission.¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure you¡¯re not messing with me?¡± ¡°It is true,¡± Braxton leaned back, allowing his warhammer to reach and rest on the floor and stabilize him. ¡°You must remember, I am from Vallum.¡± ¡°Okay? What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that I would look much more out of the ordinary wearing a cloak and being all sneaky-like in a country full of dwarves,¡± the assassin explained. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that says you have to work with shadows and poisons to become an assassin. As long as you can kill without getting caught, then you can become an assassin.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see how someone who looks like you and uses... that...¡± he pointed at the massive hammer. ¡°Is able to kill undetected.¡± ¡°Oh, I certainly get detected,¡± Braxton laughed and took another drink of the brew. ¡°But if there is nobody alive to report me, how would I get caught? One swing of my hammer, and all the accusations go away... if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek muttered. He couldn¡¯t help but wander about the man¡¯s record. He seemed friendly, and Derek would even go as far as saying he¡¯d be fun to be around. But what kind of acts had he committed to get to where he was? ¡°So... I guess you¡¯ve killed a lot of people,¡± Derek replied seriously. ¡°Less than the other Guild Leaders, actually,¡± Braxton replied. He then grinned at Derek and licked his teeth. ¡°But the missions I take are much, much, more crucial. The targets are all those that the others don¡¯t want to mess with.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Derek rubbed his chin. ¡°On that note, Maven wanted you to be my next target,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Oh, did he?¡± ¡°He did indeed,¡± Braxton said. ¡°And what did you say?¡± Derek asked. The conversation had gotten a lot heavier than before. Roman was so quiet that he was like a mouse. He¡¯d been vigorously cleaning the mug he¡¯d dropped, and Derek was sure it was going to be unusable once he was finished. ¡°What did I say?¡± Braxton narrowed his eyes, then reached up and put his hand on the hilt of his warhammer. Derek channeled void energy into his fists¡ªcausing them to emit a deep purple glow. Then Braxton laughed heartedly and took his hand off his weapon. ¡°I told him that he was fucked. The little man here makes some of the best brew I¡¯ve ever had¡ªit¡¯s even getting close to some of the Vallum King¡¯s personal supply... don¡¯t ask me how I know that. I told him that I wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to risk getting cut off. It just wasn¡¯t worth it.¡± Derek released the void and let the energy flow back into his body. ¡°I see.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°That is very understandable. That new brew would pair well with just about any meal. It certainly would be a loss to someone of your... taste.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The dwarf nodded. ¡°I even went as far as to put the little man under my protection, and after getting a taste, Mara joined me. This little brewmaster is one of the most protected men on the continent.¡± ¡°I... am?¡± Roman asked, finally sitting the mug down on the counter. It actually had a hole in the side where he¡¯d been rubbing it. ¡°You are!¡± Braxton pounded his fists on the counter. ¡°Now, how about we try some of that wyvern brew? I¡¯m parched!¡± Chapter 499: Wyvern’s Brew Chapter 499: Wyvern¡¯s Brew ¡°I¡¯m not sure you want to try this,¡± Roman said to Braxton after coming to terms that he was serving a leader of the Assassin¡¯s Guild. ¡°I know that you have a ridiculous constitution¡ªyou would have to since you are able to drink the new brew like you do¡ªbut, I don¡¯t think your constitution is going to help you with it as much as you think it is.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, little man,¡± Braxton said, waving off the halfling¡¯s concern. ¡°If the brew kills me, then what a way it would be to go out, eh? Imagine that. Dying while in the middle of doing one of the things that you love most in the world. I can¡¯t think of a better way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem...¡± Roman said in a whisper that could barely be heard. ¡°What was that, little man?¡± the dwarf assassin asked. ¡°I said... that¡¯s the problem!¡± Roman replied. ¡°You may not care if you die by drinking my brew, but I don¡¯t want to get into it with the Assassin¡¯s Guild. What would happen if they found out that their leader died because of me? I¡¯d never be able to get anything done again¡ªlike you said before to Derek about whoever it was you were talking about. I¡¯d be spending the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, not knowing when I was going to breathe my last breath. No... I can¡¯t live like that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about such minor things,¡± Braxton replied. ¡°You¡¯re protected by myself and Mara. And you even have this big guy on your side. Even if I die here, there will be no repercussions. If you want, I can even sign something, and if on some off chance I do die, then your friend here can take it to Nyx. Problem solved.¡± Roman looked between Derek and Braxton for a few moments. Finally, his pleading eyes landed on Derek and stayed there. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Derek finally said. ¡°Give him what he wants. If he dies, oh well. Nothing is going to come back on you.¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Roman relented. ¡°But first...¡± he pulled out a paper and slid it in front of Braxton. ¡°Hah!¡± Braxton laughed out loud. ¡°You actually have something like this already drawn up. I knew a little man as talented as you would also be smart.¡± Braxton quickly signed the waiver and slid it back across the bar to Roman. However, instead of accepting it, Roman redirected it to Derek. ¡°You keep it,¡± Roman said to Derek. ¡°You¡¯re the one who will need it if something happens. Better to be proactive with things like this.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Derek snorted and stored the paper in his storage bracelet. After that, he opened his arms up and motioned to the bar in front of him. ¡°Go ahead,¡± he said. Roman nodded slowly and seriously toward Derek, then gently reached over and slid the jug he¡¯d pulled out earlier closer to himself. After that, he flicked his wrist, and two deep black mugs appeared on the bar. They looked different from any of the mugs that Derek had seen before. ¡°Special mugs?¡± he asked. ¡°Very special,¡± Roman replied. ¡°I had them made of some of the best materials I could get my hands on. It was not easy getting them working properly, either. Some spoiled the taste of whatever was in them, and others couldn¡¯t even handle a drop of this new brew. I¡¯d say that I spent well over 2,500 gold coins just getting these mugs made.¡± ¡°What about the jug?¡± Derek asked. ¡°If the mugs cost that much, I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin with the jug.¡± ¡°The jug was a lot less,¡± Roman replied. ¡°Really?¡± Derek asked with a frown. Because of Roman¡¯s shout and the noise made from a dwarf¡¯s head bouncing off the bar, it drew the attention of the other patrons, and soon enough, there was a handful of rough-looking people surrounding them. Most were in awe at the sight because of how well-known Braxton had made himself since finding out about the bar. All the regulars knew of the dwarf that could come in and drink the latest brew without injury. It was the thing of legends. But now, that same dwarf was passed out¡ªif not dead¡ªon the bar. They hadn¡¯t seen what had happened leading up to the event, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to look at the mysterious mugs sitting on the bar and realize what had happened. ¡°Another new brew?¡± one of the patrons asked. ¡°One that Brax couldn¡¯t handle? Well... looks like he¡¯s still alive...¡± the patron reached over and put his fingers on the dwarf¡¯s neck, feeling for a pulse. Derek had already used Identify on the man, and, while he didn¡¯t get much information back, he knew that he wasn¡¯t dead or in a Dying State. The patron then looked at Roman, whose arm was being held by Derek, then he looked over at Derek. ¡°Hey! You should...¡± he started, but his eyes soon found the badges on Derek¡¯s shoulder. Instead of finishing, he gulped and didn¡¯t say another word. ¡°Silence!¡± Roman reprimanded. ¡°Leave us! Get back to what you were all doing, or don¡¯t blame me for banning you from the bar for a month.¡± That was all it took, and the patrons ran away without a second glance. The man who had spoken before was the first one gone¡ªhe seemed thankful that Roman gave him an out. ¡°What do we do? Let me give him a potion,¡± Roman asked Derek, pleadingly. ¡°No...¡± Derek said. ¡°Just watch.¡± Finally, Roman relented, and Derek let go of his arm. The Alchemist didn¡¯t store the potions back in his ring, but he at least placed them on the bar close by. Moments later, Braxton began convulsing. A pure black, veiny, web-like pattern began appearing on whatever skin was visible. Soon, the web-like pattern made its way to the back of Braxton¡¯s neck, then halfway up his head before the man shot up. Still sitting in the seat, Braxton looked around with blood-red eyes and the ever-growing pattern on his face. ¡°Wow...¡± the man whispered lightly. Then, he closed his eyes and used a skill that Derek was all too familiar with... Meditation. Maybe even Greater Meditation, Derek wasn¡¯t sure. The dwarf wasn¡¯t moving, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t. Derek knew very well that, even though one could move with Greater Meditation, it still worked better when being still. It was the same, even at the level that his own skill was. Before their eyes, the black pattern began withdrawing from Braxton¡¯s face, and, when the man opened them, the whites of his eyes even shifted back from crimson. Braxton turned to Derek and let out a giant grin. ¡°Still feeling it some...¡± he muttered. His speech wasn¡¯t as slurred as before, but he still had a bit of trouble. ¡°What a brew. Maybe even better than the king¡¯s brew. Certainly more dangerous... and kicks in a lot quicker.¡± The dwarf reached out and grabbed the mug again, then brought it close to his nose. He took a big sniff and closed his eyes. ¡°Smells great, too.¡± He sloshed the liquid in the mug around a few times, then... to everyone¡¯s¡ªmostly Roman¡¯s¡ªhorror, the dwarf brought it up to his mouth and drained the whole thing. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Roman yelled, but it was too late. ¡°Shush... little man,¡± Braxton smiled widely, then his head began wobbling back and forth as he closed his eyes. Definitely Greater Meditation, Derek thought as he saw the man slip into Meditation once again. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Derek said to Roman. ¡°He knows his limits, and apparently, your brew met them, but didn¡¯t exceed them.¡± ¡°Whew...¡± Roman let out a deep breath. ¡°What a relief. I thought he was a goner.¡± ¡°Nope... just a dwarf who likes to drink,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°Speaking of liking to drink.¡± He reached forward and picked up his mug. He tilted it toward Roman with a nod, then... ¡°Bottoms up.¡± He turned it up and drank the whole thing in a single gulp. Chapter 500: For Research Purposes ¡°no!¡± roman cried. ¡°not all at once, you¡¯re not some dumb....¡± he looked over at the dwarf, but didn¡¯t finish his sentence. ¡°i¡¯ll be perfectly fine,¡± derek said as he gently placed the now empty mug between himself and roman. ¡°he...¡± he nodded his head at braxton. ¡°seemed to be confident to drink the whole thing, so i¡¯ll be more tha¡ª¡± he tried to finish, but instead stopped speaking once the first shiver went down his spine. it was like he jumped in ice water without any preparation, then the heat hit him. instantly, his body went from cold shivers to feeling like he was standing on the top of an active volcano. but, again, that feeling didn¡¯t last very long, either. however, once the heat left, the true reaction began. derek felt like he was above his own body, watching down. it was basically an out-of-body experience, and it was almost like the body he was watching was paralyzed, other than the fact that if he thought really hard and really forced himself, he could make the body move a little, but it was more like he was a puppeteer instead of the actual owner of the body. is this what had the dwarf staring straight ahead, out of it? derek questioned himself. but before he could continue that line of thought, he was pulled back into his body in a very jarring manner, and the world started spinning. he tried to open his mouth to say something to the concerned, but upside down, roman, but his head was spinning so badly that he couldn¡¯t even get his words straight, much less speak them. instead, the best he could do was brace himself for what came next. if it all went the same as what happened with braxton¡ªwhich it seemed it was¡ªthen the next step in the brew¡¯s reign of terror would be unconsciousness. and sure enough, as soon as the world came to a screeching halt, derek was hit with a sleepiness that he hadn¡¯t experienced in ages. no, it was a sleepiness that he¡¯d never experienced. like he¡¯d been awake for multiple days and was now being given anesthesia. it wasn¡¯t enough, however, to actually cause derek to fall forward. instead, he clenched his fists and flexed every muscle that he could over and over. it was almost impossible for him to fully move himself, but he could at least still do that. after a handful of seconds that felt like forever, the sleepiness faded, and derek was left with an actual bona fide buzz. a nice sense of warmth, much more comfortable than the previous heat, started in his chest and slowly, almost at a crawl, began expanding throughout his body. this, combined with a little lightheadedness and a small sense of euphoria, brought back some memories. derek took a deep breath in as he felt relaxed. ¡°not bad,¡± he finally said. he looked to his left, and the dwarf was face down on the bar once again. ¡°looks like he still couldn¡¯t handle it, even though he knew it was coming,¡± derek chuckled. ¡°well... i guess he did drink the whole thing after a single sip had got him before.¡± ¡°you¡¯re... okay?¡± roman asked. ¡°i¡¯m better than okay,¡± derek replied. ¡°this is actually kind of nice. i wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s like actually being intoxicated, but more of a much lighter version of it.¡± if i had to explain it to someone, i¡¯d say it was like having a very light, but persistent, buzz. ¡°what¡¯s going on? what did it do? that dwarf took his second ¡®drink¡¯ before answering any questions,¡± roman asked. ¡°what did he mean by dangerous?¡± ¡°well, for me, nothing¡¯s that bad mentally. obviously, this assassin over here had, and is having, a much more intense reaction than me,¡± derek explained. ¡°for me, other than good feelings of relaxation, a cozy warmth spreading through my body, and light euphoria, the only negative feeling once the... main reactions were finished, was a very small amount of lightheadedness. but that has already gone, and i¡¯m left feeling only the good things. even those, however, are pretty light.¡± ¡°i see,¡± roman said as he was quickly scribbling down notes in a notebook that magically appeared in his hands. ¡°please, continue. what happened in the beginning?¡± derek then told him about intense sleepiness and other reactions happened before the final effects settled in. roman scribbled everything down like a machine. ¡°fascinating!¡± the alchemist said. ¡°and what about your health?¡± ¡°oh... i haven¡¯t checked,¡± derek said. ¡°i didn¡¯t feel hurt at all, so i didn¡¯t even think about it. give me a second.¡± with that, derek pulled his status sheet up and his eyes widened in shock. ¡°what is it?¡± roman asked after seeing derek¡¯s shock. ¡°do not give this to anyone other than me... or maybe this dwarf, if he was paying attention,¡± derek said. ¡°why? what are you seeing?¡± roman asked again. ¡°my health is at seventy percent right now, and is not moving,¡± derek said. ¡°interesting!¡± roman replied as he wrote more in his little book. ¡°i wonder if it would kill or put someone in a ¡®dying state.¡¯¡± ¡°i¡¯m not sure,¡± derek said. ¡°it may push them to dying, but make the state last shorter. the only way to tell would be to actually see it happen.¡± he thought about his experience, then continued. ¡°the fire and ice feelings at the beginning, though intense, aren¡¯t exactly painful. i suspect that anyone would withstand them. the out-of-body experience afterward is just weird. and then there¡¯s the dizziness that gives way to unconsciousness.¡± ¡°what about it?¡± roman asked. ¡°well, nothing about the potion screams lethal,¡± derek said. ¡°even with the side effects at the beginning, i don¡¯t think many people would really look at their health until it was too late. and that is doubly true depending on how long they stay unconscious during that stage,¡± he explained, then nodded at braxton. ¡°give him the potion.¡± ¡°huh?¡± roman looked over, then, ¡°oh!¡± he grabbed the potion, brought it to braxton¡¯s lips, then turned it up. that let derek know that the dwarf did have greater meditation, as he opened his mouth without the pattern gaining much more ground than it was before. interesting, he thought. there weren¡¯t that many people who would have been able to get meditation to that point. he and brandi were outliers. ¡°i guess that¡¯s enough for now,¡± derek said. he still felt the relaxation and the euphoria, which made the brew even more scary. feeling good like that could, once again, cause someone to pay less attention to their overall situation. actually... he thought. i think the feeling of relaxation and euphoria grows stronger as the pattern grows... that¡¯s even more scary. he gulped, then was impressed by how braxton had entered meditation of his own accord after the pattern had already spread so far. that¡¯s some pretty great willpower, he thought. derek thought about letting the pattern spread more just to see how much the feelings increased, but, in the end, he chose not to. instead, he closed his eyes and used greater meditation. in no time at all, he pushed the pattern all the way back to his chest, then stopped the meditation. his health was back up to seventy-five percent at that point¡ªit seemed that the brew took a quarter of someone¡¯s health just to create the beginning of the pattern. will this stay as long as you want? as long as you control it and don¡¯t let it spread too far, and don¡¯t heal it completely? woah... he thought, then pushed the pattern the rest of the way off of himself¡ªcausing it to disappear. ¡°you¡¯re not selling this to anyone,¡± derek said once the pattern was gone. ¡°even if they could handle it, i feel like, for those without very high wisdom and willpower, they will either become addicted, then have an accident and die, or they just won¡¯t be able to control it. this is not something you want your name attached to.¡± ¡°i have to agree,¡± braxton said from the side. the regeneration potion that roman had given him was not just a good one, it was a great one. as far as derek could see, and by the way the dwarf was speaking, it seemed the pattern was completely gone. ¡°as great of a brew as it is, it¡¯s not something that should be sold. it would be a great training aid to increase one¡¯s willpower, though. but that would be towing a dangerous line, too.¡± ¡°yeah,¡± derek replied. ¡°and the scariest part is that i think it¡¯s all based on the person who¡¯s consuming its health pool.¡± ¡°twenty-five percent?¡± braxton asked derek. ¡°exactly,¡± derek replied. ¡°and there is no way we have the same amount of health, endurance, and everything else...¡± ¡°agreed,¡± braxton said with a nod. ¡°i guess i won¡¯t make anymore,¡± roman said. ¡°now, now... i didn¡¯t say you should go that far,¡± braxton said. ¡°just give me the jug, and i¡¯ll test it and think of a plan.¡± ¡°yeah...¡± derek snorted. ¡°for research purposes, right?¡± ¡°exactly!¡± Chapter 501: A Dwarf Can Dream ¡°but seriously,¡± braxton lost his smile and said, ¡°if you don¡¯t mind, i would like the jug of wyvern brew. i¡¯ve gotten some ideas that i would like to test. as dangerous as the brew is, i think it could also be of great benefit.¡± ¡°how so?¡± derek asked. more than anything, he feared how easy it might be to become addicted or die from it. that is... if we can even become addicted to things anymore¡ªespecially at a medium wisdom or higher. he actually wasn¡¯t sure. yes, he¡¯d say that edgar was addicted to training, avery was addicted to fighting, and even brandi was addicted to crafting, but they weren¡¯t truly. ¡°i saw you meditating with it,¡± braxton said. ¡°right?¡± ¡°yes,¡± derek replied with a nod. ¡°then you should understand how hard it is to level meditation skills up after a certain point,¡± braxton explained. ¡°yeah,¡± derek said. ¡°it¡¯s a pain in the ass.¡± ¡°it is,¡± braxton replied. ¡°however, if you use it while in battle, it will level at a slightly higher pace.¡± ¡°which is true for pretty much all skills,¡± derek said. ¡°exactly,¡± braxton replied. ¡°but imagine if you were ¡®poisoned¡¯ with this brew¡ªespecially if you had no idea it was coming. i imagine that it would be possible to level meditation skills at a very fast pace¡ªcompared to how slow they level currently.¡± ¡°mhm...¡± derek nodded. ¡°i can see that. and if you drink a skill potion before that, or even go spar while the pattern is on your chest...¡± ¡°yes!¡± braxton replied. ¡°not only is this one of the greatest drinks i¡¯ve had in my life¡ªeven compared to the king¡¯s ale. but it could be used as a fantastic training aid. however, i need to know more about it before deciding. like, will the pattern eventually go away on its own? or is it something that will stay there, eating away at the person until it is completely pushed back with meditation or a healing potion?¡± ¡°those are good questions,¡± derek replied. ¡°and the levels one would rapidly gain in their toxic or poison resistance-type skills would be crazy,¡± braxton explained. ¡°now, we would need to know if it works the same on a level 100 as it does on a level 250, but if it does...this would be a great potion for the little man to attach his name to. just not as a brew, but as a training aid.¡± ¡°leave it to a guild leader of the assassin¡¯s guild to think of a way to turn something like this into a training aid,¡± derek said. though, i was thinking about different uses, and would have landed on the same thing eventually, he thought to himself. ¡°us guild leaders...most of us guild leaders are always looking for a way to make the guild more efficient,¡± braxton said. ¡°and if i¡¯m retiring soon, this would be a great final boon to the guild.¡± ¡°you¡¯re retiring soon?¡± derek asked. ¡°oh, yes!¡± braxton said excitedly. ¡°i¡¯ve been trying to retire for decades now. but i can feel it. somebody¡¯s going to challenge me and put up a good enough fight that i can leave the leadership to them.¡± ¡°i...see...¡± derek muttered. ¡°so...you¡¯re not retiring anytime soon, are you?¡± with a sigh, braxton deflated, then muttered, ¡°no...likely not. but a dwarf can dream, can¡¯t he?¡± ¡°and what is your dream?¡± ¡°this!¡± the dwarf gestured to his surroundings with open arms. ¡°you want to...open a bar?¡± derek asked. ¡°of course not!¡± braxton replied. ¡°i want to sit here all day, every day, and drink to my heart¡¯s content! and i want to do it without having to check in at the guild or go kill someone too strong for anyone else to take out¡ªthough, that is always fun.¡± ¡°oh.¡± derek snorted. ¡°why not choose someone with the potential to grow stronger than you instead of waiting for them to be able to beat you? giving that position early on may light a fire under them and cause them to grow stronger faster. hell, it may even cause the system to give them a better class and allow them to not only gain strength faster but also make them able to gain strength more efficiently.¡± ¡°that is true,¡± braxton said. ¡°it is something that i¡¯ve thought about in the past. but the guild is cutthroat. the second that i put a whelp with potential in a leadership role, they will be challenged by someone who happens to be stronger at the time, and all of my hard work will be for naught.¡± ¡°well... i mean... you could...¡± ¡°no!¡± braxton replied. ¡°i couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°fine,¡± derek said with a chuckle. ¡°that¡¯s painstakingly boring work,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°i already went above and beyond by reading nyx¡¯s reports about you. that¡¯s how i found out about this place.¡± braxton frowned and furrowed his brow. ¡°maybe i should start reading more of the reports...¡± he muttered, then shook his head harshly and took another drink. ¡°no, this was a one in a million find.¡± the dwarf took one last gulp from his jug, then hopped off the barstool. then he turned to derek. ¡°derek! it has been a pleasure meeting you during such ideal circumstances. we have to do it again.¡± ¡°it was nice meeting you, too,¡± derek said with a chuckle. ¡°next time i get my hands on more of the king¡¯s ale...i¡¯ll share some with you,¡± braxton said after some hesitation. ¡°i¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± derek replied. ¡°also, take this.¡± he reached forward and grabbed the jug of the wyvern brew. roman could always make more, and braxton had some decent ideas and ways to test them that derek did not have. derek shuttered thinking about braxton slipping some of the brew to one of the other guild leaders for ¡®training.¡¯ ¡°really?¡± braxton asked with wide eyes. ¡°of course,¡± derek said. ¡°hurry and store it, or the jug will go bad,¡± roman said from behind the bar. ¡°and when you get back to...the assassin¡¯s guild...¡± the halfling alchemist gulped. ¡°when you get back, have someone recharge the rune, and maybe look for someone who can create a jug that can actually carry it.¡± he paused for a moment. ¡°if you can, make a few of them, just in case.¡± ¡°will do!¡± braxton replied happily, then stored the jug away. ¡°thank you, little man!¡± ¡°...you¡¯re welcome...¡± roman replied. ¡°now, don¡¯t you make maven boy wait too long,¡± braxton said after turning back to derek. ¡°don¡¯t worry,¡± derek said. ¡°i won¡¯t.¡± ¡°i hear that the day after tomorrow is going to be a pretty good day for killing,¡± braxton said with a smile. ¡°we¡¯ll all be going back to our branch headquarters to check in.¡± ¡°i see,¡± derek said. that meant that, while there would probably still be many people around, none of the other guild leaders would be there. they also wouldn¡¯t be obligated to step in and do anything if they weren¡¯t there. ¡°that does seem like a good day.¡± ¡°it is, indeed,¡± the dwarf assassin replied. ¡°please tell vanessa that i said hello,¡± he said. ¡°and if you don¡¯t mind, float her the idea of becoming a guild leader. just in case. if she doesn¡¯t want to replace maven, then there is always my seat. it would be weird for a human to govern over the vallum branch, but i doubt anyone would complain.¡± ¡°like i said before, i doubt she¡¯d even consider it,¡± derek replied. ¡°but i¡¯ll let her know, anyway.¡± ¡°great!¡± braxton said. then he turned to leave before turning back and looking at roman. ¡°little man, it¡¯s been a pleasure finally getting to know you, too. i¡¯ll see you soon!¡± ¡°...see you soon...¡± roman replied in an almost hushed voice. braxton laughed loudly, then kicked open the door and walked out. ¡°interesting dwarf...¡± derek said. ¡°that¡¯s one way to put it,¡± roman replied. ¡°what now?¡± ¡°well...¡± derek started. ¡°i don¡¯t think it would hurt to make another jug of the wyvern brew...¡± Chapter 502: Draconic Infusion ¡°are you sure you want me to make another?¡± roman asked. ¡°those debuffs are very dangerous. and if they affect someone like that dwarf as much as they did, i can¡¯t imagine many people would survive the damage over time.¡± ¡°if nothing else, then i¡¯ll just have a nice, refreshing beverage to drink for dinner,¡± derek said with a chuckle. ¡°we¡¯ll wait and see how braxton¡¯s tests go before we do anything else with it.¡± he then looked back at the door that the dwarf had exited from. ¡°that dwarf... i still don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a good guy or a bad guy. i really can¡¯t get a read on him. i¡¯ll say one thing, though... he is certainly interesting and entertaining¡ªhe¡¯d be a good drinking buddy.¡± ¡°yeah...¡± roman muttered. then, in a whisper, said, ¡°i¡¯m not sure how i feel about a leader of the assassin¡¯s guild frequenting my bar. i feel like it may bring the wrong kind of attention and company.¡± ¡°i¡¯m sure it will all be fine,¡± derek replied. ¡°now, you don¡¯t have to tell me, but... did you get anything good creating that potion... or poison, i guess?¡± ¡°did i ever!¡± roman¡¯s entire attitude changed in an instant. ¡°on top of the normal things that you would expect¡ªlike level and skill experience¡ªi received a new achievement.¡± ¡°really?¡± derek asked. ¡°was it specifically from creating the new brew?¡± ¡°it was!¡± roman said. ¡°well... kind of.¡± ¡°what do you mean?¡± ¡°the achievement was for creating an unknown potion or poison out of the material from a legendary draconic beast,¡± roman explained. ¡°i see. so, you would have gotten it with anything, not just the brew...¡± ¡°exactly,¡± roman replied with a nod. ¡°so, what does it do?¡± derek asked. ¡°if you don¡¯t mind telling me.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t mind at all!¡± roman smiled with excitement. ¡°it increases the potency of any potion or poison i make by ten percent. it may not sound like much, but that means that everything i make will be at least ten percent more effective than anything made by someone with the same skill level. that is a huge advantage in the potion market.¡± ¡°i can see that,¡± derek said. ¡°why would someone buy a health potion that gives 1,000 health points back when they can get one that gives 1,100 back for the same price?¡± ¡°exactly that!¡± roman replied. ¡°and there¡¯s one more thing!¡± ¡°really?¡± derek asked. the ten percent increase already seemed like a lot for a crafting achievement. ¡°yes!¡± roman replied happily. ¡°that ten percent goes up to twenty percent when creating something with intense heat.¡± ¡°i imagine that is because of the ¡®draconic¡¯ part of the achievement?¡± derek asked. ¡°it is,¡± roman confirmed. ¡°though i have not yet been able to get that twenty percent yet.¡± ¡°really?¡± ¡°yeah,¡± roman said with a sigh. ¡°i need a better flame. i¡¯ll have to go look for a runesmith who can create something like that. there is no telling how intense the flame will have to be.¡± ¡°you could check in with silvi sometime and borrow her for her dragon flame,¡± derek said. ¡°i¡¯m sure she would help you.¡± ¡°will do,¡± roman said. he then turned around and looked until he found his worker. ¡°hey! the bar is yours to watch for the time being. you know the drill.¡± ¡°got it,¡± the bartender said as he walked forward and took his place behind the bar. he¡¯d been hovering around and getting other customers drinks while derek, braxton, and roman were busy. ¡°i¡¯m heading back to my lab,¡± roman said, with a glimmer in his eyes. ¡°there is just so much i need to do now.¡± the halfling raised part of the counter, then walked through. ¡°i¡¯ll have that brew to you soon,¡± he said to derek as he walked by. ¡°so very much to do...¡± he muttered as he passed by derek, then walked out the door. ¡°huh...¡± derek muttered. ¡°he didn¡¯t even say goodbye.¡± he laughed, then followed the halfling out. by the time he was outside, roman was already a good way down the street. since they were heading to different places, derek turned and left toward his shop. it seems that i also have quite a bit to do here in a couple of days, he thought as he made his way back. but it looks like i¡¯m free until then... i will have to go have another chat with vanessa, though. i doubt she¡¯ll change her mind on anything, but i did tell braxton i¡¯d at least bring it up. soon enough, derek found his way back to his shop and went inside. since it was still being updated, there weren¡¯t any customers around, and everyone else was off doing their own thing. so, before dinner, he had quite a bit of time to kill. i¡¯ve already spoken to one crafting maniac today. might as well go talk to another. derek crept down to the basement and tried to make as little noise as possible so he wouldn¡¯t disturb her if she was in the middle of something. once he reached the bottom, he looked over to see the young smith in her apron and goggles, looking down at a sheet of paper on her workbench. almost as soon as he saw her, she turned her head and saw him. ¡°derek!¡± she happily greeted him. ¡°hey kid, how¡¯s it going?¡± he asked as the young smith hit him like a ton of bricks and wrapped him in a big hug. even though they had been seeing each other consistently, the girl still reacted the same as always. derek ruffled her hair as usual, then she backed away. ¡°it¡¯s tough... and amazing!¡± brandi said. ¡°i have some ideas, but i¡¯m having trouble figuring out how to make them work.¡± ¡°is there anything that i can help with?¡± derek asked. ¡°nothing for now,¡± brandi said. ¡°but if i really hit another wall, i may ask. i want to figure this one out on my own.¡± ¡°well, i¡¯m here if you need me,¡± derek said. he then went on to explain everything he¡¯d heard from roman about his achievement. ¡°great!¡± brandi said. ¡°i¡¯m trying to work with some of the dragonkin material right now! not any of the wyvern stuff, just the drake stuff. maybe it will be enough to get an achievement. it would be way too wasteful for me to try to work with the wyvern materials at my current level. it¡¯s already wasteful enough for me to work with the drake materials.¡± ¡°well, there¡¯s plenty to go around,¡± derek said. ¡°they were some pretty massive beasts, after all.¡± ¡°there is a lot, but the material isn¡¯t unlimited,¡± brandi said. ¡°i want my stats and skills to be much higher before i try to make something super amazing with that stuff. i can¡¯t wait, but i have to be patient.¡± ¡°you? be patient?¡± derek asked with a laugh. ¡°is that possible?¡± ¡°hmph...¡± brandi snorted. ¡°momma asked me the same thing when i went to get the drake materials from her.¡± derek couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at that. ¡°great minds and such,¡± he said. ¡°i¡¯ll let you get back to it. good luck on whatever it is you¡¯re making. i hope you get some new achievements and a bunch of skill levels.¡± ¡°i¡¯ll do my best!¡± brandi said with a big smile before going back to her workstation. ¡°now... if i just add some extra bone dust here...¡± derek snorted, then turned around to leave. ¡°don¡¯t forget about dinner tonight!¡± he shouted over his shoulder. ¡°i¡¯ll be there!¡± brandi shouted back. ¡°if i¡¯m not, come get me.¡± ¡°will do,¡± derek said. then he left. i really hope silvi doesn¡¯t disappoint. enhance your reading experience by removing ads: remove ads now Chapter 503: Fetch ¡°Ah!¡± Derek was startled awake by something light and fluffy landing on his head. ¡°Silvi! What the hell?¡± He reached up and grabbed his companion by her scruff¡ªsomething that he would never be able to do if she didn¡¯t allow it¡ªand brought her back down to his lap. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± He was having a pretty good nap as it was. He¡¯d not had a lot of time to rest since changing systems, so once he ran out of daily things to do, he was enjoying his light naps¡ªeven though he didn¡¯t need them, nor sleep for that matter, anymore. ¡°No more sleeping!¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed from her communication crystal. ¡°I let you sleep through dinner yesterday, not again!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Derek pushed his chair legs in and sat up. ¡°Is it that time already?¡± he asked. ¡°Almost, almost...¡± Silvi said. ¡°Go to the dining room.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice,¡± Derek said with a chuckle as he stood¡ªcausing Silvi to hop off his lap and instantly vanish from in front of him. She¡¯s really good at using all her skills. It looks so natural. It was kind of funny to him, seeing Silvi use her Active Void Shift skill just to gather people for dinner. Derek raised his arms out above his head and stretched. After a quick, but very hard-earned yawn, he decided to do as his companion told him and made his way to the dining room. ¡°Nice of you to join us,¡± Malorie said as Derek stepped through the door. ¡°Have you gotten enough sleep yet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You can never get enough sleep.¡± He looked around the room, and when his eyes met Jacks¡¯s, he nodded. ¡°See. Some of you could do with some more of it. Look at poor Jacks over there, he looks like he¡¯s about had it... why exactly do you look that way?¡± he asked. ¡°Or rather, how? Your stats aren¡¯t low enough for you to be looking like that.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just worried,¡± Rayna answered for Jacks. ¡°The baby will be here soon enough, and he¡¯s been running himself ragged trying to make sure everything is perfect.¡± She ran her hand over her belly and smiled softly. ¡°He acts like he¡¯s never done this before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s... been a long time since Jake was born. I¡¯m a little rusty,¡± Jacks said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with wanting to be prepared,¡± Derek said. ¡°But it¡¯s probably be best to get as much sleep as you can until the baby comes...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I know it?¡± Jacks sighed. ¡°It¡¯s good to see the two of you, though,¡± Derek said. ¡°Looks like it took Silvi preparing something special to get you to come over for dinner.¡± Ever since they bought their house in Savannah, the newly married couple hadn¡¯t come to the Void Emporium often. It was true that Jacks still had his head guard position at the shop, but Malorie had let him take off after they bought the house, and he probably wouldn¡¯t come back to work until sometime after the baby arrived. Derek was totally fine with that¡ªespecially for the time being. If he was in communication crystal range, he could get back to the shop from anywhere within seconds. The same was true for Silvi, as well. And if it was just something minor, Bones was always lurking around when he and Ogre weren¡¯t working on growing stronger, and he was no pushover, either. Not to mention that they were in Savannah, and Natalie certainly doesn¡¯t look favorably on those who cause a ruckus...especially in a shop owned by someone like Derek, who was considered one of her personal friends. ¡°We¡¯ve just been so busy,¡± Jacks said. ¡°Yes, and this pregnancy has been much more draining than I ever expected it to be,¡± Rayna said. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m walking around with a debuff at all times. Even my stamina drains faster now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Derek said. It wasn¡¯t something that he¡¯d thought about before. ¡°Interesting?¡± Rayna looked at him with raised eyebrows. ¡°Oh... sorry,¡± Derek said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would change much of anything, but it¡¯s interesting to know that it does.¡± At that moment, the door to the dining room opened again, revealing a greedy-looking Rudy. ¡°Oh good! I didn¡¯t miss anything,¡± he said happily as he took his seat. ¡°Rayna! Jacks! Good to see you!¡± Not long after Rudy made his way up, a tired and frustrated looking Brandi slowly walked her way inside, then drug herself over to her position at the dinner table. ¡°Still haven¡¯t made that breakthrough?¡± Derek asked the young smith. ¡°Neither did I,¡± Stella said, emotionless. She looked around, then saw a seat beside Malorie and walked over and sat down. ¡°When Silvi showed up in my office, I thought it best to accept the invite... though... I told her I didn¡¯t need any help getting here...¡± ¡°Seems like she didn¡¯t listen,¡± Derek chuckled, and everyone around the table smiled. ¡°No... she did not,¡± Stella snorted. ¡°But you have a very nice working basement.¡± ¡°Ah, so she used the ¡®travel room?¡¯¡± Derek asked. ¡°If that¡¯s what you call it,¡± Stella replied. ¡°Well... welcome to dinner,¡± Derek laughed. That¡¯s just like her, Derek thought. He wasn¡¯t sure why his companion went out of her way to invite Stella, but he wasn¡¯t complaining. Actually, he could take a guess. Stella basically held all of Alanah¡¯s fortune now that she¡¯d gone away. And, in Silvi¡¯s eyes, that meant recipes and ingredients. Yeah... that¡¯s why she¡¯s here. I guess it¡¯s possible that Silvi is just paying her back some, too... maybe a combination of both. After all, Stella was the person that first allowed Silvi to experience what it was like to work in a kitchen. She was also, technically, the person who gave Silvi her first taste of professional cooking. Malorie¡¯s cooking was great, but his companion¡¯s experience with the Crown Restaurant¡¯s cooking was on an entirely different level. While thinking about all of this, Derek felt the dreadful aura appear once again. This time, however, it didn¡¯t appear from all the way down in the basement. Instead, it appeared in the corner of the dining room. A small tear appeared in the void there, and out hopped his companion. Behind her was a floating pot covered by a clamped down lid on it. Once Silvi willed the void shut, she let the pot drop to the floor, eliciting an ¡®ow!¡¯ from inside. The clamps on the lid then snapped open, and the lid was slowly lifted off the pot before vanishing. Next, the head of a boy, also on the cusp of turning 15-years-old, appeared poking out of it. ¡°Thomas!¡± Brandi was the first to call out. ¡°You came, too?¡± Thomas pulled himself out of the pot and stood. Derek looked over at Stella and seen her eye twitch. He almost laughed, but barely kept himself from doing so. At least Silvi allowed Stella the dignity of climbing out of the pot in a private area... ¡°I...¡± Thomas muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t be here!¡± he finally said. ¡°Woah,¡± Derek said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It was our turn to enter the dungeon. They had just called our team up... then... then... Silvi appeared and stuffed me into her pot. Now I¡¯m here,¡± the boy explained. ¡°Silvi...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Did you at least give them an explanation... never mind...¡± Sorry, I need to borrow Thomas for a bit. It¡¯s dinner time... He couldn¡¯t see that playing out well. He¡¯d say something else about it, but she wasn¡¯t the only person who had a habit of ¡®borrowing¡¯ people from important meetings and events. ¡°We don¡¯t need an explanation,¡± Silvi finally answered. ¡°His team will go in when I take him back. And they will do good. I will tell them.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Derek was almost speechless. ¡°Those poor instructors...¡± he said. First, he¡¯d given them an impromptu lesson. Now, whichever ones were leading the classes for their dungeon running, were getting to meet Silvi. ¡°Teaching sounds fun,¡± Silvi said through her crystal. ¡°Might have to help students learn to cook at the school. I¡¯d be great teacher.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be... something,¡± Derek said. ¡°Okay, Thomas... Go ahead and have a seat. Since you¡¯re here, you might as well enjoy yourself. Like Silvi said, she¡¯ll take care of the... confusion.¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Thomas huffed, then went over to take his seat. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s so special...¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out!¡± Silvi summoned, then hopped on her pot lid, then floated up above the center of the table. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here! It¡¯s time to eat!¡± Chapter 504: Dig In! ¡°Alright!¡± Derek rubbed his hands together in anticipation of what Silvi was going to bring out. He knew that she¡¯d be serving them something to do with wyvern meat, but he wasn¡¯t exactly sure what. While floating above the center of the table, Silvi¡¯s Mage Hands began rapidly dishing out empty plates in front of each person. To start with, they each received a single medium-sized plate. Once that was placed, a massive bowl appeared directly underneath the bunny, on the center of the table. Inside the bowl was what could only be described as a very colorful salad. There were greens that looked like lettuce and spinach, reds that had the appearance of tomatoes, along with other vegetables of different colors. ¡°This is our first dish!¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed from above. ¡°It is a salad that I painstakingly chopped up from the Echoing Willow Stick while it was still alive. It was very hard to do. Had to dodge so many leaves...¡± she explained. ¡°Wait...¡± Derek said. ¡°What do you mean that you did it while it was still alive? Is that why it took so long for you to get up there and light it on fire? Were you playing with your food?¡± ¡°Maybe...¡± Silvi muttered. Then, in a lower voice from the crystal, said, ¡°I had to make sure I got plenty of greens for any future cooking I did. They were the only parts that looked edible...¡± ¡°Oh well...¡± Derek shrugged. ¡°At least you got them before they all burned up.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Silvi exclaimed. ¡°Now... here!¡± With that, multiple Mage Hands began gathering handfuls of salad and carefully arranging them on the plates. One would think that, since it was salad, that Silvi would just place a certain amount on each plate and move on, but instead, she carefully made each plate nearly identical in presentation. ¡°Pretty!¡± Thomas said from his seat, then reached out to grab a piece from the plate, but when his hand drew in close, it was batted away by one of the Mage Hands. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Be patient!¡± Silvi said, and off to the side, Brandi looked on smugly. Next, a bottle appeared in one of the Mage Hands, and it went around drizzling some type of oil on each and every salad. ¡°I¡¯ve collected sap from the Echoing Toothpick and heated it with Moonseed Oil and mixed with other seasoning and ingredients to create a unique, nutty dressing for the salad.¡± Then, another bottle appeared, and it was sat down on the table. ¡°Inside this bottle is something I call Wyvern Vinaigrette. It has a distinct tangy and citrus-like flavoring, and pairs very well with the oil dressing in my opinion, but it may be too strong for most, so you may choose to use it as you wish,¡± Silvi said. She had become more and more vocal recently and was pretty much over her one-word answers and sentences, but nothing got her talking like she did when discussing food. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Derek said and reached over to grab the bottle. Once in his hand, he poured a drop of it on the back of his hand, brought it up to his nose, and sniffed. He widened his eyes, as he could actually smell the tanginess of it, if that was even possible. He slowly brought his hand down and licked the drop off of it. Instantly, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips puckered. ¡°Tangy? That¡¯s super sour!¡± he said. It wasn¡¯t a bad sour, but it was a bit on the extreme side, even to him. ¡°Like I said, it pairs well with the nutty oil,¡± Silvi said. ¡°The oil dilutes the sour.¡± ¡°Might as well give it a shot,¡± Derek said, then went ahead and drizzled a small amount over his salad, then put it back close to the center of the table where anyone else would be able to reach it. To nobody¡¯s surprise, Rudy quickly reached over and drizzled some on his salad, too. Then, as Jacks was reaching towards the bottle, Rudy asked, ¡°So, what exactly did you use to make this?¡± ¡°Wyvern Bile!¡± Silvi said proudly. ¡°Did... you say bile?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yup! It makes a great ingredient, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she said. At that time, Jacks withdrew his hand from the bottle and left it there. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stick to having just the oil for now.¡± ¡°Your loss,¡± Silvi said. Rudy was looking distraught at his salad. He looked like he wanted to cry. Derek, on the other hand, looked at his dish with more of a curiosity. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d heard of someone using some type of bile in food. He wasn¡¯t that much of a picky eater, and he¡¯d try just about anything once, so he just shrugged and waited. Finally, the Mage Hands went around, crushing something over each salad. ¡°These... are regular croutons... for texture.¡± Derek had a chuckle at that. As she finished crushing the croutons over each salad. One thing that he noticed was that she was adding a large amount of everything to the giant bowl in the middle that was still halfway filled with salad. First, he thought she was planning on eating the large portion, but she had also been making herself a plate while doing the same with the others, so he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Okay!¡± Silvi said excitedly. ¡°The salad is ready! Dig in!¡± The Mage Hands lifted the massive bowl, then carried them over to bones. ¡°For you and Ogre,¡± she said. ¡°Everybody eats tonight!¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Silvi,¡± Bones bowed, then took the bowl into his storage ring before righting himself and standing parallel with the wall once again. However, Derek could see the twinkle in his eyes. The man of little emotion was certainly happy. For the next half hour, nothing but moans and sighs of pleasure could be heard from the dining room of the Void Emporium. Everyone feasted to their heart¡¯s content. During that time, Silvi struggled, but was eventually able to slice off a large portion of the Smoke Wyvern Tail and give it to Bones for him and Ogre to enjoy at a later time. Eventually, everyone¡¯s plates, and all the other plates for that matter, were basically licked clean. Not a single person in the room could lean forward, and they were all leaning back in their chairs with their hands on their stomachs. ¡°You have outdone yourself this time,¡± Derek said to Silvi. ¡°I know...¡± Silvi said. ¡°Am cooking genius...¡± ¡°Yes... yes you are,¡± Derek laughed, but soon, his face turned serious as he was hit with a notification. ... Congratulations! New Title unlocked! User cannot currently receive Titles. ... He was then hit with the same notifications as usual when he unlocked a new Title that he couldn¡¯t use. Still, the extra Title didn¡¯t help him meet the requirements for his advancement. Soon enough, however, the Great System came in and began asking for assistance once more. Achievement ¡®Apex Appetite I¡¯ Unlocked ??????? Requesting assistance from another system... Requesting assistance from another system... Derek smiled as he went through the notifications. He knew... hoped he knew... what was coming next. And sure enough, the Origin System answered, and granted its help. Soon, he received his new Achievement, and the perks that went with it. Apex Appetite I This Achievement (Title) is awarded for consuming a special meal created with multiple ingredients from monsters and plants at the apex of your current system tier by a user capable of such a feat. Few system users ever encounter these monsters or plants, and even fewer live to tell the story, much less find a chef with the ability to create such a feast. For accomplishing such a feat, all buffs received from future meals will have their potency and time limit increased by 10%. Consume special meals created from apex ingredients of other tiers to increase reward. Note: This (Title) Achievement has been graciously granted by a stronger system, and thus, will be carried with you throughout your journey. ¡°Silvi,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes?¡± Silvi answered. ¡°Have I ever told you how amazing you are?¡± Chapter 505: Very Amazing Chapter 505: Very Amazing ¡°I am amazing, huh?¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed. ¡°Very amazing,¡± Derek laughed as he looked around the table and could guess that everyone else was currently going over the new Achievement that they had all received. ¡°Mhm,¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed in agreement. ¡°Did everyone get the same Achievement?¡± Derek asked. Then, he looked over at Bones, then turned to Silvi and said, ¡°Silvi, do you have any more of that exact meal we just ate?¡± He saw Silvi¡¯s eyes shift to the side for a second, then she finally said, ¡°I may have a serving or three left.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°What do you think about giving a meal to Edgar and Avery?¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Silvi relented, then, without saying anything, vanished. Derek felt a small amount of the dreadful aura moments later. She certainly doesn¡¯t waste any time, Derek thought. She probably has to give the meals away before she ¡®accidentally¡¯ eats them herself. After thinking that, he looked over at Bones, who was still standing in his corner. ¡°Bones, hurry and go share that exact meal we just had with Ogre. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a time limit on the meal, so it would be best to hurry.¡± ¡°Are... you sure?¡± Bones asked¡ªhe didn¡¯t seem to want to leave his post. ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°I told you I wouldn¡¯t hinder you or Ogre¡¯s ability to grow stronger, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bones nodded seriously. ¡°Then go,¡± Derek replied. ¡°This is one of those times that you can grow a little stronger instantly, and I¡¯m not going to keep you from it.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Bones said with a bow. ¡°Thank you.¡± He walked past everyone on the left side of the table, then exited the dining room. A couple of seconds later, he felt the aura once again, then Silvi appeared back on the table in front of him. ¡°Done,¡± she said. ¡°Did... you tell them what they needed to do?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I said, ¡®stop everything, eat now!¡¯ Then left,¡± Silvi answered. ¡°That should do it,¡± Derek said with a chuckle, then felt a buzzing coming from his storage bracelet. ¡°Or not...¡± he muttered, then took his red communication crystal out. ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡®Why did Silvi just shove the most delicious smelling dish in my face, tell me to eat, then leave?¡¯ Avery asked from the other end. ¡®She made a meal that is giving people an Achievement. Stella already had hers, I thought you ma...¡¯ ¡®Got it,¡¯ Avery said. ¡®Tell her thank you for me,¡¯ he said before ending the communication. ¡°Avery¡¯s good to go,¡± Derek said with a chuckle, then put his crystal away. Honestly, he was waiting for another communication request to come from Edgar, but it hadn¡¯t yet. ¡°Thank you!¡± Stella said to Derek and Silvi. ¡°For thinking of Avery.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°He¡¯s a friend.¡± ¡°A friend of delicious recipe giving, restaurant owner,¡± Silvi chimed in. ¡°That he is,¡± Stella laughed. ¡°But I can¡¯t believe we got this Achievement just by eating a meal.¡± ¡°Am very amazing chef. Only natural,¡± Silvi said smugly while looking at Derek, repeating what he had said. ¡°What... is the Achievement?¡± she finally asked. ¡°It is a very good one,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Very, very good,¡± Jacks said. ¡°I am very, very amazing chef,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Just like I said,¡± Derek replied with a laugh. ¡°What does it do?¡± Silvi asked. Derek looked around the table. It didn¡¯t look like anyone was going to say anything, but just before he answered the question, Thomas spoke up. ¡°It makes food better,¡± Thomas said. ¡°Really?!¡± Silvi¡¯s eyes grew big. ¡°I want it!¡± ¡°Of course he does,¡± Silvi said. ¡°He is welcome.¡± Derek then told everyone around the table what Edgar had told him. ¡°Smart man,¡± Silvi said before anyone else. ¡°Let everyone know how amazing I am.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± Rayna said. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine if I just had to watch everyone else eat it. That would be miserable.¡± Other than Silvi, everyone else agreed with Rayna. After that, Silvi cleared the table of any remaining dishes or mess¡ªmaking sure to use her Cleaning skill on everything before she stored them. Everyone talked for a short while longer, making sure to express their gratitude to Silvi during that time, then began to leave one at a time until only Derek, Malorie, Thomas, and Brandi remained. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get back to my designs,¡± Brandi said. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve gotten a second wind. I can¡¯t waste it.¡± She got up from her seat, then left the dining room. ¡°Huh... I wonder if the meal provided clarity, too,¡± Derek said. ¡°Like a hidden effect or something.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s just the effect of a nice meal with friends and family,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Probably so,¡± Derek said. ¡°Um...¡± Thomas said. ¡°Yeah?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Could you take me back to the dungeon?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure my team has been waiting for a long time.¡± He looked around with a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t know where Silvi went, and she isn¡¯t accepting my communication.¡± He held up the red crystal in his hand. ¡°That damn bunny,¡± Derek said with a laugh. ¡°I suppose I could do this for her after such a good meal.¡± ¡°You two go,¡± Malorie said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to do this again. This has been the best day I¡¯ve had in... a very long time.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Derek agreed before nodding to the door while looking at Thomas. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He stood. ¡°Okay,¡± Thomas said, but before he even stood, Silvi appeared on top of his head. ¡°To the travel room!¡± she commanded. ¡°Looks like I don¡¯t need to go, after all,¡± Derek said and started to sit back down, but after seeing the pleading eyes of Thomas, he changed his mind. ¡°I might as well go too, actually.¡± Thomas breathed a sigh of relief, then stood and headed to the door. Derek followed behind the duo as they walked down the stairs toward the basement. The scene in front of him gave him a flashback of back when Silvi used to call the boy her ¡®mount.¡¯ He had a good chuckle as he followed them into the travel room. Silvi summoned a pot, then hopped off Thomas¡¯s head and onto Derek¡¯s shoulder. She looked at Thomas, who looked at Derek with pleading eyes once again. ¡°I¡¯ll protect him,¡± Derek said to Silvi. ¡°Kay,¡± Silvi said, then stuffed her stuff into the pot, which she made smaller since Thomas wasn¡¯t going to be riding inside. Derek reached out and placed his head on Thomas¡¯s back. ¡°Go ahead,¡± he told Silvi. Silvi then opened the space in front of them, then hopped in. Derek followed closely behind the bunny while keeping Thomas protected from the void. Eventually, she stopped at a certain point. ¡°Where are we, anyway?¡± Derek asked. He hadn¡¯t bothered trying to sense anything while moving. ¡°The dungeon is in Indria,¡± Thomas said. ¡°I see,¡± Derek replied as he watched Silvi rip the space open and hop through. He also stepped forward and left the void with Thomas. As soon as they were out, Silvi fixed the space. ¡°Uh... hello,¡± Derek said, noticing that they had just appeared in the center of an entire class of students and instructors. ¡°Thomas!¡± A voice sounded from the students. ¡°Where did you go? What was that?¡± Derek looked around and saw that many of the students were looking over with fear in their eyes. Void Travel seemed to have that effect on people¡ªespecially those unfamiliar with it. Finally, his eyes met with the student who had just spoken to Thomas. It was Syd, Cain Ibarra¡¯s nephew. ¡°I...¡± ¡°I needed him,¡± Silvi said from her crystal she had just re-equipped. ¡°It was very important.¡± She then disappeared, then reappeared in front of one of the instructors¡ªthe one who seemed to be in charge. She was hovering in front of the instructor on her pot lid¡ªher nose was maybe two inches away from the instructor¡¯s face. ¡°He is not in trouble. He and his team will be graded as usual. They will enter the dungeon next. Kay?¡± ¡°Uh... y-yes... of course,¡± the instructor said as he glanced at Derek. Derek recognized the instructor as one of the ones he¡¯d sparred with, but he couldn¡¯t remember his name. Instead, Derek just nodded a greeting and shrugged. ¡°The dungeon running will continue as usual. Syd¡¯s team will be next.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Silvi said, then hovered over at Derek. ¡°Done! Let¡¯s go.¡± She opened the space behind them, stored her gear inside a small pot with a lid, then hopped inside. ¡°Ya¡¯ll have fun,¡± Derek said with a smile. ¡°Do your best!¡± He stepped inside, then the portal closed. Chapter 506: Ogre is Happy ¡°Not bad,¡± Derek said to Silvi as they stepped out of the portal and into his travel room. Silvi had been straight and to the point with the instructor, and the whole process of keeping Thomas out of trouble was pretty painless. He honestly thought Silvi was going to be more eccentric or harder on the instructors, but she had surprised him by only saying what needed to be said, then leaving. ¡°Yes, yes...¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed after she re-equipped all her gear once the portal was closed behind them. ¡°I am amazing.¡± She seemed to like having the title of ¡®amazing.¡¯ ¡°Be careful with that,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°If you don¡¯t watch out, everyone¡¯s going to start calling you Silvi the Amazing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Silvi said happily. ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Derek said. ¡°Unless you want people to think of you the same way that they think of Blitz the Magnificent. You¡¯ll have the majority of people in awe, while the people who really matter just think it¡¯s funny... though... I guess you can back it up better than the wyvern... even though he can also back it up a bit.¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°You know what, you can be Silvi, the Amazing Chef. I doubt anyone who knows you would make fun, and those who don¡¯t would just agree after seeing one meal, or seeing you fight just one time.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi agreed, then hopped off Derek¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Time to work on a new dish!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said. ¡°I have some ideas, and I may need you later,¡± he told her before she left. ¡°Kay!¡± Silvi said. ¡°Will probably be in kitchen,¡± she said, then disappeared from Derek¡¯s sight. ¡°And she calls other people maniacs,¡± Derek clicked his tongue. ¡°Oh well...¡± Derek left the travel room. Once he was out, he took a look at Brandi, who seemed to be deeply focusing on something in front of her, and decided not to bother her. Instead, he quietly walked upstairs, opened the door to the basement, then left. The next day, Derek was sitting in his sitting room giving a lot of thought to some things. As he was sitting there, there was a knock on the door, then it slowly opened. Inside came Bones, whose face was showing actual emotion, and he was followed by Ogre, who had to duck down to get his body inside the room. ¡°Bones!¡± Derek greeted the half-butler, half-assassin. ¡°Am I needed for something?¡± he asked. ¡°And Ogre! It¡¯s good to see you.¡± He saw Bones pretty often when the man wasn¡¯t out growing stronger, as he was always lurking around doing his new job as well as he could, but he didn¡¯t see Ogre too often. The man had a hard time fitting in places, so when he was working with Silvi, she usually took the food to him. ¡°Good to see you,¡± Ogre said. ¡°Ogre is happy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re happy?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Oh, about the Achievement that Silvi got everyone?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that...¡± Bones said, then backtracked. ¡°Well... Mr. Hunt...¡± Derek eyed him, and, since they were alone in the room, changed up what he wanted to say. ¡°Derek... we are very happy and grateful to Silvi for the meal that brought us the Achievement,¡± he said. ¡°So, it worked for the two of you even though you didn¡¯t eat with everyone else?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It did,¡± Bones answered. ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. If it worked for the two of them, along with Avery and Edgar, it gave Derek even more hope that it would work for Rayna¡¯s child once he or she was old enough to have it. ¡°But that is not why we are here,¡± Bones said. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°We... we both received notifications today,¡± Bones said. ¡°Notifications that released us from the Assassin¡¯s Guild. We have no more ties to the guild. Even the oaths we took to do nothing harmful to the guild were voided. We... we are both completely free from the Assassin¡¯s Guild.¡± §²A??o????s?? ¡°They finally finished doing it, eh?¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s good, very good.¡± ¡°So, it was you,¡± Bones said. ¡°I thought so.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Derek said. ¡°Vanessa and I had a little chat with the Guild Leaders of the Assassin¡¯s Guild, and everyone came to a conclusion that it would be for the best to give the two of you¡ªand Vanessa¡ªyour freedom back.¡± ¡°Even the Shadow Witch?¡± Bones asked with wide eyes. ¡°You seem surprised,¡± Derek said. ¡°The Vice Leader leaving is one thing... I¡¯m sure her oaths and contracts weren¡¯t as heavy as ours were, but to think that she¡ªwith the high position she had¡ªwould be able to make a clean break... Yes... I am quite surprised,¡± Bones explained. ¡°Oh, they all seemed more than happy to do it after our meeting,¡± Derek said. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Do... do you believe that Ogre and I are free to do as we wish without having to worry about an ambush or attack?¡± Bones asked. ¡°Good to know,¡± Derek said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get to try it one day. I did go ahead and send the new brew with Braxton.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Is that all you needed?¡± she asked. ¡°Oh, not even close,¡± Derek replied with a smile. ¡°Braxton wanted me to ask you a couple of questions, actually.¡± ¡°And what questions are those?¡± Vanessa asked. ¡°Well... first, he wanted me to tell you that he said ¡®hello,¡¯¡± Derek said. ¡°Noted...¡± Vanessa replied, to Derek¡¯s amusement. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°The big question was... how would you like to become the new Guild Leader of the Cydaria branch of the Assassin¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°How would I like it?¡± Vanessa asked rhetorically. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°I told him you¡¯d say that,¡± Derek said. ¡°But he wanted me to ask, anyway.¡± ¡°And what about Maven?¡± Vanessa asked. ¡°Have you made a decision?¡± ¡°Would Braxton be looking for a replacement if I hadn¡¯t?¡± Derek asked with a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Vanessa said with a big grin. ¡°When do we leave?¡± ¡°Woah, woah, woah...¡± Derek held his palms out. ¡°There¡¯s no rush... we have a few hours, at least.¡± ¡°So, you are going to take me?¡± Vanessa balled her fists in anticipation. ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to take you,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Great!¡± Vanessa let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting revenge for... a very long time,¡± she said. After calming herself down, she continued, ¡°What else did Braxton want to ask me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Derek tilted his head, then said, ¡°Oh, that... he wanted to know if you wanted to take his Guild Leader position over the Vallum branch if you didn¡¯t want to take the Cydaria one.¡± ¡°Yeah... no chance,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°It¡¯s only been a couple of days, but I believe I¡¯m going to thoroughly enjoy my time as the Head of Information Gathering for the Kingdom of Cydaria. The position is very suitable for my current skills, and I don¡¯t have many limitations on what I can do¡ªonly a few contracts and oaths that aren¡¯t much at all compared to what I¡¯m used to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve found a place,¡± Derek said. He was still a bit sad about the fact that he hadn¡¯t asked her to be his Spymaster before Edward did. She would have been great for the role¡ªeven if he didn¡¯t really need it. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Vanessa asked after Derek didn¡¯t speak for a short while. ¡°Oh, you know... just that Edward beat me to the punch by offering you a job,¡± Derek said with a laugh. ¡°You... wanted to give me a job?¡± Vanessa widened her eyes. ¡°I thought about it, but I don¡¯t have nearly as many things that require information gathering, spying, or assassinating as the kingdom as a whole does,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, you probably would have ended up bored in an office, or running errands for Malorie, so it¡¯s not a big loss for you or anything.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Vanessa muttered. ¡°You seem disappointed,¡± Derek said. ¡°It would have been a good way for me to pay you back for having the guild cancel all my contracts and oaths,¡± she explained. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Derek said. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it so you¡¯d owe me a favor or anything, so just forget about it. And if you don¡¯t want to forget about it, just make sure you¡¯re ready to do what needs to be done later.¡± ¡°I am ready,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I will make that uncle of mine pay with his life.¡± Chapter 507: Survive Vanessa and Derek continued to talk about various things for a little longer while waiting for the time to come to leave. Vanessa had already gotten permission from Edward to go with Derek. Though, with her new position in the kingdom, she no longer needed Edward to give her permission to do so. Still, she wanted to make sure she did everything right, so she ran everything past the king, anyway. ¡°I¡¯m sure this is long enough,¡± Derek said. It was midday, and Braxton had said that Maven would be coming back to Cydaria on this day, so surely, they¡¯d given him plenty of time to get back to the base and get settled. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked Vanessa. ¡°This is your last chance to back out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been more ready for anything in my life,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I¡¯m not seeking justice for my father. This is revenge. An opportunity like this has never come along¡ªone where I can take my revenge without worrying about breaking guild oaths and contracts or having to worry about the guild coming for me.... Yes... I¡¯m ready. I¡¯m not letting this pass me by.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Derek said. ¡°Let me check and make sure he¡¯s in the right place.¡± After saying that, Derek stood up and stored his chair, then walked to the middle of his travel room and opened a portal with Void Travel. With Vanessa still outside, Derek stepped inside and pushed his Void Sense to the max. First, Derek pinpointed Braxton. After that, he did the same for Nyx. Seeing that the two auras were practically in the same exact place, he nodded, then looked for Maven. When he found the Guild Leader of the Cydarian branch, his mouth curled up in a smile. The man was located in a different area than the other two Guild Leaders were. It was an area that seemed to be quite far away from them. After locating Maven, Derek went on to locate a few people that he knew from each kingdom¡ªother than Vallum, as he didn¡¯t really know anyone who was there, unless Marrick happened to be there. Derek¡¯s smile grew even wider when his senses found that Maven¡¯s aura wasn¡¯t far away from some of the others that he located that were from Cydaria. That pretty much guaranteed that the man was at or around the Cydarian branch of the guild. Derek turned around and stepped back out of his portal. ¡°Well?¡± Vanessa asked, but upon seeing Derek¡¯s smiled, said, ¡°I guess he¡¯s where we need him to be?¡± ¡°It looks that way,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Good!¡± Vanessa¡¯s eyes burned with fury as she, too, stood from her chair. Derek walked over and stored it as well. ¡°Now, we don¡¯t exactly know what we¡¯re getting into,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, once I bring you out of the portal, get in between me and it. But whatever you do, do not accidentally step or get pushed inside the portal. I can¡¯t guarantee your safety if that happens, but I can pretty much guarantee your death.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Using the portal to protect my back is good. Going inside the portal is bad. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Nothing that I can think of,¡± Derek said. ¡°He¡¯s sure to expect us, so I just wanted to make sure you were prepared for any ambushes.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Good,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Now, come stand in front of me.¡± With that, Vanessa stepped forward between Derek and the portal. Once there, Derek placed his hand on her shoulder and coated her in a thin layer of the void before gently picking her up and entering the portal. With a quick turn, he closed the portal behind them, then focused on Maven¡¯s aura. A short walk in the void later, and Derek and Vanessa were just above where Derek saw the man¡¯s aura. ¡°Here we go,¡± Derek said, reaching forward with his free hand. He ripped the void open and jumped out quickly. As soon as his feet found the floor, he released Vanessa and activated Absolute Nullify. It was good that he did, because dozens, if not hundreds, of spells rained down on the area they had just emerged from. The portal from Void Travel did a great job protecting them from behind, and Absolute Nullify was perfectly absorbing any piece of magic that entered its range. However, Absolute Nullify didn¡¯t act like a magnet to regular physical attacks, so a few daggers and arrows got around the skill and bounced off Derek¡¯s armor. He also intercepted a fire coated arrow that was flying directly toward his temple. He turned and saw the archer holding the bow and readying another fire arrow. With a wave of his hand, Spatial Rend activated behind the man, and moments later, Derek no longer needed to worry about the assassin. ¡®I guess he knew that my traveling skill would appear close to him, so he stood in the center and waited,¡¯ Derek sent back. ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯s hard to tell I¡¯m coming.¡¯ ¡®Yes. The dreadful aura your skill gives off is hard to miss,¡¯ Vanessa said. ¡®But this was his best chance. All the assassins had high ground, and they weren¡¯t able to do anything. Look at my uncle now. You can see the defeat in his eyes.¡¯ Derek looked Maven in his eyes, and it was true. The man already looked defeated. Braxton was right, even unintentional, leaving the Guild Leader alone for the last few days had been torture for the man. Oh well, Derek shrugged. It was his own damn fault. Still, Derek was surprised to see that, other than Lazrus and Maven, three other cloaked figures remained in the stands. He specifically recalled that each of the three were able to remain standing after he unleashed his aura. He¡¯d told them all to leave, but, since it didn¡¯t look like they were going to interfere, he decided that they could stay for the show. ¡°What now?¡± Maven said. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± the man held his arms out. At that point, Vanessa stepped forward. She was not the forgiving type and was also a bit sadistic. Also, they had already gone over the plan, so he wasn¡¯t surprised by what she said when she spoke. ¡°Uncle,¡± she began. ¡°You know, you do have a chance to get out of this situation with your life.¡± Maven¡¯s eyes went wide. He wasn¡¯t expecting to hear something like that. After getting over his surprise, he narrowed his eyes once again. ¡°And how would I go about doing that?¡± he asked. ¡°Simple,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°You only have to meet two conditions.¡± ¡°Two conditions?¡± Maven asked. ¡°And what would these ¡®conditions¡¯ be?¡± Though he asked, his eyes, after his surprise, didn¡¯t show any hope. He seemed to have an idea that his niece might be toying with him. ¡°They are rather simple,¡± the Shadow Witch said. ¡°For the first condition... all you have to do is admit that you betrayed my father and killed him.¡± ¡°What kind of condition is that?¡± Maven snorted. It seemed like it was kind of an open secret that Maven had played a part in the death of Vanessa¡¯s father, but it¡¯s not something he¡¯d ever admitted, at least not to Vanessa. ¡°Well?¡± Vanessa asked with no emotion showing on her face. ¡°Well?¡± Maven snorted. ¡°If it will make you feel better... no, I did not kill my brother,¡± he answered, and Vanessa slightly shook from beside Derek. Then the man continued. ¡°But I did have him killed. It really wasn¡¯t that hard. Would you like to know how I did it?¡± ¡°No...¡± Vanessa said with balled, shaking fists and gritted teeth. ¡°That is all I needed to know,¡± she said. ¡°If you say so,¡± Maven said with a shrug. ¡°Have I fulfilled the first condition?¡± ¡°Yes... you did,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°Then, the second condition?¡± Maven asked. The next moment, Vanessa¡¯s aura exploded out and the entire chamber was covered in shadow. ¡°The second condition... survive!¡± Chapter 508: Two Shadows Enter ¡°Survive?¡± Maven snorted. He hadn¡¯t reacted much, even after Vanessa filled the chamber with shadows and released her aura. ¡°Against you?¡± he asked, but his question wasn¡¯t directed at Vanessa. Instead, he was looking directly at Derek. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek said. ¡°You beat her, and I¡¯ll leave you alone. Of course, it comes with some contracts and oaths, but you won¡¯t have to worry about me anymore, and you can go about your business as the Guild Leader.¡± ¡°And you?¡± Maven asked. ¡°I give you my word. I won¡¯t interfere during the fight,¡± Derek said. ¡°This is what Vanessa wants, so it¡¯s what I¡¯ll give her.¡± What he didn¡¯t say was that if Maven somehow got the upper hand and was about to kill Vanessa, Derek would take that as the end of the fight, and he would step in to save the woman unless the man was able to instantly kill her¡ªin that case, it was her bad luck and Derek wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about it. He would also honor his word and allow Maven to live... with the right oaths and contracts. However, he had faith in Vanessa and didn¡¯t think it¡¯d come to that. ¡°Can I trust you?¡± Maven asked. ¡°Nope,¡± Derek said. ¡°Not at all. But the other option is death with no possibility of escape. I¡¯d think the decision was easy.¡± He looked around the training chamber. ¡°What do the three of you think?¡± None of the three assassins made to move, and none of them spoke. Derek looked back at Maven. ¡°See, they¡¯re so stunned that I would even give you this opportunity after you threatened my... family, that they¡¯re speechless.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Maven said. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±@@@@ ¡°Boss!¡± Lazrus said. The Vice Leader knew that Vanessa had no love for him, and if Maven died, he would probably be next. ¡°You can live, too,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°If Maven survives.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said with a clap of his hands. ¡°Now that we know what¡¯s happening, let¡¯s get to it.¡± He looked hard at the man with the mohawk. ¡°Go to the stands,¡± he said. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Maven told his underling, and, hesitantly, Lazrus did as his Guild Leader told him to do. ¡°Great,¡± Derek said. ¡°Let me get out of your way, too.¡± With that, Derek turned toward where two of the cloaked figures were standing and made his way toward them. Once he made it to the beginning of the stands, he climbed them until he found himself right in between the two assassins. He looked from one to the other and said in a whisper, ¡°This is pretty exciting, huh? Two shadows enter, one shadow leaves.¡± Neither of the cloaked figures acknowledged his existence. Instead, their heads never turned away from looking at the center of the chamber, where both Maven and Vanessa were moving toward. ¡°You guys aren¡¯t any fun,¡± Derek said. ¡°So... are one of you going to be the new Guild Leader? The two of you seem to be the strongest in here, other than myself, Vanessa, and Maven, of course. Though, I¡¯m not actually sure that you aren¡¯t stronger than that guy. Ya¡¯ll seemed to handle my aura as good, if not better, than he did.¡± Derek waited for a reply, but he still got nothing. ¡°You two aren¡¯t very talkative, are you?¡± he asked, not expecting a reply. Just like he thought, he didn¡¯t get one. Finally, he shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s always more fun to watch a fight with other people, but I¡¯m not sure if you are the right people...¡± he said. ¡°Oh well,¡± he said with another shrug. ¡°Oh, look! It¡¯s starting!¡± Derek pointed at the duo in the center of the chamber, as if the two assassins didn¡¯t already know. Once Derek walked away, Vanessa withdrew her aura and her shadows back into her body. It seemed that she wanted to fight on as even terms as possible¡ªshe wanted to take out the man who caused the death of her father while he was giving it his all. Derek guessed that doing so would make her feel better about everything, and it may also be a bit more humiliating for Maven¡ªwhich he guessed was the main goal. ¡°Do you really want to do this?¡± Maven asked his niece. ¡°You could surrender now and go back to your pathetic life as a crony of the royal family. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d miss you if you were to die.¡± ¡°Bah...¡± Derek snorted out loud. ¡°He¡¯s really trying to play that card?¡± he slapped the assassin to his left on his back. ¡°Can you believe that?¡± he asked. ¡°What¡¯s that? You¡¯re speechless? Me too!¡± But below, Vanessa answered. ¡°You stopped being my uncle the day I realized it was you who caused my father¡¯s death. We aren¡¯t family. You are just an old man who is about to die.¡± Maven gnashed his teeth, but didn¡¯t say another word. Instead, his aura shot out, his eyes turned completely black, then something that Derek hadn¡¯t seen in some time appeared. A dome made exclusively of shadows appeared around the two fighters. However, instead of encompassing an entire courtyard like the one Vanessa had used back then, this one only covered around 100 square feet¡ªit was just big enough for the two of them. However, it was a good deal thicker than the one Vanessa had used when working for Gerald Torith. ¡°Oh... things are getting interesting,¡± Derek said. He couldn¡¯t see inside, but the fight had been very much in Vanessa¡¯s favor so far, and he didn¡¯t think Maven would have any tricks that would catch the woman off guard. Derek waited for thirty seconds, then a minute, but nothing. He frowned at that, but he had promised not to interfere in their one-on-one fight, so he didn¡¯t make a move. Soon enough, however, the dome broke. Once it did, he took a good look at the fight and pieced together what had happened. On the ground, Maven was wrapped in shadows and kneeling¡ªblood was running from his eyes and ears. Vanessa was towering over him in her full shadow armor¡ªher helmet back on. Around them, a visibly green gas began to scatter. It seemed like the Guild Leader tried to use a toxin or poison in one last effort to win, but Vanessa¡¯s armor had nullified, or at least lessened, the effects of it. Vanessa waved her hand, and a shadow swept away the remaining poison, after which she removed her helmet once again. ¡°Pathetic,¡± she said to her uncle. ¡°Couldn¡¯t win in a real fight, so you tried to poison me? You thought that would work? I¡¯m from the same guild as you are. My Poison Resistance skill is maxed out, just like yours is...¡± She shook her head. ¡°Do it!¡± Maven muttered through grit teeth. ¡°Become me! Kill your last remaining family member.¡± ¡°With pleasure,¡± Vanessa said, not taking his bait. She raised her hand, but from the side of the chamber, a flash of red appeared. She paused with her hand raised as she felt a deadly incoming attack. Derek instantly appeared behind her with Void Shift and the fiery dagger meant for the back of her head bounced off of his bracer¡ªleaving a large cut and even a slight tinge to it. Derek looked down at the dagger, then up at Lazrus and shook his head. The next instant, he appeared next to the Vice Leader and grabbed the man by his throat with his left hand. The man struggled to say something, but Derek was squeezing tight, so the words all came out jumbled. After channeling void energy into his free hand, Derek activated Multi-Strike, then slapped the man hard upside his head. As his free hand made contact, Derek let go with his other hand and the Vice Leader was sent flying into the stone wall. He hit the wall, then slid down. After which, he stood back up and looked confused. Derek chuckled, then the man collapsed. A notification appeared, but he didn¡¯t check it yet. Instead, he walked back over to Vanessa. They looked at each other and nodded. Vanessa finally waved her hand down, and dozens of spikes pierced the man¡¯s body, neck, and head. One shadow even pierced each of his eyes. It was quite the gruesome death. ¡°That¡¯s that,¡± Derek said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. Vanessa retracted all of her shadows and stared soundlessly at the corpse of her uncle. ¡°It¡¯s over... just like that,¡± she finally said. ¡°Just like that,¡± Derek replied. Vanessa took a deep breath in, then let it out. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. I don¡¯t want to be in this place a second longer than I have to.¡± Chapter 509: Wraith ¡°We¡¯ll leave here soon,¡± Derek said as he looked around. There were still the three cloaked figures that hadn¡¯t left with everyone else, and he guessed that they were there for a reason. He wasn¡¯t sure, but he also didn¡¯t think that any of the three were part of the ambush. They were there, of course, but he didn¡¯t think they actually attacked. ¡°Oh... okay,¡± Vanessa said as she followed Derek¡¯s gaze, and her eyes landed on the two figures he¡¯d been sitting by. Then she turned her head and saw the last cloaked figure. Sure enough, after noticing that they¡¯d received the attention from Derek and Vanessa, all three cloaked assassins began making their way down to them. It seemed like it took forever for them to get to the center of the chamber, as none of them chose to move fast, but in reality, it didn¡¯t even take a minute. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Derek said once they were within range. ¡°So, I guess you all have something to say?¡± ¡°Mr. Hunt, Vanessa,¡± the figure who had been sitting alone spoke first. He reached to his head and pulled the hood off. Surprisingly, the person was wearing a mask that looked almost identical to the one that Nyx had worn. However, it definitely wasn¡¯t the Guild Leader of the Indria branch. ¡°Wraith,¡± Vanessa said, obviously recognizing the figure. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Wraith?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You two know each other?¡± He realized how stupid of a question that was as soon as it left his mouth, so he continued. ¡°Of course you know each other.¡± He looked at Vanessa. ¡°Care to introduce us?¡± ¡°Derek, this is Wraith,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°If you had been paying attention when we met Nyx, Mara, and the others, you would have seen him sitting at the table. He is Nyx¡¯s Vice Leader.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°In that case, the mask makes sense.¡± Derek put his hand out and the Vice Leader took it and shook. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± he said. ¡°It is nice to officially meet you, too... Mr. Hunt,¡± Wraith said. ¡°So... what do you want?¡± Derek asked. ¡°My first objective...¡± the masked man turned his head to look at Vanessa... at least, that¡¯s what it looked like. It was hard to tell with him wearing the mask. ¡°Is to see if I can get Vanessa to become the new Guild Leader of the Cydarian Branch of the Assassin¡¯s Guild,¡± he said. ¡°Master believes that you are more fit for the role than any other. He also offers his assistance and resources if you choose to accept the role.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°You guys just don¡¯t quit, do you?¡± ¡°I am afraid we do not,¡± Wraith said, and Derek noticed a hint of amusement coming from his voice. ¡°Well? Vanessa?¡± Derek looked at the former Vice Leader. ¡°Tell Nyx that I am honored that he would offer me the role, but I cannot accept,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°I have made promises elsewhere and I must keep them.¡± Derek was surprised at her answer. Not that she rejected the offer, but more so that she did so while being polite. She definitely hadn¡¯t been any other time she¡¯d been asked¡ªspecifically by Derek for Braxton. However, Derek suspected it was because she actually respected Nyx and his opinion, and maybe even Wraith. ¡°We understand,¡± Wraith said. ¡°Master thought that would be your answer¡ªespecially after speaking to Guild Leader Braxton yesterday¡ªbut he wanted me to ask, just to make sure. Still, Master has made you an honorary member of the guild, so if you ever need anything, you may ask, and Master will do what he can to help.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Vanessa said with a slight bow. She seemed a bit surprised, but Derek wasn¡¯t. Of course, the guild wouldn¡¯t want to completely cut ties with someone like her. After that, Wraith shifted his attention back to Derek. ¡°Mr. Hunt,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Master would like to know if you would accept the position of Guild Leader of the Cydarian Branch of the Assassin¡¯s Guild,¡± Wraith asked. ¡°Mhm,¡± Aurora nodded. ¡°But what if one of us was a pure mage with no investment in vitality or endurance? We would still be able to withstand the aura, but the physical ¡®attack,¡¯ not so much. Just a couple of those slaps would have been enough to send us into a dying state.¡± ¡°Eh... I figured assassins would need some physical defenses. Looks like I figured correctly,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°By the way, Mr. Hunt,¡± Solas said. ¡°Speaking of your aura, I have never seen such a thing. From where we were standing, it seemed as though just your aura was distorting the space around you.¡± ¡°Oh, that...¡± Derek glanced over at Vanessa, slightly apologetically. He hadn¡¯t used his aura at full power for long at all. A handful of seconds at most, then he started to retract it little by little. That much hadn¡¯t done anything to Alanah when he used it while she was close by, and he had held it longer, so he was confident that it wouldn¡¯t do anything to Vanessa in that short time frame. Still, it was something that he didn¡¯t want to use and hold, as the distortions seemed to get more and more intense the longer he held it at full power. But, as long as he was careful and used it in short bursts, everything would be fine. He did, however, still have a few extra stat points that he needed to distribute, but he doubted doing so would enhance the aura by too much. Or do the free stat points add to it already? He wondered with a shrug. I¡¯ll just have to activate it before and after I distribute them to find out. How many do I have, again? He took a glance at his status sheet and saw close to 400 free stat points. It may be enough to see a difference if there is one. Finally, he stared at Solas, who had asked the question. ¡°Just something that starts to happen when you become as strong as me,¡± he explained with a shrug. He didn¡¯t, however, say anything about how his aura had somewhat of a controlling effect on Void Bests, though. ¡°I see...¡± Wraith said from the side. ¡°I have to say, I was wondering about the same thing. Hmm...¡± he placed his hand on where his chin would be if the mask wasn¡¯t covering it and muttered softly, where Derek could barely hear him. ¡°I wonder how strong you really are...¡± Finally, he removed his hand and said, ¡°Oh well, that is not for me to know. Your strength is your own.¡± Derek smiled and didn¡¯t say anything back. ¡°Now, Vanessa,¡± Wraith turned his attention back to the former Vice Leader. ¡°Maven was your kill, and Lazrus was Mr. Hunt¡¯s,¡± he said matter-of-factly. ¡°That means that their items are yours to do as you wish.¡± ¡°Keep them,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from that jealous asshole.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Wraith said, then looked at Derek. ¡°And you, Mr. Hunt?¡± Derek glanced back at the corpse of Lazrus that was laying in the stands. He shrugged. ¡°I doubt he has anything I want or need. That¡¯s not why we were here, anyway.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Wraith said. ¡°We will take care of the bodies, then.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Derek said. He wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything with them, anyway. If not for Wraith and the others interrupting, he and Vanessa would have already been gone. ¡°Is there anything else you need from us?¡± Vanessa asked. ¡°No,¡± Wraith answered with a shake of his head. ¡°We have tried and failed to convince you to join us once again. There is nothing else.¡± ¡°In that case.¡± Vanessa looked at Derek. ¡°Can we go?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°It was... good meeting the three of you.¡± He looked at Solas and Aurora. ¡°Do a better job than the last guy, okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± they both nodded and said. ¡°Great,¡± Derek said. ¡°Tell Nyx that I said hi,¡± he said to Wraith. ¡°And that I¡¯m expecting some of that King¡¯s Ale that Braxton keeps talking about.¡± ¡°I will do so,¡± Wraith said. Derek turned around where there wasn¡¯t anyone and opened his dreadful portal into the void. He reached out beside him and placed his hand on Vanessa¡¯s back. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 510: Plans for the Future Chapter 510: Plans for the Future The rest of the day after getting back from the Assassin¡¯s Guild with Vanessa was uneventful for Derek. He brought the Shadow Witch back to Savannah with him, then, after she thanked him profusely for allowing her to have her revenge, the former Vice Leader, and now Head of Information Gathering for the Kingdom of Cydaria, left to go have a chat with Bones and Ogre before leaving for the Teleportation Building and heading back to the capital. Now that she had her revenge, she planned on putting her full effort into her new position in Cydaria. Derek knew one thing for certain¡ªEdward was going to have a very capable adviser to his throne once she got settled. With Maven dead and the promises from the Assassin¡¯s Guild to not mess with Derek or his friends, he felt like he could truly relax. Even after thinking about it for some time, other than possibly a few people from the former Kingdom of Astrus, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who would want to harm him or his people¡ªand those people from Astrus who may want to would have others much higher on their lists. Sure, there were also some elves from Alanah¡¯s birthplace, but they didn¡¯t have a way to get to Derek¡ªnot to mention the fact that they didn¡¯t even know who he was or where he was from. Thinking about all this allowed Derek to smile and feel a sense of accomplishment. He had taken care of most of the threats to everyone, and he had managed to carve out a place for him and his people. Malorie, Brandi, Thomas, Rayna, Jacks, and all the others would be able to go on with their lives without worry. What more was there that he could wish for? Honestly, thinking of that question, the only things that really stuck out to Derek was Alanah, and a few personal plans. So, his reason for needing to grow stronger had changed. First, he only grew stronger when the system came because of survival and because it was something for him to do. He hadn¡¯t had any real reason to want to get stronger¡ªin fact, one could say that he increased his strength mostly because it made him feel alive, and allowed him to protect his place at his family¡¯s old cabin. But, after arriving in Cydaria because of Silvi Jaccobs¡¯ portal, he found another reason to grow stronger. That reason was so that he could protect those who he had grown close with, but now, it seemed like he had accomplished that task. However, now that it seemed like he had accomplished that, his objective had shifted. Now, he needed to grow stronger so that he could find the Dawn Siren and make good on his promise. She had promised him a date, after all. The things I have to go through just for a single real date, Derek thought internally and chuckled. I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll thrive wherever it is that she is, he thought. She¡¯ll probably be stronger than me when I eventually find her. A smile grew on his face at the thought. That was one of the reasons that he liked Alanah. She was truly powerful, and she had gained that power on her own. She was ambitious and was someone who he thought would be able to stand beside him once he reached his peak strength¡ªwhatever that may be. Her personality and beauty don¡¯t hurt, either. He laughed. All that was also the reason that Derek didn¡¯t feel the need to rush to figure things out. Alanah was a half-elf, so she had a naturally long life, and who knew if that life would be able to grow longer in the new system she had ascended to? The woman could also take care of herself, so he wasn¡¯t worried about her safety. He would get to her. He just didn¡¯t know when. And he didn¡¯t believe that she would be in any immediate danger, so he didn¡¯t need to rush himself. But all that was for the future. What Derek needed to do now that he¡¯d accomplished most of the things that he set out to do¡ªsome without him even realizing¡ªwas to figure out his next steps. There were various options he was considering. However, the thing that his mind kept coming back to was completing the second requirement for advancement from the Origin System. He¡¯d been thinking about the different possibilities for completing the second requirement, and he had a few ideas. He also wasn¡¯t sure if there were more than the two requirements, either. What if there were more requirements, but he only needed two to ascend? Would he gain anything extra if he met the conditions for more than two? Those were more questions that he¡¯d have for Dave if he ever met the elf again. So, with all that in mind, Derek pulled up his status sheet and distributed the majority of the points he had. Afterward, he took a good look at his status. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 30 245 9,650,000,345,850/11,600,525,450,650@@@@ Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: View Contract View Contract View Contract View Contract Skills Absolute Nullify Lv. 20, Bare Fist Specialty Lv. 5(View Upgrades), Basic Repair Lv. 1, Chain Lightning Lv. 20, Channel Void Lv. 20, Cleaning Lv. 13, Cure Toxin Lv. 17, Dismantle Lv. 17, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 4, Fire Resistance Lv. 20, Greater Meditation Lv. 16, Identify Lv. 20, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Mental Resistance Lv. 20, Multi-Strike Lv. 20, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Polearm Specialty Lv. 3 (Void¡¯s Harbinger), Powerstride Lv. 9, Rejuvenation Lv. 20, Spatial Collapse Lv. 9, Spatial Redirection Lv. 5, Spatial Rend Lv. 8, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 12, Time Prison Lv. 15, Void Call Lv. 6, Void Creation Lv. N/A, Void Sense Lv. 20, Void Shift Lv. 15, Void Steps Lv. 20, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A, Whirlwind Slash Lv. 11 ?a?NO??E?¡ì Skill Points Remaining: 15 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 0 Skill Upgrade Points (Origin System) Remaining: 3 Shared Skills from Companion: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 10 Shared Skills to Companion: Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skills Available to Share: Absolute Nullify Lv. 10, Channel Void Lv. 10, Time Prison Lv. 10, Void Call Lv. 6, Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Steps Lv. 10, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A Achievements Apex Appetite I, Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Lesser Enforcer of Oaths, Major Repetitive Dungeoneer, Minor Slayer of the Unknown, Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse, The Bigger They Are, The Impossible, World Boss I Derek went over his status sheet and had a good chuckle. Just scanning it from the top, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. He had absolutely no idea when he would turn 31 years old. He¡¯d lost track of that because of the raid dungeon, and the fact that everyone on the outside had grown older by over a year. And because of all of that, even knowing the exact date, he was sure that his body¡¯s age had nothing to do with his actual birthday anymore. He shook his head at the now irrelevant¡ªat least to him¡ªnumber on his status. Really, it seemed that the only real milestone for age was when someone unlocked the Great System at 13. Other than that day, nobody really made a big deal out of it, especially commoners... unless someone who happened to be very young was also very strong. Then, that was impressive¡ªat least according to a lot of the looks he¡¯d gotten from people in the past when they saw how strong he was for his own age. After looking at that, he moved on to his experience points. After killing Lazrus, he¡¯d gain nearly a trillion points. He was slowly, but surely, closing in on level 250. Next, he looked at his actual stats. He¡¯d thought about where to distribute the points he¡¯d gained from his World Boss I Achievement for a long time, and finally decided to split them amongst four stats. He¡¯d put most of them into vitality and endurance, and took those stats to 1,800 points each. This was easily apparent in his now 45,000 health and stamina points. As for the other stats, he increased his intelligence and wisdom a small amount with his remaining points. He¡¯d almost said screw it and put all the extra points into a single stat to boost it to 2,000 points. It was quite possible that 2,000 points was another breakthrough or barrier¡ªit could have even been a requirement for the Origin System. However, he had a feeling that wouldn¡¯t be the case, so, in the end, he spread the points mostly between vitality and endurance. Those two stats had never failed him, and he still considered them the reason that he was still alive after all the stuff he¡¯d been through. The next thing on his status sheet that stuck out was in his contract section. When Alanah ascended, the contract he had with her had changed from showing her name to now showing ¡®No Proxy,¡¯ just like the one with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The only difference was that she was not dead like the manager from the Torith Adventurer¡¯s Guild was. It also showed that the contract he¡¯d signed with her was attached to more than just Alanah¡ªit was also attached to the Crown Restaurant, which he knew, but it felt different seeing it verified in his status sheet now that Alanah was no longer around. It also let Derek know that there was another way to get out of a contract, and that was to ascend. Don¡¯t want to be tied down to the contract? Just do this near impossible thing that nobody knows about and has never heard about, easy! He thought with a sigh, then moved on to the rest of his status sheet. None of his skills had really changed since his fight with the big tree and those elves, so there wasn¡¯t much of a reason to linger there. His eyes did land on the three Skill Upgrade Points from the Origin System, though. It was hard for him to not just take them and dump them into Greater Meditation, Time Prison, or even Void Call. Those skills were essentially the hardest skills he had to level up. This was especially so for Greater Meditation and Time Prison, as those three points would get him to level 19 in them¡ªjust one level away from max. However, he held off. He didn¡¯t want to spend the points now and regret it later. They were from the Origin System, after all, so he wanted to be careful. It was possible that they could be used in a much better way than just on his current skills. It was just another thing he needed to ask Dave about if he ever seen him again. Plus, he had an idea of how to level Time Prison to twenty relatively quickly, so he didn¡¯t need to use them there, at least. Finally, his eyes traveled over his Achievements. They lingered on the World Boss I and Apex Appetite I Achievements for a moment before he shook his head and closed the sheet. They were definitely Achievements that he wanted to focus on¡ªwell, World Boss I was. However, they seemed to come hand in hand with each other, so he knew that he¡¯d most likely be able to upgrade Apex Appetite I with the materials he gained from whichever monster he ended up getting an upgraded version of the World Boss Achievement from. Well, all of that was assuming that Silvi would be able to create another great meal out of the stuff¡ªwhich he had all the faith in her doing. Derek sighed at all the thoughts. He still had a lot of things that he needed to do, but he finally wasn¡¯t in a time crunch to do them. Then again, the last time he thought he wasn¡¯t in a time crunch, it turned out that Alanah was, and he ended up along for the ride until she ascended. And, if he didn¡¯t trust Alanah and her strength, he would go rushing off to figure things out, but since he did, he had other things that he wanted to focus on. Now, even though there weren¡¯t a lot of birthday celebrations in Cydaria¡ªespecially for non-nobles¡ªafter turning 13, that didn¡¯t mean that he couldn¡¯t choose to celebrate them, anyway. He¡¯d missed both Brandi¡¯s and Thomas¡¯s last birthdays, and Brandi¡¯s next one would be coming soon, with Thomas¡¯s not far behind. Then, there was the other, much bigger birthday that he couldn¡¯t wait to celebrate. That was the actual birth of Rayna¡¯s child. Some of the things he wanted to do required him to be away from Savannah, but he wasn¡¯t about to miss the birth of the child of two of his friends, so those things could wait. He didn¡¯t know how long they would take, and the last thing he¡¯d want to do was get caught up away from Savannah and forget. Void Travel made it where that would almost be impossible, but there were definitely things out there that he didn¡¯t understand, and who knew if there was something that could keep him from using the skill? He¡¯d rather stick around and work on a few other things while waiting, so that was what he would do over the next few months. Chapter 511: Time Flies Chapter 511: Time Flies With his thoughts gathered and new plans loosely laid out, time flew by. During that time, Derek slowly checked off one box after another. First came Brandi¡¯s birthday, which they celebrated by having Silvi make her a delicious cake and gifting the smith with even more materials to choose from¡ªmaterials that Derek had painstakingly bought and traded for from Tyron. During that time, Brandi even finished the project that had been giving her a headache, then moved on to some new ones. She had created a pretty great pair of gloved bracers. Usually, the gloves and the bracers would be separate pieces of armor, but she had run into an issue etching all the runes she needed on the back of the gloves¡ªand doing the runesmithing on the front wasn¡¯t an option, as the runes would eventually come off with the wear and tear. Then, there was the matter of placing the mana cores. There just wasn¡¯t enough room on the gloves for everything. So, to combat this problem, Brandi added a pair of bracers to the mix and turned them all into a single piece of armor¡ªwell, a single piece for each arm and hand. Once she added the bracers, the rest of the process had been smooth sailing for her. She was able to etch the runes with room to spare, and it was no problem fitting the cores on, either. Now, what exactly was so special about the armor that she had to do such things? Well, she had combined wind element mana cores to the drake hide to create them. She had piggybacked off of some of her last inventions, the boots with fire cores used for boosts, and gloves with wind cores for direction. An issue she had with the gloves after updating them was their durability. She solved this issue with the drake hide. However, she hadn¡¯t just left it at that. Instead, she wanted to create something that could be used in combat as well. So now, she had a pair of gloves¡ªand bracers¡ªthat not only helped direct her when she flew with her boots, but also allowed her to release actual deadly attacks. One of the most common skills for wind-based users was the Wind Blade. It was one of Rayna¡¯s go to moves, and one that Brandi had seen over and over. Now, with nothing but the gloves, she could release wind blades at a frightening speed that was comparable to Rayna¡¯s own Wind Blades. Both Brandi and Derek saw this as a great success. However, there was one thing that disappointed the both of them. She hadn¡¯t received an Achievement for creating the items out of the drake hide. So, her version of the ¡®Draconic Infusion¡¯ Achievement that Roman had received would have to wait until she was confident and skilled enough to create something truly unique with materials from the wyverns. It would come eventually, and at the rate she was progressing... soon. So, neither of them were all too worried about the fact that she hadn¡¯t gotten the Achievement. That was also if she could get it, as Tyron had crafted items from the wyverns, and he had said nothing about the Achievement. Then again, he mostly crafted things he knew¡ªwith the only difference being the material used. He never really created anything truly imaginative. So, Derek figured that was why he hadn¡¯t received the Achievement, but Brandi would. Sure, Harbinger was an amazing legendary weapon, but it was created as nothing more than a standard glaive that happened to be made out of the dark wyvern and infused with Derek¡¯s own mana. Tyron knew what worked for him, so that¡¯s what he stuck with¡ªand Derek couldn¡¯t complain about that. He loved his glaive, after all. But Brandi was on a completely different level when it came to imagination. It wasn¡¯t hard at all imagining the girl creating armor that she could wear that would allow her to rival the strength and power of anyone with a fighting class that was at or around her level. She was truly fit to be a blacksmith. A short while after Brandi¡¯s birthday was Thomas¡¯s. Again, they hadn¡¯t done anything too special for it. Silvi made another cake, and Derek rounded up a bunch of helpful items for an up-and-coming adventurer like Thomas. The boy was growing rapidly, so they figured it would be best to allow him to outgrow all his current equipment before Brandi created some that he could grow into from there later. Besides, the girl was still growing, too, so the longer he took, the better the armor and weapons would be in the end. One thing that Thomas was ecstatic about was his team¡¯s ranking in his classes. It was obvious to Derek that they were good enough to become number one, so he wasn¡¯t surprised when Thomas came home with the news, but he was still very happy for the boy. He still had his Upgrade Points from the Origin System, and they taunted him. It took all his willpower to not use them on Greater Meditation, but he¡¯d wait. He¡¯d wait for either advancement or until he could ask Dave. One thing that he wanted to do, but unfortunately, couldn¡¯t, was visit Marrick. He wondered what the old man was up to, but he had a full Time Prison, so using Void Travel was out of the question for the time being. Overall, however, it was a good and productive few months for Derek. It was also a productive time for his shop, as well. Geoffrey had completed all the renovations and expansions to the shop and the rest of Derek¡¯s property in that time, and business was booming. Brandi had begun selling more equipment occasionally¡ªmostly prototypes that would be improved in their next iterations, so she had no reason to keep them. This gave the Void Emporium a reputation for occasionally having mysterious and imaginative equipment, which meant that people kept coming back even though they were always low on stock of the cool stuff. Malorie somehow kept the shop well stocked on other, more basic things, though. She¡¯d created partnerships with different alchemists and smiths in Savannah and the other cities, so she always had a supply. Basically, the Void Emporium had become a bit of a one stop shop with the added bonus of a unique piece of gear occasionally. They were very profitable¡ªso much so that Malorie did her best to get payment in materials and other unique items instead of just gold. Speaking of shops, the Crown Restaurants and Hotels suffered a bit of a setback after Alanah left, but Stella and Avery worked together to right the ship. But the person who truly stepped up was Ester from the Crown Restaurant in the Capital. Stella was having a hard time managing everything herself, and Avery wasn¡¯t exactly the best when it came to helping, so, eventually, Ester became Stella¡¯s own Stella. That settled things down and helped a lot. Stella also began giving more responsibility to other employees, too, and eventually, her workload diminished by quite a bit. Silvi... was Silvi. She mostly cooked and gathered ingredients. When she found a beast or monster that looked very tasty, she would go borrow someone to kill it for her so she didn¡¯t gain unnecessary experience points. Though, Derek had given her permission to use her Cook What You Kill skill on the rare occasion that she came across something that looked very, very tasty. She was a smart and loyal bunny, so she didn¡¯t overindulge in it. Also, big family dinners became a pretty common thing when Silvi created a new dish that she wanted everyone to try. It seemed like she had begun getting as much out of watching everyone enjoy her food as she did eating it herself. On top of all that, Bones and Ogre made great strides as well. The Assassin¡¯s Guild held up their end of the deal and nobody tried to mess with the two as they traveled and adventured when they weren¡¯t working. Those two were really pushing themselves to be strong. Finally, there was the newlywed, and soon to be parents¡ªwell, Jacks was already a parent, but he was soon to be one again. It seemed like Rayna would burst at any moment¡ªshe¡¯d carried the child to full term, and then some. Everyone was anxious for them as the day drew nearer and nearer. It almost seemed like it would never happen, that was... until his communication crystal finally went off with a panicked Jacks on the other end. Chapter 512: Potato It was the middle of the night when Derek felt his communication crystal buzzing from within his storage bracelet. He wasn¡¯t out cold, so it had woken him up easily. With a frown on his face, Derek flicked his wrist, and the red crystal appeared in his hand. ¡®Derek!¡¯ Jacks¡¯s voice sounded from the other end. ¡®Jacks?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®What¡¯s up? Do you need something? Is Rayna okay?¡¯ he rattled off a few questions. ¡®No, she¡¯s not... well... yes, she¡¯s okay... but...¡¯ the man obviously was having a hard time gathering his thoughts because they were basically coming through as stutters even though the communication was based on thoughts instead of spoken word. ¡®Slow down,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®It¡¯s happening!¡¯ Jacks finally said. ¡®She¡¯s having the baby?¡¯ Derek asked. He knew exactly what Jacks was trying to say now. ¡®Yes!¡¯ Jacks answered. ¡®We¡¯ll be right over!¡¯ Derek sent back, and as soon as he did, Jacks cut off the communication. Derek jumped out of bed and, with another flick of his wrist, stored the crystal and equipped his clothes all at the same time. Then he ran out his door and into the hallway, directly to Malorie¡¯s room. He hesitated. He wanted to just barge in and shake her awake, but he instead chose the less intrusive option, albeit still pretty forceful. He curled his fist and pounded on the door just light enough to not send it flying off its hinges. His hope was that Malorie hadn¡¯t activated the sound dampening runes before she went to sleep. If she didn¡¯t answer, that meant she did. And his next plan was to pull out his communication crystal again, and if that didn¡¯t work, he¡¯d break down the door and rush inside. Luckily, it didn¡¯t come to that. Instead, a bedraggled Malorie opened the door quickly and looked up at Derek with wide eyes. She looked slightly afraid. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong? Is Brandi okay?¡± she asked in quick succession. Derek almost laughed because it was almost the same reaction that he¡¯d given Jacks. ¡°Brandi¡¯s fine... probably,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s Rayna. She¡¯s having the baby. Jacks just contacted me.¡± ¡°She is?¡± Malorie¡¯s face changed from that of hesitation and wariness to one of shock and joy. The next instant, the woman was wearing her usual business clothes and pushed Derek to the side as she rushed out of her room. ¡°We have to hurry!¡± With a half-grin, Derek watched as Malorie frantically ran up and down the halls, waking everyone up. Everyone just so happened to only be Rudy. Derek wasn¡¯t sure, but Bones didn¡¯t seem like he slept much¡ªeven though he had a room in the main building, and one in the other building that was made for any employees. It was the one where Ogre slept for the most part. However, as Malorie was rushing back and forth, Bones appeared out of nowhere and crept up beside Derek. He was wearing his formal butler attire, as always. Derek wondered if he ever took it off. The skinny man seemed to like the look¡ªeither that, or he took his job way too seriously... or both. ¡°The baby is on the way,¡± Derek said before Bones could say anything. ¡°I see,¡± Bones replied. ¡°I will stay and keep watch of your shop.¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to come with us?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You and Ogre are part of the family now. I¡¯m sure Rayna and Jacks would like to have you there.¡± R§¡?o?¦¥s? ¡°We will visit the little one once everything calms down,¡± Bones replied. ¡°She¡¯s having the baby?¡± the sleepy-eyed Rudy asked as he approached Derek and Bones with a yawn. ¡°Sure is,¡± Derek said. As he was thinking these things, he heard the sound of a doorknob turning and quickly stood up. He moved over to where he could see the hallway and watched as... a perfectly fine looking Rayna, who looked almost the same as she had the day they¡¯d met¡ªother than her clothes, which were much better¡ªwalked out holding a baby in each arm. Then, trailing so close behind her that they were almost touching, and wearing a giddy smile on his face, Jacks walked out. He was so distracted by his children that he almost didn¡¯t even sense it when a small weight appeared on his head. Silvi had hopped up on top of the man to get a better view. ¡°So small!¡± her voice chimed from her crystal. ¡°A bit ugly... looks like potato... but has thumbs... will do good.¡± Her head then tilted, and she said, ¡°Two potatoes!¡± Derek chuckled at the lack of a filter that Silvi had, then waited for Rayna to finish bringing them into the living room. When they got there, he finally got a good look at them. Silvi... wasn¡¯t wrong. They did have a slight resemblance to potatoes, but didn¡¯t most babies until they were a little older? Of course, Derek wasn¡¯t going to say that. ¡°But they are my potatoes,¡± Rayna said with a giggle. ¡°Our potatoes,¡± Jacks said from behind just as the front door slammed open and Jake, Jack¡¯s son, came rushing inside. ¡°Am I too late? Did I miss it?¡± He slowed when he saw Rayna, then his father standing behind her. He ran up close, then hesitated. ¡°Two!¡± he shouted excitedly. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t miss anything. We just came out, and yes, there are two,¡± Rayna said. ¡°Now, everyone sit down before you upset them.¡± As the mom, she held all the power in their current situation, so Derek was the first to find his way to one of the chairs, and soon, so did everyone else. ¡°It was quite the surprise,¡± Jacks said. He had taken a seat next to Rayna on a couch. ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t expect there to be twins.¡± ¡°I knew,¡± Rayna said. ¡°I could feel them. But I didn¡¯t say anything. The look on your face in there was priceless.¡± The woman laughed. ¡°You knew?¡± Jacks looked appalled at his wife. ¡°Of course I knew,¡± Rayna said. ¡°We guessed!¡± Rudy said. ¡°And how did you guess?¡± Rayna looked at Rudy and raised her brow. ¡°Uh... well... you...¡± He started motion out to his side with his hands, but stopped before he got himself in trouble. ¡°It was just a guess.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Rayna said with squinted eyes, then laughed again. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just messing with you. Nothing could make me angry today.¡± ¡°Oh, well, in that case...¡± Rudy started. ¡°Don¡¯t push it,¡± Malorie said, and the man shut up. Then she looked back over to Rayna. ¡°Two boys?¡± she asked. ¡°No.¡± Rayna shook her head. ¡°A boy.¡± She rocked the baby in her right arm to show which one she was speaking about. ¡°And a girl.¡± She did the same to the one in her left arm. ¡°Now, Derek,¡± she said. ¡°Huh? Yes?¡± he asked, breaking out of the slight daze he¡¯d found himself in while staring at the newborns. ¡°Come over here,¡± she said. Not knowing what she wanted, but not daring to disobey, Derek stood and walked over to Rayna and the babies. Once there, she raised the boy up a bit in her arm and said, ¡°Derek, meet Hunter.¡± Chapter 513: Hunter and… ¡°You named him... Hunter?¡± Derek asked as he crouched down a little and cooed. He held his finger out and, most likely by complete accident, the baby¡¯s hand found Derek¡¯s own and wrapped around his finger. ¡°Oh... this little fellow is going to be a strong one,¡± Derek said with a gently smile. Finally, he looked back up at Rayna. ¡°Are you sure naming him that is a good idea?¡± Rayna looked over to Jacks, then back to Derek. ¡°We are. We decided on the name months ago if we had a boy.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said as he playfully poked at the baby. Then, he turned his attention to the boy¡¯s sister in Rayna¡¯s other arm. ¡°What about this little cutie? Have you decided on a name for her?¡± ¡°That...¡± Rayna started, but was interrupted by Silvi¡¯s voice chiming from the crystal around her neck. ¡°Silvi! Silvi is great name. Would grow up a strong chef just like her aunt!¡± Silvi had hopped onto the couch, positioning herself in the small space between Rayna and Jacks. ¡°That...¡± Rayna started again, but seemed to be tongue-tied. ¡°Silvi wouldn¡¯t be good,¡± Derek said, much to his companion¡¯s dismay. ¡°I already know two Silvis...¡± he looked down at his companion. ¡°And one of those Silvis just so happens to be the greatest Silvi. We wouldn¡¯t want a name that would cause her to always be in your shadow, now would we?¡± After a moment of silence, Silvi finally replied, ¡°Guess not. Too much weight of responsibility to bear such a great name. Burden would be much too much... so, soo much.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Derek said. ¡°As do I,¡± Rayna said, and looked thankfully at Derek. ¡°Now, our idea for if we had a girl was to see if there was a name you liked. Perhaps a name that means something to you?¡± ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t,¡± Derek said. ¡°You¡¯ve already named the boy after my surname.¡± He shook his head. ¡°That is too much as it is. I couldn¡¯t possibly name your child.¡± ¡°Derek...¡± Rayna looked at Derek, all playfulness gone from her face. ¡°We are not stupid.¡± ¡°I would never think you were,¡± Derek said. ¡°Even though you thought I was the first time we met.¡± He tried to bring back the playfulness, but his words didn¡¯t help. ¡°What I am saying is... we know you won¡¯t be here much longer. Whether that is weeks or years, we don¡¯t know, but you will eventually do as Ms. Swan, and go,¡± Rayna explained. Only a few people actually knew what happened with Alanah, but everyone knew that it wasn¡¯t a bad thing by how those who knew acted and spoke about it. So, it didn¡¯t take much of a leap for those around Derek to figure that it had to do with her strength. And it wasn¡¯t like she hid her ascension from everyone. And, if her leaving had to do with her strength, then it would be only natural for the same thing to happen with Derek¡ªafter all, he was already stronger than the siren was in many ways. It had been something that lingered in the air, but nobody really talked about. It didn¡¯t help that it was pretty much impossible to talk about the specifics, anyway. ¡°So...¡± Rayna continued. ¡°We wish for each of our children to have something important to know you, and I can think of nothing more important than a name. Jacks and I have discussed this in great detail, and it is our decision. We hope you will honor it.¡± Derek looked over to Jacks, and the older man nodded firmly back. Derek took a deep breath in, then removed his finger and backed away, back to his seat. ¡°Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t know where to begin,¡± Derek said as he looked down at his hands. A lot of names went through his head, and one kept coming to the top, above all others, when he tried to think of meaningful names. But he shook his head. ¡°Stacy,¡± Silvi¡¯s voice called out again, this time saying what Derek didn¡¯t have the will to say. Derek¡¯s head shot up. His eyes bore into her, but Silvi only stared back¡ªshe didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Silvi... no,¡± Derek said. Other than Alanah, there was only a single other person who knew Derek¡¯s sister¡¯s name, and that was Silvi. Derek and Silvi shared almost everything¡ªshe was the one being who he could speak about anything with, and not have to worry about any system interfering in the conversation. And, over the last few months, he had shared with her the same story that he did with Alanah. It was much easier the second time¡ªespecially since he was speaking to someone so close to him. R?a?O??E?S? ¡°Who...¡± Rayna started to ask something, but seeing the way the two were looking at each other, she stopped. ¡°Never mind... it¡¯s not my place.¡± Derek continued to have a stare-down with Silvi, but, eventually, his eyes broke away. ¡°It¡¯s okay...¡± Derek said as he shifted his attention to Rayna. ¡°Stacy... was my little sister.¡± Nobody in the room seemed shocked at the announcement. Mostly because Derek had mentioned his family on occasion¡ªthough, he¡¯d not spoken about his sister until he spoke with Alanah. Even though nobody seemed surprised at the revelation that he had a sister, a few of the faces in the room turned from interest to that of sadness. It didn¡¯t take much to figure out from the way that Derek spoke of her that she was dear to him, but also that she was gone. Preparing himself, Derek sighed, clenched his fists, then gave the room an abridged version of what he¡¯d told Alanah and Silvi. In that abridged version, he didn¡¯t speak of Earth or college, or a lot of the other important details¡ªjust that he¡¯d had a family, and that they¡¯d all passed away in a tragic accident. Nobody called him out on the lack of details, every person in the room Derek, and knew that it was something he didn¡¯t want to talk about. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Derek finally said as he rocked the babies back and forth. ¡°They really are amazing.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Jacks said. ¡°They¡¯re going to have an easy life,¡± Derek said. ¡°Don¡¯t let them grow too spoiled.¡± He¡¯d already said as much to the couple a time or two, but he couldn¡¯t help but say it again. ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± both Rayna and Jacks answered at the same time. Then, as if in sync, both babies began crying in Derek¡¯s arms. ¡°You broke them!¡± Silvi half-shouted, panicked. The next thing they knew, there was a red health potion floating above the babies. ¡°Here... drink!¡± ¡°They are fine,¡± Derek said and realized that Silvi had never actually met a baby before. Sure, she¡¯d seen one on occasion in the street, but it wasn¡¯t something she was ever interested in, and she never got familiar with one, so, for all she knew, crying meant that something hurt. ¡°It¡¯s just what babies do. They are either hungry, or need changed, or need their momma, or a hundred other things.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Silvi said, then the potion vanished. ¡°Thank you for being worried,¡± Rayna said as she stood up and walked over to Derek. ¡°I¡¯ll take them now.¡± The moment that they were back in their mother¡¯s arms, both babies stopped crying, and Derek clicked his tongue. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not good enough.¡± ¡°They just needed their mother,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Looks that way,¡± Derek replied as he sat back down. There was, however, a question on his mind that was sure to make him look dumb in front of everyone, but he didn¡¯t care. He had to know. ¡°Jacks...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± the man answered as he cooed over his newborns in his wife¡¯s arms. ¡°This may seem ignorant, but how did you deliver the babies?¡± ¡°How?¡± Jacks looked at Derek, confused. ¡°Yes... how?¡± Derek asked again. Then, to explain, he said, ¡°Where... where I¡¯m from, there were specialists that delivered the children. I... uh... never really heard of the father doing it. That, and there was usually a lot more... noise from the delivery room.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Jacks said, but still seemed confused. Eventually, he just shrugged and two potions appeared in his hands. ¡°This is a numbing tincture and a Greater Health Potion,¡± he began to explain. ¡°The contractions begin, showing that it is time. Then, I made her comfortable, rubbed the tincture on her belly, then cut. After that, she drank the potion and healed up. Now we have two beautifully healthy babies.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Derek said. I guess it is like a very crude version of a cesarean section, he thought. ¡°Is that how everyone does it?¡± ¡°Everyone who can afford it,¡± Jacks said. ¡°Take Rayna, for example. She is strong and has relatively high endurance and vitality. She is extremely durable. But, the babies do not have access to the system or any stats. They are as fragile as they come. Luckily, I am stronger than she is durable, so we were able to do it this way. Technically, there are ¡®specialists.¡¯ But really, they are just those who have the ability to cut with precision, even if the person they are cutting has very high defenses.¡± ¡°In the village,¡± Rayna cut in. ¡°Most would deliver the natural way. The poor villagers usually don¡¯t have much in the way of vitality or endurance, so it is less harmful on the mothers and the children to birth naturally with the cost of potions unattainable for many. But for those like us, this is the quicker and safer way. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°Thanks for explaining it.¡± ¡°We are happy to,¡± Jacks said. ¡°Now,¡± Rayna said as she looked at Derek with a serious expression. ¡°Do you need to know how babies are made, too?¡± Chapter 514: Fish Poop? Derek went home in a very good mood after seeing the newborn twins¡ªeven if he had been slightly embarrassed by Rayna there at the end. Even though Rayna and Jacks looked great and didn¡¯t seem tired, he and the others knew that they would be after all the stress and planning, so they didn¡¯t want to stay too long. It was the middle of the night, after all. For the next couple of weeks, Derek continued allowing his Time Prison skill to passively train up while focusing on some of the less useful skills he had¡ªor at least, the less combat-oriented skills like Cleaning, Basic Repair, and even Cure Toxin. During that time, he and the others visited Rayna, Jacks, and the babies almost daily. There was just something about being around them that brought them all joy. However, with his Time Prison packed full of monsters, it finally hit level 20. He almost scolded himself for not doing the same thing sooner, but in reality, ever since the raid, he¡¯d been using his Void Travel ability so much that it would have been impossible for him to do so. But now that it was level 20, he no longer needed to worry about it and could get back to focusing on other things. So, he ran one big experiment with his Time Prison and Void Travel. Since all the monsters were locked inside the cells and not just out in the open, he wanted to see how Void Travel would affect them¡ªto see if the cells offered any increased protection. They didn¡¯t. Derek took a quick trip to a few familiar places¡ªlike the area by Savannah with the golem dungeon, and a couple of the less populated areas that he and Alanah had gone to¡ªthen came back to his shop. Once inside his ¡®travel room¡¯, Derek opened his Time Prison and went in. Normally, the doors were locked until the sentences were complete, and he only had control of how quickly or slowly the sentences passed. He couldn¡¯t just cancel the sentences and open the cell, he had to wait. But when he stepped into the Time Prison this time, he looked around and saw that all the cells were unlocked. Instantly, he knew what had happened. Still, he went ahead and opened each cell door and found exactly what he was expecting. Each cell had a corpse¡ªsome mutated, some missing parts, but all dead. He gathered all the corpses from the cells and used his Cleaning skill to clean up any messes he found. He clicked his tongue, then left the prison. It all had gone pretty much how he expected it to, but he had a little hope in the back of his mind that the cells could protect since they cut off most all functions, even metabolic functions¡ªunfortunately, that was not the case. He also didn¡¯t bother dismantling or using any of the corpses in any way. That just seemed... wrong. They were all so mutated that he wouldn¡¯t want to eat any of them, and he wouldn¡¯t trust any of the materials that came from them. So, he had Silvi destroy them completely with her dragon flame, which pained her because it was wasting meat, but she understood. With everything to do with his Time Prison finished, Derek finally had his complete freedom to use Void Travel back. He was slightly disappointed when the skill hit 20 and he didn¡¯t complete another requirement for advancement, but he was expecting it. But he knew that there was a chance that any type of growth on his part could complete a requirement, so he knew that he would have that hope for anything he did going forward. Now, with the babies born and doing well, and his Time Prison taken care of, Derek went upstairs to have a quick chat with Malorie. ¡°You busy?¡± he asked as he knocked twice, then walked through the open door to her office. ¡°I¡¯m always busy,¡± Malorie said, but she raised her head up anyway and asked, ¡°Why, do you need something?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Derek said. ¡°I was just thinking about heading out for a bit, and I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯m going to be. Could be back in an hour, could be a week... I don¡¯t know. Probably an hour, though. So, I wanted to make sure that you had everything under control before I left.¡± ¡°So... you¡¯re worried about my workload now?¡± Malorie chuckled and shook her head. ¡°I have everything under control. The renovations allowed me to catch up on a lot of my work, since we didn¡¯t have any new customers or contracts or anything to deal with at the time. It¡¯s business as usual now, so you can go do what you want.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. ¡°And you know, you could always hire an assistant. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re hurting for money... I think. You would know more about that than me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need one,¡± Malorie said. ¡°This keeps me busy all day, but if I didn¡¯t have the work to do, I don¡¯t know what else I would do. I can¡¯t just go punch things when I get bored, and I enjoy all of this. Besides, Bones is here most of the time, and he¡¯s more than enough help if I need anything. It¡¯s all mostly just finances and sales... stuff like that. Nothing super important that needs to be taken care of as soon as possible, but I like to keep everything up to date.¡± ¡°Yeah, I understand that. My mother was the same way with her contract work,¡± Derek said. ¡°And I¡¯m sure a trained assassin like Bones is good help. He¡¯s a bit like a chameleon in that way. Seems to be good at any job he sets out to do.¡± ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Malorie said with a nod. ¡°Now, what is it that you¡¯re planning on doing? Anything big? Is it going to affect the entire continent again?¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°No, nothing so grand as that,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°Well... hopefully.¡± He smiled and got an eyeroll from Malorie. ¡°Nah...¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m free of my prison skill for now, so I¡¯m going to go keep to my word on something I made a while ago.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Malorie said with a raised brow. ¡°And what word is that?¡± ¡°Well, I told Marrick I¡¯d check in on him from time to time, and I haven¡¯t yet. On top of that, he said he¡¯d be on the lookout for some materials for Brandi, so I wanted to check on that too,¡± Derek explained. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be grateful to the both of you,¡± Malorie replied. ¡°Well, if you need me for anything, Silvi can find and come get me almost instantly,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m just one traveling skill away for her.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Malorie said with a nod. ¡°Well, you have fun with that cranky old man.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not that bad,¡± Derek laughed before leaving the office and heading back down to his ¡®travel room.¡¯ Once inside, he opened up a portal with Void Travel and took a step inside. Okay... let¡¯s see... he thought. Where is Marrick? Derek pushed his Void Sense to the max and looked around until he saw the aura that indicated Marrick. There you are, he thought as he focused his attention on the aura. Honestly, he was relieved that he found the old man. He wasn¡¯t sure how long the old elf had left, so he didn¡¯t know if he was actually going to be able to find him or not. With a sigh of relief, he used his senses to look for other auras and frowned. Where the hell is he, anyway? He wondered. First, he looked for auras of people close to Cydaria, or at least on the same continent. Marrick¡¯s aura was nowhere near those auras. So, seeing that, and knowing that the elf planned on heading to the other continent if he had enough time, he looked for one of the very few people who had made a big enough impact on him for him to be able to pinpoint their aura... Nick... from Nick¡¯s Knick-Knacks. Again, Marrick wasn¡¯t very close to that aura. That¡¯s weird... he thought. Derek also focused in on where they had fought the Echoing Willow, and that area wasn¡¯t close, either. Well... I guess there¡¯s only one way to find out. With that thought, Derek moved forward through the void. Soon enough, he found himself hovering over the aura of Marrick, and he reached out to rip open the void. Marrick was currently in an odd predicament, even though he was still having a great time. It had been a very long time since he had so much fun fighting and adventuring¡ªactually, he wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d ever had so much fun fighting and adventuring. Maybe it was something to do with him being at the end of his life that made it so exciting¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure. In the last few months, he¡¯d explored Cydaria, Indria, and the new Indaria, before he ended up in Vallum and exploring it as well. He¡¯d pretty much explored all those places before, but it had been countless years, and a lot had changed. A couple weeks back, he¡¯d finished exploring the land of the dwarves, then made the decision that it was time to check out the other continent¡ªthe one that the Dawn Siren was from. He didn¡¯t know much about the continent other than that¡ªto be completely honest, he¡¯d never really cared. But, since meeting Derek and Silvi, a new passion for adventuring had been lit under him, so he definitely wanted to take a good look at the place before he inevitably died from his old age¡ªactually, it would be nice if he could find something or someone to push him to his limits... to give him a good fight before he died, or even give him a good fight that resulted in his death. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to go around challenging strong people to death matches. There were too many people with bright futures ahead of them¡ªhe¡¯d hate to snuff those futures out before they even began. But, if the right person, who happened to also be a big enough prick, appeared before him, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate. Without that, though, he was left with monsters. With all of that in mind, Marrick had set out to find a way to cross the massive ocean. He¡¯d thought about summoning his sand and riding it across the entire thing, but he wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take or if he had enough potions to keep his mana up the whole time. Only insane people would try that without knowing the distance or exact location. Hell, who knew how easy it¡¯d be to get lost? If only there was a map or some other way to find it. One thing he didn¡¯t want to do was run out of mana, then fall into a sea-beast¡¯s maw and, without the mana to fight back, get turned into fish poop. That certainly wouldn¡¯t be a good ending to his long life. So, he went looking for someone to make him a ship small enough to store in his storage ring. That way, he could fly for a while, then rest on the ship to recover. So, that¡¯s what he¡¯d done. And, since he was in Vallum at the time, it wasn¡¯t hard to accomplish. Hell, he¡¯d found someone selling boats within a couple of hours of making his decision. And, luckily for him, he was able to buy three small boats for a relatively cheap price¡ªand they were all able to fit in his storage ring. .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Unfortunately, he¡¯d been looking for the other continent for a very long time now, and he had no idea how close he was. He wasn¡¯t even sure if he was heading in the right direction. He¡¯d gotten pretty lost. And, to top it all off, he¡¯d watched a giant octopus tentacle reach out of the water and destroy his last boat a few days ago. The other two had met similar fates throughout his journey, so he was stuck with his original bad plan¡ªflying forward on his cloud of sand while hoping to find land before he tired too much. If all of that wasn¡¯t bad enough, the giant octopus was following him. The creature was massive, and just waiting for him to get close enough to attack. Marrick... didn¡¯t do too well against sea monster. He could deal with fighting water users on land, as he was surrounded by earth, but it was a little different fighting a sea monster in the middle of the sea. That hadn¡¯t stopped him before, though. He¡¯d killed quite a few sea creatures¡ªsome probably as strong as the octopus following him or even stronger. But he had extra boats then. He had nothing now, and it would take far too much effort and resources to fight his current stalker¡ªeven if he ended it quickly. Still, he couldn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t exciting. It would all make for a great story to tell someone if he made it across the sea. He¡¯d just have to make it, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to. So, like that, he¡¯d traveled above the water for days while being stalked by a beast. He was going through his mana potions very quickly, and his Greater Meditation wasn¡¯t at a high enough level to keep up with his mana expenditures. It helped greatly, but it just wasn¡¯t enough. So, his mindset was slowly beginning to change, and even though he would not give up, he was on the verge of accepting that maybe his fate was to become fish... octopus poop. Fortunately, while thinking about how much nutrition his old bones would give to a fish, and how he wished he¡¯d planned a little better, a very familiar, dreadful aura appeared and washed over him¡ªit seemed that fate had other plans. Chapter 515: Where Are You Going? Chapter 515: Where Are You Going? Derek ripped open the void and stepped outside. As he did, he quickly used Void Steps to avoid falling. Finally, he looked around. What he saw was a very familiar scene¡ªblue as far as his eyes could see, and a sky just as blue with few clouds. Finally, he turned to his right and saw who he had been looking for. Marrick was slowly floating towards him on a cloud of sand. The old man had a big grin on his face. Derek couldn¡¯t help but smile as he saw the elf get closer¡ªhis apparent joy was contagious. I never thought the old man would be so happy to see me. He must have really missed me, Derek thought. ¡°Derek!¡± The old elf shouted as he got close. ¡°Marrick!¡± Derek shouted back, then closed the rip in space behind him and took a couple of leaps forward. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± he said when he was within a few feet of the man. ¡°How have you been? Having fun on your ¡®final¡¯ adventure?¡± he asked. ¡°I have been having the time of my life,¡± Marrick said. The man seemed to be in a much different mood that he had been all the previous times they¡¯d met. Like some depression or weight had fallen off his shoulders. It really seemed like adventuring was doing him good. ¡°I have to say, adventuring looks good on you,¡± Derek said. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you looked ten years younger.¡± ¡°I looked the same ten years ago,¡± Marrick replied. ¡°Oh...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Twenty-five?¡± ¡°Try a hundred,¡± Marrick replied with a cheeky grin. ¡°Maybe more... I can honestly say that I do not remember what I looked like that many years ago. I probably had more hair.¡± ¡°Well, there is always that hair restora...¡± Derek started, but was cut off. ¡°No!¡± Marrick stopped him. ¡°Never again will I try something like that. It was like a horror story. One of the dumbest things I¡¯ve done in my very long life.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Anyway,¡± Derek said while looking around with a frown. ¡°Where exactly are you headed?¡± ¡°Where?¡± Marrick repeated. ¡°To the other continent, obviously.¡± ¡°The... other continent?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Is there more than two?¡± He¡¯d wondered about this for a while, but never asked. He had no clue how big Alanah¡¯s continent actually was, or how big the world was. He did know that the sea, or ocean, or whatever it was considered, was extremely large. It would make sense to him if there was another continent along with the previous two. Though it was also possible that there were only two massive ones. ¡°Three?¡± Marrick tilted his head in confusion. ¡°I do not believe so.¡± ¡°So... You¡¯re headed to the continent that Alanah was born on?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Where else would I be going while traveling over the sea?¡± Marrick asked. ¡°Uh...¡± Derek didn¡¯t know how to tell him he was probably further away from the other continent right now than he was when he was still on land. ¡°You¡¯re not going the right way,¡± he finally said. ¡°I¡¯m not?¡± Marrick furrowed his brow. ¡°How do you know?¡± Then his eyes brightened. ¡°Wait, do you have a map of the sea? That would be so very helpful.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Derek laughed. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have anything of the sort. It¡¯s just... I¡¯ve already been to the other continent and back with Alanah. We began our own adventuring shortly after you left Savannah.¡± ¡°How did you get there so quickly?¡± Marrick asked. ¡°Did that siren have a map?¡± ¡°No, she had a weird device that pointed toward the closest large landmass. So, once we got far enough away from the continent with Cydaria and the other kingdoms, it changed directions and pointed to the other. Sure, we didn¡¯t land in the kingdom that Alanah would have liked us to, but it didn¡¯t take long to travel from there.¡± ¡°I... I didn¡¯t think about something like that...¡± Marrick said, then, with a mutter, he said, ¡°I wonder if I can make something like that.¡± He rubbed his chin. ¡°No... I don¡¯t have the correct crafting skills. But I¡¯m sure I could find an Earth Mage who does, or a crafter who specializes in earth products.¡± Finally, he shook his head and broke out of his thoughts. ¡°Do you, by any chance, have it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Ah... right,¡± Marrick said, as if remembering that Derek could basically go to any place he¡¯s been or to anyone he¡¯d met. ¡°So, you tried to go to the other continent,¡± Derek said. ¡°But you go lost?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Marrick sighed. ¡°I am not so prideful as to not admit that I did not make enough preparation before trying to cross the sea. If I had thought of such a device...¡± The old elf shook his head. ¡°But I did not, so here I am.¡± ¡°Well, you were kind of in a hurry,¡± Derek said. ¡°You know, with your being ancient and all.¡± ¡°Indeed, I was,¡± Marrick agreed and didn¡¯t even take offense at Derek calling him ancient. ¡°But the sea traveling has been very interesting.¡± ¡°I bet,¡± Derek said. ¡°Did you bring a boat or a small ship?¡± he asked. ¡°I did!¡± Marrick said with a mocking smile. ¡°I brought three of them... and I lost three of them.¡± ¡°Oh... so you¡¯re just kind of floating around lost, then, with no way to rest.¡± ¡°I am indeed doing that,¡± Marrick confirmed. ¡°And that big squid over there?¡± Derek pointed behind them to a sea creature that was floating with only its head and eyes poking out. ¡°That octopus has been following me for some time,¡± Marrick said with a sigh. ¡°It destroyed my last boat, and now it¡¯s waiting for me to tire. It would be easy enough for me to kill, but I wanted to preserve what resources I have, and it cannot harm me from where I am. I consume the same amount whether I travel high up like now¡ªkeeping out of range of its water abilities¡ªor closer to the water.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. If he was in the same situation and his Greater Meditation wasn¡¯t enough to cover all his costs, he¡¯d probably do the same if he had a limited number of recovery potions. ¡°Well... want me to take care of it?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure Silvi would like some more exotic seafood.¡± And one kill won¡¯t give me too much experience points. Besides, I¡¯m going to max out my level soon enough, anyway. If I have a max level... ¡°You can if you want to,¡± Marrick said. ¡°I¡¯m limited on the amount of sand and earth that I can use. I can make some myself, but I am much stronger when I can draw from that which is already around me. So, though it doesn¡¯t take much, I lose some to the water with each battle¡ªeven if it is only a grain or two¡ªand creating more requires even more resources that I would rather not use.¡± ¡°Well, since I¡¯m here,¡± Derek said. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to worry about conserving your mana anymore.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Marrick said. ¡°However, if I am to fight a creature big like that, I¡¯m afraid most of its parts will become inedible once I am finished.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Derek said. Then he summoned Harbinger in his right hand before grasping it with both. After that, he began channeling a massive amount of void into the blade¡ªso much so that the void blade overlapping it was completely solid and giant. After that, he turned to Marrick and asked, ¡°Uh... where is the best place to hit it to dispatch it in one shot?¡± ¡°See that hump on its head?¡± Marrick asked. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I believe that holds many of its vital organs,¡± Marrick explained. ¡°And if you can hit it between the eyes... wait... your energy will go through and damage internally, correct?¡± ¡°It will,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then yes, if you can also hit between its eyes, you will surely hit its brain,¡± Marrick said as he looked at the massive void blade overlapping the glaive¡¯s own blade by an extreme margin. ¡°And if you can hit both some of the hump and behind the eyes, you should be able to destroy a bit of everything.¡± ¡°Alright, sounds good,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡± With those words, Derek brought Harbinger up over his head, then swung down with as much force as he could muster while also activating Multi-Strike and Sweeping Slash, and the energy from his skill and void blade flew toward the octopus at great speed. Before reaching the beast, it brought up four tentacles to block Derek¡¯s attack. The tentacles crossed over each other just in front of its head, creating a physical shield of four layers. A thick wall of water also shot up out of the sea to create even another barrier. It seemed that the octopus pulled out all the stops to defend against Derek¡ªit was using all its power to defend. It certainly wasn¡¯t underestimating him, that¡¯s for sure. Unfortunately, against Derek and his void, none of that was enough. The physical attack from Sweeping Slash cut through the water barrier relatively easily, but lost a lot of momentum in the process. Then it hit the creature¡¯s tentacles and made it through two of them¡ªchopping them clean off¡ªbefore dissipating. Derek could have sworn he saw the creature¡¯s eyes widen in shock through the gap in the water barrier as its limbs fell to the water. The next instant, the water barrier dropped, and the octopus looked at Derek before turning around and bolting. ¡°They never understand,¡± Derek said. ¡°They are already dead the second they try to block instead of dodge.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Marrick said from the side as he watched the fate of the sea creature. Sure enough, the creature made it roughly a hundred yards out before it ceased all movement and began floating motionlessly in the sea. Derek jumped forward a few times and collected the severed limbs before going and collecting the rest of the body. It was so big that he had to have Marrick lift it up with his sand so he could dismantle it enough to fit in his storage rings. ¡°Thanks,¡± Derek said. ¡°No problem,¡± Marrick replied with a shake of his head. ¡°Yes, as I said before, I do not believe there is anyone else in this world as capable as you. Not even that siren.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Alanah isn¡¯t in this world anymore.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened, and he drew in a deep breath. ¡°She¡¯s dead?¡± he asked. ¡°How?¡± ¡°On, no.¡± Derek waved him off. ¡°She didn¡¯t die, she left.¡± ¡°She left? The world?¡± Marrick furrowed his brows. ¡°How is that?¡± ¡°Well... she met both... re¡ª¡± He tested the waters to see if he could speak of some of the things with Marrick, and he didn¡¯t feel the system growing angry, so he continued. ¡°She met the requirements and advanced.¡± There was only one reason he could tell the old man that, and it was because he had to have already met one of the requirements, which meant that he could at least tell him the same amount as he did Avery. ¡°She did?¡± Marrick muttered. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought it was possible. I¡¯ve been stuck at one requirement for over a century now.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Derek asked, hopeful that he¡¯d get an idea on how to get his second. ¡°It¡¯s something that I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± Marrick said. ¡°I met it when I leveled Sand Manipulation skill to max. It truly felt like I had become one with the sand on that day.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°And was it the final sand related skill that you level to twenty?¡± he asked. ¡°Hmm...¡± Marrick rubbed his chin. ¡°No, I do not believe it was. I have some... less than useful skills that I ignored in favor of others, and I do not believe they had maxed out yet. Though, I could be remembering wrong. It was a long time ago.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. He was beginning to think that his skills weren¡¯t what was needed for his second requirement. If it even has anything to do with skills, Derek thought. Maybe... affinity? If that was the case, then that was the requirement he¡¯d already met during his evolution. After thinking this, he frowned. ¡°Why have you not met the second requirement yet?¡± ¡°Poor distribution of stats when I was younger,¡± Marrick answered. ¡°And stagnation and regression from growing old and feeble. It is not something that humans really experience, but elves can eventually live long enough for such things to happen.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s the tradeoff for having such longer lives,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes,¡± Marrick replied. ¡°That, our very low fertility rates, and some, but not all, of our skills leveling slower than the human counterparts. Though not even most elves live long enough to see the decline. It¡¯s a dangerous world out there, after all, and a millennium or even longer sure is enough time to make a lot of enemies. I also suspect that the reason I have been able to live as long as I have, is because I have met the first requirement.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s like the system gave you extra time to work on the other,¡± Derek said. Then thought, I wonder if my skills are leveling slower than before since I went through that evolution... They don¡¯t seem to be... But I¡¯m also not sure how evolving changed my longevity. He inwardly shrugged and put the thought out of his mind. Just more things to find out later. ¡°Maybe...¡± Marrick replied. ¡°Who knows? I may just have very good genes. It¡¯s all just guesses. There are advantages and disadvantages to every race.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still so strong,¡± Derek said. ¡°I am, in intelligence and wisdom,¡± Marrick replied. ¡°Those have not regressed, and they are my fighting stats. But my strength, dexterity, endurance, and vitality... they are not what they once were, and it¡¯s the vitality that is dropping fastest of all.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. It was almost the same issue that Klaus, the overall Leader of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, had. Though, Derek guessed that Klaus¡¯s skills allowed him to fight stagnation and old age by manually regressing his own stats. ¡°What about Void Beast meals?¡± ¡°It is very hard to come by dexterity, wisdom, and vitality. Before you arrived, Void Beast meals were extremely scarce in general unless you were the siren or very close with her. And I was not very close with Alanah Swan at the time. And I do not believe I have long enough to live to allow my body to digest enough meals to get me there.¡± ¡°Interesting...¡± Derek said. It was probably true. It took time for one¡¯s body to digest the meals without over-saturating and no longer gaining stats¡ªat least according to Alanah and Stella. He¡¯d not tried it, but he trusted their words. ¡°Now, how about we cease this depressing talk about me dying and you get me the hell out of here,¡± Marrick said, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m tired of the sea.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Derek said. ¡°Where would you like to go?¡± Chapter 516: Poor Marrick ¡°I have been doing my all to make it to the other continent. It would be a shame if I didn¡¯t end up there,¡± Marrick said. ¡°So, since you have been there, if you could drop me off there, that would be great.¡± ¡°I can do that,¡± Derek said. ¡°There are a few different locations that I know I can go to. Which one would you like?¡± Derek asked, then explained, ¡°The first is in a small village in a kingdom called Vorandell. It¡¯s a kingdom kind of like Cydaria and is kind of in the middle of the other kingdoms. It has a mix of races and seemed pretty decent for the short time I was there.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad,¡± Marrick said. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°The second is a beach in a kingdom called Draylanthi, close to its border with Vorandell. According to Alanah, it is a very militaristic kingdom, though, one of her good friends from her early life seems to be the head of a pretty powerful house. I will say, I can pretty much guarantee that as soon as we get there, scouts will notice and come running.¡± ¡°That could be fun in its own way,¡± Marrick said. ¡°Running from the military or trying to talk my way out.¡± The old goblin-looking elf¡¯s eyes gleamed at the thought. ¡°What about the third?¡± ¡°Well... I suspect that the third is probably crawling with a bunch of racist elves,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s where we fought the world boss.¡± ¡°The... world boss?¡± Marrick¡¯s eyes widened, completely ignoring the rest of what Derek said. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± Derek replied. ¡°It was a tree that harassed Alanah in her childhood, so she wanted some revenge. Me, her, Silvi, Avery, Edgar, and Tyron and his companion made short work of it. Let me tell you... those elves were pissed.¡± ¡°I thought you only traveled with Alanah,¡± Marrick said. ¡°Well... the tree was big... so I gathered some more manpower,¡± Derek explained. ¡°And you didn¡¯t come get me?¡± ¡°I... whoops,¡± Derek said... he didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°Well... there¡¯s nothing that can be done about it now. Tell me more about this place,¡± Marrick said. Relieved that the old man was dropping the topic, Derek replied, ¡°The kingdom is called Linderis. It¡¯s where Alanah was born, and she was shunned for not being a full-blooded elf. It seems that they have changed how they treat half-elves a bit since the last time she was there, though. Still, they are not friendly to any other races. They used the world boss as a place to train their young and soldiers against mental attacks, so they weren¡¯t very happy when we lit it on fire and chopped it down. But it did make for a damn good salad.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad, either,¡± Marrick said. ¡°I wonder how long it would take me to become an elder. I bet I could do it before I kick the bucket.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past you,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, what are you thinking? Which place sounds the best?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s also other kingdoms, Fitali and Helcomir, but I didn¡¯t make it to those two, so I don¡¯t know anything about them.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The old man rubbed at his chin in deep thought. ¡°I guess the best place would be the village in... what was it? Vorandell?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yeah, that would probably be the best. If it¡¯s in the middle of the others, I could take my time and figure out what to do. I could always go to the other two kingdoms and do what I want. This will let me get my bearings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking,¡± Derek said. ¡°However, the place that I¡¯ll be taking you is more dangerous than the other two, so be prepared.¡± ¡°A village in a neutral kingdom is more dangerous than the border of a militaristic kingdom or a place where you pissed off a bunch of racist elves?¡± Marrick asked. ¡°Mhm...¡± Derek just nodded his head. ¡°Alanah almost didn¡¯t make it out alive.¡± ¡°Interesting!¡± Marrick¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°That¡¯s even better.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Marrick rubbed his hands together in excitement, then his eyes fell on one of his storage rings. ¡°Oh, wait,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Here, take this.¡± The man pulled a storage ring off his finger and handed it to Derek. ¡°There¡¯s nothing too great in there, but there are a bunch of materials and ingredients for your companion and the young blacksmith. Just bring me the ring back the next time you visit.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Derek took the ring and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure they will appreciate it, and I¡¯ll try not to take as long to come check on you again. Who knows where you might be lost at next time.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Marrick said with a serious nod. ¡°This old brain of mine is not what it once was.¡± Derek just laughed and shook his head. Finally, he turned around and reached out. He gripped the space in front of him with his two hands and pulled, ripping it open. He turned his head and said to Marrick, ¡°One last chance. Are you sure that¡¯s where you want to go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± the old elf said. ¡°Okay, in that case, come stand in front of me,¡± Derek said. Marrick floated on his cloud of sand to just in front of Derek, then Derek placed his hand on the old man¡¯s back. ¡°You can withdraw your sand now,¡± he said. It was the first time he¡¯d done this floating in the air with someone other than himself. The old elf¡¯s sand disappeared almost instantly, and all of his small amount of weight fell to Derek to hold. It was like holding a feather. ¡°Here we go,¡± Derek said, then, using Void Steps, kicked off and into the void. As soon as they were in, Derek quickly turned and shut the space behind him, before looking for a certain elf to focus on. There you are, he thought, then moved forward. A few seconds later and he was just above the aura. He reached out and opened the void, and stepped through. Once in Nick¡¯s Knick-Knacks, he removed the void shell from Marrick and looked out in front. The store was just as messy as before, and there was a hooded figure in a robe that was too long, running around aimlessly muttering to himself and stocking shelves in a very nonsensical manner. Unless he was putting something on the shelf, his eyes were glued to the floor. It seemed that the man hadn¡¯t even reacted to Derek¡¯s void. What the hell? He thought. ¡°This is...¡± Marrick said. ¡°The dangerous place?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Derek said. Both Derek and Marrick stood in silence, watching the man. In the short time that they were there, he¡¯d tripped and fallen on his face twice, but somehow avoided having the items he was holding touch the ground. Finally, he turned and began walking down and placing items on the shelves in the aisle where they were. Derek thought he¡¯d finally realized that they were there when he drew close, but then he walked right in between them, with his eyes never leaving the ground. Derek broke out of his shock just quick enough to grab Nick by his shoulder and grabbed him, pulling him away from the void portal that he hadn¡¯t closed yet, and moving him to just in front of the two of them. Just as a precaution, he didn¡¯t take his hand off the elf¡¯s shoulder. Finally, the man looked up. ¡°Huh... huh... what... no... what¡¯s that...¡± the short elf muttered incoherently. Instead of his eyes landing on Derek or Marrick, they were on the portal behind them. ¡°No... what¡¯s there... isn¡¯t there... where¡¯s what¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Nick,¡± Derek said, but the elf muttered something else. ¡°Nick!¡± Derek raised his voice, and the man finally shifted his gaze and his eyes landed on Derek. ¡°A customer!¡± Nick said brightly. ¡°Welcome to Nick¡¯s Knick-Knacks! My name is Knack... no... Nick! My name is Nick and these are my Knick-Nacks!¡± The elf brought his arms out and motioned around him to show them all his wares. But then his eyes landed on the portal again. ¡°Except that. That¡¯s not my knick-knack. It¡¯s not supposed to be there,¡± he said, then muttered. ¡°Or is it? Big purple circle... big purple circle... no... no big purple circle. Not mine.¡± ¡°Nick,¡± Derek said, breaking the man out of his mumbling once again. ¡°That¡¯s mine. One second.¡± Derek turned and closed his portal with his free hand, then finally let go of the elf since he could no longer hurt himself... well, no longer hurt himself inside Derek¡¯s void tunnel. ¡°Oh... it¡¯s gone...¡± Nick said, then pushed past Derek and Marrick, walked to the shelf right behind where the portal had been, then placed the jar that was in his hand on the shelf. ¡°There...¡± He said before turning back around and walking back in front of the duo. ¡°I¡¯m Nick. How can I help the two of you fine customers?¡± he asked again, then looked intently at Marrick. ¡°One fine customer and... goblin.¡± ¡°This guy is dangerous...¡± Marrick muttered, his eye twitching at the insult. ¡°It talks!¡± Nick jumped back. His attention shifted to Derek. ¡°Sir! Be careful, there is an intelligent goblin standing next to you. What to do...¡± he looked around, then grabbed a jar from his shelf. He brought his arm back and threw the jar at Marrick, who easily caught it. ¡°Very dangerous,¡± Marrick said. ¡°I told you,¡± Derek said. ¡°Alanah barely made it out alive.¡± Then, he looked at Nick and said, ¡°Nick, this is Marrick. He is not a goblin, he is an elf, who just happens to be very old. Marrick, this is Nick, the owner of Nick¡¯s Knick-Knacks. He is... interesting.¡± ¡°Owner? Who, me?¡± Nick tilted his head up and to the right, then looked back down. ¡°I guess I am.¡± His eyes looked to Marrick, then back to Derek. ¡°You know me? Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Derek... Derek Hunt,¡± Derek said. ¡°You don¡¯t remember me? I was here with a pretty half-elf... we bought a map.¡± ¡°A map? I have maps. What kind of map do you need?¡± Nick asked. ¡°No, my friend and I came by a few months ago and bought a map. She traded you some really good potions and a level 250 pelt, and you gave her the map and five gold,¡± Derek explained, hoping to jog his memory. ¡°Five gold and a map for potions and a level 250 pelt? Your friend got ripped off,¡± Nick said. ¡°She should learn to negotiate.¡± ¡°That... nevermind,¡± Derek said. ¡°Do you remember me now?¡± ¡°Nope! Not a clue,¡± Nick said. ¡°Anyway, you need a map?¡± ¡°No...¡± Derek started, but was instead cut off by Marrick. ¡°Actually, I would like a map,¡± Marrick said. ¡°Ah!¡± Nick jumped back even further this time, then remember that Marrick wasn¡¯t actually a goblin. ¡°Sorry, you startled me,¡± he said. ¡°What kind of map would you like? Will any do? I have a bunch.¡± ¡°Any map...¡± ¡°You have to be specific,¡± Derek said, not wanting to go through the same thing with Marrick and Nick as he had with Alanah and Nick. ¡°Very specific.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Marrick muttered. ¡°In that case, give me a map of the kingdom¡ª¡± he started, but was cut off by Derek. .bg-container-10448869e4d{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } ¡°He would like to BUY a map of the Kingdom of Vorandell,¡± Derek said before turning to Marrick. ¡°You have to be VERY specific,¡± Derek said. ¡°Don¡¯t say kingdom, say what kingdom, don¡¯t say take, say buy...¡± he explained. ¡°Oh... wow,¡± Marrick said. ¡°In all my years... I have seen nothing... nothing... like this.¡± He shook his head while looking at Derek. ¡°Is it too late to take me to the angry elves or the military?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Derek said. ¡°You chose this option.¡± He then looked at Nick once again. ¡°You know what?¡± he said to Marrick. ¡°Good luck.¡± He then turned, covered his storage items in void energy, then opened a portal and stepped in. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me here with him!¡± Marrick shouted from behind, but Derek ignored the old elf and quickly shut the space behind him before he could throw himself in. ¡°Whew...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Poor Marrick.¡± Chapter 517: Share Derek made sure to close the void behind him once he exited it and entered his travel room. Once there, he had a chuckle for a good minute or two. He did warn Marrick before he took him to meet Nick¡ªmaybe not about all the specifics, but he had warned him. It wasn¡¯t his fault if the old man was expecting a fun fight, and instead was inflicted with a critical amount of mental damage that no resistance skill could counter. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what some of Nick¡¯s skills were. Whatever they were, they were surely maxed out. Derek got a chill just thinking about having to stand there and have a conversation with the elf. The thought of heading back and saving Marrick even crossed his mind for a split second before he shrugged and chuckled again. If nothing else, the old elf would have a new story to tell his great, great, great... grandchildren about how he survived a solo encounter with his own world boss. After laughing at the thought for a few more seconds, Derek walked out of his travel room and into the shop¡¯s basement. Brandi was banging away on an anvil, crafting something that he was sure was going to impress him once he found out what it was. But he wasn¡¯t looking for that information. Instead, he had a ring full of materials that he needed to give to her. Well, he needed to give it to her and Silvi. ¡®Silvi!¡¯ Derek sent via their telepathic connection. ¡®What?¡¯ she sent back. She didn¡¯t seem irritated, but she also didn¡¯t seem happy to be interrupted doing whatever it was that she was doing. ¡®I just got back from visiting Marrick. He gave me a ring full of...¡¯ he started, but was near instantly cut off by the dreadful feeling that comes from Void Travel being used. Sure enough, a much smaller portal appeared behind him, back in the travel room, and Silvi hopped out. ¡°Did you just use Void Travel to go from the kitchen to here?¡± Derek asked, half in shock that his companion would use the skill just to save a second or two. He wasn¡¯t even sure that it was faster, because she actually had to store her items so the void space wouldn¡¯t damage them. ¡°Was faster,¡± Silvi answered as she began to put all her accessories back on and closed the portal. ¡°Sure it was...¡± Derek muttered. Maybe it¡¯s more convenient if you don¡¯t like stairs... he rolled his eyes. ¡°Derek!¡± Brandi¡¯s shout came from behind him, and he looked over to see the young smith running over. Silvi¡¯s portal appeared before Derek was able to shut the door, and Brandi had definitely felt it. The aura dampening runes didn¡¯t work near as well when there was a big door left open for the aura to seep through. ¡°Hey Brandi!¡± Derek tussled the young smith¡¯s hair when she went in for a hug. ¡°You having fun down here?¡± he asked. ¡°Sorry about disturbing your crafting. I should have shut the door sooner.¡± He reached over and shut the door behind himself and Silvi. ¡°I¡¯m always enjoying my crafting,¡± she answered enthusiastically. ¡°And don¡¯t worry about the interruption. I know what that aura is, and won¡¯t let it distract me if I¡¯m in the middle of something really important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. He was impressed that the girl had such a high amount of focus. Sure, she¡¯d felt the aura many times at this point, but it still wasn¡¯t anything to scoff at. ¡°Well, I needed to...¡± he started, but was interrupted. ¡°Where is ring?¡± Silvi hopped to Derek¡¯s shoulder and asked through her communication crystal. Derek sighed and rolled his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t keep himself from smiling. He¡¯d been having a pretty good day, after all. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± he said, and took the ring that Marrick had given him off of one of his fingers and held it in his palm. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Brandi asked. ¡°Well, as I was explaining to Silvi before she decided to come here in person, I finally had a good amount of free time and decided that I¡¯d better make good on my word to Marrick and go visit him,¡± Derek explained. ¡°Good thing I did, too, because he was having some problems.¡± ¡°Mr. Marrick was having problems?¡± Brandi asked with wide eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t he like... really strong?¡± ¡°He is,¡± Derek said. Then he explained to them about the predicament that the old elf had gotten himself into by getting lost and not having enough boats. ¡°Wow...¡± Brandi said. ¡°He really is lucky that you visited him. If you would have waited a few more days...¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have been able to give us the materials,¡± Silvi interrupted and finished the young smith¡¯s sentence with something that Brandi was definitely not going to say. ¡°That would have been very bad.¡± ¡°Materials from Mr. Marrick?¡± Brandi¡¯s eyes lit up at Silvi¡¯s words. ¡°He actually gathered materials for me?¡± It seemed like with just the mention of the materials, Brandi had already forgotten about the old goblin¡¯s situation. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°He said he was going to, didn¡¯t he?¡± Derek asked rhetorically. ¡°He¡¯s definitely someone who keeps his word if he says he¡¯s going to do something. There¡¯s no need to be surprised.¡± ¡°Mhm... Marrick... very nice goblin,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Now, give.¡± ¡°Fine, fine...¡± Derek said. He could see that Brandi was thinking the same thing. She was just polite enough to not say anything. Silvi, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have that problem. ¡°Here you go.¡± Derek dropped the ring into Brandi¡¯s hands, and Silvi¡¯s position instantly changed from his shoulder to her head. ¡°Now, don¡¯t forget to share,¡± Derek said. ¡°We will!¡± Both Silvi and Brandi replied in unison. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°I almost forgot. I have something for you, too... uh...¡± He looked around, but there really wasn¡¯t enough room to release all the giant octopus that he¡¯d killed. Instead, he just waved his hand, and a small portion of a tentacle fell onto the floor. ¡°I fought this huge octopus before taking Marrick to the other continent. I¡¯m sure you will like the hide...¡± He motioned to Brandi. ¡°And you will like everything else,¡± he said to Silvi. He then took the ring he was keeping it in off and handed it to Brandi as well. ¡°There¡¯s other stuff in there that¡¯s mine, so just bring me the ring back when you finish divvying up the octopus. Do the same for Marrick¡¯s ring. He¡¯ll be wanting it back, too.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Silvi said out of nowhere. ¡°Why?¡± Derek asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°Because the stuff in the ring is mine? And you never know if Marrick is going to need the extra space to store more materials. You wouldn¡¯t want him to not have the room to get you more ingredients, would you?¡± he asked. ¡°No... not that...¡± Silvi said. ¡°Why did you not get me to kill the sushi? Big monster... lots of Cook What You Kill ingredients,¡± she pouted. ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. ¡°I really didn¡¯t think about it... I¡¯m sorry.¡± He actually did feel bad. Silvi had been very good about not going out and killing things for her skill. Then Derek just went out and randomly killed a big octopus. ¡°I should have come and got you. I¡¯ll make it up to you, though,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re almost finished conserving experience points. I¡¯m starting to think...¡± He looked at Brandi and stopped speaking. What he wanted to say to Silvi wasn¡¯t something that the system would allow him to say in front of the young smith. ¡°Starting to think what?¡± Brandi looked at him quizzically. ¡°Oh... sorry,¡± Derek apologized. ¡°It¡¯s not something that me and Silvi can discuss with just everyone.¡± He looked up, then said, ¡°It¡¯s not something the Great System will let us do.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Brandi said. ¡°Okay!¡± She smiled, then began looking through the ring that Marrick left her. ¡®I¡¯m starting to think that skills aren¡¯t the way for us to reach that second requirement,¡¯ he sent to his companion telepathically. ¡®So we might as well get those last levels. That way, you won¡¯t have to worry about using and leveling your skill, and you can go get whatever food you want with it. And who knows? Maybe getting to level 250 is the way to the second requirement.¡¯ ¡®Whatever food I want?¡¯ Silvi asked, completely ignoring the last half of Derek¡¯s explanation. However, he did not like the tone with which she asked the question. ¡®No elves!¡¯ Derek said. ¡®You know exactly what I mean when I say whatever food you want.¡¯ ¡®Fine... no elves...¡¯ she relented, but he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be the last time she tried to get his permission to gather some... ¡®exotic¡¯ materials. And, after his short stint in Linderis, he was a little closer to letting her go ¡®explore¡¯ that kingdom. The Dawn Siren was gone. Maybe it was time for them to have a different bogeyman. ¡®Good,¡¯ Derek said, inwardly chuckling. ¡®I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m ready. It won¡¯t be long. Just need to take Edgar and Avery out to get some Void Beast... I promised them both that I would do so, and I also promised Alanah that I would look after Stella and Avery. What better way to do that than to get them a bunch of Void Beast materials?¡¯ he sent. Even if I¡¯m not sure how I feel about all that after meeting Asher. That Void Beast certainly didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡®I go too!¡¯ Silvi cut in, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. ¡®Yes, you can go, too,¡¯ he said. Actually... I think the time is up and I can give Silvi my Void Call skill with our shared skills ability... that could make the hunting go twice as fast... but it would mean less skill leveling for me, he thought about it for a moment, then decided against it. She relied on his Void Travel and Void Sense skills too much for him to take them away for something that she wouldn¡¯t use near as often. ¡®Kay!¡¯ Silvi replied happily, then stopped talking and focused on the ring that Brandi was holding. ¡°Come over here,¡± she said as she hopped off of Brandi¡¯s head and over onto one of her workbenches. ¡°Let me see, too.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Brandi said. ¡°Okay!¡± She clutched the rings in her hand, ran over to the table, then placed the rings on it so that both she and Silvi could have a look. ¡°Thank you, Derek!¡± she turned and shouted back at Derek. ¡°Anytime,¡± Derek said with a laugh. ¡°You two have fun, and don¡¯t fight. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s enough for the both of you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± they both replied in unison. Derek snorted and shook his head. It was like he was telling two small children to be nice and share. He took one last look at the two, then turned and went upstairs. Once there, he went back to Malorie¡¯s office. ¡°You¡¯re back already?¡± she asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to be gone for a while?¡± ¡°I am, but probably not for long,¡± Derek said. ¡°I just wanted to check in and fill you in on everything.¡± He then told her the same thing he¡¯d told Silvi and Brandi. Except, he also told her the part about Nick. ¡°Poor old man,¡± Malorie said with a shake of her head. ¡°I hope his heart can handle it.¡± Then, she placed her index finger on her chin, and finally said, ¡°I think I would like to meet this ¡®Nick¡¯ one day. He seems like an interesting person... but only for a very short amount of time.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you know what you¡¯ll be getting into. But if you really want to, I can make it happen.¡± ¡°Maybe some other time,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Good idea.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re going to go hunting now?¡± she asked. ¡°I was thinking about it,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m about to go check with Avery and Edgar. It depends on them, and if they are up for it or not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they will be,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Me too,¡± Derek said with a grin. ¡°Then, I¡¯m off! I¡¯ll try to keep us close enough for the communication crystals to work. Silvi will be joining me this time.¡± ¡°Go it,¡± Malorie said. ¡°Have fun.¡± Chapter 518: Always a Good Time Derek headed back downstairs to his travel room. On the way there, he glanced over at Brandi and Silvi and saw them still excitedly talking about the things they were finding in the ring. He smiled, sent Silvi a quick telepathic message that he was leaving to go hunt Void Beasts and that she could join him whenever she felt like it. Then he moved into the room and used Void Travel. Once inside the void space, he located Edgar and moved towards the now duke of the country. Since Edgar was in the capital, it only took moments to reach his aura. Derek grasped forward at the space in front of him and ripped another portal open before stepping out. ¡°Derek!¡± Edgar half shouted before Derek¡¯s foot even touched the floor of Edgar¡¯s room. It looked like the man may have been in the process of removing his clothes and preparing himself a bath. ¡°Ah...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Did I catch you at a bad time?¡± he asked as he closed the portal so he wouldn¡¯t scare any passing people. ¡°It¡¯s never a bad time!¡± Edgar said happily. ¡°I¡¯ve always gained whenever you come to pick me up for one of your adventures. And even if I don¡¯t, it¡¯s always a good time.¡± The man leaned forward conspiratorially and whispered, ¡°And even if it wasn¡¯t, I¡¯d still go. It¡¯s like a prison here.¡± ¡°Why not just leave?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I promised my brother I¡¯d stay until he got completely settled,¡± Edgar answered. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯ll be here for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. ¡°He¡¯s seemed pretty settled in every time that I¡¯ve seen him lately. I think you¡¯re good. Or are you actually just waiting for him to tell you to go?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± Edgar shrugged. ¡°But I guess it¡¯s not all that bad. I¡¯m actually not sure about where to go from here. I¡¯ve outgrown my team by far. That, and Akeem has turned out to be a great leader. I would be doing him a disservice to come back now.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. Edgar was the person who Derek figured was most likely to be next when it came to achieving both requirements for advancement¡ªhe and Avery. But the man wasn¡¯t ever going to do it if he stayed couped up in the palace with his family. ¡°You need to get out and go risk your life in some hard dungeons. I know that¡¯s not an easy thing to do for someone as strong as you, but you can do what you can at least. Just look at all the dungeons that have opened up to everyone lately. Surely there are a few worth doing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Edgar said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad plan. It¡¯s been a while since the last time I ran dungeons solo... and the one under the palace doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Derek said, then opened his mouth to tell Edgar why he was there, but was interrupted by two knocks on the door, then it slowly creeping open. Both Derek and Edgar turned to the door and saw Vanessa poke her head in with a half-smile. ¡°Edgar,¡± she said as she looked around, but she went motionless and wide-eyed when she saw Derek. ¡°Hey, Vanessa,¡± Derek said with a smile. ¡°Oh... uh... Derek.¡± Vanessa nodded, got her bearings, then said. ¡°It is good to see you again.¡± Then she shifted back to Edgar. ¡°Edgar, the king would like your help with some things at your earliest convenience.¡± After that, she nodded again, then left. ¡°Really?¡± Derek tilted his head and smiled at Edgar. Vanessa was way too flustered when she saw Derek to just be coming to inform Edgar that his brother needed him. Besides, there were communication crystals and Telepathy for something like that. ¡°What?¡± Edgar asked with a shrug. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not all bad here.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t... hate her?¡± Derek asked. He remembered how heated he was when he saw her standing over Edward¡ªthen the subsequent ass kicking he gave the woman. ¡°Hate her? No, not at all,¡± Edgar said. ¡°My brother forgave her, why shouldn¡¯t I? Plus, she is very strong and made a good impression on me in the raid dungeon. And we¡¯ve been working together lately.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well... good for you.¡± ¡°And...¡± Edgar said with a big grin. ¡°She is very beautiful.¡± ¡°That she is,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°I doubt it goes anywhere, though,¡± Edgar said with a shrug. ¡°We¡¯re just having fun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of my business,¡± Derek said. ¡°But, since you seem very busy, maybe I should just leave.¡± ¡°What? And go where?¡± ¡°I was going to take you and Avery to hunt some Void Beasts,¡± Derek said. ¡°But like I said.¡± He looked at the door to the room. ¡°You seem very busy.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Psh... I¡¯m not busy at all,¡± Edgar said. He reached up, buttoned a few buttons on his tunic, then flicked his wrist. His gleaming silver armor then appeared, covering his body. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Derek laughed before turning around and activating Void Travel again. He looked back at Edgar, who was just putting away a red communication crystal, and said, ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I don¡¯t have a pot to stuff you into.¡± ¡°Ugh... Don¡¯t remind me,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Aright, be still,¡± Derek said, then placed his hand on the man¡¯s back and stepped through the portal with him. Derek almost always made sure to close the portal behind himself, and this time was no exception. Once finished, Derek picked out the spot he planned to fight the Void Beasts and took off with Edgar. ¡°Wait here,¡± Derek said after opening the portal and placing the duke on the outside. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be here...¡± Edgar muttered as he looked around. ¡°Wherever here is.¡± Derek chuckled, then moved back through the void until he found Avery. Please don¡¯t be in a bath or in the middle of something I don¡¯t want to know about, he thought as he ripped the space open and stepped out. Derek sighed with relief when he stepped onto the sandy ground in the courtyard outside of the Crown Restaurant in the capital. ¡°Derek!¡± Clare¡¯s voice sounded out as the young brawler ran up to him right after he closed the portal. ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Derek said as he ruffled her hair. ¡°You in the middle of training?¡± he asked as he looked around. Avery was standing there with a stern look on his face. He did not seem too happy that Derek interrupted their training... no, that wasn¡¯t it. He was unhappy with Clare, not Derek. ¡°Ugh...¡± Lucas said as he walked up. ¡°Clare! Why did you run off?¡± He rubbed at his thigh, where he¡¯d gotten pierced by an arrow. ¡°Ah...¡± Derek muttered. As soon as he¡¯d put his portal away, Avery had begun attacking the kids again. Of course, he was going extremely easy, but extremely easy from the archer was still miles above the children. ¡°Ms. Searidge,¡± Avery said as he walked towards Derek and Clare. ¡°What have I told you about becoming distracted?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mr. Swan,¡± Clare said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Derek said. ¡°That was my fault. I could have told you I was on my way before I came.¡± ¡°No, Derek,¡± Avery said. ¡°It is not your fault. This is not the first time that the young lady has gotten distracted in the middle of training, and the boys have had to pay for it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said as he looked down at the girl, whose cheeks had flushed red in embarrassment. He grabbed the girl by the top of her shoulders and lifted her up out in front of him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make that a habit,¡± he said. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Clare said with a firm nod. ¡°I¡¯m going to check in with Avery on occasion, and we will see if you don¡¯t,¡± Derek said. ¡°Getting distracted in a fight is a sure way to get yourself or your team killed. And you don¡¯t want to be known as someone who got her entire team wiped out, do you?¡± ¡°No!¡± Clare shook her head. ¡°Good,¡± Derek said and sat the girl back down onto the ground. ¡°Okay, take five!¡± Avery yelled at the kids, and all three of them sighed in relief. Lucas reached down and pulled the arrow from his thigh with a wince, then took a potion out of his storage ring and poured a few drops on the wound¡ªhealing it up nicely. Avery turned back around and looked at Derek. ¡°So, what do you need?¡± he asked. ¡°Just checking in on the girl?¡± ¡°No, actually...¡± Derek replied. ¡°I wanted to see if you were free,¡± he said. Avery looked around. ¡°I¡¯m not, but I easily can be.¡± ¡°Thought so,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°I already picked Edgar up. I thought you might want to take up that offer of going Void Beast hunting with me.¡± ¡°Oh... now that sounds fun.¡± Avery¡¯s mouth curled up in what looked like that of a predator¡¯s, and a spark flashed in his eyes. Like that, the switched had been flipped from the kindhearted¡ªkind of¡ªteacher, to the battle junkie. ¡°Could be,¡± Derek said. ¡°Depends on the Void Beasts. What comes seems to be the luck of the draw, and there are some that I¡¯d rather not mess with.¡± This was also going to be Avery, Edgar, and Silvi fighting, not him. Though, he would step in if one of the same level or higher than Asher came. Well... he probably wouldn¡¯t have to, thinking about those three¡ªespecially Silvi. It was nice adventuring with people that he would very rarely have to protect. ¡°You three!¡± Avery turned and called back out to the kids. All three of them instantly stopped what they were doing and formed a line. ¡°The three of you go over what you have learned. Practice yourselves, don¡¯t slack off. I¡¯ll be heading off with Derek for some time. When I get back, I¡¯ll be checking if you were diligent in your training. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Clare, Zac, and Luke all shouted in unison. ¡°Good!¡± Avery shouted back. ¡°Now go!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really into this training thing, aren¡¯t you?¡± Derek asked with a chuckle. ¡°I am,¡± Avery said. ¡°Luke and Zac will be joining the Academy soon, and Clare will be following soon. I want to make sure that they are at the top of their respective classes during their time there. They will gain the most benefits that way, and it will prepare them for future success.¡± ¡°I think training with you every day would prepare them even better,¡± Derek said. ¡°Maybe,¡± Avery said. ¡°But they also need to learn to socialize. They need to make friends and enemies of their own age and ranks. I can¡¯t give them that, but the academy can.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t argue against that,¡± Derek said. ¡°And they¡¯ll need more than just the three of them to form a proper dungeon team.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Avery said with a nod. ¡°At least two... maybe three.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be interested to see the decisions they make,¡± Derek said. ¡°As will I,¡± Avery replied. ¡°Though, I believe that the three of them will be very picky about forming a team with others, so I don¡¯t believe that we¡¯ll have to worry.¡± ¡°No, probably not,¡± Derek said. ¡°Okay,¡± Avery said, then licked his lips. ¡°Shall we go hunt some Void Beasts?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Derek replied, then opened the portal once again. ¡°You know the drill,¡± he said, then took Avery through the portal and back out¡ªbeside Edgar. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Edgar said. ¡°He was in the middle of training the kids,¡± Derek replied as he finished closing the space behind him. ¡°Oh, is training going well?¡± Edgar asked Avery. ¡°As well as one could expect from a group of children,¡± Avery said. He didn¡¯t talk them up, but Derek knew that they were already leagues ahead of other kids at their same age. Avery looked around. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°We¡¯re close to a dungeon that nobody ever runs in Indria,¡± Derek said. ¡°Alanah and I came to it during our travels.¡± He continued. ¡°It¡¯s really far away from any of the cities, and it doesn¡¯t have the greatest reward for the effort to get here and complete it, so people really only come out here when it¡¯s on the verge of overflowing.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s a perfect place to fight some Void Beasts, then?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek replied with a nod. ¡°Well then,¡± Avery said with an excited grin. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± Chapter 519: Competition ¡°We are waiting for nothing,¡± Derek said. ¡°Silvi is going to join us at some point, but we aren¡¯t going to wait for her. Do you two know the plan?¡± ¡°The plan?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t we just hunting Void Beasts? Isn¡¯t that the plan?¡± Avery asked. ¡°Yes, and no,¡± Derek said. ¡°I hope you two don¡¯t have anything going on anytime soon, because my plan is to do this until my skill grows well, and until we have enough Void Beasts that will let you increase everyone¡¯s stats enough to unlock that first requirement.¡± ¡°And... who is everyone?¡± Edgar asked, and beside him, Derek could tell that Avery was thinking the same thing. ¡°For starters,¡± Derek said. ¡°The two of you. Even though you already have the requirement, I¡¯m sure there is still room to grow.¡± He then looked directly at Avery. ¡°For you, I would say... your three trainees and Stella. And maybe even something extra in case.¡± Then he looked at Edgar. ¡°For you... your siblings maybe... maybe Vanessa.¡± Derek smiled and winked. ¡°Doubtful,¡± Edgar said. Then he tilted his head and rubbed his chin. ¡°But not impossible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then I¡¯d say at least enough to raise up another dozen or so people. Rayna and Jacks have their kids, and Jacks has a son of his own. I have some people who may need it... yeah... ten or so more will work. Though, I guess there is no way to tell how much one will actually need to get the most out of it.¡± ¡°I can probably estimate,¡± Avery said. ¡°I¡¯ve been around those meals my entire life and have consumed quite a lot of them.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°You¡¯re doing this because you¡¯re preparing to leave... aren¡¯t you?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°Like Alanah,¡± Avery said. ¡°Exactly,¡± Derek said. ¡°If I have to leave anybody behind, I want them well taken care of. And I trust the two of you to do that.¡± ¡°I will see that it¡¯s done,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Even if I advance myself, I will be sure to make the proper plans first.¡± ¡°I will do the same,¡± Avery replied. ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s good to have some people to rely on.¡± Especially after having nobody to rely on but myself for such a long time, he thought, but didn¡¯t say. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to it.¡± Derek took a deep breath in, then released it. Both Avery and Edgar drew their weapons, and they both got that gleam in their eyes showing that they were ready for a good fight. Though Edgar¡¯s wasn¡¯t quite as strong as Avery¡¯s, as the archer¡¯s came with a sort of maniacal grin as well. Derek felt the void building up in his body, then, when he felt like he was about to explode, he released it into the sky. The beam of pure void energy shot out¡ªstraight into the sky. It lasted quite a while before it dissipated. ¡°It¡¯s a lot more interesting seeing it in person,¡± Avery said. ¡°It really is so flashy.¡± Derek was sure that Avery and Alanah had talked about his Void Call on more than one occasion. He was her right-hand man, after all. ¡°And now, we just wait, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek said with a nod. ¡°I think that any Void Beast close enough to feel it will begin to head towards it. After that, I guess they sense the concentration of the void energy or something and break out of the void to search for it... or maybe it is to search for me. There is still a lot I don¡¯t know about the skill.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Avery said. ¡°So... how long...¡± he began, but before he was able to ask his question, they all heard a rhythmic thumping sound coming from above. ¡°That answers that question,¡± Avery said. He then looked at Edgar. ¡°How are we doing this?¡± ¡°We can take turns, and if a strong one appears, both attack. How does that sound?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°Fine by me,¡± Avery replied. ¡°We can split everything up later.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Edgar said. ¡°You can go first.¡± Avery nodded, then a silver-gray arrow, made entirely out of his own stamina related energy, appeared on his bow, perfectly nocked. The archer stepped forward and aimed up towards where the drumming noise was coming from. The silver-gray energy continued to gather on the tip of his arrowhead and started spinning. Eventually, a loud crash sounded out from the sky, and pieces of it began to fall. A dark, clawed hand reached through and grabbed at the cracked sky¡ªpulling it all away until it could fit through the opening. The maw of the massive Void Beast appeared as it hunched over and ducked under the exit to leave the void. Then, it fell forward and crashed onto the ground. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Derek looked over at Avery and saw that the arrow was no longer on his bow. He then looked at the twitching Void Beast on the ground in front of them with blood beginning to pool around its neck and head area. Avery walked forward and reached down, picking the lifeless beast up off the ground. When Derek saw it, he saw a giant hole in the beast¡¯s neck¡ªits head only hanging on by a thread. Then, the corpse of the beast vanished as the archer stored it in a storage ring. He walked back to Derek and Edgar and said, ¡°There are no vital areas there. Cut its head off or put an arrow through its neck, and you won¡¯t damage any of the organs or any other materials that can be used for the Void Beast meals. Sure, you lose a little blood, but if you store it quick enough, not that much. Besides, blood is what these creatures have the most of... blood and muscle.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± Edgar said. ¡°It has been a while since I hunted down a Void Beast.¡± He then looked over to Derek. ¡°So... do we wait for the space above us to heal? Or can you just use your skill again?¡± The space above him was already healing at a rapid pace, as always, but it was a good question. ¡°No, we don¡¯t have to wait for it to heal,¡± Derek said. ¡°In fact, I think if I use my skill while it¡¯s open, it may even attract beasts faster.¡± After saying that, Derek filled himself with void energy once again and held it tightly until he felt the pressure, then released the Void Call into the sky¡ªjust before the final crack healed. The next beast came even quicker than the first. A near identical scene played out as before. Though, instead of a nearly invisible arrow because it was moving so fast, it was a flash of blue light, then the corpse of the beast on the ground... headless. Edgar had stored its head in his ring before the body even hit the ground, then stored the body too. Maybe a couple ounces of blood remained on the ground. ¡°That¡¯s how you do it,¡± Avery said. ¡°Very good.¡± ¡°I try,¡± Edgar said with a smirk. Derek realized then that the two of them were beginning to think of this as a competition. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d even know if another beast like Asher appears. Will it even have time to speak? Derek shrugged the question off and sent another call into the void. Sometimes, the beast appeared and was slaughtered and stored before its body, or even a drop of blood hit the ground. This went on for a couple of hours before the dreadful aura of their fourth member coming through the void appeared. Silvi hopped out of the portal, closed it, then re-equipped all her items from her void pot used to keep everything safe. ¡°Did I make it?¡± Silvi asked as she landed on Derek¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not done yet, right?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Derek replied, which caused the bunny¡¯s eyes to light up in happiness. ¡°In fact, we are just getting started.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Silvi shouted out from her communication crystal around her neck. ¡°Actually,¡± Derek said. ¡°These two were just having a competition. It looks like they are seeing who can kill the beasts faster and without damaging any of the possible ingredients and materials that may come off it. I think they are both tied.¡± ¡°No,¡± both Edgar and Avery said at the same time. Then, they both said, ¡°I am winning.¡± They looked at each other with narrowed eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll choose who wins in the end,¡± Derek said. If he had to pick right now, he¡¯d say that Edgar was winning when it came to clean kills, but Avery was a bit faster. It¡¯d be hard to judge. ¡°I want to play!¡± Silvi shouted excitedly. ¡°Such good idea. Not damaging the food.¡± ¡°Then you can go next,¡± Avery said. Silvi hopped on her floating pot lid, then got ready. Derek shook his head with a smile and sent another Void Call into the air. Honestly, he knew that he¡¯d be able to fight and win against a much stronger beast than Avery and Edgar, but he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to hunt them as efficiently as the two of them were. He just didn¡¯t have the skills to do so. Anything with void took time and there was the possibility of damaging organs, and the rest of his skills were actually quite messy. I guess I could send a Spatial Collapse into the beast¡¯s throat, but that takes a few seconds¡ªnowhere near as fast as Avery and Edgar, he thought as he waited for the crashing sound of the beast to appear. I wonder how Silvi is going to compete. With those thoughts running through his head, the next Void Beast came. It ripped open the void, then jumped out. As soon as its feet hit the ground, Silvi disappeared. The next instant... its head explode and Silvi cried out, ¡°No! Too weak!¡± Ah... I see... she had no plan, Derek thought with a chuckle. A gore covered Silvi stored the body of the beast in her storage, then pouted as she floated back over to Derek and the others. ¡°Charge doesn¡¯t work...¡± she said before using her Cleaning skill to remove the blood and... bits of brain from her fur and cloak. ¡°You¡¯ll have to think of something else, then,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out!¡± Silvi replied. Then they watched Avery and Edgar smoothly take out the next pair of beasts. ¡°So fast... no mess...¡± Silvi said. ¡°Well... it¡¯s your turn again,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Do you have an idea?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The next beast broke through and a spark of Void Lightning hit it directly in the head. It fell from the sky and was dead before it hit the ground. The kill was fast¡ªnot as fast as Avery or Edgar¡ªbut it was fast. It seemed clean, too. But Derek knew that there was a good chance that the beast¡¯s brain was mush. Silvi checked the body, then stored it and floated over to Derek and the others again. She was still sullen. Derek guessed that it was just as he¡¯d feared, and Silvi confirmed it when she got to them. ¡°Brain is soup...¡± she said. ¡°Can still cook... but not as good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a start...¡± Derek said. After that, they all settled into a rhythm. Avery and Edgar took out their Void Beasts with killer efficiency, and Silvi experimented with trying to get a quick, clean kill. At one point, she was so angry that she used a small amount of Dragon Flame and completely charred the entire body. After that, she was devastated and gave up on keeping up with the two others in speed. Finally, she settled on a slower, but more clean and brutal way to dismiss the weaker Void Beasts from their lives. She used her Advanced Mage Hands to wrap around their necks and crushed them. On the bright side, her method lost no blood, so she had technically found a way to kill a beast even cleaner than the other two. It just took a few seconds longer. She¡¯d also tried some of her other skills like Chop or Mince, but they just didn¡¯t cut like Edgar¡¯s skills did. However, Silvi did have one thing going for her that the other two didn¡¯t... her Cook What You Kill skill leveled¡ªthough very slowly, and she wasn¡¯t sure how much it would actually help on ingredients gathered from outside the system¡¯s purview. However, it was something that she would no doubt be happy to figure out. Chapter 520: Beat When Derek had told them that they were going to be getting enough Void Beasts to advance a lot of people, he wasn¡¯t joking even a little. He needed to prepare for his own advancement¡ªwhenever it may come¡ªand, though he had an idea about how he could bring others with him, there was always the chance that it wouldn¡¯t work, and it would only be he and Silvi that left. There was also a chance¡ªa much larger one¡ªthat fewer people than he thought would take him up on an offer to tag along. Who knew how dangerous it would be to go with him? So, he really wanted to make sure that everyone he cared about would be well taken care of. Even with Void Travel, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed that he would be able to get back to them quickly, or even at all. He needed to prepare for everything he could think of, and farming the Void Beasts, even though he didn¡¯t exactly feel good about farming them, was a major way to do so. In fact, the slaying of Void Beasts went on for three days and nights almost non-stop. The only times that there were any breaks were when Silvi took Edgar and Avery to pick up more storage rings because what they had was not enough. Even then, she only took one at a time and the other stayed to fight more beasts. Both Avery and Edgar¡ªbattle maniacs and competitors that they were¡ªslowed down after the second day. They no longer held their competition. Instead, they settled for falling into a rhythm that neither held anything up nor rushed anything. Silvi, on the other hand, was having a blast. She learned a few things about her Cook What You Kill skill. First was that it was a very hard skill to level. It was only used once per slain beast, after all. On top of that, it was clearly a high-ranking skill like Greater Meditation and some others. Second... even though it leveled slowly with the Void Beast kills, it didn¡¯t work as well as she had hoped with them, which she was almost certain was because of the fact that they were not part of any system, so there wasn¡¯t a system behind them to enforce the skill. That wasn¡¯t a bad thing for everybody, though. Because Void Beasts were ¡®unknown¡¯ to the Great System, and both Edgar and Avery were still part of the Great system, they were both able to advance their ¡®Slayer of the Unknown¡¯ Achievements. This gave them some extra Skill Upgrade Points and Stat Points to work with. Since Silvi was connected to Derek, she also advanced his Achievement, too... well, she would have, but they were met with denied system assistance from the Origin System for the first time. Though all wasn¡¯t lost, he still got a Title, he just didn¡¯t know what it was for the time being. He was sure he¡¯d find out just as soon as he advanced. It also gave him something else to look forward to since he had a couple other Titles waiting for him, too. It was sort of expected for him since he knew the Achievement was one that gave Sill Upgrade Points and Stats, and he knew that they were both things that could no longer be infused into him by the Great System¡ªat least based on what Dave had told him about his evolution. So... he wasn¡¯t disappointed. Instead, he was more excited to see what they translated to once he advanced. As for the Void Beasts that were slain... they did run into more than one beast that was close to the same strength as Asher. Though Derek would say that none of them was as strong or stronger. Which made sense because Asher seemed to be on the cusp of its own ascension. Those Void Beasts, however, did not receive the same treatment that Asher had from him and Alanah. Avery and Edgar were on a roll, so even with the more dramatic entrances of the stronger beasts, they went all out and ended them quickly¡ªbefore they had much of a chance to speak. Though none of them seemed as ¡®friendly¡¯ as Asher was, either. They came looking to attack, whereas Asher was cautious and moved slowly from the void after hesitating. Silvi also didn¡¯t let the strong one that she fought live. In fact, she used Void Lightning with her aura bursting out, and the beast didn¡¯t do much more than stand still and wait for death. Her aura worked almost as well on the beasts as Derek¡¯s own did. Finally, on the morning of the fourth day, Derek decided that they had farmed more than enough Void Beasts. One of the reasons for this was because they had already had to change locations once, and their new location had been spotted and was beginning to draw attention like the other one. Both locations were good and out and away from cities, but with as much attention as they were drawing¡ªmostly with the beams of light that were shot into the sky and pounding of Void Beasts¡ªit was only natural that someone would catch wind of them. The first time, Osian even sent Derek a communication to ask if he wanted him to keep everyone away. Derek decided that it was just easier to move, so that was what they did. But he appreciated the offer from the king. ¡°Whew!¡± Derek said as Avery took out a final Void Beast. ¡°I¡¯m beat,¡± he said. ¡°What about you three?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Beat?¡± Edgar asked from the side while lying on his back, staring up at the sky. ¡°I¡¯ve been beat for the last thirty hours!¡± Avery slowly walked back from where the corpse of the last Void Beast had been and asked, ¡°No more? Are we finished?¡± ¡°Depends,¡± Derek said. ¡°Do you think we have enough?¡± Avery held up a handful of storage rings and counted them before stopping and saying, ¡°Yeah... I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to run out of Void Beast meals any time soon. At least, not while I¡¯m still alive.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Edgar muttered from the ground. ¡°We¡¯ll die of old age before we¡¯re able to use them all.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just have to make some more close friends,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°We done?¡± Silvi floated down on her pot lid. She¡¯d gotten permission from Derek to look around and hunt anything that seemed like it would make a good meal when she wasn¡¯t fighting Void Beasts. She¡¯d only found a few things that she¡¯d deemed worthy of her cooking skills. ¡°Do you want more?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Always!¡± Silvi happily replied. Then, she looked down towards where one of her storage rings was on her collar. ¡°Well... maybe some other time. This will do for a little while. Need other ingredients, though.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get them soon enough,¡± Derek said. ¡°Kay!¡± ¡°So.¡± Derek turned to Edgar and began speaking. ¡°What¡¯s better? This or spending all that time in the palace?¡± he asked, expecting Edgar to take a moment to answer. ¡°This!¡± Edgar answered with no hesitation and jumped to his feet. ¡°By about 100 times! I¡¯d much rather be bored fighting monsters instead of being bored reading kingdom expense reports.¡± ¡°They have you reading expense reports?¡± Avery asked with wide eyes. ¡°Well... no,¡± Edgar said. ¡°But if they did...¡± Both Avery and Derek let out a breath. Putting Edgar in charge of expenses would help nobody. Not because he was dumb, but because they knew it was something he wouldn¡¯t put any effort into. ¡°What... do you do there?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Nothing really...¡± Edgar smiled wryly. ¡°I guess I¡¯m glorified muscle and emotional support.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Derek said. ¡°They¡¯ve had you there all this time, and they don¡¯t give you anything to do?¡± ¡°Well... not anymore,¡± Edgar replied. ¡°They tried... in the beginning. I did read a kingdom expense report... once... it took forever,¡± he explained. ¡°But after a while, father and brother gave up. I just promised them that I¡¯d stay until Edward got settled and the kingdom was no longer in any danger. I do get to go train the army some. So that¡¯s fun.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. They had already talked about Edgar leaving the palace, so he figured that would come sooner rather than later. ¡°Well... now you have a bunch of Void Beasts to bribe them with.¡± ¡°I do!¡± Edgar¡¯s eyes brightened, and Derek could have sworn he had seen a spark of lightning flash through them. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about that. And here I was just going to give the meals away for free...¡± he looked at Avery. ¡°You will help me create the meals, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Avery said. ¡°Alanah would want that.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Edgar smiled widely. ¡°And like that, the prin... duke was rejuvenated,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Yeah!¡± Edgar laughed. ¡°And we have so many more Void Beasts than I thought we would. I¡¯ll never have to step foot in that palace again. I¡¯ll do all the dungeons here, then I¡¯ll go to the other continent and do all the dungeons there. Far... far away from the range of communication crystals.¡± Derek laughed. He knew that Edgar was joking... somewhat. He was definitely an adventurer through and through, but he was very much loyal to his family. So, no matter how much he would want to travel to the other continent to explore and run dungeons for an unknown amount of time, he wouldn¡¯t do so unless he was certain that everything would be okay while he was gone. ¡°Well...¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m sure your family is missing you standing around and doing nothing all day.¡± He laughed. ¡°Time to get you back.¡± ¡°I need to get back to the kids, too,¡± Avery said. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve been slacking off for the past few days. At least, I¡¯ll be surprised if they haven¡¯t been. They are young, after all.¡± ¡°True,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Okay, who wants to go with Silvi, and who wants to go with me?¡± he asked. ¡°You can take me,¡± both Avery and Edgar said at the same time. Neither one of them wanted to repeat the experience of being stuffed inside a pot with a lid by Silvi¡ªat least, neither wanted to experience it again. They both had to go through that process when retrieving more storage rings, and it was even the second time that Edgar had traveled that way. Derek looked between the two, then settled on taking Edgar. Since he¡¯d been stuffed into the pot twice already, it was only fair. ¡°Come on, Edgar,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll just wait here for you to get back,¡± Avery said immediately after Derek made his decision. ¡°Fine...¡± Derek said. It would only be slightly faster with Silvi¡¯s help, anyway. ¡°You know the drill,¡± he said, and Edgar stood in front after Derek opened the portal. ¡°Silvi,¡± Derek said, getting his companion¡¯s attention. ¡°You stay here for now.¡± ¡°Kay,¡± she replied. The next few minutes went by fast. Derek dropped Edgar off in the middle of the palace, then came back and moved Avery to the center of his courtyard, where, surprisingly, the three kids were actually training. Whether they¡¯d been persistent in it the last few days, or slacked off until now, he didn¡¯t know. But he could see that Avery was proud of their dedication before Derek left and moved back to Silvi. Once back, Silvi came to him and asked, ¡°What are we doing?¡± ¡°I told you that we were going to go collect ingredients soon, didn¡¯t I?¡± Derek asked with a smile. ¡°Yes!¡± Silvi replied excitedly. ¡°Well, I told Malorie that we were going to be away for a while, so we don¡¯t have to get back,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡¯ve definitely leveled a lot of my skills enough. Besides, I¡¯m not sure that they are leveling that much faster with me already being so close to level 250. Maybe if we were still in the lower 200s or in the 100s, but at 245... it¡¯s possible that the bonus isn¡¯t much.¡± ¡°So... we...¡± Silvi was almost shaking in excitement. Derek laughed and pulled out a map with different dungeons marked on it. He wished he had a map for the dungeons on the other continent, but he wasn¡¯t exactly sure where to get one. Nick had some maps, but he doubted he had any maps that were more than basic. He may, but going to ask him wasn¡¯t a risk that Derek wanted to take. So, he¡¯d let Silvi pick out a few dungeons on their current continent. Then they would go from there. ¡°We are going hunting,¡± Derek said. ¡°And you get to pick where.¡± Chapter 521: Ingredients! ¡°I can pick!?¡± Silvi¡¯s childlike voice rang out from her communication crystal. She was very excited at the prospect of choosing which ingredients to go get. ¡°Gimme!¡± She motioned to the map, then hopped to the ground. ¡°Okay,¡± Derek chuckled and sat the map on the ground in front of his companion. Silvi moved her head up and down, intently studying the map of the dungeons on their current continent. While she did that, Derek checked his current skills. Skills Absolute Nullify Lv. 20, Bare Fist Specialty Lv. 5(View Upgrades), Basic Repair Lv.6, Chain Lightning Lv. 20, Channel Void Lv. 20, Cleaning Lv. 16, Cure Toxin Lv. 18, Dismantle Lv. 20, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 4, Fire Resistance Lv. 20, Greater Meditation Lv. 16, Identify Lv. 20, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Mental Resistance Lv. 20, Multi-Strike Lv. 20, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Polearm Specialty Lv. 3 (Void¡¯s Harbinger), Powerstride Lv. 9, Rejuvenation Lv. 20, Spatial Collapse Lv. 9, Spatial Redirection Lv. 5, Spatial Rend Lv. 8, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 12, Time Prison Lv. 20, Void Call Lv. 12, Void Creation Lv. N/A, Void Sense Lv. 20, Void Shift Lv. 15, Void Steps Lv. 20, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A, Whirlwind Slash Lv. 11 A lot of his basic skills, like Cleaning and Basic Repair, had gained a few levels. They weren¡¯t skills he needed really, but he¡¯d neglected them before, so when he had a chance, he chose to use them here and there. All in all, he was surprised at how little effort it actually took to level them. He was especially proud that he¡¯d gotten Dismantle to level 20. He could now dismantle a beast with the best of them. However, out of all the skills he had been leveling lately, he was most proud of Time Prison finally reaching level 20. First was that after it hit level 20, he was able to change the time distortion by a much greater deal than before¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure how much greater, but it was more than he¡¯d been expecting. The final level had increased the distortion by quite a bit more than the previous ones. The number of normal-sized cells that he had inside had also jumped up to 200, and he was able to adjust them bigger or smaller depending on the size of the prisoners. Of course, doing so would either decrease or increase the number of available cells at that time. He thought that it being based on size was quite interesting. That was because Silvi was one of the strongest, if not the strongest, beasts on the planet, yet she could be held in a very small cell. While a huge golem would need a much larger cell. If anything, he thought it should be based on strength and not size, but it wasn¡¯t something he could change. However, what he liked the most about his current Time Prison was the size of the lobby. It was massive. He could fit his shop¡ªunderground and all¡ªinside and still have plenty of room available for other things. As long as he was alive, and people didn¡¯t mind standing elbow to elbow and possibly stacked on top of one another, he felt he could even store a small city¡¯s worth of people inside. Was that something that he would ever do? No... that possibility was near zero. However, it was nice to have the option to be able to ¡®protect¡¯ so many people at once. Finally, he was actually able to commute a sentence now. However, there was a long cooldown if he did it¡ªwhoever he let out without finishing their sentence wouldn¡¯t be able to be imprisoned again for an entire year. Still, he was glad that the option was there. He also wanted to do two last tests with the Time Prison and the void now that it was at level 20. However, he could do those later. He was going to be pretty busy for a while and really... those tests could wait. Finally, and surprisingly, Void Call had gained a bunch of levels, too. It was definitely a hard skill to level, and was getting harder and harder with each level, but after around four days of casting it over and over as soon as possible, it had grown six levels. If he were to use it for another couple of weeks without stopping, he was sure that he could get it to level 20. But that would require him to summon an absolutely staggering amount of Void Beasts from the void, and he didn¡¯t currently want to do that. Honestly, he would do it if it became the last possibility to advance, but, just as before, he wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of slaughtering Void Beasts after meeting Asher. He knew he was being hypocritical because he still did it, but his friends¡¯ futures were more important than his feelings on the matter, so... he would be hypocritical. And if push came to shove, his future was also more important than his feelings on the matter. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn¡¯t actually that many Void Beasts. Yes, it was a lot, but if they were smaller beasts in dungeon waves, Silvi could kill as many as they had defeated in four days, in about four seconds, with her Dragon Flame. Honestly, though¡ªand he hated to admit it¡ªbut since the system came to Earth, then all that had happened to him after the Portal incident, he really had become desensitized to killing. However, he felt it was only natural considering what he¡¯d been through. At least he wasn¡¯t as far gone as many of the people on Earth just weeks after the system came. He was desensitized to killing, and he really enjoyed a good fight, but he didn¡¯t enjoy the killing part¡ªat least, not of humans and other intelligent life. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. In some ways, he was like Silvi. Maybe he¡¯d been hanging around with her too long, but if he saw a beast that looked like it would make a mouth-watering meal, he wouldn¡¯t have any regrets hunting it at all. Especially after Silvi cooked it for him and he was eating it. He looked over at his companion, who was still studying the map, and thought, Still... no elf burgers. Derek closed his status screen¡ªhappy at his current improvements¡ªand waited for Silvi to finish. ¡°We can do any of these?¡± she finally asked. ¡°Any that we can get into,¡± Derek said. ¡°So, nothing under level 250.¡± ¡°What if...¡± she started. ¡°What if somebody else goes into a lower leveled one, and we follow? With Void Travel. There is some juicy sounding meat in this level 225 one.¡± Silvi was being very serious at the moment. It was rare for her to use well thought out and complete sentences. ¡°That...¡± Derek opened his mouth to say that what she was suggestion wasn¡¯t possible, but... could they? Was it possible? ¡°I don¡¯t know... I feel like we would be breaking some rule or something. There are so many things that may go wrong. I can almost guarantee that Dave wouldn¡¯t be happy.¡± ¡°Maybe dungeon explode!¡± Silvi said in jest. ¡°Actually... that is one possibility that I was thinking of,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is possible that we¡¯d be too strong for a lower leveled dungeon to hold.¡± He thought about it for a bit, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s hold off on that. We can ask Dave if we see him again.¡± ¡°Kay...¡± Silvi said. ¡°No juicy crab meat...¡± ¡°Well, there are plenty of crabs and other sea creatures in the sea. We don¡¯t just have to do dungeons,¡± Derek said. ¡°They are just the easiest ways to go... grocery shopping.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi muttered. ¡°We go fishing after dungeons.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Derek said. ¡°Like I said, this is your trip.¡± ¡°Kay!¡± Silvi said happily, then started showing Derek where all they were going. For the most part, she only selected dungeons that Derek and Alanah had already visited, so they would be very easy for them to get to with Void Travel. Though, there were a couple dungeons that had terrible rewards that they hadn¡¯t gone to, that Silvi wanted to visit. Derek was curious what different types of elemental bears would taste like, so he had no problem traveling a little to get to those dungeons. ¡°Ready?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°Whenever you are,¡± Derek said. ¡°Which one first.¡± ¡°This one!¡± Silvi placed her paw on the map, by one of the dungeons that Alanah and he had completed. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said, then opened a portal with Void Travel and walked inside. Silvi followed closely after. Over the following days, Silvi and Derek wreaked havoc on several beast dungeons throughout the four kingdoms on the continent. There were even a few times Silvi had taken them to a popular dungeon where they had to wait their turn. Surprisingly, Silvi was happy to wait because it let her do a bit of showing off by cooking some meals in front of others. Only on two occasions did someone try to steal something that she was cooking. On one of those occasions, Derek thought he wasn¡¯t going to keep Silvi from making a dwarf burger, and the other occasion was even close, as it was an elf who made the scene. Luckily, Silvi held herself back and just sent both people flying a few hundred feet away from the camps. After that, for some reason, their spots in line for the dungeons they were waiting for were moved up. The adventurers around those dungeons were even kind enough to allow them to run them more than once. Silvi was thrilled that she was able to find such kind people everywhere she went. Finally, Derek and Silvi entered the elemental bear dungeon. The rewards were pathetic, as they were basically just gold and nothing magical. Gold was pretty much worthless for Derek, as he had more than he¡¯d ever needed, and his shop was continuing to bring it in. But he had to admit, he was very interested in whether the element of the beast they were eating would cause it to taste different. The dungeon was an easy one. It was one of the basic gladiatorial dungeons where they were spawned in the middle of an arena and had to fight against wave after wave of monster until they fought a final boss at the end. However, there was something very different about the dungeon that had Derek extremely anxious. Before triggering the first wave, Derek quickly glanced at his status sheet. What he saw there made his heart pound in his chest. By the end of the dungeon, he and Silvi would reach level 250. There was no doubt about it. In fact, he was just as anxious about the previous dungeon they had run, but there were fewer monsters than he had expected inside, so they barely missed getting the last level. But here, in the bear dungeon, he was sure they would get there. Derek closed his status sheet and spoke to his companion. ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± ¡°The dungeon?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°Or level 250?¡± ¡°Level 250,¡± Derek clarified. Of course, they were ready for the dungeon. They had no doubt that they could basically stand completely still in the middle of the arena and be safe. But neither of them knew what reaching level 250 might bring. It could do absolutely nothing, but it could be the key to everything. ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Silvi said excitedly. ¡°We advance or we don¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°We can find more ingredients not from here if we advance! I don¡¯t have ingredients to cook recipes tasty magic elf Dave gave me. Can¡¯t find here. Need more spices like ones he gave. So good!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. That was definitely a reason that Silvi would get excited about possibly ascending to another system. Derek was definitely interested in the different beasts and fights they could get into in a different system¡ªparticularly the Origin System. But, more importantly, it would mean that he was a step closer to finding Alanah again, and it would mean that he could grow even stronger. However, he hoped they would be allowed the same window of time to get their affairs in order that Alanah did if they completed the second requirement. If not, not only would he have to find a way to Alanah, but he would also need to find a way back to Cydaria. He couldn¡¯t just leave without saying goodbye, after all. ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said after letting out a long breath. ¡°If you¡¯re ready, then I¡¯m ready.¡± The two of them stood in the center of the arena. Then Derek looked at the dungeon message that had appeared and selected to begin the first wave. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Chapter 522: Level 250 As the message notifying Derek that the wave was beginning disappeared from his vision, he held his arm out and summoned Harbinger into his hand. For the most part, he¡¯d let Silvi sweep through all the previous dungeons during their mini adventure. Now, however, with his anxiety high¡ªhoping that reaching level 250 would do something for him¡ªhe felt like fighting would be a good way to occupy his mind until then. With a grin forming on his face, he saw the first wave of giant bears begin to spawn in. It wasn¡¯t hard to tell what the first bears¡¯ elements were, as the bears that he saw were all so deeply crimson colored that they almost looked black. Derek snorted as the fire elemental bears charged. Of all the possibilities, users of fire magic were his easiest opponents, as not only did he already have Magic Resistance maxed out, but he also had Fire Resistance, too. Though, Other than his face, every other part of his body was well protected either by his armor or his boots, so it really didn¡¯t matter all that much that he had those resistance skills at the moment. For the fight, Derek chose to only use skills that were not yet level twenty. Which meant that most of his fighting was purely physical while he waited for his skills like Spatial Rend and Whirlwind Slash to come off of cooldown, then used them as soon as they did. This allowed the fights to last a little longer. Though... the first wave of bears didn¡¯t last much longer than a couple of minutes. They only lasted that long because of the way that Derek and Silvi were fighting. On top of what he was doing, Silvi was doing her best to slay the beasts with as little damage to their ¡®ingredients¡¯ as possible. It was a habit that began during her Void Beast hunting, and had stayed with her throughout the dungeons. He only hoped that when the time came that Silvi actually had a true opponent, that she would forgo her obsession for unblemished ingredients. Derek chuckled as the second wave began. This time, the dungeon sent out water affinity bears, and, just as they had done with the fire bears, they made quick work of the water ones. After Silvi cut the head off the last bear and was waiting for the third wave to begin, Derek thought to himself, It may not hurt to look for some other resistance skills, too. Especially with the possibility of heading to a more dangerous system. He knew that it probably wouldn¡¯t be too hard for him to obtain Water Resistance and Earth Resistance, and maybe even Wind Resistance, but he wasn¡¯t sure about the other elemental resistances. He¡¯d have to check in with Malorie about it since Alanah was no longer there to help and answer his questions. The third wave came and went just as quickly as the previous two. Derek took a quick glance at his stats before the next wave came, and he let out a sigh. This wave should do it... he thought. His current experience points were on the cusp of reaching the required amount for his next level. He was so excited that he even started shaking. Back on Earth, when the Universal System came, reaching level 250 was only a pipe dream for him and the other humans. Actually, because they were all busy trying to survive invaders, monsters, and other humans, maxing out their level wasn¡¯t really something that anyone talked about, or probably even thought about¡ªhe knew he didn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t even sure of the cap back then. I wonder if any of the others have made it to level 250 yet, Derek thought. Surely someone like Jace... that battle maniac... would have reached it already. That guy was practically made to be a part of that kind of world. There was the time that he was stuck inside the void that would have allowed everyone on Earth to surpass his level, but since breaking out and landing in Cydaria, he¡¯d grown rapidly with his only real setback being the time distortion he had to put up with in the raid dungeon. Derek sighed and methodically cleaved through one earth affinity bear after another. He would use Powerstride or Void Shift to get into the middle of a group, then, when it was ready, he would use Whirlwind Slash to hit them all at once. The earthen bears were, however, a little more defensive than the others, and since he wasn¡¯t using void, they did end up lasting a bit longer. Still, one group after another fell to his lower-level abilities. After around halfway through the battle, Derek received a notification, and his heart leapt. However, he took a calming breath and continued on¡ªchoosing to wait until the dungeon was finished before taking a look. He saw Silvi stutter in her fight when the last level came through, too. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if she would get the same notifications as he did, since she was only considered his beast companion. Mechanically, Derek slaughtered bear after bear until the final wave came. The wave wasn¡¯t very different from the previous¡ªthe only differences being that it was a combination of bears instead of a single element. There were the normal fire, water, earth, and wind, but a few other elements¡ªsuch as lightning, light, and darkness¡ªwere there, too. None of that mattered, though, as Derek barely registered the elements of the beasts before they were hit with a rend or slash. He was way too focused on completing the wave, getting his meager reward, then viewing the notifications. So, when the last bear fell, and the dungeon orb appeared, Derek quickly ran to it to receive the reward¡ªa few hundred gold coins. Derek snorted as he stored the gold in one of his storage rings, then backed away from the dungeon orb. ¡°Did it do it?¡± Silvi asked as she floated close to him on her pot lid. ¡°Did we advance?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ve been putting off looking. If this doesn¡¯t work, then we¡¯re going to have a rough time trying to level all the skills to see if any push us to advancement. And if that doesn¡¯t work, I won¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Will be fine,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Plenty of time. Not old like very nice, non-tasty goblin elf or little old sparky man.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Derek said. ¡°We would be perfectly fine taking our time, but Alanah...¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi nodded her head. ¡°Beautiful Delicious Restaurant Owner might have more recipes. Will need to find her soon.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek half chuckled. ¡°Well... here we go,¡± he finally said, then opened his notifications. Congratulations! You have successfully reached level 250, and the max level of the Great System. However, your journey is not over. You may still grow in other ways. Continue your struggle and become stronger. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. After reading the notification, Derek frowned. Okay... there are other notifications, too. With a little hope left, Derek began flipping through all the other notifications he¡¯d received that he¡¯d been ignoring. ¡°Fuck!¡± he said aloud. All the remaining messages were just there to notify him that he or Silvi had slain a bear and received experience points. The final one was just the message that he¡¯d killed a bear, and it had the normal level up. ¡°No advance?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°No...¡± Derek clenched his fists. Was he really going to have to max out his Void Call and Void Shift skills? What about his spatial skills that were given to him by Dave? Would he need to level those as well? He¡¯d really put most of his eggs in the leveling basket, and was now at a bit of a loss on what to do. ¡°Oh well,¡± Silvi said. ¡°We explore, kill more, cook more.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Derek said. There were still things that he wanted to do, after all. Other than an extremely quick visit that didn¡¯t include any sightseeing, he¡¯d never explored Vallum. He definitely wanted to check out the Kingdom of the Dwarves. Maybe he¡¯d even go pick up Braxton and have the assassin show him around¡ªhe certainly seemed like he knew the place well enough. There was also the other continent. When he and Alanah went there, they were on a mission, and didn¡¯t do much exploring. There were a bunch of dungeons there that he could go into, and he did kind of want to meet Alanah¡¯s old friend. Hell, Marrick was already over there, so he could go have some fun with the old elf. He¡¯d bet that adventuring with him would be a blast. Not to mention, he had more time with his friends. It would be nice seeing the twins grow a bit and seeing Clare and Avery¡¯s boys get into and kick ass in the Academy. Derek thought about all these things, and, though it calmed him down, he couldn¡¯t help but still feel a sense of loss. Was it because he was out of ideas? Or was it the thought that seeing Alanah again might be much further away than he imagined? Was he really looking forward to a real date with the woman so much? Yeah... Derek inwardly chuckled. He kind of was. He was also inwardly cursing the siren for waiting so long to say anything. Not to mention, the more he thought about, the more he cursed himself for the same thing. Derek swiped the final notification away, then pulled up his status sheet. Status Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 31 250 1,545,100,400,450/??? Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) Health: Mana: Stamina: 45000 42375 45000 Stats Strength Dexterity Endurance Vitality Intelligence Wisdom Stat Points Remaining 1650 1650 1800 1800 1695 1695 181 Contracts No Proxy (Crown Restaurant) Silvi (Bonded Beast) Stella Brighton (Crown Restaurant) No Proxy (Torith Adventurer¡¯s Guild) Rudolph Mckinney Natalie Savannah via Malorie Stewart (Void Emporium) View Contract View Status View Contract View Contract View Contract View Contract Skills Absolute Nullify Lv. 20, Bare Fist Specialty Lv. 5(View Upgrades), Basic Repair Lv.8, Chain Lightning Lv. 20, Channel Void Lv. 20, Cleaning Lv. 17, Cure Toxin Lv. 18, Dismantle Lv. 20, Enhanced Movement Speed Lv. 5, Fire Resistance Lv. 20, Greater Meditation Lv. 16, Identify Lv. 20, Magic Resistance Lv. 20, Mental Resistance Lv. 20, Multi-Strike Lv. 20, Physical Resistance Lv. 20, Polearm Specialty Lv. 3 (Void¡¯s Harbinger), Powerstride Lv. 11, Rejuvenation Lv. 20, Spatial Collapse Lv. 10, Spatial Redirection Lv. 6, Spatial Rend Lv. 9, Sweeping Slash Lv. 20, Telepathy Lv. 12, Time Prison Lv. 20, Void Call Lv. 12, Void Creation Lv. N/A, Void Sense Lv. 20, Void Shift Lv. 16, Void Steps Lv. 20, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A, Whirlwind Slash Lv. 12 Skill Points Remaining: 15 Skill Upgrade Points Remaining: 0 Skill Upgrade Points (Origin System) Remaining: 3 Shared Skills from Companion: Active Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Lightning Bolt Lv. 10 Shared Skills to Companion: Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Travel Lv. N/A Skills Available to Share: Absolute Nullify Lv. 10, Channel Void Lv. 10, Time Prison Lv. 10, Void Call Lv. 10, Void Sense Lv. 10, Void Shift Lv. 10, Void Steps Lv. 10, Void Storage Lv. N/A, Void Travel Lv. N/A Achievements Apex Appetite I, Greater Giant Slayer, Jack of All, Lesser Dungeon Explorer, Lesser Dungeon Traveler, Lesser Enigma, Lesser Enforcer of Oaths, Major Repetitive Dungeoneer, Minor Slayer of the Unknown, Solo Diver, Magical Glass Cannon, Meat Shield, Lesser Explorer, Offensive Powerhouse, The Bigger They Are, The Impossible, World Boss I Derek¡¯s eyes fell on his Personal Information, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He didn¡¯t know when, but at some point over the last few months, he¡¯d turned 31 years old. It was one of those things that he rarely bothered looking at, so he hadn¡¯t noticed it before. Didn¡¯t even get a cake, he chuckled. It really didn¡¯t mean anything to him anymore. Really, it only went as far as to help him know that, physically, he¡¯d been out of the void that he¡¯d been stuck in for just over a year. His Experience Points he needed to gain to reach the next level had changed to question marks. He¡¯d seen those before in his stats before he evolved, so it wasn¡¯t a big surprise to him that he was seeing them again. He also had a nice handful of stat points to spend, and he would, eventually. He wasn¡¯t all too worried about them for the time being. As for his skills, he¡¯d had some gains. Nothing to write home about, but he¡¯d gotten a level or two in a lot of the skills that he hadn¡¯t already maxed out. If nothing else, it was good to see. His eyes finally fell on Void Call and Void Shift¡ªhis last good idea on how to advance. That was what did it for Alanah, after all. She finally used her transformation skill and accepted it, and that¡¯s how she got her final advancement. Void Shift and Void Call were two of the earlier void skills that he¡¯d received, so he felt that it was natural that they were what was holding him back. Derek shrugged and closed his status sheet. He had a bunch of skill potions left, and he felt that it was about time to properly focus on Void Shift. Besides, Silvi had already managed to level her Active Void Shift to level 20, and he had fallen way behind. He couldn¡¯t let her get so far ahead of him, could he? With a sigh, he said, ¡°Well... are you ready to go hunt some more?¡± ¡°Always!¡± Silvi said. ¡°Let¡¯s go... I guess,¡± he sighed. Finally, he took a step forward and placed his hand on the dungeon orb and selected ¡®Leave Dungeon.¡¯ The light washed over the duo and they disappeared. Derek¡¯s feet found the ground, and he blinked. Looking around, he saw an oh so familiar empty room with gray walls. Well, it was almost empty. There were a couple of very comfortable-looking recliners in front of him. Derek grinned and let out a breath. I¡¯ve been waiting for a chance to talk to Dave again... this can¡¯t be a coincidence. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± a voice traveled through the air, echoing off the walls. ¡°I was beginning to think you would never reach level 250.¡± ¡°A lot of good it did,¡± Derek said, looking around to try to find Dave. ¡°Yes... a lot of good,¡± Dave¡¯s voice echoed again. ¡°We have much to discuss before you ascend. Remember... you owe me a favor.¡± Chapter 523: Second Meeting For the time being, it didn¡¯t look like Dave was going to show his face, so Derek just shrugged and went to take a seat in the chair provided. It was like sitting on a cloud. I wonder what it would take to get Dave to let me take this with me. Or how hard it would be for Geoffrey to make something even close to as comfortable. Derek let out a sigh of comfort and continued to examine the dark room. Silvi had already hopped onto a small cushion¡ªjust perfect for her tiny body¡ªand was relaxing on the table. She, too, was looking around, though, Derek could only imagine what was going through her mind. If he had to bet, he would place his money on her, being more worried about what kind of food may appear than whether or not Dave was going to come. ¡°Excuse me for a moment,¡± the echoing voice said. ¡°I am... preoccupied, but I will be with you shortly.¡± ¡°Fine by me...¡± Derek said to no one, and shrugged. He didn¡¯t mind waiting¡ªespecially if he was going to get some answers. It also didn¡¯t hurt that he was extremely comfortable at the moment. So... Derek waited. It felt like forever before Dave¡¯s body materialized at the end of the room and the robed elf stepped forward. ¡°I am sorry about the wait,¡± Dave said as he came to the area where Derek and Silvi were sitting. The man looked down and Silvi and chuckled, then waved his hand. A pastry the size of Silvi appeared before her, and her eyes widened in delight. ¡°I suppose you would like some coffee?¡± Dave asked Derek. ¡°Unless you have some iced tea,¡± Derek said with a smile, not expecting the man to have any. Coffee was amazing, but it had been a very long time since he had some old-fashioned sweat tea. ¡°Hmm... from your planet? Yes?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Well... yeah...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°One moment...¡± Dave said, then stared off into space for a moment. Finally, he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that is something I cannot provide at the moment. However, should we meet again, I will be sure to have some on hand.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. ¡°Coffee is fine, then.¡± Dave nodded, then a mug appeared in front of Derek. ¡°Thanks.¡± Derek took the mug and took a sip. The Crown Restaurant had gotten their coffee to taste quite good over the months since it was introduced, but nothing¡ªnot on Earth, nor Cydaria¡ªhad come even close to the sip he¡¯d just took. It was indescribably delicious. ¡°It is the least I can do for the wait,¡± Dave said. ¡°I had a... subordinate throwing a tantrum.¡± The man clicked his tongue. ¡°Anyway, that is neither here nor there. We have much to discuss.¡± Derek took a deep breath in and let it out. His anxiety spiked again and his body tensed. Here we go... he thought. ¡°Where¡¯s mine?¡± Silvi said from the side, completely ignorant of Derek¡¯s internal struggle. ¡°Need beverage. Wash down cake. Delicious... cake.¡± ¡°Ah. It seems that slipped my mind again,¡± Dave said with a chuckle, then a perfectly sized bowl of the liquid appeared on the table that Silvi was on. ¡°Please excuse my poor manners, Ms. Silvi.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed. ¡°You¡¯re excused.¡± Dave smiled what seemed to be a genuine smile at Silvi, then turned back to Derek. ¡°You have a very interesting companion.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Derek nodded in agreement. ¡°Now... about that discussion?¡± ¡°Oh, yes...¡± Dave said. ¡°Let¡¯s see... where do I begin?¡± ¡°How about that favor?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Ah... we will get to that, but first, I believe you may have a question for me?¡± Dave said. ¡°Fine...¡± Derek said. ¡°What do I need to do to advance?¡± ¡°What do you think you need to do?¡± Dave asked back. This guy... Derek thought, but decided to humor him. ¡°I thought I would need to work on my skills. To grow my Affinity. But I did, and it didn¡¯t seem to do anything other than have the obvious benefits. So, I thought that maybe I just needed to reach the max level. But I did that, too, and nothing. Do I need to level all my void related skills to max? Is that it?¡± ¡°Oh, how interesting,¡± Dave said. ¡°You... wanted to increase your affinity? Here?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Derek frowned. ¡°Mr. Hunt...¡± Dave said with an entertained smile. ¡°That... is impossible.¡± Dave then quieted and rubbed his chin. ¡°No... that may yet still be possible for one such as yourself,¡± he muttered. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I can¡¯t increase my affinity here?¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Mr. Hunt...¡± ¡°Call me Derek,¡± Derek said. ¡°No more of this Mr. Hunt.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Dave said. ¡°Derek, do you know what the two requirements for advancement are for my... Davenr... uhem... Great System?¡± he asked. Derek¡¯s eyes narrowed. He didn¡¯t miss the weird slip of the tongue by the elf, but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°A certain amount of skill points and closeness, or affinity, to one¡¯s skills?¡± As far as he knew, those were what Alanah had used to advance. ¡°Mhm...¡± Dave said as a cup appeared in his hand, and he took a sip. ¡°You must have four of your six main stats at the cap of 1500, and your affinity with your chosen aspect, whether that is an element, weapon, or...¡± he looked over at Silvi. ¡°Or even craft... has reached the proper system affinity.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. That was basically what he thought. ¡°No... I don¡¯t think you do,¡± Dave said. ¡°At least... not completely.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Hmm... how to explain?¡± Dave touched his chin again in thought. Finally, he shrugged. ¡°So, first of all, no two systems are the same... other than the Universal Systems¡ªthat is something you must know. Even systems have their... preferred affinities.¡± ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Systems have affinities?¡± ¡°To a certain extent, yes,¡± Dave said. ¡°My... uh... that is to say, your current system, believe it or not, actually has a high affinity with void due to certain circumstances.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why my void affinity is so high?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave said. ¡°Not at all. In fact, that just happened to be a coincidence. Derek... I do not believe your affinity has grown since you arrived here. In fact, if the Origin System had found you earlier, I believe you would have completed its first requirement for advancement as soon as it had. Still, you would have ended up in much of the same situation as you are now, except with the damned... the Origin System ¡®hanging¡¯ around earlier.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Derek was confused, so he decided to just listen until the end, then ask questions. ¡°So, your affinity grew to an unknown level while trapped inside the void¡ªthat is, at least, my theory,¡± Dave explained. ¡°Do you know what the requirements are to receive a Mythical class?¡± ¡°Not really?¡± Derek said. ¡°I assume it is having a high enough affinity.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dave said. ¡°You must be at your level 200 class upgrade or higher, and have the required amount of affinity. That is to say, an affinity of 50% or higher for your current system.¡± Derek thought back to his evolution in the raid dungeon, then said, ¡°But the Origin System basically said that the Great System¡¯s ability to support my affinity was only at 45%.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Dave said. ¡°Hence, the assistance.¡± ¡°But you said that the Great System has a high void affinity,¡± Derek said. ¡°And it does, as far as this tier is concerned,¡± Dave said. ¡°Void is a very rare affinity, and hard to come by. 45% allows the Great System to support up to Legendary classes, and for a user to be able to grow a small amount more.¡± The elf looked intently at Derek. ¡°But it cannot support a Mythical Class that needs 50% affinity to unlock.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek was beginning to understand. ¡°Which brings us back to the requirements to advance in your current... well, your half-current system,¡± Dave said. ¡°A 50% or higher affinity in your aspect. If one is able to reach that before level 200, then a Mythical class awaits them. This is true for all systems that have a level cap of 250. At 40%, you are able to obtain a Legendary class as low as level 50, but that is incredibly rare. Even the most talented prodigies in the Origin System usually do not obtain their Legendary class until level 100.¡± That gave Derek a thought. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then Brandi...¡± ¡°Ah, yes... the young crafter?¡± Dave said. ¡°She is quite talented. Perhaps even at the level of a prodigy. Such high affinity with crafting in general at such a young age. It is a pity. Had the girl begun with more opportunities, or even limited her focus early on, she may have become Legendary at level 50. I believe that she just barely missed it. Though, her affinity is clearly rising quickly now that she has a dedicated workplace. I suspect that those 50 levels in between will not slow her down one bit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said with a sigh. He was happy that Brandi was doing so well, even in the eyes of the mysterious elf. ¡°And Thomas?¡± he had to ask. ¡°The young Soul Spear?¡± Dave rubbed his chin. ¡°The boy is quite good. There is a chance that in the Origin System, he could become an elite. Perhaps not a prodigy, but your influence on the boy has certainly given him a bright future. He could be compared to the young lightning prince friend of yours if he continues to grow in the same fashion as he has been. It is a shame about the young lightning user, though. He could have been ever so slightly stronger had he not taken the easy way for levels.¡± Derek knew that Thomas was behind Brandi by a bit in just about everything, but it was still good. Being compared to Edgar was not a bad thing. Though he did feel for Edgar. The man complained a lot about having to power level in the dungeon under the palace, and Dave had just confirmed that Edgar was right to be angry about it. ¡°Though I suspect he will continue to grow just fine,¡± Dave finished. ¡°That¡¯s good, too,¡± Derek said. He wanted to ask about everyone else he knew. Dave was a fountain of information that he hadn¡¯t even thought he wanted to know. However, he didn¡¯t know how much time Dave would have for him, or if the elf would even indulge him. So, he moved on to a question that Dave¡¯s explanations had caused him to think of. ¡°So, some people who end up with a rare affinity that isn¡¯t supported by the system are just... stuck?¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± Dave said. ¡°That is where the ability to request assistance comes in if we so choose to do so.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°And how often do you choose to do so?¡± ¡°Rarely,¡± Dave said. ¡°But that is mostly because those aspects are rare, and it is even more rare for someone who is drawn to one of them to reach an affinity high enough to need assistance.¡± ¡°So... Alanah, and her... vibration affinity? Reached 50% and completed the requirement?¡± Derek asked. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what her affinity was exactly, but vibration had to be close. ¡°Ah, the siren,¡± Dave said. ¡°Hers is one of the rare aspects, too. However, she was lucky that the system was able to support it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to see a pattern with the Great System and rare elements and things...¡± Derek said. ¡°Are you now?¡± Dave smiled widely. ¡°As I said in our last discussion. It is a quality system.¡± ¡°So... the Universal System?¡± Derek asked. ¡°At its tier... Legendary,¡± Dave answered the question Derek hadn¡¯t asked yet. ¡°All aspects in the Universal System are able to reach an affinity to allow Legendary classes. To increase your affinity more than that requires outside interference, assistance, or incredible luck...¡± Dave looked pointedly at Derek. ¡°Such as getting trapped in the void for a century or two... or ten...¡± he shrugged. ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Yeah... luck,¡± Derek snorted, thinking about the torture he¡¯d gone through in the void. ¡°Anyway,¡± Dave said. ¡°We have veered a bit off course. Those are the requirements for the Great System. But you, you are more concerned about the ones for the Origin System.¡± Chapter 524: Jack-in-the-Box ¡°Well... what are they?¡± Derek finally asked after seeing Dave sit across from him with a smile on his face for longer than he was expecting. ¡°Both are quite similar,¡± Dave finally replied. ¡°As you know, one of them is reaching an affinity that is beyond your current system¡ªwith some exceptions. As for the other... it is also given for reaching something that is beyond your current system.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I thought that it may have been stats, but I have all of my stats over 1,500 points already, so I know that it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°You are correct,¡± Dave said. ¡°At least in your case. The requirements for each system can vary somewhat. The same is true for the Origin System. In fact, in another system¡ªa higher tier system¡ªyour stats may very well allow you to advance to the Origin System. It may not even require you to have as high of an affinity¡ªat least, relative to said system. But, for this jump to the Origin System, first, you must have the affinity to evolve. Second...¡± Dave paused for a moment and waited for Derek. ¡°Well?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Second?¡± Dave slightly chuckled. ¡°You must use that evolution to surpass the maximum level of your current system. It is a feat so simple in nature, yet nearly impossible to accomplish since you cannot obtain it without first obtaining the other.¡± ¡°I have to pass the maximum level?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I have to break level 250?¡± ¡°Precisely so,¡± Dave said. ¡°It is a reason why I waited for you to reach our ¡®max¡¯ level before contacting you again.¡± ¡°How do I do it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°How?¡± Dave repeated. ¡°Derek, allow me to ask you a couple of slightly invasive questions.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°So, you have reached level 250, yes?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have brought me here if I hadn¡¯t, right?¡± ¡°I just needed to double check,¡± Dave said. ¡°I am not privy to all of your stats anymore. Not since the Origin System took a liking to you¡ªas we have previously discussed.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes... I am level 250.¡± ¡°How much experience does it say that you need to get to the next level?¡± Dave asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Derek replied. ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of question marks.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Dave said. ¡°And how much experience do you have currently? Going towards those question marks?¡± Derek frowned, but found no reason to hold anything back. ¡°Around a trillion and a half...¡± Dave¡¯s smile grew even larger. ¡°Well... there you have it.¡± ¡°There I have what?¡± Derek asked. How was he supposed to figure out what Dave was saying when he wasn¡¯t being specific? ¡°Well,¡± Dave said. ¡°You see, when someone of this system reaches level 250, the essence they receive towards their level is halted as their body can no longer handle any more. It is also a reason that skills begin to level slower¡ªas their body absorption of essence is no longer able to assist the skill¡¯s essence absorption. So, that, along with beasts no longer having a higher amount of essence than the user, tend to make skill leveling at that point... how would you put it... a grind.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°But I...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dave replied. ¡°You do not have that problem. Yes, your skill leveling will become slow due to the nature of level differences, but you will not have the handicap of not having your body¡¯s help in absorption. So, while it may be slow, it will not be as slow as others.¡± ¡°And my level...¡± Derek mouthed. ¡°Will continue to grow as it always has,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Though I am not sure what your current requirement for essence is to reach level 251.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I just have to... keep killing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Dave said with a smile. ¡°Something simple, yet so impossible that only someone such as yourself would ever be able to pull it off.¡± ¡°That... that¡¯s easy!¡± For the first time in a while, a wave of relief washed over Derek¡¯s face, and he smiled. ¡°More dungeons!¡± Silvi chimed up from the side. ¡°Yes,¡± Dave said. ¡°You may run more dungeons and obtain your level. That would most certainly be the quickest way.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Derek leaned back in his chair and sighed. ¡°That is a load off my shoulders,¡± he said. ¡°However,¡± Dave said, causing Derek to set back up in preparation to receive bad news. ¡°Once you gain your next level, you will have out-leveled any dungeon in this system and will no longer be able to enter them.¡± ¡°Eh... that¡¯s fine,¡± Derek said. ¡°I won¡¯t need to enter anymore, anyway.¡± ¡°No more dungeon ingredients...¡± Silvi didn¡¯t take the news quite as well as Derek, but she bounced back pretty quickly. ¡°Until advance! Then... many more dungeon ingredients!¡± ¡°That is one way to look at it,¡± Dave said with a laugh. ¡°Derek, your companion has a very interesting outlook on life.¡± ¡°That, she does,¡± Derek replied. ¡°That, I do!¡± Silvi chimed in again. And both Dave and Derek chuckled. After that, Derek asked, ¡°What if Silvi and I use Void Travel to break into one of the dungeons around here? I don¡¯t feel like it would be able to stop us if we had a target.¡± ¡°To be perfectly honest, I have never heard of something like that happening,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Though the safeguards are there for a reason. The most likely scenario is that you would cause the dungeon to overflow, as it would not be able to handle you, and it may release monsters. Another scenario is that the dungeon could explode or... wink out of existence. I would prefer you not experiment with that.¡± ¡°But... what if we level up while inside the dungeon?¡± Derek asked. ¡°The Origin System will be there,¡± Dave said with a shrug. ¡°It won¡¯t allow anything to go wrong. The most likely scenario in that case is that it will restrain your level until you leave the dungeon, and you won¡¯t even know you made it until you leave to the overworld. But I am certain that you, and the dungeon, will be perfectly safe with the Origin System watching.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. That explanation came with another sense of relief. Finding a good dungeon and running it would definitely be the fastest way to gain his next, unknown, level. It would be a shame if he had to go through worrying that he was getting close when he, in fact, had no clue how much experience he actually needed to level. Hell, Derek thought. For all I know, this next level may need ten or even one hundred times more experience points... or essence... than the last one. It could even need more. How much experience will the Origin System need me to get to satisfy it? Is it even up to the Origin System? ¡°Is the amount of... essence... I need for the next level decided by the Origin System?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Maybe...¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°I do not have full records on this scenario. Only base information on the recorded times it has happened in the past. The amount of essence is never discussed, as it is not something that is usually shared with anyone outside of the Origin System¡ªwhich you cannot hide it from.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek replied. It¡¯s going to be like a Jack-in-the-Box, Derek thought with some amusement. Pop goes the level. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his childish thoughts. ¡°What is it?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Just something stupid that I compared it to. An old children¡¯s toy that I used to have,¡± Derek explained. ¡°Not knowing when something is going to happen until it does.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Dave replied, but didn¡¯t say anything else about it. ¡°Our time grows limited. Are there any other questions you would like to ask?¡± ¡°The time is limited?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Who decides that? We are only able to speak for a set time?¡± ¡°Well... no,¡± Dave said with a smile. ¡°But I am a busy man. As much as I would like to sit and chat with you for an entire day, I... unfortunately, have other obligations I must fulfill. But I may answer some of your questions if you have any, depending on the question, that is. Remember, certain answers are better for you to find out on your own.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Derek said. He was definitely sure that Dave could answer most all of his questions, but chose not to on occasion for one reason or another. He wouldn¡¯t hold it against the mysterious elf if he chose to not answer any at all. The man was already doing him a big enough favor by answering what he had. Derek had no clue how long it would have taken him to get to level 251 without knowing that it was something he needed to aim for. Would he have continued running dungeons, or would he have gone back to his shop and sulked¡ªnot knowing how to advance? ¡°So... questions?¡± Dave asked, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek replied. Then he asked one of the questions he had. ¡°Are there more than two requirements? Like, does it only take two to advance, but there are more you can obtain¡ªfor like... an award or something from the Origin System?¡± ¡°That... is a good question,¡± Dave said. ¡°I have never heard of such a thing, so I would lean towards two. However, just because I have not heard of it, doesn¡¯t mean that it is true. Most people who complete the requirements ascend well before they are forced to¡ªthe thought of being able to grow even stronger too much to hold off on. The Origin System may change things on a whim, too. So, it is not something that I can answer with accuracy. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t try. Who knows? Maybe if you work on your skills or stat points, you may gain something. It isn¡¯t something that I would fret over, but if you are able to do it with no real cost, why not try?¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Derek muttered. He hadn¡¯t expected an answer like that, but it all made sense. He did like the fact that Dave wasn¡¯t too prideful to admit when he didn¡¯t know something. At least, that was how the man had come off so far. Derek thought about his list of skills, which was his next stop if leveling didn¡¯t work. Maybe he¡¯d still give them a ¡®look¡¯ once things were settled. ¡°Well,¡± Dave said. ¡°Do you have any more questions?¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Derek asked rhetorically. ¡°I have a ton. Like... seven or eight more that I can think of off the top of my head.¡± ¡°How about three?¡± Dave said. ¡°And if I cannot provide you with a good answer, maybe an extra.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Derek said. Three questions were definitely better than none, so he wanted to make them count. He went through the questions in his head that he¡¯d been thinking about since his last meeting with Dave and tried to prioritize them. He wanted to ask about the favor, but he was sure that was something that Dave would get to on his own. What to ask first... he thought for a bit longer, then asked, ¡°What about my lifespan? Will I grow old like Edward still, or did my evolution really change that?¡± ¡°Little Sparky... old, nice man... give ingredients...¡± Silvi muttered from the side while munching on something new that Dave had given her during their conversation. ¡°Old age is something that you will not have to worry about for a very long time,¡± Dave explained. ¡°Not even the oldest elf in this system could compare to the age you may reach¡ªand that is if you do not continue to grow. If you do... who knows?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Derek mumbled. He was sort of expecting that answer because of his evolution, but hearing it for a fact definitely brought new emotions to him. What about everyone he cares about? Well, if he could evolve and increase his lifespan, surely, he could help them do the same, right? And those thoughts led him to his next question, one that had been weighing on him heavily for some time. ¡°Once I complete my requirements to advance, will I be able to bring my friends with me?¡± Chapter 525: Questions and Answers ¡°You want to bring your friends with you when you ascend?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to leave everything that I¡¯ve built here behind. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to come back when I advance, so, at all possible, I want... need... to be able to bring them with me. At least, those who choose to follow.¡± ¡°You would want to take the young smith and the spear boy with you, yes?¡± Dave asked, causing Derek to frown. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Derek said. ¡°If I can find a way to safely take them with me, then there is no way I wouldn¡¯t unless they didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Dave muttered. His hind instinctively moved to his chin while he thought about the question. Derek held his breath, knowing that, if anyone would know if he could help his friends, it would be Dave. ¡°That would be quite the blow...¡± Dave muttered almost silently, Derek barely heard what he said, and wasn¡¯t sure if he even heard correctly. ¡°What was that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It was nothing...¡± Dave waved Derek¡¯s question off. ¡°About your question. I... cannot answer it at this time.¡± ¡°Can not, or will not?¡± Derek asked. Dave looked sharply at Derek, then said, ¡°Does it make a difference? Either way, you will not receive an answer to that question today. But perhaps... the next time we speak.¡± Of course it makes a difference, Derek wanted to say, but then, he was just thinking about how Dave didn¡¯t have to answer any questions at all. ¡°For now...¡± Derek said. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t. But if I ascend before we speak again...¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Dave said with a smile, the serious and thoughtful expression on his face replaced with his casual demeanor once again. ¡°Okay?¡± Derek didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Since I was not able to answer that question, you may replace it with another,¡± Dave said. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek replied, happy that Dave was letting him continue on, but still a touch emotional that he wouldn¡¯t give him an answer to the question he wanted to know the answer to most. ¡°In that case... I have some Skill Upgrade Points available that were given to me by the Origin System. Are those something that I should...¡± ¡°Save them!¡± Dave leaned forward and said. ¡°You must not spend them on anything you currently have.¡± Dave tisk¡¯d and shook his head. ¡°You are a very lucky human.¡± ¡°So... they¡¯re good?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Good?¡± Dave chuckled. ¡°The Upgrade Points given by our system are just a pale imitation of those given by the Origin System.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dave said. ¡°Any skill... any skill in the universe,¡± he continued. ¡°They can be used to upgrade unless it is maxed.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that basically the same as the normal ones?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No,¡± Dave replied. ¡°It is not. Those points can only be used to upgrade skills you obtain here, of this tier. The others... can be used on any skill, of any tier. Remember, we spoke about your two skills that do not have levels that are not your storage skill?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You could use it on them if you so choose to do so,¡± Dave replied. ¡°They were rewarded from the Origin System and are much higher tier than the others. Though, even when you are able to level them, I suggest you save the Origin Points and do not squander them when they are at a lower level.¡± ¡°So, basically use them the same as the other ones, but on the better skills,¡± Derek said. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Now, what else? I will answer one final question.¡± Derek frowned, thinking about the other questions he had. None were as important as the ones he already asked¡ªat least to him, at the moment. Should I ask more about my Mythical Class? What about Klaus and all the questions I ended up with after talking to him? I¡¯m also interested in how the World Boss came about, but I don¡¯t think it would be worth wasting a question on that. Hmm... Derek also touched his chin in thought. ¡°It is not easy, is it?¡± Dave asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thinking of a question to ask when you have so many in mind,¡± the elf answered. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Derek said. ¡°Not at all.¡± Dave smiled, then brought his cup up to his mouth and took a sip as he waited. Even though he said that he didn¡¯t have a lot of time, he didn¡¯t seem to be becoming impatient or anything. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Ingredients!¡± Silvi half-should. ¡°We should about getting more ingredients from him!¡± ¡°That...¡± Derek didn¡¯t know what to say. He wanted information, and she just wanted Dave to give her something straight up. ¡°Unfortunately, Ms. Silvi,¡± Dave replied to the bunny. ¡°I am currently unable to give you any ingredients. But, rest assured, once you advance to the Origin System, no ingredient will be out of your reach as long as you can pay the cost.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi nodded in confirmation. ¡°We need to level.¡± ¡°We will...¡± Derek said. ¡°We will.¡± Then, there was one question left that stuck out to him just a bit more than any of his others. Though it was a question that he would likely be able to find out for himself. Still, it would be good to know, so I don¡¯t waste time or end up in danger, he thought. ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Dave asked. ¡°What would you like to know?¡± ¡°Would it be okay... to travel to Earth?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You wish to travel back to your home world?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Derek said. ¡°And I know I can do it. I can feel some of the people I was... acquainted with before I left. They are far away, and I think it would take a lot of effort, but with my Void Travel skill, I think I can make it. And if I can make it there, then I can make it back.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Dave rubbed his chin once again. ¡°That is an interesting question, too. You have surprised me yet again.¡± ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You said that if I were to somehow end up back on a planet with the Universal System, it wouldn¡¯t take over like this one did. Earth is part of that system, so would anything go wrong if I go back? To visit before I advance?¡± ¡°Oh, dear...¡± Dave chuckled. ¡°That would be something interesting, indeed. But I really do not believe you would have anything to worry about,¡± he finally answered. ¡°Really?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well,¡± Dave started. ¡°With your strength, I think you will be okay.¡± ¡°What does my strength have to do with it?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well, how are creatures not of the... Great System treated here?¡± Dave asked. ¡°They... Void Beasts...¡± Derek muttered, realizing what Dave was getting at. ¡°So, I¡¯d be like... worth an Achievement... or Title for the folks back on Earth if I go there?¡± ¡°I would assume so,¡± Dave said. ¡°But, as I said, I don¡¯t believe you have anything to fear as long as you make your time there brief. I would not suggest staying there for an extended amount of time, though. A few hunters here and there won¡¯t be able to cause you any harm, but it is not impossible that the Universal System creates a quest for you to be hunted. Then, those few hunters who try to Identify you and receive notice that you are not from the Universal System may turn into dozens, hundreds... thousands or more... even.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°There are few things more helpful to a system than the slaying of someone or something that is bound to another system,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Wait...¡± Derek said. ¡°But I was from another system when I came here.¡± ¡°Yes, you were,¡± Dave said. ¡°And you are very welcome.¡± Derek¡¯s mouth hung open at that realization. Finally, he decided to ask, ¡°Why is that so beneficial to the system, anyway?¡± ¡°Uh-uh-uh,¡± Dave moved his index finger back and forth. ¡°You have already asked your third question.¡± ¡°Dang...¡± Derek muttered under his breath. He asked a question and now had a question that he was very interested in knowing the answer to. He clicked his tongue and continued speaking about his previous question. ¡°So, some people on Earth may try to take make out when they see me, and the other system might issue something like a bounty on my head while I¡¯m there. That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°That is all I believe you will have to worry about,¡± Dave chuckled. ¡°Others... well, you showing up may send some others in a tizzy. It would be quite fun to watch.¡± ¡°Another question you won¡¯t answer, right?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Indeed,¡± Dave replied. ¡°But, to straightforwardly answer your question, it is most definitely safe for you to visit Earth as long as you do not extend your stay. Unless you don¡¯t mind slaughtering dozens and dozens of system users who are only trying to do what the system asks.¡± ¡°I guess that would depend on the people,¡± Derek said. ¡°But yes, I get what you mean. I think... I will visit Earth once I reach level 251, then.¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave said. ¡°If you wish to go, it would be best to do so before you complete the second requirement.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Derek asked. ¡°What difference does it make?¡± ¡°Well, being level 251 and having the requirements met would be completely unknown territory to me. I cannot guarantee something unfortunate won¡¯t happen if you go after you have the requirements met,¡± Dave explained. ¡°There are just too many variables to consider doing it that way. So yes, please do go, but only before you reach the level.¡± ¡°Oh... I guess that makes sense,¡± Derek said. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t the Origin System watch me there, just like it does here? And if something goes wrong, wouldn¡¯t I just be able to ascend?¡± ¡°And leave all those you care about behind?¡± Dave raised his brow. ¡°That is to say, if there is a way to bring them with you, of course. If not, would you wish to ascend without saying goodbye?¡± Derek¡¯s eyes narrowed, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Dave seemed to be pretty intent on Derek not leaving after meeting the requirements. ¡°Fine, I will go before I level,¡± Derek finally said. ¡°Good choice,¡± Dave replied¡ªseemingly relieved. I wonder what had him so worked up, Derek thought. Finally, he shrugged, then asked Silvi, ¡°Do you want to see my home world?¡± ¡°Will there be ingredients?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how wise it would be to kill things there, unless we have to,¡± Derek said, then he looked at Dave and said, ¡°You know... with us being so close to reaching the second requirement.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Dave said. Derek felt like, if he wanted to at that moment, he would be able to push things and get more answers from Dave, or maybe even some ingredients for Silvi. However, he also felt that doing so may get rid of any of the goodwill he had built up with the man. So, he decided not to push. But that didn¡¯t mean that he wasn¡¯t going to ask about something that had been in his mind since Alanah mentioned it before her ascension. It was something that he really didn¡¯t care if he got an answer to or not, so that¡¯s why he saved the question until he¡¯d asked the important ones. ¡°Dave,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is the Great System really called the Davenresh System?¡± he asked. ¡°What?¡± Dave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How...¡± ¡°Well, Alanah told me that she would be traveling from the Davenresh System,¡± Derek said. ¡°Not to mention, you haven¡¯t exactly been subtle about not liking calling it the ¡®Great System,¡¯ and there¡¯s the fact that you have slipped up and almost called it that on more than one occasion.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Dave said. ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t actually a secret.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The notifications come up as ¡®The Great System¡¯ because it is what caught on with the users, so that is what appears. It is tailored to the person.¡± ¡°So... it will come up as Davenresh for me now? You know, since I know its actual name?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Dave said. ¡°And why is it called the Davenresh System?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Who knows?¡± Dave replied with a smile. ¡°While I may not consider your knowledge about it as part of your questions... that, I¡¯m afraid, is another question.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek chuckled. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡± ¡°It was,¡± Dave said with a laugh, then his expression changed to one of seriousness. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time that I asked some questions of my own.¡± Chapter 526: The Favor ¡°You want to ask me a question?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you know more about any of this than I do.¡± ¡°That may be so,¡± Dave said. ¡°But this question... it is more personal in nature.¡± ¡°Well... go ahead,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll answer it if I can, or if it isn¡¯t something that I don¡¯t want to talk about.¡± He certainly wasn¡¯t going to talk to Dave about everything that had happened with his family. Though he was pretty sure that Dave knew about all of that already. He¡¯d already shown that he could listen in on things, and since Derek already told Alanah, and even the others to a lesser extent, his story, then Dave should also already know. It really wasn¡¯t the best feeling, knowing that someone was out there with such power that they could basically spy on him any time he wanted, but he¡¯d come to terms with it. Besides, he had the Origin System and his evolution now, and those things had apparently made it much more difficult for Dave to see everything about Derek. ¡°Well...¡± Dave said, almost hesitating. ¡°You just spoke to me about wanting to re-visit your home planet...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you have any attachments left there?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Would you mind explaining to me how you feel about it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Derek started, then stopped. Do I have any attachments left on Earth? How do I feel about it? He asked himself internally. Honestly, he couldn¡¯t think of much of anything. He planned to visit his cabin and maybe Silvi¡ªif only to berate her for closing the portal on him. But, other than picking up a picture or two¡ªif they were even still there¡ªhe couldn¡¯t think of anything else. ¡°Not really...¡± he finally answered. ¡°There is almost nothing, or nobody, left there that I know. Those who are, I never knew well...¡± ¡°Then, would you say that this place... these people... hold a greater place in your heart and mind? Dave asked. ¡°This place?¡± Derek thought about all the connections he¡¯d made. ¡°Of course,¡± he answered quickly. If he wasn¡¯t, then why would he worry about being able to bring his friends with him once he had to leave? ¡°It¡¯s not been long, but there are people here that I... know... better than almost anyone I ever knew back home.¡± Except for my sister... he thought, but didn¡¯t say. ¡°So... you would choose to protect this place and those people over your old planet if it came to it?¡± Dave asked. ¡°What are you asking? Is something going to happen to Earth?¡± Derek said. ¡°No, no, no...¡± Dave waved Derek¡¯s question away. ¡°Perhaps I asked the question incorrectly. Would you choose to protect those on this planet over those on... Earth?¡± ¡°I... would rather not have to choose,¡± Derek said. ¡°But if I had to... then yes, there are way more people that I care about just in Cydaria than there are left on Earth. I can only think of two people that I have any kind of caring relationship with on Earth. And ¡®caring¡¯ may even be too strong of a word for what I feel.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Dave said. ¡°What does this have to do with anything?¡± Derek asked. ¡°What are you getting at?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe ¡®Earth¡¯ will have anything to do with anything, but... there is a slight possibility...¡± the elf sighed, then said, ¡°I guess it¡¯s time that I explained some things that you need to know before I ask for that favor,¡± Dave said. ¡°So, we¡¯ve already discussed there being multiple systems in the universe, and how the one which encompassed your planet¡ªEarth¡ªwas the Universal System.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°When you came here and had parts of the Universal System still accompanying you, we worked to suppress it,¡± Dave explained, and Derek nodded. ¡°Well, the Universal System is still¡ªwas still¡ªconnected to you.¡± ¡°Was?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes, I am unsure if it is still connected, as the Origin System¡¯s interference may have completely severed the connection, and if it didn¡¯t, your traveling in the void could have destroyed the link as well. I honestly could not tell you,¡± Dave explained. ¡°But that is neither here nor there. What I want you to know is that when you came here, and we interfered, it set many things in motion. Things that could end up being very rewarding... or potentially devastating to me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Derek asked. ¡°What was set in motion?¡± ¡°The Universal System,¡± Dave said. ¡°Noticing the interference, it set out to find the Davenresh System¡ªto find you.¡± ¡°What... does that mean?¡± Derek asked. He had an idea of where Dave was going with everything, but he did not like what he was thinking. ¡°The Universal System is on a collision course with the Davenresh System, and will be here soon,¡± Dave said. ¡°I had thought that I wouldn¡¯t even need to ask of you this favor, because it didn¡¯t seem like you were going to meet the requirements to advance before the systems collide, but, now, I believe you will, and you will well before the other system arrives.¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re asking is?¡± ¡°Do not ascend,¡± Dave said. ¡°Grow, unlock the requirements, but once you do, wait. The Davenresh System needs your help if it is going to overcome this collision. Your friends¡ªif they are unable to go with you¡ªwill need your help. There will be plenty of time to ascend later.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°What can I do to help with something like that?¡± ¡°More than you know,¡± Dave said. ¡°You will understand when the time comes. Things would have been easier had the siren not reached her limit¡ªhad she unlocked the requirements later. But, alas...¡± Dave clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°So... you¡¯re saying that the other system is coming here... because of me?¡± Derek couldn¡¯t really wrap his head around it. He¡¯d just spent so much time making sure the world was safe for all his friends. Now he was being told that his past system was on the way... and it was his fault. ¡°Yes and no,¡± Dave said. ¡°Yes, in the sense that the Universal System found the Davenresh System because of you, but I could have just as well chosen to... eliminate or ignore you instead of helping. The Universal System would have been none the wiser if that had happened. But I did not choose that option. So, the blame is solely on me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Why would you choose to interfere if you knew what would happen? You did know what would happen, right?¡± ¡°Of course I did,¡± Dave said. ¡°You are not the first system traveler in the universe, and you won¡¯t be the last. There are records, and... let¡¯s just say that choosing to interfere was a very risky choice, but the results could be very, very rewarding.¡± ¡°What results? What is going to happen when the Universal System gets here?¡± Derek asked again. ¡°That... I cannot tell you,¡± Dave said. ¡°Can¡¯t, or won¡¯t?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Some of both,¡± Dave said. ¡°But mostly... can¡¯t. There are some things that the Origin System is very picky about when it comes to information given to lower tier beings. Let¡¯s just say that this is one of those things. But, as I said before, you don¡¯t have to worry. You will find out soon enough.¡± Derek didn¡¯t say anything for a long while, and the two just sat across from one another, staring. The only sound that could be heard was Silvi munching on a cake without a care in the world. ¡°And what if I choose to ascend?¡± Derek finally asked. ¡°Then it will be a big setback for me,¡± Dave answered with a sigh. ¡°A setback?¡± Derek asked. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Dave snorted. ¡°Trust me, the setback would not be good for me. It may not be devastating, but it will hurt me severely. But it could be devastating for others.¡± ¡°And what about my friends?¡± Derek asked¡ªin the event that he wasn¡¯t able to take them with him. ¡°Would it be devastating for them?¡± ¡°There is a chance that they would die,¡± Dave said. ¡°It¡¯s not something that I can answer. I cannot see into the future. The young ones... would probably be safe, but your lightning friend and the old earth sage would be in trouble. That is all I can say on that matter.¡± Dave looked up and clicked his tongue. ¡°It seems that the Origin System is not pleased with me.¡± Derek leaned back in his chair and sighed. It looks like I¡¯m going to be here a little longer than I imagined, he thought. When he found out about the second requirement, he was raring to go, and imagined himself ascending shortly after. But, now that Dave had asked his favor, that was no longer the case. ¡°So... I just need to stay here until the systems collide, then do whatever it is that you need me to do?¡± He really wished Dave could tell him exactly what it was that he¡¯d be able to do to stop an entire system. Wait a minute... he thought, and his eyes widened. Why would he talk so much about my attachment to people on Earth before telling me all of this? Choosing people here over those there? ¡°I¡¯m going to have to fight... aren¡¯t I? People from the other system? People from Earth?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Dave said with a shrug, but Derek could see a half-smile on his face. ¡°Are they going to invade this world?¡± Derek asked out loud, but he knew he wouldn¡¯t get an answer. ¡°Is it going to be like the early days of the Universal System when it came to Earth? The other system is going to send ¡®invaders¡¯ here this time, but since it¡¯s not a world without a system... they will be stronger, won¡¯t they?¡± Based on what he¡¯d experienced with invaders before, it all made too much sense. The only thing he couldn¡¯t figure out was what the overall goal was. If the invaders conquered, would the other system cease to exist? Would the Universal System swallow it? He wasn¡¯t even sure what would have happened to Earth if the invaders had conquered it, either. He¡¯d always just fought them because they invaded, and they attacked first. That was all he needed to know to decide to fight back. He never even thought about asking any deeper questions. Besides, with him, Jace, Jiu? Zhu?, Big Jim, and the other top fighters on Earth, the invaders hadn¡¯t been much more than a minor annoyance. They all grew stronger at a much faster rate than the invaders had, but if invaders came to his current planet, and they didn¡¯t have any limitations... Derek gulped. ¡°I see you are piecing things together,¡± Dave said. ¡°I think I am,¡± Derek replied. ¡°And what I¡¯m piecing together isn¡¯t good. Though, I don¡¯t know the end goal...¡± ¡°Maybe not, but you understand the danger, it seems,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Yeah... I think I do,¡± Derek said with a sigh. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t ascend as soon as I get the chance. How long until the other system arrives?¡± ¡°Not long,¡± Dave said. ¡°I cannot say for certain, as I do not know for certain. But you have plenty of time to make your visit to your home world and to complete the second requirement. None of that should be a problem.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know how I should feel about all of this.¡± Obviously, he was thankful that Dave¡ªor whomever it was at the time¡ªstepped in and gave him access to the new system, but because of that, it put probably the entire planet in danger. ¡°It all would have happened eventually,¡± Dave said, as if reading Derek¡¯s thoughts. ¡°The Universal System searches for other systems. You just sped things up by a few decades or centuries. And I believe that having you here will be a much bigger boon than a few more decades of preparation would have been.¡± ¡°You¡¯re overestimating me,¡± Derek said. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I am,¡± Dave replied with a grin. ¡°Remember, the Davenresh System is of higher quality than the Universal System. And you... you are beyond that quality. I believe I made the correct decision back then... that is... as long as you choose to do me this favor.¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Derek replied. ¡°I¡¯ll stay. But after all of this, you need to think of a way to let me ascend with my friends if they want to go with me.¡± ¡°See,¡± Dave chuckled. ¡°You are already looking past the collision. Not thinking about ¡®what ifs,¡¯ but instead, you are thinking of ¡®when.¡¯ If that doesn¡¯t tell me that I made the correct decision, then I don¡¯t know what will.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Derek said with a sigh. Then he licked his lips and cracked his neck. ¡°It has been a while since I had a good fight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Dave said, then he stood from his chair. ¡°Unfortunately, our time is up. This has taken longer than I originally planned. That seems to be a theme with my chats with you. Please prepare, and remember the favor,¡± the mysterious elf said as he began to fade away. ¡°My cake!¡± Silvi panicked and began scarfing the thing down even faster. ¡°You may relax,¡± Dave¡¯s voice echoed throughout the room now that his body had disappeared. ¡°You won¡¯t be sent out until you are ready.¡± ¡°Kay!¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed, and she slowed her chewing. ¡°Mr. Hunt... no... Derek,¡± Dave¡¯s voice sounded out once again. ¡°Please do not let me down.¡± Chapter 527: Set in Motion Derek sat in the dimly lit room with Silvi for a while after Dave vanished. While Silvi finished the string of foods that Dave had quietly sat out in front of her while they were speaking, Derek sat leaned back in the extremely comfortable chair, lost in thought. He hadn¡¯t expected to hear any of what he had from Dave. It had never even crossed his mind that the other system would be able to find its way there. Nor had he even thought about it wanting to find its way there. Yeah, he figured that not all the systems were really compatible with each other¡ªbased on his new one suppressing the old one, yet the new one reaching out for assistance when needed¡ªbut he would have never dreamed that his old one would come hunting the new one. It definitely seemed like the Universal System was hunting the Davenresh System, too. Derek was the catalyst, but the system wasn¡¯t actually hunting him. Also, it may not even know where I am at all anymore, Derek thought to himself. Dave had told him that there was a chance that his link to it was broken by the Origin System, or possibly even by his use of Void Travel. Is there a way to even find out? He wondered. And will I really be hunted if I go to Earth? I was originally a part of that system, after all. Maybe... if the link isn¡¯t actually broken... I really won¡¯t have anything to worry about. Still, based on everything that Dave said, if we¡¯re going to go to Earth, it has to be soon, Derek thought. Also... Derek stood from his chair, then put his hand on it. After that, he tried to store it in his storage bracelet. ¡°Dammit,¡± he muttered before sitting back down. Of course, he¡¯s not going to let me take the chair. It was worth a shot, though. Derek sighed. I wonder if the time is slowed in here like it was last time, Derek thought. He may have only done that last time because of all the people that we came out of the dungeon with. A lot of different thoughts passed through Derek¡¯s head as he watched Silvi dine. Some were important, some weren¡¯t. If system users end up having to fight each other, I¡¯m pretty sure I don¡¯t have to worry about running into anyone from Earth. At least, I doubt I do. So many people are a part of that system, and Earth is still a baby in terms of how long it¡¯s been introduced into it. I can only think of a few people who may be strong enough to join an invasion like the one I¡¯m thinking about. Derek scratched his chin and sighed. But, if it¡¯s just a fight between users, won¡¯t Davenresh System have an advantage? Or, will there not be a limit on the amount of people who can invade? If there was a limit, then Derek had no doubt that the strong users from the Davenresh System would practically dominate. Sure, he could believe that, due to there being so many users in the Universal System, there may be a few extremely strong outliers, but he couldn¡¯t imagine those outliers being as strong as someone like Marrick. Maybe Avery or Edgar before all the extra stats that they¡¯ve acquired recently? Avery already had an Epic class with stats of a Legendary one before he upgraded. Dave said that the Universal System can support up to Legendary classes, but the Davenresh System can support Mythical classes. However, it also seems that it is near impossible to reach Mythical ranked classes here. I wonder if it¡¯s as hard to reach Legendary status there as it is to reach Mythical here. Also, Derek continued to run through everything in his head. What about advancing? The way it sounded, different systems have different requirements for advancement. Well... I guess I already knew that based on the fact that mine are different from Alanah¡¯s. But what about the Universal System? Are they easier? Damn... Derek thought. I should have thought of that and tried to slip the question in while he was sharing. Derek clicked his tongue and cleared those thoughts from his head. There has to be something else to it. He focused back on the possible invasion. If there isn¡¯t a limit on the number of users who can invade, though... I can definitely see that being bad. I doubt Silvi and I would be able to take out a hundred Averys all at once. That could be bad. Though, I don¡¯t doubt for a second that we could escape and pick them off one by one... Derek furrowed his brow at the thought. Is that why Dave is putting so much faith in me? Derek¡¯s unique set of skills would allow him to escape pretty much anything, and he and Silvi would be monsters if things came to guerrilla warfare. It would be slow going, but I don¡¯t have the same limits as everyone else. As long as I finish before I ¡®have¡¯ to advance... hmm... yeah... I can see that being the reason why Dave has so much faith in me. Derek summoned Harbinger and laid it across the chair, over his lap. With both hands, he reached out and grabbed the glaive by its haft. Then he squeezed. If Legendary classes there are as hard to come by as Mythical classes here... I doubt there¡¯s anything out there with the quality of Harbinger. He then looked down at the armor he was wearing. Same for the armor made by Tyron. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. At that thought, Derek¡¯s eyes widened. We have to get Edgar and the others better gear. There are plenty of dragonkin materials... Brandi¡¯s not going to like it, but she doesn¡¯t currently have the skills that Tyron has. Fuck... what about Vallum? Tyron is great for weapons, but what about armor? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to find a skilled armorsmith from there? Ugh... there¡¯s not enough time. Derek was already thinking of forgoing his trip to the dwarven kingdom before advancing, but he wasn¡¯t sure now. Currently, he was cursing Dave for not warning him about everything sooner. Though, he did seem to be pushing it just by telling me what he did. He may not have been able to do it sooner. Can I even tell anyone what I¡¯ve learned? Derek had the feeling that the answer to that question was a resounding ¡®no.¡¯ I might not be able to tell them, but I can at least make preparations, he thought, then jumped up from his seat and put Harbinger away. ¡°Silvi!¡± he said with a hurried voice. ¡°What?¡± she asked through her communication crystal. ¡°Hurry up, or store it,¡± he said. ¡°There are some things we need to do fast.¡± ¡°I tried...¡± Silvi pouted. ¡°Tried?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Tried what?¡± ¡°Storing the food... before tasty-looking elf left,¡± she said. ¡°Oh... that¡¯s why you were so worried about the food,¡± Derek said. ¡°Because you knew you couldn¡¯t take it with you.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Silvi said as she continued to eat. ¡°And so hard to eat... hard to hurry.¡± ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard to eat?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Let me see,¡± Derek said and reached his hand out. He pinched a piece of a pastry off and put it in his mouth. The taste was divine. However, as he swallowed, he felt his body fill with energy, and his stomach felt fuller than it had after the dragon meal that Silvi had made them. ¡°What the¡ª¡± he muttered as he looked at his status sheet. Just to see, Derek threw out a Spatial Collapse into a safe spot in the air. The amount of mana that it took away was replenished near instantaneously after he used the skill. ¡°So much recovery in the food,¡± he said. It¡¯s no wonder Silvi was so quiet and preoccupied the entire time Dave was here, Derek thought as he reached out and grabbed a bite of her cake. Again, the taste was otherworldly, and this time, his muscles tensed and he felt an entirely different kind of energy go through his body. The last was mana... this one is stamina. He really hated that they weren¡¯t able to take the food with them. If I had these in a critical situation... they would be invaluable, Derek tsk¡¯d. ¡°I can¡¯t...¡± Silvi finally said in a very sad tone. ¡°Too full. Can¡¯t eat another bite. Dammit!¡± ¡°Well...¡± Derek said. ¡°We can¡¯t wait until you can. And I can already tell that the fullness is going to last for a very long time. Especially based on how much you ate.¡± He looked at the half-eaten food on the table in front of Silvi. How the hell did she even manage to eat that much? Derek felt like he would be pushing it just by eating another bit or two of the stuff. Yet Silvi had already eaten her own weight in desserts, and then some. Derek reached forward and grabbed another dessert he hadn¡¯t tried. This time, after swallowing it, he felt his blood boil. Obviously, it greatly increased his health regeneration. He sighed. ¡°It really is a shame.¡± ¡°Huge shame!¡± Silvi agreed. ¡°Can¡¯t take the chair... can¡¯t take the food...¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°Oh well...¡± he said. ¡°Silvi, we need to go. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to make something just as good as this one day, but first, we have to get through whatever is coming.¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Silvi finally said after trying to take another bite of the cake, but having to spit it out. ¡°I think... I¡¯ll explode if I eat,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah... haha,¡± Derek said. ¡°Seriously!¡± Silvi said, as she slowly raised herself up. ¡°Can barely move,¡± she said, struggling to sit upright. ¡°Oh...¡± Derek replied, then reached out and picked her up¡ªsetting her on his shoulder like usual. She wasn¡¯t really heavy, but Derek was surprised at how firm she felt. He couldn¡¯t see it by looking at her, but none of her body had any give. ¡°You really did almost gorge yourself to death.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi replied. ¡°I wonder how long this is going to last,¡± Derek thought out loud. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said. ¡°We need to go make arrangements, the visit Earth... how do we leave?¡± ¡°Dunno,¡± Silvi said. Just as Derek was thinking about using Void Travel, all the sudden, they were hit by a bright light, then, the next thing he knew, he was standing outside the dungeon once again. ¡°I guess that¡¯s how,¡± he said. ¡°Okay, we have to go see Tyron,¡± Derek said before using Void Travel. ¡°Hold on...¡± Silvi said. She sounded pretty tired. A few moments later, a relatively small pot with a lid on it appeared on the ground in front of them. Slowly, the lid slid off, then the weight of Silvi left Derek¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Carry,¡± Silvi said after landing in the pot and slowly pulling the lid on. ¡°Lock!¡± she said from inside the pot¡ªher voice muffled from the lid being on. ¡°Okay,¡± Derek chuckled as he bent down and latched the lid onto the pot on both sides. This way, the void wouldn¡¯t be able to get in, and Silvi would only have to focus her attention on keeping her Void Creation (Cooking) skill active. I could have just covered her in a thin sheet of void, Derek thought, but didn¡¯t say anything. This was probably easier for her, anyway. He could imagine that maintaining the pot would be easier on her in her current state than balancing on his shoulder. Derek, still bent down, grabbed the pot¡ªwhich was only a little bigger than Silvi was¡ªand cradled it in his arm. With his other hand, he used Void Travel and ripped the space in front of him open. Next, he stepped in and closed the space behind him before looking for Tyron. Derek found the aura and took a step towards it. Seconds later, he was just over top of it. I hope he¡¯s not in the middle of anything important, he thought as he reached out and stuck his hand through the void. Things had been set into motion, and they needed to make preparations. Chapter 528: Letting Off Steam Derek stepped out of the void and sat Silvi and her pot on the ground. Next, he turned around and closed the portal behind him. Finally, he turned his head back and looked forward¡ªat a fuming Tyron. ¡°Uh...¡± A wry grin fell over Derek¡¯s face, and he put his hand on the back of his neck. ¡°What. The. Fuck! Derek!¡± Tyron, in his fury, shouted out. In his hand, he was holding the hilt of a sword... well, the hilt of half a sword. Half of the blade was intact, the other half lay scattered around the forge¡ªa very large and beautiful forge. If Brandi were to see it, she would absolutely fall in love. ¡°Whoops,¡± Derek said. It was just about all he could say in that situation. He was on a clock¡ªof course, he didn¡¯t know how much time was on that clock, but it was better to err on the side of caution. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Whoops? You¡¯re sorry?¡± Tyron muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on that blade for hours! And the material... do you know what was in it?¡± ¡°Not a clue,¡± Derek replied. Just as he answered, the pot that had covered Silvi disappeared, and the bunny appeared, sprawled out on the floor. She looked like she¡¯d swollen up a little in the short time that she¡¯d been tucked away. That¡¯s not good, Derek thought. ¡°That...¡± Tyron started, but then his eyes fell to the now wobbling and trying to stand bunny. ¡°Are you... okay?¡± he asked Silvi. ¡°Fine,¡± Silvi¡¯s voice rang out from her crystal. ¡°Just... need...¡± All the sudden, multiple Mage Hands appeared, and dozens of items that weren¡¯t bolted to the floor began to fly around the room¡ªincluding the pieces of the shattered blade. After that, she began disappearing and reappearing over and over. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Tyron half-shouted in confusion. ¡°Mana!¡± Silvi¡¯s voice managed to ring out once she appeared next to Tyron again. After that, she disappeared, and all the floating items fell to the ground. The next second, a rumbling shook the forge and the already toasty temperature in the building raised. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Tyron asked Derek¡ªall anger completely replaced by utter confusion. Derek, with wide eyes, shrugged, then ran for the door. When he got outside, he was met with a scene of chaos. The forge that Tyron was currently using just happened to be in the center of the Capital of Cydaria. Around him and Tyron¡ªwho had followed him outside¡ªmen, women, and children were all running around in a panic. The reason for this was because of the small floating bunny in the sky. Silvi was hovering in the air and breathing out the biggest Dragon Flame that Derek had ever seen. Of course, she was shooting it straight into the sky so nobody would get hurt, but the scene itself was quite scary¡ªhe could understand why somebody would panic. In fact, she¡¯d already drawn quite a bit of attention. ¡°What is she doing?¡± Avery appeared out of nowhere and asked Derek. Moments later, Edgar also appeared with Vanessa right on his heels. ¡°Uh... letting off some... steam,¡± Derek managed to say. He knew exactly what Silvi was doing, because Derek actually felt like doing the same¡ªthough, to a much lesser extent. He¡¯d only eaten a small amount of the food that Dave had prepared for them, but Silvi? She¡¯d eaten way too much. The stamina regeneration was already making Derek feel fidgety¡ªsomething he¡¯d not really felt since before the system came. The health regeneration had his body feeling extra... pumped was the only way he could put it. Those two things weren¡¯t too bad, and he felt they were easy to handle¡ªthey were only a little inconvenient. However, the mana regeneration was the worst of all. It has his body aching and had him feeling like a balloon. If he felt like that, then he couldn¡¯t imagine what Silvi must have been feeling. ¡°Letting off steam?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°In the middle of the city? With people everywhere?¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. If I¡¯d known how things were going to be, I would have stayed away for a little longer.¡± ¡°Stay away? How what would be?¡± Tyron asked. ¡°Again, what the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Silvi ate too much,¡± Derek finally replied, causing everyone to stare at him blankly. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that the food she ate gave her enough mana regeneration to cause a regular level 250 person to explode in a matter of seconds... probably.¡± ¡°That much?¡± Vanessa asked as her eyes shifted back to Silvi. ¡°Yup,¡± Derek said. ¡°Looks like she needed to get it out, and that skill was probably the best one she could use to do so.¡± ¡°Then the Mage Hands, Teleporting, and Telekinesis in the forge...¡± Tyron muttered. ¡°Was her trying to get it out without causing mass panic,¡± Derek said. ¡°Didn¡¯t work,¡± Edgar said with a chuckle. ¡°This is going to be a huge pain... for my brother and father.¡± He continued laughing. ¡°Probably,¡± Derek said. All that he could picture at the moment was Edward standing in front of a large crowd talking about a training exercise gone wrong. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The five continued to stare up at Silvi for a while longer until the flames began to die down. Finally, the bunny floated back down, hopped off her pot lid, and landed on Derek¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Whoops...¡± her voice rang out, and Derek almost lost it. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Whoops...¡± Tyron said, as rage began flood back into him with the reminder of what happened earlier. ¡°Derek...¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°Come inside... now.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Derek did a mock salute, then followed the smith back into his forge. ¡°Ya¡¯ll come too,¡± he said to Edgar, Avery, and Vanessa, and they followed behind. ¡°You... have got some explaining to do,¡± Tyron said once they were all inside. His forge was a mess, with items scattered about. ¡°Can you explain to me what was so important that you needed to cause me to fail a craft?¡± he asked straight up. ¡°Relax...¡± Derek said. Then, when Tyron raised his brow and he saw the giant smith¡¯s anger begin to flair once again, he continued, ¡°What were you making? Just a weapon for some noble? Right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tyron answered instantly. ¡°See,¡± Derek said. ¡°No biggie. I have something really important that you need to do. Much more important than any of that.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± the smith asked. ¡°Well...¡± Derek rubbed the back of his neck again¡ªtrying to think of the best way to put it. His eyes met Avery¡¯s, then Edgar¡¯s. Finally, he said, ¡°I need you to make some weapons for some nobles.¡± ¡°You!¡± Tyron said, but Derek held up his hands. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding... sort of,¡± Derek said with a smile, then his demeanor changed and he turned serious. ¡°But really, I need you to make some weapons. As good as you can... legendary if possible. Avery¡¯s going to need a bow and daggers, Edgar¡¯s going to need a sword, Vanessa... will need whatever she needs...¡± Derek paused in thought. Finally, he sighed... ¡°Also, get in touch with Osian and see what he needs.¡± That¡¯s a lot of firepower, but not many people... he thought. ¡°Derek,¡± Edgar said, his smile gone, too. ¡°What really going on? Why do we all need legendary weapons?¡± ¡°Because...¡± he started, but a slight pain shot through his head, and he winced. ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± he said. ¡°But you¡¯ll need them, that is for sure. Anything to help.¡± ¡°Cleavers!¡± Silvi¡¯s voice chimed in from Derek¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Need two cleavers! To chop!¡± Usually, Derek would think Silvi was just trying to get some cooking tools out of Tyron while she could, but he knew that she was being serious. When she did have to use weapons, cleavers were her weapons of choice. It would be good for her to have them if she ever ran low on mana and needed to physically fight her way out of somewhere. ¡°Yes,¡± Derek said. ¡°Silvi needs cleavers.¡± ¡°You want me... to make the strongest people on the continent... even stronger.. But you can¡¯t tell us why...¡± Tyron muttered. Then, he sighed and said, ¡°With what material?¡± ¡°Speak to Malorie back at the Void Emporium,¡± Derek said. ¡°There should be plenty of materials for you to use. I¡¯ll let her know that you¡¯re coming and to give you whatever you need.¡± He then looked at Avery. ¡°If Alanah had any good material stored that she left, consider allowing Tyron to use that, too.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Avery agreed. ¡°How long?¡± Tyron asked. ¡°I... I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. ¡°Hopefully, you¡¯ll have enough time to get everything done.¡± ¡°What about armor?¡± Tyron asked. ¡°I can pretty much guarantee epic-grade, but I doubt I can make legendary, even with good materials.¡± ¡°That...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°I plan on paying a visit to Vallum once I leave here. Hopefully, I can get some of their smiths to help.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Tyron said. ¡°To be perfectly honest,¡± he continued. ¡°It may do you well to find a better weaponsmith over there, too.¡± ¡°No,¡± Derek said while shaking his head. ¡°You made Harbinger, and I know how good it is. Plus, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to get their help, anyway.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tyron replied with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll need the person whose weapon I¡¯m creating at the time to stick around at the forge if you want it to be attuned,¡± he said while looking around. ¡°We will have a much better chance at creating a good weapon that way.¡± Everyone nodded as they took in what was being said. ¡°I¡¯ll be last,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Need weapons less than others...¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said with a smile. The fact that Silvi wasn¡¯t being selfish at the moment must have really made everything set in for the others, as they all became even more serious. ¡°I¡¯ll go just before her,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I don¡¯t use weapons all that much, but if it is possible to attune something to me and increase my shadows¡¯ efficiency, it will be worth it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need armor,¡± Edgar finally said. ¡°Mine is already lightning attuned, and legendary. It is a relic passed down throughout my family¡¯s history.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Edgar replied. ¡°And you brother¡¯s armor?¡± ¡°A... knock-off, but still epic-grade,¡± Edgar replied. ¡°But my sword...¡± He pulled out his sword and held it out for Tyron to take. Once the smith did, he said, ¡°If you can make something of higher quality, but near identical, I would be in your debt.¡± ¡°I think I can do that,¡± the smith said as he examined the blade. ¡°I¡¯ll begin with you, then.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Edgar,¡± Derek said, getting the man¡¯s attention. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You need to head to Indria and speak with Osian,¡± Derek explained. ¡°See if he needs weapons or armor. I think he¡¯s the only person there who can actually help.¡± ¡°As long as it keeps me out of the palace,¡± Edgar said with a slight grin. ¡°Oh, I have a feeling that you¡¯re not going to be spending much time in the palace soon,¡± Derek replied. He was trying to think of who else there was that could be the Davenresh System¡¯s ¡®quality¡¯ over the Universal System¡¯s ¡®quantity,¡¯ but he really couldn¡¯t think of much. Natalie isn¡¯t really a fighter, he thought. What about Alanah¡¯s old friend from the other continent? It may be worth looking him up if there¡¯s enough time. ¡°It¡¯s going to be that bad?¡± Edgar asked, breaking Derek out of his thoughts. ¡°I... don¡¯t know,¡± Derek replied. ¡°But probably... Maybe even worse than that bad.¡± ¡°Just what is going on?¡± Vanessa whispered to herself from the side. Derek just looked at her and gave her a shrug. ¡°I wish I could tell you,¡± he said with a shrug. He then looked at Avery and Edgar. ¡°Have the two of you worked things out with the Void Beast meals and stuff?¡± he asked. The two men looked at each other, then nodded. ¡°We have,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Good,¡± Derek replied. ¡°You need to get whatever boost you can. And give some to Vanessa and Tyron, too.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Edgar said. ¡°We already have been. My body is currently saturated with the energy, so it needs to process it before I can gain anything else from them. The same is true for Vanessa and my brother. And it¡¯s only right that Tyron gets his own share for the work he¡¯s about to put in.¡± ¡°The same is true for me, Stella, and the kids,¡± Avery replied. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Now... Let me contact Malorie real quick.¡± Derek pulled out a red communication crystal and channeled his mana into it. After a few seconds, Malorie¡¯s voice came through. ¡®Derek?¡¯ she asked. ¡®Mal,¡¯ Derek began. ¡®Tyron or Avery... or someone is going to be coming by to collect materials. Give them anything they need.¡¯ He let out a deep breath, then sent, ¡®Even gather what I¡¯ve given to Brandi if it¡¯s needed. This is urgent.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s...¡¯ Malorie started to ask, but Derek cut her off. ¡®I¡¯ll try to answer questions later, but I can¡¯t right now,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®This is very important. I¡¯ll make it up to Brandi if we have to use her materials.¡¯ Malorie paused on the other end for a moment before replying, ¡®Okay. Is there anything else?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll let you know if I think of anything,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®I got to go now. Stay safe, me and Silvi are going to be gone for a little while.¡¯ ¡®Okay,¡¯ she replied. ¡®I¡¯ll talk to you soon,¡¯ Derek said, then cut the crystal off. He looked around and said, ¡°Okay, Malorie knows that someone will be coming for material. Tyron, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Tyron said. ¡°But you owe me for an epic-grade blade.¡± ¡°Just take it out of my materials,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Oh, I will,¡± Tyron said. ¡°My time is very expensive.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± Derek replied. After that, he looked around once again. ¡°You all... be ready for anything,¡± he said. ¡°Now, I got to go see a dwarf about some armor.¡± Chapter 529: A Dwarf About Armor Derek once again stepped into the void. This time, however, he carried Silvi on his shoulder and shielded all her storage items with his own thin layer of void instead of carrying her around inside a pot. After letting out what was probably the world¡¯s deadliest ¡®burp,¡¯ Silvi was able to move around quite a bit better at the moment. Though her body was still quite stiff to the touch and her muscles were extended, she no longer looked like she was about to explode. Once inside the void, Derek closed his eyes and turned his Void Sense up a couple of notches. When he opened his eyes afterward, all the nearby auras were clearly visible for him to see. There you are, he thought as he locked onto a specific aura that seemed a bit distant from all the other ones. Interesting, he thought. Doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s with anyone else today. With that in mind, Derek moved forward until he was standing just over the aura. Like always, he reached out and ripped the space in the void open and walked out¡ªmaking sure to close the space behind him to prevent any accidents from occurring. ¡°Oi!¡± a brash voice sounded out as soon as Derek stepped through the void. ¡°Derek Hunt! To what do I owe the honor? Did you bring some more of that Wyvern Brew?¡± ¡°That... I did not,¡± Derek said as he looked around the room. After taking everything in, he frowned. ¡°What the hell is all of this?¡± Braxton was sitting with a mug in his hand as always with his massive warhammer propped up on the chair beside him, but in front of him was what looked to be another dwarf¡ªhowever, motionless. Derek took a step closer to get a better look. No... not motionless... dead, he thought. ¡°Well...¡± Braxton said. ¡°You sort of walked in on an execution.¡± ¡°An execution?¡± Derek asked rhetorically, after which he examined the body of the likely dead corpse. ¡°Did you...¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Braxton nodded, then, seeing Derek was about to protest, continued, ¡°Now don¡¯t get so frazzled.¡± The dwarf took a long draw from his mug. ¡°Been wanting to see what would happen once the etchings were completed, and I certainly didn¡¯t want to be the test subject myself.¡± ¡°You... used it for an execution? The Wyvern Brew?¡± ¡°Aye!¡± Braxton said happily. ¡°But don¡¯t you worry. This man deserved it. Picked him out from a bunch of death row criminals, I did. Didn¡¯t want to just... use it on someone normal person and all. You know... bet to not piss the man who gave the brew to me off...¡± Braxton looked at Derek in the eyes. ¡°At least... not too much.¡± Derek didn¡¯t like it¡ªBraxton using the brew as a poison. But he couldn¡¯t say that he wasn¡¯t interested in the results. And it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t do the same with my Void Travel skill. Actually... him using someone like this as an experiment is probably more than I should have expected from an assassin. Wait... ¡°Where did you get a death row criminal? Who made the decision that he was to be executed?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Braxton tilted his head. ¡°Man¡¯s from the Vallum dungeons. Did a lot of murderizing of nice people and whatnot. He¡¯s getting better than he deserved, too.¡± ¡°Getting?¡± Derek asked in confusion. ¡°Look at him!¡± Braxton said. ¡°Look closely. He¡¯s still alive. The etchings are complete, his face is twisted up in utter bliss, but he has yet to pass. The man is teetering on the edge of life and death.¡± Derek did look closely after that. In fact, he even used Identify on the dwarf. Sure enough, the results came back that the man was neither deceased nor was he even in a Dying State. ¡°So... the brew doesn¡¯t kill once complete? That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Braxton said. ¡°That¡¯s why this is so interesting, is it not?¡± ¡°What are your theories?¡± Derek asked. He knew he should really get to why he was there in the first place, but he couldn¡¯t help but want to know. ¡°I think... he is trapped in a cycle of unending bliss,¡± Braxton said as he took another big gulp of whatever concoction was in his mug. ¡°This is probably heaven for a dwarf.¡± He looked over the man once again. ¡°One that will eventually turn into hell.¡± ¡°Too much of a good thing...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Exactly!¡± Braxton said. ¡°The only question is whether he will live or die once the effects wear off. All I know is that this is the happiest I¡¯ve ever seen anyone during their own execution. If he pulls through, just imagine the willpower gain. And, you can¡¯t tell, but I had him enter Meditation before giving him a drink.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. The man had told him he had some ideas to test with the brew, after all. ¡°And what happens if he pulls through?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Then he gets to meet my hammer,¡± Braxton said. ¡°No pardon if he lives?¡± Derek asked with a raised brow. ¡°For the likes of him?¡± Braxton asked rhetorically. ¡°No, none at all.¡± ¡°Then why would he even go along with all this?¡± Derek asked. ¡°What does he gain? Or did you force the brew down his throat?¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°No, he drank it willingly,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Imagine... a death row dwarf refusing to have one final drink? That¡¯s simply impossible. And before you ask, yes, he knew that it was going to kill him... probably. I may have taken a sip before him just to show how good it was, too...¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°Now...¡± Braxton let out a huge yawn. ¡°What is it that brings you here? Doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re bringing more brew. Did you come to drink?¡± The man¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Nothing better than a good drinking buddy. I have some interesting brews to test if you would like.¡± ¡°No...¡± Derek said. ¡°I didn¡¯t come to drink. At least not right now.¡± His eyes drifted back to the statuesque dwarf in the room. ¡°You were saying that you¡¯re able to get some of that ¡®King¡¯s Brew¡¯ from Vallum, right?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Braxton narrowed his eyes. ¡°But I don¡¯t have much left.¡± His free hand covered a storage ring on his finger reflexively. ¡°Relax,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m not here to steal your brew.¡± ¡°Oh... whew...¡± Braxton let out a sigh, then finished draining his mug before storing it away. ¡°Should have led with that. Had me worried. In that case, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Well, seeing as how you¡¯re able to get such a thing from Vallum, I can only assume that you have connections there, yeah?¡± Derek asked. ¡°You¡¯d be safe to assume that,¡± Braxton said with a nod. ¡°In that case, would you be able to introduce me to an armorsmith that can create legendary armor?¡± Derek asked. ¡°For you...¡± Braxton muttered and tapped on his chin. ¡°I think I could help you there. If you have the materials and the money... and the brew... I think a deal could be struck to make you a good set of armor. It may take a while to fit you in, though. The smiths I know are always quite busy.¡± ¡°That...¡± Derek started. ¡°How do I put this? I need multiple sets of legendary armor for multiple people, and I need them fast.¡± He also looked Braxton up and down. ¡°And if you don¡¯t already, you should think about getting as high-quality armor as possible for yourself.¡± Derek thought about something for a moment, then continued, ¡°In fact, if there are enough materials and you don¡¯t already have armor or weapons of such quality, you can use some of them to get it made.¡± ¡°Strange...¡± Braxton said as he pulled out another mug of some concoction and took a drink. ¡°Offering materials to equip me... needing armor for multiple people... is the other continent planning on invading us soon or something?¡± the man finally asked. ¡°No...¡± Derek said. ¡°Not that I know of... but... we¡¯re probably looking at something much worse than that. And no, it¡¯s not something I can explain.¡± Derek looked up, like he was looking through the ceiling, and said, ¡°You know, system rules and all that.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Braxton said. ¡°Then you are completely serious about all this. You don¡¯t just want the armor... you need it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I need it, but it would certainly help,¡± Derek said. ¡°Interesting,¡± the dwarf said as he took a long, deep drink from his mug. Finally, he let out a bellowing laugh. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I feel like I should be scared shitless if you are coming to me, asking for these things, and unable to give a reason because the Great System won¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Derek said. ¡°You feeling is probably correct.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Braxton said as he reached behind him and hefted his warhammer. ¡°Sounds like I¡¯m going to be in for a good fight.¡± He looked at Derek with squinted eyes. ¡°Unless we¡¯re looking at others of your strength?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± Derek said with a shrug. He actually couldn¡¯t say on that, whether the system would allow him to or not. He had no clue who the strongest person they may end up fighting would be. ¡°In that case,¡± Braxton said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about my weapon or armor. They are just about as good as one can get in Vallum. Can only think of a couple people with any weapons or armor better than those I have.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. And it was. That meant that it was one less ¡®quality¡¯ fighter that needed new weapons and armor to assist them. Now, Derek had never seen the man fight, but just the fact that the man was considered the strongest ¡®assassin¡¯ on the entire continent meant he had to be up there when it came to strength. He imagined Braxton had to be on the same level as Avery or Edgar, or maybe even Marrick or close to Alanah even. He wouldn¡¯t know for sure until he finally saw the man in action. ¡°Hup!¡± Braxton muttered as he hopped up from his seat. After that, he moved his warhammer to his back and placed it there. ¡°Now that that¡¯s all settled, I guess I should take you to meet a smith or two,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°May have to knock some sense into them to get them to work¡ªthat or get them some good ale. A taste of the Wyvern Brew may do it, too. But I¡¯m sure we can figure something out.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Derek said. He was very happy that Braxton seemed to be taking everything in stride. He wasn¡¯t sure what to expect when he decided to go to the dwarf assassin. The man had seemed pretty easy going before, so he was glad that it didn¡¯t seem to be a ruse. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I tell Nyx about this, do you?¡± Braxton asked. ¡°I know there¡¯s not much to tell, but just about this whole... situation?¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Derek said. ¡°The more prepared everyone is, the better. In fact, I was going to suggest you tell him, anyway.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Braxton said with a nod. After that, he pulled a communication crystal out of his storage ring and began channeling mana into it before stopping and putting it away a few seconds later. The duo waited around for a minute or two, then a door opened, and another dwarf rushed in. ¡°Guild Leader!¡± The dwarf saluted. ¡°None of that now, Jerrod,¡± Braxton said. ¡°We¡¯re all friends here. No need to put on formalities for Derek here.¡± He then turned to Derek. ¡°Derek, this is Jerrod. He is one of my ¡®Leaders in Training.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Derek raised his brow. ¡°You work pretty fast.¡± It wasn¡¯t too long ago that Derek had suggested that Braxton create some training positions, and it seemed that the man had taken it all to heart. ¡°Of course!¡± Braxton replied. ¡°Anything to be able to retire sooner.¡± After that, he turned his attention back to his trainee. ¡°Jerrod,¡± he said. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t... you know what? Never mind,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I need you to stay here with our...¡± he looked at the statue-like dwarf in the middle of the room. ¡°With our guest...¡± he said. ¡°Me and my friend here have some important business in Vallum. So, I need you to take note of everything that happens. If he survives, make sure to take down all the information about his experience with the brew. If he doesn¡¯t... send the body to Mara¡¯s people for research.¡± ¡°And if he lives and I¡¯ve gotten the information?¡± Jerrod asked. ¡°Either you can execute him in my stead, or you can wait for me to get back. The decision is yours,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It¡¯s a learning experience, after all.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Jerrod said with another salute and nod, to which Braxton rolled his eyes. ¡°Now, I take it you don¡¯t have the ability to open up your portal thingy in Stonehelm, do you?¡± Braxton asked Derek. ¡°That¡¯s the capital of Vallum, right?¡± Derek asked, and when Braxton nodded confirmation, Derek shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then it looks like we¡¯re going the old-fashioned way,¡± Braxton said, then began walking towards the door that Jerrod had entered from. ¡°Come on, follow me. No telling how hard it¡¯s going to be dealing with those cranky assholes. Better get a start on it soon.¡± Chapter 530: Braxi Derek, with Silvi practically hibernating on his shoulder, followed Braxton through what felt like a maze of hallways and open rooms until they finally made it to one specific room. It was a room that Derek knew all too well¡ªthe teleportation room. Now, this wasn¡¯t a teleportation room that he¡¯d used before, but it was near identical to the one that he and Vanessa had been led through when they first visited the Assassin¡¯s Guild. ¡°We¡¯re already in Vallum, right?¡± Derek asked. When he looked for Braxton in his void tunnel, the man¡¯s aura was away from everyone else¡¯s, but it was relatively close to Nyx¡¯s aura. ¡°The Assassin Guild¡¯s main headquarters is in Vallum, but your branch is here, too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It works out, though. Since it¡¯s all connected.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, come one,¡± Braxton replied, then led Derek directly through the teleportation room, and into another hall, which had Derek confused, but he shrugged and kept following. Soon, the duo stopped at a random spot in the hall, and the dwarf turned towards the wall. ¡°Here we go,¡± he said as he reached out and placed his hand on the stone wall. All the sudden, multiple runes appeared on the wall around his hand. Then, the runes began to scatter. The next thing Derek knew, all the runes that had been appeared around Braxton¡¯s hand had moved out and formed a large rectangle along the wall and floor. In the next instant, the wall started shaking, then the stones within the rectangle all lowered down into the ground. ¡°This way,¡± Braxton said, and stepped inside. ¡°If you say so,¡± Derek said as he followed behind. ¡°Huh...¡± Derek muttered as another pretty familiar room appeared around him. It wasn¡¯t familiar because it was a place he¡¯d been before, but more so because it was barren¡ªjust like his own travel room that he used. The only difference was that there was a teleportation circle in the center. ¡°This is my private teleporter,¡± Braxton said. He then walked over to a certain place and placed his hand on a wall with runes. The man and the runes slowly began to glow a sort or fiery orange color as Braxton pumped mana into the runes. The fiery orange mana was then converted into pure blue mana as it moved through the runes and into the teleportation circle. I wonder what kind of affinity that is, Derek thought to himself as he felt the pressure created from Braxton channeling his mana and thus, unleashing a bit of his aura, dissipate. ¡°Whew...¡± Braxton said, as he turned back to Derek. ¡°I hate having to power this thing up. I don¡¯t have much in the way of mana... I always have to push myself and I let a little aura leak out. Hope you didn¡¯t mind,¡± he said, then a jug appeared in his hand and he turned it up into his mouth¡ªdrinking it all within seconds. ¡°Not at all,¡± Derek said. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve never seen mana or an aura like that before. It¡¯s like red and gold mix¡ªkind of orange, but with the red color more dominate.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Braxton nodded. ¡°That it is.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. Whatever class or affinity the man had, it was for Braxton and him alone to know and decide who also would get to know. ¡°An assassin needs some secrets,¡± the man said. ¡°Now, are you ready?¡± ¡°Is the teleporter ready?¡± Derek asked. His vision moved to the circle on the floor and it was glowing brightly. At least to him, it looked ready. ¡°It¡¯s as ready as it will ever be,¡± Braxton said. The dwarf then took a blue vial from his storage ring and gulped the contents of it down too. Derek knew the color well. The dwarf was drinking a mana potion. Interesting, Derek thought. I wonder how much mana he has, even. Probably not a lot if he¡¯s drinking a potion right now. But his willpower is super strong, at least based on how he handled Roman¡¯s wyvern brew. Those controlling effects weren¡¯t anything to scoff at. Derek let his mind wander, but he didn¡¯t think on it too much. Besides, I know for a fact that Avery barely has any wisdom to increase his mana, yet his willpower is second to none because of all the time he spent with Alanah. ¡°You ready to go to Stonehelm?¡± Braxton asked. ¡°I am,¡± Derek replied. After that, both men¡ªand Silvi, who was snoring heavily on Derek¡¯s shoulder¡ªstepped onto the teleportation circle. Once in the center of it, Braxton kicked at the ground. The next instant, a blinding light fell over them, and they disappeared. When Derek opened his eyes again, his first instinct was to check and make sure Silvi was still there, and she was. Even with the light of the teleporter, she hadn¡¯t moved a muscle. All that food and dragon flame must have really drained her mentally, Derek thought. Next, he scanned his surroundings, only to realize that the room they were in was identical to the one they were just in. In fact, it was a perfect match, down to the placement of the runes. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Did we actually teleport?¡± Derek asked. ¡°We did,¡± Braxton replied. ¡°Welcome to Stonehelm!¡± ¡°It¡¯s...¡± Derek looked around the room. ¡°Kind of small.¡± ¡°Oh, just you wait,¡± Braxton said, then moved to the wall and lowered it, just as he had the one back in the Assassin¡¯s Guild branch. Derek followed the dwarf out and stepped into a quaint stone house. It wasn¡¯t big, but it wasn¡¯t overly small, either. ¡°This your home?¡± Derek finally asked. ¡°It is!¡± Braxton said. ¡°Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, in the heart of the world¡ªStonehelm,¡± the man explained. ¡°Homes don¡¯t get any better than this.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s... nice.¡± And it really was. If he had to describe it, he¡¯d actually call it cozy. He didn¡¯t get a look into any of the rooms or the bathrooms, but he did see the living room. It had a nice sofa and some sitting chairs. Braxton didn¡¯t have anything as nice looking as his own chairs, but what he did have would pass. The room also had a fireplace inside to add to the coziness. Of course, the smoke just disappeared into the runes above it to keep the room from filling up. I wonder where the smoke goes, Derek thought. In his basement, Brandi had sort of the same thing, only, the smoke from her forge was sent from one set of runes to another on the top of the building, and let out there. ¡°Braxton...¡± Derek said as he looked. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you... married?¡± Derek finally asked. The house they were in did not fit the crude dwarf assassin, at least, not based on their interactions so far. ¡°Married? Me?¡± Braxton raised his brows and pointed at his face. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Braxton said. ¡°Braxi, honey!¡± a door down the hall that Derek had walked passed opened and a dwarven lady came out. She rushed into the living room and gave Braxton a big hug. ¡°You didn¡¯t say you were coming home.¡± ¡°Down! Put me down!¡± Braxton complained as the woman lifted him off the ground and spun him. Derek couldn¡¯t hide the giant grin on his face. ¡°Fine!¡± The woman dropped the dwarven assassin. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were coming home today? And you brought a friend! I would have made dinner! Are you going to introduce us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Derek,¡± Derek said. He stepped forward and bowed slightly¡ªnot knowing what the custom around the area was. ¡°Derek,¡± Braxton said. ¡°This is Gretchen, my girlfriend. Gretchen, this is Derek Hunt. I told you a bit about him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who helped Braxi get that new brew he¡¯s been talking about,¡± Gretchen said. ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± He could think of multiple other ways that Braxton could have explained him to others, but he guessed that the man only cared about what was truly important to him... alcohol. ¡°And you!¡± Gretchen turned back to Braxton and slapped him across the face. ¡°I¡¯m your ¡®girlfriend?¡¯ We¡¯ve only been dating for what? Five decades now?¡± ¡°Okay, okay...¡± Braxton said while rubbing his cheek. ¡°She¡¯s a bit more than a girlfriend.¡± ¡°A bit?¡± Gretchen looked at Braxton, then sighed. ¡°Well... I¡¯ll take what I can get. Took the man two decades to introduce me as more than a friend, it did.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Anyway,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I hadn¡¯t planned on coming home today, but some things came up and we needed to come to Stonehelm,¡± he explained. ¡°Something important?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Very,¡± Braxton said. ¡°But not something we can talk about, at least not now.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not staying?¡± Gretchen asked. ¡°Afraid not,¡± Braxton answered. ¡°But I¡¯ll be back later, even if it is just to use the teleportation circle. We can have dinner then? What do you say?¡± ¡°That sounds splendid!¡± Gretchen. ¡°Derek, will you and... your bunny...¡± she tilted her head as her eyes caught sight of Silvi. ¡°Be joining us?¡± ¡°No,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have the time. But maybe some other time.¡± ¡°But... dinner...¡± Silvi¡¯s weak voice came from her communication crystal as she raised her head up and looked around. ¡°Nevermind...¡± she said. ¡°Can¡¯t... eat... more right now.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Gretchen¡¯s eyes lit up, and she brought her fists up to her cheeks as she looked at Silvi. ¡°So adorable!¡± Braxton leaned over to his girlfriend and whispered something in her ear, causing her eyes to widen. ¡°Adorable and dangerous!¡± Gretchen said, not the least bit afraid. ¡°The perfect combination.¡± ¡°Mhm... perfect...¡± Silvi¡¯s childlike voice chimed again, then she lowered her head back down and stopped moving. ¡°Silvi¡¯s...¡± Derek started. ¡°She has had a long day. You¡¯ll have to excuse her.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡± Gretchen waved Derek¡¯s concern away. ¡°Now, off you go!¡± She pushed Braxton towards the door. ¡°You need to be back in time for dinner!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Braxton said with a laugh. He turned, stole a kiss, then opened the door and ran outside. ¡°It was nice meeting you, Gretchen,¡± Derek said to the woman. ¡°It was my pleasure!¡± Gretchen grabbed Derek by the wrist, then tried to pull him in for a hug. However, he didn¡¯t budge. Finally, he shrugged and let himself be pulled in. ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± The woman spun him around once, then sat him down closer to the door. As Derek made his way out, the woman yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger! Braxi needs more friends!¡± ¡°Bahaha!¡± Derek couldn¡¯t help himself, and let out a big belly laugh as the door closed behind him. ¡°I like your wife... Braxi,¡± Derek said to Braxton once he got beside him. ¡°She¡¯s not my wife... officially...¡± Braxton said. ¡°Sure...¡± Derek said. ¡°No... not sure,¡± Braxton said with a sigh. ¡°She can¡¯t... we can¡¯t marry... yet,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked in confusion. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Braxton said. ¡°A long story.¡± Derek looked back at the house, which was very nice on the outside, too, then back to Braxton. ¡°Uh... you¡¯re not... like... related, are you?¡± ¡°Related?¡± Braxton¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Derek in shock. ¡°Wha... why would you ever think that?¡± ¡°Well... I don¡¯t know dwarven customs. Maybe she¡¯s your third cousin twice removed or something... I don¡¯t know how any of this,¡± Derek motioned to his surroundings. ¡°Works.¡± ¡°No...¡± Braxton said with a chuckle. ¡°We are not related. And just because we live underground, doesn¡¯t mean we marry... cousins.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°Okay. Then...¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Braxton said with another sigh. ¡°It is complicated.¡± ¡°Do you have children?¡± Derek asked. ¡°No,¡± Braxton said. ¡°But... when I retire... maybe...¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Derek nodded. ¡°Now I see why you¡¯re really so ready to retire from the assassin business.¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Braxton shushed Derek. ¡°Please don¡¯t go around telling everyone I¡¯m an assassin. I am quite good at my job, and a lot of that is due to nobody knowing.¡± ¡°Oh... sorry,¡± Derek said, remembering the conversation where Braxton had told him that it was easy to stay unknown when you never left any witnesses. ¡°Now, do you want to get some armor, or are you planning to stand here talking about my relationships all day?¡± Braxton asked. ¡°Because I could just go back and get some work done if.¡± ¡°Definitely armor,¡± Derek said. ¡°Good!¡± Braxton replied. ¡°Lead the way! Braxi, honey!¡± Chapter 531: Long Story Derek would have to say that he very much enjoyed meeting Braxton¡¯s significant other. It also went a long way in explaining to Derek why the dwarf wanted to retire so badly. Though he still couldn¡¯t figure out why exactly they were unable to marry. His leading theory at the moment was that it had to have something to do with his position in the Assassin¡¯s Guild. Then again, if I was a member of the Assassin¡¯s Guild, would I really want to bring someone I love into it? Other assassins or people knowing about an assassin¡¯s significant other would probably be a target on their backs. If that was the reason, the Derek could definitely understand it. Though, with Braxton¡¯s apparent strength, he felt like the man was already past the point where he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect Gretchen. After giving it some thought, Derek shrugged and continued following along behind the dwarven assassin. If Braxton wanted to tell him that ¡®long story,¡¯ at some point, it would be up to him. Even though Derek really was interested, he wouldn¡¯t push, as how an assassin spent his personal life didn¡¯t really concern him. So, as Derek followed behind Braxton, he couldn¡¯t help but to thoroughly examine his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was the fact that they really were underground. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were actually underground, or if they were inside a mountain. He didn¡¯t remember much about Stonehelm other than just knowing that it wasn¡¯t on the surface and that it was the capital of Vallum. Derek looked up and couldn¡¯t even see the ceiling. Glowing lamps lit up the entire area, but only went so high. Once he looked past the uppermost lamps, the area eventually turned completely dark. As for the houses and buildings on either side of the street, all were made from stone¡ªmaybe not the same stone, but all were stone. Other than a few signs he saw hanging around, there was almost no wood¡ªat least not when it came to building materials. All that made sense, though. One thing that the dwarves had an abundance of was rock and stone, and he wouldn¡¯t doubt that they had mining teams looking for rare materials along with expanding the livable area at pretty much all times. Another thing that Derek observed while checking his surrounding was the fact that Stonehelm was also a place where few races other than dwarves lived or stayed. He already knew that to be the case, but it was something that he was made even more aware of as they moved along the road. Out of all the people they passed, and they passed a lot of people, he¡¯d only seen a handful of non-dwarves¡ªand they were mostly human. In fact, Derek couldn¡¯t even recall seeing an elf so far. Just dwarves, a few humans, and he was pretty sure he seen a halfling or two. I guess elves are much too nature oriented to be trapped underground for any extended amount of time, Derek thought, then decided to ask, ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of elves here, are there?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Braxton slowed his steps and fell in line with Derek, and answered. ¡°They¡¯re all mostly in the surface capital. Not many other than my own kind ever come to the true capital. First, it¡¯s not easy to just get in...¡± he looked around. ¡°Unless you are brought in through... unusual methods.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°Not only that, but this is the heart of Vallum. This is where all the hard work and living happens. The overwhelming majority of trade happens above, in the surface cities. Don¡¯t want the smiths and other crafters to be interrupted by every human who wants a new shiny blade or helmet. We leave that stuff for the folks up top to sort out,¡± Braxton explained. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s makes sense,¡± Derek said. ¡°Speaking of new helmets, though... how far until we get to a smith?¡± ¡°A smith?¡± Braxton looked around. ¡°Pick up a rock and toss it. You¡¯ll probably hit one.¡± ¡°I mean one that can craft legendary items,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well, that may take a few more rocks to find,¡± Braxton said with a laugh. ¡°But in all seriousness, legendary smiths are few and far between. That is why it is impressive that your Walking Forge is one. Even in all of Stonehelm, there are only a few¡ªand it is a society that focuses on crafting above all else.¡± ¡°I guess it was a good idea to leave the weapon making to Tyron, then,¡± Derek said. ¡°Yes,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Because I am unsure how easy it will be to convince the others of your need for armor. I¡¯m afraid none know you like I do. At best, they have heard the rumors. Though, I wouldn¡¯t even bet on that. Most of the crafters keep their heads down and work¡ªavoiding all the drama from the outside world.¡± ¡°Oh... that¡¯s... not ideal,¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s why we aren¡¯t going directly to the crafters,¡± Braxton said. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. This was news to him. He thought Braxton was just taking him to an armorsmith that he was close to. ¡°Then where are we going?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t everything?¡± Derek shook his head, but didn¡¯t say anything else. Instead, he quietly followed beside Braxton for some time longer. Until finally, he found himself walking toward a massive stone building. Other than its size, there wasn¡¯t anything special about it. It was just big and square. I guess they don¡¯t get any rain or storms here, Derek thought as he looked at the flat roof. No need to have sloping roofs, I guess... ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Oh... nothing special,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It¡¯s just where my brother lives. I think he¡¯ll be able to help us.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. What a weird place to live, he thought as they walked up to a gate being guarded by multiple dwarves in full plate armor. ¡°Lord Braxus!¡± Four guards all pounded their chests with their right fist and saluted, causing Derek¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡°At ease!¡± Braxton said. ¡°Open the gate. I¡¯ve brought a guest.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the guards all said at once, then began the process of opening the gate separating them from the street and the courtyard. ¡°Braxus?¡± Derek asked Braxton with a raise brow. ¡°Lord?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a...¡± ¡°Long story?¡± Derek answered for the man. ¡°Exactly,¡± Braxton said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed my brother that we would be arriving. He, at least, seems eager to meet you.¡± ¡°Oh... well, as long as he can help,¡± Derek said. ¡°If anyone can, it¡¯s him,¡± Braxton replied. ¡°Now, follow me. Don¡¯t get lost.¡± The dwarven assassin then moved forward, past the gate and guards. They were met by another set of guards who opened the door to the building for them. Then, once inside, Braxton easily led Derek through the building. Along the way, guards and servants all saluted or bowed to ¡®Lord Braxus¡¯ as they passed, but Derek kept any questions to himself. Finally, they opened a set of double doors, and Derek took a good look inside. ¡°You have got to be kidding me...¡± Derek shook his head and rolled his eyes. Everything started to click into place once he saw an all too familiar layout to the room, accompanied by a dwarf sitting high in a throne. The man had three braids in his sandy blond beard, along with a braid on either side of his head, but what stood out most about the man was the stone crown sitting atop his head. Derek looked over at Braxton, unamused. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Braxton said with a smile. ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m pretty sure it isn¡¯t,¡± Derek said. ¡°What are you? A prince? Duke? What?¡± ¡°Actually...¡± Braxton said. ¡°I... well... I guess technically... a duke.¡± ¡°Yeah... not a long story at all,¡± Derek said. Though... how the hell did a duke of a kingdom become a leader of the Assassin¡¯s Guild? Maybe it is a long story. ¡°You¡¯ll never guess who my best client is,¡± Braxton said to Derek with a big, cheeky grin. ¡°And I¡¯ll also never guess how you managed to get your hands on a death row criminal from Vallum¡¯s dungeons, either, will I?¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll never tell!¡± Braxton said with a chuckle. ¡°Uhem!¡± The dwarf sitting on top of the throne cleared his throat, causing both Derek and Braxton to look up. It seemed that the rest of the room had been cleared out before the duo arrived, so only the person who appeared to be the king, Braxton, and Derek remained in the room once the doors were closed behind them. ¡°Brother, it would appear that you have brought someone with just as little decorum as yourself.¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me!¡± Braxton said loudly. ¡°King Darius, may I introduce you to Derek Hunt and his companion, Silvi Hunt. Derek, this is my baby brother, King Darius.¡± ¡°Baby... brother...¡± the king muttered under his breath. ¡°Yes, baby...¡± Braxton said. He turned and looked at Derek, then. ¡°I beat him to this world by two weeks, I did. We have different mothers, you see.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°I see. Why aren¡¯t you king, then?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t want it,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Didn¡¯t want it?¡± The king shook his head. ¡°Or did father just not want to leave the kingdom in the hands of the Assassin¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°Same thing,¡± Braxton said with a shrug. ¡°Enough of the family history. This is not something that should be discussed in front of strangers,¡± King Darius said, then his attention moved to Derek. ¡°Mr. Hunt, my brother told me that he was bringing you here, and I admit, I am curious. I have heard of some of your feats, and my brother seems to speak highly of you. What is it that you need from Vallum? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Right to the point, then?¡± Derek asked rhetorically, and Darius nodded. ¡°In that case, I need some legendary armor... a lot of it.¡± He then went on to tell the king what he could about why he needed the armor¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t a lot. In the end, the king sat silently in thought for some time before speaking again. ¡°Braxus,¡± the king finally said. ¡°Yeah?¡± Braxton asked as he sipped on a jug from his storage ring. ¡°You believe this man?¡± Darius asked. ¡°I do,¡± Braxton said. ¡°He¡¯s no reason to lie.¡± He looked Derek up and down. ¡°And if Derek really wanted to, he could probably take anything he wanted. Instead, he chose to ask.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re as strong as the rumors, then?¡± Darius asked Derek. ¡°I guess,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t really keep up to date on rumors about myself. But I guess you could say that I¡¯m pretty strong.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Braxton muttered between sips. ¡°Could probably take the leaders of the guild out all at once if he wanted.¡± He added. ¡°I see...¡± Darius sat back in his throne and sighed. ¡°With strength above all else...¡± ¡°Other than a good brew!¡± Braxton cut his brother off. ¡°Right... with strength above all but a good brew in this world, it would seem wise to take your warning seriously, especially if backed by my brother,¡± Darius said. ¡°In that case, provided that you supply the main materials and offer worthy enough compensation to the smiths, I do not see any reason keeping you from acquiring the armor you and your allies need. Though, with the armor being legendary, I must insist on reasonable contracts being made.¡± ¡°Contracts?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I do not wish to see legendary armor created in Vallum used against Vallum one day,¡± the king clarified. ¡°Therefore, the simplest way to prevent this is with contracts that nullify the connection between the wearer and their armor if fighting against Vallum¡¯s best interests. The armor will continue to work, but any special effects the armor may have with be nullified.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± he continued. ¡°Very well,¡± the king said. ¡°Allow me two days to prepare everyone.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll be busy for some time after today, so, if I¡¯m going to get any, I¡¯ll have mine created last, if that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°The order does not matter,¡± the king said. ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave everything here to Braxi.¡± Chapter 532: Facts ¡°Hah! Braxi!¡± The king let out a big belly laugh at Derek¡¯s words. ¡°Ugh...¡± Braxton sighed. ¡°Why did you have to call me that in front of him?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s your name,¡± Derek said. ¡°And I¡¯m never going to call you anything else.¡± Braxton placed his hand on his forehead and rubbed it. ¡°Why did she have to be home?¡± he asked almost silently to nobody. ¡°Oh, so Mr. Hunt here met your... fling,¡± Darius said. ¡°Stop calling her that!¡± Braxton removed his hand from his head and looked up at his brother. The man seemed genuinely angry. Derek even felt a bit of his aura slip out. ¡°We¡¯ve been together for decades. Gretchen is not a fling.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Darius said and waved Braxton¡¯s words away. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you couldn¡¯t have found someone of better... quality.¡± Derek watched as Braxton¡¯s hands balled up into fists and the man struggled to keep control. ¡°Darius...¡± he muttered through his teeth. ¡°King or not, if you weren¡¯t my brother, I¡¯d have you beneath my hammer. Say another word about Gretchen and I won¡¯t care that you¡¯re my brother. We¡¯ve been over this countless times. And this time... in front of a guest.¡± ¡°Relax, brother,¡± Darius said, not taking his brother¡¯s threat seriously. But Derek wasn¡¯t so sure. He hadn¡¯t known the dwarven assassin for long, but seeing him like he was... he would definitely take his words seriously. ¡°Besides,¡± the king continued. ¡°With the strength that Mr. Hunt is said to have, I¡¯m sure he understands exactly where I¡¯m coming from. You are of the royal family of Vallum. Your partner need not be a noble, but she must have some status. Why not Amber? She would be perfect for you, and I happen to know that she would be very receptive.¡± ¡°I already told you no, and don¡¯t care if she¡¯s the daughter of one of our best smiths,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I love Gretchen and there is nothing that will change that.¡± Derek was beginning to feel a bit awkward being the third wheel in the brothers¡¯ spat. But, at the same time, what Darius had said to him didn¡¯t sit right with Derek. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Derek said. ¡°What?¡± Braxton turned and looked at Derek with fire in his eyes. ¡°Not you,¡± Derek said. ¡°Your brother. He is dead wrong. Who cares about status in a world like this? That¡¯s how you get pathetic nobles¡ªand I¡¯ve seen plenty of pathetic nobles. What matters, as we previously just agreed on, is strength. From what I can tell, not many have more than you. I don¡¯t know why you let any of that stand in your way. You love Gretchen? Marry her. Who can stop you?¡± What he was saying may upset the king and cause a problem with the crafting of the armor, but he really didn¡¯t want to hold his tongue on the matter. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing that I¡¯ve learned while being here, it¡¯s that your bloodline doesn¡¯t mean shit,¡± Derek said. ¡°If I wanted to, I think I could become the king of the dwarves pretty quickly.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Darius asked, his smile gone. ¡°I don¡¯t have a drop of noble blood in me. I don¡¯t have a drop of dwarven blood in me. But, with strength, I could become king. It¡¯s as simple as that. I already pretty much single-handedly changed the royal family of an entire kingdom, and I¡¯m even stronger now than I was then,¡± Derek said. ¡°So why would something as simple as being with someone you love matter when you have the strength? ¡°The way I see it,¡± Derek continued. ¡°The only reasons that Braxton hasn¡¯t gone further is because of his role in the Assassin¡¯s Guild and his respect towards his brother, which I can understand. But really, you don¡¯t have any right to tell him what he can and can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°You...¡± Darius said, but then frowned. Beside Derek, Braxton had relaxed and his rage had turned into a small smile on his face. ¡°Who¡¯s stronger?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Between the two of you brothers? The king who sits on his throne ruling all day? Or the man who puts and has put his life on the line countless times as an assassin?¡± ¡°Took the words right out of my mouth!¡± Braxton said gleefully and took a step towards Derek before patting him on his back. ¡°And I will marry her,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for the time to be right. Waiting until I can step down from all the killing and all the political scheming. Just got to leave things in good hands is all.¡± ¡°What?¡± Darius looked at his brother and asked. ¡°Been meaning to tell you for some time now, brother,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no time like the present.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a replacement Guild Leader for my branch of the guild. Even got a couple good candidates. Soon as one of them takes over, I¡¯m done. Done with the guild, done with being your sword... I¡¯m just... done. Gonna retire with my lovely. Sit around the fireplace and drink the world¡¯s best brew.¡± ¡°I...¡± the king was at a loss for words. ¡°You... you¡¯re serious, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Course I am!¡± Braxton said. ¡°As serious as my friend is when someone threatens his friends. And you can ask him, that¡¯s pretty damn serious. I¡¯d say that you could ask the old Guild Leader of the Cydarian Branch, Maven, but he¡¯s a bit dead right now because Derek was serious.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Maven is dead?¡± Darius asked. ¡°Yup,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It¡¯s not something we¡¯re going to go around advertising, but one of the leaders is dead, and I¡¯m marrying Gretchen. There are two facts for you right there. And soon, this leader will be gone. That¡¯s a third fact.¡± ¡°I...¡± Darius leaned back in his throne. ¡°I see...¡± he said. ¡°There really is no changing your mind on that, then?¡± ¡°No way in hell,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I swear it on the King¡¯s Brew.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Darius frowned, then scratched his chin¡ªhis face changing to that of a more thoughtful expression. ¡°Then Braxus... I must finally meet this Gretchen.¡± ¡°You... want to meet her?¡± Braxton asked, his brow furrowing. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I thought this was a phase, and apparently, it is not,¡± Darius said. He then looked at Derek. ¡°And Mr. Hunt¡¯s words are not wrong. As much as I dislike hearing them, they are not wrong. You are my only sibling, and... marrying a commoner amongst commoners will not change that fact. But, I must make sure that it is truly love. So, I must meet the woman whom my brother Braxus... uhem... Braxi... is so smitten with... personally.¡± ¡°You are serious?¡± Braxton asked, ignoring the fact that even his own brother was now calling him Braxi. ¡°Of course I am serious,¡± Darius said. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, no harm will come to her.¡± ¡°I would never worry about that with you,¡± Braxton said. ¡°So...¡± Derek cut in. ¡°I¡¯m still getting the armor, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Darius said. ¡°We have already made the deal. I will not renege on such a thing¡ªespecially a deal that my brother has deemed so important. As long as you and your people meet the conditions set forth, you will have your armor.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Derek said. ¡°Today has been a great day!¡± Braxton said once Darius and Derek were finished speaking. ¡°Being here with my good friend, Derek, and my favorite brother finally becoming just a little less elitist. It truly is a great day to be alive.¡± ¡°I am your only brother!¡± Darius cut in with a laugh. ¡°As far as we know,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Who knows what our old man got up to in the day? Half the city could be our siblings, as far as we know.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t,¡± Darius replied. ¡°What?¡± Braxton asked. ¡°We have no siblings in the city...¡± Darius said. ¡°I... checked... long ago.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Braxton said, sort of speechless. Derek was the same. He couldn¡¯t believe that the king would actually do something like that. Just how big of a philanderer was their father? He thought. ¡°Then I guess you¡¯re still my favorite brother,¡± Braxton finally said again after breaking out of his previous stupor. ¡°You know what this calls for, right? A successful deal between my brother and my friend, along with my brother changing his ways?¡± ¡°A drink?¡± Derek asked. If there was a way to get his hands on some of the King¡¯s Brew that Braxton had been talking up so much, now was the time. ¡°A drink!¡± Braxton shouted. ¡°Of course! But not just any drink, we need some of the King¡¯s Brew!¡± He then looked sheepishly at his brother on the thrones. ¡°And uh... about the King¡¯s Brew...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already drank the last of what I gave you?¡± The king looked at his brother in slight shock. ¡°How? Do you just sit around drinking all day? Drinking nothing but my brew until it is gone?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Braxton said. ¡°I don¡¯t always sit. Sometimes I walk around. Sometimes I fight.¡± ¡°But you always drink my brew...¡± Darius said. ¡°Well... when I have it,¡± Braxton replied. ¡°At least I can walk around and drink it. Some other brews require you to sit, unless you want to have a very bad day.¡± ¡°Other brews?¡± Darius asked. ¡°What other brews? Have you found something new and not informed me of it?¡± ¡°May...be,¡± Braxton teased. ¡°It¡¯s not like I tell you everything. Some things are better kept secret.¡± ¡°Like a new brew?¡± the king scoffed. ¡°Exactly!¡± Braxton said. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not sure if the person I got the brew from is comfortable with me sharing its existence.¡± ¡°And when has that ever stopped you?¡± ¡°When has the person I received it from ever been able to hand my ass to me?¡± Braxton asked back, then he looked over at Derek. ¡°What?¡± Derek shrugged. ¡°You can do what you want with the jug of it. I just want to try some of this other stuff.¡± ¡°It seems that it is your lucky day, brother!¡± Braxton said, then took out the special jug used to hold the Wyvern¡¯s Brew. ¡°A trade! The Wyvern¡¯s Brew for some King¡¯s Brew!¡± Darius eyed the jug and instinctively licked his lips. Everyone could see him fighting his impulses when he saw it. Finally, he said, ¡°Fine! A jug for a jug.¡± He flicked his wrist, and a jug appeared in his hand as well. ¡°Oh, no.¡± Braxton shook his head. ¡°You have plenty of the brew, but there is only a very small amount of the Wyvern¡¯s Brew.¡± ¡°Is it that good? Is it better?¡± Darius asked with wide eyes. ¡°Does it matter if it isn¡¯t?¡± Braxton asked. ¡°Even if it is a little worse, would not a small amount of something you¡¯ve never tried before be worth a large amount of something that you have a large supply of?¡± ¡°Large?¡± Darius asked. ¡°You know that we do not have a large supply of the King¡¯s Brew. It is very difficult to make. The supply is very limited.¡± ¡°But can one sip of the King¡¯s Brew last as long as you want it to?¡± Braxton asked with a smile. ¡°Because this can.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t,¡± Darius said. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Derek said. ¡°It really can. But you have to be extremely careful with it.¡± He looked at Braxton and asked, ¡°Are you sure you should give the king of an entire country some without knowing what happens? You didn¡¯t exactly get to find out what happens if things go wrong.¡± ¡°We¡¯re both here. He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Braxton said, waving off Derek¡¯s worries. ¡°Besides... you¡¯re really going to enjoy his brew.¡± ¡°If you say so, I¡¯m not going to stop you,¡± Derek said with a shake of his head. ¡°But if things go wrong, that¡¯s on you, not me.¡± ¡°How bad could it be?¡± the king asked. ¡°Give it to me. I¡¯ll take the risk.¡± ¡°Us first,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Fine!¡± Darius waved his hand, and four more jugs appeared. Braxton did a little fist pump in victory and walked up to the throne. He collected the five jugs of King¡¯s Brew and walked back to Derek¡ªhanding him two of them. Derek wanted to object and say that he deserved three instead of two, but he didn¡¯t. Two would work for the time being. He didn¡¯t know how the drink would be, after all. ¡°What about me?¡± Silvi, who had been quiet most of the time, asked. Realizing that she was still there, Braxton sighed, then handed her a jug. She didn¡¯t look satisfied with just one, but it seemed that the man couldn¡¯t force herself to give her another. ¡°And me?¡± Darius asked from atop the throne. ¡°Prepare you Greater Meditation skill,¡± Braxton told his brother in a serious tone. ¡°Meditation? Why?¡± ¡°Just do it or you don¡¯t get any,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Fine,¡± the king said, then closed his eyes. He opened them again and moved slowly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡± Finally, a cup appeared in Braxton¡¯s hand and he poured a small amount of the brew in it before putting the brew away. A potion then appeared in his other hand and he moved beside his brother and handed him the cup. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Darius asked. ¡°Drink,¡± Braxton said. ¡°And be prepared. Don¡¯t lose control of your meditation.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re making too big of a deal about this,¡± the king said. ¡°I can always take the cup back, little brother,¡± Braxton said. Then, said, ¡°Drink!¡± ¡°Fine... okay,¡± Darius said, and turned the cup up and poured the liquid in his mouth before swallowing slowly. After that, Derek and Braxton watched the man carefully. It would be a shame for the Kingdom of Vallum to lose a king on such a good day. Chapter 533: We Will See Derek and Braxton watch the dwarven king quietly as they waited for the effects of the brew to kick in. Darius was lucky that Braxton had made him slip into Greater Meditation before he took the drink, because when the poison surged through his system, it did so very quickly. Darius¡¯s eyes widened as everything happened. ¡°Focus on your meditation,¡± Braxton guided his brother. The last thing he wanted was to be known as someone who poisoned his brother to death. The same was true for Derek. He¡¯d rather not have rumors of him poisoning a king, who seemed to be at least halfway decent, to death. After storing the King¡¯s Brew that he¡¯d been given, Derek also stepped closer to the king and took out a couple of his own potions, just in case. When he saw the etchings appear on the king¡¯s arms, Derek went ahead and forced a regeneration potion down the man¡¯s throat. It wasn¡¯t an amazing potion or anything, he just thought that it would be enough to slow the spread and let the man experience the sensations of the brew a little better by giving him a bit more time. ¡°Good idea,¡± Braxton said as the etchings slowly, almost imperceptibly to the eyes, retreated bit by bit. ¡°He wanted to see what was so great about the brew, so we may as well let him,¡± Derek said. ¡°You definitely have more vitality and willpower than your brother, you know?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Braxton replied. ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong about all the things you mentioned earlier. My time in the Assassin¡¯s Guild has forged me into the perfect...¡± he side eyed Derek. ¡°A pretty sharp weapon.¡± ¡°We should spar sometime,¡± Derek said. ¡°When¡¯s the last time you were able to go all out?¡± ¡°Decades,¡± Braxton said. ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t even know how strong I am, exactly. There were never any reasons to fight against the strongest like the Dawn Siren or the old earth elf, so I¡¯ve had nobody to compare myself to for quite some time.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be busy for a while, but when I get back, if you would like to see what you¡¯re made of, I¡¯ll be around,¡± Derek said. He made a mental note that it would be a good idea to exchange contact runes with the man before he left for Earth. ¡°I may have to take you up on that,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Maybe even same some of this King¡¯s Brew for a nice after spar refreshment.¡± ¡°That sounds like a plan,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°I think he¡¯s getting the hang of it.¡± Derek nodded toward the king and saw that the etchings had practically stopped moving in either way. That meant that the man had gained enough control to keep everything at its current level. ¡°He has always been a quick learner,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It¡¯s a shame he had to run a kingdom. He could have been one hell of a fighter¡ªmaybe even stronger than me¡ªif he¡¯d had the time and practice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of time left for that,¡± Derek said. ¡°Maybe,¡± Braxton shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s a reason that I want to start my real life with Gretchen sooner rather than later. We dwarves may have a long lifespan, but it isn¡¯t even half of that of the elves. Our vitality really helps, but we all eventually die from old age if not from battle or a forging mishap.¡± The thought of Brandi walking around without eyebrows quickly flashed through Derek¡¯s mind. I hope she¡¯s more careful in the future, he thought. Then, he asked, ¡°Are deadly forging mishaps common here?¡± ¡°Forging mishaps are very common,¡± Braxton said. ¡°But there are not many that end in the death of the smith. Though, they do happen. That¡¯s why the majority of dwarves that you see will have very high vitality and endurance stats. It is also why you don¡¯t see many mages running around. Sure, we have plenty, but the quantity is nowhere near the amount that other races have. Of course, the reverse is true for the elves and magic.¡± ¡°Every race seems to have a sort of natural path that is easier,¡± Derek said. ¡°Not really,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It¡¯s just every dwarf¡¯s dream to become a great blacksmith when they are young. But the Great System does not always allow one to follow their dreams. We have some very, very talented earth mages down here. As for the elves... I¡¯m sure they all want to sit atop one of their great trees and eat fruit all day or something like that.¡± ¡°Not a fan of elves?¡± Derek asked. ¡°I¡¯ve had some run-ins,¡± Braxton replied. ¡°Almost every one of them that I¡¯ve killed has been a mage. I don¡¯t actually know whether what I think is true for all. It all comes from my own experience, and I can¡¯t be bothered to actually do any research into it.¡± ¡°I can understand that,¡± Derek said with a laugh. Then, he noticed that the etchings on the king started moving again. ¡°I think he¡¯s done,¡± he said to Braxton. ¡°Yeah,¡± Braxton replied with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s probably for the best. That bliss is far too hard to keep at bay for most people. I¡¯m sure that after a few more rounds, Darius will be able to withstand the brew just fine. But for now, I think it¡¯s best that we end it.¡± After saying that, Braxton walked up to the king and fed him the potion he had in his hand. Derek¡¯s eyes went wide as he saw how quickly the etchings retreated on the man. His potions are a lot better than the ones that I have, Derek thought. Though... he is the king¡¯s brother and the strongest member of the Assassin¡¯s Guild. I think he would be considered second-in-charge, only behind Nyx, actually. ¡°Why did you do that!?¡± Darius roared once the brew completely left his system. ¡°Because I have a very busy day ahead of us and I can¡¯t be having the king grinning like a fool in a brewery and dead to the world while I¡¯m off negotiating with some of the greatest smiths in the world, now can I?¡± Braxton asked. ¡°I can¡¯t just spend my entire day babysitting my baby brother, making sure he doesn¡¯t die.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°But...¡± Darius licked his lips and look greedily at Derek. ¡°Can you get me some more of that?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Derek said, and the king¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°But I think I¡¯ll let Braxi keep control of it. Somebody has to be around to supervise so you and whoever you share it with doesn¡¯t kill themselves.¡± ¡°Are the two of you able to drink it without supervision?¡± Darius asked. Braxton and Derek looked at each other and laughed. ¡°I have to urge it on to allow it to affect me any,¡± Derek said. ¡°The woes of being too strong...¡± ¡°And I am more than capable of doing so. In fact, I¡¯m able to keep track of my surrounds as needed and push the effects away at any time. Been doing it for weeks now, already. Best thing about this brew is that it doesn¡¯t matter if you drink a sip or a swig, it will eventually spread to a degree where the bliss kicks in,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Really?¡± Darius licked his lips again. ¡°And with just a small amount...¡± he muttered. ¡°I must meet this brew master. Again, Derek and Braxton looked at each other and cracked up. ¡°That giant of a man is currently under myself and the Assassin Guild¡¯s protection, and I will not allow the identity of the man to spread,¡± Braxton said. ¡°He is too important for any of that.¡± ¡°Please?¡± Darius asked. ¡°My brother... the King of Vallum... asking so kindly of something from his big brother?¡± Braxton looked taken aback, then snorted. ¡°Nope... no chance in hell. Go get your own brewmaster.¡± The king then looked at Derek with pleading eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not up to me,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°That mountain of a man is under Braxton¡¯s protection now, so I¡¯m not going to go against that. You¡¯ll have to make do with what little I¡¯m able to get Braxton. And remember to be kind to your brother because he¡¯s the one who will control the flow of the brew.¡± ¡°You must marry Gretchen at once!¡± the king declared. ¡°I need not meet the woman. Any woman who can make my brother as happy as you is surely good enough. Yes! We shall have a wedding next month! No! Next week!¡± ¡°Woah, woah, woah, brother,¡± Braxton put his hands out to calm the king down. ¡°I told you. I have a lot of things to take care of before any of that happens. We will marry on our own terms.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Darius said. ¡°But please let me know when you are ready and we will throw you a wedding for the ages. No expense shall be spared.¡± ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Braxton said with a chuckle. Derek had a hard time believing that just a little bit of Roman¡¯s Wyvern Brew was enough to have the king completely do a 180 and change his mind about Braxton and Gretchen. Then again, he thought. With the way Braxton acts around the stuff, I guess it¡¯s no surprise that his brother would act the same. ¡°Hey, I have a question,¡± Derek said to the king. ¡°Yes?¡± Darius asked. ¡°Do you think a little of that brew would be enough to have the smiths create all the armor?¡± he asked. ¡°No.¡± Darius¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°I mean, yes. But no, I would rather you not give them any. Our smiths are vitally important to the kingdom, and there is too big of a risk with the brew. My brother is the strongest in the kingdom with the highest vitality, and I am the second, or at least close to it, and I know how I was reacting after one small cup. I would trust no one with it who is not at least as strong as me. And my brother is correct in ¡®supervising¡¯ me whenever I choose to drink. No matter how much I hate to admit it.¡± ¡°That is true...¡± Derek muttered. ¡°His previous brew would go a long way,¡± Braxton said. ¡°It may not be nearly as good as the King¡¯s Brew, but it is better than the majority of brews already. Depending on the quantity of it, I can see the smiths going for it. Hell, with enough of it, I don¡¯t think they¡¯d even have a problem providing some of their more rare materials for the armors.¡± ¡°What kind of materials are you talking about?¡± Derek asked. He certainly had rare materials, but they basically boiled down to wyvern parts and stuff from a tree. Sure, he¡¯d given Brandi plenty of other materials, but nothing that could really top those two materials. ¡°Well, one of the greatest perks of a good attuned armor is not only bolstering your own abilities but also defending against abilities that you may be weak against,¡± Darius said. ¡°My smiths are very versed in the second. For example, if your class uses the fire element, then you know that someone who uses water is the counter, correct?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well, what if you had an armor that would amplify your fire skills, but also has increased defense against water?¡± Darius asked rhetorically. ¡°That is something that our smiths can provide, assuming the correct compensation is given, and assuming that one does not use some very rare class-type.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said. ¡°I... don¡¯t think those of my friends will need that, really. Maybe Vanessa, but Avery... I don¡¯t think really has any weaknesses.¡± ¡°The Dawn Siren¡¯s second?¡± Darius asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek replied. ¡°He would do well with general magic resistance,¡± Darius replied. ¡°His stamina based attacks are rare, but he does not have much in the way of magic.¡± ¡°You know a lot about him,¡± Derek said. ¡°Of course I do,¡± Darius said. ¡°The Dawn Siren¡¯s armor was the last armor for an outsider that our father had created before his death. Even without her skills, my father wanted nothing more than to please that half-elf. She¡¯s the one woman who never gave him the attention he wanted.¡± ¡°That sounds like here,¡± Derek laughed. ¡°It is a pity that she has gone wherever it is she¡¯s gone to,¡± Darius said. ¡°But yes, I have always kept tabs on the woman up until now. The same is true of Ms. Natalie Savannah and her god awful, ridiculous suit of armor I had created for her. But her offer for the armor was something we would have been fools to refuse. It is still Shaemus¡¯s greatest shame.¡± ¡°Shaemus is considered our greatest smith,¡± Braxton clarified. ¡°That armor is a very sore spot for him. Just stacking every defensive material one could think of on top of each other...¡± Braxton shook his head. Derek had heard of Natalie¡¯s armor, but he¡¯d never seen it in action. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the man¡¯s description of it, though. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well... I have heard that people call it golem-like.¡± ¡°Apt description,¡± Darius said. Derek laughed, then sighed. ¡°Well, it has been nice meeting you, King Darius, but with time not being on our sides, I think it¡¯s time I get a move on. And it would probably be for the best if Braxi did the same. I would rather everyone be geared up sooner rather than later.¡± ¡°It has been a very interesting meeting, Mr. Hunt,¡± Darius said. ¡°You are welcome in Stonehelm whenever you wish. A friend of my brother¡¯s is a friend of... not... that is not correct. He is friends with many individuals that I would rather not be acquainted with.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not all bad,¡± Braxton said. ¡°And most of them really are just acquaintances. You do not make many friends in the guild.¡± Braxton sighed. ¡°But Derek is right. I should get to the smiths. They¡¯re going to be very busy.¡± The dwarven assassin then turned and left the Throne Room, leaving Derek and Darius alone. ¡°Well... anyway,¡± Darius said. ¡°You are welcome here. I will even help get you set up with a teleportation token.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Derek said with a laugh, then, he ripped the space in front of him apart and covered his storage items and Silvi¡¯s with a layer of void. ¡°I have my own ways of getting to places,¡± he said and stepped inside. ¡°I see...¡± Darius said just before Derek closed the void. Moments after Derek and his brother left, Darius called his guards and advisers into the room with him. ¡°Reginald!¡± he half-shouted. ¡°Yes, sire!¡± his most trusted adviser replied. ¡°I need you to gather information on every relatively large brewmaster in Cydaria,¡± he commanded. ¡°We must find the creator of the Wyvern Brew!¡± ¡°At once, sire!¡± His adviser bowed and left. We¡¯ll see if Braxus can really keep such an incredible asset from me... we will see... Chapter 534: Going Home With Derek inside the void, he stood still for a few moments, thinking about everything. In the last year or two, he¡¯d gone from any mentioning of the void, causing him anxiety to actually being inside, to it helping him calm down and think. Considering what he¡¯d saw of living things that met with the void he entered for Void Travel, he was pretty sure that he and Silvi were the only two that could possibly feel that way¡ªat least, the only two in his current system and probably the Universal System. ¡®Where are we going? Why are we stopped?¡¯ Silvi asked. She was still a bit full from overeating the magical food that Dave had given her, but he could tell that she was getting pretty close to normal. Expelling all that fire in the Cydarian Capital had helped her quite a bit. However, he could tell that she was still full just by the fact that she had stored the King¡¯s Brew in her ring instead of trying to take a drink instantly. ¡®I¡¯m thinking,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®If I¡¯m going to visit my old home, right now is the time,¡¯ he explained. ¡®The shop is in good hands with Malorie, and she¡¯s prepared for us to be gone for a while. I think I¡¯ve done everything I can for those I care about, too. It¡¯s up to Edgar whether he wants to prepare anyone else, and I actually feel like I can trust Braxton to take care of all the armor.¡¯ ¡®Then go home,¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®Nothing stopping you. Just you. You heard the tasty, weird, nice elf. If you want to go home, you go soon.¡¯ ¡®You were listening?¡¯ Derek asked, surprised. ¡®Of course,¡¯ Silvi replied. ¡®Always listening... unless chewing too loud. Then sometimes listening.¡¯ ¡®I see...¡¯ Derek replied with a smile. ¡®Well then... are you up for an adventure? Or do you want to stay here?¡¯ ¡®Of course I go!¡¯ Silvi replied, and he even felt her slightly move from her place on his shoulder. ¡®That¡¯s good,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®I was hoping you¡¯d say that.¡¯ He then scratched at his chin in thought. ¡®Silvi...¡¯ ¡®Hmm?¡¯ ¡®Do you think you¡¯re well enough now to carry all the storage items in your pot?¡¯ he asked. ¡®Last time I tried to pinpoint my old home and acquaintances, I got the feeling that it was going to be quite a bit harder to get to them than it is to get to everyone around here. I know for a fact that it¡¯s going to be one hell of a drain on my mana and stamina, and I don¡¯t want to accidentally run out and lose control of my void shell.¡¯ ¡®I am good!¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®You carry me... I carry stuff!¡¯ ¡®That sounds like a good plan,¡¯ Derek chuckled, and as he did, a small pot appeared, floating in front of them. Derek carefully removed all his storage items without allowing the void shell to disappear and placed them inside the pot. He also held the shell around all of Silvi¡¯s items and let her do the same. It would have definitely been easier and smarter to have done it all outside, but Derek hadn¡¯t been sure of his plans, and he didn¡¯t want to do it all in front of Darius. He could have opened another portal and went outside, but, since he and Silvi were already inside, he figured that he might as well do it all while there. If nothing else, it was a good experiment with his Void Creation skill. Thinking that, he watched as Silvi folded up her cloak and placed it on top of Derek¡¯s items. She then put all of her items¡ªincluding her collar¡ªon top of her cloak. The next moment, a lid just big enough to cover the pot was formed and placed on top. The multiple latches on the lid were then secured to the pot and, according to everything he¡¯d seen, the storage items were safe and secure. He also felt that his connection to the void shell he¡¯d created around each one had gotten weaker, which was also interesting. He could only take it to confirm that Silvi¡¯s skill was working just fine. Derek released his skill and felt his connection disappear. ¡®You good to go?¡¯ he asked. He wanted to double and triple check that Silvi would be able to keep the pot formed the entire way. ¡®I¡¯m not sure how long this is going to take. The furthest that I¡¯ve ever traveled is to the other continent on this world.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m great!¡¯ Silvi replied happily. ¡®Still have waaay too much mana. This is good. It helps!¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s good!¡¯ Derek said. Maybe her gorging herself on that food will come in handy. ¡®Let¡¯s go!¡¯ Silvi commanded. ¡®To Earth!¡¯ ¡®To Earth!¡¯ Derek repeated with a chuckle. Finally, his face turned serious, and he closed his eyes. Derek pushed his Void Sense to its limits¡ªstretching it out as far as he could. The easiest way would be to find someone with a strong aura... he thought. So, the first person who came to mind was Jace. Derek pushed and pushed, and, a little easier than the time before, he found the aura of his old... friend. It was a deeper red color than before, and it even sent a bit of a chill down his spine. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t go to him... Derek thought. I don¡¯t even think he was on Earth the last time I checked. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Thinking that, Derek shifted his focus to Silvi Jaccobs. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t too hard to find. She had a pink and purplish aura, but it wasn¡¯t nearly at the strength of Jace¡¯s blood red aura. It was faint, and kept popping in and out, but Derek felt that if he tried hard enough, he would be able to follow it. Just seeing them was enough before, but he hadn¡¯t focused long on them because of the drain they caused. One thing he could say for certain was that Jace and Silvi were very far apart from each other. And if his thoughts were correct, it was much more likely that Silvi was still on Earth than Jace was. Only one way to find out, Derek thought, then shifted his focus once again. He kept the focus close to Silvi¡¯s aura, then looked for his old cabin. The reason he looked for the others¡¯ aura first was that he always felt that it was easier to pinpoint and follow an aura than it was a place. Though, while in Cydaria, the other countries, or basically anywhere on his current planet, were so easy to find that it didn¡¯t matter which way he used. While looking, Derek started to get a little lightheaded. Instantly, he checked on his mana and was surprised to see that it was already at less than fifty percent. Just like I thought, he said to himself. At that moment, he was very happy that Silvi was carrying all the items. So, Derek quickly thought to drink a mana recovery potion, but realized that they were all in his storage ring, and also that they would most likely go bad the instant he brought them out, so, instead, he tried to slip into Greater Meditation. Damn! He cursed inwardly. While slipping into Greater Meditation, he lost Silvi Jaccobs¡¯ aura. Since he had already lost it, he decided to wait for his mana to completely regenerate before trying again. Okay... he thought once his mana pool was filled. Let¡¯s try this again, but quicker. Derek quickly reached out with his Void Sense and directed it straight to where Silvi¡¯s aura was before. He found it, then he moved on to look for his cabin. There it is, he thought when he felt the area. Finding the cabin was enough to know that Silvi Jaccobs was, in fact, still on Earth. Derek moved his focus away from the cabin and back to his old acquaintance. ¡®You ready?¡¯ Derek asked his companion. ¡®Ready!¡¯ Silvi replied. ¡®I¡¯m going to need you to really focus,¡¯ Derek sent. ¡®I don¡¯t know if this will take anything out of you or not. Just let me know if it does.¡¯ ¡®Kay!¡¯ Silvi replied. Then Derek took a step forward and leaped. It had never taken him more than a few leaps or steps in the void before. Everyone had just been so close to him. It was the same for Silvi. A single hop had been able to get her to anywhere she wanted to go. So, this was the first time that Derek really moved in the void, and it was... weird. It was like he was weightless, but not really. Moving along, straight to where Silvi Jaccobs¡¯ aura was, it felt almost like he was using Void Shift, except he wasn¡¯t exactly static. His body fell, and he did feel like he was touching something with his feet when he moved. I wonder... he thought, then used Void Steps. Oh! Surprisingly, Void Steps worked very well in the void. He no longer had to float down before moving after every step. He could just toss a ripple¡ªwhich was much more visible in the void than it was on the outside¡ªunder his feet, and kick off. Derek also kept an eye on his mana pool as he went. After a couple of minutes, it was safe to say that using his Void Steps¡ªeven though each one of them took some of his precious mana away¡ªwas much more efficient than not because of the speed difference between both methods. Though, even with his Greater Meditation and his increased mana recovery from his wisdom¡ªalong with whatever remnants of Dave¡¯s food that he¡¯d only tasted¡ªhis mana pool was depleting pretty rapidly. I never would have thought it would be this bad, Derek thought. And, with his mana pool depleting, he also started feeling mentally fatigued after what felt like half an hour. This came with a small headache¡ªsomething he hadn¡¯t experienced in quite a while. Even when he did, it was more of a quick pain, then gone. However, this was a well and true headache that seemed to be morphing into a migraine. That made him think of Asher, and the second he did, he lost his concentration and Silvi¡¯s aura slipped away. Oh well, Derek thought. My mana was running low anyway, and I was going to have to recover it soon. Might as well be now. ¡®You doing okay?¡¯ Derek asked Silvi while he was recovering. ¡®Fine,¡¯ Silvi replied. ¡®Head hurt some. But fine.¡¯ ¡®Okay,¡¯ Derek said. ¡®I¡¯ll try to be faster.¡¯ He found it interesting that Silvi¡¯s head was also hurting. He¡¯d thought that it was just because of his mental fatigue from his mana draining, but that might not have been the case. Or... that¡¯s just not everything. ¡®How bad does your head hurt?¡¯ he asked. ¡®Not bad,¡¯ Silvi said. ¡®Not really a hurt. Just... pressure.¡¯ ¡®I see...¡¯ Derek replied. He also had a weird pressure to go along with his headache. So, the pressure is separate? He asked himself. I hope I¡¯m getting into something bad... Derek took another deep breath once his mana was filled up, then told Silvi that they were about to take off again. After some time and a few more rest-stops to top off his mana, Derek noticed something. It¡¯s slowing way down, he thought as he looked at his mana. But the pressure is quite a bit worse, he thought. Silvi had even complained about it to him a short time ago, which worried him. However, he pushed on. He got the feeling that the pressure wasn¡¯t distance related or anything like that, but was more so because of the amount of time that they were spending in the void. We should have tested that, he thought. They¡¯d never actually just stayed in the void for an extended period of time, so it was something that was completely unknown, and also something he¡¯d never even thought about. However, Derek had a backup plan if the pressure continued to grow and it actually got bad. He would just rip open the void and go outside. At his current stats, he didn¡¯t feel like being in the vacuum of space would pose much of a threat to him and Silvi. As far as he knew, they didn¡¯t have a limit on how long they could hold their breath. As it turned out, the pressure wasn¡¯t something he needed to worry about. He soon got to the point where his mana stopped draining and his Greater Meditation was enough to cover the drain. Eventually, the aura he was heading towards was right under him, and he smiled. Instead of ripping the void open right then and there, Derek pulled back his Void Sense and instead looked for his old cabin. It was extremely close by. So, with a relieved smile, Derek kicked off the void one last time and was there. In moments, he would be standing near the cabin where he¡¯d spent his time after his family died and his entire time after the Universal System took over. ¡®Are you ready to see my old home?¡¯ Derek asked. ¡®Ready!¡¯ Derek took a deep breath, then he reached out. Chapter 535: Home? Derek ripped the void apart, then stepped out. As soon as he did, before he was even able to look around, he was hit with a sharp pain in his head, and his vision flashed. However, that¡¯s all that happened. It was so fast that he wasn¡¯t even sure that he had felt anything. What he did notice most of all was that the pressure inside his head that had been building since the moment he stepped into the void and started traveling had quickly disappeared. It wasn¡¯t an instant release, it was more like a rapid deflation of a balloon. He was already pretty sure, but the pressure disappearing like it had made him almost certain that the pressure was caused by the amount of time he and Silvi had spent in that part of the void. I¡¯m glad that there wasn¡¯t any pressure like that when I was stuck in the void from the portal. If that was how it felt after just a... few hours? Derek questioned how long it had taken him and Silvi to reach Earth, but he wasn¡¯t exactly sure. Yeah... it couldn¡¯t have been any more than just a few hours. He shrugged. But yeah... I would have been dead a long time ago if that had accompanied the other void. At least... I think. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what the pressure of the void would have done to him and Silvi had they remained the there longer. Who knows? It may have just reached a certain point and stopped. Or... Maybe I could have covered our bodies in a void shell and just circumvented it. ¡®That it?¡¯ Derek heard Silvi¡¯s voice chime in her head, which caused him to break out of his thoughts. The relief of the pressure and the quick, sharp pain in his head had distracted him momentarily. ¡®What?¡¯ he asked Silvi. ¡®That was your old home?¡¯ Silvi asked. Derek quickly looked up and scanned his surroundings. After examining everything, he sighed deeply. There wasn¡¯t much of anything around him. His cabin was gone, and by the looks of it, it had been gone for quite some time. He couldn¡¯t say that he wasn¡¯t expecting such an outcome. Still, he¡¯d had a small hope that somebody would have kept it around, but that was obviously way too much to hope for. Instead, all he was met with was tall grass covering the pieces of the home that were still there¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t much. Derek took a step forward and bent down, reaching his hand down and grasping a wooden plank from what had once been his family¡¯s old cabin. He brought it up and examined it. The wood was well worn and rotted already. Just by picking it up, it had begun to fall apart. ¡®It used to be,¡¯ Derek finally sent back to Silvi. ¡®But a place like this was never going to last without anyone to take care of it.¡¯ ¡®Oh...¡¯ Silvi replied. ¡®Sorry.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s fine,¡¯ Derek sent back. A smile formed on his face, though. ¡®But thank you,¡¯ he said. Maybe she didn¡¯t care about many people or things, but at least Silvi still cared for him. Still, Derek hoped that he may be able to find something, at least. A keepsake or the like. He¡¯d hated that he¡¯d not kept much of anything from his old life in his storage bracelet before he got stuck, but he was pretty well known to be someone that shouldn¡¯t be messed with. At least, he was around Charlotte, North Carolina, and to anyone not named Jace Whitaker. So, since he was never away from the cabin for too long, he hadn¡¯t bothered to store many things. He had preferred things to be out in the open. ¡°Well... at least the pond is still there,¡± Derek chuckled out loud. That¡¯s where he was when the first notification from the Universal System came. He¡¯d been on the small boat, fishing for his dinner at the time. He¡¯d just reeled in a catfish and was lowering his blade into its skull to put it out of its misery before taking it back and cooking it when he was hit by the first message. The notification came. His knife was driven into the fish, then he was rewarded with the title First of Many¡ªwhich had been given to him for being one of the very first to obtain a kill after the Universal System came. It was something that he would never forget, as it was the day everything changed. I guess I was pretty lucky in that regard, huh? He thought. The odds of having such timing to get such a good title had to have been astronomical. Still, it¡¯s what happened, and it was one of the bigger reasons that Derek had become an elite on Earth without actually pushing for it. I bet I could have been even closer to the top if I had really tried back then, he thought. Then he shook his head. No, if that would have happened, I doubt all the things that have happened to me would have ever happened, and that¡¯s not something I would ever want. His talking with Dave had also let him know how lucky he was to have gotten a rare class back then, too¡ªeven if it wasn¡¯t the first class that he¡¯d received. I¡¯ve definitely been lucky ever since the Universal System came... all the way up until now. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Hell, Derek even looked back upon getting trapped in the void as being lucky. Sure, the decades or even centuries that he¡¯d spent there had been nothing short of hell, and he¡¯d gone crazy and broken while in there, but he¡¯d come out and been able to take hold of a new life and gain a new family. Yeah... I was definitely lucky. In fact, he even thought about thanking Silvi Jaccobs for not keeping the Portal open even a split second longer. Eh... maybe not. Derek laughed internally, then shrugged before walking over to the small pond and looking out over the water. Surprisingly, the small wooden boat that he¡¯d used was still there, even though the entire cabin was nothing but rubble and overgrowth. Of course, the boat was nowhere near usable anymore¡ªhaving also succumbed to the conditions. It still held a boat shape, but when he reached down and touched it, all it took was a little tug and a handful of the wood came off. At that moment, a splash sounded out, and Derek looked up. A fish about five feet long and a couple feet wide jumped up from the center of the pond. The fish had razer-like teeth and sparks were pulsating from it. As soon as it reached the peak of its jump, a purple bolt of lightning hit it before it went back down into the water. Seconds later, the dead fish floated up to the top and Silvi hopped off Derek¡¯s shoulder to go store it. Derek waited a moment before he realized that there was no notification coming¡ªnot one from the Davenresh System, nor the Universal System. Oh, shit! Derek thought, then quickly looked over his status before letting out a sigh of relief. He still had vivid memories of the system text being one of the few things keeping him sane during his time trapped in the void, then losing even it. And, since a couple of the things that he was concerned about was how the systems would react with one another again, and if the Davenresh System would truly stick with him once on Earth, he was relieved to see that nothing seemed to be wrong. I still have all my skills, experience points, contracts... and everything, he thought. It looks like the only thing that I¡¯m missing is the ability to gain experience points... or... I guess... essence. But that¡¯s almost no different than when we killed Void Beasts. The system just isn¡¯t going to help me and Silvi process the essence from killing things outside of it, which I guess makes sense. Actually, does the Davenresh System even help us with that anymore? Or is it the Origin System? Derek shrugged. It wasn¡¯t something he could know unless he spoke to Dave again, but he didn¡¯t expect to be seeing the elf for a while. Oh, well... he thought, then dropped the crumbling wood that he had in his hand as Silvi came back and landed on his shoulder. ¡°Did the storage rings still work?¡± he asked Silvi. She still had all the storage items in her pot. ¡®Yes,¡¯ Silvi sent to him telepathically. ¡°That¡¯s good, at least,¡± Derek said. ¡°Do you mind if I get my stuff back?¡± With that question, the lid that Silvi had just put back on her pot after storing the fish opened up and Derek reached in¡ªequipping all of his items. Silvi would have to carry them back, but for local travel on Earth, Derek figured that it would be easier to just coat everything in a void shell again instead of storing them in the pot. Silvi did the same for her items, and soon enough, she was able to let the pot disappear. ¡°What are we doing now?¡± Silvi asked through her communication crystal now that she had it equipped. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said. He¡¯d expected to feel... more when he came back to Earth, but, other than the regret of not having kept the things from inside his cabin, he didn¡¯t feel much. ¡°I think... I just want to meet one person, then we can go back home.¡± That¡¯s right, this was no longer his home. His home was wherever all his friends were¡ªwhich was currently in Cydaria. The location is definitely not what creates a home, Derek thought. It was cheesy, but it was truer for him now than ever before. He still had his memories, and he would always have them, but those were from the past, and he knew now more than ever before that his future wasn¡¯t here. ¡°Who are we meeting?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°Silvi,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Yeah?¡± Silvi answered. ¡°No, that¡¯s who we are going to go see,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Me?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°There¡¯s a me here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s your namesake,¡± Derek said. ¡°Oh, right! She must be very strong!¡± Silvi said. ¡°Well...¡± Derek rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. ¡°About that...¡± ¡°She is weak?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°I was named after a weak person?¡± ¡°To be fair,¡± Derek said. ¡°At the time that I gave you your name, which I doubt you can remember since we weren¡¯t contracted yet, and you didn¡¯t really have any intelligence, you were probably even weaker than she was.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Silvi said. ¡°Then maybe she is stronger now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Derek said, but he wasn¡¯t sure. Her aura wasn¡¯t exactly weak, but he hadn¡¯t really tried to sense exactly how strong it was when he was following it to Earth. However, he knew a bit about Silvi¡¯s character, and he knew that she would have been distraught after losing most of her team, then, technically being the person who caused Derek to disappear. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was something that the woman would have been able to come back from even stronger. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then!¡± Silvi insisted. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet Silvi!¡± ¡°I guess there isn¡¯t anything else to do here, is there?¡± Derek asked rhetorically. He turned around and looked at the space where his cabin used to stand¡ªwhere he¡¯d spent years in solitude after his family had died. He thought about taking a trip to his childhood home, but he didn¡¯t have a lot of good memories there, and he knew that it was in even worse shape than his cabin was because he¡¯d went back to it once before, before everything happened with Silvi. Derek sighed and shook his head one last time. ¡°I guess this is it,¡± he said to nobody. In his mind, he knew that it was probably the last time he would visit this place. Derek turned around, his back facing the rubble that was his old him. Then, he slapped his face with both of his hands and said, ¡°Okay, Silvi... let¡¯s go meet Silvi.¡± Chapter 536: I Hate that Planet! Earlier... Darvin was flipping through his screens rapidly as he tried to figure out what was happening with the system. Moments earlier, the system, which had been reaching out in a singular direction for years now, all the sudden stopped. There was no warning, and as far as he could tell, there was no reason. To make matters worse, the system¡¯s expansion was... shaky. Yes, shaky was the best way he could describe it. It was like it didn¡¯t know what to do. The thing would reach for a moment in the same direction as usual, then it would expand itself in its entirety for a moment. It did this over and over. He was a System Watcher, and he was supposed to understand certain things, but, once again, he¡¯d been clueless. The screens that connected him to the system were flashing, putting out errors, then acting like nothing was happening at all. Everything was just going crazy, and Darvin didn¡¯t know what to do. Finally, after what seemed like forever, but in reality, was just a few minutes at most, it seemed that the system made a decision. It stopped expanding its entire self and instead continued reaching out in a singular direction as it had been before. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Darvin shouted into the empty air. Honestly, he was beginning to wonder if all the confusion and headaches that came with accepting his Legendary System Watcher class was even worth it. Yes, his class was legendary, but time and time again, he had no clue what was going on. On top of all that, it put him in charge of everyone else. Which meant that, not only did he have tons of system problems he had to deal with daily, but he also had to solve problems and disputes between each sovereign race¡¯s leaders. Those problems became particularly annoying when he had to deal with Kelvin or Holcom. Holcom was the leader of the Malaxi, and as a Malaxi himself, it was he that should have become the leader, but since he was chosen for a higher position, Holcom was chosen instead, and that man did not have quite the same ideas as how to better their race as Darvin did. Darvin sat back in his chair and let out a sigh. With his hands, he expanded the screen in front of himself and tried to get a good look at the current system area and all the inducted planets. As usual, there were a few planets that had yellow flashing nodes above them. These nodes were things that he usually ignored because they almost always meant that some idiot had taken up the Portal skill and accidentally lured a Void Beast into the system¡¯s area. That, or they had done it purposefully to kill a Void Beast to try to earn Titles. The system was very keen on eliminating creatures that were ¡®unknown¡¯ to it. However, unless it was a recently inducted planet, there were usually procedures in place for the locals to deal with these problems. If the Void Beast wasn¡¯t dealt with in a timely manner, the nodes on the map would turn orange. That usually meant that there was a particularly dangerous Void Beast roaming around on the planet, and that was when Darvin turned his attention to them. Those Void Beasts were worth the small headache that came with calling in a strike force to go eliminate the problem. After all, it was one thing to lose weaklings who brought it on themselves in the tutorial, but it was another thing to lose a properly inducted population¡ªthat, and it would most likely mean a visit from that place¡¯s leader, which was just a hassle. So, since the entire system had just gone crazy all the sudden, then went back to normal even quicker, Darvin decided to go ahead and take a look at the current planetary alerts. He clicked on one after another and continuously received the ¡®creature unknown to the system¡¯ warning on each one, just as he¡¯d expected. Finally, he saw that Planet C-186 also had a flashing node above it. That was a planet that he wanted to completely forget about, to be honest. It was a planet that had only just finished its tutorial phase and was now a proper system planet. But the people on the planet... they brought nothing but headaches for the System Watcher. This was especially true for two of the planet¡¯s population. First was Derek Hunt. He¡¯d disappeared long ago, but was most likely the cause of the first set of problems that occurred with the system. It was all too much of a coincidence for him not to be the problem, and he wasn¡¯t the only person to agree. It was unanimous amongst the leaders. Derek Hunt was being hunted by the system. The second person from Planet C-186 to bring him nothing but headaches was a man named Jace Whitaker. He was a very promising human, and had never caused Darvin any problems directly, but indirectly, he had been a pain in the ass. This was because he had caused Kelvin problems, and many of them. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Jace still had the system¡¯s protection from his ranking during the tutorial phase of Planet C-186, and though Darvin could pull that protection and allow Kelvin to handle Jace in any way he wanted, Darvin did not like using his power to circumvent the system¡¯s directives. So, he just dealt with the headaches in the form of Kelvin¡¯s incessant complaining and moved on. With a grunt, Darvin reached out and touched the warning given by the system for that particular planet. Sure enough, there was an unknown creature there, and one hundred out of one hundred times, that creature was a Void Beast. Did that girl who started these problems use that damn skill again? No, there¡¯s no way. She is far too cautious these days to do something like that. Some other idiot who didn¡¯t like to read the almost free information given out in the system store probably saw the description of the Portal skill and thought that it would be a ¡®really good¡¯ skill to have. Darvin shook his head. It was the only explanation he¡¯d ever seen, and he doubted there was anyone on that planet who would want to take the chance just to hunt a Void Beast. It may have been part of the system proper, but it was still an infant compared to the other planets. Odds were, the Void Beast was going to wreak havoc on the population until its threat was upgraded to orange. Then Darvin would send out a strike team. At least he could do that now that the planet was no longer in the tutorial phase. However, while he was staring at the warning and waiting for it to turn orange, he decided to open further details on the warning. His eyes went wide as he saw that there was not just one warning, but two. There were two unknown creatures on the planet at the exact same time, and in the exact same place. In all his time as a System Watcher, that was something he¡¯d never seen before. Sure, he¡¯d seen two Void Beasts appear at the same place, but they were never there at the exact same time. One always came before the other. Void Beasts didn¡¯t travel in packs, they were solo hunters. Darvin¡¯s hands started shaking as he put them on his head. Why did I let my curiosity get the better of me? It would have been so much better had I never seen this, he thought. But then, all the sudden, after being on the planet for not even an entire hour, both warnings vanished at the exact same time, right in front of his eyes. ¡°I hate that planet!¡± *** Silvi was having fun again. It was a new occurrence that had taken her a lot of time to get to after losing her team and also becoming a pariah after causing one of Earth¡¯s best fighters to disappear to get back to, but she was having fun. It had taken her months to scrape together a new team after learning that Derek was, in fact, not dead. That was, if she could trust the red human who visited her back then. But she had taken the man¡¯s words to heart, and she chose to believe him. Derek really was alive... she knew it... she could feel it. She knew those feelings were most likely nothing but placebo, but she also chose to believe them. But, one person after another had chosen to look past her history and give her another chance to lead, and she vowed that things would turn out differently this time. Along with herself and Gerard, four new members had joined her, and they had been together for months now, without incident. Well, almost without incident. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered that monster ¡®checking in¡¯ on her once. No, he wasn¡¯t checking in on her. He was obsessed with Derek and was checking in to see if she had heard anything about him. And to top it all off, he had come with an entire team of monsters. Silvi was proud of her new team, and believed that they were stronger than most, even though she had fallen behind for a while after Derek disappeared. But after seeing Jace and his team, she knew better. But that didn¡¯t deter her, or her team. In fact, it made them all want to work even hard. But still, she had no clue how that man managed to get a team. No, more than that, she had no clue why anybody would ever want to follow that man. He was dangerous. Every time she had ever seen him before, it had felt like he was crushing her just with his presence alone. Then, he ¡®visited¡¯ again, and that crushing feeling was so much worse than before. Jace gave her a feeling that the red man didn¡¯t even give her. Sure, if she were to fight either of them, she would die without being able to fight back. But she would fight that red man ten times out of ten if the choice was to fight him or Jace. There was a reason that not even those on top of Earth¡¯s tutorial leaderboard would fight him. Well... none of them but Derek. She guessed that made him a little crazy, too. However, in the few times that Derek had helped her and her old team out, she knew that he didn¡¯t exactly ¡®choose¡¯ to fight Jace. Instead, Derek was stubborn and more of a lone wolf and just didn¡¯t want to leave his cabin. So, instead of running away from the maniac, Derek stayed and got beat up time and time again. That was another sore spot for Silvi. After Derek disappeared, she fell into depression and almost never left the bar. She should have been taking care of Derek¡¯s home, but because of her despair, she never even thought about it until it was too late. By the time she was ready to adventure again, it was too late. She went to the cabin to at least collect Derek¡¯s belongings, but the entire thing was destroyed and she wasn¡¯t even able to find a single thing worth taking. It was another one of the things she regretted more than anything. How would she face Derek again, knowing that not only was she the cause of his disappearance, but she had also managed to let the only place he seemed to hold dear to him be destroyed? She hated herself for it, but there was nothing she could do about it. She would have to atone for it if... no... when she met Derek again one day. But that day was not today. Today, her team was running a dungeon. They had prepared for it for weeks, and they were ready. They were so ready that the first half of it had been a breeze. Everything was going great as she and her team began the second half. Chapter 537: Silvi’s Dungeon ¡°Okay, everyone! Listen up!¡± Silvi commanded her team to listen, and they all dropped what they were doing and turned to her. ¡°Good.¡± She nodded. ¡°The first half of The Ravaging Claw Dungeon was less of a challenge than we thought it would be. True, we may have over-prepared, but that¡¯s how we do things. As the saying goes, ¡®It¡¯s better to have and not need than to need and not have.¡¯ ¡°However, we know that the dungeon takes a big step up in difficulty from now on.¡± Silvi pulled out a map and began tracing certain points with her finger. ¡°Before, the maximum number of beasts ambushing us was limited to five per pack. However, starting now, that limit has increased to eight, and the levels have gone up by five. The lowest-leveled beast that we¡¯re going to run into from now on will be level 175.¡± Silvi looked out over her team and smiled as they all nodded. Tanner and Christine were both elemental dual-blade wielders, which made sense because they were twins and did almost everything together since birth. Their coordination was second to none. Silvi couldn¡¯t help but find herself lucky to have found two damage dealers¡ªone ice, one fire¡ªwho didn¡¯t care about the rumors about her. Behind the siblings was Archer. He was... an archer. According to him, he¡¯d chosen the class as more of a joke when the system first appeared because he didn¡¯t really believe what was going on. Since then, he¡¯d learned to become a pretty good one. His attacks were pretty much physical only, and consumed stamina, so he didn¡¯t have much in the way of magical resistances. Still, he was great to have as a ranged fighter. Then there was Kate. She was the team¡¯s healer. Honestly, to Silvi, she seemed like the stereotypical healer class. She did not enjoy fighting and hated that they had to kill, but understood that it was either the monsters or humans. The only reason the woman was even at a low enough level to join Silvi¡¯s team was because it had taken her a long time to come to terms with everything, because she was a top-tier healer. She even had hopes of obtaining an Epic-ranked healing class down the line. Finally, there was her ever-faithful rock, her shoulder to cry on... Gerard. He¡¯d been with her since the beginning¡ªthrough thick and thin. The man never left her when she was down and continued by her side now that she was thriving as an adventurer. He was her team¡¯s tank... her shield. ¡°Okay!¡± Silvi shouted again. ¡°We have one mini-boss left, the Gorehorn Bison. The thing has great strength but is slow and dumb. The biggest problem we¡¯re going to have is its armor. But with time, I think we¡¯ll be able to whittle its health down without too much of a problem.¡± ¡°Especially since we have you,¡± Tanner said. ¡°Yes,¡± Silvi said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to keep everyone out of harm¡¯s way.¡± Silvi had to change her class up a lot since she figured out that the Portal skill wasn¡¯t what it seemed. All of her stat points had mostly gone to intelligence and wisdom, and she had a few support skills that she could still use after vowing to never use Portal again. So, she continued down the path of an unorthodox support class. She had a couple of buffs for her team, which were only for speed and defense¡ªboth physical and magical. But she¡¯d been so obsessed with Portal and teleporting before that she¡¯d heavily invested in a new skill that was somewhat similar, and built her strategy around it. It was a skill called Blink. After much effort, she was able to get the skills Resonate Blink and Blink Command. Her entire fighting style was built around the three skills. Blink allowed her to teleport short-range and instantly. Resonate Blink let her support and teleport her allies, which took a lot of practice and getting used to for both parties. It took a lot of trust to accept that your support class could make a decision, and the next instant, you¡¯d be standing in front of a monster. Finally, there was Blink Command, which was the same as Resonate Blink, but allowed her to control enemies. Not all enemies could be teleported, though. Some had much too high wisdom for it to be effective. Still, even with those enemies, it usually created a slight pause, which led to an opening for their attackers. Her team had come to call her a battlefield controller, and she couldn¡¯t help but think that was an apt assessment. ¡°Once we kill the bison, we¡¯ll be in the final rest zone. After that, it¡¯s a push to this dungeon¡¯s boss: The Bloodfang Ravager. The direwolf will be fast and deadly. The key to the fight is to not let it draw blood, because the more blood that is in the air, the bigger a buff it will get. But we¡¯ll speak more about the boss at the final checkpoint. For now, is everyone ready?¡± Everyone stood stoically and nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± Gerard took point beside Archer, who doubled as a scout but wasn¡¯t good enough to scout alone. Tanner and Christine walked in the back to take care of any ambushes from behind, and Silvi and Kate stayed in the middle of the group for their own protection. Not more than a hundred feet from the checkpoint, the group encountered their first ambush. Eight Thornback Jackals tried to jump down on their group from above. ¡°Above!¡± Archer shouted. Silvi saw the group of beasts and waved her hand. ¡°Chris, Tanner! It¡¯s you!¡± The next instant, the entire group of beasts was on the ground behind the group¡ªonly a few feet away from the siblings. Each jackal was facing the wrong way. Before the beasts even knew what was happening¡ªas they had been pulled from the air and onto the ground and needed to get their bearings¡ªfour had been eliminated. ¡°Gerard!¡± Silvi shouted, then waved her hand again. Moments later, the jackals turned to attack their attackers but were met by a giant shield blocking them. The next two jackals were taken out by Tanner and Christine as they worked around Gerard¡¯s shield. Gerard crushed one of the jackals with his shield, while the final one jumped over the fighters and aimed at Kate. ¡°Archer!¡± Silvi called out. The final jackal disappeared and reappeared in the air in front of the group. One arrow pierced its chest, and the second pierced its head. ¡°Good target practice,¡± Archer commented as the lifeless body of the jackal fell to the ground. Archer had never left his location as a scout the entire time, just in case there were more enemies to come. He wasn¡¯t stealthy, but he had great senses, so as long as he was there, Gerard could give aid wherever he was needed. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Great fight, everyone!¡± Silvi pumped her fist in victory. She¡¯d spent so much time and system currency on her skills that their mana costs were finally very low. It was a pain to get to the point where she was, but after each successful encounter, she couldn¡¯t help but think that all her pain and suffering was worth it. Eight enemies at a time was pushing it, but since they weren¡¯t wisdom-based enemies, she was able to do it. She was the bane of purely physical monsters. ¡°Great command, boss!¡± Tanner shouted back. ¡°Mhm,¡± Gerard agreed. ¡°We are all getting stronger. But we mustn¡¯t let it go to our heads. Next fight, I say we use it to sharpen our skills.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Silvi agreed with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll buff you all, but no blinking unless the situation is dire. Is that acceptable?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone agreed in unison. After that, they dismantled the jackals and continued on their way. Soon enough, after having fought dozens more beasts, the massive cave system they¡¯d been in opened up into a clearing, and in that clearing stood a massive beast. ¡°Final fight until final checkpoint, then the boss,¡± Silvi said in a much lower tone, so as not to aggro the boss with noise. ¡°Is everyone prepared?¡± Once they all nodded, Silvi cast Haste and Fortification on her team. ¡°Okay, I have an idea,¡± Silvi said. ¡°It¡¯s a big, dumb beast. A fall from the top of this place wouldn¡¯t hurt many beasts because the ceiling isn¡¯t that tall, but it should do some damage, and most importantly, disorient the thing. So, we¡¯ll start the fight with me dropping it from the ceiling, then move from there.¡± The fight went as planned. Silvi started the fight by using Blink Command on the Razorback Bison and sending it as high as possible. The thing fell and created a crater when it hit the ground. Luckily, one of its legs landed awkwardly, and it broke in the process¡ªseverely limiting the creature¡¯s mobility. The team didn¡¯t give it time to heal, as they all rushed forward. Blinking such a large creature did take a good amount of mana from Silvi, but since the beast was slow, she didn¡¯t have to use her skills much and was able to recover. Everyone held their own and dodged when needed. It was a very one-sided contest. That¡¯s what happens when you prepare for a dungeon, Silvi mused. ¡°It¡¯s raging!¡± she shouted, and everyone jumped back as its eyes began to glow. This was the point where the spikes on its back shot out and covered most of the battleground. However, Silvi was ready for it, and she had already made sure she would be able to handle it. Just as the spikes appeared, Silvi sent the beast into the top corner of the ceiling. Most of the spikes hit the walls and ceiling, and the others were so far away that it wasn¡¯t any problem for her team to dodge when they eventually made it to them. This time, a very wounded bison hit the ground and was hurt even worse. To not let up, Silvi Blinked her team to the beast, and minutes later, they all received the kill notification. ¡°Another boss fight with no injuries!¡± Tanner shouted from atop the dead beast. ¡°Mini-boss,¡± his sister corrected. ¡°Same thing!¡± Tanner replied. ¡°You wish...¡± Christine shook her head. ¡°I am going to have to heal someone eventually,¡± Kate replied. ¡°At least your regeneration spells give you a cut of the experience points,¡± Silvi said. ¡°True,¡± Kate responded. ¡°There is at least that.¡± After collecting the materials from the large beast, the team continued on. After a short rest at the checkpoint, all that was left was the boss. The team slowly entered the boss room. Just as before, it was an empty meadow with stone walls on each side and a relatively high ceiling. As soon as the final person stepped into the room, the cavern behind them closed. It was pretty much how all boss rooms were after the system came. When it came to the boss, it was either it or the party. Only one would walk out unless the team had escape scrolls or tokens. ¡°Okay, dropping it from high won¡¯t cause any problems for this wolf,¡± Silvi said. ¡°So, for this battle, my role will be pure injury prevention. Do your best not to become disoriented.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got all the training we need for that,¡± Tanner replied. ¡°You¡¯re going to need it,¡± Silvi said. ¡°This boss is level 185¡ªthe highest-leveled boss that we¡¯ve come across. I¡¯ll try to keep focus and Blinks on the boss, but if it looks like there¡¯s a good chance of landing a blow, I¡¯ll move the person instead of it. Everyone ready?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Silvi took a step forward, held her hand up, then dropped it. ¡°Attack!¡± Gerard took the lead, and soon the direwolf saw them. The beast tilted its head, then stalked forward, blood dripping from its mouth. It let out a howl, and the team felt dread like never before. ¡°What...¡± Silvi muttered as the entire party halted their steps. ¡°It¡¯s... it shouldn¡¯t have an aura this strong.¡± ¡°I... can barely breathe,¡± Kate said from behind her. ¡°This is bad,¡± Tanner said. Gerard jammed his shield into the ground and cast one of his protection skills¡ªcreating an invisible barrier both twenty feet tall and wide. His breathing turned heavy. They watched as the wolf took another step forward, its hackles raised. ¡°This... wasn¡¯t supposed to happen,¡± Silvi said. ¡°The map, the guides... nothing mentioned this aura.¡± Silvi looked around and saw Kate gasping for breath, Tanner and Chris were both shaking, and Archer was on one knee with his head down. The only person seemingly not affected was Gerard. He seemed steadfast in his protection, but Silvi knew the man better than that. He had great willpower and could hide his fear and dread, but she saw the sweat forming on his brow and the look in his eyes. The man was putting on a brave front, but he feared for the worst. I have to do something, Silvi thought. I can¡¯t lose another team. I have to use it. In that instant, Silvi thought Portal was their only chance. It couldn¡¯t take them out of the dungeon, but just maybe... it could take them to the previous checkpoint. No... she thought. I tried that before. The dungeon blocks it... But if I could get the wolf inside and close it... She had a flashback of Derek disappearing into the Portal and never returning. However, while all those thoughts were flashing through her mind, she heard Tanner say, ¡°Look... the wolf.¡± Silvi turned and saw what he was talking about. The wolf was shaking. It hadn¡¯t taken another step since the last. It was even close to cowering down. As she looked at the beast, she saw something else that made her heart sink. A line formed in the space behind the beast, then what could only be described as a dark portal to the void opened up. A flash of purple lightning shot out and hit the beast. The direwolf¡ªwhich was going to be her team¡¯s greatest challenge yet¡ªfell over... dead. A notification of the boss being killed flashed before her eyes, and the dungeon portal appeared. However, the portal was behind the dreadful one that had just formed. ¡°What... is... that...¡± ¡°Void Beast...¡± Silvi muttered. ¡°It has to be... but... how?¡± She hadn¡¯t used Portal in such a long time. Does just having the skill draw the beasts to me? ¡°I¡¯m sorry... everyone.¡± She¡¯d never heard that it did, but it was the only explanation. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it busy. You all run for the dungeon portal. It¡¯s our only chance. I just hope my skills work on it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m staying with you,¡± Gerard said, and Silvi didn¡¯t respond. She knew that there was nothing she could say to get him to leave her side. ¡°Us too!¡± the twins said, and then everyone else agreed. ¡°No!¡± Silvi commanded. ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll Blink you all into the portal myself.¡± In fact, that was her plan. Just maybe... she could send the beast away and everyone could get out safely. She¡¯d just have to get them all around the void portal, as it was blocking her line of sight to the dungeon portal. She just wasn¡¯t sure that they¡¯d be able to move so close to it. ¡°Fine...¡± her team said. ¡°Good,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°It¡¯s been great knowing you all. In case I don¡¯t make it, just know that I thank you all for being with me.¡± A tear dropped from Silvi¡¯s eye, then she steadied herself. Finally, after what seemed like forever, but wasn¡¯t long at all, she saw it. A silverish and purple horn slowly appeared from the portal. It had a thin purple glow to it. Then... the head appeared. ¡°What!?¡± Tanner shouted, voicing what they were all thinking. A small body on a floating platform came next. ¡°Void Beasts are... so tiny,¡± Tanner said. ¡°And it¡¯s wearing clothes. Is it a... bunny?¡± The moment the Void Beast was through, it turned its head in their direction, as if hearing Tanner speak. When Silvi locked eyes with the creature, it sent a shiver down her spine. The next instant, the purple glow that covered its body disappeared, and then it, too, disappeared. No time later, the beast was floating in front of Silvi, their eyes no more than a few inches apart. Everyone froze. Nobody knew what to do, or what they could do. Were they all going to die? But then, something unexpected happened. The Void Beast... it spoke. ¡°Are you Silvi?¡± Chapter 538: Reunion ¡°Hey! Are you Silvi?¡± the beast asked again. The voice was so... cute and childlike. Silvi didn¡¯t know what to say or how to answer. But she was staring at the beast in its eyes, and she felt that it was becoming annoyed. So, finally, she answered. ¡°Y-yes...¡± she managed to say. ¡®Get ready, I¡¯m blinking it away, then you all away,¡¯ she sent telepathically to her team. She then made a small motion with her hand to use Command Blink on the beast... but nothing happened. There was no daze... no confusion... just... nothing. ¡°Stop that!¡± the childlike voice sounded out again. ¡°That tickled!¡± Silvi¡¯s lips trembled, and her body began shaking. We¡¯re finished. So strong. She knew that there would be no escaping the beast floating in front of her on a purple platform... she glanced down... A... lid? Absolutely nothing made sense. Everything was so odd that she couldn¡¯t help but think she was dreaming. But then, all of a sudden, the dreadful feeling and the pressure that came with it... just... disappeared. Silvi glanced back up at the beast floating in front of her, then looked just a bit over it, where the rip in space had been. It was now gone, and in its place was a figure with its back turned. The figure looked to be wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of worn-out denim jeans. No... Silvi shook her head. There was only one person who wore that same thing over and over when he wasn¡¯t wearing his armor, and it couldn¡¯t be him. But the figure was standing next to the dungeon portal, examining it. Finally, the figure turned around, and Silvi¡¯s breath caught for an entirely different reason. ¡°D-Derek?¡± she whispered. The figure had to have heard her because he flashed a smile, then took a step toward Silvi and her team. Silvi had wanted to leave the portal first, so Derek let her. She wanted to meet the other Silvi before Derek made himself known. His companion wanted to see how strong she was when she didn¡¯t know what was going on, and who was Derek to say no to that? He was also curious about that, too. However, it didn¡¯t seem like Silvi Jaccobs had impressed his companion. The woman was shaking in her boots¡ªactually, everyone who was there was either shaking in their boots or on the ground. Derek winced, then turned around and closed his portal. It didn¡¯t exactly make for a very friendly first impression, after all. Once the portal disappeared, he saw something that he hadn¡¯t seen in a very long time... a dungeon portal. It was the Universal System¡¯s way of exiting its dungeons instead of the dungeon orb that the Davenresh System used. Derek honestly couldn¡¯t say which he liked better, but he was leaning toward the portal instead of the orb. At least it didn¡¯t need to wait for everyone to ready up to use. A person could just walk right through once the dungeon was finished. Derek took a step toward the portal and touched the side. Then, he touched the center of it, and it seemed to resist him. Interesting! he thought. I bet it won¡¯t let me through since I¡¯m not technically part of the... oh... shit. Derek turned around, smiled at Silvi when their eyes met, then quickly sent her a message through Telepathy. ¡®Meet me outside the dungeon in two minutes.¡¯ ¡®Silvi, we have to go! This dungeon isn¡¯t strong enough to hold us, and I don¡¯t want to find out what will happen,¡¯ he sent to his companion, then ripped the space in front of him open, covered himself and Silvi in a thin layer of void, and jumped in, quickly closing it behind him. ¡°Silvi...¡± Gerard said as he canceled his skill and dropped his shield. ¡°Silvi!¡± he shouted. ¡°Huh? Wha...¡± Silvi shook her head in confusion. ¡°Was that... Derek?¡± he asked. ¡°I... yes,¡± Silvi said. ¡°It... it must have been. He... told me to meet him outside the dungeon in two minutes.¡± ¡°Are you going to?¡± Gerard asked. ¡°And you really are sure it was him?¡± ¡°I am!¡± Silvi answered both questions. She turned to her team. ¡°You all finish dismantling the wolf. I¡¯ll see you outside.¡± After that, and before giving anyone a chance to respond, Silvi Blinked forward and jumped through the dungeon portal. Once outside, Silvi exited the cave that the dungeon had been part of, then looked around. Where is he? she asked herself. He said two minutes... right... It had only been about a minute and a half. ¡°Is he here?¡± Gerard¡¯s voice sounded from behind her as he left the cave, too. ¡°Not yet,¡± Silvi said. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been two minutes.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Just as the two-minute mark passed, the dreadful aura appeared once again, and a portal was ripped open in the space in front of them. This time, both Derek and the... bunny stepped out quickly, and he shut the portal behind him¡ªcausing the aura to disappear. Derek stepped towards Silvi after closing the portal and smiled. Her eyes were glued to his, and she was staring at him like she¡¯d just seen a ghost. ¡°So, have you trapped any other heroes in the void lately?¡± he asked with a big grin. Instead of answering, the woman threw herself at him and enveloped him in a massive hug. He felt his shoulder dampen as tears flowed from her eyes and dripped down onto him. Derek chuckled, then grabbed the woman by both shoulders. He picked her up and set her down at arm¡¯s length from him. After that, he looked the woman up and down. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been doing pretty well for yourself since you got rid of me,¡± Derek said. ¡°No... I... but...¡± Silvi stammered but couldn¡¯t get a sentence to form. Derek laughed again and put his hand on her head, ruffling her hair just as he would do to Brandi or Thomas. It probably wasn¡¯t the appropriate thing to do in that situation, as Silvi was only a few years younger than he was¡ªif one wasn¡¯t counting the time he spent trapped inside the void. As Silvi stood there trying to figure out what to do or say, Derek glanced past her and saw Gerard. ¡°Gerard, it¡¯s been a while. How are you doing?¡± ¡°D-Derek...¡± The man nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t complain. Better now than a year or two ago.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the older man to gain control over his emotions and talk. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. He could imagine why it would have been harder on them a year or two ago, so he didn¡¯t ask. ¡°Stop that!¡± Silvi finally seemed to get her bearings, and she slapped his hand away from her head. ¡°What are you doing? How are you here?¡± she asked. ¡°Well... that¡¯s a long story,¡± Derek said as he looked around. ¡°Where is the rest of your team?¡± ¡°They¡¯re collecting the rewards and materials,¡± Gerard answered. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°Well... is there somewhere you¡¯d like to go to talk, or is here good?¡± ¡°I have a bar in Charlotte,¡± Silvi said. ¡°We can go there.¡± ¡°A bar? Sounds good to me,¡± Derek said. After that, he heard footsteps and saw the rest of Silvi¡¯s team coming out of a cave entrance. He couldn¡¯t help but look at the cave and wonder, What would have happened if we had stayed in there longer than we did? Maybe we were okay because the entire thing, other than the boss, was already cleared? ¡°What level was that dungeon?¡± he finally asked. ¡°180,¡± Silvi answered. Whew... Derek sighed. Yeah... that could have been bad. And just after I talked to Dave about it. I wonder if keeping the portal open for as long as I did, or if the dungeon portal being opened helped keep it from blowing up. Or maybe we were just being overly cautious? Derek shrugged. Everyone was alive and well, so there wasn¡¯t any point in him worrying about it now. ¡°This is...¡± the woman who looked like a support class or healer began after looking at Derek. She had blond hair in a ponytail and wore a white robe with gold trim. ¡°This is my old friend, Derek,¡± Silvi introduced. She then went ahead and introduced her entire team to him. ¡°We¡¯re going to head to the bar to talk. It¡¯s been a while, and we have a lot of catching up to do.¡± Derek could see that she was doing her best to keep her emotions in check in front of her team, but it was not easy for her. He noticed every time her breath caught, or she stumbled on a word, but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Derek? Derek Hunt?¡± a man dressed in lighter, most likely leather armor, asked. His name was Tanner. He had short brown hair and two swords hanging from his waist. He looked very similar to the woman standing next to him. ¡°As in... the Tutorial Leaderboard¡¯s Derek Hunt? The Derek who you...¡± he started, but caught himself and stopped. ¡°Yes,¡± Silvi answered. ¡°The Derek whom I trapped inside my Portal before knowing how terrible of a skill it was, then lived as a pariah for months afterward. That Derek Hunt.¡± Ah... so that¡¯s what happened, Derek thought. He could only imagine what everyone else would think of her after something like that happened. Even though he stuck to himself, he was a pretty well-known person after the system invaded. ¡°Oh...¡± Tanner said. ¡°Well... nice to meet you.¡± He held out his hand, and Derek shook it. But the man really never looked Derek in the eyes. Instead, his eyes were glued to his companion, who was sitting on Derek¡¯s shoulder, lording herself over everyone. ¡°Okay, well, we¡¯re going to go to the bar. Everyone else can head to the System Store and figure out what to do with the loot. I trust that you will all make the right decisions,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Does that sound good?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± her team replied in unison. ¡°Great!¡± Silvi then brought out a scroll and unraveled it. A blue circle appeared underneath everyone, but when it got to Derek, it tried to form, then failed over and over. ¡°Um... It¡¯s not letting me select you for teleportation,¡± she said. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek replied with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll just meet you in the bar. How does that sound? Just make sure that it¡¯s empty and that you¡¯re standing directly in the center.¡± ¡°I can do that. Give me ten minutes,¡± Silvi said. ¡°See you then, don¡¯t disappear!¡± Derek nodded, then the group vanished. ¡°She¡¯s weak,¡± Silvi said. ¡°She¡¯s had a hard time,¡± Derek replied. ¡°But she¡¯s doing better than I thought she would be.¡± ¡°She has a funny skill,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Funny how?¡± Derek asked. ¡°It tickles,¡± Silvi said. ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Maybe she tickles things to death,¡± Silvi said. ¡°I doubt that,¡± Derek replied with a chuckle. ¡°Aren¡¯t those scrolls rare?¡± Silvi asked, changing the subject from tickles. ¡°Not as rare here as in Cydaria,¡± Derek said. ¡°You can get most things from the System Store, and the things you can¡¯t just buy with System Credits, you can order to be specifically made. That was a cheap one, though. It only works in a certain range, and it can¡¯t be used until you¡¯ve been out of combat for at least five minutes.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Silvi said. ¡°Can we use store? They have ingredients?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they do,¡± Derek said. ¡°I never really looked, but I don¡¯t think it will let us use it. I don¡¯t have that interface, and I¡¯m not sure I want to risk connecting to something that¡¯s so connected to the Universal System.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Kay...¡± Derek and Silvi then waited ten minutes, and then waited a few more just to be safe. So far, it didn¡¯t look like any of Silvi¡¯s team had tried to use Identify on him, but he knew that as soon as he was in a populated area, it would happen. At that point, he was sure they¡¯d get a message that he wasn¡¯t part of the system. At least, that was Dave¡¯s theory, and Derek couldn¡¯t find any fault in it. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s been fifteen minutes,¡± Derek said. ¡°Let¡¯s go see what Silvi¡¯s been up to lately.¡± Chapter 539: Can’t Judge Meat by its Hide Derek and Silvi broke through the void and closed it behind them as quickly as possible as they appeared inside Silvi Jaccobs¡¯ bar. He knew that, according to his old acquaintance, the bar was located in Charlotte, which was basically the northeastern hub of the United States after the system invaded¡ªthat was, if he wasn¡¯t counting Chicago II. ¡°W-wow...¡± Silvi said with a quiver in her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would ever be able to get used to that feeling.¡± Her body visibly shivered as she spoke. ¡°Just... what happened to you to cause all of that?¡± ¡°Drink?¡± Gerard walked by Derek and held out a big mug of what was most likely some kind of beer. Derek knew it wouldn¡¯t do anything to him, as he was already at the point where the only things that could were highly toxic drinks, but he also knew that what Gerard was handing him was actual beer, and he hadn¡¯t had a taste of the real stuff in such a long time. ¡°I would love some!¡± Derek quickly grabbed the mug and took a drink. He closed his eyes and let out an audible sigh. ¡°It¡¯s just as bad as I remember it! I love it!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s mine!?¡± Silvi, from atop Derek¡¯s shoulder, shouted through her communication crystal. Derek was happy to see that the crystal worked, even though it was created in another system. ¡°Oh...¡± Gerard stammered. He¡¯d been acting pretty cool, all things considered, but having the bunny demand a beer seemed to have really caught him off guard. Still, the tank flicked his wrist, and another mug appeared in his hand, which he held out to the bunny. ¡°How...¡± he started to ask, but then a Mage Hand popped out from Silvi, and she grabbed the mug. Derek¡¯s companion licked some of the foam off the top, then clicked her tongue a few times. ¡°Mhm... nasty,¡± she confirmed, then continued drinking. ¡°She¡¯s underage,¡± Derek said with a deadpan expression to Gerard. ¡°Oh!¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes widened as he panicked. ¡°I... I didn¡¯t know...¡± Finally, Derek broke out in a guttural laugh and even slapped the side of his leg. ¡°Well... she is underage, but I doubt there¡¯s anyone in this world who would be able to stop her from drinking. Once you¡¯ve slaughtered an entire army or a few dozen Void Beasts, I think you deserve to have a little treat, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Army?¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes widened even more, but the other Silvi caught a different part of the sentence. ¡°Void Beasts? Dozens?¡± she audibly gulped. ¡°Yeah!¡± Derek¡¯s Silvi replied. ¡°Make great food! Very tasty! Even though they don¡¯t look appetizing. Can¡¯t judge meat by its hide! Uglier the beast, tastier the feast!¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± Derek looked to his shoulder at Silvi. ¡°Where did you come up with that?¡± he asked. ¡°And aren¡¯t you being extra chatty today?¡± ¡®Have to leave good impression. May get ingredients,¡¯ Silvi sent to Derek through Telepathy. Then she said, ¡°All the chefs at beautiful delicious restaurant say stuff like that!¡± Silvi answered. ¡°And it¡¯s true! Dragons are ugly. But soooo tasty.¡± ¡°D-dragons?¡± This time, it was Gerard¡¯s turn to be taken aback. ¡°Not dragons...¡± Derek shook his head, and Gerard let out a breath. ¡°They were only wyverns.¡± ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi agreed. ¡°Dragons would be tastier. We should find one. Do you have dragons here?¡± The bunny took another lick from her beer, then licked at her lips¡ªher tongue actually coming up and licking her nose instead. ¡°N-no...¡± the other Silvi replied. ¡°No dragons here.¡± ¡°I figured as much,¡± Derek said, thinking about how Dave had described the two systems. If wyverns were considered legendary creatures in the Davenresh System, then it was only natural that the Universal System wouldn¡¯t have creatures above that level. ¡°Anyway,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°Tell me everything that¡¯s been happening since I left.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± the human Silvi muttered. ¡°Well...¡± she started, then began giving Derek and Silvi the details of her life since the last time she had seen him. It wasn¡¯t the greatest life. She started with everyone who was left leaving her, other than Gerard. Derek couldn¡¯t help but give the old tank a nod at that¡ªhe appreciated the loyalty to her. After that, she detailed the agonizing bout of depression that she fell into and how she stopped adventuring, using what savings she had to open the bar they were currently in, just to get by. The story from there wasn¡¯t fun at all. She pretty much lived a monotonous life where she barely had any customers because of the stigma associated with the woman who single-handedly disappeared one of the strongest people on Earth post-system. This was also true when she tried to join an adventurer party a time or two. She was basically ostracized. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The woman spent day after day like a robot. In fact, according to his old acquaintance, she had been waiting for the day when she would also lose her bar and eventually end up on the street. It had only been a matter of time at that point. However, what she told them next was what really got her attention. A bit over a year after everything, something changed. Just as the tutorial for Earth¡¯s induction into the Universal System ended, she and Gerard met an odd human named Kelvin. First, she described the man. Honestly, the description seemed to be somewhat similar to a few of the invaders that Derek had fought after the system came. He was human but had more of a red skin¡ªkind of like an intense sunburn. According to Silvi, he also had very well-kept, short-to-medium-length blond hair. But to top it all off, the man sounded powerful. ¡°And you said he came looking for me?¡± Derek asked. ¡°As far as I could tell,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°You were all that he talked about. Actually, he¡¯s how I learned that you were still alive and out there somewhere. He wasn¡¯t exactly nice, but he also wasn¡¯t overly harsh or commanding. He just asked some questions with his aura leaking out a little. We...¡± she looked to Gerard. ¡°We were scared, so I answered as honestly as I could, which is to say I wasn¡¯t able to answer most of what he asked. But just before he left, he said that you were alive.¡± ¡°When he said that, I knew it was true. I didn¡¯t have any evidence, and I had no clue who the man was, but I just knew that he was telling the truth. That¡¯s what I needed. Just knowing that you were still out there allowed me to continue on,¡± Silvi explained. ¡°No,¡± Gerard cut in. ¡°It lit a fire under the Miss. I¡¯ve never seen her work so hard before. Whether that man was good or evil, I am thankful to him for that.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said, rubbing his chin. If they came looking for me, then it had to have been someone higher up in the food chain. I wonder what kind of mess I made by leaving... other than causing the Universal System to begin hunting the Davenresh System. I wonder if they even know what is going on. Dave seems to, but do the administrators of the Universal System know? Those were questions that he couldn¡¯t answer, so he decided not to think about them. Finally, he looked back at Silvi and said with a smile, ¡°Then you lived happily ever after?¡± ¡°Not even close,¡± Silvi replied with a chuckle. ¡°It took forever to gather teammates that I could trust. I was still shunned and an outcast, but I eventually found a good group of people¡ªthose that you met in the dungeon. They didn¡¯t care who I was, just what I could do and how I could lead.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Good teammates are hard to come by.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gerard said. ¡°They are.¡± His eyes drifted to the bunny sitting on Derek¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What about you?¡± his old acquaintance asked. ¡°What happened to you after the portal closed?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek waved her question away, but still answered. ¡°Nothing much... just got trapped inside for a couple of centuries... no biggie. Went crazy a few times, pulled myself together, went crazy again... you know... the usual. Did you know?¡± he asked with a tilted head. ¡°That inside the Portal skill... in the void tunnel it created... time and space flow differently? Like... way differently.¡± ¡°Just a little,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Just from what I read after everything happened. I realized how stupid of a mistake I¡¯d been making the whole time I was using the skill.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek laughed. ¡°I can only imagine if a Void Beast had come while we were all under-leveled back then. We all would have been lambs to the slaughter. You definitely got lucky.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Silvi replied. ¡°But... centuries? Alone? In the void?¡± ¡°Well, yeah...¡± Derek replied. ¡°But I had my glaive and system messages... at least for a while. Eventually, I left the range of even that. That¡¯s when the real battle inside my head started. But there really isn¡¯t much to talk about there. I was trapped in the dark for a long time. I spent most of the time meditating. I had to do something to not feel the pain and hunger. So that¡¯s what I did.¡± ¡°How did you get out?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°Pure luck,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Would you believe that a Void Beast... I guess... running away from someone on another planet, broke into the void to escape, and I happened to be there? As soon as I saw the light, I was gone. I thanked the beast and left.¡± ¡°You... thanked a Void Beast?¡± ¡°Of course I did,¡± Derek said. ¡°He¡¯d untrapped me after years and years of suffering. Though... he had a pretty powerful handshake, so I didn¡¯t stick around to do more than that.¡± ¡°But then... I was out,¡± Derek said. After that, he went on to explain what he could about his experiences in Cydaria afterward. He didn¡¯t go too deep into detail, but he told her enough. He wasn¡¯t sure how the systems would punish information being passed to someone from another system, so there were certain topics he avoided altogether. In fact, he wasn¡¯t even sure if he should have told her that he¡¯d left the range of the Universal System¡ªwhich he didn¡¯t ever call it in front of her¡ªwhen he was speaking about his time in the void. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Silvi replied after hearing the dumbed-down version of his adventures. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you. I¡¯m happy that you¡¯ve found people that you care about. It¡¯s hard to believe after knowing you from before. But, Derek... I really am happy for you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Derek said. ¡°And to think that you would make such a close friend and name her after me,¡± Silvi said, looking at the bunny on Derek¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m flattered... even with the circumstances that caused you to name her after me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great name!¡± Derek¡¯s companion spoke up from his shoulder. ¡°Strong name! Best name!¡± ¡°It is a very good name,¡± Silvi Jaccobs replied. ¡°Indeed, it is,¡± Gerard confirmed. ¡°You did leave something out, though,¡± Silvi said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Exactly how strong are you? And how did you get back here?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°Oh... that?¡± Derek waved her questions away. ¡°I guess I¡¯m pretty strong. You know... I¡¯m able to fight wyverns and whatnot. There¡¯s probably nothing around here that would make for a good comparison for you, so...¡± Derek shrugged. ¡°I guess... I¡¯m pretty strong. I would probably be a good match for that Kelvin guy...¡± he said. ¡°And as for your other question... I have a skill that lets me travel to certain people who have left an impression on me. It took a while to get to you from where we were, but I could sense you. So, I decided to come give you a visit... thought you¡¯d probably want to know that you didn¡¯t kill me... not for the lack of trying.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t try to kill you...¡± Silvi muttered. ¡°It was an accident.¡± ¡°I know...¡± Derek laughed. ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you.¡± He rubbed his chin, then frowned. ¡°Speaking of people who have made an impression on me... have you heard from Jace?¡± Chapter 540: What. Are. You? ¡°Jace...¡± Earth Silvi muttered as a massive, visible shiver ran down her spine. ¡°Yes... I¡¯ve... heard from him. Though, not recently.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Derek asked. He could understand the woman¡¯s reaction completely. It wasn¡¯t like Jace was the nicest guy to be around, though, Derek could never actually say that he was evil or anything. He¡¯d met people on Cydaria that far outclassed Jace when it came to being vile. Yeah... Derek thought. He¡¯s just a psychopath who loves to beat the shit out of me... and others. ¡°Yes,¡± Silvi said. ¡°I thought he was going to kill me more than a couple of times after you disappeared... once he found out I was at fault. He really... missed you.¡± If Derek had taken a sip of the beer he was holding in his mouth at the time, it would have spewed out. ¡°Jace?¡± he asked. ¡°You sure we¡¯re talking about the same guy? Bald head... two... machete-like weapons? Always wearing that weird sadistic grin on his face? That Jace?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Silvi answered. ¡°That Jace.¡± ¡°And he missed me?¡± ¡°Yes... in his own way,¡± Silvi said, then muttered, ¡°In a way that almost got me killed.¡± She sighed. ¡°The last time he came by was quite a while after that Kelvin guy came. Jace had stopped ¡®visiting¡¯ at a certain point. Then, the last time he came, I guess he saw that your cabin was gone. He stopped by, made his usual non-threat threats... and saw that I had been getting myself back together. ¡°When I told him why,¡± Silvi paused, ¡°he seemed to have gotten extremely happy, then left. He hasn¡¯t come around since, and I haven¡¯t heard anything about him, either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... interesting,¡± Derek said. ¡°No... there is something that is much more interesting than any of that,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Really? What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Jace... had a team with him,¡± she stated. ¡°And he was the leader. Like... who would ever choose to follow that man? And he was so strong. I don¡¯t know if he was as strong as that Kelvin guy, but the feeling that he gave off was so much more dangerous than that man. I get chills just thinking about it.¡± ¡°Interesting!¡± Derek said with a big grin. For a moment, he even thought about tracking Jace down once he was finished with Silvi. However, he soon dismissed that thought. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to see the man... to see his growth¡ªand to quite possibly kick his ass for once. He just didn¡¯t know where Jace was. Derek knew he wasn¡¯t on Earth anymore, which was most likely the reason he stopped ¡®visiting¡¯ Silvi. Derek was already risking a bit by being on Earth, as it was. There was a good chance that Jace was somewhere that had very strong people around, and he didn¡¯t want to have to fight his way out once someone used Identify on him. But... maybe when all the shit that¡¯s about to happen between the two systems is finished. That would be a good time to visit. Just before I ascend, he thought. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like Jace was his friend or anything. He just happened to be the person from Earth with whom Derek had probably the second or third most interactions. Jace definitely was the person who went out of his way to visit Derek the most, but those weren¡¯t exactly friendly visits. So, no... Jace could wait. And, other than Silvi, and possibly Jace, Derek didn¡¯t feel any need to visit Big Jim or anyone else he¡¯d been acquainted with before he was trapped in the void. ¡°But he really had his own team?¡± Derek finally asked. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of people would be working with the man. ¡°He really did,¡± Silvi said. ¡°They looked strong and were all wearing weird combat-type gear. At least, that¡¯s what it looked like they were wearing.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°Well... I¡¯m glad he seems to be doing well.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Silvi said, but she definitely didn¡¯t mean it. *** Earlier... ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kelvin asked as soon as he stepped through the teleporter and saw a frantic Darvin sitting at the meeting table alone. ¡°I... don¡¯t know,¡± Darvin replied. ¡°Come have a look.¡± Kelvin moved forward to take a glance at whatever was on the screen, causing Darvin to act strangely. ¡°So, what?¡± he asked when he saw what the man was pointing at. ¡°Should just be a Void Beast, right? Just the normal yellow warning notifications.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Darvin said. ¡°But look.¡± Darvin zoomed in, and it showed that there were actually two warnings right beside each other. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°That could be a coincidence,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s rare, but it¡¯s entirely plausible that two beasts were attracted from a Portal use. Where is this, anyway?¡± ¡°Planet C-186...¡± Darvin said. ¡°Planet... you mean... Earth?¡± Kelvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yes,¡± Darvin confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s... odd...¡± Kelvin said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that two Void Beasts could have been attracted by an idiot.¡± ¡°But look...¡± Darvin said, then scrubbed forward. ¡°That was just a few minutes ago. Then they both disappeared. See?¡± Kelvin watched as the two yellow notifications disappeared at practically the same time. ¡°Okay. That can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I called you here,¡± Darvin said. ¡°I need you to put together a strike force and prepare them to go to Planet C-186. Maybe it¡¯s nothing. Maybe the nodes won¡¯t appear again. But I want some people ready for if they do.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Kelvin muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry about them staying gone.¡± He pointed at the screen, which was now displaying information in real time. ¡°What?¡± Darvin turned his head from Kelvin and looked back at the screen. Sure enough, another warning node had appeared. He quickly zoomed in again, then sat back. ¡°Whew... it¡¯s only one this time.¡± ¡°Should I get a team ready?¡± Kelvin asked. ¡°Yes, just in...¡± Darvin¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his head as another notification appeared. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°This is... just what is going on?¡± Kelvin asked to no one. But soon, his jaw dropped as the notifications in front of him turned orange. ¡°Kelvin!¡± Darvin shouted. ¡°On it!¡± Kelvin raised his arm to communicate that he needed a human strike team to head to Earth, but before he was able to do anything, Darvin spoke again. ¡°Oh... oh no!¡± Darvin said in shock. Kelvin raised his head and saw the notifications¡ªthey were no longer orange... they were red. ¡°That¡¯s bad.¡± ¡°Yes... it is,¡± Darvin said. ¡°Kelvin. Make sure the strike team is elite. I don¡¯t think...¡± he began, but the words died as quickly as they were spoken. The two notifications had changed colors yet again. This time, it was a pair of colors that Darvin had never seen before in his entire time as a System Watcher. ¡°Black...¡± he muttered. ¡°What does black mean?¡± Kelvin asked. ¡°Catastrophe,¡± Darvin said. ¡°City... no... possible planet-level catastrophe. Maybe even more than one. Kelvin...¡± Darvin muttered. ¡°Yes?¡± Kelvin was entirely serious now. He and Darvin hadn¡¯t been getting along lately, but with something so serious, all that was pushed to the side. ¡°Go,¡± Darvin said. ¡°A strike team can¡¯t handle this. Let me know what is happening as soon as you get there.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Kelvin asked, and Darvin tapped the screen a few times. ¡°It looks like... a system dungeon... the closest city teleporter is in a city designated as Charlotte,¡± Darvin said. ¡°Charlotte?¡± Kelvin asked. The city was very familiar to him. ¡°You mean... the place where I went to investigate before?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Darvin said. ¡°But since it has a teleporter now, you can take one of the planet teleporters, then teleport directly from that city to Charlotte.¡± ¡°What are the odds...¡± Kelvin muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you need to go. Now! Before it¡¯s...¡± he said, but then... the notifications disappeared once again. ¡°What the fuck!?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They¡¯re gone... again,¡± Darvin said. ¡°Still, go! To Charlotte. I will inform you of any changes.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kelvin said, then ran to the teleporter. A couple of seconds later, he was gone. Darvin continued to stare at the screen, and sure enough, the two nodes appeared again. This time, they were back to yellow. ¡°I just...¡± he said out loud to nobody. ¡°I don¡¯t even...¡± he muttered. Finally, he sighed and sent Kelvin a message through his communication device. A bit later, the notifications disappeared again, and Darvin wanted to cry. If he didn¡¯t have a reputation to uphold, he might have actually done so. Once again, the warnings appeared in yellow. Darvin was numb to it all. He zoomed in, saw that the warnings were actually in Charlotte this time. Then, he sent Kelvin, who had just arrived in Charlotte, the location. *** ¡°So, you¡¯re doing pretty well now, all things considered?¡± Derek said to Earth Silvi. ¡°Yes,¡± Silvi smiled and nodded. ¡°I never thought I would be, but I am.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°So... you would say that you have a future here? On Earth?¡± ¡°A future?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°I guess as much as anyone can have in a world like the one we live in now,¡± she answered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Derek hesitated. When he first saw her again and they began talking, Derek had the thought of taking Silvi, and maybe even Gerard, with him back to Cydaria. However, a few things were keeping him from asking the woman. They weren¡¯t exactly close. He¡¯d mostly be bringing her along out of the small amount of guilt he felt about how she had been treated after everything that had happened. However, he knew that it wasn¡¯t his fault. Really, the reason he wanted to bring her along was that she was also from Earth, and he felt it would be nice to have someone by his side who knew where he came from¡ªwho understood what the world was like before everything happened. He didn¡¯t, however, know if she and Gerard would actually be okay if they were to travel to Cydaria with him. It was rough enough getting through the void with just himself and Silvi, and he¡¯d be relying on his companion to keep them safe if he were to take them along. So, that was a big reason he was hesitating. But the biggest cause of his hesitation was the fact that he wasn¡¯t sure what would happen to them once they arrived. How would Dave react? Would a system change go as smoothly for them as it did for him? Dave had said that he didn¡¯t have to worry about going from the Davenresh System back to the Universal System, but would they be able to go from the Universal System to the Davenresh System like he had? Dave just never answers enough questions, Derek thought to himself. ¡°What is it?¡± Earth Silvi asked, interrupting Derek¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Would you... and Gerard... like to...¡± he finally began to say, but as he was speaking, the door to the bar slammed open. Derek turned to look, thinking that some of Silvi¡¯s new team were finished at the system store and were returning to the bar. However, what he saw instead was a red man in what looked like a uniform. He had blond hair and gave off quite the aura. ¡°K... Kelvin?¡± Silvi muttered as she looked at the man. ¡°How is it that I knew you would have something to do with everything that is happening?¡± the man said. ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said, taking the newcomer¡¯s attention away from Silvi. ¡°So you¡¯re the famous Kelvin?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard... well... not much about you, but a little.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Kelvin asked, but then he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Wait. You look a little different, but...¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened in recognition. ¡°You¡¯re Derek...¡± he started, then his eyes widened even more. ¡°Why does it say that you¡¯re a creature not of this system?¡± His eyes narrowed as he stared intently at Derek. ¡°What. Are. You?¡± Chapter 541: Boiled? ¡°What am I?¡± Derek asked back. He rubbed his chin as if he were in deep thought, then answered, ¡°I¡¯m Derek, but you seem to already know that.¡± Inwardly, he thought, I don¡¯t know how this is going to play out. Does he know about the upcoming system clash? ¡°That is very obvious,¡± Kelvin said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°That does not explain how you are here, why you are here, why the system doesn¡¯t view you as a part of it, or why you almost destroyed an entire city minutes ago.¡± ¡°Well... I¡¯m here because...¡± Derek began, but stopped after registering what Kelvin said. ¡°Wait, what do you mean I almost destroyed a city?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here!¡± Kelvin half-shouted. ¡°The system gave a catastrophe-level warning in a dungeon not far away. It was on the verge of overloading and exploding¡ªwhich could have been big enough to wipe out any cities nearby... or worse. And that is because of you!¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek was dumbfounded, but at least he got an answer. So going into that dungeon at our levels really was a bad idea, he thought. Damn... I¡¯m glad I decided not to stay long. ¡°Explode?¡± Earth Silvi said from the side. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Ah... yeah... that¡¯s my bad.¡± Derek rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were in a dungeon when I found you. It seems that they have level caps for a reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you left so soon to meet outside the dungeon?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°What are you all talking about?¡± Kelvin cut in. The crimson-colored human looked like he was about to blow a gasket¡ªboth literally and figuratively. The man clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles cracked, and Derek felt his aura start to leak out. The wave hit Earth Silvi, and she let out a whimper. ¡°Stop that,¡± Derek¡¯s Silvi sent a wave of her own controlled aura back at the man, and it completely canceled it out. She disappeared from Derek¡¯s shoulder and reappeared on a pot lid floating in front of Kelvin. ¡°I understand you mad,¡± her voice rang out. ¡°Would be too if someone tried to boil me.¡± She continued to float around and examine Kelvin, and Derek almost face-palmed. ¡°No flavor. Better ways to cook.¡± ¡°You... wha...¡± Not only Kelvin, but everyone was speechless as they watched the bunny. ¡°Can¡¯t cook system people,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Can¡¯t cook elves...¡± she said in a light voice, then turned her head to look at Derek. ¡°No, we can¡¯t...¡± Derek said. ¡°Mhm... can¡¯t cook elves,¡± she said again. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t cook humans.¡± Silvi nodded sagely. ¡°You escaped, though. You lucky.¡± ¡°I escaped?!¡± Derek was pretty sure that Kelvin was currently too flabbergasted to be angry. ¡°From... from...¡± ¡°Being cooked,¡± Silvi confirmed. ¡°I... what?!¡± ¡°Because you are red,¡± Derek said with a sigh. ¡°Forgive my companion. She is a chef, and everything she thinks and does revolves around cooking. She... we¡¯ve never seen a human with crimson-colored skin. Her first thought must have gone to how we...¡± Derek motioned to himself, Silvi, and Gerard. ¡°How we would turn red when we become very hot.¡± Derek explained. Silvi obviously hadn¡¯t been listening to Earth Silvi when she spoke a little about Kelvin. ¡°That...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Derek said. ¡°She is a beast companion, and she can be ignorant sometimes. I am sorry.¡± ¡°Not boiled?¡± Silvi was aghast. ¡°Red skin? Not hot? Never seen that. Just white, black, brown, tan... blue...¡± She shook her head. ¡°No... he was just too cold.¡± She floated to the front of the man and hesitated. The next moment, a small plate of food appeared in front of her, and it floated to the man, who mechanically reached out and took it. ¡°Have food as apology.¡± She nodded, then disappeared before reappearing back on Derek¡¯s shoulder. Talk about a way to calm someone down, Derek thought. Just confuse them to near death, then give them a plate of food... only Silvi... Kelvin stood in silence for what felt like forever, but soon, his bracelet buzzed, and it broke him out of his stupor. The meal he was holding disappeared, and he tapped away on the bracelet for a moment before looking back up at Derek. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t know you were on the verge of causing a catastrophe?¡± he asked, much calmer than before. ¡°No,¡± Derek shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we were going to end up in a dungeon. Like Ms. Jaccobs said, we left very quickly after realizing where we were. I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen, but I didn¡¯t want to take the chance.¡± ¡°I see...¡± the man narrowed his eyes again. ¡°And how does one just... appear in a dungeon without following proper protocol?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Secret,¡± Derek replied with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to tell me about all of your skills, now do you?¡± ¡°No... I guess I don¡¯t,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°But you still haven¡¯t explained to me why the system does not recognize you.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not part of it anymore...¡± Derek said bluntly. ¡°You¡¯re what?¡± Kelvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yeah... getting trapped in the void really messes with you...¡± Derek said, leaving it at that. ¡°That¡¯s right... you were trapped in the void...¡± Kelvin said. ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty big place. A lot of it isn¡¯t in the system¡¯s purview.¡± ¡°So... you are really Derek Hunt. You have some sort of... teleporting ability that allows you to bypass certain constraints. You were trapped in the void so long that the system was no longer able to connect to you...¡± Kelvin said as if he was checking off a list. ¡°Sounds about right,¡± Derek replied. ¡°But... your companion... its strength... that aura,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°You are very strong... considering you set off system warnings¡ªleading to me being sent down here.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Derek replied with a nod. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I dunno,¡± Derek said. ¡°Do you know how time works in the void?¡± ¡°Randomly,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°Do you know how old I am?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Hmm...¡± Kelvin went quiet for a moment to think. ¡°If I recall your profile and add a couple of years... you should be in your lower thirties.¡± ¡°I should be, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Derek asked rhetorically with a smile. ¡°I was in the void for probably centuries. Hard not to get strong when you¡¯re that old, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Centuries?¡± Kelvin¡¯s eyes widened again. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Derek said. ¡°Why did you come back?¡± Kelvin asked. ¡°You know... the system does not welcome you. You are a threat that it wishes me to eliminate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that,¡± Derek said. ¡°I just wanted to let Silvi know that it wasn¡¯t her fault... well... that it was precisely her fault, but there are no hard feelings. However, it seems like she¡¯s doing pretty well for herself.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kelvin said, eyeing Earth Silvi. ¡°Blink is such a useful skill, is it not?¡± Silvi¡¯s eyes went wide, and she opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, Derek spoke. ¡°So... I¡¯ve answered your questions. You can answer mine now. What are you? The system gives you information... apparently. Are you some kind of admin or something?¡± ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Kelvin scoffed. ¡°I am a part of the system council. The council leader of the humans.¡± ¡°So... you¡¯re here because...¡± ¡°Because Planet C-186 is a human planet and thus falls under my purview,¡± Kelvin answered. ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. He was honestly surprised that the man didn¡¯t choose to try to eliminate him and Silvi, but he figured that Silvi¡¯s little aura display from earlier had him hesitating, and though he¡¯d been surprised many times, he seemed to be pretty level-headed. ¡°Then you are the strongest human?¡± ¡°Strongest?¡± Kelvin bit his lower lip. ¡°Maybe... in some instances. But that is not something you need to know.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s not,¡± Derek said. He was trying to get some information about the strongest in the system without drawing more attention than necessary, but asking too many questions would be suspicious given the reason he gave for being there. ¡°What are your plans? You know that you can¡¯t stay here, right?¡± Kelvin asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure, but I guess that¡¯s true, since it seems that the system is unable to recognize me...¡± Derek sighed. He turned to Earth Silvi and said, ¡°Do you have Identify? Can you use it on me?¡± ¡°Uh... yeah... sure,¡± Silvi said, and her eyes widened. ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± ¡°It says what Kelvin said,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°You¡¯re a creature not of this system, and it wants me to eliminate you.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Derek said, then turned back to Kelvin. ¡°And I suppose not everyone is going to be like you and have time for a chat?¡± ¡°Nobody will be,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°If they do not know you or of you... you will not be having conversations. Your... companion especially so.¡± ¡°Oh... well...¡± Derek shrugged and turned back to Silvi. ¡°Do you and Gerard want to come with me? I... think we can safely bring you with us...¡± he said, but he already knew the answer. He¡¯d also come to the conclusion that he didn¡¯t want to risk them going to the Davenresh System. Dave had told Derek that he could have died because of the systems fighting each other before, and he wouldn¡¯t risk that. There really was so much that could go wrong. ¡°We... can¡¯t,¡± Silvi finally answered after being quiet for some time. ¡°I can¡¯t leave my team. We¡¯ve built something here.¡± ¡°I thought as much,¡± Derek said. ¡°I just thought I¡¯d ask.¡± He sighed. Then, his eyes lit up, and he turned back to Kelvin. ¡°Hey, you wouldn¡¯t by any chance know of a guy named Jace Whitaker, would you?¡± The question did not get the reaction that Derek was expecting. Instead, he saw the already red man grow even more crimson. He struggled to keep his aura under control, and all his muscles tensed. The man gritted his teeth, and his eyes even turned bloodshot. ¡°What... do you want with him? Are you... friends?¡± Kelvin asked through gritted teeth, his voice a low growl. ¡°Not really,¡± Derek said, waving the man¡¯s question off. ¡°Dude¡¯s crazy. Kept coming around and kicking my ass while I was on Earth. Was thinking that I¡¯d be able to give him a little payback now.¡± Instantly, Kelvin seemed to calm. It seemed like he and Jace didn¡¯t exactly have a good relationship. ¡°That man is a pain in my ass. He deserves nothing less than an agonizing... uhem...¡± Kelvin caught himself and checked his emotions again. ¡°Mr. Whitaker is the leader of a task force under my command and the system¡¯s. He is protected by the system as a reward for his place on the tutorial leaderboard.¡± ¡°Oh... I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°I am afraid it would be against protocol to give you his location, as you are currently an enemy of the system,¡± Kelvin said, then under his breath and barely audible, added, ¡°As much as I would like you to find and kill the bastard.¡± ¡°Ah... well... that¡¯s a shame,¡± Derek said. ¡°Nothing I can do about that, then.¡± If Jace was the leader of a task force under the system¡¯s command, then visiting the man was definitely out of the question. He¡¯d been on the fence about looking for him, but what Kelvin said pushed him over to decide against it. Derek turned back to Silvi. ¡°Well... Silvi... it really was good seeing you again, but it seems that I am unwelcome here and have to cut my stay short.¡± ¡°Where will you go?¡± Kelvin asked with his eyes narrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Derek said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll spend some more time in the void... and there are tons of planets that aren¡¯t part of the system. I guess I¡¯ll do some more traveling.¡± Derek looked at his shoulder, where Silvi was resting. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± ¡°No ingredients from here?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°That looks to be the case,¡± Derek said. ¡°Was nice for nothing...¡± Silvi muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He turned back to Earth Silvi. ¡°This is the last time we will meet, so you do your best to take care of yourself, okay? And Gerard, keep looking out for her.¡± ¡°I will,¡± both said at once. ¡°Kelvin...¡± Derek said. ¡°It was... interesting meeting you.¡± ¡°It has certainly been interesting,¡± Kelvin said, then the man fully released his aura and grabbed Derek by his wrist. ¡°But... I cannot just let you go. The system will not allow it.¡± Chapter 542: I Wouldn’t Do That ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Derek said as he looked down at the red hand clenching his wrist. ¡°I would rather not, as well,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°But I was sent down here with a mission, and with my current position, I have been ordered to eliminate the threat.¡± He glanced at the bracelet on his hand, which Derek saw was flashing. ¡°This won¡¯t end well for you,¡± Derek said. ¡°And honestly, I was kind of starting to like you.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t seem so bad yourself,¡± Kelvin said, then flicked his free wrist¡ªcausing a sword to appear in his hand. A moment later, the sword glowed red-hot, then even turned white, then blue with the heat. The same was true for the hand gripping Derek¡¯s wrist. Derek could feel the heat eating through his skin and even starting to affect his muscles. He shook his head as he saw the steam rising. ¡°You really don¡¯t want to do that,¡± Derek said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to create any problems coming here. Just visiting an old friend.¡± ¡°You¡¯d have to tell that to Darvin,¡± Kelvin said with a sigh. ¡°I already tried while we were speaking. Seems like he thinks you are a problem.¡± ¡°I have no clue who that is,¡± Derek said. ¡°But it seems that he wants you to die.¡± He grinned, showing his teeth. ¡°Have you done anything to piss that person off lately?¡± Kelvin didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he was concentrating intensely on Derek¡¯s wrist. The longer things went, the more furrowed the man¡¯s brow became. ¡°Not burning as well as you would like?¡± Derek asked with a chuckle. Instead of answering, Kelvin whipped the arm holding the sword back and stabbed it forward. Derek had just enough time to enter Void Shift. He kicked slightly off a ripple, turning his body perfectly before the sword reached him, then ended the shift. One thing he could say was that Kelvin¡¯s grip was out of this world. Even when shifted, Derek wasn¡¯t able to pull himself away. Though he preferred the intense heat over the frozen grip that the King of Astrus had previously. Neither exactly felt good, but the heat didn¡¯t have the stiffness that came with the cold. Though... he may actually be stronger than that man, Derek thought. King Tevarian was very strong¡ªone of the few who could actually change his entire body to his element, and Derek would have had trouble if Silvi hadn¡¯t been there to turn him into a puddle. Though Derek was even stronger now than he was back then, and there was a chance that Kelvin wouldn¡¯t be able to turn his body into lava or fire, or whatever his element was. At best, he has a legendary class, but most likely, he is like Avery was with his epic class. Derek had no idea what kind of permanent stat increases the man could have in the Universal System. ¡°I¡¯m telling you...¡± Derek said. ¡°It won¡¯t end well.¡± Really, he was afraid of any consequences that Earth Silvi might end up with if he really fought back against Kelvin. At the same time, he was also sort of happy that Kelvin made a move. He wanted to see what the power level of someone on the ¡®council¡¯ was before everything else went down, but he wasn¡¯t going to make the first move. ¡°You...¡± Kelvin said as his eyes shot up and he looked from the position that Derek¡¯s body had just been in to the one it was in now. Derek hadn¡¯t used Void Shift like that since he sparred with Shae back when he had much less strength. Derek glanced behind him and saw that Earth Silvi was sweating profusely, and the same was true for Gerard. In fact, Silvi¡¯s near porcelain skin was beginning to turn the same shade of red as Kelvin¡¯s own. ¡°If we¡¯re going to do this,¡± Derek said calmly, which disturbed Kelvin even more. ¡°We should take this outside... far away from the city. I¡¯d rather not unintentionally hurt more people than needed. Unless, of course, you don¡¯t care about innocent bystanders. You did, after all, come to make sure the city wasn¡¯t destroyed, right? I¡¯d hate for you to be the cause of it actually happening.¡± Kelvin stared deeply into Derek¡¯s eyes, then looked at Silvi and Gerard. He also glanced behind him as the door he had come in through opened, and the twins were standing there, staring in shock. ¡°Fine! Do you swear you won¡¯t run?¡± Kelvin looked down at Derek¡¯s wrist again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me running,¡± Derek said with a chuckle. ¡°Okay...¡± Kelvin let go of Derek¡¯s wrist but didn¡¯t let his guard down. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Derek said, and Kelvin turned to walk out. When he reached the door, Kelvin shouted, ¡°Move!¡± and the twins from Silvi¡¯s team quickly got out of the way. ¡°It was nice seeing you again,¡± Derek said after turning to see the panting Silvi and struggling Gerard. ¡°You all take care.¡± ¡°Bye... Derek,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Be careful. He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Derek replied, then walked out, passing the twins and giving them a nod in the process. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. A couple of minutes later, Derek found himself and Silvi standing in the middle of an open field just outside the city of Charlotte with Kelvin. No sneak attacks again or anything, Derek thought. ¡°You know,¡± Derek said to the man, ¡°I can give you one more chance. You can just say you tried, but we escaped. No harm, no foul.¡± ¡°If only it were that easy,¡± Kelvin said and glanced down at his bracelet again, then gave Silvi, who was still on Derek¡¯s shoulder, a hesitant glance. ¡°I¡¯d rather not lose my position on the council. I like having it, but I doubt Darvin would think twice about stripping it from me if I don¡¯t at least try.¡± ¡°So you really did piss the guy off!¡± Derek said with a smile. ¡°Yes,¡± he admitted. ¡°All because of that damned Jace Whitaker.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to hear that story,¡± Derek said. ¡°No,¡± Kelvin replied. ¡°We¡¯ve wasted enough time.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Derek said with a shrug. Then, ¡°Silvi, leave this to me.¡± ¡°Kay!¡± his companion said, then hopped off his shoulder and onto a pot lid to float around. ¡°When finished... can I coo...¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Just kidding!¡± Silvi¡¯s childlike voice rang out as she began zooming around the field. Kelvin¡¯s eyes followed the bunny, but he didn¡¯t say anything. However, Derek could tell that the man was very wary. ¡°She won¡¯t interfere,¡± Derek said. ¡°You have my word.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Kelvin replied, then re-summoned his sword. Derek held his arm out and nodded to his wrist. ¡°Should we continue where we left off?¡± ¡°You...¡± Kelvin shook his head. ¡°No, go ahead and prepare.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Derek said, then with a thought, he summoned his wyvern armor onto himself, and Harbinger appeared in his right hand. Once again, Kelvin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Never killed dragons before?¡± ¡°Dragons?¡± Kelvin shook his head. ¡°No... but drakes and wyverns... yes.¡± ¡°Solo?¡± Derek asked, but Kelvin didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Just... where...¡± Kelvin muttered, but stopped mid-sentence. Instead of continuing, the same burning aura appeared around him, and his sword changed back to a searing blue. ¡°Come on.¡± The man took a fighting stance. ¡°One second,¡± Derek said, causing the crimson man to falter. ¡°When I beat you, nothing is going to happen to my acquaintances back there, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°You do not need to worry about them. They are insignificant, and Darvin will not hurt others to get back at you. He is... honorable.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, go ahead. Show me what you¡¯ve got.¡± Without another word, Kelvin swiped forward, and an arc of molten lava shot out of his sword, with the man following directly behind it. Derek smiled and quickly summoned Absolute Nullify to block the attack, then dismissed it as soon as it hit. With a smirk, Derek stepped forward and blocked Kelvin¡¯s first attack with the staff of his glaive. ¡°Nice,¡± Derek said. Not to the attack, but to Harbinger. It lost a little durability in the clash with the molten weapon, but less than Derek expected. Kelvin drew his sword back, then sliced out again and again. Soon, the two fell into a pattern of attacks and blocks. Derek seemed to be intently focused on the battle, but in reality, he was watching his surroundings too, and it didn¡¯t go unnoticed that small heat pockets were forming around the two. Suddenly, Kelvin jumped back, and the pockets came to life. They opened almost like a spatial attack, and blue jets of fire streamed out towards Derek. Derek smiled and activated Absolute Nullify again. Just as the jets of fire reached him, they curved as if magnetized and were absorbed by his skill... much to Kelvin¡¯s dismay. ¡°Just a note,¡± Derek said with a grin. ¡°Ranged magic... doesn¡¯t work... will never work.¡± With that, Derek finally summoned his aura. The whites of his eyes turned the deep purple of the void, and even his already purple-tinted hair took on a deeper color. ¡°I am the void,¡± Derek said as he licked his lips. Kelvin¡¯s eyes bugged out of his head, and in a whisper, he muttered, ¡°Monster...¡± Then, his eyes fell on the wall created by Derek¡¯s nullify skill, and he said, ¡°Just like Trischa.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Trischa?¡± ¡°No¡ªnothing...¡± Kelvin said. ¡°You have... quite the aura.¡± ¡°It¡¯s passable,¡± Derek said with a shrug, then he nodded at Silvi. ¡°Her aura is just as strong, in case you were wondering.¡± Kelvin took a moment to glance at Derek¡¯s companion¡ªwho was still floating on her pot lid, but now had a dish of food in front of her that she was feeding to herself with her Mage Hand. The crimson-colored human gulped. ¡°So... what do you think?¡± Derek asked rhetorically. ¡°My turn?¡± His eyes glimmered as he didn¡¯t wait for an answer. In less than a second, he stored Harbinger¡ªthe weapon was overkill in their fight¡ªand one of his throwaway daggers appeared in his hand. With a quick slash into the air, a small space opened behind the man. His skill with the attack was much better than before, and the space opened with next to no distance between it and Kelvin. This meant that the attack barely had to travel before landing¡ªnearly undetected¡ªon the man¡¯s back. Kelvin cried out as the full force of Spatial Rend landed in the center of his back¡ªcreating a terrible wound. What was worse was that Derek knew the wound created by Spatial Rend was not one that could be healed easily¡ªat least if Kelvin¡¯s body was anything like the others who had taken the attack. Next, Derek waved his hand and winced. Kelvin was too distracted to notice the Spatial Collapse appearing around his lower leg. I hope they can grow things back, Derek thought as he watched the skill activate and separate the man¡¯s shin from his ankle. Again, Kelvin cried out, then, with Active Void Shift, Derek disappeared. Reappearing in front of the agonizing man once again, Derek encased his fist in void energy. He opted not to use Multi-Strike this time when he punched out. Derek¡¯s fist hit the man directly in the solar plexus, then he pulled back. As always, the attack didn¡¯t seem to do much¡ªthough his strength was now more than enough to cause the man to double over in pain. Then, Kelvin looked up at Derek and opened his mouth to speak. Instead, Derek shook his head and raised three fingers. Then, to Kelvin¡¯s confusion, he lowered one, then another. Finally, his last finger went down, and Kelvin¡¯s eyes widened in horror. A jet of blood exploded from the man¡¯s mouth, and he fell over. With everything he could muster, Kelvin managed to roll over onto his back. Derek took a step forward and looked at the defeated man. ¡°I told you,¡± Derek said. ¡°You really didn¡¯t want to do that.¡± Derek watched as a potion that brought back memories appeared in the crimson man¡¯s hand. It was the same Resurrection Potion that he was all too familiar with. The man struggled to bring the potion to his lips, but before he could, Derek placed a foot on his arm¡ªpinning it to the ground. ¡°Should I really let you do that?¡± Derek asked. Kelvin looked at him and opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t speak. Derek wasn¡¯t sure if he didn¡¯t speak because he couldn¡¯t or because he refused. Instead, Kelvin drew in a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes. Derek said, ¡°Remember what you said.¡± Then he reached down and grabbed the potion out of the man¡¯s hand. ¡°No harm will come to Silvi or the others. If I find out any did, neither you nor anyone else on your council will be safe.¡± Derek brought the potion to Kelvin¡¯s mouth and then poured it in. ¡°And trust me, I will find out.¡± Chapter 543: You’re Kidding Me Derek stood beside the crimson man, looking down on him as he watched the fire wielder recover. Slowly but surely, the man recovered enough to sit up on his own, then even managed to stand upright. Coming back from a Dying State was not pleasant, and Derek couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many times the man before him had done so. Derek himself had to do so on more than one occasion back before getting trapped in the void. Fortunately, since landing in Cydaria, he hadn¡¯t been forced to such straits again. ¡°So,¡± Derek said as he watched Kelvin take a deep breath in, then out. Kelvin opened his eyes and shifted them from the ground to Derek. ¡°Are you ready for round two?¡± Derek asked with a smile. ¡°No,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I am.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Derek asked semi-mockingly. ¡°My companion over there hasn¡¯t had a chance to fight yet, and it looks like she¡¯s itching for it. And you don¡¯t have to worry about dying, she¡¯s very gentle. Instead of forcing you into a dying state, she¡¯ll just cut off all four...¡± Derek looked down at the man¡¯s shin and shrugged. Spatial collapse really did a number on the man. ¡°All three of your remaining limbs.¡± Kelvin shifted his gaze to Silvi, who was still just floating around the battlefield. When she saw that his focus was on her, she quickly summoned a couple of cleavers from her Void Creation skill and had them slice through the air a few times. Inwardly, Derek gave Silvi a mental high-five. The crimson warrior let out an audible gulp, then said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass on that, too.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Derek said. ¡°You should do something about that missing foot, though.¡± Kelvin looked down and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve lost a foot... just the first time in a long time.¡± The man quickly examined his surroundings, then he hobbled over to his separated booted foot. He sat down beside it, picked it up, then butted it up against the bleeding stub at the end of his leg. With them basically connected, he pulled a potion out of his storage bracelet and drank. Derek watched in fascination as his foot reattached to his leg. He¡¯d thought that since a lot of the meat and bones had been completely destroyed by Spatial Collapse, the man would end up with one leg shorter than the other or something. Attaching a foot that wasn¡¯t a clean cut wasn¡¯t something Derek had seen before. However, the foot attached, and extra flesh and bone replaced what was missing. I wonder what he¡¯d think if he knew that I don¡¯t even have to bother with any of that, Derek thought. A quick meditation, and I have a perfectly good foot once again. Kelvin stood once again, this time on both feet, and crept his way back to Derek. When he reached him, the man said, ¡°You¡¯re a monster.¡± ¡°I try,¡± Derek said with another shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t...¡± The man stopped and sighed. ¡°Your strength really is unbelievable. I can¡¯t even wrap my head around the fact that just a few short years ago, you were living on this planet, taking the newly initiated tutorial. What rank were you back then? Seventh?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Derek answered. ¡°I... would like to hear your story,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°Nope,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? I was just visiting an old acquaintance, and you decided I needed to die. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be giving you any more information about myself.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°But, like I said, I did not want to fight. It was a command from a superior.¡± ¡°But you listened, and you lost,¡± Derek said. ¡°I did,¡± Kelvin replied. ¡°And now I can go back and say that I tried and failed. Darvin will not punish me for that. However, if I had not tried at all...¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky I was in a good mood today,¡± Derek snorted. ¡°It seems that was the case,¡± Kelvin replied with a sigh. ¡°Now, I do think it would be best if you went on your way now, before Darvin sends any strike teams to assist me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about any strike teams,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°However, I am worried about them.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Derek said. ¡°I was about to leave anyway.¡± He waited a few seconds in silence, then said, ¡°But remember what I said before. No harm will come to Silvi or the others.¡± ¡°You have my word,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°Actually...¡± The man looked into the sky, then placed his fist on his chest. ¡°I swear on my honor and on the system that I will cause no harm to this man¡¯s friends due to their connection with him. I will also do what I can to prevent any actions being taken against them for such a reason.¡± Derek watched as the man swore an oath to the system. He didn¡¯t swear it to Derek, but to the system itself. However, even if he had sworn the oath to Derek, he doubted he would have gotten a confirmation or anything. He preferred it that way, anyway. If what he suspected was correct, an oath directly to the system was something that he wouldn¡¯t be able to take back¡ªit wouldn¡¯t go away if Derek died. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°And, just so you know,¡± Derek said, ¡°they don¡¯t know anything more about me than you do... well... other than the fact that my companion over there and I occasionally hunt dragonkin¡ªwhich you definitely guessed from the fact that you knew what my armor was made from. Anything important about me... I did not tell. I¡¯m not stupid.¡± Of course, the only things he deemed important about himself at the moment were the fact that he had another system and that the two systems would soon come to blows¡ªhowever that may happen. ¡°Of course,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°However, I cannot promise that they won¡¯t be questioned.¡± ¡°I figured as much,¡± Derek said. ¡°Just make sure that you¡¯re there. I¡¯d hate to see that oath broken without a chance for you to stop it.¡± ¡°Darvin is honorable,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°So, you say,¡± Derek replied. ¡°But I will be there, nonetheless,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Now, are you ready to see the only thing they learned about me that is of any significance?¡± Kelvin widened his eyes and looked deeply at Derek. Finally, he nodded without saying anything. Derek chuckled, then turned around. ¡°Are you ready, Silvi?¡± he asked. ¡°One second!¡± Silvi chimed back. The next instant, a pot appeared, and Silvi put all her stuff inside it. Derek also went ahead and put anything he needed to inside too. ¡°Ready!¡± Silvi said. Derek glanced at Kelvin and gave the man a sly grin, then reached out and tore the space in front of him open. He turned his head to see Kelvin¡¯s hand on his sword and his eyes wide. ¡°If I ever meet you again, we will be enemies, and I won¡¯t be nice,¡± Derek chuckled, then stepped inside. He knew they would be meeting again. Though, the battlefield would be different and probably much more important. Silvi jumped up onto Derek¡¯s shoulder and brought the pot inside with her. She turned and looked back at the crimson-skinned man. A course of void lightning ran through her horn before she let it dissipate and turned back around. A couple of seconds later, Derek closed the opening. Kelvin stared at the space where the two monsters left from. Yes, it was two monsters, not just one. He didn¡¯t fight the small creature that floated around them while they fought¡ªif he could even call it a fight¡ªbut he had a gut feeling that the small beast was just as strong as the human, or at least very close to it. Now, he¡¯d been shown another ridiculous power. The man had opened up the void and stepped inside... purposefully. That wasn¡¯t something that anyone does¡ªit just doesn¡¯t work like that. Kelvin also managed to get a good look inside the space and saw that it was much more unstable than any void space he¡¯d ever seen in his life¡ªand he¡¯d slain his fair share of Void Beasts during his time. He had no clue what he was going to report to Darvin. However, he wasn¡¯t lying when he told Derek Hunt that Darvin was honorable. If he weren¡¯t, Darvin would have already dismissed him from the council due to his constant¡ªbut very warranted¡ªcomplaining about Jace Whitaker. ¡°The rest of the day¡¯s going to be even longer...¡± Kelvin sighed, then began his trek back to the city. When he returned to the city known as Charlotte, Kelvin decided he¡¯d stop in and give Derek¡¯s friend a visit before he left. He soon found himself outside the woman¡¯s bar and opened the door. He didn¡¯t bother knocking, he just strode inside. ¡°K-Kelvin...¡± he was greeted by the woman known as Silvi as soon as he entered. ¡°I thought I would let you know that your friend has left,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°He is not dead, but he will not be coming back.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± the woman said, but didn¡¯t seem surprised. Kelvin frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not surprised?¡± he went ahead and asked her. ¡°Well...¡± she muttered. ¡°He stopped back by a few minutes ago,¡± she finally said. ¡°To let me know that he was leaving and that we don¡¯t...¡± She looked around at what appeared to be her team members. ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about any repercussions.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°It seems I came here for nothing. He is not mistaken. Your friendship with that man will not be the cause of any harm to you or your party. You have my word on that,¡± he said dully. ¡°Now, if you would please excuse me.¡± Kelvin turned and left the bar, continuing on his way back to Darvin. He didn¡¯t actually move quickly, and he refused to answer the notifications that kept popping up on his bracelet. Darvin was being incredibly impatient, but the man could wait while Kelvin spent some time regaining his wits. Kelvin stepped into the middle of the teleporter and took a deep breath. Finally, he pushed a button and disappeared. Moments later, he found himself back in the council¡¯s meeting room¡ªwhere Darvin spent the majority of his time when he wasn¡¯t in his office. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Darvin said. ¡°I presume that you took care of the problems? I am still amazed that it was all caused by a human whom we lost to the void years ago.¡± ¡°About that...¡± Kelvin said as he strode forward, pulled out a chair, and then fell into it. ¡°That man kicked my ass,¡± he finally said after staring at the System Watcher for some time. ¡°He... kicked your ass?¡± Darvin asked. ¡°He is not dead?¡± ¡°Not dead?¡± Kelvin snorted. ¡°That man is more alive than any of us. In the end, he allowed me to drink a Resurrection Potion and pull myself out of my dying state. He also let me reattach my foot that somehow decided it wanted to explode off my body during the fight. So no, he¡¯s not dead, and I¡¯m lucky to be alive. If that man comes back, you can go fight him.¡± Darvin blinked multiple times as he looked at Kelvin. Finally, he said, ¡°You are being serious?¡± ¡°More so than I¡¯ve ever been,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°If you want to win against that man... then you¡¯d need Trischa, along with multiple other council members, and anyone else strong you can find. Hell, I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s possible without an army of everyone¡¯s strongest fighters. The man actually let me grab him... my fire couldn¡¯t even make it through the muscle on his arm. And his strength... his stats are out of this world. He beat me so effortlessly that I wasn¡¯t even able to gauge his ability.¡± Darvin, who had been floating around before, took his seat at the head of the table and sat in silence. The man just stared into space for what seemed like minutes before he finally sighed. ¡°Tell me what else you know about him.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much to know,¡± Kelvin said with a shrug. ¡°He has a crazy ability that apparently lets him travel through the void. It¡¯s like he gained powers specifically from his time in there. Which, if you believe his words, makes total sense since he believes he was inside the void for centuries or longer. I imagine that is the same reason that he lost his connection to the system and appears as a creature not from the system instead of a user. At least, that¡¯s the only theory that I can come up with.¡± ¡°I... see,¡± Darvin scratched at his chin in thought. ¡°He is certainly an anomaly...¡± At those words, he frowned. ¡°However... he came back, and though the system balked for a moment, it continued hunting.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is...¡± ¡°It seems that my theory was correct,¡± Darvin replied. ¡°It is not after Derek Hunt... at least, not any longer. It truly is hunting another system. And I believe... that Derek Hunt is now a part of that system.¡± Kelvin stared at the ceiling and let out a long breath. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Then, under his breath, he said, ¡°You have got to be fucking kidding me.¡± Chapter 544: The Other One ¡°Surely it is not as bad as you make it seem,¡± Darvin said to Kelvin. ¡°Darvin, if Derek Hunt is a part of that system, and whatever is happening requires us to face off with users of said system, then we are in trouble,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°The man used maybe four skills to beat me... maybe... and he probably only needed two... if any. He is able to shift his body in a way that I was unable to notice... even while I had a grasp on his wrist. ¡°Then, it looked like he was able to move his aura¡ªa sort of channeling skill¡ªto his fist, and while the blow was very strong in and of itself, I believe it was likely a blow using nothing more than his strength stat. The channeling of the void into the strike did not activate until a few moments later. With that single combination of attack, he was able to defeat me. ¡°And, on top of all of that, he used a certain skill that could only remind me of Trischa¡¯s nullify abilities. Except, instead of taking away certain abilities from the user, it pulls in and absorbs any magic¡ªmaking any magic projectiles against the man practically useless,¡± Kelvin finished his short retelling of the battle between him and Derek. ¡°Then, when you mention Trischa...¡± Darvin muttered. ¡°She will be the key to successfully defeating that man if it is something that must be done,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°However, if there is any way to avoid a fight with him, we must do so.¡± Kelvin inwardly gulped as he thought about something else the man had said to him. He said that if we ever meet again, he¡¯s not going to be nice, he thought. Does that mean... that he knows that our system may be hunting his own? Kelvin frowned and couldn¡¯t keep the anxiety off his face. ¡°What is it?¡± Darvin asked. ¡°That man... he said that if we meet again, we will be enemies... you don¡¯t think that he knows about our system hunting his, do you?¡± Kelvin asked. ¡°It could just be a coincidence, though.¡± ¡°If he has the strength that you describe, then it would definitely not be impossible that he is just as informed as you or me,¡± Darvin said. ¡°He could quite well know more than either of us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then he¡¯ll be prepared. He¡¯ll be even more of a problem.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Darvin said. ¡°Then... we must create a strategy to use against the man. If everything is like you say, we must make proper preparations, too... just in case.¡± ¡°Sure...¡± Kelvin said. ¡°But...¡± he hesitated. ¡°But what?¡± Darvin asked. ¡°What are we going to do about the other one?¡± ¡°Remember?¡± Kelvin said. ¡°There were two warning notifications on the screen, were there not?¡± ¡°There... was,¡± Darvin said. ¡°So...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kelvin said with a nod. ¡°Derek Hunt was not traveling alone. He had a companion with him¡ªone who seemed to be just as strong as he was... possibly.¡± ¡°Possibly?¡± Darvin asked. ¡°Yes, possibly,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°As I said before, I was defeated quite handily by Derek alone. His companion did not have to enter the fight. In fact... she... did nothing more than float around on the battlefield. She seemed... overly obsessed with food. She also had a pair of cleavers¡ªlike the kind one would use in cooking. In fact, when Derek Hunt... introduced her, he said that she was a chef.¡± ¡°A chef?¡± Darvin asked. ¡°And you are... scared of a chef? Of a person who specializes in a life skill?¡± ¡°A... about that,¡± Kelvin muttered. ¡°Kelvin,¡± Darvin said. ¡°You are trying my patience.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Kelvin said as he took in a deep breath and let it out, ¡°the thing is, that chef was able to completely overwhelm my aura with her own the instant it leaked out. It felt very similar, almost identical to Derek¡¯s own void aura. So, she may be a chef, but she is one of the void, and the void is not an element that we know much about.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Darvin said. ¡°Is there anything else you can tell me about this chef?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Kelvin stuttered. Then, with a flick of his wrist, a very, very small meal on a very small dish appeared in his hand. It looked to be a couple of slices of meat, a small scoop of mashed potatoes, and a piece of bread. It honestly didn¡¯t look like anything special, but the aroma it gave off was divine. ¡°She slighted me by accident and apologized by giving me this dish.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Really?¡± Darvin was looking at the meal suspiciously. ¡°Yes...¡± Kelvin said as he gulped. Finally, he couldn¡¯t help himself, and he reached out with his free hand to pick up a slice of the meat. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Darvin¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°That may be poison.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let me live just to kill me with poison right after,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to be a cruel man.¡± Finally, he picked up the meat and placed it in his mouth. A savory mix of flavors exploded in his mouth. The next instant, he scooped some of the potatoes up with another slice of meat, then he mopped up the rest of the plate with the piece of bread. ¡°Oh... wow,¡± he said once he was finished, then his eyes widened in shock. ¡°I... just received a new Title.¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°She... really was sorry,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°It¡¯s not an amazing Title, but it is one that I did not have. It increases any food buffs I may receive by three percent.¡± ¡°Just... what kind of person is it that can hand out foods that give Titles?¡± Darvin shook his head in astonishment, then he said, ¡°Did she only give you the one dish?¡± He looked on hopefully. ¡°She did not...¡± Kelvin said. ¡°And about the whole... person thing...¡± he hesitated, then said, ¡°Derek Hunt¡¯s companion... uh... she¡¯s... she¡¯s a Horned Bunny.¡± *** After leaving the battlefield, Derek and Silvi made one last stop at the bar owned by his old acquaintance. Earth Silvi had been very surprised when they showed up unscathed by Kelvin, but seemed to accept it much more readily than she should have. She¡¯d had a day full of surprises after all, so Derek could only assume that she was just too mentally and physically drained to have any energy left for the surprise. Derek wished her and her companions well one last time, left a few barrels of one of Roman¡¯s earlier brews with her and her team for special occasions. It was the brew that he first drank with Shae at a bar not unlike the one that Silvi owned, and he had quite a bit of it, so it seemed fit to leave some of it there. It was much easier to obtain different kinds of alcohol through the Universal System¡¯s store than it was on the Davenresh System¡¯s planet, but they appreciated the gesture, nonetheless. Though he thought they were strong enough to drink it without a problem, he did make sure they knew the brew was technically a poison and that they should be careful. After that, they jumped back into the void and prepared for their long journey home. However, before they went home, Derek focused his Void Sense on Jace one last time. It didn¡¯t seem like it had moved since the previous time, and he had the urge to go to it, but in the end, he still chose not to. I¡¯ve already created enough of a mess by being here, and I have no clue if the man is inside a dungeon right now or not, and if he is, is he even level 250? I think I would be okay in a level 250 dungeon right now, but I don¡¯t want to take that chance. Kelvin said that the dungeon could have exploded and taken out all of Charlotte, after all. With that settled, he locked onto an aura that was new to him. It was a crimson red aura and was burning hot. He watched it for several minutes until he saw it jump around. It instantly moved to one place, then to another. Finally, it seemed to settle down. For the briefest of times, Derek thought about traveling to the aura¡ªto Kelvin¡ªjust to put an exclamation mark on his threat, but quickly decided against it. Surely the man had left to report to his leadership, and there was no telling who or what was there that would act if he suddenly appeared. Sure, he didn¡¯t worry about himself or Silvi¡¯s ability to escape, but Kelvin had seemed sincere in his oath, so he decided to trust the man for now. With all that over, Derek closed his eyes. He said one last goodbye to Earth, as he didn¡¯t expect to ever return again. Then, finally, he said, ¡°Alright, Silvi... let¡¯s go home.¡± *** The trip back didn¡¯t take quite as long as before. This time, Derek and Silvi knew what they were getting into and prepared accordingly. After a certain amount of time¡ªpretty much the exact amount as before¡ªthe pressure in their heads appeared again, which almost confirmed Derek¡¯s hypothesis that it was caused by their time inside rather than their distance traveled. Derek made a mental note to go into the void at some point after he got back and just sit in one spot to see if the pressure appeared again. That would completely confirm his theory. It would also make him feel even worse for Asher, who presumably had been inside the same level of void as Derek and Silvi, but for a much, much longer time. Still, by the time they were closing in on their destination, Derek and Silvi both felt even more drained than they had on their way to Earth. Neither of them had any proper rest in between journeys, and they were both feeling the mental strain. Still, they eventually made it back to the shop safe and sound. Derek quickly tore the void open and stepped out, closing it behind him. As soon as it disappeared, he fell to the ground, panting. Silvi wasn¡¯t doing any better than he was either. The second she was out, the pot that was holding all of their valuables disappeared, and everything fell to the ground with a clatter. Silvi was among the things that fell to the ground as well. She slowly pulled herself to the pile of stuff until she reached a storage ring, and her collar with her communication crystals appeared around her neck. ¡°I... don¡¯t want to do that again,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Too tired... no new ingredients. Lost slices of smoked wyvern roast. Not worth it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to apologize to the guy,¡± Derek said with a cough. He was having a very hard time catching his breath. He also knew that Silvi went to her communication crystal because she didn¡¯t like Telepathy, and he figured it was less taxing on her after such a trip. ¡°And even if you wanted to, you didn¡¯t have to give him a meal to do it.¡± ¡°Am nice chef,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Derek asked with a chuckle. ¡°Mhm,¡± Silvi confirmed. ¡°My cooking now envied in two systems.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Derek said. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Kelvin will want more,¡± Silvi said. ¡°But not be able to get more.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s going to suck.¡± ¡°He was rude,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Tried to fight. Deserved it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. He then checked his system time and saw that it was well into the night already. He was sure that everyone would be in bed... everyone but Brandi, whom he expected to be right outside the door hammering away at something. Derek tried pushing himself up a couple of times, but he really was mentally out of it. Instead, he reached over to his bracelet and summoned one of his reclining chairs. After that, he pulled himself up and into it before letting the leg rest out and leaning back. ¡°I was going to go upstairs to my bed, but this is good enough,¡± he said. ¡°Mhm,¡± Silvi replied, and the next second, he felt her weight appear on his lap. ¡°Good enough.¡± Chapter 545: Error Derek slowly opened his eyes and let out an enormous yawn. After all the time spent traveling through the deep part of the void, it had taken him no time to fall asleep. Even with all his stats, it still surprised him how much mental fatigue could drain him. He could go weeks, or even months, without a wink of sleep if he didn¡¯t do anything taxing. While meditation could stave off a lot of the problems, sleep was still the only real way he had found to completely recharge himself. Without moving much, Derek looked down at his lap to see Silvi still lying there. His hand was resting beside her, and she was snuggled up into his arm. After all the food she ate from Dave and their time traveling in the void, she must have been even more drained than he was, but she handled it like a champ. So, while Derek was just about fully recharged, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to wake her up. Instead, he closed his eyes and slipped into Greater Meditation. A few hours later, he finally felt Silvi coming out of her slumber. He stopped meditating and glanced back down at her, just in time to see her eyes open slowly before she let out a tiny yawn. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Derek asked her with a smile on his face. ¡°Mhm...¡± Silvi answered. ¡°Good rest.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°I needed that after yesterday. How about we don¡¯t do any super long traveling for a while?¡± He really didn¡¯t have any other places he needed to Void Travel to that were far away, so really, the next time he felt he¡¯d need to use the skill like he just did would be when he went looking for Alanah, and he didn¡¯t have a clue how long away that would be. ¡°Good idea,¡± Silvi replied as she sat up and stretched. ¡°What we do today?¡± she asked. ¡°Well...¡± Derek said. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve taken care of everything I needed to on Earth, and that Edgar, Avery, and Braxton should be handling all the armor and weapon crafting now, we don¡¯t have much else to do other than prepare. My time away didn¡¯t take nearly as long as I thought it was going to. The armor they are crafting for me should be done last, so I won¡¯t be needed for any of that for a while. I¡¯ll just let Braxton or Edgar know that we¡¯re around. That¡¯s really all I need to do for that.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Silvi muttered with a nod. ¡°Then I get cleavers.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Then you can get an awesome pair of legendary cleavers, hopefully.¡± He then took a deep breath. ¡°I guess I should also tell everyone about Kelvin. It¡¯s hard to tell with my current stats and all, but I¡¯d say he was maybe as strong as Avery or Edgar¡ªwell... a little weaker, actually. Had I had the same stats as I do now back when I fought Tevarin, I seriously doubt that his ice could have done anything at all to me. ¡°Actually, I¡¯d expect Edgar or Avery to win against the man if either of them fought him,¡± Derek continued. ¡°The problem is that we don¡¯t have a ton of Averys or Edgars running around, and there¡¯s no telling how many people with the same strength as Kelvin there will be from the Universal System. I¡¯m not worried about us having any problems, but if there are dozens or hundreds, the two of us can¡¯t be everywhere all at once. Not to mention, we don¡¯t exactly know what¡¯s going to happen when the systems collide, either.¡± What he didn¡¯t mention was the fact that there was a chance that Kelvin did actually know what was coming, and that it was certainly possible for the man, or whoever Darvin was, to piece everything together and know that they may have to fight him. If that was the case, then Kelvin knew that Derek was very strong, and it was possible that they may be able to prepare for him. The way Kelvin acted, it was unlikely, but it was still a possibility. That¡¯s why Derek knew what his next move should be. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time to go hit level 251,¡± he said. ¡°Or whatever the equivalent is that we can get to. Do you want to come with me?¡± ¡°Kay,¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Derek laughed. Finally, Silvi disappeared, then reappeared on top of Derek¡¯s shoulder. Derek pushed the footrest back into the chair, then stored it inside his bracelet. He looked down at his jeans, then at his shirt, then all of a sudden, he half-shouted, ¡°Dammit!¡± ¡°What?¡± Silvi asked. ¡°I got caught up in the whole almost destroying Charlotte, then having to fight the fire guy,¡± Derek said. ¡°I bet I could have had Silvi hit up the system store and get me a few new pairs of clothes while we were there. The exact kind that I used to wear, too¡ªseven-pack of shirts for twenty-five bucks, and a few pairs of thirty-dollar jeans. I bet she could have gotten them for next to nothing with system credits since they don¡¯t provide any bonuses or anything.¡± ¡°And we didn¡¯t get ingredients,¡± Silvi said. ¡°But I remembered. And we still didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°It¡¯s all Kelvin¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Stupid boiled man,¡± Silvi said. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll see him again very soon.¡± He chuckled. ¡°And it¡¯s not like Brandi¡¯s jeans and t-shirts that she makes me wear aren¡¯t one hundred times more comfortable. It just takes some time to get used to such nice-feeling clothes.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Mhm,¡± Silvi said. ¡°She makes good cloaks.¡± ¡°She does indeed,¡± Derek replied, and then the two left his travel room. Derek and Silvi did a quick lap through the shop to let everyone know that they were back and should be much easier to reach for the foreseeable future. Malorie was surprised that they were already back, but everyone was happy about it. She also let him know that nobody had been around to collect materials for armor or weapons yet, but seeing as how it had only been around a day since he¡¯d made all the plans, that was to be expected. He also contacted both Braxton and Edgar to let them know that they were back¡ªbut mostly to inform them that both he and Silvi would be ready to help in making their equipment whenever it was time. Derek also decided to set an appointment to meet everyone and discuss the small amount he¡¯d learned from being on Earth¡ªto at least let them prepare to fight people who could be close to their same strength. He decided that a week would be a good time for the meeting. Finally, he and Silvi left the shop one more time to go to a dungeon. Once again, he let Silvi pick out which dungeon she wanted to do¡ªwhich always ended up being whichever dungeon had the tastiest-sounding enemies inside at the moment. However, nothing much piqued Silvi¡¯s interest this time, so Derek chose to make up for some of the material losses that Brandi was going to suffer, and they went back to the level 250 golem dungeon. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going to happen when we level up and we¡¯re inside the dungeon,¡± Derek thought out loud. Other dungeons were okay for leveling up one level past the maximum dungeon cap, they just didn¡¯t allow you to go back in once you left. However, leveling past the system cap was something entirely different. Still, Dave seemed pretty confident that the Origin System would be there to prevent anything bad from happening if they leveled while inside the dungeon, so he decided to trust in that. It was just that what happened on Earth had him a little extra concerned about everything. ¡°You ready?¡± he asked Silvi. ¡°Ready!¡± Silvi replied. ¡°Great,¡± Derek said, then he reached out and placed his hand on the dungeon orb. The next second, they were inside. Since Silvi was technically a part of him, he was able to use the ability he¡¯d received from his Solo Diver Achievement and start the dungeon run without waiting for the countdown. Then, the duo began what was probably the biggest golem massacre to ever happen. ¡°Holy crap,¡± Derek said as he and Silvi appeared back outside the dungeon again. He¡¯d lost count of how many times they¡¯d completed the thing, but they¡¯d been running the same dungeon for days. In fact, they were only a couple of days away from the meeting he¡¯d scheduled, which he thought for sure he¡¯d be level 251 by the time it came around. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we still haven¡¯t gained the level,¡± he said. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the amount of experience points he¡¯d needed to go from level 249 to level 250. It had taken nearly twenty trillion experience points to do so. However, as he looked at his current experience points, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. Personal Information Name: Age: Level: Experience: Class: Race: Derek Hunt 31 250 550,400,660,750,280/??? Void Monarch (Mythical) Human (Void) What the hell? he wondered. I think we¡¯re getting pretty close to... a quadrillion experience points? I think that¡¯s right. Never really had any reason to count much past the trillions back on Earth. Still, he thought. That¡¯s such a huge gap between the levels. This is already like twenty-five times the amount of experience points I needed for my last level... maybe it really does need me to hit a quadrillion? He was happy that they decided to have a good night¡¯s sleep before moving forward because all the destroying without getting the level was really weighing on him. Dave made it sound like it was going to be a piece of cake, he thought. That lying bastard. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to have to go collect some more cores,¡± Derek said with a sigh. ¡°Okay...¡± Silvi said with much less enthusiasm than she had when they were first getting started, and the two reentered the dungeon. A day and a half later, not long before the scheduled meeting, it finally happened. Level U... ... ... Error! Davenresh System unable to support user... Requesting Assis... ¡°Finally!¡± Derek yelled out loud. The system seemed to be having a hard time with his new level, but he didn¡¯t care. All he cared about now was finishing up the dungeon and seeing what level 251 brought with it. The duo had never killed golems any quicker than they did at that moment. Derek and Silvi both dismissed the idea of taking any of the remaining golem cores. Instead, they crushed the golems as fast as they could. Sure, a few of the remaining golems died without exploding, but since they weren¡¯t being gentle anymore, the majority of them exploded¡ªtaking their cores with them. ¡°Come on, come on, come on,¡± Silvi said from Derek¡¯s shoulder as they raced to the dungeon orb. Derek placed his hand on the orb, ignored the notification that he¡¯d received rewards due to his Major Repetitive Dungeoneer Achievement, and then left the dungeon. Outside, as soon as the bright light faded, Derek tried to view his status sheet. Status (Error) Personal Information (Error) Stats (Error) Skills (Error) Achievements (Error) ¡°I... guess I should have expected something like this,¡± Derek said. ¡°My stats are gone!¡± Silvi shouted, panicked from his shoulder. ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°But we still have all of them.¡± He then reached out and activated Spatial Collapse on the ground in front of him, opening a rift in the void for Void Travel. ¡°Looks like the skills work, too.¡± The next moment, a couple of Mage Hands sprouted from Silvi, and a pair of butcher¡¯s knives were created from her Void Creation skill. ¡°Whew,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Scary.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek replied. ¡°Definitely scary, especially since I had some leftover stat points to distribute, but I¡¯m not sure how to now. But I¡¯m sure we¡¯re about to figure some stuff out. That¡¯s a lot of notifications waiting to be viewed.¡± Derek¡¯s eyes glanced to the corner of his vision, where it showed that he had notifications from both the Davenresh System and the Origin System ready to view. ¡°Well... let¡¯s see what the Davenresh System has to say first.¡± Chapter 546: Always Okay... Derek thought. Let¡¯s do this. Congratulations! You did it! I told you it wouldn¡¯t be that hard. Oh... He shook his head. I guess Dave can control what the notifications say through the Davenresh System, then? Honestly, before his talks with Dave, Derek would have been taken aback, or at least very surprised by receiving a notification like the one he did. However, knowing more about everything¡ªeven if there were still a ton of things he was in the dark about¡ªit wasn¡¯t actually surprising. Let¡¯s see what else he had to say. Our time together has come to an end. But don¡¯t worry, you will likely see Davenresh System notifications again very soon. Note: Please Remember the Favor Yeah, yeah, yeah, Derek thought. I said I wasn¡¯t going to go as soon as I completed the requirements. You don¡¯t have to remind me over and over. He rolled his eyes. Plus, wouldn¡¯t it have been easier to have... I don¡¯t know... brought us back to your dark room to talk instead of sending messages through the system? Always making things more difficult... He then frowned. At least I think... what if he actually can¡¯t do that anymore since I hit 251? Wait! Did I actually hit level 251? The level-up notification never completed. Derek completely disregarded the two messages from the Davenresh System, then moved to pull up the ones he knew were the true meat and potatoes. ... Congratulations! Two out of two requirements met for advancement! Evolution already complete! Prepare for ascension! Time Remaining: 6 Months Would you like to ascend now? ... ¡°There it is!¡± Derek shouted out loud. It was the notification that he¡¯d been waiting for. He could finally ascend, and perhaps, he could finally go and find out where Alanah was sent. At least, hopefully. He knew that her ascension was very different from his own. Derek mentally said ¡®no¡¯ to move on to the other notifications, however, a notification popped up right after, so he read that one. ... You have chosen not to ascend straight away. Ascension awaits those who achieve it. If you do not choose to ascend within six months, your ascension will be completed forcefully. ... Derek shrugged. That was pretty much what he had expected, anyway. Alanah had told him that she¡¯d had a time limit. Dave had told him that there would be a time limit. It was only natural that once the limit was up, it would happen whether he wanted it to or not. Though, he wasn¡¯t sure if the time limit that Alanah had was the same as the one he had. She¡¯d never mentioned the actual specifics. After dismissing the notification, he moved on to the next. ... As you have outgrown its use and functionality, you have been forcefully disconnected from the Davenresh System. While you are inside the system¡¯s domain, it will continue to be able to communicate with you, but no assistance may be provided. ... ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much how it was already.¡± He chuckled. Already, there were a lot of things that the system had stopped helping him with before. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of difference the further disconnect from the Davenresh System would make. So far, the only difference was that he wasn¡¯t able to view his status sheet. Derek shrugged his shoulders once again, then moved on to the next one. ... Current system world unable to support complete growth. The quality of essence provided is minimal. Ascension is required to unlock further growth potential. ... Ah... Derek thought. I bet that¡¯s why it took so long and so many kills and experience points to get to the next level. The ¡®essence¡¯ around here isn¡¯t strong enough to go much higher. That would explain the level 250 cap on everything, too. It is funny to think about it that way, seeing how Dave always said that the Davenresh System was a quality system and the Universal System is quantity. I guess I outgrew the quality. Derek chuckled at his thoughts. So far, nothing he¡¯d read had surprised him. In fact, more than anything, it had been answering some of the questions that had been piling up. On to the next! ... Detected bond with companion has grown stronger. Consider absolving the bond to companion to allow growth in its own Affinity. New Title unlocked. User cannot currently receive Titles. Titles will be stored until usable. Initiate ascension to obtain stored Titles? The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ... Derek looked at the notification with a frown. It wasn¡¯t only the Origin System that had suggested removing the bond with Silvi... it was something that Dave had done as well. It was also something that had been in the back of his mind for a long time. Currently, Silvi piggybacked off of his void affinity, but clearly, her real affinity was for cooking... or at least... battle cooking. The problem was that he wasn¡¯t sure what would happen if they did sever that connection. Well, he wasn¡¯t sure what would happen to her. In reality, he was almost certain that he would be fine physically and mentally, but she shared his stats, not the other way around. Sure, he would most likely lose Void Lightning and Active Void Shift, but would she lose both the skills and the stats? The way the system and Dave made it sound, at the current point in their bond, it was possible that their bond was actually hindering her growth instead of helping it. There was also the Achievement¡ªor Title¡ªsituation. He had no clue if she would continue to have the same ones that he did. Actually, he had no clue if he would continue to have his current Achievements once he chose to ascend. Oh well, he thought. That is something to think about later. The Origin System didn¡¯t offer any assistance in severing the bond this time, after all. If it is something that needs to be done, then we can discuss it and do it once we ascend, if we can figure out how. Derek gulped. The biggest problem there is that she would no longer have my command to not eat elves... but surely, she wouldn¡¯t do that, right? It¡¯s always just been a joke... right? Derek pushed the thoughts out of his head, then moved on to the next notification. ... Due to disconnection from the Davenresh System and failure to ascend, access to status sheet has been temporarily lost. A temporary status sheet will be provided until ascension. Full status and customization will be provided once you have ascended. ... Oh, good! Derek thought. Maybe my connection with the Origin System has grown stronger since the disconnect from the other, and that¡¯s why it¡¯s providing me with a temporary status sheet? Derek furrowed his brow as he tried to command his status open, but only received the error messages from the Davenresh System. How do I do it? he thought, but he couldn¡¯t figure it out. So, he moved to the next message. ... Use command ¡®Temporary Status¡¯ to view temporary status sheet. ... Oh... I¡¯m dumb, he thought. Then, he commanded, Temporary Status Sheet. ... Status: Temporary Name: Derek Hunt Age: ??? Level: 251 (Ascend for Better Essence Growth) Essence: 0% Affinity: Void (Ascend to Learn More) Class: Mythical Void Monarch Race: Void Human Health: 45,000 Mana: 42,375 Stamina: 45,000 Strength: 1,650 Dexterity: 1,650 Endurance: 1,800 Vitality: 1,800 Intelligence: 1,695 Wisdom: 1,695 Stat Points Remaining: 216 Skills: Ascend for Better Understanding Titles: Multiple Titles Awaiting Ascension ... That¡¯s... a lot to unpack, Derek thought. At least I didn¡¯t lose my stat points, and I even gained the 35 extra stats from the level, so that¡¯s a relief. But a lot of the other stuff... First, Derek couldn¡¯t help but stare at his age. If he remembered correctly, the Davenresh System had used his actual body age because Dave had no clue how long he was stuck inside the void. It seemed that the Origin System did not do that, yet it was also unsure of how long he was stuck inside there. To be completely honest, though... Derek really didn¡¯t care about what his age said. According to everything that he¡¯d gathered, his own age was something that he wasn¡¯t going to have to worry about for a very, very long time after his evolution. Who knows? He could live hundreds or even thousands of years now. So, him being 31 years old really didn¡¯t matter all too much, and he was sure that birthdays became much less important as a person¡¯s longevity went up. I guess it would be cool to celebrate your hundredth or thousandth birthday, but I already don¡¯t celebrate mine... With a snort, he moved on to the next thing that stuck out to him: his level. I¡¯m just happy that my level did increase, and I got the stat points, he thought. However, the message beside his level essentially confirmed his thoughts about essence in the Davenresh System, and why Dave decided it was important enough to stress about his favor once again. The essence absorption or quality or something along those lines will definitely get better once I ascend, and probably by a lot. And that was important based on the next line of his temporary status sheet. It looks like my experience was replaced by percentage of essence to the next level? That was just about the only thing he could think of¡ªseeing it in the place of where his experience used to be. That, and the fact that it was at zero percent and he¡¯d literally just leveled. He wondered if it only showed whole percentages, or if the few golems that he and Silvi had destroyed after leveling just weren¡¯t enough for even a tenth or hundredth of a percent. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter, he thought. Percentage to one hundred is a whole lot easier to track than trillions and quadrillions of experience points. If he¡¯d been able to choose such a thing before, he would have definitely chosen it. Though, I guess essence and affinity aren¡¯t really revealed or worried about until the system user reaches a certain point in their growth, he thought, which led him to the next line, and the one which, according to Dave, would be the most important part when it came to his future growth. I finally got a line that shows my affinity. It was unfortunate that it didn¡¯t exactly show how high his affinity was, but just seeing the message next to it gave him hope that the Origin System would allow him to really look into it once he ascended. He was very eager to know exactly how high his affinity for the void was. It also changed my race and class up a little, Derek thought. It really wasn¡¯t much of a change¡ªat least he didn¡¯t think. Though, Void Human did seem a tad bit more concerning to him than Human (Void). I bet they¡¯re pretty much exactly the same thing, though. All of his stats were essentially the exact same as they were through the Davenresh System, so he didn¡¯t bother to focus much on those. Though, he did make a note to go ahead and try to spend the stat points once he finished going over all his notifications. He wanted to make sure that he could still do so. At least it doesn¡¯t say ¡®ascend to use stat points,¡¯ he thought. However, the next line did say something like that. I certainly didn¡¯t lose any of my skills, he thought. But it¡¯s not showing them to me right now. I wonder what kind of better understanding it¡¯s talking about. Honestly, he would very much like it if the system went into greater detail about his skills. However, it seemed like that would have to wait. Finally, he made it to his Achievements, or his lack of Achievements. I didn¡¯t feel any weird losses or anything, so I¡¯m sure I still have my current Achievements. I wonder if they will move with me like my previous Titles did from the Universal System. He certainly knew that he had new Titles waiting for him to collect, and the Origin System certainly did not fail to try to use them in an attempt to get him to ascend. Derek chuckled at the thought, then gave his temporary status sheet one more cursory glance. My contracts with the people from the Davenresh System are gone... I wonder if they¡¯re really gone or not. He shrugged. That¡¯s actually something I can find out pretty easily. I can just ask Rudy if he still has the one he made with me. But... I don¡¯t see Silvi¡¯s stats sheet anywhere, he thought. He then tried to command it forward. When that didn¡¯t work, he tried to command a temporary one forward, but that didn¡¯t work either. ¡°Can you see your status?¡±he asked Silvi. ¡°Mhm,¡± she nodded in affirmation. ¡°Temporary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°Is there anything weird about it?¡± ¡°Affinity,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Oh?¡± Derek¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°Void Cooking (Void),¡± she said. ¡°That... is odd,¡± Derek said. ¡°So... your actual affinity is void cooking, then? And a pure void affinity is being forced on you by our bond. That¡¯s why Dave said that our bond won¡¯t hurt your growth much, and it may even help you... at least, the first time we met. But I think your cooking affinity is being left behind by our void affinity, and without both, your actual bond may stall out.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Silvi said. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Probably.¡± ¡°Silvi...¡± Derek said. ¡°When we ascend... it may be best to find a way to sever the bond so you can grow your own way.¡± ¡°Maybe...¡± Silvi said again. ¡°But I still stay with you?¡± ¡°Always,¡± Derek said. ¡°And you still bring me ingredients?¡± ¡°Yes, Silvi,¡± Derek smiled. ¡°Always.¡± Chapter 547: Leadership With Silvi and his new temporary status sheet taken care of, Derek turned his attention to the final notification from the Origin System that he had waiting for him. ... Congratulations! New Title Unlocked! User cannot currently receive Titles. Would you like to ascend to receive Title? ... Derek snorted at the notification and dismissed it. It was just another Title waiting for him for whenever he finally accepted the ascension. At the moment, those Titles were useless to him. Sure, they would definitely come in handy once he could actually use them, but until then, it was better for him to act like they weren¡¯t even there. With that notification, and all the others, out of his way, Derek breathed a sigh of relief. It was like a massive weight that he hadn¡¯t even known he had been carrying had been lifted from him. Whew... he sighed again. I didn¡¯t know how much stress that second requirement was actually causing me. Honestly, with that out of the way, and with all his friends set up to live good, if not great, lives¡ªat least, depending on his ability to take others with him¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them in the future once he was gone. He¡¯d been working toward that goal for a long time now, and he felt that it was something he¡¯d finally reached. Once he completed the favor that Dave had asked of him, he would be able to ascend with no regret. However, he did still have a favor to take care of, and he wouldn¡¯t know much more until the Universal System arrived and caused whatever it was that happened when two systems collided. Until then, all he had left to do was prepare for that to happen. Derek spent the time left until the meeting relaxing. Since it was scheduled for the next morning, he and Silvi went back home, and he spent the night in his own bed, recovering from whatever remaining mental strain that hadn¡¯t been knocked out by the last time he slept. When he woke up, he felt better than he¡¯d felt in a while, and that¡¯s saying something considering how he never physically felt bad after gaining a certain amount of stat points in endurance. It just reinforced to him that no matter how high his level was, stress and anxiety seemed to be a constant that couldn¡¯t be eliminated by just stats alone. But that¡¯s good, he thought as he dressed in his normal clothing. Without some stress and anxiety, I wouldn¡¯t feel like myself. He shrugged as he looked himself over in a mirror. He certainly didn¡¯t hate the changes that the system had caused in his looks. The black hair with a purple tint to it was a nice touch, and the deep purple irises that stared back at him were striking. It had been a long time since he bothered to look himself over, and he liked what he was seeing. Am I... even an inch or two taller than I was before the system came? He looked down at his jeans and couldn¡¯t really tell if they seemed any shorter on him than they used to, so he just shrugged it off. It didn¡¯t actually matter. Most likely, he just had better posture because of all his stats. With all that out of his mind, he headed downstairs to his sitting room. It was only a few hours until the scheduled meeting, and to make everything convenient¡ªto him¡ªit was going to be at his shop. The first person to arrive was, surprisingly, Braxton. ¡°You have a very nice place here in Savannah,¡± Braxton said as he looked around the sitting room. Then, his eyes settled on a chair that wasn¡¯t too far away from Derek, and he walked over and hopped up onto it. He pulled the lever at the side, and the footrest sprang up, allowing his short legs a place to rest. ¡°These are very nice,¡± he said as he summoned a jug of some brew out of his storage ring and began drinking. ¡°I like it,¡± Derek said. ¡°Also, do you ever not drink?¡± he asked. ¡°Me? Not drink?¡± Braxton asked with wide eyes. ¡°Now that is a very rude question to ask a dwarf. That¡¯s like asking an elf not to stare into a mirror any chance they get... or to chop down a tree.¡± Derek scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. He¡¯d stared at himself in a mirror just that morning. Derek shook his head, then opened his mouth to say something, but someone spoke before he was able to. ¡°I resent that, dwarf,¡± the voice said as an elf walked through the door. Derek¡¯s eyes met Osian¡¯s, and they nodded at one another. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t the big bad elf who no longer has free will,¡± Braxton said. ¡°What¡¯s that like? You know, working for a king you could crush with a sneeze?¡± Braxton certainly wasn¡¯t someone to mince words. Obviously, he was talking about Osian¡¯s relationship with Edward. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°The contracts and oaths are more than fair,¡± Osian said as he, too, took a seat. ¡°In fact, it seems as though the kingdom is in a new age of prosperity.¡± ¡°Sure it is,¡± Braxton said. ¡°You can tell yourself whatever you want if it lets you cope with your loss better.¡± ¡°You jest, Braxus. Do you not also serve a king whom you could crush if you so wish?¡± Osian said. ¡°Are you not stronger than your own brother?¡± ¡°I am stronger,¡± Braxton said. ¡°And my brother cannot command me to do something. He asks. He does not command. And, if I¡¯m feeling up to it, I do it.¡± ¡°And how often have you actually declined?¡± Osian asked with a knowing smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know... at least a few dozen times,¡± Braxton said. ¡°I don¡¯t really keep count.¡± ¡°You are serious?¡± Osian looked at Braxton with wide eyes. ¡°You actually refuse your king?¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Nobody can make me do something I don¡¯t want to... and my brother provides a very good brew...¡± he then eyed Derek. ¡°Well... almost nobody, but I don¡¯t think my friend there is going to force me to do anything. He¡¯s too good of a drinking partner to be that kind of person.¡± ¡°What about that dangerous elf?¡± Osian asked. ¡°Do you not do what he asks?¡± ¡°Oh, you know about my other job?¡± ¡°Of course I know... Braxton...¡± Osian said. ¡°Every noble from Indria knows of Evandel, and, of course, I and a select few of the royal family know that he is still alive and is the newest Nyx. It is my job as king to know what goes on in my kingdom¡ªeven if it is unsanctioned assassination attempts¡ªespecially if a former citizen of my kingdom becomes the head of an assassin organization.¡± ¡°The hubris of a king is always quite entertaining to listen to,¡± a man in a dull gray robe, wearing a white stone mask, walked through the door next. ¡°You know what I allow you to know, young man.¡± A light, eerie chuckle came from the man. ¡°The same was true of your predecessor, too. So, there is no need to feel down about it.¡± ¡°I was wondering if you were ever going to come inside,¡± Braxton said as he took a gulp of his brew. ¡°Thought you were just going to stand out there all day.¡± ¡°The conversation was entertaining,¡± Nyx said. ¡°But when one¡¯s old name is brought up... what else am I to do?¡± Osian¡¯s eyes went wide, and he looked at Derek in horror. ¡°Hey, Nyx,¡± Derek said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would be coming today.¡± ¡°Something like this,¡± Nyx said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it... not to mention, there is that person I must speak with while I am here in Savannah today. The... Geoffrey Tate of Alabaster Homes, if my memory serves me correctly.¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Derek said. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for some comfortable furniture, Geoffrey¡¯s your guy. Once the meeting is over, I¡¯ll let him know that you¡¯re coming.¡± ¡°No need for that,¡± Nyx said with a wave of his hand. ¡°I enjoy meeting people without introductions first. You can learn a lot about a person by doing so.¡± ¡°They usually just attack me...¡± Derek muttered. The king continued to stare at Nyx, then Braxton, then Derek. His eyes shifted between the three of them multiple times before he let out a large sigh and shook his head. He muttered to himself something that Derek didn¡¯t quite catch, then just sat silently. It seemed that all it took for the dwarf and elf to stop taking verbal jabs at each other was Nyx¡¯s arrival. Derek didn¡¯t actually know who all was supposed to come to the meeting. When he had given information about the meeting to Edgar, he¡¯d left the guest list up to him. Surely, Edgar would know who was important enough to invite. So far, the guest list did not disappoint. Two heads of the Assassin¡¯s Guild and the king of a kingdom were already there. He couldn¡¯t wait to see who else was on their way. After a long silence, Braxton prodded Osian, and their verbal back-and-forth began again. Derek chuckled, and the masked figure of Nyx slowly shook his head. While the dwarven duke and the King of Indria made verbal jabs at one another, Derek just sat back and watched... and waited for the others to arrive. Soon, Avery walked in. ¡°It seems that I am late,¡± the archer said. ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± Derek replied. ¡°You¡¯re here after three leaders of their respective organizations or countries came. That has to be some sort of record for being tardy.¡± ¡°I was busy doing something important,¡± Avery said as he looked up at the three leaders¡ªtwo of whom were still bickering. ¡°Seemingly more important than those two.¡± ¡°What was going on?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Anything I can help with?¡± ¡°Children¡¯s training,¡± Avery said. ¡°And you are always welcome to come and scare them with your aura.¡± ¡°Oh, I may have to take you up on that,¡± Derek said, then also looked over at Braxton and Osian. ¡°That is clearly more important than whatever those two were doing.¡± And it was... probably. He wasn¡¯t sure what Osian would have been doing at the moment, but he was at least sure that it was more important than what Braxton was doing... which would have clearly been drinking. Edgar and Vanessa walked in next. Apparently, they weren¡¯t even trying to hide whatever their relationship was anymore. They were even friendlier with each other than they had been before. Not long after those two took their seats, Natalie Savannah stepped inside. She was another person Derek was surprised to see, but they were in her city, after all. ¡°Wow...¡± the woman characteristically muttered as her slightly glowing eyes fell on Derek. ¡°What have you been doing since the last time we met?¡± she asked as she came over and took the closest seat to Derek. ¡°That¡¯s kind of rude, you know?¡± Derek joked with the scholarly woman. ¡°It is a habit,¡± Natalie replied. ¡°I did not get a good look at you during Alanah¡¯s going-away. Were you the same then as you are now?¡± ¡°I was not,¡± Derek said. ¡°I was still strong, but definitely not the ¡®same.¡¯¡± A lot had changed since then. He had no clue how Natalie¡¯s eyes would perceive Derek as he currently was. ¡°Your aura is so deep now,¡± she said. ¡°And... give me your hand...¡± The woman reached out. Derek shrugged and placed his hand in Natalie¡¯s own. After that, she gripped him tightly and stared into his eyes¡ªher eyes burning like a gray fire. The glow increased and increased, then... Natalie let out a long sigh. ¡°You have completely outgrown my capabilities,¡± Natalie said. ¡°You are the first to do so. I can no longer see anything when I look into you¡ªjust a dreadful... purple. Congratulations on reaching such heights.¡± ¡°Thanks... I think,¡± Derek said. Then he looked around at everyone in the room. Finally, he turned to Edgar. ¡°Is this everyone? Tyron? Shaemus? Are they going to come, too?¡± ¡°No,¡± Edgar said. ¡°They are both already hard at work.¡± Then he also looked around the room. ¡°This looks like everyone. Would you like to bring in Malorie as well?¡± ¡°I can always fill her in at any time,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯d like to have Marrick here, but he¡¯s on vacation and I don¡¯t want to disturb him until I have to.¡± There was also always the possibility that the old elf would be running a dungeon that Derek should avoid. ¡°In that case,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Where should we begin?¡± Chapter 548: Where to Begin? ¡°How about you tell us how the armor and weapons are coming along? You said that the blacksmiths are hard at work already?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Edgar replied with a nod. ¡°Tyron, Shaemus, Braxton, and I paid a visit to Malorie and worked out what materials you had that would be useful. Avery also allowed them to go through many of the Crown¡¯s stored materials, so I think we are set on that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Derek said. ¡°Thanks for the assist, Avery.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the archer replied. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was ever going to use the stuff.¡± ¡°You have quite the talented young smith working for you, too,¡± Braxton cut in. ¡°I could see the fire in her eyes as her materials were taken from her, one by one. She has very good control over herself. I don¡¯t even think Shaemus could have been that... agreeable¡ªeven under the circumstances.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Derek said. ¡°She¡¯s going to become one hell of a blacksmith by the time she¡¯s finished.¡± ¡°And she is working on many interesting things,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Shaemus was very impressed by her. He said that if she¡¯d been a dwarf, he would have taken her under his wing right then and there. That is very high praise coming from the master smith.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad her smithing made an impression,¡± Derek replied. ¡°That means that she¡¯s on the right path.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Braxton replied. ¡°Now,¡± Derek said, ¡°you have the materials. What about the armor and weapons themselves? Have the smiths started yet?¡± ¡°They have!¡± Vanessa was the first to answer. The next moment, a sword with a dark black blade appeared in her hand. The Shadow Witch waved the weapon around, and it seemed as though shadows trailed behind it. ¡°This is quite the amazing weapon,¡± she said. ¡°I can see that,¡± Derek said. ¡°I thought you decided to get your weapon last?¡± he asked. He remembered the discussion they had before and recalled Vanessa volunteering to get her weapon toward the end because it wouldn¡¯t be as useful for her. ¡°I did,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°But Tyron already had materials that seemed to work well with my shadows, and I was already at the shop, so he began on it as soon as you left. By the end of the next day, I had the new sword.¡± ¡°It worked out great, too,¡± Edgar said. ¡°The day after that, Shaemus came down, then we went for the other materials.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. He certainly couldn¡¯t fault the smith for being efficient. Derek examined the sword in the woman¡¯s hands, then asked, ¡°Is it legendary? What does it do?¡± He just couldn¡¯t keep himself from asking. He was very intrigued by the skills everyone would receive with legendary weapons. The Material Drain ability that Void¡¯s Harbinger came with had already helped him out in more ways than one. He hoped all the new weapons could come with such a good ability. ¡°Well, since the main material was the bones of a legendary dark wyvern, I¡¯ve named it Wyvern¡¯s Shadow,¡± she explained. ¡°And yes, it is legendary.¡± ¡°And its legendary ability?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Well... you don¡¯t have to answer that if you¡¯re uncomfortable.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s fine,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°It cuts the mana used to cast my spells and skills down by a third and reduces cooldown by the same amount. It¡¯s called Shadow Reserve.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°That would be very good for a mana-heavy fighter.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°It is very good for me. Many of my skills require a constant mana draw. Having Wyvern¡¯s Shadow makes those skills all the more useful.¡± ¡°Like your flight and your shadow dome thing?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± the Shadow Witch replied. ¡°Those two and a few more. As for the others, the cooldown reduction is very good.¡± ¡°And how¡¯s the sword as a whole?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Like, sharpness and durability and stuff?¡± ¡°Above any other weapon I¡¯ve ever held,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°It is truly an amazing weapon, and I owe you, your young smith, and Tyron for providing the materials and for crafting it for me.¡± ¡°Well, just make good use of it, and we can call it even,¡± Derek said. ¡°As if I could ever break even with you after what you¡¯ve done for me,¡± Vanessa said while shaking her head. Her eyes found Nyx and Braxton and lingered on the two Assassin¡¯s Guild Leaders. ¡°I have already accepted that I will always owe you.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Derek waved her words away. ¡°You can do whatever you want, I guess. It¡¯s your life. But as long as you help when the time comes, I say we¡¯re good.¡± ¡°I will definitely help,¡± Vanessa said, then placed her sword back in her storage. ¡°Is Vanessa the only person with a new weapon or armor right now?¡± Derek asked. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°She is not,¡± Edgar said, then pulled out a sword that looked identical to the one he had before. ¡°Tyron used my sword as the base and basically rebuilt it. Honestly, I was very surprised at how well the weapon turned out since I would technically consider it just an upgrade and not crafted from the ground up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± Derek said. ¡°And it¡¯s legendary?¡± ¡°It took a couple of tries and a ton of my mana,¡± Edgar said. ¡°And Blitz helped, too. But he was finally able to get it there, yes.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Derek said. ¡°Do you mind sharing what it does?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Edgar said. ¡°First of all, it¡¯s even more compatible with me and my lightning, so even without it being an ability or skill, the ease with which I can channel my lightning through it has increased maybe tenfold. I find that to be the best thing. But yes, it does have an ability called Shock Factor. It¡¯s not as cool of a name as Shadow Reserve and doesn¡¯t help as much, but it will work.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a great ability?¡± Derek asked. So far, he¡¯d say that the legendary weapons he¡¯d seen were two for two on being useful. ¡°No, it¡¯s good. It should be very useful. I just don¡¯t know how useful,¡± Edgar explained. ¡°Shock Factor increases the chance of every attack I make paralyzing or stunning the enemy. However, it doesn¡¯t say how much of an increase. It also doesn¡¯t say if it works with regular attacks that don¡¯t even have any lightning in them. I have a lot to test before I know how good the weapon is.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Derek said. ¡°I can definitely see that being really useful in specific situations. Just a split second of being stunned is enough to lose your life, so that could be a very dangerous weapon.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Hopefully. We just finished making it this morning, so I haven¡¯t even really gotten a chance to swing it around yet. It should pair well with my armor, though. I haven¡¯t talked about my family¡¯s legendary armor, and I hope none of this leaves this room...¡± Edgar eyed Nyx. ¡°You have nothing to fear from me,¡± Nyx said. ¡°We are a different Assassin¡¯s Guild than we once were. I will swear an oath once we are finished here, if you would like.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Just don¡¯t go spreading it around, but my armor ability is called Charge. It increases the mana recovery rate of lightning and electric users.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Derek said. ¡°That would pair really well with Greater Meditation.¡± ¡°That is for sure,¡± Braxton said. ¡°Well,¡± Derek said as he spoke with Edgar, ¡°let me know how the new skill is.¡± Once Edgar nodded, Derek looked around. ¡°Anyone else?¡± he asked. ¡°Shaemus is currently busy creating a set of flexible armor for Mr. Swan,¡± Braxton said. ¡°A full set of armor will take quite a bit longer to create than a weapon or two, especially depending on the capacity of the person it is being created for. Avery will have to be there in the end to have each piece attuned to him before we know if it even comes out as legendary.¡± ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Avery said. ¡°I will be heading to Stonehelm once this meeting is over. I am interested in finding out what kind of armor an Armorsmith can create for someone who has only ever worn light leather armor.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Derek said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see it.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Braxton said with a nod. ¡°Shaemus¡¯s armor is always great.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Derek replied. ¡°So, it seems like the creation of armor and weapons for our strongest is going well, and the smiths have all the materials that they¡¯ll need.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Braxton said. ¡°They got what they expect to be enough, but you never know when it comes to crafting. Like Duke Edgar said, it took a few tries for The Walking Forge to ¡®upgrade¡¯ his weapon. That means that some materials have already gone to waste. Even the best smiths make mistakes¡ªespecially when epic-grade is not enough.¡± ¡°Oh, well... they know where to go to get more if needed,¡± Derek said. He was tempted to hand Braxton and Edgar some of the mana cores that he and Silvi had just returned with. However, using them would require help from a runesmith, too. Brandi was able to do it all herself, but it would just be more to figure out for Shaemus and Tyron. They needed to work with what they knew instead of researching new things¡ªif they weren¡¯t on a clock, experimenting would be fine, but they were. ¡°Is there anything else about the crafting and stuff that we need to talk about?¡± Derek asked. ¡°Nyx, do you need a new weapon or armor?¡± ¡°Oh, no,¡± Nyx said. ¡°I am not much of a fighter. I have all that I need.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Derek said. He then looked at Natalie. ¡°You have everything you need?¡± ¡°I have my golem armor,¡± Natalie said. ¡°I am also not a fighter. If it gets to the point where I have to use my armor, our situation will be dire¡ªjust like the last time. Luckily, Alanah was there to help last time.¡± She pointedly stared at Osian. ¡°And we are paying for that, are we not?¡± Osian said. ¡°Yes,¡± Natalie replied. ¡°But it was an expensive battle.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Derek clapped his hands. ¡°Now that the smithing discussion is over, it¡¯s time to get down to business. Let¡¯s see... what can I talk about without getting smited?¡± he muttered the last part and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Well... I recently had a fight,¡± he said, looking up. Nothing... good. ¡°I fought a guy who was very... very far away from here. He was almost as strong as Avery, I would say. ¡°It could suck if a ton of people that strong attacked all at once...¡± Derek felt a heaviness settle down on him, and he knew that he had just pushed the Origin System a bit. ¡°Oh! So we¡¯re being invaded by a bunch of people who are as strong as Avery Swan?¡± Braxton asked rhetorically. He¡¯d been the first to pretty much hit the nail on the head, and it seemed like he was doing his best to ¡®inform¡¯ everyone of his assumptions, since Derek couldn¡¯t really say much else. ¡°At least, that is what we expect,¡± Nyx said. ¡°If it is something that Derek found out about, and the Great System is being that stringent on the details, we should prepare for something even worse.¡± Derek looked around and shrugged. He was glad that everyone already understood what was at stake. Finally, he said, ¡°I also have some other news.¡± ¡°What news is that?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°I now have something in common with Alanah,¡± he said. He wasn¡¯t sure what all he could say about that. ¡°You¡¯re going to be going after her soon, then?¡± Avery asked, but didn¡¯t wait for a reply. ¡°That¡¯s good. I worry about her¡ªthe sooner, the better.¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Derek said. ¡°I still have to be here.¡± ¡°But as soon as this... invasion is over,¡± Avery said. ¡°You must go.¡± Derek shrugged. ¡°Right now... I¡¯m just hoping that all the armor and weapons will be finished within the next couple of months.¡± He raised his eyebrows at everyone. He had a six-month countdown for his ascension, and Dave had clearly told him that there would be enough time, so that meant that the Universal System was only months, if not less, away. Edgar stood. ¡°I will see to it that Tyron has whatever help is needed.¡± ¡°And I will speak to Shaemus about working with another smith. He will not like it, but I¡¯m sure I can get him to swallow his pride and receive help,¡± Braxton said as he kicked in the footrest and also hopped out of his chair. ¡°He is the best smith, but he is not the only smith we have that can create legendary armor.¡± ¡°Is there anything that anyone else wants to discuss?¡± Derek asked the room, and nobody spoke up. ¡°Okay, well, I¡¯m not going to call another one of these meetings until we really need it. I just wanted to know how our preparations were going. Everything is looking good. In that case, everyone can go. Prepare anyone and everyone that you can. You are all dismissed.¡± Chapter 549: Downtime It wasn¡¯t lost on Derek that he had just called for a meeting with possibly the world¡¯s strongest fighters¡ªor at least those who held the most power on the continent¡ªand they listened. He¡¯d also dismissed them like he was in charge, and they¡¯d obeyed. I guess that just reinforces the idea that might makes right... he thought as he watched everyone leave the room one by one. Braxton and Edgar were the first two to leave. They were both heading to their respective smiths to try to provide them with extra support. ¡°I will see to it that my kingdom is ready for whatever may come,¡± Osian said as he, too, stood and prepared to leave. ¡°Good,¡± Derek said. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something that we can over-prepare for.¡± Osian nodded and even gave Derek a slight bow before he also left the room. After he was gone, Natalie stood up from the chair beside Derek. ¡°You must stop by for tea sometime,¡± she said. ¡°I may do that,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it,¡± Natalie said. ¡°I¡¯ll also do what I can to bring in and outfit strong mercenaries and adventurers for the city. I know we cannot be certain about what is going to happen¡ªbut it seems that you do. So, I will not be caught off guard like last time. If I have time to prepare, I will certainly use it.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Derek said. ¡°It is my city,¡± the City Lord replied. ¡°I will do what I must to protect it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Derek said. ¡°But most of my friends live here, so by protecting the city, you are protecting them. And I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to be here at all times.¡± ¡°If things get dire and you are not around,¡± Natalie began. ¡°Then your friends and family are welcome to come to my manor. It is well equipped with defensive runes and durable building materials¡ªas you have seen. So, it is open for them, and I will do my utmost to keep them safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let them know,¡± Derek said. ¡°Thank you.¡± After that, Natalie nodded and then left. ¡°The Assassin¡¯s Guild will be ready,¡± Nyx said as he stood. ¡°Just let me know if you need them.¡± The man walked forward a bit, then turned and said, ¡°Now, I am off to collect a few of these chairs.¡± ¡°Tell Geoffrey I said hi once you¡¯re finished testing him,¡± Derek said. ¡°He comes off as a slimy businessman, but deep... deep... deep down, he¡¯s a good slimy businessman.¡± ¡°I will tell him,¡± Nyx nodded towards Derek, then left. ¡°So, you¡¯re finally going to be able to go find her,¡± Avery, who was the last person left in the room with Derek, said. ¡°Hopefully,¡± Derek said. ¡°I won¡¯t be going to the same place, but hopefully, my travel skills will still work well. I really can¡¯t say for sure, though. I may be able to find her as soon as I get there, or it may take months or even years. It¡¯s not something I will know until I do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she will be fine until then,¡± Avery said. ¡°Alanah can take care of herself.¡± ¡°That is for damn sure,¡± Derek said. ¡°I¡¯d hate to be someone who really pisses her off.¡± ¡°Heads would roll,¡± Avery said with a chuckle. ¡°Heads have rolled... I¡¯ve seen it... I¡¯ve done it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it,¡± Derek said. ¡°But first, we all have to get through this. The last thing I want to do is tell her when we meet again is that you or Stella died because we weren¡¯t prepared. I don¡¯t know if I could face her if that happened.¡± ¡°If the people we are dealing with are as strong as me, then that means I just have to be better,¡± Avery said as he stood. ¡°If I die, then I wasn¡¯t good enough... that¡¯s that. It won¡¯t be your fault. You¡¯ve warned everyone and gone out of your way to equip us with legendary gear. That¡¯s all you can do.¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Derek said. Avery walked over and put his hand on Derek¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Now, I have to go beat some sense into some kids. I have to prepare them for the future, which they will most definitely have if we have anything to say about it.¡± ¡°You heard Natalie, right?¡± Derek asked. ¡°When things start happening, you should send them all to her manor. Savannah will most likely be better protected than the capital, as the capital is too big. And with her preparations, it will be heavily defended. So, before you join in, get all the kids there.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Avery said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re safe, and I¡¯ll also bring Thomas with me if he is at the Academy at the time.¡± ¡°Oh... the Academy...¡± Derek started, but Avery interrupted him. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Avery said. ¡°Edgar and Edward have already shut down any classes outside the city walls. They¡¯re not going to be running any more dungeons until everything is over.¡± ¡°I bet they hated that,¡± Derek said. ¡°Probably,¡± Avery replied. ¡°But they don¡¯t get a say in it. It¡¯s their king¡¯s orders, and if they want to stay in the King¡¯s Academy, they must obey. Once the fighting starts, they will understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Derek said. ¡°And thanks... for worrying about Thomas.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good kid,¡± Avery said. ¡°He comes by to train when he can and to see his grandparents. In fact, he may be too good for the Academy. It may serve him better to train with Luke, Zach, and Clare full-time. But that is something to think about later.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Derek said. He hadn¡¯t brought up the idea of taking people with him when he left yet, and he was almost certain that Thomas would choose to follow along. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that later.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Avery said. ¡°I will see you later. If you need anything from me, just let me know, and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Derek said. ¡°And same... if you need anything.¡± Avery nodded, then the archer also left the room, leaving Derek sitting alone. He looked at the door where everyone had left from, then sighed. Over the next month or so, things were pretty hectic on the continent. Cydaria, Vallum, Indria, and Indaria all went into a pseudo lockdown without being able to give all their citizens a proper explanation. However, it was easier for them to accept when they found out that their country wasn¡¯t the only one that had gone into lockdown¡ªespecially once the other three found out that Vallum had. Of course, the lockdown didn¡¯t matter to Derek. He considered the time before the collision as part of his downtime, so he did plenty of adventuring outside the cities to check out his temporary status sheet. Since he was unable to go inside any dungeons anymore, he found groups of level 250 monsters outside of cities and in some of the more dangerous areas around the kingdoms to fight. After killing dozens, if not hundreds, of different beasts, he came to the conclusion that increasing his level any further while on a planet that was part of the Davenresh System, or probably even the Universal System, would be extremely hard. No, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible, as after slaying all those monsters, his essence percentage did finally hit one percent. However, if he wanted to get it to 100%¡ªand what he assumed would be the next level¡ªhe imagined that it would take clearing out an entire kingdom or two¡¯s worth of beasts. He imagined that he would be able to do it in a couple of months if he could still run dungeons, though. But even then, each level would get harder and harder because of the diminishing returns for being a higher level than the monsters he was fighting. Like Dave had suggested, or at least how Derek had assumed, his body just needed higher quality essence to continue to level¡ªespecially since he was still sharing everything with Silvi. On the bright side, however, he was only a single command away from ascending and going to a place that had that high-quality essence, so that kept him from being too stressed or anxious about it. Another thing that Derek did during his downtime was go see Marrick and inform him about everything. He didn¡¯t want his friend to be left out in the cold, so to speak. The old goblin had been exploring Alanah¡¯s old home country and was having one hell of a time putting young elves in their place. In the short amount of time he¡¯d been there, the higher-ups of the kingdom had already offered him plenty of positions. And, after rejecting all those offers, he¡¯d been targeted for assassination by those higher-ups. They didn¡¯t want an elf with such power running around off a leash. The old elf said he was having the time of his life. Marrick was also quickly able to piece together the possible invasion with what little information Derek could provide. According to the old goblin, he did not need, nor want, any new armor or weapons. Derek should have known this because of how long the man had been alive, but it turned out that the robe the man wore was already at a legendary rank, and he refused to fight with any weapons¡ªsaying that they would just get in the way of his control. Not to mention, he didn¡¯t want to waste a weapon by attuning it to himself since he didn¡¯t plan to be around much longer. He did continue his promise to Brandi and gave Derek a slew of materials for the girl to work with¡ªand for the smiths to possibly use to outfit everyone. He knew that Brandi would understand if some of it was used for that purpose. He¡¯d also gather a few ingredients for Silvi. He was a very thoughtful, cranky old man. Marrick also refused to go back with Derek for the time being. He figured that both continents would get hit, and since the other continent had Derek and Silvi, he¡¯d stay where he was for some time. Since it wasn¡¯t like Derek was traveling to Earth and back, he decided that it wasn¡¯t a big deal, as it only took him a few minutes to get from one continent to the other if he needed to. Back in Savannah, Geoffrey was still experiencing PTSD over his meeting with Nyx. Apparently, it was even scarier than when he met with Marrick, and he couldn¡¯t help but replay their conversation over and over, hoping that he hadn¡¯t offended the Leader of the Assassin¡¯s Guild. Still, Nyx ended up walking away with a pair of chairs that looked even more comfortable than Derek¡¯s own. Derek also had tea with Natalie and discussed a lot of trivial things. She was very outspoken about his having a relationship with Alanah. Of course, she was in very in favor of it. She just happened to have an odd relationship with the woman herself. She was so outspoken about it that he only had tea with her the one time, even though she invited him back whenever he wished. Finally, the time came for Derek to receive his armor. Tyron was finished with everyone¡¯s weapons except for Silvi¡¯s cleavers, and Shaemus only had Derek¡¯s armor remaining. After receiving the call from Braxton, Derek quickly went to his travel room and Void Traveled to the Throne Room in Stonehelm. His sudden appearance wasn¡¯t appreciated by all the guards, and he guessed he should have waited until Braxton had enough time to notify his brother that he was coming, but he was too excited to wait. He was like a kid on Christmas morning when it came to receiving actual upgrades in his gear. ¡°Mr. Hunt,¡± King Darius said after Derek closed the portal and calmed his palace guards down. ¡°A little notice beforehand would be appreciated. And did you have to come straight to the Throne Room?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Derek said while rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°If Braxton was by the smiths, I didn¡¯t want to go in and disturb them with the aura, and I know that the Throne Room inside palaces always have a big open place for me to travel to. They are kind of my preferred landing spot.¡± ¡°I... see,¡± Darius said. ¡°Yes, Shaemus has reported that he is only awaiting your arrival to attune the set, then he will be able to finish up in the next couple of days.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Derek said. He also saw out of the corner of his eye that some of the guards were very displeased with the casual way he spoke to their king. However, he really couldn¡¯t care less about any of that. ¡°I can¡¯t wait! Now, who¡¯s going to take me to Shaemus?¡±