《MAZE - The endless Quest》 1 Prologue - Broken Dreams Just like she expected, it was raining. Hera had just finished her shift in the bookstore where she worked. Now she was in front of the store, pondering if it was worth it to keep going in this rain or if she should go back and wait it out. She glanced inside the store, knowing that her boss would tell her to organize the shelves since she didn''t want to go home. Hera held an umbrella in one hand while her small bag was on the other pressed against her chest. She was still debating if she should face the rain or not when a man came out of the bookstore, he wore a Bordeaux trench-coat, a pair of mirrored glasses, and a pink Mohawk. Even with all that, what was the most eye-catching thing about him wasn''t his looks, but the fact that as soon as he walked into the rain the water started to evaporate before touching him. Hera knew what that meant, he was an explorer. She kept staring at him until he was out of her field of view. She then grabbed a small card that was issued to everyone on their 18th birthday. In that card, she could see her name and by the side an indicator "Level 1" She sighed and opened her umbrella, starting to walk towards the train station. Five years, it''s been five years since her only dream was crushed. When she turned 18, she was excited and went rushing to the guild alone. She knew her parents would be worried and wouldn''t let her become an explorer. But she was so sure her stats would be amazing, and her skill would be so incredible that there was no way she could be anything else. Hera was walking through the street, the rain pouring down, she could feel her socks completely drenched at least the boots were still holding together, she couldn''t afford to buy new ones right now. She waited for the traffic to stop while looking at her boots, happy that at the very least something was working in her life, but too distracted to notice the car approaching. SPLASH! The driver moved the car with the intention of soaking the most amount of people he could. It was so obvious that every single person waiting for the light to turn red had more than enough time to walk back and get away from the splash zone. Everyone but Hera. She was completely drenched, the bag she was carefully holding to avoid the rain now had become a soggy mess. She shivered partly thinking about how it would be when she finally got home, partly feeling the cold of the water soak her bones. No one warned her, no one tried to drag her aside, and what hurts the most, no one laughed or even acknowledged that she was there. The system had decided that she was nothing, and now the universe seems to follow its lead. The light turned green for the pedestrians and they started walking. Hera was still frozen in shock about the situation when someone bumped into her and kept walking without even apologizing. That was it, the tears that she was holding ever since her boss screamed at her when she was leaving came rolling down her face. The rain was still pouring and combined with the sound of the cars, it was more than enough to hide her sobbing. Or at least that''s what Hera thought. She walked to a place covered by a small canopy to check the damage on her belongings, still crying with her big brown eyes already swollen she managed to look and see that her cellphone and wallet were still dry. Thankfully she remembered to put them inside a plastic bag before leaving the store. At least one thing worked out today. "Excuse me?" Hera snapped her head to the side while taking a step back the other way due to the surprise. She saw a woman looking back at her. A beautiful woman with dark skin and curly hair, almond eyes that seem to glow faintly in the light. She was wearing what seemed to be a barmaid outfit, the same kind you would see someone wearing in a tavern in the movies. "Oh, sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you" Hera fidgeted a little, trying to cover her crying face, "It''s fine, what can I help you with?", she unconsciously went to her customer-service mode even managing to give a soft smile instantly stopping her sobbing. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The woman seemed to respond well to that, but her eyes seemed to be full of pain for some reason. "No honey, I''m the one that wants to help you, please come in we have showers in the gym and even I can make you some hot coffee" Hera looked at the woman confused and then stopped to look around. Of course, the one person who noticed worked at the one place she wanted to avoid the most. The Explorers Guild. "No, thank you. I don''t want to give you any trouble" The woman stared at Hera and then grabbed her hand. "Nonsense, it would be more trouble if you didn''t come. I would be worried sick about you" and with that phrase started to pull Hera towards the entrance. 2 Someone sees you "Since the beginning, people would gather in places of power in order for the young ones to get their first level up. Then they would start training and growing, the strong and brave ones would go into journeys inside the MAZE. Few ever returned, from these explorations." "To lessen the lethality of those explorations, groups started to form in order to train and grow together. In little time, small organizations started to form around the entrances of the MAZE spread around the world and eventually started to interact with each other." "Because of that, there was a need to make a universal system where all groups could understand each other. So the roles were created. Fighter, Mage, Healer, Marksman, Controller, Assassin, Crafter, Researcher, and Explorer. Each role represents what their skill and status were able to provide to the organization. With time, it became clear that the most dangerous and useful role of all was that of the explorer. Being able to travel deeper into the MAZE and being the best option to discover new information about what they encountered. Because of its renown, people started to call any adventurer that dared to enter the MAZE an explorer, even though the ones with that role were very few." "800 years ago after the great invasion, the world realized that having many small organizations was far from being the best way to increase our strength. So the Explorers Guild was created, unifying all the information and strength available under the same place. Of course, that would mean the new organization would be indifferent to political matters and it has been like that since our foundation." "Unfortunately, that was not the last MAZE related problem humanity had to deal with, a little over 200 years ago the Great Devil Hunt reduced the number of Explorers to a quarter of what it once was. Due to the heavy casualties, the Board decided to increase the requirements to enter its ranks. It was a decision made with a heavy heart. Even if they desperately needed more Explorers no one was willing to put the life of their member at risk for not being strong enough to deal with the dangers of the MAZE." "Thankfully, that dark past is gone! Today we have more explorers than at any other moment in history. We wish to make our great heroes proud, Undine the Fire Bringer, Khan the Wall Breaker, and our greatest hero Cyrus the Golden. Today we care to make sure that each member is able to deal with the dangers of the MAZE. We are not just a Guild, we are a family. Come join our family today!" Hera had watched that video more than a thousand times when she was little. But not once since she was rejected. "Since the beginning, people would gather...." It was the third time the video looped while she was waiting. The woman had brought her to the gym area to take a shower and dry her clothes. However, since she was not a member she had to wait at the reception hallway thankfully they had a few tracksuits so she was at least not naked in the middle of the room. Still, it was very uncomfortable to be without her underwear in a strange place. The video kept playing and Hera was done with it. If she heard another mention about the guild being a family she would snap. She wanted to be a part of them and they rejected her. She walked along the hall until she noticed an archway. That was new, as much as she hated this place she still remembered every part of it. But not this one. She looked inside and saw the most beautiful stained glass art she had ever seen. It was a simple image of the three heroes. On the left, there was Undine in her blue robes and a tight ponytail and flames surrounding her in a mix of red yellow and orange. In the right, Kahn could be seen as if he was breaking through the glass and walking forward his long beard reaching his chest and a bald head. Along with a heavy-looking brown and grey winter coat with a green sash around his waist. And in the middle, the great hero Cyrus, wearing black armor and holding his white sword with both hands pointed down. Around him, there was this golden aura and mixed in that aura there were dozens of banners, and weapons raised to the sky. She could hate the guild for refusing her, but the heroes were always with her. She grew up reading about them and never let go of what they taught her. Hera bent down in one knee placing one hand in the ground and the other in her chest making sure never to lower her head. This salute was not one of servitude or obedience. It was one of respect and wonder, she knew that and refused to do it wrong. They fought for people like her, they died so the next generation could live. Even if the whole world would ignore her these three still deserved her utmost respect. "I don''t remember the last time I saw someone doing the Salute so well" Hera Jumped up turning around as fast as she could, she only did that because she thought no one was watching. Now that she knew that wasn''t true the only thing she wanted to do was to dig a grave and lie there. "Sorry, I.. I thought I was alone." The woman that brought her here was leaning against the archway with a soft smile on her face, holding a few folded clothes. "There is no need to apologize dear. I shouldn''t have interrupted your moment." She walked a bit closer to Hera while looking at the stained glass. "That feeling you get when looking at them is not just the beauty of it. They all have been infused with energy from the heroes" Hera looked at the woman in shock. Wondering if she was saying the Heroes are alive, or if they are doing something with their corpses. The woman realizing the reaction chuckled softly. "Sorry, I should have explained better. Each of them left an energy crystal, those crystals are symbols of their power, and since the energy is always there we can take just drop to enchant the crafter tool that was used to make these." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Oh," Hera felt stupid for even considering other options. It was well known that strong explorers left energy crystals in places they wanted to protect. The woman smiled and gave Hera her clothes "You can change in the locker room or the bathroom if you want a bit more privacy, some of our explorers are using the showers." Hera grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom at the end of the hall. The last thing she needed was to deal with other people. A few minutes later she was walking back to the entrance where the woman was, she needed to do something to thank her for all the help. Maybe she could wash the tracksuit or bring a cake later. "Thanks for all the help." Hera was a bit nervous, she was very grateful, especially since taking the train with these clothes would be awful, but at the same time, she didn''t want to talk about why she was crying. "Is there anything I can do to repay you? I mean, I don''t think there is anything I can do to help an explorer but if there is anything please tell me" The woman gave a warm smile "Actually, there is. I lost a bet with the receptionists and have to wear this stupid costume until I can beat the record on the raffle sales for a day. Could you help me?" Hera was caught off guard, a raffle? Her luck was terrible and the last thing she wanted was to waste money on something like that. Still, it was the least she could do. "Sure, and how many do you need? I don''t have a lot of money but if it''s not too expensive I can buy a few" The woman grabbed her hand "Thank you, thank you, thank you. It''s just five bucks each. I need three more in the next ten minutes to beat the record." Fifteen gold was not cheap, but it wouldn''t be enough to give Hera problems to pay rent, maybe just a couple of extra days making food at home. "Sure, I''ll take three then" The woman gave a big smile and rushed Hera to the counter. "Thank you so much, this costume was fun on the first couple of days but after a week it gets really annoying." Hera smiled and remembered the day she had to wear a cat costume for work. It wasn''t something she wanted to do again. The woman took the money and gave 3 golden coins to Hera. "Now all you have to do is put them on the candy machine and see what comes out. There is no candy by the way, sorry for that." For the first time in the day, Hera laughed a bit. It was a shame she''s not even going to get some candy. She put the coin in the machine and twisted the lever, making the first prize drop, and she did it two more times. Each prize was inside a round capsule that didn''t let anyone see what was inside. "Ok, ok, now open. Let''s see if it''s your lucky day!" The woman seemed excited, but Hera was not. She knew what all of them were, nothing. Opening the first capsule she saw that inside there is a piece of paper that says. - No prize, sorry =( - The second one has another piece of paper. - You can''t get lucky every time! - Or any time, Hera thought. The woman seemed to be a bit down and gave a sad smile towards her savior. Hera let out a sigh and opened the last one. It took a moment for her to realize what she was looking at. A coin that looked like it was made from some sort of rainbow crystal was inside the capsule. The woman opened a big smile and started to jump behind the counter "You won! You won!" " I What?" The woman practically jumped over the counter and gave Hera a big hug. "I''m so happy you won! Since I essentially extorted you into buying the raffle I was worried you wouldn''t get a single thing. Boy was I wrong, you won the Jackpot!" Hera came out of her stupor and blinked a few times looking at the rainbow coin in her hand before asking. "Ok, but what did I win?" She looked down as soon as she asked. It seemed stupid to have bought the raffle without even knowing what was the prize. "So you were buying it just for me?" The woman gave Hera another big hug that only made her more uncomfortable "You just got a level up sweety" Hera looked at the woman with wide eyes "I got what?" 3 Hidden talents Hera was once again sitting on a bench waiting for the woman. She left saying there was some paperwork to be done before the level up. Still trying to process everything, Hera pinched herself making sure it wasn''t a dream. Anyone above the age of 18 could do their first level up, however, they needed to either become an explorer or pay a hefty sum. Last time she checked it was around 500 thousand gold. A price she would never be able to afford. When someone got out of level one they would start getting experience points by doing pretty much anything. Of course, hunting inside the MAZE was one of the most efficient ways of increasing your exp. Still, that was only one way to do it. Some civilians reached level 30 without ever stepping inside a MAZE. Hera was holding her bag close, she knew that there was a chance that even with the level up she wouldn''t meet the requirements to join the Explorers guild. She also knew that if that was the case, she could try again on level 3, and level 4, and level 5, and keep going until she meets the requirements. Being an explorer was her dream, her only dream. All the money she earned went to a savings account, an account that had a single goal, buy her a level up. Hera was aware of the stupidity of it. It would take at least another 30 years to save enough, and the money could be used to pay for a huge house or to buy a business or even buy a few cars. Spending that much time and money in the hopes of becoming an explorer was widely seen as the most stupid thing someone could do. But now, she could start her leveling process just five years late. That was doable, many explorers started in their late 20s. She was just 23, and if her stats wouldn''t allow to get in right now she would train, and raise them as much as she could. In her mind, she could see herself spending another 5 years practicing and raising her level, or even more. This was her dream, she would do whatever she needed to make it real. The woman came back holding a tablet. "Ok, sorry for the wait. I just needed to get this to set you up" Hera quickly wiped the tears that were trying to get out of her eyes and raised her head smiling a little. "It''s okay sweety, you can be emotional after winning a prize like this. Can you tell me your name so I can get your file? I''m Helena by the way" Hera felt stupid, this woman had just changed her life and she didn''t even ask for her name. She lowered her eyes "Hi, I''m Hera" "I''m gonna need a last name sweety," Helena said in a soft tone that only made Hera feel more embarrassed. "Kingsley, Hera Kingsley" she shuffled trough her bag and picked her status card giving it to Helena. "You even have your card with you? That''s rare for a civilian. This is gonna help a lot!" With a smile, Helena picked the card and scanned it on the tablet. A few seconds she hands the card back to Hera. "All done, just follow me to the leveling room" Following Helena, she entered the leveling room for the first time. It was a big round room with white walls and a small altar in the center. Hovering above the altar there was a glowing sphere. Hera cautiously walked inside and after a couple of steps, she noticed that the floor was soft, it was almost like walking over a bed. "Weird right? Everyone thinks that the leveling room is a chamber full of things. No one thinks it''s almost empty." Helena was walking with the girl she found crying in the rain. She was happy that the crying and swollen face had been replaced by the face of a child meeting a hero. Even though she was trying not to stare, Hera noticed her and lowered her head feeling embarrassed. "Don''t worry about it, I was just like that the first time I saw this. Now to start the process just place one of your hands in the glowing orb. It''s gonna tingle a little bit and you can distribute your stat points for the next level. If you have any..." Before Helena was able to finish the sentence a man appeared in the entrance of the chamber. "Lena, the boss is calling you, he says is urgent. Something about the last batch of recruits" Helena huffed and looked back, by the expression in the face of the man her boss was being troublesome like always. "Hera, I''m sorry but I have to check this. My boss can be a bit too anxious some times." Hera smiled, she understood how bosses could be. "It''s fine, I can come back another time" She turned around and started walking with Helena. "What? Nonsense girl, you stay here and level up. I can imagine how excited you must be. I''ll leave Michael here to help you if you have any doubts. He''s gonna be outside since sometimes an area of effect skill is activated when you level. It''s just a safety measure, but don''t worry you will never be harmed by your own awakening." Hera fidgeted a bit, another person would be involved in this, and it was more work she was making them do. Helena gave Michael a look that he recognized. "Don''t worry about it. We are here for this. And who knows, I might be able to brag that I helped one of the top explorers in the world to level up." Hera didn''t want that, all she wanted was to explore the MAZE, being a famous explorer seemed like a lot of trouble. But she was too anxious about her future to let this moment be delayed. "If it''s not a problem I would like to level up now then." She looked at the two attendants, trying her hardest not to look away. Helena gave Hera a big hug before leaving. Michael asked her to walk towards the sphere and give him a signal when she was ready, and when she did he gave her the last instructions "Okay, I''m closing the door, when you touch the sphere your status will be displayed in front of you. Check what you want and distribute your skill points, there is a counter that tells you how many points you can use. Just be completely sure of your decision before pressing confirm. You can''t change them after that. Feel free to take your time, if you need a refresher what each stat does just touch the name of the stat and the info will appear. You have 30 minutes to finish the process, and if you have any questions just ask, I can hear you and you can hear me through the speakers in the room." "Ok Thank you, Michael" Hera took a deep breath while he closed the door. After a few moments, she heard his voice through the speakers. "We are all ready, any time you want Hera" She raised her hand and put it in the glowing sphere, she felt a tingle in her hand, and it spread to her arm, then chest, then everywhere. It wasn''t that uncomfortable, the feeling reminded her of when she sat in an electric massage chair. Like her whole body was vibrating ever so slightly. When the feeling passed a window popped up in front of her | Hera Kingsley -- Role : Civilian Level: 2 | Stats: | Strength : 6 - + Endurance: 13 - + | Agility: 7 - + Charisma: 7 - + | Intelligence: 8 - + Luck: 10 - + Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. | Attribute Points Available: 3 + 3(bonus) | Total: 6 | Skills: | Stats Reallocation (Hidden) Her eyes widen, she had a skill? And a Hidden one at that. She knew that having a skill was not that uncommon but hidden skills were very rare and very powerful. She took a deep breath and touched the skill | Stats Relocation: | Allows the user to change the distribution of the stats, | increasing or decreasing any attribute as long as the user has the required attribute points available. | This effect is only valid for the first time the user level up. Hera read it a few more times to make sure she was right. It seemed like she could change how her stats were distributed. If that was the case, she could reach the required 10 points in each star even sooner! "Michael?" she asked sheepishly "I''m here Hera, is everything alright?" the voice echoed a bit, but it was clearer than she expected. "Yeah, I... I got a skill, It''s called Stats Relocation, did you ever heard of it?" she swallowed, worried she might have made a mistake on telling him. "Wow really? Congratulations! It''s a pretty rare skill. Let me confirm one thing" a few seconds went by "Yeah, that skill lets you change all your stats, it doesn''t have any restrictions aside from it not being able to go lower than 1 in any stat. You can pretty much make you perfect for the job you want! Tell me if you are not sure about what would be the best stat for a job and I can look it up to you" Her hands were trembling, if that was the case, maybe she could achieve her dream right now. "Michael, what is the requirement to join the guild? As an explorer I mean" There were a few moments of silence before his voice came from the speakers again. "For level two, it''s a 10 average on the stats with one of them going past 14, the higher the average the lower the high stat needs to be, If the average is 12 you can join, but I never have seen a level 2 with a 12 average score. If your skill was different it could be lower, but since it''s not a skill that would give you any benefit in the field it can''t be counted." Hera looked at her stats, even with the level up points she wouldn''t be able to join right now, but it would be really close. If she could increase one of her stats she might be able to do it on level 3. She looked at her skill and pressed the minus symbol by Endurance. The stat went down by one, but her attribute points went up by 2. So... maybe the higher the stat the more they are worth? She thought. "Only one way to find out" 5 Not this time Hera was staring at the translucent window in front of her. She had read everything ten times but it seemed impossible. Not her stats, it was well known that every now and then someone did something and the system had to change whatever it was to a more acceptable outcome. She remembered a baseball player that managed to stack a few skills making his fastball brake not only the bat that it hit but the arm of the batter as well. What made her speechless was the skill, hidden skills were rare but a hidden skill that can evolve is absurdly rare. No rule said that hidden skills were not able to evolve but at the same time, she wasn''t aware of anyone who had seen one. She read the description of the skill one more time and took a deep breath before hitting the increase all button. And just like that, all her stats went from 10 to 11. she now had 3 bonus points. What Michael had said the night before started to ring in her head "If you have an average 12 on your stats you can join" If this was happening she could be an explorer today. Not after her next level up. She pressed the button once more and saw the numbers change. Now she meets the requirement to get in even without a skill. But maybe this evolved skill would count, after all, it would increase her stats by a lot. Hera pinched her arm to make sure it wasn''t just a dream ''Ouch!'' She was surprised by how much that hurt, although it did make sense, her strength had almost doubled, her brain need some time before being able to adjust. For a while, she would have to be very careful. She got up and started walking towards the bathroom to take a shower. Her sheets were drenched because of the process most likely. The body probably uses a lot of energy in order to change someone after they level up, and energy generates heat, so the body needs to sweat to cool off. Hera stopped. How did she reach that conclusion so fast? She was not a dumb person but her mind always seemed to take some time to get to the result she wanted. Maybe... her intelligence attribute? it did increase 4 points. She opened her stats and tapped on the attribute to read its description | Intelligence: increases the mental ability of the user. | the higher the attribute the faster data that has been stored can be accessed. | It also increases the strength of magic based skills. | Current modifier: +2% Hera knew this by heart, even if she had spent the last five years trying to forget this knowledge. However, she still was surprised the increase had such a strong effect. She took a shower to clean all the sweat and tears that covered her from the previous night. The pressure of the water was relaxing, for the first time in years, Hera was truly happy. Looking to the side she saw the creams and moisturizers that a friend had given her a few months back, and for the first time, she decided to use them. One hour later Hera came out of the shower, feeling refreshed she looked in the mirror. Her face was still hers, but different. Her skin seemed smoother, her long blond hair replaced its split ends and greasy look with a cleaner and silkier feel. Even while she started to brush it like she always did, the feeling was different. ''This must be the Charisma attribute. It improves our looks.. and what else again?'' | Charisma: increases the attractiveness of the user. | Due to its subjective nature the attribute is based on what the user finds attractive. | Also increases the friendliness of intelligent creatures in the MAZE. | Current modifier: + 2% The last line was new, she was sure of that. Hera knew the descriptions by heart and there never was any mention about creatures in the MAZE. She read it again to be sure her mind wasn''t playing tricks on her. Intelligent life inside the MAZE, that was something Hera never considered, but it did make sense. Such a big place was bound to have created some sort of intelligent life. She took her phone and saw the twenty-three missed calls from her boss. Including a few texts threatening to fire her. ''That''s fine'' she thought. Before going to the Guild, Hera wanted to quit. Her future is as an explorer, there was no reason to keep any other job available. To her, there was no other option, not anymore. Hera put on her dark grey jeans, a light blue hoodie, and her black combat boots. She always felt more comfortable with practical clothing. Now that she was going to be an explorer people would stop saying things like "you should dress up more". She took her keys and bag and went outside her small studio apartment towards the train station. It was time to start her dream. Quitting her job was the first step, thankfully her boss wasn''t there. Today the manager Amelia was in charge. She was a sweet older woman that always tried to help the employees, even when the boss was harassing them. Hera didn''t give a reason to quit. She didn''t want to be bombarded with questions about it, she just wanted to leave this place. Amelia did try to make Hera stay, but she knew it was for the best. Hera was a really shy and sweet girl, the boss took advantage of it everyone knew. She was happy to see Hera going somewhere else, especially since she had a spark in her eye. It''s been a few hours since Hera left home, and she was about to change her life. Or at least that''s what she expected to happen. After taking a few deep breaths she walked through the front door. She looked around, the guild was bustling, young people who seemed to be excited were sitting in one of the benches. A group of kids wearing the same uniform seemed to be receiving a tour from one of the attendants. Hera''s eye seemed to gravitate towards a strong-looking man, with sun tanned skin and thick grey chops who was walking towards the locker room. The man gave a really strong impression on Hera, she wondered why no one else seemed to pay any mind to him. Brushing that aside she walked toward the counter. "Excuse me" A dark-haired woman was sitting on the other side of the counter. She gave Hera a big smile "Hello! Welcome to the Explorers Guild, I''m Carol, what can I help you with?" Hera always got surprised when she was treated so well even if it was part of the job. "Oh, hi, I''m Hera... I''m here join the guild" she said trying to show some confidence. "That''s great Hera, do you have your card? I can check the system for your information with it" Carol got up from the chair so she wouldn''t have to speak so loudly. Hera gave her card to the attendant. And kept looking around seeing the guild with a different light. Since she found out her stats this place seemed to be dreadful and scary. It was the source of her worst memories. The moment her life went wrong. But now it seemed warm, happy and full of hope. She chuckled thinking about how she was too young to be thinking like that when Carol said. "I''m sorry, but we don''t have any job openings available at the moment, but I can put you on the waiting list." The attendant smiled and handed the card back to Hera. "Ah, No.. I mean I''m here to become an explorer," Hera said embarrassed for not making things clear. "Oh, sorry but according to our file, your level 1 stats don''t meet the criteria to become an explorer. Since the devil hunt, we need to have some minimum requirements in order to have safer conditions" Carol gave a soft smile, she was used to turning people down like that. "But... I''m level 2" Hera activated her card, the cards only show any info for its owner unless they are activated. It was just the basic information, the name, level, and job. Most people would have it as a civilian. Carol made a frown, the system said that Hera Kingsley was level 1, and only in a guild she would be able to change that for the first time. However, there was no record of her ever doing a level up, and the guild never got that part wrong. Today was a bad day, she has been dealing with problems since the beginning of her shift. Apparently, there was at least one more to deal with. "I''m sorry, but there is no record of you increasing your level. If you wish to pay for a level up you must come back after making the appointment online." Hera blinked a few times, her level was 2, the card said it. "But I''m level 2" Carol gave her a stern look "Hera, I understand that you must really want this, but we need to trust the people that become explorers, we can''t have someone that would change the information that shows in the card just to get in." Hera never heard about being able to change what the cards said. And she did level up. It wasn''t her fault the guild records were missing. "But I..." She started talking but Carol cut her off raising her hand. "Look, you can make an appointment to level up, you can leave or you can be escorted out. I apologize for being rude but we have a full day today and I don''t have time to deal with stubbornness" While she spoke two burly men approached Hera by the sides. They looked like bouncers from clubs and started to escort her to the exit. Because of their presence, she felt too intimidated to say anything. However, when Hera saw the big open doors get closer she stopped walking. "I''m not going" The two men looked at each other and with a sigh, the one on the right started to speak. "Look, miss. It''s better if you go, we don''t want to make a scene." Her hands were shaking. It would be the third time she left the guild being robbed of her dream. And this time, it would be unfair. She meets the requirements and had a skill. It was her right to apply to be an explorer. "I''m. Not. Going. Let me talk to Helena" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. With the mention of the name, Carol got up and was about to call the security back, but the following events went too fast. The man that spoke to Hera grabbed her arm and started to push her towards the exit. Hera being pushed focused her whole body into pushing the man back, slamming her feet in the ground as hard as she could. She felt a tingling sensation covering every part of her and then focusing on her legs. She intended to push back, to stop the man from taking her outside. But something else happened. The moment her feet slammed into the ground she was launched towards him. After the impact, he went flying backward with her. Both hitting the ground and then sliding towards the counter. | Hidden skill unlocked: All In (Active) 6 More surprises | [All In] effects deactivated, | | the cooldown will now start | "Ouch" Hera shoulder had slammed against the bouncer and now it hurts a lot. Carol stood up and rushed to the two that were on the floor "Are you okay?" her eyes were switching from Hera to the security "Yeah, this miss pack a bigger punch than I was expecting" the other bouncer was running towards them looking angry and ready to attack. Carol seeing that screamed towards him "Wow, Peter Stop!" The man slowed down but still got close to Hera trying to make sure she didn''t try anything else. "Peter, for f**k sake, calm down" Hera got surprised by that, guild attendants usually were very polite, especially since they worked directly with the customers. Carol helped the cause of all this trouble to get up, while Peter helped his partner. Still staring at who had thrown him into the ground. At this moment a dark-skinned woman came from the hallway walking towards the desk "What is going on here? I heard that noise from the break room" As soon as Helena saw Hera she gave a big smile and rushed towards her with a shout she almost tackled her new friend hugging her "Hera! I''m so glad you are here" "Ah.. me too.." Still shocked about the situation Hera could only follow Helenas lead. "Hey Carol, what happened?" Letting go of the hug she turned to her coworker "Well..." She explained everything, being interrupted a few times by Hera apologizing to the security guards and her a few times. Even Peter who is the stubborn one couldn''t help but feel bad and apologize to her as well. "Ok, I got, but since no one got hurt we can brush this off right?" Before even receiving an answer Helena grabbed Heras hand and guided to the hallway "I''m gonna take care of her in the back, don''t worry about the paperwork I''ll deal with it too" Carol could only sigh, this was Helena. She would bulldoze trough a situation and by the end, there was hardly anything left to do. The attendant looked around and apologized to the other visitors, who only nodded and grumbled a bit One of the kids pulled the teachers'' coat before asking "Teacher, what is f**k?" The teacher glared at Carol, who could only turn pale while looking at the children. ############################################################# "Again, I''m so sorry, Michael should have known better. And I should have stayed" Helena was apologizing for what happened the last night for the fifth time. Hera was fine, if things worked out differently she could have been angry. Now she felt like she owned the man who tossed her out of the leveling chamber a thank you. "Don''t worry, I''m fine and everything worked out." She gave a soft smile that almost made Helena cry. It was such a pure smile that only a baby should be able to do it. "Okay then, let''s see how your stats are looking then" Helena picked a pale green orb and put it on the desk, there was a cable attached to the back and the orb seemed to have some milky liquid inside. "Just put your hand here and I can see your stats through the monitor. You only need this to show your stats until you become an explorer, after that you only need to show your card with your level." Hera nodded and placed her hand in the orb. It was warm but not too much, but after a few seconds, she felt her hair standing. Helena scratched her head and put a mirror in front of Hera. "Right, sorry about that, sometimes it gets a bit of static and that happens'' Hera laughed a bit while the orb was doing its job. With a ''ping'' the screen that was in front of them flashed and Hera''s status were displayed | Hera Kingsley -- Role : Civilian Level: 2 | | Stats: Increase all | | Strength : 12 Endurance: 11(12) | | Agility: 11(12) Charisma: 11(12) | | Intelligence: 11(12) Luck: 11(12) | | Skills: | | Passive: | | Exponential Growth | | Active: | | All in | | Exponential Growth: | | While all attributes have the same value | | the user is able to increase | | all of the attributes by 1 at once. Cost | | changes with the value of the attributes | | Current attribute point cost | | to use the skill: 3 points | | All In (Rank 1): | | The user can increase one of its attributes | | to perform a single action as if all the | | available bonus points were allocated in | | the relevant attribute having bonus | | increments at the same time reduce all | | other attributes to 11 (10 + level - 1) | | for 5 hours | | Value of attribute when the skill is used: | | 14,5 | | Cooldown: 36 hours | | Remaining(35:48:35) | "Ohhh, that''s amazing!" Helena was reading her skills impressed with a level 2 with 12 average points. Hera, on the other hand, was staring at her skill. Not only it was an active skill that would make one of her attributes stronger, but it was also a rank 1 skill. That meant in higher ranks the skill could have stronger effects, or a lower cooldown and debuff. How much was the bonus increment? If it followed the regular stats rule, it would be around 50%, since she would need 8 points to increase a single stat from 10 to 14. Skills that had a rank would increase it''s power with each rank, in theory, the next rank could increase even more her stat, or lower the cooldown. There were many possibilities and Hera was running trough a few of them in her mind wondering if she could direct this evolution until she felt someone poke her arm. She pulled the arm back jumping a bit seen Helena looking at her "Are you okay, you stayed there for a couple of minutes without answering." Helena gave a warm smile that only made Hera feel guilty for ignoring her. "Yes... sorry. After yesterday my mind is just... different." Hera lowered her head trying no to look at Helena. "Oh, that''s okay, you must have changed your Intelligence attribute. It does that to you, especially in the first few days. Let me check one thing...Wait... What? Hera what did you do to change your stats so much? You even lowered the endurance." It was the first time Helena saw something like that, according to the file Hera had some pretty crappy stats, but now they were higher than they should be. Even if she could redistribute her points like Michael had said there are twelve extra attribute points in the middle. "Yeah, when I woke up my Stats Relocation, evolved to Exponential growth, and then I could use my points to increase them all at once" Helena''s eyes widen and she quickly tapped on the skill Hera just mentioned. Even before she finished reading the description her jaw had already dropped. This skill was incredible, sure, it meant that using this would mean you would never excel at one thing. But you would never have a weakness either. It was perfect for anyone who wanted to cover all their bases. And probably the best skill someone who would have the explorer role could wish for. She grabbed the recruit by the hand and looked deep into her eyes "Hera, please tell me everything that happened before your skill evolved" "Okay... " Hera was staring a bit worried by the look on Helena''s face, but she started to recount what happened the night before, she skipped her crying since she felt too embarrassed to share it. "Right, I got it... maybe. I need to put a requisition really quick just give me a second" Helena started to type, having a serious face Hera could see how she was beautiful. A sharp jawline and tiny nose with her curls flowing to the side of her head. She had an intense look in her eyes that only made the hazel color more vibrant. Her skin even seemed to be glowing ever so slightly and there was even a reddish spot near her jawline. Hera started to wonder what was Helena Charisma at. "Hera, you are staring dear" Hera quickly looked away getting red with embarrassment before saying softly "Sorry" "It''s okay. Now, let me give you a quick advanced lesson. Very few skills can''t be acquired by other people. Actually, as far as we know, the only type of skill that can''t be learned by someone else would be innate skills, Skills that you get when you level up for the first time, or that you always had. But they are not exclusive. For instance, other people had your Stats Relocation. All the skills will always work the same way if they have the same name that is. So your skill is just like the skill anyone else could have. Are you following so far?" Helena stopped typing for a bit to look a Hera who responded by nodding. "Right. That also means that any change in one skill can be used by anyone else that has them. So if we can replicate the condition other people could evolve their skill just like you did." That meant that Hera wasn''t special or chosen by the system. She was just lucky which was fine since she was able to discover this and become an explorer was special enough. Even though she still felt like the system still owned her a bit. "What I''m doing right now, is making a quest to test the conditions of the skill evolution. That way if we managed to confirm it we can add to our database and all explorers that have the skill can know of the possibility and even look for other possibilities with it." Hera looked at Helena, this was new information. She never heard about a skill database or something like that. "This is a trade secret. All explorers know about it, but no one is allowed to tell civilians, we do this so that no one tries to upgrade a skill before leveling up. That can be very dangerous for both the person and whoever is around them. You would probably only hear about this in a couple of weeks since the basic training takes a while to get there. But I felt like it was fair for you to know since you helped find this out. And of course that way you can have a bit of an easier time in class when you get to this subject." Hera looked at Helena without understanding those last few sentences "What class?'' Helena gave Hera a big smile before answering "Your explorer class silly, you have the best average stats I ever have seen, two absurdly strong skills to boot and want to be an explorer. Do you think I''m letting such a prime specimen of recruit escape? Now there is a class next month for the new recruits, but honestly, I don''t want to wait two whole months to see what type of explorer you will be. Soooo I can pull a few strings and make you join the class that starts today, it will be easy, all I have to do is click this button. But, the choice is one hundred percent yours. If you need some time to process and talk to someone you are free to do so for as long as you want." Helena stopped talking so fast and looked at Hera with a calm expression and started to speak a bit more slowly. "I Don''t mean to pressure you, sometimes I just get a bit too excited. This is a big decision and even if you say you changed your mind it will be okay. You can even come back in a few months or years wanting to join again and we will welcome you with open arms." Hera was overwhelmed by all that information. Yesterday at this hour she was still a clerk in a bookstore with no hopes of having a happy life. And now she could start the training to become an explorer today. She took a few deep breaths trying to avoid a panic attack and Helena was giving her some space, but at the same time put a glass of water in front of her and pushed towards the potential recruit. Hera took a big sip and feeling a bit calmer looked back at the woman who changed her life. ''So, Hera Kingsley, should I click this button? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Hera looked back at Helena who saw the fire in her eyes. She had a sixth sense about which recruits would do well as explorers, and to her, Hera seemed to be one of them. That spark was telling her his gut was right. "Yes, please!" Hera answered. Helena gave a big smile and then clicked the button, getting up and taking Hera by the hand. "Great, now follow me, you are already late for the first class" 8 Running Star "What are ye waiting for? Let''s go." Before the students could realize what was going on, Mr. Greyson had already opened the door and left the class. A girl in the front seat looked back at class. "Do we follow him?" The students stared at each other, trying to figure out what to do when they heard yelling coming from outside. "If ah have to wait for more than ten minutes ye all are running the drill." "What is the drill?" One of the boys asked. One of the older ones got up and started walking to the door. "I have no idea, but I really don''t want to find out." As if agreeing with him, all the students got up and rushed through the door. The first student to leave the room saw him looking back and going down the stairs. "We need to go down!" He said before following the teacher. Hera got up and followed the group, but she stayed at the back, afraid of stopping and hurting someone. At her side, a girl who she assumed was running at the same pace. "Hey, it was a nice thing you did to help that guy. Even if it was an accident." The girls had her long blue hair set in a ponytail and bangs that resembled a bit how the Hero Undine do her hair, albeit shorter. "Oh.. thank you... I... he... The teacher just reminded me of a customer I had and making him talk about something else made him cool off." She avoided eye contact, worried Mr. Greyson would be angry if he knew what she did. The girl started laughing at the same time they went down the stairs. "You treated Mr. Greyson as a rude customer? Oh my god, that is amazing." Hera''s eyes widen, "Please don''t tell him." The girl shook her head, "Don''t worry, that was incredible. I need to think about how my work can help me here, the previous work I mean. What''s your name?" The group was going down the second flight of stairs. Hera noticed that even though they were almost running, she wasn''t feeling tired at all. Yesterday this light jog would have exhausted her. "I''m Hera." "Hey Hera, I''m Pamella, but you can call me Blue." Hera tilted her head, nicknames usually are part of name right? That was an odd one. "Why Blue?" Pamella pointed to her hair. "Oh, right" Hera felt embarrassed she didn''t think about that reason. It was literally in her face. "I''m just kidding, my last name is Blunt and since in my class there were two other girls called Pamella. People started calling me Blue since Blunt seemed a bit too formal." Hera smiled at her. She knew it was just a joke, but that still made her feel uncomfortable. Even if Pamella was just being friendly. At the same time, she wondered if she wasn''t being made fun of. Following the group one more flight of stairs, Hera realized that they were going towards the basement since they had just passed the ground floor. She stopped before going down and looked around. The hallway was empty, one side seemed normal, but when she turned to look toward where the locker room as she noticed a Grey cloth stuck to the wall. "Hera? What''s wrong?" Pamella stopped in the middle of the stairway, looking worried to her new classmate. "This seems, wrong, the locker room is that way. Why would Mr. Greyson take us to the basement?" Pamella looked down to the rest of the group "Maybe he has a different place in mind" "I don''t know... I think he would take us to where they train. I''m going to take a look." Hera started dashing through the hallway towards the cloth. While she heard Pamella yelling. "If you are late, we are all running the Drill!" She knew, but she also knew what she saw. There was something off about this. When she came to see the guild with her school, they told them that the lower floors were used for storage and research. Why would a teacher take his students there on the first day? Reaching the fork in the hallway, she looked at the cloth. It was stuck in a monitor that kept playing the Guild commercial. Looking left, she recognized the path to the locker room. To her right, there was something in the back that seemed to glow. She started sprinting toward the light, but halfway through it, she saw the solid stone wall changing to a glass one. That glass wall lets you see inside a big room, filled with equipment and a running field. Some people were training there. Hera assumed they were explorers since the training seemed to be almost impossible for a normal human. Scanning the room, she finally saw an area that had a few training dummies and one big sun-tanned man standing in front of them looking towards her. ############################# Mr. Greyson smiled at his student. She was the first to get there, but he had seen her in the back of the group. That new batch of recruits seemed to be too green even for the standard of a beginner course. He was glad at least one of them seemed to have some brains. He waved at her, but that caused her to run back the way she came. That surprised Greyson. Sure, he was being harsh, and his personality wasn''t very welcoming, but running away after seeing him hurt a bit. He scratched his chin, wondering if the beard was contributing to the bad look. If it came to people running from him, maybe he should consider changing his style, even if he was very fond of it. Still pondering about what he could do to be more friendly towards other people, he saw the girl running through the hallway towards the entrance to the training ground. She was halfway through the door when another girl showed up, the one with the blue hair that seemed to be a bit too into the Heroes. The first girl, the one that arrived late, stopped in front of him at the same time he saw the rest of the class running through the hall. ############################# "Would ye look at that," The teacher was staring at Hera, who now was catching her breath. The jogging trough the stairway was fine. But the sprint towards the training room and back, and to it again, was enough to tire her. Still, she had a wide grin on her face. She was fast. Faster than she ever was before, and she could go at her full speed for more than just a few seconds, and she still had some energy. Part of her wanted the class to fail, and run through the Drill, whatever that is. She wanted to test her strength, test what her body could do now. Pamella joined her after a few seconds, nowhere near as tired at Hera, but she also was taking deep breaths. The rest of the class soon got behind them, most were breathing heavily, but a few seemed to be fine with the marathon. "Very well ye all made it in time, so none of ye will run the Drill today." Mr. Greyson walked toward one of the training dummies. "Now, ye all need to show me what ye can do. This dummy is made for practice. It can take a beating and it won''t break," He walked towards one of the silver dummies. "Ye will use the wooden ones if you get a higher level you need to swap for a more resistant one like this," With a swift movement, he slammed his fist in the dummy''s head, making a Cleng noise that startled even the other explorers in the room. Above the dummy, a screen showed a score of 183 points. "Each one of them is linked to a computer. So they can give you an idea of how strong yer attack was. Even if ye are a mage ye need some strength to fight. And Ah need to know what ye can do so Ah can teach ye." The students mumbled a bit until the man who left the class first stepped forward "Can I go first?" he said it very confidently. It surprised Hera that he could ask something like that without any hesitation. "Very good laddie, ah like who takes initiative. Take one of the weapons in the wall and give it a good whack, also what''s yer name?" The man walked towards the wall and put his hand in a wooden spear, letting out a long sigh before answering "It''s Leonidas" Mr. Greyson gave a resounding laugh after hearing the name "And ye know how to use a spear, my boy? Yer parents never gave ye a chance" "No, they didn''t" Leonidas walked in front of a dummy and took a deep breath. His whole presence shifted. From someone confident and joyful to a cold and centered person. Hera was taken aback. It was the first time she ever saw someone with a bit of combat experience get ready to attack. A few seconds passed before he pulled the spear to the side with one hand while aiming it with the hand in the back. With a thrust, he hit the center of the dummy, making a loud noise as if a high shelf had just fallen into the ground. Leonidas took a step back, staring at the spear and then at the dummy with a surprised face. "Ah told ye laddie, the dummy is a tough nut to crack." Mr. Greyson said with a smile before pointing towards the monitor. In big blue letters, Leonidas'' score appeared. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 23 Points. "That is the strength of yer attack. It is the same as if yer strength score was a 23. When ye strike, the skill behind it also makes it stronger than yer own score. Very good for a recruit boy, Ye may make yer name justice one day," Leonidas smiled and put the spear back in the wall before walking towards the group. The teacher clapped his hand once and asked. "So, who is next?" 9 Hit that dummy All the students were looking at each other. Leonidas display was impressive, especially since most of them had no actual combat training. Noticing the impatience of Mr. Greyson Hera was taking deep breaths trying to muster the courage to step forward. However, someone beat her to it. "I''m next!" Pamella took a few steps forward, staring at the dummy. "Very good lassie, tell us yer name and show what ye can do," Pamella kept looking towards the dummy, and with a frown said "I''m Pamella, but my friends call me Blue, and teach I have a problem. What I know how to do is based on grapples and throws. I don''t know if it will work against something that doesn''t move." Mr. Greyson nodded and pressed something in a tablet near the wall. The dummy in front of Pamella took two steps forward and threw a punch towards her. Then it reset its arm and punched again. On the third punch, it was clear the dummy was doing the same motion over and over again. Pamella who was a few steps away from the dummy gave a cocky smile before looking at the teacher "That''s will work, Thanks!" Mr. Greyson just gave a smile and a nod and watched as she was getting ready to attack. She had one foot to the back and on to the front, holding both of her hands in front of her in different heights. It looked like something out of a kung fu movie, but at the same time, the way she moved her legs reminded Hera of boxers. Pamella moved closer to the dummy, gauging the distance between her and her target. She was taking her time, making sure not to make any mistakes. Hera saw her arms tense just before she started to move. In a flash, Pamella grabbed the wrist of the dummy with her left hand, turned her body while positioning her shoulder under the attacker''s arm, making her back press to its chest. With a loud scream, she pulled the dummy arm, using its weight to throw the target on the ground. The dummy hit the floor, making a noise louder than what the spear had just made. The mannequin then got up from the ground and moved back to the position it was before starting to punch the air once again. "Very good Lassie, 20 points. That''s no small feat for a counter," Pamella was panting a bit, Hera wasn''t sure if it was the pressure of the moment or the move that she just did, but that seemed to take a lot out of the girl. "Thanks, I guess double my strength is pretty good," That remark made Mr. Grayson laugh once again "Pretty good? Yer a goddamn monster lassie, even ah can only increase by a bit over half of my strength, without a skill" "But she was just kidding, right? Your strength is not 10 is it?" The boy who had made the teacher angry asked "Yes it is, and I can show it to teach to confirm it." Pamella said staring at the boy. "No need lassie, I read all yer files," Mr. Greyson looked at Hera "Well, almost all of them," Hera felt the rest of the class staring at her. She just realized that the way she showed up made it seem like she was getting special treatment. Which in a way she was, but not like they would think. "Now, who of ye will go next?" The students hesitated once again. How could they follow these two monsters? Hera was still thinking about how she could clear any misunderstandings when she heard Mr. Greyson calling her "Hera, how about ye show us yer moves?" She came out of her daze and stared at the teacher. But it was clear she had no other choice. Walking towards the wall, Hera looked at all the weapons there. There was almost any weapon you can think, swords, shields, whips, gauntlets, sickle, even what looked like a battering ram. She looked at them and approached Mr. Greyson. "I.. I never used any weapons before, and I can''t do it with my hands," The teacher stared at her and then turned to talk to the class "Miss Hera never used a weapon before. But that hardly means anything. This class will give ye some basics in using many weapons inside the MAZE. Try them all and look for the one that suits ye." He looked back to Hera ''This is th'' first opportunity to do it, so just pick something ye think ye might like. She nodded and walked towards the wall once again, spears and lances seemed too big to control, Daggers too short. She had no idea how to use a bow and a shield. It was something to protect, not to attack. Hera looked at the axes. Big two-handed ones seemed really cool, but she would look ridiculous using them. She looked at a handaxe. It was smaller than the two handed ones but big enough to have some reach. She grabbed made the swing motion a couple of times. It feels right, but she then looked at the wooden blade and realized that there was a high chance she would miss the point where she wanted to hit so she put the weapon back in the wall. Then she went for the swords. They always looked reliable and simple. You just swing and hit with any part of it. Looking at the swords, she didn''t feel any of them being the right fit. Too small, or too big, and even too fragile looking. She was about to move towards the more unique weapons when her feet knocked down a sword. She picked it up and could see a layer of dust that had gathered on the wooden blade. That weapon seemed worn out and forgotten. She could even see some light dents in the places where she hit. For some reason, she felt bad about it. For a sword that had seen so much use to be just left there, and no one even cared about, all its hard work so far just... Ignored. She dusted the sword off and went to one of the dummies that weren''t moving. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Thinking about the movies she saw when she was little. The training and studying she did while waiting for her first level up. Memories that were once locked away all came flooding into her head. She put one foot in front of the other, mimicking the stance used in kendo since they also use wooden swords. Mr. Greyson waited patiently for Hera to pick her weapon. Since she never had used one, she needed to look at them carefully. It was the same for the rest of the class. But he didn''t mind, this was the part of the training he knew. Not the part where they needed to be in a stuffy classroom explaining how the world works to a bunch of greenhorns. The girl had chosen an old and beat up sword. The thing looked like it could snap if you pressed too hard. But his student seemed to use it well for someone who never held one before. He watched as she got into her stance. It was honestly a mess. Her weight was on the wrong foot, her arms too stiff, and her breathing was all over the place. Yet, her eyes were right, really right. The room was noisy, and it was easy to get distracted, but her focus shifted to the dummy. Concentrating on the point where she wants to strike, even with the loud bangs around them. Greyson himself needed some effort to be focused like that. After a few moments, she took a step forward and hit the dummy in the neck with a slashing motion. The impact made a small tud sound, but at the same time, the entire class heard a loud crack. Hera looked at the sword in her hand, starting to panic. The wooden blade had cracked, and it looked about to split. She looked around, and the teacher was walking towards her. Taking a step back she tried to hide the sword behind the dummy, not letting go of it. "It needs work but ye have potential lassie. 14 points is pretty good for the first try, even if that is yer strength," He stopped in front of her "And why are ye hiding the sword?" Hera didn''t want to think about what would happen since she broke a sword. Her bank account was in the single digits and the gear explorers use is very expensive. "My strength is 12 actually, maybe 11 I forgot to check." Hera didn''t know if there was a way to check her debuff aside from opening the status screen. But doing so while talking to someone is considered rude. The teacher tilted its head. It was an odd thing to say. The scores were only affected by buffs or debuffs, but he was sure she didn''t use any skills to attack. "All right, Ah can check yer file later. Now tell me why ye are trying to hide the sword?" Hera looked down and showed the sword to Mr. Greyson. She couldn''t look him in the eyes. What if they kicked her out for damaging the guild property, hit her hand trembling the teacher picked up a sword and let out a long sigh. "I.. I broke the sword. But please don''t kick me out! I can''t pay the guild back yet but I can work as a clerk or a janitor or whatever just please let me stay here." Without realizing her eyes were filling up with tears. The fear of being so close only to be kicked out again overcame her. Greyson was a callous man, but even he was taken aback for her reaction. If anyone was at fault, here is the who let a crappy sword stay in the training room. He put a hand on Hera''s shoulder, trying to comfort her. "It is okay Lassie, the sword was old and not enchanted the way it should. No one is getting kicked out for it" He gave a soft smile, and for one moment all his students saw his imposing figure change to that of a loving grampa. That didn''t last long. Seeing the class change the way they were looking towards him Mr. Greyson bounced back to his usual posture. "Now go back to the group" he guided her with his hand on her back "and you, go next!" He pointed to the middle of the group just waiting for any of the students to take the bait. "Me?" one of the girls in the middle asked. The teacher held back a smile. This trick always worked. "Aye ye lassie, c''mon we don''t have all day." The girl went to the wall to choose her weapon, but Hera was too distracted to pay attention. Her eyes were still watery, and she was trying to calm herself down. Pamella walked over her. "Hey, are you ok?" Her voice was soft, and Hera could see that she was reaching with her hand but stopped midway. That made her feel more comfortable. It was nice being near people who understand that sometimes we need space. "Yeah, I just got worried." Hera looked around and saw a water cooler in the back of the room. "I''m just gonna drink some water" Hera walked away from the group, not realizing that the whole exchange was witnessed by a man with a bright pink mohawk. 10 Unexpected rematch All students had made their demonstrations to Mr. Greyson. Aside from Pamella and Leonidas, no one got a score above 16, and even the man who got that was only one point over his strength score. "Very well, ye will have a few tests during the training. One of them is to beat the score you just got. It can be with a different weapon, but you need to do better than this. Even you two," The teacher said pointing at the two students who got a score above all the others. "Work to be stronger by the end of the training," Leonidas just gave Mr. Greyson a nod, while Pamella started to complain to Hera "Is he crazy? I got double my strength D O U B L E. How am I supposed to beat that?" Hera looked at her and with a smile said "Maybe being angry will help" Pamella scoffed at her, "Well if that helps I should do it right now. I''m really pissed" "All right, now ye all should have a feel for the weapons. Each of ye pick a weapon ye never used and hit the dummy. Try to see if ye find something ye like." That''s how the recruits spent the rest of the day. Trying out all the weapons they could to see if they would find the one that suited them the best. Even Pamella and Leonidas were testing new options, even if they started close to what they knew. Using a lance, the trainee that held the top score made a move that could only be described as barefoot jousting. Getting a score of just 13 before changing back to other types of spears and glaives. By the end of the day, he even had tested a scythe, which was extremely clunky but ended practicing with a bow for a good amount of time. Pamella was no different. She started testing out arm guards, moving on to shields and even trying out whips. After the third time, she almost hit someone else. Mr. Greyson told her to choose the weapon as part of her practice in the next weeks, but to keep it in the wall for now. When class was over she was closer to what she knew, using a pair of glove claws, which were essentially gloves with pointy fingers. That seemed to work well with her grapple based combat since it could hold her opponent better and give a bit of damage in the process. Hera tried most swords, daggers, and maces. None of them felt right. Then she moved to shields. They were all too big, it made her movements feel awkward. She looked back at the big weapons, picking up one of the double-bladed heavy axes. It had a nice movement, but it wasn''t a quick weapon. She would have to be sure to strike at the right time or she would take too much time in going for a second strike. Putting the weapon back on the wall, she went for the bastard sword. It wasn''t as heavy, and maybe the swing would be better. It was also a common weapon for cartoons and movies, because of that Hera had a few ideas on how to wield it. Sadly, it was just an Idea, after hitting a few times she realized that the weapon was weird. Its reach was smaller than that of a two-handed weapon, and its weight was too much to use it with one hand. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Then she noticed a Chakram, a circular blade with a handle in the middle. It was the weapon that the hero used in her favorite TV show. She picked the Chakram up and tried a few times, swinging it and getting ready to throw it at the dummy. But before she made her attack, one of the boys in the class said. "Hey, look at the warrior princess over there." That caused a few of the other students to laugh and snicker. Hera decided not to bother even testing the weapon. She already had received special treatment from the guild. The last thing she wanted was to give the other students any more reason to pick on her. The last weapon she tested was the hand axe. It had a strong impact, and the speed wasn''t that bad. But even though she managed to hit the wooden blade on the target most of the times, she realized that it was something she needed to be conscious of. Since a big part of the weapon was just the handle, if she got distracted she would end up missing the blade. Against a target that would not fight back, there was no problem, but if it was a real monster, she would probably have gotten badly hurt. Hera felt comfortable with the axe, even if it was a bit trickier to use. But at the end of the day, she went back to the sword. It was easier to learn what most explorers used. During the day Leonidas gave some tips to Hera, mainly about letting her body loose. It didn''t take long for Pamella to do the same regarding the movement of her feet. Hera thought she should have felt bad about disrupting their training, but for the first time in a long time, she just thanked the duo for their help. "Okay, yer all done for today. Grab whatever ye left in the class and go home. Tomorrow ah want all of ye here at seven" "But Mr. Greyson, It''s past ten, and I take a couple of hours to get here." One student said. The teacher stared at her, "So, ye better get moving lassie. Explorers might need to spend a few weeks with almost no sleep. It will be good training for ye." Hera looked at the girl, feeling sorry for her. She remembered what it was like to work two hours away from home. At least it was just for a month, and Hera felt glad she had found a good house near the guild. With the class dismissed, Pamella walked beside Hera towards the classroom talking about the weapons they tried. "There is nothing for me to use. Maybe I should get a spiked armor to hit the monsters when I''m throwing them," "Wouldn''t the monster get stuck? And if they didn''t, you will be showered with their insides. Imagine what the blood would do to your hair, it might even turn purple," Pamella stopped walking and just stared at Hera, looking horrified. "How can you even say that? Not my beautiful hair." She started stroking her hair like it was a puppy who just got hurt. "Girls and Hair, that is one relationship I will never understand." Leonidas said after he slowed his pace for the two of them to catch up. "Don''t even try to, we can lose our life but never our hair." Pamella still was pouting after imagining the scene Hera described. "Are all of you like that?" Leonidas was rolling his eyes which made Hera laughed before answering "I can''t say for all of us, but I would gladly lose my hair to save my life," she looked back at Pamella "Sorry," With a look of shock, Blue chanted "Heresy, Treason, Blasphemy" The trio laughed and kept discussing the weapons they tried, and how each felt. It was just like Helena had said once you become an explorer is hard to think about anything else. When they reached the classroom Hera saw the students picking up a bag that had the guild symbol in the front. "Humm... Pamella? Where did you buy that one?" She said pointing at the bag. "You mean the bag? It was in the care package we all got when we enrolled in the class. Didn''t you get one?" Hera froze, she just realized that Helena asked to meet her after the class and here she was making her wait. "I Have to go, I need to go talk to someone" Before even getting an answer she was walking back to the reception, picking up her cellphone she quickly typed "I''m so so sorry, I forgot we still had things to do, are you still in the guild?" She went to the stairway, almost jumping the steps, before seeing a new message pop on her phone. "You forgot about little old me? Ohhh Hera I thought you liked me T.T. JK!! Don''t worry sweetie, I''m still here dealing with some paperwork. Meet you at the Heroes Hall in 15." Seeing the text, Hera relaxed a bit and stopped running. She didn''t want to make her wait, even if it wasn''t something she knew it would happen. Hera felt she owned Helena everything, she even laughed at herself for being so dramatic. It was just the second day after she had a life-changing event. Stepping on the ground floor, Hera noticed she still had over ten minutes to kill, so she decided to go to the training area. She wanted to see how real explorers trained. She walked towards the big glass wall and saw that the training area was far from empty, although it wasn''t exactly crowded either. A couple was sparring near the dummies they used during class. The man used a two-handed sword while his partner used a pair of rapiers. They seemed to be training a specific move. The sword wielder was repeating the same attack, an overhead swing, over and over. While the other man tried to parry it, using the rapiers in various ways. Hera was looking at both, trying to see how their body moved with each attack. Where they were putting the weight of their body and the point where they were looking at. Until in one parry a loud clang rang and the two-handed sword has pushed back making the men holding it spin around. Both of them looked at each other with a big smile and repeated the same move a couple more times. After the fifth time in a row, the sword was pushed back. Both men laughed and gave each other a high five. That turned into a hug, and then a kiss. Hera looked away at that point. She never had a problem with public displays of affection, but it wasn''t like she enjoyed watching it. She felt it was just her way of respecting their privacy. Hera started walking towards the Heroes Hall when she turned the corner she almost bumped into a man wearing mirrored sunglasses, a long burgundy trench coat, and a bright pink Mohawk. She froze for a second, it was the same man that tossed her out of the leveling chamber. He stretched out his hand towards her, and instinctively she ran. The ground floor had many hallways. She knew it wouldn''t be impossible to get to where Helena would meet her if she went another way, and that was exactly what she did. Not even looking back Hera sprinted as fast as she could towards the Heroes hall, making a few people look at her wandering, why would that girl be running like that. When she finally arrived at her destination, she looked around, but Helena was still nowhere to be seen. Hera walked towards the back of the room, panting a bit but before she could relax she saw the man with the pink mohawk walk in the hall. Hera stepped back, panicking until her back hit the wall under the stained-glass picture of Cyrus. She saw the man getting closer and raising his hand towards her and then... Darkness... 11 You have a hero Hera had her eyes closed, waiting for whatever the man was going to do. Holding her breath, she was hoping her new endurance stat would be enough for her to survive another explosion. "Get the hell away from her Ashe, I told you it wasn''t the time." That was a voice Hera recognized. Carefully opening her eyes, she saw Helena in front of her, with a dark smoke enveloping both her and the guild clerk. "But I want to apologize to her!" The dark smoke seemed to lash out towards the man like whips, Hera could see Helena''s hair changing color. Becoming darker and darker, a few of her curls also seemed to ooze out the smoke that stretched and expanded from her. "I do not care what you want! You attacked a civilian, the guild job is to protect the people outside the MAZE not to harm them! The second you did that you lost any rights you had to ask for something. Now get out of here, you are still suspended for the next six months." Ashe tried to speak again, but very few would dare to anger Helena. Her level was higher than his, he knew that. He also knew that she famous for fighting against monsters almost ten levels stronger than her without a problem. Hera just hid behind Helena until the man left. Her back wasn''t hurting and even the scar seemed to be gone after the level up but the pain and the fear was still with her, like a claw grasping her throat, she was even having trouble to breathe. A few moments later Ashe had left the Hall of Heroes, Helena turned around to check on Hera''s condition. "Are you okay? Did he do something to you?" Her voice was trembling, but Hera couldn''t tell if it was panic or anger. "I''m... I''m okay." Hera had to take a deep breath before answering. Just now realizing that she was shaking. "No, you are not Okay, you can say when something is wrong sweetie." Helena placed her hand on Hera''s shoulder. Hera forced herself to stop shaking. She didn''t realize how terrified she was of the man after the previous day, but it all made sense. Her hurry to get out of the guild. She didn''t even consider asking for someone to check her injuries, she already was at the best place to look for help with that. But the only thing she was thinking was to run back home. Once again she felt stupid, she was better than that. Her intelligence could be lower at the time, but that wasn''t an excuse for that level of stupidity. She is now an explorer, she can be better than that. She has to be. "Hera? Sweetie? Please say something, we can go after a healer if you like they have skills to help you calm down." Hera shook her head "No, thank you I''m O... I''m going to be okay." She gave a weak smile. For a high-level explorer like her, what happened to Hera was nothing more than a bad day hunting. However, for a civilian who had just got their first level up, an attack like the one Ashe did, would be the same as taking a direct hit from a dungeon Boss twice your level. Many explorers would quit or take an extended leave when faced with a situation like that one. And there was this girl, facing the same boss two days in a row. She was still shaking, obviously terrified, but she refused to let that pull her down. The fire in her eyes was still burning. Helena gave a big smile to Hera, "Okay, but I want you to promise me you will talk to me if you feel like it''s too much. pinky promise," She raised her hand while holding her pinky out. Hera laughed a bit. How can someone change from being strong and mature to acting like a preteen so quickly? She linked her pinky with Helena''s "Pinky promise." She said while linking their pinkies together. "Great, now let''s go to the office, I still have some things to give you." Helena walked towards the door, holding Hera''s hand. But stopped and looked around, making sure Ashe wasn''t in the hallway before continuing towards the office. It wasn''t a long walk, and soon both of them were sitting down on the same desk they were earlier that day. Hera felt weird. It seemed like it''s been more than a week since she sat there. Hera almost slapped herself. It was the second time today she stopped to ponder about the past, and how things changed. She had to stop doing that, or she would become an annoying old lady before her thirties. "So, Hera, I got all your data now I just need to give you your pre... Post first day information. First, the class starts at 8 A.M. and ends at 6 P.M. This can change depending on the teacher, but most follow that schedule. If you get sick, our healers can help you so you don''t miss any classes. At the end of the course, you will all have a test, to be sure you can deal with the MAZE exploration. If you pass, you are a full-fledged explorer, if not you can so the class again in six months. In the meantime, we will hire you as a clerk in the guild." "Now about the pay, when you become an explorer it''s gonna be about contributions, and items and a lot more variables so I won''t get into that until you pass the test. But as a recruit you have a 2.000 gold allowance for the month, this should be enough to live comfortably and if you become a clerk that will be your monthly wage." "You also get this care package." Helena continued placing a black bag with the guild logo in the middle. "Here you have a guild tablet, a holster for it, a set of training clothes on your size, a patch that you can put in any clothing to show you are a guild trainee and a bracelet. This is essentially a human black box, it tracks your vitals and localization inside the MAZE, it can only see the area you are in but it still can be helpful if needed. When you use the tablet, you can also set your biosignature. For now, that will only be used for the tablet but after you pass the test that will your guild access." Hera was taking in all the information. The biggest surprise was the payment. She knew explorers made a lot of money, but even recruits to get 2.000 gold, how much a level 18 would be able to make. "Oh, right! Before I forget, you also get a 500 gold bonus for each skill you discovered. If we can confirm it''s a skill that can be evolved by anyone that meet the requirements you will get an extra 500, and another 250 if you find any other information on how the skill works. If you figure out how one can awaken your second skill that will be another 500 and the same 250 for any new information you can give us about that skill." Hera was looking at Helena with disbelief. Her wage as a bookseller was only 750 gold. And now she was getting 3.000 in one go? Either an explorer gets way overpaid or her last job was worse than she thought. Seeing her face, Helena let out a sigh. "I know you are getting way underpaid for the skills but that is a guild rule. The prices of skills vary depending on several factors. The strength, the method of acquiring it, the number of people who would have access to it. And just because your skills seem to require a rare innate skill they gave the lowest pay to it. Even though it''s an overpowered skill." Hera shook her head. "No, no, no it wasn''t a complaint. It''s just... this is three times my previous salary. Does an explorer really make that much money?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Helena giggled, "Not at all. This much money a level 5 explorer can make in a bad week of hunting. A terrible one actually, maybe killing around 10 low tier monsters a day. " "Really?" Hera was in shock. When she got to level 5, would she be making that much money every week? "Really, after level 10 almost everything you buy, aside from food will be a few thousand, or a few K like we say. After that explorers deal with platinum which is worth 100 thousand gold each." "So, do I have to change my money then? "Hera was already considering the problem that would be if she had to carry thousands and thousands of bills around. "Well, if you want sure, but since almost everything is digital, these days you don''t have to worry about it. Your money will go straight to your bracelet, and when you reach a safe point, it will go to the guild bank. It''s all automatic, so that helps a lot. " Hera picked the bracelet and looked at it, it was a deep black color and it had some runes inscribed around it "When you put on the bracelet, it will be bound to you. You can shower and swim with it all you want it won''t break. And if you remove it and walk away, it will teleport back to your wrist. And my favorite feature," Helena tapped on the tablet in front of her, and her bracelet appeared on her wrist. It was three metal chains spiraling around each other, a gold, a silver and a black one. They seemed to be individual but when Helena moved one all three moved in sync. "You can customize, or make it disappear as you wish. It just takes a bit of time to make a more intricate design. Since it needs to be drawn by hand in the tablet " Hera was impressed, more with the bracelet Helena had than with the possibilities. It was such a delicate work. "Did you made that one?" She asked without taking her eyes out of the metal chains. "Short of, I made the Idea and created a basic drawing, then I asked a crafter friend of mine to make it. Honestly, my drawings are not that good, and crafters seem to have skills that help with this." She remembered all the failed attempts that made her get used to the bracelet being invisible. "You can also, make it disappear," Helena tapped again on the tablet, and the bracelet vanished. "Can you show me how to do that?" Hera asked, looking at her own wrist. "Of course!" Helena was glad Hera asked for something. It was the first time she heard the girl doing that. Even though it was something really simple. A couple of minutes later Hera was able to toy with. There were two options to change the bracelet. A drawing or a 3D model. Most people would use a drawing since it was easier to make and the system would extrapolate the rest. But Hera always liked the 3D classes at school. She could very well give it a go later. "Ok ok ok, let''s not get carried away here, if you want to make your own design let''s just finish what we need." Helena passed a few contracts to Hera sign, standard explorer things. A life insurance, authorization to make the knowledge of the skills available to all. And a Nondisclosure agreement that says she is not allowed to give information about the MAZE or the explorers to any civilian unless it is a life and death situation. This was just to make sure no civilian would try to do something that would put them in danger. Hera gave no mind to it, since it was common knowledge that the explorers wouldn''t talk about the MAZE to civilians. "Okay, now we are done, do you have any other questions, sweetie?" Hera thought for a second. "Just one, what are monster tiers?" Helena gave a big smile "That my dear, is for Calvin to tell you on your class," 13 Understanding skills Hera was already in her seat, the trio arrived five minutes before seven. A few other students were already in class including Mark who was behind a girl in the front seat. Everyone was talking, Hera felt like she was in High school again, but this time without the bad memories. The whole class went quiet the second Mr. Greyson walked through the door. "Good, ye are here already. Aside from a few stragglers, all seem to be here." As if they were waiting for their cue a group of two men and two women walked through the door, just before the clock hit 7. "Ok, ye all are here then. Ah guess no one gave up after the first day" The teacher stared at Mike who recoiled a bit. "My plan was to make ye lot run a few laps before coming back here to hear me talk. But someone told me that Ah should talk first, and then tire ye in the training room. Since there was a chance some of ye would end up sleeping after the training, and if that happens ye are going to be the dummy Ah hit." The whole class got quiet after that remark. Mr. Greyson had punched a silver dummy and got almost 200 points, a hit like that in one of the students would send them to the hospital and that is if they are lucky. "Relax kids, Ah won''t be fighting ye at full strength. But don''t expect me to be playing around." The students were not as relived as the teacher expected but they seemed to be a bit less scared of the idea. Little did they know that a match against him was a part of Mr. Greyson''s lesson plan for the next week. "Alright now, to start the class. Can any of ye tell me what are skills?" A blond girl with twin tails, dark skin and long sparkly nails raised her hand . "Skills are special abilities that the system gives us, they can vary from physical like a strength or resistance boost to magical like being able to shoot fire or lightning from your hands." Mr. Greyson nodded "Ye are half right lassie, I mean..." He stopped to look at his tablet "Ye are half right, Bonnie. But it isn''t the system that gives the skill. It just helps us use it. We need to learn it on or own" Most of the students nodded. It seemed right the system never gave anything, not really, even if some people say they have been blessed by the system it was always their own accomplishments. Saying that the system gave or took something was the same as finding excuses for why that happened. Hera agreed with that, even if she had spent years blaming the system for not letting her be an explorer. "But Mr. Greyson..." Bonnie had a confused expression of her face " f the system doesn''t give any skills, how do we learn magic? I mean, even civilians that level-up can''t cast any spells it doesn''t matter how hard they try to learn it." Hera stopped for a second. The girl was right. Magic was not used by anyone that wasn''t an explorer. Even high-level civilians had no access to it. "Aye, that''s because we can only learn magic inside the MAZE. The air there is different than out here, It''s full of energy. Inside ye can start to learn how that energy behaves, and little by little change that into what ye want." "So, mages take a long time to learn how to use spells?" Hera was wondering how much time it took for Helena to be able to use magic. "Yes and no, if ye choose a role that deals with magic ye will manage to use spells quicker than ye expect. There is sort of an explanation for that but it''s a subject for another class. The MAZE and the system are still full of wonder and mysteries, so it''s better if we don''t change the topic at hand for now so none of ye get confused" The teacher walked to the board and started to write. He made two columns and put a type in each of them. "We have two types of skills, the ones ye can learn, and the ones ye can teach. A skill ye can learn is any skill ye can train and practice until you manage to unlock it on your own. A skill ye can teach is any that requires a specific thing that ye can show other people so they can learn too." "Let''s try an example." Mr. Greyson wrote Punch in the learn column. "Ye can punch enough to learn that skill, but if someone teaches ye a fighting style ye might get a boxing skill." He finished his sentence placing boxing in the teaching column. "Now, can anyone give me another example?" Pamella raised her hand, and the teacher nodded so she could give her an answer. "Sooo... a skill you can Learn would be Dancing, but doing the waltz or salsa or samba would be a skill you can teach?" "That''s a weird one but aye those would be right." "Mr. Greyson, what about magic? Is there any type of magic we can learn? Or any that you can teach us?" Bonnie asked. Hera noticed her expression, the face of someone who desperately wants something. For some reason, she got a bit worried, but it was probably just her bad memories trying to come back. "Aye, there is. Both magic ye can learn and magic ye can teach, but what they actually are I can''t tell ye. Ah''m a fighter, not a mage. Don''t worry ye will be able to talk to a dam good wizard during this training." Hera instantly thought about Helena, but she doubted it would be her. She didn''t seem to be interested in teaching a bunch of recruits. Looking at the board Hera noticed that there wasn''t a mention of skills that you were born with, like her redistribution. She raised her hand and waited for Mr. Greyson to noticed it. "Sir, what about the skills you are born with. I heard people calling them Innate skills." The teacher nodded "Aye, some skills you have since birth. Even if ye can''t see them right away. The system is stingy with information. It only tells ye what ye are able to use, never what ye can one day use. Some explorers only discover those skills when they are very old or very strong." As much as it bothered her, she knew about how the system behaved. If she had known before about her skill she would have had hope, but it doesn''t work like that. "Do we have any other types of skills?" Leonidas was writing everything Mr. Greyson was saying in his tablet, he even made a copy of the drawing on the board. "Aye, Aside from innate skills there are also quest skills, and something called legacy skills. Quest skills ye can get after completing a specific mission inside the MAZE. They mostly work like a skill ye can teach but the teacher is the system and not someone else." Mr. Greyson sat in his desk and let out a deep sigh before continuing. "Legacy skills are a tricky bunch. These skills can be passed from one explorer to another. But doing some makes ye lose the skill. If an explorer dies with a skill like that the legacy either goes to the monster that killed it or to the room where it died. The system turns a dungeon or an area into a trial for that skill. Those places are more dangerous than most monsters ye will find in the MAZE. And if it''s a monster who inherited the skill just run, those things can rip ye apart like cotton candy. I say this so ye know what ye are getting into if ye find a place like that. Explorers stronger than me have tried to get these legacies and died in the process. They are not to be taken lightly" The way Mr. Grayson spoke made the whole class take a moment to absorb what he had just said. A skill that changes even the MAZE should be powerful and at the same time would easily kill who tried to recover it. "Okay, that''s just weird, Why are we calling them skills you can learn and skills you can teach. If you can learn something you can tell everyone how to get that skill too. The naming sense is just weird, especially since there are skills that have a simpler category. I mean you say Innate or legacy and you know what to expect. Shouldn''t we change to basic and advanced skills? Or complex or anything that isn''t so... odd to explain?" The whole class looked a Mark who had just started to ramble, the tension that had just settled in everyone was lifted. Mr. Greyson walked to his side. "Laddie, if ye think the names we use since Ah was a wee baby are a problem. THEN COME UP WITH BETTER ONES" The teacher started speaking calmly but suddenly put his face as close as it could to Mark''s and yelled the last sentence. "Mommy!" His reaction was probably the same anyone else would have when a seasoned fighter would yell so at them being so close to their face. The whole exchange took less than five seconds, and by the sixth, the whole class was laughing. Mark''s face got red instantly and he seemed to try to burrow in his chair. "Don''t worry Mark, any of us would have the same reaction, although I might call my Nana." Pamella said trying to comfort him. "I wouldn''t say the same, Honestly I think I would pee a little" Leonidas followed the comment. Pamella, Hera, and Bonnie, the only girls who listened to that replied with an "Ewwwww'' in sync. "What, the dude could beat us with his pinky I wouldn''t be able to control that" Leonidas seemed to enjoy teasing them. "No, no more talking for you, you are in a time out until we leave class" Pamella interrupted whatever he was going to say next. "Sorry, but I agree, that was too much," Hera said while laughing. Mr. Greyson looked at the class,.tTat was the type of people he liked. Who could understand a serious situation but would start to joke around the second it was over. Taking this teacher job might not have been the worst thing he did. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. With a loud clap, he settled his students. "Alright, now Ah''m teaching you the first skill ye will ever learn." He walked to his desk and picked a few notepads, giving one to each recruit, along with three pencils, one black, one blue, and one green. Then using his tablet he pressed a few buttons, and a map was displayed on the board. ''Crap, hang on" He quickly erased what was on the board making it clear for the map. "Ok, now what Ah want you to do, is to look at this map and copy it in the notebook. Use the three colors to make it more precise." A girl in the back raised her hand, "We should use each color for what?" Mr. Greyson sighed. Maybe this was the worst thing he could do. "Blue is for water, green is for forest and black for everything else. You don''t need to have a 20 in intelligence to figure that out, lassie." Hera twisted her nose a bit. Sure it was obvious, but not for everyone. One thing would be being rude to a student that disrupts the class, but that one just seemed uncalled for. "Now, start drawing, make it precise and not pretty in 10 minutes, I''m changing the map. We will be doing that for the next few hours so try to keep up" Apparently, she didn''t have time to worry about the teacher''s behavior. She had a long day ahead. 14 Drawing Maps Hera was drawing her eighth map. This time she got the whole landmass, the rivers, and towns. All that was left was to do was the forest. Thankfully, this map only had a small forest near the edge, but before she could even put down the first tree, the teacher changed the image on the board. "All right, next one." Mr. Greyson was looking at his tablet. Every ten minutes on the dot he would change the map that was showing without even looking to the students. When the ninth map showed up, the whole class groaned. It was an ocean map and in the middle of it, there was a great archipelago with dozens of small islands. The instructor had alternated between large-scale maps and regional ones. According to him, it was to help us develop the skill faster. But he never said what was the skill or what would it do. Hera had guessed this was the map skill he mentioned the day before, and so did most of the class. Five minutes passed, and Hera was still struggling with the islands when Bonnie raised her hand. "Mr. Greyson? I just learned a skill," The teacher looked up from his tablet for the first time since this activity had started. "Really? What''s its name?" "It''s just called Mapping, is it right?" Bonnie asked, looking a bit troubled. "Aye, the system has a bad naming sense. Ye can keep drawing to practice or just rest until the rest of the class got the skill." With that, he went back to his tablet, and Bonnie gave a satisfied smile. Hera looked back to her map and kept drawing, managing to finish the first set of islands when something clicked. "Mr. Greyson, If we keep practicing will the skill improve?" The teacher gave a soft smile. "Ye got a good brain lassie. Aye, even if a skill doesn''t have a rank it can have a better performance if ye practice it and even an evolution. When all of ye get the skill Ah''ll show how ye can check what might be improved." The whole class got excited about that. Having a map skill could help a lot when exploring the MAZE, and Hera thought about the possibilities. Maybe there was even a way to make the map show where the monsters were, or where dungeons and hidden mysteries would be. The games she played when she was little were taking over her thoughts a bit, but her mind was still racing with ideas. About half an hour later, a couple more students had unlocked the mapping skill. Including Leonidas. Who had his tablet in front of him, showing a different map. "Leo, what you doing?" Pamella leaned over to see his work. "Well. I finished this one is just a bit over five minutes ago, instead of waiting for the next one I got a random map from somewhere in the world and I''m doing that one too." He said without stopping his hand. "Well, excuse me, Mr. Overachiever, I can barely do this one in ten minutes," The teacher changed the map on the board once again and Pamella grunted, "See I still had to make the woods." "I was really close, maybe I can still finish this one," Hera said to herself, doing her best to remember what the map looked like. When she finished the drawing, a notification showed up in front of her. | Skill Acquired: Mapping | Mapping: | Allows you to create a map of a place you have been before. | The more you know about the place, the more accurate the map will be. | Requirements: Drawing space, knowledge of the area. "Hey, I got the skill too," Hera said with a smile. "Oh no, I''m not gonna be left behind." Pamella focused on her drawing with all her might. Hera wanted to keep drawing, to make this skill even stronger. But her mind still wandered to the possibilities. Little by little the other students got their skill and by the time they had reached the 20th map, there was only one person left to get the skill. The same girl who asked about the pencils. Hera got a bit worried if she was having trouble because of Mr. Greyson''s response to her question. But there wasn''t much she could do about that. "Mr. Greyson, how can we check what can be improved?" Bonnie asked. Being the first who got the skill she was the most anxious one to discover how to make the skill even stronger. "Not yet Bonnie, only when all of ye get the skill" That remark made most of the class stare at the girl in the back. Her face seemed a bit desperate. Hera noticed the group of 4 who got late whispering something and then laughing. Just like the girls did to her during Highschool. Most of the time Hera would do what everyone did, ignore other people''s problems, but seeing that girl she couldn''t help herself. She got up from her seat and kneeled in front of her. "Hi, I''m Hera, sorry I don''t know your name," The girl sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "Hi, I''m Alex," For the first time, Hera really looked at the girl. She had silky brown hair that covered a bit of her face going all the way to her shoulder. A Strong and angular jaw, and thick eyebrows. A small pointy nose and thin lips. Looking closely, it was hard to tell if the face was feminine or masculine. "Are you Ok?" Alex nodded, "I''m fine" but her hands were still shaking. Hera held the girl''s hand "Someone very strong told me that it''s okay to say if you are not ok, you can tell me. It''s gonna be just between us," Alex took a deep breath and whispered: "I don''t want to hold anyone back". Her eyes never left the map she was drawing. "Why do you think you would hold anyone back?" Hera looked at the map. It seemed a great one, although the color was off. Alex seemed to have swapped colors in the middle of a line, so it went from black to green suddenly. The girl looked at the group that was laughing and whispered in an even softer voice. "I can''t see colors." Hera looked at the map once again. It made sense, the three pencils had a similar shade. It also explained the question she asked earlier. Alex would need to know which color was which in order to draw. She looked at the girl who was still struggling and started to think. After a few moments, Hera considered what they were doing. The class wasn''t about making a good map, but about unlocking a skill. Maybe Alex didn''t need to be using the colors. Hera took the green and black pencils that were on the table. "Ok, forget about those two. You need to make a map you can understand with only one color," Alex looked at the woman in front of her. She got in late on the first day and seemed so shy and meek, but it was the second day and the second time she went out of her way to help someone else in the class. "But.. how? everything would look the same" She didn''t know what to do, and if she started to make the trees with more details, she would never finish a map in time. "Don''t think about the color or the shape, you can see darker and lighter colors, right? Use that. The water would be lighter or darker?" Alex took a few seconds to answer. "Lighter, the woods would be the darker one," Hera smiled. "Great, now the mid-tone one would be the land. You need to understand the map, I think that''s the whole point." Alex smiled back and drew using the blue pencil. Everything was blue just in different shades, but it was enough to understand. Seeing the girl so focused, Hera walked back to her desk. Leonidas gave her an approving nod while Pamella gave a big thumbs up. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Five more maps passed when Alex yelled excited jumping up in the chair "I got the skill" "Way to go, Alex!" Pamella yelled back and started clapping. Most of the recruits joined in, which made Alex''s cheeks get red while she quickly sat down. "All right then, let me tell ye how can ye see what can be improved in the skill. First, open yer status and tap the skill then try to pull down the window where the skill is." The class seemed a bit doubtful. Most people had tried similar things when they were little, but you couldn''t touch the windows that came from the system. Even when tapping something your finger would just go through it. "C''mon, hurry it up, we don''t have all day" Mr. Greyson seemed to be annoyed by the lack of faith his students showed. Hera opened the skill and tried to drag the window down. To her surprise, it expanded and showed extra information. | Mapping: | Allows you to create a map of a place you have been before. | The more you know about the place, the more accurate the map will be. | Requirements: Drawing space, knowledge of the area. | To improve the skill it must create or enhance existing maps. | The tools used in the process may affect the result. | Current status - Improving the precision of the map. While Hera was reading the description. She noticed Leonidas grab his tablet and draw even more maps as fast as he could, with a soft smile on his face. On the other side, Bonnie was drawing a map very carefully. She was taking a considerable amount of time in each part of her drawing. "Well, it''s close to midday, ye should be getting hungry. Let''s stay here for one more hour and we will have a lunch break. At 1 P.M. we meet in the training room ye all were yesterday," The class nodded, but after a few minutes most of them had slowed down on the drawings. Leonidas, Bonnie, and Alex were the only ones that seemed to be still drawing as fast as they could. Hera looked at the maps she had made "Mr. Greyson are we allowed to keep these drawings?" "Aye, but since they are all real maps of rooms in the MAZE ye can find them in the guild database after the test." Hera smiled and picked up one of the MAZE maps. She looked at it, thinking about what could be in each place. Where could she find a nice view or something that seemed interesting. Some maps had a valley or a river that would spiral with another before reaching the sea. Those areas could be amazing, and Hera wanted to see them. She was distracted thinking about the amazing places she wanted to go but was brought back when Leonidas said "Wow" Hera looked at him as she came out of a trance "What happened?" "My skill.. it changed its name. Now it''s called Atlas" He was staring at a blank space, but Hera assumed it was at the skill window. "Really? Mine changed to Cartography," Bonnie said on the other side. The teacher heard both comments and stepped in. "Aye, some skills can change and evolve. How ye use them will decide what the skill will turn to. Atlas is a version that gives ye more general knowledge of the place. But all pretty basic, it''s great to plan yer travels. Cartography is the best skill for a really detailed map. With it, ye can even draw the placement of the moss in a rock on the path. What it says on the skill window after ye expanded it tell ye what is the path yer skill is taking." Hera opened her status once again and went for the mapping skill. If she was right, it could be something close to cartography in the future. | Mapping: | Allows you to create a map of a place you have been before. | The more you know about the place, the more accurate the map will be. | Requirements: Drawing space, knowledge of the area | To improve the skill it must create or enhance existing maps | The tools used in the process may affect the result. | Current status - Localizing points of interest. Hera got excited. The system really did what it could to help you with what you wanted. They still had around half an hour before lunch, so she kept looking for interesting places. But before she saw any changes in the skill Pamella touched her arm. "Hey, It''s noon, let''s eat I''m starving," Hera sighed and got up. Sadly, her skill still was mapping. But she hoped that would change soon. 15 Where do we eat? "Do you guys wanna try to go to the cafeteria or try someplace else?" Pamella was standing between Hera and Leonidas waiting for the two of them. "Well, I know nothing about the neighborhood. So unless one of you is a tour guide, I think we should go to the cafeteria. Maybe they have pasta, I would love lasagna." Leonidas grabbed his wallet from the bag and got up "You say pasta but I would really go for a burger right now," Pamella said "We could go to the strip mall, is just a couple of blocks away." Both of them looked at Hera, "I worked near here, I know a few places to eat" She smiled. "All settled Hera will guide us to the strip mall" Pamella made a gesture like she was pointing with a sword, as if she was a knight. "Could... could I go too?" Alex was standing a bit behind the group. Leonidas gave her a soft smile and was about to say something when Pamella put her hand in front of him "That depends on one thing," She stared at Alex with a serious expression. Hera looked at the blue-haired girl not understanding her reaction. "Can you tell me what you do to make your hair so silky?" Alex blushed a bit "Oh, I use a papaya conditioner that comes in a bamboo bottle. It''s not that expensive, it''s just hard to find. It''s called Fuzzy Panda" "I think they sell those in a market nearby. I remember seeing the bottle, the logo is a baby panda is taking a bath right?" Hera thought about buying that one last time she went to the market but ended up getting her same old brand. "Yeah, that''s the one. Most people think they are for kids but they are actually pretty good." Just after Alex finished talking Pamella clapped her hands together. "Okay, new plan, we go to the market and then to the strip mall to eat. Don''t even try it, Leo. You don''t want to be between a girl and her hair." "Well... I wouldn''t mind if we ate first" Pamella looked at Hera in shock. "And you call yourself a woman? Just because your charisma is higher than mine it doesn''t mean you don''t need to take care of yourself." Hera looked away, she never used beauty products. The only reason she was different now was because of her stat change and it wasn''t even that high. She was sure Pamella, Alex, and every other recruit had a Higher Charisma. "Pam, drop it. You don''t have to be mean" Leonidas told her with a stern voice. Pamella seeing Hera''s reaction looked at her with a guilty expression. "I''m Sorry Hera, I crossed a line there. It was supposed to be just a joke." Hera shook her head "It''s fine Pamella... I mean Pam. But.. why do you think my Charisma is higher than yours?" All three looked at Hera surprised. "You are joking right?" Alex asked after a few seconds. "No.. Why would I be?" Hera felt uncomfortable with the stares. "Ok, I''m sorry if I''m being mean again, but do you have a mirror? You are flipping gorgeous" Pamella huffed while rolling her eyes. "I''m not, it got better after I leveled up but I''m far from being pretty." Leonidas got up and stood between Hera and the girls "Yeah, no, you are pretty Hera. But let''s change the subject before Blue loses it." "Oh, no you don''t" Pamella shoved Leonidas aside. "You are infuriatingly pretty Hera and never forget that. You look like your charisma could be way above 30." Bot Leonidas and Alex looked at Blue twisting their noses. "Pamella, I know you are trying to help but that''s a stretch, and it doesn''t help. Hera is really pretty but saying her stat is at 30 is like saying she above those supermodels. Not that you are not really pretty Hera but they are just... on a different realm than the rest of us." Hera nodded "Don''t worry I agree, those models are something entirely different, can we even call them humans? Maybe angels?" Models earned a lot of money so it wouldn''t be a surprise if they could level up and spend all the points available in charisma. "Some we can call skeletons, they look like they never eat" Leo joked, and the group laughed. "Ok but I''m not done whit this. Hera, what''s your Charisma? I want numbers." Pamella seemed to be in a better mood but still went back to the subject. "Well, it''s 12" Hera wasn''t sure if she should mention that she had a skill that lowered her stats. Most explorers seemed to hide what their skills truly did, it felt like an unspoken rule. "See it''s not that high, I''m at 12 too." Alex said smiling to Pamella "And I''m at 13, the difference is not that high." Leonidas smiled which only made Pamella take a big step back "That''s really not fair, I''m the only one here that''s under 10?" She lowered her head looking at the floor Before jolting it back up looking straight at Alex "We are going shopping NOW." She grabbed her by the hand and started to drag the girl to the outside. Leonidas looked at Hera, both still in the classroom "How long do you think it will take for her to realize you are the only one that knows where they sell the conditioner around here?" Hera laughed a bit "Honestly I don''t know, maybe a few mi..." Before she could finish her sentence a cry came from the hallway "Heraaaaaaa, we neeeeed youuuu" Pamella yelled in a needy voice. "Guess we didn''t give her enough credit," Leonidas laughed while the two of them walked out of class. ########################################## Greyson was in a lounge for high-level explorers at the guild, he had ordered a meatloaf from a nearby restaurant. For most people that was a weird order. Especially since it was a cheap one, and he was a very successful explorer. But that wasn''t the point. Greyson truly enjoyed the dish. It was simple, and it reminded him of home and his grandmother. He was sitting in one table and getting ready to eat. First placing the dish on his plate and then a napkin on his lap. It was an odd sight that burly callous man having such table manners but it was how he learned and he wouldn''t change the way he was raised. The meatloaf was wrapped in bacon, and it had a steamed veggie filling. Greyson cut the first slice and smelled it. The crispy bacon smell that was mixing with the veggies and the meat was enough to make his mouth water. He cut a slice and moved it towards his mouth when a heavy hand slapped him in the back, making the slice fall back into his plate "Calvin! Still teaching or did they kick you out for beating up a recruit?" The man frowned and looked back to a big muscular woman, with pale skin and long deep blue hair that was braided and pulled back. Making one single braid at the back of her neck. "Can''t a man eat his meal in peace?" He said knowing she was the only one who would greet him like that. "Don''t be so stingy I know you would be bored out of your mind with no one to talk to about the training." The woman sat on the table across him and ate an apple. "Fine, ye are not wrong. The recruits are green, very green most don''t even know how to pick up a sword. But there are some hidden gems around." The man said before taking the first bite of his meal. The woman raised one eyebrow. "Oh, really? For you to be saying that they must be really special. Did they got a good score in your first trial?" she said the last sentence mocking Greyson a bit who just rolled his eyes in response. "Aye, at least two of them. A girl doubled her strength in a counter and there is a boy that seems to have some experience using a spear." He took a bite out of his meatloaf. "Ok, so there are two gems? That''s a pretty decent amount for one group." The woman cut another slice of the apple with a knife. "Actually, there might be four... Ok, three gems and one interesting one." He mumbled while cutting another slice of his meatloaf. "You got to give me more than that Calvin." The woman said with a big smile on her face. Greyson let out a long sigh and slumped a bit on his chair. "Fine Janna, Ah have two very strong warriors, a grappler, and the spearman. A Girl who got the map skill in just a little over one hour. And the interesting one is someone who tried to become an explorer five years ago. Ah never see any recruit who can focus as much as her. She also has a good brain in her head, asking the right questions. And she has an average stat of 12." That piqued Janna''s interest. "And why she is not a gem? An average stat of 12 is something really rare in a recruit. The way you spoke of her it seems like she is the most promising one." She took another slice of the apple. "She''s too green, can barely hold a sword the right way. If the other three are gems she is just a lump of coal." Grayson cut off another big slice of his meatloaf, leaving two slices in the plate. "Thanks, Calvin. If you can just give me their names when the test is over you won''t own me anything else." She winked at him. "Honestly Janna, why did ye took this job as a headhunter? Ye''r Frostbite for f***s sake" Janna waved got up having just finished her apple. "A job is a job Greyson. I don''t intend to die in the MAZE and this will help with that. Also, it''s a great way to meet interesting people." She walked away from the table. "Can I still count on you next week?" Greyson called out while she heads towards the door. Without stopping, she looked back and answered with a smile. "Of course Calvin. It will be a great way to see those gems for myself," Greyson looked back at his plate and finished his lunch, even if the taste had turned bitter. ########################################### Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The recruits had arrived at the training area. Hera ended up getting not only the conditioner in the bamboo bottle but a few other beauty products. Pamella refused to let her leave the store until she got them. Hera didn''t mind, it would be the first time she honestly wanted to take care of herself. Even if she didn''t think anything would change. Her thoughts stopped roaming around and focused on the teacher as soon as he walked in dragging a big black box. Mr. Greyson was in a sour mood and no one could understand why. "All right, ye lot need to know how to handle any type of weapon before choosing yer own." He placed his hand in the black box and opened it. "Here we have swords, that''s the lesson for today Ah''m gonna show you how to handle this without ye taking off yer own eye." The teacher grabbed one of the swords, it was a plain wooden one but it had a weird feeling to it. As if the surrounding air was thinner. Hera took a deep breath to calm down. She was going to learn how to fight. 16 How to hit a dummy "To start, Ah''m gonna teach you about the most basic weapon there is. The sword." He did a couple of moves with the wooden blade, simple swings and stabs. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Now, Ah say it''s basic, but that only means to start using it. No weapon is easy to master. The sword only needs to hit with any part of the blade to deal some damage and that''s why it''s a good starting point." The teacher did more complicated moves, all of them holding the sword in one hand. "As ye become more familiar with the sword ye can use more difficult moves and techniques to increase yer power or to make it more difficult for your target to evade or parry." He started moving even faster, doing some flourishes and using some footwork to spin around an invisible target. He did it in a way that even the recruits could understand where the phantom enemy was. "If ye ever master the sword or any other weapon ye can even place yer own will in the weapon making it even stronger." Mr. Greyson then turned to a golden dummy and slashed with all his might. Hera did her best to focus on the movement, but the slight glow that the sword was giving caught her attention. The glow seemed to have a form now, it was sharp and jagged like it was a saw. Hera watched as the sword hit the dummy and a score of 250 popped in the screen behind it. The whole class and even a few other Explorers who were training clapped. Mr. Greyson fidgeted a bit after that, Hera recognized that reaction to the same one she has when someone is praising her and couldn''t help but smile. Even a seasoned warrior like him had could be embarrassed. "Now then, what ye need to understand is how to strike with it. How to gauge the distance and where you should aim for. So everyone grab a sword and stay in front of a target." Everyone seemed to be excited to start combat training. It took a bit over a minute for all the students to be in front of a dummy with a sword in hand. "Very good, now first Ah want ye all to measure the distance between the target and yerself. Touch the tip of the sword in the dummy chest and move as far back as ye can. Then take another step back and swing a few times to understand how much strength ye can put in each attack." Hera did as he asked. Placing the tip of the sword in the dummy and walking back as far as she could while still maintaining the contact between the sword and the target. When her arm was as stretched as it could be, she took a step back. A couple of students misunderstood the idea and were balancing themselves in one foot, trying to be farther away from the dummy. The teacher gave one of them a small scolding and quickly the rest understood that they needed to keep their footing while moving away. After that, everyone swung their weapons. Leonidas seemed to be used to this type of drill, although his movements weren''t as effortless as when he used the spear. Pamella was having some trouble. She was constantly walking closer to the dummy and had to step back. Alex, on the other hand, seemed to have a good grasp of the training. She wasn''t moving one inch while doing the same overhead swing over and over. Hera did the same. She kept attacking the air with her sword, trying to pay attention to her form and the way her body moved. Her mind was trying to figure out which muscle was being used and how to use them more efficiently. It was a weird feeling to analyze herself in such a way. Even weirder was the fact that the idea seemed to be in her head already, as if she didn''t need to think about it. Wandering if the reason for that was her increased Intelligence stat, she kept swinging. Ten minutes had passed since the recruits started the drill when Mr. Greyson gave the next instruction. "All right, now the most basic move is an overhead swing. The same some of ye are doing, use one or both hands to raise the sword above yer head and swipe it down aiming for the head or neck. " He showed the move in the air a few times so everyone could see it being done properly. Hera noticed that he didn''t shift his weight when doing so, even though in all his other attacks she had seen had some sort of footwork. "Mr. Greyson, should we keep our legs still doing that?" She asked after raising her hand. "Aye, but just for this exercise. In a fight, the place where yer weight is keeps shifting. So ye must move yer legs to be sure not to fall. But for now Ah want ye all to understand how ye strike properly before we move on to footwork. Can''t have any of ye poking an eye out on the first day of training." Hera nodded, as much as she wanted to try some other moves. Moving around with a sword in hand was a recipe for disaster, especially if she was surrounded by people doing the same. The teacher showed a couple more attacks, a slash from side to side and an upward strike close to what an uppercut would look like. All the recruits mirrored the movements, but after twenty minutes without stopping, it was hard to maintain their concentration. Hera''s mind wandered off the same way it did when she had to organize the shelves in her old job. However, unlike the way it was back then her thoughts weren''t about what she could do if she was an explorer, but about what will she do when she travels inside the MAZE. Hera had to constantly bring herself back from her daydreams and focus on the exercise. It didn''t take long for her to realize that the more she focused on the movement, the easier it was to get distracted. So, she focused on the target instead. Where she should strike and trying to figure out a way to replicate what Mr. Greyson had done with the energy of his sword. The first step was to make sure she was hitting the target where she wanted. She aimed at the neck with the overhead swing, under the armpit with the uppercut and a bit above the hips with the side swings. It took a few tries, but after a while, Hera was striking the same spot with almost every hit. Just like a lumberjack has to focus on a single place. She also needed to do that. Or at least that is what she believed at that moment. After one hour of this exercise, Mr. Greyson decided the class was familiar enough to move around. "Next, ye are going to attack and move around. Do an attack step in any direction and do another, don''t try to attack while moving ye need to be familiar with the range of the weapon." He then gave a demonstration, doing one of the attacks he taught the class, taking a step to the side and making another attack. Then another step and an attack. He kept going like this for a few seconds to be sure everyone understood what he was expecting of them. "But Mr. Greyson sir, if we see the sword like an extension of ourselves we will be able to know the range better, won''t we?" Mark had asked, Hera felt a little bad for him. He already was on Mr. Greyson''s bad side, and she doubted that question would help with that. The teacher rolled his eyes and let out a long sigh. "Yes laddie, if ye can do something that even the great masters take decades to figure out ye can certainly do it. Now if ye don''t have a clue on how to swing a sword, then just do the dam training." Mark lowered his head and gave a weak "Yes sir" before turning around and start his practice. Hera could understand him, movies and comics always talked about how a sword should be an extension of the wielder. Even if it never made sense to her, Mr. Greyson seemed to confirm that as truth. Still mastering the sword wasn''t high in her priority list so the idea of making it be an extension of her arm seemed just a cheese line. They kept going with this exercise for another hour. It was easier to keep her focus when she had to move around thinking about where she was going next. Hera started to get a good rhythm, not spending over ten seconds in the same place before moving. Leonidas was even better. He was taking a step every five seconds, Pamella was still having trouble not to move while attacking, but her movements were bigger and wider. Alex was taking some time between each strike, but her attacks hit the same spot every time, even if her position was different every time. Then the teacher showed a parry to the class and activated the dummies to attack at random intervals so the recruits could learn proper timing. Hera felt that it was a bit odd. They had almost no training with the sword, and they were already supposed to defend? It was common knowledge that defending was more difficult than attacking. Still, she wanted to try, mainly because Pamella was right beside her and she could see the girl was good at defending. Unlike when they were attacking Pamella was steady, she waited to move when the dummy was going to strike making sure the chop impacted with the sword at the right time to send the dummy''s arm back. That was a real parry. What the rest of the class was doing was barely a block. Hera did her best to copy Pamella, but she still wasn''t able to do a proper parry. The times she got close, the dummy ended up hitting her head. Even though the attack didn''t have much force behind, it still hurt. It was five o''clock, one hour before the ending of the class when Mr. Greyson spoke to the recruits again "Very well, now ye have to do it all at once, the dummy will attack and spin. Ye must hit it from the front and block its attacks. This is the closest that we have to a real monster, so be careful. In the screen behind it, there will be a score, each hit and block ye do, will increase it by the strength or skill of it. If ye can''t beat the score in the next hour ye will be here running laps around the training room for two hours after class. Good luck," 17 Combat Training As soon as the teacher finished his speech, a few dummies tried to hit the recruits. Most managed to step back in time, but a couple got hit by the unexpected attack. "Ah forgot to mention, every time ye get hit, the score ye currently have will lower." Mr. Greyson pointed at the screen behind Mark, one of the few who didn''t dodge the dummy''s attack. The screen showed in white letters the word ''Target'' and under it 2500. In the bottom half of the screen, another word ''Score'' and right below it the number showing was -25 in glowing red letters. "One other thing, the dummy will use three types of moves. So watch out for that." He was finishing his sentence when the training dummy in front of Hera started to move. She wasn''t expecting it and noticed a bit too late, but it soon enough for her to jump back and barely evade the uppercut aimed at her. At this distance, the dummy wasn''t able to hit her. She understood that there was a point where she could stay in order to rest. Not only that, she could see the attacks that it would use without getting hit. Hera heard a few other recruits starting their attacks. The room quickly got filled with yells and noises of people fighting the dummies. Looking at the target in front of her, Hera waited to see its moves. The first is an overhead swing with one hand. It was hard to see when it would start this move, so she would need to be very careful. The second, a side hook that was excessively telegraphed. The dummy''s whole body would spin backward before striking. Even if she got distracted, she probably would have five seconds to get away from it. It seemed a small window, but for a fight, even Hera knew it was a lot. The last move is the uppercut, the same move that almost hit her. It is a middle point between the other two. It would give a few indications that it was coming, but they would be very subtle and very fast. Hera had to pay close attention to it. Five minutes had passed when Hera decided she had enough information to attack. She never was one to rush in into things, even if the last few days would say otherwise. Waiting until the dummy did one of its hooks, Hera wanted to try an idea on how to rack up some points. The three moves that Mr. Greyson had shown could be incorporated in a combo. He had shown it himself. Even though she believed that there was no way to move so effortlessly as the teacher if she tried to connect the attacks she would get points more easily. With a quick glance, Hera looked at the other recruits'' progress. Most of them reached around 200 points already. The majority started to attack as soon as the teacher said. Pamella is already closing into 300, and Leonidas already passed the 350 mark. Getting that many hits in less than five minutes seemed insane. Her dummy finally did its hook attack hitting the air in front of Hera. Not wasting any time she lunged forward stabbing the target in the chest. The sword went downward, scraping the dummy. Taking advantage of the position, Hera did an uppercut with her sword. When the weapon reached its peak, she tried to pull down with an overhead swing as fas as she could. The impact was stronger than she expected, and her sword went flying backward. Hera quickly jumped, getting away from the dummy before running to get her sword. A few explorers laughed at the scene, not trying to tease her but because most of them had done the same at some point. Grabbing the sword, she raises her head and looked at her score. 48 Those three attacks got her almost 50 points. That meant that each strike was worth at least 15 points. With a big smile, she went back to the dummy. ################################ Greyson watched his students. Although there weren''t any big surprises, he felt happy. Everything seemed to be going above his expectations even if, just by a small amount. Looking at the scores, Leonidas would coast trough this challenge easily, but being used to weapons it was expected. Pamella ended up being amazing at defense. Most of the points she acquired were by blocking or parrying the dummy. The only reason she was behind the spearman was that she had to wait for the dummy to strike, and that could take a while. Mark, Alex, and Bonnie were getting the score he expected. While the rest of the class had just a couple dozen points over what he imagined. Hera was the only one that made him worry at first. Seeing the girl standing still at the beginning of the training, he half expected to have to talk to her. But after her little combo he relaxed, she wasn''t afraid or worried. she was actually studying her enemy. Greyson wasn''t someone who would do that when he fought. Still, it was something he respected. He knew many explorers who would spend days learning about their enemy to make sure they wouldn''t have any surprises. If he was being honest, it was probably the right thing to do, but he never cared for it. It was too much work. He saw Hera doing another combo and her score going to 99. Two sets of combos and she was close to a hundred. If she kept going like this, reaching the 2500 points would take a bit over half an hour, and that is counting her exhaustion. She stopped attacking and talked to the other recruits. Alex, Leonidas, Pamella, Mark and even Bonnie were listening to her. Greyson could walk forward and scold them for wasting time, but seeing as she was showing how to link the moves, he let them be. That was the explorers'' way. ################################ Hera kept doing her combo for twenty minutes. She already had over 1300 points, but she was getting worried. If she kept going like this, she could reach the goal, but that depended on the dummy. As long as it would keep doing its hook she could get more points. However, the dummy was taking too long to do that attack. According to Mr. Greyson, the moves used were all random, so there is a possibility that she won''t have enough opportunities to do her combo. Even though she wouldn''t mind staying late to practice more, she wanted to clear this challenge. Looking at the dummy''s movements, she focused her mind in the uppercut. The movement was quick, but she could see it happening. The target would lower one of its arms and the other would stay completely still while doing so. She waited for another uppercut but before being able to try her new idea the dummy started to do a hook. Unfortunately, Hera wasn''t ready to follow up on the attack. She hastily lunged forward stabbing the target in the chest and was about to follow up with an uppercut. However, the dummy had already finished its move and an overhead chop aimed at her head was coming down. There was not enough time for her to step back. That attack would definitively hit her. Without letting go of the sword, she tried to block the attack. Even if she intended to block, to everyone else, it looked more like she was just trying to cover her face. With her head down and both her arms trying to form a barrier in front of her. Greyson watched the scene. The second she attacked, he knew that it would be too late. If you lose the chance to attack, the best thing to do is to wait for the next one. Trying to strike in a hurry can only put you in a bad spot. Raising both her hands, Hera also ducked a bit to the side, trying to make the chop to avoid her face. To an experienced explorer, that was probably the only good move she had made during that exchange. An attack to the head could not only hinder your sight but leave you disoriented for a few seconds. Even with all the bad decisions, that were a natural part of the training process, and even in her panicked state, Hera was still gripping the sword. That was her saving grace. The chop struck the base of the sword as it was rising. The force of the impact sent the dummy''s hand back while making Hera fall into the ground. If it was intentional, that would be a beautiful parry, but in this case, it was just a fluke. Sitting on the floor, Hera looked at the monitor, worried she would have lost some points. However, above her current score, there was a big 35 showing. That small exchange was enough to give her just a bit under 10 points less than her full three-hit combo. Before she could understand what just happened, the dummy started attacking again. Hitting Hera in the jaw with an uppercut, making her look up with the impact. It wasn''t a strong move, but it still hurt. She quickly moved back to get away from the dummy range and saw 20 points being deducted from her total score. "Hera! Are you okay?" Pamella just asked, moving away from her dummy and towards Hera. "Yeah, I''m fine. It was my mistake" her chin was sore and talking hurt a bit, but she wasn''t angry. Not at the dummy, at least. It was a machine, and Hera knew it was her own fault for not being careful. She wanted to try again quickly. Taking a few steps towards the dummy, she waited for her chance. "Hera, you should step back" Pamella was looking at the girl. Hera always seemed calm and patient but anyone would get angry after getting hit. What Blue was seeing right now was something else, not just anger. Her movements were stiff and violent at the same time. Each time Hera moved forward, it looked more like she was stomping her feet than just walking. Insider her mind, Hera was angry at herself. She was careless. She got way too excited about something and made a mistake. Sure right now it wasn''t much, but what if that happens during the trial, or at a moment she could not miss? She needed to be better, she was better. Her stats were higher now. Her body could move faster and her attacks hit harder. Life had shown again and again that every time she got excited bad things happened. First when she turned 18, then when she got her level up. And even the first day of class. Hera needed to be serious. She needed to be focused. She ready to strike at the dummy when a hoarse voice rang behind her. "Hera, come here" Mr. Greyson watched everything and each time a student got hit he would be sure they were fine. Even if the dummies were weak, if they got hit in the wrong way, the recruits could need a healer. Hera stepped back and moved towards the teacher. Still holding the sword at her side. "Gimme yer sword and go drink some water" Mr. Greyson held out his hand with a serious expression in his face. "But I''m not thirsty." Hera may have been hit, but other recruits had been struck many times why she was the only one that the teacher was interfering with? Was she really that bad? "Doesn''t matter, go drink some water." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. She placed the sword on the teacher''s hand and started walking towards the water cooler while clenching her fist. Was she really that bad? Could the boy who kicked her out of the leveling room be right? Was she really just trash? Her mind was filled with questions about what just happened. The rush of thoughts only stopped when she picked a paper cup and noticed the palms of her hands. There were deep marks there, almost deep enough to draw blood. She could see a few red spots under her skin. Hera closed her fist, and the marks matched the exact spot her nails would dig. Since when was she clenching her fist so tight? 18 First Win Taking a step back, Hera noticed a slight pain in her ankles. It was the same pain she would have after a long day of carrying boxes and boxes of books from the storage in her old job. But her strength is higher now, even if she carries that much weight, it shouldn''t hurt her. She drank some more water and looked around while trying to understand how she got hurt. The training room was busier than usual. Many explorers were either using the small arenas to fight against each other, or the training equipment to work out. If it wasn''t for the half-dozen people training with weapons, this would look like a gym. There was even a group doing yoga in the room''s corner. Emptying the cup, Hera realized that she was very thirsty. She pours more water in it and kept drinking. Wondering why she was the only coming here, she turned her attention to the recruits. No one seemed to have gone outside their small arenas. Could they have a higher resistance to thirsty? Or maybe she wasn''t able to get a skill she was supposed to. Only when she saw Bonnie moving away from the dummy and picking up something in the ground she understood. "Water bottles, not everything is a skill Hera," she told herself. Forgetting even something so basic, Hera felt even worse than before. Finishing her water, she walked back towards the teacher who still held her sword. "Feeling better lassie?" Mr. Greyson said while looking at the group fighting the dummies. "Yes, thank you I didn''t realize I was a bit dehydrated." The teacher stared at her. "Ah didn''t call ye because of that," Hera responded with a puzzled look. "Am I doing that badly?" Mr. Greyson nodded. "Aye, yer horrible." She felt her eyes beginning to water. Was that it? Taking a deep breath, she raised her head and tried to ask as calmly as she could. "Am I getting kicked out?" Her voice was cracking, but her face had a serious expression. If she was going to lose a chance at her dream again, she wouldn''t go out crying like last time. "Lassie, why do you keep thinking yer getting kicked out? Ah read yer file and know ye tried to be an explorer once before but couldn''t. Is that why?" He was looking at Hera with a serious expression. He even stopped watching the rest of the class. Having someone focus so much on her was more than enough to make her nervous. "Yes, I know the guild only needs the best, and if you can''t reach the standard, the door is the only place for you." The ways she spoke, without missing a beat, surprised Greyson. There wasn''t a shred of doubt in her words. "Lassie, look yer getting us all wrong. Yes, we ask a minimum to join but that''s just because the fat cats are too scared to let people get stronger inside the MAZE. Yer already doing the training yer one of us for life. Unless you kill a civilian for no goddamm reason, no one is kicking ye out." That shocked Hera, yes the guild was nice, but to her, that''s just for civilians. For explorers, she always expected that the guild was a ruthless place ''But.. you said I was bad.". The teacher gestured to the rest of the class. "Aside from Leo and Blue yer all f***king terrible. That''s the whole bloody point of this month. By the end of it Ah hope Ah can make ye less awful." Hera smiled and nodded. For the teacher, it could seem just a clarification, but to Hera, knowing that she was an explorer for life lifted a huge weight she had on her chest. "Thank you, Mr. Greyson. I hope to be less awful by the end of the month too." She then pointed at her sword. "Can I get it back?" "Not until ye tell me why are ye so angry." He pulled back the sword, still staring at the girl. "I¡­ I got hit.." she lowered her head. Mr. Greyson let out a long sigh. "Just for that? Ye got angry because the dummy hit ye? That''s why ye looked like ye wanted to rip the thing out with yer bare hands? Honestly, lassie, It''s a dummy ye don''t need to be angry at it." "But I wasn''t" Hera almost shouted. The teacher raised one eyebrow, and that was enough to make her speak in a lower voice. "I was angry at me, I messed up. I should have been more careful. If I''m in the MAZE, I can''t make mistakes like that" "Aye, yer right. But here is the thing. This ain''t the MAZE. This is the only place ye can make mistakes, so Ah hope ye make them. Do a wrong move, try a new weapon, give the bloody dummy a hug but use all that to figure out what ye can do when yer inside. And even then, don''t let yer mistakes eat ye up like that. Being angry in a fight only makes it harder for ye. Trust me Ah know." He gave the sword back to Hera "And for the System''s sake, don''t be so high strung. Even if it''s dangerous yer allowed to have fun." Hera picked the sword and went back to her dummy. Still digesting what the teacher said, he seemed right in almost everything. Aside from thinking she wasn''t having fun. This was the most fun she ever had. She was once again in last place. There was around half an hour to go, and she still needed 1200 points. This time however she waited for the hook. She planned to do a few of her combos to get in the zone again. A few seconds passed before the dummy did the move she expected. Dashing forward, she once again did her combo. The attacks connected just like she wanted and it seemed even though she stopped for a bit, the movements were still fresh in her memory. Pamella looked back and noticed Hera attacking again. Her movements were the same, but they had a few differences. They seemed to connect a little better. Instead of just being three separated strikes jumbled up in one. But the biggest difference was on Hera''s face. Her serious expression had been replaced by a large grin. Mr. Greyson kept watching his students. It was a depressing sight. Almost all of them had terrible stances and absolutely no footwork whatsoever. The only good thing he could say about this group is that no one was complaining. Still, he was sure that would change, it was just the first day of training. By the end of the week, he expected all of them to be crying for their mothers. The class kept attacking the dummies, Leonidas was the first to reach the 2500 points mark, followed by Pamella. Reaching the goal, they stopped attacking and sat down to rest and talk. It didn''t take long for more people to join them. Soon Alex, Mark and the rest of the recruits were all sitting by the small arenas chatting about the training and the moves. The only ones who still needed more points to reach the goal were Hera and Bonnie. The deadline was still ten minutes away and Hera was only two hundred points short. She had tried a few times to strike while the dummy did a different attack, but realized that she should focus on her combo. This was a training ground. The best way to improve is to focus on one thing before moving on to the next. In a short time, she had the chance to perform two of her combos. She needed one or two more hits to reach 2500 points. Instead of walking back and waiting for the attack, Hera moved around the dummy, hitting it by the sides. It was something close to what Leonidas was doing. Instead of a big combo, it was several smaller attacks. After the third strike, she jumped back, almost falling on the floor again to avoid getting hit by one dummy''s overhead chops. She looked at the screen that showed her current score. 2506 Unlike her combo to get her final 30 points, it took her 3 attacks, but they were quicker and less impactful, which allowed her to retreat faster. That type of attack was in her mind for a while, but the time constraint was holding her back. Since now she was confident she could reach the 2500 points even if she got hit once Hera tried it. It was an interesting way of doing it, although she felt it required more than her combo. Speed was the most important part of it, and it was more tiresome than waiting for the right moment. Still, Hera was happy she pulled it off. Moving towards the rest of the class, she noticed Bonnie panting heavily, and holding herself up with both hands on her knees. Her hair stuck to her face and you could see the sweat dripping on the ground. Hera looked up to the screen, checking Bonnie''s score. She was 100 points short of the goal, but the girls just stood with her sword on the side. Hera knew how it would feel to be the only one left out. Bonnie also seemed to be someone who would be very hard on herself if she failed a test like this. Wanting to help the girl Hera was thinking about what could she do, there wasn''t enough time to talk about strategy or to ask her to rest. She was still deep in thought when Pamella''s voice rang. "C'' mom Bonnie! You can do it!" The blue haired girl started to clap her hands and cheer, making a motion for the rest of the recruits to join her. In just a few seconds Hera saw most of the class get up and join in the cheer, even a few explorers who were training chimed in. "You are almost there!" "Keep it going!" "Let''s go Bonnie!" Hera joined in with the cheering after seeing Bonnie''s lips curling up in a soft smile. Bonnie then dashed towards the dummy, avoiding an uppercut and striking it twice in the chest. She stepped to the right and attacked two more times before the dummy started to wind up a hook. Taking a step back she managed to avoid getting hit and then attacked as quickly as she could on the fourth strike she heard the crowd celebrating. She walked backward almost getting hit by a chop and looked at her score. 2503 Seeing that she raised a hand in the air to celebrate and looked at the recruits only to see a blue streak coming her way. Pamella tackled her and both fell on the ground. The whole training room started to laugh and celebrate even Mr. Greyson couldn''t help but smile. Outside the training room, two women were watching the new recruits. "I guess all recruits are the same in the end. It doesn''t matter what age they are, during the training, they turn into a bunch of kids" With a laugh, the dark skinned woman said, "Don''t tell me you weren''t like that Frostbite." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The muscular woman smiled "Of course I was, in my training, I''m the one who started most of the tackles, what about you Helena?" "I was the one being cheered on. To me, the physical training was the worst part. But I guess most of the mages would say the same." Frostbite nodded and looked inside the training room, analyzing the recruits. "I gotta say, I''m excited for next week." Helena gave a big smile. "I''m sure you are not the only one." 19 Class Dismissed It took the recruits about 10 minutes to calm down. The whole class celebrated not only Bonnie''s accomplishment but all of them reaching the goal. Even the explorers in the room joined in celebrating at the beginning, but it didn''t take long for them to go back to what they were doing. Mr. Greyson let the recruits enjoy the small victory after all the next challenge would be even harder. When they finally settled down, the teacher approached them. "Very good, been a while since a full class managed to pass this challenge." All the recruits had a soft smile on their faces. "Now, go hit the showers and then yer all dismissed for the day. Tomorrow we start at 7 sharp." Hera was sweating buckets. She looked at a clock on the wall. It was past 5 PM! They have been training for five hours without taking any breaks. It was no wonder most of the class was still lying on the floor. "Do you think we are going to train like that every day?" Alex asked, still lying on the floor looking to the ceiling. "I don''t know, but I hope not. My hands have been numb for the past hour." Leonidas chimed in while still sitting on the ground. "If even the golden boy is tired imagine how we mere mortals feel. I think I could sleep for a month." Pamella teased Leonidas, she was on a bench close to Hera. "Well, that would explain how much you ate during lunch. Honestly, where did all that food go?" Leonidas answered. Blue tried to push him with her feet but she was too far away, and too tired to get up. "That is called a healthy appetite. And I''m not gonna apologize for it" Hera laughed at Pamella''s response. "She''s right Leo, we are spending a lot of energy here, maybe we should eat more" Hera stepped in to defend Blue. Alex raised her head looking at the two girls on the bench "Are you sure you''re not just saying that as an excuse to get another ice cream?" Hera pouted, "I like ice cream, is that so wrong?" Pamella put her arm around Hera, "Of course not, they are just a pair of food snobs. We should go out to dinner and eat as much as we want. And leave both of them here" That made Hera feel uncomfortable, she liked the girls but physical contact wasn''t exactly her forte. "Maybe some other time, I''m exhausted. And you don''t seem to be so energetic either." Pamella quickly got up from the bench "What do you mean? I''m great" She started to walk around but it took only a few steps for her whole body to start to hurt. Anyone who watched her could tell she was having problems moving around. "See, I''m fine" Pamella smiled. "Blue, you flinch each time you step, you are far from fine. We are all pretty banged up" Leonidas got up looking like an old man, even placing one hand on his back. "Yes, we should all go home and rest. I''ll be going to the showers first." Bonnie walked by the group. At first glance, she seemed to be fine but before she even got out of the training room she had to stop and catch her breath. "She''s right you know, we can hang out after the training. Right now we all need to rest and be ready for tomorrow." Hera said while getting up. a few other recruits were already heading towards the locker rooms. "Fine, I need my beauty sleep. But we are stopping by the class first, I want to use my new conditioner." Leo rolled his eyes and helped Alex up. The group left the training room while a few Explorers watched the scene. "I fell bad for them," A man who was lifting weights said. "Me too, having Greyson as your trainer is just hellish." Another explorer said. "The dude is a freaking spartan, I bet 5 gold at least three of them drop out" "Just three? I bet five run away." While a few explorers were laughing a man with a bright pink mohawk walked in the room carrying a mop and a bucket filled with water. "What about you Ashe, 10 gold only 3 recruits survive Grayson''s training" A woman who practiced her swordsmanship laughed "You shouldn''t ask him, he''s making less than a civilian now. That''s what you get for going against the guild rules. " The group snickered at Ashe, who just lowered his head and proceeded to clean up the floor where the recruits were training. ############################ Hera stopped in a small grocery store near her home. She picked a few fruits, some premade pasta and a few pieces of candy. Unlike her usual purchases, these were all branded products. She knew that it had almost no different than her usual generic brands, but she already received the payment for the skills. She could afford to be a bit more lavish. Even if it was just for a day. After choosing what she wanted, Hera walked towards the register. Today the owner''s granddaughter was working the night shift. She was a nice girl, or at the very least she was polite, even if a bit sarcastic at times. "Good evening Hera" The girl gave a soft smile while she started to check out the products. "Hi, Amanda, how are you?" Hera did her best to check in with the owners of the grocery store now and then. This had been her first job, she only left because the store started to have some problems and they couldn''t afford her. Hera never felt bad about that. The owners were a sweet couple that let her work here without any experience. They even rented her a back room in their house when she first moved here. She knew that if it wasn''t because of them a girl fresh out of high school would never be able to survive in the city. "I''m fine, just tired. At least we are closing soon. Grandma won''t work today and I can''t stay late on a school night." Amanda yawned, she felt more comfortable around Hera, since she had been trained by her. "Why is she not working today? Is your grandmother ok?" Hera took a step forward, leaning into the counter. "Yeah, she''s fine. It was their anniversary on Monday and they went on a week-long trip. Grandpa wanted to go skiing. I hope I will have their energy when I''m that old" Both of them laughed. Mr. and Ms. Kahele always had young souls. Last year both of them went skydiving on their anniversary. The image of an 80 year old couple jumping off a plane was incredible, to say the least. "Hum, Hera, I think you got the wrong oranges," Amanda said noticing the final price of the purchase. Even if with the pricy items, there was no way that this purchase would cost more than 35 gold. However, the final price was over 58 gold. Looking at the list of products she noticed that the bag with a dozen oranges cost a whooping 28 gold, and that price already had a discount applied to it. "No, I got the right ones. I always wanted to try these New Dawn Farm products. And since I... " Hera realized that she haven''t told anyone about her new job. Looking at Amanda she decides not to tell her just yet. There were two people that Hera wanted to be the firsts to know. "Since I got a bonus at work I''m giving myself a treat." Amanda gave a warm smile "Good for you, I honestly don''t remember the last time I heard you talk about doing something for yourself. Please do that more often you deserve it. And don''t let the fact that I''m a kid stop you from following my advice." Hera giggled "Oh, so you are a kid? " Hera placed her card in the machine paying for the purchase. At the same time, Amanda''s expression darkened. "I''m not 18, am I?" She asked rolling her eyes. "You are right. Thank you very much for your advice. I will keep it in mind." Hera grabber her groceries and walked towards the door. Before she left the store, Amanda asked in a soft voice. "Don''t tell them I said that." Hera looked back and answered with a smile "Your secret is safe whit me" Less than twenty minutes later, Hera opened her front door. It was still her old studio apartment, with a tacky flowered wallpaper and a moss green carpet covering the whole place. Leaving only the kitchen and the bathroom with dirty tan tiles. To her, this place had always been the only depressing dump she could afford. But now it was the home she had when her life changed. Realizing how hungry she was, Hera quickly put away the groceries and started to make her dinner. Tonight''s dish, chicken ravioli with veggies. Since the pasta was pre-made and the veggies already cut it was an easy meal to make. After a couple of minutes, the pots were boiling and she just had to wait for everything to be done. Hera picked up the bag of oranges and looked at the label. The logo was a small holographic design of a sun rising on the horizon by a field. New Dawn Farm Magically Enhanced Organic Oranges The ingredients for a better life. New Dawn is a company famous for dealing with magical items. It is well known that they buy those items from explorers, and then use them to produce or improve other products. Hera wasn''t sure how that worked. The guild would buy the products from explorers and resell them, or would the negotiation be made directly with who found the item? Still, the company is among the most successful ones out there. A bit over a month ago an article in a magazine said that the New Dawn company was worth more than a few countries. Their products would range from pharmaceutical to textile, the farms were a new branch of the company that started to sell products a little over six months ago. According to what she had read, any food that they sell has magical proprieties that not only improve the flavor but also can make someone healthier. That last part always bugged Hera. Why would a company make a product that competes with itself? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Picking three of those oranges she made a glass of orange juice to drink with her dinner. Before grabbing the sugar she took a sip of the juice curious about the natural flavor. Drinking the juice Hera was overwhelmed by a sweet citric flavor, it refreshed her in a way that seemed impossible. The flavor kept going and seemed to even expand past her body. Surprised she placed the cup in the counter and waited for her food to get ready. If it was that good she wanted to enjoy it fully with a meal. Less than ten minutes later Hera was sitting on her desk with her dinner in front of her. She opened her tablet and looked for something interesting to watch while she ate. She decided to pick an old favorite. The warrior princess. Its been a while since she watched it and now, as an explorer she would see everything with a new light. Before the show started there was a small advertisement for the Olympics. Hera had completely forgotten about that, the opening show would be on Sunday. Maybe this time she could watch it live. 23 Special place "Blue, if you stop one more time to observe something I''m eating without you." It was the fifth time Pamella stopped to use her new skill, and the group had yet to leave the guild block. "Let''s just leave her, I don''t want to be late." Bonnie said while she walked towards the strip mall. She gave a side glance to Blue, angry about her showing off her new skill. To Bonnie it wasn''t her fault that she got a different skill, the teacher was the one who gave her the assignment wrong. If he had specified what she shouldn''t do she would never have gotten the wrong skill. Hera walked with her group, wondering if there was something she could do to help. She had tried talking to Bonnie about the skill, and about what she could do to get it but everything just seemed to make her even angrier. "Bonnie, do you have any suggestions on where we could eat?" Alex asked in a casual tone. "What? Do you need me to choose the place? Can''t figure out yourselves?" Hera twisted her nose. They invited her to try to cheer her up, she didn''t have to be rude. Leo rolled his eyes and replied to Bonnie while Blue stared daggers at her. "We had this discussion yesterday, there are a lot of options, and the strip mall doesn''t have that many tables. So it''s better if we eat in the same place. Yesterday I picked the restaurant, today I think you should choose." The group nodded in agreement, to which Bonnie just scoffed. They went past the first stoplight in silence, even with Leo having to poke Blue''s arm every time she stopped to observe something. After crossing the road Bonnie had made up her mind. "Look, I really want a burger, a greasy oily burger with onions and bacon." With a big smile, Blue walked toward the girl and put her arm around her. "You see this, this is the type of woman I want to be when I grow up. Someone who has the best ideas." Leo put his hand on his face and let out a loud groan. "Blue, I''m going to tell you this one more time. You are older than most of us." The man had said something along those lines a few times already and that was starting to annoy him. "You are no fun." The girl answered before sticking out her tongue. Bonnie took advantage of her distraction and removed Blue''s arm from around her taking a few steps away from the girl. "Yeah, don''t do that. I don''t like people being over-friendly with me." She then looked at Hera "You know the area around here right? Any recommendations?" Hera thought for a second before opening a big smile. "I know a good place. But I hope you all like cats." The group stared at her for a while before being led to a different path by the woman. Hera walked a bit faster than usual, happy she would be able to go back to a place she loved so much. A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination. "I honestly don''t know what I was expecting. But it wasn''t this" Alex commented now that the group was in front of a building. The words "Cat made Heaven" were /written above the door in beautiful calligraphy. "Please, tell me this isn''t one of those costume places. Those freak me out." Blue shivered remembering the last encounter she had with someone in a full cat costume. Hera giggled," No no, there is just a bunch of cats walking around. They are very well trained so don''t worry about one of them walking through the table." Bonnie stared at her with wide eyes. "Are you telling me that the cats are just roaming around the whole restaurant?" "Not really, they never go to the kitchen or the bathrooms. If I''m remembering correctly, the doors are enchanted with a cat barrier of sorts. At least that''s what one of the staff told me." Leo was looking through a window inside, a black cat was sitting on a bench staring at him. "Yeah... am I the only one who thinks cats want to kill us?" All four girls answered at the same time. "Yes, you are!" And started to laugh together while they entered the cafe, Leo let out a long sigh and walked inside after the rest of the group. ############ "C''mon lassie, don''t make me say it." With a smirk, Helena leaned back in her chair. "You know that''s not how it works sweetie, you know what you have to do." Greyson clenched his fist. It already was bad enough to be wrong, and now she wanted him to do this? That''s why he hates these kinds of jobs. "Please lassie, I thought we were past that." "Me too, but I was rejected in such a way that my maiden heart will never recover" Helena was moving like a kid in a highschool play being overly dramatic. "Oh for f..." Greyson started to speak but held back. After taking a deep breath he started again. "Helena, A''m sorry for refusing yer help. Ye were right and Ah was wrong. The old method is not always better. Now can ye please help me so the girl can learn Observe?" Helena gave the man a big smile "Was that so hard?" "Ye already shoved a knife in my gut, are ye going to twist it too?" Helena could see a vein in Greyson''s forehead ready to pop. She laughed. "Ok ok I accept your apology, now it was Bonnie right?" Helena checked her file in the guild system "Humm, Yeah I know how to make it work. But you need to cut her some slack on the afternoon training deal?" Knowing he was already defeated. "Deal." "Great! Now tell her that tomorrow she will be coming with me to the underground training room. Don''t worry, I promise to give your recruit back in one piece." Helena kept tapping in her tablet making sure everything would be ready for the special training session she had in mind. At the same time, Greyson left the staff breakroom. "One more time, Ah just need to do this one more bloody time. Focus on that Calvin, focus on that." He kept mumbling to himself while he went towards the cafeteria. ############### "Oh Bonnie, don''t be sad. The owner said you could go back there any time you want." Blue tried to cheer the girl up. "It was just so cute. I wanted to bring him home with me." Bonnie said while pouting. "Well, at least he is in a good home, and you can go see him every time you get back from the MAZE. It should be dangerous to take a house cat with you, even if you have some taming skils." Leo tried to reassure her while putting his wallet in the bag he had left inside the classroom. "I suppose you are right" Bonnie seemed to agree with them even if she was still sad about not being able to take one of the cats from the cafe home. Hera just smiled at the interaction, Bonnie wasn''t angry anymore, or at least she wasn''t showing that. Her plan to help the girl forget what happened with the skill worked. This time she was able to help her. "So, what do you think we are learning now? A new skill? More weapon training?" Alex said with a big smile. It was visible how much she enjoyed to be here, there was even a spark in her eyes. Hera started to think if she should be more open with her feelings as well when a few other recruits started to arrive. In less than five minutes the whole class was there, waiting for the teacher. They were talking and joking around just like a bunch of high schoolers. But the second Mr. Greyson walked through the door the room got quiet. Seeing the man, all the recruits felt a primal instinct that told them one single thing. Danger. The teacher scanned the class and said only two words. "Training. Now." Then he walked back and towards the stairs. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. There was a moment when a few recruits looked at each other trying to understand what to do. But Leo got up and started to follow Mr. Greyson without missing a beat. With him at the lead, the rest of the class joined in. A few moments later all of the recruits were in the training room. They walked without making a sound. For some reason, none of them even considered relaxing after seeing the teacher. Mr.Greyson was standing in front of the dummies with a big black box by its side, just like the day before. He opened the box and picked a pair of wooden daggers. "Today Ah''m gonna teach ye how not to poke yer eye when using a weapon." He stared at the class for a few seconds "So, what ye are all waiting for? Grab yer bloody daggers already." All of the recruits were surprised by the reaction. Mr. Greyson was a stern and grumpy man but even this seemed like too much. Hera couldn''t help to compare his bad mood with the one he had the day before. It was like comparing a hill with a mountain. What happened that made him so angry? Less than one minute after his order. All the recruits were holding their daggers in the small arenas they used yesterday. "Ye know how to hit something. Now ye need to learn how to move around while attacking." He raised his arms to show everyone how he was holding the daggers "Later ye can test to see how ye like to hold this. But for now, point the daggers at yer elbows. The way A''m teaching is closer to a fistfight than it is to use a sword. A''m doing this way so ye can''t end up hurting yerself too much." Mr. Grenson then proceeded to show a few moves. Again creating that invisible target in his mind, the teacher moved around it in a circle. Then he would take a step in and throw a punch to the side moving his wrist so the dagger would be sticking out like a spike. After the punch instead of walking back, he moved forward. Using the momentum of the attack to reposition himself. His first few moves were slow, but they started to pick up speed. Each punch was aimed far enough away from the main target so it would never be stopped by its body. Leaving only the dagger to do the damage. After a few seconds, the recruits weren''t able to see Mr. Greyson''s attacks. His arms were just a blur while his body would spin around this phantom target. He finally reached the end of his attacks when he stepped in and threw a jab that went by the side of where the target''s face should be, the dagger still pointing towards his elbow. He then pulled his arm back intending to stab the phantom target. Even if nothing was being attacked the image was visceral. Hera''s eyes were wide in shock, not only by the violent attack but by the speed the teacher had achieved. It should be impossible for the human body to move that fast. How much would the attributes change that? 24 The price of a skill Hera was still shocked by Mr. Greyson''s speed. A few other students were trying to understand what had just happened. Hera did her best to mimic the teacher''s attack, but it didn''t take long for her to realize that it was a complicated move. If she started the attack with the dagger sticking out, it became harder to correct the trajectory of the punch. On the other hand, if she tried to flick her wrist at the last moment, several other problems showed up. First, it required a considerable amount of strength to move the dagger against the air pressure. Second, she needed to be conscious of her movement, and of how close she was to the target. The worst part was doing all that while moving around. It would be one thing to attack and reset. But she needed to attack already planning her next move. "Mr. Greyson, I couldn''t see the moves very well. Could you do them again? Maybe even a bit slower?" Alex asked the teacher. A few recruits stared at her with surprised expressions. They also wanted a better look at the attacks, but none was willing to become a possible target for the teacher''s wrath. However, to their surprise, Mr. Greyson only nodded. "Aye, Ah''m doing this slower. Pay attention." He walked towards a silver dummy that all the recruits could see and proceeded to show the attacks. He even stopped at certain moments to explain when they should try to change the direction of the dagger or when to be careful not to lose your balance. After a few minutes of explanations, the teacher stopped and turned around to his students. "Now, A''m attacking as I did before. But Ah won''t hold back my speed. See how long ye can keep up." Mr. Greyson began attacking the dummy, doing small variations on the same moves he had just shown the class. Little by little, his attacks began to speed up. Even a few explorers joined in to watch his performance. As the warrior speed up, it became harder to follow his movements. It reached a point where even the new explorers were having trouble seeing all the attacks. Hera did her best to focus as much as she could in his movements. But not only his arm and hand, but his hips and legs as well. During the training on the previous day, she started to realize that each attack required more than just an arm swing. The moves were, in reality, an intricate connection of small twitches across the whole body. As she concentrated on watching the teacher, the time around her seemed to slow down. Mr. Greyson''s movements were clearer and more distinct. She could see his arm moving and how he used the back leg to give him some impulse while moving forward. Making hist attacks not only faster but also giving them more weight. That lasted for ten seconds, and as soon as the movements regained their speed, Hera felt a sharp pain in her eyes. The pain was so intense that she stumbled back and fell on her knees. Blue, the only person who noticed Hera''s fall, rushed towards her. "Hera, what''s wrong? Are you ok?" She kneeled beside Hera and reached out with one hand, trying to help the woman to have some footing. "I''m ok. I just got a sharp pain in my eyes." Hera blinked a couple of times and tried to open her eyes again. Everything was blurry, everything besides a small blue box in front of her. | [All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "What?" Hera stared at the notification, while the rest of the world was coming back into focus. She never tried to use her skill, did she? "What what Hera? Talk to me. you are really freaking me out here." Blue spoke in a louder volume, without even realizing it. That made a few of the recruits, and the explorers, to move closer to the girls. They all looked curious about what happened. "I... I think I used a skill, and for some reason, the skill hurt me." Blue stared at her, not knowing what to say. Mr. Greyson approached the two of them. The girls didn''t even realize that the teacher was aware of what happened. "What''s wrong, Hera?" "Sorry, Mr. Greyson. I''m not sure. I was watching you and, then I felt a sharp pain behind my eye." He kneeled and looked at her eyes. "Is that all? Did something happened before ye felt the pain?" Hera shakes her head "No, I was watching your movements when you showed slowed down, but when you speeded up the pain hit me." Blue leaned her head to the side. "But... he never slowed down, not after he began to move faster." "She''s right lassie. Did something else happen? Or Ah just seemed slow for you?" Hera looked at the teacher a bit panicked. "No, I never said you were slow. You just showed the moves slower at one point. Then the pain came and a notification about a skill that I have shown up. " The teacher raised one eyebrow. "A skill ye have? Ye mean the All In one?" Hera nodded. Mr. Greyson got up and turned to the rest of the class "Ye all just watched how to move, now get yer daggers and start practicing." He then turned back to Hera. "Come with me, Hera." Being helped by both the teacher and Blue made Hera fell uncomfortable. She didn''t want to bother anyone or get in the way of the training. She followed Mr. Greyson to the water cooler in the back of the training room. He filled up a cup of water and gave it to her. "To respect recruits'' privacy we only have the name of the skill and some general idea of how it works. Could you tell me exactly what is the description of yer skill? I promise this will only be between the two of us." Not sure of what is happening, Hera just nodded and pulled her status and went straight for the skill. | All In (Rank 1): | The user can increase one of its attributes to perform a single action, | As if all the available bonus points were allocated in the relevant attribute, | The attribute will have bonus increments and, at the same time, | reduce all other attributes to 11 (10 + level - 1) for 5 hours. | Value of attribute when the skill is used: 14.5 | Cooldown: 36 hours | Remaining (35:56:22) Hera read the description out loud to the teacher. She had read the description so many times by now that she knew it by heart. However, since Mr. Greyson had such a serious expression, it seemed like a better idea to read the description instead of just quoting it. After hearing what the skill really did, the teacher got silent for a few moments. "Ah get the gist of it. How many times have ye used this skill?" "Only once, I guess twice now." He nodded. "Aye, tell me. What do you think yer skill does?" Hera at the man with a confused expression and started to quote the description. "Well... can increase one of its attributes to perform a single action, as if all the available bonus points were allocated in the relevant attribute." Before she could continue, Mr. Greyson raised one hand, signaling her to stop. "No lassie, not what the skill says it does. What do you think it does?" Hera took a while to understand the question, and even longer to come up with an answer. "It makes me able to do things that I normally can''t." "Give me some examples" Hera thought for a moment. "Like, lifting a heavy box, or running faster than I can. Or maybe even making sure I don''t hurt myself so much if I fall from a high place." Mr. Greyson just stared at the girl. "Then why did ye used the skill now?" Hera looked at the teacher "Because I couldn''t see you." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, her eyes widened. "Aye, it never said that this only works with big things. Ye might even use the skill if ye want to eat more than ye could. " The teacher started laughing and Hera joined in. Imagining how strange was the idea of a skill that would help you eat more. After a few moments, they stopped. "Now, ye need to be careful lassie. If ye try to use the skill with something that ye can''t handle without it ye might have some problems." Hera nodded, that thought had crossed her mind a few times. If she was carrying something too heavy and the skill turned off, she could hurt herself very badly. "Good, now let''s get back. Even if yer attributes are lower ye still need to train." Both of them walked back to the small arenas where the rest of the recruits were. Blue gave Hera a concerned look, and she just replied whit a smile and a thumb up. "Alright, now A''m gonna set up yer training arenas." Mr. Greyson picked his tablet and started to tap. It took him a couple of minutes and many grunts, but he finally managed to activate the arenas. A soft blue glow appeared at the edge of each arena where the recruits were. Shortly after a few white spheres appeared in the air inside the arenas. "The first step, hit the spheres, they are all far apart, ye have to move to get them all. Also, if ye take too long to hit them all, they turn red. If they turn red, ye failed the attack." Mark raised his hand before asking "Sorry Mr. Greyson, but I''m not sure I''ve understood. We need to hit them quickly when they show up?" "No, laddie. When ye hit the first one a timer starts if ye take too long to hit them all, they turn red. If not, they just vanish and another set shows up." Hearing what the teacher said, Hera started to move around the arena. Thinking about the ways she should attack. She counted how many steps the spheres were from one another, trying to figure out what would be the best route to take. While she was still planing her move Mr. Greyson said "What yer all waiting for. Go hit the dam things" The recruits started attacking. Most of them went straight for the closest one without considering the full picture. Leo also had some trouble hitting all of the spheres before they turned red. Only one of the recruits manage to hit all of the targets without any of them turning red. When all three spheres disappeared from Alex arena, Hera couldn''t help but smile. It was good to know that all of her friends had something special. At the same time, she felt a bit self-conscious. Could she end up holding them back? The last this she wanted was to be the reason why someone couldn''t achieve their goals. Taking a deep breath she focused on her targets picturing the steps she needed to take to optimize her time. Feeling she was ready, she slashed towards the first sphere. 25 Plans that dont go well For over one hour, the recruits kept attacking the spheres. Most of them kept attacking until they were too tired to continue. Then they would sit down and rest for a few minutes before going back to the training. Hera was not one of those recruits. Her method was less strenuous, even if that meant she would hit fewer spheres. Before each attack, she analyzed the position of each target, the distance between them, and the best way to link her moves together. After the first minutes of the training, Alex noticed what Hera was doing. It seemed so much easier to move after knowing where you should go that Alex was shocked how the idea hadn''t crossed her mind. Following the older recruit''s cue, Alex started to plan her attacks before striking the first sphere. For the two girls, they were hitting fewer targets than the other recruits. However, for Mr. Greyson, who watched as they all trained, the two of them had the best record so far. Yes, they hit fewer spheres in total, but the number of times they got the timing wrong was vastly lower than the rest. This type of quick attack seemed to be made out of desperation, but in reality, it required much more planning. The recruits kept doing that exercise for around 80 minutes when Mr. Greyson finally stopped them. "All right, everybody rest." He turned off the projections, making a few recruits swing at the air. Even though they were not hitting something solid, the sudden disappearance made a few stumble and fall. The recruits where panting, even Alex and Hera with a more contained approach were already drenched in sweat. Leo was in his usual starfish position looking at the ceiling, while Blue was lying face down on the ground. Hera, one of the few who were still moving, grabbed her water bottle. She needed a refill. "Anyone else needs it?" She was too tired to form any more words Almost all recruits raised her hands, with hopes of not needing to get up. Knowing she wouldn''t rest if she picked all of the bottles, Hera just sighed. "Sorry, two hands." And then walked over and grabbed the closest bottle she could see. It was Blue''s, the girl also looked worst than most of them. As soon as her bottle was full Hera stepped to the side of the cooler and started to drink. In a few seconds, she had emptied the whole bottle. She proceeded to refill it once more, followed by Blue''s bottle. "Leave some from the rest of us." A honeyed voice rang from behind her. Hera stopped filling the bottle and looked back. The dark-haired woman with chestnut skin stood behind Hera, Holding four bottles by the strap. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Oh sorry, please go ahead." Hera stepped aside and gave way for the woman. She placed one of the bottles under the tap and started to fill it up. "I don''t think we''ve been introduced. I''m Anaya" She said with a soft smile. Hera felt weird, that smiled seemed strange. It looked like the fake smile someone used to take advantage of the others. Brushing that thought aside Hera smiled back. "I''m Hera, a pleasure to meet you. Sorry for not introducing myself sooner." Anaya kept filling up the bottles without looking towards Hera. "Don''t worry, special people rarely have time for us common folk." Even though her words weren''t directly rude, her sarcastic tone was infuriating. Hera twisted her nose, part of her wanted to complain about the woman''s attitude. At the same time, she knew that the best way to deal with those types of comments was to ignore them. So Hera did just that, moving her attention to the other explorers. Anaya gave her another weirdly natural fake smile. "There are some cute ones here, but I''m guessing the one in the back is more your type. The one wearing a golden chain." Hera blushed a bit and looked away before answering the woman "My type? No... I''m not interested in anyone. I was just looking at how they train." Anaya finished filling up the last bottle and walked back toward the recruits while saying. "Oh don''t worry. I''m just messing with you. I know you already have the teacher." Hera stared at the woman, not understanding what she meant by that. She then proceeded to finish filling up Blue''s bottle before going back. "What took you so long? I was dying here, dying!" Blue said before gulping down most of the water. "Sorry, Anaya wanted to fill her bottles too." Hera explained while she sat down near the girl. "Oh," Blue looked toward Anaya and her group. "I don''t like her." "Why?" Hera didn''t understand the reason. As far as she knew the two of them never talked. "She''s just snobby. Her introduction was so ''I''m better than all of you'' that made me sick." Seeing Hera''s confused expression Blue simplified "She just has a face I want to punch." Before laughing. That only confused Hera more. Anaya had been nice to her. Odd, but nice. Before she was able to wrap her head around the whole situation, Mr. Greyson clapped his hands. "All rested? Good now back to yer arenas." In a few moments, all the recruits were in position. Tapping on the tablet a sphere appeared in front of the students. But before the teacher said anything, the target moved towards the recruits at a fast speed. Some tried to dodge them while others just stood still, then the spheres started to bounce around the arenas. "God f*****g dammit." The teacher grunted. Then the spheres started to multiply filling up the arenas completely. Their light was almost blinding to the recruits inside. "For f**k sake." Mr. Greyson''s voice was angrier. Hera did her best to hold her laughter. In her mind, there was an image of the teacher, as an old man, having trouble turning on his computer. A few moments later, he had finally managed to return the arenas to normal. With a single bright sphere in the middle of each of them. "Ok, this will be different, when ye attack. The sphere will disappear and the next one will show up around you. Ye have to attack and react quickly to get the next one. Ready? Begin" As if trying not to give any chance for any jokes, Mr. Greyson said the instructions in a single breath. Before anyone could even enjoy his clumsiness, they were already in a new exercise. Hera frowned when she heard the explanation, her experience with thinking before acting would be useless with this setup. Before rushing in, she stabbed the first sphere. Immediately the target lost its glow and a second sphere appeared a few steps to the right. Without rushing, Hera walked towards the second one and stabbed it. The third target materialized in front of her and a bit to the left. If she were to make a line connecting the 3 spheres, it would make a triangle. Before she even started to move, the sphere glowed red and vanished. At the same time, the sphere in the middle regained its bright glow. Hera walked toward the center of the arena and stabbed the target. This time, however, the next sphere appeared in front of her, in a different place than both previous spheres. "Well, it was worth a shot." For the next ten minutes, Hera stabbed the sphere and watched where the next one would appear. With this, she figured out a few things. First, the second sphere would never be closer than one step away. Second, when a sphere showed up it would never take more than two steps to reach it. Third, the sphere would always show up within her line of sight. Lastly, the sphere could appear behind her head, but it would always be in the same position relative to her head, and it would be brighter than a normal target. With that in mind, Hera took a deep breath and started to attack. During the previous part of the training, Hera tried holding the daggers in different ways. Although the movements seemed more precise if she was holding them pointing to her elbow. It was easier to move if she held them like small swords. She slashed the first sphere making the second one appear in front of her. Taking one step forward, she straightened her arm to stab it. Sadly, it wasn''t close enough. Hera had to take another step and attack the target. The third one only appeared to glow red and disappear. "That''s just annoying." Hera mumbled to herself. The way the last target disappeared made her remember the times she would be close to beating a level in a video game, and died just before the ending. After taking a deep breath, she charged at the sphere in the center of the arena. It took Hera five tries before she was able to hit the third sphere. But her happiness was short-lived. The moment her dagger hit the target, a fourth sphere appeared, instantly turning red before vanishing again. Hera let out a long sigh and looked around. Most of the other recruits were having the same types of problems. Blue struggled to get the third target. While Bonnie could barely get the second one in time. Leo seemed to be doing better than most. The man was able to hit the fourth target three times out of five. To Hera that was impressive, to Mr. Greyson that was a sorry excuse for an explorer. The teacher was having a hard time holding back. He planned to use the dummies for this exercise. But after the problems with Bonnie''s skill, Helena made him promise to use the updated version of the training. Seeing the students swing their daggers at the air annoyed him. What was the point? There was no weight in the attack, no bounce, no impact to feel. This was supposed to help them train for real combat, but they just looked like a bunch of kids playing with sticks. Taking some time to observe the other recruits, Hera noticed that the fourth target didn''t appear every time. But she wasn''t able to tell if there was a reason for it or it was just random. Still, her biggest surprise was Alex, the girl was able to consistently hit the third and fourth spheres. Only missing one in every ten tries. She left her arena and walked over where Alex was. There Hera waited for a good moment to talk, so she wouldn''t disturb the girl''s attempt. "Alex, sorry to bother you, but can I ask a question?" Alex turned around, her hair stuck to her face and most of her shirt covered in a dark wet shadow. "Sure, what''s up?" Alex opened a big smile seeing Hera. "How are you doing so well? Is it just instinct or is there a trick to it?" "Well... I wouldn''t call it a trick. And honestly, I''m not sure if it''s actually a thing. After a few tries, I realized that before even finishing my attack, I looked around to see where the next one was. I thought about how would that work in a real fight. Mr. Greyson said that we should never take our eyes out of the enemy. So I tried that." Alex took a sip of her water and continued. "I''m not sure if I''m crazy, or if the exercise is making me see things, but right when I''m about to hit the sphere, there is a flicker where the next one is showing up. Then I kind of do a leap of fate. Moving before the target even appears." Hera considered what Alex had just explained. She was doing the same, her eyes would look for the next sphere before even finishing her attack. After thanking the girl for her advice, Hera went back to her arena. Her eyes locked in the glowing sphere in front of her, and after taking a few deep breaths she attacked. 26 The demon awakens Hera was doing her best to keep her eyes in the glowing sphere. Still, it was harder than she anticipated. During the first part of the training, she would hit the target, and before finishing her attack, move her eyes to the next one. That felt natural. It came easy with the movement and the flow of the attacks. Now, having to make a conscious decision of looking at the sphere until it vanished, the rest of the attack felt strange and unnatural. It was a feeling close to wearing someone else''s clothes. Even if the way she moved hadn''t changed. She stopped and walked to the edge of the arena, where her water bottle was. Taking a few sips, Hera thought about how Alex explained the concept. Maybe she was overthinking. Maybe she should trust her body more. Moving back to the middle of the arena, Hera focused on the sphere. She remembered how Mr. Greyson started his attacks. They could hardly be called slashed. It was more of a fistfight where you focused on missing by a hair. With that, the teacher''s face would be really close to his target. Maybe that was the secret, seeing it up close. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Hera believed this was a bad idea. If this was a real fight, positioning her head so close to the enemy would be suicidal. Then again, as Mr. Greyson had said. This wasn''t a real fight. She looked to the sphere and locked her eyes on it. Hera even moved around a bit to make sure she could keep looking at the target while attacking. Feeling she was ready, she lunged. It took her a few tries but after a while, Hera managed to focus her eyes completely on the target until it vanished. Even doing that, she wasn''t able to see any flicker as Alex said. However, this was only her first try. It might take a while before she can identify that. In the next minutes, the times her eyes left the target became almost nonexistent. Her body started to be comfortable moving like this. Repeating the same attack over and over, Hera even tried to hold the dagger as Mr. Greyson had shown. During one of those attempts, a few moments before the attack hit, Hera felt an odd heat passing near her. Getting distracted, she looked at the direction the warmth was coming from. To her surprise, the second the dagger hit the sphere, a new one appeared right where she was looking at. Shocked with the feeling, Hera just stared at the target until it glowed red and vanished. Taking a step back, Hera prepared another attack, but this time focusing on that warmth. It took her a few tries, but after a while, that feeling returned. This time, Hera was ready and before even finishing the attack, she positioned herself for the follow-up. Hitting the first sphere, she didn''t even look at the position of the next one. Slashing with her dagger where she could feel the heat. For the first time since starting this exercise, she was able to predict where the sphere would appear. Sadly, she was too excited. Not even trying to hit the third sphere before it disappeared. With a renewed drive, Hera tackled the exercise with all she got. Mr. Greyson couldn''t help but feel annoyed. To him, this training was just a way to show off the technology to the recruits. There was no real value to it. They should be using the mobile dummies, trying to hit them would give the recruits a good feeling for combat. However, to his unfortunate surprise, all of his students were doing well above his expectations. He figured the good warriors, like Leo and Tiffany, would be able to hit the second target, maybe the third, but never the fourth. And yet, both of them hit the third sphere at least half the time. Hitting the forth once every five tries or so. Some students like Mark and Bonnie were supposed to barely hit the second target. But somehow, both of them only missed the second attack once in a while. There was even a couple of times they hit the third one. Blue still had some trouble. Thankfully one of his predictions was right, he wasn''t completely out of touch just yet. The girl was struggling to hit the second target, but that was normal for a tank. Her strength would only show in other types of training. His biggest surprises were Alex and Anaya. Both girls were hitting almost all the targets. He even made a fifth appear for them and they got it. The rest of the class was just slightly above his evaluation. At least until Hera went to talk to Alex. When the girl came back to her arena, her progress became much faster. Why the hell is a training with dancing lights so goddamn effective? Mr. Greyson looked at the clock. He still had the recruits for another two hours. "Fine, let''s see if ye all can deal with today''s challenge." The teacher then deactivated the arena, most students slashed the air where their target was. But this time, no one lost their balance. "Ten-minute break, then ye all will have the challenge for the day." The recruits once again collapsed on the floor. This time, no one even tried to get up. Not only they were tired from the exercise. It was also really mentally taxing to look for new targets all the time. Among the Guild instructors, Greyson was one of the most brutal ones. His recruits were not only pushed to the edge but also forced to go past that. He was also extremely careful with their physical condition. It was common for a recruit to have a few visits to the healers before their training was over. The exercises were brutal and having leveled up it wasn''t unusual for someone to be reckless and bite more than they can chew. Yet Greyson''s recruits seldom needed to see the healers. Even so, after every graduation, the recruits had fond memories of their instructor. That wasn''t the truth for many of Greyson''s former students. Only a few of them would think back about the training with a smile. The majority would call him spartan, heartless and even demon. The two biggest differences between Greyson''s way of teaching were. What he demanded from the recruits. And how he made sure they would always be taken care of during his exercises. Only after an excessively hard test, most instructors would give food, water or anything to the recruits. Yet now, Mr. Greyson proceeded to pick all the student''s water bottles and refill them. He even had a put aside two spare bottles for each. This unexpected kindness was well received by almost all the recruits. "Leo? What''s wrong" Hera asked, the man''s face was pale and his eyes wide. "He is being nice. Too nice. That''s not good" Blue and Alex stared at him, confused. "Leo, stop being paranoid." Bonnie said while she stretched her arms. "No no no, you guys don''t understand. My master is a beast with our training. Every time he did something nice for us it was followed by hell. And Mr. Greyson is even worse." Blue just waved him off. "Yeah yeah, don''t try to pull us to your PTSD, the teacher is a nice guy. He recognizes our hard work." Leo didn''t answer, but he was shaking his head. "The time to rest is over, now for today''s challenge." Mr. Greyson gave a soft smile that made the hair in Hera''s neck stand up. "Ye will do the same thing ye were just doing. Each target ye hit will give ye points. This time, there won''t be an ending, each time ye hit a target a new one will show up. The more ye hit the more points ye get. If a target blinks red, ye lose a few points. But don''t worry, the bigger the chain the less point ye will lose." The recruits got up, excited about the challenge. The exercise was doable, and everyone was confident about their chances. Mr. Greyson tapped a few keys in the tablet and the spheres appeared in the middle of the arenas. Hera felt this was too easy. Last time he made a full combat simulation as the challenge. Why would this time be the same as the exercise? She looked around and saw Mark going to attack his target. The first hit got him a single point, while the second sphere gave two. He even managed to hit the third sphere, that one gave him four points. Giving him a total of seven points. Each successful hit gave double the points of the last one. When the fourth sphere appeared he wasn''t fast enough, and the target blinked red before vanishing. At the same time, a red minus 20 showed up on the screen in front of his arena. Hera''s eyes widened. Twenty points, missing the fourth sphere shaved 20 points from him. They would need to hit at least 5 targets to get a positive score. "Right, Ah forgot one last thing." Mr. Greyson said before tapping a button on his tablet. In response to his command, all the spheres started to move erratically. They would glide around for a few seconds and then dart to the other side of the arena, moving up, down and in every direction. All of the recruits were shocked by the development. Leo was shaking his head. "I knew it. I knew it." "And remember if ye can''t beat the score ye will be running laps after class." Mr. Greyson said in a playful tone. Hera looked at the screen in front of her arena. Current Score 0 Target Score 5000 That was too much! How was she supposed to reach 5000 points? Even if she hit the fourth target she would lose five points. Hitting the fifth would give her eleven points. But that was just a pipe dream, she was already having trouble hitting the third sphere, much less the fifth one. "Don''t worry, Ah know it seems hard. But this time ye all have half an hour extra to reach the goal." Mr. Greyson was clearly taunting them. Hera held her daggers harder in frustration and dove toward the sphere. It took her three minutes to make any of her attacks connect to the first target. Focusing on that warm feeling she jumped to the next one, but before she reached it, the heat started to move upwards. What confused Hera was the fact that the main body of the warmth was still there, but now there was a trail going up. When the sphere appeared it jumped up at an extremely high speed. The same direction the heat went, although much faster. Before she could do anything else the sphere blinked red and disappeared. "Ok, so that also works? But how can I know the speed it''s going to move" Talking to herself Hera was trying to see if there was a way to tell how fast it would move. While she looked for a solution Bonnie let out a loud gasp. "14? That many?" Many of the recruits turned around and stared at the girl, a few even missed their attacks because of her. Looking around Bonnie gave an awkward smile. "Sorry, I just realized that if we hit 14 in a row we can reach the goal. But if we can hit 7 our points will be above 100" Some recruits just grunted at her. They would be lucky to hit three targets, much less seven or fourteen. On the other hand, a few others realized what that meant. They could mess up as much as they wanted, there was a way to get a lot of points at once. Hera looked at her score. -39 "14 is too much. Let''s start going for the 7." With a smile, Hera jumped at the target in her arena. 27 Not all shall pass For twenty minutes, Hera did her best to hit as many targets as she could. Yet her score was still in the negatives. The only thing making her feel a bit better about herself was that among the recruits, her score was still in the top 5. Current score -175 Score Goal 5000 Mr. Greyson was really ruthless. So far, none of the recruits managed to get a positive score. The closest ones were Alex and Anaya, having - 23 and - 56, respectively. Both of them only got so close to zero because they could sometimes hit the fifth target. Hera even got a glimpse of Anaya missing the sixth one by a second. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. On the other hand, Blue and Mark were bringing up the rear. Mark had gone past the -500 points, and Blue somehow was sitting at -760. As much as Hera was dazzled with the two recruits at the top, she had to admit Blue''s score was more impressive. Just... the wrong kind of impressive. Despite all that, Hera was still enjoying the challenge. She wanted to be able to beat them all, but seeing as the whole class was in the same boat made her feel like it was okay to fail this one. It was one thing to fail alone, another to fail as a group. Most of all, she really felt she was improving, unlike the previous day. Fighting the dummy felt like memorizing the pattern of a video game boss. If you can figure out when you can abuse the enemy, it''s easy to beat it. This exercise, however, is more random. It forces her to improve, to adapt, to grow. Mr. Greyson had a smug smile on his face. He was glad his prediction was correct this time. He assumed one or two would be able to have a positive score at most. Now every one of them was in the negatives. Even if a couple were close to reaching zero, it was still more than enough to make the teacher happy with his evaluation. However, a bit after they reached one hour since the beginning of the challenge, he frowned while looking at Alex''s Arena. In the past few attempts, Alex was able to hit the fifth sphere consistently. Now each time she aimed for the sixth target, she got closer to hit than her last try. To Mr. Greyson, no recruit would be able to hit six spheres in a row. Not with the target moving around so much. Hera had almost hit her fourth sphere in a row. But while her arm was swinging towards it, the target blinked red and disappeared. Letting out a long sigh, she walked toward the middle of the arena to start again. While walking, she noticed that Alex was moving faster than before. Hera stopped for a second and started to watch her friend. Alex hit two spheres almost at the same time. One arm aimed at the target that was glowing and the other aimed at the air. As soon as the first dagger hit, the second target appeared right where her second dagger was moving towards. The girl proceeded to do the same with the third and fourth targets. Even before the fifth target appeared, Alex was already twisting her body and stabbing her dagger in the air, and when it did show up, the target moved in the direction Alex was aiming. Hera''s eyes went wide. Not only Alex predicted the position where the sphere would be, but even the direction it would move towards. How was that even possible? However, Hera had no time to be surprised. With her focus still on Alex, she watched as the girl hit the fifth target and followed up by slashing at the sixth. There was no way Alex would be able to hit six targets in a row. The sphere would glow right before it got hit, Hera was sure of it. Yet, to her surprise, Alex slashed at the sixth target and, not losing her focus, aimed at the seventh. That, however, was too much. She was halfway towards the sphere when it''s glow turned red and it vanished. After looking at her score, and seeing the 63 points being added to her total. Alex started to jump up and down celebrating. Her score was finally positive. A few other recruits started to clap and cheer, hearing that Alex''s face turned red and she stopped jumping. Going back to her challenge. Still in shock, Hera looked around to make sure more people had watched and it wasn''t just an illusion. Aside from the recruits that were clapping, she saw Anaya. The girl had a serious expression, with a cold glint in her eyes. Realizing that Hera was watching her, Anaya waved at the girl and went back to her training. Hera found that reaction weird, but right now, she had other things to worry about. She drank some more water and attacker her sphere again. With twenty minutes left for the exercise, Mr. Greyson was irritated. No one was supposed to get close to the goal he had set, and yet Alex an Anaya needed just a bit over 1000 points to complete the challenge. He wanted to say it was because of her talents, that they were special. But the girls had no fundaments, the attacks were a mess. If someone was supposed to be doing well, it would be Leo. The man had formal training. He knew the proper stance and movement for his attacks. Even if it wasn''t his usual weapon, he should be able to use some of his fundamentals. Now, not only he had two recruits getting close to completing the challenge, most o the rest had a few hundred points. His predictions were wrong, and the only variable that had changed was the training method. Could this be better than the old ways? The man shook his head, it was too soon to tell. They still can fail. Some recruits were feeling extremely pressured. Hearing Mr. Greyson''s mumble, they weren''t able to understand all he was saying. They could only hear a few words "useless", "failure" and "mistake". Along with a few curses every now and then, that broke both their concentration and spirit. The worst part was when the teacher would grunt and walk away. They were not sure if that was a good or a bad thing. In the following minutes, due to Alex''s success, the recruit''s drive was renewed. Having someone get so close to beating the challenge showed that it wasn''t an impossible task. With five minutes left on the challenge, Mr. Greyson was feeling on edge. Alex and Anaya were just a bit over two hundred points short of achieving the goal. Part of his job was to train these recruits so that can count as a good thing. But at the same time, his prediction was wrong, all because of this weird exercise. A small part of him was impressed with the effectiveness of it. But the rest refused to believe that this modern way can be so much better. Among the recruits, very few were still trying to reach the goal. Most of them had given up and were now resting in the edges of the arena. The first ones who did this were scolded by the teacher. But during the last ten minutes or so he seemed to ignore them. With that, most of the recruits who gave up watched the ones that were still struggling. Even giving some advice towards them. Hera wasn''t in the mood to give up. She had a positive score, but there was no way to reach more than 5000 points in the few minutes left. She stepped away to drink some more water and watched Alex again. Now, the girl was able to hit the sixth target with some consistency. Each successful attempt making her get closer to the seventh. Inch by inch, the distance between her dagger and the seventh target decreased. In this attempt, Alex saw the flicker of the seventh target, but her body was in an odd position to attack it. Spinning around to try to reach a better position she saw her dagger about to reach the target, and then the flicker. That only happened when she would hit the sphere. Alex''s heart started to pound even harder. The flicker indicated that the next target was going to appear behind her. Without stopping her spin, Alex slashed at the seventh target. As soon as the glowing sphere vanished, the girl flipped her head around. Not only the eighth target was too far for her to reach, but it was also moving away in a straight line. She wanted to hit it. Just once she wanted to try to move up two steps at a time. Alex finished her spin and threw the dagger at the target. The dagger cut through the air. Alex, the recruits, and even a few explorers watching held their breaths. Like it was in slow motion Hera watched the dagger spin toward the target. The sphere started to lose some light, but one second before it changed to red. The target was struck by the dagger, vanishing and making a new one appear. No one minded the ninth target that was just materialized. The training room reverberated with the yells from the recruits and many of the explorers watching. Blue jumped in Alex''s arms giving her a big hug while the rest of the recruits cheered. Hera wanted to go there and join in, after all, Alex had just beat the challenge, but there was still a few minutes left. There was enough time to congratulate her later. During that celebration, Anaya was able to reach the goal as well. Jumping back to the exercise Hera managed to reach 154 points having, at most, hit the fifth target, even if it was just once. Leo had around 300 points, most of them got during the last half an hour of the exercise. Blue, on the other hand, was close to reaching -3000. She never managed to get a single positive chain. After a few minutes of celebrating the recruits were interrupted by a clapping coming from Mr.Greyson. "Congratulations, Alex, Anaya. The two of ye are the only ones to ever beat this challenge." In response to that, Alex gave a warm smile toward Anaya, who just replied with a cold stare. "The two of ye can go home, the rest start running some laps, Ah reckon 30 kilometers would be fair giving yer accomplishments. After that, ye can go home." He said with an evil grin. "You want us to run 30km? Mr. Greyson that''s insane!" Mark gasped hearing how much work they still had for the day. "Yer right laddie, maybe Ah should increase it to 45." The second he said that many recruits stared daggers at Mark. "If ye don''t have any more complaints start running." "Ah, man." Mark started to run following the track painted on the floor. "What the hell ye think yer doing?" Mr.Greyson asked when he saw the man running. Mark didn''t stop running while he replied. "I''m running my laps." "For f**k sake, that''s a figure of speech. We have treadmills goddamit. Other people are training here." Mark stopped running and looked back, only to see all the recruits walking towards the treadmills on the side of the room. Lowering his head he walked towards then, wanting to bury himself in a hole. 29 Late breakfas Hera''s eyes went wide the second she saw the teacher. Both of them froze the second Mr. Greyson''s gaze fell upon them. Hera looked at the teacher, trying to find a moment to apologize for being late. However, the first thing she noticed was that the teacher had a split lip and a few bruises on his arms. "Are ye gonna stay there or ye going to get in and sit down?" Mr. Greyson asked in a harsh tone. Hera lowered her head while Kojiro apologized before going inside the classroom. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. To their surprise, most of the seats were empty. The only ones who were here already were Alex, Anaya, and Bonnie. Alex gave Hera a soft smile, followed by a confused look. She didn''t understand why the class was so empty. "Ah''m asking ye two the same thing I asked Bonnie. Why ye are late?" Hera wanted to answer, but she felt ashamed. It wasn''t right to say she woke up later than she should. She is the oldest among the recruits. How could she be so irresponsible? Kenjiro, on the other hand, answered without missing a beat. "My alarm didn''t go off, sir. Or it did, but I didn''t wake up." Mr. Greyson mumbled a few words that the recruits weren''t able to hear. Hera took a deep breath. "Me too, Mr. Greyson. I''m sorry." "Honestly, and ye all want to be explorers? If ye can''t even wake up on time after some light workout. What are ye all doing here? Ah even gave ye an enchanted energy bar to help ye rest." Bonnie, Hera, and Kenjiro looked at each other with a confused expression. "Hera, did you really woke up late even after all that?" Alex whispered to her. Hera nodded and replied with a quiet voice. "I did, but he never gave me any energy bar." Unfortunately, the class was so empty that everyone heard the exchange. "What do ye mean Ah never gave you the energy bar? Of course, Ah bloody did." Hera looked down. She never got any energy bars from the teacher. She was sure of it. "Teacher, the only thing you distributed yesterday were the water bottles. No one got anything else from you." Bonnie chimed in, Hera could see large sweat stains in her blouse, and even the girl''s voice seemed to be weak. "Even ye Bonnie? Fine! A''m gonna prove ye all that I gave you the bloody bars." Mr. Greyson huffed and stormed off from the classroom. The five recruits were speechless at the scene. Since when was the teacher so childlike? "Ok, what the hell happened yesterday?" Alex asked Hera. Hera told what happened. The ones who had to run spent at least three hours to finish the 30km. At first, they even talked a bit, but Mr. Greyson would scold anyone who was walking instead of running. Less than half an hour in, they were all in silence. To their luck, a few explorers who were training turned on the music. So they at least had something to distract them. At first, Hera wanted to wait for Leo and Blue. When she was finally done, both were still a few kilometers short. She was too tired to wait, so she went home. The only thing Mr. Greyson did, aside from scolding, was to look at something in his tablet. As they talked, more recruits started to arrive, all of them sweating and with panic in their faces. The last one was Mark, accompanied by Mr.Greyson, who carried a large cooler. After the recruit sat in the last empty seat, Blue leaned in to ask something to him. "Oh crap!" Blue gasped before placing both hands in front of her mouth, holding her laughter. Hera looked at the girl and asked what happened. "The teacher held the elevator door to Mark. Can you imagine how that ride was?" Blue explained. Picturing the scene, all recruits who heard her couldn''t help but giggle. "Are ye all done?" Mr. Greyson asked the class, silencing them all in an instant. "Now, as Ah was told by the first ones to arrive. Ah didn''t give ye the energy bars that would help ye rest. They were right." Mr. Greyson opened the cooler revealing 13 energy bars. "These bars are enchanted with a regeneration boost spell. The spell increases the natural recovery of yer body. It''s not just very useful for long fights or missions. If ye eat one before ye sleep, ye will be much more well-rested, even in a day ye ran a marathon." He picked the cooler with one hand and proceeded to distribute the bars among the recruits. "Ah apologize for not giving this to ye all yesterday. There is no excuse for it." After all, students had one of the bars, Mr. Greyson stood in front of the class. "As an apology Ah''ll get ye all some coffee. We will wait for class to start at 8." Even when Mr.Greyson was apologizing, Hera couldn''t help but feel intimidated by the man. The way he spoke made it all seem more like an order than an honest ''I''m sorry''. The teacher started to walk out the door but stopped midway. "Someone come with me, Ah can''t carry it all by myself." Hera wanted to help, after all, Mr. Greyson was being nice with the class. But her legs were still sore from all the running. Before she could muster the courage to get up, Alex interrupted her. "I''ll go, most of the class needs to rest a bit." Giving Hera a soft smile, Alex walked off with the teacher. A part of Hera felt bad for letting her friend to the work, but at the same time, she was very grateful for the chance to rest. A few moments after Mr. Greyson left the class, the recruits started to talk. Mostly about what had just happened. "I bet this is the first time he ever apologized to his students." Blue said with her head still resting in the table. "I don''t think so. I mean even someone like him would have messed up in his first class." Leo replied without raising his head. "I''m more worried about his face, where do you think he got those bruises?" Hera had already opened the energy bar and started eating. "Well, I''m not sure, maybe he went training after... Are you eating it?" Bonnie stared at Hera. "Well.. yeah, I''m hungry." She replied cleaning a bit of grain that stuck to her face. With a jolt, Blue raised her head." Wait, we can eat it already?" Hera looked at the girl with a confused expression. "Why can''t we?" "Well, Mr.Greyson said that this helped us sleep better, so maybe, he gave us thinking about tonight?" Leo explained his reasoning, still not moving in his seat. Hera froze mid-bite, she never considered this could be something for the end of the day. If it was, how much would it cost to buy another one? Could she even eat two in one day? "We should follow Hera''s lead. After all, she knows what the teacher likes. Besides, he said this would increase our recovery speed. I doubt anyone of you will be ready for class in just half an hour." Anaya said from the back, making Carlos and Tiffany giggle. While Kojiro just scoffed. "Hey, what do you mean by that?" Blue confronted Anaya while standing up. It would have been much more intimidating if she didn''t look like an old lady with back problems right now. "I''m just saying Hera has the right idea, I don''t see what''s the problem with that." She replied with a smile that made Blue''s blood boil. "Blue, let it go. Never feed the trolls." Leo said not even looking back. "But.." Blue protested, but gave up shortly after, she knew he was right. Hera kept looking back and forth not sure of what was going on. She only stopped worrying when her friend sat down and started to gobble up the energy bar. "You know, this is better than I was expecting. Usually, these power bars taste so bland." Blue kept eating her bar with a smile. The recruits kept laughing and talking until Mr. Greyson came back with Alex. They were carrying two plates filled with bread, cheeses and even some fruits. The teacher also carried a large thermic bottle with the label "Coffee". The two of them set up the plates at the teacher''s desk. It was a really nice spread, you could see something like this only in famous hotels. The whole class was just staring at the plates. Not believing their demon of a teacher had gotten such a beautiful breakfast. "Well? Stop waiting and come eat. But eat the bars Ah gave ye all beforehand. It will help ye through the day." Relieved, Hera went to grab a cup of coffee. She always enjoyed coffee a bit too much, that''s why she was trying to cut back. But today was special. The atmosphere in the classroom became that of a party. Even Mr. Greyson mingled a bit with the students, talking about the various kinds of foods he found inside the MAZE. Hera was enthralled by his descriptions, looking at the teacher with a spar in her eyes. With that, the half-hour went by quickly, and it was time for class to start. "All right, everyone back to yer seats. time to start" With his usual clap, Mr. Greyson silenced the whole class. They all went back to their seats, while Hera walked towards the table to throw away the trash. "What ye doing lassie?" The teacher asked seeing Hera going for his desk. "I''m helping with the cleanup." Hera said sheepishly, the way Mr. Greyson spoke made it seem like she was being scolded. "No need, we will be using that." The instructor''s words confused the whole class. "Right, Ah''m gonna give each of ye one of the items in the table. What Ah need ye to do right now is to look at whatever you get and write it down everything you know about the item. Shape, size, weight, ingredients, vitamins any detail ye know." He started to pass around the bread, cheese, and fruit that was left on the table. A few pieces even had some bites on them. "Bonnie, not ye. Go to the front desk of the guild and ask for Helena, she has a special training for you. Since the skill ye got yesterday is the one they are getting today." Bonnie nodded and left the classroom. Hera couldn''t help but wonder what would be a training session with Helena. A big part of her wanted to mess up so she could have the woman as her teacher. But at the same time, Mr. Greyson was helping her a lot. It would be weird to have a new teacher right now. Coming back to reality Hera stared at the chocolate-covered bagel Mr. Greyson had just placed on her table. She had to describe it? "Alright, since we have one hour less, Ah''m giving ye all fifteen minutes with each object. Use yer tablet, a notebook or yer own sweat for all, Ah care but ye need to write it down. It doesn''t work if ye don''t. And Blue" He stared at the girl with about to bite down on a croissant filled with chocolate "Don''t eat the bloody items." Blue put down the croissant pouting a little. Hera giggled and stared at her bagel, it looked delicious but what she could write about it? 30 Pastries and Fruits Deciding to start easy, Hera began writing. --- Chocolate covered bagel. It is a bread-based sweet. It has a circular shape with a hole in the middle. The chocolate covers most of the top of the bagel, leaving only the bottom exposed. Usually, it''s eaten hot or room temperature. The chocolate has a dark brown color that shines in the light. The dough has a tan color, with a light beige line around the midsection of the bagel. The bottom has a few dark tan lines that are crisp to touch. It can be ascertained that the bagel was made in a baking rack, due to the format of said lines. --- Hera kept staring at the texts, wondering what else she could write about this. Most of the recruits had the same problem. Shortly after they started writing, there was nothing else to say about their items. They would add a line here and there, but the amount of information they could give was extremely limited. Seeing the student''s reaction, Mr. Greyson walked toward the board. \"Think about more than just appearance. What do ye know about the item? The taste, how to make them, where they are from, where ye can find them,\" he wrote all of the topics down as he talked, \"use what ye know, yer own experiences with each item. If ye don''t have any, just use the internet. Just remember, it''s easier to get the skill if ye take something from yer personal knowledge.\" After hearing what the teacher had just said, Hera gave a soft smile. She used to help her grandmother bake when she was little. The way you would need to be careful while making the dough, and how the smell could fill the whole room were among her favorite memories. Hera quickly looked for a recipe online. After reading it, something felt off. Bonnie got this skill earlier by looking at a nail polish bottle. Even considering how smart the girl was, Hera doubted she would be well versed in the production of acrylic bottles. Maybe the step by step guide is not the way to go. She looked back at her description and started to think about the days she helped her grandma. --- To make a bagel, you need bread flour, brown sugar, and yeast for the dough. For the chocolate, you will need powdered or melted chocolate, milk, vanilla, and butter. It''s needed to prepare the chocolate so the flavor can harmonize better with the dough. It''s also important to leave the dough resting before baking. That is part of the process, and it cannot be rushed. After the dough is finished, you need to shape it in circular formats before placing them in the oven. Ideally, you should start baking at a low temperature and only increase it in order to turn the bagel golden brown. After that, you can glaze the bagel with the chocolate mix. Beware, the smell of a fresh batch is irresistible for most people. Be ready to face the horde of hungry family members. --- Hera giggled after writing the last line. It seemed stupid, but it was what her grandmother always told her. She kept staring at the bagel, complementing her description here and there with any information she could think of. A few minutes passed when Mr. Greyson told the class to swap items. Hera gave the bagel to Blue and picked half an apple from Leo. Taking a deep breath, she proceeded to write her description, trying to focus on her own experience with it. The hours went by quickly. The exercise could be simple, but it required a lot of concentration. The only noise that could be heard was the fingers tapping away at the tablets. Swapping the items among themselves, Hera had described fruits, pastries, cheeses, and even some jam. She was getting tired and really hungry. When she was about to swap out the banana that was in front of her, Hera noticed a skill pop up. | Skill Acquired: Inspect | Inspect: | Allows you to read the information available of the target. | This information can come from general knowledge or your own experiences | If a new piece of information about the target becomes available it will be added to its description. \"Well, it seems useful. Especially if I need to forage for food or look for a specific plant.\" Hera mumbled to herself. Picking the banana in front of her, she activated the new skill. ------- Banana Flora - Berry - Edible A sweet fruit, rich in vitamin B6, vitamin C, and with moderate amounts of manganese. Commonly known as being rich in potassium, this only applies to cooking bananas, also called plantains. Bananas that are made to be eaten raw, such as this, only contains a moderate amount of potassium. This type of banana can be considered the first food that was bioengineered. Wild bananas are filled with seeds, along with having a smaller size. It is believed that this species of banana was created more than 10,000 years ago, by hybridization between different species. When the banana is born it has a green color, it turns yellow when it''s ripe and darkens as it gets older. It is possible to eat the banana before it ripens, however it will have an astringent taste. The banana is used mostly as a raw dish, it can be seasoned with chocolate or cinnamon, among other things. It can also be used to make bread and is famous for being served with ice cream. ------- This skill surprised Hera in many ways. Starting with the size of the screen that appeared. It was bigger than her status screen, and there was even a picture of the banana spinning slowly at the side. Hera compared the image shown on the screen with the banana in front of her. They were different, the real version had a few marks and dark spots. The one showing by the description was a perfectly yellow banana. The type you would only see in a drawing. The information that was being displayed was also impressive. Not only it had some details about its origin, but also nutritional values and uses for the banana. Sure, it wasn''t anything she didn''t know, but if that would be the same for any item she inspected, it would be amazing. Still, the biggest surprise was that nothing in the display was a new piece of information to her. She had learned about bananas in one of her school projects. It wasn''t the type of knowledge she remembered, even if she tried. And yet, here it was. \"Hera?\" Leo called while holding the apple with one hand. She blinked and looked at the man. \"Sorry, what can I help you with?\" confused, he just made a motion toward the apple in his hand, \"Oh, right, sorry.\" Hera shook her head and went back to the inspect window. Not even moving her arm to pick the apple. The skill description said the information came from general knowledge or personal experience. Would that mean each person would see a different description? \"Hellooo, Earth to Hera.\", looking up, Hera saw Blue holding her hand out towards her. \"Hum? What happened?\", replied Hera. \"The banana, can I have it? You also need to pick the apple Leo is trying to give you.\" \"Oh, right,\" she replied and mechanical gave the banana to Blue. \"Are you ok, Hera? You seem really off right now.\" Leo chimed in, clearly worried about the girl. Hera nodded, \"Yeah, sorry. I''m just trying to understand how does the skill works.\" \"Wait, you got the skill?\" Blue said with a big smile. \"Yeah, sorry I should have told you,\" Hera just realized she''s been ignoring her friends these past moments, \"The skill is called inspect, and it seems to give you any information about that item, as long as you learned that once.\" Mr.Greyson was listening to their conversation. He nodded and decided it was time for an explanation. \"That''s right lassie, Inspect is a skill that tells ye everything ye know about the item ye are looking at. The more ye learn about an item the more the skill can tell ye. Not only that, but ye can also buy information that is put directly into the skill. Ye can also share the info, but unless ye want to share yer whole database ye can do it only one item at a time.\" The skill was more useful than Hera imagined. Being able to buy and share the information could be a lifesaver. Not only in the MAZE but in the day to day life as well. \"Mr. Greyson, so we can only buy information on one item at a time?\" Alex asked. \"No, ye can buy these miniature books called compendiums. Some old researcher figured out how to make the information have a solid form a few centuries ago. That became the standard for info sharing. These days, there are even rumors about getting one of those from monsters.\" \"How does that work? You ask please and the monster just gives you the contenium or whatever you called it?\" the second Mark started speaking, most recruits looked towards him with pity in their eyes. The man already seemed to be on Mr. Greyson''s bad side, and his ramblings wouldn''t help with that. \"Aye, that is one way to get it. At least according to the rumors, another would be killing the thing and getting it as a drop.\" Hearing that Hera stared at the teacher, monsters in the MAZE had drops? \"Wait, monsters have drops? That''s not just some videogame bullshit to get items?\" Carlos, one of the men who sat with Anaya asked in a loud voice. \"Where do ye think video games got that from? Just don''t expect to see that happening with every monster, inside the MAZE some die and become corpses and others die and go back to the room.\" The room burst with questions from the recruits, but the teacher answered none of them. \"We will have a class for that, today ye all have to get the Inspect skill. The only one who got it so far was Hera. The rest of ye, stop messing around and get back to work.\" Little by little the recruits got the skill. After hearing about items the could come from monsters, their excitement only grew. With twenty minutes left for the class, all the recruits had the inspect skill. \"If ye are all done ye can eat the items, Ah don''t want to carry all that back downstairs.\" As if waiting for that order Blue quickly went after the croissant she had started eating. Hera looked around and saw Anaya, eating the bagel she had started with. With a frown, she turned to Alex. \"You are picking lunch today, right? Any ideas?\" The girl thought for a second. \"How do you feel about sushi?\" 31 New training \"Honestly, how can anyone like that?\" Blue brushed her tongue with a candy bar. \"You could have gotten something else, you know, they had Ramen and Yakisoba,\" said Alex. \"Don''t even bother, Alex. it''s a refined taste. I wouldn''t expect a troglodyte would understand.\" Bonnie chimed in. \"That''s rich coming from someone who looked like was falling the whole time. It amazes me how you can even walk without face planting in the ground.\" Blue replied with a sharp tone. \"At least I didn''t look like a dog with my tongue sticking out,\" Bonnie turned her head towards Blue, \"and I have the decency of eating my food, not doing whatever you are trying to do.\" \"I''m removing the awful taste of fish from my mouth. Some of us care about having bad breath.\" Blue rolled her eyes. \"Are you implying I have bad breath?\" Bonnie was staring daggers at the girl. \"Not implying, I''m straight up telling you. Toothbrush, ever heard of it?\" \"You little...\" Alex, Leo, and Hera walked behind the two girls watching the fight. \"Soo... when did that start?\" Alex asked, looking towards Hera. \"I can''t say for sure. But I think it was around the second hour of running. They teased each other a bit, but it turned into... well... that.\" pointing at the girls, Hera gave a soft smile. \"I''m kind of sad I missed it.\" Alex realized that by not having to do the punishment, she lost a chance to be closer to her friends. \"Don''t worry about it. Mr. Greyson is worse than my teacher. You will have many other chances. Just picturing it makes me shiver. \" Leo said while hugging himself. \"At least you guys know what to expect. If I fail, it will be my first time.\" Hera stared at Alex. \"Please, tell me you''re being sarcastic right now. If you are serious, I can''t even look at you.\" Alex replied with a smirk. In sync, both Leo and Hera rolled their eyes. \"Fine, Then I bet I can beat your score today! The loser buys the winner lunch tomorrow.\" Blue yelled. The fight was still going on, apparently. \"Deal!\" Bonnie said, before putting out her hand. The girls shook on it and kept arguing. \"You know, if I didn''t know any better, I''d say they were sisters.\" As soon as Leo finished his sentence, Bonnie turned around. \"Don''t you dare say I''m related to this primate!\" With a big grin on her face, Blue started taunting the girl. \"Ha! Little miss Big Brain doesn''t even realize that she is also a primate.\" \"Of course, I know you buffoon!\" \"You only know because I just told you.\" \"I knew it before you said anything.\" The duo kept going. The three in the back were hardly believing in the scene. \"This really looks like a middle school fight doesn''t it?\" Leo was flabbergasted. He could see this behavior coming from Blue, but not from Bonnie. \"Yeah, it''s kind of amazing.\" Alex was staring at them as if she saw a pair of dolphins in the middle of the city. \"Yeah, but Bonnie was wrong,\" Hera said. Hearing that, Bonnie spun around and fixed her eyes on Hera. \"And why, pray tell, I was wrong?\" Hera was taken aback, she wasn''t expecting the girl to listen to her rambling. Looking a down, she replied in a weak voice. \"Well... troglodytes didn''t have tools, right? They probably ate the fish they catch raw.\" Her sentence was followed by a long silence. The whole group staring at Hera. The longer it took for anyone to reply, the more Hera felt uncomfortable, what she said was that stupid? With a resounding laughter, Blue was the first one to break the ice. \"Oh, my lord Hera, only you would take this so seriously.\" The rest of the group joined laughing, and even Hera gave a weak smile. \"Sorry, my mind just goes there,\" Hera said. \"Don''t worry, and you are right. At the time Troglodytes were around they used very basic tools, they probably didn''t have fire,\" trying to help the girl, Bonnie expanded on her thoughts. \", you don''t need to say sorry. After all, you also made me win a free launch.\" \"Oh, you think you can beat me?\" Blue was just about to start arguing again when Leo jumped between the two of them. \"Ok, you two already had enough for today. No more fighting. leave that energy for the training, please. I don''t think I have medicine for the migraine you are giving me.\" \"I have some aspirin if you need.\" The second Hera finished talking, the group looked back at her with shocked expressions. \"I know that one was a joke. I''m just saying if any of you have a headache I have some aspirin okay?\" That annoyed Hera a bit, she wasn''t that thick. \"That''s good. If even that one went over your head I would be worried.\" Alex teased the girl. \"Just because they stopped fighting you want to start?\", replied Hera with a playful smile. Leo and Blue started to chant, \"Fight, Fight, Fight.\" Laughing, the group went back to the Guild. In a bit over ten minutes, Hera was already in the training room ready to start. For some reason, it felt natural to work out after launch. Today, however, there was a difference. The teacher wasn''t here yet. Hera looked around and saw Mr. Greyson talking to Helena. Unlike the way he spoke to the recruits, he seemed more carefree around her. It made sense, after all, it was hard not to be feel comfortable around Helena. Staring at the clerk, Hera activated her skill [Inspect] ------ Helena - Human - Mage 32 years - Level 18 A mage who decided to come back home after staying inside the MAZE for a long time. Friendly and outgoing, she does her best to help others. Can''t cook. ------ Hera frowned. It only showed the information she knew. Could it be because Helena was from the guild? At the sushi place, she was able to see the name, job, and even some information about the clothes of the waiter. Looking at the screen, Hera noticed that even the picture that was supposed to be there was missing. Pondering if her skill was too weak or if the difference in levels was affecting the result, Hera didn''t notice when Helena approached her. \"Hello sweetie, how are you today?\" coming back from her daze, Hera gave a soft smile towards the mage. \"Hi, Helena, I''m o... I''m good, and you?\" Helena winked at the recruit, \"Good to see you''re learning! I''m fine, I had a rough night of sleep, but it was my fault for eating a greasy burger just before going bed.\" she giggled. Hera smiled back, she knew Helena was a terrible cook, but maybe her eating habits were also a problem. \"So, whatcha doin''?\" Helena had an odd smile on her face. \"I''m waiting for class to start...\" Hera stared at the mage, the way she asked felt weird. \"Is that all? You didn''t try to inspect me jus now?\" Hera''s eyes went wide. How did she know? \"I... I did...\" Hera looked away, for some reason it felt like she was doing something wrong \", I''m sorry.\" Helena let out a sigh, \"It''s ok. By the looks of this, Calvin forgot to tell you guys to be careful when inspecting people. Many skills and items can show you when someone is being nosy. It is also considered rude to inspect someone without them knowing.\" Hera nodded, the last thing she wanted to do was to be rude to Helena or anyone else. \"It won''t happen again, I promise.\" Helena patted Hera on the back, \"Don''t make promises you are not able to keep. Inside the MAZE is common for explorers to inspect each other. We are just more sneaky about it.\" Not being sure of what Helena meant by that, Hera had a puzzled expression on her face. \"Ok, you know that look. Since your teacher is going to be back soon, you can ask only one question about this.\" Helena gave Hera a playful smile. She enjoyed seeing the recruit learn, it reminded her of when she was just getting to know how the MAZE worked. Hera stared at the woman in front of her. There was so much she wanted to ask. How could she tell she was being inspected? Why would explorers hide when they are inspecting each other. Why the information that the skill gives seems limited at times? How can I improve the skill? Why is she so nice to me? Considering her options Hera realized that there was only one question she absolutely needed to ask. \"Is there anything I can help you with?\" Helena was taken aback, she would never guess Hera would use her question like that. With a big smile, she hugged the recruit. \"You are too sweet you know that? There are many things you can help me with, but for now, focus on the training. I promise that when you are a full-fledged explorer, I''m asking you a bunch of favors.\" Hera hugged back, even if she wasn''t fond of physical contact. Helena had a calming aura around her. \"Ok, now I need to go. And your teacher seems to be ready for class. Good luck, try no to break anything.\" With that advice, Helena left the training room. Not a minute later, Mr. Greyson showed up dragging a blue box that was bigger than the ones he brought in the days before. \"Today, yer not swinging at a target. Today ye all will be the dummy.\" The teacher opened the box, revealing its contents. Inside of it, there were various sets of protective gear, along with shields and even some longsword scabbards. \"Each of ye come here and pick a set of armor and one shield of each type.\" Mark sheepishly raised his hand. \"Mr. Greyson, why there are scabbards there? Are they considered shields?\" With an approving nod, the teacher explained. \"Aye, there are many ways to defend from attacks. I want ye all to experiment with this and figure out what ye like. Some may already know, but it doesn''t hurt to try new things.\" He said the last line staring directly at Blue, who had a big smile on her face. The recruits grabbed the gear and started to wear the armor. It was a complicated task, the body armor resembled what knights would wear. Alex and Hera were helping each other to strap in a few pieces of the gear. To their side, Blue geared up extremely quickly. She was so giddy that she was jumping in place. \"What''s gotten into you?\" Leo asked, he already was used to this type of gear. Although he wasn''t as proficient as Blue in putting it on. \"Nothing, it just seems I got my free launch,\" she said while looking at Bonnie. Bonnie looked at her confused when it dawned on her. There was no way she could beat Blue''s score today. 32 How to take a hi All geared up, the recruits were lead to a door in the back of the training room. Hera had noticed this door before, but she imagined it would only lead to another set of training equipment and small arenas. To her surprise, the area in from of her was very different. She could see large arenas to the left, some sort of batting cages to the right, and a large area the size of an olympic pool in the back. In the big arenas, groups of explorers trained with a single dummy. Hera tried to watch one of the parties, but Mr. Greyson rushed the recruits towards the cages. \"C''mon, we don''t have all day.\" In less than a minute, each recruit was inside one of the cages. Before any of them was able to take in their surroundings, the teacher explained. \"Like Ah said, today we learn how to defend. Defending can be both blocking or dodging. Blocking is easier, but it takes more control. Yer first instinct will be to jump away. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn''t.\" Mr. Greyson pressed a button on his tablet, making one of the walls in each cage to give off a soft glow. In the middle of the wall, a large white ring, big enough to pass a person, appeared. \"The first step is simple. Block or dodge the incoming attacks. If ye get hit, the attack will stop coming out of the circle until you get back in the middle of the cage. There is an X on the ground to mark the middle. A warning, they pack a punch.\" Pressing another button, the teacher started the training. The circles glowed red and fired the first attack. Hera watched as a white energy bolt came out of the circle and towards her. It wasn''t a fast attack, but both the circle and the bolt had the same color. Hera raised her shield to where she believed the bold would hit. However, just before the attack hit her. Hera felt every part of her body pulling her away. Trying not to give in to those impulses, she shifted her body slightly. It was just enough so that she wouldn''t be hit directly by the attack. Almost in sync, all the recruits blocked the bolt. Hera wasn''t expecting the force behind such a slow attack. After blocking, she fell to the ground and let go of the shield. She was stunned, not only she failed to gauge the strength of the bolt, but she also failed to hold her equipment. If this were a real fight, she would get very hurt. Looking around, she saw a few other recruits on the ground. Others were pushed back to the edge of the cage. Leo and Kenjiro seemed to be the ones who were less affected by the attack. Blue, on the other hand, didn''t even budge. She blocked the first attack and proceeded to parry the next one. Hera smiled. It was good to see the girl in her element. The previous training seemed to be hard for her. Hera stood up, grabbing her shield, and watched Blue for a while. Looking at the way the girl moved and how she would position herself, Hera tried to mimic her defense. It took a while but after some time, Hera was able not only to block a few attacks in a row but also parry one or two. She was still far from being on the same level as Blue, who only had gotten hit twice since the training started. Still, she was happy. It was an improvement, and this felt easier than hitting the spheres the previous day. One hour after the training began. Mr. Greyson activated the second ring. This time to the side of the first one. \"Be ready, after a ring fires ten shots it will change places. It will only go from side to side, for now, so don''t worry about yer back.\" Even with the increased difficulty, Hera was still able to block a few attacks at a time. At one moment, a bolt flew from the ring at her side, but Hera wasn''t ready for it. She spun around trying to catch the attack with her shield and redirected it to the side. Making the bolt hit another one that was coming closer. Before she was able to realize what she had done, the next two attacks hit her square in the chest. The impact not only sent her tumbling to the side of the cage but also made her gasp for air. Those attacks were getting stronger. \"Hey, we can do that? Cool, that''s gonna be way easier.\" Blue said with a smile. Hera watched as the girl started to block and redirect the attacks. 1 in 3 times she would make the bolts hit each other, giving her some breathing room. Hera let out a sigh, Blue was the only one capable of doing that. The other recruits didn''t even bother to try. A few more minutes passed before Mr. Greyson activated the rest of the walls. Now four attacks would come at the recruits at once. It took Hera all she had to block and dodge just one set of attacks. She even held a scabbard in her right hand trying to use it as an extra way to protect herself. The worst part was, even if she got hit. The rings would only stop firing. The bolts that had already been shot would still fly at her. Every time she got hit, it became harder to block the next bolt. Each impact would harm her differently. Some would make it harder to breathe, while others make part of her body numb. The worst one was when she got hit on the head. It would make the whole world flash. As if she was having one really bad migraine for a few seconds. To top it all off, aside from when she got hit in the head, there was no way to know what each bolt would do. Even if she got hit in the same spot, each attack would affect her differently. The silver lining was that she wasn''t the only one having trouble. Even Blue had a serious expression right now. Although, the girl was still miles ahead of the rest. Even after being bombarded with attacks from all sides, Blue only got hit every once in a while. The surprising part was that she was able to block the next attack even after getting hit. On one of the moments Blue got hit, Hera took the chance to talk to the girl. \"Blue, do you have any tips? I''m having a hard time keeping up.\" The girl turned to Hera with a serious expression. Her eyes were narrow and her jaw was clenched. Her movements seemed strange and mechanic. For a moment, Hera thought she was talking with someone else. Blue blinked a few times and her face went back to her usual self. \"Wow, this is getting hard,\" Blue laughed, \"you want some tips. Honestly, I suck at teaching. Why don''t you tell me what you feel is the problem? Then I can see what I can help you with.\" \"Well, I''m not sure..\" Hera did her best to explain her struggle. Her biggest problem was the time it took for her to see the next attack, and move towards it. There was also the fact that each block would make her lose her balance. \"Ok, two things. First, why are you trying to block every single hit? Mr. Greyson said we could dodge. I only block because I know how to do it. Secondly, isn''t that shield a bit too big for you? That one is called an Aspis. Since it covers half your body, you lose some mobility. It''s is great if you are strong and slow but your stats are more balanced, right? Try a smaller one. Or follow Alex, she is using only the scabbard.\" Hera thanked her friend for the advice. Leaving the cage afterward to look for a smaller shield. Sadly, the only ones available were bigger. \"What are you looking for?\" Leo asked. He had left his cage to refill his water bottle. \"Hey, I''m looking for a smaller shield. Blue suggested one with more mobility since my stats are not focused on strength.\" Leo nodded, \"She is right. A big shield works better if you are really strong and can hold your ground.\" \"Yeah, but I won''t be able to check it right now. The only shields left are bigger than this one.\" Hera gestured with her current shield. \"Well, if you want, we can trade shields. The one I got is a bit too small for me. I keep getting hit, thinking the shield is covering me.\" Leo suggested. Hera looked at Leo, and then back at her shield. \"Are you sure? You know how that is going to look, right?\" She couldn''t help but smile. The great Leonidas would be using his signature shield. \"Yeah, yeah, do you want to trade or not?\" Hera was about to tease him a little more when Leo grabbed the shield he was using. \"One word coming out of you and I take this one back.\" he said while shoving the shield in her hands. \"Thanks, Leo\" she replied. Both of them went back to the cages to continue the training. After a few minutes, Hera heard Mr. Greyson laughing. \"Oy, laddie! Do ye want me to paint a V on the shield to complete the look?\" Here bit her lip, trying not to laugh. Even with the noise the rest of the recruits were making, she managed to hear Leo say with a sigh. \"I hate my life.\" Feeling a bit bad, she offered to trade shield again. But the man simply shook his head and went back to training. Having a bit over one hour for the end of the class, Mr. Greyson turned off the cages. \"Alright, now for the challenge. Each attack ye block or dodge will give ye a point. If ye get hit, ye lose a point. Pretty simple. Just watch yer heads, the attacks can come from above now.\" He activated the last stage of the training. Five white rings appeared, one in each wall and one in the ceiling of the cage. \"Last thing, the rings move now. Have fun.\" As soon as he finished talking, the rings started to move around in each wall. They would bounce around the edges making the pattern even more unpredictable. The only thing that made Hera happy about all this was that the ring on the ceiling fired the bolt way less frequently than the rest. Hera did her best, to block them all. She managed to defend against 8 bolts before she got hit for the first time in this exercise. Sadly, due to the effect of the hit, three more bolts hit her before the attacks stopped. She looked at a small screen in the edge of the cage showing her points Target points 1 000 Current points 4 With a frown, she kept going. The teacher was a sly one. He told them, they would lose a point when they got hit. But failed to mention that each bolt would remove one point. So they needed to either block many attacks at once or block some even after getting hit. It was that, or losing the points they worked so hard to get. Hera struggled for more half an hour, only managing to reach 400 points. She could have gotten a higher score. But every few tries, she needed to stop and rest. This training was mentally taxing. The effects of each hit would linger. If she kept trying it would only result in more failures. Most recruits managed to grasp that same concept after a few tries. The only one who kept going nonstop was Blue. Hera looked at the girl''s score and fell backward. Blue was already at 1 100 points. They still had half an hour to go and she was already done. Yet, the girl kept going. By the end of the challenge, Hera reached 950 points. It was close, and yet. Anaya was the one kicking herself. The girl had reached 993 points when the time was up. Failing by just seven points was just mean. Blue, Leo, Kenjiro, and Carlos were the only ones who complete the challenge. \"Now, since Ah forgot to give ye all the energy bars yesterday, ye won''t have to do anything too tiresome. All ye need is to clean the weapons in storage.\" Mr. Greysn led the recruits that failed to a room in the back. Most of the students were feeling comfortable with the task. It was annoying but at least it wasn''t as tiresome. However, the second he opened the door the recruits sank. It was a large storage area with at least one hundred of those big boxes the teacher would show at the beginning of the training. \"What ye are all waiting for? Grab a cloth and start cleaning.\" 33 Hide and seek Hera arrived at the guild early on the next day. The punishment had been tiresome, but it was something she was used to. This time, however, she didn''t do it alone. If it was her old job, not only she would need to clean up all the shelves by herself, but she also set up the displays to boost sales. Lucky her life was different now. Looking at the time, it was too late to try to train before class. Still, she stopped by the training room, hoping to find one of her friends. Leo and Blue were already there practicing with the dummies. \"Hey, Hera!\" Blue called out. Hera greeted them and sat on a bench behind the two. Blue and Leo seemed to train in their usual styles. Leo with his spear and Blue with her grappling. Looking at the two, Hera couldn''t help but wonder when would they be learning an actual combat style. The training seemed to be helping her get used to her stats. However, since they had yet to fight a real opponent, she had no way to know how effective it would be in real life. She wanted to believe it would be useful, but then again, at some point, she also believed geometry would be useful in her day-to-day life. \"Yer already here? Good. Stay here. Today''s class will be in the back room. Ah'' will grab the rest of ye and be right back.\" Out of nowhere, Mr. Grayson seemed to appear near the three recruits. Hera almost jumped in her seat. She was just thinking about how the class could be better, and the teacher was working hard to help them. She should be more grateful. About ten minutes later, the teacher walked in with the rest of the recruits. Hera followed him, accompanied by Leo and Blue. The group was lead toward the big open space in the back of the room. Hera could see the same markings on the edge of this space, as the markings in the small arenas they fought the dummies. In reality, this large space should be an arena. A really big arena. \"Today, ye will learn one of the skills that will save yer life. [Hide]. \" Hera wasn''t expecting to learn a skill like that. Not today, at least. Some other recruits seemed to be surprised in the same way. \"Mr. Greyson. It''s cool that we are learning a new skill and all. But is that one really a lifesaver? Sure it works if you are weak, but I don''t run from a fight.\" Carlos said. He was one of the men who always sat near Anaya. Hera couldn''t help but frown at his question. How can someone be so cocky? They are a bunch of level 2s, basically, everything inside the MAZE was stronger than them. \"Is that so, laddie? Ye won''t back down no matter what?\" Mr. Greyson replied in an unusually calm manner. \"Yeah, I''m not a coward. If something wants to fight me, I''ll fight it.\" The teacher kept his cold expression. That surprised many of the recruits. They expected the teacher to lash out and call him in for a fight. Mark kept moving his head back and forth between Mr. Greyson and Mark, making sure his eyes were not deceiving him. \"Ah''m gonna ask ye again, laddie. Are ye sure you won''t back down from a fight no matter what, or who yer facing?\" The teacher made an obviously long pause after who, trying to make sure the recruit understood what he was saying. \"I... I don''t know.\" Carlos lowered his head. Cleary embarrassed for being confronted in this way. \"That''s exactly the point. Ye never know what ye may find in the MAZE. What if ye find a monster too strong for you? Or ye are hunting easily scared prey. A skill that helps ye hide will be just as useful as the skills ye all learned this week.\" Mark, who kept glaring at Carlos. \"Why I''m the only one who gets crap from the teacher?\" he mumbled. Hera heard his comment, and she had to agree. This interaction was simply weird. Since when was the teacher someone so level-headed? \"To get this skill, first Ah''m gonna send ye all a map. It will give ye yer position and tell where ye need to go. Ye all must do that without being seen by me.\" Mr. Greyson pressed a few keys on his tablet and all the recruits received the map. Looking at it, Hera realized it looked like the arena they were in. However, there were walls and windows spread around on the map. \"Now, go the yer starting positions.\" said the teacher. On her map, a red dot showed up near the top edge of the arena. The recruits hesitated for a second before moving towards the markers on the map. Where were they supposed to hide? There was nothing there. Hera reached her position and kept looking around for some answer. She noticed a few recruits around her. Including Bonnie, a bit to her left, and Anaya right beside her. \"What''s the matter? Didn''t get any tips for this one?\" Anaya said with a smile. \"Tips? No, nothing more than what Mr. Greyson just told us. Do you have any idea how are we supposed to hide?\" Hera replied, still confused about the training. \"If you don''t know, how can little old me have any idea? Why didn''t you get a hint this time? Trouble in paradise?\" Anaya''s tone hadn''t changed, but something in the way she spoke made Hera remember highschool. \"I don''t get what you''re saying. What paradise?\" Anaya looked at Hera with pity in her eyes. \"Such a shame, even when you''ve been found out, you still pretend nothing happened. And here I was thinking we could be friends.\" Getting even more confused, Hera asked. \"I''m sorry... But can you explain to me what you are saying? I''m having a hard time understanding it.\" Anaya gave Hera a look that made her feel like she had just lost her puppy. \"Poor Hera, so simple-minded.\" Before she could reply, Mr. Greyson pressed another button on his tablet and the arena changed. Instead of the open area, various walls and boxes covered the place. A wall materialized between Hera and Anaya as if it was being made of sand. Looking at the walls and then at the map, Hera imagined that now the map was correct. Or, at least, the surrounding area was correct. She could still look up and see the training room ceiling. That meant they didn''t move. \"For this exercise, all of ye need to keep moving from yer position to the target on the map. Ah''ll be walking around. Make sure not to be seen by me. Right now, Ah''m in the center of the labyrinth. That is just so all of ye know where I start. If I see ye, the map will buzz and ye will need to go back to yer starting point before trying again. Now Begin!\" He finished the instructions at the same time the first target appeared on the recruit''s map. Hera looked at her first objective. It would be on the bottom left edge of the arena. Part of her wanted to keep talking to Anaya, to understand what the girl was talking about. But the training came first. Hera walked out of the small room she was in. Looking around she could see Bonnie, Tiffany, and Percy. Each going in a different direction. Hera''s objective was to the left. Looking at the map, she could either go in the same direction Bonnie was going or go to the left towards Percy. Not wanting to take too long to decide, she turned left. Both directions were close enough to the middle that Mr. Greyson could be there. But staying still wasn''t an option. She walked carefully, reaching an intersection. Able to see one side of the makeshift hallway, Hera poked her head out of the corner to see if the teacher was there. Before she could even see anything, her tablet buzzed. \"Hera, when ye try to peek on a corner try moving yer head sideways and not poking the top of yer head first. Especially if ye are a blonde surrounded by grey walls.\" Mr. Greyson said. He was walking slowly, in a really nonchalant pace. He looked almost relaxed. Then he raised his voice a bit. \"That goes for ye too Blue, watch out for yer hair. It''s a dead giveaway here.\" \"Got it! Thanks, Mr. G,\" Blue said, followed by a yell, \"hey! You can''t see me, why did my tablet buzz?\" The teacher laughed. \"Ye think I only see with my eyes? Yer hearing is just as good to find someone as yer sight.\" Blue groaned, which resulted in a few recruits giggling and almost getting caught. Hera rushed back to her starting point. If she follows the path Bonnie took there is no way for the teacher to find her right now. She dashed through the passageway, but in a few moments, her tablet buzzed again. This time she had made too much noise. Taking a deep breath and trying to learn with her mistakes, she gave it another try. It took her five attempts to reach the first objective. This wasn''t a challenge, just a way to get a skill. But it still annoyed her that it had taken so much time to do this. After a while, Hera understood how to reach the goal. She had to be patient, if she moved too fast it would warn the teacher. And if she sprinted to reach a goal, what was the point? She would be caught anyway. They were hiding for over four hours when she finally saw the notification. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skill Acquired: Hide Hide: Improves your ability to erase your presence and blend with your surroundings. The more your appearance harmonizes with the place you are in, the more effective this skill becomes. Requirements: Not being in the line of sight of your target/ hiding place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reading the description, Hera got excited. She crouched down and focused her mind on the skill. [Hide] At first, Hera thought nothing had happened. But when she looked at her hands, she noticed it was hard to focus her eyes on her body. Almost as if they didn''t want to see what was there. She saw Kenjiro turning at the corner. To test it, she waved at the man. He didn''t even look at her. Hera''s face turned to a sad smile. \"Maybe, I always had a skill like this.\" she mumbled to herself. She kept training until the end of the class. Her skill hadn''t changed, but she felt more proficient with it. She roughly knew the limits of the skill and how much she could push it. When the class was finally over, Mr. Greyson gave the recruits a warning. \"Today ye will learn how to use a bow, try not to walk too far. Most people don''t realize how much work is to stand still during the training.\" The recruits left to eat launch, Hera was waiting for her friends to gather. \"Soooo, Hera. What is a nice place to eat around here? After all, today is Bonnie''s treat.\" Blue said, opening a big grin while looking at Bonnie. \"Blue, bite me.\" That was the only reply Bonnie could give. The recruits laughed and walked towards a nice restaurant. Or at least as nice as a restaurant in a strip mall could be. 34 The tes \"Ok, despite having to pay for Blue''s lunch. It was a really nice place.\" Bonnie said as they walked in the guild. \"Yeah, what was that thing with black beans and pork? That was amazing.\" Leo commented, rubbing his stomach like an old man. \"I''m not sure. It''s a bean stew that came from Brazil. Since it''s Friday, I thought we could try something different.\" Hera said. \"Can we go there again? There were a few dishes I wanted to try?\" It was hard to believe that Blue said that. The girl ate four dishes, and they were all big. \"Seriously. Where the food goes to? You eat way too much for being that skinny.\" Alex chimed in. \"I''m not skinny, look at this,\" Blue grabbed her belly through her clothes to show the size of her gut, \"I''m fat!\" \"C''mon Blue, you might be a bit overweight, but saying that you are fat is just like Hera when she said she wasn''t pretty.\" Alex countered. \"Hey! What do I have to do with this?\" Hera protested. She was the one who told them about the restaurant. There was no need to put her in the middle of it. \"Wait. You said you weren''t pretty?\" Bonnie stared at Hera in shock. \"We will be late for class, let''s go.\" Hera walked away towards the training area. The group still tried to get an answer from her, but to no avail. In a few moments, they had arrived at the training room. They had to wait a few minutes before class started. Thankfully, Alex had changed the subject, and no one was pestering Hera about her appearance. Looking around, Hera saw that all the recruits were already waiting for the teacher, including Anaya. She wanted to finish her conversation with the girl. What she said was odd, and Hera wasn''t able to wrap her head around the meaning of what she said. Hera kept trying to find an opening to talk to her. However, before she could find one, the teacher arrived. \"Ye''r already here? Good, let''s start.\" The teacher opened a big white box. This one was more wide than tall. Taking a bow, he tested the string and nodded before calling the recruits to pick their weapons. When all the recruits were back in line, the teacher asked. \"How many of ye ever used a bow and actually hit something before? Raise yer hands.\" To everyone''s surprise, the only one who raised his hand was Mark. Feeling the gaze of the recruits, Mark scoffed. \"What? I always liked movies about archers, so I took some lessons.\" He crossed his arms, not letting go of the bow. \"Very well, then show us how it''s done, laddie.\" Mr. Greyson pressed a key in his tablet, and the wooden dummies moved towards the arenas. Mark picked one of the arrows he got from the box and took a deep breath. Getting into position, he raised his elbow high. It was an odd sight, the arm he was using to hold the arrow was in a weird angle. After a few seconds, Mark fired the arrow. Hitting the dummy straight in the chest. The screen behind it showing a score of 12. \"Very Good. Master archers can only hit a 15 with those bows.\" The teacher complimented the recruit for the first time. Tiffany gasped. \"Are you saying Mark is almost a master? That Mark?\" \"Are you daft lassie? Of course not. Bows work differently than other weapons. In a sword or a spear, ye can use yer own stat to increase the force of the attack. Using a bow, it''s harder to do that. Ye need to switch the materials used to make the weapon to show yer true strength.\" Mr. Greyson explained. \"Is that why explorers don''t use guns? The stats don''t translate well to it?\" Bonnie asked while she tried to copy Mark''s stance. \"Exactly. If ye try to use a gun, sure it will work in lower level creatures. But as they start to become stronger, the bullets stay the same. It doesn''t matter if ye have a 10 or a 10 000 in strength. Shooting from a gun will always have the same effect. Some explorers use guns. But they are very few. Ye need to enchant the weapon to increase its power. That gets very expensive, very fast.\" Hera nodded, hearing the explanation. She always wondered why people even bothered creating guns. After all, explorers were always a thing. A high level explorer can withstand being hit by a car. A gun should barely tickle them. The teacher showed how to use the bow for the rest of the class. Explaining that they should always have the bow pointed down, only raise it when they were going to shoot. He also talked about stance and aiming, going as far as correcting each recruit''s form before the beginning of the practice. This was the first time Hera felt she was actually being taught how to fight. Still, it felt weird. The teacher was acting weird. He was never this hands-on. Thinking about what this meant made Hera feel a chill. She chose to ignore it for now and focus on the training. After the first couple of minutes, Mr. Greyson made a change in the training. Every five minutes or so, he would tell the recruits to pick up the arrows they shot. He did this after the second time someone almost got shoot while tried to pick the arrows from the ground. Hera kept shooting, little by little her aim, and handle of the bow seemed to improve. She went from barely making the arrow leave the bow, to reaching halfway to the dummy. One lucky shot even hit the edge of its body. The class kept going. The teacher did his best to help the recruits improve. When the time where the teacher normally issued his challenge came, all the recruits could hit at least once every ten shots. Mark, on the other hand, was only missing one in three shots. It was genuinely impressive. Still, the biggest worry of the recruits was the lack of a challenge. This was odd behavior for the teacher. Ten minutes before the class was over, Mr. Greyson asked everyone to stop and gather near him. All the recruits were tense. The teacher had a serious expression that none of them had ever seen. \"As ye know, we have class on Saturdays. But it is different than our usual lessons. Ye need to be here by 10, and we will probably be done by 2. Ye all can plan yer weekends accordingly. Just one more thing, don''t come in with a full stomach. That might be a problem for the test ye will do tomorrow.\" The second he finished explaining, a few recruits started to ask questions. Wanting to know more about the tests. \"Pipe down! Tomorrow ye will learn more about the test. Don''t worry, it''s not something that ye can study for. Just come in and do yer best. For today, ye are all dismissed.\" Ending the class early, Mr. Greyson left the training room. The situation confused most recruits, and it took a while for them to leave the guild. Hera and her friends went looking for a place to eat. At this hour, there were a few food trucks near the station. They chose to go there. Not only because it was on the way, but also, Hera and Blue were craving junk food. \"Any ideas about what this test is going to be?\" Leo asked between bites of his hotdog. \"No clue, maybe it''s the one where we have to beat our first score.\" Blue said, after finishing her taco. \"I don''t know, it seems too soon for it, right? Just one week.\" Alex commented while eating french fries. \"It doesn''t matter what the test is. I will not fail.\" Bonnie said with a veggie wrap on her hand. The whole group turned and stared at her for a few moments. When Hera finally finished chewing her burger she said. \"Bonnie, no one wants to fail. That''s a given.\" \"No, no, little miss perfect is already telling that she will pass the test. Without even knowing what it is.\" Blue snickered. \"At least I''m confident enough in my skills to say that. Not like you, who only won the bet by sheer luck.\" Bonnie countered. With that, the two women started bickering once again. The rest of the group sighed and finished their meals while speculating about the test. Hera let herself wake up late in the morning or, at least, later than she was waking up. Sleeping until 8 differed greatly from having to get up at 5:30. She took her time to get to the guild, and yet she arrived well over one hour before class was supposed to start. The idea of a test made her too anxious to wait around someplace else. Hera wasn''t the only one. Most of the recruits were already there when she arrived. By 9:30, the whole class was present. As time went by, the tension in the classroom grew. At one point, any small noise coming from the hallway was enough to silence the recruits. It wasn''t simply because of the test, Mr. Greyson''s actions on the previous day were also disturbing. Why would he act so differently just because of a test? At exactly 10 A.M. Mr. Greyson walked through the door. \"Yer all here already? Good. Follow me. Ye can bring yer stuff with ye.\" He barely took one step inside before giving his command. Soon the whole class was following him to the elevator. He beeped his bracelet on a scanner and the elevator went down. \"As ye may know. They build the guild around the place where ye can unlock yer level up. But what is less known, is that the building was also built around an entrance to the MAZE. Since the great war, when Cyrus led the armies of men to push back the monsters, it was decided to build like this. Today if a really strong monster tries to pass through we can collapse the building to prevent it from reaching the outside.\" The teacher looked at the recruits. All had different expressions, but it was clear that they were all worried. \"Don''t worry, ye are not going inside the MAZE today.\" The elevator door opened, showing a big hallway. Being led by the teacher, the recruits quickly arrived at an auditorium. With a big white doorway in the middle. The doorway had a pearl frame that seemed to be filled with small glowing lights. Almost as if it was covered in a thin layer of glitter. Just enough to make it seem like you were looking at the night sky. Above it, there was a circle with an extremely intricate design. Various lines would twist and turn, spiraling with each other. In the center of the circle, there was the image of a blank card. The same type of card everyone older than 18 had. \"Today, ye will go to a simulation. It''s an artificial room that was created to give you an experience close to the ones ye will have inside the maze.\" 35 What you find in the dark The recruits stared at the doorway. They would finally get a taste of how it was like inside the MAZE. A mix of excitement and fear washed over Hera. She wanted to go inside, but what if she failed? \"Ok, before ye all go in, let me explain a few things. First, this ain''t the MAZE. It is a simulation, much like the one ye will go in for the final test. This one is just smaller and more simple. Even though it''s a simulation, ye still can get hurt. So before going in, each of ye will receive an escape button. If ye are in trouble, just press it and the simulation will stop.\" Mr. Greyson explained while distributing a small key chain with a red button on it. \"Inside think about yerself. Don''t rush in and try not to bite more than what ye can chew. This is not a game. Ye don''t get second chances. If ye mess up, ye can lose everything. Still, this is a simulation. Some things will be less intense, and more forgiving.\" The teacher then walked toward the doorway and stood in front of it. \"Now, form a line in front of me. To enter the room, place the hand that has yer bracelet in the middle of the door. It will open and ye can get in. Only after it''s fully closed, the next one can go.\" He showed the motion using the arm that didn''t have a bracelet. \"Mr. Greyson, does that mean we need to wait for each of us to finish the test before the next one goes in?\" Mark asked. \"No, laddie. Ye only need to wait for the door to close. This room can have more than 50 people inside at once and each of ye will be alone in yer private simulation. So, don''t worry about it.\" Having finished his explanation, the recruits formed the line. Hera wasn''t sure if she wanted to be in the front or not. Thanks to her friends, she didn''t have to worry too much about it. They pulled her to the line, staying around the middle of the group. One by one, the recruits entered the simulation. After the door opened, they could only see a bright white light inside. When the next recruit opened the door, there was no one else inside. Hera''s heart started to beat faster with each step she took. Even if this was a simulation, this would be the first time she would enter a room. Leo was in front of her. The man gave her a nod and a smile before walking through the doorway. In her turn, Hera took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. \"Don''t worry, you can do it.\" Blue said. The girl was behind Hera. It helped to hear a friendly voice. But Hera knew this was something she had to do alone. She placed her right hand on the center of the doorway. The bracelet on her wrist seemed to tighten, and then the door opened. Inside, there was a completely white room. It was even hard to differentiate the floor from the walls. Hera gingerly stepped in, making sure there was something under her. Little by little her eyes adjusted to the room. That allowed her to walk normally. The door closed behind her, making a small thud sound before disappearing. Hera looked around. The room seemed to be endless. There were no walls, no ceiling, and no objects around. Only an infinite white space. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to the preparation room. Please choose your weapons. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera stared at the notification. That one felt odd. First it wasn''t directly in front of her, but above. System notifications never made you move your head around to see it. Second, it didn''t follow her movements. If she turned her head, the notification would stay still. That wasn''t right. Yet, the weirdest part was, it was polite. The system was never polite, it only gave you information. Never she had seen a ''please'', or a ''thank you'' in any notifications. Looking under the notification, Hera could see a series of weapon racks. Much like the wall in the training room. She scanned through them, looking for something she could use. Reaching the swords, it felt like the best option, after all, it was the weapon she had more practice with. She picked a short sword that she could wield with one hand. Since nothing changed, Hera looked for a shield. The notification said nothing about being able to pick only one. She wanted to be ready for anything. Before reaching the shields, Hera went past the axes. There was a small handaxe that caught her attention. It was close to the one she tried on the first day of training. She had a better grasp of how to move with a weapon now. Maybe this time it would feel right. She picked the handaxe and placed it on her belt. Only then she noticed that her clothes had changed. She was wearing something similar to the training armor, but it looked like it was made of leather, with combat boot and armguards. This could be just part of the simulation. But the idea of something changing her clothes without her knowing bothered her. With her sword and axe at hand, Hera looked past the weapon racks where a new notification had appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please use your bracelet to open the door to the simulation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Under that message, there was a pedestal with a small tablet on top. It looked like a large fingerprint scanner. Hera walked towards it and placed her hand with the bracelet on the scanner. A door appeared in front of her. This one, however, seemed to be made out of wood, with large rusted iron rings as handles. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please proceed to the next area to begin the simulation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera pushed the door, opening it. Instead of just walking in, she froze for a moment. Her whole body seemed to vibrate as if she was in one of those massage chairs. It was an odd feeling, and when it was over the door and the room had vanished. She was now in a dark cave, with only some small torchlights in the path. She realized it wasn''t the room that vanished, but she had been transported to a different place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beginning the simulation. To complete it, defeat the monster leader at the end of the cave. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Behind her, there was only a solid dirt wall. There was only one path forward. Thinking about the games she used to play. Hera crouched down and activated her [Hide] skill. She had no idea what was in front of her, and there was no way she could simply run through here. Hera kept walking through the cavern. The torches on the wall were spread meticulously. One of the left, 50 steps later, one to the right. Too precise to be made by a living thing. That was the only thing that made Hera believe she was in a simulation. Everything else was too real. The feeling of the rocks on the wall, the stale warm air she was breathing, even the light echoing sounds. Every part of her body told her that his place was real. She needed to constantly remind herself that this was a simulation to calm her nerves. She had been walking for almost an hour when she finally noticed something different. A few meters in front of her, the path split. Hera stopped and tried to find any indications on where she should go. There were no markings, no air, and no noise coming from the tunnels. How was she supposed to know? Guessing? Was she missing some obvious clue? Hera stepped back and tried to use two other skills [Observe] and [Inspect] but to no avail. She looked at the tunnels and back towards where she came. The path she took had some twists, but no hard turns. She could see five torches behind her. All of them following the same pattern right then left. Looking back to the split tunnel, she searched for torches in the two paths. Both of them had torches inside. One in the left of the tunnel, and the other in the right. Hera looked back and saw that the last torch was on the right. To keep the pattern, she would need to go to the tunnel with the torch on the left. Before rushing in, she considered if there was anything else. Looking at her tablet, the map only showed the path she took, and the torches had no distinguishing marks that she could see. Feeling that this could be the only answer. She activated her [Hide] skill again and walked towards the tunnel that had the torch on the left. She kept walking for another twenty minutes until the tunnel changed into a large open room. Carefully, she peeked out of the tunnel. The first thing she noticed is that this room had different lighting. Instead of the torches, round glowing rocks stuck to the ceiling as if they were lamps. That gave the whole area a light blue glow. The tunnel led to a large coliseum like area. With some holes in the walls protected by thick iron bars. In the middle of the room, there was a small humanoid creature. It had the face of a dog, thick grey fur, but small arms and legs. It also held a wooden shield and a mace. Hera activated [Observe] while looking at the creature. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Young Kobold (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She remembered reading about those creatures. They were intelligent and had a tribal society. Vicious when in groups but easily scared when alone. There was also something else. She remembered that those creatures had something to do with fire. Hera tried to move a bit closer without getting out of her hiding spot in the tunnel and activated [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Young Kobold (Simulation) Humanoid - Canine - Manufactured A humanoid dog that lives inside the MAZE. They travel in packs and have a tribal society where the strongest one is the leader. Sharing traits with wolfs, the elders lead the tribe, but the alpha has the final say in its decision. Aggressive when cornered or starved, these creatures show signs of higher intelligence and willingness to work with humans. They have a deep hatred for fire. The simulated version shares the instinct of its real counterpart, but not its intelligence. The version created by the simulation is weaker than the ones that live inside the MAZE. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera wasn''t able to finish reading the information her skill gave her. When she was about halfway through it she heard a growl coming from the monster. Quickly dismissing the window, Hera saw the Kobold running towards her, waving its mace. She glanced back at the tunnel. If she ran it would lead to a dead end. Having no other choice, Hera charged toward the monster. 36 Struggle Charging at the kobold, Hera hit its shield with her shoulder, trying to push it back. At the same time, she raised her sword to block the mace. To her surprise, the creature didn''t budge with her tackle. The mace hit the sword, making it flying off Hera''s hand. The impact was strong enough to make her fall to the side. Not missing a beat, the monster swing down its mace, aiming for the recruit''s head. Hera rolled to the side, hitting the wall of the arena. The mace struck the ground, making a loud sound. Hera tried to get up while grabbing her handaxe. Using her back leg to push herself away from the wall, Hera slashed at the kobold. The creature raised its shield to block the attack. Splinters went flying off after the impact, but the shield was still in one piece. Ducking to the left, Hera went to pick up her sword while the monster was still with the shield blocking his vision. She grabbed the sword and ran past the kobold, reaching the center of the area. She looked around, searching for another way out, but there was only the tunnel she came from. The creature barked at Hera, saliva flying off its mouth. All its teeth looked sharp. If she got bitten, it would be bad. But the kobold didn''t charge at the woman. It just stared at her. Hera took this opportunity to try to come up with a plan. She had only one skill that might help in a fight, but it was a Hail Mary. This wasn''t the time to use it. She looked at the creature. The mace was in its left hand, while the shield was in its right hand. The shield was also big, it covered almost half of the creature. Even if it protected the monster, it would still be tough to move around with something like that. Walking to the side, Hera tried to gauge the speed in which the kobold could turn. She started slowing and then speeded up. The monster had some trouble turning. Not too much, but at least some that could give her a chance. Hera dashed to the right and tried to move towards its blind spot. It seemed to have some trouble to follow her. With a smile, Hera moved closer to strike it. When she was in range to strike. The creature dropped the shield, showing it was already with the mace mid-swing. Hera''s eyes went wide. She tried to stop her movement to evade, but it was too late. Before she could move away, the mace struck her on the shoulder, sending the woman tumbling to the side. It hurt so much Hera couldn''t think. She blinked a few times, trying to focus her eyes. The kobold wasn''t leaving any time for her to rest. Charging again towards the woman, it barked nonstop. Seeing the creature run towards her, Hera panicked. She crawled away, trying to flee. It took more effort than she was expecting to get up. Her arm was still numb from the pain. The sword was on the ground, but she couldn''t care less about that right now. Finally getting up, Hera ran to the side. Closely followed by the kobold. She grabber he handaxe with both hands and stopped abruptly. With a batter stance, she waited for the kobold to get closer. The monster crouched down and lunged at the recruit with its mouth wide open. Hera swung the handaxe hoping to hit the kobold. The creature had no way to maneuver in the air and it was hit on the side of its head. Hera''s balance was off during the attack. The creature fell on top of her, making her collapse to the ground. She pushed the monster away and, for the first time, noticed the blood coming out of its wound. Hera stared at the pool of blood and turned away, throwing up on the wall. She had killed something. That thing was alive, and she killed it. She had taken the life of a living thing. Through the corner of her eye, she saw a small flicker coming from the tunnel. Hera turned her head and stared at the torch that was inside the path. The torches that always follow the same pattern. This wasn''t real. It was just a simulation. But... As an explorer, she would have to kill things. Even if she decides to be a crafter or a researcher. Killing monsters is part of the job. She had to get used to it. Hera kneeled beside the monster and forced herself to look at the wound on the side of its head. Seeing part of the bone exposed, she turned her head away. \"No... Hera, you need to get used to it.\" She told herself and stared at the wound again. Fighting the urge to vomit again, she engraved the slash in her mind. There was a reason she was here, she needed to get over this. When she finally had enough, she turned her head away once again. Thinking about what she was doing here, Hera realized one thing. She had beaten the boss of the cave, right? The test was over. Looking around for a notification, Hera failed to notice the kobold move. In a quick motion, it pushed itself from the ground and bit down on the recruit''s wrist. Hera screamed in pain and started to punch and kick the monster, trying to make it stop. The creature, however, seemed to not be bothered by the attacks. Its jaws tightening even more around Hera''s arm. Feeling a warm liquid wrap around the bite, Hera fumbled after her handaxe and hit the kobold''s neck with the blade over and over. More blood came gushing out of it. Only when the axe cut through half of its neck, the creature finally stopped moving. Hera still had to pry its jaws open to remove her arm from it. When she was finally done, she could see that her left hand was completely covered in blood. Feeling a bit dizzy, Hera tried to cut a piece of her clothing, trying to tie up her arm so she wouldn''t bleed out. She sat down, farther aways from the kobold''s corpse than she was before, and tried to rest a bit. This time the test had to be over. Maybe there was a problem or something with the simulation. Hera picked the key chain that Mr. Greyson gave to all of them and stared at it for a while. Maybe the test wasn''t over, and if she pressed it now, she would have failed. But maybe she would risk herself too much by staying here. Mr. Greyson said that we could get really hurt. Before she could reach a decision, the bars in one of the holes on the wall started to move. Surprised, Hera kept staring in shock at what she was seeing. Five kobolds exited the hole. Four had the same features as the one she just fought. But the last one was bigger, it was taller than her. It also had a thick black fur, red eyes, muscular body and held a rusted longsword in one hand. Instinctively Hera activated [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Young Kobold (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Young Kobold (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Young Kobold (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Young Kobold (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kobold Trainer - Leader (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She had to kill that?! Hera instantly pressed the button on the key chain. But nothing happened. She kept pressing the button desperately while the kobolds looked at their fallen brethren. They howled in pain, and the faces snapped at Hera, growling loudly. Hera looked at the tunnel she had come from and ran towards it. The kobolds barking in pursuit. Hera kept running with everything she had. Hearing the loud noises the creatures were making getting closer and closer. She saw the tunnel get wider, and she remembered that the path had split before this part. She bolted towards the larger area and made a U-turn, diving in the tunnel she hadn''t taken. The creatures kept barking, still close at her heel. Hera kept running, hoping there was something that she could do to save herself. She stepped forward, and her foot sank deeper into the ground. A small clank sound coming from her right followed that. She looked at that direction in time to see a small flash of metal heading towards her. A dozen arrows fired from the wall. Four ended up hitting Hera in her chest, arm and leg. She fell to the ground in pain. Having trouble catching her breath, Hera looked down and saw that one of the arrows sank deep where her lungs would be. The other one was sticking out of her stomach. The kobolds were still running towards her. Hera tried to crawl away. Tears running down her face. \"I don''t wanna die, I don''t wanna die.\" She kept saying those words over and over while pushing the button desperately. The kobold stopped barking and moved closer, making a circle around Hera. The leader gave Hera a malicious grin and all the monsters opened their mouths. \"I don''t wanna die.\" Before closing her eyes, the last thing Hera saw, were the kobolds about to devour her. She kept waiting to feel the bites, but nothing happened. Opening her eyes slowly, Hera noticed she wasn''t in the cave anymore. She was back in the white room, her wounds were gone and she was in her normal clothing. She looked around, searching for something that confirmed the cave was real when she saw a notification above a doorway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Test over, please exit the room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera stumbled over towards the doorway, still trying to understand what had just happened. When the door opened, she was back in the auditorium. A few other recruits seemed to be back already. Percy was sitting on the corner staring at the air. Isabel was hugging her legs, and Wallace sobbed quietly. Mr. Greyson stared at Hera and said softly \"Take a seat lassie, when everyone is back Ah have a few things to say.\" Hera sat down, still trying to understand. Was that all a simulation? But the pain felt so real. She stared at her arm, the one the kobold had bitten. There were no markings, no scars, and no lingering pain. After some time, other recruits exited the simulation. Alex was pale and kept rubbing her neck. Bonnie had a serious expression, but her eyes were red and swollen. Anaya seemed to be fine, but when her friends reached out she snapped at them. Leo was one of the last ones to leave the simulation. He seemed to be fine, just angry. He sat down beside Hera without saying a word. The last recruit to leave the simulation was Blue. The girl stepped out, saw the class, turned to the teacher and said. \"Can I try again?\" Mr. Greyson shook his head. \"Not today, lassie, have a seat.\" Hera kept staring at the girl. Why would someone be willing to go through that again? The teacher deactivated the doorway, making it vanish. The whole room seemed to be more relaxed after that. \"The reason I gave ye all this test, was to show ye that the MAZE is not a game. When ye go there, fighting for yer life will be a regular thing. It doesn''t matter the role ye choose. Ah want ye all to understand that. It''s no shame to be scared to lose yer life.\" The teacher came down from the stage and sat on its edge, staying closer to the recruits. \"Ye must have heard that today, the guild has more explorers than ever. But that''s a bunch of bull crap. Our numbers are even smaller than after the Devil Hunt. Our world is too comfortable, very few people are willing to risk yer life to explore someplace like the MAZE. If after the test ye still want to be an explorer that''s fine, and if ye are afraid.\" The teacher stared at the recruits, focusing on the ones that seemed to have a harder time dealing with the test. \"That''s ok too. No one is forcing ye to be an explorer. If ye want to give up now, ye can still work in the guild. There are many jobs, maybe one will be to yer liking. Ye don''t have to make a choice now, but those who already chose not to enter the MAZE are free to go.\" Mr. Greyson barely finished his sentence when Mark got up and left the auditorium without saying a word. A few moments later Wallace and Isabel did the same. \"If ye still haven''t decided, take yer time. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and rest. If ye give up now, but change yer mind later, ye can start the training again, although I think there is a fee in that case. But nothing too pricey. Go home, rest and think about what ye want to do with yer life. If ye come to class on Monday, we keep going with the training. If not, no hard feeling and Ah wish ye all the best.\" The class stayed silent for a while. The recruits taking in what the teacher had just said. Suddenly the door opened, and Mark walked in. Seeing the whole room stare at him, he said. \"Sorry, I really needed to go to the bathroom. What did I miss?\" Cutting the tension that way made even the teacher start laughing. \"Goddamnit, laddie. Do you have a hidden skill for that?\" 37 Homecoming After the test, none of the recruits were in the mood to talk. Even Blue who was the one who seemed less affected, understood that they all needed time. Hera was on the train, thinking about the test. Two images kept popping in her head. The bloody kobold lying motionless on the floor, and the Leader with an evil grin. She shook her head. What she needed right now was to take some time and process everything. The MAZE was a dangerous place. She knew that. But knowing and feeling it on her skin were two things very different. She was heading to her parent''s house. It would be just for the weekend, or at least that was the original plan. Now, she wasn''t sure she would return to the guild. Not on Monday, at least. Was she truly ready to put her life on the line every day? Thinking about her future, she nodded off with her head against the window. Hera was on the train, heading to her hometown. It wasn''t far from the capital where she was living, just a four-hour trip. She was going there mainly to see her father and grandmother. They were the only ones who always believed in her, no matter what. Hera woke up, almost jumping from her seat. She stared outside, trying to figure out where she was. It was already getting dark out. That means she should be close, or that she had missed the station. Looking around, she saw a screen that read ''Weshurst''. She was still two stations away. Hera grew up in a town called Burtois. It was a small town with just over 10 000 people there. Even with a population like that, it felt like everyone knew each other. Hera dozed off again, before shaking her head quickly. She didn''t want to miss the station, even if it would still take about one hour to get there. She picked her tablet and scrolled through her digital books. She preferred to read the physical versions, but tablets were extremely handy on long trips. Looking through her books, she stopped at one about the Three Heroes. It was one of her favorites when she was younger. It had been a while since she read it, but right now it felt weird. She knew how dangerous that life was. She kept scrolling and found a mellow book she had yet to read. It was about a boy and a girl who would change bodies at random. It was a book she had seen many people asking about, that''s why she bought it. She knew that there was nothing about the MAZE in the book and seeing as this was as good of a time as any to start, Hera opened the file. The rest of the trip went by fast. As she arrived at the station, Hera picked her phone and sent a text to her dad. It was a simple text just to let him know she was in town and would take the bus to get home. As she walked through the platform, Hera noticed a van parked just outside the station. It was a brown van that had a paint job to look like it was made of wood. On the side of it, in big golden letters, it reads. KINGS LAY in our WOODWORK It was her dad''s van, the one he used to make deliveries. The Kingsley name was in a fancy font that made the A look like an E and the ''in our'' part was in small letters. Hera remembered how excited her dad was when he updated the logo. Saying it would be a new era for Kingsley Woodwork. Sitting on the driver''s seat, a big burly man looked around the station searching for someone. Feeling a bit nostalgic, Hera activated her [Hide] skill before leaving the station. It was already dark out. She could probably stay hidden even in open spaces. She quickly moved through the parking lot and towards the van. Circling around it, Hera walked past the passenger door and to the back. She tapped her fingers in the rhythm of the ''happy birthday'' song on the back door. "What?" A loud voice came from inside the van. With a smile, Hera crouched and tapped her fingers again. This time on the right side of the van, following the same rhythm as before. "Who''s there?" the voice said. Hera crept closer, now tapping the song nonstop. "If that is a joke it ain''t funny!" Holding back her giggle, Hera couldn''t believe this still worked. She tapped on the driver''s door and kept watching out for some movement. Last time she did this, she got hit in the face by the door. "Someone better tell me what is going on, or I start swinging," the voice said in a demanding tone. Hera tapped a few more times and jumped, screaming. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIMMY!" What followed was the noise of a large man jumping towards the other seat while cursing life itself. Hera started laughing, and when the man finally calmed down, he said. "I come here to be nice and you pull this crap? Why did it have to be the song from that movie? How could you be such a cruel daughter" Hera''s dad opened the passenger door and walked towards her. "Maybe it was those times you woke me up using a hose." Hera walked towards him and gave her dad a big hug. "I missed you goldilocks." Hera giggled, she hadn''t heard that nickname in a long time. "And I missed you grumpy bear," she said. When they finally let go of the hug, the duo got in the van. "You know, I kind of miss being called papa bear," Eridan said. Hera laughed, "C''mon dad. You know that sounds weird. Especially after that valentines day." "I''ve told you, your mother was just trying something." The man blushed while he drove off. "Yeah, yeah. I don''t care. My parent''s love life is the last thing I want to know about." Hera cut him off quickly. "Ok, fine. New topic. What''s the news you have to tell me? Did you get promoted? Changed jobs? Is it a boy? Are you engaged? Let me see that hand!" Eridan moved closer to Hera, trying to look at her fingers. She quickly jumped to hold the steering wheel. "Dad! Watch the road!" The road was empty, and the car had barely changed course with all that. But it still made Hera nervous. Eridan had been in a car crash when she was little. The car got hit by the side and ended up upside down. Lucky her dad wasn''t very hurt, just some light bruises, and a broken rib. But the sight of him in the hospital was something she never wanted to see again. "I''m watching, I''m watching. You worry too much. Now tell me what''s going on," her dad said. Hera let out a sigh. "Can we stop by grandma? I want to tell you both. You know how she will get if you hear it first." Eridan shivered, he loved his mother. But by the system, the woman knew how to make you feel guilty. "Ok, well stop by before going home. Just call her to give a head up." Hera nodded, and they started talking, Eridan telling her how much business was blooming and how well things were going ever since he bought the land he wanted. "Hera, thank you again for lending me some money. I know how hard you were working to save that much. But without that tree grower, I don''t know what would''ve happened. Give me just a few months to stabilize things and I''ll pay you back." Hera gave him a soft smile. There was no reason to thank her. Kingsley woodwork was a party of the family. "Don''t worry, dad. Consider the money an early birthday gift." "Hera, don''t even joke about that. It''s too much money." Eridan stared at his daughter, feeling guilty for having to rely on her. "Maybe, but it''s worth seeing you like this. I don''t remember the last time you were so happy." Eridan blushed a bit. He really was acting like an excited kid these last weeks. Around fifteen minutes later, they arrived at her grandmother''s house. Hera rang the doorbell, and a few moments later an elderly woman opened the door. She had thin white hair, a pair of glasses resting on her nose. She wore a light blue handmade sweater and a pair of beige pants. With the pink bunny slippers, Hera had given her for christmas. "Hera! Sweetheart it''s been too long." The woman said before pulling her granddaughter for a hug. "I know grandma Triss. I''m sorry about that." Hera said, hugging her back. "Come, come. Get in, you must be hungry." Grandma Triss pulled Hera inside. "Actually, mom, we are going to have dinner later," Eridan protested. "Shush. You are not stopping me from feeding my granddaughter. If you want, you can go home and Hera eats the whole chicken pot pie," the elderly woman said. "You... you made chicken pot pie?" Eridan stuttered before coming inside his mother''s house. Hera couldn''t help but giggle. It was a mean move, making his favorite dish. She had never seen her dad say no to a chicken pot pie. It was barely seven o''clock, and they were already eating dinner. Grandma Triss was a genius in the kitchen, and she didn''t even have any skills. She never got her level up. They talked about the old times, sharing a few stories that Hera rather forget. When they started to eat dessert, a chocolate cake with strawberry jam and sprinkles, grandma Triss asked. "So dear, what was the big news you had for us?" Hera swallowed the bite she was chewing. "Well... it was just something to tell. But after today I want your advice too." Eridan and Triss stopped eating, feeling the situation could be more serious than they expected. "To start... well.." Hera picked her status card and showed to them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley Level 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I won a raffle. The jackpot was a level up and well, I got it," she explained. Hera immediately saw both her dad and grandmother faces light up. "Hera! That is amazing! I''m so happy for you, you can try to become an explorer now. I missed that spark you had before you... you know," Eridan said. Grandma Triss agreed, saying that she even looked happier now. Even if it would take a while for her to be an explorer. "Here is the thing, grandma. It won''t take that long." Hera told them what happened in the last week. From meeting Helena and discovering her skills all the way through the test she had today. Her grandmother listened quietly, while her dad kept complaining about how Mr. Greyson was a bad teacher and how that test would just traumatize the students. "Now, I''m not sure what to do. Being an explorer was everything I''ve dreamed of since I don''t know when. But, can I do this? Risk my life every day, kill monsters and whatever else happens inside the MAZE." Hera looked at the two people she loved the most. "What do you guys think?" she asked. Eridan scratched the back of his head before speaking "Look, honey. It''s kind of hard for me to tell you what I think. I mean, you are asking if my daughter should have a job where she could die at any moment. It''s not something I can wholeheartedly say." Grandma Triss slapped his arm. "Since when did I raise such a selfish fool as my son?" That reaction shocked both Hera and her dad. Before any of the two could say a word, Grandma Triss started speaking. "Hera, darling. Your father might be right. But what we feel shouldn''t matter. Now, if you are asking if I believe you have what it takes to be an explorer. Then my answer is yes. Since you were a little girl, I saw you climbing trees, fighting the boys in the playground, and trying to find hidden places around town. There is no doubt in my mind that you would be a wonderful explorer. But most of all. Can you think about another thing you want to do as much?" Hera kept looking at her grandmother''s eyes. They were old, wise and full of wrinkles. She had a long and happy life, Hera knew that. "I''m scared I won''t have as much time as you grandma, not if I become an explorer," Hera said. Finally admitting to herself that fear. "If it''s just because of fear, we all will die someday. And you already have your grandfather waiting on the other side, so you won''t be alone there. But let me tell you this. The things that scared me the most, are the ones that made me happier. Like marrying your grandfather or giving birth to your father. After all, thanks to him I have you," grandma Triss replied. "Hey! I''m still here, you know," Eridan complained. The three of them laughed and finished the dessert. Hera kept thinking about what her grandmother said. She had to make a decision. Could she live knowing she gave up on her dream? Could she be happy doing anything else? Did she have what it takes to be an explorer? 38 The olympics When Hera and her dad finally got home, it was already late. Her mother was taking a bath and Hera took the chance to go to the bedroom, saying she was tired from the long day. Hera wasn''t sleepy. So she took her time to read the book she started on the trip, waiting for the drowsiness to beat her. However, that mellow book made a complete 1 - 80. The soft romantic comedy ended up having time travel, deals with gods, and an earthquake that destroyed a city. It was past 1 a.m. when she finished the book. Hera tried to go to sleep, but she felt restless. Getting up, she walked to the kitchen to grab a warm glass of milk. When she arrived, her mother was leaning on the counter with a cup of tea in her hand. "Hello, sweetheart. Sorry I wasn''t here when you arrived. I wasn''t expecting you two to get home so late," she said with a smile. "Don''t worry, mom. Sorry I went straight to bed. I had a long day yesterday," Hera said, opening the fridge to look for milk. "Long day at that little bookstore you work at?" her mother said between sips. "Something like that," Hera mumbled. "Honey, you should speak up when you talk. If you don''t, people won''t know you are there," her mother replied with a sigh. Hera didn''t even bother saying it again. She had given up on that a long time ago. It didn''t matter how much she followed her mother''s advice. There was always something else to fix. "Sorry, I just asked where is the milk. I''m not seeing it here," she said, changing the subject. "Milk? No no no, It''s much too late for that. If you drink it now, not only will you have a bad night of sleep, it will also go straight to your thighs." her mother said pushing Hera aways from the fridge. "Here, if you are having trouble to sleep drink this," she passed Hera a cup of tea, "it has chamomile, kale, cucumber, green tea, rose water and spinach. It will knock you right out." Hera grabbed the cup and stared at the green liquid inside. This would probably knock her out just by smelling it. "Thanks, mom," Hera replied weakly. "Now, I''m going to bed. We have a big day tomorrow, your cousins are coming from school. Ah, look at me still talking like they are kids. They are in college now. Maybe you can ask how it''s like there. Who knows, you might be inspired to do something with your life." Stella placed her cup on the sink and walked past her daughter. "And honey, try not to sleep with makeup on. I''m glad you are finally taking care of yourself, but you need to be careful. Not only it''s bad for your skin, but it will stain the sheets." Stella said, rubbing Hera''s cheek. "But I''m not wearing any makeup." Hera protested. "Hera, you are much too old to be embarrassed about those things. In the guest bathroom, there are some tissues that are perfect for cleaning this up. Just let me know if you use them all so I can put it on the shopping list." Not leaving any chance for Hera to reply, Stella walked back to her bedroom. Feeling like she was in highschool again, Hera waited to hear the sound of the door closing before dumping the tea on the sink. Giving up on the milk, Hera went back to her bedroom hoping she would be able to sleep. When the morning finally came, Hera was still tired. She barely had any sleep. The image of the kobold trainer kept popping in her head through the night. Hera left the guest bedroom around 6 a.m. The first thing he heard was her mother complaining about how much she needed to do for lunch. Fearing her mom would ask for help, Hera quickly went out, saying she would buy something for breakfast. That way, Stella would have more time to do what she needed to do. Hera left before her mom could answer. She knew that if she stayed around, Stella would ask her to help in the kitchen. The problem wasn''t helping out, but anything she did would be wrong. She already had too much on her mind without having to deal with a scolding for doing things differently. Hera greeted a few people she recognized on the way to a bakery close by. Arriving at the store, Hera had no idea what to order. She couldn''t decide if it was better to ask just for bread or get something fancier. It was weird. She never had any problems with ordering food. Even as a kid, she never took long to decide what she wanted. After almost half an hour staring at the display filled with different pastries. Hera realized she would never leave like this, and finally, she ordered. "Hi, could you get me one of each?" Hera said to the attendant. "Sure thing! One of each of what?" the attendant asked. "Everything in the display, please," Hera replied, not giving it much thought. "You want one of each thing that is in the display?" the attendant tried to hide his shock. "Yeah, is that a problem?" Hera asked, absent-minded. "Not at all, I was just confirming your order," the attendant blurted out. Knowing that he should never talk a customer out of a purchase. It took another ten minutes of waiting before all that she purchased was ready to go. In the meantime, Hera paid 137 gold for the pastries. With everything ready, Hera took the five bags filled with food and walked back home. To anyone watching, that was an odd sight. That small woman was carrying five heavy bags without a problem. If it was any other person, they could just assume they were high level. But most people in the neighborhood knew Hera was still level one. How was she doing that? Hera was oblivious about the situation. Her focus was on the decision she had to make. The test was terrifying, but that was the whole point, she understood that now. It wasn''t about completing it or teaching them a new skill. Mr. Greyson wanted to know if she could fail while facing something very dangerous and keep going. The MAZE is more like a survival game than with the stories people write about. But the question remained, could she go there knowing she could die at any moment? Before she knew, Hera was already back at her parent''s house. She opened the door and placed the bags on the table, calling her mom to eat. Looking at the time, her dad would probably still be sleeping. Letting out a long sigh, she sat down and searched for something that looked tasty. "Thank you for the help, sweetheart. Did you remembered to get those..." Stella stopped talking the second she saw the bags on the table, "Why did you get so much food?" Hera bit her lip. Since many people were coming, she thought it was ok to buy a lot of food. However, she forgot to account for Stella''s reaction. "I just tried to help, I know how much hard work is to put these gatherings together and I wanted to give you a break," Hera answered knowing it wouldn''t work. "How can you be so self-centered? Did it occur to you that I already bought a lot of food for this? Now, what am I supposed to do? Just make it all and let it go bad?" Stella was already trembling, the same way she did every time she got angry. "I just wanted to do something nice for the family. Since everyone is coming over, we could make some of the food you bought and if we have leftovers, we can let them take home." Hera was looking down, trying to seem like she was sorry. In reality, after many years, she figured out that, that was the quickest way to make her mom stop complaining. "I didn''t raise you to be this selfish! You are only thinking about yourself and not even considering others. Your cousins were away from home for a long time. They probably want homemade food, and I already planned the whole meal. How much did you pay in all that?" Stella rummaged through the bags. Hera stopped for a second. She couldn''t remember where she put the receipt. If she forgot to get it, or if it was in her pocket, she would be fine. "Hera! How could you spend so much money on this?" Stella gasped. Of course, Hera wasn''t even sure why she got hopeful. Things always worked like that with her mom. "When your dad wakes up, we are going to have a long talk about financial responsibility missy!" Stella said before stomping back to the kitchen. Hera sighed and started to look for something to eat again. She was thinking about a sandwich, but now, she needed something sweet. When her dad woke up, there was more scolding. Eridan didn''t want to tell Stella about the money he borrowed. Hera knew that and stayed silent during most of it. Only saying ''I''m sorry'' now and then. After that, the three set up the table for the whole family. The homemade dishes stayed in the center with the pastries functioning as a decoration to cover the spots with no food. When they were done, it looked like a gaudy banquet, but Stella had a big approving smile on her face. After that a song came up on the television. Eridan and Stella hugged and started to slow dance to the song. It was the song they had their first dance to. Hera watched them for a while. Eridan had thick arms, and a big belly, but it was mostly brawn. Working in the wood shop and cutting the trees himself would do that to anyone''s physique. His short golden hair was already starting to grey, but he still had his charm and that big smile that made everything be ok. Stella used to be very thin but had put on some weight after having Hera. Unlike most people, she embraced that. Her long brown hair was curled up today, giving her look a vintage feel. She had beautiful blue eyes that turned grey at the edges. Hera''s mom would always wear clothing that exposed some skin, be it in the chest, arms, or legs. She was truly beautiful, and the couple made each other extremely happy. Little by little the guests arrived, and shortly after 1 p.m., the whole family was there. Hera never ceased to be surprised by how many people would come to these gatherings. Counting the partners of a few family members, there were 42 people inside the two-story house. Thankfully, most of the family was fawning over her two cousins and left Hera alone. Even she went to congratulate them. Amelia was in a university famous for its medical program. Arthur, on the other hand, had just been accepted to a very prestigious college on an engineer scholarship. Hera was genuinely happy for her cousins, she knew how hard they worked for it. She used her employee discount a few times, buying books to help them study for the enrollment test. Not only that, she always got happy when someone close to her would step towards their dream. The day went by, and soon the opening ceremony of the olympics began. Part of her family kept talking the whole way through it. But Hera simple tone of the noise and focused on the presentation. It was beautiful. Each country would go inside in two groups, the level ones, and the level tens. Because of the attribute difference, they only allowed civilians to take part in the competition. A few years back, the organizers thought it the competition was getting boring in comparison with what explorers could do, so they added the level 10 division. It really increases the appeal to watch the event. A level one civilian that trained his whole life, could lift almost 300kg, while the world record for a level ten was half a tonne. But there were very strict rules about it all, skills were shared or banned, the attributes couldn''t go over a certain number. To Hera, the whole system was a mess. Still, it was entertaining to watch. The ceremony kept going, with a dance accompanied by a magic show made by two famous explorers. It was a singing duo called Bright Night and Dark Star. The duo would make the dancers appear and disappear. They turned the stage upside down and even made the dusk be followed by dawn, creating a new star in the sky. Hera tried to use her [Observe] but only the information for the television appeared. She really wanted to know if that was illusion magic or a magic light. For the finale, Dark Star made all the lights in the arena go out. A shot from a helicopter showed the whole city covered in darkness. The camera focused on the sky. The stars danced around each other, spiraling towards the stage where Bright Night was. They gathered in a ball in front of her, when the sky was completely dark. All the starts on the stage flew out towards the crowd and stopped just by their chest. With a flourish, Bright Night sent all the stars back to the sky, giving back the light for the whole city. Hera was mesmerized. It was already impressive when she had no idea how they did it. But now, she had a silly smile on her face just by thinking about the elemental affinities the duo could have. With the presentation over, the president of Jamaica, where the olympics where happening, gave a speech as it was costumery. Hera kept eating, and talking with her family, her aunt Silvia was annoying her. She kept saying how Hera was lagging behind and soon she would be stuck in a dead-end job. "She must be so proud of her non-dead-end job as a receptionist for 25 years," Hera thought to herself. When the guests finally left, it was well past 9 p.m. The last train would leave at 11, and Hera still wasn''t sure if she should be in it. Helping with the cleanup, Hera was doing the dishes while thinking about her decision. She was leaning towards giving up, at least for now. Mr. Greyson said that if she wanted, she could try again after some time. That could be a good idea. "You need to pay more attention, this one is still dirty," her mom said placing a plate inside the half-full sink. Eridan was bringing some leftover food to the fridge when Stella asked him to stay. "Hera, I want to talk to you. You can keep doing the dishes if you want, but pay attention," her mom demanded. Hera wasn''t in the mood to talk, but right now there wasn''t a way out. "Sure, what do you want to talk about, mom?" she asked, not moving her eyes from the dishes. "About you, look I know you had a dream, and that didn''t work. But you need to do something with your life. You can''t stay forever in that bookstore. Are you looking for something else?" Stella said. "No mom, I''m not. But I..." Hera replied but was cut off. "See, why aren''t you looking? You can''t honestly be thinking that the bookstore is a good place to work. You need to do something, you need to act or even react to anything. Hera, you need to stop being such of a pushover. Like today. How many times did you got up to fill other people''s glasses?" her mom was raising her voice. She always did that in those long speeches. Hera always hated it. Being loud wouldn''t help get your point across. "I was just being polite like you taught me," Hera replied, still scrubbing a plate. "There is polite and then there is being a maid. You really need to start saying no. Doing what you want. Why don''t you? Are you afraid of what people will say? C''mon, aren''t you too old for that?" Hera scrubbed harder, her fingers almost cracking the plate. "My love, aren''t you being too harsh on her?" Eridan asked. "No no, she needs a wake-up call. Everything in life is scary now? Are you afraid you will be let down again? Well, get over it! Life is hard, is pain, and is hardship. You have to pull through all that in order to find happiness. If you don''t change now, you will be miserable for the rest of your life." Stella paused. It took Hera everything she had not to snap back at her mom. She was the one always complaining and putting her down. She was the one who made her worryabout what other people think. She was the one who kicked her when she was down on her 18th birthday. "Well? Aren''t you going to say something? Honestly, Hera, you need to do something, anything! Just stop being so plain!" Stella yelled. Before Eridan could even call his wife out, Hera tossed the last plate on this skin, shattering it by accident "Fine! Since you want me to do something. I''m going back home!" Hera said angrily. "What are you talking about? This is your home," Stella scoffed. "No, it''s not, my home is in Brilansis, my friends, my job and my apartment are all there. This is just where I come to listen to you complain." Hera stormed off, heading towards the guest bedroom. Quickly grabbing her things, she walked to the door. "Hera, wait! Where are you going?" Eridan asked, rushing towards her. "Home, dad. I have training in the morning." Hera said without looking back. She knew she would cry the second she saw her dad''s face. "So, you are actually doing it?" Eridan asked. "I am, and I''m going to prove to her that I don''t need to change to become an explorer," Hera said putting her bag over her shoulder, "don''t worry. I''m calling a cab. I can''t be near either of you right now." She walked to the door of the room before realizing what she just said. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it like that," she said in a soft voice. "Don''t worry, I know. Give them hell, my Fourth Hero," Eridan said with a smile. Hera looked back, twisting her nose. "Dad, be serious. That was only cute when I was little." Eridan laughed, Hera left the house and called a cab. She waited ten minutes outside before it arrived. After asking for the driver to take her to the train station, the tears she was holding in came pouring out. This was the last time her mom would make her cry. 39 Brand new day Greyson arrived early for his class. He knew that the test would take a toll on the recruits and wanted to comfort them. What he had done was brutal. No one questioned that. However, after what happened with that kid, Greyson didn''t want to take any chances. He was deep in thought when the first recruit arrived. To his surprise, it was Mark. He greeted the man and looked at the clock. It was 6:49. Only one recruit stayed so far, but there was still time. Greyson tried to keep himself busy. He kept looking at his tablet, confirming everything would be ready for today. At 6:53 more recruits arrived. Anaya first, then Tiffany and Kenjiro. The three of them seemed to be fine. But Carlos, the fourth member of the group, was nowhere to be seen. "Che, don''t run away from a fight my ass," Greyson thought to himself. A couple of minutes later, Alex, Leo, and Blue walked through the door. Greyson tried to seem calm, but he was worried. Bonnie had gotten two evolved skills in the first days of training. She had a lot of potential. Then there was Percy. The man seemed to be very meticulous in his work. He had the makings of a great crafter. The last recruit he was worrying about was Hera. Aside from her skills, there wasn''t much special about the woman. But she had a fire Greyson hadn''t seen in a long time. At 7 sharp, Bonnie walked through the door. She still looked a bit scared, but she was here. Before starting class, Greyson gave her a few moments to settle in. "All right, I hope ye all had time to think about what ye want to do. If ye still have any questions, now is the time. The training will be different from now on," Greyson said. Almost as a reflex, Bonnie raised her hand. The teacher gave her a nod, confirming she could ask her question. "Mr. Greyson, sorry. I have two questions. First... are we going inside that room again?" Bonnie asked. The whole class got silent, even their breathing seemed to stop. The idea of going there again was terrifying for most recruits. "No, ye don''t have to go there again," he said before turning to blue, "unless ye want to. In that case, I can pull some strings." The tension in the air dissipated a little. The recruits were still on edge, but now they seemed a bit more relaxed. "The second question... If I keep doing the training, can I drop out before the final exam?" Bonnie asked. The question surprised Greyson. Bonnie was really smart, and to come back here she was already brave enough to go inside the MAZE. The teacher considered the question for a few moments. "I believe ye can, yes. No rule says ye can''t drop out just before the final test. But are ye sure ye want to waste a whole month doing this?" he asked, genuinely concerned. He knew that if she pushed herself too hard, it would end badly. Bonnie nodded. "Yes, if I''m confident by the end of the training, I''ll do the final test." "Fair enough," Greyson said with a smile. He answered a few more questions about the test afterward and started to explain his plans for the day. A few seasoned explorers were coming over to show a few things about the roles. That way the recruits could know more about what they can do before choosing their role. Halfway through his explanation, there was a knock on the door. He frowned and went to the door, opening it. It was Hera. She was panting and covered in sweat. "I''m sorry, I got home really late. My alarm didn''t wake me up." Hera said after catching her breath. "Yer lucky lassie. Today''s class will be different. Go to yer seat," Greyson said with a serious face. In reality, he was quite happy. It has been a long time since he had so many recruits stick around after the test. Mr. Greyson explained that each role got a special set of skills exclusive to the role itself. It was a way for explorers to have more specific jobs inside the MAZE. Some were simple, for instance, Healers would heal and help others recover from wounds. Some roles had more complicated functions, researchers could look for new skills, or new ways to learn a skill, they could improve equipment and even create potions or meals that would improve attributes. They were essentially scientists inside the MAZE. That wouldn''t mean the roles limited what you could do. A mage could heal, and a fighter could research new skills, but they wouldn''t have the role-specific skills linked to that task. "Mr. Greyson, in the video the guild keeps playing it said that it wasn''t always like that. Why is that? Did it take long to find the skills, or it was something else?" Bonnie asked. Hera was a bit surprised. It seemed obvious that they probably took a while to find out about the role skills. That''s just how skills work. Mr. Greyson smiled before answering. "No one ever found these skills, we created them," the teacher said, shocking the whole class. "Before the roles, explorers would just group up asking about each other''s skills. That required a long discussion to figure out where each individual would fit in a team. After all, they had to talk about most of their skills in the process. It was also difficult to keep track of it during fights." Mr. Greyson sat in his chair. "After a while, a few groups started to form. Each would have only explorers that were good at one specific job. The idea behind it was to share skills and training exercises to make them better at what they needed. No one knows exactly what happened. One day the system changed and each of these groups got assigned a role. Some skills they had even evolved and become part of the roles." The teacher had barely stopped talking when Tiffany asked. "Hang on, are you saying the system changed? It can do that?" Mr. Greyson just nodded. "Funny right? We all think the system was always there the way it is today. But if ye think about it, it makes sense. A long time ago we didn''t have written language, yet now the system shows up as text. Computers and tablets were human creations. Today the system connects to them to share its information. It makes ye wonder how it will look like in the future, doesn''t it?" Having finished his explanation, the class was awestruck. With such a basic knowledge being changed at a fundamental level, the recruits were rendered speechless. Taking advantage of the moment, the teacher guided them back to the elevator. The class would be in one of the underground training rooms. They were more durable and private. Arriving at the underground floor, the group was greeted by Helena, who informed them of a change in the room they had reserved. Shortly after, they arrived at the biggest room available. Helena turned to the recruits. "Welcome everyone, for those who don''t know me, I''m Helena. The attendant in charge of your class, nice to meet you. This is probably your first time coming into one of these rooms. They are called advanced training rooms or ATR. They are very special because of a few things. First, they almost indestructible. Well, I say that, but some high-level explorers can make a mess of this place. Second, this place uses our most state-of-the-art training simulations. It can teach from basic martial arts to special skills. You can also increase or decrease the mana density inside here. Although, for now, you won''t feel the difference, in the future this might come in handy." Helena explained, keeping a tour guide persona. Hera couldn''t help but find it weird. She wasn''t used to seeing the woman like this. "Wow, if this room is so amazing why were we wasting time with the dummies?" Mark said while thinking out loud. Most recruits were thinking about the same thing. "Watch it, laddie. Ye don''t wanna start something ye can''t finish," Mr. Greyson snarled. "Now, now. Be nice Calvin," Helena intervened, "the ATRs use condensed mana to function, so using it is a bit expensive. That''s why only part of the training is done here. After that, to use one of these you have to rent it. The basic ones are not too expensive, and this one.. well It''s better not to think about it for now." Before the class could ask more questions, the door opened and seven people came in. They were all wearing explorer gear and carried their weapons. A big muscular woman also carried a long sword in her hand. "Looks like they are all here already. These are the explorers who will help us today. With all of us here, we will tell ye about the nine roles." A couple of recruits were surprised by the number of people. They never considered the guild clerk to be a seasoned explorer. "Well, Ah guess, Ah should start. Some of ye might already know, but Ah''m a fighter. The main skill we get is called [Fury]. With it, Ah can strengthen my attacks or give them other effects. It can also increase the power of some skills." Greyson pressed a button on his tablet, and a golden dummy appeared in the room. He grabbed the sword from the strong woman and attacked the dummy twice. The first time it looked like a normal overhead swing. The second time, however, reddish energy swirled violently around the blade of his sword. When he struck the dummy, the whole room seemed to shake with the impact. " [Fury] works a bit differently for each person. To me, the angrier Ah get the harder Ah hit," Greyson finished his explanation, and without a pause added, "And the first one to make a superhero joke gets smacked. Who is next?" He asked, turning to the explorers. Helena stepped forward. "Let me do it, it''s been a while since I let off some steam." She walked towards the dummy and turned to face the recruits. "I am a mage, the skill we get is called [Synch]. The skill makes our mana, or magical energy, merge with the element you use. Allowing you to use stronger versions of spells from your element. Magic is a bit tricky, you need to use a specific formula to use it. Each mage uses it in a different way. I, for one, find it better to picture my mana as thread while I weave it to form the spell I want. With that, I can do this." Helena made a glowing sphere that looked like it was made of diamonds, refracting the light that passed through it. "My [Synch] turned half of my mana into shadow mana. And If I use that in this spell." The sphere darkened almost instantly and started to ooze out shadows. The light in the room seemed to try to run away from it. Helena then closed her hand, and the spell dissipated. Immediately after, she conjured two shadow spears above the dummy. The first seemed to be a smooth spike, the second looked like a halberd that dripped shadows from its edge. With a flick of her hand, the spike hit the dummy, vanishing after the impact. On the halberds turn, the impact created a small explosion, covering part of the room with a thin layer of dark smoke on the ground. As if someone had just poured hot water on dry ice. "Unlike [Fury], [Synch] has one drawback. When you mana changes to a specific element, your ability to use its polar opposite gets hindered. For instance, since my element is shadow. I have a hard time using light. Undine, the Third Hero, was a fire mage. She probably had problems with using water. Some mages focus her spells in a specific element to control this change in mana. There are even a few who managed to have ''pure mana''. That means mana that is not bound by any element. But I''m already getting too much into specifics. If any of you decide to become a mage, feel free to ask me for some pointers." Helena winked at Hera after saying that, which made the recruit smile. Hera looked at the other explorers. So far, being a mage seemed to be the most interesting role of them all. Wondering what the other roles could do, she stared at a man with a grey beanie. He seemed to be the less imposing of the bunch. He had a necklace with what looked like a small watch as the pendant, a brown shirt that looked wrinkled and he seemed to carry a short sword on each side of his hip. Among all the explorers, he seemed to be the most carefree of the bunch. For some reason Hera couldn''t stop looking at him. 40 What is a role? "Who''s next?" Mr. Greyson asked the group of explorers. There was a small pause. The explorers looked at each other like kids during a high school presentation. The strong woman who was carrying Mr. Greyson''s sword stepped away from the group while saying. "By the system, people. We are just here to show the recruits, there is no need to be nervous." She turned to the recruits, "Hi there, I am.." "Janna Ivanova! Also, know as Frostbite," Blue said cutting the woman off, "I''m sorry, it''s just... I''m a huge fan!" All the recruits stared at the girl. Janna just watched the scene with a big smile on her face. "And who is that?" Tiffany asked. "Are you kidding? Janna Ivanova is one of the best explorers in the world! She is ranking 73 among the controllers. She gained the title Frostbite when she held down a passageway for two days on her own against a horde of fire breathing monsters. When the backup finally arrived, they say even the flames had frozen around her." Blue replied excitedly. "Two days? Ha, those rumors really get out of hand." Mr. Greyson commented. "You really are a killjoy. Aren''t you, Calvin?" Janna replied. Blue stared at her with a worried expression. Were the stories she heard really a lie? "What is your name?" Janna asked Blue. "Pamella Blunt, but you can call me Blue," she replied almost giving the explorer a salute. "Well, Blue. The stories you heard are a bit exaggerated. First, I didn''t freeze any fire. I froze a few monsters before they could use their fire breath. Second, it wasn''t two days, but eight hours. If it was more than that I probably would have died there. Last, even though it is a good story. It only happened because I didn''t have any other choice. The monsters were going towards a city inside the room, if they got there they would destroy everything and kill everyone." Janna explained. The recruits were amazed by what she had done. She risked her life just to save a city. "Did you really risked your life just to save a city?" Anaya asked. Janna replied with a smile. "Sometimes you have to take a big risk to protect those who can''t protect themselves." Most of the recruits looked at the explorer with new eyes. They were in the presence of a bona fide hero. Hera felt guilty looking at Janna. She was worried about hurting herself inside the MAZE. But that woman was willing to go to such a length to protect someone else. Looking around, Hera noticed that Helena was frowning while staring at Janna. But before she could even consider the reason, the controller continued with her explanation. "Back to the subject in question. Controllers, like the name say, can control the battlefield. The [Control] skill does nothing by itself. But you can use other skills with it to change how the combat will play out. We are split into magic and physical types. Magic types can use effects like slowing down monsters or creating magic walls to change the landscape itself. Physical types, like myself, can control the target of the monster and make the attacks aimed at us be weaker. Like it is with all roles, each person can do it differently. My [Control] skill, lets me encapsulate myself in a layer of ice, that not only forcers my enemies to target me but also freezes anything that gets too close." Janna walked in front of the dummy and turned back to the group. "Calvin, Helena. Can you help me with the demonstration? Just hit me with the attacks you did before. Don''t worry, I can take it." Frostbite said with a cocky smile on her face. Mr. Greyson grabbed his sword and gathered that reddish energy on the blade. While that was happening, Helena raised one hand and five halberds dripping out shadows appeared above her. Seeing the two getting ready to attack, Janna flexed her arms, and an armor made of ice appeared covering her body. A sight like that was already weird enough. Still, the oddest part was how the ice was moving. It would bend without breaking while Frostbite moved, as if it was part of her. "I''m ready," Janna called out. A few seconds passed, and Helena brought her hand down. The halberds flew towards the controller, followed by Mr. Greyson. The red energy of his blade seemed to gather the shadows dripping from the magical weapons. The spell struck frostbite, creating that small smoke explosion, followed by Mr. Greyson''s jumping swing. The impact was so strong that Hera, Bonnie, and Mark fell to the ground. While the other recruits had forced themselves to hold their ground. When the smoke cleared out, Janna was holding Mr. Greyson''s sword with one hand, while the other was covering her face. There were three dark spots on her forearm, on the places the halberds hit. Even with such strong attacks, the armor had barely cracked. The biggest damage seemed to be around the hand she used to block the sword. Janna smiled and walked back to the recruits with her armor still activated. "This is a type of block skill that I learned thanks to my controller role. It has some elemental magic on it because as I''m sure you all know, the skills you learn are not limited to the role you pick." Hera was impressed by the display. However, being a controller meant either thinking about the places you were and acting fast with the changes or putting herself in risk at all times. That role seemed to be a bad fit for her. Blue, on the other hand, seemed to have found her calling. Her eyes were sparkling so much they could probably turn off the lights in the room. "That pumped me, I''ll go next if I can try to hit you, Ms. Ivanova." A short-haired woman wearing a black hoodie stepped forward. She was also wearing a black pair of pants and carried two daggers on her hip. Hera also noticed that the woman had a small piercing on her eyebrow. "Sure, It''s been a while since I practiced blocking. Anyone who wants can try to hit me," Janna said while walking towards the dummy. The short-haired woman turned to the recruits. "I''m Mona Al Ley, an Assassin. My skill is called [Assassinate] and it improves both attack skills, hiding skills, and any skill you would use on an assassination attempt. The better I hide, the stronger my attack becomes. Even though the name sound ominous, the skill is focused on dealing with your enemy without being seen, and then moving back. It''s not just about killing." She turned towards Janna, who gave Mona a nod. The assassin vanished in thin air. They were in a big open room, but none of the recruits were able to see her. A few moments later Janna turned around and blocked a dagger coming towards her left shoulder. Mona had just appeared in front of the controller. The assassin stepped back and disappeared once again. This time, however, Janna seemed less relaxed. She looked around, searching for her assailant. Suddenly, Frostbite spun around and blocked a dagger aimed at her neck with her forearms. "Damn, I thought I had you," Mona complained. "It was close, but I heard the dagger coming," Janna replied with an approving nod. The two of them walked back towards the recruits and showed the damage to Janna''s armor. The first strike had made a small dent on the ice, but the second managed to cut almost halfway through the arm guard. "As I explained. If your target can''t notice you, [Assassinate] gives a big boost to your skills." Mona finished her explanation. "Now that the flashy group is done, I think it''s my turn." A dark-skinned man with dreadlocks and thick glasses walked forward. "I''m Darrel Fowler. A researcher. Our skill is called [Learn] it helps you to learn about things. You have a handy database of everything you''ve already learned about the subject you are looking at and some tips on when is missing based on your own knowledge. You might think that is useless since things like math or physics are large subjects. But the skill can break the subject down to smaller parts. And not only studies. Equipment, skills, monsters, [Learn] Can help us improve our knowledge of anything. Although not as glamourous as other jobs, researchers created or discovered most of the skills us know of today. We are also the role most suited to use magic, aside from the mage itself." It wasn''t an exciting explanation, but Hera understood the value of the role. In fact, if she became a researcher she probably could help Helena a lot more than if she was a mage. Seeing that no one had any questions. Darrel felt satisfied with his explanation and walked back to the explorers. "Ok, I''ll go next." A man with a thick beard, wearing a white thawb and a trucker''s hat walked forward. "Bros and brodettes listen up. Jasper Alloways here and I''m a crafter. That means that I make things. The skill we learn is called [Blueprint]. Basically, it lets you break stuff down and put your own spin on it. The better you get with that skill the more crazy shit you can pull with it. A buddy of mine is already at a point where he can do some really freaky stuff. He made this staff that if you spin it, two blades come from the edges. If you tap it, it turns into a big ass nunchuck and there is even a button that makes a straw pop out so you can drink some water. Really boss stuff. If you all ever need a commission, hit me up and I''ll put you two in contact. Or just gimme a call if you wanna hang, cool?" Hera was a bit taken aback by the explorer. She wasn''t expecting someone so informal to be talking about the skills. "Bro, does the blueprint tell you about how to make it, and what material you need? Or it''s just like this is how the thing is, deal with it?" Mark asked. He seemed oddly comfortable talking to Jared. "Nice question, man. It gives you, like, the full cake recipe. What you need, how to make each part, and then how to put them together. After you get good at it, you can check other stuff you find for the compatibility to the blueprint you want. Like, if you make an iron sword, you can check on how well it would turn out if it was made of gold. After that you can even add more stuff to make it your own, you dig?" Mark was nodding with enthusiasm. Hera never expected him to be interested in crafting. Having finished his explanation, Jared walked back. A woman in a green tunic and brown pants walked forward. "Hello, I am Shi Cheng. I''m a hunter. Our skill is called [Hunt]. It lets you learn more about your enemy before fighting it. The more you learn, the stronger your attacks will be. Not as strong as a controller who marked their target. But they only do this with one creature at a time, [Hunt] lets you learn about the species as a whole. You will be able to recognized tracks, markings, and signals of a species you already found easily. It also helps you discover its weaknesses and strengths. Most hunters use a bow or some ranged weapon, but that is just personal preference." The huntress showed her compound bow. It looked like it was made of something other than metal, but the movement it made was the same. "Does [Hunt] affects your skills too? Or is it more of a passive effect?" Leo asked. "Both, some skills gain bonuses from [Hunt]. Not only attacks, but things like [Mapping] and [Hide] too. But your attacks, even without a skill can deal more damage to creatures you already have a good understanding of," Shi Cheng replied. Leo seemed to be deep in thought. Hera always pictured him as a fighter, but a hunter could suit him well too. A man with a grey shirt filled with red stains approached the group. He had messy hair and an unkempt stubble with a few holes spread around his chin. He also had large bags under his eyes. "I''m G¨¦rard and I''m a Healer. We heal people. [Sight] is a skill that shows us how badly wounded something is, and the worst the person is the more we can heal them. If you think that is nice you are wrong. You can end up being able to see how close to death everyone is. I can even tell you how close you are. Do you wanna know? Can you handle knowing how close the grim reaper is from you and from everyone you love?" The man started his speech slowly but got angrier with each sentence. By the end, he was yelling at the recruits. Helena cut him off, placing her hand on his shoulder. "G¨¦rard, sweetie, I think you should visit the healers. They can help you rest for a while. I''ll drop by later to see if I can do something for you, ok?" The healer just gave a weak nod and left the room. The recruits were all disturbed by his reaction. "Don''t think Healers are all like that. He just got a very strong skill and is having some trouble adjusting to it. Don''t worry, seeing death is not something anyone can do. He just sees each person''s health. And when you live in a world where almost everyone has some kind of disease is hard to not be overwhelmed. Now, I think we just need to hear from Omar." Helena explained the situation for the recruits, trying not only to calm them but also not letting G¨¦rard''s reaction affect their mind about the healer role. "Aye aye, miss. The name is Omar Deeb, and my role is explorer. If you know about the story of the roles, you might understand that they were created when groups trained together. The thing is, not everyone wanted to do that. Some just wanted to keep exploring and learning everything. When the roles appeared, the ones that didn''t fit into any of them got nothing. No new skills, no changes to the ones they already had, not even a change in their role. Everyone thought they got the short end of the straw, but it wasn''t like that. After a while, every explorer that went looking for role skills figured out that we can learn all of them." Saying that, Omar activated a skill similar to Janna''s. A soft glow covered his body like armor. It wasn''t nearly as impressive as the full-body ice armor, and there were a lot of places there weren''t covered by light. After that, he disappeared. The recruits kept looking around for him while the explorers followed an invisible man walking around. Omar reappeared behind the recruits. "The thing is, our role skills can never be as strong as the original ones. And the more we learn, the harder it is to learn new ones. I have four, [Assassinate], [Control], [Synch] and [Fury]. And I honestly don''t know if I can learn a new one. I mean, I can, it''s just going to take a lot of time and resources to do it. We also get one last thing. An item tailor made to help us. Even if some are similar no two explorers will have the same item. Mine is this compass, it shows me a type of radar around me. It can tell me where some enemies, where my allies are, and now it even shows me the general direction of whatever I''m searching for. As long as I have an idea of the place. It''s not omnipotent. Usually, the item we get is the thing that will help us the most." Omar finished his explanation before going back to the group. Hera was intrigued. Being an explorer seemed very interesting. Her stats were all the same so that could even help her. But that meant she would take more time to repay Helena. However, the thing that she was most curious about was the item. If she became an explorer. What item would she get? 41 Crossing the ts When all the presentations were over, Mr. Greyson walked towards the recruits. "Now that ye know what each role does. Let me tell ye how the rest of the month will go. Ah will teach ye some basic survival skills, how to make a tent, or a campfire. What types of fruits ye can look for and things like that. Ye will also learn more about the MAZE. Things like monsters tiers, explorer equipment, room effects, and more. We will keep the same pattern we have today, In the morning we hit the classroom. And in the afternoon we come here, so ye all can learn a proper fighting style, or improve yer own." When the teacher finished speaking, Janna gasped. "Did I hear it right? Calving Greyson is going to use the ATR to teach a class?" The woman said it overly dramatically, like a character from a terrible movie. The only thing missing was a fan in her hand. "Oh, bite me, Janna," the teacher replied. "Is that an invitation?" Frostbite replied with a mischievous smile. Mr. Greyson became flustered. He mumbled something that none of the recruits could hear. But soon he came back to his usual self. "Moving on, today this group of explorers was kind enough to be available to clear any doubts ye might have on the roles. Then, after lunch, we can stay in the ATR until the end of the day, thanks to Ms. Ivanova." The recruits became even more impressed with Frostbite. She was a hero who was willing to pay an expensive training facility for a bunch of recruits she never even met. "One last thing. Ye will choose yer role in the final test, and part of the test is to get the role skill. As ye all know, the system never gives anything. Ye need to earn it. The test is also the first mission the system will give ye. For the next few hours, ye can still talk, so ask more questions about the roles to help ye with yer decision. But if none of ye are interested in a specific role, let me know. That way we can let these fine people go back to their day," the teacher finished his explanation while the explorers spread around the room. After that, the recruits went around asking more about the roles. Hera wanted to talk to Helena, but first, she wanted to know more about the explorer and the researcher''s roles. Moving toward Omar, Hera and Kenjiro asked him a few questions. The explorer told the two that to learn a role skill they would need to do another test and that the difficulty increased with each role skill they had. The main reason explorers wouldn''t get all the role skills was the difficulty of the test. He also said that the item they get depends on the grade they receive at the test and that it would always help them uncover secrets about the MAZE. He ended up getting just a passing grade, but some who got perfect scores would get even more amazing rewards. Satisfied with the information, Hera thanked the man and left Kenjiro alone with Omar. The recruit seemed to have a lot more questions, mainly about fighting inside the MAZE. She moved toward Darrell, the researcher. Bonnie was already there talking with him. It took Hera a while to figure out what they were saying. Both of them seemed to be invested in a discussion about ways to learn and teach skills and how to improve them. When Darrell finally realized the recent arrival, he stopped the discussion and went back to answering questions. Hera was mainly interested in how the skill would work in someone else''s research. Apparently, first, she would need to understand the research. The skill would make it easier because it would tell her if she had any gaps in the knowledge she needed to understand it. Then she could collaborate and even share what [Learn] told her. She asked a few more questions about how the skill worked and what were its limits. However, when Hera asked if [Learn] could tell her things about a room inside the MAZE, Darrell wasn''t able to answer. He never tried, but it was possible, in theory. Talking some more, Darrell told the recruits that researchers were also an excellent combat class. The ability to learn skills at a fundamental level allowed them to change the skill to strengthen it or target more enemies. It was even easier for a beginner researcher to learn magic than for a beginner mage. Hera thanked him and walked towards Helena, however on the way Mark asked her to show Jasper, the crafter, her bracelet. She showed it to him. It impressed the man. He said that very few recruits had her talents and that being a crafter meant she could make anything she wanted. Her weapons could be tailor made to hunt down the creatures she was after, or she could just sell jewelry that increases the wearer''s power. It was an interesting idea, but she wasn''t as excited as Mark with the prospect. She worked with sales for a long time. It wasn''t something she was keen to go back to. Thanking Jasper, Hera finally arrived where Helena was. She had just finished talking with Alex and Tiffany. Both seemed to be interested in the ways of magic. "Hello sweetie, how are you feeling today?" Helena asked with a smile. "Is overwhelmed an option? The test and then this. It''s a lot to process," Hera replied. "I know. Usually, that test is given in the last week of training. But Greyson thinks it''s better to get rid of the ''weak-willed'' first. Honestly, I think he just gets annoyed when dealing with large classes." They both laughed, Helena could be right. Or at least it would be on brand with the teacher''s personality. "Anyway, I have some questions. I was talking with the other explorers, and I''m not sure what would help you the most. Maybe a researcher would be good, but an explorer might have a better mix of abilities. Being a crafter could help too, since I could make your tools, Or I could be a mage like you said and help you that way. What role do you want for me to help you?" Hera asked, still deep in thought about the role she could pick. Helena stared at the recruit for a moment. "Hera, what do you want?" she asked, "Forget about what you think will help me, this is a decision about your life. You can''t change that later on. I will ask for your help no matter what role you chose, but first, you need to figure out what do you want to do." Hera was taken aback. She didn''t expect Helena to ignore her questions, she only wanted to help her. Still, after thinking for a moment, Hera realized the mage was right. If she chose a role because of someone else she could end up missing on something she wanted to do. "I''m not sure. I always wanted to be an explorer, to have adventures inside the MAZE, discover new things and places. But apparently, all roles can do that." Hera finally said. "You are right, all can do that. Which roles you are thinking about?" the mage asked. "Well, explorer seems nice. But I guess it will depend on the item I get. Since they don''t have a role skill to start I imagine they have a hard time early on. Research seems interesting, being able to change how skills behave can be really useful. I thought crafters would have a peaceful life, but after seeing Jasper I''m not so sure anymore." They both laughed at Hera''s comment. "Yeah, he really is something," Helena agreed "Another thing, why did you frown when Frostbite talked about that story?" Hera asked. "Oh... keep this between us, but Janna is not quite what she seems. What she failed to mention was that she had earned a sizeable sum of money to protect the town. Also, her Plan B was to blow up the valley. This seems a good plan until you know that the blast would hit part of the town. She acts all noble and fair, but she was willing to throw many people under the bus to save herself and her paycheck. Don''t get me wrong. It was impressive, just not... Hero like." Hera was surprised. Janna seemed to be so honest. However, Hera knew that some people here good at hiding their true intentions. Even if she could never tell when someone was like that. "Changing the subject, I noticed you said nothing about being a mage. Is that such a terrible concept?" Helena pouted. Hera could tell the woman was just teasing her. "Well, I don''t know, why don''t you clear some doubts I have about such a dreadful role." Without realizing, Hera replied in a fake British accent. That reaction only amused Helena even more. It was good seeing the recruit joke around. They talked about what mages could do, but Helena avoided talking about affinities even when asked. It was better to learn the basics before delving into the advanced stuff. A while later Bonnie joined in asking about how spells were made and how could she start training magic. Last, Hera went towards the hunter. She had a tendency to overthink and overanalyze a situation and the [Hunt] skill could be a perfect fit for that. As time went by the explorers left one by one. Aside from the teacher and Helena, Janna was the last one to leave, but only after Blue got three autographs. "Since we still have an hour before lunch, let''s make good use of the time we have. Everyone spread out, Ah''m gonna figure out how to start this bloody thing." The teacher moved to the back of the room with Helena, asking about how to operate the ATR''s systems. The recruits spread around, Hera leaned on the wall while drinking some water. She was still exhausted from the night before. Thinking about the unique roles, a voice, coming from the side, spooked her. "It seems like you lost your edge," Anaya said. "What do you mean?" Hera asked between sips. "C''mon, Hera. That ditzy attitude stopped being funny a while ago. I''m talking about Frostbite and Mr. Greyson. Seems like you lost your bo, and to an older model at that." The woman said the words without looking directly at Hera, but she wasn''t trying to hide the smirk on her face. Hera stared at Anaya for a moment, before the realization finally dawned upon her. Making her choke with the water she was drinking. "Wait. Do you think Mr. Greyson and I are... together?" Hera''s eyes were still watery from the coughing. "Of course. Why else would you get so much special treatment? Get in late on the first day without a problem, and them all the attention you''ve been getting from him. It would only be expected for you to be.. taking care of him in exchange," Anaya said. Hera''s eyes went wide as she blushed. "No, no, of course not. He gave me some advice, but that''s just because I messed up, and the first-day thing was all thanks to Helena." Before she could continue, Anaya interrupted her. "Oh, so you swing that way? I''m not one to judge, but it will be harder for you to stay with a woman like her. You need to take care of yourself to be on her level." Hera twisted her nose. Hearing that she needed to take care of herself reminded her of her mother. She took a deep breath and tried once again to explain. "Anaya, you are getting this all wrong. I won the raffle the guild was having. The next day when I came here, the class was already starting and Helena had to do the paperwork before I joined in. I''m not with anyone nor do I want to be, ok?" Anaya gave Hera a warm smile. "Oh, that makes so much more sense. I''m sorry for getting it all wrong. You are a charity case, of course. The guild has to treat you well. It must be great for marketing. The story of the talentless recruit who dropped out because it was too hard. I can see them spinning this as how only the worthy can be explorers. That will be great." Hera clenched her fist tightly. She wasn''t useless, and why would this woman be saying all this? It was one thing to hear it from her mother, but Anaya had no right to say any of that. She was only kind to others. However, it was the comment about ''only the worthy'' that made her snap. "Anaya, I don''t know what bug bit you and made you so bitter, but you don''t know the first thing about me. So just keep your opinions to yourself. And don''t you think you are too old for this mean girl attitude? You are not in high school anymore." Hera turned around and stormed off away from the woman. Who just stared at Hera angrily. Hera looked around and saw her friends all looking at her with smiles on their faces. "Well, I was going to ask you what role were you thinking about, but after that. I''m guessing fighter. You have some [Fury] inside of you," Leo commented, clapping his hands slowly. "I think you are wrong, she''s gonna be an assassin. We just witnessed her first murder," Blue said, putting way too much emphasis on murder. "Guys, you are overdoing it again," Alex chimed in, "you can''t be supportive if you are that over the top. But I have to say. Well done. That girl was getting on my nerves." "I know, right? She does that with anyone who gets more attention than her. You should have heard what she said to me after I got the [Cartography] skill." Bonnie talked about the what Anaya said to her, and all of her friends seemed to be the target for her contempt at some point during the last week. Hera felt bad for not realizing it. If she had, she could have tried to help them. "Yeah, yeah, she sucks. Now for the important part, before Mr. Greyson figures out how to deal with the ATR. What roles are you guys thinking about?" Blue changed the subject. Hera smiled at her friend. It was nice knowing she wasn''t the only one who couldn''t think about anything else. She looked at the group and started talking. "I have a few ideas...." 42 Dotting the is When Mr. Greyson finally figured out how to use the ATR, it was already noon. All the recruits were hungry at that point. The teacher agreed, and everyone left for lunch. Hera and her friends went to the food court in the strip mall. The group was discussing the roles the whole time. Leo considered being a fighter, but after hearing about how the [Hunt] skill can affect other skills, he was really interested in being a hunter. Bonnie was split between researcher and mage. Her goal was to use magic even if she had to be in the front lines, but she never imagined that there was a role less dangerous that allowed her to learn about magic even faster. Alex liked the idea of being a mage as well, but she also liked the assassin role. Hiding in plain sight and dealing a lot of damage seemed to be really interesting. She was just worried that being colorblind could give her some trouble when ambushing creatures. Hera was still divided. There were many interesting roles to choose from. Her friends agreed that if she wanted to do many, she could just become an explorer and learn the other roles. The idea seemed nice, but she was still worried about having trouble early on. Blue, however, was the only one 100% sure of the role she wanted. A controller, of course. After seeing Frostbite, she was enthralled with the idea of following her footsteps. Hera wanted to tell the girl the full story, but she had promised Helena not to tell anyone. For now, it didn''t seem to be a problem, but later on, Hera might need to have a serious talk with her friend. Coming back to the guild, with their bellies full and their wallets thinner, the group went straight for the ATR. When they arrived a set of 10 white silhouettes were standing in the room. The teacher was already there, with a satisfied expression on his face. They waited for a bit until all the recruits arrived. "Now that this bloody thing is doing what Ah want, we can start. These things yer seeing in the room are yer new trainers. In the back, I got some training weapons for ye to use. Choose the one ye want to learn and walk toward one silhouette. Show yer bracelet to it and the trainer will register its data in you. Then... Hang on a second," Mr. Greyson cut his explanation short and looked for something in his tablet. The man seemed to read something, Hera could see his lips moving. "Right, after the data is registered, any ATR ye use in the guild will have the same trainer. They all share the same... databale?... no database, yeah that''s right. Ye can also use yer tablet to change its appearance and voice too. Whatever that means. These trainers can teach you how to fight with any of the weapons we have here in the guild. If ye want to use something else, ye need to see if there is a trainer for that. One last thing, because we are in the deluxe ATR... Why this bloody name?... Since we are in the deluxe ATR, the trainers also will put a spell on you to improve yer concentration. That will help ye to learn faster." The teacher stopped staring at the tablet and looked to the recruits. "I advise ye to focus on a single weapon, if ye manage to get a fighting skill then ye can try another one. If ye can''t do it today, don''t worry. Ye will be using the basic ATRs once a day, it just won''t have that spell, and we won''t be here the full day." Finishing his explanation, Mr. Greyson told the recruits to train. Hera walked towards the weapons looking for something she could use. She was already having trouble to decide what role she would take, and now she had to pick a weapon. Swords didn''t fit her very well, and her wrists ache just by looking at the daggers. She noticed a chakram in the mix. She never did tried them out. However, she felt like this wasn''t the right moment for it. She should grab something less complicated, that way she can take advantage of the ATR she was using right now. Finally, she saw a hand axe. When she tried, she got a bit confused with the reach, but aside from that the movement was very comfortable. It was also the first weapon she used to kill something, even if it was just a simulation. She looked back towards the silhouettes. Only Anaya and Kenjiro had chosen their trainers. Hera made a point of choosing the area farthest away from the woman as she could. After she had realized what Anaya thought of her, Hera noticed that the previous conversations between the two of them had very different meanings. She already had to deal with a mother that kept judging her, she didn''t have to deal with another random person doing the same. Arriving in front of her trainer, Hera moved the bracelet towards it and a system message appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you for choosing this trainer. Please choose the starting appearance and personality of it. Gender [Male] [Female] [Androgynous] Personality [Warrior] [Sensei] [Personal trainer] [Drill Sergeant] Appearance [Athlete] [Adventurer] [Sergeant] [P.E. Teacher] [Kong-fu Master] Exotics [Elemental Spirit] [Angel] [Devil] [Monster] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera wasn''t expecting that many options. She thought about what type of trainer she would want. However, she caught a glimpse of other recruits already training. She didn''t have time to experiment with its appearance. She quickly tapped a few options, barely looking at them, just making sure not to choose drill sergeant as the personality. The result was an androgynous spirit with a personal trainer personality. Confirming his choice, the silhouette shifted. It became an orange creature with flowing hair and big eyes that had no iris, just a yellow glow coming from it. It seemed to wear fire in the place of clothes. The appearance surprised Hera. She didn''t expect the trainer to look so different, even with an odd appearance. It looked so real. The trainer looked at the handaxe and materialized the same weapon in its hand. It showed Hera a simple attack. Starting with the stem of the axe pressed on its hip and the leg on the opposite side forward. The movement was simple, a quick horizontal slash and then moving back to the starting position. When Hera tried the first time, an overlay appeared around her, showing the movement she made, and the places where her posture was wrong. The trainer also gave her some pointers in a weird mechanical voice. It took Hera a few tries, but after she managed to do the attack without leaving the surrounding boundary a few times, then the trainer showed the next step on the move. Instead of using the axe, she would use her off-hand to push her enemy away while resetting her stance. As weird as it felt, doing it like this would make the enemy always be far away enough to be struck by the axe''s blade. The recruits kept practicing for the entire day. At one point, Mr. Greyson went towards the 9th silhouette and activated his trainer. Even the teacher seemed curious about the effectiveness of the deluxe ATR. When the day was almost over, Hera got a new skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hand axe Combat (Rank1) Improves your ability to use hand axes during combat. Techniques that you already learned can be used with muscle memory alone. However, using a technique like this lowers the effectiveness of it. This skill also improves the user''s ability to learn new handaxe techniques and skills. Hand-axe effectiveness increase: 5% ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reading the skill Hera was surprised. This skill seemed too strong for being a rank 1, but thinking about it, it wasn''t strange. The skill would only be useful during combat, and if she stopped focusing on her movement, the attack would be weaker. She gave it a go, and it wasn''t as odd as she expected. Moving without thinking about it felt just like walking. She just needed to have the right intention. The second she stopped thinking about the movements, however, the trainer stopped. Apparently, the trainer would only teach if she was doing it consciously. When the class was over Hera and the rest of the recruits were impressed with the results they got from the ATR. All of them got combat skills, and the ones that already had them felt they were genuinely improving. The rest of the training month went by quickly. Hera kept updating her grandma and dad about the new things she was learning, but she never went back to visit during the training. She finally told a few friends about her new job and promised to go out with them to celebrate when she passed the test. At the end of the month, Hera learned a second combat skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chakram Combat (Rank1) Improves your ability to use chakrams during combat. Techniques that you already learned can be used with muscle memory alone. However, using a technique like this lowers the strength of the attacks. This skill also improves the user''s ability to learn new chakram techniques and skills. chakram effectiveness increase: 5% ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After some incentive from her friends, Hera tried it out. It was an incredibly versatile weapon, with a grip in the middle she could use it like a dagger at close quarters and still throw it if she needed to hit something at the range. The problem was having to go after it again. But that would be only a last resort thing. Mr. Greyson talked about being able to imprint your mana into an item so it would show it on the map her skill created, that way she could try to recover it. When they reached the third week, part of the training became sparring matches with other recruits. Since they only trained with one partner each day, Hera managed to avoid fighting Anaya altogether. Although Blue ended up giving the woman a good beating on their first match. In the week before the final test, Mr. Greyson asked the entire class to focus on the skills [Dodge] [Block] and [Run]. Hera only got [Dodge] and [Run] sadly, she wasn''t used to blocking and found out that to her, evading an attack was easier. In that week Hera also got the skill [Improved Stamina]. Before she knew, it was already the Sunday of the final test. Hera got dressed in an outfit that could help move around. All ready to leave, Hera opened her status. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley -- Role: Civilian Level: 2 Stats: Increase all Strength: 12 Endurance: 12 Agility: 12 Charisma: 12 Intelligence: 12 Luck: 12 Skills: Passive: Exponential Growth Chakram Combat, Hand axe Combat Improved Stamina Mapping, Observe Active: All in Inspect Hide, Dodge, Run ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Run (Rank 1): Increases the speed and the coordination of the user while running at the expense of increased stamina consumption ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dodge (Rank 1): Increases the judgment of the user when dodging, decreasing the strain placed in the body while doing so. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Improved Stamina (Rank 1): Increases the stamina of the user as well as its regeneration. The effect increases when the user is less active or more relaxed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All In (Rank 1): The user can increase one of its attributes to perform a single action. As if all the available bonus points were allocated in the relevant attribute, The attribute will have bonus increments and at the same time, reduce all other attributes to 11 (10 + level - 1) for 5 hours. Value of attribute when the skill is used: 14,5 Cooldown: 36 hours ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Checking her skills again, Hera felt confident. She had made sure to not waste her [All in] in the last few days, she might need it for the test. Taking a deep breath, Hera looked back to her studio apartment. The next time she came here, she would be an explorer. 43 The explorers tes The recruits were all waiting nervously inside the classroom. No one even tried to make small talk. They were excited, nervous, worried, and anxious. This was the last step. The last thing they needed to do before becoming full-fledged explorers. When the teacher walked into the room, the recruits held their breaths. The man carried a stack of paper. "Good morning to ye all, and welcome to yer last day as recruits. This final test is split into three parts. First, we will do a written exam. Then a small quest inside the maze. Last, learning yer role skill. Well, get into the details of the last two later, for now, grab a sheet and pass the rest along. Ye all have three hours to finish this. If you finish earlier go to the classroom on the other side of the hall and wait there." The teacher gave one small stack to each of the recruits in front of the class. It was an oddly familiar feeling. All the recruits had to take these types of tests during their school years. This, however, was more specific. Hera read a few questions. They were all about survival or dangers they could encounter inside the MAZE. The only problem was the number of questions. She had to answer over 50 questions. Most of them were basic, but some asked very about very specific things like asking which of the rare plants was edible. The recruits stayed silent during the test. When Mark complained about a question, Mr. Greyson''s stare was enough to make them all understand. They shouldn''t be talking during the exam. Bonnie was the first one to finish, followed by Anaya, Kenjiro, and Alex. Mark and Hera finished almost at the same time and left toward the other classroom. "Finally, what took you two so long?" Bonnie asked when Hera walked in. "Sorry, the ones about specific knowledge gave me some trouble," Hera replied. "Ignore her, she''s just testy because she thinks she got a few questions wrong," Alex intervened. "Which ones? I have a few that really messed me up. Like, what is the name of the place where you can find more than a hundred doorways? I can''t remember if it was in the city of Kalidor or Andron," Mark complained. "I think you got it wrong. The name of the city wasn''t Ianua?" Alex replied. "You are both wrong. Ianua is the name of the building, the city is called the City of Dzviery," Bonnie said with absolute confidence in the answer. "What about you Hera, what was your answer?" Alex asked after rolling her eyes at Bonnie. "I... I thought it was more of a philosophical question... I answered ''inside the MAZE''," she replied, lowering her head. During the test, she completely forgot about that city. "Well... you are not wrong... But it''s kinda like saying that the main reason for divorce is marriage," Mark said. The three girls stared at him for a moment before laughing. "Mark, honestly, how do you do that?" Alex asked. "It''s a skill," he replied, scratching his cheek. "No, seriously. That is amazing. I wish I could do that on my family dinners." Bonnie stopped laughing, trying to compose herself. "When I figure out how I got the skill I''ll let you know." He sat down on a chair beside them while he spoke. It seemed like another joke, but Mark''s face seemed a bit more serious than that. "Mark. Do you really have a skill for that?" Hera asked. The recruit only gave a weak nod in response. "Wow, skills can even do that?" Hera was impressed. It was one thing to have a skill that improved her strength. Having one that changes something like how funny she is, just seemed unreal. Sometime later, the rest of the recruits finished the test. With Blue being the last one to arrive. "Wasn''t part of the idea of being an explorer not having to worry about exams?" Blue complained as soon as she saw her friends. "That''s just wishful thinking. There are a lot of things we need to know. Of course, there would be a written exam," Bonnie scoffed. "Oh, bite me. Not everyone gets horny just by seeing books like you," Blue replied, rolling her eyes. "Well, maybe you should. That way you can be more than just a meathead," Bonnie said while getting up from her chair. Alex quickly moved in front of the two girls and pushed them back "Stop bickering for one day, the test is still not over." With a commanding tone, she stopped the two of them from fighting. Inadvertently, that line also made the recruits feel tense. She was right. It was still far from over. A few minutes later, Mr. Greyson opened the door. "Alright, Ah'' can''t grade yer tests right now. It''s too much work to be done quickly. Follow me, yer starting with the second part while Ah finish grading this." As quickly as he walked in, the teacher walked away moving towards the elevator. During the last month, the recruits got used to this behavior, and they were ready to follow. When the entire class was inside the elevator, Mr. Greyson placed his bracelet on the scanner. With a blip sound, the screen that showed the floor they were heading to, changed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MAZE Doorway ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The recruits got excited, looking at each other eagerly to arrive. They could tell the elevator was going down, but it took quite a while for them to arrive. They were going deep underground. When the door opened, they weren''t in a small hallway. But a big open space that looked like a reception. The walls were decorated with light green paint and many weapons, armors, and statues of unique types of creatures spread around in shelves. The room had one hallway on each side and in the middle of it a circular reception desk. If they paid attention, the recruits would be able to hear the sound of a large hammer hitting a steel plate coming from the left hallway. However, their attention was on someplace else. In front of the elevator, on the other side of the room, there was a large 7 meters tall doorway. With a pearl frame that seemed to be filled with small glowing lights. On top of it an intricate design, with a seedling sprout in the middle, and its roots growing and spiraling until they created a circle around it. In the middle of the doorway, there was a heavy-looking set of wooden doors with large iron rings in front of it. "This is the doorway to the MAZE. If ye ever visit another guild, it will look the same, but it will take ye to a different room. This one leads to a room called Brinefront but that won''t be the place yer all going today." The teacher explained while they walked towards the reception desk. "Today, yer are going inside another simulation. But this time, is one made inside the MAZE, not just based on it. Yer also will get yer first quest made by the guild so ye can understand the procedure. Helena, here will help with that." Mr. Greyson pointed at the guild clerk when he finished talking. Helena opened her best greeting smile. "Welcome to the doorway to Brinefront explorers. I hope we can count on you in the future." Being called an explorer made Hera''s heart beat faster. It was finally happening. She was so close to going inside the MAZE. Helena then continued. "After you passed the test, you are free to enter the MAZE as you please. This room is where we gather the materials, items, and anything you choose to bring with you when you come out. We can appraise everything for its value and buy the materials from you. But if you want to sell to someplace else, you are free to do so. If what you want to take away from here is dangerous, we will just ask for either a small transport fee or for you to buy a safe container. But that''s a talk for some other time," Helena said, winking at the recruits. She then activated a screen behind her by tapping on a keyboard. "What you need to know is about the quests. Aside from the quests that the system will give you, you can also take one form the guild. These are always posted by a client who is a civilian or an explorer, and the requirements vary wildly. Some ask for basic things like collecting items or killing monsters. While others may as to discover secrets and even find ancient artifacts long forgotten. Of course, the harder and more complicated the task, the better the pay is. Some even offer specific rewards along with a sum of gold. The one you guys are getting today is this one." Helena selected the quest and send it to the recruits. They all got a notification on their tablets. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Explorer''s Exam. Client - Explorer''s Guild Find and retrieve a golden chalice inside the simulation. Reward: Passage to the last part of the exam. Do you accept this quest? [Yes] [No] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You always have the choice of accepting a quest or not. Well... I say always, but there were two cases of mandatory quests. The Great Invasion and the Devil Hunt. According to our records, all explorers received those two quests when they showed up. But those were very complicated circumstances. Anyway, I''m mumbling." Helena shook her head and tapped a few more keys on the keyboard. "Back to the main subject. The second part of the test is a group effort. All of you will go to the same place and you need to find the chalices, there is at least one for each of you inside. When you get it, you can go to the next part of the exam," Helena explained while the screen behind her showed a picture of a gem-encrusted golden chalice. "The last part of the test is about learning your role skill. Or getting your item if you are trying to be an explorer. You will go alone on that part. And you also will receive a grade based on your performance. The better the grade, the better the reward you get. I say reward but consider it a bonus on your next paycheck. Don''t expect much, even an A grade will only give you 1 000 gold or so. There are many other ways to get that money." Helena smiled looking at Hera. The skills the recruit found were already enough to surpass that amount. "One last thing. Do any of you have any pets that need feeding while you''re gone?" Helena asked the group. "I have a goldfish, but my parents help me feed it. But why? Are we going home that late?" Bonnie asked. "Well... not quite. The group dungeon will be done in just a few hours, but learning your role skill has a time limit of one week. And trust me, you will need at least five days to get it," Helena replied with a smile, trying not to discourage the recruits. Sadly, it wasn''t very effective. The group complained, but the teacher quickly silenced them. In the next minutes, they received the last instructions about how to operate the doorway and what to do in case something went wrong, as well as giving information on any pets that would need tending during the test. With everything ready, the recruits were lead towards the doorway. The other explorers in the room gathered around to watch them enter. Before starting, Mr. Greyson said had a few words for his students. "Ye spent a month training, and years hoping to become an explorer. This is yer shot. But it won''t be yer only shot. The MAZE is a dangerous place, monsters, traps, and sometimes even rooms will try to kill you. At the same time, ye will find places, creatures, and people that make life worth living. Ah don''t know a single explorer who regrets becoming one. But remember, yer just starting out. Don''t bite more than what ye can chew and don''t waste yer life doing something pointless. Whatever the result, know that Ah''m proud of what ye all achieved this month." Hera felt like she was about to go skydiving. Mr. Greyson''s speech calmed her a bit, but at the same time made her even more worried. The teacher pressed a key on his tablet, and a secondary doorway appeared inside the main one. It had the same blank card as the kobold simulation, but the surrounding design mirrored the one at the top of the big doorway. The smaller door opened, and the teacher stared at the recruits. "Give them hell. Next week we are all going out to drink, my treat," Mr. Greyson said with a smile. The explorers in the back clapped and cheered. "Not you lot! Bunch of vultures. That''s just for my recruits," The teacher quickly replied. Being answered only by boos and groans. Hera looked back and saw Helena giving her a thumbs up and a big smile. The recruits walked inside the doorway and vanished into the white light. The second the door closed, a short man with a long mustache started speaking. "Ok, you all know the drill. Lena throws the recruit''s feed on the big screen. I''m betting 100 that we have two criers and one who forgot to go to the bathroom, who else?" The seasoned explores started to bet on various things, while Helena sends the live feed to a big screen on the side of the reception. She wasn''t a fan of the betting, but she really wanted to know how much Hera had improved. 44 44 - Seraching for a path When the door closed, the recruits were teleported to a white room with weapon racks. Much like the room they saw during the kobold test. The notification banner was also there ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to the explorer''s exam! Please choose your weapons. When all participants arrive at the designated area, the next door will unlock. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Under the banner, there was a big glowing ring, with a door on the edge. It was obvious that it was the designated area. Hera walked towards the hand axes, picking the one she used during the training. Unlike most of the axes, the blade was a bit wider than the head of the axe. Making it easier for her to hit her target. Even if her aim had improved quite a bit, she was still worried about missing during a crucial moment. After that, she walked towards the chackrams. She looked for one with a handle in the middle, that way she could use it in close quarters. It wasn''t hard to find that one. She was the only recruit who wanted a weapon like that. Ready to go, Hera walked toward the area she had to be in. In just a couple minutes all recruits had chosen their weapons. Leo, as expected, was carrying a spear and a buckler. Blue picked a pair of dark grey armguards that seemed to be very thin in the area around her hands. Bonnie had been practicing with a wooden quarterstaff after getting some advice from Helena. Alex chose a pair of short swords. She wasn''t too comfortable with how close she needed to be for using daggers. Mark picked a bow and a quiver full of arrows, and a short sword, just in case. Tiffany carried a large broadsword on her shoulder that received a few displeased stares from the recruits. She had hit them by accident a few times during the last month, at least it was only when she was walking, and not when she attacked. Anaya carried a glaive with the blade pointed down on her right hand. She also had a pair of daggers on her belt. Kenjiro picked a scimitar, he seemed to have some experience using a Katana, but with the scimitar, his movements were more flexible. With all the recruits ready, and inside the glowing circle, the door opened. All the recruits froze for a second. That vibrating tingly sensation covered Hera''s body. She felt forced to close her eyes. When she finally could move again, they were already in an unfamiliar place. They seemed to be underground once more, but this time, inside some sort of building. The walls were made of thick grey bricks, the same bricks that were used to make the archways around the room. The place was humid and cold. Aside from the noise of the recruits shuffling around, they could hear a continuous dripping sound. "Ok, this is weird, any ideas where are we?" Leo asked ######################## "Oh man, that''s just poor luck," a woman dressed in a long purple robe said. "I know right, that''s one of the hardest exams, I think it only loses for the bees," a man said while holding his bow at the side. "The bees? Are you kidding? Just burn everything up. The hard one is the octopus," a short blond man said. "That''s just because you can''t swim. The octopus is almost a free win," a short-haired girl said while pushing him slightly. "Debate that all you want. I''m betting 500 that the blue-haired chick is the first to quit. Did you see that? She didn''t even pick a weapon," a man with spiked hair said while leaning back on the chair. He then turned to Helena, "Lena, can we order food and drinks here? It''s gonna be boring with nothing to eat." Helena gave him her bussings smile. "Sure, the kitchen is already up and running. But you can''t buy alcohol here. No one wants to clean up your mess again." Some explorers started to laugh at the man, remembering what happened last time. Helena gave them a few seconds to joke before speaking again. "And I''ll take that bet. 500 the woman with Blue hair will not only finish this test but will be one of the first ones to get her role skill. Can you mark that up, Rot?" The short man with a mustache that was tallying up all the bets just gave her a nod. "C''mon Lena, you are way too confident on that one. Do you have some insider information?" The woman with the long purple robes asked. "I wouldn''t call it insider information since all you had to do was ask. But our little Blue beat the kobold simulation all on her own," Helena replied, pretending to be busy with some paperwork. The room went silent for a second, before bursting on people wanting to join in the bet. The man who started the bet just stared at the screen defeated, he knew he had just lost 500 gold. ######################## The recruits gathered and explored the room they were in. It was about the size of the training area back in the guild, with two exits, one in the front and one in the back. It took them a while to explore everything since they all had their [Hide] skills active. "Alright, where should we go? Front or back?" Leo asked. They debated a bit, but after a few minutes, it was clear no one could reach a decision. They feared choosing the wrong one and end up failing the test. "Ok, fine," Leo grabbed a pebble and put both his hand on his back. Then he extended both his arms towards the rest of the group, " Someone picks if the pebble means front or back and someone else picks the arm. That way no one is responsible. It was all dumb luck." Tifanny said that the pebble would mean the front, and Mark chose the arm. With that, the recruits walked towards the back of the room. With a silent nod, all the recruits walked in a group, Leo and Blue taking the lead. They had a couple of lessons on group tactics, but it was all theory. This was the first time they would put it in practice. The recruits spent half an hour walking through the path. It seemed to be some sort of prison. |In each new room they found various cells spread around it. With big rusted and decayed metal bars in front of them. The group kept moving until they reached a taller room. It looked like a prison block, with various floors of cells all leading towards a central open area. Leo stood in his fighting stance and was about to move forward when Anaya''s hand grabbed his shoulder. "Wait! Look at the sides, tell me if that doesn''t look like motion sensors," Anaya said while pointing to the wall between the cells in the middle of the room. Embedded into the stone wall there was a small grey device that seemed to resemble the top of a flashlight. Looking to the other side, a similar device was directly in front of it. But this one seemed to have a pair of small lenses. "Nice eyes," Leo thanked her, "Guys, it seems we have some traps here, be careful. Don''t go past the second cell until we figure out what we can do here." The recruits nodded, Leo became the unofficial leader of the party. That eased some of Hera''s tension. It was nice having someone take the lead. Investigating the first set of cells, they noticed that, unlike the other ones, these weren''t empty. Inside each cell, there were various bones and old cloth spread around. At first glance, it looked like a bunch of animal bones, but when Kenjiro pulled one of the pieces of cloth, he revealed a human skull. "Eeek!" Tifanny screamed while jumping back. The recruits scrambled towards the woman only to see the freshly uncovered skull. "You know, the guild has some really messed up sense of humor," Alex said. "Maybe, but this is not fresh, they been picked clean of any meat. Since we are underground and there are no insects or other critters here. That thing should be there for many years, maybe even a decade," Bonnie explained. "Or maybe this is a simulation, and they put the skeletons here just to mess with us," Kenjiro said, covering the skull with the cloth again. Bonnie looked down, she was flustered for forgetting they were inside a simulation. That happened with a few other recruits as well. It was easy to confuse this place as being real. After a few minutes of searching, the group wasn''t able to figure out a way to deactivate the motion sensor. "Shouldn''t we just trigger it?" Blue suggested. "What?" Bonnie asked. "Just trigger it. What''s the worst that might happen?" "We could die, someone could be killed and pretty much anything that ends with someone dying," Mark replied. "Oh, you guys are too scared. I don''t think they would place such a deadly trap in a simulation like this. Or at least they would make it obvious, not hide as they did with this one." Blue kept talking while she walked towards the trap. Some recruits tried to dash towards the door, but Blue activated the sensor before they could reach it. With a loud clank sound, heavy metal bars closed the door the recruits used to get inside the room. Hera quickly spun around, getting ready to be attacked or to run, and so did the other recruits. After a few seconds, nothing else happened. "What was that Blue!" Leo yelled at the woman. "What? No one was doing anything, it was that or going back to the other door, and we''ve already wasted half an hour just to get here," Blue huffed rolling her eyes. "So what? We need to be patient. This is not a game, people can get hurt here." Leo replied. The two of them argued, most recruits joining in with Leo to scold the grappler. Hera was also upset. Not everyone was as sure of themselves as Blue. She was about to move towards Blue to reprimand her as well when a scraping sound coming from above caught her attention. Hera looked up, trying to find the source of the sound. The yelling and complaining were too loud, she couldn''t figure out where the noise was coming from. But it was erratic, and it echoed through the big room. "Guys?" Hera called out. None of the recruits seemed to have heard her call. The scraping sound got louder, and now it was followed by a soft metal clank. "Guys!" Hera called once again. The noise seemed to multiply, Hera could only tell that it was coming from somewhere above the third floor. The recruits still badgering Blue. "Everybody quiet!" Hera yelled at the group. The recruit''s head snapped at her. Ready to change the target of their yelling. But once their voices stopped, they all heard the noise. As if waiting for an opportunity, twelve shadows jumped down from the upper floor, falling around the recruits. Hera moved back, wanting to be close to the rest of the group. Looking closely, they could see that something had thrown skeletons from above. The recruits scrambled, Leo and Anaya each stayed at one side of the group. Mark notched an arrow and pointed up, looking for a target. Still staring at the skeletons, Hera couldn''t help but feel there was something wrong. If the idea was to mess with their heads, whatever is up there would throw the skeletons one at a time, and not all at once. Hera focused on the corpse closest to her and the [Observe] window appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skeleton Prisioner (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She stared at the name for a moment, when it dawned on her. It wasn''t the skeleton of a prisoner. The skeletons were the prisoners. Before she could say that to the group. The skeleton in front of her placed one hand on the ground and stood up. 44 Searching for a path When the door closed, the recruits were teleported to a white room with weapon racks. Much like the room they saw during the kobold test. The notification banner was also there ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to the explorer''s exam! Please choose your weapons. When all participants arrive at the designated area, the next door will unlock. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Under the banner, there was a big glowing ring, with a door on the edge. It was obvious that it was the designated area. Hera walked towards the hand axes, picking the one she used during the training. Unlike most of the axes, the blade was a bit wider than the head of the axe. Making it easier for her to hit her target. Even if her aim had improved quite a bit, she was still worried about missing during a crucial moment. After that, she walked towards the chackrams. She looked for one with a handle in the middle, that way she could use it in close quarters. It wasn''t hard to find that one. She was the only recruit who wanted a weapon like that. Ready to go, Hera walked toward the area she had to be in. In just a couple minutes all recruits had chosen their weapons. Leo, as expected, was carrying a spear and a buckler. Blue picked a pair of dark grey armguards that seemed to be very thin in the area around her hands. Bonnie had been practicing with a wooden quarterstaff after getting some advice from Helena. Alex chose a pair of short swords. She wasn''t too comfortable with how close she needed to be for using daggers. Mark picked a bow and a quiver full of arrows, and a short sword, just in case. Tiffany carried a large broadsword on her shoulder that received a few displeased stares from the recruits. She had hit them by accident a few times during the last month, at least it was only when she was walking, and not when she attacked. Anaya carried a glaive with the blade pointed down on her right hand. She also had a pair of daggers on her belt. Kenjiro picked a scimitar, he seemed to have some experience using a Katana, but with the scimitar, his movements were more flexible. With all the recruits ready, and inside the glowing circle, the door opened. All the recruits froze for a second. That vibrating tingly sensation covered Hera''s body. She felt forced to close her eyes. When she finally could move again, they were already in an unfamiliar place. They seemed to be underground once more, but this time, inside some sort of building. The walls were made of thick grey bricks, the same bricks that were used to make the archways around the room. The place was humid and cold. Aside from the noise of the recruits shuffling around, they could hear a continuous dripping sound. "Ok, this is weird, any ideas where are we?" Leo asked ######################## "Oh man, that''s just poor luck," a woman dressed in a long purple robe said. "I know right, that''s one of the hardest exams, I think it only loses for the bees," a man said while holding his bow at the side. "The bees? Are you kidding? Just burn everything up. The hard one is the octopus," a short blond man said. "That''s just because you can''t swim. The octopus is almost a free win," a short-haired girl said while pushing him slightly. "Debate that all you want. I''m betting 500 that the blue-haired chick is the first to quit. Did you see that? She didn''t even pick a weapon," a man with spiked hair said while leaning back on the chair. He then turned to Helena, "Lena, can we order food and drinks here? It''s gonna be boring with nothing to eat." Helena gave him her bussings smile. "Sure, the kitchen is already up and running. But you can''t buy alcohol here. No one wants to clean up your mess again." Some explorers started to laugh at the man, remembering what happened last time. Helena gave them a few seconds to joke before speaking again. "And I''ll take that bet. 500 the woman with Blue hair will not only finish this test but will be one of the first ones to get her role skill. Can you mark that up, Rot?" The short man with a mustache that was tallying up all the bets just gave her a nod. "C''mon Lena, you are way too confident on that one. Do you have some insider information?" The woman with the long purple robes asked. "I wouldn''t call it insider information since all you had to do was ask. But our little Blue beat the kobold simulation all on her own," Helena replied, pretending to be busy with some paperwork. The room went silent for a second, before bursting on people wanting to join in the bet. The man who started the bet just stared at the screen defeated, he knew he had just lost 500 gold. ######################## The recruits gathered and explored the room they were in. It was about the size of the training area back in the guild, with two exits, one in the front and one in the back. It took them a while to explore everything since they all had their [Hide] skills active. "Alright, where should we go? Front or back?" Leo asked. They debated a bit, but after a few minutes, it was clear no one could reach a decision. They feared choosing the wrong one and end up failing the test. "Ok, fine," Leo grabbed a pebble and put both his hand on his back. Then he extended both his arms towards the rest of the group, " Someone picks if the pebble means front or back and someone else picks the arm. That way no one is responsible. It was all dumb luck." Tifanny said that the pebble would mean the front, and Mark chose the arm. With that, the recruits walked towards the back of the room. With a silent nod, all the recruits walked in a group, Leo and Blue taking the lead. They had a couple of lessons on group tactics, but it was all theory. This was the first time they would put it in practice. The recruits spent half an hour walking through the path. It seemed to be some sort of prison. |In each new room they found various cells spread around it. With big rusted and decayed metal bars in front of them. The group kept moving until they reached a taller room. It looked like a prison block, with various floors of cells all leading towards a central open area. Leo stood in his fighting stance and was about to move forward when Anaya''s hand grabbed his shoulder. "Wait! Look at the sides, tell me if that doesn''t look like motion sensors," Anaya said while pointing to the wall between the cells in the middle of the room. Embedded into the stone wall there was a small grey device that seemed to resemble the top of a flashlight. Looking to the other side, a similar device was directly in front of it. But this one seemed to have a pair of small lenses. "Nice eyes," Leo thanked her, "Guys, it seems we have some traps here, be careful. Don''t go past the second cell until we figure out what we can do here." The recruits nodded, Leo became the unofficial leader of the party. That eased some of Hera''s tension. It was nice having someone take the lead. Investigating the first set of cells, they noticed that, unlike the other ones, these weren''t empty. Inside each cell, there were various bones and old cloth spread around. At first glance, it looked like a bunch of animal bones, but when Kenjiro pulled one of the pieces of cloth, he revealed a human skull. "Eeek!" Tifanny screamed while jumping back. The recruits scrambled towards the woman only to see the freshly uncovered skull. "You know, the guild has some really messed up sense of humor," Alex said. "Maybe, but this is not fresh, they been picked clean of any meat. Since we are underground and there are no insects or other critters here. That thing should be there for many years, maybe even a decade," Bonnie explained. "Or maybe this is a simulation, and they put the skeletons here just to mess with us," Kenjiro said, covering the skull with the cloth again. Bonnie looked down, she was flustered for forgetting they were inside a simulation. That happened with a few other recruits as well. It was easy to confuse this place as being real. After a few minutes of searching, the group wasn''t able to figure out a way to deactivate the motion sensor. "Shouldn''t we just trigger it?" Blue suggested. "What?" Bonnie asked. "Just trigger it. What''s the worst that might happen?" "We could die, someone could be killed and pretty much anything that ends with someone dying," Mark replied. "Oh, you guys are too scared. I don''t think they would place such a deadly trap in a simulation like this. Or at least they would make it obvious, not hide as they did with this one." Blue kept talking while she walked towards the trap. Some recruits tried to dash towards the door, but Blue activated the sensor before they could reach it. With a loud clank sound, heavy metal bars closed the door the recruits used to get inside the room. Hera quickly spun around, getting ready to be attacked or to run, and so did the other recruits. After a few seconds, nothing else happened. "What was that Blue!" Leo yelled at the woman. "What? No one was doing anything, it was that or going back to the other door, and we''ve already wasted half an hour just to get here," Blue huffed rolling her eyes. "So what? We need to be patient. This is not a game, people can get hurt here." Leo replied. The two of them argued, most recruits joining in with Leo to scold the grappler. Hera was also upset. Not everyone was as sure of themselves as Blue. She was about to move towards Blue to reprimand her as well when a scraping sound coming from above caught her attention. Hera looked up, trying to find the source of the sound. The yelling and complaining were too loud, she couldn''t figure out where the noise was coming from. But it was erratic, and it echoed through the big room. "Guys?" Hera called out. None of the recruits seemed to have heard her call. The scraping sound got louder, and now it was followed by a soft metal clank. "Guys!" Hera called once again. The noise seemed to multiply, Hera could only tell that it was coming from somewhere above the third floor. The recruits still badgering Blue. "Everybody quiet!" Hera yelled at the group. The recruits''s head snapped at her, ready to change the target of their yelling. But once their voices stopped, they all heard the noise. As if waiting for an opportunity, twelve shadows jumped down from the upper floor, falling around the recruits. Hera moved back, wanting to be close to the rest of the group. Looking closely, they could see that something had thrown skeletons from above. The recruits scrambled, Leo and Anaya each stayed at one side of the group. Mark notched an arrow and pointed up, looking for a target. Still staring at the skeletons, Hera couldn''t help but feel there was something wrong. If the idea was to mess with their heads, whatever is up there would throw the skeletons one at a time, and not all at once. Hera focused on the corpse closest to her and the [Observe] window appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skeleton Prisoner (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She stared at the name for a moment, when it dawned on her. It wasn''t the skeleton of a prisoner. The skeletons were the prisoners. Before she could say that to the group. The skeleton in front of her placed one hand on the ground and stood up. 45 Surprise Undead As the first skeleton rose, the other eleven followed its cue. Soon the recruits were surrounded by the undead. Hera glanced around. It was a terrible spot for them to be. More skeletons could fall from the upper floor at any moment. They needed to get back to a wall, that way at least they could see all the enemies coming. She started to move towards the door they came from when the undead in front of her lunged, the bony hands clawing away at her. Hera pressed both feet on the ground and placed her handaxe on her waist, taking the stance from the first move she learned in the ATR. When the skeleton was in range, Hera slashed at its ribcage with her axe. The impact made some bones break, throwing a few splinters on the ground. The creature lost its footing and fell on the floor. With a satisfied smile, Hera looked around. Alex was at her side, fighting one skeleton. She had spun the creature''s arms around in a way that they became stuck in its clavicle. On the other side, Tiffany had just smashed a skeleton with her broadsword. She swung it on the side, making it look more like a baseball bat than a blade. The undead flew across the room, hitting the bars in one of the closed cells. She split the skull from the rest of the body, hitting the far back wall near a pile of cloth. Hera was impressed, and a little scared of the woman. Getting hit by a swing of that sword would easily knock someone out. Suddenly, a hand grabber Hera''s ankles. The skeleton she had pushed away was still moving. It clawed at her leg, slashing her calf. Hera screamed in pain and slashed at the creature using both of her weapons. Lucky, she remembered that the fundamental idea was to push the target away before attacking. Using her chakram she started to hit the skeleton''s skull, trying to get a good angle to attack with her axe. The skeleton stopped Hera''s attacks by biting the chakram. Hera tried to pull it back, worried she might lose her weapon, but the skeleton wouldn''t let go of the blade. Seeing an opening, Hera pulled the chakram as high as she could and aimed at the undead''s neck with her axe. In one swift motion, she decapitated the skeleton, making its body fall limp on the floor. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Crap," she thought to herself. Unconsciously she ended up activating her [All In] skill in the first monster she found. Now the rest of the test will be harder since it lowered her stats. Hera shook the skull of her chakram and stared at the pile of bones, waiting to see if it was still moving. A couple of seconds passed and nothing seemed to happen with the bones, but Hera still wasn''t convinced. She took a step towards the skeleton when she felt someone pushing her. Looking back, she saw Bonnie walking backward while defending against a skeleton with her quarterstaff. Hera was so focused on her own fight that she forgot about the rest of the group. She twirled around, dropping her chakram and placing her free hand on Bonnie''s back, hoping to help the woman recover her balance. Hera then moved a bit to the side and attacked the skeleton with her axe, aiming at its neck. But the creature raised one arm and blocked her attack. Even so, the slash was enough to cut halfway through its forearm, snapping the ulna in half. Taking advantage of the attack, Bonnie pushed the creature back, making it take a few steps backward. Following up, the woman raised her staff above her head and struck the skull of the undead with all her might. A loud crack accompanied the impact, the top of the skeleton''s skull shattered leaving only its face remaining. However, the creature fell limp on the ground. Hera looked back towards the one she had defeated, making sure it would not attack her again. The remains of the skeleton were still spread around motionless. "Aim for the head, they stop moving without the skull!" Hera yelled at the group, trying to convey the new information. "Yeah, no shit. It''s basic undead knowledge that you should aim for the head," Kenjiro replied while finished off his opponent. "That''s only for zombies. Not all undead are the same, you racist!" Mark cried out after an arrow flew past Blue hitting a skeleton in the eye. "Are you really calling me a racist because of that?" Kenjiro asked while he jumped towards the one attacking Alex. "They are a race, and you are grouping them all up in the same stereotype. That''s racism," Mark replied with a playful smile. "Less talking, more fighting. We are not out of the woods yet," Leo intervened, shutting the two men up. That minor exchange was enough to lift some tension around the group. Having people joke around during a fight gave the impression that the situation wasn''t so dire. ############################## "That laddie will be a good party leader someday," Greyson said. He was watching the group with the other explorers, although he wasn''t taking part in the betting. "Someday? To me, he is already doing a pretty good job," Helena commented. "He wasn''t able to stop Blue. And during the fight, he only talked once. A good leader would change formations and strategies. Not just focusing on his own fight," Greyson explained. "Honestly Calvin, you are too strict. They are doing fine, no one got badly injured and they are all in the room together. You know that most times they split up, and that always goes badly." Helena had watched many groups doing this test. It was one of the hardest ones, not because of the strength of the monsters. But because of the number of traps and gimmicks that the simulation had. "Ah guess yer right. It also helps that Blue is carrying the group. She dealt with three skeletons on her own." Greyson watched the Blue haired woman toss one skeleton into the other. The move made the bone stuck together. When that was done, she quickly popped their heads out of the socket like she was playing with a toy. With that move, the last of the skeletons were defeated. The recruits seemed to celebrate, but the explorers watching only shook their heads. "Ah guess we can see what they are made of now," Greyson said while staring at one of the cells on the screen. ############################## "Blue, you are terrifying you know that?" Alex said, still staring at the woman. "Why?" Blue asked while holding a skull. "That''s why. No normal person would be doing that," Bonnie intervened while pointing at the skull. "Oh, stop being such a baby. It''s a simulation nothing here is real, and even if it was, everyone here has one of these inside their head," Blue replied moving the jaw of the skull as if it was the one talking. "Yeah, that''s a bit too grim Blue," Leo pointed out while staring at the girl. "You guys are no fun," Blue rolled her eyes, tossing the skull inside one of the cells. "Spread around, see if that opened an exit or something." With Leo back at his leader persona, the group spread around looking for anything that had changed. Hera did her best to focus on the task at hand. But something was bugging her. The noise she heard before the attack wasn''t just bone. There was a metal sound in the mix, and none of the skeletons carried any weapons. She was looking at the door they came in from when she saw a chain hidden behind a grating. Even in the low light, coming from seemly nowhere, Hera could follow the path the grating took. It would go up to the ceiling and then towards the sides of the room, as well as towards a closed wooden door in the back of the room. Hera followed the chain with her eyes until it disappeared right above the motion sensor. She leaned into the wall, trying to see where the chain stopped. The chain vanished behind the grating two meters above the ground. Using the cell bars as footing, Hera tried to climb part of the wall to see where the chain would go. "Hera? Whatcha doin''?" Blue asked while placing her hand on Hera''s back, giving the woman a better footing. "There is a chain in the door, it seems to be connected somewhere around here," Hera replied, doing her best to climb to see the chain. "Where?" Blue asked, looking around. A few moments later she noticed the glimmer of metal coming from above the door, "Oh, I see it. Wow, how did you notice that?" "I''m not sure, I just ..." before she could reply, Hera placed one foot in the wall. However, the rock shifted, making Hera lose balance. If it wasn''t for Blue helping wouldn''t be able to keep her footing. When the rock became loose, Hera and Blue looked at each other with big smiles. They quickly pulled the rock, trying to remove it. Noticing something was happening, the rest of the group joined in the efforts to remove the rock. When they took the rock out of the wall, they revealed a large iron chain behind it. Carefully, the group tried to pull the chain. It took four recruits to pull it. Leo, Blue, Tiffany, and Kenjiro, the ones with the highest strength stat. When the chain began to move, not only it moved the two doors to the room, but all cell doors started to move as well. The group let go of the chain to think of a plan before going forward. "We can push the rock under the door, that way it will hold it open," Anaya suggested. "Yeah, that can work. But that thing is heavy, we need to place it fast," Leo said. "The three of us can do it. Me, Kenji, and Tif. I can focus on positioning it while the two of them can push it quickly to avoid any problems." Leo considered for a moment. Six people could be enough to pull the chain. Placing the loose rock under the door quickly was the best option. "Ok, let''s do it." The group helped move the rock as close to the wooden door as they could. Then, leaving Anaya, Kenjiro, and Tifanny near the rock, the rest of the recruits moved towards the chain. "Everyone ready?" Leo yelled. In response, Mark let go of the chain. "C''mon, do it right," He said with a smile. Blue started laughing. "Yeah Leo, how can we know who is supposed to be ready?" "If you do it, I buy you a drink after this," Alex said. Leo turned to Hera, hoping the woman would help him. "Sorry Leo, but they are right. You need to do this the proper way," Hera said with a playful smile. "Traitor!" Leo gasped. Letting out a lengthy sigh, he then yelled. "Spartans! Are you ready?" "Yes, sir!" the group replied, already laughing. "Now stop joking around and pull!" Leo yelled once again before everyone started pulling the chain. It took a while, but little by little the door rose. After a few moments, the door was high enough to be held by the rock. Hera looked towards Anaya''s team just in time to see the three of them running under the door without setting the rock to hold it. Inside the room, she could also see a golden glimmer coming from something on a table. "Anaya, are you done?" Leo yelled. "They are inside!" Hera replied. "What the hell, Anaya?!" Leo shouted towards the door. The group let go of the chain, making the door close once again. The last thing Hera saw inside that room was Anaya picking the golden object. 46 The first to go Before any of the recruits could take another step towards the wooden door. A gigantic skeleton hand opened the cell door in front of the recruits. The skeleton that left that cell was twice as big as the other ones, it had three arms and more bones in the legs than it should. And two deformed skulls seemed to share a spot at the end of its spine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skeleton Aberration (Simulation) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What the crap is that?" Bonnie gasped. "I have no idea. Blue?" Leo asked. "I just know I Wanna fight it," Blue said before charging at the beast. "Blue, wait!" Hera yelled, trying to stop the woman. The two-headed skeleton swiped with its weirdly shaped claw towards her. Followed by a second attack with the right hand making a fist. Blue redirected the swipe and moved closer to the aberration. She was ready to dislocate a few bones when the creature''s third arm came crashing down. Worried for her friend, Hera rushed towards Blue, hoping she could help her in some way. Having the same thought in mind, Leo dashed with Hera. Together, they struck the third arm, delaying it just enough so that Blue could move out of the way. Unlike Leo, Hera had to step on the creature''s claw to reach the arm aimed at Blue. One of the skulls turned towards Hera, it''s empty sockets staring down at the woman. Following that, one finger of the claw that Hera had just stepped on, bent backward and struck her like a whip square in the chest. Hera fell on the ground, gasping in pain. Alex rushed towards the fallen recruit and pulled her back, while Leo, Blue, and Mark kept attacking the monster. Alex passed Hera to Bonnie before jumping back in. Carving the creature''s right arm with her short swords. "Hera, try taking a deep breath," Bonnie said, right before an arrow fly past her, aimed at the creature. The woman was panicking, but she did her best to seem calm for her friend. While the other five kept fighting the aberration. ######################## "Yes! I told you, someone always betrays the group. Now give me the gold," the woman in a purple robe said. "Seriously Kat? Why do you always make that bet?" the short blond man said. "It''s human nature, we care more about ourselves than about others. It takes a lot of willpower to fight that. I''m just playing the odds. So far I got quite a sum just with this type of bet. You need to be less na?ve Cicero," the woman shrugged. "Fine. It''s still a dick move, both from you and form the three that ran. I wouldn''t want to party up with someone like that," Cicero fixed his blond hair and crossed his arms, staring at the screen. "And yet, that is exactly the type of thing that some jobs require. Producing results, no matter the consequences," Frostbite chimed in. She arrived with no one taking notice. They were all too focused on the recruits. However, one look at the controller was enough to understand why she was here. Janna wore a navy suit and tie, with golden embroidery of a sun rising on the horizon on her chest. Everyone in the room knew what that meant. She wasn''t here as an explorer, but as a headhunter for the New Dawn. "So, did I miss anything else or things have just begun?" Frostbite asked. "Ye lost them walking around. Anaya pulling that crap is the only unexpected thing," Greyson replied without looking at her. Janna just nodded and stared at the screen. She was used to being treated like this by the more traditional explorers. They failed to see how the backing of an enormous company was a powerful tool. Looking at the recruits. Blue, Leo, and Alex were fighting well on their own. Even with the trio attacking the same target, each one of them was doing their own thing. More than once, Janna saw the lancer almost hit Blue or Alex. When Blue redirected the attacks aimed at her, the other two had to step away. That would make them lose momentum and never be able to stagger the creature. Still, there was some potential there. ######################## It took a while, but Hera caught her breath once again. She got up, staring at the monstrous undead in front of her. Blue was keeping two of its arms busy while Leo took care of the third. Alex kept attacking it, chipping away at the bones. Mark kept shooting arrows, aiming for its head. Hera waited for an opening where she wouldn''t get in the way of her friends and lunged toward the creature. She planned to attack the joints, and hopefully, make some bones fall off from the skeleton. Jumping to the side, Hera made a point of being in the opposite direction of Alex. Between her and Leo. That way, if the lancer was going to hit her friend, Hera could do something. The five kept attacking the creature, not having any luck in dismantling it. But the undead seemed to become more frantic as time went by. Even if the monster still had all its bones, multiple strikes against it were dealing with some damage. When the creature attacked Blue with both hands at once, Hera saw an opportunity to strike at the creature''s neck. The same way she had done with the skeleton she fought. She dashed towards the creature, ready to jump on its back when Bonnie yelled. "No! Get away!" The yelling distracted the group. They looked back towards Bonnie and saw a skeleton holding a large rusty sword approaching her. The aberration took advantage of the situation. With a swipe it sent Hera, Alex, and Leo flying towards the wooden door. Forcing herself to get up quickly, Hera saw the aberration in front of her. Bonnie was on the other side of the room, terrified of the newly arrived skeleton. Hera tried to pass the giant skeleton, but it lashed out, blocking her path. "Blue, help Bonnie. We take care of the big guy!" Leo yelled. "Are you sure?" Blue asked, still staring at the aberration. "YES! Just go!" Leo replied while he blocked the creature''s claw. Hera looked at Leo. She wasn''t sure the three of them could fight that creature. And yet, they had no other choice. It took Hera everything she had just to block or evade the undead''s attacks. She wasn''t doing any damage to it, but at least it the hits she was taking were manageable. "Leo, make it raise its claw," Alex yelled. The man wasn''t sure what she wanted to do. But any idea was welcome. There was no way to win a battle of attrition against a creature like that. Leo Jumped attacked the skeleton, but its claw blocked the spear. At the same time, Alex dove under the claw, heading towards the creature''s torso. Hera saw one hand moving towards Alex and jumped in front of it. With all her strength, she redirected the attack away from her friends. But that made her open for the third arm that came swinging down on her. She was able to move away enough not to be crushed by the attack, but the impact was still strong enough to smack her into the wall. Having hit her head on the stone, Hera took a few moments to get back on her feet. During that time, she could have sworn that the creature had swallowed Alex whole. Hera shook her head and looked again. Alex had crawled inside the skeleton ribcage and was climbing towards its head. The undead seemed to be very displeased with the situation. Its third arm was trying to grab Alex. Luckily, the arm was too big to fit inside the ribcage. Mark stopped shooting arrows at the sword-wielding that Blue was holding off and shot at the aberration. The arrows barely did any damage, but when Mark hit one skull, it was just enough to distract it for Leo''s attack. Hera jumped in, focusing on the creature''s claw. It was the only part of it that seemed to be able to harm Alex inside the ribcage. That was just Hera''s assumption, but she didn''t want to have any confirmation on the matter. When Alex reached the base of the creature''s neck, she placed her short swords inside both skulls. Pulling them down, trying to use her weight as leverage. When she gave a push, placing her feet near the makeshift clavicle of the creature, Alex felt her swords were about to break. With a sickening crack, the left skull''s neck snapped first. Making one of the creature''s head fall to the ground. The undead roared and thrashed around. Hera and Leo had to jump back not to get hit by its arms. Alex held on to the ribs of the creature, trying not to be caught in the frantic attacks. It took less than ten seconds for the aberration stop and fall into its knees. Seeing the creature on the ground, Leo charged towards it, hitting the second skull and piercing it with his spear. Without both heads, the creature crumbled into a pile of loose bones. Alex crawled from under the pile of rubble while Leo stopped to catch his breath. Hera ran past the remains of the skeleton. Bonnie and Blue were still fighting an undead. However, by the time she got there, the fight was over. The skeleton had lost both its arms and one leg. Blue was holding it in place while Bonnie seemed to get ready to attack. "Let them be, Blue is helping Bonnie lose some of her fear," Mark said when Hera got close. "She could have helped us," Hera replied, a bit annoyed with the woman''s attitude. "Before you guys popped one of the heads, Blue only broke the arm it had the sword in. When it was clear, you had thing under control she did that," Mark explained pointing at the helpless skeleton grappled by the recruit. Hera understood why Blue did that. Bonnie was brilliant, but fighting wasn''t her forte. A few minutes later, Bonnie destroyed the skeleton Blue was holding. Then, the group tried to pull the chain once again. To their surprise, the chain was much lighter than before. Mark noticed that only the entrance and the wooden door seemed to move. Leo and Blue embedded the skeleton''s sword on the floor to use it as a spike then, the group pulled the chain with ease. Wrapping it on the rusted sword. With both the doors open, they placed the bolder under the wooden door as a safety measure and went inside the room Anaya and her group had disappeared into. It was a small room, with an old square table in the center, and four chairs around it. But what caught the eyes of the recruits was the gem-encrusted golden chalice in front of one seat. "This is the one we need, right?" Blue asked. "It looks like it. And by the dust rings in the table, there were three others here. I''ll give you one chance to guess what happened to them," Alex replied, pointing at one mark on the table. Blue kicked a chair with all her strength. "That pretentious, nosy, backstabbing, bitch." "Blue, let it go," Hera said. "What? Are you telling me to forget what she did? Those three could have helped a lot back there," Blue huffed, staring at Hera. "I''m not telling you to forget it. But right now we have no way of doing anything about that. We need to focus on finishing the test, then we can think about confronting her." Hera hated confrontation, but Anaya had just put her friends in a dangerous situation. That is something she can''t forgive. "Tsk. Fine," Blue said turning her attention back to the chalice, "after last room we all agree on who should take this one right?" "No arguments here. It''s pretty obvious," Alex said. "I kind of wanted, but I know it shouldn''t be me," Mark chimed in. "It''s the one who deserves the most after all," Leo nodded. "Do you even have to ask?" Hera replied with a smile. "Yeah Blue. Without you, we couldn''t pass that room. I probably would have failed. Thank you for helping me. You should take it," Bonnie said. She tried her best to seem confident but recent events had shaken her. The group stared at Bonnie with puzzled expressions. "What are you talking about?" Leo asked "Yeah, why would this one go to Blue?" Alex stared at Bonnie. "Oh. My. God. This is amazing, miss perfect, can''t even read the room," Blue teased the woman. "What do you mean?" Bonnie asked weakly. Blue rolled her eyes. "Just come here take your chalice." "What?" Bonnie''s eyes went wide. That one was hers? "Bonnie, you helped us study. Without you, we probably would fail the written test. Also, we all know you are not much of a fighter. Take the chalice, and show us what you can do as a researcher," Hera said. Bonnie looked up and all her friends had approving nods. "T... Thank you," she replied while walking towards the chalice. Before picking it up, Bonnie gave Blue a big hug. "I own you guys a drink after this." She said before picking the chalice, a tear rolling down her face. "A drink? Oh no, miss brainiac. Any time we need a researcher we are going straight to you. And you better give us the family discount," Blue said just before an egg-shaped light covered Bonnie. A few moments later, the light and the woman had disappeared. 47 The road not taken "Ok, that was weird," Blue said, staring at where Bonnie was a second ago. "Yeah, shouldn''t that thing be brighter?" Leo asked. "Really? That''s your problem with that? Not the fact that it was like inverted hatching," Mark huffed. Hera stared at Mark for a moment. "Holy crap, you are right. It looked like she was going back to the egg!" she exclaimed. The group laughed a bit and took a few minutes to rest. They used the table to block the hallway and made it sure to be sitting facing outside. Resting, they tried to talk about something to ease the tension. But each noise coming from the hallway made them even tenser. "You know. If this were a movie, we would be the guys in the intro that seem to survive but die when something comes from the walls or something like that," Mark commented. The rest of the group stared at him for a second and quickly got up, moving towards the exit. "Nope, nope, nope. After that I''m not staying here," Alex said, pushing the table out of the way. "That''s worse than saying ''at least it can''t get any worse''. What is the matter with you?" Blue asked, moving towards the door. "Mark, even if you have a skill you really need to tone it down," Hera said, staying right behind Blue. "I''m just talking about movies!" Mark said. While they passed the corpse of the skeletons Hera couldn''t help but stare at the pile that once was the aberration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skeleton Aberration (Simulation) - Remains ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Did anyone try to inspect these?" Hera asked, pointing towards the bones. The group shook their heads. "I didn''t have time to stop and inspect them. Do you think that could have helped?" Leo asked. "I don''t know, but I don''t think it hurts to try," Hera said. She stared at one of the skulls and activated her [Inspect]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skeleton Aberration (Simulation) Humanoid - Undead - Manufactured A malformed amalgamation of bones that came together due to long exposure to the elements. It can also have been handmade in a laboratory. Its claw is used to cut and maim its enemies while the arms are used to crush them. These creatures are created by a powerful being and will follow its commands unless the core of the creature is destroyed. If the creator is dead, the creature will wander around aimlessly attacking anything in sight. A skeleton without a master is little more than a feral beast. But in the presence of a leader, it becomes a cunning enemy. Weak to blunt attacks and magic attacks that have the opposite element of its creator. The version created by the simulation is weaker than the ones that exist inside the MAZE. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera told her friends what the skill said. "Ok, if that thing was smarter we would have been dead. Well, maybe not, but you know what I mean," Leo said, surprised with the information. "The other ones are pretty much the same, aside from the created in a lab part," Mark said. The group had run out of options in this place. They had no way to go to the upper floors, and aside from the wooden door that leads to the chalice room, there was only the path they took to get here. It took them a bit less than twenty minutes to go back. Knowing the path and having a smaller party helped a lot. Reaching the room they started at, the recruits investigated the remaining path. After a corridor with the same dark and appearance there was a small stone door. When they opened it the connected hallway had a completely different feeling. Unlike the one they took before, it was wide, and well kept. It didn''t look like the corridor of a prison but the hallway of a castle. "Quick question, if those things were the prisoners. Does that mean that whatever put them there can be stronger?" Hera asked. The group stared at her for a moment before understanding the meaning of what the woman just asked. "Crap, we should have a full party here, right?" Blue asked. "Probably, but well have to make due. Stay low and don''t make any noise," Leo commanded. The five nodded and activated their [Hide] skill. Moving slowly through the hallway, Hera kept looking around. She noticed the tapestries on the wall picturing open flower fields and blue shores. A few candelabra were embedded on the walls, and the candles lit. "This is too weird. Why would undead be in a place like this?" Hera asked, "I know, right? This is too nice." Blue replied, staring at the tapestry. "Guys, be quiet," Leo said. They kept going through different hallways, each of them had a beautiful tapestry of a landscape. Forests, mountains, meadows, beaches, and lakes. Each one was more ornate and detailed than the last. "OK, what the actual hell? We''ve been walking for almost half an hour and we only see these things. No markings, no noise, just tapestry. It''s starting to freak me out," Mark said. "I know it''s all so weird. Do you think the undead weren''t supposed to be here?" Leo asked. "I don''t know, but honestly. This is getting boring," Blue commented. "Blue, I get that, but what if this was the real deal? We could die at any moment," Hera said. "But it''s not. Why pretend it is real?" Blue scoffed. The group kept talking while explored the area. Hera kept noticing a symbol on the edge of the tapestries. It was a pair of waving crashing at each other, forming a shape that resembled a crown. It''s placement varied, but it was always in one corner. Hera was trying to find any sort of hint about what they needed to do through the tapestries since they were the only thing that changed. In one of them, Hera noticed that the symbol seemed different. It blended with the background in a way that an olive branch split the middle of the makeshift crown. After about one hour of walking, the group reached a large entrance. Double doors went all the way to the 5 meters ceiling adorned with ocean-themed carvings and a pair of sea turtles in the middle. The last thing the recruits noticed was that the door had a small opening. The group stared at the door, and before anyone could say anything. Alex activated her [Hide] skill and quietly moved towards the opening. She peeked her head inside and saw twenty skeletons in the middle of a large hall that looked like a ballroom. Some torches flickered with a low light, giving the entire area an orange hue. However, the biggest problem was the skeleton sitting on the floor on the other side of the room. Even while sitting, the creature almost hit the ceiling, but she wasn''t able to see its face. A pair of big brass chandeliers were in the way. The skeleton also had some sort of heavy silver armor. Behind it, there was a long dinner table, and Alex was able to see a few golden glimmers coming from it. Explaining the situation for the group, Alex suggested that they each took turns looking inside to understand what was going on. One by one the recruits looked inside the room, each of them coming back with a grim expression with Hera being the last one to go. When Hera peeked inside, she saw the same twenty or so undead, and the big one in the back. Activating her [Observe] the 20 skeletons all had the same name as the one she fought before. However, the one in the back caught her attention. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ King Gwendelan (Illusion) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The king was not a skeleton, nor it was appearing as a simulation. Could that be just a decoy? She shuffled back to the group. "¡­ if we do a hit and run, I think we can drag this fight all the way back to when the hallway gets smaller," Leo suggested. "But it''s going to take a while to get there, we will run like hell for a long time. Shouldn''t we find a closer place?" Mark asked. "The problem is the big guy, if he can''t pass these doors we will be fine. But what if it can?" Blue said. "There is one other thing if the big guy is a leader, wouldn''t that make the skeletons stronger?" Alex asked. The group stared at her for a moment. Before letting out a lengthy sigh. They had completely forgotten about that. "Guys, I''m not sure the big skeleton is a thing," Hera chimed in. The group stared at her with puzzled expressions. "Didn''t your observe show the name? It says nothing about being a skeleton or a simulation. It is calling it an illusion." "Wait, your observe could reach that far?" Alex asked. "Yeah, I''ve been practicing it since we got it. I think the range increased, but it''s still rank two. Anyway, the big guy has a different name, and it''s marked as an illusion. The little guys are the problem, but maybe we can use the chandeliers," Hera suggested. "How?" Mark asked. Explaining her plan, the group reluctantly agreed to it. It all came down to the big guy being a fake. If it wasn''t, they would have a colossal problem on their hands. But Hera made a convincing argument about the test having to be beatable. The guild wouldn''t make something impossible to finish for a bunch of recruits. Hera and Alex activated their [Hide] skill and went inside the ballroom first. While the other three stayed right by the door, waiting to hear the signal. Hera pointed to the chandeliers and then to the chain holding them in place. They would need to split up to break them at the same time. The skeletons in the middle of the room were all staring at the big one, unmoving. The recruits walked quietly towards the sides of the room. Being careful not to make any noise or sudden movements. The chains weren''t exactly in the middle of the room as Hera hoped. To reach them, the two would need to pass the skeletons a bit. That was risky, Hera had no idea how wide their vision was, or if they even could see. She got closer to the chain, moving as quietly as she could. Reaching her target, Hera looked back, trying to see if Alex was ready to go. The woman was already there. They gave each other a signal and proceeded to remove the chains. The chains were wrapped around a big metal clasp. To remove it, Hera had to unwrap it without making any noise. The two recruits carefully worked on the chain, being mindful of the noise not to attract the skeleton''s attention. After some time, the chain Hera was working on weighed heavily on her hands. It was getting harder and harder to hold it in place. She was almost done when the chain escaped her grasp and fell to the ground, making a loud noise with the impact. Shocked, Hera looked at the skeletons, all of them facing her at the moment. Panicked, she keeps trying to remove the rest of the chain but it got jumbled up on the floor making it harder to move it around. Looking back, she saw the skeletons slowly advancing. Hera focuses on the chain, trying to remove it when an even louder noise comes from the middle of the room. Terrified the big one was moving, Hera turned her head towards the skeletons and saw that a chandelier had just fallen in the middle of the group. Destroying almost half of the skeletons with the impact. With the noise, Leo, Blue, and Mark rushed inside. Some skeletons noticed the movement and walked towards the recent arrivals. Grabbing the bundle for chain, Hera freed the second chandelier, making it fall into the ground. Sadly, because of the timing, the impact only destroyed four skeletons. Leaving the remaining seven for the group to deal with. Hera rushed back to her group. Being surrounded by enemies wasn''t a good idea. Luckily, in a big open room, they could maneuver around the skeletons. In a few minutes, the five recruits had defeated the surviving monsters. The giant skeleton remained still during the entire time. They walked towards the tables in the back of the room. Hera and her friends stared at the big skeleton, being careful with each step they took. The giant had some cracks on its skull and a crown that looked like a pair of waves crashing at each other. The armor was adorned with a sea themed ornaments, including a pair of sea turtles on the shoulders. When they got closet to the giant skeleton a notification appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hidden task completed Gwendelan''s mission ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 48 Choosing a role "Did everyone got that?" Mark asked. "I did, What about you guys?" Blue replied. The whole group had gotten the notification. Hera tapped on it to read more about that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gwendelan''s mission When his kingdom''s soldiers turned into undead, the kind king sacrificed himself. Using an ancient holy ritual, he became the ruler of those undead. Unable to kill his fallen soldiers, he waited for a group of heroes strong enough to destroy all the undead inside his castle. As a thank you, the king bestowed upon the heroes a gif. Each member of the group can open one chest behind the fallen king to receive your reward. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What the...? Why would he turn into an undead just because some soldiers turned?" Alex asked. "And why didn''t he just killed them himself? This mission is too weird," Leo chimed in. "I''m more concerned that guild didn''t tell us about this," Hera said. "Yeah, I wonder why no one mentioned it," Blue said. While they talked, the giant skeleton started to become translucent. It was getting harder to see it with each passing moment. In less than half a minute, the giant had disappeared. Fifteen chests were revealed, all of them were under the illusion. "Oh, we got a nice prize!" Mark beamed. "If we split them, it''s three each, that''s a nice haul," Leo said. "Not gonna happen," Blue said already in front of a chest, "the message says we can only pick one each." That was a bit of a letdown, but they still could take the contents of one chest. That was more than what the other recruits got. "So... any idea of how to choose?" Hera asked. The group stared at chests. They all looked the same, wooden with old iron locks. They seemed to have some sort of painting around them that was faded. The only thing that seemed to be well kept was a seashell ornament above the lock of each chest. "I don''t know, I''m just going to pick one," Blue said. The woman walked towards the closest chest. When she reached for it, a notification appeared. She pressed, and the chest opened on its own. Inside there was a single bronze seashell. "So... is it good?" Mark asked. "No clue, it just says to bring it back to the guild," Blue replied. Alex and Mark chose the chest they wanted and picked a seashell precisely like the one Blue got, but the one they got was silver. Hera opened a chest and found a silver one as well. Leo, the last to pick, got one made of wood. "Why did I get the worst one?" he groaned. "Maybe that one is the best. Since it''s made of something more natural, and this place is all about the sea," Hera said, trying to cheer him up. The man just waved her off. Hera got curious about these seashells and activated her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gwendelan''s Favor (Simulation) Grade: Silver A token of gratitude from Gwendelan. It represents the friendship of the king. The item generated by the simulation has no value inside the MAZE. To receive a reward for finding this item, contact the Explorer''s Guild. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do you guys think this Gwendelan dude is real?" Blue asked. "Well, I''m not sure. It seems too elaborate for a test. Maybe it''s a way for the guild to show us a bit of what is actually inside the MAZE," Leo replied. "They could just be showing how the missions inside the MAZE are. Mr. Greyson said that each room is its own pocket world," Hera chimed in. "Yeah, but is it that far? Like with kingdoms, kings, heroes and villains, and everything else?" Mark asked. "Why not? We know that there are people who live inside the MAZE and that some creatures are intelligent. What if the explorers taught the creatures about our society and they just made their own," Alex said. "What about the first contact protocol? We shouldn''t interfere with growing civilizations," Mark exclaimed. "That''s just something you see in movies. There isn''t a law about that," Blue said. "Shouldn''t we worry about that later? We still have a part of the test to finish," Hera interrupted. The group moved towards the table at the back of the room. It was a long wooden table, with twenty-one chairs around it. One of those chairs was grander than the others and had another seashell design. It was clearly the king''s seat. Around the table, the recruits saw fifteen gem-encrusted golden chalices. "I guess this was the intended path," Alex mumbled. "Yeah..." the group replied, staring at the chalices. Hera took a deep breath. This was the moment she worked so hard for. After takin this chalice, she would be on the last part of the test. Finishing that, she will become an explorer. She could feel her hands shaking. Thoughts that she managed to push away came running back. Was she good enough? Could her mother be right when she said she wasn''t strong enough to live like this? Shaking her head, Hera stopped the questions. It was her dream. She had come this far and she sure as hell would not give up now. The rest of the group had hesitated for a moment, but not as long as Hera. However, seeing the turmoil in the woman''s face, they gave her some time before doing anything. When she looked calmer, Leo asked. "Everyone ready?" The group nodded in agreement. "See you guys on the other side, the last one to get out owes the rest a round of drinks," Alex said. "Forget that I want a slice of cake," Blue replied. "I''ll take a double cheeseburger," Hera said. "This is not a restaurant If I''m the last one you guys are getting drinks," Alex cried. They laughed for a moment before reaching for the chalice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chalice retrieved Moving to the completion area ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A soft light enveloped Hera''s vision, forming a cocoon around her. The light began o grow brighter and brighter. Making Hera close her eyes. She felt warmth around her. Thinking about the reverse hatching commenting, she couldn''t help but laugh. "Am I going back inside the chicken?" she said to herself. A few moments passed, and the light faded. When Hera opened her eyes, she was in a big white room, just like the one she got her weapons at. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Congratulation on completing the test of the Undead King Please deposit your weapons on the indicated area and proceed to the blackboard to see your results ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera frowned. She was supposed to leave her weapons here? That seemed weird. She wasn''t sure if there weren''t going to be any more battles ahead. She placed her handaxe and her chakram on the marked white table. The weapons seemed to dissolve in the sand and vanish from her sight right after she set them. Hera jumped back, worried that it was a trap of some sort. But after a few seconds, nothing else happened. Looking around, Hera saw a blackboard and walked towards it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Results Trial: Test of the Undead King Mission accomplished Hidden mission: Completed Role compatibility: Fighter: D+ Mage: A Assassin: C- Hunter: C+ Researcher: B+ Crafter: D- Healer: F Controller: C- Explorer: B- Please walk through the door corresponding to the role you wish to take. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera stared at the board for a moment. It was nice to see her compatibility. But she wondered how the simulation got that information. None of the recruits used magic or tried to make something. How could it talk about being a mage or a crafter? After a couple of minutes thinking about that, she realized that this wasn''t the moment to do so. She was still in the middle of the test and had one week to complete it. She looked around and saw nine pearl white doors around her. Each of them had a symbol and a name tag on it. Hera spent the last month thinking about what role to choose. Even now, she was still divided. She wanted to use magic, but being a researcher seemed even better. She could learn so much searching for ruins and things no one else saw. If she became a crafter, she could spend her days making jewelry and other trinkets. It was a hobby she had ever since she was little. Being a hunter and even a controller could also work very well. She liked the idea of knowing her enemies as well as controlling the battlefield and helping the group. In reality, there were too many options, and that made it easy. Even if it wasn''t the best match to her compatibility. Since she didn''t know what to pick, she could simply choose them all. Hera looked towards the door with a compass above it. She walked towards it and placed her hand on the frame. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you wish to choose [Explorer] as your role? Yes No ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera pressed yes and walked through the door. ################################## "So... No dropouts, that''s a bit rare," Cicero said. "Not in my class, it ain''t. If they can''t even beat this, Ah won''t bother teaching them," Greyson claimed. "Yeah, right. I''m sure even the great Greyson had a few dropouts," the woman in the long purple robes, said. "If ye like Ah can show ye my graduates, Katrina. Never a recruit that made it to the last test dropped out with me as their teacher," Greyson said. "As much as I hate to give his ego room to grow. That''s true," Helena chimed in. A few explorers stared at Greyson. It was an impressive feat. Even if the man was known for being ruthless. "Fine, but what were those chests at the end? I''ve never seen those in a test," Cicero asked. "Really? Those are part of the secret mission, every test has at least one," Katrina replied. "What? Seriously? My class barely complete the test, and you are telling me that there was more?" The man cried. While the two explorers talked about the test, and the rest were busy with the bets. Greyson approached Frostbite. "So, did ye get what ye came for?" he asked. "Yes, there are some up-and-coming candidates. And don''t worry, Calvin. I''ll talk to them during graduation, not before," she replied with a smile. "Great, so that means we are even. Don''t come asking me for this kind of crap again," the instructor barked. Janna just gave him a nod, which made the man walk away. It was a shame he couldn''t see the value of working for a big company. Even worse was having to use one of her owed debts like this. But a job is a job. Since New Daw wanted some fresh recruits to groom, she could only do as they wanted. Luckily, aside from Blue, who already was a fantastic controller even without the skill. Anaya had the type of personality they asked for. Someone who will complete their task at any cost. Janna walked away from the reception and towards the elevator. Now she just had to wait and see who would be able to complete the last part of the test. Then she could start recruiting them. 49 What to explore When Hera walked through the door, her body froze. That numbing tingly sensation covered her once again, and her eyes were closed shut. A few moments later, she regained control of her body, Hera had just arrived in what looked like a forest, with large green trees all around her. The smell of grass and flowers, the singing of the birds, and the sunlight that would shine between the trees, that gave the entire area a fairytale-like atmosphere. Before Hera started walking, a notification appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Role test: Explorer The green forest and its residents hide many secrets, discover most of them to complete the test. This area is part of a simulation. The denizens of this place have limited interaction capabilities. Current discovery progress 0% []????????????? []????????????? []????????????? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera stared at the words. It was an excessively broad mission. There was nothing to give her a direction on how to start. What if there was something hidden under a rock she needed to find? Or if a specific tree had a specific marking that needed to be deciphered? She let out a lengthy sigh. Hera never expected the explorer''s test to be easy, but this seemed unreasonable. On the other hand, she was in the middle of a forest that came right out of the books she read when she was little. A small part of her was happy that she had the chance to explore the entire area. Before starting to move, Hera tried to understand her surroundings a bit better. There was a constant bird chipper, but no noise from the trees. That was odd. The noise reminded her of wind and small critters moving about. But nothing was moving in the forest. No small animal was walking about, no wind rustling the branches, not even bugs zooming around. Unsure if this weirdness was part of a room or just of the simulation, Hera started walking. She had no idea where she should go, but standing around wouldn''t help. Doing her best to find any hint of the path she should take, Hera heard an unfamiliar noise. She kept walking towards this new noise, not recognizing it at first. After a few moments, she realized it was the sound of a river. For the first time since she began the exam, Hera realized how thirsty she was and dashed towards the sound. The trees were still the same even here, but soon the earth soil gave way to a rocky area, with a clear water creek running in the middle of it. Hera walked close to the riverside and was about to grab some water with her hands when she stopped. "Calm down, Hera. Remember what you learn. Every time you find a source of water, you need to check it before drinking it." She grabbed a small rock and tossed into the river, seeing if anything would come out. She waited for a couple of minutes, but nothing came to the surface, and the stone she tossed was lying still at the bottom of the brook. The second step was to see if any animals drank that water. Hera looked around, trying to find any markings or tracks that could show that animals came here, but to no avail. She followed the creek, hoping she could find some sign of life near its headwaters. Her throat was dry, and she was feeling lightheaded. Still, Hera pressed on, wanting to make sure if that water was drinkable. After hiking for a few minutes, Hera saw a larger rock sticking out of the riverbank. On top of it, there was something that looked like a giant green apple. "Is that a real apple?" she mumbled to herself. If it was, she could not only quench her thirst but also eat something. But it was too obvious. It felt like a trap. Hera picked a tree branch and approached the rock. When the thing was in range, Hera poked it with the stick. It was surprisingly soft, almost as if she was poking a pillow. She gave a harder push, trying to topple it. Suddenly a hole appeared, spinning around and closed around the tree branch. Snatching it from Hera''s hand and throwing it in the river. "What the hell do you think you''re doing!" Hera''s eyes went wide in shock. The apple was... speaking? A pair of big blue eyes appeared above the hole. That now, Hera could see it was actually a mouth. "So? Why the hell are you poking me with a goddam stick?" the apple yelled in an unexpectedly deep voice. "I''m... sorry?" Hera replied weakly. "You better be! I was having a nice long nap, and you wake me up like that? What is the matter with you?" "I just.. Thought you were an apple. The stick was to make sure it wasn''t a trap or something like that," Hera said. The apple opened its mouth a few times as if trying to find the words to reply. "Why, for the system''s sake, would anyone put a trap in the middle of a forest?" the green apple asked. "Well, this is a test, right? I don''t know what to expect. I''m thirsty and hungry, and you kind of looked tasty," Hera replied. "If you are thirsty, just drink water from the river. And hungry, just eat some bark or whatever you humans eat. What do I have to do with any of that?" The apple jumped up and down, spinning in place to face Hera more easily. "Can I drink that water? I wasn''t sure I could, so I was trying to see if any animals were drinking from it." "Oh, for the love of... Don''t tell me you are here without even having the observer or inspect skills," the apple rolled its eyes. Hera needed a moment to process that phrase. Seeing an apple talk and roll its eyes was offputting. When she gathered her thoughts, she realized. Using [Inspect] or [Observe] never even crossed her mind. She looked down, blushing a bit before replying. "I... forgot I could." "You, forgot...." the apple shook its body like a disapproving teacher, "Kid, you need to step up your game if you wanna get through this. Otherwise, you''re screwed." "I''ll keep that in mind. Thank you," Hera replied. She stared at the apple creature for a while, still trying to figure out how it could be alive. "What?" the apple asked. "Nothing, sorry... do you have a name?" Hera asked. "Yes, I have a name. Do you think only humans can have names?" the apple creature huffed. "No, I didn''t mean like that. You are just the first talking mons... creature I''ve ever seen, so I''m not sure how this all works. Can we start over? I''m Hera nice to meet you," She attempted to hold out her hand but changed her mind midway giving the apple a slight bow. "Oh, that was creepy. Do you always go around bowing to people?" the creature asked. "Well, no. But you are not actually people," Hera replied with a smile. The apple squinted while staring at the recruit. "Touch¨¦, maybe you are not as slow as it seemed. I''m Peaches. Nice to meet you." "Peaches? But you look like an a..." "I LOOK LIKE WHAT?" Before Hera could finish the sentence, Peaches yelled towards her. Hera was taken aback, not only by the reaction but by the fact that even without a nose or eyebrows, peaches seemed to be frowning. "Like an... an... adorable teddy bear. Calling you a fruit seems unfair," she finally said. Peaches squinted even harder at Hera. "You know, I don''t like you. Too flattery, too absent-minded. Get lost so I can go back to my nap," the creature said while looking back towards the creek. Hera frowned, why Peaches was so mean to her? She did nothing to deserve that. All she did was poke him with a stick... Wake him from his nap... Treat him like a monster¡­ Said she wanted to eat him¡­ And called him an apple... Realizing she was in the wrong, Hera agreed that it was better to leave him alone. The problem remained, she needed some information. "I''m sorry for disturbing you, Peaches. And I don''t want to cause you any more trouble, but can you tell me what''s around here?" she asked. Letting out a lengthy sigh, Peaches turned around again. "Around here? There is a forest, then trees, then forest, then trees, more forest over there, and more trees that way, a bunch of wood through there and more forest here. What else do you expect to find in a place like this?" While talking, Peaches tilted his head towards various directions, Hera paid attention to where he pointed. It almost formed a compass rose. She picked her tablet and quickly made a note about it on the map, along with marking the point where he mentioned wood. It could be nothing, but it was a weird way to talk about trees. "Thank you. I''m just going to drink some water and be on my way then," she said. "Why are you telling me? Just do whatever you want," he grumbled. Hera kneeled near the water and activated her [Inspect]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mineral Water H20 - Polar inorganic compound Title - Universal solvent Water from a mineral spring. This drinkable water is rich in calcium and magnesium. It is considered hard water. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There weren''t any apparent problems, so Hera drank some water. It was colder than she expected, and it had a distinct flavor than the water she would buy in a store. It was more refreshing in a way. Hera looked at Peaches, who was still with his eyes open, looking at the forest. She wanted to know what type of creature he was. However, remembering what happened when she used that skill on Helena, she thought it was better not to invade his privacy. Before getting up, Hera washed her face with the water. "Thank you for your help. I will be going now," She said, unsure if that was the right thing to do. Peaches just looked at her before closing his eyes. Hera started walking in the direction he said there was wood. For some reason, his phrasing was bugging her. She moved closer to the first tree before looking back at the river. That giant talking green apple was there, unmoving as an old man resting by the river. Before leaving, she quickly activated her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peaches ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She let out a sigh. "Well, I guess it was too much to ask." Turning around, she kept going in the direction of ''wood'', hoping she would find some sort of clue about what to do next. As she left, the giant talking apple opened his eyes and saw a notification. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Target by low level [Observe] [Disguise] in effect ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Honestly, this new batch has no manners," Peaches mumbled. 50 New set of quests Hera walked for half an hour towards the direction of what Peaches called wood. Looking at the trees, she groaned loudly. She had noticed a while back the trees seemed to be stuck in a loop. After a few meters, they would all repeat the same pattern. From the positioning of the roots to the leaves in the branches. It was like someone copied one picture and pasted it all over the forest. This pattern was messing with Hera''s head. She felt like she was walking in place. Thankfully, her [Mapping] skill was expanding the map on her tablet. That was the only thing that gave her some confirmation that she was moving. She found no landmarks, nothing different or unique, and no living creatures. Not since she had left Peaches near the creek. "Ok, the wood idea was crap. Maybe I should go back," she said. "No, I mean, it''s still just a 30 minutes walk. Let''s go for an hour. If I find nothing, I''ll go back," Hera said as her walk became more motivated. "Good Idea, Hera. You need to be willing to do the hard work in order to pass this test. But also be careful, you know, don''t push yourself more than you should." "No, you need to dedicate yourself to this, that is the only option." "What is the point if you end up hurt? Do your best, but keep your limits in mind." "Oh, and who do you think you are to tell me what to do?" "Who? I''m you!" Hera stopped for a moment. She spent the last five minutes, not just talking to herself. But having an argument on her own. "If I find nothing else here, I''m going to go crazy. I mean, crazier." She kept moving and talking. As weird as it sounded, at least it was some noise. It was better than hearing the wind making the same sound over and over again. When Hera was about 45 minutes away from the creek, the trees gave way for a small open field. In the center of it, there were a few houses surrounded by a low wooden fence. There was also an archway with a big wooden slab that read "Woodland." She stopped for a moment, staring at the name. All the houses seemed to be made from wood. Hera couldn''t find a single glimmer of metal around the cottages. "Honestly, the system''s naming sense is awful," she said before walking towards the village''s entrance. Seeing it closely, Hera could say that this place looked more like a homestead than a village. There were only five houses inside the fence. Not only that, but there were also four people standing around in front of the houses. An old man in a farmer overall with a large straw hat, a young girl wearing a medieval peasant dress, a strong, tanned woman, dirty with what looked like soot. Near the entrance, there was also a person wearing leather armor with a green hood that covered their face. Hera approached the entrance, activating her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Heyden the hunter (simulation)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Well, he does look the part," she mumbled to herself. As she got closer, the hunter raised his hand towards her. "Halt, who goes there?" he said. "Hi, I''m Hera. I''m here for the explorer''s test." Hayden withdrew his hand in a mechanical motion. "Greetings, fellow traveler. I hope you find what you are searching for in our small town," he said in a monotone voice. "... Thanks? Can you tell me something about this place?" Hera asked. "This is the town of Woodland. It''s not much, but it is home. We live simple lives here, but these past weeks there''s been some trouble." "Wait, didn''t you call me a fellow traveler? But you live here?" Hera asked. "Woodland is my home. I''ve always lived here," Hayden replied. "Ok... and what is the trouble you mentioned," Hera asked. The hunter gave her an odd feeling. His face being covered by the hood didn''t help with that. "Quite a few problems appeared in the last month. Farmer Frank lost his trusty rake. Betty, the blacksmith, is having trouble getting materials for the tools she makes. And Little Florence can''t find any more flowers to sell. There are also a few monsters who keep trying to invade the town. Something is making them more aggressive, but I can''t go look for the cause, or the town will be defenseless. Say, you look like a seasoned warrior, would you be willing to deal with the monsters?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Quest Triggered:Monster attack Hayden, the hunter, needs help to stop the monster attacks. Discover the cause of this behavior and put an end to the monster''s incursions. Reward:Information on a secret of the forest.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "That was... easy," Hera mumbled. She would need to fight some monsters, but at least that would let her find a secret. She still needed a weapon, though. Maybe she could get one with the blacksmith. "Hayden, I can help you. But is it ok if I talk to the others first?" "Thank you, traveler. I hope you find what is causing the monsters to act like that. Please, come in and talk to the other residents." "But I just asked... Nevermind, thank you." It was weird talking to the hunter. He seemed off somehow. His words were mechanical and cold. There was no feeling behind it. Hera walked inside the homestead and went to talk to other residents. Farmer Frank and Florence, the flower girl, gave Hera the same eerie feeling. It was like hearing a computer say a phrase, and their faces were always with the same expression. Florence looked like she was sad even when she talked about how much she loved the flowers. Frank never lost his satisfied expression, even when he said that without the rake, there would be no food in the city. At least she had gotten two new quests. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lost Rake Frank, the farmer, lost his rake while picking water from the creek. Find and retrieve the rake near the water spring. Reward:Information on a secret of the forest.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flowers no more Florence, the flower girl, can''t find flowers anymore.Discover a new place where she can harvest the flowers near Woodland. Reward:Information on a secret of the forest.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With that, Hera could finish the mission. After all, there were only three secrets in the forest. "Let me double-check," she said to herself. Opening her tablet and looking for the first quest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Role test: Explorer The green forest and its residents hide many secrets, discover most of them to complete the test. This area is part of a simulation. The denizens of this place have limited interaction capabilities. Current discovery progress 20%[X] Discovered Woodland[X] Found Peaches[ ]?????????????[ ]?????????????[ ]?????????????[ ]?????????????~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I guess not," she sighed. There were more options now, and since she already discovered two of them, maybe the other options could have a more significant completion rate. If so, it would be easier to finish it. If not, she would need to find 8 more secrets to complete the mission. "This is why they give us a week then. Just walking from the creek and back will take a couple of hours." Hera closed the mission and looked towards the blacksmith. The woman was staring at her with an annoyed expression. "So that''s the only face she makes, I guess," Hera said. Walking towards the woman, Hera opened a big smile. "Hello, I''m Hera. Hayden said you might be in some trouble. Could you tell me what is going on? Maybe I can help you with something." "Finally, I''ve been waiting for you to come here, you know," Betty huffed. Hera was surprised. Not only she had a more natural way of talking, but Betty''s expression changed as she spoke. It felt more natural than talking with the other residents. "Sorry, I didn''t know you were waiting for me," Hera apologized. "It''s fine. I just need some help to get some materials to make the tools Franks asked. My problem right now is that to make the sheers he wants, I need a lighter metal that can only be found when you kill monsters around here." Betty said. "Ok, what type of metal you need?" "We call it liquid metal. You can find it when you defeat the same type of monster that is trying to attack the town. For some reason, the ones coming here don''t drop the metal," the blacksmith explained. "Ok, and what monsters are attacking. I have no weapons on me, so I need as much information as you can give me," Hera said. "They are some awful creatures. With wide, unblinking eyes, a thick goo oozing out of them. They slither through the ground and devour everything in their path. Honestly, those things give me nightmares," Betty shivered. "Ok... that seems really bad, I''ll see if I can find one before trying to fight it. Do you have any weapons or things that I can use? I''m not confident in going against them, barehanded." Hera asked. "Oh, I have a few weapons in stock. It''s kind of boring just to do farm tools, so I practice doing other stuff. What kind do you want?" "I really enjoy using a handaxe and a chakram. Do you have anything like that?" Betty stopped for a moment and thought while scratching her chin with one hand. "Yeah, I think I do. But I''m gonna need it back when you finish killing the monsters, ok?" Berry finally said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Quest Triggered: The blacksmith''s plea Betty, the blacksmith, needs a material that is dropped by monsters. Retrieve 10 pieces of the material and give it to Betty.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera read the mission. Why was there no mention of a reward? Maybe this was just so she could have a weapon here. It was a bit of a letdown not to have more information into the secrets of the forest, but it seemed fair. "Sure, I''ll help you. Can you tell me where the monsters live?" While Hera spoke, a loud growl came from her stomach.Betty smiled, hearing that noise. "Sure, but do you want to eat first? I was just about to have a late lunch." "That would be nice, thanks." Hera thanked her. The two of them got inside the blacksmith''s house and ate a veggie stew Betty had prepared. Inside the house, Hera could see a small forge and the weapons she talked about on a table. The dinner table was already set, and they quickly started to eat. The food was more delicious than Hera was expecting. Although it was a simple stew, it had a rich flavor and even some spiciness to it. During the lunch, Hera tried to ask as much as she could about the place they were in. Sadly, Betty only seemed to know things about the town. Most of her answers end up going back to the same patter ending with, "I don''t go out much, my bad." Despite Betty having a more natural reaction to everything, it was clear the woman was also part of the simulation. Hera''s [Observe] confirmed that. When they finished eating, Betty took Hera outside and pointed to a house next to them. "If you get tired, you can sleep over there, it is an old house that no one uses, but it has everything you need. A bed, a bathroom, a table, and a chair. Oh, and before I forget, here is a pouch and a waterskin. You are going to need those if you are going to walk around here," Hera thanked the blacksmith and went inside the house. She wasn''t going to sleep yet, but she really needed to use the restroom. Looking around, it was a simple wooden cabin with one bed that covered the back wall''s length and a wooden table in the middle and a secondary door with the letter W.C. engraved on it. Hera tossed the pouch and her weapons on the table and rushed to the bathroom. When she opened the door, she almost forgot she needed to go. The bathroom was a standard bathroom. With ceramic tiles, a toilet, a sink, a mirror, and even toilet paper. It gave off a completely different feeling from the rest of the homestead. By all accounts, it was a bathroom she could use in the outside world. Before doing what she needed to do, Hera picked a square of toilet paper and tried to leave the bathroom with it. The second it passed through the threshold of the door, the toilet paper dissolved in her hand. A few minutes later, Hera walked out of the house, ready to explore this strange forest. She thanked Betty once again and left the tiny village towards the southeast. According to the blacksmith, that was the best place to find the slimy, slithery monsters. 51 Time to Hun During the last two hours, Hera only saw the same tree pattern over and over again. If it wasn''t for her [Mapping] skill, she would have no way of knowing where she was. Betty had said that the monsters lived southeast of the town, but she never mentioned the distance. Hera looked at the shadows from the trees. They never changed. The light in the sky was the same too, even though Hera couldn''t see the sun. After spending a few hours walking around, this place had lost its charm. Sure, it was still beautiful, but there were many problems with the area. The repetitiveness of it, the lack of sun, the sound that didn''t match what was going on around her. The more Hera looked around, the more she found things to nitpick about. "Look, that branch there. It''s completely different from the others. Instead of some natural jagged shape, it''s almost like a curved line. And why is it bent to the side? There is no wind to do that," She said to herself. Hera had embraced the idea of talking to herself. Not only did it help her organize her own thoughts, but it was also a nice change from the constant wind sound she kept hearing in a loop. With her tablet in hand, she opened the map once again, to make sure she wasn''t deviating from her path. If the creek followed a straight line south, she would be meeting it soon. "Maybe Peaches took a stroll, and we end up meeting down here. Peaches was the one... Person?... Creature? Let''s go with NPC. The one NPC who seemed more natural. Betty had a lot of expressions, but what she could say was limited. Peaches, on the other hand, was very lifelike, at least for a talking green apple. I swear that is the only reason I wanted to talk to him again. Not because he is so cute," Hera said. Distracted by her thoughts, she failed to notice a yellow puddle in front of her. She slipped on the yellow liquid, making her do a one-legged split on top of the puddle. "Ewww, please tell me this is not pee," Hera groaned after seeing the color of the liquid. While getting up, it only took her a moment to realize that there was something wrong. The liquid had a dark yellow color, and it was viscous, it felt almost like honey. She rubbed the goo between her fingers, trying to understand what it was when she felt a burning sensation covering her hand. She quickly got up, shaking her hand hoping to remove the liquid from it, when she realized that the thick sludge was still stuck to the puddle, and now to her legs as well. Using her nails, she scraped the goo from her body. The burning sensation was increasing with each passing moment. She grabbed the thick strand of the sludge going from her hand to her legs and tried to pull it out with all her strength. While doing so, she felt something hard in her palm. Suddenly, the goo started to move. It let go of her arm and legs and wrapped around the hand that had just started pulling it. The sludge burned Hera''s skin even more. The feeling before was comparable to being in the sun for too long, but now it was like holding out her hand above an open flame. Hera jerked her hand back and shook it with all she had, but the liquid seemed to grasp her even harder.She made a swinging motion, trying to make the sludge drop to the floor. As Hera thrashed her arm around, part of the goo hit the floor and splattered away. At the same time, the grip it held in her hand loosened. Realizing that, Hera whacked her hand into a tree. It hurt to do so, but with each strike, the sludge seemed weaker, and the pain became more tolerable. "Get. Off. Me," Hera yelled while hitting the goo into the tree. Her hand was hurting. She wasn''t sure if it was by the impact against the bark or by the burning of the goo. But she couldn''t stop. Each swing had to be stronger than the last, or that sludge would end up burning her hand off. After a few moments, that hard object inside her hand seemed to crack, and the goo lost all viscosity, falling into the ground as if it was nothing more than water. Unsure of what just happened, Hera stepped away from the liquid. The sludge dissolved in thin air, leaving only a wet spot where it landed. She looked at her hand. There were some light burns and scaring, and a few of the hairs she had on her arm were gone. She also had that thing inside her hand. It was a round shell with some fissures. It looked just like a hazelnut seed, but it had a bright yellow color. Staring at it, Hera activated her [Inspect]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Broken slime core (Simulation)Type: Yellow The core of a slime creature. It controls how the rest of the body moves. In most cases, the core stays in the center of the slime''s mass, even when it changes shape.The quickest way of defeating a slime is to destroy its core. Yellow cores come from a highly acidic slime. All slimes break down their prey inside their body to absorb the nutrients. However, yellow ones can do it at an accelerated rate. The simulated version shares the instinct of its real counterpart. The version created by the simulation is weaker than the ones that live inside the MAZE.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera stared at the core for a moment. That thing wasn''t burning her. It was trying to dissolve. The thought made Hera shiver. Being melted down by gastric fluids would be nightmarish. "Are those the monsters Betty talked about?" She looked back towards the wet spot on the ground, where the sludge had dissolved. "They are slimy, slithery, and can easily give haunt someone''s dreams. I guess it matches the description," Hera said. Looking around, she scanned the area for more of those creatures. First looking for more puddles, she wasn''t able to find any of them. Then Hera looked for other places where the slimes could be hidden. She found nothing on the ground or in the bushes. Even the trunks of the trees seemed to be empty. Only when Hera looked above, towards the leaves of the trees, that she found what she was looking for. Sitting in one of the twigs, lay a large green blob. It even had some jagged parts that made it look like part of the foliage. Hera slowly stepped away from it, worried that the creature would jump on her. Realizing that the slimes camouflaged themselves in the environment, she looked around once again. To her dismay, she found half a dozen slimes spread around the forest. Hera moved back to the path she took, always searching for the slimes. She quickly grabbed her tablet and marked the point where the slimes appeared. She was close to where the creek should be, and since the slimes were liquid, maybe the water could help her. But at the same time, it could also make things worse. What if the water made them bigger and stronger? She decided to go to the creek and try to see if there were any slimes around. She also wanted to wash her hand. There was not only a sticky feeling on it, but it still hurt from the acid. Hera activated her [Hide] skill and started walking towards the creek. Luckily, the stream was exactly where she expected. It seemed to make a straight line south. She looked around, searching for the monsters, but found nothing. Feeling a bit more relaxed, she proceeded to wash her hands. The water stung her hand, but it was refreshing. Hera noticed a small stream of red leaving one of her fingers. The slime ended up hurting her more than she realized, or it happened when she bashed her hand repeatedly against the tree. For a moment, her eyes went wide, thinking about what would happen if there were more slimes on the tree she hit. Hera brushed off those thoughts and finished cleaning herself. She grabbed the handaxe and the chakram and walked toward the forest where the slimes were. It didn''t take long to find the creatures. Now that she understood how they hid, she could focus on that. The first one she found was a green slime on the edge of some bushes. Getting ready to attack, she stopped and activated her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Slime (Simulation)Type: Green A sentient gelatinous goo. It hunts by trapping its prey inside its body and slowly breaking it down with its digestive juices. It is a slow creature that use the environment in order to hunt. The green variety secrets a fluid that puts its prey to sleep while it is being eaten. The simulated version shares the instinct of its real counterpart. The version created by the simulation is weaker than the ones that live inside the MAZE.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Great, so each one will do something different," Hera sighed. She walked closer to the slime, trying to find its core. It was hard to see inside the creature. Hera had to get closer to even understand its full shape. Unable to find the core by looking at it, she remembered what the description said about it staying in the center of mass. With no other option in her mind, Hera took a chance. Holding her handaxe tightly, she slashed the slime aiming at its middle. Almost half of the slime fell to the side, motionless. The rest of it bounced off to the side at a speed that Hera wasn''t expecting. She quickly took a step back and stared at the creature. It went back to its motionless state, but Hera could have sworn it was staring at her. She moved quickly towards the slime, ready to strike it once more. The monster was ready for the attack. When Hera got close, the slime pulled itself back and lounged like a snake. Surprised, Hera smacked the creature to the side using the chakram. This time only a small piece of its body was severed from it. Stepping back, Hera circled the creature before striking again. However, she was meet with the same response. It was nearly impossible to see where the slime was looking at. "Maybe it''s not about sight," she thought. Without looking away from her prey, Hera searched for a rock in the ground. At that moment, she felt something wet. Before she could react, a second green slime snapped at her hand. Hera smashed the slime into the ground and hacked away at it, trying to hit its core. "That will not work a second time!" She kept hacking away at the slime, pulling it apart with each slash of the handaxe. The first slime started to move towards her. Hera''s eyes kept darting back and forth between the slimes. Cutting enough of the slime off her hand, Hera pulled her arm away from it. The creature seemed to have problems with keeping its shape. It was almost like a puddle, with a moss green pebble in the middle of it. The small stone seemed to spin, pulling some of the liquid to cover itself. Hera quickly attacked the slime''s core. It took her a few tries, but she broke it before the first slime reached her. She turned around and prepared for her attack. She charged, using her chakram as a feint. When the slime lunged at her, she stepped to the side and slashed the creature with her handaxe, cutting another good chunk of it. She repeated the process a few times until the slime lost the ability to maintain its form. With a cold smile, Hera stared at the creature. "I won," she said just before slashing the core. Her back was already starting to hurt. Fighting a creature that moves so close to the floor was troublesome. She looked at the wet spots that showed where the creatures died. "I guess I went a bit overboard," Hera said. She picked the cores, one of them was cut in two pieces, while the other had cut in the middle, but it was still a single piece. Placing both cores inside her satchel, Hera noticed a slight silver glow on the ground. It was smaller than a leaf, and it seemed thinner. Hera picked it up, and it felt like holding a piece of a plastic bag. It stuck to her hand and wrapped around her fingers. Worried that was another slime, she quickly activated her [Inspect]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Liquid metalBiomineral A compound generated by a slime that ate many minerals. Blacksmiths use it to make lightweight equipment. It can also be used to produce electronic components due to its high conductivity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Oh, so this is the metal Betty needs," Hera looked back at the forest. So far, it had a one in three chance to drop. It wasn''t so bad. "Ok, Let''s do this, maybe I can finish it all before nightfall. Well... if there is night here." 52 Slime Frenzy Hera''s satchel was getting full. She spent the last hour hunting slimes. Aside from the green ones, she also found a few yellows and a brown that released a dizzying stench. She tried stomping them, but it only made the slime crawl up to her leg, leaving her with the unfortunate task of using a blade to defeat the creatures. By the end of the hour, her back was killing her. Right now, Hera was going back towards the creek. She did that every so often, worried about going too deep inside the slime territory. The creatures seemed to reappear as soon as she left, although that helped her get the metal. It could be a problem if she needed to go through the forest and back. Arriving at the creek, she washed the slime gunk off her hands and splashed her face with water. She was feeling tired, way too tired from being this early. "Actually, what time is it?" She picked her tabled and looked at the clock. Her eyes went wide. Was her tablet working? How could it be past 7 pm? She looked up. The sky was still as blue as always, without a hint of dusk. Quickly getting up, she opened her Map and made her way back to the city. Hayden had mentioned that the slimes were attacking the city at night if even the village wasn''t safe. What would happen to her in the middle of the forest? It took her two hours to get here. Maybe if she ran part of the way back, she could shorten that time. Hera kept moving as fast as she could without wearing herself out. The last thing she needed was to be exhausted when the creatures attacked. After one hour of running, Hera was getting close to the village. According to her map, it would only take her around half an hour to get there if she kept going at that pace. Sadly, when she was only fifteen minutes away from the village, the sun disappeared. It wasn''t like it had set, the way the light vanished made it look like someone had flipped a switch and then it was night. The only good part of it was that there was something that looked like moonlight covering the forest, even with nothing in the sky. Hera looked back towards the path leading to the slimes. Even if they were coming, there was no way they would be here quickly. It took her a long time to get here. It seemed like she could move a bit slower. Hera stopped running. She was exhausted. Thinking about why she ran, Hera felt silly. It made no sense. The slimes are so slow that it would probably take them all night to get to the town. They still had to make all the way back too. That thought lingered in Hera''s mind for a while. They have to go back, and she didn''t saw any slimes on the path towards their area. If they were coming from there, there was no way they all would die in front of the town. Even if this was a simulation, some slimes would still run away. Right? As if replying to Hera''s questions, she heard the sound of a water balloon hitting the ground near her. She looked towards it and saw a slime on the dirt. That creature wasn''t like the ones she saw. It was red, and it was giving off a soft glow, almost like it was a glow in the dark sticker. The slime jumped towards a tree, using part of its body as a vine, then it swung to another branch closer to Hera. After seeing the creature, Hera booked towards the town. If there was one of those around, there could be more. She wasn''t sure if the slime wanted to attack her, or if it was just heading to the village, but she didn''t want to stop and find out. While running, Hera kept looking back. The slime was getting closer, and now more of them appeared. All of them had different colors than the ones she fought earlier that day. Afraid of being swarmed by the creatures, she refused to stop moving, looking back and forth between her path and the slimes approaching so she wouldn''t receive a surprise attack. As she looked back, Hera saw a light in the corner of her eye, coming from between the trees. That slight distraction was enough to make her trip in one of the roots in the ground, falling face-first in the dirt. She tried to get up quickly, but a large shapeless creature landed on her back. Hera rolled to the side, trying to squash it with her weight. But that only made the slime spread around her back. She saw a few other creatures approaching, and some that had swung past her seemed to turn back. Not wanting to be cornered by the monsters, Hera got up and ran towards the light she had seen. At the same time, she kept hitting her back with the side of the handaxe, trying to find the slime''s core. Soon, she arrived at a big flower field that seemed to be glowing with white light. She looked back at the slimes that were chasing her. It was hard to see them moving between the trees, even with the soft glow they gave. But in the middle of that field, not only would they lose the ability to swing in the trees, but the light could help her see them coming. Hera rushed towards the center of the field, still trying to remove the slime at her back. However, the creature simply let her go and went back to the forest just as Hera was about to cross into the flowerbed. Not sure of what was going on, Hera kept going towards the middle of the flower field. Reaching a point where she believed it was safe, Hera spun around, grabbing her handaxe, ready to defend herself against the slimes. To her surprise, the slimes weren''t following her. Looking around, she could see the shadows moving among the trees, but when they started to get close to the flower field, they changed directions. Unsure of the reason. Hera stepped gingerly through the flowers. One of the possible explanations was that there was something even more dangerous around here. She tried to put some more distance between her and the trees. When she was comfortable enough, she looked at the flower and activated her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Moonlight Guardian Flora - Shrub A close cousin of the Cestrum nocturnum, also known as Night-Blooming Jasmine. During the day, the flower was a greenish-white color, but at night they change to bioluminescent ivory coloration. Unlike the Night-Blooming Jasmine, this flower releases a scent that repels weak monsters, emulating the presence of a stronger predator. When ingested, its toxicity level is several times higher than that of the Night-Blooming Jasmine.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera stared at the description for a moment. "Really? Isn''t this a bit too useful?" she mumbled. She couldn''t smell anything coming from the flowers, but according to the description, that was expected. Still, that was the first time she ever heard about this plant, and she wasn''t familiar with the name Night-Blooming Jasmine. She would need to look it up later. Hera walked toward the edge of the flowerbed, being careful not to attract any slimes. She took a couple of the flowers and tossed them deeper into the forest. This time, the slimes didn''t seem to be bothered by the smell. The flowers also lost its glow the moment Hera plucked them. "Ok. Should I just wait here for sunrise? But what if something else shows up? And what about the town?" Hera stayed in the field for a few minutes, thinking about her options. It seemed safe to be in the area, but at the same time, she had no idea what else could be around. The town was also in danger. Sure, they were all part of the simulation, but could she let them get hurt? Even if they were odd, they still talked to her, asked for her help. Betty even invited her for a late lunch. "It doesn''t matter what they are. They need my help. Besides, what if the machines take over and see that I abandoned an AI?" Hera stopped for a moment after saying those words. "I''m spending too much time around Mark," she sighed. Looking at the map, Hera walked as close as she could to the town without leaving the flowerbed. By the distance, it should be a ten-minute walk. She crouched down towards the flowers and tried to scoop the dirt under them. That way, the roots would still be intact. It took her a couple of tries, but she eventually grabbed a piece of dirt with a considerable amount of the flowers still glowing. It broke her heart to see the mess she had just made. This was a beautiful place, and it wasn''t fair to destroy it like this. She didn''t have time to be sad. She needed to get to the village as fast as possible. Holding the flower, she started to walk, her eyes darting around the area, looking for slimes. This idea was great in theory, but she had no clue if it would actually work. After a couple of minutes, she saw one of the slimes coming towards her. Hera braced herself if this didn''t work, she would have to grab her weapons quickly to fight it. The monster approached, but before it got too close, change directions and circled Hera. Moving past her and towards the city. Hera let out a long sigh of relief and kept walking. She wanted to reach the town quickly. The closer she got, the more slimes appeared. When she finally left the forest and saw the wooden cabins, an arrow when flying past her head. She looked back and saw that the arrow stuck a slime to a tree. Less than a second later, the creature dissolved. In front of the town, Hayden was notching another arrow in its bow, and aiming towards another incoming slime. The second arrow flew and hit the core of the monster. Hera kept walking toward the city. Another ten slimes fell during that time Hayden used a single arrow to kill each of them. His aim was terrifying. Hera understood that it was probably part of the simulation, but it was still an incredible sight. Arriving at the homestead, Hera started burying the flowers around the fence. She wouldn''t have enough to cover everything, but at least she could try to make sure that the slimes only came from a single side. It took her another ten minutes to finish the half circle around the village. She quickly went inside, telling Hayden about the flowers on the way. "Great, that means we are safe. Tomorrow we need to finish encircling the town. Ask Florence to help you with that. But we still need to know why those slimes are like this. So I''m counting on you," the hunter said, without ever stopping his arrows. By the time he finished speaking, another six slimes had fallen. Hera nodded and stood beside Hayden, ready to attack the incoming slimes. "I appreciate your help traveler, but you must rest and recover your strength. I can deal with the slimes," he said. Hera looked at him, "Are you sure? Don''t you need to rest?" she asked. "I appreciate your help traveler, but you must rest and recover your strength. I can deal with the slimes," he repeated. "Okay..." Hera hesitantly walked into the village, worried if Hayden really didn''t need any help. The villagers were all in front of their houses, the same way they were when Hera left. It was eerie. The town was being attacked, but they didn''t seem to mind. Hera talked to Florence, explaining about the flowers. The little girl said she could help to replant some of the flowers. She just needed the wheelbarrow from farmer Frank. Talking to Frank, he agreed not only to let them use the wheelbarrow but also help and said that they might need more muscle. Understanding what the point of all this was, Hera went to ask Betty for help. Being already there, she gave the liquid metal to complete her quest. "Thanks for the help. That is going to all I need to make the tools. Now say, you are still helping Hayden, right? Keep the weapons until you are done. And if you find some more metal, I can even make you your own set. And as a thanks, here." Betty gave Hera a basked full of fruits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Quest completedThe blacksmith''s plea Rewards:Basket of fruitBetty will make you a new set of weapons if you bring her the materials~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "They won''t last long, but at least you can eat for a couple of days." Hera thanked the blacksmith and talked about the flowers and the plans for the next day. Betty agreed to help and Hera went back to the vacant cottage. She really wanted to rest. And since they would only grab the flowers in the morning, she could have a night of sleep. She used the bathroom and cleaned herself up as best as she could using the sink. Feeling somewhat refreshed, Hera sat on the bed, leaving her pants to dry, and started eating the fruits. She would need to look for food soon, but she had a meal, at least for today. Grabbing her tablet, she checked the missions. She found only one change among them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Role test: ExplorerThe green forest and its residents hide many secrets, discover most of them to complete the test. This area is part of a simulation. The denizens of this place have limited interaction capabilities. Current discovery progress 30%[X] Discovered Woodland[X] Found Peaches[X] Discovered a way to protect the village from monsters[ ]?????????????[ ]?????????????[ ]?????????????~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 53 New kind of lost. Early in the next morning, Hera was already with the villagers once again at the flower field. She tried to talk to them during the trip, but all she got was the same repetitive answers. Even Betty seemed to have less to say here. "At least everything is going smoothly," Hera mumbled. After she woke up, Hera looked for Heyden, but apparently, the hunter was resting. Hera understood that this was part of the simulation, but it was still odd since the rest of the villagers could stay the whole night outside without a problem. Most of the morning was spent going back and forth between the village. Hera and Betty took turns carrying the dirt while Frank dug around the flowers, and Florence planted them back in the town. According to them, the few flowers Hera left around the fence would not be enough to scare away the slimes. They would need a much larger ring. Florence also wanted to make a small flower garden at the center of the homestead. Hera wasn''t in the mood for doing some landscaping. After all, she still had many quests to complete. But since no one seemed to mind the girl''s request, she went along with it. It took almost all morning to finish transporting the plants. With everything done, Hera talked to Florence to complete her quest, having found a place where she could go flower picking anytime she wanted. It seemed good enough for the mission. However, the girl said that since this was a defense measure, she couldn''t use those. She also said that she wanted a few with more colors to make everything pretty. Annoyed by the request, Hera focused on farmer Frank for the day. His quest already had a few directions to it, so she at least had somewhere to start. She wasn''t very keen on walking through the forest for hours on end. Leaving the town, Hera picked a few fruits that Betty had given her. She would have enough for dinner, but nothing for tomorrow. Making a mental note to look for any fruits or berries, Hera walked towards the creek to look for the rake Frank had lost. Almost one hour later, Hera arrived at the place she met Peaches. Looking around, she found the tall rock where the green apple was, but no one was sitting on it today. She pouted. Peaches was the closest thing to a normal person she found here. For some reason, it was easier to talk to him than to the villagers. Maybe because he was an apple, and that gave Hera the feeling of talking with a stuffed animal. She searched the area for any markings or traces to find the path the little apple took. After a few minutes without any results, Hera gave up and started to follow the brook back to its source. According to the quest, the rake was near the water spring. Following the stream, Hera was glad that this time she could see her surroundings changing. Or at least, she could see those changes around the stream. The forest still had the same repetitive pattern over and over again. It took Hera almost two hours to reach the end of the creek. It looked like a small puddle with a moss-filled rock on top of it. But the water was flowing from under the rock, making the puddle overflow and spill towards the incline. For the first time since she came here, Hera saw a different type of forest. The trees surrounding this place had a less vibrant color, but they would move slightly as if being swayed by the wind. The soft sound of the water flowing, with the trees rustling noise, gave a peaceful feel to this place. Hera sat near the small pond. She knew she had a quest to complete, but it felt wrong to not enjoy the scenery a bit. This was one of the reasons she wanted to be an explorer. She wanted to find places like this. Beautiful and amazing places that seemed to be painted, although this particular spot probably was a painting someone made. She spent half an hour sitting on the grass, relaxing by the creek. Meditating for a while, Hera couldn''t help but wonder what other places she would find as an explorer. It was nice to start with something like this, but it wasn''t enough. Ever since she read stories about cities in the sky and mountains that would pierce the clouds, Hera dreamt about going to those places. Feeling that she wasted enough time, Hera got up and started to search for Frank''s Rake. First, she looked for any footprints or markings that could show where the farmer went. Not finding anything, she looked for places where someone could lose a rake in. Behind trees, near the creek, she even went deeper into the woods. Yet, despite all her efforts, the farmer''s rake was nowhere to be seen. "Did I miss something?" she thought to herself. She went back to the water spring and found that the water had stopped flowing. Unsure of what that meant, Hera approached the rock where the water was coming from, thinking it could have something to do with her quest. She carefully reached inside the small opening that was gushing out water before. Part of her knew this was a bad idea, but, at the same time, the guild wouldn''t make the test deadly would they? She had most of her forearm inside the crack when she felt something soft touching her fingertips. She tried her best to examine it by touch, but it felt almost like a beach ball. She grabbed the soft object and tried to pull it out. It was hard to do so. Not only was there no way to have a firm grasp in it, the object kept shifting because of the water that was trying to come out. After a few tries, Hera gave one big pull and managed to remove the object from the hole. Following the release, a stronger stream of water came out, splashing Hera''s face. Moving away from the creek, Hera looked at her hand to figure out what was holding back the water. It was a giant green apple. "Peaches?" she asked. "Yeah, it''s me," he mumbled. "Are you ok?" "I''m fine." "Ok.. but what were you doing there? Actually, how did you get there?" Hera asked. Peaches let out a lengthy sigh. "I''m a heavy sleeper." "What?" "I said that I am a heavy sleeper," peaches snarled. "I heard you, but what does that have to do with being stuck there?" "Since when do I have to explain myself to you?" he retorted. "Since I got you out of there," Hera replied, annoyed with his attitude. "Fine... Just... put me down, please." Hera placed the giant apple by the creek, away from the spring. "Ok, here you are, now can you tell me what is going on?" she asked. "I''ll tell you, just don''t... don''t tell anyone, ok?" Peaches looked at Hera with a pleading expression. "Sure, it will be our secret," she said, unsure what to expect. "The thing just before dawn, or what passes as dawn in this place, the creek has a low tide moment. It pulls the water around the puddle, and then it spills back up," Peaches explained, pointing at the rock with its head. "Ok, but what does that have to do with you being stuck there?" "If you let me finish, maybe you can find out!" he exclaimed. "Sorry." "Now. Like I was saying. I came up here last night and started floating in the water. It was nice, almost like being in a cradle, and I fell asleep. I only woke up after I was already down there. I tried to squiggle my way out, but when I was near the opening, I got stuck. And that''s what happened," Hera stared at Peaches for a moment. That story wasn''t something she ever expected to hear without a tragic ending. "So... how can you breathe down there?" she asked. "What? Look at me. In what world do you think I have lungs? I''m a slime for system''s sake." "Well, bugs and fish don''t have lungs either. But they still need air. How can I know what you need?" Peaches was about to say something, but he stopped and looked down while furrowing his brow. "You know, I think I liked you better when you had no comebacks." "Well, I guess I''m growing," Hera said with a playful smile. "Yeah, good for you. But what are you doing here?" Hera explained about the quest and how she needed to find the rake, and the flowerbed, and still find the reason for the slimes to be acting up. "Speaking of which, you said you are a slime, right? Do you know anything about that?" "HA, are you really comparing me with those mindless blobs? We may share a species, but I''m vastly superior to them. I honestly think we should be a different species altogether. But the system decides the name, and I can''t do anything about that," he complained, jumping up and down while huffing. "Sorry for mixing you with them Peaches, but do you know what is going on? Why are they attacking the town?" Hera asked. "I know, but I can''t tell you. That''s part of the test." "Yeah, I kind of figured. Can I ask you something else?" "You just did, but sure. You just helped out of a pretty bad situation. I can answer a few questions." "Are you part of the simulation? I mean, you are just so lifelike, more so than the villagers. Talking to you feels... normal. And..." Hera stopped before asking about his description. She wasn''t sure how he would react, knowing she tried to look at his information. "And you used [Observe] on me and it didn''t show the simulation tag. Is that what you were going to say?" Hera went pale. She didn''t want to offend him, and according to Helena, inspecting someone was really rude. Maybe [Observe] would be just as bad. "Yeah, I can tell when someone is doing that to me. It''s a skill that is a bit hard to get, but it is worth it. Anyway, try to be more careful in the future, ok? Some people might not take it as kindly as I did. And to answer your question. I''m not like the villagers. You can consider me the supervisor of the test. I''m here to make sure no kind of cheating happens," Peaches explained. "Oh, got it. I guess that''s why you can''t help me. Sorry to bother you, I''m just stupid, maybe my mother is right, I''m not cut out for this," Hera said. "Why do you say that?" "Well... Yesterday I got here, and a few hours, I already got three quests and 20% of my test done. By the end of it, I had 30%, and one of them was done. I just thought that today would be the same. I would get another quick 20% and end the day with 60. But I didn''t get anything done so far. I just wanted to do a short mission and feel good about myself. Prove that I can do this." "Kid, things hardly ever come easy for anyone. It takes hard work, and you can''t just give up because of a bad day," Peaches said. "I know, or at least I should know that. But I spent my whole life wanting to be an explorer. And when I got rejected, it felt like all the hard work I put into learning was wasted. So, like my mother used to say, I stopped living in my childhood fantasy." "What did you learn as a practice?" Peaches asked after moving around, trying to get a bit cozier near the creek. "Well, I was never good at sports or any martial arts. But I spent my time reading about exploration and how explorers used to navigate through the jungle. I even got lost on purpose in a national park near my home and tried to make my way back once. I got a really bad scolding from my dad," Hera chuckled, "but that was just a kid playing pretend. I got rejected, so I had to forget all of that." "It was a nice plan. Knowing how to find yourself is a handy skill." "Yeah, too bad, it was just a kid messing around," Hera said, hugging her legs. "You still haven''t got it," Peaches said, letting out a long sigh. "Got what?" Hera asked. "This ain''t pretend anymore, kid. It''s the real deal. All that playing pretend is not playing anymore. It is you getting ready." Hera stared at Peaches, letting his words sink in. The useless things she forced herself to forget. How to find herself, how to mark a route, the patterns she could look for, everything that her mother judged her for learning. All that was now relevant, useful. "So, Kid. What would the young Hera do to find something in the forest?" Peaches asked. Hera thought for a moment. She spent so much time forcing those experiences away from her mind that it felt weird to search for them. "She would.. look around the area for any tracks first," she said. "And then?" "Then... if there was nothing. She would change her point of view. Look for a different perspective, but since she was a bit too literal. She would climb the tallest tree she could find," Hera said as she started to look around. "So? What are you waiting for, that is the tallest tree around. Get to climbing," Peaches said, pointing to a tree behind Hera. "No, that is a bad one. The branches are too thin. I need something more sturdy... Like that one!" Hera got up and dashed towards a tree on the other side of the water spring. She had a smile on her face, remembering all the fun she had while exploring the parks near her childhood home. As she ran, Peaches just stared at her. "I guess the new batch is not so bad." 54 Past Experiences Hera had reached the highest point on the tree or, at least, the highest that could stand her weight. The forest differed from what she expected from this angle. The area surrounding the water spring had many different types of trees, from pine to chestnut, and even the large oak she had climbed. It was almost like someone tried to make this place a greenhouse for trees. Hera could see a vast expanse from her vantage point. Even from this point of view, she could see the repetitiveness of the place. Scanning the area, she noticed one spot where the pattern changed. Balancing herself in the tree, she quickly made a note on the map to explore it later. She climbed down a branch to look at the other side. She could see not only Peaches and the spring but also a few patches where the tree pattern stopped. She figured one of them should be the town and another the flowerbed. But there was still a third one, smaller than the others. Marking it on the map, Hera started to look for the rake. It only took her a few moments to notice something odd. On the top of a spruce, the rake was balancing in a branch. It would be one thing if it was laying in several branches at once, but the rake was being held by with its metal claws in a single branch. "What the...?" Hera kept staring at it. How did that thing got stuck there? Hera looked around a bit more, just to be sure if she wasn''t missing anything else. Feeling confident she wouldn''t be able to find anything else here, Hera climbed down the tree. "Any luck?" Peaches yelled as she reached the ground. "Yeah, there are some places that seem interesting. And the rake is stuck in a tree here," Hera replied. "On a tree? Well, the farmer really is something," Hera stopped and stared at peaches. "Say, you didn''t give me that tip on purpose, did you?" Hera asked. "I have no idea what you are talking about, kid. You are the one that said that you would climb up trees," he replied with a smile. Hera squinted her eyes at him. It seemed a bit too convenient that the first thing she tried after talking to him led her to the rake. At the same time, it was her idea, Peaches never said anything about climbing trees or changing the perspective. "Ok, but how did Frank''s rake get there?" she asked. "Kid, c''mon. This is a test, but it is also trying to teach you somethings. What could those things be?" Hera thought for a moment. "Well... Finding the flowers was related to the monster attacks. Maybe it was about having more than a single solution for a problem? Or go the extra mile, since the assaults started once they could start again. Spreading the flowers is a long-term solution. Finding the metal for Betty seems like just a way to show that monsters can drop items. This one... would be to make us look into other directions? People tend to focus on what is happening in front of them or look down, It''s rare to see someone who has a habit of looking up," "That... Is almost completely right, damn kid, I underestimated you." "And I thought you were a fruit, can we call it even?" she said, moving back towards the trees. "Sure." Walking towards the spruce where the rake was, Hera considered her options. The tree seemed too weak for her to climb. If she had something big to throw, she could make the rake fall. "Peaches, do you mind me helping a little bit?" she asked. "Depend on what help you need. I can''t tell you anything about the test." "That''s fine. I just need something big to throw at the rake," Hera said. "Well, there are some big rocks around here, but they are kind of heavy. You need to pick a lighter one," Peaches replied. "Don''t worry about it. Just come here. I want to throw a green apple at it." "What green... HEY! YOU WANT TO THROW ME!?" Peaches snarled at Hera. Hera laughed and looked at the slime, walking towards the spring. "I''m just kidding, you are way too cute to be treated like that," she said. "Cute, she says, just after pulling that crap. Being saved by you was worse than being stuck there for the rest of the week." "I was just teasing, don''t be so grumpy," Peaches just clicked his tongue and looked away as a reply. Hera giggled and grabbed a few rocks from the creek. Her aim was terrible. It would be a miracle to get it on the first try. Yet, the first rock she threw hit the rake''s shaft, making it swing for a few seconds before stopping. Hera twisted her nose. "That''s just mean," she mumbled before throwing the next one. It took her almost twenty minutes to make the rake fall. During that time, one of the rocks even ricocheted into a lower branch and hit her in the head. That made Peaches laugh loudly and tease her for a few minutes. With Frank''s tool in hand, Hera looked at the time. It was still 3 o''clock. It seemed a waste to go back now, and she wanted to explore that area up north, where the pattern changed. "Say, Peaches. Do you think Farmer Frank would mind if I took a bit longer to give his rake back?" Hera asked. "Considering he is not really alive or has any sense of time. I don''t see why he would mind," Peaches replied. Hera was a bit surprised by the bluntness of the reply. Sure, the villagers were not real, but they were still so lifelike. "That was pretty heartless of you to say. Don''t you kind of live here with them?" "Yeah, but when you spend so much time with a company that can only reply a few pre-made phrases, it gets boring fast. To me, they are more like those animatronics things you would see in a theme park," Peaches explained. "Oh¡­ yeah, with time that might happen. But how long are you here with them?" Hera asked. "Longer than anyone should. And that''s the best answer you are getting." Understanding she shouldn''t press the subject, Hera changed the subject. "Ok. Peaches, I''m going north, there is an area that seems to be different from the rest, and since I''m already here, I might as well check it out," "You don''t have to tell me what you are going to do. Just go do it, kid," he replied. "I know, but it seems rude to leave without saying goodbye. Try not to get stuck again, I can''t come here every day to save you," Hera said as she walked towards the trees leading north. "Fair point, good luck, kid. Maybe we will see each other again before you finish the test," he said with a smile. "Of course, I need to say my goodbyes," she replied, entering the forest with the rake in hand. Traveling through the forest, Hera kept looking at her map to ensure she wasn''t moving in the wrong direction. It reached a point where she would spend more time looking at the map than at her surroundings. "Wait, since I have the map and I won''t get lost, I can polish some old skills, can''t I?" she mumbled. Hera walked towards a tree and started to dig near its trunk. When she was little, she used to carve some marks on the trees to make sure she wasn''t moving in circles. After some time, her dad explained to her that she should avoid making those types of marks. It hurt the tree, and some could last forever. Hera kept digging near the roots until her fingers could feel the moisture in the ground. She smeared the dirt into the trunk, creating a light brown mark on it. It wasn''t very distinct from the rest of the tree, but she could recognize the markings if she looked at the right spot. Using her waterskin, Hera made the dirt a bit wetter trying to get a better color. It needed a few drops, but she turned the light brown dirt into a reddish dirty one. Using that the mark was more obvious. She kept walking for another hour, stopping every few minutes to mark a new tree. If she had found any types of berries or fruits, it would have been easier to make the signs, but she only had dirt and water to work with. At the end of the hour, Hera saw the trees changing. From the same repetitive pattern to a beautiful orchard. Just by glancing about, she could see oranges, apples, grapes, bananas, and many bushes filled with berries. Looking around, she noticed that right near a strawberry bush, there was a papaya tree. Hera was never too interested in gardening, but she knew enough to tell that this shouldn''t be possible. Strawberries need a colder climate to grow, while papaya can''t grow fruit without warm conditions. It would be one thing if the trees were here, but only some of them had fruits. Yet, the orchard was filled with amazing looking fruit. Just by looking at the juicy red apples, Hera''s mouth started to water. Before doing anything else, she inspected the trees, just to be sure. All the descriptions seemed to be fine, only talking about the tree and the type of fruit they had. "Might as well stock up," she said to herself. Using the rake, Hera started to grab various fruits. She prioritized things that she could easily take back like apples, oranges, bananas, and avocados. She stared at the peach tree for a moment. Even though eating it could be weird, they looked delicious, and the smell was intoxicating. She quickly grabbed a few and tossed into her satchel. Scanning the area, she also saw a green apple tree, which she decided to ignore. That would be too close to a certain slime. After filling up her satchel, Hera picked some fruit to eat right now. Strawberries and more delicate fruits would be very troublesome to carry around. On the other hand, the watermelon and the pineapple would be too cumbersome. But she could have a quick bite around here. As she walked, Hera found the center of the orchard. It was a wider open area, almost like a small town square. In the center of it, there was a beautiful cherry blossom in full bloom. Before walking into the area, she activated her [Inspect]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ever-blooming cherry blossom Flora - Prunus - Prunus serrulata As the name suggests, the ever-blooming cherry blossom, or ever-blooming sakura tree, is always blooming. The flowers grow daily and fall during the night. Only to regrow before the next morning. Many ever-blooming trees can be found inside the MAZE, and it is considered a sign of good luck to find one by accident. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera smiled at the notification. It was a perfect spot for an afternoon snack. She grabbed a few fruits and sat down under the cherry blossom. While she ate, Hera wasn''t able to stop smiling. This place was beautiful, more so than any story or painting she ever saw. This is what she always wanted. To find a place where she could feel like she was in a different world and, even if just for a moment, be the only one there. 55 Finishing an errand Hera got up quickly, trying to wake herself up. After she ate under the cherry blossom, a lethargic feeling took over her making her want to take a nap. It wasn''t an unusual feeling. She had that every time she would eat her grandma''s cooking. She walked around the tree a few times, shaking herself awake. It was a bad idea to sleep outside the village. What if she took too long to go back and has to fight the slimes again? That was the last thing she wanted right now. Grabbing her things, Hera went back towards the village. She would take three hours or so to get back. If the slimes appeared at the same time, she would be cutting a bit close, but at least she had an idea of when it might happen. She hurried back, looking for the markings she had made on the trees. It was better to improve her own skills, and who knows, maybe that will influence the way her [Mapping] grows. Yet, after she spent ten minutes without seeing any markings, Hera opened the map. She went too far left if she kept going in this direction she could reach the homestead, but not the water spring as she wanted. "If I fix this, I might end up in the middle of the slimes again." Giving up on the idea of following her own tracks, Hera used the map to guide herself through the woods. She got so used to the repetitive patter that she could tell how many steps it would take before the pattern entered the next loop. After a couple of hours, Hera was not only getting close to the village but to the new open area she had seen. It would be a big detour if she wanted to look for it. Right now, it was close to seven again. The slimes didn''t appear until almost an hour later. She had the time to search for the area. Hera kept looking at the trees, hoping to find one that seemed strong enough to hold her. The problem was that those were all linden trees. They were sturdy at the base, but at the top, they were extremely brittle. Even if she tried to climb one of those, she would only be able to reach half the height she wanted. Looking at the map, the open area should be northwest of the village, or at least that what it seemed. Since the mission was to let Florence know of a good place, it was understandable that it wouldn''t be a place far away from the village. However, that would only be true if it was a real scenario. In this test, Hera had no idea what could reasonable. Maybe she could use the orchard as a way to finish her quest. After all, fruits come from flowers, and that place was really colorful. Still, it felt wrong to make a kid walk three hours just to get some flowers. Hera picked her tablet to check the map. "That''s weird." According to it, she had passed the area she saw. Turning around, Hera went back to the path she took, paying close attention to her surroundings, looking for something different between the trees. She even stopped playing around with the rake. During the travel, she had gotten quite good at making it stand on her hand. She had realized that it was useful to have something like that on her. After the test, she would search for a pocket staff or something to bring along when she enters the MAZE. It was hard to focus on looking for something in this place. Hera knew she was moving and that things around her could be hidden. But after seeing the same scenery so many times, it felt like she already saw everything the area had to show. "You know what, I still have five days, I''ll deal with this tomorrow," she said to herself. Picking the tablet to look at the map, she noticed the time. It was almost 8 p.m. Quickly confirming the direction she needed to go, Hera sprinted towards the village. "Crap, crap, crap," she kept saying. Since there was no dusk here, it was easy to lose track of time. That''s precisely what happened to her. Hera didn''t realize she had taken so long searching for the new area. A few moments after she started running, the night suddenly arrived. Just like the daw before, it was like someone had snuffed out the sun if there was a sun here, to begin with. Hera kept running towards the village. Unsure of when the slimes would appear. When she finally saw the wooden houses, she let out a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, she failed to notice a blue slime swinging towards her. The slime''s tentacle hit Hera''s neck, making her lose her footing and fall to the ground. She managed to roll forward and get up without losing too much of her speed. Looking back, Hera saw the slime approaching for another attack. She grabbed the rake and used it as a bat, sending the creature flying towards a tree. With a satisfied smile, Hera turned around and kept running towards the town. She managed to arrive before the slimes, who kept moving in circles around the village. Hayden was still keeping guard near the entrance, but the hunter had yet to fire a single arrow. "Thank you for the flowers, traveler. With that, I can just keep guard instead of killing the slimes. But we still need to find what is causing this behavior." The hunter thanked her in the usual mechanical tone. "I''ts fline, I''ll do i thwomorrows," Hera said. She didn''t realize before, but her head was spinning, the words came out garbled, and the entire world seemed to be moving too quickly, or she was moving too slowly. "You don''t look good traveler," Hayden said, approaching her, "Oh, it seems a blue slime hit you. Be careful, they let out a poison that messes with your head. It''s a good thing that the poison is not dangerous by itself. One good night of sleep is all you need to be back in shape." Hera tried to thank the hunter, but only an unrecognizable noise came out of her. She forced herself to walk towards the house she was staying, using the rake as a cane. None of the villagers tried to help her. They only stood there, waiting for her to interact with them. Hera knew that this was just a part of the test, it wasn''t that they were ignoring her, but they just weren''t able to do anything unless she talked to them. Still, that hurt. She imagined that no one would treat her like that after becoming an explorer, people would at least acknowledge her¡­ Suddenly, Hera woke up. She couldn''t tell how she got inside the house, much less when she fell asleep. The memories she had about the previous night stopped right after she arrived at the village when Hayden said something about poison. Trying to gather her thoughts, Hera went to the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. She still felt a bit woozy, but she couldn''t find anything else wrong with her. She ended up sleeping with clothes on, and right now, they were a mess. There were still stained spots from where the slimes hit her not to talk about the smell. She would need to throw these clothes away after the test. Leaving the house, Hera saw the rake lying on the floor. At least she wouldn''t have to go all the way back to the water spring today. Talking to Frank, Hera finished the quest. "Thank you very much. I don''t know what I would do if without the rake. I went up there looking for an orchard I planted a few years ago, but I ended up forgetting where it was," the farmer said. "Oh, I''ve found it. It is a beautiful place. I even got some fruit there. Which are yours, I guess? I can give them to you," Hera said. "No need. I''m just happy that small field grew into something lasting." Frank had a soft smile on his face. Hera tried to talk more about the orchard, but he went back to the repetitive replies. Hera walked back to the center of the village and opened her quests. She still had to find the reason for the attacks at night and find the flower field for Florence. Thinking about what to do, she looked around the homestead, for some reason, looking at these people was annoying her. She couldn''t tell why, but seeing them just standing around bugged her. Looking back at the quests, she considered her options. Dealing with the flower field could take some time, but it could end up being something quick. Going after the slimes gave her at least a couple of hours away from them, and she would be able to let out some steam. During the last month, she realized how relaxing was hitting things. Out of curiosity, she opened the test quest to check her progress. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Role test: ExplorerThe green forest and its residents hide many secrets, discover most of them to complete the test.This area is part of a simulation. The denizens of this place have limited interaction capabilities.Current discovery progress 60%[X] Discovered Woodland[X] Found Peaches[X] Found the materials for Betty, the blacksmith[X] Discovered a way to protect the village from attacks[X] Gazed upon the ever blooming tree[X] Retrieved farmer Frank''s rake[ ]?????????????[ ]????????????? Requirements achieved. [Press to end the test]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera stared at the quest for a moment. Her finger was hovering over the button on the screen. She could finish it already? Her heart started to beat faster and faster. If she finished the test right now, she could go back and become officially become an explorer. She could come back, talk to her friends, thank Helena, and start getting ready to explore the MAZE. She could also take a shower and eat some real food. Fruits were fine and all, but it didn''t beat a triple cheeseburger filled with bacon. As she was about to press it, she remembered what Omar said during the explanation of the role. He had gotten just a passing grade and got a radar as a reward. What would be the reward for a higher grade on the test? Could she get an item too? Maybe a pet or a skill? What if she could get a legacy here? She closed the quest. It was just a passing grade, and she could look for at least two things right now. The reason for the slimes behavior and the flower field for Florence. She grabbed some fruits and got ready to leave the village. If she dealt with the slimes, she could look for the flowers even at night. She made a quick stop at the creek to fill her waterskin and headed towards the slime den. Moving by the stream was more relaxing than through the forest. The only downside was that she needed to stop to relieve herself a couple of extra times. "I can''t believe flowing water has this effect on me, although I am drinking more water since I can refill it all the time. I just hope peaches don''t show up when I''m doing this," she said to herself. It was already uncomfortable to do this in the open, but having a talking apple around would be horrifying. Finally, reaching the area where the slimes lived, Hera traveled even deeper in their territory. She had to fight a couple of monsters, but she did her best to avoid tiring herself. It would be a wrong move to spend all her energy early on. She needed to be focused and ready for greater threats. Hera kept going for another hour in the slime area. During that time, she only fought about a dozen slimes. One trick that helped her a lot was using fruit as bait. If she threw a slice or a berry near them, the slimes would be too preoccupied with the food to notice her getting close. A couple of times, she even managed to strike fast enough to save the bait. That meant she could do it a few more times. After all, she didn''t want to use all her food just to kill the monsters. At the end of the hour, Hera saw the forest give way to a vast grassland. She tried to approach it, but her hand was stopped in the air as if she was pressing against a sheet of glass. This seemed to be a wall, like the ones Mr. Greyson talked about in the first week of training. The weirdest part of this wasn''t just being stopped by something she couldn''t see, but the wall was warm. Not enough to heat anything. It was colder than her hand, but it felt like an empty cup of coffee that was sitting out for a while. Hera kept walking along the wall, staring at the open field before her. The grass kept going all the way to the horizon. She could probably see for a few kilometers. There wasn''t any place like this in the real world. The closest to it would be the desert or the arctic, but never a grassland. Distracted by the view, she only stopped when a large rock was in her way. The boulder seemed to be pressed against the wall. Hera walked around it, trying to understand what she was seeing. Since she got close to the wall, no slimes appeared, so this should be something different. But the grey rock looked just like that, a grey rock. Unsure if it really was something Hera activated her [Inspect]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Apex Slime (Simulation)Type: Ruler A slime that grew to abnormal size due to its feeding habits. Devouring everything in its path, even rocks, the slime developed a unique trait, turning its body into a liquid that can change densities. It hunts by overwhelming its prey with its size and weight, or covering the prey with its vicious fluids and increasing the density until it cannot move. Species not present inside the MAZE, created exclusively for the test.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera was only able to read the name of the creature before the slime crashed down on her like a wave. 56 Between a rock and a hard place Helena had just teleported to the doorway floor. Micheal just sent her an SOS message. This couldn''t be good. She had to arrive at the end of a long hallway. After this point, no magic was allowed to not interfere with the equipment in the monitoring room. Helena dashed through the corridor, wondering if this rule was just like the no cellphones in airplanes one although she knew that on airplanes, cellphones could interfere with the pilots communicating with the ground. All this was just a way to distract herself. A quirk she ha pick up while researching magic on the fourth layer of the MAZE. Every time she could only wait for a reply or a result, she would flood her mind with random facts about whatever. Opening the monitoring room door, she saw the numerous screens showing the names of every explorer registered in this branch of the guild. This was the room where all the data from the bracelets was gathered. In the middle of it, Michael was sitting in front of a smaller screen split into nine parts. "That was quick," he said. "Do you expect me to take my time after you send an SOS? Now, what is going on?" Helena replied. "Yeah, right. Sorry. It might be nothing, but you did say to call you if anything happened. This was... I mean, I guess this can be something..."Michael started to explain before he was interrupted. "Michael! Stop blabbering and tell me what is going on," Helena reprimanded. "Right, this," he moved to the side and pointed to the vitals of one of the recruits, "Those are not normal, are they?" Helena stared at the screen. When she became a clerk, she got some basic training to do these readings. This was also a work she enjoyed doing. It felt very close to research, and sometimes she could even find something new. Reading the vitals, she could see the heart rate and the vitals increasing quickly, but the respiration rate had fallen to zero, and the temperature kept rising. "Michael, go get a healer and ask him to be on standby near the doorway. We might need to take a recruit out of the test, do it quickly," Helena said calmly. "Yes, ma''am," he replied and rushed outside the room. Helena could have a calm tone, but her face said otherwise. As the man left, Helena kept staring at the vitals of the recruit. She pressed her bracelet on a scanner, and a big red button labeled ''stop'' appeared beside the recruit''s name. "Why did you have to choose the one test that can be that dangerous, Hera?" she said to herself. #################################### The only thing Hera could see right now was the slime''s description. She felt as if she was buried under sand, and each passing second made it harder for her to move. She couldn''t even close the notification or breath. The grey slimy goo was covering her entire body. Thankfully, she could still see the sunlight. The slime wasn''t completely opaque. She did her best to move around, trying to find a way to escape from the creature''s grasp. As she managed to push one of her hands outwards, the creature shifted its body, making Hera lose any ground she had gained. She tried to move downward, attempting to reach solid ground. But the slime stretched herself up, making Hera stay even farther away from the floor. The creature unintendedly made its body more flexible as it changed shape, giving Hera the chance to move around. Trying to reach out, she did her best to feel any indication of where she could go. A small warm feeling near her back caught Hera''s attention. It felt almost like the spheres she used during the evade training. Spinning inside the creature was closer to swimming than to moving on the ground. It took Hera longer than she was expecting to face that heat. She was starting to feel dizzy. It''s been too long since she had to hold her breath. Looking down, she could see a shape, a circular shape around the size of a baseball. She reached towards it, and the creature shifted, stretching even higher. Hera felt it was easier moving around. She tried to seize the object once more, and the slime stretched yet again. To anyone outside, the apex slime was now taller than the trees. Feeling like she could move more freely, Hera pretended like the liquid was as dense as always and pushed her hand closer to what she believed to be the slime''s core. The moment she felt it was close enough to grasp it, Hera snapped her arm towards it. As she grasped the core with the tip of her fingers, the slime started to spasm wildly. It contracted and stretched in various directions, Hera felt like she was being crushed. At the same time that the liquid gave more room for her to move. She pressed the core as tightly as she could, trying to reach her chakram with the other hand. For a moment, the slime shifted in a way that a small hole led some air towards Hera. She breathed in as much as she could at the same time that her off-hand grasped the handle of the chakram. Pushing the liquid away, Hera tried to aim the chakram to strike the slime''s core. However, the moment the chakram passed through part of the sludge in front of her, the creature compressed back into the size of a boulder and spat Hera out. Hera hit the ground and tumbled back, coughing and wheezing as she gasped for air. The slime was still having some spasms, but they started to get weaker. After a few moments, Hera managed to get back up and stare at the creature. Her body hurt, she could see black bruises around her arms, but the adrenalin pumping through her veins was enough to turn the pain into a slight discomfort. As she got up, the slime stopped moving around and started approaching her, several tendrils of sludge raised above it, pointing towards the recruit. Hera wanted to run. This creature was too much for her to fight alone. But could she? What would happen if she tried to run, and the slime attacked her? It was too risky, even if every inch of her body wanted to flee, but she had to wait for the right time. The slime attacked with one of its tentacles, the same way one would attack using a spear. Hera dodged to the side and slashed the tendril with the chakram, cutting it away from the rest of the body. The part that she removed fell into the ground and started to dissolve. Hera glanced at it and saw that it was taking more time than the other slimes to disappear. The creature attacked again. Two more tendrils flew towards Hera. She dodged the first, but the second hit her right shoulder. The hit wasn''t strong enough to make Hera fall, but it took away her chance of attacking one of the tendrils. Looking around, Hera could see the grassland to her left. She was too close to the wall. The tendrils were assailing Hera while she kept dodging most of them. Being grazed by a few and cutting off others. She was trying to move away from the wall, not only so she wouldn''t end up being blocked by it, but also to increase her chances of escaping. As she fought, one of the tendrils hit one part that was cut off from the slime. The moment it did that, the motionless liquid started to move and came back to the slime with the tentacle. Seeing that, Hera frowned. She planned to keep cutting the creature into pieces so it wouldn''t be able to reach her as she ran. The tendrils kept attacking, but now, the slime was with its back against the wall. Hera took a step back with each dodge, cutting the tentacles at every opportunity she had. Until one of the slime''s attacks stopped before reaching her. That was the chance she was expecting. She waited for one more round of attacks, and they all missed, stopping a few centimeters short of reaching her. Before the tendrils even returned to the slime, Hera turned around and started to run. She knew that the MAZE was a dangerous place, but she also knew that running away would always be an option. The test is over. She can just finish it right now. She didn''t try to do it before because she usually would freeze during the teleportation. If the slime was still moving, it could easily kill her. She needed to find a safe place. Somewhere she could stop and end the test. Hera glanced back and saw the slime reaching its tendrils to several trees. In a way, it almost looked like a slingshot. Coming with that realization, Hera dove down at the same time the slime catapulted itself towards her. The monster flew past Hera and landed in front of her, blocking her path. "Seriously? I just wanna finish the test!" she yelled. The tendrils raised once again as Hera grasped her weapons tightly. If that thing wasn''t going to let her pass, she would have to finish it. It took Hera almost half an hour, but now the creature had been reduced to the size of a large dog. Comparing with the boulder it was before, right now, it was much less menacing. Hera was feeling sore, sweat dripped from her face, but the creature was relentless in its attacks. It almost seemed like it had infinite stamina, even after being reduced to this size. Right now, Hera probably would be able to run from it. Yet, she spent so much time dealing with the creature that it felt a waste to run now. She needed to finish this. She dashed towards the monster and aimed her handaxe towards where she felt the creature''s core. The slime tried to grab her arm, but Hera used the chakram to cut away another piece of the monster. She kept slashing at the slime, and the slime attacked her back. There was no technique or skill in this fight. It looked like two beasts trying to kill each other before they were killed. A few moments later, Hera finally made a cut deep enough to reach the core. The slime shivered and started to spasm out wildly. Its body changing its density quickly and randomly. It even created spikes that pierced Hera''s arms and shoulder. But she didn''t care. She wanted to kill this monster. Hera hit the core once again, and the spams only became more savage. On the third strike, the slime lost part of its form, becoming little more than a puddle on the ground. Having a clearer shot, Hera slashed the core with all her strength, making the handaxe lodge itself deep into the ground. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The core broke in half, and the rest of the slime dissolved in an instant. Even the pieces spread around the area disappeared. Now, the broken slime core was floating in a puddle of dark purple liquid. Worried it might be something else, Hera stepped back and activated her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Broken Apex slime core~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Liquid metal - Purple~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Seeing the names, Hera relaxed. The slime was dead. Picking her satchel, she noticed that the monster partially ate the fruits inside it. Even her waterskin was dirty. She threw away the contents of the bag and placed the metal inside of it. It was a piece much larger than the ones she got from the regular slimes. Maybe this would be enough for Betty to make a weapon. Activating her [Inspect], she tried to get more information about the objects. The metal had only one line saying that the metal can change its color and proprieties, depending on the monster that generated it. The core, on the other hand, had more information. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Broken slime core (Simulation)Type: Apex SlimeThe core of a slime creature. It controls how the rest of the body moves. In most cases, the core stays in the center of the slime''s mass, even when it changes shape.The quickest way of defeating a slime is to destroy its core. A creature with an apex core becomes the unofficial leader of the species in that area. In situations where the species have a leader, it is typical to see the monsters becoming more aggressive and presenting odd behaviors. Species not present inside the MAZE, created exclusively for the test.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I guess I finished this one too," she said with a smile. Reaching for the core and the liquid metal, Hera felt a sharp pain through her body. Looking at her arms, she was covered in bruises and small cuts. Grabbing her tablet, she opened the test quest. Sadly, it was still at 60%. She probably would need to talk to Hayden before completing this quest. She picked her drops and moved towards the creek to wash herself, and then walked back to Woodland. It took her longer than she wanted, but she wasn''t in the best shape right now. When she arrived, Hayden was at the entrance of the village. She talked to the hunter, who thanked her for the job, completing her quest. He also said something about the legend of a slime that walked like a human, but Hera was too tired to pay attention. She walked towards Betty, asking about the weapon. Confirming that the blacksmith had everything that she needed, Hera asked for a handaxe. Betty said she could do it, but she would need one day. Hera nodded and went to the house she was using. She didn''t care if it was still light out. She needed a long night of sleep after that fight. She sat on the bed and stared at the tablet. "Maybe I should finish the test now. It doesn''t matter if I can''t go past 60%," she mumbled. "Are you sure about that?" Hera looked up. In the middle of the table, there was a familiar giant green apple looking at her. "Peaches?" 57 Hard Choices "That''s my name, kid," Peaches said. He was near some of the fruits that Hera had brought back from the orchard. It was easy to miss him, even though he was much bigger than the other apples, he blended well in the arrangement. "Yeah, I know, but what are you doing here?" Hera asked. "Well, I came here to congratulate you on beating the slime. But looking at you right now, I''m not sure who won that fight." "Very funny, I''m still learning how to fight, ok," she snarled. "Ok, ok, calm down. I was just checking up on you." Hera let out a lengthy sigh, "Yeah, Sorry. The pain is getting to me." "The apex slime really did a number on you, but you managed to finish the quest." Hera stared at the slime. "How did you know that?" she asked. "I''m the supervisor for the test, remember? I know when you complete a quest. Because of that, I know that even if you finish the test now, it won''t be at 60% anymore," he explained. Hera picked the tablet and looked at the quest. He was right. The quest was now at 70%. The objective completed was ''fixed the slime''s odd behavior.'' "Well, I''m above the minimum now. But I''m not sure I can keep going," she said. "Why is that?" Peaches asked. "I think I have a couple of broken ribs. It hurts to breathe and to move my right arm. I don''t want to stop like this, but it might be too reckless to continue," As she talked, Hera lowered her head. She worked so hard to get here. She wanted to explore more, find the damn flowers for Florence, and explore the other side of the creek. There was so much to do here, and yet because she failed to use the skills she has at the right time, she had to stop. Hera felt her eyes watering while she clenched her fist. "Kid, you''re too hard on yourself. Most recruits that do this test choose to end it as soon as they can. Most complain about the lack of bathrooms around the forest, or that is too hard to find everything. You did pretty well so far. It took you only three days to get 70% of the test. Your performance is already way above average," Peaches said. "But I could''ve done better. I can be better," Hera said in a weak voice. "Kid, this is a test to see how you deal with the role. Knowing when you are out of your league is part of it. Explorers are the first ones to enter a new room, the ones that travel to uncharted territories. Being able to tell when you reached your limit is probably the skill that will keep you alive," "So you are telling me that I should finish the test now?" she asked. "I''m not telling you anything. I''m explaining how the role works. You can make whatever conclusion you want from it," Peaches said, winking at the recruit. That made Hera laugh, but the movement only increased the pain. "Ouch," she said as she stopped laughing, "Thanks, Peaches. I guess you are right. Even if I don''t get the full reward, I''m still going to be an explorer." "Exactly, and it''s not like you can''t get the..." Peaches stopped speaking abruptly, "Nevermind." " It''s not like you can''t what?" Hera asked. "No, not saying, forget about that." "Aww, c''mon you beautiful slime, you can tell me." "Zip it. You''re gonna make me lose my job," he grunted. "Fine, but you are breaking my heart," "That wasn''t me. It was the apex slime," Peaches laughed. Hera smiled and picked her tablet, "Do you have any idea how long it will take Betty to finish my handaxe?" "Oh, you got some materials? It usually takes a day or two, depending on what she''s doing." "Two days..." Hera stared at her chest, "I''m not sure if this would be an emergency or not, what do you think?" "Well, if you were a slime, I could tell you. But I don''t know how you humans work. I can say that your right side seems a bit bigger than the left." "I don''t think I should risk it. I got cut a few times, I tried to clean them, but I''m worried it might get infected." "That''s a good plan, kid. Getting a high grade here won''t matter if you end up dying just after finishing the test." "Wow, way to be grim," Hera said as she picked the tablet, "Thank you for everything, Peaches. I hope I can see you again someday." "Anytime, it''s been a pleasure, Hera." Hera smiled and pressed the button to end the test, closing her eyes afterward. She didn''t want to be blinded by that light again. A few moments passed, and Hera felt no change. There was no tingling sensation, no change in the lighting, nothing. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was Peaches with a smug smile on his face. "Why is this not working?" she asked. "Who said it''s not? Look behind you." Hera turned her head and saw that the wall behind her had vanished. She could see the village and the forest she traveled through during the last few days. The sky suddenly turned white, and the trees started to collapse as if they were made of sand. In less than one minute, Hera found herself in a familiar white room. The only things that were still here were the table that Peaches was using, the bed she was sitting on, and the door of the house. "Peaches, what is going on?" she asked. "As I said, I''m the supervisor of the test. And I''m also the one who tally ups your score," he explained. "They why didn''t you tell me?" "Well, I couldn''t, part of the rules. Also, I would miss that look on your face." Hera scoffed while peaches closed his eyes. They spent a few moments like that before Hera finally asking. "So, what now?" "Just give me a minute, I''m finishing up something." Hera stopped talking and waited, looking around she couldn''t tell if this room was as big as the area she was in or if it was a different place altogether. A knock on the door interrupted Hera''s thoughts. Peaches made a motion with his head, and the door opened. Betty walked in and placed a handaxe beside Hera. Without saying anything, she turned around and left through the door. "Sorry about that. If you end the test before an item is ready, we speed up the time inside the blacksmith''s house so you can have it. It wouldn''t be very fair to take away something you worked so hard for." Hera nodded without taking away her eyes from the weapon. It had a long dark grey handle that was about the size of her forearms and bent backward a bit. The blade had a dark purple tint. It was so well polished that she could see her reflection on it, and when the light hit it in the right angle, she could see a rainbow on the blade. The head of the axe looked like a Francisca, but as it reached the edge, it became longer resembling more a broad axe. She reached out to the weapon but stopped, activating her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Nameless handaxeRarity: Uncommon A handaxe created by Betty the Blacksmith using a purple liquid metal that came from an apex slime. The proprieties of the slime were imbued into the weapon, changing the weapon''s weight to be little more than 500 grams. The material used also gives the weapon increased durability. Attribute scaling:Strength x 1.1 Additional effect:When in contact with water, the handaxe can function as a floating device.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As she read the description, Hera remembered the class about equipment. Most weapons that were found inside the maze could increase one attack''s strength when used with a specific attribute. In this case, if her strength was at 10, strikes with the weapon would consider her stat to be 11. The additional effect was an odd one, though. But it was her first equipment, and she was lucky enough to get something that scaled with her stats. She reached out for the axe, and the moment her hand touched it, a notification appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Do you wish to name the nameless handaxe?[Yes] [No]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Why is it asking me to name it?" she mumbled. "Because Betty is technically a machine. So the naming right would be to the one who looked for the materials." Peaches explained. "Oh... ok." Hera thought for a moment. When she was little, she had a stuffed bunny that she pretended to be her companion. She called it Iris. it seemed silly, but her first weapon might as well have the same name. She pressed yes and typed the name and pressed ok. The description immediately changed the name of the handaxe. Hera picked the handaxe. Not only was it light, but it was also very comfortable to hold. She gave it a couple of swings. It felt right. The weapon was different than the ones she used before. It was almost like the axe was helping with the movement. "Kid, I know you just got a new toy, but can we wrap this up? After you recover, I''m sure you will have plenty of opportunities to test it out," Peaches said. "Oh, sorry. Please, what do I need to do?" "Nothing, Let''s just see here." A notification appeared behind peaches, showing Hera''s quest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Role test: ExplorerThe green forest and its residents hide many secrets, discover most of them to complete the test.This area is part of a simulation. The denizens of this place have limited interaction capabilities.Current discovery progress 75% [X] Discovered Woodland[X] Found Peaches[X] Found the materials for Betty, the blacksmith[X] Discovered a way to protect the village from attacks[X] Gazed upon the ever-blooming tree[X] Retrieved farmer Frank''s rake[X] Fixed the slime''s odd behavior.[ ]?????????????[ ]????????????? [/] Received a weapon from betty made from a rare material~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You did quite well, only missed two things. But you just got the rare material for the weapon, not the unique one, so that''s only a half complete." Peaches explained. "Was I close to getting the unique material?" Hera asked. "Not really, there were a couple of times that you were kind of going in the right direction, but you were still really far from it." Hera looked down. She wasn''t able to find anything about that material. And she barely ever explored the area across the creek. There was still so much to explore. "Hey, now, don''t be sad. We talked about this," Peaches said, "Your result is... that you passed with a good grade if we say it in a letter, the system gave you a C, but I would give you a B-, C+ if I''m being stingy." Hera looked up. She was used to getting Cs. This whole training really felt like high school, aside from the monsters, magic, and almost being eaten alive. "Congratulations! Now for your first reward. I think you are going to enjoy that. Just for the record, the system makes those. I have no say in the matter, but I can explain to you how it works." As Peaches spoke a small platform raised beside Hera with what looked like a black lighter on top of it. She picked the object and opened its lid. Inside there was a thread positioned in a way that reminded her of dental floss. "Is this your way of saying that my breath stinks?" she asked. "To be fair, your whole body stinks right now." Hera stared daggers at Peaches and then activated her [Inspect] on the object. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Yarnball - Explorer''s relic An extremely resilient string that takes its strength from its owner. It can return any objects attached to it to the user, be used as a dowsing rod, or as a threat alarm. Passive effects:Returning stringIf an object is tied to the string when throw, the object will return to the case after reaching the maximum distance of the string. Current maximum distance: 10 Meters Danger senseWhen the object is near a monster, it pulses according to the distance of the creature. It can only detect monsters that are not hidden. The range of this effect depends on its owner''s strength.Current range: 5 meters. Active effect: Dowsing rodBy letting the string loose and pointing it down, you can ask about a location, item, or creature. The string will point towards the direction where the query is located. The accuracy of this effect depends on its owner''s strength. Cooldown: 168 hours~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera read the description a few times. It seemed underwhelming, especially compared to the radar that Omar had. Seeing her frown, Peaches intervened. "Don''t feel bad. Most explorers get something weird that seems weak at first. But the system created that item just for you, thinking about your strengths and shortcomings. If you have any questions about how that works, feel free to ask. The system gave me a rundown." Asking a few questions, Hera got the gist of how that the item worked. She had to admit that the returning string seemed really useful. That way, she could have some range in her attacks. "Ok, now for the second reward, this one has a few rules," Peaches said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The test supervisor approves your result.Explorer role skill [Local Guide] acquired. Local Guide It allows you to summon the guide of the room you are in. The guide will stay for five minutes and answer any questions you have about the room. You can summon the guide only once per room. Information about this skill can only be discussed with explorers who have the skill.Information about a specific guide can only be discussed with explorers who have met said guide.If these rules are broken three times, the skill will be removed.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 58 Unexpected skill "Am I seeing this right? Why is this an explorer role skill?" Hera asked. "Because every role gets one, that''s how the system made it," Peaches answered. Hera stared at him, confused. "But explorers don''t have a role skill. They never choose something to focus on. That''s why they were left with nothing." "That''s half right. The thing is, explorers, focused on exploring. Then, the system gave them a skill that would help with that. But unlike the other ones, this skill won''t evolve or affect other skills. To balance it out, the system created the custom gear you get," Peaches explained. "That doesn''t make much sense. Why give a skill like that and not something like the other roles? And what is this about losing the skill if I tell someone about it?" she asked. "Well, complain to the system if you want, but I doubt you will get any replies. I have no clue why it chose the skill to be like that. You losing the skill is sort of a punishment because of something that happened long ago. Some explorers used to set traps for the guides, and when they started to get close to succeeding, the skill had that change. The first change was that if a guide was about to be attacked, it would vanish. Now we also have someone who will evaluate the test deciding if the explorer is trustworthy enough to use the skill responsibly," Peaches said. Hera stopped for a moment, "So does that mean that that you trust me?" "Yeah, I trust you." "Is this because I saved you from being stuck inside the water spring?" Hera snickered. Peaches coughed, "Maybe... Now anyway, back to the skill. You can''t talk to people about it. And I mean can''t, not shouldn''t. If you try, the system will freeze you, like when you are going through a doorway." "So... how can I know If I can talk about it?" Hera asked "That''s up to you. Ask questions around the subject, but avoid saying it outright. Even mentioning that the skill exists is forbidden. I think the worst part is that if you are talking with someone that has the skill, the system won''t tell you even if a question would be off-limits otherwise." "What do you mean?" "Like, If you ask me, ''Did you see a talking green apple in the test?'' That would be a question that would count as you breaking the rules once. But if I have the skill, nothing will happen. But you don''t know if the question would give you a strike or not." "So, it''s kind of like a game of charades that you lose if you give a wrong answer?" Hera asked. "I would say Pictionary where you can''t draw what it is, but sure." "That doesn''t make any sense, how can I draw things that are not the word?" Hera sneered. "That''s how I played, don''t like it, don''t join in." Peaches scoffed as he turned around. "Awww don''t be like that," Hera said. "Nope, you lost your invitation. Better luck next time," Peaches replied. "So there is going to be a next time?" Hera asked with a smile. "Maybe, that''s up to you, kid." "How?" she asked. "Just keep being an explorer, I can''t say much right now. If you play your cards right, we might meet again." Hera looked at her new friend. He had done so much. It was nice knowing that they could meet again. Yet, she didn''t know how long it would take. Getting teary-eyed, she rubbed her face. "Yeah, you really need to go, kid. You must be in a lot of pain." Hera shook her head, "It''s not that. I''m just going to miss you." Peaches turned away, his cheeks turning a bit brown. "I''m gonna miss you too, kid." A few moments passed, with Hera smiling at Peaches while the slime got increasingly more embarrassed. "Well, your test is done, you can go back and finish the paperwork to be a fully-fledged explorer." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Role Test: Explorer Quest completed Return to the Explorer''s Guild to receive your reward ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As soon as the notification appeared, a pearl white doorway materialized behind Peaches. Hera got up and started walking towards the door, stopping by the table and giving Peaches a big hug. "I''m not hugging you back because, you know, no arms. But consider yourself hugged kid," Peaches said. Hera laughed, "Ok, Thanks for everything, Peaches." "Anytime, Hera." She walked towards the doorway, looking back to the slime. He was sitting on the table, smiling at her. She touched the door, and her body froze. A tingling sensation was covering her limbs. At the moment, a thought crossed her mind. What was going to happen to Peaches? Would he be alone there until someone else showed up? Or would he go some place else? Before she could reach a conclusion, the light changed as she heard the bustling sounds of the MAZE reception inside the guild. "Yo, a recruit came out!" a tall man said. "Hey, congratulati.... what the hell happened to you?" a burly man asked. "Are you ok? Oh, girl, you need a shower," a woman wearing a leather jacket said. "Ok, ok, all of you give her some space. Hera, right? I''m Bianca, one of the attendants, could you come with me, please?" A woman with short dark hair and glasses approached Hera. She was wearing the guild uniform, a vest with a dress shirt, and black pants. As she walked, her heels made a loud clack noise. "Hi, it''s a pleasure to meet you," Hera put out a hand, but the pain on her abdomen made her recoil. "Can you walk? Do you need a wheelchair?" Bianca asked. "I can walk," Hera replied weakly. She felt as if it was harder to breathe in here. Her body felt heavier. "Ok, come with me. We will find you a healer first. Then we do the rest." Hera just nodded as she walked beside the attendant. They moved through a hallway towards a room that looked like an infirmary. There were various beds spread around and curtains that could be used to give someone more privacy. Only one of the beds seemed to be occupied, and a man was sitting in a chair near the door wearing light green scrubs. "G¨¦rard, can you do an emergency check on her?" Bianca asked. The man had big bags under his eyes and a vacant expression. He stared at Hera for a moment and got up, walking towards a bed. "Sit here." The man seemed off. His mind seemed to be somewhere else. It was like looking at someone who just quit their job but has to work for one more day. Hera looked back at the clerk, who just gave her a confirming nod. She sat on the bed with some difficulty. Her ribs seemed to move around as she walked. "Stay still," G¨¦rard said. He closed his eyes, and a light green glow covered his eyelids. He moved around as if he was looking at Hera with his eyes closed. The man pressed his fingers on her ribs, making Hera flinch. "Sorry, you seem to have fractured a couple of ribs. Your femur and tibia are also cracked, and there are some lesser tears in your arms. It looks like the injuries you see in people who were found in collapsed buildings. Those puncture wounds are not very deep, but we need to clean them. Can you take off your shirt?" G¨¦rard asked. Hera''s face turned red. She spent the last few days without taking a bath or changing clothes. Take off her shirt in front of a strange man was among the last things she wanted to do. G¨¦rard let out a lengthy sigh. "Bianca, could you call the little one?" The man asked. The attendant nodded and left the room while the man walked towards a cabinet and started to prepare something. "Should I do something?" Hera asked. "Just say there for a moment, avoid any abrupt movements," the man replied without even looking in Hera''s direction. Hera stayed there, with Yarnball in her hand and Iris resting on her belt. It was strange. Walking around with a handaxe felt more natural now. Although the weight was different than what she was used to, holding Yarnball, on the other hand, felt familiar. Like she used to do it all the time. Hera never smoked or carried a case of floss around, but this small black container felt like part of her. Distracted by her new relic, Hera failed to notice when a short chubby woman was approaching. The woman closed the drapes around the bed, making a loud noise, snapping Hera out of her meandering. "Mr. Kaplan, what do I need to do with this one?" the woman asked. She had long brown hair, with braids coming from each side of her head, she wore light green scrubs as well and had a ring on her nose. "Clean her wounds, be careful with her ribs. If she moves too much, they might get even more out of place." "Aye aye, captain." "Stop playing pirate and get to work," G¨¦rard said. The woman pouted and proceeded to check Hera''s wound. "Wow, something got you really bad, huh? Do you think you can raise your arms, or is it better to cut off the shirt?" "I think raising my arms will be too much. And honestly, I''m going to throw this shirt away. It'' too dirty." Hera replied. "Good call, I wasn''t going to say anything, but this one seems like a goner." The woman grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the back of Hera''s shirt. Looking down, Hera could see a large dark purple mark on the side of her body. The pain she was feeling increased, making her feel dizzy. "No, no, no, stay with me, honey. If you pass out now, it''s going to be harder to do our job. What''s your name? I''m Enrica." "I''m Hera," she replied weakly. The woman kept asking various questions while she cleaned Hera''s wounds to distract her from the pain. Luckily it didn''t take too long. When she was done, Enrica helped Hera to take off her pants and gave her a hospital gown. She then placed all of Hera''s belongings inside a nightstand by the bed and locked it using the recruit''s bracelet. "Doc, she''s ready for you," Enrica said. "I''m a healer, not a doctor," Ger¨¢s replied as he approached Hera with a syringe filled with a neon green liquid, "Listen, this will hurt for a moment, but then I can place your bones in the right spots and start the healing. You need to be awake because I need you to tell me if the pain gets too strong. Some people have a strong reaction to this potion, but it''s the best one for broken bones." Hera nodded, and the healer stuck the needle near her clavicle. She felt a burning sensation flooding her chest. It felt like someone had spilled hot coffee inside of her. But the pain wasn''t too severe. Little by little, the burning sensation started to move inside her. First towards her ribs, and then it split and reached her legs and arms. Hera looked at G¨¦rard. The man had a focused expression, and his eyes had a green glow. He seemed to be staring at the parts of the heat that were moving. After some time, when most of her body was covered with that burning sensation. The healer stopped and sat beside her. "If you want, you can sleep now. We can even help with that," G¨¦rard said. "Yes, please. I''m tired," Hera replied. The healer gave a nod to Enrica, who started to sing a lullaby. His voice was soft and melodic. It made Hera remind of when her grandma would sing her to her as a child. In just a few moments, Hera began to sleep. 59 Interview Hera woke up a few hours later. She was feeling much better. Looking at her wounds, most of the cuts and nicks she had were closed, with just the deeper ones still bandaged. Her arms and legs were fine. She wasn''t feeling any pain even when moving them around. Her ribs were still sore, and there was still a large purple spot on her side. But it was much smaller than when she arrived. She pushed herself up, trying to sit on the bed, groaning a bit as she moved. With the noise, Enrica opened the curtain. "Wow, what are you doing? You can''t get up now." "Sorry, I was just trying to sit. What time is it? Actually, what day is it?" Hera asked. "You were sleeping for a good ten hours. Don''t worry, it''s a normal reaction to the treatment we gave you. Today Wednesday and it''s about 7:40 AM," Enrica talked as she helped Hera to adjust herself. "10 hours? Are you sure? I could have sworn that I left the test room in the middle of the afternoon," Hera said. "Pretty sure. I''m on call with G¨¦rard today, and we have a 15-hour shift. We wouldn''t mess up the time it will take before we can go home," the assistant laughed. Hera stayed a few more hours under observation. G¨¦rard showed up and used a different potion to help her heal. This time she was supposed to drink it while he used his magic to clear out her bruises. By the time their shift had come to an end, Hera was discharged from the infirmary. She was wearing a tracksuit from the guild since her clothes were unusable. They say she shouldn''t go inside the MAZE for a week and give her some medicine to improve her natural healing. She walked toward the reception in front of the doorway and saw Carol. They exchanged greetings, and Hera completed the mission. "Great! Congratulations on finishing your first mission. Let me see here. You are all good. Completing the quest and getting a passing grade on the written exam, you are all set to be an explorer. There are just two things we need to do. Some paperwork and the interview," Carol said. "What interview?" Hera asked. "Greyson didn''t tell you?" Hera shook her head. "Fucking hell, ok. The interview is something that we use, so anyone interested in forming a party with you or any group that is interested in hiring can get a glimpse of who you are. Don''t worry. It''s nothing complicated. Just some general questions like why did you become an explorer, what are your strengths and values, stuff like that. Since your role is explorer, let me call one to talk to you. That way, someone who knows what is expected of you can ask the right questions," the clerk explained. A few minutes later, Carol sent Hera to a small office on the second floor of the guild. Apparently, the only explorer available for the interview was the Guild Master''s assistant. Hera stood in front of the door, nervous about making someone so important waste time with her. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Come in," a voice said from inside. "Excuse me," Hera said as she opened the door. Contrary to her expectation, the assistant was an older man. He had long black hair with grey stripes and a full beard that grew to a point reaching his chest. He was wearing a green dress shirt with a teal overcoat. Oddly enough, the man was using a quill to write while he was using a calculator with his right hand. "Please, have a seat. I will be with you in a moment," the man said. Hera sat on the chair in front of him. He had a solemn voice, but it wasn''t as imposing as his looks implied. The man worked fast. His fingers never stopped pressing buttons on the calculator, and the quill was moving continuously. Curious about what he was doing, Hera glanced over and saw a long spreadsheet filled with numbers. It looked like when her dad was checking his store''s finances. "Ms. Kingsley," as the man spoke, Hera jolted in her chairs, straightening her posture, "I apologize for making you wait. I wasn''t expecting to perform an interview today." "No, I''m sorry. I had no idea I would cause so much trouble. If you are too busy, I can come back another time Mr....." Hera froze. She had no idea what his name was. "Morgan, and no mister, please. It makes me feel older than I already am." Hera nodded, trying to be polite to the man she was disturbing, but her eyes kept shifting to the quill. It was such an odd thing to see these days. And there were no ink bottles on the table. The quill itself was beautiful. It was a long white feather that curled at the end. It had such elegance to it that it seemed to be a relic from an old kingdom. "I see this piqued your interest. It was a gift from the guild master. This quill never runs out of ink, well to be more accurate, it turns mana into ink. Even after all these years, I''m still amazed by what we the crafters can do," The man said while staring at the quill. "I know, right? Sometimes I feel like a kid, but there are so many amazing things that we can do because of magic and the maze. Even everyday stuff like the bracelets or the lamps on the street." Seeing Morgan''s expression, Hera felt like that she was too eager. She wasn''t here to make small talk. "Sorry, I know we are not here for this," she said. "Don''t worry. This is good for the interview. It is not simply about your qualifications, but also about what type of person you are. As I''m sure you are aware, this will be used for parties and organizations that are recruiting. For the second group, it won''t matter as much. But when forming a party, they need to know about your personality, although this is more relevant later on. Explorers that are just starting usually either go in alone or form parties among their class." Hera realized that she never considered if she would go with someone. She always thought about doing everything on her own. After fighting with the apex slime, she felt it could be a good idea to have someone with her. However, she quickly became worried about the concept. What if she wanted to explore on her own, or if she wanted to use her [Local Guide] skill? Having people around her could be a problem. Morgan asked her about the skills she had and how the test went, as well as her hopes and dreams for the future. Hera answered the questions one after another, even stating that she just wanted to explore and didn''t have any bigger goals than that. At least, not right now. Morgan asked about the role skills she wanted to learn, but Hera wasn''t able to make up her mind. She wanted to learn five of them, but [Learn] [Blueprint] and [Assassinate] were the ones that interested her the most. "Why, Assassinate? You don''t give me a very assassin feeling," Morgan asked. "The test showed me how valuable it is to be able to sneak around unnoticed. I was not successful in doing so, but I was attacked by monsters who were good at it. I think that learning Assassinate will improve my knowledge of how to hide effectively, and If I know how to hide. I know what to search for to see if something is hiding around me," she explained. Morgan sat back in his chair, placing two fingers in front of his lips as Hera talked. "By that logic, wouldn''t Hunt be a better choice of skill? Our best trackers are hunters," Morgan said. "I imagine they are, but I was told that an explorer can''t get all the skills. If I have to prioritize, I will be better at hiding than finding hidden enemies. Besides, my relic has a proximity alarm of sorts. I think that will be enough for now." "Is not that an explorer can''t get all the skills. It is just hard to do so, and the results are not as great as one would expect. I know of a couple of explorers who have all the role skills, but they regret wasting so much time learning them all. It''s not a good idea to spread yourself too thin. But having Hunt as a fourth skill is a good idea," Morgan said. "Actually, it would be my fifth. I want Synch as my fourth." Morgan simply nodded at the reply. It was almost impossible to find an explorer that didn''t pick Synch as one of their role skills. All children had dreams of being a powerful mage at some point. It wasn''t an unexpected result. He also asked about her relic, and what it could help her accomplish. Morgan made it clear that it should be just a general idea and that the actual specifics are private information so they wouldn''t put it on the interview. Hera kept answering questions until Morgan started asking about the people she met inside the test. The way he was phrasing the questions made it seem like he wanted to know about Peaches, but Hera was never entirely sure if it was that or if it was someone checking if the test is working as it should. After a few minutes of back and forth, Morgan let out a sigh. "Just one moment if you will," he said as he picked a golden coin from his pocket. He typed something on his tablet and kept staring at the coin. After a few moments, he flipped the coin and looked at the result. Hera glanced at it and saw the image of a skull on the coin. "Very well, I guess I can miss another one if needed," Morgan whispered, "Let me be blunt Hera, did Peaches gave you a skill?" he asked. Hera''s eyes went wide. Did he really ask that? What if she didn''t know? Why would he risk something like that for a recruit who didn''t get his hints? "Considering I didn''t freeze, I''m going to take that as a yes. Before you think I had someone spying on you, let me explain. My relic allows me to ask a question, and it will reply with a simple yes or no. Like it was with you. The specifics are private information, so let''s just leave it at that," he explained. "Ok... I''m sorry for making you use the relic. I wasn''t sure if your questions were about the skill or about how the test is working," Hera said. Morgan made a surprise expression before chuckling a bit. "My apologies, I didn''t expect you to think that. But I can''t blame you either. Now, you do have the Local Guide skill, yes?" "Yes, I have it. Peaches gave it to me," Hera replied. "Peaches, so that is the one you meet. Very well, I will make a note on your interview with a code we use. If you need to confirm if an explorer has this skill, ask them this. Have you found the viridescent malus sieversii? If they reply, it was atop of its rivulet obelisk under the solis. They have the skill. It''s a mouthful, I know. But that way we can avoid any problems. Also, be careful, very few explorers have that skill." Hera felt some of her worries go away. When she read the skill, she kept thinking about ways she could mess up the questions. Having a password of sorts made all those problems disappear. "Thank you very much, Morgan." "I thank you. It''s been almost a year since the last time I shared this code. In the future, I hope we can count on you to perform this interview with other recruits. For obvious reasons, we try to have explorers with that skill doing these. I''m not asking for you to lose your last chance, of course. But if you still have all three, would you be willing to help?" Hera thought for a moment. She was terrible at that. But it was the least she could do, even if it cost her one of her three chances. "I can try. I''m just not very good whit this type of thing." "That is not a problem. We have a series of control questions. Although, as you proved now, sometimes they don''t work. Now, your interview is over, and it is already in our system. The last thing you need is some paperwork. There is someone outside that will help you with that. You can go now, I apologize for the rush, but I still have many errands to deal with." Morgan said, gesturing at the door. Hera thanked him again and left the office. Before even closing the door, someone hugged her. "Congratulations, sweetie! I knew you would pass the test on the first try." Helena said. 60 60 - New Card "Okay, the last thing we need is... Oh, right. This is a bit grim, but in the event that you meet an unfortunate end. Who is the next of kin we should contact?" Helena asked. "I guess it would be my dad. Eridan Kingsley, he lives in Burtois," Hera said. "All done then. Do you have any questions?" Hera thought for a moment. "Yeah, a few. The healthcare plan you mentioned, it will last for how long?" "Three months, or until you go to the second layer of the MAZE. During that time, feel free to visit any guild infirmaries to get healed or do a check-up. Although you can use only basic service from healers. If you want to go to the doctor, then you need to come outside. In that case you can pay with your own money and the healthcare will refund part of the expenses. Other plans can take care of everything, but it''s better to think about it when you come back," Helena explained. Hera just nodded. It was like the healthcare she had in the bookstore. Since her paycheck wouldn''t be consistent like it was before, she needed to earn money first, and then think about where to spend. She used her tablet to check her bank account. It would be tight, but she saved enough money to pay this month''s rent. "Good thing I saved some gold," she mumbled. "Oh! That''s right. You''re renting your place, right? Send this month''s rent to the guild. We will take care of that," Helena said. "The guild is going to pay my rent?" Hera asked. "Yes, but you are going to have to pay us back. We know that new explorers might be tight on gold when they are just starting. So we pay your rent so you won''t have to pay the late fee. But we deduct that payment from your first few missions until you pay back the money you borrowed." "Can I pay part of the rent back right away? I could pay the rent myself, but it could help to have some gold on hand," Hera asked. "Of course you can, sweetie. I was about to suggest that. You might want to buy potions, gear, and even some rations in Brinefront. Since it''s the first layer, the city has a pretty good variety of shops," Helena said. "Do you recommend any specific?" "I do, but we''ll talk about that later. We still need to update your card," Hera picked her card and gave it to Helena. The card would work as a sort of badge that she could use to prove she was an explorer. Outside it didn''t have much use, but inside the MAZE, it was really helpful. She could get discounts in shops, accept quests from the guild, and use it to enter en exit cities that had a more strict policy. Helena took the card and placed it inside a square case. A soft red light started to emanate from inside it. "Helena, how do you deal with the time changes? I''m still feeling a bit off. We learned that each room has its own time zone, but I didn''t expect the change to affect me so much," Hera asked. "First of all, I told you to call me Lena. Helena is too formal. Second, I think the test messes you up a bit more than the other rooms. When you finished the group part and chose your role, the place you were in started its day at 8 AM. Usually, the time difference between rooms is smaller, not the 7 hours you experienced. What I do is keep my clock always in the time zone of the real world. With a secondary one in the tablet in sync with the room I''m in." Hera nodded, maybe that would help. It was weird jumping so many time zones at once. It was barely noon right now, but she felt like she needed to go to bed. A few moments later, the case stopped glowing. Helena took Hera''s card from it. The previous white plain frame turned to a shiny bronze, and the guild''s symbol was engraved on the back. Hera stared at it for a moment. It was a doorway with the doors open and the skyline of a city inside of it. The design was simplistic but elegant. She picked the card and turned it to the other side. Her name was engraved, as well as her role. To the left side, her level was on display. Helena gave the girl a moment. It was clear that this was a big thing for Hera. The attendant could understand why. She had heard the whole story during the last month. It seemed so mean. Hera wanted this her whole life just for the guild to reject her. It wasn''t fair, the status rule could be there to protect people, but it turned the guild into an elitist group. Still, there wasn''t much she could do about it. "Hera, did Calvin explain why the cards are bronze?" Helena asked. Coming back of her moment, Hera replied. "Yeah, He said that it shows how good and strong of an explorer you are." Helena rolled her eyes. "C''mon, Calvin. You are better than that," Helena complained, "This means how much the guild trust in you. As you complete missions and prove that we can trust in you, the guild will start offering more important quests. When we trust you enough, you can change your card to a silver one and then gold. With that, you can get quests that are more rewarding but might require more finesse. For instance, a bronze mission might kill some monsters. A silver one might be, protect crops from a monster attack. A gold one would be escorting a caravan filled with medical supplies." Hera stared at Helena, "I''m not sure I understand." "Killing a monster is not something urgent, we might need to control the population, or just some gather materials. It is not something vital. When protecting crops, we need someone who wouldn''t run away at first sight of danger. We need that food, it''s not something that we can just ask anyone, and if they fail, we will have some problems but nothing unmanageable. Now, the medical supplies can be worth more than the mission reward itself. Imagine if there is a hospital in dire need of equipment and we send someone who will steal the goods and sell them wanting to make more money. That is why we have this rating. Sure, gold card holders usually are stronger, but that''s because of the number of missions they completed." "Got it, so it''s more like your clearance level," Hera said, "Yes, although we are not a spy agency." "Are you sure? We know things most people don''t know. We have an underground lab, and most of our work is done away from public eyes," Hera replied with a playful smile. Helena stared at her friend for a moment. "Holy crap, are we spies? No... but we even have codenames... Are we spies?!" Helena gasped. "I guess we need to order a martini to confirm," Hera said. They both stared at each other for a moment and said at the same time, "Shaken, not stirred," before laughing. "All joking aside, there is one more tier of cards, the custom ones. If you are not only trusted by the guild but have a fantastic accomplishment, the guild might issue you a custom card. They will ask for your input and make something extraordinary. Undine had a flaming red card with a ring of fire around it. Sure it was just an illusion, but it is sooo pretty. Today, most of the top explorers have one," Helena explained. "Do you have one?" Hera asked. "Not yet, maybe someday, although scholars tend to have more difficulty to get one." "Why is that?" "Well, it is harder for the guild to consider research something extraordinary. Most explorers that have the custom cards saved a town or stopped a landslide or something brainless like that. For researchers, they won''t discuss the accomplishment unless you make something that will affect the world on a larger scale. My research, for instance, is not considered valuable, even though it would help all explorers become stronger." As Helena spoke, Hera could see she was bitter about the guild''s decision. It was understandable. Very few scientists were given the acknowledgment they deserve. Almost no one could name the person who discovered antibiotics, but everyone knew at least one famous boxer. "Anyway, you are all set. But you need to wait until your graduation next Sunday before going inside the MAZE," Helena said. "We are graduating?" "Of course, sweetie. The guild loves its costumes. We have a small ceremony celebrating your success and the final registration in front of the doorway. Then a small gathering with a few scouts for the groups and companies to meet you all. It''s just a way to introduce you all to the rest of the explorer''s world. I promise you, it is not as dull as it sounds, and there will be free food." Hera smiled, "Ok. Since there is going to be food, I''ll go." "Great! Even if you didn''t have a choice in the matter. Now, the ceremony starts at 4 PM. If you get here around 10 in the morning, we will have more than enough time." "Time for what?" Hera asked. "For my gift to you, silly. You don''t expect me to let such a big moment pass without giving you something to celebrate, right?" Helena said with a big smile. Hera tried to refuse any gifts, but the attendant was adamant. With the paperwork done, the former recruit went home. Stopping by a dinner on the way home, Hera ordered some takeout. She wasn''t in the mood to cook or to eat out. She wanted to rest, but first, she needed to talk to her dad. Sending a text to both him and her grandma, she also attached a picture of her brand new card. Before waiting for their reply, Hera went to the bathroom to take a well-deserved shower. She was going to pamper herself today. Using the papaya conditioner that Alex had recommended earlier that month. She was in the middle of the bath when her phone rang. Quickly washing the soap from her eyes, Hera wrapped herself in a towel and saw the caller ID. It was her dad. "Hey, dad! I did it!" she said, picking up the phone. "Did it? Did what young lady? Spent an absurd amount of money that could have helped your father''s business? What were you thinking? Do you think you will ever work enough to make that money back?" Hera''s mood changed the second her mother''s voice came out of the speaker. ???It was a prize, I didn''t pay for the level up. And I''m an explorer, mom. I''ll make more money," she replied. "What? You are going inside the MAZE? Stop daydreaming, that little card might say you are an explorer, but we both know that you are too scared to be doing something like this. I bet that if anything doesn''t go your way, you will be home crying just like on your 18th birthday." "Stella!" Eridan''s voice rang in the background. Hera was clenching her fist. The only reason she cried so much that day was because her mother was the first one to start teasing her about her stats. She heard her parents arguing about something before her dad picked the phone. "Hey, goldilocks. Ignore what your mother just said. I''m really proud of you even if I''m terrified of you getting hurt." "Thanks, grumpy bear," she said as she loosened the grip on her hand. "Listen, I''m going to try to calm your mother. You can ignore what she said. I know you will do great. You are the strongest person that I know. And promise me that you will call me before going on any adventures, ok?" "Ok, I will. Thanks," Hera said as her dad turned off the phone. Eridan always acted like her mom was the victim, like she was the one suffering. What about her? She was the one always hearing mean thing being said to her. Stella was even the one who started the whole ''OP girl'' nickname. Feeling the soap drip near her eyes, Hera went back to the shower. She felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "It''s just the soap," she told herself. After leaving the shower, her grandma had replied to the text, asking Hera to call her. She did it right away, unlike her parents, grandma Triss was really excited. She always loved adventures. Hearing her granddaughter tell the tales of her exploits was more interesting than any movie. Hera told everything about the test, from the skeletons to the giant slime she fought. She was about to talk about Peaches when she realized that it could count as her breaking the rules. Apologizing to her grandma she said there were a few things she couldn''t talk about. By the end of it, they had spent two hours talking. Looking at her texts, she noticed that Bonnie had left her test as well. The girl was now a researcher. During the next few days, Hera decided to be on holiday. She talked to her friends, went out for a few drinks, and stayed home watching TV and reading. Before she realized, Sunday arrived. 60 New Card "Okay, the last thing we need is... Oh, right. This is a bit grim, but in the event that you meet an unfortunate end. Who is the next of kin we should contact?" Helena asked. "I guess it would be my dad. Eridan Kingsley, he lives in Burtois," Hera said. "All done then. Do you have any questions?" Hera thought for a moment. "Yeah, a few. The healthcare plan you mentioned, it will last for how long?" "Three months, or until you go to the second layer of the MAZE. During that time, feel free to visit any guild infirmaries to get healed or do a check-up. Although you can use only basic service from healers. If you want to go to the doctor, then you need to come outside. In that case you can pay with your own money and the healthcare will refund part of the expenses. Other plans can take care of everything, but it''s better to think about it when you come back," Helena explained. Hera just nodded. It was like the healthcare she had in the bookstore. Since her paycheck wouldn''t be consistent like it was before, she needed to earn money first, and then think about where to spend. She used her tablet to check her bank account. It would be tight, but she saved enough money to pay this month''s rent. "Good thing I saved some gold," she mumbled. "Oh! That''s right. You''re renting your place, right? Send this month''s rent to the guild. We will take care of that," Helena said. "The guild is going to pay my rent?" Hera asked. "Yes, but you are going to have to pay us back. We know that new explorers might be tight on gold when they are just starting. So we pay your rent so you won''t have to pay the late fee. But we deduct that payment from your first few missions until you pay back the money you borrowed." "Can I pay part of the rent back right away? I could pay the rent myself, but it could help to have some gold on hand," Hera asked. "Of course you can, sweetie. I was about to suggest that. You might want to buy potions, gear, and even some rations in Brinefront. Since it''s the first layer, the city has a pretty good variety of shops," Helena said. "Do you recommend any specific?" "I do, but we''ll talk about that later. We still need to update your card," Hera picked her card and gave it to Helena. The card would work as a sort of badge that she could use to prove she was an explorer. Outside it didn''t have much use, but inside the MAZE, it was really helpful. She could get discounts in shops, accept quests from the guild, and use it to enter en exit cities that had a more strict policy. Helena took the card and placed it inside a square case. A soft red light started to emanate from inside it. "Helena, how do you deal with the time changes? I''m still feeling a bit off. We learned that each room has its own time zone, but I didn''t expect the change to affect me so much," Hera asked. "First of all, I told you to call me Lena. Helena is too formal. Second, I think the test messes you up a bit more than the other rooms. When you finished the group part and chose your role, the place you were in started its day at 8 AM. Usually, the time difference between rooms is smaller, not the 7 hours you experienced. What I do is keep my clock always in the time zone of the real world. With a secondary one in the tablet in sync with the room I''m in." Hera nodded, maybe that would help. It was weird jumping so many time zones at once. It was barely noon right now, but she felt like she needed to go to bed. A few moments later, the case stopped glowing. Helena took Hera''s card from it. The previous white plain frame turned to a shiny bronze, and the guild''s symbol was engraved on the back. Hera stared at it for a moment. It was a doorway with the doors open and the skyline of a city inside of it. The design was simplistic but elegant. She picked the card and turned it to the other side. Her name was engraved, as well as her role. To the left side, her level was on display. Helena gave the girl a moment. It was clear that this was a big thing for Hera. The attendant could understand why. She had heard the whole story during the last month. It seemed so mean. Hera wanted this her whole life just for the guild to reject her. It wasn''t fair, the status rule could be there to protect people, but it turned the guild into an elitist group. Still, there wasn''t much she could do about it. "Hera, did Calvin explain why the cards are bronze?" Helena asked. Coming back of her moment, Hera replied. "Yeah, He said that it shows how good and strong of an explorer you are." Helena rolled her eyes. "C''mon, Calvin. You are better than that," Helena complained, "This means how much the guild trust in you. As you complete missions and prove that we can trust in you, the guild will start offering more important quests. When we trust you enough, you can change your card to a silver one and then gold. With that, you can get quests that are more rewarding but might require more finesse. For instance, a bronze mission might kill some monsters. A silver one might be, protect crops from a monster attack. A gold one would be escorting a caravan filled with medical supplies." Hera stared at Helena, "I''m not sure I understand." "Killing a monster is not something urgent, we might need to control the population, or just some gather materials. It is not something vital. When protecting crops, we need someone who wouldn''t run away at first sight of danger. We need that food, it''s not something that we can just ask anyone, and if they fail, we will have some problems but nothing unmanageable. Now, the medical supplies can be worth more than the mission reward itself. Imagine if there is a hospital in dire need of equipment and we send someone who will steal the goods and sell them wanting to make more money. That is why we have this rating. Sure, gold card holders usually are stronger, but that''s because of the number of missions they completed." "Got it, so it''s more like your clearance level," Hera said, "Yes, although we are not a spy agency." "Are you sure? We know things most people don''t know. We have an underground lab, and most of our work is done away from public eyes," Hera replied with a playful smile. Helena stared at her friend for a moment. "Holy crap, are we spies? No... but we even have codenames... Are we spies?!" Helena gasped. "I guess we need to order a martini to confirm," Hera said. They both stared at each other for a moment and said at the same time, "Shaken, not stirred," before laughing. "All joking aside, there is one more tier of cards, the custom ones. If you are not only trusted by the guild but have a fantastic accomplishment, the guild might issue you a custom card. They will ask for your input and make something extraordinary. Undine had a flaming red card with a ring of fire around it. Sure it was just an illusion, but it is sooo pretty. Today, most of the top explorers have one," Helena explained. "Do you have one?" Hera asked. "Not yet, maybe someday, although scholars tend to have more difficulty to get one." "Why is that?" "Well, it is harder for the guild to consider research something extraordinary. Most explorers that have the custom cards saved a town or stopped a landslide or something brainless like that. For researchers, they won''t discuss the accomplishment unless you make something that will affect the world on a larger scale. My research, for instance, is not considered valuable, even though it would help all explorers become stronger." As Helena spoke, Hera could see she was bitter about the guild''s decision. It was understandable. Very few scientists were given the acknowledgment they deserve. Almost no one could name the person who discovered antibiotics, but everyone knew at least one famous boxer. "Anyway, you are all set. But you need to wait until your graduation next Sunday before going inside the MAZE," Helena said. "We are graduating?" "Of course, sweetie. The guild loves its traditions. We have a small ceremony celebrating your success and the final registration in front of the doorway. Then a small gathering with a few scouts for the groups and companies to meet you all. It''s just a way to introduce you all to the rest of the explorer''s world. I promise you, it is not as dull as it sounds, and there will be free food." Hera smiled, "Ok. Since there is going to be food, I''ll go." "Great! Even if you didn''t have a choice in the matter. Now, the ceremony starts at 4 PM. If you get here around 10 in the morning, we will have more than enough time." "Time for what?" Hera asked. "For my gift to you, silly. You don''t expect me to let such a big moment pass without giving you something to celebrate, right?" Helena said with a big smile. Hera tried to refuse any gifts, but the attendant was adamant. With the paperwork done, the former recruit went home. Stopping by a dinner on the way home, Hera ordered some takeout. She wasn''t in the mood to cook or to eat out. She wanted to rest, but first, she needed to talk to her dad. Sending a text to both him and her grandma, she also attached a picture of her brand new card. Before waiting for their reply, Hera went to the bathroom to take a well-deserved shower. She was going to pamper herself today. Using the papaya conditioner that Alex had recommended earlier that month. She was in the middle of the bath when her phone rang. Quickly washing the soap from her eyes, Hera wrapped herself in a towel and saw the caller ID. It was her dad. "Hey, dad! I did it!" she said, picking up the phone. "Did it? Did what young lady? Spent an absurd amount of money that could have helped your father''s business? What were you thinking? Do you think you will ever work enough to make that money back?" Hera''s mood changed the second her mother''s voice came out of the speaker. "It was a prize, I didn''t pay for the level up. And I''m an explorer, mom. I''ll make more money," she replied. "What? You are going inside the MAZE? Stop daydreaming, that little card might say you are an explorer, but we both know that you are too scared to be doing something like this. I bet that if anything doesn''t go your way, you will be home crying just like on your 18th birthday." "Stella!" Eridan''s voice rang in the background. Hera was clenching her fist. The only reason she cried so much that day was because her mother was the first one to start teasing her about her stats. She heard her parents arguing about something before her dad picked the phone. "Hey, goldilocks. Ignore what your mother just said. I''m really proud of you even if I''m terrified of you getting hurt." "Thanks, grumpy bear," she said as she loosened the grip on her hand. "Listen, I''m going to try to calm your mother. You can ignore what she said. I know you will do great. You are the strongest person that I know. And promise me that you will call me before going on any adventures, ok?" "Ok, I will. Thanks," Hera said as her dad turned off the phone. Eridan always acted like her mom was the victim, like she was the one suffering. What about her? She was the one always hearing mean thing being said to her. Stella was even the one who started the whole ''OP girl'' nickname. Feeling the soap drip near her eyes, Hera went back to the shower. She felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "It''s just the soap," she told herself. After leaving the shower, her grandma had replied to the text, asking Hera to call her. She did it right away, unlike her parents, grandma Triss was really excited. She always loved adventures. Hearing her granddaughter tell the tales of her exploits was more interesting than any movie. Hera told everything about the test, from the skeletons to the giant slime she fought. She was about to talk about Peaches when she realized that it could count as her breaking the rules. Apologizing to her grandma she said there were a few things she couldn''t talk about. By the end of it, they had spent two hours talking. Looking at her texts, she noticed that Bonnie had left her test as well. The girl was now a researcher. During the next few days, Hera decided to be on holiday. She talked to her friends, went out for a few drinks, and stayed home watching TV and reading. Before she realized, Sunday arrived. 61 Ready for prom Hera arrived at the guild early. She didn''t want to come so soon, but Helena was unyielding in the subject. It didn''t matter. If the gif was too much, she would refuse it or give Helena something just as pricy. Since she wanted to be like that, Hera would beat her in her own game. Helena had told Hera to meet her at 10 am sharp. It was already 10:15. Helena wasn''t one to be late, but she could be doing some work. There was no reason for Hera to be worried. Besides, it was a hot day, and the AC in the guild reception was lovely. A few minutes later, Helena walked in. "Hera! I''m so sorry for being late. I overslept." "That''s rare for you," she replied. "Yeah, I ended up watching a show before bed to relax, but it got exciting." "What''s the show about?" "It''s called Alazar the Last Wind Shaper, it''s a cartoon about a world with elemental based countries. But there is a war going on because the flame shapers attacked. It started in a really mellow tone, but by the second season, it became so much better. Anyway, let''s go. Your present is not here." Hera got up and left the guild with her friend. They kept talking about the shows they liked and comparing notes and theories about a few that they both enjoyed. It was the first time Hera went out with Helena. She felt happy knowing that they could meet like this, just as friends. About ten minutes after they left the guild, Helena stopped. "And here we are," she said, pointing to a window. "Where... No Lena, please don''t do this," Hera pleaded. "It''s a big day." "Yeah, but don''t make me do this. Please," Helena stared at Hera''s eyes. "We are doing this, and you are choosing it," Helena started to drag Hera inside the store while the explorer groaned loudly. The people walking through the street wondered why someone would be so upset about going to a boutique. What followed was among the longest two hours of Hera''s life. Helena made her try on almost every single dress in the store. From simple black gowns to weird pink fluffy dresses filled with ribbons. "That one is great. All you need is a cane and a sheep," Helena laughed. "Oh, bite me. I would love to see you pull this one off," Hera grumbled. Helena got up, grabbed the same dress in her size, and a wide black hat. After a few moments, she left the dressing room. The dress was still silly, but the way she moved reminded Hera of a model. Even in the weirdest of outfits, they can still show how beautiful they are. "That''s not fair," Hera mumbled. "And why is that?" Helena said as she sat in a chair with both hands on one knee. Somehow, that made her even more elegant. "Because of that. It has to be a skill. Even using that ridiculous dress, you can look good," Hera huffed. Helena stared at her for a moment. She was analyzing the woman in front of her. Her long blond hair was naturally wavy, and her eyes had such a beautiful blue color. And yet she wasn''t aware of just how pretty she was. Maybe she could give her an extra push. "Well, it is a skill, but more akin to cooking a dish than to an actual skill the system gave you." "What do you mean?" Hera asked. "I guess your All in is a good example. You know how you can focus your strength on a single point? Like when you are throwing a punch." Hera nodded. "There are ways to do that with all attributes. Well, I say all, but I have no idea how to do this with luck. Now, back to the main topic. With agility would be running or moving fast, intelligence is focusing on something mentally taxing, but did you ever wonder what it would be to focus on your charisma?" Hera shook her head, "I can''t say I have." "Well, it''s hard to explain, but it is like focusing on your presence, like trying to appear regal and dignified and make everyone see it." Hera kept staring at Helena. It was like hearing those cliche things that people say in movies, stuff like ki, bloodlust, or killing intent. All of that just sounded like fantasy things. If she had said it was a spell, it would make more sense. "Sorry, but I still don''t get it." "I know. It took me a long time to do so too. My teacher was the one who actually told me about this. The best way to practice this feeling is to pretend like you are doing it," Helena explained. "Lena, are you asking me to play pretend?" The mage giggled, "I guess I am. Try another dress, and when you come out, pretend like you are a queen from ancient times." After some convincing, Hera tried Helena''s suggestion. She remembered the movies and shows about royalty. Most acted like the world was there to serve them, but a few were different. They were respectful to all and very attentive. At the same time, they would only grab the spotlight when needed. If not, they would be in the background. She always like those characters. Since she was going to pretend, she might as well pretend to be a character she liked. As she left the dressing room, Hera scanned the area, trying to see everyone in the room. She was wearing a dark purple long dress with a belt in the middle. There were buttons on the top of the dress that made it look like the dress was actually a skirt and a dress shirt. Helena watched Hera. She was moving more slowly and carefully. She had a serious expression in her eyes that was a mix of discomfort and interest. Probably due to it being something unnatural to her. Yet, it seemed like a step in the right direction. "Keep practicing it, if your skill activates, you know you are on the right track." Hera knew that Helena was trying to be supportive, but she felt silly. Even though she like the dress. "Now, about the dress..." Hera flinched, could the mage read minds? "I loved it. It is so cute. I love how the purple looks with your hair." "Thanks, I think I''m going to get this one. I really liked it," Hera looked at the price tag. 85 gold? For a dress? "On second thought, I''m gonna look for something else." "No you are not, you just want to look for something cheaper. How much is it?" Helena got up and looked at the price, "That''s it? Sweetie, that is really cheap. And you know that I''m paying. What''s the problem." "Lena, that is too much for a dress. I can eat for two weeks with that money." "You are an explorer now, a day''s work you give you three times that. Trust me when I say that this will be nothing." After some convincing, Hera finally gave in and let Helena buy the dress even if she promised herself to buy something amazing to the mage after returning from the MAZE. As the two of them left the store, Helena said. "Now, we have one last stop. Should we go to the Hair Salon or lunch first?" "Didn''t you get a haircut last week?" "I''m not the one getting a haircut," Helena said with a smile. "Helena. Please, the dress is enough." Hera stopped walking. She was already uncomfortable about letting Helena pay for the dress. The last thing she needed was to try out a new look for a party. Helena only needed one look to understand how nervous Hera was. "Ok, one step at a time. But you should consider having a shorter haircut when you enter the maze. Long hair can be a problem when fighting." Hera promised to consider it, and the two of them looked for a place to eat. A few hours later, they stopped by Helena''s home to get ready. She had a small flat just a few minutes from the guild. They got ready and kept talking about various things before it was time to go back to the guild. They arrived half an hour early for the graduation. As they were arriving, Hera noticed a familiar blue-haired woman in the reception. "Blue?" "Hera!" she said as she got up to hug the explorer, "Wow, you look so pretty." "Thanks, you look amazing too." Blue was wearing a sleeveless white dress that went to her knees. It was fitted so it would show her curves. In another person, it would highlight their breasts or waist. But what popped on Blue were her arms. She was very muscular. "Damn, girl. Those are some nice guns." They looked back and saw Alex arriving wearing a grey pantsuit with a black shirt underneath. "What did you expect from the future best controller in the world?" Blue said as she flexed her arms. Helena left to prepare the final touches of the ceremony. And the trio kept talking. They discussed the test and what had happened during those days. Alex finished her Assassin test in five days, while Blue only took three to learn the control skill. As time went by, the rest of the class arrived. Leo was happy about becoming a Hunter, and Bonnie, the researcher, brought a bag of cupcakes to thank the group for giving her the chalice. Tiffany and Kenji came in but sat on the other side of the reception, but Anaya was nowhere to be seen. Mark ended up being the last to arrive. "Hey, Mark. Why the long face?" Blue asked as the man walked in. "Hey, guys. I just... don''t know why I''m here." "Why do you say that?" Hera asked. "I failed the test. I want to be a crafter, and I was so close to getting the skill. But time ran out," He explained while staring at the ground. Hera felt a knot form in her stomach. She knew how much it hurt to fail in something like this. "Oh, man. I''m sorry about that. What is going to happen now?" Leo asked while placing his hand on Mark''s shoulder. "I get a new chance next week. Jasper pulled a few strings. But I have to do it all again, the written test, the group one, and the role test. You know what it sucks? I almost had it. To get the skill, I had to memorize the materials and production of three items. A belt, a potion, and an arrow. The potion is what screwd me. I was never a good chemist, and it kept asking to figure out the right temperature, but I had no tools for it. So I spend a while coming up with a way to check the temperature of the mix. When I finally got it, I showed it to the dumbass AI just to be told that they had a thermometer. They didn''t give me because I didn''t ask for it," he explained. "That sucks Mark. I''m sorry," Alex said. "Yeah, it''s fine. I can finish the whole thing in a day now. I''m going to the bathroom, be right back," Mark said as he walked away. The mood changed. It was hard seeing one of their friends failing like that. Hera glanced at Tiffany, and the frustration turned into anger. If Anaya hadn''t left them alone, they could have finished the group test sooner. Maybe that would be enough for Mark to get his role. "I know it sounds bad, but I''m just gonna say it. Only Mark could do something so funny," Blue sneered. "Blue!" Hera said. "I know, I know. But seriously. In a few months, we will be laughing our asses off inside the MAZE about this." "Maybe, but that is way too soon," Alex condemned. "Please don''t say that near Mark," Leo begged. They stayed in silence for a few moments and then started talking about the party. Mark came back from the bathroom and joined in. A few minutes later, Helena came back to escort the group to where the graduation would take place. Following Helena to the elevator, she pressed the button for the roof. "Oh, Just a quick tip for you. When these doors open, you will meet all the people who showed an interest in recruiting you. No pressure, but remember that this is kind like a job interview," Helena said. "Sure, I can be really chill after hearing that," Leo said, rolling his eyes. With a ding, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. 62 Recruitment Mixer On the roof, there was a small zen garden filled with sand, as well as a few trees in each corner. The floor was built like a deck made out of black walnut. There were tables set at both sides of the area. Some of them were empty, while others had a few different groups of people. Near the railings, there was a small platform just enough for three people. The ceremony itself was a bit bland. The guild leader, who was supposed to give a speech, was a no show. Because of that, Morgan had to step up. Hera did her best not to seem too bored. They weren''t hearing a rousing speech of a general. It seemed more like the principal of a school congratulating the senior class. Blue had to be kept in check by Hera and Leo. Otherwise, the controller would start talking and disrupting Morgan. "As you know, you were all graded during your final test. I will call you to come up to the stage in order of the highest grade to the lowest. You will also receive a token that you can redeem it, along with any other tokens you received during your test, for equipment or gold in the armory," Morgan Explained. Alex was the first one to be called. Morgan congratulated her on getting an A on the evaluation and being the top of the class. Blue was the second one. She also got an A, but apparently, the written test was the tiebreaker. They were followed by Leo, Hera, and Bonnie, all of them got a B. Anaya, and Kenjiro were the last two, both getting Cs. The token was just an envelope, and your grade inside it on a piece of paper. The only thing that made the thing unique was a wax seal on the bottom of the envelope. It seemed a waste. The seal wasn''t actually stopping anyone from opening the letter. It couldn''t even be called a seal. It was just a wax stain. Hera twisted her nose when he called Anaya''s name. She hoped that the woman had failed her test. It would be karmic justice if she had to redo the training. At least she had gotten a bad grade. Hera wandered when did Anaya arrive. The first time she saw her was when she got up on the stage. "Now, for those who failed to get your roles skills. Don''t worry. You can try it again on the makeup test. If I''m not mistaken, we have one spot available for the one taking place next week. If you fail again, we have another makeup test next month," Morgan explained. Hera looked at Mark, who was sitting on one of the tables. She tried to give him a thumb up to support him, but the man just replied with a sad smile. "Excuse me," Tiffany, who was sitting at the same table as Mark, asked, raising her hand. "Yes?" Morgan replied. "Do we have to pick the same role in the makeup test? I think I''m not made to be a fighter." "You may choose a different role if you wish. However, the tests for each role are unique. Don''t expect to have an easier time because of what you already saw in this test," Morgan explained. Tiffany thanked him, confirming her interest in changing her choice. "Very well, any more questions?" the speaker asked. After a small pause, a man who was sitting in one of the tables near Helena yelled. "Yeah, when can we eat?" That was followed by the laughs of a few other people who were sitting around. They all seemed relaxed, as if this was a daily event. "As long as you don''t take the trays like last time, you can start eating," Morgan Heckled, "As for you, young explorers. Let me congratulate you all on becoming official members of our guild. Every single one of us started just like you, as a greenhorn who was completely lost. But we pressed on, and today, we are all proud of calling ourselves, explorers. I hope you will be in our shoes someday." There was another pause. Morgan was just staring at the former recruits. They looked at each other, trying to understand what was happening until the speaker cleared his throat. "Well, that is it. Enjoy the party and try to know the groups that went out of their way to come here. Thank you." Morgan stepped out of the platform, going towards a table where Frostbite was with a few other people. "That''s odd," Alex said. "Yeah, why the pause?" Blue asked. "Do you guys think he was waiting for claps?" Leo suggested. The group stared at Morgan. The man was the guild master''s assistant. He wouldn''t have a wait for claps cue in his speech, would he? After checking on Mark, the group then split off to meet the people who came to their graduation. One hour later, Hera finally was able to get a plate of food. She sat on a table at the corner of the roof, looking at the rest of the party. She managed to talk to quite a few people, and according to what she gathered, she had met all the groups present. The companies here were the New Dawn, represented by Frostbite. Sprite Technologies, one of New Dawn''s competitors. They sent an uptight businessman called Levi Gilbert, who seemed wildly out of his element here. Yet he offered her an interview. They would have to perform a few tests, but she could get a starting position earning 5 000 gold a month. She would need to do a certain amount of quests per month and share any information that interested the company free of charge. The problem is she would have to share 40% of the pay she would get if she took a quest from another company or even the guild itself. Not only that, but the wording on the contract Levi showed her was vague. The little she knew about law told her that they could even ask for whatever the quest reward was, even if it was an item or something else. The final nail in the coffin was knowing that any materials she brought back were supposed to be sold to the company at a set value. Chiefbite was the third company. They were part of the food industry, and apparently, quite a few ingredients can only be found or grown inside the MAZE. A friendly man called Adam Eymann gave his card to Hera, asking her, the explorer, to contact him if she found any exotic ingredients or dishes. His company was even open to working with her as a freelancer. That was quite different from the exclusivity offer from Sprite. Hera listened to Frostbite''s offer with Blue. To an explorer, the contract would be almost as bad as the one Levi offered. But to Blue, she was willing not only to wave the fee when she took quests from the outside but also to fund her completely until she reached level 10. She would also have a monthly payment of 10 000 gold plus bonuses depending on the number of quests she completed. It seemed too good to be true. Hera was worried that her friend would sign the contract right there. Luckily, Anaya approached them, thanking Frostibe for the generous offer and asking if they would be willing to fund her until level 15 if she only took quests from the company. The way she spoke made clear that it wasn''t the first time the two talked about it. Frostbite said she would have to confirm it with her superiors but that there was a good chance of agreeing with her counter offer. That was enough to push Blue away. She decided to talk to other groups before making any decisions. Aside from the companies, there were a few groups of explorers. They called themselves with various names. Factions, divisions, alliances, cabals, coalitions, but they were mostly the same. Groups of explorers who shared knowledge and help each other grow and deal with hard quests. To Hera, those groups seemed much more interesting than working with a company. They didn''t offer any regular pay, but they could give her information about quests, items, and places, which seemed much more valuable to an explorer. They also shared databases among the groups, and even equipment was available as long as you show your contribution to the party. "So, what you think about the groups here?" Helena sat down in front of Hera with a big plate of cheeses and quiches on her hand. "Well, the companies kind of suck. They treat each of us in one way. Anaya even got a deal much better than I did from New Dawn," Hera said as she ate the pigs in a blanket she had on her plate. "Yep, unless you are one of the gems, as they call it, they only give you a crappy started contract." "Gems?" Hera asked. "Very talented People. People who they assume are good enough to be a candidate for a Hero." "That seems like a bad move. They probably only have people who peaked early working for them." Hera bit down on another appetizer. Hearing that Anaya might be on the path of a Hero really annoyed her. "Yeah, but that''s just one company. But what I really want to know is, what did you think about the other groups?" Helena asked as she leaned in towards Hera. "They seem nice. The Phantoms of Fortune seem really interesting. They focus on finding treasure. That looks like a good fit for me. I want to be able to explore many places inside the MAZE. But I feel like they are a bit too greedy. Maybe there is some drama every time someone finds a really expensive thing." "True, there were some really bad fallouts in that group, but they are good people. What else?" Helena asked. "The Forge Shifters are kind of weird. They freaked out about my bracelet since I made it as a recruit. Jasper is one of them, so it would be nice to have a friendly face. And they seem to be the most... inclusive ones. Like they don''t care about your role as long as you can contribute. But I''m not so keen on the idea of having a fixed base as they seem to have." "Oh, but their city is amazing. I spent quite a few years there during my younger years." "Like you are so old," Hera mocked, "Moving on. There are also the Shark Fin soldiers." "Souldiers," Helena said. "What?" "Is Shark Fin Souldiers, Like Soul but with a dier at the end." "You are kidding me," Hera doubted. Helena just shook her head. "Ok.. they seem less fun now. But they focus on fighting, right? Always in the front lines, looking for the next big enemy. It looks like a great place to improve my combat skills. I''m just no to keen on the militaristic aspect of it. They kept calling each other by rank and not names. And now, that Souldier thing seems too cringe." "I guess you are right," Helena said, "But aren''t you forgetting a group?" Hera stared at Helena. There was one other group she met, but the woman didn''t talk about anything aside from the name. "Well, there is another one. I think it was called the Velvet Veil, but the woman only said it''s name. So I have no clue what it is all about." "Did you just said, Velvet Veil?" Helena asked. "Yeah, why?" "That''s the guild commander-in-chief''s group. For someone to talk about it so casually, they must be a higher up. Who told you that?" Hera looked around but didn''t find the woman that sai she was from that group. "It was a blond woman, really tall, and she seemed very strong. She had a long feather earing and a tribal tattoo on the side of her head." Helena picked her phone and pulled up a picture of the same woman, wearing a longword on her waist and a big grey fur cape. "Is this the one?" the mage asked. "Yeah, that''s her." "Holly crap, Hera. You just met the leader of the guild. Leliana Mihafrey. I knew the guild master had a meeting with a bigshot, but I had no idea it was that big of a shot." Hera kept staring at the picture, playing their interaction again in her head. Was she rude is anyway, or did she say something that could have offended her? What if she had done something unforgivable to someone so powerful? Helena noticed that Hera was white as a sheet. "Hey, Hey, Sweetie. Calm down, what''s wrong?" Hera explained her fear, but Helena reassured her that one of the guild leaders wouldn''t do anything to her just for saying something rude. Seeing as the explorer was still distraught, Helena tried a different angle. "In any case, I think you forgot one group," the mage said. "Which one?" Hera asked. "Well, my group, of course. We are a group that focuses on improving the whole explorer community. It doesn''t matter the role. We tend to be a more independent bunch. One of our members is even the creator of the ATFs we have in the guild. He is an amazing crafter. Now what we ask is just to help out when you can, and sometimes one of the members can post a quest when they need something to help them. I already have quite a few that I intend to give to you should you choose to join." "That seems nice, and I was already thinking about joining your group. Even though you took so long to talk to me about it that I thought you had given up on me. What''s the group''s name?" "We are called The Order of the Lost Court." 63 Gear up "Ok, so far, I like our group even if it has a longer name. But do you mind if I ask what exactly we get when joining a group? Mr. Greyson only said that it was a good way to meet like-minded people and get some help when needed," Hera asked. "He... I''m going to have a long talk with him later. What he said just scratches the surface. Being part of an organization means you can take quests from that organization, access databases, and exchange contribution points to items and weapons. Later on, we can start receiving monthly contributions for your work or get a sort of grant for any work you want to do. In my order, some people opened shops with the support of our members. Others went on a year-long pilgrimage to train. I got a sizable grant that allowed me to spend a couple of years on my research. If it weren''t for them, I would need to split my focus between my work and a side job to make money," Helena explained. "Oh, wow. Yeah, that seems much better than just a group to help you out. But why would you take new explorers?" "Well, a few reasons. First, we might see something in them. Maybe a skill or a drive that seems to be beneficial to our group. Second, it''s common to need something from the lower layers of the maze. Be it materials from monsters, items we find in shops, and even information sometimes. It''s much cheaper to hire someone in the lower layers than to pay the travel expenses." "Do you have to pay the travel expenses when you make a quest?" Hera asked. "Not really, but why would someone take the quest if they might end up losing money in the process. It''s kind of a hidden agreement that the quest reward must include possible travel expenses if you posted it in a different room." Hera nodded, in class, they learned that quests could be posted from anywhere. All you need is a branch from the guild and you can set up different rewards for different rooms. "I have just a few more questions. Do you guys have a rule about accepting quests from other organizations or companies? And can I work with people from other organizations?" Hera asked. "Yes, and yes. Although there have been times when a company or an organization was shunned for a while, those were not specific to our organization, but a decision from the whole guild. That only happens when someone messes up big time. I''m talking like international problem big. The last time that happened was because a party stole another party loot from a dungeon. The problem is, the party that lost the loot from was part of the US military. They played it as a direct attack and demanded the loot back. It was a whole thing that ended with an apology, their loot back, and the guild punishing the entire Night Cats alliance for a year. I think that was uncalled for, but we all had to abide by the guild ruling in that case, even if it was just about politics. And the Night Cats were fine. They enjoyed the notoriety even though I agree that what they did was wrong," Helena grunted. "Yeah, I mean, they were in the wrong, but the government saying it was an attack seems too much." "Anyway, any other questions?" "Just one, where do I apply?" Hera said. Helena quickly sent her a link where she could apply. Since the mage had a high rank inside the alliance, she could approve Hera right away. This wasn''t something so unusual since headhunters could recruit someone anywhere and speed up the approval process. "For the first couple of months, you are considered in the trial period. So try no to cause any international incidents, ok?" Helena joked. "Sure, I''ll wait for the third month before targeting the military," Hera said. They laughed and kept enjoying the party. Helena told Hera a bit more about her new faction. She was explaining how to request something from their armory or ask for help. She also showed the explorer a few pictures of the higher-ups, just in case. After a few more hours, people started to leave, and Hera looked for her friends. There was one last thing she wanted to do today. After a few minutes, she found Leo and Blue talking near the food table. "Hey guys, have you been recruited already?" Hera asked. "Nah, my master told me of a few organizations, but none of them are here. I''ll apply through their website later. The ones here feel a bit too specific," Leo said. "Me neither. I wanted to work with Frostbite, but after seeing that she made an offer to Anaya, I''m not sure anymore. I''m positive they would make us work together, and I don''t need to say why I hate that idea," Blue explained. Hera and Leo nodded. Working with Anaya was the last thing any of them wanted to do. "What about you?" Blue asked. "I joined the Order of the Lost Court," Hera said with a big smile. "What''s that one?" Alex asked. The trio jumped. They failed to notice the woman approaching them. "Oh, sorry. I''m not used to the role just yet," Alex said. "Which role? Ghost?" Blue Bleated. "Assassin. It upgraded my hide, so now it has a passive effect," Alex explained. "If you keep doing that, I''m getting you a bell. I don''t need this stress here," Leo said. The group talked a bit more, Hera told them about the order and said she could check with Helena if any of them wanted to join. Blue, Alex, and Leo said they wanted to look at some other groups first but Bonnie, who caught the end of their conversation, was very interested in the idea. Hera asked them when they would go to the MAZE. They wanted to go soon, but Bonnie and Leo had a few things to take care of before going. They agreed to meet up on Wednesday to go in together. But before that, they were all excited about the rewards. Not only they had the token from the guild, but aside from Bonnie, they also had Gwendelan''s token. The group waited for an opportunity and moved to the elevator. Going straight down towards the guild armory on the same floor as the doorway. They got some directions from a guild clerk and proceeded to the left hallway, following the sound of metal hitting metal. Walking through the hallway, the group reached a large glass wall. Inside it, there was a big workshop where a few people were hammering away at different types of metals. Just by glancing at it, Hera could see one of the forgers sharpening a spear. "I never knew we had a forge in here," Alex said. "I know, right? Do you think they use magic to keep the smoke away?" Blue asked. "Maybe, but good old engineering could do that too," Leo answered. Past the forge, there was a door that leads to what looked like a gear shop. There was a large balcony with various weapons, armors, and accessories in the display. Near the register, there were a few flasks with a variety of liquids inside. Above the register, there was a small sign that read ''The Armory.'' On the other side of the counter, there was a thin man with an uneven chin beard doing something with his tablet. "Hi, we are here to get our gear. We got a token for graduating," Blue said as she approached the counter. The man let out a long sigh and got up, placing his tablet on a desk behind him. "All of you?" he asked. "Yeah, all of us. We have a token from the quest too. They told us that we should redeem it here," Blue said. "Fine. Show me the tokens, and I''ll see what you can get." The group looked at each other. Some of their excitement had toned down after talking with the man. One by one, they showed the letters and tokens. The grades gave them a certain amount of store credit to shop, while the tokens gave them a pass for a few hours in the basic ATRs. The bronze one gave Blue a 5-hour cupon. She could use it for a couple of hours and then use the rest of the time at a later date. Alex and Hera got a 10-hour cupon. While Leo had the wooden token and got a 5-hour cupon for the advanced ATR, the same one they used when they learned about the roles. The man also said that any unused credit from the store would go to waste, so they could either go over the credit and pay the difference or use it up by buying a bunch of rations and miscellanea. The group started browsing. Hera didn''t need a weapon since she already had Iris, who was on her bed at home. But she could use a chakram, maybe tying it with the Yarnball could give her a ranged attack until she figured out something better. After around half an hour, all the recruits got everything that they wanted. Leo had a spear and a set of moss green and brown clothes that could mix well with a forest. Alex picked a couple of daggers, an enchanted cloak, and a pair of boots that made her steps even quieter. Blue took the longest to decided and ended up picking a full set of kevlar armor. When trying it, she looked like a superhero. Bonnie got a hat that channeled mana and an orb that increased her magical capabilities. Even if the girl was yet to learn magic, she was already getting ready for it. Hera picked a set of waterproof clothes, a belt with various satchels around it, a pair of boots made for heavy impact exercise. She also got a spring cane about her hand''s size, but at the press of a button, it turned into a 2-meter tall metal rod. To put it away, all she had to do was twist the ends, and the rod would go back to its pocket size. By the end of it, she still had 150 gold in credit. She was thinking about spending it all in potions for the group when she noticed a dark iron chakram in the wall. It had a grip on the base instead of the middle like the ones she used before. The blade had a simple design for the most part, but spikes that looked like wings would curl up, forming a backward flow to it. The weapon was marked as being on sale. But it was still 350 gold. Even if she used the credit, it would still cost her 200 gold. She checked the status of the weapon, just to be sure it was worth it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mayura''s feather (Chakram) Rarity: Uncommon A chakram created by a blacksmith''s apprentice. Crafted from the feathers of a dusk peacock. Due to the technique used on its conception, the feather changed the color of the iron instead of strengthening it. Attribute scaling: Agility x 1.07 Additional effect: Increased magical compatibility. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Seeing its stats, Hera couldn''t understand why it was on sale. The weapon was technically a failure since it received the wrong attribute from the feather. But the additional effect seemed really good. When asking the man in the shop, he just asked, "Would you rather pay the full price?" that shot down any other questions she had about the weapon. Having her friends incentivizing her, Hera bought the weapon. "When we go inside, we will help you make that money back," Blue promised. The group left the store after paying for the equipment and were about to get into the elevator when an attendant stopped them. She explained that they couldn''t walk around with weapons and such and lead them all to separate locker rooms where they could keep their adventuring gear. Those were very different than the ones near the gym on the ground floor. Each locker was a walk-in closet. They could not only leave their belonging there but also change into their new clothes. Hera told the clerk about Iris, worried that she might get in trouble, but the clerk simply told her to bring the weapon in a bag next time. After making sure their new gear was safe, the group agreed to wait until Wednesday to go inside the MAZE together. As Hera made her way back home, she wondered if she would be able to sleep in the next couple of days. 64 Entering the MAZE During the next couple of Days, Hera did her best to keep herself busy. She used the time coupon for the ATR, trying to improve her combat ability by focusing on the throwing aspect of the chakram. She wanted a boomerang-like effect using Yarnball, but according to the AI trainer, the closest thing would be the Japanese kusarigama. Not wishing to overwork herself, Hera spent half of her 10 hour time practicing on Monday. That was just enough to understand the basics of the idea. The chakram would work as the weight while the handaxe acted like the hook. The key difference from the traditional weapon would be her ability to swap between the different techniques each weapon offered. When her five-hour period came to an end, she felt that with some training, this could work. But at the moment, using the chakram that way would be deadly to her. She had several bruises from the wooden weapon she used during the training. As she left the guild, Helena sent her a text about the rest of her graduation gift. The mage still wanted to take Hera to a hair salon. If that had come up yesterday, Hera would have said no. However, after the training she just went through, the idea of having shorter hair seemed appealing. More than once, Yarnball ended up tangling with her hair. It wasn''t something too difficult to fix, but if that happened in the middle of a fight, she would have a lot of problems. Hera accepted Helena''s invitation as long as she could pay for herself. Even after buying her new weapon, she still had some money, and Helena wouldn''t take her to a place too expensive if she was the one paying. Helena accepted the terms and asked Hera to meet her in the guild later that day. Seeing that she had some time to kill, Hera took a stroll through the street mall. It was supposed to be just a way to kill time, but she ended up finding a pop-up store selling some culinary books. One title caught her attention. Quick and easy recipes for camping. Since she was going inside the MAZE, this could come in handy. The title even came with an ebook code to download. She bought the book and when it was time, went back to the guild. When the two of them met, Helena took Hera towards a parking lot near the guild where the mage''s car was parked. The drive wasn''t too long but still took Hera to a part of the town she never saw before. After some time, they finally arrived in a small windowless store in front of a park. Inside the store, there was an elegant beauty parlor with light blue patterns across the white wall, five sets of chairs, and a long red couch in the back. Every piece of furniture, aside from the sofa and the chairs, seemed to be made of diamonds. They sparkled and glittered, making the whole room feel like it was being seen through a glow filter. "Hera, this is Quinn, the best hairdresser in the world," Helena announced. Beside her stood a short woman with flaming red hair that would stop just above her shoulders. She had large blue eyes that popped even more due to the glittery purple eyeshadow she was wearing. She opened a big smile that showed her canine teeth to be a bit more pointy than usual. "It''s so nice to meet you. Lena has been talking about you for the whole month," Quinn said. "Hey, don''t sell me out," Helena complained. "Don''t be late for girls'' night next time then," Quinn retorted. Quinn showed Hera where she could sit and gave her a small crystal tablet. Telling her, she could tap the various hairstyles on the screen and get a preview in the mirror. It wasn''t a perfect simulation, but it did get quite close. Hera browsed through the styles. She needed to choose a short one, so she didn''t even try to look at the longer ones. It would only make her want to keep her long hair. She looked through them, trying to find something that suited her. Mohawks and buzzcuts were out of the picture. She would look weird with those. A pixie cut was also a no go. Last time she tried it, she felt like a child. After a while, she stopped at a style with shaved sides, and a longer middle pulled back, making a backward wave. It was gorgeous, but she could never pull it off. She looked for another one, close to the one she saw. With the length of a pixie cut on the sides and the top would be wavy and messy being longer in the front. That one seemed long enough so she could still do some less daring styles. The one on display would be mostly for when she needed to fight. Letting Quinn know she had made a decision, the hairdresser quickly started her work. First, washing Hera''s hair and then starting to cut. Quinn wasn''t talking much aside from asking questions about how Hera wanted the style. It was relaxing having someone take such good care of her hair. Looking at the mirror, Hera could see a satisfied smile on Quinn''s face. The hairdresser also kept humming a soft tune under her breath. In a situation like that, it was hard not to fall asleep. Luckily for Hera, the haircut didn''t take long. In a bit over thirty minutes, Quinn spun Hera around to see the finished product. The explorer took a moment to realize what she was seeing. Her blonde hair looked like it was dancing with itself before reaching the front, where it fell softly on her forehead. Not only that, but it also had some volume. Enough for her to let the hair fell to the sides if she wished to change the style. "I have to say. It''s been a while since I worked with such pretty hair. Most blondes that come here are not natural, so the hair is a bit damaged. I can see you treat yours with a great deal of care," Quinn said as she placed the finishing touches. "Thank you. I don''t know how you made me look so pretty," Hera said, still staring at her reflection. "Let me tell you a secret," Quinn put her face beside Hera''s looking at the explorer through the mirror, "I only made your hair different. The pretty part is all you." The hairdresser gave such an honest smile that Hera couldn''t help but smile back, even if she didn''t agree with what Quinn said. She could pretend it was true for a few moments. "One last thing. Let me send you a quick tutorial. It''s a simple 5 step way to turn this into a pulled-back style, that way you can do it inside the MAZE. It also has a step by step in how to make this style. It won''t be exactly the same as it looks right now, but that''s just because I''m amazing," Quinn said, puffing her chest. "You really are, thank you so much," Hera said. "Now, as I promised. You can pay, this one is just 50 gold," Helena chimed in. "Can you please not give my price to my customers? But yes, you get a friend discount, Hera. It''s going to be 50 gold," Quinn explained. "Thank you." Hera wanted to protest, but it was hard to argue with Quinn. She made Hera feel so comfortable. "So let''s go. Pay the bill so the three of us can have dinner. It''s my treat," Helena said. "Lena!" Hera protested. "What? I only said that I would let you pay for the haircut. I never said a thing about dinner," Helena answered with a playful smile. The trio went to an all you can eat pizzeria. At first, Hera felt a bit awkward. She was a heavy eater, and being with someone new, even if it was Helena''s friend, made her worried about her eating habits. However, as the slices started to come, she realized her worries were unfounded. Quinn gobbled slice after slice, barely stopping to breathe. Hera soon started to follow her lead. Helena stared at those two kind and gentle souls in front of her. They were so sweet, so lovely, and yet both were already on the seventh slice. "That''s just cheating. If I eat like that, it will all go to my hips," she thought to herself. The trio spent the whole night eating, drinking, and talking. Hera was amazed at how much Quinn had done. Backpacking through Asia, the scholarship on a culinary institute on France, dropping out of the institute to learn cosmetology, helping build an animal shelter. She was amazing. When they left, Helena called a taxi for everyone. She was in no shape to drive. Hera woke up the next day with a nasty hangover. Still, she had worse. Since it was still Tuesday, she took the day to rest and make the world stop spinning. Using her usual cure, she made a large pot of black coffee, ate a glass of black and green olives, and ordered in the biggest greasiest hamburger she could find. At the end of the day, she called her grandma to tell her about going inside the MAZE. She also sent a few texts to some friends, just to let them know she might be unavailable. She knew that in some places inside the MAZE, she still could use the internet, but cellphones were a no go. She also sent a text to her dad, Hera still didn''t want to talk to him after what happened last week. When Wednesday came, her whole group woke up early and agreed to go straight for the guild. Hera stopped to thank Helena for everything before going down to the doorway floor and changing her clothes. When she was ready, she looked in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of black jeans pants, the belt with a few satchels, a grey long-sleeved shirt that fit her body, and a dark brown leather jacket. It would look like she was going to a rock concert if it weren''t for the chakram and the handaxe on her belt. Hera left the locker with her backpack. She had stopped to buy a few bottles of water, a first aid kit, and a few power bars. Walking towards the doorway to wait for the rest of the group, she noticed a few stares aimed at her. After scanning the area, she realized that no one else had a backpack as she did. Sometime later, the rest of the group arrived, and to Hera''s relief, Bonnie and Leo had their own backpacks. "You two are not taking backpacks?" Bonnie asked. "I have a satchel, a backpack can be a problem for my role," Alex answered. "Everything I need is in my pockets or my belt. Water, food, a change of underwear. I''m good," Blue said. "I hope I brought enough. I have three bras and four panties," Bonnie said. "I guess it''s fine. We can probably figure out a way to wash them there. Even if that means waiting for it to dry later," Hera said. "You guys... brought underwear?" Leo asked. The four girls stared at Leo. "Leonidas, shut up. I don''t want to hear a single thing you have to say on the subject," Blue demanded as she walked towards the doorway. Helena was there waiting for the group. She gave them a quest to introduce themselves to the guild in Brinefront. She also told the group a few ground rules and what to expect inside the MAZE. When they regained their senses, they should move first and look around later. Crossing the doorway was close to being at the end of an escalator. She also gave Hera a big hug, sent her the basic database from the Order and told her to check the quest board in the guild before heading out to explore. The five thanked Helena and walked towards the doorway. They waited in line to get in. There was just a single group in front of them at the moment. Hera started to feel her stomach flutter. She was finally going inside the MAZE. Not a simulation, not a test. This time it was the real deal. They stopped in front of the doorway and looked at each other with big smiles on their faces. Nodding to her friends, Hera reached out and touched the doorway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Would you like to be transported to Brinefront - 1st Layer [Yes] [No] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The group looked at the notification and counted down together. 3... 2... 1... In synch, they all pressed yes. 65 Brinefron As soon as she pressed Yes on the notification, Hera''s body froze. However, unlike previous times, it wasn''t something abrupt. She felt as if her limbs got gradually heavier and then stopped moving. A warm feeling started to cover her body. It was almost like taking a dip in a heated pool. She could feel her body relaxing during the transfer. Her eyes closed instinctively in that small moment of tranquility. After 30 seconds, little by little, her body began to tingle. As a reaction, Hera tried to move around. It wasn''t hard to move, but it felt like she was walking through water. There was a thickness to the surrounding air. Hera opened her eyes and saw a white glowing tunnel moving around her, leading to an open area where she could only see a purple glow coming from it. The area approached, and the tunnel came to an end in what it felt like a natural way. It was supposed to end like that. Now able to move around like she was used to, Hera took a few steps forward. The first thing that caught her attention was a large tree in front of her. It looked like a maple tree, but it was purple. The leaves had a vibrant magenta color while the trunk shared the same color as an eggplant. As she got closer, Hera realized that it wasn''t only the leaves that were purple. The grass was purple too! "Hey, watch it!" Blue yelled. Hera looked back and saw that the controller had stopped in front of the doorway. That made the next group tumble on her when they arrived. "Helena told us to move. It''s your fault for staying there," Bonnie said. "Well, sorry. But how can you not stop and look? Everything is purple." "Not everything," Alex said, looking to the side. Hera walked towards the assassin. She was standing beside the doorway, looking towards what looked like an enormous lake. As Hera got closer, she could see that they were atop a hill. Under it, there was a sizeable town. The buildings seemed to be mostly made of wood and brick. It didn''t look like a modern city in any way. She was looking at a place that came straight out of a fantasy book. The wall encircling the city had a soft yellow tone that made the purple foliage pop even more. The streets had a stronger yellow color that reminded Hera of the famous yellow brick road. On the edge of the town, all the houses had the same color pallet of red and white, but as it reached the center, they started to vary from oranges to greens and even blues. The one building that stood out was a three stories high reddish-orange brick tower. However, it was large, larger than any other buildings in the town. At the top of the building, there was a symbol. It was a doorway with the doors open and the skyline of a city inside of it, the symbol of the guild. Her eyes kept scanning the city until it reached a port, small boats were docked while a few others seemed to be leaving towards the lake. Hera looked towards the horizon, following the water. It seemed endless. The lake kept going and it would vanish behind a hill before she could see the other side of its shore. Another thing she noticed is that it seemed like all the vegetation in this room was predominantly purple. "Holy crap, are those pillars?" Leo asked. Following the eyes of the man, Hera saw a large stone pillar that was raising up to the sky until it vanished into the clouds. Not only that, but there was no actual sky. Above the clouds, there was a grey stone ceiling. This whole place seemed to be inside a cave, a ridiculously vast cave. "We really are not in our world anymore, are we?" Bonnie asked. "You are wrong," Hera said, "We are finally in our world." The group smiled at the comment. She was right. They saw the group that arrived after them going down a path that seemed to curl around the hill and lead towards the town. Following the trail, they left the doorway, heading towards the guild to figure out their next step. Most people would take around 20 minutes to walk from the doorway to the guild. Yet, Hera and her friends took almost one hour. They stopped to look at each tree, each house, and each shop. Hera and Blue also wanted to eat something in one of the restaurants that were around here. After some convincing, they agreed to wait to do it after they went to the guild. The town could look like something from a fantasy setting. However, the technology was still present. Screens showing different products, electronic cashiers, and all sorts of daily appliances were easy to spot. It gave Hera the feeling of being in a theme park. After some time, they arrived at the guild. The brick tower was even more imposing up close. The front door was a white entrance that raised to the symbol at the top. Many people were walking inside the guild. A few were lounging in the small bar. Others were looking at the various boards spread around the ground floor. There was also a big counter in the back of the room with a couple of people dressed in a familiar clerk uniform. The group approached the counter, introducing themselves to the attendant. "Welcome, it is always good to see new explorers. Although, to be honest, we were expecting you on Monday. I got worried only those two had passed the test this time. Oh, and I''m Gemma, nice to meet ya." Blue groaned. Hera didn''t need to ask why. None of them were happy that Anaya and Kenjiro were already around. "Now, let''s finish the introduction quest, and... All done. You can now take new quests from any of the boards. The boards are split by the type of client. In the front, you can see the ones from companies in the outside. The ones on the right are from shops and locals, and those on the left are from the groups and private clients. We also have a set of introductory quests if you guys are a bit lost," Gemma explained. "Do we have a limit on the number of quests we can take?" Alex asked. "Well, not really, but we advise new explorers to keep it under three quests at once. Newbies tend to get distracted easily, and it''s a bit of a problem if you accept a quest and take too long to finish it," Gemma said. "Where is the library? I''m looking for books about spells and magic," Bonnie jumped in front of the group. "It is towards the doorway, look for a corner store that sells flowers, and turn left. It''s the building that looks like a mansion. We have a quest that asks you to do a small tour of the city as part of the introductory quests that I mentioned. If you finish it, you get a voucher for borrowing two books from the library if you are interested." Bonnie took the quest on the spot, and the group agreed that it was a good idea to do those starter quests. They would need to deliver letters for a few people, which would give them an idea of the town''s layout. There was also a hunting quest, a gathering one, and a quest specific for each role. The one available for Hera was discovering the three legends of the town. "Oh, and Hera. You have another one. This was sent specifically for you." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ First task - Client: Helena Ditrro Hello, sweetie. I know you must be excited to start doing your own thing, but don''t forget about little old me. I still want your help with my research. Before being able to help me, you need to learn a few things. For starters, learn a spell! Any will do, you just need to unlock your mana stat. Don''t worry about the time. Do it at your own pace. Buuuuuuttt Magic is amazing. It can help you so much. If I were you, I would put learning a spell as a priority. P.S. Did you know that the contribution points that this quest gives you are enough to trade for the compendium for a skill in the order? Rewards: Baby''s first spellbook 50 Contribution points with the Order of the Lost Court. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera read the quest with a smile. Helena could be really silly at times. This could help her a lot, but she wondered what the baby''s first spellbook was. She thanked Gemma and left the guild with her friends. "So we start with the tour and then go hunt?" Leo suggested. "You guys can go. I''m staying at the library," Bonnie said. "Why? We can wait for you," Alex intervened. "You can''t. I''m staying there until I learn how to use magic." "Oh, live a little. You worked so hard to get here, and the first thing you do is go back to a library?" Blue asked. "I''m going precisely because I want to live," Bonnie said. The researcher then let out a lengthy sigh, "Look, I''m not good with weapons like you all. I''m not strong like you Blue, proficient like Leo, quick like Alex, or crafty as Hera. If we go out now, I''m going to be in the way. I know it, and you guys know it too. But with magic, I have a fighting chance, or at least I hope I do." "Are you sure?" Hera asked. "Yes, please go, hunt, explore. Do your thing. You can find me in the library. Also, we need to figure out where we are going to sleep, or you guys want to go back home every day?" Bonnie asked. Hera completely forgot about that. They were close enough to go back and forth from the real world, but that idea bothered Hera. She didn''t want to commute to the maze every day. Even if it would be almost like going to the guild like she had done the past month. She was inside the MAZE, and she wanted to be here. "Maybe they have hotels, or someplace we can stay for a while. Did anyone check with the guild?" Hera asked. The group shook their heads. "Well, we have the tour quest, let''s check it out, and then we can ask them," Leo suggested. "Why would we.... Give me a minute," Alex said as she walked toward the counter. A few moments later, she returned, "Ok, so part of the tour will take us to the housing bureau. They can help us find a place to stay." They started her tour rig away. It asked them to visit a few places with the basics they would need. The first stop was a shop in the middle of a street filled with restaurants, markets, and cafes. Then, an armorsmith in the area where all the exploring gear was sold. They also stopped by the library and had to drag Bonnie away from it. She could come back after finishing this quest. Then to the healing center, the guards'' barracks, the mayor''s house, and ending it in the housing bureau. Talking to the bureau, the group discovered that explorers with the quest could take rooms in a hotel for up to a week. They only needed to pay on the last day, which gave them plenty of time to earn some money. The price was 50 gold a day, it wasn''t a five-star hotel by any means, but the price was manageable, especially if they split the rooms. "I get that I''m the one who will be taking a single room, but this feels unfair," Leo complained. "Have menstrual cramps, then we''ll talk," Blue mocked. Going back to the guild after going to the rooms they rented, the group received the reward for the tour. A voucher for borrowing two books in the library, one small health potion, and the map of the city and its surrounding areas. Thankfully, the rewards were individual. The moment Bonnie got her rewards, she sprinted out of the guild towards the library. "I guess we see her at dinner," Alex said. "I bet 5 gold she sleeps in the library," Blue added. "I''ll take that. She is not sleeping tonight," Hera stated. "Let her do her thing. You guys ready to hunt some frogs?" Leo asked. "Ugh, I hate slimy things," Alex said as they walked towards the town''s exit. 66 The explorer and the toad "Ok, you are done eating. Can we please go?" Leo asked. "Dude, I still have some fries left. Why are you in such a rush?" Blue replied. "I''m not int a rush. I''m excited. We are in the MAZE. Let''s go explore and do something," he said. "Leo, I''m excited too. But we need to eat. If we went out now, we would need to come back to eat in just a few minutes. Using our supplies because of that seems a waste," Hera said. "You know, it''s hard to see your point when you have frosting on your nose. How many cupcakes did you eat?" the man asked. "Just two..." Hera looked away. "Lies, that''s your fourth. But I can understand why. These purple chocolate cupcakes are amazing," Alex said. "It doesn''t matter, can we just go?" Leo asked. They were in a dinner at the edge of the Lepidolite district, where the city had most of its restaurants and simple stores. There were a few other customers inside the dinner that stared at the man urging the three women to go. "Leo, can you sit? Please? We are almost done, I promise," Hera said. The man grumbled and sat back into the free chair. He looked away while the rest of the group finished their meal. Hera tried to ask what was wrong and why he was in such a rush but got no answer. Ten minutes later, they left the dinner and were already heading towards the city gate. Leo was walking at a fast pace, fast enough to make Hera and Blue regret having such a big lunch. As they reached the gate, they noticed a couple of guards with metal helmets armed with spears by the entrance. They seemed to be watching everyone who was passing by. Out of curiosity, Hera activated her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stanley ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Timothy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She only focused on the guards, but a two explorers who arrived in the town stared daggers at her. Hera blushed, seeing their reaction. She had forgotten that there were people who could tell when they were being observed. She was still intrigued by the guards. Could they be people from the outside working here? Or would they be denizens of the MAZE? They passed through the guards and walked towards the path that leads deeper into the purple forest around the city. In the road they used, there were a few groups that looked like explorers. Not only the weapons seemed to have designs that they have seen around the guild, but most of them carried the guild issued tablet in a holster. The forest was incredible. Not like the one Hera saw during her test. Every tree here was unique, even if they were all the same type. Young trees, old trees, trees that grew in odd ways, trees that grew around rocks, trees that swayed with the wind and trees that seemed to be as sturdy as a wall. Hera could also hear life, not just the leaves rustling in the wind but small bugs and critters moving about. "Hera, can you move? Every few seconds you stop to look around, we have stuff to do," Leo complained. Hera apologized and focused on the path, not wanting to delay the group, but Blue rebuked her. "Don''t you dare apologize, Hera. We are all enjoying this. And Leo, can you just take that stick out off your ass?" The man argued for a while, but they never stopped walking. After twenty minutes of walking, they reached the area where they would find the frogs. Hera had her tablet open on the map and quickly checked the quest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Introductory mission Frog hunting Kill giant frogs in the forest outside of town. Due to its fast respawn if not kept in check, the frogs can spread its territory, which causes problems for Brinefront. Hunting has a set reward. However, in most cases, the target monster also has valuable materials that can be sold at the guild. The frog has three well sought out materials by the guild. The value of said material varies depending on the state they are delivered. Pair of legs - up to 20 gold Tongue - up to 28 gold Eyes - up to 10 gold each Objective: Hunt 10 frogs for each member of your party: 0/40 Reward: 50 gold Giant frog basic compendium ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "It''s a shame we don''t get the compendium before hunting them," Hera said. "Yeah, but my guess is that this is a bit of training they are giving us. We won''t have information on everything we fight," Alex said. "That''s true. If it were something really dangerous, I doubt they would hold back information," Hera asserted. "Hera is right. After a certain level, every mission that involves hunting monsters gives us a compendium about the target. And the basic versions usually are pretty cheap, so there is no reason not to buy them," Blue explained. "How do you know that?" Alex asked. "What do you mean, how? Mr. Greyson told us that during class." After thinking for a moment, Hera exclaimed, "She''s right. I completely forgot about that," "Bonnie is not going to believe this. Blue remembered something from class," Alex heckled. "HEY!" Blue complained. The three girls laughed but were cut off by Leo, shushing them and pointing forward. After a few bushes, there was a large frog, about the size of a poodle. Its back was black, almost as if it was covered in tar, but its belly had a light green color. "Ok, this must be the frogs. We should check if there are any more around. Just to be safe," Hera said. Before the explorer finished speaking, Leo jumped forward and stabbed the frog with its spear. Piercing through its stomach, the man pulled his weapon back and stuck again, this time aiming for the frog''s head. With the creature clearly dead, Leo grabbed his tablet and started to look for something. "What the hell, Leo?" Blue yelled. Leo just waved her off and kept doing something on his tablet. "Leo!" Hera called. "Leo!" Alex followed. "What?" he said, annoyed by the yelling. "RUN!" the three women yelled. Leo looked back and saw a giant frog coming out of the bushes. It looked just like the one he had just killed, but it was the size of a Great Dane. In all four, it could easily reach Hera''s shoulder. Just as the hunter started to run back to his group, the frog opened its mouth, and the sound of a whip snapping roared in the forest. Leo tumbled forward. The frog''s tongue hit his back and started to pull his cloak. Seeing her friend fall, Hera froze. She wasn''t expecting the frog to be so big. At her side, Alex looked at the creature in shock, her hands shaking at the sight of it. Blue charged in, grabbing Leo and helping him get up. The frog kept trying to pull its prey back. "Hera, Alex, help me out here!" Blue yelled. Coming out of their stupor, Hera jumped forward in Leo''s rescue. She went past the man and used the handaxe to slash at the frog''s tongue. The blade slid across the thin muscle, making the frog let go of the cloak. The tip of its tongue dangling outside its mouth with blood coming out of it. Hera wasn''t expecting the attack to be that strong. She glanced at the weapon and mumbled, "Thanks, Iris," before helping Leo move towards Alex. The frog didn''t attack right away. Blue kept glancing over her shoulder to watch out for any attacks, but he was just staring at the group. She tossed Leo over the bush at the same time the frog let out a loud croak. Spinning around, the controller got ready to defend against any attack that was coming her way, but the frog just kept staring at her. Hera helped Leo to hide behind a tree before turning to the assassin. "Alex. Help, Leo!" Alex shook her head and looked at Hera and Leo. "G.. got it. Go help Blue. I''ll be right there." Hera rushed back just in time to see other two frogs coming out of the bushes. Thankfully, these were about half the size of the one they were already fighting, but their underside was light blue instead of light green. "Blue..." "I don''t think we can run. Can you distract one of the small ones? I''ll manage the other two," Blue said. "Ok, just try to hold them off. When I''m done, I''ll help you." In synch, the two jumped towards their targets. Hera aimed at the smaller frog on the right while Blue went straight for the big one. Hera tried to move around the blue frog, hoping it would have problems turning around. Before she was able to get out of the creature''s line of sight, the monster opened its mouth, and with a crack, its tongue went flying off towards the explorer. When the frog started to open its mouth, Hera ducked and swung her chakram up. She felt the creature''s whip-like tongue brush her cheek at the same time that her slash connected. The frog recoiled, giving Hera an opening to move to the side of the creature. The frog had to jump at an angle to start to reposition itself, but Hera was faster. She took another step making a circle and slashed at the monster legs, trying to hinder its movement. The handaxe hit the joint and made the frog lose part of its foot. Trying to keep the momentum, Hera aimed the chakram at the creature''s throat. But instead of cutting it, she ended up shoving the weapon inside the frog''s mouth. Having the monster stuck to her, she raised her handaxe, aiming at the neck of the beast. As she brought down her weapon, she heard Alex screaming on the other side. "You disgusting, slimy, useless, piece of garbage! Just fucking die already!" The yelling was enough to distract Hera, messing with her aim. She heard a loud clang noise when Iris hit the edge of Mayura''s feather, removing the top of the frog''s head. She quickly pulled her weapons back and saw a small mark on the chakram. Making a mental note to fix it, she turned to help her friends. Alex was mounting on the blue frog, slashing at its back even with the creature clearly dead. Blue, on the other hand, seemed to be in a tug of war against the big frog who had grabbed the controller''s wrist with its tongue. Unsure on how the frog was able to attack like that again, Hera quickly scanned the area. Only to find that the tip of its tongue had grown back while the part she cut was sitting on the floor at the frog''s feet. Thinking about how to deal with a monster that could regrow its limbs, she saw a thick twig on the ground. Quickly grabbing it, she wrapped the branch with Yarnball and tied the string around a nearby tree. Hoping her relic was strong enough, she dashed towards Blue and stabbed the twig in the middle of the frog''s tongue. The creature let out a loud croak, different from the one it used before, and retracted its tongue, but it was stopped midway by the twig embedded on it. As the beast pulled back its tongue, the twig was making it rip in half. A large flow of blood was coming out of the hole made by the makeshift stake. "Nice work, Hera!" Blue complimented. "It''s not dead yet," Hera said as she ran towards the beast. Unable to run or to use its primary form of attack, the frog was killed quickly by the explorers. After confirming the creature was dead, Hera rushed back to the tree where she left Yarnball. "I''m so, so sorry. I''ll try never to let go of you again," Hera said as she untied the string. "Are you really talking to your gear?" Blue asked. Hera put Yarnball back on her belt after cleaning it up. "Yeah... why?" Seeing the look on Hera''s face, Blue just said, "Nothing. It''s cute." Alex was still stabbing at the corpse of the blue frog. "Alex? Are you ok?" Hera asked. The woman jerked her head up; her eyes were wide and bloodshot, but she seemed to calm down after seeing her friends. "Yeah... sorry. I just hate frogs." "Noted, are you going to be able to deal with this quest? We can see if there is something we can do," Blue said. "Yeah... I have to do this. Shock therapy, right?" Alex said. "Ok, but if you need to stop, let us know, ok," Hera asked. Alex just nodded as they saw Leo getting up and rubbing his shoulder. He tried to carry his lance on the should hit, but it was clearly not able to hold it very well. "Where are they? Are you ok?" he asked. "Perfect, we need to talk to you. Actually, does anyone want to take this, or can I do it?" Blue asked. In response to the question, Alex stomped towards Leo and grabbed him by the collar. "What the fuck do you think you are doing?" she yelled at him. Blue and Hera glanced at each other. "Did she just awoke something?" Blue asked. "I guess so," Hera said as she looked towards Leo, who seemed even more shocked than the two of them. 67 A hunters plea "So... how long do you think she is going to keep going?" Hera asked. "I honestly don''t know. It has been a solid two minutes. She does not even stop to catch her breath. I''m genuinely impressed," Blue answered. The two were watching Alex scold Leo for a couple of minutes already. Blue turned to Hera and looked for something in her pockets. "Come here," the controller said. Hera walked closer to her, "What''s up?" Blue then grabbed a small bottle of water and put some of it on Hera''s cheek. "Ouch." "Oh, stop complaining. Your face got cut, and we need to clean the wound. This is just soap water," Blue said as she grabbed a small piece of cloth to remove any excess water. With the cut clean, she placed a small bandage on the explorer''s cheek. "Thanks, Blue. I wasn''t expecting you to be that worried about cuts," Hera said. "After the fourth time I had to take antibiotics for not cleaning a wound properly, I learned my lesson. It was so bad that I ended up being hospitalized for a week." Hera stared at her friend. How bad must have been the infection for her to stay that long in the hospital? It was no wonder she was so cautious about it. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" Blue asked "My hand is a bit numb, but that''s all. I guess I was holding the chakram a bit too tightly," Hera said. Blue nodded and looked towards the frog corpses behind them. "I guess we could check the frogs. We might get some gold with the parts," Hera said as she turned around. "Yeah, Alex doesn''t seem to be losing steam," Blue said, staring at the assassin who was making even broader gestures at the moment. Hera and Blue walked towards the frogs. Before touching them, they activated the [Inspect] skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Giant Dichromatic Frog Type: Blue A type of frog common in the first layer. Know for its rapid reproduction period in less than one month, a female of the species can lay over 200 eggs. In another month, the 200 frogs will already have reached maturity. The blue variation is known for its tongue strength, being able to pull targets over double its weight with ease. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Giant Dichromatic Frog Type: Green A type of frog common in the first layer. Know for its rapid reproduction period in less than one month, a female of the species can lay over 200 eggs. In another month, the 200 frogs will already have reached maturity. The green variation''s tongue has anesthetic properties, making whatever it touches numb and sluggish. The toxin is accumulated at the tip of its tongue before it strikes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Oh, so that''s why," Hera exclaimed, staring at her hand. "Maybe Leo fell because of this, but why it didn''t affect me?" Blue asked. "Well... your kevlar bodysuit is thicker than Leo''s clothes. Or maybe your role has something to do with it. Since you can control the battlefield, you might have some resistance to effects that would do the same," Hera said. "Well, that''s true. Anyway, we need legs, eyes, and tongues, right?" "Yeah, but how are we going to carry it back? Can we make something, or should we carry it by hand?" Hera asked. "I mean, we are still close to the town, carrying it wouldn''t be that bad. I can take the big legs, you and Alex the little ones, and Leo can take the tongues," Agreeing with the idea, the two of them started to harvest the parts they needed. "What do you think we should do with the rest? Just leave it here?" Hera asked while cutting one of the blue frog''s legs. "Yeah, I mean, what else can we do? Give it a burial?" For the ten minutes or so that they kept working on the blue frogs, Alex was still scolding Leo. When she finally finished, she turned around only to let out a loud yell. "What the hell are you two doing?" Blue and Hera stared at each other and then to the assassin. "We are just grabbing some parts we can sell. We need money," Blue said. "But how are you? ... That is sooo grosss," The woman shook her head and looked back. Hera stared at Blue, they were a bit covered in blood, but it was the frogs, and the inspect said nothing about it being poisonous. "What''s the matter? It''s just like cooking a fish," Blue said. "Yeah, or making a barbecue. Sometimes the meat is a bit bloody," Hera chimed in. Leo took a step back while Alex walked away from the duo. "I agree with Alex, that is too much. I''m out," the man said. "Like hell you are, we are in this mess because of you. Since Alex is clearly out, you are carrying some legs," Blue said. Leo wanted to protest, but he knew she was right. He was the one that made this all happen. After half an hour, they managed to grab the six back legs and three of the eyes. The other ones were destroyed during the fight or in the attempt to harvest them. Since Leo was still a bit numb and they had no way of transporting the materials, the group decided to go back to the city. Alex walked in front of them, aways from the frog bodyparts. "Ok, now spill it, Leo. What the hell was that?" Blue asked. "I got too excited and jumped in. It was my mistake," he replied. "Bullshit. Your test was all about observing your prey and finding its weakness. There is no way in hell you jumped in because you were excited," Alex yelled from the front. "Its... nothing," Leo said. "Leo, look, we like you. You know that, but we need to know if you are going to do something like that. Unless we understand why you did it, we can''t say for sure it won''t happen again," Hera said. "It''s stupid," Leo replied. "I sure hope so. You were stupid!" Alex said. He tried to change the subject a few times, but the three women were adamant. Seeing he had no other choice, he started to talk. "Look, when we finished the tour, I got a message that the group I want to join will be recruiting new members at the end of the week. The thing is, they only accept applications that have completed at least 10 quests, being 4 of them hunts," "Ok, I get it. But why the rush? Do they take a long time to get new applicants or something?" Blue asked. "Well, a bit. Usually, they recruit people once every six months or so. There have been times where they stopped recruiting for a year," he said. "Ok, I get that you want to join now, but it''s not like everything is over. You can still join them even if it takes a while," Hera said. "I just don''t want to wait. They are a bit strict about being a part of other groups. You can party with others, but you can only be part of their group." Hera nodded. She understood how it was like to keep waiting for an opportunity better than most. "I''m not buying it. You are hiding something. Why do you need to be a part of this particular group?" Alex asked. "My uncle¡­ he helped raise me when I was little. My parents were always working in the museum, and I was angry all the time. When my parents got a grant for a big excavation that would last a few years, my uncle came to live with me. He showed me how to control my anger and to focus it on something else. He is the one that taught me how to use a spear. He was... he is a fighter, and he was a part of the Crimson Coalition, that''s the name of the group. Five years ago, he came to the MAZE and disappeared. Apparently, his bracelet is still sending a signal, but it doesn''t send the coordinates. I know it''s stupid, but I came here to find him," Leo explained. The three women glanced at each other. "Alex, can you do me this favor? My hands are full," Blue asked. "My pleasure," she replied just before smacking Leo in the back of the head. "What the hell was that for?" the man yelled. "That''s from your uncle and from us. You can''t find him if you are dead. So tell your friends what is going on," Alex said. "Yeah! Yarnball can even help with that, but we need to be in the room he was in at least," Hera chimed in. "I can''t ask you guys to go out of your way to help me. This is my aim. I need to do it," Leo said. "Ok, first of all, do you think you can stop the three of us from going? Second, you didn''t ask. We are telling you we will help," Blue said. Leo tried to tell them not to worry, but the women ignored him. As he talked the three started to discuss the plans for hunting the frogs. "The good part is that now we know what the different frogs do. The green one has poison on its tongue, and the blue one can pull you back, so basically avoid the tongue," Hera said. "What do you mean, blue and green frogs? They were the same color, right?" Alex asked. "Oh crap, what color did you see?" Blue asked. "Well, the color I see it''s... well, I guess you call it blue? It looks like a pool, but with less vivid colors. All three frogs were like that." "Did anyone try to observe them?" Leo asked. "Yeah, but the names were just Giant Dichromatic Frog on all of them," Blue said. The group discussed other differences, trying to find something that Alex could use to distinguish them. After some time walking, Hera picked the eyes she had taken from the monsters and showed to Alex. The ones from the blue frog were yellow and snake-like while the eyes from the blue ones were whitish and had some squiggly lines to it. Thankfully, the assassin could see those differences. They figured that out close to the city. A few explorers stared at the group who was carrying six giant frog legs around. Moving straight to the guild, they circled to the back after being instructed by the guards at the entrance. There were a few people in a line waiting to sell the materials, yet none of them was carrying such a big haul. After around ten minutes, it was finally their turn. "What do you have?" A gruff voice rang behind the counter. It was a very short man with a spiky ginger beard. He had a monocle movable monocle in his right eye and a heavy metal gauntlet on his left. Blue stared at the man for a moment before asking. "Are you a dwarf?" "Blue!" the rest of the group barked. The man let out a resounding laugh. "Yes, I am. Well, half-dwarf on my father''s side." "That is soooo cool. You are the first non-human we saw here," Blue said. "I doubt it, we run most of the shops here. Most just hide their features not to scare away new customers. Why do you think most uniforms have hats?" the dwarf said. Hera was a bit surprised, Mr. Greyson told them that the people born inside the MAZE were the origin for fantasy stories. Elfs, dwarfs, gnomes, devils, beastfolk, and many more were a common sight, especially as you went to deeper layers. Just like humans, they could also become explorers or do various jobs. The only issue is that they weren''t able to leave the MAZE. Hera didn''t expect to meet one so soon. "Now, stop gawking and show me what you got," the dwarf said. They placed the frog legs and eyes on the counter and let the man evaluate it. He started with the eyes, making a few notes on a piece of paper. Proceeding to the legs, the man seemed a bit more excited about them. "This is some nice work, well-done boy," he said, nodding at Leo. "It wasn''t me. It was those two," Leo pointed at Hera and Blue. "My mistake, most new girls don''t have the stomach to do this work. How long did it take?" the dwarf asked. "Between us two, around half an hour, right?" Blue asked. "Yeah, we took some time to figure out how to start and if it was safe to do it," Hera replied. "Not bad, not bad at all. For the haul, I''ll give you 88 gold. 40 for the two green legs, 32 for the four blue legs, 14 for the two eyes of the green one, and 2 for the one eye of the blue." "We''ll take it!" Alex cheered. "I''m never letting you negotiate," Leo said, staring at the assassin. "If you don''t mind me asking, where did you learn to disassemble these things so well?" the dwarf asked. "My dad is a butcher. I helped him out at the store sometimes. At first, just as a cashier, but when I got older, I started to help to cut the meat," Blue replied. "In my great uncle''s farm. I spent my summers there and helped take care of the animals, or make meals out of them," Hera said. Blue and Alex stared at each other. "Did you know that?" Alex asked. "I had no idea, but it kind of makes sense, right? Not so much Hera but for Blue," Leo said. "Hey!" the controller yelled. "Before you start killing each other here, let me ask. Do you guys have a partner?" 68 A better way The group walked towards the district where people who traded materials stayed. It was closer to the port, and it spread from a bit after the center of the city all the way to the edge of the town. The housing bureau was also there. According to the map, it was called the Taaffeite district. The dwarf had told them that merchants were always looking for people who could supply them with good materials. If they get a partner, they could have an easier time transporting the materials. "What was his name?" Blue asked. "Durgan, why?" Alex replied. "No, not the guy in the guild. The merchant," Blue said. "Oh, then is the owner of the store called For Cod''s Sake. His name was Edmund something," Hera said. "Avington, Edmund Avington. Or at least that''s what I wrote down," Leo chimed in. Asking for directions, they were pointed towards a store with an extravagant golden entrance. Inside they could see that all the furniture was a mix of gold, silver, and rose gold. "Please, tell me this ain''t it," Alex said. "I could, but that would be a lie. Look at the name," Leo said. Above the entrance, there was a giant golden chain with a plaque that read ''For Cod''s Sake''. The group stared at each other, pausing in front of the store. Hera wanted to go away. She didn''t feel comfortable dealing with people that were that showy. "I know this is bad, but maybe we can check it out. We are already here, you know," Blue said. "Yeah, and if we can get someone to help us take the monster parts, we can hunt faster," Leo said. The two entered the store, with Hera and Alex following behind. The interior was so bright that it made you want to wear sunglasses. The light was reflecting and bouncing around everywhere. Luckily the shop had a big open area in the middle, and most products seemed to be behind the counters. Otherwise, people would easily trip over the displays. Blue approached one of the clerks and showed a letter that Durgan gave them. A few moments later, the attendant called someone, and a weird man came out of the backroom. He was wearing a red bucket hat, a pink v-neck sweater, puffy pants with one leg tucked inside a red sock, and the other leg folded over the knee. He also had a pair of tan sandals and a golden chain with a large gold coin in the middle. Leo walked towards the man, "Mr. Avington. It''s a pleasure to meet you. Durgan sent us here," he said, putting out his hand. The man shook Leo''s hand, vigorously. "Listen man, Mr. Avington was my pops. Call me Mondy. They mentioned a letter, let me take a look at it," The man said. He read the letter, and after a few moments, he opened a big smile. "Hey, can someone grab a bottle of bubbly and bring it to my office?" he said towards the staff, "Now you four, follow me." Mondy walked towards a door in the back of the store. The group following him. "Leo, how did you know it was him?" Hera whispered. "Only the boss can wear something like that at work and not get yelled at," he replied. Hera couldn''t help but giggle. The man had a point. They walked by a hallway as pretentious as the storefront. It was filled with tapestries and ornate golden decorations until they reached a small white door with golden details with a golden engraving that read ''Janitor closet 1''. Mondy opened the door and walked in. Inside it was a big office, but much more simple than the rest of the store. The walls had no paint. It was all bare brick. There was an old beat-up couch in the corner with a TV in front of it, a whiteboard with some ink stains that seemed to be permanent. In the back of the room, there was a round felt table with markings for playing poker, as well as eight chairs around it. "Come, sit, relax," Mondy said, walking towards the poker table. The group sat at the table, still looking around, surprised by the office they were using. Not only that, but the man had a much more relaxed posture than any of the clerks. "So, before we start, do you have any questions?" Mondy asked. "If you don''t mind me saying. This is not what we were expecting, especially with that store," Alex said as Leo stared daggers at her. "I hear you, I hear you. But outside, it''s good for business. People want to think they have something grand, something that they can show off. A big house, jewelry, weapons, armor, or whatever. I just show them what they want, but I rather have a real talk in my home turf," Mondy said. Hera nodded. It was part of the reason her dad had a successful business. People wanted to show off their custom made furniture. "What do you sell here? I was too distracted with the store to look," Leo said. "C'' mon boy, you can''t let some shine take your eyes away from the prize. I sell a bit of everything, but my main products are monster based gear, from accessories to tea sets. Some help explorers and some are just to look nice on your shelf. That''s only the store part. I also buy and sell materials. Import and export, that''s how you make big money. And that is why you are all here," Mondy said. "Yes, Durgan told us about having a partner. But I''m not so sure about how that would work," Hera said. "Oh, it''s easy. Instead of selling to the guild, you sell the things you get from me. You let me know what monster you are hunting, and I''ll tell you what I can use. Some of them can do so much that it is just easier to buy the whole body." "Sure, but how does that work? Do you pay by pieces like the guild or what? Also, how can you help us bring the materials back?" Leo asked. "Chill dude, one thing at the time. I pay for piece, but unlike the guild, it''s a fixed rate unless you send something really special. For instance, frog legs are 10 gold each, well giant frog legs I say, there is a minimum weight to it. But that is the starting value after I sell you guys get 10% of the profits. If I get a good deal, one frog leg might give you 30 gold." Mondy said as he started to play with a gold coin. "That''s really low. If we sell it to the guild, we will make double that, and the commission won''t make up for it." Leo said. "But you would have to carry the pieced back. I offer you a way to sell it on site. Besides, I''m not offering you a contract. If you wanna sell something to the guild, you are free to do so. I''m just giving you an alternative, so you won''t have to come back to the city every five minutes." "And how can you help with that?" Blue asked. "Drones baby, drones. I have a delivery and retrieval service set up. I''ll register you as users, and you can call in a drone to pick up your materials on site," Mondy said as he pointed towards a drone in the corner of the room. The merchant explained how it worked. The group would install an app on the tablet, creating an overlay on the map. It would show the areas where the drones can reach safely. All they needed to do was to send a signal, and the drone would go there. It could carry up to 50 kilograms, and they would fly towards a distribution tower. The drones had to be protected when under a specific altitude. Any damage to the drone during that time would be discounted from the payment for the materials. To Hera, it seemed like a good deal. They weren''t chaining themselves to Mondy, but at the same time, they had a way to make some quick money. Even if they earned just half of what the guild would pay, they could get more money like that. Between going out, killing the three frogs, and coming back, it took almost two hours. Being able to hunt and sell without coming back would let them make a lot of money. However, it would be better if they harvested the materials themselves. If they send in a full frog, for instance, there was a disassembly fee to be deducted from the pay. "So, how about it. Let''s give this deal a chance?" Mondy asked. The explorers looked at each other and asked for a moment to discuss the deal. "I don''t like it. We lose too much money with this," Leo said. "Yeah, but we can focus more on hunting like that. It would help to make some money while we help your missions," Hera said. "That''s true, but I still don''t like it," the man said. "Why is that?" Alex asked. "He seems shifty. I don''t trust him," "Why?" Blue asked. "He''s just weird," Leo said. "Wow, way to be judgmental. Look at his store. Even if he is shifty, he is doing something right. Besides, we are new here, and he is making an offer with no string attached. I say that is a good deal for us," Alex said. "I''m not, is just..." Leo looked towards Mondy, "he is rubbing me the wrong way," "What about this? We accept the offer, and only one of us uses the app thing. After we are done with your ten mission, we look for someone else to sell the materials to. He mentioned towers, and I doubt he owns them. So that means that more people should have similar ways to retrieving monster parts," Hera said. The man agreed with her suggestion but stated that he would be fine if they went looking for someone else right now. The women knew that it was a lie. He''s been fidgeting ever since Mondy started talking. If it weren''t for them, the hunter would probably be running towards the frogs. Turning back to Mondy, the group accepted his offer. He thanked them and created an order for them. Orders, unlike quests, are tasks that are always available. They are jobs that don''t have a limit or a goal you can keep doing them as long as the client keeps the posting of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Order: Giant Dichromatic Frog materials Leg (at least 500 grams) - 10 gold each Tongue (at least 800 grams) - 11 gold each Eye - 6 gold each Heart (unharmed) - 12 gold each Spleen (unharmed) - 8 gold each Liver (unharmed) - 5 gold each This order gives you access to the Ofbator delivery drone (Max capacity 50 kilograms, container area 2 m3) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera accepted the order on behalf of her group and installed the app on her tablet. Leo was worried about that overlay, but the app was registered in the official guild catalog. Thanking Mondy for his time, the group left the store. It was still the middle of the afternoon, even with all they had done. Hera wanted to explore the town to try to find the legends, but Leo kept pacing around looking towards the town gate. She opened the map to check the area that the drones could reach. They had a surprisingly big range, and it took them only ten minutes to reach the edge of it. When Hera showed the drone range for the group, Leo said they could go back to where they had found the frogs and start there. After all, it was in the middle of the drone range. Leaving the city once again, Hera saw the guards changing. Stanley and Timothy, the ones she saw before, were being replaced. As they left their post, Stanley, a tall man with a sun-tanned skin and golden eyes, removed his helmet and showed his long blond hair and a pair of dog ears that fell on his head. The ears'' position was higher than what it would be on humans, but they dropped, covering the place where human ears would be. As Hera stared at the guard, their eyes meet, and the man waved to her as he smiled. Hera smiled back but looked away, embarrassed about being caught staring at the man''s ears. It was the first time she saw something like that, and she wasn''t sure if staring at it would be rude. The group left the town, and in a little over half an hour, they were back in the area where they could hunt for frogs. "Leo, this time, we do it the right way, ok?" Blue asked. "I''ll behave, I promise," he replied. "Ok, so I think me and Alex should go in front, we are can move around more freely. When we find something, we give you a signal and check the surroundings," "Sounds like a plan," Alex said, "But I''m not helping with the gutting and cutting and... I think I''m gonna be sick," "Just don''t think about it, you can protect us while we do the dirty work," Hera said, "Now, let''s go. I don''t like the idea of staying here after sunset." 69 Tiny Threa "Nice!" Blue said. "Yeah, I wasn''t expecting to get a transfer right away," Hera said, looking at her tablet. After calling the drone, they had placed the materials of eight frogs in the container. They were still far from the 50 kg that the drone could carry, but that small haul was enough to give them 357 gold. The biggest problem was getting the organs from the frogs. Not only was it hard to keep them intact during the fight, but they also were tricky to remove. Still, for just a bit over one hour of work, it was a really nice pay. "Hey, am I doing the math wrong, or if we do this for two days, we can get more than a thousand gold each?" Alex asked. "What? No, you can''t be right," Hera said. "Hang on," Leo said. He grabbed his tablet and opened the calculator. A few moments later, he looked up from the screen. "Oh crap, she''s right. If we keep this pace, we can get almost 700 gold per day," "Wow... this is really on another level," Blue said. Hera agreed, as she stared at the drone that flew away with the latest haul. Money shouldn''t be a problem anymore. She looked at the time. It was almost 5 P.M. "So, I have no idea at what time the sun sets in here. If it''s anything close to the real world, it will set soon. So what do you guys think? We hunt more or go back?" Hera asked. "I say we hunt," Leo voted. "You know me too. I hate those things, but... well... Hunting is fun, is that too weird to say?" Alex asked. "Oh good, I thought I was the only one. I mean sure we are in danger and it''s risky. But it is a thrill, right? Like skydiving," Blue said. "Exactly!" Alex exclaimed. "I can''t say completely agree, but there is something beautiful about planning your attacks," Hera said. "Yeah, yeah, it''s an art like dancing or music now can we find more frogs?" Leo Grumbled. The group found a shallow lake where a dozen frogs rested after following more tracks. After discussing the best plan, they decided to spread around the lake and try to kill the ones closer to the edge. Then make their way towards the big one in the center. Leo passed a dagger to Blue. That way, she could do a quick stealth kill and not the headlock mess she tried before. They spread out and started to move towards the frogs. Careful not to make too much noise, Hera walked close to a green frog on the edge of the lake. The monster had its eyes closed, but as she approached, the creature got up. Hera held her breath as the frog spun around with its eyes still closed. The creature finished adjusting itself, allowing Hera to relax. When all the explorers were in position, they all tacked the frogs, aiming at the base of the neck. With a soft thud, the ones Alex, Hera, and Leo attack all fell to the ground. Blue, on the other hand, was not as successful. The frog that Blue attacked survived the first strike, trashing around as a response. Splashing around in the water, the other eight frogs started to awake. Hera and Alex rushed to the closest monster and tried to perform a secondary kill. The assassin killed her target, but Hera only wounded hers. Seeing the monster spin around, Hera jumped to the side, trying to stay in its blind spot. At the same time, a loud croak came from the one Blue was fighting. The sound snapped the army of frogs out of their sleepy state. They started to move around, looking for targets. Before the frogs could focus on someone, Blue let out a primal scream like a wounded beast''s roar. That made all the surviving frogs turn towards the controller. Hera took advantage of the opportunity to strike at the wounded frog twice with her handaxe, killing it on the second attack. "Aim for the backs, stab in an angle," Leo said as he jumped towards a blue frog. Hera tried to follow the man''s lead, but she had no stabbing weapons. Changing strategies, she aimed at the joints, trying to disable the monsters. Hearing the cries of the frog being attacked by the explorer, a green frog broke free from the taunt and turned to face Hera. She saw the frog opening its mouth, but before it could attack. Alex appeared on top of it, shoving her dagger deep into its skull. Hera tried to thank her friend, but the assassin had already disappeared once again. Leo was helping Blue to stop her from being overwhelmed. He kept stabbing at the frog''s back. A few strikes would leave a red circular mark on the monsters. Unsure of what it was, Blue felt the urge to hit the targets. To her surprise, when she attacked the red spots, the frogs would not only be damage but stagger for a moment. It was as if she was striking an exposed nerve. With Blue and Leo keeping the frog''s attention, Alex and Hera cleaned up the rest of them in just a few minutes. The group looked back at the result of their assault. The shallow lake, filled with corpses of frogs, was now tainted red. "This is... gruesome," Hera said. "Yeah... I said that I enjoy fighting, but this is... a lot," Blue nodded. "At least we are quick. It''s better than if we were making them suffer," Leo said, walking towards a green frog carcass in front of him. "I guess..." Hera said. They harvested as much as they could from the frogs. It was already getting late, and the sun was setting in the east. "Oh, Leo, what was that red mark?" Blue asked. "It''s part of my role. I got a skill during the test. After I get some understanding of the monster, my attacks have a chance of exposing some weak points. I imagined it would take some time to trigger it, but cutting the monster up seems to increase my knowledge of it." "That is pretty cool, but I think that Alex appearing on top of the frogs is more badass," Hera said. "Oh, please, I have a skill that strengthens my attacks if my target is unaware of my presence. What about you? Going in mano a mano without even a skill to help you. That takes balls, girl," Alex said. Hera blushed and looked away. She wasn''t that brave. Was she? "Yeah, you are all great. I guess my taunt is not worth mentioning," Blue pouted. "Don''t say that your taunt is the core of the entire strategy. We couldn''t take groups this big without you," Alex said. "Yeah, I mean, you can hold back five frogs on your own. If two swarm one of us, we have to run away," Hera agreed. "It''s pretty obvious we can''t do this without you, Ms. Controller, or are you just fishing for some compliments?" Leo teased. Before Blue''s reply, the group heard a loud squeak sound. Hera and Alex looked around, searching for the noise. Leo got up and grabbed his spear. After a second squeak, he approached the pond. Stepping in carefully, he scanned the area. In the middle of the lake, there was a frog smaller than those they were just fighting. It was also very round, almost like a watermelon with legs. The frog opened its mouth and let out another loud squeak sound, staring at the approaching men. "Hey guys, check it out. It looks like a squeaky toy," Leo said, pointing at the frog. Hera and the other got up to see it. The frog was mostly grey, with a few white spots around it. Its eyes had a brass-like color with a single dark line in the middle of it. It kept doing its squeak, seemingly having some difficulty to remain standing. "Oh, it''s so cute. What''s your name, little one?" Blue said as she approached the frog. "Blue, that''s not a good idea, maybe you should..." Before Hera finished talking, the small frog dashed towards the controller at an incredible speed. Headbutting the woman in the stomach. Blue tumbled back, and the creature slid across the lake while it repositioned itself. "What the fuck is that?" Blue asked while standing up. "Even the small ones are awful," Alex groaned. "Blue, get up! We need to fight that thing," Leo shouted. Hearing that, Hera activated her [Observe] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Giant Rain Frog (Procyon gallaris) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "This one is weird guys, it has a secondary name," Hera shouted while flanking the creature. The frog dashed once again, Blue was quick enough to block it, but she still fell backward while the frog landed a few meters behind her. The controller got up once again and retreated, keeping her back faced towards a tree. The frog shifted its eyes towards Leo and Alex, who were closest to it. It tackled Leo, making the man spin around and fall face first in the water. Seeing that her plan of making the frog hit the tree had failed, Blue dashed towards the creature to stop it from attacking anyone. The frog wasn''t fast enough, and Blue grabbed its hind legs. The creature thrashed around, trying to free itself from the controller''s grasp. "Hera, swing!" Blue yelled, seeing the explorer get close. Hera approached the frog and got in a batting position, while Blue spun around, still holding the creature. Hera swing Iris and split the top half of the frog in half, falling back with the impact. "Is everyone ok?" Blue asked, still holding the frog. "I bit bruised, but I''m fine. Why did it have to hit my right shoulder again?" Leo moaned. "So you remember not to rush in by yourself again," Alex barked. "I think you hurt me more than the frog," Hera said, getting up. "Sorry, this thing is just annoying," Blue said. "Yeah, what is that?" Alex asked. Quickly activating her [Inspect], Hera took a better look at the creature. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Giant Rain Frog Type: Procyon gallaris A rare breed of giant frog that only is born out of 10 million eggs. A proficient digger that can''t jump as most frogs do. However, its legs can propel the frog forward at high speeds. It''s high-pitched squeak, it''s a singular battle cry. After some time, the squeak has the ability to harm those that hear it, disorienting them. The species can grow up to 2 meters tall, fully grown Giant Rain Frogs can break down reinforced iron walls with a tackle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ok, it''s a good thing we got this one while it was young," Alex said. "Yeah, If a 2 meters tall can brake down an iron wall, I guess a 1 meter tall can break us without a problem," Hera said, thinking about what would happen if that one frog was bigger. "We can finish the rest and call the drone, but that one we should take to the guild," Leo said. "I agree, we might get some good money with it," Blue agreed. "Oh, yeah. That too," Leo mumbled. "What did you think we could do?" Hera asked. "Well... maybe they have a quest for it, I could cross one out if that were the case," Leo answered. "That''s a good Idea since this thing is probably rare or dangerous if left alone. But let''s focus, we need to finish those frogs. The sun is already setting. Alex, do you think you can help us? Just do the legs, pretend it''s chicken," Hera asked. "I can try, but no promises," the assassin mumbled. "That''s fine. Just do what you can. No one is trying to force you, ok?" Blue said. "I know, but I did nothing in that last fight. I feel like I owe something," Alex replied. "You don''t, but thanks for trying," Leo said. The group finished butchering the twelve frogs they had killed before, focusing more on the legs and eyes since it was the easier parts to harvest. When they only had two frogs to go, Hera called the drone. The time it took for it to get there was enough for them to finish the work. The drone left ten minutes before the sunset. They would have just enough time to run back to the road before it got completely dark. When night came, the trail was lit up by a series of flying globules of light. Various metal discs were buried through that path. Those discs created spheres of light when the night came. Half an hour later, they arrived in the city. Hera wanted to eat, but they needed to check with the guild first. Alex said she needed to take a shower before doing anything else. Looking at her clothes, Hera had to agree. A bath was an excellent idea. Stopping by the guild, Leo found a quest that asked to deliver the body of a Giant Rain Frog. The quest reward was 150 gold that he split between the party and a compendium about the frog. Since his skill made him stronger, the more he knew about the target, they all agreed that he should be using it. They went back to their hotel and took a shower before getting ready to see the city''s nightlife. 70 First nigh Hera sat in her room, looking at the dent in her chakram. She needed to see how to get it fixed. Things like that were bound to happen. It might be a good idea to learn proper care of her weapons instead of paying for someone to do this all the time. It was still 7 P.M. She hoped that some stores would still be open. Hera opened the internet and looked for some information. The guild tablet had access to a secondary browser that only explorers could use. There she could find almost anything she wanted about the MAZE, although some information she had to be bought before accessing it. Just like the internet in the real world, she could access a map of the town and see its stores'' information. Luckily, most of them only closed after 8 P.M., and some stayed open until 10. To her surprise, there were even a few clubs in the city and a spa. As she searched the map for stores that could sell supplies for taking care of her weapons, a text came through her tablet. Alex had just finished her shower, and she was ready to go. "Blue, Alex is done. Let''s go," Hera said. "Awww man, I''m so comfy. This bed feels like heaven," Blue grumbled. "Ok, stay there. I''m going to eat," Hera said, walking towards the door. Blue jumped up and followed the explorer. Food was not something that she would ever pass on. A few minutes later, they met Leo and Alex in the inn''s reception. Before going to look for a place to eat, Hera wanted to stop by the Taaffeite district. She was really worried about her chakram. Most shops were still open, and the streets were bustling. The town that reminded Hera of the suburbs during the day now looked like a metropolis. Various explorers were walking around haggling prices and selling materials. Hera was surprised about the situation and uncomfortable for being in the middle of so many people. Blue, on the other hand, seemed to be well in her element. They walked around, looking for a weapon shop that wasn''t too busy. Some seemed interesting, but as they got close, a long line in the door turned them away. After a few minutes, they reached a store with a sign that read ''Mr. Smith''. Inside, there was a long corridor with various weapons and armors in display at the sides. The only piece of furniture was the steel counter, with several dents and scratches, in the back of the room. Behind it, there was a man with his back turned to the door. He seemed to be working on something. "Hi, there!" Blue called. The man jumped up and slammed his hands on the counter. "Hello there! Welcome to Mr. Smith. I''m Ordy, Ordy Smith. What can I do for you?" The first thing Hera noticed about the man was the yellow crocodile-like eyes. He also had some scales spread around his arms. "That is so cool," Blue said, staring at the man. "First time seeing a half lamia I take," Ordy said. "Yeah, sorry. We just got here," Alex said, pulling Blue away from the man. "That''s fine. It is rare to find new arrivals that don''t freak out when they see me. What do you guys need today?" Ordy asked. "I ended up damaging my weapon. I wanted a way to take care of it myself," Hera explained. Seeing the damage, Ordy explained that to fix that. He would need to recast part of the weapon or grind the rest of it to make it all seamless. The small mark wouldn''t be enough to break the chakram, and most blades had worse dents than the one she showed. Hera agreed that she shouldn''t mess with the blade since it was an esthetic problem and not something to do with the usability. She asked for some way to take care of her weapons in the field. He showed a small bag with two whetstones, one for grinding off chips on the edge of the blade and the other to sharpen it. There was also a jeweler''s loop so she could see the small markings along the blade and few oils. "Even with that, you still should bring your weapons for regular maintenance. There is only so much you can do without proper equipment. Try to do it once every month or more if you hunt all the time," Ordy said. Hera thanked him and gave the 20 gold for the kit. The group also got a butcher''s knife for each. It was better than using their weapons to get the materials. Hera paid for everything since she forgot to send everyone their money. Before leaving the store, she rectified that mistake. Sending her friends their earnings for the day, minus the amount for the knives. Thanking Ordy the group left the store, looking for a place to eat. Finding a restaurant wasn''t hard. Deciding what they would have was another thing entirely. Finally deciding on an Italian place, the group sat down for their meal. "What are you guys doing after this?" Alex asked. "Well... I''m going to the guild. They have a few quests that I might be able to do tonight. All within the city, I promise," Leo said. "Lame, you need to have more fun. I''m thinking about hitting a club. I wanna go dancing. Care to join me, Hera?" Blue asked. "Not really. I was never a fan of clubs. I''m thinking about going to the hotel to rest for a bit. The day took a lot out of me," Hera replied. "Awww, what about you, Alex? Are you letting me a weak and frail maiden go alone?" Blue pouted. "It''s hard to think of you as being weak after seeing you put a giant frog in a headlock. But I''ll go, I''m curious how a club would be in here," Alex said. "So eat up, try to at least drink in a full stomach," Hera said. "You don''t have to ask me twice," Blue answered, stabbing her fork in the lasagna she ordered. The group finished their meals and went their separate ways. Hera went straight to the inn. She wanted to take care of Iris and her chakram. Looking at the dent in Mayura''s feather, she remembered the old beat up the sword she used on the first day of class. Her weapons would never become that poorly cared for. That was a promise. When Hera got to the inn''s reception, she saw Bonnie sitting in a chair in the bar with her head down. "Bonnie? Are you okay?" Hera asked. "Hi, yeah, I''m fine," Bonnie replied. "I know that fine. What''s wrong?" "The library..." "What happened there?" Hera sat down beside her friend. The girl seemed so sad. Could something terrible have happened to her? "It closed," Bonnie replied. "What? Were they having money problems? I mean, we did get the coupons. Usually, stores that are doing well don''t do this thing. It''s a shame. I wanted to go there this week," Hera said. "What are you talking about? You can still go," Bonnie mumbled. "But you said it was closed," "Yeah, for the day. They kicked me out because it was closing time. I had so much to do," Hera rolled her eyes. "Really, Bonnie? You''re sad because of that? The people who work there need to sleep, and you do too. Who was the one that said that a good night of rest before a test is the best way to improve your grades?" Hera asked. "I did...But I wanted to keep studying. Magic is fascinating," Bonnie replied. "Yeah, but you have your notes, don''t you? Better yet. Teach me. I want to learn magic too. Teaching a subject to someone else always helped me in school." Bonnie got excited about the idea. That way, she could review her work and find gaps in her knowledge. The two quickly went back to Hera''s room. The researcher started to set up notes, flashcards, and slides on her tablet, getting ready to teach. Hera used that time to send a text to Blue, asking her to sleep in Alex''s room tonight since they would get home really late. Her reply was just a ''Yesssss gurrllllll,'' which lead Hera to send a text to Alex asking them to sleep in the same room for tonight. Seeing that Bonnie still needed some time to prepare, Hera opened a video about weapon maintenance. Her first instinct was to sharpen the blades daily. But according to the video, that was a bad idea. If she did that, the edge would be worn out quickly. The best thing to do was to sharpen the blade only when she felt it wasn''t able to cut like it was supposed to anymore. For now, Hera just used some oil on the chakram as Ordy had recommended. That would make the metal more resistant to rust. When Hera was halfway done with Mayura''s feather, Bonnie announced that she was ready for her presentation. She started explaining that mana is essentially a type of fuel. Cars use gas or electricity, and houses can use solar power spells to use mana. They are all energy. Because of that, mana shares some laws of physics that energy has. First, the law of conservation of energy. It means that energy can never be created or destroyed, only transferred or changed. That''s why they can use mana crystals as batteries for electronics. They are changing mana into electricity. According to Bonnie, it is theoretically possible to do the opposite. Turn electricity into mana, but she has no clue how to do that. Second, energy quality. Mana is in everything, from people to animals, from water to rocks. Each thing has a different form of mana, and each form can flow and transform uniquely. That''s why its easier to use certain objects to control mana. It is all about how high the quality of the mana is. Third, energy transformation. Each type of energy can transform into another at different rates. Types and qualities of mana have their own conversion rate to other types. 10 points of fire mana can turn into 8 points of wind mana or 2 points of water mana. The last part reminded Hera of Helena''s research. That was probably the reason people couldn''t go in the opposite direction of their mana. It was too costly to use a spell on the same level as their affinity. Bonnie explained a simple exercise she had found to start sensing mana around her. She had to focus on the feelings outside of her body. Bonnie was very close to feeling something. She had to picture a second skin hovering just above her own. That seemed to be the best way to go for now. As the researcher spoke, Hera couldn''t help but feel like what she was describing was strangely familiar. After the lecture, it was already 11 P.M. Bonnie quickly went to sleep. She wanted to be in the library first thing in the morning. Hera turned back to her weapons to finish what she was doing. Being a repetitive movement, she tried to feel the surrounding mana, just like Bonnie explained. Hera spent around half an hour before being too tired to stay awake. Placing Iris under her pillow, she failed to notice a small warm spot where she held her handaxe before. When she woke up, Bonnie had already left. It wasn''t much of a surprise, but Hera wouldn''t mind if the girl had said goodbye first. She got dressed and went to Alex''s room to invite them for breakfast. Knocking on the door, Hera waited for her friend to open. After a few minutes, Alex opened the door. She was still wearing the same clothes as she had yesterday, and she looked awful. Her hair was a mess, she had a stain on her shirt, and a strong alcohol smell came from her. "You look like crap," Hera said. "I''ll take as a compliment. I feel like shit," Alex replied. Looking inside the room, Hera could see Blue starfishing on the bed with the head under a pillow. "I''ll take it, you guys overdid it," Hera said. "Noooooo, do you really think that? We are fiiiineeee," Alex said, rolling her eyes. Hera just stared at the assassin for a moment. "Sorry, I hate hangovers," Alex said. "That''s fine, take the day off. I''ll talk to Leo and explain. Hopefully, the two of us can do some smaller quests," Hera said. "Fuck, Leo. I completely forgot. Tell him I''m sorry. I promise I''ll find a way to help him with all his quests." "Ok, I''m going to eat. Feel better soon," Hera stepped towards the hallway but stopped before leaving the door, "Oh, one last thing." She slapped the door a few times in quick succession, making a loud echoing noise as she yelled. "Wakey Wakey, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing!" Her two hungover friends yelled at her to stop, which only made their heads ring louder. Leaving the room, Hera texted Leo, and the two meet in the inn''s reception. Telling the hunter about the situation, the man laughed and explained that he could take a few other quests in the city. If he worked fast, he could finish three before the end of the day. Adding to the two, he completed the day before he would be well on his way to get the 10 quests he needed. They agreed to split up for the day. Hera was glad that the binge drinking of her companions wouldn''t harm Leo''s chances. Not that they would know about that so soon. With the day all to herself, Hera left the inn wondering what to do. 71 Breadcrumbs Sitting in a cafe, Hera was thinking about what she would do today. Being by herself was freeing in its own way, but she also felt a bit lost. She opened the quest she already had. Aside from the frog hunt, there was also the one about the legends of the city. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Legends of Brinefront Explorer exclusive quest Brinefront has many legends that were created through time. Discover the three central points of its mythology. Type the name of the central figure of the legend in the box to confirm your discovery. [ ]???????????? [ ]???????????? [ ]???????????? [_________Enter text here_________] Reward: Information on a low-rank skill of your choosing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was the first time she saw a quest like that. It was something given by the guild and not the system, so she had to input her discovery manually. There was something comforting about the guild not being able to tell when she found something. If she discovered something that was best kept hidden, she could just pretend it never happened. That was a new line of thinking. After meeting Peaches and getting the guide skill, Hera changed. What if, at some point, she found something that should be protected? Maybe an item, or a tribe, or even the place where the guides live. Not only that, but she also had to consider that other people could do the same. They could find things and keep it to themselves. It wouldn''t be a surprise if someone found a good place to gather some resources and didn''t share the location. No one would announce that they found a gold mine unless they could profit from that. It was the sad reality of the world. "Dude, I''m telling you. That was Frostbite." Hera snapped out of her trance, hearing that name. To her left, a pair of men talked while drinking coffee. She adjusted herself n the chair, trying not to be too obvious about listening to their conversation. "Yeah, right. What would she be doing here?" a man with a bow resting on his legs said. "I dunno, maybe she needs to do a job around here," a man with a pair of daggers on his waist replied. "I doubt it. Someone like her wouldn''t be wasting her time here. She probably got a boat to go to the next layer. You said she was heading towards the docks." "No, I said that she took a right before reaching the guild. That leads to the docks, but she could do something else. Aw man, I should have asked her for an autograph." Hera opened the map app on her tablet, trying to see where Frostbite could be going. Looking around, she noticed that the inn she was staying was between the guild and the docks. Could the controller be here to try to recruit Blue again? Maybe she should warn Blue, but what if the girl went looking for Frostbite? Perhaps she should pretend nothing happened. But, if Blue was really being scouted, knowing she did nothing to stop would weigh heavily on Hera''s conscience. She finished eating, still struggling to make a decision. As Hera left the cafe, she sent a text to Blue. "Hey, I have something to tell you. Can we talk later? Just don''t join any groups before our talk, please." Right after that, she sent a message to Helena, asking her if Blue would be a good fit for her the order. Feeling a bit better about the whole situation, Hera made her way towards the library. If there was a good place to start her search, it would be there. It didn''t take long for Hera to arrive at her destination. The library was a huge three stories building with soft yellow walls and a green roof. She entered the place and talked to the librarian in the reception. It wasn''t hard to find a few books about Brinefront and its story. The first book told about the rulers of the town, how it was once a kingdom, but with time it changed to a democracy. It went to talk about political matters and economics, nothing that Hera felt the need to learn right now. The next book talked about the geography of the land. The whole layer was inside the cave. The only way to get out of it was by boat, but the room wall would stop anyone from getting too far from the cave. The most interesting part of that was that people talked like it was a lake, but it was closer to the ocean. Outside the cave there was a vast expanse of salt water. Inside the cave, it was mostly forest and grassland, but going towards the west, things got darker since the trees and pillars blocked more of the sun rays. Aside from the room wall in the east, the other directions seemed to have natural rock walls. There was even a footnote about a mining expedition to excavate the rock, but Hera could not find any more information about that. She found a book that seemed to have a more fantastic ring to it. It looked like various tales to tell children, not that she had seen any children here. A story about a hero who defeated an evil duke. The tale of a fisherman who caught the heart of an underwater city. The adventures of the first dog the MAZE 0ever saw. One of the most interesting stories was about a great invasion that came from the water. It told the tale of a tribe of giants from the upper layers and tried to conquer the town. They came from the doorway near the edge of the cave. It was only accessible by boat, but the giant could simply walk towards the city. Along with the explorers, the guard rallied under the banner of a commander to defend the city. After three days of fighting, the town seemed to be lost, when the largest troupe of giant shrimp anyone had ever seen appeared and attacked the giants inside the lake. They called the shrimps giant, but they weren''t bigger than a cat. With their help, the city was saved, and the giants defeated. After that, the town changed its name to honor the grand battle. "So that''s where Brinefront comes from, they could have made a better name. Maybe Prawn Bay or Barnacle city, or even Shrimptown... Ok, I suck at this," Hera sighed. Thinking about that story, maybe it was grand enough to be a legend. She typed Brinefront in the quest''s text field, but a message saying ''that is not one of the legends'' appeared. She tried giants, the name of the commander, explorers, and battle, but all with no luck. "Wait... could it be?" she mumbled. Typing shrimp, the quest was updated. One of the sets of question marks now read, ''The miracle of the shrimp.'' "I know this is a legend, and it probably happened. But the name is just...." Hera said. She read the rest of the book, trying to place any names or groups as the answer. Sadly, nothing else triggered a change in the quest. Reading through all the tales, she only had found three possible leads. There was the monument of the first dog near the docks, a hidden grotto by the water. Her last option was the ruins of a fallen tower deep into the woods to the west. Looking at the quest, Hera considered going online and asking for some help. But that felt like cheating. She knew she should ask for help when she was in trouble, but this quest was supposed to teach how to perform your role. She opened the map and deactivated all the markers. Looking around the topography of the region, Hera tried to discern where there could be ruins. Since it was a tower, she needed to find a place where it would be advantageous. She found a few places that seemed interesting, but they were blocked by a close by pillar. In another spot, the tower would have been build in a depression. She marked it as a possibility, although that would mean the tower wouldn''t get as high as possible. There was a last spot that seemed interesting. It was farther away from the town than the others. In the middle of a forest, there was this clearing. If the tower was ancient, the vegetation could have hidden it from the pictures she was seeing. Feeling she had gotten everything she could from here, Hera left the library. She thought about looking for Bonnie, but the girl was probably knee-deep in books. It was better to let her study. Heading to the docks, Hera kept trying to feel the surrounding mana. It was hard, but now and then, she felt a tingle around her. Some times she would pass by someone holding a staff or some item, and the tingle would be stronger. Maybe being near things with high mana quality could help with the exercise. After a few minutes, Hera arrived on the docks. Asking around, it wasn''t hard to find out the monument''s location. The memorial was in the middle of a small square. It seemed to be the central part of the docks, even if the place was towards the south of the town. The statue itself was a large dog house with a short-haired Yorkshire sitting on top with his ears standing up. The house under it was not just a sculpture. Some dogs were lying inside it. There was a water fountain to the side and a food dispenser. It looked like the monument was also a shelter for the dogs in the city. Inspecting the dogs, Hera could see that they all had names. Not only that, but the dogs were really friendly. The workers in the docks all greeted one or another. She turned her attention towards the statue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Statue of the first dog Creator: Unknown A statue carved out of stone. It represents the happiness and love that the first dog brought to the MAZE. It is unknown if the dog came from the outside world or if the MAZE spawned it. After the first dog''s appearance in the city of Brinefront, other dogs appeared in different layers. This monument was upgraded to become a shelter for all dogs that might wander inside the MAZE. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ While Hera was reading the description, she heard a bark from a dog near her led. Looking down, there was a Yorkshire, much like the one in the statue. Unintentional Hera had the inspect skill active, and the dog''s information appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Trickle Breed: Yorkshire Terrier A breed that is known for its lustrous fur and small size. They are recommended for people with allergies, for its coat being closer to human hair than to fur. Trickle was born in Brinefront and never had a single owner. Instead, most of the fishermen treat him as their own. [An unique specimen, being a direct descendant of the first dog. Not only they have similar appearances, but they also share the same name.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That notification surprised Hera. Not only the notification popped on its own, but the last paragraph seemed odd. Instead of the usual white text, it was a light yellow. Before trying to figure out why that happened, Hera sat on a bench and opened the quest since this dog shared the same name as the first one that could be the answer to the quest. Typing ''trickle'' in the text box, the second set of question marks changed to ''Trickle the first dog.'' Hera opened a big smile. She wasn''t expecting to get two of the legends in a single day. But the extra information was still bothering her. Scratching the dog''s head, Hera picked the tablet. She searched for additional details in the inspect window. It didn''t take very long. A few articles were talking about that. According to them, it was something that only those with the explorer role could see. Not everything would have some additional information, though. That''s why most explorers had the habit of inspecting everything they could find. It was something Hera considered doing, but she didn''t want to be rude to others. Although... animals and objects would count, right? She could inspect them as much as she wanted without having problems. Stretching herself, Hera got ready to leave when Trickle jumped into her lap. "Well, I can''t leave now, can I?" She said with a smile, scratching the dog''s belly. 72 Magic Training Hera stood in front of the guild. She had spent some time with Trickle, but now she had other things to do. One thing has been in her mind for a while. Could the guild here have an ATR? She walked toward the counter and found a familiar face. "Hi Gemma," Hera said. "Hi! Its... Hera, right?" "Yeah, I was wondering. Do you have ATRs here? Or is that something that''s only available on the outside?" "We have them here too, although the prices from layer to layer." "And how much is it?" Hera asked. "The basic version is 20 gold per hour. The intermediary would be 100 gold per hour and the deluxe 1 000 gold per hour. In this layer, we don''t have role-specific ATRs, that is something you can only find deeper in the MAZE." "Could I use one now?" "If you want the basic one, we have quite a few free rooms, but if you wish to use the intermediary or the deluxe, you have to make a reservation. For the intermediary, you just need to wait a couple of hours, maybe a day. The deluxe has a waiting list of a week or so." "And can I use a voucher I got outside? Or that only works there?" "Most coupons issued by the guild outside can be used here. But that''s not a universal truth. We just have a close relationship with that branch since we are basically linked," Gemma explained. "Ok, last question. Can the trainers help with magic?" Hera asked. "Well, sort of. They can''t help you make any new spells or improve the design of the ones you are using. It is too user driven for them. But they can help with the aim, the speed you make the spell, point out any glaring mistakes in it, and the mana efficiency. If you are struggling to unlock your mana stat, it can help a lot too." Happy with the information, Hera showed the voucher and confirmed that she could use it in this guild. Before renting one of the rooms, she sent a text to Bonnie. Telling about the ATR and offering to pay for a couple of hours for the two of them. After yesterday''s hunt, she had some money, and having magic-user would help a lot. It didn''t take long for Bonnie to reply. The girl had no idea they had ATRs and that they could be used to unlock the mana stat. A few minutes later, Bonnie came rushing in. She sprinted all the way from the library. "I''m ready. Let''s go!" Bonnie said while gasping for air. "Yeah, No. Sit down for a moment, drink something. It''s a bad idea for us to go while you are still like that. We should be in good shape before going in," Hera said. Bonnie wanted to complain, but she knew the explorer was right. Hera grabbed three bottles of water and sat beside the researcher. One of the bottles they could drink right now, but the other two were for the ATR. The two women talked about magic, and what else Bonnie had found. After getting the mana stat, you had to start working on spells. There were various ways of creating a spell. One could make a formula much like a mathematical equation, but the numbers would be a mix of mana and commands. Others used a concept close to programming, creating conditions, and instructions on how to behave. None of those options seemed good to Hera. Math wasn''t her best subject, and she never learned to program. Thankfully, those weren''t the only options. Some people took a more artistic approach, creating spells out of a picture of the result. There were a few problems with that method. People usually had to create each spell themselves since there was no set formula for it. There were also a few problems with the amount of mana spells like that needed. It was hard to optimize the consumption, and different casts of the same spells could require different amounts of mana. That happened because the caster''s imagination changed after seeing the result of the spell. It was also harder to turn a spell into a skill. Before that happened, you had to make the spell manually each time it was cast. Despite all that, people who took this subjective approach had an easier time creating new spells. Mainly because they didn''t have to follow a set of instructions before creating the spell. With enough mana and imagination, they had the potential of making anything happen. After Bonnie rested enough, Hera asked Gemma for two spots in the basic ATRs for two hours each. She could use the voucher for her 2 hours but had to pay for Bonnie since the coupon is nontransferable. Paying for both would be too much, but she could cover the fee for a single person. They were lead to an elevator that went a few floors underground. There, Hera saw a setting similar to the guild outside the MAZE. Big white hallways with many doors on each side. The clerk walked with them and showed the ATR they would be using. It was a large room with five small arenas. Right now, the room was empty, so the two girls chose to be close to each other. That way, they could compare notes during this training. Hera''s spirit like trainer appeared as she activated the arena. After choosing the mana training in the first option menu, the spirit held Hera''s hands and closed its eyes. Following its lead, the explorer did the same. She started to feel a warmth around her hands as if her fingers were under the sun. The feeling started to spread. It expanded as it moved around her arms. It flooded her torso, and then, the warmth moved towards her legs before dissipating in the air. A few seconds passed, and the feeling began in her hands once again. Hera couldn''t shake the feeling that this wasn''t the first time she felt something like that. Not the warmth, but the way it moved through her body. After the fifth time that the heat reached her legs, Hera remembered when she felt like that. The day she ate too many oranges from the New Dawn Farm. The way the flavor seemed to overflow and leave her body was very similar to how this warmth was leaving through her legs. Focusing on the feeling, Hera tried to predict its movement, much like what she did when she was training with the spheres in the guild. Little by little, she managed to follow the path of the warmth by herself. When the flow became faster, she kept going. Each loop made her feel more comfortable with the feeling. She was taking closer to a minute to make the heat go from her hands and out through her legs. Hera was about halfway through another loop when a loud noise made her open her eyes. In the arena at her side, Bonnie was standing up with a hand raised forward. The researcher had a big smile on her face. "What happened?" Hera asked. "Let me show you," Bonnie said. The woman closed her eyes, and a small ball of light formed in her hand. It was similar to the non-elemental Light that Helena had show Hera a while back. Various colorful particles were spinning around and glistening as if it was light going through a prism. But the particles were moving too fast. It wasn''t the continuous dance that Helena made, but a turbulent whirlwind. The small lights seemed to be clashing at each other violently. Before Hera could say anything, the light sphere exploded in Bonnie''s hand, making the same noise had heard before. Bonnie stepped back, shaking her hand. Hera could see that the researcher''s hand had deep red markings and some cutis who seemed to be dripping with blood. "Crap, but I got closer. Let me try again," Bonnie said as she raised her hand. "Bonnie, wait!" Hera yelled. Hera got up and rushed towards the girl. The energy was even wilder than before. Bonnie seemed to be trying to overcome her issue by merely pumping more mana into the spell. Before Hera could close the distance, the light ball grew in size and exploded. The force of the explosion pushed Hera, making her fall into the ground with a heavy impact. Bonnie flew back, hitting the floor behind the arena. Hera dashed towards her friend, worried about what might have happened. Seeing that Bonnie was still breathing, but she was unconscious, Hera ran outside the room and called for help. She had some basic first aid knowledge and knew that moving Bonnie around could be dangerous. There was a healer on call at the guild who rushed towards the room. She saw the state Bonnie was in and called for a stretcher while she applied some emergency healing. When her helpers arrived, they quickly immobilized Bonnie''s neck and took her to the infirmary. The whole ordeal took less than 10 minutes. The healing staff here was incredibly efficient. Hera followed the healer, explaining what happened and stayed in a waiting room while they took care of Bonnie. It was akin to stay in a waiting room in a hospital, but even more unnerving. Hera knew that healers were supposed to be better than doctors in certain circumstances, especially if the injury had something to do with magic. Yet, it didn''t change the fact that she had to idle around while they tried to help her friend. Luckily, she only had to wait half an hour before the healer allowed her to stay by Bonnie as a visitor. Cassandra, the healer, explained to Hera what happened. Bonnie wasn''t able to control the spell she was creating, and since she kept holding it while pumping more mana, it bottlenecked and exploded. That was a common mistake for newbies, but the researcher had more control than most. That''s what caused such a big explosion. When Hera saw the spell, she imagined that it was something like that. She asked Cassandra about the lights, but she didn''t know what the explorer was talking about. The healer warned her that Bonnie might take a day to wake up, but Hera didn''t like the idea of leaving her friend alone here. While she waited, she searched the net for the lights she saw in the spell, but Hera didn''t find any information about that. Trying to find something about the subject, she looked for elemental affinities. Aside from what Helena had explained to her, she didn''t see much else about them. However, she found a list of all the known affinities. The list showed the rarity of the element, what would the element change in your skills if used. If it was a primary affinity, secondary or tertiary affinity. Apparently, a few affinities could be either primary or secondary, but the tertiary ones could only be that. Each affinity also had a rank of strength, going from S to D. There was also a link that would explain how to get said synergy, but that was behind a paywall. There were various types of affinities, from elemental ones like fire, air, and darkness, to mechanical ones like shatter, gravity, and pressure those were the primary or secondary affinities. The tertiary were more conceptual, like softness, pointy, or puppet. The list went on and on, but one name caught Hera''s attention. It was the mana affinity. It was a tertiary affinity that seemed to be among the rare ones to get. According to the website, it would give a tiny boost to the user''s skills but had no other effects. That seemed odd. Why would something that was everywhere had such a minor impact? If mana was in all things, wouldn''t that mean that an affinity like that would be powerful? Why was it ranked D? She searched for more information n that affinity, but aside from the basic information she found on the list, all the rest was hidden behind a paywall. Giving up on the search, Hera sent another text to Helena asking about that affinity. The mage still hadn''t replied to her previous text. It must be a busy day. Hera looked at Bonnie, who was lying in bed beside her. The girl had a pale complexion, and her usual carefully put makeup was rushed and uneven. What had happened for the girl to be like that? With no way to answer that question, Hera tried to make the heat she felt inside the ATR loop around her body once again while she waited for Bonnie to wake up. 73 Reason to figh Bonnie groaned and tried to move, a sharp pain on her hand made her jolt up. "Ouch!" she cried. "If you feel your hand, you got lucky," Hera said. The explorer was sitting on a chair by Bonnie''s bed. She had her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face. "What happened?" Bonnie asked. "You got trigger-happy. You figured out how to do something with mana and overdid it. They checked the logs. Your trainer gave you a warning about what you were doing. Why didn''t you listened to it?" Hera scolded. "I... thought I could do it." "Since when did you not listen to warnings. Bonnie, you don''t even cross the street outside the crosswalk. Explain why you ignored the warning of a trainer while you were using magic." "I... I just have to use magic," Bonnie mumbled. "Why? Seriously, why? We just had to deal with Leo almost getting us killed because of something he had to do. At least he had an explanation, not that it changed the fact that he messed up. Please, give me one explanation, even if it is a crappy one." "It was my mistake. It won''t happen again," Bonnie said, clutching the sheets. Hera rolled her eyes. Her friend could have gotten seriously hurt just because she was too eager to do something, just like Leo. Hera understood better than anyone what it was like to be excited about something, but nothing good would happen if they end up hurting themselves. "I hope it doesn''t. It was a stupid mistake, and you are not stupid, are you?" Bonnie started to tremble, tears rushing down her face. "Sorry, sorry. I''m sorry. Please don''t be mad, please don''t be mad, father," she wailed. Hera looked at her friend, spooked with the reaction. She wanted to scold Bonnie, but not to make her feel that bad. She sat down on her bed, hugging the woman while she cried on her chest. They stayed like that for a few moments, Hera''s shirt was wet with the researcher''s tears. A few minutes later, Bonnie finally stopped sobbing. "I''m sorry I went too far. I was just worried about you. This time I was near you, but what if I wasn''t? We were alone in that ATR. You could end up bleeding out there," Hera said, trying to justify herself. "I know, sorry. It''s not your fault. I just... It was my mistake," Bonnie said. "I''m not going to say it wasn''t, but I could have handled things differently. But I saw a friend falling into the ground by the second time in two days. It freaked me out a little," Hera explained. "Really? What happened?" Bonnie asked. Hera explained the whole situation with Leo, avoiding going too much into details about his uncle. "Oh... sorry to make you go through that," Bonnie said. "And I''m sorry for making you cry... but what happened?" Hera asked. Bonnie looked away and let go of the hug. Understanding she needed some space, Hera left the bed and went back to the chair. "Look, if you don''t want to talk about it, it''s ok. But I need to know if I have to be worried about you," Hera said. "I need money, a lot of money, and fast. I can''t hunt right now, but if I have magic, I can start going with you guys," Bonnie said. "Why? You know we can cover for you for a while. Not only that, we already have enough to pay for this week''s lodging. Why such a rush," Hera asked. "It''s because of my father... He always demanded that I would be the perfect daughter. If I got an A in class, I was punished for not getting an A+," "Oh, Bonnie, did he ever hit you?" "No¡­ well once, but that''s when my mom stepped in and left him. It was in the middle of my sophomore year. I spent a week barely sleeping to get a good grade on my midterms. The school ranked the student''s grades, and I got the 15th place. The day the results came in, I was so tired, and I ended up sleeping in class. They were very strict and suspended me for it. When my father heard about that, he scolded me and started to go through my things. It was my birthday, and one of my friends gave me a makeup kit, it was still in my bag. He saw that and got even angrier, saying awful things and calling me stupid. I tried to say it was a gift, and he slapped me," Bonnie took a deep breath. Her hands were shaking. Hera held her friend''s shoulder. "You don''t need to talk about it if you don''t want to," Hera said "No... I have to. My therapist said it helps. We left the house and went to live with my aunt. I thought that we were done whit him. But a couple of days ago he sent a lawyer, saying that since the investment he made in me was worthless we had to pay back all the money he spent or I had to go back and do my job as his daughter. That means not only working for him, but also living with him. In the contract, he showed us there was even a clause saying that I could be part of acquisitions via family ties. It basically meant that he could marry me off to some random guy just to make a quick buck. My mom refused him and said that we would pay it all back. But it is a lot of money. My mom started working double shifts and looking for another job, but she already did so much for me. I can''t let her get all that money by herself, especially if I can make that money here," Bonnie said. "I get it, I mean, not really, but I understand. Just tell me this. If you end up dying because you were reckless, is that going to clear the debt?" Hera asked. "No, it would go to my mom since she also had some benefits with my upbringing." "Then don''t kill yourself for it. You need to be alive and well to help her," Hera said. "I know, it''s just a lot of interest, even if the monthly payments won''t be that high initially." "How much is it going to be?" "Five thousand for the first month, then double that every next month until it reaches 40 000 gold per month. Then 100 000 when it reaches 1 year, and double that in another year, after that. I don''t even know." "Oh, crap. That is a lot," Hera exclaimed. "Tell me about it. He says the total debt is around 10 million. The MAZE is the only shot I have at paying it. I know that," Bonnie said. "Good thing we can already make the first payment in a bit over a week." "What?" Bonnie asked. "We managed to get a deal with a merchant. We can get around 1 200 gold every two days if we hunt for eight hours. That''s just me, Blue, Leo and Alex. If we add a mage to the mix, and another one butchering the frogs we can make even more," Hera explained the deal and what they were doing to Bonnie. She talked about Mondy and how much they got from the guild, as well as the frogs they faced. "You got a crappy deal. Do you know that? The profit margin is too broad of a term. He can give you absurd fees for the drone and the tax, and you can''t do much about it," Bonnie said. "Maybe, but it''s not like we have other choices. No one else made an offer. Not that we searched for a better one, and it''s not a binding deal. I can just stop using his drones and leave it at that. Leo is doing his quests, and he needs to get in that group," Hera explained. "I guess you are right and Hera... Thanks. I''m sorry for worrying you." "Don''t be, just don''t do it again. We are already in a place filled with monsters and things that can kill us. I don''t want to add yourself to the mix," Hera said. The two waited for a while before the Cassandra discharged Bonnie. She had to do a few tests and gave a stern lecture about the dangers of using magic. The damage to her hand was worse than the rest, because of that she should come back in the next day so Cassandra could improve the healing time. With everything done, they left the guild. It was already evening, and just a few stores were still open. "How long was I out?" Bonnie asked. "A few hours, it''s almost 10. We are stopping by a restaurant to get some takeout," Hera replied. Hera looked at her tablet. There was a text from Helena saying that Blue was an attractive candidate for the order, but the order might not give what the controller wants. She also sent a file with some information about the mana affinity that she already had. It wasn''t much, but it might help Hera. Grabbing dinner for all her friends, Hera and Bonnie went back to the hotel. The explorer had asked them all to meet her in her room. The group gathered and talked about their day. Leo had completed four quests, two of them this afternoon. It was mostly some low paying side gigs, but the group he wanted to join had no restriction on what quests you completed. Blue and Alex spent most of the day nursing their hangover and watching TV in their room. They still had the same channels and options they would have outside. Hera told them about the legends and the place she thought the last one could be in the woods. She also talked about what happened to Bonnie, who said she was in debt, and that was why she needed to rush. "Guys, we know what Leo wants to do. But I think we need to talk about our plans. Bonnie and Leo got a time-sensitive problem that leads them to make a mistake. I believe that if we talk about what we want and what we need, we can figure out a way to help everybody," Hera said. "That is a good point. If someone has a goal that will make them mess up as I did, it can be a problem," Leo agreed. "It makes sense, and since you brought it up. You should start Hera," Blue said. They all stared at the explorer. Fidgeting a bit, Hera cleaned her throat and took a large gulp of her drink. "I have no idea what I want. My only goal was to become an explorer now... Well, I''m a bit lost," Bonnie stared at her before speaking, "Well, I can relate before I was aware of the debt I just wanted to use magic. I never considered what comes next," "Really? You didn''t have a plan?" Blue snickered. "No, I did not." The two started a staring contest, making the whole room tense. "Anyway, you know my goal. Hera and Bonnie told us theirs. What about you two?" Leo asked. "Well, I want to help my mom. We have a comfortable life, but there are many bad diseases that run in my family. My grandmother had Alzheimer''s and even went blind and deaf before dying. She also had diabetes and a bunch of other stuff. My mom is fine for now, but I''m worried about the future. I want to make enough money to support her and to be able to heal anything she might get. My goal is a long-term one, so I don''t need to rush," Alex explained. "Aw man, now I feel kind of bad. The three of you have some real goals, and even if Hera is still figuring it out, she just got her dream. Mine sounds silly now," Blue said. "C''mon Blue, we all talked about what we want," Alex said. "Exactly, or are you afraid of sating or case? I imagine it must be something stupid, like eating the biggest pie in the MAZE," Bonnie taunted. "Bite me, bookworm," Blue barked. "Settle down, you two. Bonnie, be nice," Hera said, looking towards the researcher, "Now Blue, you can tell us. We are your friends." Blue crossed her arms and slumped in the chair, "Fine... I want to be the fourth Hero," There was a moment of silence before Bonnie bursting into laugher. "That is too good," she said while laughing. "Bonnie, stop that," Leo said, trying to hide a smile. "You guys suck," Blue said. "Sorry," Hera said, starting to laugh, "But it''s hard to picture you as a hero when you have ketchup all over your face." Blue pouted and cleaned up her face. "Oh, sorry, Blue. I just wasn''t expecting you to be so pure. If you want to be a Hero, I''ll do my best to help you," Hera said. "Sure, I''ll pray for a catastrophe for you to fix too," Bonnie said. "I''ll help you with what I can. I mean, being in the Hero''s party can give me some leverage," Leo said. "And it''s a great way to make money," Alex chimed in. "Thanks, but you all still suck," Blue said. 74 74 - Routine Hera was having some trouble sleeping. She was in her room with Bonnie on the other bed. Blue and Alex wanted to finish watching a series they found in the afternoon. The explorer rolled around in the bed, trying not to make too much noise and disturb her roommate. After some time, she sat up on the bed. Hera''s mind was too active to sleep right now. The talk they had during dinner made her realize something. During her entire life, she had one goal, to be an explorer. Now that she accomplished that, she felt lost. As if something was missing. Not having an objective for the first time in 23 years felt wrong. As if there was a hole inside of her. Hera made a mental list of the things she wanted to do. Find unusual and beautiful places, but that felt too vague. She would end up roaming around aimlessly. Learn magic, but that was just so she could help Helena. Not that she didn''t want to use magic, but if it weren''t for the mage, she wouldn''t be focused on that right now. Helping her friends was nice and all, but it wasn''t something for her. She wanted to find her own thing, her drive, her quest in life. Something that she would be willing to work her ass off for, but it didn''t matter how much she tried. Nothing came to mind. Realizing it was a dead-end, Hera tried to do something else to make her sleepy, the training she did in the ATR. It made her feel somewhat comfortable. She closed her eyes and started the exercise once again. According to the trainer, this was a way to make the body get used to mana. Cycling the heat through her body, Hera started to feel like she could not just move the warmth, but reshape it. Instead of making it pass, she tried to cover herself with the energy. It was harder than she initially thought. The feeling seemed to push away from her body, like trying to press two magnets together. That gave Hera an idea. What if she tried to turn the magnet around? Since she had no clue how to do that, it took Hera some time to make the heat be pulled in instead of pushed out. After several tries, she finally did it. The energy came through her hands and was drawn towards her chest. The moment the heat reached her heart, Hera''s body throbbed. She shivered while her temperature started to rise. Even with the discomfort, Hera pushed through. It felt weird, but right at the same time. As if she was taking a hot shower after being outside in the rain for too long. The warmth in her chest started to spread, covering her entire body. The moment the feeling covered the last part of her body, the discomfort vanished. An unusual tranquility replaced it. The air around her felt almost nostalgic, the bed softer, and the sheets warmer. Hera opened her eyes. In front of her, there was a notification. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mana attribute unlocked Mana is the type of energy used in spells. By unlocking this attribute, you gain the ability to create and use spells. Unlike other attributes, mana can only be increased by training. Starting mana: 100 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera opened a big smile upon seeing the notification. She was one step closer to being able to use spells. She checked Helena''s quest, confirming if she had completed it. However, the wording on it confused her. It said she needed to unlock the mana stat, but also said she needed to learn a spell. Unsure of what was the condition to complete the quest, Hera looked around. Even in the dark, she could still see some furniture''s outlines, but they had a colored edge to it. Instinctively, Hera understood that this was the object''s mana. The color seemed to be related to the material of the object. The wooden table had a brown outline, while the one on the television had a dark tone. Glancing towards Bonnie, Hera saw a more noticeable outline filled with dancing colors. Unlike the furniture, the one in the researcher was moving, following the woman''s breathing. With the tablet in hand, Hera went to the bathroom. She opened the file Helena had sent her and started reading about the mana affinity. There wasn''t much information on it. It mostly talked about how this affinity was very useful for detection, but not many uses for combat had been found. To get it, one needed to have a natural disposition for it, and it would only manifest in a supporting role. It explained a bit of how some spells could be used to perceive the mana around the caster. After that information, Helena had some notes on it. She heard rumors of people who have that affinity as the central part of their ability. They were easily confused with non-elemental mages. That''s why no one thought they existed. Helena had a theory about the use of that affinity. If the spellcaster was able to control the surrounding mana, they could even use the environment mana to cast spells. Lessening the burden they had in their own mana pool. Hera read the document a couple of times, trying to absorb all its information. Staring at the bathroom door, she tried to sense the mana in the other room. She saw these weird effects in magic. It made sense for her to have a mana affinity, right? She spent close to an hour trying to perceive the mana in the other room, but to no avail. Finally feeling tired, she walked back into the room and went to bed. ############################# "Our little girl is growing up so fast," Helena said with a smile on her face. "Don''t put me in the middle of that. I don''t intend to have kids," Quinn said. "Loosen up, will you? I''m talking about Hera," Helena said, sitting back in the chair. "Oh, what about her?" Quinn asked after ordering more drinks. "She is asking for some really advanced information about affinities." "Something you weren''t expecting?" Quinn asked. "Maybe. I had a hunch she might have the affinity she talked about, but I wasn''t expecting her to talk about it so soon," Helena explained. "I see," Quinn said before eating some fries. "Are you not going to ask about it?" Helena bellowed. "Not really. You know I think you are doing something amazing, But I''m not really interested in the process of it all." Helena let out a lengthy sigh," I know, I just wanted to talk to someone about it." "Aren''t you going to the wall next week? You can find some people to talk about that there." "I guess, but I can''t say too much. Even in the order, we keep some information a secret," Helena said. "Sucks to be you. By the way, how are you going to get there?" Quinn asked. "I could go to another guild and take a faster route. But I think I''m leaving on Friday and going through Brinefront. I want to see if I can peek at my new intern," Helena said, almost giggling. "It''s been a while since I saw you so attached, you are not going for the teacher-student route are you?" Quinn teased. "Very funny, no, I''m not. But... she kind of reminds me of Avery." Quinn widened her eyes, "Holy crap, she really does! How could I have missed that?" "Beats me, but that''s just another reason why that is not happening. You know how that ended," Helena said, downing her drink. "Yeah, but I also remember how it started. What did the doctor say during that first week? Stretch before doing anything like that again," Quinn snickered. "Alright, alright, Let''s change the subject. And even if I wanted, I couldn''t do that again. I''m not that limber anymore, and I don''t even remember how it was, to be honest." Quinn waited for Helena to start drinking again before saying, "I still have a picture if you want it." Helena choked on her drink and started coughing, trying to cuss at her friend. Quinn just watched the scene, laughing and fiddling with her phone to taunt the mage. ############################# For the next few days, Hera and her friends figure out a routine of sorts. In the morning, Leo would do some easy quest in the city while the rest trained or studied. They would meet up to eat and then go outside the city to hunt. They had already completed three hunts, Leo tried to get several frog hunts at once, but apparently, quests that required only to kill monsters could only be taken one at a time for species. Hunts were mostly for population control, taking more than one for the same type of monster would lead to completing quests without getting the desired results. The hunter was taking the quests on how own. That way, the number of frogs he had to kill was smaller. The only problem was that he needed to be the one to deal with the killing blow, which reduced the group''s speed. The rest of the group would be training or running some smaller errands in the morning and hunting in the afternoon. The evening was free time, with each doing their own thing. Friday night, Bonnie called all of them to an arena in the guild to show off her first spell. She was in front of a training dummy made for practicing magic. It had a light purple glow around it, and it seemed to be made of crystals. Bonnie placed two hands in front of her chest with the palms down. Hera could see the energy being gathered under her hands. A few light blue particles started to form in the spell. Unlike the last time, the lights moved together, rotating and spinning, creating a blue web inside the energy. Bonnie pumped some more mana into the spell and hurled it towards the dummy. The attack wasn''t fast. It took a couple of seconds to reach the target, but when it did, a gust of cold air covered the room. The dummy was now covered in a thin layer of ice. "That is my first spell. It reduces the temperature in an area when it makes contact. According to what I found, it can slow down monsters and make some objects more brittle," "That is amazing, Bonnie!" Hera exclaimed. "Yeah, if you can hit a clumped up group, we can get rid of them really quickly," Leo agreed. "There is a problem, though. You take a bit of time to make that spell, and I''m guessing it can hit us too. So it''s like a one and done. What if something comes at you after it?" Alex asked. Bonnie replied with a cocky smile, "Well, I can also do this," The researcher spun around and raised her arm. Instead of having the hand out like Hera saw the day Bonnie got hurt, she had the fingers pointed at the target, making a cup with her palm. Before the explorer could see the energy gathering, a high-pitched sound of the wind going through a small opening echoed from Bonnie''s hand. Following that, something that broke most of the ice on it hit the chest of the dummy. On the screen, behind the target, a large 50 appeared. "I retract my criticism," Alex said, staring at the dummy. "Did you really just used two spells?" Blue asked. "Sure did, the first one is called Cold Bomb, and this one is Air Fist. Just a warning, Cold Bomb doesn''t seem to any damage by itself, and Air Fist just give a score of 20 when I use it by itself," Bonnie explained. "Still, that is impressive," Leo said. "Not really. I bought the compendium for the Air Fist. When I figured out how it worked, I toyed with it. Luckily, my learn skill helped me fill up some gaps," Bonnie said. "No, it is really impressive, Bonnie. You took less than one week to get your mana stat, learn a spell, and create one all by yourself. Don''t play this down, you are amazing!" Hera said. "Even I have to admit, that was badass," Blue said. "Thanks, guys. Now you still have to complete one Hunt right Leo? Let''s go, I want to put these spells to the test, and I also need to get some money since the compendium wasn''t that cheap." "How much was it?" Alex asked as they left the training room. "250 gold. That''s the last of the money the guild gave me," Bonnie said. "Ouch, that''s expensive," Leo commented "Yeah, but with her help, I think we can give her a full refund after today," Hera said as they walked towards the city gates. 74 Routine Hera was having some trouble sleeping. She was in her room with Bonnie on the other bed. Blue and Alex wanted to finish watching a series they found in the afternoon. The explorer rolled around in the bed, trying not to make too much noise and disturb her roommate. After some time, she sat up on the bed. Hera''s mind was too active to sleep right now. The talk they had during dinner made her realize something. During her entire life, she had one goal, to be an explorer. Now that she accomplished that, she felt lost. As if something was missing. Not having an objective for the first time in 23 years felt wrong. As if there was a hole inside of her. Hera made a mental list of the things she wanted to do. Find unusual and beautiful places, but that felt too vague. She would end up roaming around aimlessly. Learn magic, but that was just so she could help Helena. Not that she didn''t want to use magic, but if it weren''t for the mage, she wouldn''t be focused on that right now. Helping her friends was nice and all, but it wasn''t something for her. She wanted to find her own thing, her drive, her quest in life. Something that she would be willing to work her ass off for, but it didn''t matter how much she tried. Nothing came to mind. Realizing it was a dead-end, Hera tried to do something else to make her sleepy, the training she did in the ATR. It made her feel somewhat comfortable. She closed her eyes and started the exercise once again. According to the trainer, this was a way to make the body get used to mana. Cycling the heat through her body, Hera started to feel like she could not just move the warmth, but reshape it. Instead of making it pass, she tried to cover herself with the energy. It was harder than she initially thought. The feeling seemed to push away from her body, like trying to press two magnets together. That gave Hera an idea. What if she tried to turn the magnet around? Since she had no clue how to do that, it took Hera some time to make the heat be pulled in instead of pushed out. After several tries, she finally did it. The energy came through her hands and was drawn towards her chest. The moment the heat reached her heart, Hera''s body throbbed. She shivered while her temperature started to rise. Even with the discomfort, Hera pushed through. It felt weird, but right at the same time. As if she was taking a hot shower after being outside in the rain for too long. The warmth in her chest started to spread, covering her entire body. The moment the feeling covered the last part of her body, the discomfort vanished. An unusual tranquility replaced it. The air around her felt almost nostalgic, the bed softer, and the sheets warmer. Hera opened her eyes. In front of her, there was a notification. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mana attribute unlocked Mana is the type of energy used in spells. By unlocking this attribute, you gain the ability to create and use spells. Unlike other attributes, mana can only be increased by training. Starting mana: 100 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera opened a big smile upon seeing the notification. She was one step closer to being able to use spells. She checked Helena''s quest, confirming if she had completed it. However, the wording on it confused her. It said she needed to unlock the mana stat, but also said she needed to learn a spell. Unsure of what was the condition to complete the quest, Hera looked around. Even in the dark, she could still see some furniture''s outlines, but they had a colored edge to it. Instinctively, Hera understood that this was the object''s mana. The color seemed to be related to the material of the object. The wooden table had a brown outline, while the one on the television had a dark tone. Glancing towards Bonnie, Hera saw a more noticeable outline filled with dancing colors. Unlike the furniture, the one in the researcher was moving, following the woman''s breathing. With the tablet in hand, Hera went to the bathroom. She opened the file Helena had sent her and started reading about the mana affinity. There wasn''t much information on it. It mostly talked about how this affinity was very useful for detection, but not many uses for combat had been found. To get it, one needed to have a natural disposition for it, and it would only manifest in a supporting role. It explained a bit of how some spells could be used to perceive the mana around the caster. After that information, Helena had some notes on it. She heard rumors of people who have that affinity as the central part of their ability. They were easily confused with non-elemental mages. That''s why no one thought they existed. Helena had a theory about the use of that affinity. If the spellcaster was able to control the surrounding mana, they could even use the environment mana to cast spells. Lessening the burden they had in their own mana pool. Hera read the document a couple of times, trying to absorb all its information. Staring at the bathroom door, she tried to sense the mana in the other room. She saw these weird effects in magic. It made sense for her to have a mana affinity, right? She spent close to an hour trying to perceive the mana in the other room, but to no avail. Finally feeling tired, she walked back into the room and went to bed. ############################# "Our little girl is growing up so fast," Helena said with a smile on her face. "Don''t put me in the middle of that. I don''t intend to have kids," Quinn said. "Loosen up, will you? I''m talking about Hera," Helena said, sitting back in the chair. "Oh, what about her?" Quinn asked after ordering more drinks. "She is asking for some really advanced information about affinities." "Something you weren''t expecting?" Quinn asked. "Maybe. I had a hunch she might have the affinity she talked about, but I wasn''t expecting her to talk about it so soon," Helena explained. "I see," Quinn said before eating some fries. "Are you not going to ask about it?" Helena bellowed. "Not really. You know I think you are doing something amazing, But I''m not really interested in the process of it all." Helena let out a lengthy sigh," I know, I just wanted to talk to someone about it." "Aren''t you going to the wall next week? You can find some people to talk about that there." "I guess, but I can''t say too much. Even in the order, we keep some information a secret," Helena said. "Sucks to be you. By the way, how are you going to get there?" Quinn asked. "I could go to another guild and take a faster route. But I think I''m leaving on Friday and going through Brinefront. I want to see if I can peek at my new intern," Helena said, almost giggling. "It''s been a while since I saw you so attached, you are not going for the teacher-student route are you?" Quinn teased. "Very funny, no, I''m not. But... she kind of reminds me of Avery." Quinn widened her eyes, "Holy crap, she really does! How could I have missed that?" "Beats me, but that''s just another reason why that is not happening. You know how that ended," Helena said, downing her drink. "Yeah, but I also remember how it started. What did the doctor say during that first week? Stretch before doing anything like that again," Quinn snickered. "Alright, alright, Let''s change the subject. And even if I wanted, I couldn''t do that again. I''m not that limber anymore, and I don''t even remember how it was, to be honest." Quinn waited for Helena to start drinking again before saying, "I still have a picture if you want it." Helena choked on her drink and started coughing, trying to cuss at her friend. Quinn just watched the scene, laughing and fiddling with her phone to taunt the mage. ############################# For the next few days, Hera and her friends figure out a routine of sorts. In the morning, Leo would do some easy quest in the city while the rest trained or studied. They would meet up to eat and then go outside the city to hunt. They had already completed three hunts, Leo tried to get several frog hunts at once, but apparently, quests that required only to kill monsters could only be taken one at a time for species. Hunts were mostly for population control, taking more than one for the same type of monster would lead to completing quests without getting the desired results. The hunter was taking the quests on how own. That way, the number of frogs he had to kill was smaller. The only problem was that he needed to be the one to deal with the killing blow, which reduced the group''s speed. The rest of the group would be training or running some smaller errands in the morning and hunting in the afternoon. The evening was free time, with each doing their own thing. Friday night, Bonnie called all of them to an arena in the guild to show off her first spell. She was in front of a training dummy made for practicing magic. It had a light purple glow around it, and it seemed to be made of crystals. Bonnie placed two hands in front of her chest with the palms down. Hera could see the energy being gathered under her hands. A few light blue particles started to form in the spell. Unlike the last time, the lights moved together, rotating and spinning, creating a blue web inside the energy. Bonnie pumped some more mana into the spell and hurled it towards the dummy. The attack wasn''t fast. It took a couple of seconds to reach the target, but when it did, a gust of cold air covered the room. The dummy was now covered in a thin layer of ice. "That is my first spell. It reduces the temperature in an area when it makes contact. According to what I found, it can slow down monsters and make some objects more brittle," "That is amazing, Bonnie!" Hera exclaimed. "Yeah, if you can hit a clumped up group, we can get rid of them really quickly," Leo agreed. "There is a problem, though. You take a bit of time to make that spell, and I''m guessing it can hit us too. So it''s like a one and done. What if something comes at you after it?" Alex asked. Bonnie replied with a cocky smile, "Well, I can also do this," The researcher spun around and raised her arm. Instead of having the hand out like Hera saw the day Bonnie got hurt, she had the fingers pointed at the target, making a cup with her palm. Before the explorer could see the energy gathering, a high-pitched sound of the wind going through a small opening echoed from Bonnie''s hand. Following that, something that broke most of the ice on it hit the chest of the dummy. On the screen, behind the target, a large 50 appeared. "I retract my criticism," Alex said, staring at the dummy. "Did you really just used two spells?" Blue asked. "Sure did, the first one is called Cold Bomb, and this one is Air Fist. Just a warning, Cold Bomb doesn''t seem to any damage by itself, and Air Fist just give a score of 20 when I use it by itself," Bonnie explained. "Still, that is impressive," Leo said. "Not really. I bought the compendium for the Air Fist. When I figured out how it worked, I toyed with it. Luckily, my learn skill helped me fill up some gaps," Bonnie said. "No, it is really impressive, Bonnie. You took less than one week to get your mana stat, learn a spell, and create one all by yourself. Don''t play this down, you are amazing!" Hera said. "Even I have to admit, that was badass," Blue said. "Thanks, guys. Now you still have to complete one Hunt right Leo? Let''s go, I want to put these spells to the test, and I also need to get some money since the compendium wasn''t that cheap." "How much was it?" Alex asked as they left the training room. "250 gold. That''s the last of the money the guild gave me," Bonnie said. "Ouch, that''s expensive," Leo commented "Yeah, but with her help, I think we can give her a full refund after today," Hera said as they walked towards the city gates. 75 Group Figh "But how do you use an equation for it?" Hera asked. "You need to consider the variables as the amount and type of mana you are using," Bonnie explained. "I got that part, but how can I use that type and amount of mana?" "You think about the values and the spell works," Bonnie said. "That doesn''t make any sense. Thinking about an equation is not going to make me use magic," Blue cried. "I have to agree if I think ''5 mana'' nothing happens. I can''t feel the mana moving or doing anything at all," Hera said. "Because you need the whole spell. Like the Air Fist, it actually looks like this." Bonnie pulled up the spell equation on her tablet. It was a long and complicated mix of letters, numbers and symbols. "This first part is the type of mana. Then you add the second equation that tells the spell how to behave. Multiply that by this last part that shows the expected result to finish it. Don''t forget to divide the first part by the amount of mana you wan to use. Otherwise, it would be the most basic version of it or spend all your mana at once." Hera kept staring at the equation, trying to understand how to make that work. Blue started to listen to the explanation but gave up halfway through. "Does that really make sense to you?" Blue asked. "Yeah, I know this looks weird. The first time I saw this one, I almost gave up, but the more I tried, the more I got it. Still, I can just activate the skill instead of making the whole spell now, but then I can''t control its strength. I also read in more than a few places that relying on the skill to use a spell makes it harder to increase your mastery. High-level mages can trigger spells faster by themselves than if they were relying on skills," Bonnie said. "Girls, sorry to interrupt, but we found a group," Leo said. They were walking through the forest, looking for frogs to hunt. Leo''s skill lets him track them with more ease, because of that, he and Alex were the scouts while the other 3 stayed back. They had found five giant blue frogs sitting close to each other. Trying to make as little noise as possible, the group approached their targets while Leo gave everyone the instructions. "Bonnie, wait for my signal and sent out your spell. Blue and I will be in front of you. Alex and Hera will circle around to stop them from behind. If someone gets in the way of your spell and you can''t stop, just toss it in the air, and we''ll deal with that later." With a silent nod, the group got in position. Hera got used to the hunt in the last few days. Although she didn''t enjoy it as much as Alex and Blue, she could understand the rush the two of them felt. Hera moved, flanking the frogs with Alex on the other side. This way, they would be sure that none of them would try to run and call for backup. They made that mistake on the second day, and it was horrible. What Hera was most excited to see was how the spell would affect the frogs. Being cold-blooded creatures, could it simply lower their body temperature enough to kill them? Bonnie started to cast the Cold Bomb. Seeing it from a different angle, Hera got worried the spell attracted too much attention. She could see the leaves around her rustling, and there was a soft light coming out of her hands. One of the frogs rose its head, turning towards the researcher. Hera''s heart started to beat faster. It was the first time Bonnie saw one of those creatures. What if she freaked out like Alex? The frog stared at the light for a moment, but before it could start to croak. Bonnie''s spell triggered. A small ball of pale blue light moved towards the frog. As it got closer, the frog stepped back, and before the Cold Bomb reached it, the frog lashed out with its tongue. The spell was hit and activated, covering the frog''s tongue and part of its mouth with a thin layer of ice. One of the frogs closer to the center of the spell had part of its left front leg covered in the same ice layer. Not leaving a chance for the frog to move, Bonnie followed it up with an Air Fist. The wind attack hit the creature in the ice covering its chin. The monster fell to the ground, shivering. It was still moving, but it seemed stunned by the attack. Hera and the rest jumped into the fight, following the same patter they perfected during the last week. Hera and Alex focused on the ones in the back, taking them out quickly before they could fight back. Leo and Blue rushed in, attacking the two frogs in front. Bonnie stayed back, sending spells towards the monster on the ground. A frog lashed out towards Blue and hit her in the chest with its tongue. Taking a step back, the controller lessened the impact, but it wasn''t enough to allow her to rebuke. Sidestepping, she flanked the frog and got ready to strike. However, after losing its target, the frog saw Bonnie in front of him and rushed towards the researcher. "Shit," Blue exclaimed while running towards the frog. Bonnie sent an air fist toward the incoming creature, but it did little to frazzle it. Hera rushed to the frog, managing to slash the monster''s back. It recoiled, but the creature didn''t stop its charge. Bonnie jumped to the side, trying to avoid the beast. The frog was faster than the researcher and managed to hit her legs, making the woman fall to the ground. The frog opened its mouth, but before it was able to do anything, Blue jumped on top of trying to hold its throat. Hera arrived right before her, slashing at the creature once more. With their combined efforts, the frog finally fell. Blue went to help Bonnie get up while Hera turned around to face the other creatures, only to find that Leo and Alex had finished them off. "How many did you get?" Hera asked. "Two, the one on the ground couldn''t move very well, so Alex didn''t have to step in," Leo explained. "Yeah, having a mage really changes the dynamic of it all. We basically got a freebie," Alex said. Hera nodded and turned around. Blue was looking at Bonnie''s legs. There was a slight bruise on them. Luckily, it was mostly on her legs. The ankles seemed fine. "Can you move?" Blue asked. "Yeah, it hurts, but I can walk," Bonnie said while holding out her hand, "help me up." Blue took the researcher''s hand and raised her, "Sorry about that," she said without letting go. "About what? I was the one who didn''t step aside. But I wanted to see if the spell was enough to stop it." "No, it was my fault. Leo and I were supposed to cover you, and I left my position," Blue said. "Blue..." Hera started but was cut off by Bonnie. "Yeah, you''re right. I could have died. I think you owe me big time now, right? Let''s see... how about you pay my debt? Nah, you can never make that much money. What about paying for a new set of equipment?" "Bonnie, that''s too much," Alex said. "No, no, she''s the one who said it was her fault. Oh, I know! Carry me around. I don''t want to tire my feet. And try not to drop me with those noodle arms." "What the hell?! I''m trying to apologize here, Why do you have to be so irritating?" Blue yelled. "Why do you have to be so ridiculous, you muscle head? We all know what we signed up for, we need to fight, and we might get hit. I''m the one who needs to take care of me, not you!" Bonnie shouted back. "Hey, hey, take it easy, you two," Hera said, stepping between them. "I''m calm, and I know she''s right. It is just not a very hero like thing to put your friends in danger," Blue said. The group stared at the controller for a moment, before Bonnie bursting into laughter. "How can you be so dumb? Do you think the Heroes started of already amazing?" "No... I mean, I don''t know. None of the books I read said anything about that," Blue mumbled. "Try reading a history book instead of one with mostly pictures. They will tell you about how they failed at first. Kahn was a low-level porter for quite a while. Undine took years to learn magic, and Cyrus ran away with his group from the first raid they ever participated in. No one is born a hero," Bonnie said. "I know.. I just felt bad, ok?" "If you really felt bad, I wouldn''t be standing right now," Bonnie teased. Blue stepped towards the girl, pushing Hera aside, and picked the researcher up in a princess carry. "What the hell are you doing?" Bonnie yelled. "Carrying you," "Get off!" Bonnie started to flail around, hitting her elbow in Blue''s head. The two almost fell and started fighting once again. "You know, we could just stay here and wait for another group to find us because of the noise," Alex suggested. "That is an interesting plan, but today is the last day I have to finish the quest. We can try this after the recruitment," Leo said. "Am I the only one worried?" Hera asked. "Yes," Leo and Alex replied. Letting out a sigh, Hera started harvesting the frogs. It didn''t take long for Bonnie to notice that and start helping. In just a bit over twenty minutes, the group sent back the first batch of materials through the drone. Having a fourth butcher helped a lot with their speed. After finishing the delivery, the group started looking for more frogs. Leo and Alex were in the front, scouting the area. This time, however, Blue and Bonnie weren''t talking, the mood was still sour. Hera wanted to talk and make sure the two could still work together without problems, but it was risky to do so right now. If they start fighting again, it could be a problem for the hunt. Hera took that opportunity to circle the mana inside of her. It was an extension of the training she had learned. She would pull the energy from her heart and make it flow as if it was following her bloodstream. Quickly checking her stats, Hera saw that her mana was already at 148. Doing the training while walking or moving was much more effective. This time, however, it was different. She could somewhat sense Bonnie at her side. Even without looking, she could more or less feel where the researcher was. Taking a few steps away from her friend, Hera tried to gauge the maximum distance. At most, she could feel the researcher if she was three meters away or so. It was an interesting effect, but if she could only sense something that close, it was better to trust Yarnball since its range was five meters. Hera tried to move farther away and attempt to feel Bonnie''s mana. She tried to expand her own mana to reach her friend, but to no avail. Thinking back to the spells the researcher was using, Hera attempted to create a similar effect with her own mana. She gathered the energy in front of her while trying to figure out the result she wanted. Hera wasn''t good with formulas. Her best bet was to use the subjective way to make spells. She needed something that allowed her to see what was around her. Like a minimap or an area she could feel. Hera''s mind went back to the first time she ever saw an explorer''s relic. Omar''s relic was essentially a radar. That would be a great way to cover her ground. She let go of the mana, thinking about the effect, the mana spread out from her. However, it wasn''t a continuous stream as Hera expected. It was a single streak, like a ripple in a pond. But everything that the ripple touched, Hera could feel. She could understand how many trees were around them, where Blue and Bonnie were, and the mana kept going. It only stopped after reaching Leo, who was in front of them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell acquired Pulse Rank: Beginner Send a mana pulse that gives the user information about everything in its area of effect. The more mana used on the spell, the wider the radius is. The increase in mana cost is not linear. This spell can not detect everything. Base radius: 10 meters Base mana cost: 10 mana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I... I just got a spell!" Hera exclaimed. 76 Prize After Hera got her spell, the group found a trio of frogs who were quickly dispatched. They disassembled the new haul, while Bonnie kept badgering the explorer with questions. "How did you control the ring?" "I honestly can''t say. I''m not good with formulas, so I just think about what I want to happen. I never considered it to be a ring. I only pictured a radar of sorts going to a single place," Hera explained. "Ok, and the ring, did you do something different with the mana?" Bonnie asked. "Not really, at least I don''t think I did. The weird thing is that it didn''t register me in the area. It was like the mana came out of my entire body, not just from my hands. It was a weird feeling." "I think I understand. It''s like sketching before going for the full drawing, right? You need to have an idea of how that works and then just do it," Blue said. "Yeah, that''s a way to look at it," Hera said. "For you, I have no idea. Do you mind letting me know when you are going to use the spell again? I would love to try to figure out its formula," Bonnie said. "Sure, but can you do it?" Hera asked. "Yeah, that seems something too advanced even for you," Blue commented. Hera and Bonnie stared at the controller. "Look, I don''t mean anything bad by it. You just learned how to use spells, Bonnie. Reverse engineering something you see will be really hard. It''s like you just figured out how to make instant noodles, and now you are trying to figure out how a five-star restaurant makes its dishes," Bleu explained. "Don''t worry. You have a point, but that is a skill that would help me a lot. If I can figure out the equation used in a spell like that, I can learn other ways to fight and live honestly just by watching people training," Bonnie said. "It''s a good idea, but be careful. Helena told me that mages are very private with their spells and research. Try not to make anyone angry with that," Hera said. "I''ll be careful. I promise." A little part of Hera had some doubts about the researcher''s statement. Choosing to focus on the task at hand, she went back to the harvesting. It took just a bit over ten minutes to get all the frog parts, but they were outside the drones'' range. Carrying guts and pieces around wasn''t a very appealing idea. Yet, leaving the bodies here felt like wasting money, none of them were willing to do so. They kept hunting through the afternoon. The group was feeling comfortable with the setup they had. Hera and Alex would take an assassin role, while Leo and Blue were the vanguard and Bonnie as a ranged attacker. It was a good thing that the frogs were predictable too. Their attack pattern was mostly the same. Starting with a tongue strike, then either a tackle or a bite, depending on how close its target was. By the end of the day, they had made close to 1 000 gold each. Going back to the guild so that Leo could finish the last quest he needed, they decided to take a day off. Bonnie protested, but unlike the rest, she only hunted for a day. The others spent most of the week fighting the frogs. Even if they managed not to get hurt, it still took its toll. "If you want, I can practice my pulse spell with you tomorrow," Hera said. Begrudgingly, Bonnie accepted. She knew it was for the best. Having some time to practice her own spells could be even better, and she owed Hera a couple of hours in an ATR. Leo completed the quest and told the group he was going home for the night. The recruitment was in Brilansis, but not in the guild they received their training. It would be in a small arena near it. He wanted to be rested and ready. Maybe he could even get some information about his uncle. As the hunter left, Hera completed the quest Helena had given to her. Along with the contribution points, there was also a large parcel as a reward. Hera was about to open it when Gemma said that it was best to open rewards like that in a private place. Since she wasn''t aware of the contents, it could bring the wrong kind of attention to her, depending on what it was. The group left the guild and walked back to the inn, discussing their plans for the next day. Blue and Alex wanted to try to unlock their mana stat and asked Bonnie for help. Excited, the researcher suggested that they rented an ATR to train together. Having a first-hand experience with it, the woman knew how much help the trainers were. Hera agreed with the idea but said she might join them later. She was very curious about the other side of the cave. She planned to see if she could find a boat that was going to the edge of the room and back. Arriving at the inn, Hera and Blue went to their room. The controller walked straight to the shower while Hera sat on a chair and opened her reward. Inside the parcel, there was a book and a small letter. The letter had a website, a username, and password. It was a website for the Order of the Lost Court, and that was her access to login. There she could find information, check quests, and buy things with the contribution points. Any items she purchased would have a delivery fee to be paid in gold. But aside from that, all the prices were in the order points. There were a multitude of items, from weapons and armor to potions and odd devices. A spyglass that revealed invisible creatures, a hairpin that paralyzed your hair, making it unable to move. The items all seemed solutions for specific problems. She could also buy books, food, even mercenary contracts for a while, and skills. Opening that option, Hera saw hundreds of different skills for sale. According to the description, each skill was actually a compendium that you could teach you how to acquire and use the skill. The prices varied wildly, from a couple of hundred gold to millions. Out of curiosity, Hera filtered the prices looking for the most expensive one. It was a spell called Elemental Typhoon. According to its description, it created a swirling mass of energy that made the elements clash and collide with each other. It had an area of effect of one kilometer, and it had a warning that it would destroy anything in the area. It was valued at 1 950 platinum or 195 million gold, but you could buy it using 100 million contribution points. That seemed absurd, not only for the price but for the amount of points needed. Even if Hera worked her entire life, she could never get that much money. Or at least, that is how things were before. Now, maybe she could reach millions and millions someday. Before losing herself in the skills she could buy, Hera checked the rest of the reward. The book looked like a travel journal. It had a leather cover and a string that you could use to wrap around a small clasp in front of the book. Hera opened it and saw that the first few pages were inside a plastic envelope a bit larger than the pages behind. Inside them, there were a few handwritten notes. The first one had the words ''Baby First Spellbook'' in large stylized letters. Under them, in the same place where an author would put its name, there was a familiar signature. Helena Ditrro Hera read what the notes said. They were an explanation of how mages kept their spellbooks. It was all beautifully written with drawings and patterns decoration the sides. The pages were clearly made by someone who enjoyed arts and crafts. According to Helena, even with skills, it was good to have a place where you saved the information about how to use your spells. As time went by, your repertoire would increase, and memorizing how to use all your spells would become quite complicated. Not only would it help to have a list of everything you can do, but the spellbook could help someone develop theories about new spells and improve existing ones. In the next pages, Helena described a few ways to write down the spells. Using equations, you should specify what each part of the calculation did and make notes on the places where it would appear in other spells. As a code, it was very similar, with each function having a commentary explaining what it did. For the subjective approach, it could vary wildly. Some people wrote down feelings, other lyrics, poems, and drawings. It was all about figuring out what worked best for each individual. The last pages in the plastic folders talked about how Hera should consider developing a code for the book. If someone else steals or finds your spellbook, they might use it to learn the spells she worked hard to get. There were a few suggestions in front, from making a new alphabet and a simple cipher to creating something more complex like the Japanese kanji. But ultimately, it was Hera''s choice to make. One thing that Hera noticed, what that the examples all seemed to be for the same spell. The poem talked about revealing the secrets hidden in plain sight, the lyric about casting out the darkness, and the drawing was a lit candle. It seemed to be a light spell, much like the one Helena showed her almost a month ago. Hera gave it a try, following the ideas that were showing in the book. She focused her mana on coming towards her hand and moving toward her finger. Making the mental image of a flame coming from her finger, she started to push her mana to the construct. Every time she did that, the mana would gush out instead of keeping its shape. Even before Blue left the shower, Hera had spent all her mana trying to make the light. Since she had to wait, Hera looked through the rest of the book. After five more pages with the plastic folder, the rest of the thick tome was blank. Hera wanted to write about her pulse spell, but she didn''t have a pen on her. Sending a text to Blue, letting her know she would be out for a few minutes, Hera left the room. As she was heading towards the stairs, Bonnie approached her. "Hey, I was just going to ask if you guys wanted takeout." "Oh, thanks. I''m heading out. I need to find an office supplies store. Send me a text with the place you are going, and I''ll tell you my order," Hera said. "Why do you need office supplies?" Bonnie asked. Hera explained to the researcher about her reward, and that she needed some pens and pencils. Bonnie''s eyes started to shine when she heard about spellbooks, and the woman asked to take a look at the book. Unsure if she should share something Helena made, Hera asked for some time before showing, explaining that she wasn''t sure if she could share information that came from her Order. She sent a text to Helena, asking if she could tell Bonnie about the book. Bonnie agreed but asked to join her in the supply run. That way, not only the researcher could buy something to make her own spellbook but also have some help while bringing the food back. The two left the inn after sending a group text asking about what everyone wanted to eat. It didn''t take long to find a few stores that could sell spellbooks. On the map, even a couple of shops specialized in those items showed up, but they were all closed. They ended up in a general store where Bonnie found a simple small notebook that she could carry around even while hunting. Hera picked a few different colored pens and some tabs to use on her spellbook as well as a pencil case, and a book cover that she could place it all in and strap it on herself. It was an impulse buy, but one day she might not have a safe place to leave the book. As they went back to the inn, Hera received Helena''s reply. "Hello, sweetie. If you want, you can share that information with anyone. It is part of the basics of being a mage, although it would be hard to find it in such a compact and easy-to-read format. Buuuuuuuttttt This seems like a great chance to recruit someone with potential. Bonnie is very talented, and you mentioned that she made a spell? That is proof that she will be a great asset. Still, that''s up to you. If you want to invite her, tell her about the order and see if she is interested. If the answer is positive, let me know, and I''ll talk to her soon." Hera smiled, seeing the text. Having one of her friends in the order would make it feel less daunting. "Say, Bonnie. Have you ever heard about the Order of the Lost Court?" Hera asked. 77 Leos Resul Hera woke up late the next day. Blue, Alex, and Bonnie were already in the ATRs, according to the text on her phone. Apparently, the researcher had dragged them there early in the morning. Feeling her stomach rumble, Hera left the inn looking for a nice place to have breakfast. Because of the time, a few places had started serving brunch. Hera chose a nice little restaurant with a view of the bay. She still had yet to check the skills she could buy from the Order. While she waited for her meal, Hera opened the website went for the marketplace to purchase skills. Even having only 50 contribution points to spend, there were many choices. There were things like fishing, foraging, meditating, and weaving. Hera scrolled through the skills. They all were a basic rank and didn''t seem to do much. For instance, the fishing one wouldn''t teach you to fish. It would just increase your ability to catch fish. It wasn''t like a movie where you got the compendium and could say ''I know kung fu.'' Some skills gave a glimpse of what they could become in the future. Meditating could become a skill that cleared your mind in any situation. Others were the starting points of more advanced skills. For instance, mining could lead to metallurgy and blacksmithing. As Hera read through the list, one caught her eye. The skill was called etching, and it could later on become runic enchantment. That could let her change and improve the attributes of her weapons and gear. This was the skill that interested Hera the most so far. Before choosing, she gave another look at the list of skills. Among them, there was another called weapon maintenance. Thinking about how she had already got some supplies to care for her weapons, Hera opened the description. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Weapon Maintenance (Rank 1) Improves your ability to care and maintain your weapons. The more careful you are with the process, the better the results will be. Increased durability: 1% ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Under the description, there was a line saying that as the rank increased, other effects would also be applied. Things like increased sharpness and handle. Hera also remembered that during the training, Mr. Greyson told the class that weapons that were well taken care of could even facilitate the leveling of skills. Hera wanted to get both skills, but she only had contribution points for a single one. Even though etching could be interesting, she had no idea how to increase the skill. If she got the weapon maintenance, it would have a more practical effect. She bought that skill, and it showed a message asking her to get the compendium at the guild. After finishing her meal, Hera went to pick up her new skill. The compendium would only tell her the easiest way to get a skill. In this case, it was to take a few quests from blacksmiths. If she wanted to do it by herself, it could take some time. Another suggestion was to care for the weapons of other people in her party. Considering she never saw Leo or Alex doing any type of maintenance on their weapons, this could work. She also got the information on a few basic techniques that she could perform to clean and polish the gear. Leaving the guild, Hera went towards the port area. She was looking for a ship that was going to the end of the room. It took her a while to find a vessel with that destination. Most ships were going to a village halfway through the cave. However, she finally found one that would go to the edge of the room. They were willing to take her along for the ride for 50 gold, 20 if she helped around the ship. But it would be a two-day journey since it took almost a full day just to reach the exit of the cave. Hera thanked them and left. There was much to do around here before staying two days in the water. She also had some new information. There was another village in this layer. Going back to the guild, Hera stopped by a weapons store and bought a couple of supplies for the new techniques she got in the compendium. In the guild, she asked if there was a place she could use for taking care of weapons. The clerk at the front desk pointed her towards the second floor, where some tables were available for multi-purpose use. Hera spent the rest of the morning taking care of her chakram. After making the dent a few days back, she noticed that the area around it seemed to be cleaner in a way. Using a cleaning product called ''rust and grime B gone'', she scrubbed the weapon with a sponge. Little by little, the dark layer of dirt was removed from the chakram. Mayura''s Feather had an opaque dark grey color, but after cleaning, Hera could see that the blade could become shining like Iris. Still, it would be something that she couldn''t do in a single day. Since this was the first time she tried it, Hera avoided scrubbing too hard, afraid of damaging the blade. The small details would also be a problem. Unlike her handaxe that was a flat piece of metal, the chakram had some crevices and patterns that made cleaning it much harder. After some time, Hera got a text. Her friends asked if she wanted to eat lunch with them or if she was already in a boat. Hera wasn''t particularly hungry since she just had brunch, but since she would train with them later, it was better if they were together. The day went by with the four women training in an ATR, Blue and Alex were doing something similar to what Hera did, circling the mana in their bodies to unlock the stat. Hera and Bonnie kept swapping notes about the spells they had. Hera could use her pulse a few times before having to recover her mana. If she did nothing, it would take 1 minute to recover a single point of mana, but if she circled the mana in her body, she could recover 4 points per minute. The problem was that she needed to focus on moving the energy in her body, so it wasn''t something she could do and stay alert at the same time. As the day went by, Hera asked Bonnie if she had made a decision. The Order could help the researcher a great deal but Hera had made it clear that she would share the spellbook''s contents even if the woman didn''t join. Bonnie was interested, but she wanted to know some things that Hera couldn''t answer. She sent a text to Helena, who just asked for them to wait. She would talk to Bonnie soon about everything. Blue and Alex made some progress with their mana, but not enough to unlock it. Bonnie and Hera didn''t get any significant breakthrough, but they felt that using their spells was more natural. Hera also took some time to improve her mana circling ability if she could use it while fighting or moving around, she could use her pulse spell more often. At dinner, Leo sent a text to the group, telling them that he would be back the next day. He managed to become a part of the Crimson Coalition and would talk more about that when he returned. When morning came, Hera and her friends agreed to wait for Leo in front of the doorway. Walking up the hill, they could see the whole town once again. It didn''t matter how long they have been here. The sight of the purple forest was still breathtaking. They had bought a couple of pastries and had breakfast in front of the exit, watching the groups come and go. Hera was surprised at how many people were using the doorway. She never realized that the traffic here was so heavy. It wasn''t like a busy train station or something like it, but every ten minutes or so, a group of three or four would pass by. When Leo arrived, he greeted the group and sat down beside them. "Hey guys, missed me?" he asked. "Not really, it was good not to have to give away my kills," Alex taunted. "You went hunting without me? I''m hurt," Leo said, placing one hand on his chest. "Stop being dramatic. We took a day off. Now tell us what happened. Was it easy?" Blue asked. "Not at all, they had a battery of tests, we were split up in groups by our levels. There was an obstacle course, a capture the flag game and then a tournament. People got eliminated at each step. I got lucky with my team in the game. We had some pretty decent teamwork. In the competition, I only had to win the preliminary round, and I''ll be invited, but there were prizes for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places. Everyone was from level one to five in my category. I ended up getting the fourth place," he explained. "Hey, way to go! Who won? A level five, I guess," Hera said. "Nope, it was a level 2, and he was a monster. It didn''t matter how much I tried. I could barely see him moving. His punches were faster than the frog''s tongue. The weirdest part. He is a controller, but he moved like an assassin. The recruiters loved that. Not only they used that to show that levels are not as important as what you do with it, but they also got a really strong recruit. I just felt a bit bad for the healers that went there. They had to heal a set number of people, and there wasn''t enough for everyone. Some of them started fighting. It got really ugly." "Wow, why would people go that far?" Bonnie asked. "The coalition is pretty big, and the perks are excellent. If I reach my quota of missions for them, they pay me 5 000 gold a month. Plus, the rewards of each quest. In lower layers, that is about it. But as you go deeper in the MAZE, you can find sponsored shops that give you discounts for being a member. If you go to the 8th layer, you can find their headquarters. It is in a room called... something with an X that I can''t remember, but everyone knows that room by the Astral Garrison. That''s the name of the city they built." "They have a whole city?" Alex gasped. "Yep, anyone who is a member can go there anytime they want. If not, you have to pay an entry fee, and you will be taxed on almost everything there. They, I mean, we basically control that room," Leo said. "And the guild is ok with that?" Hera asked. "There is not much they can do. We build the city as private property. First, we bought the land, then the resources, and the people just started gathering there. We are not stopping anyone from moving around in the room or leaving it. The city as just built in the most convenient place possible and made a lot of things much more accessible. It''s kind of like the deal we have with Mondy. We are losing a lot of money, but we get much more than if we didn''t have his help." Hera stared at the hunter for a moment. The image she had of the MAZE was changing fast. She always imagined that the worst problem she would face were the monsters. But apparently, people could be just as troublesome. "And what about your uncle?" Blue asked. "I got a small piece of information. One of his old subordinates was there. The last time he saw my uncle, he was in the Astral Garrison heading to the next layer. So I guess that''s my first step. Reach the garrison." "Sure, that seems easy. All you have to do is level up like crazy," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "Well, it''s just a first lead, right? It doesn''t mean I won''t be searching for him now, but I know a place I can get more information. Probably," Leo said. "So now what we need is to level up fast," Blue said. "And make a lot of money. Sorry, I know it doesn''t help you, Leo. But I still have to deal with my things," Bonnie said. "It''s ok, Bonnie. I understand, we all have our goals. Any ideas on where to start? I finished all those quests and didn''t get a new level. Weren''t they supposed to help?" Leo asked. "I don''t know, maybe its only system quests that give experience," Alex said. "I''m not sure if it would help. But there were the ruins I found on the map. It''s a bit of a long shot, but we might find something valuable there or a quest," Hera chimed in. "Where was it again?" Bonnie asked. Hera showed her map on the tablet. The ruins were to the west of the city, just a couple of hours away. "I''m in. Worst-case scenario, we come back killing frogs," Blue said. "It sounds like something to do, to be honest, I still have some trouble dealing with the frogs," Alex sighed. "I guess it could work, but if we don''t get anything, can we please farm for a few days? It would take weight out of my should to have at least the first payment at hand," Bonnie said with a worried face. "Of course, Bonnie, we all want to help you," Hera said. "Yeah, all jokes aside, you are our friend. We got you," Blue agreed. "Thanks, guys," Bonnie beamed. "Ok, then, to the ruins!" Leo announced while getting up. 78 What lies within the ruins "We should be getting close, I think more ten minutes, or so then we can go inside the forest," Hera said while looking at her map. They had been walking for some time already. Before heading out, the group bought some food rations and a few potions. Each of them had a simple recovery potion that could be useful in dealing with any cuts and bruises. Hera also got a general antidote for various poisons and a pseudo flame tongue oil that could cause minor burns to the enemy when applied to a weapon. She wasn''t sure if the oil would actually help, but they needed something to get an extra potion with the purchase. "Right here, if we go to the right, we should reach the ruins," Hera said, walking inside the forest. "Are you sure? We haven''t heard any creature for a while," Blue said. "According to the map, yes, if the map is wrong or not, I can''t say." "Besides, if there really are ruins here, we should be happy that there aren''t any monsters around," Alex said, following Hera. "You are just happy there aren''t any more frogs here," Leo taunted. "Can you blame me? I hate those things." Alex shivered at the mention of the frogs. Hera couldn''t help but admire the assassin. Even while dealing with a creature she hated that much, she was able to kill them with no hesitation. Twenty minutes later, they reached the edge of a large crater. Hera initially thought that this was a depression, but the area looked like the site of a meteor strike. "Wow, is this the right place?" Blue asked. "Yeah... I think so," Hera replied. "Did someone or something do this? Or do you think it was always like that?" Bonnie asked. Hera scanned the area, seeing the vast expanse that was quickly 500 meters wide. The edges of the crater had a sharp fall, but heading to the middle, it turned into a slope. In the middle of it, Hera could see purple grass growing over something that once was a building. "Maybe. I mean, the area seems real enough to be an impact crater. But it''s the MAZE. We are around purple trees. It could be like this since the beginning." "Wait, how do you know what a crater should look like?" Leo asked. "I always liked those natural landmarks. Waterfalls, canyons, mountain ranges, volcanos, pretty much anything that was created naturally. I started talking about being an explorer because of things like that. It''s incredible to think about how the universe molds itself. Like this crater, the edges seem rough and uneven, the middle is all broken and tattered, but the slope seems soft and gentle. Where else could you find something so beautiful?" Hera asked. "Wow, Hera, I never looked at it that way. You''re right. This is amazing in its own way," Alex said, looking at the crater. The group stared at the area for a few moments. Hera had a large smile on her face. Feeling tears starting to form in her eyes, she shook herself and started to go down the slope. "Let''s go. I want to see the ruins," Hera said, already sliding toward the center of the crater. "I never seen Hera take the lead like this before," Bonnie said. "Yeah, I didn''t want to ruin the moment saying anything, but it''s the first time I see her with a smile like that," Blue said before jumping down. Being the first to reach the middle, Hera used her Pulse to check if there were any creatures around. The middle part of the crater was much smaller. It should be just a bit over 50 meters wide. As the mana ring moved, Hera started to feel the area. Aside from the grass and de debris, there was nothing here. But the broken down walls were filled with mana. Weirdly, Hera could feel the stone glowing. She approached the closest part of the ruins and activated her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arcanist Tower Ruins What is left of a great tower, used by a powerful arcanist in the past. The tower was constructed with research in mind. The walls were reinforced with mana to protect its structure from powerful magic. The information about who the mage was and why the tower was destroyed was lost to the ages. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What did you find?" Alex asked, arriving at the center of the crater "This used to be an arcanist''s tower. The walls seem to be filled with mana." "Wow, really?" Bonnie said as she tripped in a piece of the ruins falling into the ground. "Did you spend so long reading books that you forgot how to walk?" Blue asked. Bonnie just rolled her eyes and walked towards one of the walls. Hera kept walking around the area, using her Pulse now and then to check for anything hidden or dangerous. The ruins were old, incredibly old. Most of the structure seemed to be buried underground. Hera wasn''t sure how that could have happened. Maybe the rain carried dirt, and little by little, it was covered. Still, the stones were clean. They even had that white color, as if they were brand new. This could be the effect of the mana density they had. Although, that was just a guess. "Hera, come here!" Bonnie yelled. Hera rushed back, worried about the researcher''s reaction. When she reached her, the woman had both hands placed in a part of the broken tower and a smile on her face. "What happened?" Hera asked. "Put your hand into the wall and cycle your mana," Bonnie said. Unsure of what to expect, Hera mirrored Bonnie and placed both hands on the wall. When she started to cycle her mana, the wall seemed to be pushing the mana inside it to Hera. The explorer quickly stepped back, spooked by the reaction. "What is that?" "I''m not sure. But this doing this for a few second increase my mana by five points," Bonnie explained. "Wait. What?" Blue asked. "Are you serious? Could this help us get our mana stat too?" Alex asked. "Maybe, give it a try," Bonnie said. "What is this about the mana stat?" Leo asked. Hera explained it to the hunter, teaching him the process to cycle his mana. Soon the whole group was with their hands on the walls doing the exercise. As helpful as having more mana would be Hera was too excited to focus on the training. She kept walking around the area, trying to find something more about the ruins. She looked around, using her Pulse every time she reached the edge of her last cast. At one point, she felt something different in the ground. The wall was still glowing, but there was a mark that seemed unusual. Digging a bit, she found the archway she was searching for. In red letters, it was written ''The Arcane Lookout.'' As she read that, a notification popped in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Treasure map (Evolved from Mapping) Allows you to create a map of a place you have been before. The more you know about the area, the more accurate the map will be. The map can identify possible secrets and points of interest. Their discovery will increase the information available about the area. Requirements: Drawing space, knowledge of the area. To improve the skill, find secrets and points of interest before they are shown on the map. The tools used in the process may affect the result. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera read the description a few times. This was exactly the type of thing she wanted. Something that helped her find interesting places. Not only that, but the skill would also improve as long as she kept searching for good spots herself. "That is amazing!" she cheered. Opening her map, Hera tried to see if there was any other information available about this location. The first thing she noticed was that the map had a new option. Along with the wireframe, topographic, and planimetric view, there was a treasure hunter''s chart. In the chart, the map seemed more hand-drawn. It looked like the type of map someone would see in a video game. In the middle of the crater, there was an exclamation mark with the word ''new'' by its side. As Hera tapped in the area, a drawing appeared representing the ruins. Under it, there was a banner that read ''Arcanist Tower Ruins''. As Hera zoomed in into the ruins, a small text box appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arcanist Tower Ruins Status: Disabled The ruins are mana filled debris that lay on top of the entrance to the tower. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera raised one eyebrow. "Entrance?" She walked around the area, activating her Pulse, trying to focus on the ground beneath her feet. On the third cast of the spell, Hera thought she felt something that could be a door, but it was on the edge of her range, and she was out of mana. Walking closer to the point where she felt that object, Hera placed her hands in the ruins and started to cycle her mana with the stone''s help. She wanted to recover enough to use the spell a few more times in order to find the entrance. Just as she closed her eyes, she heard Blue yelling from a distance. "I got it! I got my mana!" Hera smiled. She wasn''t entirely sure how the controller would use mana, but it would help the group. She did not doubt that. Focusing again on her mana, Hera started to pull the energy from the stone. She could feel the heat flowing through her at an incredible speed. It took a bit over twenty seconds for it to complete a cycle. Hera stopped and checked her mana. She had recovered five points! Focusing even more on the recovery, Hera stood there for a couple of minutes, trying to refill her mana. When she was half full, she stepped away from the stone and looked for the place she felt the door. Before using her pulse spell, Hera realized that Bonnie should be at full mana right now. There was no reason for her to be using the walls to recover. She opened her status to check if there was any change and realized that her maximum mana, in those few minutes, increased by one. Bonnie probably figured that out and was trying to grind some status. Hera used her Pulse spell a couple more times and managed to find the door she was looking for. It was buried in a spot clear of any debris. She stood above the area and used the spell one more time. There was a pocket of empty space in front of the door, and after it, there was a corridor leading down. "Guys, I found something," Hera yelled to her friends. After a few moments, the rest of the group joined the explorer. She told them about the map evolution and that she saw the doorway with a corridor. Excited with the possibility of entering the tower, they all started to dig towards the empty pocket that Hera saw. It didn''t take very long before they broke through the layer of earth. When Blue managed to make a small opening, allowing her to see a stairway and the door that Hera found, she let her friends know. "I got it!" Bonnie rushed towards her, thinking about what would be inside a mage tower. "Let me see," the researcher said, pushing Blue aside from the opening. With the extra weight, the ground gave in, making the two of them fall inside the hole, hitting the stone staircase underground. "Are you guys ok?" Hera asked, looking down. "I''m not," Blue said, shoving Bonnie away from her, "The genius over here fell on top of me." "Sorry, I got excited," Bonnie said, getting up. Hera jumped down to the freshly unearthed tunnel and inspected the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arcanist tower entrance Area type: Dungeon A door that leads to the remains of the arcanist tower. Over time, the leftover experiments that happened inside the tower changed and transformed into dangers that protect the surviving structure of the tower. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Guys, we found a dungeon," Hera said with a smile. 79 The Arcanists Lookou Hera''s group was sitting in the middle of the crater by the hole they had just create. They were sitting in a circle, comparing notes they had on the tablets. "Let me say what I have from class first. If anyone has something else, we add to our notes," Alex said, looking at the group, "Dungeons are similar to rooms, in the way that we pass through transportation to enter them. However, unlike rooms, they have their own rules and structures. In contrast, the rooms follow the laws of the world more closely. An example would be that we can''t breathe underwater, but inside a dungeon, we might." "Most dungeons are private areas. Even if two groups enter, they will be sent to different places. The dungeon will be the same, but with no other group to interfere. In some cases, various groups can join the same area. Those are called shared dungeons, raids, or battlefields, depending on the specifics. This doesn''t seem to be the case here. If it were, the area type would be different," Leo added. "Inside a dungeon, it''s common to find traps and hazards made to stop people from advancing. There will also be monsters and other creatures. If we kill them, they don''t respawn, but if we leave the dungeon, the whole area resets," Bonnie said. "There is more. The dungeons are always controlled by something. It can be a creature, an object, or even a skill. There is no rule for that, but to beat the dungeon, we need to either defeat its ruler or complete whatever task it gives us," Blue chimed in. "There is also the story," Hera said. "Story?" Leo asked. "Yeah, all dungeons have a story, a reason why they are there, and why everything inside it is there, like the group test. We were inside a castle with the remains of the king''s army. They were inside the castle because the king was holding them there. If we can understand the what and why of the place, we might have an easier time going through it," Hera explained. The group nodded. Aside from Bonnie, they all had witnessed the figure of the skeleton king. If there was a story here, it could have a hidden reward as well. "Ok, and how about the loot? Dungeons are said to be amazing places to find items and make money. How are we splitting that?" Bonnie asked. "I guess the gold we can split it evenly. And items we don''t want, we just sell and split the money later. The problem is the things we may want," Leo said. "What if we do a finder''s keepers rule?" Blue suggested. "Bad idea, if we find something too valuable or too interesting, someone might try to get it in the middle of a fight," Alex said. "We could draw straws or something random like using dice," Leo said. "I don''t like that idea. My luck is terrible," Bonnie said. "What if we do an auction?" Hera suggested. "Like between us?" Blue asked. "Yeah, like the one who wants the item buys from the rest of the group. I used to do that in a game when I was younger." After thinking for a moment, the group nodded, approving her suggestion. "I wasn''t expecting you to be a gamer, Hera," Alex said. "I''m not one, not really. I played a bit because I could look around the maps. It''s been a few years since the last time I used a controller." "Ok, but before we go in, I think we should eat. Also, Alex and Leo, keep cycling your mana with the walls, try to unlock your stat," Bonnie said, picking up some of the rations she had brought. "That''s a good idea. We are going into a place that used to belong to a mage. I''m guessing that mana will be used a lot down there," Hera said. "But couldn''t mana be a problem too? What if there are traps that only trigger if you have mana," Blue asked. "Well, then we have to deal with the traps. I mean getting the mana stat is something we all need, I''m not sure if staling for one dungeon would be worth it," Bonnie replied. The group ate and spent another 30 minutes using the walls to increase their mana. During that time, Alex unlocked the stat. Going down to the entrance, Hera went in first, spearheading the group. They descended a long dark stairway. Luckily, Bonnie had figured out how to use the light spell that Helena sent to Hera. If it weren''t for that, they would need to use torches or flashlights. Hera thanked her friend for using the spell. Even if it had a low consumption rate, it wasn''t small enough not to matter. Hera knew that the more the researcher stayed with the light on, the fewer attacks she would be able to do. After walking down a few minutes, Hera started to worry that there was a different way to get inside the dungeon, and they were wasting their time. Almost as a reply, a system notification popped in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have entered the Arcanist''s Lookout Dungeon Quest: The magic used for experiments mutated with time. It grows stronger every day, leading to unpredictable results. Find the reason for the mutation and deactivated it. First completion rewards: 5 000 gold, basic arcanist lookout compendium ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Did you guys get that?" Blue asked. They all confirmed and looked forward. There was a small glint of light a few meters down. Taking a deep breath, Hera moved towards the light, chuckling a bit with the notion. "What''s the matter?" Alex asked. "We are literally going to the light at the end of the tunnel." "Oh, god, really?" Bonnie said, rolling her eyes. Blue started giggling with her friend. "Guys, we need to say quiet," Leo said, holding back a smile. They stopped laughing and kept moving toward the newly discovered hallway. The area after the stairway opened in a large circular room, with small globules of blue light floating near the 5 meter high ceiling. The floors were made with the same light grey stone that they saw outside. The main difference was the spiral pattern that was under their feet. With various shapes and lengths, the rocks were likely carved out to form this odd shape that reminded Hera of a whirlpool. As they got closer to the center of the room, Hera could see four other doors around the chamber. Not only that, but with each step she took toward the middle, the globules of light lowered. She made a motion for her friends to stop. The closer she got from the center of the room, the closer the light would be to the doors, but if she took a step back, the glowing spheres would go back up. However, moving from the sides didn''t change the height of the dancing lights. "Ok, I have no idea if going in the middle of the room is a good or bad idea," Hera said. "Me neither, it could help. But it could trigger an alarm or something," Bonnie said. "Leo, try walking, maybe its mana sensitive," Blue suggested. The man walked by Hera, but the effects were the same. "Should we just go back and try to buy a compendium for this place?" Alex said. The group nodded. There was no reason to risk themselves like this. They walked back towards the door they had just left, but an invisible wall blocked Alex, who was in the rear. "Crap." "What''s the matter?" Bonnie asked. "There is a wall here. We can go out but.. check it for yourselves." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you wish to leave the Arcanist Lookout By leaving the dungeon, you will forfeit the first completion rewards. Additionally, you will face a higher challenge the next time you enter. [Yes] [No] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bonnie let out a sigh, "So, not only we lose gold, but we also would have more problems if we want to come back here?" "What do you guys think? I want to see what''s around here. If we get hurt or we see it''s too dangerous, we can leave. But I don''t want to run away without even trying," Alex said. "Same here. If we don''t know what might happen, we just avoid it," Blue said, agreeing with her friend. "Hera? What about you?" Bonnie asked. "What? Sorry, my mind was someplace else." Leo looked at Hera with a confused expression, "Really? How can you think about something else right now?" "My bad. I was just thinking. Could this be a way to trigger a hard mode?" Blue waved away the notification, "Hard mode, is that a thing?" "Yeah, in class, Mr. Greyson mentioned it at passing, and I asked Helena about it later. Some dungeons have a harder version. As fas as I know, the rewards are at least five times better, but the difficulty rises a lot. The first struggle is to find how to trigger it. Some require you to finish the quest in a specific time, while others ask you to trigger certain events. Since we are just in the first layer, this could be more straightforward." Bonnie''s eyes were glowing with the information, "Five times? Like 25 000 gold? Should we go for it?" Hera shook her head, "I don''t think that is a good idea. We have no way of knowing how hard it will be. We should try to keep going here. Even with a smaller reward, we might find a lot of exciting things here. After all, it was an arcanist tower." After thinking for a moment, Bonnie gave up the notion of pushing for the hard difficulty. Not only they weren''t sure if that would lead to a hard mode, but they also had no idea what to expect inside this dungeon. Hera tried to use her [Observe] in the room. The only things with names were the lights called floating lights. Sadly, her [Inspect] gave no information about them. The explorer told the group to split up and look at the doors, before deciding where they should go. The door all looked the same. They were wooden with iron handles and no windows. As Hera looked at the disposition, something clicked in her mind. "Bonnie, doesn''t this look like a pentagram? If we make a line connecting the doors." The researcher looked around, confirming what Hera said. She then picked her tablet and started to go through her notes. "Yeah, it looks like a pentacle. In magic, they use it for energy gathering, and to represent the five primal elements Water, fire, earth, air, and spirit. There is even a specific order. The north point would be spirit or magic, the east water, the southeast fire, the southwest earth, and the west air." "Ok, so we came from the point. So that''s spirit. What is this door then?" Blue asked, pointing at the door in front of her. Bonnie rubbed her eyes. "If what you say is right, that would be fire, but the pentagram can be in any orientation. We might have come from the earth''s point since it was underground." "Since this was built before, wouldn''t that be earth? Since it leads to the underground?" Leo asked. "Or maybe air, because the exit was built before it turned into ruins," Alex approached the exit, trying to feel the wind. "It can also be water because of the lake or fire because of whatever reason. We don''t have enough information to figure out," Bonnie huffed. Silence fell to the group. They had no idea the entrance of a dungeon would already give them trouble deciding where to go. Hera looked around, trying to see if there were any markings on the floor or around the area. Sadly, there was none. "Since we have no way to figure it out, does it matter which one we choose?" The whole group stared at Blue, who just spoke. "What? I mean seriously. Does it matter? Like Hera said, this is the first layer. Yes, it is dangerous, and yes, we can get hurt, but remember what Mr. Greyson said?" Blue raised one finger and started speaking in a bad Scottish accent. "When ye go to the first layer of the MAZE, ye will find dangers, but the place is more of a beginner area. Ye have some leeway to fail without getting too hurt. Later on, even opening a wrong door can get ye killed," she dropped the accent, "So like, what is the point of bashing our heads in the wall to figure out what''s what? Let''s just go, and we will find out." The group stared at each other for a moment. "Fine, as much as I hate to admit the muscle head right. Sometimes overthinking is bad. Someone just pick a door, and we will go." Hera got worried when she saw Bonnie''s expression. Agreeing with Blue made it look like the researcher was taking some bad medicine. Hera wondered if the two would ever stop fighting so much. "If no one wants, can I pick the door then?" Alex said. The group stared at the assassin and agreed to her suggestion. It seemed like a big decision, and they were glad to have someone pick for them. "Ok, so let''s go through the one Bonnie is in front," She said, walking towards the researcher. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 80 The halls of the tower Hera walked through the 500-meter long hallway. There were other floating lights in the area, but those stayed still in a single place. The corridor itself wasn''t much different from the center room. It was made of the same pale grey stone that seemed to be carved into odd shapes. After a few minutes of walking, the group finally reached the end of the hallway where they could see a doorway leading to the right. Getting closer, Hera could see that there was no actual door there, just the frame. Inside it, there was a large rectangular room with several books and tables spread around. Walking inside, they saw no creatures or traps. The place looked like a library. Excited, Bonnie rushed in and picked up one of the books on the table. As she grabbed the book, it turned to ash in her hands. Alex approached the researcher and grabbed her by the arm. "Bonnie! Stop doing that. This could have been a trap!" "But it wasn''t. Everything is fine," Bonnie replied. "That is not the point, Bonnie! I know you are excited or whatever, but you need to be careful. I don''t want to have to carry you to the healers again because you were stu...." Hera paused her phrase, remembering what happened when the researcher woke up in the infirmary, "Just because you are reckless. Let''s make sure we can touch those things before you go picking it up." Bonnie looked down, "You are right, this was a mistake, and it won''t happen again. I''ll make sure not to put the group in danger." Blue rolled her eyes, "Yeah, she''s still dense as a brick. We are more worried about you getting hurt than anything else." Bonnie stared at the controller, then at the rest of the group, her face turning red. "Sorry, I''m just not used to this. Thanks." The group started to look around the room. Large bookshelf covered the walls. All of them had white tomes and books. In the set of tables, some of the books were open, and there was parchment, quills, and dried up ink bottles enough to stock a small store. In the back of the room, there was an ornate desk with a larger blueprint. It looked like the design to create something large that would cover the entire tower. Sadly, it was written in a language that no one in the group could understand. Even the alphabet was different. After some time, they agreed that the room was trap free and proceeded to check the books. They weren''t able to read a single one, aside from the fact that they were all in a different language and when they tried to pick them, the books turned into ash. The ones on the shelves were different. Instead of vanishing, they were extremely heavy. Even with the whole group trying, they weren''t able to make it budge. They only tried a couple of books before giving up. There were way too many for them to check every single one. Hera was tempted to use Yarnball, just to make sure that they really couldn''t get a single book. But it was too soon to use it. If she did, it would take days before she could activate her relic''s ability once again. Making sure they weren''t missing anything. The group looked to the door in the back of the room. It was a heavy steel door with various deadbolts and an iron wheel in the middle that seemed to push two blocks of white stone into the wall. Curious about what demanded such a secure door, Blue approached and started to open it. At the same time, Hera and the others stood by the door''s side, ready to face whatever was inside. Blue unlocked the deadbolts and started to spin the wheel. When the two pieced of white rock became loose, the door opened abruptly. The controller jumped out of the way and let the iron hatch slam into the wall. However, since Blue was now facing the doorway, she felt a powerful gust of wind coming towards her. It was almost like being near a hurricane. The howling sound of the wind was making it difficult even to think. She sidestepped once more to be away from the door. The wind pushed the books and the papers that were on the tables, making all of them turn to dust. The group started to have trouble breathing through the amount of paper in the air. "Go through the door, we need to get away from the ash," Bonnie yelled. Leo went in first, but he only managed to take a few steps. The wind was so strong that was making his feet slide through the floor. Blue grabbed him by the waist and started pushing. Seeing her friend, Hera did the same with the controller. Soon they were in a single file, all pushing the one in front of them. Luckily, Leo was the biggest one in the group. That way, he could block more of the wind going to the women. Step by step, the group pushed through this new hallway, walking steadily towards another circular room. "When we get to the room, I''ll stay in the middle until Bonnie can go to the wall," Leo tried to tell his friends of the plan, but the sound of the wind was so loud that it seemed like they were skydiving. The corridor barely had 20 meters, yet it took almost ten minutes to reach the end. The moment Leo stepped inside the circular room, he stopped, feeling the wind. He looked back and saw Blue still being pushed back by the gust. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her towards him. As soon as her head crossed the threshold of the room, Leo yelled. "Grab Hera''s hand, or she will go flying back!" The controller took another step and spun around, grabbing Hera''s wrist and pulling her. Giving the same command to the rest soon, they were all inside this new area. "Ok, any idea what is going on here, Bonnie?" Leo asked. The researcher looked around and put one hand in the hallway they just left. "This wind is only affecting the corridor. Maybe it''s a way to keep people out." "So we just beat our first trap? All Right!" Blue cheered. The group stared at her for a moment and proceeded to look around the room. This area was very similar to the entrance, but there were a few carvings around the walls. Not simple marks but a full blow wall to wall piece of art. Above the door they had just came through, there was a mage in long white robes with both arms raised, one to each side of the room. Following that, there was what looked like a representation of wind blowing. It started with a few leaves being carried, but as the carving continued, the wind became stronger and more violent. Trees falling, houses being torn apart, animals being carried by the wind. Until, directly in front of the mage, there was a massive tornado ripping apart a castle. "That is not ominous at all," Alex said, staring at the castle. "Is it just me, or that thing seem to have eyes?" Hera asked, pointing to the top of the tornado," Right there, above the tower, the engraving is deeper, or am I going crazy." "You know what, I think you''re right. But it''s creepy. It''s like staring into a storm," Leo said. Bonni walked closer to the carving, "That can be a problem. I read about things like that. Apparently, there are some creatures who are like the condensed form of the elements. Not like a fire-lizard of a wind bird, but sentient fire or wind. Those creatures are said to be very strong and easily require a mid-level party to deal with a single one." "But, this is the first layer, there wouldn''t be something like that here. Would there?" Alex asked. "I don''t know. According to one of the town''s legends, there was once a giant invasion here. The devil hunt was also something that went past layers, not to mention the great war," Hera said. "One thing is being careful, but now you guys are just silly. This is not an invasion, much less something that leads to another layer. It''s a dungeon, and being so close to the town, I doubt we are the first ones here. Can we stop worrying so much and keep going? If one of those sentient things shows up, we fight or run away," Blue said, crossing her arms. Even though Hera was worried about what could happen, she had to agree with the controller. They were taking too much time to decide what to do. During her test, most of her decisions were quicker, and she was alone. "Blue has a point. So don''t think, just answer. Do we go through that door? Yes or no?" Hera said, moving closer to the center of the room. After a moment, the group agreed to keep going. They had already reached this far. Running away just because of a creepy drawing seemed like a waste. Hera opened the door leading to the next room and opened it, jumping to the side to avoid any possible wind. However, nothing happened. The door was open, and the path seemed clear. Walking in carefully, Hera moved towards the new room. For a moment, she thought she entered the wrong place. There was nothing magical in the area. Rows and rows of clothes, drapes, and wrappers that were left hanging to dry filled the room. There wasn''t a single tome, a single spellbook, a single table. To all effects, this was simply a laundry room. "Is this for real? All that for a place to dry some clothes?" Bonnie asked, looking around. "Does anyone have a coin?" Alex asked. "A coin?" Blue replied. Alex smiled, "Yeah, we need coins to use the laundromat, right?" "Oh no, Hera is starting to rub off on you," Blue rolled her eyes. "Hey! I can hear you," Hera complained. "Guys, shut up. I think I heard something," Bonnie was walking toward the middle of the room looking to the clothes. Hera looked around, trying to see if there was anything in the room. Suddenly, she felt something wrapping around her legs and pulling her up, making the explorer fall face-first on the ground. Hera quickly spun around, grabbing Iris to face her assailant. Hovering a few meters above her, there was a long white and green scarf. When Hera managed to understand what she was seeing, the cloth jolted towards Alex, warping around her head. Blue and Leo hurried towards the assassin, helping her remove the thing from her head. While they separated the creature and Alex, Hera activated her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minor Wind Elemental (Prototype) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "That''s a monster!" Hera yelled. The elemental let go of Alex and started hovering above the group once again. Hera warped Yarnball into her Chakram and tried to hit it, using the string to pull her weapon back. At the same time, Bonnie started lobbing spells towards it. The rest kept trying to hit it with whatever they could. Bonnie rushed towards the front of the room and started to cast her Cold Bomb. "Distract it. If I can freeze it, maybe it will drop!" The group split off and did what they could to keep the monster near Bonnie. After a couple of seconds, she launched the spell towards it. The elemental was fast, but the Cold Bomb was large enough to hit part of it. With part of its form frozen, the creature wasn''t able to hold its height. It descended into the ground, and the group went towards it, ripping it apart until it stopped moving. Hera was on the other side of the room and, instead of going towards the creature, used her [Observe] once again. All pieces of clothing in the area had the same name. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minor Wind Elemental (Failed - Prototype) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ However, near the back of the room, there was something that looked different. Hera approached a drying rack with a beautiful green sash with a white border and runes inscribed on it. The name was also different from the rest. Hera quickly activated her [Inspect] to be sure it wasn''t another creature. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spring''s Breeze Rarity: Uncommon A sash enchanted by the forgotten Arcanist as a byproduct of her research. The sash, imbued with air mana, can lower the wind resistance that affects the user, the lower the resistance, the higher the effect. Attribute scaling: Agility x 1.09 Additional effect: Raises the user awareness of the wind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Guys! I found something," Hera yelled, picking the sash and moving towards her friends. However, as she reached them, Hera noticed a grim expression on their faces. Looking back, she saw another five pieces of clothing hovering towards her. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 81 Elementals The five flying cloths were pushing back Hera and her friends. Even after she had placed the sash, she found back in the drying rack. The elementals would zoom around the group and hit them like a whip, but the most dangerous part was when they attempted to wrap someone''s head. That led the group of adventurers to stay in a tight formation. "Bonnie, how many times can you use the Cold Bomb?" Leo slashed at the incoming elemental, missing it altogether. "I have three more casts before I run out of mana. Should I do it now?" Bonnie was unsure when was the best moment to strike. Her spell could help, but the monsters were too slippery. "Let''s go to the round room. It''s smaller, and it doesn''t have anything. You won''t hit a rack there," Alex said, walking back towards the door, without taking her eyes off the creatures. Carefully, the group left the room. Blocking and defending against the elementals assault. As they crossed the threshold, there was a slight respite in the attacks. However, that didn''t last long. Before they reached the middle of the room, the creatures flew towards the room and circled the group. "Bonnie, if you can, try to hit more than one," Leo said as he got in his stance. It was the first time he ought those types of creatures. Because of that, his [Hunt] skill would do little to help in this fight. The researcher gathered mana and aimed at the targets. The spell flew out of her hand, but the elementals changed course and stayed away from the attack''s area of effect. "Crap!" Bonnie cursed. The cloths were not only faster than the first one they fought but also smarter. If she kept throwing her spells like that, she would end up missing them all. "We need to distract them somehow," Alex said as she tried to slash the elemental that just flew by her head. "Easy for you to say. I can''t grab those things," Blue kept trying to reach them as if she was swatting a fly. Hera threw her chakram up, but one of the creatures wrapped around the handle and started pulling it away. She quickly grabbed Yarnball''s string and pulled the weapon back. The cloth wasn''t strong enough to fight back, and the chakram fell. Hera pulled the cord, raising her arm. The weapon scrapped on the ground and moved behind the explorer, making a pendulum motion. Remembering the small training she had done with the chakram before coming to Brinefront, Hera split off from the group, spinning Mayra''s feather through the string. "Hera, come back!" Blue yelled. "I''ll distract them. Bonnie aim for when they are coming to hit me," Hera changed the way she was spinning, now it was almost like a helicopter rotor. With that, the elementals weren''t able to get too close to the explorer. When they tried, Hera changed the way she spun the chakram and managed to ward them off. Seeing the explorer, Bonnie started to cast the Cold Bomb once again. This time, however, she waited for the best moment to strike. Giving time for the elementals to be in a path she could predict. As one of the cloths went towards Hera, Bonnie send her spell. The Cold Bomb hit the elemental, making it fall to the ground. Alex jumped towards it and cut it apart with her daggers before it could recover. As she did that, two other monsters went for the assassin. Bonnie used the Cold Bomb again, using it like a skill. She managed to hit both elementals before they reached Alex. However, because she had used the system version of the spell, her mana consumption was too big. She could only use the Air Fist right now. With only two creatures remaining, Hera stopped spinning her chakram and stood by Alex, resuming her usual stance. The two were ready to get the elemental coming their way. At the same time, Leo and Blue prepared to take down the second one. It took a few tries, but Hera and Alex finally managed to hit the cloth. After it got a rip, it became much easier to finish the job. Blue and Leo didn''t struggle as much since Bonnie was able to hit an Air Fist in the creature at the right time. "Ok, this was more than what I was expecting. Is anyone hurt?" Leo sat on the floor, already sweating. "I''m ok. The part that hurt me the most was when the first one tripped me," Hera walked towards the door, making sure there wasn''t any elemental around. "I don''t think they were very dangerous. Aside from asphyxiating us, they didn''t do much else," Blue walked behind Hera just in case. "I think they were supposed to be part of something more, like an alarm system or something. The question is, is there someone to answer that alarm now?" Bonnie paced around the room, thinking about the possibilities, "Anyway, let me try one thing." She approached a wall and started to cycle her mana. A few moments later, Hera and Blue left the circular room to pick up the sash. The explorer grabbed the item and started to walk back when Blue said. "Hey, what if more of those things show up every time you pick that up?" Hera looked at her friend with wide eyes. A sudden realization dawned on both of them. Bolting towards the circular room, they didn''t even bother looking back. Only when they had reached the rest of the group did they stop and spun around, ready to face the enemies. But this time, there was nothing following them. "What are you two doing?" Leo asked. Explaining what happened, Hera showed the sash to the group. "Can I take it?" Alex asked. "Are you sure? It doesn''t seem like it will be very helpful." Bonnie said. Alex shook her head, "Aside from the attribute bonus being the same attribute my weapons give me. If the effect is stronger, the slower you move, imagine how it will be when I''m sneaking around. Also, since we might find things with a keen sense of smell, understanding the wind better will help a lot." Bonnie agreed, she failed to consider all the possibilities. Since no one seemed to want the item, Alex equipped it. Hera looked around the room, searching for the fallen elementals. She wanted to inspect one to understand it a bit more, but they were all gone. "Apparently things in here disappear after they die. But they did leave some loot," Leo raised his hand and gave a coin to Blue and one to Hera. They were gold coins, lighter than one might expect with a large number 10 engraved on it. "Put it on your bracelet," Leo said. Hera placed the coin on top of the bracelet, and the coin disappeared. She quickly grabbed her tablet and checked her virtual wallet. There was an extra 10 gold there. "Ok, this is really handy," she said. "Did they drop something else?" Blue asked. Alex shook her head, "Nope, that was all. I feel a bit cheated since the frogs would give way more money. But I guess if you have a ranged attacker in the group, it will be faster." "What will probably make us some money here will be the treasures we find, and the quest rewards," Leo said. While the group waited for Bonnie to finish recharging, Hera went inside the room once again and activated her Pulse spell a few times. She wanted to be sure they were not missing anything. Sadly, the walls had too much mana inside them, so Hera wasn''t able to tell if there was anything hidden past them. Whit, nothing else to find here. They went back to the entrance. Passing through the hallway where the air current pushed them away was tricky. It was one thing to fight back the wind, let it push you without falling to the ground was very different. Hera said that it was better if they closed the door, just to be safe. So the group spent a few extra minutes pushing the steel door and locking it. Seeing the hatch up close, Hera noticed that the iron bar in the middle didn''t function as a lock, but it would push out the secondary frame around the door. That was the reason why they couldn''t hear the wind with the door closed. Moving back to the center room, they found it almost as they had left it. The only difference was that the light in front of the door they came from was now a soft green. "So, if this is a pentagram. That was the air room, right?" Blue asked. Bonni gave a node and then pointed to the door at their left, "Yeah, and that one would be earth or spirit. It depends on if this was made from looking up or down. If it were built from above, it would be akin to looking at it through a mirror." "And... What would be the other one?" Alex asked. Bonnie replied after thinking for a moment, "Either fire or water if my notes are correct." "I vote we go there," Leo said, without missing a beat. "I agree, although I''m not as excited with the idea as Leo apparently," Blue stared at the hunter. He was way too eager to choose a different door. They followed through the corridor, reaching a room, much like the book room after the air door. The main difference was that here all the tomes had a red cover. Looking around, they found no traps again, but all the books turned to dust as they touched them. In one of the tables, there was a large blueprint for a stone furnace. In the back of the room, there was a large door, but this one was made of stone instead of iron. Opening that door revealed steel passageway, with iron gratings on the floor spread around in set intervals. Not only that, but a breath of hot air came rushing out. It was almost enough to burn Leo, who opened the door. After a few moments looking at the inside, large flames came out of the grating, hitting the low ceiling and spreading like a backward waterfall. "You are kidding me," Bonnie gasped. "Any ideas? Or we give up this room?" Leo asked. Hera kept watching the flames. The moment it stopped, she counted the seconds until they raised again. They had thirty seconds. It could be enough to run through the hallway, but it would be close. She waited for the flames to appear again, confirming that it was a uniform pattern. Alex pointed towards the middle of the hall, "There seems to be a larger gap there. Do you think we could stay crouched and not get hurt?" "Maybe, but it would be a bit tight. Leo, for instance, might have some problems with his spear," Bonnie said. "Hang on a second," Blue said, getting a piece of jerky from her pocket, "Leo, hand me your spear." She put the jerky on the tip of the spear and held it like she was going to barbecue the meat. She waited for the fire to burst once again and stuck the beef inside it. After a few seconds, the flames receded, and the jerky was still in one piece. Blue tried to touch it but recoiled, shaking her hand. "Yeah, it''s really hot, but it didn''t turn into ash," the controller said. "So, this is a low heat flame?" Bonnie asked. "I think so. I mean, it probably will still hurt if it gets us, like spilling hot soup on your lap. We can get very hurt, but it won''t turn us to ash," Blue said while eating her freshly cooked jerky. "Hang on then," Alex walked towards one of the desks and pulled a chair, placing its legs above the grating. A few moments later, the flames rose again. When the fire stopped, the legs of the chair were still there, they were glowing with the heat, but they didn''t catch on fire," I think this is much more manageable than thought." The group agreed to give it a shot, setting a timer in synch with the fire. Blue went in first, crossing the entire hallway in one go. Leo and Alex were next, doing the same. When Hera was about to go, Bonnie held her arm. "Can I go before you? I''m not sure I''ll have the guts to go if I''m alone." "Sure, not that I''m not freaking out here. Running through hot coal seems less stressful." Bonnie gave the explorer a small smile and got ready to run. The flames were still raging inside the corridor. "Remember, if you can''t pass the middle before we count to 14 stop in that open area and crouch." Bonnie nodded and waited for the flames to go out. The second they did, she dashed as fast as she could. The rest of the group began counting in synch. When she was around a quarter of the way, the researcher tripped in one of the grates making her fall to the ground. Trying to scramble up, Bonnie realized that her foot was stuck in the grating. She pulled a couple of times and managed to free her shoes, but it was too late to run to the other side. Hera watched the whole thing. Unsure if she should rush in and help her friend. The problem was the safe zone. It was too small for two people. She had to trust Bonnie, or they both could get really hurt. Suddenly, Hera''s sight was blocked by the roaring flames. The worst part. She couldn''t tell if Bonnie had reached the safe zone. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 82 Someone left the oven on Hera counted the seconds ever since Bonnie disappeared behind the flames. She couldn''t hear anything aside from the roaring fire. That could be a good thing, and Bonnie could be safe, but at the same time. It could mean that there was nothing left to scream. She shook her head. She had to trust her friend. Bonnie was okay. She had to be. After what felt like an eternity, the flames subsided. Hera''s heart was beating fast. The first thing she saw was the worried expression of her friend on the other side. Then, she saw a golden hair, attached to the head of a dark-skinned girl. She was crouched inside the safe area. When the fire vanished completely, Bonnie looked around with wide eyes and smiled at her friends. "What are you doing? Go!" Hera yelled, waving her off with her hands. The researcher came out of her daze and dashed to the other side. She reached Leo''s group without an issue this time. The flames came up, and then it was Hera''s turn. She was careful not to get stuck in any of the grates and still crossed the hallway with five seconds to spare. "You guys make it look so easy," Bonnie said, looking at the explorer. Blue snickered, "It helps if you don''t trip in your own feet." "It was the grating, not my feet," Bonnie stared daggers at the controller. Hera gave Bonnie a big hug, "I''m so glad you''re safe." she couldn''t imagine what it was like to be in the middle of those flames. Even if she was safe, it must have been terrifying. Bonnie hugged her friend back and replied in a weak voice, "Thanks." After a few moments, Blue joined the hug, breaking the accumulated tension in the room, "Of course she''s fine. Do you think something will stop our little bookworm? All she has to do is think about all the books she has yet to read." Breaking off from the hug, the group looked around the circular room. There was a similar carving to the one in the air door. The mage was above the door that they just came through, and a small flame came out of both her hands. The fire would grow from a small ember to a candle, then a campfire, then a huge forest fire, and finally, to a volcano on the other door. However, the flaming mountain seemed less alive than the image in the air room. "So, the patter is pretty close. My guess is that there will be some sort of creature in that room," Bonnie said after investigating the area. "Just like those air elemental prototypes?" Blue asked. Bonnie nodded, "Yeah. Something like that. I just don''t know why this would be repeating. The system is a bit lazy at times." "I don''t think so. To me, it took a lot of effort to craft a place more realistic," as Hera spoke, the rest of the group stared at her, "It''s all about the story. This was an arcanist tower. So she probably made this place to have a secure location to do some research. She split this up to make various subjects. Like different classes in college." Bonnie looked around, "You are right. If I think about this place as a research lab, it makes a lot of sense. Well, aside from the traps, they are a weird case." "How so?" Leo asked, moving towards the volcano door. "It''s one thing to make a trap to stop people from coming in, another to stop things inside from coming out. To stop both at once, she should''ve made the traps in the opposite element." "If the story is right, then it''s not weird. She didn''t know that things would come alive. The quest said so. The magic mutated with time," Alex said. "Fair point. It would also be easier to use fire in a place built to withstand it," Bonnie concluded. The group walked towards the door under the volcano engraving and carefully opened it. If it were just like the previous room, they would find some creature here too. After opening the door, they looked inside. The room was filled with various stone ovens and small furnaces. They were all made of red firebricks. Not only that, but the fire under them was lit. "Ok, so what is going on here? Are the ovens going to come to life or something?" Blue asked after looking around. "If that is the case, we should run away. I can''t take one of those," Leo stood by one of the ovens measuring its height. Hera took a step back after hearing this. If those things started moving around, she wanted to be far away from it. In the corner of her eyes, she noticed a small flicker of light moving behind one of the furnaces. "There was something over there!" Hera announced. The group quickly moved back and walked carefully towards the place Hera mentioned. With Leo in front, the group jumped behind the furnace, but there was nothing there. Alex noticed something on the other side, "Over there." Rushing to the other side, the group found a small ember moving around near one of the furnaces. "Is that thing... alive?" Blue asked. Hera approached the ember that was moving around like a bug on the floor. With her [Observe], she managed to see what it actually was. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minor Elemental Ember (Prototype) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "This is an elemental!" Hera exclaimed. "What?" Leo asked just before a loud noise came from the furnaces. The group looked back towards the noise and saw a series of large iron plates opening, followed by dozens of small embers that moved as if they were cockroaches. The flaming bugs started to cover the floor. Some went straight towards the flames in the oven. Bonnie jumped into one of the stoves to be clear of the path while the rest kept stomping their feet, trying to get rid of the creatures. "Bonnie, use the Cold Bomb," Alex yelled as a group of the embers started to climb her legs. The researcher started to charge her spell, tweaking the formula so it would trade temperature for the area of effect. Hera was having some trouble keeping the embers away. Not only were they very fast, but their movement was erratic. There was also the problem that she couldn''t use her weapons against it. The targets were too small. It would be like using a sword to kill a fly. Blue, on the other hand, was doing just fine. The controller would spin around and move backward while stomping in the bugs that got too close. After a few moments, Bonnie finished the spell and threw it in the middle of the room. "Watch out, It''s gonna get cold!" the researcher yelled. The spell arrived at its destination, and the entire room was covered in a thin layer of chilly water. The Cold Bomb snuffed out most embers, turning them into dark specks of dust. The ones remaining were quickly taken care of by the rest of the group. Although, a few rushed towards the ovens and jumped into the flames. With the creatures gone, Hera could look around again. Maybe there would be a treasure here too. Before she started to search the room, Alex called the spearman. "Leo, what just happened? Are you ok?" Hera looked to the assassin, "Did something happen?" "Leo was glowing. It was just for a moment, but I''m sure of what I saw." Leo turned around with a massive smile on his face, "I''m fine. I just leveled up." "Congratulations!" Hera cheered. "No fair, why only you? Bonnie was the one who killed those things," Blue stomped her feet into another runaway ember. "I have no idea. But I''m happy. I got quite a few bonus points." Bonnie came down from one of the ovens, "How many?" "Five and four basic points," Leo replied. "I wonder if you leveled up because of the quests you kept doing. I mean, Mr. Greyson told us that the more quests you do, the easier is to level up," Hera said. "If that is the case, you owe us some quests. You only completed that much because we gave you the last kill on the frogs," Blue stopped talking for a moment, " Oh no, did you steal the experience from the frogs too?" "If he did, it wasn''t on purpose. No one knows how much exp we get for fighting monsters. It''s actually a subject of debate in the guild. Some say it is about the contribution to the damage, other than the last hit gives more," Alex explained. As her friends kept discussing Leo''s level up, Hera walked around the room. She used her pulse a couple of times, but due to the high concentration of mana in the stone and bricks, it was hard to see anything with the spell. All of the sudden, a series of clangs filled the room. It looked almost like someone had just won in a slot machine. Hera looked to the ground, and the embers were vanishing, being replaced by small golden coins. Just doing a quick glance, the explorer could see more than 200 golden coins spread around the room. "I guess this is part of how we make money," Hera mumbled. Gathering all the coins, the group counted 237 coins. In a quick discussion, they agreed that they should get 40 each, while Bonnie should get 77 coins. She was the one who killed the most embers, and without her spell, they would take way too long to get them all. Searching the room, the group also found a stove in the back of the room with a closed pot on top of it. Leo used his spear to open the lid from a safe distance, but nothing jumped out from it. Inside there was a glowing orange liquid. It looked almost like liquid fire, but it was cold. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Essence - Fire The condensed energy of fire. It can be used as a catalyst for the creation of fire golems. Or be used to give weapons and items temporary fire attributes. Depending on the item it was applied to, the effect of this essence will change. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Blue tested out it her dagger. She only used it to butcher frogs, so if it broke or something, it wouldn''t be a problem. The blade changed, its edge turned into a bright orange. Reading the description, Hera saw that it was enchanted to deal a portion of its damage as fire for the next hour. Leo, Hera, and Alex applied the essence to their weapons. Not only the portion of the damage was higher, but the effects lasted for two hours. Her chakram was even more surprising, 25% of its damage would have the fire attribute, and the effect would last for 2 and a half hours. The feathers changed from the now less dull grey to a bright red, Hera could even see a small eye-like design in orange and yellow on the edge of it. The chakram blade now looked even more to be made from a peacock''s feathers. After one more round of searching, the group understood that there was nothing else in here for them. They went back to the center room. Luckily, the flaming corridor seemed weaker now. Instead of 30 seconds intervals, the flames only appeared once every five minutes. The center room now had one difference. The light sphere hovering in front of the fire door now had a red hue to it. At Leo''s request, the group went towards the earth''s room. The book room inside it was just like the others, and it had several drawings of small clay dolls with hollow eyes and big smiles. "That is cute," Hera said, looking at one of the drawings. "To me, that''s just creepy," Leo said. "Why? They are just dolls, or are you scared of them too?" Blue asked. "I''m not scared. They are just weird." "Would it be better if they had porcelain masks?" Alex asked with a playful smile. "That''s it. Let''s go through the door," Leo marched towards the closed door in the back of the room. "Thas was just mean," Hera said, laughing at the situation. Unlike the others, this door didn''t have any special lock. It was a simple iron door with two heavy deadbolts. Opening the door, the group heard a loud crashing noise coming from the hallway. The corridor had several large tiles on the ground. Periodically, they would raise and smash into the ceiling in sequence, but only a row at a time. This seemed more daunting, but it was quite easy to get through. As long as the group stayed one tile behind the one who just smashed, they could pass through it without an issue. As they reached the circular room with the carving, Leo stopped moving, making the group push him forward. "Oh, no. Please, no," the hunter cried. Hera looked towards what the hunter was seeing. In the middle of the room, there was a small brown clay doll with hollow eyes and mouth. The doll looked at the group and opened a smile that reached all the way to the sides of its head. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 83 Weird Room The small clay doll rushed towards the back room, away from the party, and closed the door behind him. "Did we scare him?" Blue asked. "Maybe, I''m not sure," Hera just shrugged. The thing moved so fast that she wasn''t even able to trigger her [Observe]. The group walked towards the door and tried to open it. It wasn''t locked, but it seemed like something was holding the door. They kept pushing and slamming at the door. When they finally busted the door open, several clay dolls fell from behind the door. The puppets scrambled away and hid behind various wooden dollhouses. Careful, Hera and her friends stepped inside the room. Ready to fight the creatures. As they crossed the threshold to the door, one of the dolls appeared in front of the group. Leo froze, his eyes stuck to the small creature. Hera took this time to use her [Observe] on it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minor Earth Elemental - Clayman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The clayman took out a flower from behind his back and pointed towards Blue, who was in front. The controller opened a big smile and kneeled down to receive the flower. "Blue! What are you doing?" Leo gasped, looking at her. She just waved him off, "Relax. I''m they are adorable," she reached out and took the flower, "Thank you, little one. You are really cute. You know that?" As she spoke, the clayman jumped and started waving his arms. Soon about twenty other small claymen appeared on top of the dollhouses. Unsure of what would happen, Hera stepped in front of Bonnie to protect the researcher from any attacks. The claymen all started shuffling in place, stomping their feet on the roofs of the houses. Suddenly, a series of trapdoors in the ceiling flung open, and the group was showered in flower petals. A line of small earth elementals came marching towards Blue, carrying a large necklace made of flowers, and presented it to the controller. "What is that?" Blue asked. "It looks like those necklaces we get when we go to a paradise island. If I remember correctly, it means friendship," Bonnie replied, still unsure of what to expect. Blue took a moment looking at the necklace, having the same expression anyone would have while using their [Inspect], "It seems harmless. In the description, it even says that it is a gift of friendship," Blue said, picking the necklaces and placing around her neck. "What if that''s a trap? Or if there is some type of poison in it?" Leo gasped. "But it seems fine, and they don''t seem hostile," Alex said. "Hera, you have a thing that shows when there is danger nearby, right? What do you feel?" Leo had his eyes open wide, with a small glint of panic on his face. "Not quite, it tells me when monsters are closer than 5 meters away from me. Yeah, right now it''s going off like crazy, but it doesn''t mean that they are bad." "But these dolls are possessed, how can that be ok?" The hunter cried. A few of the claymen looked at each other with worried expressions. "Leo, did you check their name? They are not dolls, much less they are possessed. They are earth elementals," Alex said, placing her hand on the man''s shoulder. "What?" "You didn''t even check it?" Hera asked, raising one eyebrow. Leo looked down, then towards one of the clayman atop a house, " My bad. For a moment I thought this was the spirit room," "Dude, are you really that terrified of spirits?" Blue asked while she gave head pats to the claymen around her. Leo rolled his eyes, "Oh, sorry for not liking the idea of something that can enter my body and make me do things I wouldn''t do." "I think you are seeing too many movies. Spirits don''t do that. Not down here, at least. Some spirits are capable of possessing people, but they are only seen after the 12th layer. Even then, they can at most just keep talking to you and be a bit annoying, nothing life-threatening," Bonnie explained as she started to play with a few cleymen. Leo kept mumbling while the rest of the group interacted with the elementals. They were very friendly, not only they offered flower necklaces for everyone, but they showed their houses and the garden they tended to. Hera felt like she was interacting with a village of enthusiastic children. Looking around, it didn''t seem like there was anything controlling tower''s magic or making it change. The elementals lead the group to a set of stools and even proceeded to massage them using their tiny arms. Leo still protested the idea, but that only lasted until they started. The small hands were perfect for the job. After around one hour, the group said their goodbyes to the elementals. Not only feeling refreshed but having received a buff from the claymen. They went back to the center room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cleymen''s Boon The massage of the cleymen helps your body relax. Due to the magical nature of the elementals, it also reduces the amount of energy you spend by doing physical tasks and improves your natural stamina recovery. Bonus Recovery + 20% ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The room now had another different lighting. The one in front of the earth door now had a yellowish-brown hue. Not only two lights remained blue, the one from the entrance and the one from the spirit door. Leo tried to check the exit, but it seemed that they still haven''t completed the quest. "Leo, do you want to stay in the middle of the group?" Alex asked. Blue held out her hand, "You can even hold my hand, we won''t laugh. It''s just like Alex and the frogs." He thanked them and accepted the offer. Entering the spirit door, they reached the familiar book room. This one had some type of crystal designs, but they couldn''t tell what it would do. After a few minutes, they confirmed that all the books had the same problem, like those in the other libraries. If they touched them, they would turn to dust. Hera walked toward the back of the room and found a simple wooden door. However, the door had several white runes along its frame. Hera tried to open it, and the door was unlocked. In front of her, there was a hallway with several tiles making a path. The floor wasn''t a straight line, but a labyrinth-like a trail that would lead to the other side. Besides the tiles, there were holes that seemed to lead to an infinite abyss. Picking a piece of a power bar, Hera tossed it into the chasm and tried to hear when it hit the ground. Sadly, there was no sound. Still, the path was simple enough. It shouldn''t be hard to cross it without falling. She took one step towards the hallway, and as soon as she crossed the threshold of the door, the tiles vanished. Hera had taken one step forward, and she still could feel the floor beneath her feet. But looking down, she only saw the dark abyss. Showing the problem to the group, they decided to use Leo''s spear as a cane to feel the path ahead. Going on a single file, Blue was in front, followed by Alex, Leo, Bonnie, and Hera. They were moving carefully, but around the halfway point, Blue couldn''t find a path forward. Before making any decisions, Hera tried using her [Pulse] as her mana expanded. She could feel the invisible floor with a different type of energy. Moving carefully, she started to lead the group to the secondary path, avoiding any route that would lead to a dead end. She had to use the spell several times before reaching the end, almost depleting her mana. But they arrived at the circular room with the carvings on the wall. This time, it was a mage, in the same pose as the others, with some energy coming off her hands. The energy turned into a sword, then a skeleton, and above the other door, there was a picture of the Grim Reaper. "That''s not ominous at all," Blue said as she felt Leo tightening the grasp on her hand. "Are you ok?" Alex asked. "I''m fine. Let''s finish this soon," the hunter replied. They stopped for a few moments so Hera could replenish her mana, then the group walked into the room. It was utterly dark, but as they moved away from the door, a set of torches lit up with a pale green light. After a few moments, other light spheres in a similar light started to appear from the ground. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ignis Fatuus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What the hell is that?" Leo gasped, getting ready to attack with his spear. "Those are will''o''wisps, ghost lights. They are harmless, but some folklore says that they help spirits find their way," Bonnie said, getting ready to fling some spells. As if waiting for their cue, a group of eleven spirits came through the wall. They were very large and moved as if they were covered in a white sheet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Artificial Poltergeist ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ok, those are ghosts," Bonnie started to create a Cold Bomb in front of her. As the creatures approached, Leo got increasingly agitated. When one poltergeist moved quickly towards the group, the hunter stabbed it with his spear. The apparition showed a deep red gash in the middle of its form and started to shiver and shake violently. As if resonating with the wounded one, the rest of them began to have the same reaction. The torches around the room shook and fell to the ground without losing their light. With a loud wailing noise, the ghosts rushed towards the group. Bonnie flung her spell, but after the small explosion, the creatures showed no signs of slowing down. Hera and Alex slashed at the ones approaching, creating more red marks. The smell of burnt hair quickly filled the room. "Oh god, this is awful," Alex said as she slashed once again at the creature. She couldn''t feel anything while her dagger passed through it. However, the reddish-orange glow in her blade turned brighter when it cut the monster. Hera was having a similar experience when she used Iris to attack the ghosts got lightly burned. Her chakram, on the other hand, was different. They would not merely burn, but the slash would catch on fire and spread a bit before stopping. Leo was being less than helpful. Every time a phantom would come close, he flailed around wildly, almost hitting his friends. Blue, who had to duck down to avoid his strike, grabbed his spear. "Gimme that. You are freaking out too much to be helpful," Using the spear, the controller finally had a way to deal with the ghosts. The dagger she had was too small to be used in a fight. Bonnie used the Air Fist several times, but it only pushed the creatures back slightly. It wasn''t much, but if she timed it right, she could help the group avoid the attacks. The ghosts seemed to be showing some wear and tear, but it didn''t stop them from advancing towards the group. The spirits had an odd way of fighting. They would try to do something close to a body slam to hit their enemies. However, there was no contact. When they passed through someone, they would feel as if an arctic wind hit them. Moving forward, Blue was pushing two of the ghosts away. Alex managed to push back one. Seeing the other eight closings in, Hera attached the chakram to Yarnball and threw it in a line, hitting three approaching spirits. They started to burn as the explorer pulled the chakram back, blocking others with her axe. Even so, it wasn''t enough to deal with all the ghosts. A couple managed to pass by at attack Hera and the group. One of the spirits didn''t pass through like the others. It latched onto Hera, keeping her inside it. Hera started to feel colder and colder, as if she was in the middle of a blizzard. Her body seemed to stiffen up, and she began to shiver. Not only that, but her arms felt heavy like they were underwater. Alex slashed the ghost on top of Hera a couple of times and managed to make it go away. "We should go to the door, that way they only have one way of coming through!" Blue yelled as she stabbed a ghost. "They pass through walls if we do that, they can appear out of nowhere!" Leo gasped Worried there might be another ghost coming from beneath them, Hera activated her Pulse. She was unable to feel anything past the grey rock around her, but the spirits had a line of mana going towards the torches and the will''o''wisps. She turned around and threw the chakram towards the closest Ignis Fatuus that vanished along with one of the creatures. "Aim for the torches and the other things. They are sharing mana," Hera shouted. The group scrambled towards the lights and hit them with their weapons, finally making the other spirits disappear. However, during that time, two of the poltergeists latched on to Hera. By the time they were gone, she had felled to the ground, shivering with cold. Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 84 The secret of the tower Blue rushed towards Hera, seeing her friend shivering on the ground, but Bonnie stopped her. "Wait, we don''t know if that can affect someone else. Hera open your status, see if there is anything out of order." Hera nodded, opening her status page while rubbing her arm. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley ¡ª Role: Explorer ¡ª Level: 2 Mana: 126/126 Active effects: Cleymen''s Boon Ghastly Presence x 5 Stats: Increase all Strength: 12 Endurance: 12 Agility: 12 Charisma: 12 Intelligence: 12 Luck: 12 Skills: Passive: Exponential Growth Observe Handaxe Combat Chakram Combat Mapping Active: All in Inspect Hide Local Guide ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ghastly Presence A presence from the beyond has touched you. Your body heat was stolen by it in an attempt to return to the world of the living. The more stacks of this effect you receive, the more body heat will be lost. Current stacks: 5 Duration: 29:12 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "M-M-My body he-he-heat is g-g-gone," Hera said after reading the notification. "Does it spread?" Bonnie asked. Hera shook her head, "I-It doesn''t sa-sa-say." "Ok, so what does it say?" Bonnie asked. "Screw that! She''s shivering like crazy," Blue said, picking Hera up, "Leo, lead the way through the hallway. We need to take her to the fire room." "N-No, i-it just ta-ta-takes half a ho-ho-hour," Hera said, not wanting to make the group go through all that just for her. "Shut up! We are going," Blue scolded, already walking to the corridor. Hera tried to use her [Pulse] and help with the invisible bridge, but was scolded by Blue once again. In a few minutes, they arrived at the fire book room. The controller sat by the open door that leads to the flame trapped hallway. It was already much warmer here, even with the fire only appearing once every several minutes. The temperature allowed Hera to feel a bit more comfortable, and the debuff had lost one stack, only 23 minutes now. While recovering, Hera paid attention to what the group was discussing. "Ok, so they dropped 120 gold in total, and this ghost light rock," Alex showed the drops to the group. "So 24 gold each. Does the rock do anything?" Leo asked. "It says it can light reveal the spirits, lighting its path. Maybe it could be used to show the bridge," Alex kept tossing the rock from one hand to another. "Well, this would have been much more useful sooner," Blue replied. "Yeah, I should have checked. y bad." "Don''t worry, we had other priorities," Bonnie said, looking at Hera. The explorer was getting some color back on her face, and her lips were no longer purple. "Sorry, I should have been more careful," Hera was nested on Blue''s lap. As odd as it felt, the controller''s heat was very comforting. "Don''t be. You figured out how to beat them," Leo smiled at Hera. But Blue slapped the back of the explorer''s head. "Don''t compliment her! She was reckless and too eager to put herself in danger because of us," Blue snapped at Leo and turned to face Hera, "You should have been more patient or told us to clear a path. We are a team, are we not?" Hera looked away, "Yeah, I didn''t think. It was a reflex." "That''s a crappy reflex. Seriously, what is the matter with all of you? Am I the only one who remembers what we learned? I''m sick of being the mom friend. I didn''t have fun making you lot to have to be responsible for you all." Blue kept ranting, Hera couldn''t help to agree. Aside from the controller, they all had taken stupid risks. It was too big of a burden to leave on her shoulders. Alex couldn''t hold anymore and let out a giggle. "I''m serious here, Alex!" Blue yelled. "No, I know. And you make a valid point. It''s just.." she started laughing, "It''s kind of hard not to think of you as the mom friend when you are literally cradling Hera." Realizing the situation, the rest of the group couldn''t help but laugh with the assassin. Even Blue joined in. "Listen here, Hera. I''m not letting you go because you are still cold. But the second you ask for a change, I''m tossing you in the fire." The group waited for Hera''s debuff to end and walked back to the center room. It hadn''t changed, there were still two blue lights, one green, one red and one yellowish-brown one. "I guess we missed something," Bonnie was staring at the light in front of the spirit door. "Why do you say that? Couldn''t the color be the same?" Leo asked. "Well, I guess. But the quest didn''t show up saying it was over, right? I''m assuming it would be like our role quests." Alex walked towards the exit and placed her hand on the invisible wall, " Yeah, the message about giving up is still here." "But what did we miss? Was there anything else in the room?" Hera asked. "I''m not sure. We rushed away because of you," Leo replied, still staring at the lights. Hera looked away. She should have been more careful. "Wait, no, I didn''t mean like that," Realizing how it sounds, the hunter rubbed the back of his neck, "We had to leave because you went down. Like we need to put you in a safe place. I mean, we didn''t have time to look for anything else." Interrupting him, Bonnie started to talk, " What he means is that we were more worried about you than about whatever we could find in there." Leo thanked the researcher with his eyes. "It''s fine, I understand," Hera turned towards the spirit door, "Alex, you still have the light thing, right? Let''s see if the path shows up with that." The group crossed the spirit door one by one. Bonnie, who was in the back, saw that when Alex went through the door, the green light turned back to blue. "Wait!" Bonnie commanded. She did a few tests and confirmed that the green light only showed up when Alex was in the room. Asking people to move one by one, she also confirmed that the yellowish-brown light would appear as long as someone was inside the room. However, the researcher was the only one who didn''t make the red light appear. It would only do so when one of the others was in the room. "Ok, so with all that, we can assume that we have something in us that triggers the change of light. It wasn''t something we did inside the rooms. I would say that the buff from the claymen triggers the yellow light, since is the only thing we all share. The fire element in your weapons, the red. I''m the only one who doesn''t have a weapon enchanted by it. The green light is being affected by the sash that Alex is using," Bonnie concluded. "Then why the spirit light is not working? We have the ghost light," Alex asked. Bonnie thought for a few moments, "Maybe the ghost light doesn''t actually use any spirit magic. It can be just something like an illusion. If we need the elements to trigger this, then it makes sense." "Then all we need is to get something that has a spirit element in there, right? Maybe the torches?" Blue said. "Maybe, we should inspect the things to figure out for sure. Oh, by the way. Does anyone have a bottle or something you are not using? It just dawned on me that we could save the red liquid to use outside," Hera said as she checked her belongings. Checking everything, no one had a free bottle, but Bonnie suggested using her waterskin. As long as someone shared their water, she should be fine. The group went back to the fire room, grabbing more of the liquid while Bonnie stayed in the fire library and then back to the spirit room. The ghost light helped the group cross the bridge. Leo and Bonnie decided to stay behind since the hunter was too scared to go into the room again. After a few minutes, the group returned with one of the torches. It was the only thing that they could find in the room, and according to the inspection, the torches were douses with spirit energy. While they waited, Bonnie and Leo kept trying to understand the blueprint, but it was difficult since they weren''t able to understand the language. The only thing the researcher was able to guess was that the crystal was either an energy storage or part of a generator. The design reminded her of the magic generators that are used in the outside world. When the rest of the group arrived, they all walked back to the central room. This time the sphere in front of the spirit door changed color to a pale white. The light seemed to try to overpower the other colors, turning anything near it into black and white. "Ok, it worked, now what?" Blue asked, holding the unlit torch. "I have no idea. I thought that having it all changing colors it would work," Bonnie was looking around, already searching for a new clue. After several minutes, the group was still unable to find anything else in the circular room. "There is only one thing we haven''t tried yet," Hera said, looking at the center of the room. "I guess so. I just don''t like the idea of triggering something without knowing what it is," Bonnie was staring at the lights. "Ok then, I''ll do it," Blue started walking towards the middle of the room, where the spiral started. "Are you sure?" Alex asked while the lights moved towards the floor. "Yep, my turn to be reckless. Besides, I''m the sturdiest one among us. If anyone can survive a trap here, it''s me." As Blue got closer to the middle, the lights hit the floor sooner than everyone was expecting. Yet, nothing happened. When the controller took another step, the lights seeped into the ground''s crevices, following the spiral path towards the middle. The closer Blue got to the center of the room, the more the lights spread. When she finally stepped into the center of the spiral, all the glowing cracks shone brighter, and a rainbow light took the place of the colored glow. The light grew brighter and brighter. Suddenly it turned back to a soft glow. A clanging noise echoed in the chamber, and a circular area near Blue started to descend. Leo, Bonnie, and Alex were already on the platform. Realizing she would be left behind, Hera rushed toward the elevator and jumped to it. Leo and Blue saw her coming and helped the explorer not to fall from the edge. Now that they were going down, she could see how high the floors were. They could easily be on the fifth floor of a building. The only source of light they had was the glow from the platform. Yet, it was enough to make them see an enormous blue crystal in the back of the room. It was easily three meters tall. Around it, there were four other crystals, one red, one green, one white and one yellow, all in the same disposition as the doors on the other floor. "We just have to break this, right?" Leo asked. "Really? You see something you don''t understand, and your first instinct is to break it?" Bonnie asked. "What, it was the quest. Find whatever is making this place go nuts and destroy it." Hera shook her head, "Not quite. The quest said we needed to deactivate it. Yes, destroying could be an option, but we don''t have to." The platform reached its destination, connecting perfectly in a hole in the middle of the room. After a small noise, the lights on the platform spread around and covered the entire floor. "Ok then, what should we do?" Alex asked. "Let''s look around first. Then we can make a decision," Hera suggested. Searching around, the group didn''t find any door or anything aside from the crystals until Alex used the ghost light in one of the jewels. "Guys over here!" The group rushed to the assassin and saw an intricate magic circle around not only each of the crystals but also a larger one that encompassed them. After analyzing the array, Bonnie grabbed her tabled and scrolled through her notes. "Here, this one looks like the one we found in the fire room. It has the same pattern in the blueprint." "Ok, what does that mean?" Blue asked. "A spell that requires this kind of setup lives and dies by the magic circle. If it is broken, then the spell fades," the researcher explained. "But can''t explode or something?" Alex asked. "It depends on the amount of mana that the spell uses," Bonnie turned to Hera," Can you check with you pulse how much mana is around us?" Hera nodded and used the spell. She felt very little mana coming from the magic circles. But the crystals were something different. The small ones seemed to be gathering mana from the area and then sending it to the big one. When her pulse reached the blue crystal, Hera was taken aback. The gem felt like a water battle of sorts. It was filled to the brim with mana, and the mana inside it was weird. It didn''t feel normal, almost as if it was changing all the time. She wasn''t able to tell the type of mana that was inside it. Explaining what she saw, Bonnie nodded and asked for Blue''s dagger. "Ok, so if I''m right, this magic circle is just here to direct the mana. If we break the connection, it should just stop." "What if it lets the mana out? Won''t we be in danger?" Hera asked. "I don''t think it would let it out, not all at once, at least. If that is the same type of crystal used in generators, the mana will start to leave it as if it was a wet towel put out to dry." Alex stared at the researcher with a puzzled expression, "How do you know that?" Bonnie took a deep breath and replied without looking up, "My father''s company makes industrial-grade magic generators. I had to learn how they worked. That was my summer camp." Hera asked if Bonnie was sure about that. The amount of mana she felt inside the crystal was staggering. "Not completely, but it is the best idea I had. If anyone has another suggestion, I''m all ears. As long as it is not hitting that," she replied, looking at Leo. Having no other ideas, the group just nodded and stood by her while Bonnie broke the mana circle. According to her, this wasn''t difficult. The array had been drawn on top of the grey stone, so it was away from its protective barrier. This was apparent since Hera could feel the circle. Bonnie scratched the outer layer of the magic circle and proceeded to remove the first set of runes, making a line towards the central crystal. When she reached the first internal circle, the entire array shone with a soft sparkling light and faded now revealed even without the ghost light. At the same time, a bright multicolored glow covered Blue, Alex, Bonnie, and Hera. That was followed by a notification that appeared in front of every member of the party. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have completed the Dungeon Quest inside the Arcanist Lookout. By deactivating the mana gathering array, the mutation will stop without harming the tower. Rewards: 5 000 gold Basic Arcanist Lookout compendium Bonus Rewards: Minor Elemental Essence Select ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Level Up Current Level: 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please go to to read the latest chapters for free 85 Quest Complete Leo kept looking at the women, "Did you all just leveled up?" "Yeah, baby! Sweet sweety level 3," Blue celebrated as she looked at her status. "What about the compendium? How do we access it?" Alex asked. "Check your tablet. There is a compendium app. I guess it''s already there. When I bought one, it was downloaded to the app. We need to see who got it," Hera replied, already opening her compendium to confirm it. There was a dungeon tab on the app and the information about the Arcanist''s Lookout, "Oh, I think I''m the one who got it." "I got it too," Alex was staring at her tablet. "What? Really?" Hera asked. "Yeah. What about you, guys?" Alex turned toward the rest of the group. Leo and Blue nodded, Bonnie, on the other hand, was looking at her tablet with wide eyes. "What''s the matter?" Leo asked. "Check your wallets!" Bonnie gasped with a large smile. The group opened the virtual wallets, all of them had an extra 5 000 gold. Looking at the tablet, Hera also noticed a chest icon with a notification mark. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pending rewards Minor Elemental Essence Select ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Choosing the essence, select another window opened, asking what element she wanted. She could choose between fire, earth, wind, water, and spirit. Each essence could be used to enchant an item or as a catalyst for various magic devices. Unsure of what to pick, Hera just locked the tablet and opened her status. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley ¡ª Role: Explorer ¡ª Level: 3 Mana: 126/126 Stats: Increase all Strength: 12 + Endurance: 12 + Agility: 12 + Charisma: 12 + Intelligence: 12 + Luck: 12 + Attribute Points Available: 4 + 6(bonus) Total: 10 Skills: Passive: Exponential Growth Observe Handaxe Combat Chakram Combat Treasure Map Active: All in Inspect Hide Local Guide ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She used the increase all three times, having all her status at 15 now. Just to be safe, Hera checked if there were any changes in the skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Exponential Growth: While all attributes have the same value, the user can increase all the attributes by 1 at once. Cost changes with the value of the attributes Current attribute point cost to use the skill: 4 points ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "So after 5 points, it increases the cost. And I guess I have an extra point for the next level," she mumbled to herself. "The effect seems so weak. I can''t feel anything," Blue huffed. "Yeah, we need to sleep, remember? The effect only fully triggers after you rest," Alex explained. "Everything on strength, why am I not surprised?" Bonnie said, rolling her eyes. Blue huffed and kept looking at her stats. "Why did you increase strength? If I remember it right, it was at 10. The way you fight, wouldn''t it be better endurance or agility?" Leo asked. "Yeah, but I need some more strength to throw the things. I can''t do it with the frogs, not just for the size but because they are too heavy. I''m going to raise it for a while, just to be sure my opponent''s weight won''t hinder me. And it wasn''t all the point in strength, by the way. I just raised it by two." "That is actually a smart move. Then again, you can teach sign language to a gorilla so that it''s not surprising," Bonnie finished speaking and saw the angry expression of the group staring at her, "Sorry, that went over the line," she looked down avoiding their gaze. "It''s fine. Without you, this dungeon would have been much harder to complete. You get this free pass, but next time you won''t be so lucky," Blue waved off the researcher. The group spent a few minutes talking about their stats and decided to leave the dungeon. Going into the platform, it started to rise towards the next floor as soon as someone stepped in the center of the spiral. Looking towards the ceiling, Hera saw a dense layer of fog. It looked like the big crystal was letting out some sort of steam. As they got closer, she used her pulse and confirmed that the fog was made of mana. The few seconds they stayed inside the fog was enough to recover all the mana that Hera had spent, but it also made the group start coughing. Thankfully, when the elevator reached the next floor, it sealed off the room below. Before heading out, the group spent an hour revisiting the rooms they left, making sure they didn''t miss anything. All the traps had stopped working, and inside the rooms, there was nothing they hadn''t seen before. The one odd thing is that everything seemed strangely quiet. Even the claymen were gone. Deciding to leave, the group walked towards the exit. This time, there was no invisible wall blocking their path. Going up the staircase, the group made a single file once again. After a few minutes, they started hearing voices coming from above. Unsure what to expect, Hera grabber her handaxe. As they got closer, they met another group going down towards the dungeon. It was four people, and the one leading them was wearing what looked like a plate mail and carried a longsword on his waist. "Oh, Hello there. Are you guys the ones who opened the entrance this time?" the man asked. "Yep, that was us. What do you mean about this time?" Blue replied. Leo turned around to the controller, "Can you not go around telling everyone what we did? We have no idea who they are and what they want!" he turned towards the man, "No offense, but we don''t know you." "None taken. Although it''s pretty hard for someone to try something this close to the city, or in the first layer for that matter, we need to be careful," the man said with a warm smile. He looked towards the Hera''s group and made a motion for his party to go back, "Since we are close to the entrance, it''s easier to go up. This seems a bit too tight for two sets of people." Going back to the entrance, the groups introduced themselves. The man in plate armor was called Ryan. He had dark hair, a goatee stubble, and he was a fighter. The mage behind him was a beautiful Japanese woman with long black hair with blue tips. She wore a dark blue overcoat with a simple design and a pair of knee-high boots. Her name was Jane. To the mage''s side, there was a tall man with dark bags under his green eyes. His name was Peter, and he wore a grey hoddie filled with several colored stains. He was clearly annoyed with the introduction. Behind them, an archer was wearing a green cloak and leather armor. Looking at her was the same as looking at a fantasy book. She introduced herself as Felicity but never took off the hood of the cloak, the only thing Hera could see of her appearance was the sun-bleached curly hair. "If you don''t mind me asking. Are you new here, or did you came to do a quest?" Ryan asked. "We were doing the dungeon quest, but here in Brinefront we are new, why?" Alex replied, raising one eyebrow. "Oh, sorry. It''s part of our quest, you see. We were tasked to search the books here and bring back pictures of the blueprints and the things we find inside there," Ryan replied. "Pictures?!" Bonnie shouted with wide eyes. "Yeah, why?" Jane crossed her arms while staring at Bonnie. "No, sorry... we could have taken pictures. Why didn''t I think of that?" the researcher mumbled to herself. "Ignore her. She is freaking out for not thinking about something so obvious," she turned towards Bonnie, "If you want, we can go back there and take pictures. I wouldn''t mind finishing the quest again." "Well, you can, but not today. This dungeon has a daily limit," Ryan said. "What?" Leo asked. "Yeah, that''s why not many people come here. Aside from being a big place with a lot of backtracking, you can do this dungeon only once a day, and three times a week. Then you have to wait for the reset. You guys got lucky. Usually, the first run after a reset receives a bonus reward, something like 1 000 extra gold in this case." "You said come here, is there another dungeon people go to?" Blue asked. "Oh yeah, there is the Frog Valley to the south or the Ant Burrow to the north. Both are way more efficient places to farm levels." "How so?" Leo asked. "Well, for one, they are quicker. You took what? Two or three hours to finish this one? A first-time party can complete the Ant Burrow in one hour at most. A group that is used to it can do it in half an hour, and they get at least 1 000 gold per run just for the reward. You can also do 20 runs on it before the daily reset," Ryan explained. "Really? Where is that one again?" Bonnie asked. "To the north of the city, you can either use the main gate or ask permission to use the north guard exit. You should buy a dungeon map. They are a bit pricy, but it is better than running around searching for the dungeons." "Thanks! I''ll try to get one," Bonnie replied. "Unless all of your group can use spells or deal elemental damage. You should stay away from the Burrow. The ants are nearly impossible to kill with physical attacks. Go to the frog valley. You can only do it five times a day, but its much safer, and the rewards are not so bad," Jane said. Hera nodded, "We''ll keep that in mind, thank you." "No problems, the Ruby Dragons are always here to help," Ryan said proudly, showing a red dragon painted in his armor. "Is that your organization?" Alex asked. "No, we are all from different ones. This is just the name of our party. Don''t you guys have a party name?" Hera and her friends shook her head. "Oh, well, you should! That your group can start having some renown. People might even begin to request you guys for quests. That''s how we got this one," Ryan opened a big smile, but the rest of his group seemed less enthusiastic about the name. Saying their farewells, Ryan and his group left towards the dungeon. Hera and the group decided to rest a bit before going back to town. They spent almost five hours inside there, and there was still a two-hour walk back. Before anything Bonnie went down towards the dungeon, she came back a few minutes later confirming that she wasn''t able to enter the dungeon. They grabbed the ration they had bought and had a meal while looking at the area, Leo kept cycling his mana using the ruins and rest kept discussing spell ideas, after around half an hour they wanted to go to the town. However, Leo felt he was close to something, so they waited around some more. They all cycled their mana, taking advantage of the surrounding area. Another hour passed before Leo gasped, saying he had unlocked his mana stat. Now all they needed to do was start working on some spells. Getting ready to leave, the group climbed out of the crater, heading towards the road. The moment they left the forest, a honeyed voice came from the path. "Oh, it seems even you found this place." Looking towards who was speaking, Hera saw a familiar dark-haired woman with chestnut skin and a red bindi between her eyes. "Anaya, you bitch!" Blue yelled, walking towards the woman. 86 Moving Foward Blue stomped towards Ayana, trying to grab her by the collar, but her target was quick on her feet, sidestepping and moving back, almost toying with the controller. "Now, is that a way to greet a friend?" Anaya said with a smile. "Since when are we friends? You left us to die in the test!" Blue yelled, trying to grab Anaya once more. Anaya kept dodging Blue while talking, "You were never going to die. At most, you would have failed the test. Besides, you are already here. So you passed even without my help." "Help? You are the reason Bonnie had to leave. Your little stunt could have made us seriously hurt!" Alex moved towards Anaya to help Blue but was stopped by Leo. "It''s not worth it, Alex. Blue, you too, let it go." The controller turned around to face Leo," Are you seriously telling me to forgive her?" "Of course not, but what is done is done. All we can hope for is never to see her again." Blue clicked her tongue, "Fine, get the hell out of our way before I strangle you," she said to Anaya. "Oh? Is that a threat? You do know how serious the guild takes death threats, don''t you? Maybe I should report this and be sure to have your license revoked. We can''t have people who would harm others in here now, can we?" Blue stared at her. Even after everything Anaya had done, she still wanted to play the victim? "Now, I could be more lenient towards that, as long as you apologize, of course," Anaya smiled in a way that made Hera''s blood boil. "Dream on, you snake," Blue barked. "You say like I''m asking you to do something horrible," Anaya replied, walking past the group. "It is horrible. I rather go back to the city doing a handstand and liking the floor than apologize to you," Blue kept looking at Anaya the entire time, ready for anything she might try. "It''s a shame. Apparently, we can never work together. Janna had some interesting ideas for us. She will be very disappointed with this." Blue huffed and stormed off towards the city. Leo and Alex quickly followed her, but Bonnie and Hera walked more carefully, still wary of Anaya. "Bye. I see you around the town," Anaya said as they were leaving. The group spent some time walking in silence. Trying to break the tension, Hera asked, "Is that thing about threats real?" "Kind of, I don''t think just her word against ours would do anything. But the guild takes threats very seriously. They say it''s because we have ways of actually following through with it. I mean, we are killing things all the time, and we are strong enough to do it," Alex said. "Yeah, but there is a whole process. You need evidence, interrogations, and a complete investigation of the threats. What happened there wouldn''t mean anything," Leo chimed in. "Don''t be like that. We are all on your side. If she starts something, we can call for backup," Hera tried to cheer up the controller. "Yeah, who would help us?" Blue replied. "Well, for starters, we can ask the people who watched our test. You know they had cameras seeing us. That''s how the organization could see our talents. We can also ask Mr. Greyson, Helena, and maybe even Tiffany to talk about her. Worst-case scenario, we can go to her school and see what people think about her. Since she''s like this now, I doubt it is something new. After getting some information, we can use it to fight back and then even press Frostbite and the New Dawn corporation to cut ties with her," as Alex spoke the rest of the group stared at her with wide eyes. "Holy crap. That was a lot," Hera said. "Seriously, remind me never to be on your bad side," Leo said, taking a step away from the explorer. "Yeah, how long have you been thinking about that?" Bonnie asked. "Well... ever since the test, to be honest. It felt like we could need to have a way to deal with her. But it''s just an idea. I haven''t searched for anyone or anything like that," Alex explained. "Still, that is a lot, and it''s a good idea. Next time I''m looking for some help to get someone off my back, I''m coming straight to you," Hera laughed. With a lighter tone, the group walked back to the city, arriving a few minutes before sundown. Before going to the guild, they looked for something to eat. It was early for dinner, but having power bars for lunch could hardly be considered a meal. After eating, they went to the guild wanting to buy a map of the dungeons. Unlike the general map, they had in their tablets. They needed to buy more specific and detailed maps. The options varied, from maps with localization of resources and creatures to charts that showed the flow of mana or maps that could help with quests. Among the ones about dungeons, they could buy three types. A basic one that just said the localization of the dungeons around the city. That would go for 200 gold. The second option was a map with all the dungeons within a 30 km radius of the town, along with some information about the common monsters and dangers inside each dungeon. There were five dungeons in total looking at this map, but it would cost 2 000 gold. The last one was a map with all the dungeons in the room, a total of 15 dungeons, and not just the basic information on each one. The monsters, their weakness, the traps, the quest, and how to beat it, even the possible item drops. It was an extensive in-depth guide. But it would cost 20 000 gold. They also had the option of getting that guide for a single dungeon, but that would vary from 1 000 to 2 000 gold, and the value of the pack wouldn''t change even if they already had some information. "This is all too expensive. Maybe we should just ask around online," Blue suggested. "We can, but what guarantee will we have that the information is correct? What if someone doesn''t know what they are talking about or just wants to reduce the number of explorers around?" Bonnie said. "Yeah, I don''t mean to be a downer, but we shouldn''t trust everything that we see online, and since this can affect our wellbeing. We should get the information from a reliable source, even if it''s more expensive," Leo said. Although the price was a bit much, the group agreed to buy the 2 000 gold map and the complete information about the frog valley. Gemma explained that the information could be downloaded for up to ten people. It would be linked to their bracelet, so even if they changed tablets at some point, they could still get the maps. Because of the steep price, most groups bought one and shared among themselves. Thanking Gemma, Hera and her friends went back to the hotel. Even though it was still early, the group felt their legs heavy. It would be nice to rest for the evening. The first thing Hera wanted to do was take a shower. This time she got in first before Blue had the chance to flood the bathroom. After the shower, Hera lay down on the bed and turned on the TV. Her streaming service still worked inside the MAZE. Picking a show she already had watched a thousand times before, Hera opened the map on her tablet and started to read about the dungeons. The Ant Burrow was a day''s travel to the north. As the name implied, they would have to face ants, from workers to soldiers, then the queen and her guards. The place was rich in minerals, and it was classified as a small dungeon. Hera found it odd since anthills were supposed to be huge, but maybe the system tone it down to make it more manageable. The Frog Valley was in a direct line to the south. They could reach it in around four hours. It was a place where the old habitants of Brinefront would go to worship the frogs, who were considered the guardians of the city. Aside from the types of frogs she had already seen, there were also a few different ones and a frog king. The quest was about getting rid of the poisonous frogs that were destroying the valley''s balance. Glancing at the Arcanist''s Lookout, Hera found nothing new about it. Since they had completed the dungeon already, they had more information than this map. There were two other dungeons on the map. The underwater temple was created to praise the shrimp that saved the city. The quest was about getting rid of invaders in the temple and dealing with the fungus that grew there. The last one was a new dungeon. Someone discovered it less than twenty years ago. It was called the Floating Lake, and apparently, it was on the ceiling of the cave. To reach it, they would need to go to the northwest until they found a pathway on the cavern''s stone walls. Then climb all the way to the top and take the sky bridge towards the entrance. Both of these dungeons were marked as not suitable for beginners. Hera wasn''t even sure they needed that warning. Cleaning fungus off a temple should be very complicated, and they would need special gear for it. If regular mold was already dangerous, she could only imagine how magic fulled fungi could be. The floating lake seemed like too much work just to get there. They would have to climb the entire wall and then move just under the ceiling. Hera never had any problems with height, but the image of her climbing the cave walls made her shiver. Having read all the information about the dungeons, Hera opened the browser on her tablet. She wanted more information about her Treasure map, and about the elemental essence select. Before she could get too deep into her research, Leo asked to meet her through a text. Curious about what the hunter could want, Hera quickly went to his room and knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Leo''s voice rang from the room. "It''s Cygnus the golden. Or it could be the person who you just asked to come here," Hera joked. "Crap, hang on," Some noises came from the room, and a few moments later, he opened the door. "Were you seriously not expecting me?" Hera asked. "You didn''t reply. I thought you were taking a shower," Leo had clearly got dressed in a hurry. His shirt was inside out, and his fly was open. "My bad, but for the record, if you called me here for this, the answer is no. I don''t crap where I eat," Hera said. "What are you talking about?" Leo asked, Hera simply pointed down, showing the hunter the situation in his pants, "No, not that. Never that," he turned around and closed the zipper. "I know that I said it first, but you don''t have to be that insulted with the idea," Hera rolled her eyes, holding back a smile. It was fun to tease the hunter. "No, I mean, you are gorgeous. I just will never think about dating you. No, wait, I mean, you are like an older sister. Not that I''m calling you old or anything. I mean, you are, but I don''t mean it like that." Hera couldn''t hold back her smile anymore, "You do realize that we are all doing this on purpose, right?" Leo let out a defeated sigh, "Yeah, honestly, Mark needs to come soon. I don''t know how much more I can take." "I''ll ask the girls to tone it down. Now, why did you call me?" Hera said, giggling. "Right, come in," Leo walked in and sat by the bed. Hera grabbed a chair in front of him, "So, remember the tournament that I was in to join the coalition?" Hera nodded. "Yeah, I got in third place, and they gave me a choice of skills to pick. I chose a taming skill. And I wanted to see if you can help me find one of those small squeaky frogs. I need to tame something to get the skill, and then I can have a partner for my hunts. I wanted to ask you because of your explorer item. I think it would help a lot, but I know it has a long cooldown." Leo explained. "Oh, that''s all? Sure, I''ll help. To be honest, I''m having some trouble using Yarnball for that. I keep thinking that I''m going to waste it and end up never using it. We can get the girls and go look for it tomorrow." "Actually, would you mind if it was just us? Alex might freak out if she sees that I''m getting a frog, and Bonnie has to make money. Blue... well, I''m not sure she can stay still long enough for me to do my thing." "Ok, but that is a surprise. I didn''t expect you to want to hunt with pets, Leo." "To be honest, me neither. But when I went to check my status for the first time, it showed up a rare skill. I always thought it was useless, but maybe I was wrong." "What skill?" "It''s called unwavering command. It can increase the attributes of my allies by 50% for a minute. But the catch is, it only works if I have the absolute trust of my partners. I tried using it with my family, even with you guys, but it never worked. Then when I read the taming skill, I realized that it might work. Among the skills related to it, there is one that increases the trust between the pet and the master. So that might work." "Well, maybe. Just don''t be sad if you can''t use it right away. Do you wanna try it tomorrow?" Hera asked. "I don''t know. Let''s see what everyone want''s to do tomorrow first." Hera nodded just as a text came on her tablet. Blue was asking if anyone wanted to go out for drinks. It had been a while since Hera went to a bar. Replying yes, she and Leo left to meet the rest of the group. 87 The Wall Hera had to admit Blue had a knack for finding good spots. The bar she picked was not only in a lovely place near the guild, but the smell coming from the kitchen was otherworldly. The pub was called the Lying Apple, and being true to the name, most dishes and drinks looked as if apples were among their ingredients, but it was all just a trick. There were a great number of people in the establishment. Luckily, the group found a table just for them. It didn''t take long for the waiter to bring the first round of drinks. Hera kept talking to her friends, discussing what happened in the tower, and the conversation spiraled into how much they were annoyed with Anaya. During that time, more and more people entered the bar, most of them looked at the large TV expectantly. As the waiter brought the third round of drinks and a plate of fries, Leo asked. "Hey, is something going on? There seems to be a lot of people here." The waiter looked at the hunter with a puzzled expression, "You guys don''t know? They are preparing to break the next wall. Today there will be the start of the coverage." "Really? They actually televise that?" Blue gasped. "Yeah, only to the MAZE, though. The strength that people show on those things can cause a panic outside," the waiter explained. Suddenly, the bar erupted in loud cheers, followed by a few people telling everyone to quiet down. The television showed the guild emblem, the familiar doorway with a city inside of it. The camera then panned towards the door and flashes of different places appeared on the screen. First, an urban city, then a castle, a volcano, a desert, an island, and it ended with a wide shot of one of the guild branches. The screen went dark and then a woman with pale blue hair, brown eyes, and large white rings painted on the side of her face appeared on the screen . "Hello Everyone, this is Becca Swan coming at you live from the Queeroni Wilds, where the preparations for the wall breaking are underway." The camera panned to the side, showing hundreds of tents and people walking around. The camera was clearly in a good advantage point. In the back, Hera could see a few hundred meters of an open field followed by a thick and lush jungle. "This is just the crew that came to set everything up, thankfully we are being protected by a few of the best among us. Later this week, I will have the honor of interviewing them. But today, I want to show you all the stars of our show!" "As you all know, when you travel deeper into new layers, we find this wall from time to time. To be able to travel even further, we need to break this barrier, doing so will unlock new rooms, new layers, and, of course, new treasures for us all!" The complete bar cheered at the comment. "Now, each new wall that we find is harder than the last one. The first wall was destroyed by a single man, Khan, the Wall Breaker. Sadly, no one is able to do the same today. Now we need a huge number of os powerful individuals to take this barrier down." The camera panned to the camp once more and focused on a group walking towards the vantage point. At the same time, Becca kept talking. "Our protectors will also be a part of the effort to break the wall. You can see the ones already here. Toxic Rain, the deadly hunter with a heart of gold. Iron Heart, the great defender. Wilborn, the healer with a soul and, of course, the best hunter in the entire world. Azure chain!" People cheered even harder as she introduced the explorers. They were a bit far to be able to get any details. The only thing that Hera could see was someone clad in blue with a chain floating around his arms. "Dam, they even got Iron Heart to help. The kid hardly ever makes an appearance," A man from another table said. "Yeah, but I''m more surprised Wildborn is there. The dude is insane," another patron spoke. "I wonder who is leading the assault. Or do you think it will just be a ready, set, go thing?" a woman asked. The camera went back to Becca with the wall behind her. "It''s been a while since a group like this was gathered to break a wall. At the time, we weren''t strong enough to breakthrough. That''s why the guild increased the level of requirements for the operation. Every single one of two hundred explorers who will be a part of the attack will be over level 85." "Damn, that is a lot. I had no idea there were so many people on that level already," Leo gasped. "Really? I think it''s rather low. Think about it. People spend their entire lives here. I imagined the levels would be over a hundred already," Alex said. "Sure, but you are forgetting the age problem. I believe that the oldest explorer in the front line is just 43. Everyone older than that tends to stay away from places that are too unpredictable. Trying to raise your level in places below your level is too ineffective," Bonnie explained. "Wait, isn''t that layer 25? That already a big gap on the levels," Blue said. "Layers are not levels. Each room has its own level range, although you need a high level observe to see it. Brinefrot range is from 2 to 6. When you move through the same layer, the difference is not that big. But when you go from the first to the second layer, for instance. It''s not impossible to see a 10 level gap among the rooms. Mr. Greyson told us that during training," Bonnie concluded. "Now, everyone. Pay close attention to what is about to happen. You won''t want to miss it!" Becca twirled around like the host of a carnival presenting the next attraction. The wall suddenly was engulfed in flames. The fire covered the barrier all at once. After a few moments, the fire started to change colors, from orange to red, then yellow and becoming darker and darker. At one point, looking at the barrier was like looking into the darkness, no light, no movement, just an endless dark abyss. Not a single sound came from the patrons at the bar. Just as quickly as the flames began, they were snuffed out, and the wall remained in place, unscathed. The small dents and the gashes on the wall vanished with the flames. The wall was perfectly smooth now. "This, ladies and gentlemen, was the wall reset. It happens once every 45 minutes. If we can''t break down the wall during that time, it will regenerate completely. Now, as I asked you to send me your questions about the operation via Chipper, so let''s see here," Becca picked her tablet and started to scroll through the messages. She then pressed something on the tablet, and a picture with the chiip appeared on the screen. "@ladyrat asks, who am I most excited to interview. The true answer to that is still a secret. We are still making some arrangements to see if it will work out. But among the ones I can tell you about, it would be Iron Heart. It is so rare for him to agree to interviews. I can''t wait to get to know him better." Hera kept watching Becca. Her eyes seemed to shine when she answered the questions. She couldn''t help but notice that the reporter seemed very comfortable with what she was doing. She would play with the camera, joke with the questions. It all felt very natural and fun to watch. "@loney_narwhal_72 asks, why only 200 will be part of the attack? Shouldn''t the guild send everyone?" Becca tapped on her tablet once more, and a picture of a different wall appeared. This one seemed to be in a beach area, "We had another 50 questions like this one. I will do my best to explain why we limit the number of people. Each wall has different attributes. They can vary from magic or physical resistance. Those attributes will also increase depending on the number of people that are attacking it at once. Not only that, but there is a threshold for when those attributes increase even more." Becca made a pause, looking beyond the camera, " Well, if my crew''s expression is anything to go by. This made no sense," she laughed, "Lets put it in numbers. Let''s say that each member of the attack group would increase the wall strength by 10. If the number of people attacking goes over the limit, the increase would turn into 100 per person," she looked back at the crew, "Is that better, guys?" Some laughs came out of the crew and the people in the bar. Becca kept explaining about how they figured out the limit for this particular wall, and that in some cases, they could only have a little over 20 people attacking at once. Becca continued to answer various questions while the bar returned to normal. People went back to order food and drinks. Some were still paying attention to the television, but not nearly as invested as before. "Do you guys think anyone we know is going to be there?" Blue asked. "Yeah, sure we, who are explorer for less than a month, already know the strongest people in the entire world," Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Well, who knows, we saw a bunch of people in the guild. Nothing stops them from being strong. But this is the first time I hear about that wall. When did they find it?" Hera asked. "It was around 50 years ago. For a while, they tried once a year, but when it became clear, they didn''t have enough people, they sent a message for everyone to level up. I heard they got the required numbers to try just last week." The group turned around to the voice. A familiar face met them, wearing one of the waiters'' uniforms and picking up the empty glasses from the table. "Kenji? What are you doing here?" Hera asked. "Working, I had some issues to find a party. And I''m not about to group up with Anaya after what she did. I mean, it''s one thing to go for the gold, another to toss your party to the wolves while you do it," Kenjiro finished picking up the dirty dished from the table, "I''m sorry for what happened. I thought she had found a lever or something. When I realized it was too late. I should have waited or something, but I messed up. Your next round is on me. It is the least I can do." "Oh... thanks," Leo wasn''t expecting that type of apology. He never gave too much thought about Kenji or Tiffany, for that matter. He was sure it was all Anaya''s fault. "Why couldn''t you find a party?" Blue asked. "Nothing much. I didn''t want to be in a group with Anaya, and no low-level parties were recruiting. I''m going to wait for Tiffany so we can at least be a duo. I tried to hunt alone, but it takes too much time to find a frog alone. Anyway, I''ll be right back with your orders and another round," Kenjiro said as he left the table. "I guess he wasn''t to blame in the end," Leo mumbled. "I''m not sure. I mean, if you commit a crime by accident, it is still a crime," Alex said. "That''s a bit harsh considering what he did. It wasn''t a crime," Hera said. "It still was wrong, and I''m with Alex on this," Blue huffed as she bit the last piece bacon left on the table. Kenji came back with their orders and a round of beer. He apologized once more and kept working. Hera and her friends kept drinking and eating until late at night. Near the closing time of the bar, they returned to the hotel. "So, what are we doing tomorrow?" Bonnie asked. "Drinking some more!" Blue shouted, raising an invisible glass. "I''m guessing she''s going to nurse another hangover," Leo was strolling with his head tilted back, feeling the breeze on his face. "Probably, and you want to find the thing, right?" Hera asked. "Yep, and you two?" Leo turned to Bonnie and Alex. "I wanted to go back to the lookout, but I think I should look for a new spell first. I have some ideas. Either way, I hoped we could make some money this week. I''m just 4 000 gold away from the 10 000 I need for the first installment of my debt," Bonnie said. "I want to deal with a role quest in the morning. But I''m free in the afternoon if you guys want to hunt," Alex stretched, raising her arms to the sky. "Stop being a buzzkill, we think about what to do tomorrow," Blue jumped on Hera''s back, almost making the explorer fall. "Fine, fine. You are so gonna regret drinking this much," Hera said, laughing. 88 Taming a Toad Hera woke up to a text from Leo, asking if they could go after the frog he wanted to tame. She got dressed in the bathroom to avoid waking Blue up. When she was ready, she sent a text to Leo, letting him know she would meet him downstairs. However, before Hera left the room, someone started to bang loudly on her door. "Ok, Hera, I''ll meet you downstairs. Be careful not to wake Blue up, ok?" Leo yelled as he kept hitting the door. Blue groaned and pulled a pillow over her head, "Whyyyyy?" Hera giggled and went to the door to stop the hunter. "Oh, hi, Hera. Take your time, there is no rush," Leo said as she opened the door. "I have a feeling that if I let you keep going, someone is going to get hurt. Besides, we are not the only ones in the hotel. I doubt everyone is fine with you screaming like that," she replied, closing the door. "Fair point, I already sent a text to Bonnie and Alex, letting them know we are going out. If everything goes well, we can meet them for lunch." "Sure. Let''s just stop by a bakery or something. I want to grab something to eat on the road." Agreeing with the suggestion, the two of them got some pastries, and in less than one hour, they were heading towards the city gate. There were more people than they were expecting at this time in the morning. It wasn''t even ten, and various groups were leaving or arriving in the town. Hera wondered if there was something that only happened in the morning or if it was just a way to use the sunlight. Among the groups that were arriving, a few looked very tired and worn out. It wouldn''t be a surprise if they spent the entire night traveling to the city. "Do you have any idea what is to west of here?" Leo asked. "No clue. I never looked too much into the map to the far west, but now I''m curious too. When we come back, I''ll take a look," Hera replied. Leaving the city, they spent half an hour walking through the road. "Ok, so first of all. Tell me how you are going to get the skill," Hera asked. "According to the compendium, I have to befriend a monster or animal. It says the easiest way is to find a stray dog or something and then let them go when I come to the MAZE, but that feels mean. The idea is to create an emotional connection. Most advice that the compendium gave was about creating threats and saving the monster or something like that. That''s just wrong. I mean, I get it, that is the most effective way, but still." Hera nodded, "Yeah, doing that to an animal is not ok. But the idea of using dogs and cats is a good one. You know they are a thing back in Brinefront, right? I told you guys about the statue." "I can''t say I relate to that last part. I like both cats and dogs. But I understand your concern. You don''t want a simple pet. You want a partner, right?" "Exactly! That''s why I thought about the small frog. I did some research, and they never stop growing even if they reach the maximum height. I could try one of the regular frogs, but the rain frog seems way more helpful." "Ok, then. I think I know what we should look for." Hera pulled Yarnball''s string and held it in front of her. With a long strand dangling on the other side of her hand. Focusing for a moment, she considered how to phrase the question. Nothing said that she couldn''t be specific when using the dowsing rod, "Show us the closest giant rain frog that is alone and can be tamed by Leo." For a moment, nothing happened. Hera looked at the thread, worried she might have done something wrong. Then she felt like Yarnball was pulling her mana, slowly at first, but then it became hungrier. She felt all her mana leave her body, and then she felt tired and lethargic. Yarnball felt almost like a leech sucking out everything inside of her. Finally, the thread moved and pointed towards the northeast. Hera quickly made a line in the ground using her foot before the string went limp in her hand. "Hera? Are you ok?" Leo asked, seeing the explorer''s face. She was pale, very pale, and her eyes were bloodshot. If he hadn''t watched it all happen, he wouldn''t believe she was fine just a few moments ago. "I''m not sure. I''m very tired. I guess I overdid it a little. It was the first time I used this ability, and I wasn''t expecting this," she replied, trying to smile. "Sit down. We can deal with this later. You need to rest," Leo held Hera''s arm, helping her to walk. "First, let me get the map. I need to mark the direction," Hera picked her tablet and drew a line, doing her best to follow the direction Yarnball gave her. Leo gave Hera some rations he had brought. She refused at first, but a growl from her stomach made her realize how hungry she was. After around half an hour, Hera had eaten all the power bars she had, and most of her water was gone, but she was feeling well enough to keep going. They walked towards the direction Hera had marked. Focusing on the surrounding area to see if they would find the rain frog that Leo wanted. A couple of times, they had to duck down and go around a large group of frogs. It was one thing if they had the entire party here, but fighting 6 frogs with just the two of them wasn''t a good idea. After passing through the third large group of frogs, Leo turned to Hera, worried, "Can you tell me what happened back there? When you used your item." Hera looked down, "I honestly don''t know. It was the first time I ever used that part of Yarnball. I wasn''t expecting it to do that to me. The description said that the effect depends on the user''s strength. I figured it meant that it would work better as I leveled up, but it felt almost like a parasite eating away my energy." "That''s creepy, to say the least." "You have no idea how it felt. It was even creepier. It was like being a battery for something. I''m just not sure if it was a regular thing or just because of what I asked it to find." Leo nodded, " Yeah, it was really specific. Maybe that has something to do with it. " "Maybe, I''ll ask Bonnie what she thinks about it later, and Helena." They kept looking for a giant rain frog for some time. Hera was still worried about Yarnball''s effect. It had caught her completely off guard. What if she had used the ability in a more serious situation? She was deep in thought, considering what she could do to avoid those types of scenarios when a loud squeaky noise stopped Leo. "Did you hear that?" the hunter asked. "No, what?" a few moments passed, and another squeaky sound came from their left. They looked at each other and quietly moved towards the noise. They found a small cliff, just five meters tall. At the bottom of it, there was a small pond and a single rain frog about the size of a bulldog. "That one is bigger than the last, isn''t it?" Hera asked. "I''m not sure. It looks less bulky, but a bit taller." The frog they saw had a deep green pattern around its back. It also was a bit more elongated than the first one. Giving it a close look, the frog was limping and having trouble getting inside the pond. "So, what''s the plan now?" Hera whispered to Leo. "Stay here. I''ll go down there and try to befriend him." Hera stared at the hunter for a moment, "That''s the plan? Just go there and say ''will you be my friend?''" "Well, I''m going to offer it food. I got some bait in the town. Then I''m going to try to show that I''m not a threat and make it feel comfortable around me." "So kind like meeting a wild dog?" "Yeah, close to it." "Ok, it looks hurt, so here," Hera gave her first aid kit to Leo, "If you can try to fix its leg. I''ll be up here looking if something else shows up. Or if it starts to attack you." "Deal, but try not to jump if it attacks me, only if I call for help." "Yeah, not gonna happen. We are all being way too reckless. The moment that thing becomes aggressive, I''m jumping in." The hunter attempted to persuade Hera with no success. After giving up, he walked to the side and went down the cliff. He approached the rain frog carefully, who noticed the hunter rather quickly. The frog squeaked once more, staring at Leo. The hunter stopped and stayed completely still. A few minutes passed while the two kept staring at each other. The first to break the tension was the frog when it looked around after some wind rustled the leaves of the trees. Hera watched this little dance between the hunter and the frog. Every time Leo took a step closer to the creature, it would turn around, squeak loudly and prepare to attack. Leo would place another piece of the bait near him and wait until the beast relaxed. It didn''t take long for Hera to get bored watching that and started to focus on other things. She read a bit about the valley of frogs, trying to get ready for when they were going to challenge the dungeon. Hera kept glancing out of the tablet from time to time, making sure nothing was coming closer to Leo. Hera started to practice the light spell once more. She felt like she was getting closer to do it, but there was still something missing. After several tries, with her mana already at half, Hera looked down to the cliff again. Leo was now around five meters away from the frog. He was still leaving a trail of bait as he got closer. Hera looked behind her and was caught off guard by the sunlight directly in her eye. She turned around and blinked, activating her [Pulse] to be sure nothing was coming closer. Thankfully, there was no creature in her range. She moved toward the shadows, and something clicked inside her head. She was thinking about the result as if it would be a lightbulb or a spotlight. But the way Bonnie and Helena had used it was more like a ball of light, something closer to the sun. Once again, trying with the new image in her mind, Hera wanted to mimic the effect the sun would have. An omnidirectional light that could light up everything it touched. Focusing on her finger, a small glimmer appeared. She pumped more mana into it, and suddenly, the light turned into a blinding flash. It became so bright that it looked like someone had turned on a floodlight. Just as quickly as it began, the light disappeared. "Hera! What the hell?" Leo yelled. "Sorry, sorry. My bad," Hera was still blinking, unable to see a thing at the moment. "What happened?" "I was trying a spell. I guess I overdid it." "Just don''t do it again, I was close to it, but now the frog is scared. I''m going to have to start all over." "Sorry again," Hera said. It took ten minutes for the explorer to recover her sight. And another hour to Leo get back the progress he had lost. During that time, Hera focused on recovering her mana, even though she wanted to attempt to use the light spell again, it was better to wait. Another hour went by, Hera was glad they weren''t too far from the city. At least she could keep browsing through the internet. A notification popped up, showing a text from Helena. "Hello, Sweetie. I have some news. On Friday afternoon I''m stopping by Brinefront, and I want to talk to you about how you can help me. Later, I can talk to Bonnie about the order and recruit her if she''s up for it. If you can''t be in the city on Friday, let me know. Hope you are having fun. kisses" Hera smiled. She wasn''t able to get any quests from the order these past few days. Every quest available was for different layers or to harvest creatures she had yet to find. There were other quests on the guild, but they were mostly about hunting frogs or delivering goods. However, she had yet to look for dungeon related quests. Thinking about the contribution points and what she could use them with, Hera almost didn''t hear Leo shouting for help. "Hera, come here quickly." Hera looked towards Leo and saw him holding the frog is his arms, he had a worried expression, and the frog seemed to be bleeding from its mouth. She quickly went down the cliff and tried to inspect the frog. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Giant Rain Frog (Poisoned) Type: Procyon gallaris A rare breed of giant frog that only is born out of 10 million eggs. A proficient digger that can''t jump as most frogs do. However, its legs can propel the frog forward at high speeds. It''s high-pitched squeak, It''s a singular battle cry. After some time, the squeak has the ability to harm those that hear it, disorienting them. The species can grow up to 2 meters tall, fully grown Giant Rain Frogs can break down reinforced iron walls with a tackle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "It is poisoned!" Hera gasped. "How can you tell?" "Use your inspect." Leo stared at the frog, "Crap, do you think they would let us go into the town with it?" "I have no idea, but there are no better options. Let''s hurry, he? She? it seems really bad." Leo nodded, and the pair rushed towards the town gate. 89 I need a Healer "What do you think you are doing?" The guards blocked the entrance using their spears. "We need to take him to a healer," Leo showed the frog in his arms. "Is that thing tamed?" the guard asked. "Not yet, I''m taming it right now." "No dice, you can''t come in here with a wild monster." "But we need to get help! We don''t know how to heal him," Hera pleaded. "You are not getting a wild monster inside the city. There is no discussion about it," The guard shook his head. Leo was pacing around, and by his expression, Hera could tell he was considering something bad. "Leo, stay here. I''ll run to the guild and grab some help." The hunter nodded, and Hera dashed towards the center of the town. It took her less than ten minutes to reach the guild. Hera arrived at the counter and asked for someone who could heal a monster. The clerk told her that she could post a quest for it, and any healer that was willing could help. But there were some procedures to take care of before she could post the quest. "Healers? OK, Thanks," Hera walked away from the desk and towards the middle of the room, " I''ll pay 500 gold for a healer who can cleanse poisons and help heal a frog," she yelled. Leo would own her a refund for this. "Miss, you can''t do that. If you have a request, you need to do it through the right channels," the clerk said. "I''ll do it later. It''s an emergency." Seeing her reaction, the clerk grabbed a tablet and asked her to place her bracelet on it. It was a way to create an emergency quest that could be filled out later. She only needed to say the reward and who she needed. Before even finishing the registration, two healers were waiting to take the quest. Explaining once again what she needed a healer, one of them gave up the quest. She didn''t have any emergency heals. The man who accepted the quest introduced himself as Runir. Hera thanked him, and they dashed towards the front gate. Less than half an hour after leaving Leo there, she was already back with the healer. The hunter was in a shouting match with the guard. Hera was surprised at how much Leo seemed to care about the rain frog. Maybe he bonded with it more than she imagined. When he saw her, he stopped yelling, and Runir approached the frog. "He''s a healer. I hired him to heal the frog," Hera said. Leo held the frog in place while Runir examined it, "Thanks, Hera." "No need for thanks, I also expect you to pay me back what I''m paying him." Leo nodded, "Sure, it was what? 100 gold?" "500," Hera replied with a smile. "WHAT?" "That was to get someone here fast." The man chuckled, "She already created the quest, boss. We can only negotiate the extras now." Leo cursed under his breath, but at the same time, he couldn''t help but smile. It was a lot of money, but that only proved how much Hera trusted him. Runir kept using his spells to remove the poison and heal the rain frog. In around 15 minutes the frog was sleeping in Leo''s arms, seemingly out of danger. "There you go, boss man, all done," the healer turned towards Hera, "He is out of danger, and I don''t think I can do anymore for him. Can we consider the quest complete?" Hera looked at Leo, who gave an approving nod, "Sure, let me transfer you the money. Sorry for the freakout back there." "No worries, we all get a bit crazy when our pets are hurt. I got five tickets at once when my dog got hurt last year. But who has time to stop for red lights when your little pupper is crying?" Runir said. Hera laughed, she could understand that, even if she never had pets herself. After that, she transferred the money to the healer and thanked him once again. Only now taking a moment to look at him. Runir was a tall man with a tribal pattern buzzcut, dark brown eyes, and plump lips with a small ring piercing on the side. He had beige skin that leaned towards a sepia tone. He wore a long sleeveless vest and a padded shirt underneath it. He also had a necklace with an interesting pattern. It was almost like a big hourglass with two smaller ones in the middle of it. "Listen, you guys paid a lot of money for something this simple. I know that for us, this is like three days of work, at least. Here is my contact info, if anything else happens with the little guy, call me. When I return to the city, I''ll see if I can help," Runir said. Leo nodded, but he still was cradling the frog. Hera smiled, "Thanks, do you go out to hunt a lot?" "Yeah, I could be working in the guild or as a healer in the city, but that is very boring. I rather be in the field, unlike most healers," he said, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, we have a researcher in our group and as much as she loves to study. I think she''s enjoying our hunts. Mostly because she is using a lot of magic, but still," Hera chuckled. "Oh? You guys have a researcher in your party? That''s rare." "We got close during the training. It just felt natural to join forces." Runir scratched his shin, "Yeah, I guess so. I wonder if that would have happened to me if I got my role skill on the first try too." "Did it take long for you to get it?" "A little, I missed the first few tries and had to work in the guild for a few months before trying again. Luckily I figured out that the role I was aiming for wasn''t for me." "We had a girl do the same. She changed from a fighter to something else." Hera said. The two of them talked for a little while, and Runir left, heading towards the guild. Hera checked on Leo, who was still with the frog in his arms. "His breath seems to be more regular now," the hunter said. "That''s good. Maybe he just needs some rest." Leo nodded and kept staring at the frog, stroking its back gently. "If you don''t mind me asking. How come you are so attached to it?" Leo raised his head to look at Hera. The hunter''s eyes seemed full of pain. He rubbed them with his arm. "Yeah, I guess the situation reminded me of when I was little. I had this cat, and one day I ended up giving him food that made it sick. My parents were busy with some new exhibits and couldn''t get home to him to the vet. I was 13 at the time, I had no money cab and there was no one that I could call, so I ran with the cat in my arms towards a vet. But I wasn''t very sure how to get there. I ended up taking too long, and by the time I got there, my cat had to go to intensive care. The worst came later. He had an allergic reaction to the medicine, and that triggered a bunch of problems. Two months later, he died. I blame myself to this day. I guess that triggers some memories." Hera sat down beside the hunter and put her arms around him, "You didn''t mean that to happen. I''m sure you were just trying to make your cat happy." "Yeah, I didn''t know cats couldn''t eat chocolate. I thought it was just dogs," the hunter said, touching his head with Hera''s. "It was a kid''s mistake. A dumb kid mistake, but still just a kid''s mistake. You can''t blame yourself forever." "I won''t, just until I die," the hunter chuckled. Hera poked him with her elbow as a reply. The two spent a couple of hours sitting beside the city gates. That attracted the stares of a few people passing by, not so much for the two sitting outside the walls but the small rain frog on the man''s lap. The guards kept a close eye on the frog, worried about the monster waking up and rampaging near the gate. After some time, the frog started to move once again. It woke up and stared at Leo for a moment. Then it nuzzled in his arms once again. The hunter chuckled, "Hey there, Tiger," He turned to Hera, "I guess I got my pet." "Really?" Hera asked, looking at the frog. "Yeah, I just got a notification. I got the skill, and I could use it on him. It also came with a couple of other skills, I can see where he is on the map, and he can understand me better." Hera looked at the rain frog and activated her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tiger (tamed) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Did you really name him Tiger?" Hera asked. "Yeah, I was thinking about my old cat." "Still... Tiger?" "I was a kid, ok?" Leo shrugged "I''m fine with that. But you have to introduce him to Blue and Alex later." The hunter''s eyes went wide, "Oh no." The two of them walked toward the gate. Showing the tamed frog to the guards, they were allowed to pass. However, Leo had to stop by the guild to register Tiger as his pet. He also wanted to search around for a bed and some supplies for his new companion. Hera went to guild to finish registering the quest. Runir had already marked it as completed, and then she gathered the rest of the party. Sometime later, the group met up for lunch. Leo introduced Tiger to the rest of the team. Alex wanted the beast to be far away from her. She wasn''t comfortable near frogs yet. Bonnie kept badgering Leo with questions about how the skill worked and what the frog could do to help. "Please tell me you didn''t try to kiss him. You know that those are just fairy tales, right? The frog is not going to turn into a princess," Blue teased. "It''s a he ok. He''s male," Leo replied. "Ok, sorry. I just never took you for the damsel in distress type, hoping the prince come to your rescue," Blue replied. The group laughed and discussed their plans. According to the information they got for the Frog Valley, the dungeon itself could take around five hours to finish since it was a search based quest. And another four hours to travel to it. Thankfully, there was a small encampment near it to have a relatively safe place to rest. Leo also didn''t want to go too far while he was still getting used to Tiger. He needed to train him before he was useful in actual combat. They decided to hunt as a party of four for the next few days while Leo trained his pet. Bonnie also wanted to make some money, and if the rest of the week went well, she might have enough for the first payment she had to do. Hera also made it clear she wanted to be in the city by Friday to meet with Helena, and that the mage wanted to talk to Bonnie. Blue was also on the fence about joining the order but asked if she could speak to Helena to get some more information. Before long, the week had ended with the group training in the morning, hunting frogs in the afternoon, and resting in the evening. Their speed also increased thanks to their level up and the sash Alex had. By Wednesday, Bonnie had gathered the 10 000 gold she needed. Every night they would gather in a bar or a diner to watch Becca interviewing the high ranking explorers. Wildborn was a muscular man with a long wild beard connected to his hair, but he had a bald spot on top of his head. The healer was very enthusiastic and exaggerated. Everything he did seemed over the top, but somehow it seemed natural to him. He demonstrated one of his abilities, roaring at a group that was injured from the hunt, healing their bruises almost instantly. Toxic Rain was a weird person. She was like a caring grandmother, always asking if everyone was ok and if they needed something. She would even carry around some adhesive bandages with flower patterns and would give it to anyone who had small scrapes. Yet, her fighting style was to poison her enemies and stalk her prey until they died. Iron Heart wasn''t just shy. He had trouble speaking with other people and always wore full steel armor, including a helmet. The armor was a bit odd since it had to be made for someone skinny. During the interview, Becca asked why he agreed to the meeting, and the man revealed that he was a big fan of hers. He even asked for an autograph. It was a lovely moment, and the crowd watching on the diner cheered for the man. Hera could even see the people rooting for a new couple to be formed. The interview with Azure Chain was cut short when a monster attacked the camp. Luckily no one was hurt, but they had to stop the interviews until more people arrived after that. Friday morning, Hera was waiting for Helena in front of the doorway, excited to see her friend. It was 11:15 when the mage arrived through the doorway, opening a big smile when she saw Hera waiting for her, "Hello, sweetie." 90 Helenas Assistan "Lena! It''s so good to see you," Hera hugged the mage back. "Tell me about it. It looks like we haven''t seen each other in a month." Hera was surprised by Helena''s appearance. She only ever saw the mage in her clerk uniform, even when they went out for drinks. She wore a pair of tall armored black boots, black pants, and a skirt that was long on the back but short in the front. There was a long cloak on her side, falling to her knee. The mantle had a grey smoke pattern covering it. Underneath it all, there was a light grey shirt with sleeves just after her elbows. Helena also had her curly hair put up with a grey headband. "Wow, Lena, you look amazing," Hera gasped. "Thank you. You look pretty good yourself." "Yeah, but you already saw me like this. What''s new here is you all geared up." The two of them laughed and headed towards the city. Helena knew a small coffee shop where they could get a private room. As they headed towards it, Hera couldn''t help but ask. "So why did you come back to the MAZE?" "Well, the guild master called me to help with the wall." Hera stopped walking with her eyes fixed on Helena. "What?" Helena asked. "Isn''t you level too low to go there? You are just level 20, aren''t you?" "I''m level 18, but I''m not taking part in the actual assault. I''m going there as a supporter. I''ll explain to you a bit better when we get to a more private place," Helena explained. A few minutes later, they arrived at a small little place with just a couple of tables on the outside and a small door at the side of the counter. Helena talked to the attendant, and the two were guided to the second floor of the building. There was a large central area with a few tables. On the outer ring of the floor, there was a series of closed rooms for people who wanted more privacy. They entered one of those rooms. In there, any order they made would be delivered through a small lift in the corner of the room. "They also have a soundproofing enchantment on the walls. So we can talk without worry," Helena explained. The duo ordered some food and had a nice brunch together. Hera told Helena all about her adventures, from fighting frogs to finding the dungeon and learning about the legends of the city. Helena told Hera about her work on the guild and how Greyson was acting up since there was a new instructor. The fighter acted like a kid, angry because someone else took a toy he wasn''t playing. After a while, Helena talked about her plans. "I''m going to the wall, and then I think I''m going back to my research. I spent some time with my family, and now I want to get back to my work." "And where is that exactly?" Helena told Hera about the room where her lab was located. It was a vast wasteland surrounded by a chain of active volcanos. The soil was very rich, but due to the high temperature and constant rain of ash, it was nearly impossible to grow something there. Despite the problems, it was a place rich in mana. The eruptions would spew out almost every type of mana there was, and various rare materials and crystals were easily acquired in there. "Wow, it sounds kind of awful, but useful," Hera chuckled, "But tell me, why a level 18 mage is going to the wall?" Helena took a sip of her coffee, enjoying the taste before answering, "I have an enchantment spell that can help. You know how we can give temporary buffs to equipment, right? But usually, we are limited to one buff per piece of equipment. The spell I made lets you place two different buffs in one part of the gear. When I made the spell, I was so excited, but it didn''t take long to find out that other people had similar spells. It''s still rare to find people with this particular skill, and mine doesn''t affect the power of the buffs. If I use that spell in a weapon, someone at a higher level can use two strong enchantments at full strength." Hera was surprised by the concept, but as Helena told her. The spell was too complicated for her to learn right now, and she needed to be able to apply some buffs before being able to use that spell. "Ok, now for the main part of my visit," Helena started to rummage through her bag, "Oh, don''t tell Bonnie she wasn''t the main part of the visit. It was the main reason as a member of the order, just not on a personal level." Hera chuckled, "Don''t worry, I won''t say a word." Helena took a small notebook from her bag, "Great, now before I give you this. Can you accept the order I just sent you?" Hera picked her tablet and saw a notification for a new order. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Helena''s assistant Sweetie, this is an easier way for us to work together. I can ask for various things, and each will have their own rewards. By accepting this order, you enter an NDA with me. You are not allowed to share any information about my research unless I give you permission to do so. Requests # Monster affinity # Area affinity # Item affinity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera read the order, but she got worried about one thing. "Lena, before I accept. Can you clarify one thing about the NDA?" "Sure, I mean, it''s not something I''m willing to remove. I told you that we mages are very paranoid with our research. If that was the question." "No, I understand. But what is considered sharing the information about your research? Like if I find out that a monster is weak to fire, I''m not allowed to tell anyone? Or I can''t even mention that I''m working for you?" Helena gave Hera a smirk, "I''m a bit impressed. I didn''t expect you to think that far ahead. So, the basics. Yes, you can tell you are working for me, and yes, you can tell if you need to do something specific for me. Even telling what you need to figure out is fine, but you can''t say what''s my objective. If it comes to that, say you don''t know." Helena took a small bite of one of the cupcakes they ordered, "The information you find out about the affinities of places and items you are free to share, of course. Just don''t go posting them online for free. We might be able to make some money updating some compendiums and making our own. I''ll share the profits with you if it comes to that. I ask for you not to share any spells or information that I give you about my research. If you want to help your friends with some information that I gave you, ask me first. I need to be sure it''s not something too sensitive. Aside from that, if you want to talk about something but have some doubts, just ask me." The mage took another sip of her coffee and looked Hera deep into her eyes, "I trust you, Hera, I really do. If I didn''t, I wouldn''t even ask you to help me. But I need to be careful. Some people already tried to steal my work, and I don''t want that to happen, especially now that I have you to help me." Hera nodded, "I understand, you are just trying to be safe. I just don''t want to end up breaking this by accident, or if I''m in danger and sharing something would help." "Oh no, of course not," Helena grabbed Hera''s hand, "Sweetie, if you are ever in a situation where your life in on the line. Don''t worry about this. Do what you can to survive." Hera held her friend''s hand. She couldn''t remember the last time she felt someone seemed to care so much, aside from her grandma. Her eyes teared up a bit, "Thanks, Lena." "Don''t you start crying now, or I''m going to cry too," Helena laughed, trying to change the subject. "I''m not," Hera accepted the order and showed it to Helena, "Here, but shouldn''t we be on the guild to do this?" "Consider it my last task as a clerk," Helena laughed and passed the notebook to Hera, "Now, here there is a spell that I developed using my research. It is a way to get information on the primary affinity of something. It works as a buff for your inspect or observe. Not only I''ll ask you for getting that information for various monsters, but sometimes I might need materials from creatures with specific affinities." After reading through the notebook, Hera saw how to use the spell and some examples of what she should see. Before spending too much time reading the notebook, Helena cut her off and asked about the skills the explorer had bought. Hera told her about the pulse spell she figured out, the weapon maintenance, and the etching skills that she wasn''t able to get yet. Helena made a few recommendations to get the skills quicker. For the weapon maintenance, the best way was to work as a blacksmith or in the guild as a sharpener for a while. The etching was an interesting skill. Helena got it when she wanted to become an enchanter. The trick she found was to carve a word in her food, bite the carving out, and repeat it. After she got the skill, she could use the right tools to buff her weapons and gear. After a couple more hours talking, they left the coffee shop. Helena still had to talk with Bonnie and Blue, and then she would head towards the 5th layer to meet the group that would take her to the wall. Hera asked her friends to come to her room in the inn so they could talk to Helena. The mage explained how the order worked, Bonnie seemed really interested, but she asked for a couple of days to think. Blue, on the other hand, was still on the fence. Only after Helena explained that she could join any other group since the order was a small organization that the controller agreed to join. Alex was still looking for a different group, and since Leo was in the Crimson Coalition, he couldn''t be a part of any other orders. After that, Hera walked Helena towards the docks. She needed to take a boat to reach her next doorway. Hera thanked Helena once again for everything she did for her. "Sweetie, I only did what anyone would do. You don''t need to thank me for it." Hera shook her head and held Helena''s hand, "You were the only one willing to help a crying girl in the middle of the rain. You saw me, Lena, I can never thank you enough for it." "I told you not me make me cry," Helena gave Hera a big hug. They stayed like that for a few moments and let go. "Oh, I almost forgot. Quinn sent you this," Helena picked two small bottles from her bag, "It''s a cleansing cream to remove all the dirt from your face, the other one is a moisturizer. You apply it after cleaning your face. I recommend you use both before sleeping." Hera nodded, "Will do, and do you have her number? I forgot to get when we meet." Helena gave Hera Quinn''s number, "Oh, and after Blue''s application is complete, I''ll send you the recruitment bonus." "What bonus?" "You get some contribution points. It will be something like 100 points since she level 2. When you get those points, save it for a while. There is a buff skill that might be very good for you, but you need 500 points and some knowledge on elemental magic for it. I''ll send you some books later to give you a hand," Helena explained. The ship gave a signal that was about to leave, and Helena said her goodbyes. Hera went back to the inn to talk to her friends. Each of them had a different plan for the weekend. Bonnie wanted to talk to her mom about the pay she had to do. Alex wanted to go home and see her family. Leo intended to keep training with Tiger, Blue and Hera were the only ones who didn''t have any big ideas. They all agreed to take the weekend off and leave for the Frog Valley on Thursday. On Monday, the high-level explorers would try to break through the wall, and they didn''t want to miss the transmission. With everything already set up, Alex and Bonnie left the MAZE while Leo went towards the guild for another training session. "So, what do we do now?" Hera asked, turning towards Blue. "Wanna hit the gym?" 91 Weekend Off She watched Blue work out while trying to regain the feeling in her arms. It felt strange to feel so tired. Hera had leveled up a few days ago. Her stamina should be higher. "I guess I still need to practice," she mumbled to herself. After a while, it became clear that Blue was far from tired. Hera called her friend to see if she wanted to eat. They left for lunch, and after some time, returned to the guild. Blue rented an ATR for the day while Hera looked for quests to get her weapon maintenance skill. She was working for about three hours when a notification appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skill Acquired: Weapon Maintenance (Rank 1) Weapon Maintenance (Rank 1) Improves your ability to care and maintain your weapons. The more careful you are with the process, the better the results will be. Increased durability: 1% ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With a smile, Hera kept working. Not only would that give her some extra experience for the skill, but now she received a slightly bigger pay for each weapon she performed the maintenance. On the breaks, she would be carving her initials in some fruits and taking bites out of them. When the night finally came, Hera had earned 235 gold for the work. After texting Leo and Blue, the trio went to the pub to watch the coverage of the assault on the wall. This time they were talking about the previous assaults. From the first wall on the 8th layer, all the way to the last one on layer 22. Apparently, there wasn''t a specific pattern for the walls. They could appear after a few layers or take some time to do so. This was the 7th wall. There was a lot of speculation about how many they were and why they existed. One of the most accepted theories was that it was a way barrier placed by an ancient civilization inside the MAZE. The main reason for that was that the wall didn''t trigger any quests or notifications. At the same time, the wall spread through all the rooms in the same layer, which lead some to believe that it was something created by the maze. Several scholars were contacted through video calls to discuss the possibilities, with Becca being a sort of moderator for the discussion. At one point, it became such a huge mess that the host had to cut off everyone''s audio. She joked that it was too much information for the connection and proceeded to divide the group into two different segments. Helena had a few explanations about how the elements felt to her. Fire was like a comet, leaving a trail of mana behind. Water felt like a river most of the time, but it could change depending on the target. Wind felt like a fog or a cloud, and earth felt grainy like sand or dirt. There were other elements in the list light and dark, thunder, and lightning. There were even a couple of odd ones, like gravity, that just seemed to attract the mana around to the center of the target. Hera considered going to the arcanist lookout to train the ability, but it was a bit too dangerous. She looked around a few shops and found a few minor items that had elemental buffs. An orb that worked as a night lamp, a pair of heated socks, and a waterskin that kept the water inside it cold. All these items cost 450 gold. It was a lot of money, but Hera had made almost a year''s worth of her previous salary in just a couple of weeks. She couldn''t believe how much money explorers make. Spending most of the afternoon trying to understand the spell, Hera used her [Pulse] to see if she could see anything helpful. Sadly, her the spell only showed that the objects had denser mana than the rest of her hotel room. Thinking she might need an actual spell to perceive the mana better, Hera started to practice the light spell. It took her 40 minutes to make it work again, and another 30 to create the light with some consistency. By the end of the afternoon, completed her goal. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell acquired Light Rank: Beginner Create a small light around you. The mana cost is spent each second the spell is active. The intensity and radius of the light will affect the mana cost. Base Radius: 10 meters Base mana cost per second: 2 mana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I wonder if I can make that flash once again," Hera said to herself. Pumping all her mana to the spell, the light flashed as if someone just turned on a floodlight. Hera spent a few moments blinded by the light. When her vision returned, she was sad that no other notification appeared. "I guess I need to tweak it a bit more before it becomes a spell." Leaving her room, Hera went to the guild to meet Leo and Blue and watch the next part of the wall coverage. This time, it was a competition among the ones who were already there. Each participant would spend half an hour doing their best to damage the wall. There was a camera focused on the wall showing the damage. The videos were shortened to just under a minute. Wildborn was the first contestant. The healer wailed on the wall with his battleaxe. At the end of the video, there were several gashes on the barrier. Even without knowing the structure''s actual strength, the fact that he had managed to slash solid stone was incredible. Azure chain came next. His name came from the chain that was wrapped around his arms. When attacking, it would split into several smaller chains with blades at the edges. His display was more flashy but less effective. The blades twirled around and slashed a larger part of the wall, but the damage seemed much more superficial. The next contestant was actually a pair. The same two singers Hera had seen during the opening of the olympics. Bright Night and Dark Star. The two flung spell after spell towards the wall. A mix of light and dark magic blasted the barrier again and again. In the end, there was a small pause, and the two sang a small verse of one of their songs. In sync with the music, the two cast a joint spell, creating what looked like a black hole with a ring of light around it. When it hit the wall, there was a chunk of about two meters deep that was just gone. Everyone in the bar cheered and clapped. Becca thanked the two but said that they were not contestants for first prize, but her efforts should be recognized not only as buffers for the team but for being able to do that much damage being just level 60. Another mage attempted to break it. He used a mix of lighting and ice to attack. There wasn''t much damage, since its attacks should be more effective in a biological enemy. The last entry was from Toxic Rain. Her attempt consisted of a few seconds with nothing happening, and then five arrows shot towards the wall. Several bright green veins spread around from each bolt. When most of what the camera was seeing was covered in the green threads, one last arrow blasted through the middle of the wall. After the dust settled, it showed a five-meter deep hole in the wall. Some of the toxic strands were still spreading from the edges of the tunnel. Everyone in the bar was speechless by the demonstration. No one expected the hunter to do that much damage. There was a small award ceremony where Toxic Rain received a prize from Becca, but she also became the first name in the official guild merch. The screen showed t-shirts, jackets, bags, and other goodies with a stylized version of the explorers'' names who participated in the contest. The one with Dark Star and Bright Night was actually the same style that the duo used for their presentations, which explained why they participated in the test. "Now, dear viewers, I''m incredibly excited to let you all know that tomorrow we are going to have a very special interview, the strongest explorer in the entire world. Insomniac." There was a loud cheer in the bar. Every explorer knew who that man was, the highest level person on the planet, the man that hunt dragons as a pastime. "How high do you think his level is?" one of the patrons asked. "I''m guessing 89. There is no way he''s past that," the woman beside him replied. "Is it true he made a chasm with a sing of his sword?" a man asked behind Hera. "Where did you heard that? The dude is a superhero, not a natural disaster," someone replied. On Sunday, Hera focused on trying to figure out the spell Helena gave her. Using her light spell, she could sense something a bit different around the light, but she was having trouble activating her [Pulse] without losing focus on [Light]. During her breaks, she would eat some fruit and practice the etching skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skill acquired Etching (Rank 1) Improves your ability to create engravings. By using specific tools and materials, the etching can create various effects on the targets. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera was surprised when she saw the notification. Looking back at the apple on her hand, she gasped, "This was an amazing tip!" She kept trying to get the buff, but when the time came to head to the pub, she still wasn''t able to get it. Shrugging, Hera decided to meet her friends. If even Bonnie, with the learn skill, took a while to get a new spell, it wasn''t a surprise for her to take some time to get one. The pub was more crowded than Hera was expecting, but considering the person who was going to be interviewed, it was understandable. The moment Becca appeared on screen, not a single noise could be heard from the people in the bar. "Hello, everyone. I''m Becca Swan, and here with me, we have the strongest person alive. The fighter known as Insomniac." The camera split, having Becca on the right and the man on the left. He had long black hair, but it was clear the fighter''s last haircut was a long time ago. A stubble covered his tanned chin, and he had big dark bags under his eyes. "First of all, thank you so much for agreeing with the interview. I understand you are a very busy man." "It''s no problem. I had a day to kill here, anyway." "For the first question and please only answer it if you feel comfortable sharing that information. What level are you?" The man tilted his head to the side, "Why would that be a problem? That information is available with the guild. Right now, I''m level 93." Loud gasps came from people on the bar. How could he be so strong already? "That is impressive. I believe the closest person to you is still level 88," Becca said. "89 as of yesterday. She leveled up here." "Oh good, that can help with the assault. But let''s get back to you. What is your secret? Do you have a particular farming spot or some trick to it?" "If it was a farming spot, I wouldn''t share while I''m using it. But it is actually a skill from my legacy," Insomniac said. Becca gave the man a warm smile, "Could you tell us more about that skill?" "Because of my legacy, I can''t sleep like a normal person. To rest, I need to be fighting. It''s kind of like sleepwalking." "I see, so your famous grumpiness is just you being tired? I''m so sorry for that. It must be tough to deal with it." The man replied with a soft smile, "Thank you. And I apologize for that grumpiness, it is not intentional. But to be at my best condition for the operation, I had to stay awake for a few days." "Could you elaborate?" "Just a bit. One of my skills gets stronger, the longer I spend without going to sleep. Because of the legacy, I can stay longer than a regular person without sleeping." "And how long has been since you had a night of ''rest''?" Becca asked, with a worried expression. "Today... 13 days. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks. I''ve tested that before, and that is how I can be at peak condition." "And how long have you been with that legacy?" "It''s been... 12 years now." "Did you have trouble getting used to those abilities?" "At first, but I already had some problems sleeping, so the difference wasn''t that big initially." As the interview went on, Hera got distracted by other things. She wasn''t as interested in the man''s life story as his skills. He mentioned a couple of his skills and how he had placed the report of how he got the legacy as a freely available resource in the guild. That made a few people leave the bar saying that they wanted to get a copy. Hera made a note to get one later. After around 40 minutes, the interview came to an end, "Insomniac, thank you for your time, and I hope I wasn''t too invasive with the questions." "Not at all, I enjoyed it." "I''m glad to hear it! Now for our dear viewers. Tomorrow we will begin the assault at 3 PM. Our coverage starts at noon with all the preparation for the attack. I hope you all join me in this historic event!" Becca signed off, and the television went back to the music channel. Hera stayed for a while on the bar with her friends. They were enjoying their free time. Even after returning to the hotel, Hera wasn''t sure she would be able to sleep. Watching the wall break would be something extraordinary. It would be like seeing the legacy of the first hero. "I hope Helena is safe," she mumbled to herself while lying in bed. 92 The assault on the wall After a while, the noise she was making was enough to wake up Blue. Hera apologized, but the controller had already gotten up. It was 7 AM when the duo left the hotel, grabbing some fruits to eat and heading towards the guild. Blue wanted to spend some time in an ATR. She felt like she was close to something. Just after they rented the rooms, Hera received a message from Bonnie saying she was on her way back. Hera told her where they were so they could meet up. Inside the training room, Hera asked her trainer to show different types of spells. She had to buy the training program for each of the spells. That was a feature that only people who used spells with the concept used, and they were very costly. She had asked for three spells. A fire arrow to see an attack spell. A bark skin buff so she could see a continuous effect. Lastly, she asked for a healing spell. Hera was curious about how it would actually work and interact with her own mana. Just those 3 programs on her trainer would cost her 750 gold, but at least it was a one time fee. After confirming the purchase, Hera realized that she had just spent almost 1 000 gold in just three days like it was nothing. Previously, any large purchases had to be planned with months in advance. Making a promise to herself that she would be more careful with her spending, Hera focused on understanding the mana. The fire arrow was weirder than she expected. The mana appeared very quickly and vanished even before the spell hit the target. She didn''t see a trail or something like that, just a lingering feeling where the arrow hit. The other two spells had such a different usage of mana that Hera couldn''t even understand it. She spent most of her time focusing on the fire arrow. She had almost given up for the day when Blue started celebrating. "I got a buff!" "Nice! What is it?" Hera asked. Blue showed the effect to her friend. When she activated the buff, almost nothing changed aside from strands of her hair standing up. The spell covered her body in static electricity. The more she moved around, the more it would charge, and after she attacked, a small electrical current would pass through her target, giving a puny paralyzing effect. "The skill says the paralysis duration varies according to my strength. My trainer says that a person at my level will be numb for around two seconds. It seems weak, but two seconds in a fight can make a huge difference. Besides, while I''m moving around, the electricity creates a repulsion effect, and that can give me more room to move. Here, try to hit me." They went back to their training, but Hera wasn''t able to get anything out of it. Soon Bonnie arrived at the guild, and the three meet up. "So, how was everything at home?" Hera asked. "Weird... I figured out some things that I''m not sure I wanted to know." "Care to elaborate?" Blue asked after waiting a moment, Bonnie still had a faraway stare. Bonnie blinked and looked at the controller with a weird expression, as if she had just realized that someone was talking to her, "Oh.. Yeah... You know the debt I told you guys?" "Yes, we are aware that your dad sucks, and you have a lot of debt. You talk a lot about it despite the saying you don''t want to share that with anyone," Blue regretted the comment immediately. Not for Bonnie''s reaction, but for the look that Hera gave her. "Sorry about that. But in the end, it was all a lie. That contract, the debt that I have, my mom. Everything just... lies." "Bonnie, what happened?" Hera leaned towards Bonnie. "My mom was paid to have me. My father gave her 100 thousand gold for her to have his baby." "That''s disgusting," Blue twisted her nose. "What? Oh no. They never had sex. It was through artificial insemination. After that, my mom received a salary to take care of me. Her own daughter. I guess that makes her more a nanny than a mother," Bonnie chuckled, but her eyes proved that she didn''t find the notion amusing. Hera and Blue looked at each other. The entire situation was proof that the truth was stranger than fiction. "But that doesn''t mean she doesn''t love you. I mean, she left your father because he was pushing you too far, right?" Blue said after thinking for a while. "I guess... anyway, can we talk about something else? I need time to figure all that out." "Sure, we can talk about how Blue figured out how to use a buff." "Really?" Bonnie perked up a bit. It seems like the topic of magic was the best way to distract the woman. They talked for a while and later were joined in by Leo and Alex, who had just returned. All gathered, the group looked for a good place to have lunch and watch the assault on the wall. ######################################## Becca was walking around one of the tents in the back. Her equipment and crew were all in the protected area, together with the lower-level explorers who came to help. She understood why she was here. She was just level 47, and even Bright Night and Dark Star were inside the protected area. Outside of it was a place that only the strongest could inhabit. Her first few hours of work for the day was all about the support crew. The brave explorers that came to places far beyond their levels risked their lives for the assault''s success. Among them, there was a woman just level 18, but she had an exceedingly strong enchantment skill. Becca already had made a round of interviews with all the supports. Now she was helping to do a headcount of all of them before the beginning of the assault. Some of them had buffs that only lasted half an hour. In order to make the best of it, they were ordered to wait until five minutes before the assault and then rush towards the protected area. After they arrived, Becca would run towards her vantage point to broadcast the assault. She would go alone since the rest of her crew was under her level. After the last mage entered the tent, Becca gave a thumbs up to her crew and dashed off to the vantage point. She had a small floating camera following her. It was a piece of enchanted equipment that could lock to her position and follow her around. She would use it for more dangerous shootings, but the video''s quality wasn''t the best. Activating her skills, she managed to zoom through the area, pointing the camera towards the wall. "This, my dear viewers, is the formation that will be used. The 20 melee warriors in front will focus on opening a path close to the ground, while the mages and archers will aim for the wall''s upper layer." She knew most people wouldn''t be able to see what was going on at the time. Running at max speed with her [Fury] activated, Becca could reach 30km/h. If needed, she could go even faster, but the camera feed would be awful. In less than a minute, she arrived at her vantage point. With a big smile, positioned the camera to see her profile, "This is it, everyone, a moment to go down in history. It''s been 62 years since the last wall was broken. Now we are reaching a once in a lifetime event. Are you ready to become legends?" The assault team roared as the camera panned towards them, some already activating buffs. "Remember, we need to break an entire collum. If any part of the wall is still connected to the other side by the time the reset starts the wall will fix herself. If that happens, anyone in the middle of the wall needs to rush back if you stay there, you will die. We choose this room exactly because of its shorter height. It''s only ten meters up, let''s tear it down!" Becca looked to the sides and saw the fire starting on the walls, "Here it comes. The moment the fire is gone, you all attack. I''ll be timing the assault, if it gets too close to the reset, I''ll warn you." The wall light up, the flames licking the roof of the room. It changed colors, turning once again to the dark flames from before. Suddenly, the flames were extinguished. "NOW!!" Becca yelled. What followed was absolute mayhem. The warriors jumped forward and started to tear down the stone using their weapons, hands, and anything they could use. Above them could only be described as a warzone. Explosions of fire, ice, and rock resonated with each other, creating larger blast. Arrows flew from the back line. Some hit with the impact of a ballista, destroying large chunks of the wall, Others were closer to what Toxic Rain had done before. Small arrows that corroded and weakened the structure. Little by little, the explosions began to disappear in the opening created on the wall. Becca tried to get a better angle at the action, moving more to the side. It helped a bit, but not enough to show everything. After ten minutes of the assault, Becca cast a spell that she had created. A small magic camera appeared in front of her, and she sent it towards the wall gap. She picked her tablet and stared at it. A few moments later, she frowned and cast the spell once again. This time giving more mana to the construct to increase the invulnerability time. With a nod, Becca showed the image on her tablet to the screen while speaking, "Here we go guys, 10 minutes in we dug 10 meters of the wall. We still have 35 minutes to break the other 40 meters. Time your berserker skills right." Becca finished speaking and then showed a small earpiece from where she was giving information to the rest. During the next minutes, some shouts came from the backline. A few of the attackers showed visible differences. Some had an aura around them, while others seemed to wear the elements they were using as armor. The blasts became louder and more violent. Becca tried to play it off as if it wasn''t a dangerous thing, but she couldn''t be confident while talking to the melee fighters in the middle of the tunnel. Becca kept giving updates about their progress the entire time, as if she was narrating horserace. When the timer reached the 38 mark, there was a huge shout coming from the wall. Mages stopped firing, and after a few moments, the fighters appeared leaving the gap. Becca rushed towards it and saw the opening that was created. She activated the camera spell once again while the team watched her expectantly. "Unless the wall has some weird tricks. We did it!" Some cheered, but others still kept analyzing the opening, making sure there was no part connecting the two pieces of the wall. After a few moments, the fire began once again. However, instead of becoming a black flame, the fire turned white. When it vanished, the wall was no more. There was a moment of silence, followed by a loud cheer from all the assault team members. People were jumping, hugging each other, and celebrating in their own ways. Becca was tossed up by Wildborn, who appeared out of nowhere and then left after placing her on the ground. Becca turned around to see the new area that was revealed for the first time. "We did it. We did..." she stopped talking when she noticed what was beyond the wall. Hundreds of moss-covered veiny pulsating eggs seemed to be spread around the other side of the now gone barrier. "What the hell is that?" Azure Chain asked. "Hold up. Some are hatching," Toxic Rain yelled. Becca looked towards where the hunter pointed. One of the eggs opened like flowers, and a weird creature came out of it. It looked like a hairless monkey, with pointed ears and red eyes. Its skin was completely white, aside from the edge of the fingers where big red claws meet the flesh. Seeing the creature sent a shiver to Becca''s spine. They seemed wrong. More eggs started hatching. Other types of monkeys were joined by wolves, rats, and taller and spindly creatures, all with the same color and claws. In a short time, hundreds of those creatures had been born. The explorers could be tired, but they were a team of High-level individuals. In a few seconds, they were already setting up a defense perimeter, ready to face the creatures. Without warning, the monsters dashed towards the encampment covering the 100 meter distance between them and the explorers in just 3 seconds. At first, the team managed to hold the creatures back. But their numbers were staggering. For each monster that was killed, ten more would take its place. Becca was sent to the back, being told to run to the protected area. However, the woman refused to go and just stood in the back, not wanting to miss the action. With each passing moment, the explorers were pushed back. One of the ice mages was caught alone in, and a group of creatures ripped him apart. Not only that, but the monsters started to eat the man. A few fighters tried to reach him, but the horde of monsters refused to let them pass. Becca couldn''t look away, the camera following her eyes. She activated her [Observe] trying to get some information about the creatures. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wendigo (Newborn) Level - ?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The monsters finished their meals and started to shiver. Sickening cracks and rips came from the creatures as if their body was crushing itself. When the sounds stopped, the creatures raised, showing large ice spices coming out of their knees and elbows. As they roared, Becca could see their cold breath forming in front of them. She turned and started to run towards the protected area. Before she reached it, screams came out of the tent as a group of white hairless wolves looking monsters ripped through the side of the tent and started their feast. One of the monsters lunged at Becca, who pushed him away, the camera being smashed into the ground in the process. Becca looked around, seeing all the carnage around her. She noticed a few members of her crew running towards the jungle and dashed towards them, hoping she would reach her friends before the bloodthirsty hairless monkey that was closing in. 93 Reaction Watching not only the 200 members of the attack team but the other 300 explorers, all near level 80, being overwhelmed filled the viewers with dread. It was a brutal reminder that life inside the MAZE was like walking on a tightrope. One false step and they would forever be in death''s icy embrace. They watched as the creatures devoured a mage and seemed to absorb part of its power. The screen showed Becca being hit and the camera falling to the ground, the lens cracking in the process. Only small parts of the screen showed clear images. Hera watched as Becca rushed towards a group in the back, and a white hairless wolf jumped onto her. People were leaving the protected tent, rushing towards the jungle. Becca got back up, apparently holding her arm, and the image went dark. No one in the coffee shop made a sound. They were all still processing what just had happened before they could understand anything. The screen blinked, and the guild logo appeared. "Hello, everyone. I am Leliana Mihafrey, the current chairwoman of the guild. I understand that the images that we just saw were disturbing. I ask you all to remain calm. There is no indication that anyone that is outside of the Queeroni Wilds is in danger. All explorers in the 25th layer, please report to the guild and stay inside the doorway cities while we assess the situation. If you have friends or family participating in the assault head to a guild branch, we will get your contact info and let you know as soon as we have more information. I''m also issuing a set of quests for all high-level explorers. We need people to fortify defenses, patrol areas, and search parties for our missing members. For now, that will be all and don''t forget. We fight together, we win together, and we survive together." Leliana''s voice was strong and confident. It helped to dissolve some of the tension lingering in the air. The shop started to return to life. People talked about what they just witnessed in hushed tones as if talking about it would attract the monsters. Hera kept staring at the screen, her head already spinning. Helena was supposed to be in the protection tent, the same place invaded by the four-legged beasts. Did she manage to get out? Hera couldn''t see if she was in the group that ran after the camera fell. Blue stared at Hera, worried. The explorer''s face was white, and she had a weird look. "Hera? Are you ok? Do you need some water?" "Go where?" "I have to go," Hera said again and got up, rushing towards the exit. "Wait, Hera," Blue ran after her friend. Hera went down the stairs 3 steps at a time, almost falling more than once. Helena had saved her life. The woman gave her the chance to follow her dreams. Now she was alone in a place filled with monsters. She had to do something to help her. She needed to help her. "Hera!" Blue yelled already in the street, seeing the explorer head towards the docks. The controller ran towards her friend and grabbed her arm, "What are you doing? Where are you going?" "I need to help Helena," Hera''s eyes were already watering. "Hera, no. We can''t do anything. You will die before even getting there." "Blue, let me go. I have to help her!" Hera kept walking, dragging Blue with her. The controller wasn''t able to pull her back since her strength stat was lower, but she had to stop Hera. Blue stepped to the side, still holding Hera''s arm. Placing a foot between her legs, she pulled the explorer back and threw her on the ground. Climbing on top of her friend and holding her down; "HERA, STOP! Think about what you are trying to do." Hera starred at Blue, tears starting to run down her face, "I can''t let her die. She saved my life." Blue hugged her friend. A few moments later, the rest of the group arrived at the scene. Hera was sitting with Blue on top of her, the two women holding each other while the explorer sobbed. The group returned to the hotel. Hera wanted to pass by the guild, but there were too many people in there. They all gathered in Blue''s room. "Hera, we understand that you are worried. But you can''t do anything to help her right now," Leo said. "That''s not entirely true," the whole group stared at Alex. "How?" Hera said, already getting up. "Sit back down. It''s not something you can do running around. But you are in the Order of something something right? That''s a network you can use. Talk to the people there. See if anyone is willing to rescue Helena. She is a member. I''m sure they are worried as well," Alex explained. "I could. I mean I can, it''s not much, and I can see about posting a quest on the guild too. Worst-case scenario, I get a loan and work to pay it off," Hera was already getting her tablet and accessing the Order''s website. "Focus on the order first. We can check the quest thing later, ok?" Bonnie said. It wasn''t hard to figure out if anyone was willing to help Helena. The order wasn''t a big organization, having just a bit over 2 000 members, and Helena was very well known among them. Before even Hera got in the forums, there was a fixed thread about what happened. There was a list of 3 people who were called to help with the assault. Helena, the level 18 mage as a buffer, Korey a level 45 crafter to perform maintenance on weapons and Samera the level 75 assassin as part of the guard team. They still had no information on their whereabouts, but someone had confirmed that their bracelets were still sending life signs. There were also a few people volunteering to find the three. Someone with the username ''The_Ancient_Gran_Mage'' had created the thread, and the person also said that they would post an Order quest for the rescue mission. There was also a small form to register and receive any updates about the situation. Hera filled the form and wrote a reply on the thread, saying that Helena had saved her life, and even though she was very weak, she was willing to do anything to help. Only after the first few replies came in telling her not to worry and that no one would let little Lena get hurt that she looked back to her friends. "Thanks, Alex. Someone already confirmed that her bracelet is still sending signals, and some people are already setting up a search party." The assassin smiled, "See, you have good connections, use them. Now, what do you think about it?" Hera tilted her head, "About what?" "What we were just talking about, were you even listening?" Leo asked. "No, sorry." Leo let out a sigh, "We were talking about putting the frog valley dungeon on the backburner since it might be a good idea if we stay close to the city for a while." "Oh, that''s a good idea. I want to be close to the city to get any updates. That way we can also get more information about those things, we still don''t know if they can go through doorways." The group stared at Hera. "What?" "Do you think those things can move rooms?" Blue asked. "No idea, but it''s not unheard of. There was the invasion, the devil hunt, and even smaller things like the giants who invaded this room." "Are we safe here?" Bonnie asked the group. "Probably, we pretty far from the layer they showed up. Even if they can cross the doorways, it would still take quite some time to get here," Hera said. "Are you sure?" "Not at all, but that''s part of the point of staying close to the city, right?" Hera asked. "Yeah, I guess," Leo replied. There was a palpable tension in the room. The group was taking in what happened and what that could mean for them. Hera, on the other hand, kept browsing the net, looking for ways to help Helena. She found out that the requirements for any of the emergency quests were way too high for her. Reading through different websites and on Chipper, she looked for the price to hire a high-level explorer. Sadly, even basic delivery missions would cost her hundreds of thousands. In the end, every angle she tried gave the same result. Hera wasn''t powerful enough to do anything. Be it in actual strength or monetary power. Trying something different, Hera looked for quick ways to level up. There were some sketchy looking websites about magical pills or drinks that would increase your experience gain, but they all asked for money, and it felt like those fake lose fat quick products. She found some people talking about how their leveling speed was better since they didn''t have a party or hunt stronger enemies. Some suggested being power leveled by other high-level explorers, but that was a different can of worms. From being too risky to not actually working, people had dozens of reasons why that was a bad idea. If Hera wanted to level up faster, she needed to start hunting on her own. Yet, she needed to do some things before being able to be efficient about that. First, she needed a way to heal herself. It would all be for nothing if she ended up dying. Potions could work, but after seeing Runir, she understood how much healing magic could help. Second, she needed an offensive spell. Bonnie''s magic was a game-changer during the hunts, and she heard about monsters that are strong against physical attacks. Third, she wanted to find a good place to farm. A place with a lot of monsters spread out that respawned quickly. However, that was just basic preparation. She needed more. As Hera was thinking about what she lacked, Blue let out a loud grunt, breaking the explorer''s concentration. "That''s it. I''m going to train. I can''t stand being around moping like that. Anyone coming?" Hera got up, "Yeah, it will be good to take my mind away from this. I want to get some new spells." Agreeing that it was better than sitting around sulking, the group headed to the ATRs on the guild. Apparently, most people had the same idea, and there were a limited number of rooms available. Leo picked the last spot in a shared room, Alex and Bonnie were in the same room but not at each other''s side. Blue made a point of being close to Hera, still worried about her friend. Hera looked through the list of spells that were available for the trainer. She had already picked a fire spell, but she didn''t like the idea of using fire. It was too easy to make a mistake and cause some irreparable damage. Blue was already using lighting, and even though Hera wanted to hunt alone, she rather pick something that her team lacked. Reading through the list, there was one spell that caught her attention, poison spray. The skills that Toxic Rain showed left a big impression on Hera. If she could do something similar, it would be amazing. She could hit her target and hide until it died. Picking that spell, Hera focused o learning it. The appearance was a bit different from what she expected. Instead of an actual spray, the spell functioned more like a short-range ray. Trying to mimic the effect, Hera attempted to make her mana go forth in a line. It wasn''t as hard as she expected, but nothing happened when she hit a target. Even though she was trying to focus, there was too much going on in her head to make a breakthrough. Hera spent a couple of hours trying to make the spell work when something clicked inside her hear. Not about her current endeavor, but about what she could do to level up faster. Or better yet, who she could ask about it. "Blue, I''m heading to the hotel. But I want to be alone for a while. Can you kill time somewhere?" Blue gave Hera a worried look, " I can spend some more time here or in the gym, but promise you won''t do anything stupid." "I won''t. I just want to do something, and I need to be alone for that." Blue stared at her friend for a while, "Oh, right. Of course. My bad," she got closer to Hera, "The store in the corner sells batteries if you need and try to keep your voice down. I overdid it a few days ago and got some complaints." Hera blushed a bit. She wasn''t going to do that, but it could be good to pretend like she was. After all, she needed the privacy. "I''ll keep that in mind, thanks." Hera left the guild and headed straight to the hotel. She had been saving the skill for a long time now. If anyone knew the best ways to get stronger, it would be a guide. 94 Brinefronts Guide She would try to be careful later. Right now, her main concern was not to be heard by anyone. Hera even turned the TV on to have more noise coming from the room. Feeling safe enough, she sat on the toilet and opened the skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Local Guide It allows you to summon the guide of the room you are in. The guide will stay for five minutes and answer any questions you have about the room. You can summon the guide only once per room. Information about this skill can only be discussed with explorers who have the skill. Information about a specific guide can only be discussed with explorers who have met said guide. If these rules are broken three times, the skill will be removed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thinking back to how Peaches told her to activate the skill, Hera took a deep breath. "I call upon the Guide of Brinefront. As an explorer, I have proven that my motives are pure." A notification appeared in front of Hera. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you wish to summon the room''s guide? [Yes] [No] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera pressed the yes button. Almost instantly, a small crack in the air appeared in front of her. It was almost as if reality itself had opened. From the opening, Hera heard something moving. A few moments later, something fell from the hole. It was white with several small black dots, two fin-like protrusions in a dark brown color. There was a clump of similar fin-looking parts on its back in a way that it made it look like a bunny tail. This clearly wasn''t like the monsters that appeared after the wall was broken, but Hera wanted to make sure of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ?????????? - Brinefront Guide ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Letting out a breath of relief, Hera adjusted herself and looked at the guide. Just now realizing why she thought the appearance was familiar. It was just like a bunny slug, aside from being the size of a cantaloupe. As she stared at it, two black beady eyes appeared in front of its face. "Forgive me, miss. I was not expecting to be called. It has been quite a while since I was summoned," the guide spoke without showing its mouth. Its voice was surprisingly deep, and it had a noble quality to it. "Don''t worry. I''m sorry for disturbing you." "There is no need for you to apologize. It is my duty, and I will perform it with all my heart." "Of course, miss, when the questions start, the clock shall appear above my head. However, I am of the belief that we should introduce each other before starting the procedures, even if not all my brethren would feel the same," the bunny slug raised its body then lowered its head doing what looked like a bow, "My name is Grand Duke Berthellemy, but you may call me Berthellemy, or Duke if you wish to save time." "Thank you, Berthellemy. My name is Hera, no title for now. Would it be ok if I call you Bert? Calling you, Duke seems weird." "You may do as you wish, miss," Berthellemy went back to his resting position. "Thanks, Berty!" The guide flinched when it heard the name, "If you must, please just call me Bert." Hera nodded, worried she might have offended the creature. "Shall we begin?" the guide asked as a timer appeared 30 centimeters above its head. "Please. What is the quickest way to get stronger in this room?" As Hera started to make a question, the five minutes above Berthellemy''s head began to count down. "That is a rather basic question, miss. You can complete quests, finish dungeons, fight against other creatures. Successfully completing tasks that are above your current level is a quick way to increase your strength. Procuring better equipment is also a good way to do so, and since you are an explorer, you can learn a new role skill. That usually gives a sizeable boost to your overall strength." Hera''s eyes kept going between Berthellemy and the timer. That one question shaved off almost 30 seconds of total time. She needed to be more specific. "Where are the strongest monsters in this room?" "If you had asked that question before, I would say in the dungeon at the cave''s entrance. However, now a more powerful beast roams the west wall of the room." "When did that change?" The guide shook its head, "I am unable to tell you that, miss. I can only say what is currently happening." Hera nodded. She would think about what that all meant later, "Is there an item that could boost my power considerably that I can get in this room?" "All dungeons have items that can increase your power. However, none of them would be relevant in other layers. Not to say they are weak, but you could easily find better items, the deeper you go inside the MAZE." It was a reply that Hera was expecting, but not exactly what she had in mind. "If I get a Legacy, can I get stronger quickly?" Berthellemy''s fin-like ears moved a bit. Hera saw his eyes going to the ground for a moment before meeting her gaze. "It is hard to say. Legacies come in various shapes and forms. Some can give you an incredible boost right away, while others take a considerable amount of time to show it''s true value. Some can even make you weaker for a long time." "Is there any way to gain levels faster, aside from what you told me?" Berthellemy shook its head, "I am unable to answer that question." "Why?" "You don''t have enough time remaining." Hera nodded, looking at the time she saw that less than 2 and a half minutes remained. She needed to make more close-ended questions. "Please answer with yes or no unless I ask to elaborate," Berthellemy nodded, agreeing with Hera''s request, "Is there a place in this room that no one ever went to?" "Yes." "Can people go there?" "No." "Is the creature in the west wall dangerous?" "Yes, very." "Would killing it boost my level?" "Yes." Two minutes remaining, Hera could go after a role skill, but which one? "Wich role skill would be the best one to fight enemies much stronger than myself? You can elaborate," "That would be a matter of opinion and synergy. Every role skill can help you fight stronger enemies. It is about what you do with the skill." Hera nodded, "I understand. But I''m asking for your opinion." Berthellemy stared at Hera for a while. Hera looked him in the eye, but his stare started to linger for too long. Hera looked at the timer, worried, but it had stopped at 1:39. "That is a delightful surprise. I do not remember the last time an explorer asked my opinion. I believe that the best options are Synch, Assassinate, and Control. Mages are incredibly versatile and can exploit the weakness of their enemies. Assassins can move around undetected and deal more damage if they are hidden Controllers are incredibly proficient in messing with their enemies'' attacks and movement, or the surrounding terrain." Hera considered his suggestion for a moment. She was considering [Synch] and [Assassinate] for a while, the second one more for the ability to improve her [hide]. "Shall we continue, miss?" Berthellemy gave her a moment. But he still had to complete his job. "Yes, sure. I have a few other questions, but I''m not sure if the time will allow me." "Then, we keep going until the time stops." "Ok, back to the yes or no then. Can you tell me things about other layers?" "Yes." "Could you tell me if a mage is alive?" "No." "Is there an element that most creatures are weak against?" "No." "Is there an element that most creatures are not resistant to?" "Yes." "Please, tell me what they are." Berthellemy closed its eyes for a moment while Hera watched the time go down. When only 30 seconds were remaining on the timer, the guide opened its eyes, "It is rare to see a monster with some sort of resistance to mental attacks. Wind is also something difficult to create a resistance to. And, as it is expected in nature, pathogens can easily wipe out a species. Of course, you need a particularly wicked pathogen to do so. But a single creature can easily die if infected by a potent virus." "So poison?" "Actually, it would be disease, miss." With that, the timer reached 0. It disappeared after a moment. However, Berthellemy was still on the bathroom floor in front of her. "I guess that is it. Thanks for answering my questions, and sorry if I was being rude Berthellemy." The guide shook its head, "No need to apologize, miss. I understand that you were in a time-sensitive situation. But if you allow me to be so bold. Could I ask you some questions? It has been some time since someone called me." "Sure, you helped me so much." Hera smiled at the guide. He asked questions about the world and the current situations of the MAZE. Hera explained what she could, telling him about the wall and the creatures that came after it. Sadly, Berthellemy didn''t know anything about the monsters. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Hera asked, worried about offending the guide. "You may, but I am not able to answer anything that is related to the MAZE. For such is the agreement that the skill forces upon us." Hera nodded, "Do all the guides know each other? Like, can you interact with other guides, or are you all alone?" "We have our homes, yes. But if we so wish we can gather, be it in our own houses or a common space. Nothing that is connected to the same places you can reach, so we are safe." "Right, that''s good. It would be kind of sad if you were all alone. With no one around to help you if you need," Hera started to think about Helena. Was she safe? Could she be in danger and all alone? Feeling her eyes water, she cleaned them with her arm and turned back to Berthellemy. "I must say it would be, some of the guides are very interesting. I would miss talking to then, even though some might be a bit too crass for my taste." "I see, and do you know Peaches?" Berthellemy nodded, "I do, although I can''t tell you anything about the other guiders." "I see. I just wanted to know if he was doing ok. You can''t even tell me that?" "My apologies, miss. I am unable to share any information about other guides. Even something as simple as their well being." Hera gave Berthellemy a sad smile, "I understand. If you can, just tell him I said hey. And that the kid is doing fine, despite everything." The guide nodded, "I will do miss. Peaches has a tendency to be too chatty when everything is going well, and it''s been a while since I saw him quiet," Berthellemy winked at Hera. "It seems like him," Hera smiled. Berthellemy said it was time for him to go, and a second crack in reality appeared at its side. The guide said its farewells and walked into the opening. Hera sat there for a few moments, still considering what she had learned. Turning down the faucet, she took a shower, trying to relax. During the next few days, Hera and her group hunted a bit in the afternoon, although not as much as they used to, and focused on training. Hera would check up on the thread about Helena almost every hour. The only update was about how the rescue team had already reached the Qeeroni Wilds. Hera focused on learning the spells to start her solo hunting. In just three days, she had managed to get the 3 she wanted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poison Spray Rank: Beginner Creates a line of poisonous mana. Creatures struck by that line can become poisoned. The more mana used, the stronger the poison effect. Range: 15 meters Base mana cost: 25 mana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mend Rank: Beginner Improves the recovery of wounds. The bigger the injury, the more mana the skill needs for a full recovery. Base mana cost: 50 mana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bark Skin Rank: Beginner Strengthen your skin, making it harder to be pierced and more resistant to damage. Base mana cost: 30 per minute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Having all three spells and a small stock of mana and health potions, Hera sneaked out of her room at night towards the city''s exit. It was time for her to hunt. 95 Solo Hun Before crossing the city gates, Hera checked the thread about Helena once more. The last update was that the rescue team had left the doorway city in the Qeeroni Wilds in the afternoon. They mentioned that it was a day''s walk until the camp where the assault took place, but it still made Hera anxious. Trying to focus on the task at hand, Hera left the city. The guards warned her about being dangerous at night, but that wasn''t much of a surprise. A forest being more perilous during the dark was expected. Hera walked for a few minutes, just to be far enough from the wall for the frogs to be around. Activating her [Hide], she started to move through the forest. Her biggest worry was overusing her [Pulse] and having no mana left for the other spells. It would be tricky to do this type of resource management, but it was part of getting stronger. Moving around in the woods, Hera was careful not to go where the forest grew thicker. It was very dark outside the city. Only some of the moonlight was able to reach the area. It took her a few minutes, but she managed to find a frog who seemed to be in a deep slumber. Approaching the creature with her handaxe at the ready, Hera saw another dozen of frogs around it. She stopped for a moment. If she failed to kill it without a sound and in a single blow, the situation would go south rather quickly. She moved away from the group and back to her search. Another half an hour passed while she looked for a frog on its own. Sadly, they were all sleeping in groups. The smaller army of frogs she found had just three members, all of the Blue variation. They were quicker, and their tongue was stronger, but still, if she managed to kill one of them quickly, dealing with two at once could be possible. Like a tiger stalking its prey, Hera crouched down, moving towards the frogs. Being careful not to make any noise, she stepped gingerly through the grass. Getting closer to the larger frog among the three, Hera aimed at the creature''s neck and swung with all her strength. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ''Crap,'' she thought to herself. The skill was supposed to be a hail mary, not an opening move. The strike was enough to decapitate the frog, but its head fell to the ground with a thud. Hera froze, looking at the remaining frogs. One of them shuffled a bit and went back to sleep. The other was still unmoving. Hera quickly got up, slashing at the side of the frog she already hit, trying to cripple it even more. The other frog lashed out with its tongue, aiming at the explorer. Moving at the last moment, Hera dodged the attack steeping behind the frog she already injured. Holding her chakram tightly, she attacked the frog once more, making an X shaped cut on its back. The frog jumped forward, removing Hera''s cover while the second frog lashed out once more. The explorer spun around, trying to evade the attack while she raised her handaxe, aiming at its tongue. She had fought enough of those creatures to know that their combat power would decrease drastically by injuring its tongue. Without missing a beat, she lunged forward, reaching the already injured frog. Hera jumped on its back and aimed another slash at the base of the beast''s neck. Her attack made a large gash on the frog, blood spilling towards the ground. The frog jumped once more. Hera attempted to grab on to the creature, reaching for its fresh wound, but its flesh gave in with her weight. Dropping to the floor, she recovered her footing and looked at the mostly unharmed frog. Circling the creature, she raised her hand and aimed at it. A mana construct was created, and Hera focused on increasing the strength of her attack. In less than five seconds, she sent her Poison spray spell aiming at the frog''s eyes. She had used almost double of required mana, but seeing the beast shiver and trash its head around confirmed that it was effective. Taking advantage of the distraction, Hera rushed towards the one that was already in bad shape. Jumping on its back once again, she struck the same spot on the creature''s neck. This time, the frog fell to the ground and stopped moving. Hera hit the neck once more to be sure it wasn''t just a trick and jumped off the beast already facing the remaining frog. The frog was turning around, still shaking its head. The eye where Hera had hit was dripping pus and fluid. It was also cloudy and red in some places. Hera felt a bit bad for the creature. Even though she wanted to kill them for the experience, she didn''t want them to suffer. However, she wasn''t even sure that those creatures were alive. Their bodies would disappear if left in the forest. Yet Leo had rescued one of them who acted just like a pet. A croak snapped Hera out of her philosophical meandering. The frog was about to jump towards her. She dodged to the side and attacked its stomach. Hitting the chakram in the undamaged eye, Hera spun around the creature and slashed at his limbs. She was having trouble seeing an opening to attack the neck since the frog kept thrashing around. The beast was getting slower by the second. Hera could plainly see that each movement was taxing for it. She kept dodging and slashing until the creature seemed lost strength in one of its legs, falling to the ground as it tried to move. The explorer quickly jumped on top of it and started slashing at the frog''s neck. She needed a few strikes but ultimately killed the third frog. "Ok, this wasn''t as bad as I thought," Hera said, trying to catch her breath. The explorer was very tired from the combat. She managed not to get hit, but only because she didn''t stop moving for a second. She would need some time to rest before going for another group. Hera was looking for a place to rest. She had never seen any dangerous birds or bugs in this room. Because of that, a tree seemed like the best spot for a rest. Climbing a larger tree, she felt safe enough to take a few minutes to rest and recover her mana. Hera looked at her stats to confirm how long it would take to recover completely. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley -- Role: Explorer Level: 3 Stats: Strength: 15 Endurance: 15 Agility: 15 Charisma: 15 Intelligence: 15 Luck: 15 Mana: 109/153 Remaining attribute points: 1 Skills: Passive: Exponential Growth Observe Treasure Map Handaxe Combat, Chakram Combat Dodge, Run ,Improved Stamina Active: All in Inspect Hide Local Guide Weapon Maintenance Etching ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She only needed about 40 minutes to recover all of her mana, 20 if she used the cycling technique. But right now, she only needed about six minutes to be at full mana. Yet, Hera wanted to rest for about 15 minutes before continuing the hunt. It didn''t matter how much she wished to get stronger and find a way to help Helena. If she wasn''t careful, she would die before being able to do a thing. Hera kept cycling her mana not only to recover faster but possibly increase her maximum mana. It didn''t take long for her to feel her magic replenished. However, she was restless. Maybe 15 minutes was too much wasted time. Ten minutes after sitting down, she came down from the branch and started to look for another group of frogs. This time, it didn''t take long for her to find a good target. Only two of the creatures were around, but they were facing each other. Hera ducked down and started to move towards the frog. Moving slowly, she got close to its back and jumped on top of it, striking with her handaxe at the same time. The cut went straight to the monster''s neck, and its body fell limp under her. As Hera looked towards the second frog, she got hit on the shoulder by the creature''s tongue. She flew backward, landing back first into the ground. The impact made her lose her breath for a few moments. Hera was still trying to gather herself when a large shadow appeared on top of her. Rolling to the side, the explorer got most of her body away from the spot she was just in. With a sickening crunch, the monster landed on Hera''s leg. The explorer screamed with the pain and started to slash away at the frog, trying to get the creature off of her. The beast moved its head towards her and sent out its tongue once again. When the creature faced Hera, she activated her bark skin, bracing herself for the impact. She managed to avoid being hit on the face, but the creature''s tongue grabbed her armor and pulled her to its mouth. Hera let out another scream as she the pressure on her leg raised. She felt like the pull would rip her apart. The frog shifted its position, freeing Hera''s foot. At the same time, she was pulled even faster towards the monster''s maw. Trying to attack with her free hands, Hera couldn''t cut the tongue that stuck to her in time, and the frog bit down on the explorer. She screamed once again as she felt the monster''s teeth sink a few centimeters into her back. Hera was trying to open the monster''s mouth by slashing at it repeatedly. That only made the frog to apply more pressure on its prey. Seeing that her attacks weren''t working, she let go of her handaxe and pushed one hand inside the mouth, trying to use it to create some leverage. The inside of the creature''s mouth was too slippery to grab, and the smell was making Hera dizzy. She raised her hand, aiming deeper into the beast, and pushed most of her mana to a spell. The poison spray slammed on the frog''s throat, and the sickly orange glow dripped down to its stomach. Hera didn''t stop pushing away and hitting it with her chakram that was outside the creature''s mouth. After a few moments, the pressure was alleviated. The teeth she felt on her back were moving away. With all the trashing and slashing, the frog was already having trouble to devour its prey. Now it was even feeling a burning sensation in its stomach. The beast opened its mouth and retched, making Hera fall onto the ground covered in whatever the monster had eaten for dinner. The creature coughed and shook its head, the eyes aiming at the small human that had caused it to vomit. Hera picked Iris from the ground and attempted to run, but her foot hurt so much that she couldn''t stand properly. She looked back to the monster, who stared her down with fury in its eyes. The creature got ready to jump, while Hera prepared to roll away. Just as the frog left the ground, its back legs were caught by something else. Something bigger that easily reached the branches of the trees. Hera saw the look in the frog''s eyes, and for a moment she could have sworn it was afraid. The second monster opened its maw and quickly closed it back, putting even more of the frog inside it. For the first time, she was able to see what the monster was. A three-meter tall warty toad with red eyes and black skin was standing in front of her, eating the creature that was close to killing her. Hera stayed still, hoping that the monster wouldn''t be interested in a dessert. She placed one hand on her foot and used the mend spell, spending the rest of her mana. The spell helped somewhat. It wasn''t enough to completely take away the pain, but now she could move it a bit. Luckily, the crunching noise from before wasn''t the sound of her foot breaking. She raised her head once again and saw the toad staring back at her. The frog was already completely inside its mouth. The toad took a step towards Hera, its mouth twisted in what could be described as a grin with saliva dripping from the side. Hera glanced at the side and saw that the forest grew thicker, maybe even too thick for the creature to follow. Mustering all her courage, and hoping the toad wasn''t able to use its tongue, Hera dashed towards the woods. The toad followed, moving much faster than the frogs she was facing. It tried to lash out with its tongue, but its current meal was in the way. Hera kept running, looking back only to be sure to avoid any incoming attacks. She dashed through the trees, heading deeper and deeper into the forest. When she had a chance, she started to gulp down the health and mana potions she had brought. The potions would act in her entire body, so it would take a long time to trigger the effect on her leg. She kept running, activating her Pulse after her mana was back to see if the toad was still following her. She found no trace of the creature this deep into the forest, but there was a hollow tree nearby. She hoped the toad didn''t have a good sense of smell and climbed into the tree. She needed some time to recover and rest. Breathing heavily, Hera almost failed to notice the noise of something big landing near her. She tried to go deeper into the hollow tree and stayed utterly still, as the toad kept jumping around her. 96 Goliath Toad As time went by, the noises became less frequent until it finally stopped. Hera waited some time to be sure the creature wasn''t moving around anymore. When she felt it was enough, she used her pulse, hoping she would be able to feel things beyond the bark around her. The mana spread out from her and hit the wood. A less intense amount kept going, allowing Hera to feel some of the area around her. There were a few trees, some bushes, and the giant toad a few meters behind her. As the mana passed through the creature, Hera could feel it moving. The last bit of mana allowed the explorer to sense the toad opening its mouth while facing the tree she was in. She felt the tongue coming out of its mouth, heading straight for her. Hera let her body fall deeper into the tree just before the toad''s tongue splintered part of the bark hitting the middle of the tree. Hera held back a gasp. She had to stay quiet so the monster wouldn''t see her. The toad struck two more times, aiming at different heights. Luckily, none of the attacks got close to hitting Hera. The beast jumped once more and hit the top of the hollow tree, breaking its top and making the tree fall down. Hera activated her bark skin once more, trying to protect herself from the fall. Looking through the opening in the tree, Hera saw the massive frame of the toad. The creature was moving slowly, and it seemed to be panting. The toad moved to face the now fallen hollow tree and lashed out with its tongue towards the hole in the middle. Hera tried to move down to the second exit, but it was clear it wouldn''t be fast enough. Raising both her chakram and her handaxe, she got ready to be hit by the attack. The tongue hit the weapons, making the toad recoil. The impact shoved Hera closer to the exit. Moving quickly, she reached the other side and got ready to defend against the creature. Thankfully, she was able to mostly heal her foot during the time she was hidden. It still stung, but the pain was much more manageable. The toad, on the other hand, seemed to be in bad shape. It was shivering, and it appeared confused. Still, it was staring at Hera intently. The explorer got ready with another poison spray and sent it towards the toad. The creature attempted to dodge, but it wasn''t fast enough to move away. Hera missed the eye she targeted, but the poison spray hit part of the skin on the monster''s back. She dashed around it, sending blasts of poison spray every time there was an opening. The toad kept moving around, trying to slap this annoying prey that kept hiding and running. It landed more than a few hits. The monster''s attacks felt like someone was hitting Hera with a chair. Even so, she kept attacking, feeling she was close to killing the creature on her own. After a couple of minutes, Hera was starting to feel very tired. She didn''t have enough time to rest, and her foot was still a problem. But she still felt confident about her odds. The toad had vomited once more, allowing Hera to hit a poison spray directly in its eye. She had given up cutting the creature''s skin. It was too tough, and it left her too open for a counter-attack. She had to gulp down the last of the mana potions she had brought before the toad finally fell into the ground and stopped moving. Hera activated her [Observe] From a safe distance to be sure it wasn''t just faking it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Goliath Cane Toad (Corpse) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Feeling more confident with the situation, Hera activated her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Goliath Cane Toad (Corpse) A nocturnal toad that roams the woods of Brinefront. It is a carnivorous species commonly know to devour other frogs whole. Its skin is very resistant to slashes and cuts. It can lash out its tongue as a projectile through great distances. They become stronger and more powerful as they turn into the goliath variation. The toad passes through a secondary hatching process where its muscles are remade. Goliaths grow up to five meters tall. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Five meters?!" Hera exclaimed, looking at the toad. She already had a lot of trouble dealing with the three-meter version of it. If there were even bigger creatures like that one, she would die for sure. She looked once again at the monster. It was a waste to leave the carcass there. If she managed to bring it to the guild, she would probably make some good money. Looking at the map on her tablet, Hera could see that she wasn''t that far from the city. She could even connect to the internet. There were a few messages from Blue, asking where she was. Hera replied, telling her friend she was in the forest and she needed her help. She sent a similar text to Leo since the two were the strongest ones among the group. While waiting, Hera tried to push the toad towards the road. It was a complicated thing to do, especially since she was surrounded by trees. About fifteen minutes later, Hera had moved the corpse only a few meters when she heard a familiar voice. "Hera! Where are you?" Recognizing her friend''s voice, Hera called to her, "I''m over here, Blue. And don''t shout." Hera used the light spell to give away her location, even if that could be a bit dangerous. If another toad showed up, she wouldn''t be alone this time. "Found her!" Leo had just peeked through a tree behind Hera, "What are you doi.... WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" "Stop yelling. There are a lot of frogs in the woods. And this is a thing that tried to kill me. I need some help to take it to the guild," Hera was trying to push the creature between two large trunks. That was the only path she could find to take the monster out of the dense woods. "A toad?" Leo approached the corpse, "Holy shit, Hera, are you crazy?" "No, I''m not, I was working on leveling up. It''s more effective if you hunt alone." "Hera, I''m here! Are you ok?" Blue rushed towards Leo, followed by Bonnie and Alex. "Yeah, I''m fine. I just need help to haul this back to the guild." "What is that?" Blue pointed at the monster. "A monster that tried to eat me, but I killed it first. The one it ate got closer to having me as a meal than this one," Hera said, puffing up her chest a bit, still trying to make the toad pass through the gap between the trees. "And why in the fuck are you alone here in the middle of the night?" Blue yelled. Hera frowned and stopped pushing the creature, "Because I need to level up faster. That way, I can make more money." Alex, who was looking away from the creature, turned to the side, "Oh, man. Are you gonna tell us you have debt too? Honestly, this is getting ridiculous." Bonnie stared at the assassin but said nothing about her remark. "No, I don''t, but high-level explorers are expensive, especially after those things that showed up. Are you going to help or not?" "Why do you need high-level explorers?" Leo was still staring at the creature. "Oh, Hera. Is this still about Helena?" Blue approached the explorer. "Of course, it is! The rescue team just got in the Qeeroni Wilds. She''s been there for days, hiding and scared. If I had money, I could send people there. Or if by some miracle I can get high level enough to go, I''ll find her myself," Hera turned to the toad and started pushing it through the gap, "And right now. I need your help." As she finished speaking, the toad finally went through the trees, making Hera fall to the ground. "Oh, this better give some good money," Hera mumbled while walking towards her trophy. Leo looked at Blue, who just nodded and approached the explorer, "Hera, you need to calm down. I get that you really like Helena, but you can''t end up dying because you can''t help her." "No, you don''t get it!" Hera barked at Blue. She turned around and kept shoving the toad forward, "I don''t just like her. She saved my life. And I''m not trying to pay her back. I''m being greedy. Possessive and selfish. She is one of the few people who were kind to me in this damn world. One of the few who didn''t want anything in return. She saw me for who I am and not what the system says I am. I''m not losing someone like that. I don''t give a crap what it takes." The explorer kept shoving the frog, managing to cover a considerable distance. Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes, but not tears of sadness. Those were tears of anger and frustration. She hated that she couldn''t do anything to help Helena. She hated that she took so long to become an explorer. She hated that all that someone needed to do to make her that dependent on the person was to be kind to her. And she hated that she was willing to risk herself so much just for that. "Hera, we are all here for you. Even if she dies there, we are still around. Or do you think we don''t treat you well?" Blue said, getting closer to Hera. The notion of her friends not being kind to her made Hera forget her burst of anger. Had she never told them how much did they mean to her? "What? No, of course, you do. You guys are the best friends I ever had. But you only knew me as a recruit. She found me before all that. When my hair was greasy and messy, and I was crying in the rain." "So just because she knew you first, she gets special treatment?" Leo stepped closer to the toad. "Can you two stop putting words in my mouth and help? I never complained about how you guys treat me or said that I wouldn''t be like this if it was one of you." "Well, would you?! Be this crazed if it was one of us lost in a different layer?!" Bonnie stomped towards Hera, getting close enough to smell the dried up vomit on the explorer. The explorer stopped for a moment, "No, I probably wouldn''t be this crazed. Since there is no reason for one of you to go somewhere I couldn''t go, I would be searching for you guys day in day out. It probably would be worse because I could do something more tangible than just try to get stronger." The group stared at Hera. Yes, she was acting crazy, but her eyes steady. Whatever she had chosen to do, it wasn''t a spur of the moment decision. This was the path she wanted to tread. Bonnie put one hand on her head and grabbed some of her hair, "You are infuriating, you know that? I''m supposed to be dealing with my own shit right now." Bonnie walked in front of the toad, looking over the carcass. "You three, what is your strength at?" the researcher asked. "Who are you asking?" Leo looked at the rest of the group. "You, Blue, and the mad dog that brought us here. I''m not gonna tell Alex to carry this thing." "Oh, right. I''m at 14," The hunter replied. "12 for me," Blue raised her hand. "Mine is 15," Hera said. "Ok, so you two raise the body and Hera, you go under it. Then let the thing rest on your back, and the other two can help carry it. Alex, can you be in front guiding us?" The assassin nodded, already moving ahead. Bonnie turned to the rest of the group, "Well? Chop chop, I still haven''t eaten because we were waiting for you." "Oh, sorry," Hera moved towards the toad, and following Bonnie''s directions, the group started to walk back towards the city. They made the first half of the trip in silence. Only Bonnie and Alex spoke, giving the group directions on how to proceed. However, after reaching the road, Leo asked about the fight and how it was to hunt on her own. Hera told them all about her hunt, the frog that almost ate her, and how the poison spell she had made the fight easier. After around forty minutes, they reached the guild. The clerk working at the guild wasn''t as surprised as Hera expected. Apparently, the toad was unusual, but not exactly a rare sight. While the group waited for the clerk to confirm the value of the body they had brought, Hera remembered the texts she got from Blue. "Oh, right. You texted me you wanted to share some news with me. What was it?" Hera said to the group, who was standing a few meters away to avoid her smell. "Yeah, Leo got a text. Mark is coming tomorrow," Blue replied just before the remains of the frog that the toad ate came out of the corpse''s stomach making even the clerk feel nauseous. 97 Mark joins the battle In total, she had made 237 gold with the toad. Almost everything was because of its skin. She could easily make over 500 gold if she hadn''t used poison to kill the creature. That made its meat unusable for cooking. The frog that was inside it was completely wasted. Not only it was partially digested, the bits that could be salvaged were also filled with poison. Hera had to remember that she would need to hold back the poison spells if she wanted to make money. The group met up and headed towards the dry cleaning, Hera was wearing jeans and a t-shirt that she got the day before when Blue refused to let her get inside their room with the smelly armor. To Hera''s luck, she wasn''t the only one in similar attire. A couple of people seemed to have encountered the same type of issue and were waiting to get their gear with the cleaners. Hera picked her equipment and used one of the changing rooms in the dry cleaning to put it on. The group left and headed towards the doorway. Mark would arrive soon, and they wanted to be there. Even with the good news, there was still some tension in the air. Blue was angry at Hera for being so reckless. Bonnie was still trying to piece her family together, and Alex was annoyed at Leo for bringing his pet frog to the meeting. Not wanting to cause any more problems, Hera just kept looking through the various threads about what was going on in the Qeeroni Wilds. The people were safe inside the cities. The creatures only roamed the actual jungle. They had been identified as Wendigos, but the actual level was still open to discussion. Some would say they were level 80 while others that they could reach 85. There was also some discussion about the actual abilities of the creatures. Most of them behaved like crazed animals and were not too much of a problem if found in small groups. Yet, some people claimed that the creatures had various skills, from shooting thorns out of their bodies, to breathing fire or camouflaging themselves. "Hera," the explorer raised her head from the tablet to find Blue staring at her. "What''s up?" Hera smiled, trying not to anger her friend even more. "Any news about Helena?" "I only checked when we left the inn. They found the camp during the night, or at least night for us. Now they are following some tracks of people who managed to run from there." "Well... I can''t promise I won''t do anything crazy. But I''ll be careful, and I''ll stick to fighting during the day for now. As fun as it was, I''m not sure I can take another toad like that," Hera didn''t want to lie. She had no idea if something else would happen and make her go crazy. "Did you really think that was fun?" Blue asked, raising one eyebrow. Hera looked away and nodded, "Yeah. I mean, I almost died but the feeling that I could beat a monster like that during the fight. I felt strong and being able to forget about everything else was... liberating in a way." Blue kept staring at Hera for a few moments, "Hey, Alex!" The assassin looked at her, "Hera is one of us now." "What do you mean?" Alex asked, getting closer. "I mean she is a battle maniac like us. Even after almost dying last night, she still says it was fun." Alex laughed, "Good for you, Hera! Hunting is going to be an entirely different thing now." The three kept talking about how much they enjoyed fighting, getting some eye rolls from Bonnie until Mark came through the doorway, followed by Tiffany and a few others. "Mark!" Leo shouted and rushed towards him. "Wow, calm down, dude. I honestly wasn''t expecting this welcome," he said raising his hand and clasping it with Leo''s "You have no idea how much I wanted you here. I couldn''t stand being the only man in the group anymore." Mark rolled his eyes, "Yeah, fighting together with four beautiful women must have been awful." The rest of the group joined in, and Mark introduced the people he did the test with. He already had gotten his role a couple of days ago, but they all promised to go inside the MAZE together. Some of them already formed a group. Mark had a standing invitation to join, but he wanted to talk to his previous teammates first. After the group started to leave, Tiffany approached Hera and her friends and apologized for what happened during their test. Before the group could reply, Kenji appeared, and Tiffany dashed to his arms, giving the man a big hug followed by a kiss. Hera noticed that a few members of the group that came with Mark seemed upset with the sight. "Did any of you knew about them?" Blue asked. "Yeah, she told me, they started going out just before the test," Mark said. "Well. I honestly didn''t consider that. But what about you?" Alex asked. "The position of my girlfriend is still open. Interested?" Mark said, raising his eyebrows repeatedly like a cheesy character in a movie. "Not what I''m talking about. Are you ok? Don''t you want to go with them?" Mark shook his head, "Nah, they are fun and all. But there was no teamwork during the test. If there were an Anaya in the mix, we would all have failed. I rather be with someone I trust to have my back." Leo nodded, "Welcome to the team, then." "What do you mean, welcome? He was always a part of it," Blue said, slapping Mark''s back. "Ouch. That was stronger than usual. And why did that make my hair stand up?" The crafter complained. "Oh, my bad. I''m practicing a buff. It is just some static electricity, nothing harmful," "Wait, is that a skill?" "Nope. Magic," Blue made a motion with her hand, moving her fingers quickly. "Do you all have magic already?" Mark asked. The group nodded. Every one of them had learned a spell. "Ah, less than a month, and I''m already this far behind?" "Should we tell him we leveled up too?" Alex asked with a playful smile. "Awww, maaann!" Mark groaned. "I guess you just did," Hera chuckled. The group left the doorway and headed towards the guild. Mark had to do the welcome quest and get set up in a room. Leo was using a single bed one, so they wouldn''t share a room for now. After giving the crafter a tour, the group picked a place to eat since the walking around took most of the morning. As they waited for their food, Hera picked her tablet to check if there was any news about Helena. The last update was still the same, but she saw a new thread talking about the guild''s latest announcement. Checking it, she was redirected to the main guild website, where there was an article and a video from the chairwoman herself. "Guys, look at this," the group gathered to watch the small video. As Hera pressed play, Leliana Mihafrey appeared on-screen sitting on a desk with the Qeeroni Wilds in the window behind her. "Hello, everyone. As you know, a few days ago, we broke through the wall on the 25th layer. That triggered an event that caused the death of several explorers. Monsters called Wendigos appeared after the wall came down and attacked every living creature in sight. We can confirm that these creatures are at least level 80. We can also confirm that these same creatures are appearing in all rooms in the 25th layer. However, we do not believe them to be able to cross through doorways." As Leliana spoke, several graphs and pictures of the monsters appeared at her side. They had found three more variations to the Wendigos aside from the wolf, the monkey, and the rat. One was large and muscular, looking almost like a hairless bear. The other was smaller, and aside from the discolored skin, red eyes and bones coming out of its joints was clearly a sphinx cat. "We also have identified a few abilities that the monsters posses. Number one, they multiply quickly. Some nests were found, and in a matter of days, the fully grown creatures hatched. Number two, they can absorb the attributes of whatever they eat. The video from the broadcast gave us a small glimpse of it. However, they are not limited to a single absorption. Teams that are fighting the Wendigos must only fight them if they are confident of their success. With each loss we have, more the monsters will grow." The graphics showed some variations, Wendigos using light, fire, ice. Some had wings, others had long spindly members. One even had grown a second head. The graphics vanished as Leliana finished speaking. "Lastly, we have managed to find a few of our members that were at the campsite. Becca Swan and her team were rescued and are now recovering from their ordeal. We still have many people missing, and we won''t stop searching for them while we still have hope they are alive. This happened because of my failure to predict this possible outcome, and for that, I apologize. When this crisis is over, I will be submitting my letter of resignation as chairwoman of the guild. Until then, I hope I can still count on your support. Don''t forget. We fight together, we win together, and we survive together." The video ended with Leliana leaving the office, but the camera stayed in place. Then, the guild''s logo appeared atop of the chair she was sitting. "Is she really stepping down? I mean, no one could predict that?" Alex was still staring at the screen. "Maybe she feels guilty," Bonnie suggested. "I don''t know. When we come inside the MAZE, we are already accepting that we can get very hurt and even die here. I don''t think it''s just for that," Blue said. "My guess is some political pressure from the rest of the board. My uncle told me a few stories about how that happened inside the coalition more than a few times." Leo was already eating again. "Or maybe she just got tired to be sitting behind a desk. Did you see those guns? I bet she is itching to go after those things," Mark said, biting down on his frog hamburger. "Really?" Blue asked and rewound the video. When Leliana got up, they could see her arms. She had massive biceps, not as big as Frostbite, but much more defined. It was almost as if they were looking at a granite sculpture. "Daaaammmm," Alex gasped. "Tell me about it. I wanna look like that one day," Blue said. "Keep pumping your strength, and that will work," Hera said, going back to her plate. The group finished eating and headed towards the shop district. Mark had to introduce himself to someone from a workshop. He had been recruited by jasper to the Forgeshifters, and part of his work would be done here. After that, the group left to hunt. They wanted to test the new dynamic with everyone being able to use spells, Leo''s new pet, and now Mark in the mix. Before leaving the city, they discussed strategies. Blue had her electricity buff, but no one had something that could boost its effect. Alex had learned a wind enchantment for her weapons. It would make her attacks cut even deeper, and Hera could follow up, hitting the poison spray on the open wounds. That would only be a last resort since they still wanted to butcher the frogs to make some money. Bonnie had tweaked her cold bomb and now could make an area slowly drop the temperature over time. Since they were dealing with cold-blooded creatures, this could be a fantastic tool to kill them without even fighting. Leo had an odd spell. It didn''t affect his actual ability at first, but if he managed to pierce his target, he could make thorns shoot out of it or make the victim be wrapped in vines. Apparently, those were two different spells but with the same condition. Tiger, the dog-sized rain frog, also had a new skill. He could squeak to disorient a monster. It wasn''t a strong effect, but much like Blue''s buff, it could give the group some priceless seconds to avoid an attack. Mark would be near Bonnie, sending arrows at the creatures while the rest of the group kited them around. The man was a bit nervous about the possibility of hitting his teammates, but they promised to give him some time to practice. Just before leaving the city, Hera checked the thread one last time. Someone had updated the fixed post. The rescue team had found Helena and Samera, the assassin. The team would grab the two and head back to the doorway city before searching for Korey, the crafter. But communications had been cut short when the Wendigos attacked the group. That had happened just a few minutes ago. Hera''s eyes started to water. Helena was alive, and someone had found her. She still wasn''t out of danger, but at least the odds seemed much better now. Knowing that if she waited for the next update, she would go mad, Hera rubbed her eyes to clean the forming tears and moved to the woods with her group. Right now, she needed a way to distract herself. To be lost in the moment and forget about the rest. She needed a good fight. 98 Fighting with a full party Leo''s skill was a bit odd. The spikes that shoot out of his prey harmed more the area than the actual frog. It looked like the spikes were created after the muscles, near the monster''s skin. The holes were very superficial, but the thorns shot out fast. A tree nearby the fight got holes almost halfway through the trunk. Alex had swapped one of her daggers for a longer one with a curved blade. It was close to a cutlass, but shorter, just about the size of her forearms. Using the wind enchantment, it increased the sharpness of her weapon by quite a bit. Now she could cut deep into the frog''s skin and even make a considerable gash on the bone. Blue was more effective than expected. The more she moved, the stronger the electrical current became. Since she was always spinning around, dodging, and blocking, it didn''t take long for the electricity to be enough to stun the frog for a few moments. The fact that the monsters were always wet also helped a great deal. Hera showed how the poison spray worked. She put a considerable amount of mana in the spell to make sure it would kill it fast. In just three minutes, the frog was too weak to fight back. In another five, it finally died. The last to show off was Mark. He was already a decent shot, but his aim improved a lot during the previous couple of weeks. "Since I already was in the guild, I kept practicing every day. They even let me use one of the ATRs because of the tokens we found during our test," Mark explained as he removed one arrow from a frog''s eye, "The one issue is going to be having to carry the arrows. Jasper gave me a blueprint for them as a graduation gift, worst-case scenario I can make some arrows on the fly, since I have the materials. But the ones I make in the city will be much better," he tapped on one of the pouches he carried as he was talking. For the first time, Hera took a moment to look at Mark''s gear. He was wearing a small green hood that seemed to be a separate part of his outfit. Boots with a knee guard and baggy parachute pants tucked inside them. A beige short-sleeved T-shirt and two different belts, one on his waist and one going from the hip to his shoulder. The straps were filled with small satchels, and on his back, attached to his waist belt, was the quiver filled with a dozen arrows. "The only problem with all that is that you can only shoot 12 times. Can you protect yourself if someone gets closer?" Leo asked. Confident in each other''s abilities, the group decided to look for some frogs to hunt together. If they wanted to work well as a unit, they needed to practice. Initially, they found a couple of small groups with just four to six frogs. Using the familiar method, Hera and Alex circled around the monsters and quickly killed the ones farther away. Mark shot two arrows at the front frog, and Leo finished dispatched it with one swift strike in the middle of the eyes. Blue held the last one back while Bonnie hit it with a few air fists. They could finish the creature off by themselves, but it would still take some time. Hera and Leo attacked the beast from behind, delivering the killing blow. Leo looked at Tiger, who wasn''t able to help during the fight, "Sorry, buddy, It''s kind of hard to give you room with this many people," he turned to the group, "Say, can we go after a bigger army? This is a bit too easy." They had to agree. The fight was way too easy, and it wouldn''t have been different, even without Mark. They had figured out a nice rhythm for the battles. As a group, the frogs were hardly a challenge. They took five times longer harvesting the parts they needed for Mondy than actually fighting. "Guys, I know that we still need money, especially Mark, since he just got here. But could we just hunt for a while?" Hera asked. While she fought, she could forget her thoughts, but doing something less intense like butchering the frogs allowed her mind to wander. "Honestly. I''m in. I can get some pretty decent pay if I work in the forge. And it helps a lot with my role too," Mark was the first to reply. They all agreed with the idea. Bonnie wasn''t worried about money anymore, and the rest wanted to test their limits. Searching the woods, they found an army of frogs big enough to be a challenge. A dozen frogs were sitting near a pond, with a large green one in the middle. It was almost as big as the toad Hera had fought the night before. Agreeing to use the same tactics, Hera and Alex spread out and went after the ones on the edges of the group. Bonnie started to create the cold bomb while Mark notched an arrow. When an opportunity arrived, Leo sent the signal for the group to start. Hera rushed towards the frog in front of her, getting ready to attack the creature''s head. Before she hit it, Bonnie hit a cold bomb in the front group of frogs. That made all the monster turn towards the researcher. The movement made Hera miss her first strike, with her chakram she quickly slashed the frog''s leg to stop it from going away. With a follow-up move, her handaxe sunk into the monster''s back. Hera took advantage of that and used her weapon''s leverage to swing around the frog''s face and open its neck with her chakram. The frog still took a few steps before the loss of blood made it fall onto the ground. At the same time, Blue and Leo intercepted the frogs coming towards Bonnie and Mark. Surprisingly, Tiger, the small rain frog, held back one of the frogs on its own. The small creature would do some hit-and-run tactics, spinning around in the air to hit with its back instead of its head. Before Hera finished her frog, Mark had already shot four arrows towards the largest one of the group, hitting the monster in one eye. Two other arrows sunk deep into the frog''s face, but the last one was broken by its tongue when the creature lashed out, aiming at Leo. The hunter took a quick step to the side and lunged at the frog in front of him, his spear piercing the creature''s mouth. Leo pushed the monster towards the larger green frog in the middle of the group, and several thorns flew out of the one he stabbed. Four frogs were showered in spikes. At the same time, Blue grabbed a frog and tossed it over her shoulder, making the monster hit a large rock head first. She kicked the creature to the side and dashed towards the next one. Her static buff already making her hair stand up. Mark kept flinging arrow after arrow towards the fray. He aimed at the ones farther away from the group to avoid hitting anyone in the middle. Yet, one of the arrows flew by just a few centimeters over Alex''s head, as she appeared behind a frog stabbing its head, killing the monster in a single blow. Bonnie kept using her Air Fist spell to attack any frog that got close, giving room for her and Mark to change positions. In a little over five minutes, the only frog remaining was the big green one in the middle. Leo and Tiger were spinning around the creature, taking turns attacking it. Mark was busy taking back the arrows when Blue called to him. "Mark, keep shooting. We''ll get your arrows later." "Nah, let Leo practice with his pet," Mark waved off. "Honestly, you need more practice than them." Alex rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously telling me that I need more practice than the frog?" "Well, the frog didn''t almost hit me!" Mark opened his mouth a couple of times trying to come up with a response, but gave up and started to shoot the giant green frog, mumbling under his breath the entire time. The last frog finally died a few moments later. After a few minutes, the group was discussing what they could do better next time. "I think you need a way to give us a warning when you are using that skill, Leo. The thorns almost got me," Blue commented. "Ok, but how? If I scream or just say, watch out, it might scare away the monsters." "What if you say the name of the spell you are using?" Hera suggested. "Yes please, Let me get a video from it too. Are you going to scream while you charge up too?" Mark was already grabbing his tablet from the holster. "Yeah, not gonna happen. Not only because of that," Leo pointed at Mark," But because if I have to scream, the monsters might be alerted. Not to mention that when we fight things that can understand us, that would give us many other problems." "Ok, then what?" Alex asked. "What if you call the name of someone who is not in the group? Like ''Eddie, behind you?'' It would still be a loud noise, but the tone seems less aggressive," Bonnie suggested. "Maybe... It still feels weird. I wish I could get the coms that the coalition use," Leo scratched his head. "Why? What do they do?" Bonnie asked. "They work as an overlay when you connect various communicators together. It''s a visor with an earpiece. The basic one can already track your group''s position, and you can use it as a walkie talkie. The ones that are only available for the higher ranks can show the silhouette of your group even through walls, link your compendium to the display and even show how long your buffs and skills can last. It turns the combat into something from MMO." Hera watched as Bonnie and Mark got more and more excited hearing the description. Their eyes were glimmering by the end of Leo''s explanation. Hera had to admit that is seemed very useful, especially the part of linking with the compendium. "We can check the stores in the city later for something like that. I doubt something that useful is exclusive to Leo''s group," Alex suggested. The group agreed with the idea and went back to hunting. The next few armies of frogs were dispatched relatively quickly. But Mark was feeling down for being the only one without magic. Seeing how much it bothered him, they all agreed to go to the Arcanist Lookout so he could learn how to feel mana with the ruins. According to Bonnie, she could help him more than the trainers in the ATRs. At the Lookout, most of the group stayed near the ruins to increase their mana. Hera and Alex were the only two that wanted to keep hunting. Leaving the group, the two women kept killing the frogs in the surrounding area. After about three hours of hunting, Hera noticed that Alex seldom needed a second strike to kill one of the frogs. "Do you have a skill to increase your damage?" Hera asked. "Sort of, its part of my role skill. My hide got a buff. If my target doesn''t notice me, I can deal more damage with my attacks. It increased one rank since we came here, so now I deal about 30% more damage if my enemy doesn''t see me, but they take 70% less damage if they find me while I''m hiding." Hera considered that for a moment. As Berthellemy said, Assassins could be much more effective when hunting on their own. But the penalty for being discovered was rather significant. Although even without the advanced [Hide], no frog was able to detect her before she attacked. Not only that, if she could hide well, she would also be able to go to dangerous places without much of an issue. Thinking back on what she had learned about how to get a new role skill, Hera had no idea how to start learning it. Turning to her friend, she asked. "Do you mind telling me how your role test was?" 99 Team findings Hera was talking to Alex about her role and how the assassin skills worked. It was a bit different from what Hera expected. The hide buff wasn''t about making the skill more effective, but about making your body move in a way that would cause less noise. After she got the skill, she became more aware of the sounds that followed her steps and movement. The damage part was about knowing where to strike. When hitting a weak spot on the target, a skill would trigger increasing the damage dealt as long as the creature wasn''t aware of her presence. Alex also said that she wasn''t sure how that would work with attack spells. She knew that projectiles gained the same benefits as her weapons, but that was all. While explaining the concept, Alex and Hera also came up with a few ideas to allow the assassin to do multiple strikes before being discovered. They would attack the same creature together, but Hera would be in a more visible position. That way, the monster would think that the attack came from only one person, and Alex could attack again. It was a crude concept, and it would put Hera in a precarious position, but it could an interesting approach if Hera would be a vanguard. Leo and Blue kept talking about how the vanguard could work, now that they had one more person to protect and one more four-legged member in the front lines. Hera noticed how everyone was busy thinking about how to get stronger. It was nice seeing that even after coming to the MAZE, the group was still the same. Helping each other improve and having their little study sessions. "Bonnie, how the hell do you put Y mana into something?" Mark groaned. "What do you mean? You just do it. You say that this is Y mana and put into the equation," the researcher replied. "Can anyone else teach me? This is too much math for me." Blue turned toward Mark, "Are you better with logic? I use the programming method." "Wait, your spells are programmed?" Bonnie gasped. "Yeah, I might suck at studying, but I can understand logic. It''s even better if I don''t have to deal with weird languages and can just say. Hey, if this happens, do that." Blue started to explain how Mark could use magic with a different method, and even Leo joined in to watch the lecture. They reached the city when Mark was starting to understand what to do. Hera''s eyes were watering as Leo called her, "Hera, we are going to look for those coms that I talked about... Are you ok?" "Yeah, sorry. There was some news about Lena." "Bad news?" Blue asked. "Just news. She might be having some trouble, but she might be fine. It''s hard to tell right now," Hera cleaned up the tears that were forming in her eyes, "I need to wait and distract myself for now. You were saying something about coms?" Leo nodded, "Yeah, we are going to see if we find some version of the visor I was talking about around here." Agreeing to go for a shopping trip, the group headed towards the Taaffeite district, where most of the commerce for exploring gear was made. They spent about two hours looking for equipment. A few shops knew about what they meant but didn''t have any in stock. Apparently, it was something that was mostly used on deeper layers. After some time, they gave up on finding it in a local shop. Going online, they found a few models being sold on a few different websites. The cheapest model, the one that only had a walkie talkie function and the direction indicator for other linked communicators, was a whopping 7 000 gold. Giving up on the idea of getting the visor, the group went to a restaurant to eat. As they were eating, Leo got a message from the Crimson Coalition. They had scheduled a training program for a new group of recruits during the next day. It was a mandatory thing, and it only took so long for him to be a part of one because there were not enough members before. It would be a one-week program, and he would be instructed in combat tactics and maneuvers. By the end of it, he would be assigned to a battalion. He still had his freedom to do what he wanted, but from time to time his battalion would be called for drills and quests. Mark told the group that he needed to work in the workshop. It was part of being one of the Forgershifters. He needed to put some time into working at one of their forges every month. Bonnie also wanted to tweak her spells and see if she can learn new ones. She had a few quests for the Order that she could do right now, mostly research. In the end, Alex, Blue, and Hera were the only ones without any urgent tasks. During dinner, Hera tried to look for information about how to get her a new role skill. Talking to a few people online and seeing some articles about it, she was able to get some clues. Apparently, she needed to perform the same task one would perform while doing the role test they wanted. If she wanted to get the crafter role skill, she needed to learn how to craft. If it was the synch, she needed to change how her mana behaved. The best way to do it was to ask someone that had the role to explain how they passed the test. "Alex, do you mind talking to me about your role test? I want to see if I can get assassin as my second role skill." "Sure, I mean, what do you want to know?" As they ate, Hera asked about how her test was, what she did, and the requirements for completing it. According do Alex. Her test was about not being seen and killing specific targets. During the first few days, she had to pass through a hallway without triggering the noise-sensitive alarms. Then she had to sneak by several scenarios and kill her targets in a single move. There were a few monsters like wolves, monkeys, and such. The last test was about making her way through a cave filled to the brim with giant spiders that spread their threads everywhere. She didn''t have anyone to talk about the quest, only a video with a shadow figure explaining the task and demonstrating what to do. But between each quest, there was a side room with some food and water, and a bed for her to rest. In that room, there were also a few screens showing a few monsters and their weak spots. Hera couldn''t help to compare with her own test. The explorer''s role was about finding everything. She wondered what the differences were for other tests. Could fighters need to be angry to complete the quest? "Could you do that training with me tomorrow? I want to learn the assassin role skill," the table went silent with Hera''s request. She looked around to her friends, "What?" "You want to learn the assassin role? You? Hera? You?" Blue asked. "Yeah, I, Hera. What is the problem?" The group stared at each other, trying to see if someone else would say anything. Bonnie was the one that finally broke the silence. "Well, you are too... well... let''s say kind." "Yeah, you are too nice to be an assassin," Blue chimed in. "Exactly, It''s hard to picture you as a cold-blooded killer," Leo joined in the conversation. "What? I fight just like all of you. I already go for the one-hit-kill just like Alex. Why the idea of me being an assassin is so out there?" "Well. You are always helping us, and you try to be mindful of everyone. You are more like a deer than a shark," Alex said. "I killed the toad on my own! No one helped me. That makes me a shark." Hera crossed her arms, sitting back in her chair. "If you are a shark, you are small cute baby one, trying to nibble at someone''s feet," Mark said. Hera squinted at the group, "I can take any of you," she huffed. Blue laughed, "Probably, but that doesn''t change the fact that you are just a kitty." "Only more reason for me to get the assassinate skills. It''s time for the kitty to get its claws," Hera said before ordering a second dessert. "Awww, don''t be like that. Come here, kitten," Blue went for a hug, but Hera held her back, turning the controller''s face with one hand while wrestling with her arms with the other one. "And this is the third reason. This thing is my roommate. After today I need to be able to hide from that," Hera pushed her friend away, "Can you teach me, Alex?" "Sure, we can go tomorrow. It might be good for me to focus on increasing my hide skill." "Can I go too? I know that I''m part of the vanguard, but knowing how to hide better can help sometimes," Blue asked. Hera turned towards the controller, "Are you sure you are not saying that just because you would be the only one alone?" "I don''t wanna stay the whole day in the gym again. It''s boring to be alone," Blue pouted. "Don''t worry, Blue. You can join us," Alex said. "As long as you stop with the kitten thing. It''s way too creepy," Hera stared at Blue. Agreeing with her terms, Blue joined the hiding training. Finishing their meals, the group went back to the hotel to rest. Hera and Blue spent the last couple of nights watching old shows while they talked. As it had become her routine, Hera checked the thread about Helena as soon as she entered her room. There was a new update. The rescue team had made its way towards the doorway city in the Qeeroni Wilds with Helena and Samera. Both were injured but alive. Tears started to flow from Hera''s eyes while she read. Helena was alive. She wasn''t alone in the middle of those monsters anymore. "Hera? What''s wrong?" Blue asked as she left the bathroom. "They found her! They found Helena! She is injured but alive." Blue jumped over the bed and gave Hera a big hug. This time, the explorer didn''t push her away. She had been so worried ever since the broadcast. Still, Hera knew it would take a few days before she could see Helena. Not only would she probably be with the healers for a while, but it would also take a few days before she could travel all the way to the outside. "Is she ok? What happened? Did they say anything else?" Blue asked, letting Hera go. As they read through the thread, they found a reply from the leader of the rescue team. Helena, Samera and a few other survivors were holed up inside a giant hollow tree. Samera was hunting for supplies like food and water while Helena used her magic to hide the place. When the team arrived in the area, they fought a few of the monsters. During the fight, the tree was broken, and the team found the survivors. However, they were still dealing with a considerable group of wendigos. During the fight, they had to flee with the survivors. Samera was already wounded, and she wasn''t able to help too much at the time. Helena used her spells to hinder the monsters. Taking away their senses, but one of the creatures managed to attack her before being affected. Yet, they managed to grab the entire group of survivors and bring them back to the doorway city. Helena was with the healers for some first aid, but she would soon be sent to a hospital on the 10th layer. The guild had this protocol set up for every survivor of the attack. They wanted to make sure to give the best care available to the people involved and make sure there weren''t dangers involving contact with the creatures. Hera understood that it would take some time for her to be able to see Helena, but at least she knew that her friend was alive. "Do you still want to be an assassin? Wasn''t the whole point for you rushing to be strong to help her?" Blue asked. "Yeah, I still do. This just proves that I need to be strong to take care of my friends. And if it''s one of you guys in trouble next time, I want to be able to help. I honestly hate how useless I felt." Blue nodded, "I get that. Honestly, I would get a bit crazy if that happened with my family. If it were one of you guys, I would be in a frenzy, but maybe not as crazy." "You just called me crazy like three times in a row," Hera pouted. "It was just two and you fought a two-meter tall toad on your own, so the description is accurate." Hera poked Blue with her elbow and laughed for the first time since the assault on the wall. All the weight she was feeling on her shoulds simply vanished. They kept talking and watching some shows until they finally fell asleep. 100 Hide After meeting her friends, the trio grabbed a bite to eat and some supplies for the day. Hera checked her tablet to see if Helena had replied to the text she had sent to her the night before, but there was no reply. There was a decent chance that she would take some time to recover. Since Helena got hit by a creature more than 60 levels above her, it was nothing short of a miracle that she was alive. Seeing that there was nothing she could do but wait, Hera left the city heading towards the woods. Alex assumed the teacher''s role and started to explain what she had learned in her role quest. Every movement they made had the potential of giving away their position. They could not only create noise but change the smell of the area, or the temperature, or a myriad of things that a monster could use to discover her. The assassin made it clear that she was far from being a master at hiding, but she was improving at not making noise at first. Alex talked about a few of the tests of her role quest. While hiding from wolves, she had to cover herself in mud to avoid their sense of smell. So they needed to be mindful of their smell. Avoiding scented soaps and looking more for things that helped make their scent as neutral as possible. The best way to hide from something was to understand what senses their target would use to perceive the area around it. It was a bit surprising. Being an assassin felt similar to being a hunter. At least that was the impression that Hera was having. Although, all roles would benefit from having knowledge of their target. Alex kept explaining the different hiding strategies, but at the moment, most of them were unnecessary. The frogs used their sight to locate their targets. Their sense of smell and hearing wasn''t that advanced. For the day, they had to focus on not being seen and killing the monsters in one attack. Alex explained that the frog''s weak spot would be at the base of the skull on the edge of the eyes. The skeleton was thinner on the neck and hollow in the eye sockets. Using the eye approach, they would need to sink their weapons deep to make a one-hit kill, but if they went for the neck, they needed a good strike to disable the creatures. The first few tries were less than successful. Blue ended up making too much noise, either by moving too quickly or not paying attention to her surroundings. The first army of frogs found them before even Alex got close. The second, Hera and Alex managed to kill their respective frogs, but Blue ended up tripping in a tree root and falling on top of her target. When they started to get tired, they would harvest the frogs and send it to Mondy to make some money. By the end of the day, Hera felt she had improved slightly, and Blue could hide from the frogs with some consistency. At the end of the first day, Hera looked for ways to improve her hide more quickly. According to a few articles, the best way was to hide from creatures that were good at perceiving threats. The harder it is to hide from a creature, the better would be the result. Another option would be to hide from a person, but that method required multiple people. Talking with the group, they agreed to try that method the next day. It was good for both hiding and finding things that were hidden, so it would be a nice two for one deal. At night they met up with Mark and Bonnie. The two talked about what they had done that day. Bonnie was really excited about the research she was making. She couldn''t say much about it, aside from being something about items that had links to certain places. Mark told them how it was in the workshop. It was a lot of work, but he enjoyed the work. It was satisfying to create something with his bare hands. Watching the two so happy about what they were doing made Hera realize that she was missing something. As much as it was fun to fight, it wasn''t the same as when she found the cherry tree during her trial. She still wanted to get her new role skill, but after that, Hera was considering exploring the room for a while. Maybe someone wanted to come with her, but that was something she would worry about some other time. During the next day, Hera, Blue, and Alex spent time in the woods trying the new training method. They took turns hiding from each other and trying to find them. The tracker would stay 10 minutes trying to find the other two. After that, the ones hidden had to get close and touch the tracker. Hiding from Blue wasn''t much of a challenge. Only after she started to use her static buff, she managed to catch Hera before she tapped on her. Alex was still way too quiet to be seen by her. Alex was able to catch both Hera and Blue without much trouble. She could notice where the two were hiding before they even left the trees. Hera had some trouble to hide as she should. She wasn''t that aware of what her body was doing all the time. More than one time, she ended rustling some bushes or stepping on a loose branch. But after a while, she started to get the hang of it. She needed to do more than simply try to be sneaky. It was about trying to move with the environment. The concept was much more straightforward than actually doing it. There were too many variables to consider. If she paid too much attention to where Alex was, it was easy to forget about her surroundings. If she was focused on the environment, it was easy to lose track of Alex. At one point, Blue suggested that they work together to reach the assassin, but that would defeat the purpose of the training, so they let go of the idea for the moment. When Blue and Alex were the ones hiding, Hera would try to catch the hints of where they''ve been to find their tracks. She wasn''t finding a good way to do that. Her pulse spell was useful, but it required some luck to hit one of them at the right time. She kept trying to figure out how they were moving around and tested to see if there was more to the tracks. There was no smell. Although some branches and footprints here and there, Hera wasn''t a tracker, and she could only tell the directions of a few of the markings. Around the third time, she was the one tracking, Hera remembered about Helena''s spell. The one that would allow her to see the affinities of the target. Since Blue was using her electricity buff most of the time, and Alex had the wind sash, it was possible that she would find some trace of their mana. By the end of the day, Hera was able to feel some distortion in the area where her friends stopped. She even managed to distinguish the signals from both of them. Alex mana was calm, and it blended with the environment very well. It was hard to feel it. It was like looking for an out-of-place shimmer in the air. Blue made the mana more violent. It flowed oddly, almost like it was following circuits on a board. As Hera watched Blue''s mana in one of the last times she was the tracker. The violent mana started to shift, and little by little, the mana shifted, turning to clouds. It looked like heavy thunder clouds with some small flashes inside them. Even with the grandiose look, it was hard to notice the mana. The cloud was smaller than a grape. If Hera weren''t looking at it when it formed, she would''ve missed it. She was distracted, looking at the clouds, when both Alex and Blue took advantage of the situation and tapped Hera on the shoulder. She jumped away, spooked with the touch. Blue laughed, "You can''t say you were not expecting that," Hera shrugged, "Not both of you at once." "What happened? You seemed so close to being able to catch both of us," Alex asked. Hera didn''t answer. She was looking at the notification that had just appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell acquired Affinity Sight Allows the user to understand the elemental affinities of the target. The more mana used on the spell, the more sensitive the sight will be. Base mana cost: 50 per minute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She didn''t expect to be able to get this spell today. After the assault on the wall, it became hard to think about being Helena''s assistant. But now, even though she still was worried, Hera was able to focus long enough to learn the spell. Now she could start to help Helena. "Hera?" Alex was staring at her friend. "Sorry, I was reading the spell I got. It''s something Helena gave me, so I can''t talk about it. But it can help us a lot," Hera rubbed her eyes and opened a big smile. "Oh, I thought it was the hide level up. I was surprised with the new text, although it could have been because of my role," Alex said. "Wait, your hide is already rank 2?" Blue gasped. "Yeah, it leveled up when I finished my role quest." "That explains a lot, actually. I figured you had a talent for hiding," Hera said. "Well, I can''t say I do, but I did have fun in my test," Alex gave an odd smile to Hera. Seeing the sun setting, the trio went back to the city. None of them was willing to deal with the giant toads. They spent the next day doing the same drill, although they hunted a few frogs to get some money for the week. Eating out every day was starting to make a dent in their savings. By the end of the day, Hera managed to level up her [Hide] skill to rank 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hide (Rank 2): Improves your ability to erase your presence and blend with your surroundings. The more your appearance harmonizes with the place you are in, the more effective this skill becomes. Reduces the noise caused by your movement while interacting with yourself Requirements: Not being in the line of sight of your target/ hiding place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Asking Alex about the noise reduction, the assassin explained that it meant that her clothes would make less noise. Not by magic, but she would move instinctively in a way to minimize the noise. At the same time, a notification appeared in front of Hera. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quest Triggered: Explorer''s quest - Assassin Skill You have acquired abilities that mirror that of an assassin. You may attempt the assassin role test to unlock the assassin related skills. To begin the quest, head to a doorway, and the option to travel to the test area will appear. Restriction: Quest must be completed within 24 hours of arriving in the test area. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera read the notification a few times. The test would be in a different area, probably something similar to what the explorer''s test was. What worried her was the restriction. She would only have one day to finish something that took Alex close to a week to do. Not only that, but she also needed to figure out a day where everyone would be okay without her. Finishing the day of training, they went back to the city. As they were having dinner in a local restaurant, Hera received a text from Helena. 101 100 CHAPTER CELEBRATION Hera: Hang on, I need to make this banner just right. Helena: He''s coming. Everyone hide! The sound of keys came from the hallway, followed by the door closing. Perizou: Hey, everyone, I had an idea for the next arc. I''m thinking Hera could end up going to He is interrupted by a group of people jumping from behind the furniture. Perizou: AHGFZJK... he stumbles back, and the groceries falls on top of him Blue: Oh shit. Sorry! Hera: Peri! are you ok? Hera rushes to Perizou, trying to help him. Greyson: What is the matter with you, laddie? Ye need to be ready for any attacks. Perizou: Dude, this is my home, and I left the keys with Hera. I wasn''t expecting to be jumped by anyone in my own house! Helena: Well, you can''t expect us not to celebrate this now, can you? Perizou grabs the groceries with Hera. Perizou: Yeah, fair point. And this was a lot. I was only away for two hours. How many balloons is that? Bonnie: 150, it was supposed to be 100, but we didn''t find the bags with 50, only 75. Leo: And we had a competition. I was going well, or so I thought. Leo stared at Mark Mark: Hey, you are the one who suggested the race. Not my fault you have the lungs of a squirrel. Perizou: Don''t worry, guys. I loved it. But we are going to need more food. I only bought enough for three people. The doorbell rings and Hera opens the door, Runir is on the other side with a pile of pizzas on hand. Runir: You guys needed someone to save your asses, right? Blue: Yep. Thanks for helping, sorry for calling you so late we weren''t sure if it was going on today. Thomas: And I have arrived. Thank you, noble squire, for bringing me here. Thomas pats Runir on the back and places a 50 gold bill on his pocket. Thomas: Now that the main character has arrived, the party shall start. A large muscular hand grabs cover Thomas''s mouth and pull him to the hallway. Frostbite: Sorry about that, Perizou. He wasn''t supposed to be here yet. Perizou: Tell me about it. Just thinking about him at this party is giving me a headache. Try to come after you deal with him. Frostbite: Nah, some people here are not too fond of me, and I''m not one for big displays. Congratulations, though, and try to remember my retirement plan. Preizou rolls his eyes. Perizou: Will do. And thanks. They set up the food in the tables and put on the party hats. Hera: So? Is everyone ready? She receives a nod from the group. Blue: Peri if you will. Perizou: Oh? Me? Bonnie and Leo: Of course! Perizou: Ok, on 3. 1...2..3. The whole crew: THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT! The silly string starts flying around, covering everyone. Hera: Thank you all for reading my story. I wasn''t sure if it would be interesting. Blue: And for keeping up with our highs and lows. We try our best to make it fun, but sometimes we get lost in our mess. Leo: Thank you for putting up with our recklessness and obsessions. We will get better someday... right? Leo looks at Perizou, who pretends he is not listening. Bonnie: And sorry for any weird things. There is a lot we end up misunderstanding. Mark: And a lot that Peri has no idea what he is talking about. Perizou: HEY! Mark: Am I wrong? Perizou: No but you don''t have to rub it on my face. Helena: Don''t worry, sweetie. We know you are doing your best, even when you toss us in dangerous situations. Greyson: But next time, don''t forget about me. It''s been a while since A''h had a good fight. Runir: If we are asking favors, can you give me more screen time? Tiffany: Oh, I want that too! Me and my honey, please! Perizou turns back to you. Perizou: One more time. Thank you so much for reading this weird little story that came out of my head. Mark and Greyson: He means ass. Perizou: Can you please let me do my thing? This is already longer than I expected! Perizou: No.. well... maybe... I mean... Shut up. Perizou clears his throat and turns once more to you. Everyone raises their glasses in a loud cheer. 102 New Role There were some weird results with the tests they did here in the hospital, so I''ll be here for a while longer. I''m sorry for not setting up Blue''s admission with the order before everything happened. I''ll get on it as soon as I can have a moment. I hope the MAZE is treating you well. Hope we can see each other soon.'' Hera felt tears rushing down her cheeks midway through the text. Helena was well enough to be using her phone. This time it wasn''t someone else telling her that Helena was fine. It came directly from her friend. Cleaning her tear, Hera sent a reply. ''Lena, don''t worry about Blue. Take care of yourself, and if you need anything, please let me know. Things are going well here. I managed to hunt a giant toad on my own, and I can attempt the assassin role test too. Also, I figured out the spell you gave me. I just did it, but I''ll start to catalog the monsters that I see around here starting tomorrow. I hope the tests don''t come back with anything bad. And I''m really happy you are safe.'' Hera told her group about the text and how Helena was already up and about, but still needed some time before she could leave the hospital. "That''s great, Hera! Are you going to start your assistant job?" Blue asked. "I''m starting to get ready, but I''ll wait for Helena to get out of the hospital before asking about the jobs she wants," Hera said. "Oh, but do you have something to do right now, or are you just waiting?" Alex asked for the check. Today it was only the three of them having dinner together. Mark was dealing with a big order, and Bonnie was knee-deep in books. "Well, I want to get the assassin role, and that is going to take a full day. I want to explore around the room too. Not to find anything specific, just to see what out there. But that has no hurry. I checked, and the role thing doesn''t have an expiration date to start." "So, tomorrow, do you want to keep going with the training?" Blue asked. Her eyes were deep, and Hera had noticed the woman rubbing her eyes during most of the meal. "Your call. I got what I needed, but I''m not going to just go do my thing if you want to keep going," Hera finished her drink. "Well, I don''t feel like it''s doing much for me. It''s helping more with the repetition and letting me think more about how I move than actually hiding from something. I think I could train the same way on my own or in an ATR," Alex explained while fidgeting with the salt and pepper shaker on the table. "Really?" Blue asked, the assassin just nodded in reply, "Oh please, let''s stop then. This training is very boring, and I''m not sure I''m getting anything out of it." Since everyone was doing their own thing, Hera decided to go for the assassin test the next day. She needed to do it alone, anyway. It was a good idea to take advantage of a day where everyone was doing something else. Hera talked some more with Helena in the morning. The mage was feeling restless. Apparently, the doctors had found something odd with the results and were trying to figure out what it was. The main issue was that they were leaving her in the dark. Hera did her best to comfort her friend, but she wasn''t sure if it was effective. Part of her wanted to stay talking to Helena, but when she said she would do another battery of tests, the mage told Hera to get her new role skill. Unsure of what she would face in the test, Hera grabbed her gear, including the pocket staff that she had forgotten in her dresser. She picked a waterskin and some of the bandages from the first aid kit. She told Blue and Alex where she was going and headed to the doorway. When she touched the portal, a notification appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Role quest identified. Do you wish to begin the [Assassin] Role test? [Yes] [No] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera pressed yes, and a familiar feeling of being submerged in hot water covered her body as she froze in place. The bright light was blinding, and she had to close her eyes. A few moments later, the light dissipated, and was able to look around. Hera found herself in a reception room, filled with screens on the sides and a large steel door on the back. Behind her, there was a secondary door, but that one was clearly painted on the wall. Before she took another step, a notification popped in front of her ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Explorer''s quest - Assassin Skill You have acquired abilities that mirror that of an assassin. You may attempt the assassin role test to unlock the assassin related skills. Hide from the monsters and kill the targets in each room to complete the test. If you are caught by any of the creatures in the test, you will be sent back to the reception of the room. Rewards: Assassin role skill ??????????? Failure: The quest will be lost. To attempt the test one more time, unlock the next tier of related skills. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What? Really? So this is why people say it''s even harder on later levels?" Hera stopped to think for a moment. Even being that hard, it shouldn''t be that difficult to get all the role skills. Why it became harder when she got more skills? Before she was able to think too much, the monitors turned on with a message scrolling through the screen. ''The test requires you to kill the targets in each room before you can move on to the next. You must stay hidden during the entire time. If you are discovered, you will be attacked and transported back to the test''s starting point.'' "Ok, so If I fail, I have to start the room again. That''s on par with what Alex told me," Hera said to herself. "Not exactly, kid," A familiar voice came from behind her. Hera spun around, looking for the source of the voice. Her eyes meet a small green apple sitting on a desk. "Peaches!" Hera rushed to it, "How are you?" "I''m good, kid. A bit bored, but good. How about you?" "I''m ok. Some stuff happened, but things seem to be ok now." Peaches tilted its body, "Wanna talk about it? I can''t stop the timer just to warn you." "Ah, no. I mean, talking won''t help. A friend of mine was a part of the team that broke through a wall, and things got crazy." Peaches nodded, "Tell me about it. Those wendigos are scary things." Hera raised her eyebrows, "Do you know about them?" "A little. Not more than what you humans know. I just watched the broadcast and talked to the Qeeroni guide." Hera stopped for a moment, "Wait... How can you talk about other guides?" "There is no rule stopping me from talking about them right now. Besides, I''ve only said that they exist. That was something you could figure out by yourself," Peaches raised its body in a way that could be considered a shrug. "Oh, so can you tell me about them? Is there one that I should try to meet?" Hera sat on a chair by the desk. "I can, but I won''t. That''s not why I''m here." Hera nodded, "And why are you here?" "To do my job. Helping explorers get their skills." "Oh? Really? I thought you would be only in the first test." Peaches stared at Hera for a moment, "That''s on you, kid. You never asked if I would be in another test. And I did say we could meet again." Hera chuckled, "Yeah, but you were very cryptic." "Well, you were the one who looked like death." Hera nodded, remembering how hurt she was after the fight against the giant slime and how much Peaches had helped her during the test. After a few moments in silence, Peaches cleared its throat, "As I said before. You got something wrong in your assessment. If you get spotted, you won''t go back to the beginning of the room. You will be sent back here to the beginning of the test." "What?" Hera''s eyes went wide, " But Alex, an assassin friend of mine, said she would come back just to the previous checkpoint." "Yeah, that is the assassin test. For explorers, you need to do it all in one go." Hera frowned, "This seems unfair." "You already got a role, kid. Not only that, but you also got a pretty good relic. Everything past that is just you being greedy. Besides, you are just level 3. The challenges you face here will be very straightforward." Hera sighed, "Yeah, I guess you have a point. Any idea what I should do here?" Peaches nodded to the screens, and a video started to play. In the video, a shadow humanoid figure opened the reception doors and was met with a dense jungle. The figure began to dash and hide behind trees, bushes, and vines. Some other creatures appeared on the screen, but Hera wasn''t able to identify them. After around five minutes of the figure running through the trees, it found a larger shadow. Again, Hera was unable to figure out what it was, but the humanoid figure made a stabbing motion, and the screen went dark. After that, all the screens turned on once more. This time, however, they had several animals and monsters. There were a few pictures, a skeleton, and a description talking about their weak spots. "All of those things will be there?" Hera asked. "Not really. Just some. It''s up to you to figure out what''s your target," Peaches was looking around. "Could I just go find it and then get attacked so I can come back and figure out?" "You can do whatever you want, kid. But remember, you have a deadline. And we already wasted some time just talking. Not to mention the fact that you will have to go through each room again when you fail." "Right, this is a valid point. Let me see what the screens say," Hera nodded before turning to the information around her. There was a wide variety of creatures showing on the screens. From wolfs and monkeys to salamanders and pixies. In the middle, there was even a chimera and a vampire. "Peaches, is this information correct? I mean for the MAZE and not just the test," Hera asked. "As far as I''m aware, yes. The information is correct. But the strength of whatever you find here will be scaled to your level. A few of those things can kill you before you even realize what happened if they are in their normal levels." Peaches replied. Hera started to type everything that she could in her tablet. Trying not to waste too much time but still get all the information she could use, even if the creature wouldn''t be her target. After about ten minutes of writing, she was ready to make her first attempt. "Ok, then. If I pass this, will I still be able to see you?" Hera turned towards the green apple. "Yep, I''ll be in every reception you pass through. I''m also going to be watching you through the cameras. And if you need to rest or eat something, we have a room with a bed, a bathroom, and some fruit here," Peaches made a motion to the side where a small ''employee''s only'' door was. "Ok, thanks again, Peaches! I''ll see you soon." Hera opened the door, activating her [Hide] skill, and with her tablet in hand, started to move through the jungle. Peaches waited for the explorer to be far enough away and said in a whisper, "Sooner than you think, kid." 103 The diference between tests The moment the tablet screen came to light, a loud roar echoed through the jungle. Hera looked around and saw the monkeys rushing towards her. She turned around and ran, but every place she tried to hide or to run to was filled with more of the creatures. Less than seven minutes after Hera left the reception, she was teleported back. "Hey, kid. Bad luck?" Peaches asked with a playful smile. "Do you know anything?" Hera asked as she got up from the floor. "Maybe. Do you have any questions?" "Yeah, why did everything come at me the second I went to look at my tablet?" "Because it''s a test of your skills. Not what you can write down." Hera squinted while staring at peaches, "So I can''t use my tablet?" "Not inside there, kid." "What about other things?" "Like?" "Bandages, waterskin, weapons, my relic." "Those you can, a weapon is needed, of course. Water and bandages are fine too. Your relic is part of the reason why the test is harder," Peaches explained. "Right, and how can I tell what my target is? There were so many monkeys, but I couldn''t see anything different in any of them." "That''s because there isn''t anything unique among them. The creature you need to find is the only one that is from another kind." Hera considered it for a moment. The shadow that was killed in the video was different than the rest. It was good that she needed only to worry about two types of monsters. "Oh yeah, another thing. Why do people say it gets harder? If I rush to get the role skills, I could get them all right?" Hera asked. "In theory, yeah. But there are some restrictions. First, you can''t get more than one extra role skill at the same level. You, for instance, need to reach level four before getting a new quest. Second, the related skill needs to be higher than the last skill you used to get the quest." "You lost me there. What do you mean?" Hera asked. "What skill triggered your quest?" "Hide, it reached rank 2, and then I got the quest." "So the next role-related skill needs to be at least at rank 3 for the quest to trigger. So if your hide ranks to 4, the other skill needs to get to 5." "Ok... so that only applies to the last role that I got? So if after this I get fury or something, only the fury will be the limiter?" "That''s right, kid. Don''t ask me why, but that is how it works." "Ok, so no tablet. I have to rely on my memory. Let''s try this again," Hera cleaned the small amount of dirt and leaves out of her clothes and walked to the door, "See you in the next reception," she told peaches before leaving the room once more. "Whatever you say, kid," Peaches chuckled. Hera left the reception, going once more through the woods. Moving a bit faster this time, Hera already knew she was dealing with a jungle filled with baboons. According to the screens'' information, they were creatures that used most of their senses at once, much like humans. That also meant that their senses weren''t particularly sharp. She could take advantage of that. Hiding in the bushes and behind trees, Hera made her way through the jungle, trying to find the shadow that matched her target. It wasn''t as hard as she imagined to avoid the monkeys, but more than once, she had to jump into a large bush and wait for the creatures to move away. After around twenty minutes, Hera found a creature much larger than the others. A two-meter tall silverback gorilla was sitting in front of a fallen tree. The beast seemed distracted. Hera took advantage of that and sneaked towards it. She was trying to remember where was its weak spot. Unsure, Hera went back to the same routine she had while fighting the frogs. A swift strike in the back of the head. She got closer to the creature and swung her handaxe towards her target. The weapon impacted the monster''s skull, and in response, the gorilla swung its arm around, hitting Hera on the side of her body. She went flying to the side with the impact and hit her back on the reception walls. "Back again?" Peaches asked. "That.. really... hurt," Hera coughed, trying to catch the air that escaped her lungs after the impact. "Yeah, you need to do it in one go, kid. Or be quick enough to avoid everything else." After a few moments, Hera got up, "So I can still pass even if I don''t kill in one strike?" "Not all assassinations are done in a single move. Sometimes things go wrong." "Fair enough. Let me try again," Hera took a moment to analyze the gorilla''s information, to understand its weakness. According to the screen, it would be hard to kill it through a strike on the head. The skull was too thick to be pierced by her handaxe. Her best bet would be to make it bleed out. Feeling a bit more confident, Hera went through the doors once more. She followed the same path that she did the last time, hoping her target would still be in the same place. Hera had to avoid more baboons than the last time. A few groups seemed to be patrolling more intensely, but after 10 minutes, she arrived at the place where she found the silverback gorilla. The beast was still there, sitting in the same position he was before. The cut on its head now was gone. Hera moved closer, trying to get a good angle on the beast''s neck. However, the monster raised both its arms and fell backward, rolling around for a few moments while making loud noises. With the monster lying on its back, Hera rushed towards it and slashed at the creature''s neck, hoping to cut an artery. The gorilla attempted to move away, but he wasn''t fast enough. The handaxe cut clean through the side of its neck. Yet, this wasn''t enough to kill the creature. It raised from the ground and dashed towards Hera, who dodged and ran back into the jungle. She could see the red stream covering the monster''s torso, but the creature was in a frenzy. Its noise was attracting the baboons from the area. Hera needed to be careful not to get ambushed by them. She dove behind a tree and started moving around, doing her best not to make any noise. She attempted to hide once more. She climbed up a tree and hid between the branches. The silverback was too focused on the floor. If she managed to be long enough without anything hitting her, the monster would die. The gorilla kept flaying around on the ground, swinging its arms towards everything. The monster started to get closer to the tree where Hera was. She looked around and attempted to jump to a different tree. However, she failed to see the three baboons that were hidden among the branches. When she landed on the tree, the baboons jumped on Hera. She let go of the branch before they could reach her, but as she fell to the ground, the gorilla turned towards her. The creature seemed to be moving slower, and it was struggling to stay awake. The silverback rushed towards Hera, but it fainted before it was able to attack. Its body fell toward Hera. She tried to dodge, but the tree was in the way. Unfortunately, the silverback''s body crashed on Hera, sending her back to the reception. "Shit!" "Made a mistake, kid?" Peaches asked, seeing the explorer on the floor once more. "Yeah¡­ sorry for the outburst. I managed to kill it, but the body fell on top of me this time," Hera explained, lying down on the floor. "Don''t worry about it, kid. The last explorer I helped cursed like a sailor. Although, I''m not sure if that saying still holds true. And you got really close, nicely done." "Close would mean I''m dead. I need to get it right," Hera let out a long sigh, "Oh, and the thing about the sailors is still a saying. Not sure if it''s true, but people still say that." "Good, I''m not that old then," Peaches smiled. "How old are you, by the way?" Peaches stared at Hera, "It''s rude to ask a guide about their age." "Oh, sorry. I didn''t know," Hera looked down. Peaches started laughing, "I''m just messing with you, kid. I honestly have no idea. We don''t keep track." "So, you don''t celebrate birthdays?" "Kid, you only have 24 hours here. Actually, it''s closing into 23 now. Are you sure you want to discuss that?" Peaches asked. "Well, I have no idea when I''ll see you again. So yeah, I kind of do." Peaches chuckled, "Fair enough. I''ll be quick. We don''t celebrate birthdays, but we have a small party every time someone calls us. Well... most of us. I get mine when I give the skill to someone. Some guides though it was a good incentive to have more explorers. In the end, nothing changed. They don''t get how I need to be careful." "Oh, so it really is up to you?" "100%, kid. I''m the judge and jury. But honestly, my rule is just don''t be a greedy dick. You would be surprised how many people fail on that." Hera nodded, "Honestly, I think I get it. Most people suck." "I''m surprised to hear you say that. You seemed more open during your explorer quest." "I like you, and the simulations were simulations. Why would I be mean to them?" Hera explained. "So, you would act like that with everyone that is not people?" "Probably, until they show that they suck just as much." Peaches laughed, "Fair point. More people should live by those rules. Now stop wasting time and get out of here." Hera laughed and moved towards the door, headed out. Once more, after the silverback gorilla. This time the monster wasn''t at the same stop. Hera spent another ten minutes walking around looking for trackings or marks until she found the beast. This time Hera didn''t wait as long. She sneaked up behind the gorilla and jumped at its back, slashing its neck at the same time. The cut went deep, and a river or red covered its torso. The monster started to gasp for air while Hera held it in place. This time, she managed to open a large gash on its throat. In a few moments, the silverback went limp. Hera let go of the beast, and when the body hit the floor, it turned into shadows and vanished. Right in front of her, a door appeared. It wasn''t connected to anything, and even if Hera looked behind it, she could only see the doorframe. Opening it, she found a reception almost precisely like the one before. The one difference was the color. The first entrance was painted in a soft blue. This had a light yellow tone. "Hey, kid. Congratulations on passing the first part," Peaches was sitting on the desk the same way Hera left him in the first reception. "Thanks, how many are there?" Hera walked to the door on the back, the one that leads to the bathroom. "I can''t tell you that. But I''ll let you know when you are done." "Well, I hope so. It would be really mean to let me keep going while I was already done," Hera walked in the rest area, drank some water, and used the bathroom before going back and checking the screens. This time, she would be in a sprawling cavern. Several small shadows hid on the walls and ceiling, but the target was a long creature, almost like a snake. Hera looked at the screens and attempted to memorize all the information about the monsters. Feeling confident in her information, Hera opened the door and headed inside the cave. Even with her hide active, her footsteps echoed through the tunnels. The only way to stop the noise was to crawl on all fours, but that would make her waste too much time. After a couple of moments, Hera kicked a pebble by accident. The noise echoed through the cavern. Hera held her breath, hoping it wasn''t enough to warn the monsters. A few seconds passed, and nothing seemed to be coming towards her. As she started to move once again, she noticed that the wind seemed to be picking up. It didn''t take long for her to realize that the sound wasn''t the wind, but the sound of dozens of tiny wings approaching. Hera tried to hide as best as she could in the open tunnel, but soon she was swarmed by bats. Hera crouched down, waiting to be attacked, and suddenly the noise stopped. Raising her head, she was once again in the blue reception, with Peaches sitting on the desk. "Hey, kid. Bad luck?" Peaches asked with a playful smile. 104 Rinse and Repea "Hey, kid. Bad luck?" Peaches asked with a playful smile. "Can you please not say that every time I get here? It''s freaking me out," Hera got up, cleaning the dirt out of her clothes. "What do you mean, kid? It''s the first time you get here." "What?!" Hera stared at the guide with wide eyes. Peaches started laughing, "Sorry, but your face was priceless, kid." "Don''t joke like that! Those things freak me out." "I''ll keep that in mind," the guide said, still laughing. Hera huffed and walked inside the resting area. It''s been 8 hours since she started the test. So far, she had managed to pass through four different rooms. The first was the area with the monkeys. It wasn''t as difficult as she expected. The annoying part was killing the silverback in a single strike, but she still ended up being hit by the baboons more than a couple of times during her attempts. The second area was a cave filled with bats and a giant red centipede as a target. The problem was the noise. Any small disturbance would make them go insane, and the centipede was very noisy. Not only that, but the only way to one-shot it was by hitting it between the eyes. That was a huge problem. Hera''s best trick was to use her light spell as a flashbang before going in for the kill. The third room was a snowy mountain with a heavy wind blowing. Several wolves were running around that would rush to her the moment they got her scent. She needed not only to anticipate the changes in the wind but be careful not to sweat too much. The target this time was a white arctic fox. Killing it was easy, but getting close enough was the problem. The best way to do it was by either throwing her chakram or using the poison spray spell. However, using that second option required her to stay around and dodge the fox for about twenty minutes. If the situation wasn''t as time-sensitive, it would be fine. The fourth room was a swamp, and several flies patrolled the area. Hera needed to be very careful to be hidden from them. If they looked at her in the open, she would be spotted. The first few times Hera got in there, she was immediately attacked by the flies. It was a scary situation, the flies were just the size of an orange, but they were still much larger than what she was used to. The target this time was a snake. It was incredibly big, but nothing that didn''t exist outside the MAZE. It was still a big creature, and it was very hard to find the green snake in the middle of the swamp. Hera managed to find it twice, the first time she was caught by the beast, and they both fell in the water. The second time she was about to hit it, but one of the flies hit her arm before she was able to strike the target. "Soo, what have you learned?" Peaches asked while Hera was lying in bed. "Bugs suck," she replied. "And why is that?" "Because they can sneak up on me while I''m about to hit the bloody snake." "Try again, Kid." Hera let out a long sigh, "Bugs, or at least the bugs in here, have a very keen sight. They can notice even small movements." "And?" "And..." Hera picked the tablet and read through the information, "And they are not very good at noticing differences in colors and such." "So? What is the best way to deal with them?" "Just hide? No, that doesn''t seem to work," Hera stopped to think for a moment, "Maybe I should try to camouflage myself?" "Like the snake?" Peaches asked. "Yeah, I should learn from it, try to make its strength as my own." Peaches nodded with a satisfied smile. He wouldn''t give her the answer to the questions. But nothing was stopping the guide from giving her a little nudge in the right direction. "Was that the only thing you could use?" Peaches asked. "What do you mean?" Hera asked without getting up. "Was the snake the only one who could teach you something?" Hera considered what Peaches had just said. The snake was the only one that helped her in some way, right? Thinking for a moment, she tried to figure out what the other targets could show her. After some time, she sat up on the bed, staring at the guide. "Holy crap, the system is really smart," Hera gasped. Peaches nodded its head, "It can be, sometimes." "Ok, but help me out here. The centipede was about distributing my weight to minimize noise, or at least that''s what I think. If I can spread my weight better, even going on all fours, the noise should be minimal. The fox was about using nature to my benefit. If I stay against the wind is easier to sneak up on it. But what the hell is the gorilla about?" Peaches smiled. This was the right question, and she managed to pass by the first test with some consistency. It wouldn''t do any harm to answer that one, "Maybe about knowing when you can try a slow approach, and when you need to go for the sure kill." "Oh, yeah, that makes sense. When I don''t kill it in one blow, I end up back here." Hera was still thinking about everything while Peaches just watched the gears turning inside her head. After finishing her rest, the explorer got up, ready to try again. It took her five attempts to reach the fourth reception. This one had lavender walls. Hera read once more the information about her targets. The snake wasn''t venomous, but its body strength was enough to crush bones. It was also a very patient hunter and could stay in one position for hours. They were also very sensitive to heat. That could be used to lure them. Hera also wanted to be sure she could finish it in one single strike. She waited for a moment, thinking about what she could do to improve her chances. Hera looked at Peaches, "Tell me, does this place have some whetstones? I forgot to bring mine." "Check the bottom drawer on the rest area. I think there is one there." Hera went to the room and found what she needed. Taking a few minutes to sharpen both her handaxe as her chakram, she got the 1% buff to their durability. The blades also felt much sharper, even taking care of the weapons daily, they still showed some signals of wear and tear. "Wish me luck," Hera said to peaches while moving towards the door. "Go get them, kid." Hera left the reception and moved through the swamp. As she walked, she made sure to spread some mud and water in her clothes. The smell was far from pleasant, but it allowed Hera to blend better with her surroundings. She took ten minutes to feel comfortable with the amount of camouflage she put on herself. It was the weirdest make up she ever tried. After some time, Hera returned to her search for the snake. Even with the dirt and mud on top of her, she still was being careful. Moving slowly, she spent twenty minutes sneaking around before finally finding the snake''s trail. The mud had some markings, only something slithering around could make that. She followed the tracks for ten minutes, moving through a large part of the swamp. Only after that, she noticed some similarities in the area. The tracks were making a loop, Hera had just spent the last ten minutes walking in circles. The explorer frowned. Was the snake that smart? Could it be toying with her? Hera looked around, trying to see if any flies or the snake were around. Some of the mosquitoes were a bit farther away to her left, but no sign of the snake. The explorer ducked down and tried to focus on her hearing. There had to be some signal of what was going on. After a few moments hearing the buzzing and the noises of the swamp, Hera listened to a different noise coming from a tree on her left. She turned around and saw the snake dangling from a branch, staring at her. Hera stared back. For a moment, she could swear the creature was smiling. She picked her handaxe and started walking towards the tree, still staring at the snake. If the creature was smart enough to do this trap, Hera wouldn''t be able to hide from it. Her best option was a frontal assault. Moving closer, she felt like she was in the middle of a game of chicken against the snake. Hera stopped moving for a moment while a couple of flies passed nearby, not taking her eyes out of her target. As the explorer got closer, the snake retracted to the branch, getting ready to lunge at the incoming human. Hera knew that she would only get a single chance to kill it. If she failed, the snake or the bugs would hit her, and she would be back in the first reception. Inch by inch, Hera got closer to the snake. She needed to wait for the beast to move first. Step by step, the explorer approached until the snake lunged at her with her mouth open. Hera took a step to the side, but her feet were caught on a tree root. Unable to dodge, she held her handaxe and attempted to block the attack. The snake went straight into the blade of the axe, ripping the beast in two. Hera held her breath, already waiting to appear on the blue reception once more. Yet she didn''t change locations. Looking down, she could see the snake''s fang hitting the leather armor in her chest. The impact with the handaxe was barely enough to take away the creature''s momentum and save her from the attack. "This was way too close," Hera mumbled while walking to the door that just appeared. "Hey, kid. Nice job, but you need a shower," Peaches said as Hera walked into the room with light pink walls. "Ha ha. Very funny," Hera rolled her eyes. "Not a joke, kid. You reek. My nose is burning just by being near you." "Since when do you have a nose?" "Since always. Not my fault you can''t appreciate its beauty." Hera stared at peaches. Aside from the eyes and mouth, there was nothing else on his face. She was sure of it. The explorer grabbed some water in the rest area and played the video for the next room. According to Alex, after dealing with rooms dedicated to specific senses, she had to deal with a room with something different. The spiders and their web. In the video, the shadow figure opened the door and dove into a large body of water. It spent some time swimming in the waters, hiding from large fish creatures until it found its target in the middle of a reef. After that, she focused on the screens. All the information this time was about aquatic creatures, from whales and dolphins to jellyfish and shrimp. So far all the tests had been against different creatures than the ones Alex had to deal with. However, this was the first time that the variation was so big. "Sooo... Am I supposed to get a scuba suit somewhere?" Hera asked. Peaches chuckled, "Well, if you have, you can use it. But you can breathe in that water." "Really?" "Yeah, Kid. Perks of the MAZE. Some rooms have breathable water." "This is going to be weird," Hera said. "Weirder than talking to a green apple?" "Maybe not, but what about my tablet? Can I leave it here?" "Yeah, anything you leave here will show up in the next reception, or the previous one. The next one, you show up in." "Ok, I''m leaving my tablet here then. The guild says this is waterproof, but I''m not too keen on putting it to the test in the ocean." Peaches nodded, "Fair point. And are you going like that?" Hera looked down. She was still covered in mud and dirt, and some snake blood now. "Yeah, no. There are sharks on the screens. I''m gonna wash this out since I''m already getting wet anyway," Hera walked to the rest area and took a shower with her clothes on to clean everything up. She made sure to clean every piece of clothing and leave no blood, dirt, or soap in her body. That could be used to track her. Half an hour later, she was standing in front of the door. She glanced at the timer that was on one of the screens. She was closing in the 10 hour mark, and she was already feeling a bit sleepy. "Let''s hope this is the last one," she mumbled before diving in the ocean waters. 105 Underwater streamed through the night As we prayed to the heavens to bring on the light With a cackling laugh, the witch took flight basking in joy, seeing our plight ''You thought I was the one to fright, now you all shall perish in this undead blight'' Irene Guillan - The march of the hollow ################################### Hera needed some time to get used to her surroundings. First, it was the fact that she was in an ocean and had to swim to move. Second, the notion that she could breathe underwater. Instinctively she would hold her breath, and during the first ten minutes, she kept hurrying to the surface when she was running low on air. Moving around in the water was a problem of its own. Hera wasn''t able to move as freely as she was used to. Before rushing in, she spent around twenty minutes swimming around the entrance before she was confident enough to look for her target. A good thing about the room was that the water was always clear. Hera could see the ocean floor even from the surface. This wouldn''t be possible in an actual ocean, but it seemed to be another MAZE trick. She started to move, looking for something that could give her a hint. After some time, she saw dark shadows moving around. She dove deeper into the ocean, trying to hide on the ocean''s floor. As she got close, Hera noticed a coral reef to the side. It wasn''t big, but it could be enough to protect her from whatever was coming. The shadow got closer and closer, and Hera could see that it was a large hammerhead shark. The beast moved above Hera, who held her breath until it passed through. "Great, if those things find me, I''m done," Hera thought. She kept swimming close to the bottom. Luckily, there were few of those creatures moving around. Hera spent another twenty minutes swimming and looking for the target. Thinking about the video, she remembered that the target seemed to be hidden on the floor. She used her pulse to see if something would appear, but to no avail. She kept thinking about what could be the target and how she could find it, but it was getting more and more difficult to move around. The sharks were passing by more frequently. Hera stayed as hidden as she could, trying to figure out if the sharks had somehow found her. Hera started to go through everything that she did up to this point, trying to see if there was anything that could have given her location away. The more time passed, the more the sharks closed in on her location. Hera started to get more and more worried, watching the shadows pass by her. There was no way they had seen her, was there? She looked up once more and saw two sharks making a B line towards her. Her heart started to beat faster, and Hera moved as fast as she could towards the manta ray. All the ten sharks rushed towards Hera. Before she even was able to cover half the distance towards her target, the sharks reached her. Biting down on her arms and legs and sending Hera back to the first reception. Hera coughed up the water in her lungs and kept lying down. "Are you ok there, kid?" Peaches asked. "Yeah, I just wanna stay here for a while," Hera said with her face still on the floor. "What went wrong?" "No clue, the sharks started to get close to me even though I did a pretty good job at hiding." "Were you bleeding or something?" "Nope. I was fine." "What the information said?" Peaches asked. "Pass me my tablet. I''m not getting up yet." Peaches shoved Hera''s tablet towards the explorer. She moved quickly to grab the tablet before it fell on the ground and started to look through her notes. "It says they are experts in detecting the smell of blood in the water," Hera said. "What else?" "They are fast, can''t stop moving. Ferocious and lethal. And they have some sort of electromagnetic detection, whatever that means." "And what does that last thing do?" "It can make the sharks perceive the magnetic fields of the earth." "And?" Hera read more of her notes, "Differentiate between animals and plants because of the electrical current on the brain," she got up quickly, "Wait, those sharks can use it to find me? How am I supposed to hide from that?" "You have to find that out." "Ok.. is there a way to lower that current?" "I honestly don''t know. Sorry about that, kid." Hera stayed a couple more minutes sitting on the floor, trying to see if she missed anything else about the monsters she had encountered. It seemed like there was nothing new, and in another ten minutes, Hera got up, ready to try again. One thing she noticed was that her clothes were dry at the moment. According to Peaches, every time she got teleported out, anything that she didn''t bring to the test would vanish. Setting out once more, Hera took another 2 hours to reach the ocean stage again. She kept being hit by the flies or the snake. The reptile was more intelligent than she expected. It would create traps and ambushes to get her. During the entire time she completed the rooms, Hera kept considering what she could do to avoid the sharks. She believed there were only two options. She could either move fast enough so the sharks wouldn''t swarm her. Or she could find a way to reduce the electrical current on her brain. The problem with the first option was that it relied too much on luck. The issue with the second option was that Hera had no idea on how to do that. The only thing she could think of was to use a spell or to think less. But her movements would trigger the electrical current, anyway. She was already fighting nonstop for close to twelve hours, and the fatigue was getting to her. Hera took a deep breath to calm herself before jumping in the ocean. The cold water helped to keep her awake, even with the sound of the sea around her having a calming effect. Hera went straight to the ocean floor and started to look for any signals of the manta ray. It was a difficult thing to do. The only things that could give Hera some semblance of position were the small coral reefs spread around the area. Even so, it all looked the same. She wasn''t able to use it to position herself in the room. Hera focused on the sharks moving around her. Several times she had to hide from the creatures under the reef. At one point, she noticed a shadow approaching by the corner of her eye. She twisted her body, trying to swing her handaxe toward the incoming creature. As she moved, the shadow vanished as if it was never there. Hera kept looking from side to side, trying to find the beast that was coming, but to no avail. She felt something by her legs and stomped, trying to stop whatever it was from grabbing her. The manta ray, who had just passed the explorer, turned around and attacked Hera with its stinger. Appearing once more in the blue reception, Hera was still trying to understand what happened. "Hey, kid. Bad luck?" "I don''t know. But I need to try again," she said, leaving the reception before peaches could even say anything else. Less than five minutes later, Hera appeared once more in the first reception. "Do you know the definition of crazy, kid?" Peaches asked. "I do, but you are going to tell me anyway," Hera was sitting on the floor, looking at her hands. "You are right. Crazy is someone who spends more than 12 hours fighting without rest." "But I only have more 12 hours to beat this. If not.." "If not, you can try again later. Besides, you humans only need 6 to 8 hours of sleep, right? Maybe 10 since you are so tired. It still gives you quite a bit of time to keep trying," Peaches cut Hera off. "I guess. But I need to figure out," Hera let out a long yawn, "How to beat the test." "Kid, you need sleep. Go rest. I''ll wake you up in six hours. Deal?" Hera wanted to disagree, but she was too tired to argue. She got some water and ate something before crashing on the bed. "You really need to stop pushing yourself so much, kid," Peaches said while Hera started snoring. ######################### "Do you have someone to talk about this?" the doctor asked. Helena was staring at the result of her exams. The little knowledge about medicine she had was enough to understand what was going on. "Miss Dittro?" the doctor asked again. "Sorry, I was distracted. What was the question?" Helena asked. "Do you have someone to talk about this?" the man in front of her asked once more. Helena gave the man her professional smile, "As you said, doctor. My issue is very unique. I don''t think I know someone who could relate to this. But yes, I have people who will at least listen to me." "That''s good. This is not something you should deal with on your own," the man nodded and avoided her gaze. Helena knew that giving this sort of news wasn''t easy, and since he was the one taking care of her, he felt guilty for the result. "Do I still need to be here?" Helena asked. The doctor shook his head, "No, not at the moment at the very least," he took one of his business cards from the desk and wrote down his contact information, "This is my personal cellphone and email. Any changes, please let me know. If we have any developments on our end, I will contact you. We will just do one last basic check-up and discharge you." Helena kept looking at the doctor. She knew he was a powerful healer but not even with magic and enchanted tools, they were able to find a solution. "I''ll contact the guild. They will escort you back home and talk about what is going to happen moving forward," the doctor said. Helena nodded, "Can I go back to my room? I want to be alone for a moment." "Of course, but just to let you know, we will be monitoring your vitals. Just a precaution in case you attempt to harm yourself." "You don''t have to worry about that, but I appreciate the warning." Helena left the doctor''s office and headed to the room she was staying in the hospital. A few people stared at her while she walked, but Helena didn''t notice it. She had too much on her mind. Arriving in the room, Helena sat on the bed and focused on her hands. A few moments later, tears started to fill her eyes. ######################### "Kid," Hera didn''t move an inch. "Kid?" the explorer moved a bit, getting more comfortable on the bed. "KID!" Peaches jumped on top of Hera, hitting her stomach. Hera got up with a jolt, spooked by the sudden attack. "What, what?" she fumbled for her weapons, "Are the sharks coming?" "Really, kid? You were even dreaming about that?" Peaches turned around in the bed after being tossed away from the explorer, "No, they are not coming. You slept for 7 hours. I tried to wake you an hour ago, but not even jumping on your head was enough." Hera rubbed her eyes, still a bit sluggish, "Ok, so I have.. 4 hours remaining?" "5 actually. Splash some water on your face to wake up. You still have time, but It''s better if you don''t wait around too much." "Ok, thanks," Hera walked to the bathroom. A couple of minutes later, she returned to have a small breakfast. With everything, ready Hera walked towards the door that leads to the jungle. Before stepping out, she looked to the clock. "Five hours, you can do this, Hera." "Yes, you can, kid. Just don''t rush it." Hera nodded and walked out of the room. She still needed to start with the silverback, but her goal was to kill the manta ray. 106 Growth To deal with the sea creatures, her plan was simple. Move fast and hide. Hera realized that the longer she stayed underwater, the faster the sharks would come after her. Hera kept swimming fast, not staying long in the same spot. Even a few times, when the sharks were close, she moved from one reef to another, trying to find the manta ray. After ten minutes, she still wasn''t able to find her target. The sharks were already closing in or her location. Hera looked towards the circle that the beasts were making, and in the middle of it was the manta ray, swimming without a care in the world. She clenched her fist and pressed her legs on the ocean''s floor. Her only option right now was to avoid the creatures and go for her target. Activating her [All In], the explorer shot up towards the shark whirlpool. The first four took too long to move, allowing Hera to pass by. The next three rushed towards her but failed to connect with their bites. Hera could see her target, and she was ready to attack the manta ray. Three more sharks were closing in, coming from the sides. She still had a chance. All she needed was to be faster than them. However, when the two sharks came from above the manta ray, she knew it was over. She got bitten by the two sharks at once and appeared once more in the blue reception room. "Bad luck, kid?" Peaches asked. "Can you please stop asking that?" "Sorry, old habits." Hera took a moment to rest, "I even used my skill on that." Peaches asked what happened, and Hera told about where the target was, "Oh, kid. That was bad luck. Some rooms have creatures that work together." Hera started went in the jungle room one more time. A couple of failures later, she was back at the reception with light pink walls. This attempt was much shorter than the previous ones. Hera ended up in an area without reefs big enough to hide. Just thirty minutes after leaving the first reception, she was teleported back. At least her time was improving. In her next attempt, Hera managed to get to the ocean in one go. This time Hera dove into the water right away. She was feeling pumped and ready to begin. Instead of staying close to the floor, Hera took a risk and stayed near the surface. A few sharks were roaming with their fins out of the water. That allowed Hera to have a better idea of where the creatures were. Five minutes after entering the room, she found the manta ray. Hera moved closer to the creature, waiting for it to be completely hidden. She looked to the sides and noticed a couple of sharks heading her way. She wouldn''t be able to wait for too long before attacking. Closing in the manta ray, Hera got her handaxe ready. She stood behind her target, trying not to block the light coming from the surface, and slashed at the manta ray''s midsection, hitting the sand under it. Hera pulled her handaxe back, splitting the back side of the creature. The sharks were still approaching. Hera looked around, trying to find the door. Near a reef, the door frame appeared. She rushed towards it, worried the sharks could still get her. She managed to reach the door, but pushing it was weird. It took a lot of effort to make it move even a little. Shoving both her legs into the sand, Hera opened the door. She looked back and saw a shark approaching quickly. Grabbing the doorframe, Hera pulled herself towards the reception. Hera closed the door in a hurry, afraid the sharks could still reach her. "You don''t have to do that, kid. They can''t come in here," Peaches said. "Well, I''m not taking any chances. It took a lot of me to get here." "But you can do it again, kid. Is that or passing the next room on your first try." Hera''s shoulders slumped, "There is more?" "That''s up to you." Hera frowned, "You know that cryptic thing you do is a bit annoying." Peaches chuckled, "Sorry about that, kid. I got used to being like that in the other test. This can be the end of your test. Or you can try one more room." Hera stared at the guide for a moment, "What is the catch?" Peaches smiled, "If you finish now, you get the skill and the perks that come with it. If you beatthis next room, your relic will receive an upgrade." Hera squinted at the green apple, "But?" "You are catching on quick. But you only have one chance. If you fail, that''s it." "If I fail, I fail the whole test?" "Oh no, my mistake. I meant that this last room is a one chance thing. If you fail, you will go back to the beginning of the test. Then you need to pass the ocean one more time." Hera looked at the timer, "I still have around three hours. I think I can do it. It''s not going to be a huge room like the one on the explorer''s test, right?" "Nah, It''s much smaller. But it will be harder for you. Well, maybe not." "Why?" "Are you doing it? I can''t tell you if you are not." Hera looked again at the timer. Even if she wasted two hours there, she could still come back and have a chance at beating this test. "I hope I don''t regret this. But I''m in. Should I go through that door?" Hera pointed at the door on the other side of the grey-colored reception. "Not yet," Peaches looked at Hera. A second later, a notification appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quest Updated: Explorer''s quest - Assassin Skill You have acquired abilities that mirror that of an assassin. You may attempt the assassin role test to unlock the assassin related skills. To begin the quest, head to a doorway, and the option to travel to the test area will appear. Hidden goal: Complete the mission responsible for creating the assassin role. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What is this about the creation of the role?" Hera asked. "As an explorer, you can discover the history of things. Not that other people can''t, but you have a special knack for it. Well, it would be more like the MAZE will give you more information about the history of things." "This seems more than just giving information," Hera said. "True, from time to time, you will find things like that. Places that the MAZE doesn''t simply give you a hint, but just slaps you with the information," Peaches laughed. "The MAZE gets weirder by the second," Hera sighed. "You have no idea, kid." The screens flickered around the room, and several images appeared. They were all paintings, tapestries, and other artistic representations from the middle ages. "Well, since this is my job, let me tell you a story," Peaches said, "A long time ago. In the ages of kings and nobles, it was very common for powerful people to employ their own force of assassins. Wars would start and end by their hands, kingdoms would fall, and empires crumble. All that was needed was a single well placed poison or one well executed ambush. That was also true inside the MAZE. A good assassin could change the tide of battle, hiding in the shadows and taking out the monsters in a single strike." Peaches pointed Hera towards the screens with the part of the story he was telling. It started with a tapestry of a king, then a painting of a shadowed figure looking at a burning city. "The ultimate proof of the role''s worth was when an empire in the MAZE plotted to conquer all the rooms. The emperor had used magic to create an army of undead soldiers under his command. Each enemy that fell by the undead''s hand would raise and become a part of the emperor''s army," The guide pointed towards a picture of a skeletal army with one human in the middle. "A king, sadden and angry after seeing his soldiers sacrifice perverted like that, went after the emperor on his own. The king was not a warrior nor a commander. He was raised to perform the role of a killer, and only by an unfortunate disease that fell upon his family that he came to bear the crown." The painting showed an imposing figure with a silver armor filled with sea-themed ornaments. The crown on his head gave Hera the impression of two waves crashing at each other. For some reason, Hera felt that the figure was familiar somehow, but she wasn''t sure where she had seen it. "The king invaded the emperor''s palace alone. He avoided all his guards and patrols and reached the emperor''s bed chambers. Thanks to the emperor''s hubris, king Gwendelan was able to slit the mad ruler''s throat while he slept. However, his success was not without a price. By killing the emperor, he inherited the ability to control the undead army, but he would not be able to harm them or to dispel the magic. To protect everyone, Gwendelan, the first assassin, called all his troops to the castle and sealed it off. He made sure that nothing would break the seal, not as long as he was still around." The last few paintings showed the king sneaking in the castle, killing the emperor, and controlling the undead. The final piece, however, was a tapestry of king Gwendelan as an undead. There was a small symbol on the corner of it, a pair of waves crashing at each other and an olive branch in the middle. "This was the moment the system ruled that assassins would be a part of the roles, although the actual roles still took some time to appear." Hera stared at peaches, "Wait, so the system figured out the roles but waited before giving them to us?" Peaches nodded, "Yeah, don''t ask me why. Maybe it wanted to cover all the bases before making the change." "This is too much for my head," Hera said. "Don''t focus on the reason. Just listen to the story. Now, for the actual test," the screens shifted, showing a couple of skeletons and humans as well as several blueprints of the emperor''s palace, "You will have access to everything Gwendelan had. All you need to do is recreate his mission. You don''t need to move the same way he did. In all honesty, you can''t even get close to his skill right now, but you need to accomplish the same result. And don''t worry, this still is scaled to your level." "Ok... can I use my tablet this time? Memorizing all those blueprints will be very tricky," Hera asked. "No, if you do, it will be just like with the monkeys." "Fine, let me see where to start." Hera began to formulate her plan. Gwendelan had a very thorough report, from the change in shifts to what the soldiers would eat and even their fears or allergies. The blueprints also had notes about places that could creak or give away his position as he walked by. "Did king Gwendelan really found out all this?" Hera asked. "Yeah, he and his spy network. Many lives were lost to gather that intel." Hera nodded. The fact that many people had died to get this was all but surprising. As she kept going through the report, a thought occurred to her. "Peaches, will I have to kill humans in there?" "They will be simulations of humans, but yeah. As the name of the role implies, it was created to kill people. Even if humans seem less gung-ho about killing each other now, I doubt that the need for assassins will ever disappear." Hera kept staring at the screen that showed the emperor. According to the information, he was as evil as it gets. He killed most of his people to turn them into undead. He would use peasants and children as meat shields for its army, and he was terrible even before getting that power. To become the emperor, he killed his entire family, including his mother and his infant brother. Even with all that, killing a person was something Hera had never considered. Not like this. If it were self-defense, it would be one thing, but killing someone in cold blood was different. Could she do it? Peaches stayed quiet while Hera formulated her plan, but he was still keeping track of the time. She was reading the intel for half an hour already. The guide didn''t want to rush her, but he still couldn''t help but give a push. "So, kid. Ready to try?" 107 Infiltrating the palace This was the point that king Gwendelan used to infiltrate the palace. Under one of the bags, there was a loose stone that lead to an underground tunnel. This was part of the emperor''s escape route, and none of the soldiers knew about it. According to the intel, there would be a human guard in the corridor outside the door, but he would go for a shift change in two minutes. That gave Hera a one minute window to leave the pantry. Following that, she would head towards the balcony to climb to the next floor from the outside. Hera pressed her ear against the door, listening to the guard''s footsteps. After a few moments, she heard the noise echoing through the corridor. It was the sound of heavy metal greaves rattling against each other. Hera held her breath as the noise got closer and passed through the door. Vanishing on the other side of the hallway. When the footfalls were far enough away, Hera left the room, making sure to close the door behind her, and sneaked to the other side of the corridor. She went towards a window beside the balcony. Hera focused on the surrounding sounds. Getting close to a door, she heard something being dragged inside the room. Using what she had learned in the cave room, Hera crouched down and spread her weight to minimize the noise she was making. According to the map in the report, the door would lead to a storage room for the undead. After passing through it, Hera walked onto the balcony. The view was breathtaking. A massive city in beautiful red and gold tones covered the entire landscape. Even in the dark of night, the lanterns gave the town a mystic look. Hera shook her head. This wasn''t the time to be sightseeing. She walked to the edge of the balcony and grabbed on to the ledge of the building. Climbing the outer wall, she headed towards the window two floors up. The emperor was in the central room on the top floor of the palace. So far, Hera was mirroring what king Gwendelan did. This was the easy part. After the second window, the number of patrols would increase drastically, both human and undead. Grabbing the edge of the window, Hera pulled herself up to see the next floor. Right away, she could see a pair of undead walking side by side away from the window. She waited for the patrol to be far enough away and entered through the window, already heading to the side near a long drapery on the corner of the floor. The main issue with this route was that it made her go around the palace a couple of times. The servant only stairs were placed on opposite edges of the building. The emperor had a private spiral staircase that was enchanted with magic. It would work like an escalator and drop him off on any floor he wished. Hera had to stay behind the undead duo. Never moving too quickly and staying hidden most of the time. Because of their slow speed, it took her twenty minutes just to reach the first set of stairs. ''Only two more to go,'' she thought to herself as she reached the next floor. This time, she had to be more careful. There were two sets of patrols on each corridor, one undead and one human. According to the intel, the undead would keep moving around. But the humans would stop on windows to inspect the outside. That was her chance. She would wait for the humans to be distracted and rush to one of the doors on the floor. She waited by the stair for the first set of humans to pass, and the moment they stopped by the window, Hera rushed towards the closest door. She was trying not to make too much noise, but the door was stuck. Hera looked back at the two humans looking through the windows. She had already taken too long to open this door, and they would soon start moving again. If they did, nothing was stopping them from turning towards her. If that wasn''t bad enough, there was also an undead patrol about to reach the corner of the floor. Hera''s heart was beating fast. Maybe the door that was in front of her was actually locked and not just stuck. Not wanting to be caught, she rushed towards the next door. This one opened easily, and Hera closed it right behind her. Her relief was short lived. A moment after closing the door, Hera heard snoring coming from the room. She turned around and gave a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Only when she was finally able to see the rows of bed that Hera realized where she was. One floor below the emperor''s chamber was the elite guard barracks, where the emperor''s strongest warriors lived. Hera held her breath while she thought of her next step. If she remembered correctly, the barracks had two doors, both of them would lead directly to the servant staircase. If she managed to go through this room without waking anyone up, she could reach the last floor, bypassing some of the patrols. She crouched down and started to walk on all fours. The elite guard had very sharp senses. If even one of them woke up, Hera would be in deep trouble. Hera made sure to pay attention to her surroundings, not to hit anything by accident. At one point, there was a creak in one of the beds, and all the guards shifted. Hera held her breath, worried about making any more noise. She waited for a while, happy that none of her friends were around to see her crawling on all fours. When she felt that her movements wouldn''t mess with the guards sleep, she moved towards the door on the other side of the room. Even with all the stopping and waiting, she managed to reach the door in just fifteen minutes. Looking through the keyhole, Hera waited for the human patrol to pass by. Listening to their footsteps, the explorer waited for them to stop before opening the door. Not only were the guards distracted, looking through a window, but the stairs to the next floor were right in front of her. Being careful not to make any noise, she left the barracks and headed towards the emperor''s floor. However, as soon as she arrived on said floor, her heart sank. There was an entire battalion of undead on the floor. They were all looking towards the stairs in the same position. The image made Hera remember the stone warriors that were found in China a long time ago. Hera already was expecting the monsters to attack her, but they were utterly still. She poked her head out of the stairs, ready to run away if they attacked her, but nothing happened. The undead seemed to be in stasis. Looking around, Hera searched for her next step. There was a door on the back of the great hall, the only door in the entire floor. That was clearly the entrance to the emperor''s chamber, but the undead were so close to each other that Hera couldn''t pass through without touching them. She had watched enough movies to know that touching an unmoving creature would be a bad idea. She could try to climb the walls and move above the creatures, but she would have many problems traversing the hall, and going under the undead''s legs felt like suicide. Her remaining option was to circle the hall through the outside, doing something similar to what king Gwendelan had done. Hera walked towards the closest window, away from the undead horde, and started to make her way towards where she believed the emperor was. Little by little, she grabbed the ledges and jumped around until she finally reached the emperor''s balcony. ''Holy shit, I''m never doing that again,'' she thought, looking at her hands. They were red and sore, the path was very irregular, and the constant fear of falling made her even tenser. Her only comfort was the belief that if she ended up plummeting down, she wouldn''t get hurt. After all, this was just a test. Hera entered the emperor''s room, heading straight to the king-size bed. The leader of the undead army was sleeping soundly. Yet it was an odd view. The emperor wore a nightcap, socks with a point that made Hera remember a jester''s shoes. The entire bed was covered in silk. It was amazing how someone could stay still on top of it. Wanting to be sure of who was in bed, Hera activated her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Xu Jiayi - Emperor of the Undead ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ''Ok, it''s really him,'' Hera thought. She grabbed her handaxe and kept staring at the emperor. Could she do it? This was a simulation, so the man in front of her wasn''t real. Still, it was so real. It was one thing if it was a monster or someone trying to kill her. But killing someone who was just sleeping seemed wrong. Yet, Hera had done that before. She killed the frogs while they slept. Feeling guilty right now was hypocritical of her. She raised her weapon, ready to strike, but couldn''t do it. Lowering her handaxe, she took a step away from the bed when she noticed something odd. In the middle of the bedroom, there was a figure clad in black, holding an ornate dagger decorated with two waves crashing at each other on the crossguard. Aside from the person in front of her, the rest of the world was completely frozen in place. "I understand. I had the same issue with that decision during my training. Was it right killing someone who never harmed me directly?" The assassin walked towards the bed, "Even now, as I killed someone who is truly a monster, I don''t regret my decisions. You see, many years ago, I was tasked to kill the previous emperor. He was a benevolent and wise ruler, and I refused my mission. I believed that the world was a better place with him in it. An assassin should always complete a contract. Alas, I violated that rule. If I had killed my mark, his family would have perished during a coup, and this man would never become emperor. The blood of all the people he killed is in my hands. Killing him won''t change that." The assassin removed his mask, revealing the face of king Gwendelan, "Yet, as much as I regret my decisions. I still believe it was what I should have done, not for the good of the world, but myself. If I had killed his father, I would be betraying what I considered to be just and fair. We can never know the ramification of our actions, and it is up to us to decide what to do." Gwendelan walked towards Hera, stopping at her side, "This was my burden to bear, not yours. You have finished your test, and you have proven that your skills are enough to learn the role given by the system. If you believe that this man should live, or that by killing him, you will go against yourself, you are free to go." A door appeared behind Hera, away from the emperor. The explorer stared at the deep green eyes of the king. They were deep, tired, and full of sadness, "If I leave now, and what will happen to you?" Hera asked. "Nothing. I am but a simulation of what once was." "And him?" Hera pointed at the sleeping emperor. "Also, nothing. Everything here is part of a construct, something that was real once, but no more. Aside from you." "What if it wasn''t? What if this was all real, and no one killed the emperor on this day? What would have happened?" Gwendelan shook his head, "I am unable to tell you that. This is how the event unfolded. I can say that I believe I did the right thing, even if it cost me an eternity of suffering. To me, keeping him alive would only lead to the suffering of even more people. This was my one chance of stopping that once and for all. Yet, you must understand, this was not an act of rage. This was a calculated decision. An assassin must do its best to keep our emotions separated from their work." Hera let the words spoken by the king sink in. What would she do in his place? If her family, if her friends were the ones being turned into undead. Could she let a man live knowing the pain he caused? Could she kill someone without anger? She looked at the door. Her test was over, she could go now, but something was holding her back. Something that Gwendelan had said. Walking towards the emperor, Hera pretended to be in a video game. A very real and lifelike videogame. She took a deep breath and raised Iris, her handaxe. With a single strike emperor''s head was detached from its body. Gwendelan was staring at her with a puzzled expression, "Why did you choose to kill him?" Hera walked towards the door behind him, "Something you said, an assassin must always finish their contracts. And he is a simulation. If I''m not able to even finish this job, I wouldn''t be able to finish the next one, with a real target." Gwendelan smiled at Hera, "Thank you for sharing my burden. I hope that you never find yourself in a situation like this. With this, you also have completed the room. Please, head towards the next reception and receive your rewards." Hera nodded and walked through the door, arriving in a reception with white walls. Her hands were shaking. "So, kid. How did it go?" Peaches asked. Hera felt the tears rushing down her face, "Tell me he wasn''t real. Please tell me he wasn''t real," she said as she fell on her knees. 108 Assassins Role "Talk to me, kid. What happened? Everything inside there was a simulation." Hera sniffed, "I still killed him." "He was already dead, kid. Whatever you did, there did not affect that." Hera didn''t take her eyes out of her handaxe, "Still, I killed a sleeping man. What does that say about me?" "Nothing, you just did what the system asked you to." "Great, so I would kill someone as long as something tells me to." Peaches shook his head, "Kid, listen to me. That was a part of a quest, just like the ones from the explorer''s test. Everything inside here is fake." "I still killed someone in cold blood. I''m a monster, just like him." "Oh, for the system''s sake, you are not a monster kid. You killed a guy in a simulation, and now you are freaking out like you had to put down a puppy. If anything, you are too sensitive for the MAZE," Peaches huffed. "I guess you are right. I shouldn''t have come here. I''m not strong enough to be in the MAZE." Peaches jumped down from the counter and bounced towards Hera. "Kid, look at me," Hera kept staring at her handaxe, "Look. At. Me," Peaches insisted. Hera''s gaze shifted towards the guide. "Being like this means you have a heart. You are this upset by killing a monster in a video game. That sicko would find this too boring. I'' sure of it. The fact that you fight every day and still is worried about not crossing that line is what proves your strength." Hera didn''t reply. She just kept staring at her handaxe. "Look, kid. I wish I could give you some time to figure this all out, but the timer is still going." "How long do I have?" "A bit over twenty minutes. The problem is that I can only clear any questions you have about the skills during that time." "There is no notification about the quest," Hera replied. "Yeah, because I''m holding it back. Can I let it got? You got the skill, and your relic will get an upgrade because of what you did in the last room." "Can I refuse the skill?" Hera asked. "Kid, think very carefully about this. Are you telling me you want to give up all that you did here? Even if you say yes, it won''t erase what the past hours. Do you really want to get out of here feeling like crap and without any new skills?" Hera hugged her legs even tighter, shoving her face in her knees. She couldn''t help but worry that something bad would happen with one of her friends, and she would be powerless to help again, "No. I need the skill." "Okay, good. I honestly don''t even know If I could not give you the skill," Peaches said. "Then why did you ask?" "Me neither. She was right. I''m just a plain girl who knows nothing about the world." Peaches stared at Hera," Who said that?" "My mom." "Your mom?! I knew some humans could be harsh, but what kind of bitch would say that to their child? I know monsters that treat their spawn better," Peaches looked at Hera with a worried expression, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to offend your mother," Hera smiled, "It''s fine. You are not wrong." "Is that a smile? Are you able to smile again?" "It was involuntary. It doesn''t mean that I''m okay with what I did." Peaches nodded, "That is ok, kid. You don''t have to be fine with that. You just can''t let it eat you from the inside." "I''ll try," Hera said, cleaning the tears from her face, "Can you wait for me to use the bathroom?" "Sure, kid." Hera got up and headed to the rest area. Peaches noticed that the explorer made a point of not bringing her weapon. Hera splashed water on her face a few times. Her eyes were still red and swollen. She wasn''t sure if she wanted to talk about what happened. Although, maybe Alex and Bonnie would like to know the origins of the role. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the sleeping emperor and her handaxe heading towards its throat. Hera went to the room on the side and drank some water to calm herself down. But the guilt still remains. She needed to distract herself somehow. Maybe she could go hunting when she got back. Moving back to the reception, she found Peaches standing beside her, handaxe, "I''m ready." "Ok, kid. Firsts things first. Pick up your weapon. It wasn''t the blade that gave you bad memories." Hera stared at Iris for a moment. She knew Peaches was right, but still, just looking at the handaxe made everything much more real. After a few moments, she picked it up and placed it on her belt. She couldn''t keep fighting with her chakram alone. "Very good, kid. Now for the skill." A notification appeared in front of Hera. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have completed the Explorer''s quest - Assassin Skill. By completing the bonus room, your relic will receive an upgrade. Rewards: Explorer''s Assassinate Skill Relic Upgrade ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Explorer''s Assassinate Role Skill Increases your ability to move undetected and the strength of attacks when your target is unaware of your presence. Some spells and skills also gain benefits from this effect. If you get discovered before attacking your target, you will suffer a penalty to your damage. Hide effectiveness increase: + 15% Bonus damage when hidden: + 15% Penalty to damage when discovered: - 35% Penalty duration: 300 seconds Skills and spells related to the Assassin role can be affected or changed by this skill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skills affected: Dodge, Run, Improved Stamina, Hide, Inspect, Observe Spells affected: Pulse Spell Discovered: Poison Spray -\u003e Poison Needle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Wow, that is a lot," Hera read through the list of things that were affected by the role. "You may say that, but your role ends up affecting just some skills. A real assassin will have those benefits in everything." Before checking Yarnball, Hera took a look at the changes in the skills. [Dodge], [Run], and [Improved Stamina] just got a small buff. They would be 15% more effective when she was hidden. [Hide] description stayed the same, but according to Peaches, Hera would have a better instinct of how to move and remain hidden. [Inspect] would also give information on the target''s primary sense. If it was a creature that focuses on smell, hearing, sight, or something else. As the skill got stronger, more information would be available. [Observe] now showed a small eye indicator when Hera was hidden. The eye could let her know if the target was alert or not, but the skill wouldn''t be able to tell what Hera didn''t know. If something were just pretending to sleep or using smell or sound to track her but not showing any signs of it, the indicator would show the target as unaware. For the spells, Pulse would spend more mana when using while hiding, but it would be harder to notice by other creatures. The Poison Spray still appeared to her, but now there was a different option. If she changed the spell''s shape for a concentrated smaller attack, it would be a Poison Needle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poison Needle Rank: Beginner Creates a piercing projectile of poisonous mana. Creatures struck by that projectile can become poisoned. However, no impact damage would be dealt. The more mana used, the stronger the poison effect. Range: 10 meters Base mana cost: 35 mana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What surprised Hera the most was that the Poison Spray apparently had impact damage. It was just like spraying someone with deodorant. She never considered the hit to do anything aside from poisoning. There was only one more thing to check. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yarnball - Explorer''s relic An extremely resilient string that takes its strength from its owner. It can return any objects attached to it to the user, be used as a dowsing rod, or as a threat alarm. Passive effects: Returning string If an object is tied to the string when thrown, the object will return to the case after reaching the maximum distance of the string. Current maximum distance: 10 Meters Danger sense When the object is near a monster, it pulses according to the distance of the creature. It can only detect some monsters that are hidden. The range of this effect depends on its owner''s strength. Current range: 5 meters. Range while hidden: 10 meters Active effect: Dowsing rod By letting the string loose and pointing it down, you can ask about a location, item, or creature. The string will point towards the direction where the query is located. The accuracy of this effect depends on its owner''s strength. Cooldown: 120 hours ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Not only she got a range buff, but she could even detect some hidden monsters. And the dowsing rod ability had a nice cooldown reduction. Peaches explained to her what the skill would do. If Hera''s target was unaware of her presence, the damage would be increased. But if her target discovered her, she would deal less damage to it for five minutes. That would only affect the target she attacked, so if other creatures saw her but Hera didn''t attack them, the debuff won''t trigger if they see her. It was basically what Alex told her. But it was nice to have someone to clear any doubts. The two talked some more about both the skills and what Hera learned during the test. When the timer had only 5 minutes remaining, they agreed it was time for the explorer to leave. "Before I go. Can I ask you one thing, Peaches?" "Sure, kid. Not like you held back so far," the guide laughed. "If I hadn''t killed the Emperor, would I get the upgrade?" Peaches shook his head, "No, the test was about recreating what happened. If you had walked away, you would have failed." "Then why give the option?" "I think you know why. Not everyone can stomach the idea of killing a human, even a virtual one." Hera nodded, "Guess I''m living proof of that, right?" "Not really, you finished it. Many explorers weren''t able to do that. Most didn''t even get the chance. They didn''t feel confident enough to beat the test a second time in case they failed. To be fair, your time was better than the average too." "Really? I thought more people would want the upgrade." "Oh, they do. Trust me. But they fear failing the test even more. I do get it. It will probably be awhile before you can get a new role skill after this." "Yeah, I need a skill at rank 3, not sure when I''ll get it," Hera said. "Any idea what role you want to get next?" "I have some ideas, but I rather see what I''m going to need." "It''s rare to see someone without a plan. Just be careful, that doesn''t always work out," Peaches said. "I will. Thanks," Hera stared at the guide for a moment, before smiling at him, "It was really nice seeing you again, Peaches." Peaches noticed that the smile wasn''t as energetic as the one she had before the last room. The test still weighted heavily on Hera''s mind, "It was nice seeing you again too, Hera. I hope we can meet again." Hera nodded and left the reception through the last door. A notification appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Test Completed Do you wish to return to [Brinefront] [Yes] [No] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera pressed yes and felt the feeling of warm water covering her. In a few moments, she was back in Brinefront. 109 Divide its body silently slither it smiled as it saw the brass finally, it was time to make it wither Unknown - Recovered after the fire of 1753 ###################################### Hera had arrived in the inn that she was staying with her friends. After getting out of the test room, she received a few texts. Apparently, inside the skill trial, she couldn''t communicate with anyone outside. Blue said she needed to talk to Hera as soon as she left her test. Leo sent a similar message to the group text. But he would only talk to everyone later that day. Helena sent a text letting Hera know that she would arrive in Brilansis on the weekend and wanted to meet on Monday. Eridan, her dad, sent a reminder about grandma Triss''s birthday. The party would be on Sunday. Hera had completely forgotten about that. If it were someone else''s party, Hera would consider not going. But it was Grandma Triss. Hera also needed to check her flat in Brilansis. It''s been a while since she went back to her place. She could leave on Saturday. That way, she had a day to deal with anything, before she could take the train to her hometown. Hera went straight to her room, finding Blue lying on the bed while watching TV. "Hey! Back already?" the controller was holding a spoon and eating ice cream. "Yep, I only had 24 hours to do it, unlike Alex. But I got the skill." "Nicely done, killer. The kitty got her claws," Blue raised a hand, waiting for a high five. Hera did her best to muster a smile and tap on Blue''s hand. But the killer comment really hurt, "Thanks, but please don''t call me killer, or assassin, or stuff like that. Some stuff happened." Blue stared at her friend with a serious expression, "Is everything ok?" "Not really, but it will be. Don''t worry. I need to deal with this on my own." Blue just nodded and took another scoop of ice cream, "If you ever need to talk, I''m here. And If you don''t," she offered the sweet to Hera, " You can always drown your sorrows with this." Hera chuckled, "Thanks. I''m not sure if it would work, but it never hurts to try." She picked a spoon and took a large scoop, sitting on the bed by Blue. "So, what is the big thing you wanted to talk about?" Hera asked. "Well, I''m going to need to talk to everyone about it. But I''m taking a break from adventuring. My family had this big trip planned for almost a year now. And my dad finally managed to set everything up to take a vacation from his butchery. We are going to Brazil for a couple of weeks. The flight we got is next Wednesday. The tickets were on sale for a red-eye flight." Hera took another scoop, "That is awesome! But, you don''t seem excited. Why is that?" "I am excited, but I''m not very good at letting people down. Or abandoning them." "You guys. I know you need me to be the tank." Hera poked Blue with her elbow, "Way to call us useless." "That is not what I meant." "I know, but you are not abandoning anyone. You are going on a trip with your family. No one will blame you for it. Well... Maybe Bonnie." Blue chuckled, "That is true." The two of them kept talking until the bowl of ice cream was empty. Hera needed that, something to occupy her mind. It was still the middle of the day, and Leo would only arrive late in the afternoon. Sometime later, Alex joined the two of them. She was excited about Hera finishing the test, but she understood that it wasn''t the best moment to talk about it after seeing her reaction. Little by little, the rest of the party got to the hotel. Leo was the last one to arrive. He wanted to take a shower before heading out to eat. A bit after the sunset, they were already in a restaurant ordering their food. As the waiter left, there was a moment of silence on the table. No one knew who would speak first. Both Leo and Blue were clearly worried about what they needed to say. "Ok, since you are all quiet, let me start," to everyone''s surprise, Bonnie was the one that broke the silence, "I''ve been reading a lot this past week. I can''t say much about what I was working on because it was a quest from the order. However, I can share with you guys a bit of it." The researcher sent a file to the group chat. They all went to check it. It was called ''Skills we should have.'' The file contained a lengthy explanation of several skills and how to learn them, from improved perception to heat and cold resistances. "The research I''m doing is about skills. Part of it was to go through the skills that the guild shares freely. There is a lot of stuff there like tasting, basic resistances, even fishing, and plowing." Blue and Mark chuckled with the last name, "I mean. It''s nice the Guild worries about teaching us some good plowing techniques," the controller said. Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Would you grow up? The skill is about farming. Or preparing the ground to receive a seed," she barely finished speaking when she realized how that sounded. The whole table started laughing, "Fine, you perverts. I''ll stop talking." "No, Bonnie. C''mon, we are just joking. We really are interested in what you have to say," Alex was trying not to laugh too much and let the researcher talk. "Just let me finish before making jokes." Blue covered her mouth with her hands, doing her best not to laugh out loud, but tears were already forming in her eyes. "Blue, stop that. It''s rude not to let someone finish," Hera tried to help, but Blue only started laughing more, "Oh no. Is this contagious?" "I think they might sell a salve for that in the drugstore," Mark said, joining in the laugh. Bonnie slumped on the chair, "Just finish what you are doing so I can have my turn." The table spent another ten minutes making bad puns, and even Bonnie gave up and joined in the jokes. A few tables around enjoyed the shenanigans while others were bothered by it. The group had to hold back not to disturb the other customers too much. "Anyway, like I was saying. Try to get those skills. They are not hard to learn, and we can do it at any time. The benefits we can get in the long run are amazing, like heat resistance. It won''t make us take less damage from a fire attack, but you can have a much easier time when we need to travel through a desert," Bonnie explained. "So, this is not like fire or ice resistance?" Mark asked. "Yes, but also no. We can get a minor effect when receiving damage. But those skills stack with other resistances. The heat resistance skill makes us 15% more resilient against hot weather, but it gives us only 1% of fire damage mitigation. According to my research, resistance skills cannot nullify a type of damage, just to make it less effective. Even if somehow we reach 100% resistance or even more than that." "Got it, and those skills are just general things, right? Like for everyone. Did you find any skills that are useful for our classes?" Leo asked. "I did, but if you want to know that information, you better be willing to pay for my services," Bonnie sat straight on the chair. Right now, Hera had the impression of talking to a business owner and not her friend. That change happened incredibly quickly. "Seriously? You are charging for this?" Leo gasped. "Of course. Nothing in life is free. Besides, information can save a life here," Bonnie reply was quick, almost as if she was already expecting that question. "Damn, Bonnie. I thought we were friends," Leo stared at the researcher with his arms crossed. "C''mon Leo, that''s not fair. This is what her role does. Researchers find ways to make our lives easier. Saying she has to give that information for free is like telling me to make you a weapon without charging," Mark said while eating the mozzarella sticks they ordered for the table. "He does have a point, Leo," Alex chimed in, "Besides, she already gave us a lot of information for free. I imagine it would take us ages to get all this on our own." "Honestly, I''m more than happy to pay someone to do the book reading for me, unless it is a nice fantasy story," Blue turned to Bonnie, " How much for the information for our skills? I hope we still have the friends and family discount." Bonnie was staring at the group with a surprised expression, "Now, I feel bad. You guys are being more supportive than I expected. I wasn''t going to ask for money. A secondary part of the quest I have entails knowing how long it takes to get the skills and if something weird happens after you get them. I was just going to ask you guys to let me know about that." Leo stared at Bonnie for a moment, "And you did that whole, business woman routine just to ask that?" "Well, yeah... I mean, this was a job, so I just assumed you guys would be against it." "Now I am," Leo huffed. "You really didn''t have to do all that," Alex said. "Yeah, we would help you, regardless," Mark nodded. "Honestly, no. After being all serious and making us defend you, now I''m only doing it if you give us the skills," Blue said, crossing her arms like Leo. Hera laughed, " Yeah. We were already tense, don''t make it worse." "Hey, that is not on me. Those two are the ones who were being all serious." Bonnie pointed at Blue and Leo. "Yeah, but I was just going to say that I''m going on a family vacation," Blue said. Realizing that she had just revealed that she would abandon the group, the controller looked down and told everyone about the trip. "Oh, that is all? It''s not that serious. Just bring us some souvenirs," Alex said. "Yeah, right. In two weeks, you guys are the ones who need to get me souvenirs," Blue took a bite of her steak. "Well, this is actually close to what I wanted to talk about," Leo placed the knife and fork on his plate, "I''ve been recruited by a platoon. It''s a thing from the Crimson Coalition. I''ve told you guys that it worked kind of like an army, right? Well, each high-ranking officer has their own legion. The legion is split into brigades and the brigades into..." Leo saw the faraway stares from the group, "Sorry, I know you guys don''t care about that. What I mean is after I''ve been recruited, I was kind of a lone merc, and now a mid-level official recruited me for his platoon. That means that I''ll have more responsibilities with the coalition and have to work in a group with them for a while. I''m still considered a recruit for them, and until I raise a couple of rankings, I don''t have that much freedom." Leo, who spent the entire time looking at his plate while he spoke, raised his eyes to look at the group, "Until I get that freedom, I''m going to stay with the coalition. I''m heading to the next layer on Monday. I know I''m a low level to be there, but we will be in a big group. And my squad leader is a level 10 healer. It should be enough to keep us alive." There were a few moments of silence after Leo finished speaking. The group needed some time to process that. "How long?" Hera asked, "How long do you think it will take before you get that freedom back?" "I honestly don''t know. My uncle got it in just a few weeks. For others, it can take months, even years. And look, when I say freedom, I don''t mean like I''m going to be in a cell or something. I can still text, drink, go out at night. It''s like a job. We work 5 to 6 days a week. Sometimes there is overtime, but most of the quest rewards will go to us, and we have holidays. It''s like working in a research station or as a forest guard," Leo let out a long sigh, "I really like you guys, and it''s not like I''m saying that we can never see each other again. But I have to do this. That is the only way I can hope to find my uncle." Hera stared at the Hunter for a moment, "I get it. I mean, I understand, at least. And It''s not like I''m not supporting you, Leo. But it''s sad, you know. Blue is going on a trip. You are going to do your thing. It feels like that moment after graduation when you and your friends go their separate ways." "I don''t want to pile in, but I was talking to Bonnie yesterday, and apparently crafters and researchers don''t need to hunt to get experience. If we do things related to our roles, we also can level up just fine. You guys know that I''m not much of a fighter," Mark scratched the back of his head. Hera turned towards Bonnie, worried she might lose another two members of the group. "Yeah, he is right. I thought I would be too behind if I didn''t fight. And it''s not like hunting didn''t have its fun moments. Yet, I''d rather be doing my thing, finding new spells, and ways to use magic, than actually fighting for my life every day." After yet another moment of silence, Alex looked around, "So this is it? We won''t be a party anymore?" "Don''t say that. I very much expect to join you guys as soon as I''m back. It will be just a couple of weeks. At most, I''ll be one level behind." Blue said before wiping a tear that was forming in the corner of her eye. "Are you crying?" Bonnie asked. "No! You are crying!" Blue replied. The group finished their meals and left the restaurant. The lingering feeling of an ending was in the air around them. Hera looked to the ceiling of the cave. There were so many things they still haven''t done here. She stopped walking in the front of the group, still looking up, "We are all still here until Friday, right?" they all nodded, confirming that, "So what if we go to the frog valley? We bought the compendium, and Mark never went to a dungeon. It could be our farewell party for everyone." "Well... going to a dungeon does seem fun. And you guys got some cool items there, right? I''ve finished the time I need to stay in the workshop for this month," Mark said. "Yeah, I still hate frogs, and doing a whole dungeon related to them is not at the top of my list. But it could be fun," Alex nodded. "You know, I do have some field research for the quest. It could help a lot," Bonnie looked through her tablet, already marking what she could do in the dungeon. "Yeah, I want to fight something big before going on the trip," Blue slapped Hera''s shoulder. "So let''s do it. We can get everything ready and head out tomorrow. If I recall it correctly, we could do a few runs on the dungeon. Well, if everyone is up for it," Leo said. "Yeah, if we stay together long enough, we can get sick of each other by Friday. That way, we won''t miss anyone," Blue joked. They all stared at her for a moment. "Yeah, let''s leave her here. We can do it ourselves," Bonnie said, heading towards the inn. The rest of the group followed her, smiling but not saying a word. "Hold up, guys. It was a joke, c''mon let me go too," Blue followed them while the rest laughed. 110 The Frog Valley "I guess so. How did we miss that?" Blue was looking at the structure. "Maybe is because it''s behind the pillar?" Leo suggested. Hera looked at the tower. It was a three-sided solid structure, with a large satellite dish on top. These towers were spread around several rooms. They functioned as hotspots, allowing people who were far away from the city to connect their tablets to the internet. Hera learned about those during the training, but it was her first time seeing one of them. The materials to make these structures weren''t exactly cheap. So the guild only builds them in places where there was a lot of traffic, especially near dungeons or other popular farming locations. The group had left the city over five hours ago. They got some supplies, got the quests related to the Frog Valley from the guild, and headed out. They weren''t worried about camping out since there was a hotel near the dungeon. An alarm sounded on Blue''s tablet, "Ok, now it''s a half-hour run," she said, already stretching. "C''mon, we''ve been walking for hours. Give us a break," Mark cried. "No dice, we need the running skill. You saw what it does. With it, we can run and recover stamina at the same time," Blue said, already doing some high knees to warm up. "Yeah, guys. We are trying to help Bonnie. The sooner we get the skills, the sooner she completes the bonus quest," Leo said, already joining in with the exercise. "Have your fun. I''m not going to run right now. I''ve been going to the guild gym every day to run on the treadmill," Bonnie said. "I''m out too. We''ve been walking for hours. If I run, someone will have to carry me," Hera said. In the end, only Blue and Leo went running. They would spend twenty minutes running forward, and then ten running back to meet the group. In another hour, the group arrived at the hotspot. There was a large area around it that was covered in a wooden wall. Inside it, the buildings were all made of the same purple wood as the walls. The whole area had a summer camp vibe. The first thing they did was to head to the hotel and grab a room. Unfortunately, they only had a single large room available. "Well... we did say we wanted to be close," Hera said, trying to seem excited about the idea. "At least it has two bathrooms. And on the other side of the road, there is a hot spring," Mark pointed to a large building after the tower. "Wow, I have never been to one," Hera''s eyes were shining while she looked at the building. "We could go there before going inside the dungeon. If they have room, I mean," Blue suggested. The first thing Hera wanted was to head to the hot springs. They could buy swimsuits in the shop there. The explorer stayed for close to one hour in the hot springs. The hot water came from the dungeon that was just a few minutes away from the city. A couple of hours later, the group was back in the hotel just after they ordered dinner as the room service. "After all that, did you get the heat resistance skill?" Bonnie asked. "Not yet. But I''m more than willing to stay there until I get it. It was so relaxing," Hera stretched herself in bed. "Yeah, don''t do that. You were already dizzy when you got here," Blue said. Hera ignored the comment and stayed in bed. The food was still not there. She could take a moment to enjoy the comfortable mattress. "Right, So let''s recap what we know about the dungeon, shall we? Everyone open your compendiums," Leo grabbed his tablet, "In the Frog Valley, we will find many frogs, lizards, and snakes. The area is also filled with poison and large pools of water." "The poison is mostly in liquid form. But in a few areas, it is airborne. Usually, we can see the poison in the air but be careful if you are near a foggy place," Alex added. "Yeah, the quest will be about saving the frogs and destroying the source of all the poison," Leo said as he read the information again. "The frogs and other creatures in there are weak to poison and use brute force to attack. There is not much of a trick to them, just avoid the attacks and kill them. The main problem is the boss," Bonnie said, showing a few of the monsters they could find. "The boss is a weird bloated creature that is stuck into a big pool of poison. We need first to neutralize the poison around it before attacking. There are a few ways to do that according to the information we have, but it only says that killing everything works and can give us some nice loot," Blue went to the door. The room service had just arrived. They all grabbed their food and sat around a small coffee table in the middle of the room. "Before I forget, there is one more thing. The quest says that we need to clear the conflict in the valley. Yes, killing everything is an option. But we might want to try other routes. Maybe saving one of the species and or even helping the poison to cover everything," the group stared at Hera after that last remark, "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I think the rewards can be different depending on the route we take. Since the quest is that open-ended, my guess is that helping the poison can give us something good." "Or activate the hard mode," Alex said. Hera nodded, "That too. But I asked Gemma before we left. When we trigger the hard mode, we still can choose not to do it. It will show up when we try to go inside the dungeon." The group discussed strategy during dinner. In the end, their fighting style wouldn''t change as much. The main difference would be against the boss. They talked and joked around until they all went to sleep. When morning came, everyone got ready and headed out towards the dungeon. It was located on the cave wall. There was a massive chasm covered in smoke, and in front of it, a large wooden gate. As they got close to it, Hera saw a few groups getting ready to tackle the dungeon. A few people seemed more seasoned than others, while a couple seemed to be nervous about entering the dungeon. In the middle of all that, she noticed a familiar man with a tribal pattern buzzcut. The man saw her and waved before approaching. "Hey! Hera, right?" the healer asked. "Yeah. How are you? ... Runir?" she replied, unsure if she remembered the right name. "That''s me," He kneeled to greet Tiger, "And hey little guy. I''m glad no one had to call me because of you." The frog stared at the man and got in its battle stance before Leo picked it up," Tiger, no. He''s a friend," he turned to Runir, "Sorry about that. I guess he doesn''t remember you." "No worries, boss. He was in a really bad shape. I didn''t expect him to remember me. Glad to see you tamed him. It would be a shame to let all that work and money go to waste." "Oh, right, that reminds me. You never paid me back for that, Leo," Hera said, staring at the hunter. "I guess I forgot. Can we do this later?" Leo asked. "Sure. But I want interest now," Hera said with a smile. Runir laughed, "It''s nice seeing people who can joke about money. During my last few jobs, people were very stingy," someone in a group called the healer, "Be right there... Sorry, duty calls. It''s nice to see you guys again. Talk to you later." The healer left, and Mark asked, "So, who is the dude?" "It''s Runir. He''s a healer that helped Tiger when Leo found him," Hera told the entire story, and Mark just nodded. "It would be nice to have a healer in the group," Bonnie said. "It would be nice to have him in the group," Blue said. "So that''s your type?" Alex asked. Blue groaned, "I hate that. Why do I need to have a type? Can''t I just find people hot?" "Sure, you can. There is nothing wrong with that. But I did picture you with someone more muscular, kind of like the guild''s chairwoman," Hera said. Blue stared at her for a moment before shaking her head, "Ok, let''s change the subject before I get too distracted. We are here for the dungeon." Heading towards the gate, they waited in line for their turn to enter the dungeon. One by one, the groups went towards the wooden gate. After a moment, the gate would open, allowing the party to enter, closing behind them. Even before they passed through the gate, a couple of other groups joined in the line. When Runir and his party was heading towards the entrance, a group of four came from beyond the gate. There was an awkward moment when the two parties almost ran into each other, but they soon headed towards the tower. According to what Hera heard, people would usually take a break between runs. There was even a place around the towers specialized in fast cleaning services. It was a bit expensive, but you could have your entire equipment clean in just half an hour. When their turn came, Hera and her friends walked towards the gate, using the [Inspect] on it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Frog Valley Entrance Area type: Dungeon A gate leading to the fabled valley of frogs. An intense poison is slowly taking over the area, posing a threat to any creature inside the valley. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Let''s go, guys," Leo said, pushing the gate open. There was a thick layer of fog behind the gate. Hera push through it, being careful with each step, unsure what to expect. After a few moments, the mist grew thinner, and they finally could the inside of the dungeon. It was a massive place, with the room walls going all the way to the ceiling. The valley seemed to be very long, but the mist still lingered in the air, making them unable to see its end. However, there were parts of the fog that already showed a purple hue. Those were the parts where the poison was stronger. Aside from that, there were several large pools of water and some vegetation around. Not as dense as the one around Brinefront, but still big enough to hide a couple of creatures among its patches. "Guys, be careful. We have three vials of antidote each and another ten with Bonnie. Still, don''t waste them," Leo said to the group. He was more commanding after returning from his training. "The poison resistance spray we will only use to fight the boss. I have it on me right now, but it is only good for four doses. When we get to it, Leo and I will use the spray so we can tank better," Blue said, pointing to a small pouch on her waist. They started walking deeper into the valley when the noise a something large hitting the ground caught their attention. Coming from the side, a large frog, almost two meters tall, emerged from the trees. The creature had a sickly grey color, and there was a thick purple sludge dripping from its mouth. Hera quickly used the spell Helena had given to her and activated her [Observe] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesser Poison Frog (Poison affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She rolled her eyes, "Great. I just wasted mana," she mumbled before yelling. "Careful, it uses poison." "Well, duh," Blue said as she already rushed towards the creature''s side, activating her buff. Mark sent two arrows flying towards the frog''s eyes while Bonni hit its face with an Air fist that seemed much stronger than before. The creature fell to the ground while Blue started punching its side, small sparks of electricity coming from her fists. Hera rushed towards the beast, stepping onto its front legs to reach its back. With a quick strike, the frog went limp on the floor. "Well, this wasn''t so bad," Blue said, stepping away from the creature. As she walked, the frog''s body started to dissolve into the sand and vanished where it lay, leaving two gold coins on the floor. 111 What shines in the pond "Hey, this is new," Blue said as she got close to the pearl. "The drop rate in these dungeons is pretty good," Mark walked towards the coin. "I think they vary. The lookout wasn''t that good. Although there were less monster for us to fight," Alex said. "Less? Are you forgetting the ember bugs? I''m pretty sure just that room had more monsters than this whole valley," Hera said. "Well, it depends if there are tadpoles or underground caverns. If not, then you are probably right," Bonnie said after a moment. "Really? I kind of want to go there later," Mark said. "Wow, guys, check this out. I guess this is how we clear the poison pool in the boss," Blue said, holding the pearl towards the group. Hera activated her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Purifying Pearl Consumable A pearl that is created inside the heart of some creatures contaminated with poison. The pearl works as a cleansing device, filtering the poison flowing through the blood vessels, allowing the creature to survive. Can be used to cleanse poison in an area. Only usable inside the Frog Valley. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Oh, crap. That''s awesome," Mark gasped. "I know, right? With this, we can clear the poison in the pools," Hera said. "Maybe even use it on us if someone gets covered in poison," Bonnie said. "What? No, I mean cool and all, but I''m talking about the gold. This one is worth twenty," Mark was almost dancing while picking the coin. "That''s great and all, but we will get more from the quest," Leo said. "I''m not so sure we will be able to find those items. Besides, the quest we got in the guild only gives what? 2 000 gold per item? We are not getting enough for all of us," Mark replied. "No, not that one. I mean the dungeon quest," Leo said. "Speaking of which. Where is the quest? I didn''t get it," Alex was looking at the tablet, making sure she didn''t miss anything. "We still didn''t get it. Maybe we need something to trigger it first. Did it say anything in the compendium?" Hera asked. "No, maybe it''s something obvious that we missed," Bonnie said. "Or maybe we get it later. I mean, the path so far is very linear. We are not even out of this entrance and already faced a few frogs. If we move away from this path, we find a wall not far from here," Alex said. There was a small lizard, moving backward in front of the frog while staring at the massive grey beast. As much as it was small, it still was much bigger than a regular lizard, being the size of a husky. Hera activated the Affinity sight once more and used [Observe] on the two creatures. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poison Frog (Poison Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Valley Lizard (Water Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Should we save it? Or kill them both?" Leo asked. "Let''s deal with the big one first. Otherwise, it''s gonna kill the lizard before we have a chance to decide," Alex said, already activating her [Hide] and moving to the frog''s back. Hera followed her cue. A double hit from two assassinates could be enough to kill the beast. When they were far enough away from the group, Leo and Blue rushed towards the frog. As long as it was focused on them, it shouldn''t notice the duo moving to strike it. Tiger let out a squeak that seemed to catch the attention of the lizard who skittered back, trying to move away from the now pair of frogs. Hera and Alex got closer to the grey monster, and as soon as Bonnie launched an Air Fist towards the creature, the two jumped towards the frog, hitting its back with their weapons. The gashes made by the blades showed that the frog''s skin was flaccid and loose in places. Underneath it, its muscles were all purple, just like the sludge coming out of its mouth. Leo rushed at the frog, telling Tiger to distract the monster but avoid the sludge. Typically, such a complicated order wouldn''t work in an animal, but Leo had learned a few taming skills and spells that made the communication easier. The rain frog slammed its body on the side of the monster, rushing back towards Leo right after. That was the way they fought. Leo would be the main tank while Tiger would use its speed to distract and damage their target. It was surprisingly effective, especially against frogs, since they had trouble spinning around. Tiger had the same issue, but Leo trained him to dash while turning its body in the air. That way, he could be ready to change his direction before landing. Hera and Alex kept doing hit and run tactics, worried that the blood coming out of the monster could be harmful to them. Blue was attacking in a similar way but without moving away from the frog''s sight. She was still the tank, after all. Mark kept sending arrow after arrow towards it. He had a considerable amount of ammo on him, and about two times that in small arrowheads that he could use to make more. The poison frog held its own for a while, but the assault from the party''s six members was too much for it. In less than two minutes, the creature fell limp on the floor. As they turned their attention towards the lizard, a window popped up in front of them all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have discovered the Frog Valley''s conflict Dungeon Quest: The Frog Valley is a place filled with conflict. The poison creatures are trying to overtake the valley by spreading their poisonous mana, while the other creatures defend their territory. Solve the conflict inside the valley. First completion rewards: 5 000 gold, minor mana stone ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Duuudeee, we get mana stones here?" Mark gasped. "I guess so. Why is that so exciting?" Blue asked. "You are kidding, right? Mana stones are used in the generators. We can use it to make some self-sustaining enchantments. Or we can use it as a backup mana source," Mark explained. "They are also very expensive. I think that a medium-sized one can go for like 50 000," Alex said. "Yeah! There are some specialized ones too, like mana stones for fire mana or water mana. They are more expensive and more effective in certain situations, but worse on others," Mark seemed really giddy with the idea of getting a mana stone. "Before we get the stone, we need to figure out what to do with the quest. What do you guys think? Team poison, team lizard, or team kill them all?" Blue asked. "I vote team lizard. The idea is to do a few runs here, right? We can try the other options later," Hera said. "I kind of agree with that. We can feel like the good guys for a while," Bonnie nodded. "Why good guys? They are all monsters, and they don''t even leave a body. Killing them all or some of them won''t make us good or bad guys," Alex rolled her eyes. "Still, it''s better than killing those cute lizards," Blue was approaching the creature as if it was a dog. "Talking about killing, what did that big one drop?" Leo turned towards where the body of the giant frog was. In place of a corpse, there were four golden coins and a pearl. This one was larger than the other one they had found, but the description stayed the same. Their best guess was that the bigger one could cleanse a larger area, but they couldn''t test it right now. During that time, the lizard was watching the group. The creature had a light green skin with two white stripes on its sides and a blue diamond shape mark on its forehead. As the group tried to approach it, the lizard vanished between the bushes at the side. With no other option, they kept heading further into the valley. A few regular-sized frogs started to appear around the area, and they saw a couple of places where the poison was already spreading and noticed a small purple water pool and an area where the trees were dripping with the purple sludge. Hera and Bonnie were marking those places on their maps, trying to figure out where the poison was coming from. Even if they were inside the MAZE, things still followed some sort of logic. There had to be a source for it all. The more they walked, the bigger the critters became. Soon even Tiger was smaller than the rest of the frogs. Finally, they reached a larger open area. The trees and bushes gave way to dozens of small hot springs with a very large one in the middle of them all. They moved carefully through the area, making sure not to end up falling inside the pools. Hera kept watching the one in the middle. When they were close enough, she activated her Pulse spell. Inside the smaller banks, several small frogs were swimming in the thermal waters. However, in the large one, there was a massive creature, almost big enough to cover the entire pool. As they got closer, the creature raised from the depths, splashing the hot water to the smaller pools. The beast was a massive light brown frog that glistened as the water dripped from its body. "Watch out!" Alex cried as she jumped back, moving away from the larger pool. Hera got her handaxe and chakram on hand and got ready for a fight, already activating her [Observe] and using the Affinity Sight. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Garjat - Elder Frog (Lightning Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "That one uses thunder!" Hera warned. Tha massive frog, towering over the party, took a few moments to open its eyes. When it saw the group of people in front of it, the frog jerked back, smashing his back on the edge of the pool. His face was odd, its eyes were wide, and its mouth partially open. It kept pushing itself backward in an almost cartoonish way. "Is it just me, or does it loke scared?" Alex asked. "It kind of does," Blue said, standing in front of the creature. The frog dove once more under the pool of water. Most of its body was mostly submerged, but a small part of its back still appeared after all the water it splashed away. It was clear that the monster was shivering. The group gathered once more around the pool and watched the creature. Hera could see that the water rose once more, although it would take some time before completely covering the frog. "Still feel we are not the good guys?" Blue turned to Alex with a smile. The assassin shrugged, "I''m not saying I wouldn''t feel kind of bad for attacking it, but something that size wouldn''t go down without a fight." Hera nodded, but still fighting a creature that was so afraid wouldn''t be her first option. At that moment, Hera remembered the slumbering emperor and felt a knot in her stomach. Was she even allowed to worry about such a thing anymore? Hera was in a daze when Blue approached her, "Hey. Are you ok?" The explorer shook her head, "Yeah, sorry. Just dealing with some stuff. You don''t happen to have icecream on you?" Blue shook her head with a weak smile, and they kept walking towards the other side of the hot springs. After a few moments of walking, the group reached another pool of poison. Hera and Bonnie approached it, trying to see if there was any other hint about the source of all the poison, when three creatures jumped out of the pool. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesser Poison Frog ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesser Poison Frog ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lesser Poison Frog ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera and Bonnie rushed back towards the group as a fourth shape emerged from the poison pool. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poison Frog ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Watch out, guys. Don''t let that sludge hit you," Leo said as he got ready for the fight. 112 Snakes, Frogs and Lizards Bonnie and Mark were moving back, flinging spells and arrows towards the smaller ones. Luckily, fighting the lesser frogs was very similar to the frogs they were used to fight. They only had to be more careful with their tongues. Every time one of the creatures opened its mouth, more of that sludge fell to the ground, spreading even more poison around. Blue was punching the larger frog, sparks crackling around the two. Hera''s eyes went towards her friend. She needed to deal with the small one quickly to help Blue. With a sidestep, Hera was able to cut the frog twice on the back of its neck. Still, it wasn''t enough to kill it. Two arrows hit the frog''s face, and Hera took that chance to hit it once more on the neck, trying to cleave its head off. The frog was in bad shape but still endured the assault. Luckily enough, its wounds didn''t splatter more of the sludge. Only the liquid coming out of its mouth seemed to be part of the poison. It took Hera four more strikes before she was able to kill the monster in front of her. A few to the face and head, with the last one opening up its stomach. With the lesser poison frog on the ground, Hera rushed to help Blue. Apparently, that was the same idea that Leo had. The hunter was already dashing towards the giant frog to help the controller. The loose skin of the poison frog was proving to be a problem for Blue. Her fists would sometimes lose its power as the skin was pulled to the side. Blunt strikes seemed to be far from optimal while fighting that creature. As Leo arrived, his spear pierced the frog''s stomach, making some of its blood and some small amounts of sludge spill in the pool. Blue had to dodge away from it. It was hard to fight the creature without jumping in the water. When Hera joined the fray, she had her chakram tied to Yarnball. Having a mid-range weapon could help a lot to deal with the frogs without getting close enough to be splashed by the poison. It was a shame she still had yet to learn any new attack spells. The poison spray and needle would probably be wasted in this area. Soon after that, Bonnie started to throw spells at the poison frog. The beast sent its tongue towards Mark and Bonnie. Hera tried to hit it with her chakram but could only make a small cut on the tongue. Alex followed up with an upward strike, making part of the tongue to fall to the ground. Hera turned back to aim at the frog''s head. She kept spinning her chakram, aiming at its eyes. Leo was split between stabbing the creature and telling Tiger to stay back. The rain frog wanted to help in the fight, but there was no way to attack the poison frog without Tiger falling in the water. "Crap! Are you going to die?" Mark gasped. "Stop with the drama, it''s just a bit of poison," Bonnie pushed the man who was looking at her arm away. There was some sludge covering the cloth atop her right bicep. "Sorry! I should have kept its attention on me," Blue said as she rushed towards the researcher. "Don''t worry. We have the pearls. Everyone ok with me using one here?" Bonnie asked. "Yeah, but can we use two? The frog dropped something different," Leo said. Bonnie, who was holding a pearl near her arm, stopped her hand and walked over to the pond. In the middle of it, there were a few coins, a pearl, and something that looked like a brick. The researcher stared at the pearl for a moment and kneeled by the water. "Hera, hold this," Bonnie gave the pearl to her friend. "What are you... Bonnie!" Hera watched as the researcher placed her hand in the contaminated water. "Now give me the pearl. I''m not sure if we need to break it or just touch the poison for it to work," Bonnie said. Hera just gave the pearl back, still in shock from the situation. "What are you doing?" Leo yelled. "I''m testing how this pearl thing works. It never said anything about the range. Maybe one pearl is enough to cleanse both the water and my arm. Worst-case scenario, we use two here," she explained. "We didn''t even agree if we were going to use two," Leo rebutted. "Sorry, I wanted to test this fast. I can feel the poison starting to seep into my arm." Bonnie said as she dropped the pearl into the water. She did it with her other hand, ready to catch the pearl in case it didn''t work. As the pearl hit the poison, it melted into the water. A light pearlescent glow started to cover the area, spreading through all the pond and beyond. Bonnie was bathed in the light as well as Hera, who was near her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have been cleansed by a [Purifying Pearl] Poison immunity granted for the next 3 seconds. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the light vanished, Hera and Bonnie stared at each other. "Did you get that notification?" Hera asked. "Yeah, this thing is way too strong. Look how big is the area it affected," Bonnie looked around. Even a tree that was by the bond was clear of all poison. "I''m not talking about that, Bonnie. The three seconds," Hera said with a smile. "What are you..." Bonnie suddenly jolted up with a big smile, "You think that would nullify attacks?" "Yep, it said immunity to poison, not resistance. So if something spits poison or uses a strong poison spell, this could save everyone. Or at least I think it would. We still need to make sure of it," Hera explained. "What are you two talking about?" Alex asked. They explained about the notification and how it could potentially save them from a big attack. After that, they checked the loot from the monsters. In total, they got 50 gold, another large pearl, and something that looked like a block of clay. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Impermeable Clay Consumable When applied to a surface, this clay created an area that cannot get wet. If used inside the Frog Valley, the clay becomes a layer of protection against any environmental poison in liquid form. Duration 1 hour ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Nice! With this, I can jump in the water and actually fight," Blue said as she read the description. "Yeah, although I''m still weirded out about where the frogs came from. Look," Alex jumped into the small pond, that was now clear of poison, and walked to the middle of it. The water never got higher than her thighs, "Its weird, right?" "Well.. things inside dungeons do disappear in a less natural way. And we know they appear like that too. I think it was called... spaning," Bonnie said. "It''s actually spawning," everyone stared at Mark, who just corrected Bonnie, "What? It''s a gaming term. When a monster appears out of thin air, they are spawning. Spawn kill is actually a widespread tactic in games." Hera nodded, hearing his explanation remind her of the term, even though it was a long time since she played a game. The group finished their looting and kept heading to the other side of the valley. Blue was excited about using the clay, but she agreed that it was better if she waited to get closer to an area they would actually need before wasting it. By the amount, it also seemed like they could use it on multiple people, especially if they only covered part of their bodies. They moved through the valley, being careful of any possible ambushes. As they walked, the small frogs gave way to tiny snakes. When the two species met, they seemed wary of each other, almost like in the middle of a cold war. They fought a few more of the lesser poison frogs on the way, but since the group was staying clear of the poison pools, none of the bigger ones appeared. After crossing to the snake territory, the poison frogs stopped appearing. Instead, odd bloated grey snakes started to assault the group. They weren''t very agile, and a few weren''t even able to move their heads properly. Yet they came in larger numbers. At one point, Blue was dealing with three of them while each member of the party dealt with another snake, even Tiger had to hold one of them back on his own. At least the snakes would drop some pearls. They found one item every ten or so snakes. Gold was still dropped by most of them but in much smaller quantities. Even after killing more than twenty snakes, they only got 18 gold and a couple of pearls. After some time, the normal snakes were considerably big. A few were already large enough to eat Tiger whole. The group was moving in a tighter formation. Seeing giant frogs was one thing, but seeing giant snakes was terrifying. A regular snake was already enough to swallow a person. A snake that reached their waist without even raising their heads was something out of a nightmare. Their luck was that none of those snakes weren''t attacking them. The group reached an area where the walls of the valley closed in. There was a large cavern in the wall with some large stones protruding from the ground creating secondary entrances on the left side. Coming out of the holes, several snakes were watching something. Hera followed their eyes and saw a gigantic viper fighting with a purple and black giant lizard. The two monsters were almost as tall as the trees around them. The two beasts were throwing each other to the sides, slamming its massive frames on the walls. Hera and her party were all shocked by the display. This was a real fight between monsters. The ground rumbled with each impact between the titans in front of them. The viper was not only biting but also using its tail as a whip. With a strike of its claws, the lizard made some deep gashes in the viper''s skin. In response, the viper went to bite the lizard. It had a clear shot at the lizard''s neck, but the bite stopped short, spraying a liquid on the creature''s side. The lizard''s skin started to fizzle and boil as if it was hit by burning oil. The beast roared and jumped towards the viper, pinning it to the ground with one of its legs and clawing away at it with the other. The viper looked helpless, but just for a moment. It took advantage of the position of its body and wrapped itself around the lizard. They both struggled for a moment, Hera unconsciously held her breath as if she was watching a wildlife documentary. Then, with a sickening crunch, the lizard went limp. The viper let go of the creature and raised its head in a silent roar. When it finally lower its head, Hera came out of her daze and activated the Affinity Sight and her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chu''a - Elder Snake (Acid Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Greater Poison Lizard (Corpse) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "That one uses acid, can we do anything about that?" Hera asked. "I''m not sure, you think the clay could work?" Blue suggested. "I don''t think so. It talks specifically about poison," Bonnie replied. "Guys," Leo called. They all turned their heads to where Leo was looking. In front of them, the giant viper was staring at the group through its red eyes. 113 Valleys End Yet, the viper seemed just to be watching the group as it went back to the front of the cave. Oddly, it felt like the creature was protecting the smaller snakes. After a few moments, the beast stopped moving. It curled up in the entrance of the apparent nest. The viper was mostly white with red eyes, but a few of its scales formed a golden spiral coursing through its body and reaching its tail. There were also a few cuts on its skin where the lizard had attacked. Those were already purple, and it seemed to be spreading. "I have a bad idea," Blue said. "What?" Hera asked. "Can I use one of the pearls on the snake?" Blue scratched her neck and looked to the group. "What?" Alex was staring at her with wide eyes. "I mean. I feel bad. The mommy was just trying to protect her babies. If we leave her like that, it will die," Blue said. "Ok, first of all. How do you know it is a she? It could be a male. Second, why would you do that? You are going to waste a pearl on something that is not technically here," Leo said. "I feel bad, and I want to help, that''s all. Besides, how can you say for sure it''s not really here. No one knows how the MAZE makes dungeons. We could be in the past, in an alternate timeline, or even in another dimension," Blue scoffed, crossing her arms. "Not really. There has been some extensive research about dungeons. Even if we still don''t know what they are, we know that they share our reality, and there is no time travel involved. We also ruled out simulations because we can take things from here to the outside," Bonnie explained. "Wasn''t there a thing about a lady getting pregnant inside a dungeon? And the father was one of the people that were part of the dungeon?" Mark asked. "You are reading too many tabloids. There is no story like that. None that is real, at least," Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Ok, fine. I just want to help it because I feel bad. I don''t want to think about the snake when I go to sleep and feel guilty for not helping," Blue said. Hera understood that. As much as she tried to play it off as everything being normal, the emperor was in her mind all the time. Sure it wouldn''t be as bad, but she didn''t want her friend to feel that way. "I''m fine with that. Just be careful," the explorer said. "You know, dungeons are weird. We might get nothing, but we might get something out of it. I say go for it," Alex said. "Seriously?" Leo asked. Having enough people supporting her, Blue took one of the pearls and carefully walked towards the viper. She made sure to keep both hands up and seem as unthreatening as possible. "Do you think there is a snake charmer skill?" Mark asked as they watched Blue get closer to the viper. "Really? Now?" Bonnie stared at Mark, who just shrugged. As Blue approached, the viper didn''t take its eyes off of her. Following the woman with its head. "Easy, Easy. I don''t want to hurt you. I just want to clear that poison in your back. Ok?" Blue showed it the pearl and approached the side of its body. The viper shifted, making a barrier in front of the cave with its tail. Aside from that, its eyes didn''t seem to be angry. Blue raised the pearl towards one of the gashes in the beast midsection and placed it gingerly in the purple area. In response, a pearlescent glow covered both the creature and the controller. Hera, who was watching about 10 meters away, couldn''t help but take a step forward. She focused on her hearing. If any weird noise appeared, she would rush towards the light. While the light was still spreading, she could swear she started to hear Blue''s heartbeat. In less than ten seconds, the light vanished, both the viper and the controller were still in the same position. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera waved off the notification, too worried to be bothered by it at the moment. Blue nodded to the viper who nodded back, moving its head towards a part of its body still in the curl it had created. The beast seemed to bite down on its own flesh and carry part of its skin towards Blue, dropping it on the floor in front of her. "For me?" Blue asked before picking the skin up, "Thanks!" She turned around and headed back to the group without a care in the world, while the others freaked out about her turning her back to the monster. "What the hell?" Leo gasped as she approached. "What?" Blue looked back," Oh relax, if it was going to kill me, it would have done it before, not after it gave me a gift. And check it out." Blue held the skin in front of the group. It had both the white and the golden scales on it, but its size wasn''t as big as it seemed. Everyone activated their [Inspect], curious about what was the viper''s gift. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chu''a''s skin The skin of the elder snake, Chu''a. Hardened by years of combat, the skin is not only light but incredibly resistant to cuts. However, due to the life of Chu''a, the skin only boasts elemental resistance to acid. It can be used to craft items with the acid attribute. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mark stared at the skin for a moment, "It''s a shame its such a small piece. With that, you could at most make some boots or a hood, but nothing else. Honestly, I would love to try to work with that." "Really? Have any good ideas?" Blue asked. "Maybe, but it''s yours. Next time I''ll get mine," Mark said. "You could have this one. I want to check the price first, but it''s all yours if it''s not a fortune," Blue said. The group agreed to leave the skin with Mark as long as it wasn''t too expensive. Having befriended the snake, the group headed towards the other side of the valley. Now they were finally able to see the wall on the other side. They could also see that everything to the sides was covered in the purple fog. Bonnie wanted to test how badly the fog would affect them, but no one liked the idea of jumping in the mist just for a test. They agreed to test if they found a large group of enemies, but aside from that, they didn''t want to waste the pearls. Walking through the path, they saw more and more poison monsters. A few would try to attack the group but were quickly dealt with. Lesser poison lizard started to appear. They looked like grey iguanas. The first group was just a bit bigger than Tiger, but they began to grow bigger as the group got closer to the valley'' back wall. Fighting those creatures was different. They moved quicker than the frogs or snakes. They didn''t drool poison or seemed to be hurt by it like the others. Instead, the poison mana seemed to empower the creatures, making them stronger and faster. Alone, the lizard took advantage of its surroundings, hiding in the bushes, climbing the trees, and attacking in unpredictable ways. The group was struggling to the point where just four lizards were able to keep Hera and her friends on the defensive. The lizards were employing guerrilla tactics, hitting the adventures and rushing back to the safety of the poison mist where the humans dared not to venture. The creatures would swap between attacking in groups and sending one of them as a distraction. They communicated in a way that Hera couldn''t perceive. She triggered her Pulse spell a few times, trying to find the beast. Not only could she feel their poisonous mana, but there was also a small mana link between them. Maybe that was how they talked to each other to move so well in a group. Luckily, Yarnball would vibrate every time one of the lizards came out of cover. Thanks to that, Hera was able to warn her friends when something was coming. When the first regular Poison Lizard appeared, they saw something different. Instead of the loose skin or bloated form, the lizard''s grey skin had patches of purple. Its claws also had a deep purple color and would spread the poison on any place they touched. The creatures were still smaller than a large dog, but they looked menacing. The only advantage was that these lizards were easier to spot and hit. The lesser version of the creature was much more annoying, albeit less dangerous. At one point, most of the group had some cuts and bruises on their bodies, and they were all poisoned. Before using the pearl, Bonnie walked into the mist and took a deep breath. Hera did the same. She already had a few poison skills. Getting a resistance could be useful. After a few moments, they checked their status. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poisoned by the Mist The fog around you has entered your body. You are more susceptible to poisons, and any damage you take by poison mana will be amplified. Duration: 10:00 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The duration would increase with each breath they took. That mist also gave Hera an idea. Maybe her poison spells could not only be useful but be stronger, even if she wasn''t able to poison the creatures. With the two still in the mist, the group gathered and spent one of their pearls to cleanse the area. Soon all the poison had vanished, and the valley had a new safe place, even if it was a small one. Looking at the path, Hera noticed that soon they would find a place where the poison pools would become a problem. Thankfully, during the way here, they had found another block of clay. It was finally time to put it into use. "Finally, this thing was weighing on me," Blue said, taking the brick of clay out of her pouch. In a few moments, they were all covered with a thin layer of clay up to their waist. Tiger, however, was covered entirely Only its eyes and nose were left without any of the substance. Leo was the one who did that, so Tiger would be able to see and breathe. They moved towards the pools and soon reached an open area, much like the one the massive frog was in. Several pools of poison were spreading, creating a ring-like structure around them. After the pools, they would reach the end wall of the valley. Before reaching the larger one in the middle, a purple snake with black stripes on its side, and a purple frog with the same black stripes rose from the front pools that were just five meters away. They were taller than the other poison monsters they fought, but luckily not as tall as the greater poison lizard. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Greater Poison Frog ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Greater Poison Snake ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The bodies of the creatures were glistening with the poison from the pools. "What are the chances they are going to let us pass?" Mark asked. "I would say zero," Leo replied. "I take the snake, you take the frog," Blue said to the hunter. Hera and Alex looked at each other and, with a nod, agreed to do the same. It would be easier to split the fight than to throw everyone in the same melee. Besides, it was just a frog and a snake. After dealing with the lizards, how bad could it be? 114 Dungeon Boss Blue kept running through the pools of poison, splashing the liquid as her feet hit the ground. The poison steam moving past her. Everything happened so fast that they didn''t have a chance to talk strategy. Because of that, Blue wasn''t sure how far she needed to be. Her best estimate was at least five pools away. She could hear the snake approaching, and beyond it, other splashes on the water that she hoped came from her friends. She could be the tank, but this creature was too much for her to deal on her own. "Watch out!" Bonnie yelled just when the snake recoiled for a lunge. Blue looked back and dove to the side, tumbling over the poison. The snake''s attack sent its body forward, landing besides the blue-haired woman. The snake turned around, ready to strike again as Blue got up, flaring up her buff once more. At the same time, Bonnie started to charge up a frost bomb. Hera moved to the side, activating her [Hide] when she was out of the snake''s line of sight. She walked through the pools, being careful not to make any noise, trying to reach the creature''s back. While she moved, Bonnie was helping blue deflect the monster''s attack using her Air Fist. When Hera was finally close enough to strike, the snake quickly turned around and went towards the explorer with its mouth open. "I''m here!" Blue yelled, trying to distract the snake. The monster didn''t bother and focused on its target. Hera jumped through the snake''s tail and rolled in the poison on the other side as the creature hit the ground, getting a mouthful of poison. Blue rushed towards the monster, hitting it while it was still in the water. Even Hera felt a small shock in the water, not enough to hurt her, but it showed how strong the controller''s buff was. Yet, the snake didn''t seem to be bothered by it. The creature was drinking the poison, allowing the three women to wail on it. Hera kept slashed at the creature''s body with her handaxe. To her surprise, the attack wasn''t even able to draw blood. She was expecting to deal some damage, but the debuff for being seen while hidden was showing its toll. She kept attacking, but with each strike, the impact seemed to lessen. Hera was starting to worry, but she noticed that Blue also seemed to be having some trouble dealing damage. The controller was still able to hold on and avoid getting hit by the fangs, but all that she could do at the moment was hold the snake''s mouth open. Seeing that, Bonnie quickly grabbed one of the pearls and tossed towards the creature. When the projectile made contact with the snake''s skin, the pearlescent glow covered a small area, cleaning the pool of poison they were in as well as the Hera, Blue, and the creature. Before the light faded, there was a large splash in the now clear water. The snake had fallen into the pool and was spasming uncontrollably. Part of its skin was turning grey, and the black stripes were thinner. Hera and Blue looked at each other for a moment and started to wail on the creature, their attacks doing considerably more damage. Bonnie aimed her Frost Bomb directly into the snake''s mouth, trying to make its fangs turn brittle. The monster recoiled with the attack, seeming to be more bothered by the cold than by Hera and Blue''s assault. The snake turned towards Bonnie, spitting some poison towards the researcher. She rushed to the side to avoid the spray and sent two air fists at the monster. Hera managed to cut off the tip of the snake''s tail, making it stop focusing on Bonnie and turning towards the explorer. Blue climbed on the creature''s body and started punching it, "I said, I''m here. Come get me, you asshole." Hera wasn''t sure of what the controller was doing, but she didn''t have the time to figure out. She dashed forward, swinging her handaxe towards the black stripes of the snake, trying to damage the creature. "Use a pearl to make it weaker!" Bonnie yelled to the other group while moving away from the snake, trying to get in a better position. The beast opened its mouth once more and went straight for Blue, who ducked down and used the snake''s body to push herself away from the attack. The monster stopped before biting its own flesh and swung its head at Blue, sending her flying back to the edge of the pool. The snake followed it with a bite towards the controller. It didn''t seem like Blue was going to be able to evade the attack. The impact had taken away her breath. Hera raised her hand and sent a Poison Spray towards the snake''s face. She changed the spell, trying to make it deal more damage with the impact than with the poison. The orange spray hit the creature in the left eye, diverting its course enough to miss Blue. The snake''s skin sizzled with the spell, making the creature turns angrily towards Hera. "Oh crap," the explorer thought before running to the side, trying to make some distance between her and the snake. Blue held onto the beast and once more and started to punch it with all her might. As the snake moved, the controller noticed one of the cuts that Hera had made. Jumping towards the wound, Blue dug deep with both her hands, trying to open the gash even more. Even with that, the snake didn''t change targets. Hera was running toward the area with the smaller poisonous pools, hoping that it would be enough to mess with the snake''s movement. Bonnie sent a cold bomb towards the pool. The moment the spell hit, part of the water froze, but the monster moved too fast. Its body rammed into the ice, making large shards fly to various directions. Hera had to avoid a couple of them, but the last one hit her arm. She tumbled to the side and felt something in her waist. It was the spring cane she had bought on the day of her graduation. That small moment of distraction was enough for the snake. Before Hera realized, the creature so close that she could feel the saliva hitting her face. Hera grabbed the cane and put her hand forward, activating it. Hoping it would be sturdy enough to block the monster''s advance. Yet, what happened was a surprise for her. The two-meter long cane stabbed the inside of the snake''s mouth, who recoiled with the pain. Now, it was lodged in its maw, making it unable to use its main attack. "Keep it up. We can do this!" Bonnie yelled as she sent the air fist towards a wound near the tail of the snake. Blue Kept working on the wound she was ripping, now she could grab the flesh with both hands. That left Hera with the job of avoiding the attacks. Thanks to the cane, it was a bit easier. The monster was disoriented and would still try to bite her instinctively, only to be stopped by the pain of the iron rod digging even deeper into its mouth. Little by little, the explorer understood the creature''s rhythm and became able to attack as she evaded. In just a small amount of time, the snake''s maw became mangled and bloody. The monster was getting more and more sluggish. It stopped charging at Hera and looked around, searching for something. Bonnie saw the creature rush towards one of the poison pools that weren''t affected by the pearls. It dove towards the purple liquid, trying to drink it to recover. Seeing that happen, Bonnie threw another one of the pearls. The glow covered a large area while Bonnie cursed under her breath, realizing she threw one of the big pearls. The snake started to spasm while Blue and Hera worked on the open wound Blue was ripping open. Together, the two of them managed to get halfway through the creature before it stopped spasming, a strong smell of rot and bile flooding their noses. Blue rushed to the creature''s head and attempted to hold it down. Hera was doing a much better job at cutting the beast open than her fists. Bonnie was helping Blue, maintaining the monster''s attention away from Hera as best as she could. That only lasted a moment. The snake quickly turned around and jerked its body, making the explorer jump away. The movement was enough to make the wound open up, even more, almost doubling its size. The beast gave a pained roar, making its body move even slower. Hera took advantage of that and put all her height into a slash. The attack went through part of the snake and ended on the ground. Even if it was just a small cut to the side, it was already a significant amount of progress. After all that, the snake was in bad shape. It was bleeding from several places, and it seemed to be stuck in the same spot, unable to move too much. With the monster on the defensive, it became harder to deal any damage to it. The snake would only move when it was sure that it would hit someone, and the party only wanted to attack when the creature was distracted. Looking at the blood covering the pool, Hera considered the snake to be at a disadvantage. It was still bleeding, and if given enough time, that would kill it. However, as time went by, the blood stopped flowing. The purple sludge was forming a thick layer around the snake''s wounds. Seeing that the situation wouldn''t change, Bonnie approached the monster and threw another purifying pearl at it. As soon as the glow started, the snake began to spasm. The movements made the wound in the middle of its body worsen until its skin couldn''t hold on due to its massive weight. Before the pearlescent glow vanished, a ripping sound echoed through the area, followed by a spray of blood as the snake''s tail flew to the side. As the light vanished, Hera could see that the snake kept bashing its head against the floor in agony. After a few moments, the snake was lying on the ground, motionless. Hera, Bonnie, and Blue took a moment to breathe. They still had to go help the rest of the group deal with the giant frog. However, Leo and Alex were already rushing toward them. "Oh, you got it. Good." Leo stopped running as he saw the snake''s corpse. "Yeah, you got yours?" Blue asked. "We did. But those poison clouds were annoying. Mostly to make the thing get away from it," Alex explained. "Why didn''t you use the pearls to clear that?" Bonnie asked. "We were saving them, right?" Mark replied. "For when we need it. I say that is part of it. We used like four here," Blue said. "What? Why did you waste it?" Leo started badgering the two for the use of the pearls. While the hunter was complaining about the items, Hera looked towards the bodies of the beasts they just fought. They were already dissolving into the odd sand that all the creatures seemed to turn to inside the dungeon. Hera walked towards the place where the snake was, but something caught her attention in the larger pond of poison. Raising from the 150-meter wide pool was a gigantic creature. It almost looked like the water itself was rising up. "Guys," Hera called the group. The rising figure broke through the water, showing glowing purple spikes on its deep violet back. "Guys!" Hera called once more. The creature revealed itself, showing its large face with a mouth big enough to swallow trees whole, the black eyes with purple irises locked with Hera''s. "GUYS!" Hera yelled, finally getting the group''s attention. "What the hell is that?" Mark gasped. The gigantic lizard roared, the sound echoing through the entire valley. Hera quickly activated her [Observe] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tanika - Bringer of Poison ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 115 Tanika "Can we use the pearls now, oh, great leader?" Bonnie stared at Leo with an angry expression. "Scold me later, toss the things. Clear that pool," Leo yelled, grabbing one of the pearls with him. The group threw a couple of pearls, cleansing about a third of the pool. The glows were unable to cover the creature completely, much less the pond. They would need to go around it to reach the areas that still had poison. The lizard still had its eyes locked with Hera''s. Even as she moved around, the glowing purple eyes kept following her even as the other got closer. She took a step back, staying within the monster''s sight. The clean water was starting to become contaminated once more. Not only the poison from the areas where the glow didn''t reach was coming towards the clean areas, but the giant lizard appeared to make poison out of its body. Without breaking eye contact, Tanika, the giant lizard, opened its mouth and regurgitated a set of two poison frogs and a poison snake. Hera wasn''t sure what was the most upsetting part. Seeing three creatures leaving the giant''s mouth and start moving around, or the fact that the giant lizard didn''t even blink while vomiting the creatures. Even though her [Observe] identified the monsters'' name, they were smaller than those she fought before. They were almost a middle point between the lesser and the regular versions. "Blue! I''m going to need some help here," Hera yelled, seeing the three smaller creatures heading towards her. The controller, seeing what was going on, dashed towards the explorer. Mark, who was still behind Hera, started to send arrow after arrow towards the poison frogs. Just the three creatures wouldn''t be much of a problem. The issue was the looming threat of the behemoth behind them. After throwing up the creatures, Tanika was back to just staring at Hera. The trio quickly finished off the frogs and moved towards the bloated snake. At that moment, another glow appeared behind the frog. Someone had managed to activate another pearl. Blue wasn''t able to notice it since she had just placed the bloated snake into a headlock. With Blue holding down the snake, Hera was able to chop its head off. Mark held its bow aimed towards the giant lizard. "Should I shoot it?" he asked. "It''s not actually attacking. Just standing there," Hera said. Tanika started convulsing, and the poison in the water crawled up its skin being absorbed by the lizard. The liquid was seeping into the cracks between its scales. Its spikes glowed with a vivid purple, and the behemoth threw up three poison frogs and a poison lizard. "Aw, c''mon," Blue groaned, seeing the smaller creatures moving towards her. "We need to clear all the poison!" Bonnie yelled from the side of the large pool. Mark was already flinging arrow after arrow towards the incoming frogs. They were the ones he had to make on the spot. The lack of a proper finish made the projectiles fly in the odd trajectories, making it harder for Mark to hit the creatures. Hera and Blue had less trouble. The frogs that were coming could be stronger than the lesser version, but they were just as hardy. It only took the two a few moves to kill each one of them. The lizard was a bit more complicated, not because of its strength but for its speed. It kept dashing and dodging. It was like trying to swat a fly. Another glow appeared behind the creature, cleansing most of the pool, followed by Bonnie''s voice, "There is still poison around. I''m going to use a big pearl!" The researcher was moving back towards Blue and Hera. She grabbed the largest pearl they found and aimed at the giant''s mouth. When the poison lizard died, Tanika opened its mouth while the spikes on its back flared up once more. At that moment, Bonnie tossed the pearl, hoping to cleanse the creature''s poison from the inside. The glow this time was barely enough to cover the entire creature. Bonnie yelled to everyone to throw a couple of pearls, cleaning the remaining poison from the pool. When the light vanished, Tanika was still in the same position. It started to shiver, and the water raised once more towards it, seeping between its scales. It kept pulling more and more water while the spikes grew brighter until the last spike on its back exploded, causing a large scorch mark on the creature''s body. Tanika appeared to lose its front legs'' strength and made an odd high-pitched sound that seemed almost like a wail. In response to that, several lesser poison creatures emerged from the smaller poison pools in the area. They started marching towards Tanika, ignoring the humans altogether. "What the hell is this?" Blue asked, looking around. "I have no idea. Should we just kill them?" Mark asked. "No clue. Bonnie, what do you think?" Hera called the researcher, who was still a bit far from them. "Part of me says to see what is going to happen. But the other part says it''s a bad idea to let whatever they are doing to happen," she replied, looking at the creatures. "Soo... let''s wait for Alex and Leo, at least we can regroup," Blue suggested. No one was confident that waiting was a good idea, but Hera had to admit that she was curious about what the creatures were doing. They watched as the lesser snakes, frogs, and lizards walked towards Tanika and climbed into its mouth. The beast didn''t stop its wail, even while the smaller ones were deep into its throat. Alex and Leo arrived just as the last few poison critters were arriving at Tanika''s maw. "What the hell is that?" Leo asked. Hera quickly explained what was going on. "I get why you are waiting, but that is a bad idea. What if that thing uses a big skill now?" Alex said. Before any of them could reply, Tanika retched, and two poison snakes came out among its bile, together with three poison lizards. "I guess with the lack of poison around it. It uses the creatures as fuel to make more," Bonnie said. "Think about it later. We need to kill that thing. Blue lets focus on the ones coming from its mouth. Alex, try to attack the big thing," Leo commanded. Hera joined in the group against the smaller creatures. Something about the idea of approaching the reptile didn''t sit well with her, especially since the beast had yet to move her eyes away from her. The snakes and lizards were quickly dispatched. Hera taking care of two while Leo and Blue took one each. Just as the explorer dealt the final blow on the last snake, Alex yelled. "Shit!" the assassin rushed back to the group covered in a thick glowing purple sludge, "gimme a pearl, gimme a pearl," she begged. Bonnie tossed a pearl to her, and the glow covered the group. Alex''s face was burnt in a few places where the liquid splashed her. "That thing freaking hurts!" she gasped. "Ok, then. Going close range is a no go. What the hell do we do?" Leo asked. Tanika started shivering once again, the water crawling up its body. After a moment, the loud wail began, followed by the army of lesser poison creatures rising from the pools. "Oh, no, you don''t!" Hera turned towards the lesser monsters and started to kill them before reaching its master, "I have no idea what is going on, but that last batch seemed bigger. We can''t let them go in again." Bonnie nodded and started to attack the monsters. She didn''t see the firsts groups, but Hera could be right. It would make sense for the difficulty to keep increasing. The group quickly spread and started to kill all the monsters who were marching to be devoured. The critters weren''t fighting back. This was not a fight but just a slaughter, one way or another, they would die. They were also only walking, which made it even easier to deal a killing blow. Hera kept slashing away, but she couldn''t help but to feel her stomach-turning. The situation felt wrong. She was just killing a bunch of harmless creatures, and for what? So that she wouldn''t have to fight stronger creatures? She was just a coward, no better than the emperor. Hera shook her head. She couldn''t let herself go there. This was a fight for her life, just like any other inside the maze. She needed to be strong and survive, even if she had to do something like this. Hera cut another frog''s head and stopped. Could this be what the emperor felt? How can she say she''s better than him if she is willing to kill innocent creatures just to survive? An explosion broke Hera''s train of thought. Looking back, she saw one of the large spikes on Tanika''s back had exploded, making another large scorch mark around its body. Hera looked around and saw that the area was clear of any small poison creatures. "This is the gimmick!" Bonnie yelled, "We need to make the rest of the spikes blow up. Don''t let anything get into its mouth." Hera looked around, trying to see if any other creatures were coming. Everything seemed quiet, and without the lizard''s noise, it could almost be seen as peaceful. A moment passed, and Tanika started its wail once more, this time in a higher pitch. The change in tone made the noise a bit annoying, but nothing that would disturb the group. The lesser poison creatures raised up once more and marched towards the giant. However, they were moving faster, but it still wasn''t an issue. It took a bit longer to kill them all. The previous wave took less than a minute. This one almost went past two. When no more creatures remained, one of the spikes on Tanika''s back started glowing and then exploded, showing not only a larger gash on its back but a few cuts on the sides. There were still five more spikes on its back. The wail began, and the group fought off the creatures once more. Each wave would move faster and be more numerous than the last. It would also last longer than the previous one. What started at something close to a minute of fighting turned into almost ten minutes of fighting nonstop. Even if the creatures weren''t fighting back, just running around catching them was very troublesome. As the spikes blew up, more wound appeared on the creature''s back. One of them was large enough to show what looked like a purple stone embedded deep into Tanika''s flesh. When only a single spike remained, the monsters that came out of the pools were a bit bigger but less numerous. The issue was that they were smarter. The creatures now were fighting back. They would try to avoid being caught and even sacrifice themselves so that the others could reach Tanika. The group struggled to kill the creatures. They all fought as one. Hera used her pulse and confirmed that all the small monsters had a thin mana link connecting them all. Even with all their efforts, a couple of the poison creatures managed to jump inside Tanika''s mouth. Hera and the others rushed together, trying to get in some semblance of a combat formation. "Careful guys, this could be a big one," Bonnie said as she started charging a spell. The last spike on Tanika''s back started to glow, becoming even brighter than before. The lizard closed its mouth and lowered its head, showing an odd formation of horns on its forehead. They were glowing in the same light. Suddenly, a purple glow came out of all its wounds, while sparks of energy started coming out of the horns. "That''s not good," Mark said as he notched another arrow and sent towards the spikes. Bonnie joined in, sending a couple of cold bombs to the formation on Tanika''s forehead. The arrows were vaporized by the condensed energy, and the spells seemed to have little to no effect. The glow grew brighter as the power charged up. "We need to move!" Leo yelled. Hera noticed that the energy on Tanika''s forehead was enveloped by a mist that seemed to degrade the area around it. It was a sight very similar to when she used one of her poison spells. "No, we don''t!" Hera said as she grabbed the cane, that she had recovered from the Greater Poison Snake''s body. She placed a pearl in its damaged tip and held it pointing towards the giant lizard. "Hera, are you sure?" Bonnie asked. "Yes, I am." the explorer replied. Tanika finished charging up the spell and fired a concentrated beam of poison mana towards the group. The moment the purple laser hit the cane, a pearlescent glow covered the area. "Are we dead? Are we dead? Are we dead?" Mark kept asking the same question while the glow covered their eyes. After a few moments, the light vanished and showed Tanika charging up for another attack. However, this time, before the group could even react, the monster''s core exploded, killing the creature. "Holy crap, Hera. How did you know that would work?" Blue gasped. Before Hera was able to reply, a notification appeared in front of each member of the group. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have completed the Dungeon Quest inside The Frog Valley. By destroying the creature responsible for generating the poison, the Valley returned to a peaceful state. Rewards: 5 000 gold Minor Mana Stone Select ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The mana had a poison feel to it. But to be honest, I was only like 80% sure," Hera laughed. "Are you serious?" Leo gasped. Tanika''s body started to glow. Simultaneously, a small lizard, about the size of a husky, appeared on top of its head. 116 Veterans Advice "I''m not sure, but it seems familiar, doesn''t it?" Mark said. The small lizard had light green skin with two white stripes on its sides and a little blue diamond shape mark on its forehead. "Wait, isn''t that the lizard we saved in the beginning?" Hera asked. She was sure it was the same creature, not only that, the patter on its sides were very similar to the one on Tanika''s body. The explorer activated her [Observe] to confirm her suspicion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tanika''s Soul ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The lizard started to glow and become translucent. When the massive corpse turned into the small particles, the small lizard crumbled as well, giving the group a nod and a smile before its face vanishing. "Oh, so I guess that thing still had some good on it," Leo said. "Yeah, it''s kind of nice that we managed to help it. Still think we are not the good guys?" Blue turned to Alex. "Meh, a fight is a fight. I''m not going to be cruel for shits and giggles, but I''m not going to be bothered by whatever is this," the assassin replied. "Yeah, but where is the mana stone?" Mark asked, looking around. "Check your tablet. There is a rewards thing. But you should wait for us to get out of here before getting it," Bonnie explained. The sound of Hera vomiting stopped the conversation. She had kneeled by one of the pools and was in the process of returning her lunch to the wilds. "Hera? Are you ok?" Blue rushed towards her friend. "I''m fi.." she threw up once more. She had just killed a kind creature. If the soul was still there, there could be a way to save Tanika. Yet, she chose to take the easy way out and kill the creature. A creature that was so caring that wished to die in order not to hurt anything. And she had killed it. How could she say she was any better than the emperor? She killed him for power, and now she killed the lizard for money. "Gimme a pearl. The poison must have gotten to her," Blue commanded. "No, it''s not. Sorry," Hera raised her head. A few tears had streamed down her face. "What do you mean, fine? You just threw up," Blue placed a pearl on Hera''s arm, hoping to trigger it. The pearl did nothing. "I told you, it''s not the poison," Hera used the clean water of another pool to clean her mouth. "Ok, but what the hell just happened?" Leo asked. "I... I don''t want to talk about it," Hera said, avoiding the hunter''s gaze. "Are you pregnant or something?" Mark asked. Hera chuckled, "If I am, I''m starting a religion." "Ok, but what happened?" Blue asked once more. "I... Can we talk about it later?" Hera slumped her shoulders and looked away. There was a long pause before Blue, letting out a long sigh, "Fine, but we are talking before the next run." The sphere started glowing, and the light began to spread. In front of them, a wide shot of the valley appeared as a notification, showing the view from the entrance. The live feed showed the glow coming from the other side and quickly covered the entire screen. A few moments later, the light vanished, and the image showed a valley completely free of poison. Even the purple fog above had vanished. The group had spent 4 hours inside the dungeon. Even if they spent a couple of hours resting, they still had enough time to try another run. The first few times a creature showed up, as they made the walk back to the entrance, put them on edge. However, neither the frogs nor the snakes were aggressive towards them. With that, the group relaxed and started talking as if they were strolling through the woods. "Hey, Bonnie. Are you good to say what the hell was that whole contract thing?" Leo asked. "Oh... Yeah, I guess I never explained to you," Bonnie let out a sigh, "Ok, First. The thing about me being married off was my mistake. The contract had a bunch of technical law terms, and I completely misunderstood. It was about companies and my role in them. So forget about all that. The entire contract was bogus. My father attempted to pressure my mother into telling me about my birth. She was worried about how I would react after knowing the truth. My parents are not in a loving relationship. I mean, I knew that, but still, my birth was a business transaction. My father wanted someone with good genes to give him an heir. So he paid 100 thousand gold to my mom to be artificially inseminated and then raise me as her daughter. In the end, he is asking for that money back." "That is... messed up," Blue said. "Is it?" Alex said, "I mean, People do worse for less. And there was nothing bad going on. Also, it gave us you, didn''t it?" Bonnie smiled, "Yeah. And I know my mom loves me, but the whole thing is just so weird. It''s hard to talk to her right now." "Still don''t be too hard on her, show you still care. Take that from someone who has a long road to fix family relationships," Mark said. There was a moment of silence before Blue finally asking," Do you want to talk about it?" "Not even a little," Mark said, grabbing his tablet. They changed the subject to spells and what they could use in this place, and in just around fifteen minutes, they reached the entrance, leaving the dungeon. Outside it, there was the line of people waiting to get into the dungeon. Hera''s group had agreed to rest a couple of hours in the city before coming back. They headed away from the wooden gate and towards the tower. On the way, Hera noticed Runir and his group walking towards the dungeon. They greeted each other, but both parties wanted to keep doing their own thing. In a few minutes, they arrived back in the small village around the tower. The first thing Hera wanted to do was take a shower. The mud and water from the dungeon wasn''t exactly clean. The village also had a quick cleaning service. It was expensive, but they could clean all their gear in just half an hour. Hera wanted to take a bath, a long steamy bath in the hot springs. They agreed to spend a couple of hours resting before going to the dungeon again. They stopped by the hotel, buying some simple clothes at the gift shop before going to the cleaners to wash their gear. "I want to buy some more clothes. We''ve been doing everything with our armor. I forgot how comfortable regular clothes were," Blue said. Hera had to agree. Even if she wasn''t using a hard armor like the controller, the leather pieces were not the most comfortable things to wear. "We could go buy some clothes after we get back... or when you get back from your trip," Alex suggested, but it was clear the assassin wasn''t very excited about Blue''s trip. "I''ll bring you guys some seashells bikinis then," Blue laughed. "I pass, seashells don''t go well with my eyes," Bonnie replied. Hera was around that conversation, but she wasn''t hearing. Her mind went back to the dungeon boss and the emperor. She understood that both events were supposed to happen like that. Tanika even seemed to thank the group for killing her, but she couldn''t shake the feeling that she was going on a path that would crush her soul. They went to the hot springs first, taking a shower and then going to the heated pools of water. The girls kept talking, but Hera wasn''t a good company. They loudly discussed the dungeon and what happened inside it. They were even getting a few stares from other women that were relaxing in the heated waters. A woman with long black hair approached the group, "Ladies, I understand your excitement, but please be mindful of others." "I apologize, we will tone it down," Bonnie said. "Yeah, sorry. We didn''t intend to bother anyone," Blue joined. "Not a problem. It was kind of refreshing to see people talking about the dungeon like that. After a while, it turns into a routine," the woman said, "Mind if I join?" "Not at all," Alex moved a bit to the side. "Thanks, I''m Cassandra, by the way," she sat at the by the group. "It''s a pleasure. I''m Bonnie, and these are Blue, Alex, and Hera." "The pleasure is all mine," Cassandra nodded towards them, "Was this the first dungeon you ever did?" "No, we did the Arcanist Lookout already, but it was the first time we did the Frog Valley," Alex said. "Oh, the lookout is to the south, right? I''ve never done that one. People say it''s only worth it if you get the first run after the reset," Cassandra shifted, getting a bit more comfortable. "We got the first run by accident. It was fun, but there were some tricky parts. Although, I think the valley it''s harder," Blue replied. "Oh, I can imagine. The first time I did the valley, we had to run away. Only a few runs later, we realized that if you toss pearls in all the pools, in the end, the boss just glows and blows up without spawning the other things," "Really?" Alex gasped. "Yeah, did you guys beat the boss without that?" Cassandra asked. "Yeah, well... sort of. We cleaned a few pools, but not all," Bonnie said. "Oh, so you had to deal with the spawns? That is hard. But if you let the giant lizard eat every one of them, you can get some good money with the things it... births," Cassandra explained. They kept asking about the dungeon and strategies. Cass gave some hints, including that they should give up on trying the hard mode. To trigger it, you had to kill all the poison things and the snakes, but the boss would be a powered up version of the scared frog. It would not only be the size of the lizard boss, but the frog had lightning magic. Since they would fight around water, it was a deadly combination. Around half an hour later, they had a lot more information about the dungeon. "Thank you for all the advice, Cassandra," Bonnie said. "No worries, we explorers have to help each other," she replied. "Hey, Hera! She is an explorer too," Blue turned towards her friend, trying to cheer her up. "I meant in a more general way, like we are all explorers. But yeah, I''m an explorer too. It''s weird to have a role that doesn''t have a name," Cassandra chuckled. "Oh, did you get another role skill?" Hera asked. "Yep. I was between explorer and mage, so as soon as I could, I got the explorer''s sync." "Oh, did you get any other role skills?" Hera asked. "Not yet. Why?" Cassandra asked. "Nothing. I just wanted to talk about something that happened on my assassin role skill test." "What was it? Was the bonus round weird?" Cass asked. "Do you know about the bonus round?" Hera turned towards the woman. "Yeah, I got one in the sync test and asked around. Apparently, all have a bonus round, but the difficulty in finding it varies," Cass said. "Oh, did you..." Hera was about to ask about peaches. Thankfully, she stopped herself before saying anything in front of her friends, " How did you get the bonus round?" "Well... I had to do the test well. Then I had to find a few things. But what exactly you are going to have to figure out. We are explorers. It''s all about finding things," Cassandra said. Hera nodded. She wanted the help and did not understand why Cass said no, but she wasn''t in the mood to argue. They stayed in the hot springs for a while longer before they left. Meeting up with Leo and Mark, the group went towards the hotel to grab something to eat. They still had one more run to do for today. 117 Farming the Valley "OK, so when we are traveling, we can go through the poison fog to fight more things and get more loot. None of the lesser and basic poison creatures use any type of poison mana, and if we get hit by that sludge, we would need to cleanse ourselves anyway," Blue explained. "As I told you, we need to confirm that first. It''s fine to be trusting, but we should be careful nonetheless," Bonnie said. "So, we are not trying the thing with the lizard?" Mark asked. "Oh, we are, and we are going to need you for that," Bonnie said. "I''m really not confident I can shoot it in the middle of the fight," Mark scratched the back of his head. "Worst case, we run back," Bonnie replied. "Ok, you are all careful about the poison, and now you are all gung ho about attacking the Greater Lizard. Why?" Leo asked. "Because I''m not sure about the poison thing, but the lizard thing makes much more sense. The snake seems relatively friendly towards us, and the thing about monsters not dropping loot if they die without our interference was explained to us during training. Besides, if the snake comes after us, we can kill it," the researcher explained. "Your priorities are weird. You know that?" Alex said. Bonnie just shrugged and kept talking about the strategies. After a few minutes, the group had some new strategies to clear the dungeon. While they were ironing out the last details, Blue sat beside Hera. "Hey, I don''t want to put you in the spot or anything. But what happened back there?" the controller was speaking in a soft voice, enough for only Hera to hear. "I''m worried this place will change me into something awful," Hera explained. "Why?" Hera took a deep breath and explained the entire situation. About the bonus room, the emperor, and the talk she had with the king. She avoided talking about Peaches, unsure of how mentioning that would affect the Guide skill. By the end, the explorer''s grip on her handaxe tightened while she held back the tears that wanted to form on her face. "I don''t want to turn into a monster, Blue." "Oh, Hera... you are not going to be a monster. Far from it. You are the kindest person I know. If you were going that path, you wouldn''t feel this bad by all of this," Blue placed her arm around Hera. "Yeah, he said the same thing," Hera replied, leaning into Blue''s shoulder. "Who did?" Hera panicked, had she just made a mistake? There was no notification, so maybe she didn''t say anything that would directly reveal the guide. Hera sniffed. She had made too long of a pause already. "The king. I freaked out in front of him after killing the emperor." "What?" "You didn''t kill the emperor. You hit a training dummy." Hera stared at her friend, "What do you mean?" "Did you feel bad when you killed the kobolds in the simulation? Or the slimes on your test?" Blue asked. "No, they were attacking me. It was a survival instinct," Hera replied after pondering for a moment. "You are focusing on the wrong thing. They were there for you to train, just like the emperor. The system made all that so you could get stronger. It was the same during training when fought the dummies. Besides, if all the monsters were like you, the world would be a much better place," both of them chuckled with the comment. Blue turned to face Hera, "And look. Even if you someday turn into a cold-blooded killer, which you are not going to. But if you end up like that, I promise I''ll still like you. Or beat the bad out of you if that''s what you want." "I don''t think a beating would fix that. But I''ll take that offer," Hera said, getting off Blue''s shoulder, "Thanks, Blue. I''m not sure when I''ll be ok whit all that, but thank you for being here for me." "Anytime. Well... not for the next couple of weeks, but after that anytime," Blue said with a smile. The group noticed that the two were having a moment and let them talk without interrupting. When they got up, they got in line to go on their next run. It was easier than the first time. They knew the monsters'' patterns, and with the tips from Cassandra, the party managed to gather 2 453 gold and another two bricks of clay. They failed to make the Greater Poison Lizard drop anything, and the Giant Snake didn''t give anything after they healed it. The rest of the dungeon was just more of the slugfest against the poison creatures. Cleaning all the poison pools around the boss made Tanika just keep charging and blow up all the spikes after a few moments. The hardest part was the Greater Snake and Frog, just before the final boss. The only problem was the reward. Now it gave no items and just 750 gold. Apparently, the 5 000 was just for the first time you beat it. The first group to complete the quest after the weekly reset would get 3 000 gold. After the second run, the group was too tired to do anything else. The small bursts of action followed by a long walk was a great exercise, but one that would exhaust you after some time. They were glad that the pearl strategy worked on the boss. None of them was entirely sure if they could fight several waves of enemies again. During the night, Hera checked the mana stone reward. She had still yet to use the elemental essence that she got from the Arcanist Lookout. She was still unsure which she would choose. The most expensive one was the earth essence, but the spirit one could be more interesting if she wanted to use it for an enchantment. The mana stone also had a few options. It could be lightning, acid, or poison. According to Mark, who already had picked a lightning mana stone, one of the things she could do is to use the stone as a spell battery. That way, she could be less stingy with her spells. The lightning stone was small, just about the size of an eraser, so carrying it around wouldn''t be a problem. The crafter even offered to fashion a small accessory to make using the mana stone easier. Hera decided to pick the poison mana stone since it would allow her to use her mana for buffs and recovery. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minor Poison Mana Stone A stone capable of storing poison mana. It can also be charged using pure mana at a lower rate of 2:1. The mana inside it will be converted to poison mana regardless of the type used for the charge. The mana inside it can only be used to power poison mana related effects. Poison Mana Stored 0/500 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The stone was oval and white, much like stones one would find by a river, and it just a bit bigger than a strawberry. Hera started to send her mana to the rock, and little by little, it changed color to bright orange. The same color as her poison spray. Charging the stone was easy, but using it was odd. She had to make the conscious decision of pulling the mana from the rock and not from herself. It would take a while to get used to doing that. During the second run, she used her spells much more. Even though the poison needle was still useless against the poison creatures, but her poison spray was surprisingly effective against the monsters inside the fog. Having the poison mana stone also allowed her to be a bit of a healer with the Mend spell and take some more damage with her Bark Skin. They spent the week doing that routine, a run in the morning, and another one in the afternoon. One day before they needed to head back to the city, Hera gained a level reaching level 4. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley -- Role: Explorer Level: 4 Stats: Strength: 17 Endurance: 17 Agility: 17 Charisma: 17 Intelligence: 17 Luck: 17 Mana: 213/213 Remaining attribute points: 0 Skills: Passive: Exponential Growth Observe Treasure Map Handaxe Combat, Chakram Combat Dodge, Run, Improved Stamina Active: All in Inspect Hide Local Guide Weapon Maintenance Etching Role Skills: Explorer''s Assassinate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She got enough attribute points to increase her stats by two. She got only 3 bonus points this time. She wasn''t sure why, but in hindsight, she spent much longer at level 2. There were probably more opportunities for her to get more points. Mark also gained a level, reaching level 3 like the others. On the last run, Alex also gained a level, reaching level 4. Leo kept complaining about how that was unfair since they were all fighting together. However, as it was her role''s nature, sometimes Alex could kill the monsters on her own. After seeing Hera hunt on her own, the assassin started to pick off creatures that had strayed too far from the pack. They managed to get another piece of the snake''s skin and more clay, as well as a considerable amount of gold to each of them. They only got a single rare drop, a poison core from the boss. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poison Core The crystallized essence of an old poison creature. The core works as internal storage for mana and can be activated to increase a poison attack power. It can also absorb the surrounding mana to create poison mana. Unusable in its current state, the core needs to be treated and attached to something before working. It can also be infused in a piece of equipment to give it strong poison properties. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ They checked the price of the core, and it was pretty expensive. If the group sold it, they could get almost 1 000 gold each. However, since Hera was using poison spells, the group agreed to let her buy out the item. It was considerably big, about the size of a basketball but not very heavy. Before confirming she would take the core, Hera sent a text to Helena asking her opinion on the subject. Worst-case scenario, she wouldn''t reply in time. During the night of their last day, the group went to a bar close to the inn, celebrating their haul and the moments they shared. They laughed and joke around late into the night before heading back to the inn. In the morning, they headed back to Brinnefront. Leo had to get ready to meet his battalion, and Blue needed to go home to pack for her trip. Hera also wanted to leave the MAZE, she needed to check on her flat, and her grandmother''s birthday would be on the weekend. When they arrived in the city, Helena replied to Hera about the core. According to the mage, the item was hard to come by, and many scholars would want to use it for their research. However, if Hera wanted to keep it, she could fashion some gear with either resistance or increased damage. Another option would be to combine the core with a mana stone to make a self-sustaining mana battery. Although the actual amount of mana it would recover would vary depending on the mana stone''s size and quality. Hera was also discussing the possibilities with Mark, and he had some interesting ideas about how to use the core. She decided to take the item. Even after paying the rest of the group, she still had over 15 000 gold on her account. In one month, she made more than she would have in an entire year. Before heading out with Blue, Hera looked for a gift for her grandmother. After finding something grandma Triss would love, she left the MAZE together with her friend, heading toward her flat for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. 118 Back Home The first thing she had to do was a thorough cleanup. However, she wasn''t sure if she would stay in this place for much longer. Hera was already at level 4, as far as she knew, the first layer only had creatures up to level 5. She also had made quite a bit of money. Maybe renting a place in Brinefront could be a good idea. Better than spending every night in a hotel, at least. As Hera was changing the sheets, she realized that getting her own place would mean either doing chores in the house or paying someone to do that. One of the main reasons she was considering renting was to have a safe place to leave her belongings. For now, aside from some rations and a first aid kit, she didn''t have to carry anything around. That wouldn''t last long. It was already clear that as time went by, she would have more and more items. The guild has a storage service, but it wasn''t the same as having her own place. After a couple of hours, she finished cleaning her flat. This wasn''t how she pictured spending her first day back, but it wasn''t all bad. She had forgotten about the books she was reading and took some time to read a bit. Still, she was anxious. It would be the first time her family would see her now that she was an explorer. She was sure grandma Triss would be over the moon. The problem was her mother. The last time they spoke was before the test. They were never on good terms, but storming out like that was new. She dreaded her mother''s reaction. The last time they had a big fight, Hera left the house for good. But Stella wouldn''t cause a scene on Triss''s birthday, would she? Her tablet buzzed. Blue was asking for her opinion on the clothes she was packing. It was a welcome distraction. Hera spent a couple of hours talking with the controller and helping her remember to pack everything. She also received a text from Helena, just letting her know that she was already in the city but that she would have some stuff to do during the weekend. On Monday, they could meet and talk. On Sunday, Hera went to her hometown in the morning. This time she didn''t ask her father to pick her up at the station. She was still uncomfortable talking to him. Taking a cab, she arrived at her grandmother''s house in the afternoon. The party was a barbecue, and Hera was sure that the party was already going. Her family was fond of gatherings that lasted the whole day. The door opened, and a thin girl with brown hair was on the other side, "Hera!" the girl gave Hera a tight hug. "Hey, Amelia! How are you?" it was nice seeing her cousin. While Hera helped her study for the college entrance exams, the two got close. "I''m great. School is awesome. But I was worried about you. What''s this about you being an explorer now?" Amelia asked. "Yeah. A lot happened. Let me talk to grandma Triss and I''ll tell you all about it." As Hera walked into the house, everyone stopped talking and stared at her. Even Amelia seemed uncomfortable with the scene. "There she is, my beautiful daughter," Stella came out of the kitchen and headed towards Hera, giving her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek, "So brave, so strong. Come, come. Sit down and tell us all about the MAZE." Hera wasn''t sure how to react. Her mom never was this supportive. Stella guided her daughter to the couch, sitting by her side and holding her hands. Everyone was still staring at her, with an expression that Hera couldn''t decipher. "Humm...Hi everyone. Where is grandma Triss? I got a gift for her," Hera tried to break the silence. "I''m here. Hang on. The old legs are not as fast as they used to be," grandma Triss came from the kitchen with her cane. It has been a while since she started to have some difficulty walking around. Hera remembered that she once asked her dad to look for the price of healers to fix her legs, but it was too expensive for them. Hera got up and helped her grandmother sit on her favorite chair, "Here grandma," she gave a small box to Triss. "Hera, you didn''t need to get me anything," the elderly woman kissed Hera on the cheek. "You deserve even more. Now open it." Triss opened the small box showing a transparent plaque with a single white circle on the edge, "Just touch that circle," Hera explained. Her grandmother touched the circle, and above the plaque, a scene appeared. There was a lion cub, a boar, and a weasel walking through a tree trunk, with the moon behind them. The three were bobbing its heads in the same rhythm, and as they moved, the cub grew larger until it became a fully grown lion with a red mane. "Hera..." Triss''s eye''s started to water. "I know how much you love that movie, and that this was grandpa''s favorite part. You would be surprised how quickly they made this one. The plaque can work anywhere, but there is a base that you need to plug in an outlet to recharge it. But it recharges really quickly and can last 10 hours of playing if I''m not mistaken." Triss gave Hera a big hug, tears rushing down her face, "This is amazing. Thank you so much, dear." "What happened, grandma?" Michael, one of Hera''s little cousins, asked. Triss didn''t let Hera go right away. But after a few moments, she released her granddaughter and turned to little Michael. "Grandma is just happy," she pressed the button, activating the illusion, "This scene was your grandfather''s favorite bit. Every time I see it, I remember his goofy smile when he sang the song," she turned towards Michael. "I''m sorry you weren''t able to meet him." The party kept going. Everyone seemed both excited and careful around Hera. The kids were in awe about talking to a real-life explorer, and even the younger side of the family seemed interested in her stories. However, Hera noticed two very odd things. First, Silvia, her aunt, seemed very conscious of what she talked about near Hera. Second, her mom was being very nice, way too nice. She grabbed food or drinks for Hera on multiple occasions and wouldn''t stop singing her praises. She even went as far as saying that the two were so close that sometimes it felt like having a little sister. That gained some stares from Silvia, her actual younger sister. The party kept going until some people started to leave. Hera still had to take a train before going home, and she had the meeting with Helena in the morning. Before leaving, she looked for her grandmother to say her goodbyes. "Grandma, I''m going now. I have some things to do tomorrow." "That''s ok, dear. Thank you so much for the lovely gift. I wasn''t expecting something so beautiful," Triss replied, getting up to hug Hera. Watching her grandmother have so much trouble just to walk those few steps broke Hera''s heart. "Grandma, do you remember how much was the healer to help with your legs?" the explorer asked. "I''m not sure, dear. I think it was 15 000 gold or something. Why do you ask?" "Well, I know I just gave you a birthday gift, but I can give you another," Hera smiled. "Hera, you don''t need to do that. I''m fine, just as I am. I don''t want you saving every gold you make for years to waste on me," Triss said. Hera picked at her tablet and opened her bank account. "What if I told you it would be just another month?" The older woman looked at the tablet, she blinked a few times and even put on her glasses before sighing, "I knew explorers made a lot of money, but this is just unfair," grandma Triss pouted. "Well, it''s a good thing you have a very caring granddaughter that can pamper you," Hera chuckled. Grandma Triss hugged her once more before letting her leave. Hera walked away and told her goodbyes to everyone. Stella was a bit dramatic about her daughter not staying the night, but it was very different from her usual behavior. Eridan offered to give her a ride to the station, Hera accepted that. She had been avoiding her dad, but it was time to change that. Sometime after midnight, she was back in her flat. The day wasn''t as bad as she thought it would be, and tomorrow she would meet Helena. Not only Hera missed her friend, but she was also worried about what happened with the mage. Helena was too cryptic about the entire situation, and that was bugging her. Hera did her best to try to sleep early, giving up after a couple of hours. She opted by watching TV until she passes out. Even after sleeping late, Hera woke up early the next morning. The first thing she did was send a text to Helena, letting her know that she would be ready to talk whenever then Hera went to take a shower and get her breakfast ready. After leaving her bath, Hera saw Helena''s reply. The mage was also anxious about their discussion and wanted to get out of her house. Apparently, some family came to visit her, and she needed a break. She asked if she could go to Hera''s place. The discussion had to be in a more private location. Hera quickly replied with her address and a couple of directions before realizing that she had nothing to eat in her place. She rushed quickly to the grocery store to buy some food and coffee for the two. In less than fifteen minutes, Hera had her basket full and was waiting in line to pay. She got some fruit, bread, jam, some pre-cut vegetables, cheese, coffee, and a bottle of wine. The store still sold the new dawn oranges, but Hera wanted to stay clear of that. "Next in line, please!" Amanda, the teen who was working as a cashier, called. Hera placed the basket on the counter, "Hi Amanda." "Hey, Hera! Long time no see. I''m great. What about you? Oh, silly of me to ask, you are probably amazing being an explorer and all. How was it inside the MAZE? I bet it was awesome. What brings you back?" Amanda spoke in a single breath. The girl was never that energetic before, and the way she talked was frantic. Hera stared at Amanda. There was some weird translucent, shiny smoke coming out of her body. Almost like she was sweating glitter. "Amanda, what did you eat today?" "That''s a weird question. What did I eat? Oh no, is my breath bad? Or can you tell me what I ate now that you are an explorer? That is soo cool. Or Brilliant, as the British would say. At least that''s how they speak in shows. Do you think they are right? The tv shows I mean. It''s so fun! Ace, Cheers, Blimey," Once more, the girl spoke in a single breath. It looked like she was having trouble focusing on a single thing. Hera knew some people were like that, but a change happening this fast was weird. The explorer asked to see Mrs. Kahele, Amelia''s grandmother, with the excuse that it was just to catch up. Amelia could be very stubborn when something was wrong. While she waited for the elderly woman to come to the shop, Helena sent a text letting Hera know that she had just arrived. Hera asked her to come to the store just before Mrs. Kahele arrived. She asked about Amelia''s eating habits and found out that the girl had been eating new dawn oranges. According to what Hera remembered, they shouldn''t affect people at level 1, and Amelia was still 17. She couldn''t be above that. While Hera was talking to Mrs. Kahele, Helena walked into the store. "Lena! Great to see you, but first. Amelia here could use some help," Hera said, trying not to agitate the girl. She didn''t know how she would react to any bad news at the moment. "Hello, sweetie. I can help, sure, but what is going on?" Hera explained the situation, and Helena quickly called for an ambulance. "Can''t you do the thing you did with me?" Hera asked, confused about Helena''s reaction. "I can''t. The best thing I can do is call the right kind of emergency. Those symptoms are from mana overdose. It''s when our body consumes more mana than we can handle and has no way of letting it go. We need someone who can take that away. What level is she?" Helena asked. "Level 1, she is 17," Mrs. Kahele replied. Amelia, who was talking nonstop since Helena arrived, stopped making a sound, but her mouth was still moving even faster than before. Her nose started to bleed while her eyes rolled back. "Hera, quick! Grab her wrists and focus your mana. You know how to cycle it, right? Do that, but with the mana inside her body. Like you were using a mana stone," Helena commanded. Hera grabbed Amelia''s wrist but paused before starting to use the girl''s mana, "Isn''t this dangerous? What you did to me seemed hard." "It was, but just because you were already level 2 and had your own mana. She doesn''t have it. You can just pull everything that is there, and it won''t affect her growth. Even if it ends up happening, is that or risk her dying." Hela took a deep breath and started to pull the mana towards her. She activated all her buffs and kept using pulse after pulse to spend the mana. It was much different than using a mana stone. The energy wasn''t still and would just come as she asked. It was like a rushing river that would try to flood her and escape her grasp. In less than ten minutes, an ambulance had arrived as well as a couple of healers from the guild. They took over the situation and put Amelia inside the vehicle before driving off to the nearest hospital. Hera and Helena stayed for a few minutes in the store until Mr. Kahele arrived. He thanked the two and checked Hera''s purchase out before closing the shop and heading to the hospital. "Lena, what is going on?" Hera asked while carrying the groceries in front of the store, still unsure of what just happened. "Let''s go to your place. We need to talk." 119 Serious talk "Here, I forgot to get milk, sorry," Hera gave a cup to Helena. "Don''t worry. I like it black." Hera chuckled, "Really? With all the sweetie, I thought you liked more sugary things." Helena smiled, "Not on my coffee. But if you have some cake, I won''t say no." "Crap, I forgot the cake," Hera sighed. "Don''t worry. You got more than what we needed. Sit down, let''s talk." Hera sat down on her bed. She only had a single chair, and Helena was using it. The mage had a serious expression. She took a deep breath and looked back at Hera. "What happened, Lena? Why couldn''t you help Amanda back there?" Hera asked. "Ok... I''m sorry for taking so long to talk to you about this. Here is what happened in the Qeeroni Wilds. I got hit by one of those wendigos, but it was an odd version. They managed to hunt it and figured out that the monster ate a curse mage with a bug on its stomach. By that, I mean, she was sick. She had a tapeworm, but it was in the early stages. The only reason why they found out about that was due to the wendigo eating her bracelet. Anyway, the tapeworm made the monster change too. Its claws became coated in a weird slime that was filled with eggs from the new version of the parasite the wendigo had created." Helena raised her shirt, showing a large black scar on the side of her body contrasting with her dark skin, "The monster got me good. I was close to dying for a while there. They did their best to heal me and increase my natural recovery, but no one expected the parasites. They changed, and like the wendigos, they can become stronger the more they eat." "Shit, Lena. Are you going to die?" Hera asked. "No, not yet anyway," Helena shook her head and looked at Hera, "Sorry, I didn''t mean like I have six months to live or something, I mean that we are all dying someday." "Oh, ok. Just be more careful, please, I was almost crying already," Hera said, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Sorry, sweetie. I''ll try to be less dramatic." "No, I didn''t mean it like that. I''m just worried. Please, you can talk to me without worrying," Hera grabbed Helena''s hand. "Ok, I will then," Helena took a bite of her apple, "Continuing, the mage focused on leech spells. Spells that drain the target''s mana and life sending it back to the user, it''s a bit finicky, but it is a powerful type of spell. That affected both the wendigos and the parasites. When I reached the hospital, a part of them was eating my life away. The other part was eating at my mana, but no one noticed because mana parasites are not a thing. Well... were not a thing." "So whatever happened is the guild''s fault?" Hera asked. "No, they are not, but the patient still had to deal with that disease," Hera replied. "Ok, let me summarize the rest. The mana parasites turned too strong after eating all the healing and magic that they poured into me. Now, every time I recover some mana, the parasites eat it up. The doctors say that the creatures are now embedded in me. The only options they had to take them away would give me, at most, a 5% chance of surviving. With those odds, no one is willing to try the treatment. Not even me, to be honest." Hera held Helen''s hand tighter, "So what does that mean?" "I can''t use magic. Since my level is so low compared to the wendigos, my mana regenerates slower than the parasites eat it. If my level was higher, the treatment would have a better chance of working without killing me. But as I am right now, they have no idea how to fix me," A tear came down Helena''s face. "Lena. You are not broken, far from it. You are still here, and we will figure this out. Somehow," even Hera wasn''t very confident in her words. She cleaned her throat, "What now?" Helena brushed the tears away from her face, "Now, in order to not make the parasites grow too much, I''m wearing mana suppression equipment that reduces the amount of mana that I recover to 1 point every hour. I also have weekly checkups in the guild. The guild is also supporting me in whatever I''m doing. They will subsidize my lab and give me some money every month as compensation. I can basically retire or go back to work at the guild. If they ever find a way to cure me, they will let me know. Honestly, I''m not sure I even want to keep my research now. I mean, what''s the point? Maybe I should just go live by the beach or something." "But you love magic so much. Are you really going to let it go?" Hera asked. "Do I have other options? Or should I just wait for a miracle?" Helena replied. Hera looked away. She knew the mage wasn''t mad at her, but she wanted to help. This woman had saved her from her rock bottom. All that Hera wanted was to help. Her eyes glanced at her bag, the one with the mana stone inside. "Do you have any poison spells? Or spells that use poison mana?" Hera asked. "I have a poison resistance spell. Why does that matter?" Helena asked. "I have a mana stone. Did you try using one?" Hera went to her bag and showed the charged stone to the mage. "We considered it. But since the parasites eat mana, we were worried that using a mana stone would infect it," Helena explained. "Ok, so try this. If it gets infected, we just give it to the guild so they can have some more samples to study," Hera held the stone towards Helena. The mage stared at the mana stone for a while, hesitating to reach for it, "Honestly, Hera, there is another reason I haven''t tried that yet. What if it doesn''t work? This could be a way to use magic again, but if it fails, this is it. I have no other options. Besides, if I''m contagious, the guild would probably ship me off to a place far away from everything." Hera sat in front of Helena, "Lena. When we met, I felt like the entire universe was ignoring me. I was afraid of everything and thought I didn''t deserve to dream anymore. I''m not going to say I''m 100% right now, but I''m much braver than I was. If this doesn''t work, we can still look for something else. You can train a fighting style and become a vanguard or get some arrows and be in the back. We can get your tools and gear made so that you can keep your doing your research. We can even try to find a legacy that allows you to use the mana around you or that lets you change sweat to spells. I don''t know those things are weird. I''m sure we can find one that will help you. And if you are contagious, I won''t say a word. I mean, we probably need to figure out a way to make it safe to be around you. Maybe some long gloves and a facemask. I honestly think you can rock the goth look." Helena chuckled, "Thanks, but I don''t think I could take wearing black all the time. I always like brighter colors. And you are right. I still have other options to try. I''m not sure how I would keep my research or find the legacy, though." "Stop saying I, I told you. We can find it. I''m your assistant, and it will take much more than some level 80 parasite to chase me away. Whatever you need, I''m here," Hera said, placing the mana stone on Helena''s hand. "Hera... you don''t need to do that." "You are absolutely right. I don''t need to help you. I want to help, and I''m not taking a no for an answer. Besides, without magic, I doubt you could chase me away even if you tried it," Hera scoffed. "Wow, that was low. Is that how you treat someone injured?" Helena stared at the explorer. "No, that''s how I treat my friends when they refuse to let me help them. Now try to use the mana stone." Helena smiled at Hera and stared at the stone. It was nice seeing the explorer being so assertive. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tapped into the mana inside the orange gem. Hera held her breath, watching her friend while she activated the elemental sight. Aside from the dark smoke around the mage, some odd particles were floating around like they were molecules of something. Little by little, a small layer of orange fog covered Helena. Hera looked at the mage''s eyes and saw tears rushing down her face. "It worked, didn''t it?" Hera asked with a big smile. "Yeah, it takes a bit more mana than normal, but it worked," Helena wiped the tears, "And I''m glad you are that sensitive to mana. That can be very useful." "I''ve been using the Mana Sight spell. It''s a shame it doesn''t update the compendium automatically. I forgot to update one a couple of times and had to go after the monster again," Hera said. "Yeah, sorry about that. I still haven''t figured out how to make the system update it automatically. The spell is a work in progress," Helena explained. "Don''t worry about it. Now that you know how to use magic again. What are you going to do?" Hera ate a piece of cheese, already feeling a bit more relaxed. Helena crossed her arms while she thought, "First, I need to talk to the guild. They did say they would support me to the best of their abilities. Maybe I can get a couple of simple mana stones and someplace to charge it. I think the main issue would be the layer I''m in. High-capacity mana stones are either very big or insanely expensive. But before anything, I need to talk to the guild and confirm the limits of what I can ask." "Can I go with you?" "I don''t see why not. I mean, it''s nice to have someone else to bounce ideas off." "It''s also for them to know you are not going to be alone. I''m going to help you with everything that I can," Hera said while staring at Helena. "Hera, I can''t ask you to put your life on hold to help me. You need to do your own thing." "Lena. Again, you are not asking. What I want to do is get stronger and find more interesting things. Being your assistant will be more than enough for that. Besides, I''ll be looking for a way to cure you, so that can get me to some weird places. I''m also counting on you still giving me quests for the order. Those contributions points can get me some pretty nice things." Helena chuckled, "Fine, I guess you can help me for a while, but when you find something else you want to do, you are free to go. This is not supposed to be a shackle or something." Hera rolled her eyes, "Yeah, because working with you will be just like a prison sentence." Helena laughed, "Oh, but you are working for me, not with me. I hope you are ready to do some really long hours." "Lena, I worked at retail. You can''t scare me with that," Hera chuckled. The two kept talking and agreed to go to the guild after their meal. They would have a lot of things to figure out. 120 Moving In "Put in on the basement. I''ll organize the library later," Hera nodded at Helena''s reply and headed downstairs. It''s been five days since Helena figured out she could use mana stones to keep using magic. The two had talked to the guild about the possibilities. Helena could basically walk all over the guild at the moment. She was one of the few people who were called to the assault on the wall by name. Because of that, the guild felt responsible for what happened to her. She also had a unique condition, and the guild was invested in figuring out a cure. After some negotiation, Helena managed to get several perks. First, they would supply her with a few mana stones. A couple of small ones that she could carry around and five large ones that would be installed inside her house. Since Hera would be working with Helena, they would get the house in the first layer. If they needed to go to another layer, they could move after 30 days, but they would need to pay 1 month''s worth of rent plus the moving expenses. Helena would still receive monthly payments, although it would be lessened since she was already getting the house rent-free. They would also set up a system where people could recharge Helena''s mana stones as a training mechanism. Doing that was a good way of increasing the maximum mana so there would be a constant mana supply. Hera and Helena had discussed their plans. They would stay in another city in Brinefront called Hazelpond. It was a village built above a large body of water. The buildings there were more modern, and the residential area was to the back of the town, away from the waters. The two would stay there until Hera was strong enough to go to the third layer. The second layer was much smaller because of that there were no houses available in there. To accommodate the mana stones and Helena''s temporary laboratory, the guild gave them a moderately big house. It was two stories tall, with purple walls and round windows. It also had a basement where the laboratory would stay, aside from the kitchen, bathrooms, living room, and one storage room for the mana stones. There were four more rooms. They could use it as guest rooms or have more people living there. Helena suggested asking Hera''s friends, but the explorer said that she wanted to finish setting everything before talking to them. She also felt to be imposing too much on Helena since she was already going to be living in the house. Hera finished placing the last book box in the basement and stretched, felling her back hurt a bit, "Lena. Can I ask you something about the attack?" Helena stared at her for a moment, "Sure. I''m not sure if I can answer, though. Parts of it are a bit... harder to talk about." "No problem. If you don''t want it, you don''t have to answer. But can what happened to you happen with someone else?" Hera walked towards it and picked the now white stone," That''s good, so we can have the whole system with people charging your mana stones. Do you know when they will send them?" Helena shook her head, "No clue. But It should be in the next couple of days," Helena placed a pile of books on the ground and started to sort them, "By the way. Did you managed to get in touch with your friends?" Hera nodded, "Yeah, Blue is on vacation. She is having a blast in Brazil. Bonnie is still in Brinefront researching a bunch of things. Mark is also there, but he is learning how to be a better crafter. Leo went to the next layer. And his training seems to be going well. Alex joined a party as a freelancer. She paired up with a healer we met a few times, and they are doing dungeons or just odd works. I told them that they should consider coming here, but Bonnie and Mark need a specific place to work." Helena nodded, and the two finished unpacking what the guild had sent. A big part of Helena''s laboratory was sent here, although a few equipment pieces were still on the 8th layer. They were too big or too delicate to survive the journey. Still, most of her books and notes were all here. A couple of members of the order were in charge of packaging everything in the lab, and the guild took care of the delivery. It took the two a couple of hours to finish setting everything up. By the end of it, it was already dinner time. They headed out to eat something. Hera suggested a small restaurant with a simple menu, but Helena shook her head. "Sweetie, the guild is paying us. We might as well go for a little celebration," Helena said before heading towards a restaurant with an ocean side view. The establishment was called ''The Golden Carp.'' It was a place famous for its seafood and lavish design. The furniture was simple and elegant, but the dishes were all made in a way that they looked more like jewels than food. The secret was a finely grounded gem powder that was used to coat the dishes. Hera looked through the menu and was floored by the prices. The cheapest dish was over 200 gold, "Lena, shouldn''t we go somewhere else? The prices are a bit steep." "Don''t worry about it, sweetie. The guild gave me a lot of money as an apology, and the amount I get every month is based on the income of someone in the 8th layer. Besides, these dishes would be very expensive if we were in another layer. The gems they use come from the room directly connected to this town. Some monsters have those gems on their backs, and they actually are pretty nutritious." Hera was still weirded out for the prices, so she picked a dish in the lower range of prices. It was supposed to be a basic pan-seared halibut with lemon caper sauce. Yet the dish came in a glistening golden plate. The fish had a metallic red and green color. The entire set up reflected so much light that Hera felt like she needed sunglasses to look at it. "This is a bit too much," Helena said, looking at her plate of salmon shining in silver and pink in a way that was even more lavish than Hera''s food, "Give me a moment." Helena''s eyes suddenly became coated in a black veil, and the light reflected from both plates diminished. "Lena, was that a good idea?" Hera asked. "Well, we only have half an hour before I have to cast it again, and the mana stone that I have on me only has half a charge now. But we are celebrating it is worth it. As long as you help me charge it later." Hera smiled, "Sure, it''s my job, after all. And it helps me to increase my maximum mana, right?" "Exactly, it''s a win-win situation." The two enjoyed their dinner, Helena had to use her magic to reduce the light coming from their plates one more time. That ended up being enough to the mana stone that she had on her. Hera was surprised by the amount of mana that simple spell spent. The mana stone on Helena''s earring could store 5 000 points of mana. There was still another earring with the same amount of storage. Helena herself bought those accessories. The stones that the guild supplied were much larger and less elegant. Helena had explained that mana stones had all shapes and forms, and each stone also had a grade of sorts. The higher the quality, the more mana it could hold. The size also would influence the capacity. As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the stone, the more mana it could contain. Yet some high-grade stones could be smaller and more appropriate for accessories. Some people could also shape a mana stone without making it lose capacity. However, since the process was extremely difficult, it was hard to find someone to do that. Going back to their home, Hera received a text from Mark. He was telling her how the clay they got from the guild had sold in the auction and that he would send her cut. The clay was the item the guild request for a quest, but Mike wanted to check for how much it would sell through other means first. He found out that each block of clay could be sold at a starting price of 2 200 gold even more if he placed it in an auction house. The group agreed to sell some of the clay they got, but Blue still held on to one of the bricks. They got 2 000 gold each for selling the 5 bricks. It was the same as doing the quest, but they got an extra clay block for their troubles. "Hera, how is your role quest going?" Helena asked after they arrived at their house. "My role quest? I think I have to turn one in," Hera picked her tablet and took a look at her quests, "Oh no, I still have to finish that one." "How many did you finish already?" "Many? There is more than one?" "You are kidding, right? You didn''t complete a single one?" Hera shook her head, "No, I had one to find the legends of the room, but I''m still one short." "Hera, did no one told you about the role quests? Between the training and the one who gave you the quest, someone must have said something." "No one said anything. Why? Did I do something wrong?" "Not wrong, but just a waste. You get one role quest from the guild, and then the system starts to give you followup quests. The quest itself is not that hard, and you always get some interesting rewards. But the main thing is that the quest kind of teaches you how to be better at your role. For instance, mine asked to hunt a few monsters that used different elements. Another quest asked me to kill a monster that hunted by tricking its prey. It would toy with its senses, making smells and noises come from odd places. That was how I figured out my specialty. Not that the quest made me do it. But I really liked the concept," Helena explained. "Really? Wow, I need to do it soon then. I''m not gonna lie. I''m a bit lost in what to focus on. I liked the poison, but it was useless in the frog valley," Hera was staring at her role quest. "That happens with everyone that focuses on one thing. A fire mage will always feel useless when facing a fire monster. Don''t let this one dungeon turn you off from poison. It can be very strong. Toxic Rain is the living proof of that. In any case, take the next few days to finish that and get used to the monsters around this town. You won''t be facing frogs near here," Helena sat on the couch with a book in her hand. "Ok, will do. But let me know if you need anything. I''ll stay close to the city." Helena rolled her eyes, "Don''t worry about it. Until they bring the mana stones, I''m not able to do much with my research." Hera nodded and opened the browser on her tablet and started searching. Since she was going to look for the legends, she might as well try to find some hints about it. 121 The drunken sailor That was more information than she wanted, but she saw a page where people were giving a step-by-step tutorial when searching. If she walked towards Brinefront, it would take her two days to make the journey. Instead of going blind, she wanted to get a complete map of the room before searching for it. If she could mark the places where her goal could be, it would be easier to look for the legend. Luckily, the places where the cove seemed to be were all close to Hazelpond. The farthest one would be on the other side of the cavern. A ferry would help people cross the waters a few times per day. That was the best way to go to the other side. Since it would also depend on others and a time frame, Hera decided to leave that option for last. She had two coves on the same side she was already in, and as long as it wouldn''t be a dungeon or something too long, she could reach both of them in a single day. This town was much more populated than Brinefront, or at least, that''s what it felt like. Hazelpond was about half the size of Brinefront, but it leads to the next layer. A lot of people would stay here but actually hunt in the next room. The streets felt stuffy, and the fact that most of the town was built in walkways above the lake made going anywhere feel like a chore. Hera stopped by a store to get a few supplies. She would only need the necessary stuff for today, some rations, water, and a flashlight just in case. While looking at the forums, some people said they found the legend inside a cave. Hera could use the light spell, but it wasn''t very sustainable. Besides, there was no reason to depend so heavily on mana all the time. While waiting in line, Hera looked around the store. It had some camping gear that could help if she had to look for a place to sleep in the wild. The tents could help, although they would be very cumbersome. What caught Hera''s attention was a set of stones that she could place in a fire to ward off monsters. It wasn''t expensive, but she didn''t want to go back to the house before heading out. Leaving the stones in the store, Hera paid for her supplies and left towards the city''s west exit. The area around Hazelpond was vastly different from the surroundings of Brinefront. Instead of a more or less dense forest, Hera was now in a large swamp. The trees were bent to the side, reminding her of palm trees. She could hear the water splashing under her feet. The one good thing about all this was that at least there was no sand to get inside her shoes. Hera kept following the path to the west, checking her map for the location of the cove. After a couple of hours of walking, she got close to the first location. Hera looked to the side and saw a rock formation on the swamp''s edge, making a clear division between the ocean and the land. A couple of hundred meters to the front, the rocks went deeper into the landmass, forming the first cove that she was looking for. Hera walked to the formation, climbing it to see what was inside the area. In the cove, she saw a small stone platform that would lead to a cave. As the waves crashed into the rocks, Hera started to get worried. She didn''t see anyone talking about high tide in the room, but at the same time, no one said that she didn''t have to worry about it. She watched for a few minutes to see if there was any difference with the waves, but they seemed to be reaching the same height all the time. Feeling more confident she wouldn''t end up drowning, Hera looked around to see a path to reach the cave. In the center of the rock formation, there was a path that leads to the other side. She would need to climb down the last part, but it was the only way she could reach the cave. Hera turned around and dropped from the rocks. She only heard the splashing water as a large four-legged creature rushed towards her. She dove to the side, and the monster slammed against the rocks. It''s tail trashed around, hitting the explorer''s left arm. Hera stumbled back and looked at her assailant. It looked almost like a crocodile but with smoother skin, less pointy teeth, and larger limbs. In a way, it reminded Hera of a less agile salamander. It was clear that the creature wasn''t able to twist its body with ease as it moved. Hera quickly activated her Affinity Sight and [Observe] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Petite Crocodile (Mud Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera gasped, reading the name. How could that be a petite crocodile? The thing looked like it was about her size. If those were the small ones, what would a big one be? Before the creature got back into its attacking position, Hera threw a poison needle towards it trying to give it as much power as she could. She had yet test it on a real monster. The spell hit the crocodile''s snout, and it seemed to have no effect. The beast jumped towards Hera, turning its head to the side and opening its mouth. The explorer dodged to the side and slashed the creature''s back. Before it could move again, she attacked two more times, creating gashes on its hide. Much like with the frogs, it was easy not to be hit as long as she stayed spinning around the creature. As she went back to old habits, the crocodile slammed its tail on Hera''s stomach making her need to catch her breath. The monster turned around and lunged towards its meal one more time. Hera gritted her teeth and slammed Iris on the creature''s jaw, shutting it close with one swing. "Get lost!" Hera cursed while she went for another strike. The crocodile tried to get up, but it lost strength on its legs. Foam formed on its mouth while trying to get up once more, but to no avail. Seeing the creature that debilitated, Hera slashed the back of its head a few times, trying to put it out of its misery. It took Hera five swings, but she was finally able to cut through the monster''s thick skin. With the monster on the ground, Hera checked her status. That one spell drained 200 of her mana. She attempted to make a concentrated dose, but it was still much more costly than she expected. At the same time, the strength of the poison was surprising. It took less than a minute for the crocodile to be incapable of fighting back. She wasn''t sure if that was just the creature''s nature that increased the poison''s effectiveness or if the spell really was that strong. Hera made a mental note to look for the compendium for those crocodiles before she headed towards the path leading to the cave. Worried she would be attacked again, Hera activated her [Hide] while moving towards the gap on the rocks. She noticed some movement to the side, but whatever it was wasn''t moving towards her. In just a few moments, Hera was climbing down towards the cave. Moving through the wet rock like this was more challenging than she imagined. She was having a hard time to get some footing, and her hands kept slipping from the stones. It took her about ten minutes to get down from the five-meter high rock wall. She could have jumped down, but the platform was made of uneven rocks. It wasn''t worth it to risk herself like that just to move a bit quicker. In the last part, Hera had to drop down from her path. As she landed, the waves crashed on her legs, making Hera stumble to the side. She almost fell, but managed to grab onto the rocks on the sides of the cove. There was a large cave with a thin layer of water on the ground to the side of the area. Hera walked towards the entrance carefully, activating her Pulse spell to see anything close by. She took small steps to get used to the uneven foothold. The cave had a stream of water cutting through the middle of the floor. The water wasn''t particularly deep, but if Hera walked on it, it would reach her knees, while to the sides, there was again just a thin layer of water before her feet touched the ground. As she walked deeper into the cave, she could hear movement above ground. Heavy footsteps and some trashing, almost like two monsters were fighting. She stopped with the sound, worried that whatever was outside could cause the cave to crumble, but the impacts didn''t move a single pebble inside the area. Hera walked for almost ten minutes when she arrived in a larger open area. The ground was elevated and dry, with a broken wooden boat in the middle of the room. Hera carefully walked closer to it, using her pulse once more. There weren''t any living things around, but inside the boat, something had mana. Walking closer to there, she saw a journal. It looked pretty beat up. She reached towards it but stopped herself. Before touching anything here, she wanted to be sure no traps or monsters were lurking around. She spent fifteen minutes investigating the room. She found some empty bottles of something, one thing that once could have been a bedroll, but it was too degraded even for her [Observe]. To the side of the elevated platform, there was an odd formation of rocks. With her pulse, she noticed a bit of residual mana under it. Hera started to move the stones carefully, worried that she could trigger a trap. Hidden under it was set of golden coins. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dead Man''s Gold A set of five golden coins with skulls engraved in the middle. You can keep the coins as they are or turn them into currency. Value: 1 000 gold Do you wish to turn it into currency? [Yes] [No] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera considered her options for a moment. At the moment, the gold wouldn''t be much. Yet, there was no guarantee that she could make the exchange later. Still, it was something that she only found because of her quest. Maybe if she kept the coins, an opportunity to use them could appear later on. After putting the coins in her pouch, she headed towards the journal. That was the last thing she could find in here. As she touched it, a notification popped up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have acquired the Last Sailor''s compendium. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She tried to move the notebook, but it was stuck to the boat. Hera picked her tablet and checked the compendium. The Last Sailor was a legend about how one day, a small boat appeared from beyond the sea. The ship had several dead crewmen and one survivor. The sailor said that they were attacked by a creature by a creature that looked like madness incarnated. He helped bury his mates and started drinking nonstop. His behavior got more and more erratic, until he disappeared, never to be seen again. There were records of a weird shanty in the compendium that the sailor kept humming to himself on the last days he was seen. Hera grabbed her tablet and went to the quest, placing the name of the legend on the box. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have completed the quest Legends of Brinefront Reward: Low-rank skill compendium ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quest Acquired Hidden treasure ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 122 Picking the Rewards forget the water Please don''t remind me Of my daughter I still see her face in horror I still see how it tore her The Shanty of the Last Sailor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera went to her rewards screen on her tablet right away to look for the compendium. She knew that she could choose the skill, but the list surprised her. It had over a dozen options, and they all seemed interesting. From basic resistances to combat techniques and even something called ''camp finder.'' Before getting lost in the possibilities, Hera looked at the quest that she received. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hidden treasures Explorer exclusive quests The MAZE is filled with hidden items, places, and secrets. Find one of such treasures. Rewards: Map skill upgrade ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The quest confused Hera. What would be considered a hidden treasure? Could this place be a secret? And the quest said nothing about Brinefront. Would it still work even if she was in a different room? The reward also worried her. She already got an upgrade to her map skill. Would she get something else or even a higher upgrade? She needed to talk to someone about this. Maybe Helena could clarify her doubts, even though this was more geared towards an explorer. Either way, she needed to get out of the cave. She stayed here for less than one hour, but being inside something that could flood at any minute wasn''t very relaxing. She marked the location on her map. Then a drawing of a broken boat and a bottle with a scroll inside appeared above the marker she placed. Hera stared at the new icon for a moment. "You know, this is kind of annoying. It''s not enough to make us stronger, control all the MAZE, and even make the guides. But the system has to be good at drawing too?" Hera sighed. She walked back to the entrance of the cave. The platforms still had a thin layer of water. Nothing that could allude to a high tide had appeared. Climbing out of the cove was much easier than getting down from it. In just a couple of minutes, she was already back on the solid yet muddy ground. Hera looked at the clock on her tablet. It was still early afternoon. It felt like a waste to go back to the city right now. She could try to look for secrets here, or just hunt a bit to get used to the crocodiles. Picking her tablet, Hera checked what was the area that Mondy''s drones could reach. She had yet to see if this city was in range. They pay wasn''t that different from the frogs, aside from profits. The main issue was butchering one of those creatures. It seemed like too much work for Hera to do alone. She decided to hunt the crocodiles. Even if she wasn''t going to make any money, she could get the experience for fighting alone. Hera also wanted to test her [Explorer''s Assassinate] together with her spells. Walking around the swamp, it didn''t take long for Hera to find her prey, a crocodile a bit smaller than the one that rushed her. She quickly activated her [Hide] and approached the creature. Using her poison mana stone, she sent a poison needle towards the monster. The bright orange spike hit the back of the beast, but the crocodile didn''t seem to notice it. Hera waited for a moment before attacking again. She knew that the spell had no initial damage. Only the actual poison would hurt the monster. Since last time it took less than a minute and a few strikes, Hera decided to wait two minutes before changing tactics. She kept following the crocodile, but the creature didn''t show any signs of being hurt. Hera frowned. Could it be that the poison wouldn''t take effect every time? Or maybe the place she hit wasn''t a good target to poison the monster. Being stubborn for a moment, Hera prepared another poison needle. This time, she used the base version of the spell. She wanted to aim for its mouth or eyes, but going towards its face was too risky. She turned her attention to the tail. Hera wasn''t entirely sure how the nervous system of a creature inside the MAZE would work, but the tail should have some veins connecting directly to the heart. She aimed at the middle of the crocodile''s tail and sent the poison needle. This time the monster seemed to feel something. The creature turned around while Hera ducked to the side, trying to blend in with the area. The crocodile looked around for some time but returned to its walk. Hera followed it for another couple of minutes. She started to notice some changes in the creature. Its movement started to become frantic, and sometimes it would slam its body on the side of a rock or tree. Hera''s stomach started to turn. She was glad that the poison seemed to be taking effect but seeing the creature agonize like that wasn''t sitting well with her. She deactivated her [Hide] and rushed towards it. Her handaxe in hand. The crocodile noticed the movement but was too weak to turn quickly enough. Hera aimed at its head and slashed its skull with all her strength. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The attack splitt the monster''s skull. The impact was much stronger than she imagined. After making sure the creature wasn''t moving anymore. She opened her status and looked at the [All In] skill ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All In (Rank 1): The user can increase one of its attributes to perform a single action as if all the available bonus points were allocated in the relevant attribute. The attribute will have bonus increments and, at the same time, reduce all other attributes to 13 (10 + level - 1) for 5 hours. Value of attribute when the skill is used: 22 Cooldown: 36 hours Remaining(35:58:24) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the skill was triggered, the attribute she was using would jump five points. She had forgotten about the debuff that would be with her for a few hours. Continue hunting like that could be dangerous. Sure, her attributes would be only four points lower, but it was still better to get used to falling back when she had a debuff on her. Later on, the gap between her attributes could be too big to ignore. She moved away from the crocodile''s corpse and headed back to the city. While walking, Hera thought about her skill. The attribute raise to 22 meant that the skill still considered an increase of one to be worth two attribute points, and it had an increase to three points when it reached 20. This meant that the [All In] still followed the same rules about attributes as everyone else. Every 10 points, the cost would go up by one. Arriving in the city, Hera stopped by a restaurant to get some takeout, just a burger and fries. They sold crocodile burgers, but she was still feeling guilty for hurting the monster so much. Picking a regular chicken burger, she went back to the house. To avoid the big crowd, she took the long way around the lake. She noticed that quite a few people were walking around with pickaxes and other types of mining gear. They were all heading to a large building embedded in the wall of the cavern. She made a mental note to ask Helena about it. Arriving at the house, Hera took off her boots before walking in. They were covered in mud, and she didn''t want to make the entire house dirty. "Lena, I''m back," Hera called. "Hey, sweetie. Welcome home!" Helena walked out of the kitchen, wearing a maid outfit. Hera blinked a few times, staring at the mage, "I think... I hope that something messed with my head," she rubbed her eyes, casting her mend spell. But Helena was still wearing the costume, "Why are you dressed like that?" "Like what?" Helena looked down, "Oh! Sorry!" The mage snapped her fingers, and the maid uniform disappeared. She was now back in her blue jeans and a baggy t-shirt. "I was talking to Quinn. I forgot about this. If you do an illusion spell on yourself, it''s kind of hard to remember. Especially since my mage gear also has gloves," Helena said. "Oh. No, don''t worry. It''s your house, after all. But we might need a signal. Like a sock on the door or something," Hera suggested. Helena stared at Hera for a moment, "What are you talk... OH! NO! Heavens, no!" the mage shook her head vigorously, "Quinn is my cousin, this was just a bet that I lost. It''s a stupid thing we do. We bet things, and the loser has to take some compromising pictures." "Oh, that''s weird. And you never told me she was your cousin." "Well, family is weird. And she doesn''t have a good relationship with her parents, or with anyone in our family, to be honest. Aside from me, of course. Because of that, she always says that friends are more important than family, and she calls me her friend exactly because of that. She says that I mean more to her than her family." "I get it... I guess. Anyway, it is good to know that I have a contact that can give me some dirt on my boss now," Hera said, walking to the laundry room. "Careful with that, Miss Kingsley, your boss is very powerful. You wouldn''t want to angrer the person who can use all the hot water before you shower," Helena chuckled. "True. Good thing our shower is powered by mana, and we don''t have to worry about that," Hera replied. "You''re no fun," Helena scoffed while heading to the kitchen. Hera cleaned her boots and went to take a shower. Sometime later, she was back in the living room, drinking coffee with Helena. They talked about Hera''s quest and how it was to hunt around this area. Helena agreed that it was a good idea to keep the Dead Man''s coins. There were several quests, secrets, and situations that required a rare item, or something very specific. There was no guarantee that she would ever find what asked for the coins, but it couldn''t hurt to have them on her. "Oh, and what skill do you think I should get? I also have an elemental essence from the Arcanist Lookout. Any suggestions?" "The skill depends on what you want to do. Think about your shortcomings. What do you need to improve? The essences, what are your options? You can''t actually use them by themselves, but you could use it to strengthen your weapons. If you get something that can interact with your skills can be good." Hera stopped for a moment, thinking about her possibilities. She felt like she lacked some long-distance capabilities. Among the skills, there was a combat form called Wire Trap style. It was a mid-range technique that focused on the use of a chain to keep the enemies at bay. Hera was searching the net about every skill that she found interesting. The style also allowed the use of chains with something attached to the end which could work with her chakram. The main issue with the other skills was that they would only show how to acquire it. But if Hera picked a fighting style, she would get a compendium that she could use in one of the ATRs. That would make getting the skill much easier. She took a look at the camp finder skill, and it was a bit underwhelming. The skill simply marked spots on the map that were good places for camping in the wild. Sure, it helped when she was in a hurry, but it seemed like the type of skill that you would get naturally when staying away from cities. "Lena, what could combo well with spirit? That one seems to be less common," Hera asked after choosing the Wire Trap Style. "Oh, want to go for the road less traveled, are we? That can be good, but you will have to figure out things on your own. Either way, spirit can combo well with fire creating soul fire. It makes the body burn from the inside. Wind and water are not that compatible, but some people like the idea of going for a river of the dead theme. Earth can make some strong golems if you use spirit, but that is a bit more advanced. I have no idea how that mixes with poison. Either way, you need first to figure out where you want to use the essence. If you are slapping it in a weapon, spirit won''t increase the damage, but it will make your enemy less... energetic," Helena explained. Hera nodded. She looked for some ideas online, even asking Blue and the others for their opinions. In the end, she picked the spirit essence. Ghost monsters existed, and it would be good to have a weapon that could target the immaterial. Using the spirit essence, she could make Mayura''s Feather a stronger weapon. 123 Improvemen At night, she went looking for a crafter that could combine the spirit essence with her chakram. She did ask Mark about it, but he wasn''t sure he could do a good job, and it would take a day of travel by boat just to deliver the weapon. Sadly, Helena didn''t know any blacksmith in this city. Her advice was for Hera to go to the next room. It was called Carpon Caverns, a room much smaller than Brinefront. It had a mine and a sprawling tunnel network. The mine was almost like an open-air dungeon. People could harvest the minerals, and once a week, the area would reset. Hera found it odd that so many people were needed to work there. Since it was so close to the outside, it made sense that someone had set up heavy machinery to speed up the operation. However, according to Helena, the minerals in the area behaved a bit like monsters in a dungeon. Mining it could lead to rare drops aside from the guaranteed mineral. If they used heavy machinery, those drops wouldn''t happen. Aside from that, the city inside the Carpon Caverns had few houses but many forges and shops. Since it was a place rich in minerals, various crafters would stay there to perfect their craft. Hera could go there at any moment and come back on the same day. The only restriction was that she couldn''t go through more than ten doorways a day. That was a safety measure. Many people would get disoriented and nauseous. There was also the danger of getting a debuff that would stop you from moving between layers for some time. The duration of that debuff would vary, going from just a few hours to even years. The actual specifics were a mystery. No one was willing to risk being stuck in a room just to get more information. Late in the afternoon, Hera headed towards the doorway. The traffic was still heavy, but more people were coming back than going to the Caverns. She had to wait in line for around ten minutes before she could go to the next room. Arriving in front of the familiar white doorway, she noticed it was almost like a copy-paste version of the one near Brinefront and the one in the guild. The only difference was the symbol above it. Instead of the seedling sprout, there was an image of a rock surrounded by several jagged stones. She approached the doorway, and as her hand touched the white glow in the middle of it, a notification popped up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Would you like to be transported to Carpon Caverns - 2nd Layer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pressing yes, the familiar light followed by the feeling of being submerged in warm water washed over her. In a few moments, that comfort gave way to the smell of iron and stone and a stuffy heat that seemed to come from all directions. Much like the entrance she just used, this doorway was embedded on the cavern''s brown wall. People were moving around, holding their mining tools, and loud banging noises echoed through the area. "Don''t stop the line. Keep going. Keep going," A tall man wearing a miner''s heat was ushering the flow like a shepherd. Hera hurried along, trying not to cause trouble in the line, and headed towards the city. There was a line of people walking towards a small crevice along the walls. Following them, Hera found the entrance to the only town in this room. The gate was hidden in a crack on the wall, but the city itself was carved inside the stone. It looked like a massive bunker. To the left, there was only the stone wall of the room. To the right, five floors filled with buildings carved from the rocks revealed the city. Even though she was underground, it was surprisingly open. The area was made in a way that pushed any claustrophobic feeling away. Hera needed to go to the top floors, that''s where the forges were. She passed through the mine carts and the people hauling the ores and walked the five flights of stairs. There was an elevator, but there was a long line to take it, and it seemed to be used mostly to carry the ores to the upper levels. It was an intense workout, but now it wasn''t much of a problem to Hera. Reaching the forges, she asked around for the best place to enchant a weapon with an elemental essence. She was directed to a couple of places. The best crafter had a long line on its shop and was only available to take a request in a couple of months. Most of the other ones also had long lines of waiting before being able to do commissioned work. Hera ended up in a less know forge. An older man with only one arm seemed to be managing the front of the store, "Hello, what can I help you with?" "Hi, I''m looking for a place that could enchant a weapon with an elemental essence. Some people recommended this place," Hera said, trying not to stare at the man''s arm. "We can do that work here. Although I must say that the standards of our shop are not what they used to be. My grandson is still learning his craft," the man explained. "This is not a very good way to make a sale. You know that, right?" Hera asked, confused about the business practice of the man. He chuckled, "I know, but I don''t want anyone to badmouth my grandson just because he is still learning. What do you want to be enchanted?" Hera placed her chakram on the counter together with the spirit elemental essence., "This weapon, with this essence. But I want to know prices and the time required before anything." The man inspected the materials, taking a long time looking at the chakram. After a while, he nodded, "One second. Let me fetch my grandson." Hera nodded and waited in the store. The weapons displayed seemed to be well made, although there were some noticeable flaws. Some had dents in odd places, others had a lousy finishing, but the blades and edges all seemed perfect. Above the counter, two weapons caught her eye. A large spear with a red iron blade and a scimitar with a blue handle that gave off a weird feeling. She activated her Elemental Sight and observed the weapons. The spear was called ''Montain''s Rage'' and had a fire affinity, the scimitar was called ''Lost Tear'' and had an ice affinity. Both weapons seemed to be very well crafted, almost as if another person made them. "Sorry for the delay. Here is my grandson," the man came out from the back of the shop, followed by a kid who looked 16. Scrawny arms, a thin beard that grew only in a few patches, "Introduce yourself," the man pushed his grandkid towards Hera. "Yeah, sorry, pops. I''m Ronan, Ronan Weller. Nice to meet you," he put out his hand for Hera to shake it. "Hi, I''m Hera Kingsley," She shook the boy''s hand. She felt the calluses on his hand. It was like shaking the hand of someone who worked with heavy tools for years. Touching his hand and looking at his face gave very different impressions. "So, what can I help you with?" Ronan asked. Hera explained what she wanted, showing the materials to him. He started to make some notes on a small pad he grabbed from the counter. That made Hera much more comfortable asking him. She was a bit worried about asking someone who was still learning, but it showed he really cared about the craft. The state of his hand also reassured her. "To get a better result, we should use a second essence. This weapon has a lot of surface area and using just one might not be enough to cover it all. That essence is not that hard to get, so we could get another for about 2 500 gold. Plus, the price for the actual enchantment we can set at 4 000 gold for everything. And I can get it ready in... two days. Just to be safe." "Two days?" Hera asked, impressed by the speed. "Yeah, I know that some people can do it in under a day, but I prefer to take my time and be sure not to make any mistakes," Ronan replied. "Don''t worry. The time is not an issue," Hera said. She considered the price. It was expensive, but at the same time, she would be paying more for the elemental essence than for the actual enchantment. She didn''t have to worry about rent at the moment. It was already paid off until the end of her lease in five months. Even with that, she still had over 10 000 gold at the moment. Spending this much on an upgrade seemed like a good idea. "Ok, I''ll take it. Do you guys have any other chakrams for me to use while you work on this one? Something cheap, please. It''s just for training." "We can rent you one while we work on yours. If something happens, you have to pay 75 gold, since it would be its price. If not, consider part of the price of the enchantment," the older man said. "Oh, that''s great. Thanks, Mr. Weller," Hera smiled at him. "Please, call me Clayton. And this is all part of our customer service," the old man said. Hera thanked the two and got her receipt. She would pay the materials plus half the cost now, and the rest on pickup. She left the shop and headed back to the doorway. As curious as Hera was about this room, she didn''t want to explore a new layer without her friends. Being here alone felt almost like going to a party when you knew no one there. Going back to Hazelpond, Hera had to wait for about half an hour before crossing the doorway once more. Not for any restriction, just because there were many people in the line trying to get back. She wanted to use the ATR to learn the fighting style that she picked. If she had the time, she would also use it to learn some other basic spells. She headed back to the house and spent the rest of the night helping Helena. The following day, she went to the ATR early in the morning and started to train the Wire Trap style. Using her borrowed chakram, Hera started to learn how to use it while tied to Yarnball. She already had some experience with it, but it wasn''t an actual fighting style. The style was very different than what she expected. By the name, she imagined it would be a defensive approach with a few mid-range attacks. In reality, most of the movements were offensive, made in a way that the attacks would either hit her target or trap them with the chain. Throwing the chakram in a pendulum motion increased the damage dealt by the blade. If she got closer, the same attack would make the weapon spin around the target, wrapping it in the string. The main difference was that she was using Yarnball instead of an actual chain. Hera had yet to see the string snap, so using it for fighting didn''t seem like a bad idea. Especially because of its return function. By the end of the day, it became clear that she would need more time before getting the skill. However, some of the movements were already engraved in her mind, even if they were far from perfect. As she left the ATR, Hera spent another 800 gold to use the training room the next day. 124 Upgrades The mage did her best to explain how to use it, but since Hera used the conceptual approach to magic, she couldn''t give the explorer a good example. Hera thanked her for the spell and went back to the ATR when the time for her reservation got close. Hera kept working with her trainer, doing her best to memorize the forms used in the Wire Trap style. One specific attack was giving her a lot of trouble. She had to swing the chakram sideways and let it go. The idea was to either hit the target or make the chakram wrap around the target''s side. After a few hours, Hera felt like she was going nowhere. Her weapon would never wrap around the dummy. It would either hit it or just try to spin but flop around on the other side. She asked the trainer to show her the fire arrow once more. That was the one spell she had yet to figure out. Taking some time to study magic seemed like a good way to rest her body. Hera tried using her Elemental Sight to understand the spell better. The mana was much less violent than she expected. Instead of several explosions like she imagined. She saw the magic pulling the air around it like someone was gathering leaves. Before the arrow formed, a small ball of fire mana appeared in front of the trainer''s hand. Then, in a flash, the fire changed its shape and propelled itself forward, pushing the flaming leaves back. The movement made Hera remember of fireworks launching or how bottle rockets took off. She tried to replicate it a few times, getting closer to the desired result with each attempt. However, the mana in front of her behaved differently. Instead of a peaceful gathering, it was a violent grouping. The magic seemed to pull everything around towards it, devouring all that got close. When she tried to release it, the mana would consume itself so quickly that it couldn''t gather more fuel to keep going. Hera kept practicing both the spell and the combat style. At the end of the day, she managed to unlock the skill and add the spell to her spellbook. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wire Trap Style - Beginner A fighting style that focuses on using a chain with a weight attached to the end of it to hit and trap your target. The skill allows you to use moves from that style using muscle memory. However, attacks performed with the aid of the skill won''t increase the mastery of the style. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fire Arrow Rank: Beginner Creates a flaming arrow made of mana and sends it to the target. Base mana cost: 25 mana As she left the ATR, she got a text from Ronan letting her know that her weapon was ready and that the shop would stay open for a couple more hours. She looked at the time, it was late afternoon, but she still had time to pick up her improved weapon. She quickly headed towards the doorway. Getting a new weapon made her excited, especially now that she knew the Wire Trap style. In less than twenty minutes, she was back in the forge talking to Clayton. "Welcome back. Glad you could make it today. Ronan was a bit anxious to see your reaction to the result." "I''m excited too. It''s the first time I''m getting equipment enchanted," Hera smiled at the man. "Really? I couldn''t tell. You seemed very sure of what you wanted," Clayton said. "I got some help from a friend. If I were going to decide here, I probably would have stayed the entire day thinking." Clayton chuckled, "Fair enough. Let me go get Ronan." Hera heard some noise coming from the back. Something heavy seemed to have hit the ground, followed by a few grunts and Ronan leaving the backroom while shaking his hand and carrying a box under his arm. "Sorry about that, an armor that I was working on toppled. Anyway, that doesn''t matter. Here." The crafter placed the box on the counter and opened it towards Hera. Inside it, her chakram was placed on top of a red velvet pillow. The weapon still had the same shape, with the handle in the middle and the three sets of blades going out, making the wing-like pattern. But now, instead of the dark grey color, it had a lighter tone. The handle was now the darkest part of the weapon. Going towards the wings, the blade changed to a light spectral green shade. It was a color similar to the ghosts that Hera has seen in the Arcanist Lookout. She activated her [Inspect] to see if there were any changes in the attributes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mayura''s Spirit (Chakram) Rarity: Uncommon A chakram enchanted by a crafter''s apprentice. Crafted from the feathers of a dusk peacock. Due to the technique used on its conception, the feather changed the color of the iron instead of strengthening it. However, when imbued with a spirit essence, the feathers converted to the related element. Attribute scaling: Agility x 1.06 Intelligence x1.03 Type of damage: 35% Spirit 65% Physical Additional effect: Any other elemental effect applied to the weapon will also increase the spirit damage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera kept reading the description, thinking about the possibilities. If she managed to get that mana reinforcement, it could increase the elemental damage even more. Although, she wasn''t sure if raw mana would count as another element. She knew about the ant burrow, a place where the monsters would have a high physical defense. There was no doubt in her mind that many other creatures like that existed inside the MAZE. Ronan kept looking at the explorer. He was trying to read her expression. As she frowned, he began to feel even more restless, "Look, I apologize if this wasn''t what you were looking for. I did my best, I really did." "Ronan," Clayton said, trying to silence his grandson. "I''m not trying to make excuses here, Pops. This was the best I could do. Enchantments are hard, and I know I''m still missing some practice. I''m sure that if you made it, you could turn the chakram into a rare one. Still, a job is a job, and we can''t afford not to be paid," Ronan kept going. Hera was a bit surprised by how defensive the crafter was. This was fantastic work. Why would anyone complain about these results? "No, don''t worry. I love it! It''s more than I hoped for. Honestly, I thought it would just end up being a catalyst that could increase the power of my spells. Or if I was lucky, it could give some elemental damage. This was much better than I could ever hope," Hera said. It wasn''t a lie. She was genuinely impressed with the result. However, she noticed something familiar in Ronan. A desire to please and to show his worth. And if what he said was right, his grandfather was a very accomplished crafter. That meant that in the future, Ronan would be able to create amazing things. It would be nice to keep a good relationship with the two. "Oh, thanks," Ronan was taken aback by the compliment. "Thank you, Hera," Clayton said with a smile. Hera discussed a few things with Ronan in order to clarify some doubts she had about the weapon. The extra spirit damage would be based on the strength of the effect applied. He explained that spirit damage was something that wouldn''t leave a visible mark, but people with high sensibility could see the impact in the target''s mana. With all her doubts cleared, Hera paid the rest of the enchantment cost and headed back to Hazelpond. It was late, and Helena had already ordered some food. Heading back to the house, Hera had to wait another hour in line before crossing the doorway. By the end, she just wanted to take a shower. The Carpon Caverns were always so hot that she was sweating just by standing while waiting her turn. Reaching the house, Hera opened the door, "Lena, I''m back. Please don''t show up in another weird costume." "Hey! My costumes are always great," the mage yelled from the kitchen, "You really should treat the one who kept the food warm for you better." Hera chuckled, "Sorry. I just don''t want that to be a pattern. The clothes were great, but I don''t need to know what you do when you are alone with your computer." Helena rolled her eyes, "Fine, can I grab the food now? I''m hungry too." "Wait. Were you waiting for me?" Hera stopped midway to her room. "Well, yeah. I wanted to wait for my lovely assistant," Helena walked out of the kitchen, "But I''m guessing that you want to take a shower first." Hera was drenched. Her clothes had dried and got wet again a few times during the day, but the worst part was waiting to leave the caverns. "Do you mind? I''ll take a quick one just to clean up," Hera asked. "Sure, I''ll wait," Helena walked to the dining room. Hera took a quick shower. She usually would spend half an hour relaxing under the hot water, but since Helena had waited for her to start eating, Hera wanted to be quick. In just over ten minutes, she was back and ready for dinner. The explorer showed off her new weapon after their meal. Helena was surprised by the result. She didn''t expect the material to work so well with the spirit essence. "So, Lena. Your turn. Tell me about your research," Hera said after she put the chakram away. "Well, what do you want to know?" Helena asked. "I know what you are trying to do. Figure out a way to see your secondary affinities so everyone can have an easier time using magic. But why is that?" "Why?" "Yeah. Why did you decide to research this?" Hera asked. "Oh.. wow, I don''t remember the last time someone asked me that. Honestly, it wasn''t a grand reason like ''I wanted to help the world,'' I got pissed because I spent a long time training some elements that ended up being terrible for me. When I started, I wanted to be a light and dark mage. My idea was to turn half my mana into dark and then the other half into light. The problem is, synch works differently than I thought. The skills say that when most of your mana turns to a specific element, all the mana becomes that element. I assumed that I could turn 50% of my mana pool into dark mana and then the other 50% into light mana. The issue was since I already had some other elements in the mix, like water and fire. So when my mana became close to 50% dark, it all changed to dark, and then all the time I spent working in the light spells was wasted." "So, you don''t have to change your mana completely to trigger the conversion?" Hera asked. "Exactly, it doesn''t consider your entire mana pool, just the biggest shareholder, so to speak," Helena said. "Got it, and how do you figure out the secondary affinity?" "Well, first, we need to have some case studies. That''s why I''m asking you to find the affinities of several monsters. We can cross-reference their elements and try to figure out some patterns. My hope is that the spell I taught you will start to show more information as its rank increases. Even my version is still at the beginner level. But since you seem to have a high mana affinity, maybe you can see more using the buff." "What do you mean, I have mana affinity?" Hera asked. "I''m just assuming here. But some of the things you told me about your spells and how you see magic makes me think that you do not see one element but the actual raw mana working and changing. For instance, the fire arrow spell. You said it''s like seeing something pull leaves towards a pile, right?" Helena explained. Hera nodded, "Yeah, like something being gathered in a ball." "Ok, so that is not how I see fire mana. To me is much more like an actual flame burning its surrounding area. You already were sensitive to mana even before getting the actual mana stat. I''m guessing that why you can see magic differently." "Well, but everyone sees spells in their own way, right? It''s not like fire mana is the same for everyone," Hera said. "True, but most people get something close to the actual element. Fire would be flames, explosions, or embers. I asked around, and I got in touch with a mage who managed to synch with raw mana, and his description of spells is much closer to yours than anyone else." Hera considered that for a moment, Helena had told her that she was able to feel mana even during the training. Even though people could control their elemental affinities to a degree, it wasn''t uncommon for someone who never used any form of magic to have one or two affinities already. "Ok, and how can I help right now?" Hera asked. "Well, you know I won''t talk about the more technical aspect of my research until you can help me with it. But for now, we need a bigger sample range. I need you to go out and start taking notes of the monsters and their affinities. If you can, try to write down the types of skills and spells they use. The more information, the better," Helena said with a smile. "Ok, but I''ll start tomorrow. I''m beat." Helena chuckled, and the two watched a movie before going to bed. Hera was both tired and excited. It was time to actually be a mage''s assistant. 125 Assistant Job "Just their affinity and the skills they use. If you stumble upon more information, it can help, but you don''t have to go out of your way to figure out its mating habits or that wildlife documentary stuff," Helena was writing something in a notebook. She had several books open in the living room and was crossing references with them. "Ok then, I''m going to hunt around the city, maybe try to see if I find a different crocodile or something else. See you at night," Hera turned towards the door but was stopped by Helena calling her. "Actually, if you don''t mind. I had an idea. This room is a giant cave, as you know. But near the entrance of the cave, there are some monsters that use different skills. Do you mind going there to see if there is any elemental change? I know it''s far, but I''ll buy the supplies and the camping gear, and your party is not going to gather for a few days, right?" Hera checked her tablet, "Yeah, Blue should be back in four days or so. She wants a couple of days to rest after the trip. Alex is finishing a mercenary contract. There are a few more days before she can come here." "So, what do you say, sweetie?" Helena smiled. "Whatever you want, boss," Hera smiled back. They left the house and stopped by a store specialized in camping equipment. Helena explained that there were several campsites through the MAZE. Usually, you could leave your camping gear in those spots, and no one would mess with it. But the entrance of the cave in this room didn''t have any of those. There were few reasons for anyone to go there, the monsters didn''t drop anything special, and they were more unpredictable than other creatures. People did hunt them for materials, but since they didn''t follow a pattern, it was hard to know which was more valuable. "Ok, so It''s better to find a more or less safe place and focus on either attacking or running from them, right? But what is out there?" Hera asked. Helena placed the basket with the air bedroll, the monster repellent fire, the supplies, and other things that Helena needed on the counter, "Have you ever seen a pangolin?" "Pangolin? Those things that look like an armadillo but with longer legs? They are so cute." "Well... I hope you don''t find them cute when they charge at you." "No... Lena. No... I''m going to have to fight them?" Hera pouted. "Well, yeah. I mean, you don''t have to, but they are aggressive. And the ones here don''t have the same cute face. It''s more pointy and... toothy. Besides, you need to be ready to attack anything. There are some deadly monsters in the MAZE hidden behind cute faces," Helena said. "Well... you are not wrong. But they live in a very complicated place to get. You need to reach the cave entrance and follow a path to the side that leads to the outside. You will reach a rocky plateau where the creatures live. The closest place where people have a foothold is about a day and a half away. And if you try to toss the bodies to the ocean, there are several whirlpools under the area. It''s too much work to get something that will be replaced in a couple of weeks since, in the next room, you can get much better quality minerals." "Why is that place so far away from any other settlement? I mean, there are a lot of people over level 50. Couldn''t someone just go there clear the monsters?" "Yeah, but the terrain is difficult. After a while, the forest turns very dense, and there are very few places to make a campfire, much less an actual house. The guild could do some terraforming, but what''s the point? Money? It makes ten times what the pangolins would sell for with a regular easy to catch the monster in the 10th layer. I do understand that at some point, it could have been worth it. But right now, it''s just a waste of time unless you have a specific reason to go there," Helena explained. "You really need to improve your salesmanship. A bit more of that speech, and even I would say no to go there," Hera chuckled. "Excuse me," the cashier interrupted the two, "Your total is 350 gold, and please refrain from holding the line. I hope you can be considerate of other customers." Hera and Helena looked back. There was a line of five people staring at them with annoyed expressions. They quickly paid for the supplies, and headed out of the store, apologized to the cashier on the way out. "I really don''t remember the last time I got so distracted while shopping," Helena laughed. "I feel awful. I hated dealing with customers like us." "Aww, don''t be. We didn''t do it on purpose, besides we did apologize." They headed back to the house, grabbing some food on the way. Since Hera was going to stay away for a while, she wanted to have a delicious meal first. The plan was for Hera to go near the cave entrance by boat, which would take only a bit over a day. From there, there was a small shore that she could use to climb up towards the woods and then head to the plateau. On her way back, Hera could check some other monsters that were in the room. But her main goal was to see the affinities of the pangolins, who all had unique patterns on its scales. They headed towards the docks. There were several fishing boats, as well as a couple of passenger barges that would travel back and forth to the city of Brinefront. Hera was still surprised by how many people chose to do more mundane jobs inside the MAZE. Shop clerks, cooks, janitors, and such were all a common sight, and quite a few seemed to be human. However, different races were also present. Hera had seen beastmen and dwarfs already, and here close to the next room, those sightings were more frequent. "Lena, can I ask you something that might sound bad?" "As long as you are not asking me if I gained weight, sure," Helena replied. Hera spoke in a hushed tone, "The people from different races. Like the dwarfs and the beastmen. Where do they come from?" Helena looked to the sides and pulled Hera towards a less crowded area. "You should have learned that in class. Did Greyson never explained?" Hera shook her head, "Not really, he just said that they were a thing. I kind of imagined that it was only types of monsters for us to fight." "Dammit, Calvin," Helena rubbed her eyes, "Ok, I''m going to have to send a text to your class later. Those different races are part of the MAZE, yes, but they are alive just like you and me. They can grow old, have children, create cities, and have thriving civilizations. Part of the reason our technology became so advance was due to the help of dwarven ingenuity. Unlike people outside, everyone here can level up when they reach adulthood. That varies from race to race. I think dwarfs can go to level 2 after they are... 35 maybe. I have no clue about the beastman age. But there are other races. Wildfolk, Fey, Elfs, Anima, the list goes on and on and on. And we probably have many more races to find out there." "They don''t need to do anything to start leveling up? That seems unfair. Do they have roles too?" Hera was thinking about all the work she put into saving money to level up. "Well, sure, but were raised here. We were born in a safe place. They had to deal with monsters since they were kids. Imagine what it would be like to see those giant frogs or crocodiles since you were young. Those who grew up here had dangerous lives, even if they were in a city. They have to deal with incursions, potential attacks, and of course, kids being kids and going outside the city. And the roles, yes, they have the same roles as we do. And a very similar test." Helena explained as they got closer to the docks. "Yeah, but I didn''t see any children here. Are they all in a boarding school somewhere?" Hera asked. Helena chuckled, "Sort of. It''s been, I don''t know how many decades when the guild figured out the best rooms to raise children in. Some are large open spaces. Others are rooms that are mostly towns and dungeons with few monsters. Brinefront is not one of those. A place where frogs are big enough to swallow babies is far from being childproof." "Right, but what happens if someone gets pregnant somewhere else? I mean, someone could have a baby here, right?" Hera asked. "It''s kind of like maternity leave. When someone finds out that they are expecting, they receive a list of rooms they can go to, and the guild even pays for the transport if they don''t have the money. While there, the parents get assigned jobs and a place to live. Of course, that is only if they want to stay in the MAZE. If they are from the outside, they can go back and have their child there. However, if they have a child inside the MAZE, the kid can''t go outside until they reach level 2," Helena waved to someone in a ship that was getting closer to the docks. "Why is that?" Hera asked. "The MAZE won''t allow anyone at level 1 to go through a doorway. Oddly enough, children from other races don''t have that limitation, but they can''t leave the MAZE. Go figure," Helena shrugged. Hera kept thinking about what it would be like growing up inside the MAZE. Could that change the type of skills she got? Helena introduced the captain of the ship to her assistant. She had already set up where Hera would need to be dropped off. The crew was part of a class that had graduated from the training half a year ago. Most of them knew Helena as a helpful clerk and were more than willing to give her a hand. They discussed the best place to drop Hera off, and when they reached an agreement, Helena paid the travel fee. They still had to wait a couple of hours since the boat was still unloading its cargo and getting supplies. It was a fishing boat, and it needed to replace some nets that were damaged. Talking to the sailors, Hera tried to figure out why someone would become a fisherman inside the MAZE. "We get 5 000 gold a month doing this job. It''s much less dangerous than fishing outside, and we can stay with our families at the weekend. Why would we need anything more? Or even better, why would we risk our lives fighting monsters if we can live comfortably like this?" Hera never thought like that. To her, anyone inside the MAZE would be trying to get stronger and make even more money. They kept talking until the ship had been restocked with all it needed. With everything ready, they said their goodbyes. "Ok, sweetie, you are all set up. Be careful out there. If you get into a tight spot, don''t be afraid to run away," Helena gave Hera a long hug. "Thanks, Lena. Don''t worry. I''ll be back soon with what you need." Hera boarded the ship and looked towards the entrance of the giant cave. It was nice having someone care so much about her as Helena did, but right now the only thought in her mind was how the sky would look inside a room. 126 Going off the deep end She placed both her hands in the weapon, trying to make her mana cycle not only through her body but to the blade as well. Feeling the spirit mana in the chakram, little by little, she pushed her mana into it. The problem now was making the mana stay there. After she stopped cycling her mana, what was left in her weapon just dispersed. According to Helena, to use the spell, the magic had to stay inside the chakram. Hera picked her tablet and looked at the digital version of her spellbook that she had made. -------------------- Mana Reinforcement This spell can strengthen the item in which it is applied. It works by imbuing the object with mana and using it to increase the desired propriety. The item can gain an attack or resistance to the desired element by coating it in different mana types. The quantity and quality(?) of the mana will affect the power of the effect. The mana in the item is more solid than usual, forming a crystal-like structure around it. When another element is added, the design remains the same, but it changes both color and edges. With dark mana, the crystal becomes cloudy, and its shine disappears. Some thin black strings appear from the edges and change depending on the target of the reinforcement. For defense/durability, they form small springs around the object. For attack/sharpness, they form either omnidirectional spikes, or they all gather in a single point, forming a large needle. For Agility/speed, For Sound/Stealth, For For For -------------------- Since there a lot she wasn''t sure about, Hera had created a pattern that she could fill out as she discovered more information. Helena gave her a couple of examples but left the others out so Hera could practice figuring out how spells worked. If it took too long or she became stuck, Helena would help her some more. That was the only way Helena knew how to help someone who took the subjective route. Hera agreed that it was good not to rely only on help to figure out things. But at the moment, the problem was how to make the mana inside the chakram turn to that diamond shape pattern. Staring at the pattern on the net gave Hera an idea. She was trying to fill the chakram with mana, but maybe she should focus on creating a structure before anything else. Trying once more, Hera weaved her mana, almost like she was making a cover for the weapon. It was harder to control mana like that. Making it follow a specific pattern without overflowing seemed impossible. Yet, little by little, Hera was able to start making her mana follow her instructions. It was a bizarre feeling, a mix between controlling strands of hair and the liquid inside her stomach. Sometimes it felt like a muscle contracting and expanding as she willed it. Others, it would seem like saliva, always being created and moving around in response to any shifts. This technique felt right. Hera could feel her growth, yet she was able to cover just 1/10th of her chakram with the mana net. It even spent much less mana than her previous attempts, but it was not enough. She needed more mana and a way to speed up her recovery. The new feeling of the mana gave her a few ideas on how to increase her recovery. She could try to spread the mana and then compress it. That was the closest thing to muscle training that Hera could think of. She could also try to gather mana as if she was gathering spit, but she had no clue how to do that. During most of the trip, Hera stayed on the deck, training her spells. A bit before sunset, they arrived at the place where she would disembark. They lowered a small boat on the left side of the ship and took the explorer to the right side of the cave, in a small area where she could reach the woods. "Wow, Helena wasn''t kidding when she said the forest gets dense. Can I even fit through there?" Hera mumbled. "Not there. Behind it is a rock wall. You need to climb this side and go through the trees," The first mate said. "Oh, right, Thanks," Hera looked away. Taking a closer look at the grass in front of her made it clear that it was just vegetation growing in the wall. "No problem and give my thanks to Helena later. Without the reference book, she showed me. I would have bombed in the written test." "Will do," Hera replied as the man row away in the boat. Hera climbed the small barrier and reached the forest. The purple leaves made the entire area even darker than she was expecting. "Ok, careful now, Hera. You don''t know what''s around here," Hera stepped into the forest, making some noise as a few branches split under her feet, "Why didn''t I ask about what kind of monster I could see here?" She activated her Hide and started moving through the forest, trying to listen to anything that could be getting close. It was difficult doing so since the noise of the waves crashing against the rocks was overpowering the rest. She activated her pulse, but even the spell had some trouble going through all the foliage. Her usual range was reduced to just over half. Using the Wire Trap style here would also be very complicated. There were too many obstacles in her way. Hera kept walking towards the entrance of the cave. According to Helena, she should avoid sleeping in the dense part of the woods, and a good place to sleep was on the path to the plateau. Doing her best to take advantage of the little sunlight that broke through the canopy, Hera kept walking towards the east. Deactivating her [Hide], she proceeded to move at a faster pace. She still had a considerable amount of ground to cover. The area wasn''t far enough away from the sea to deafen the noise of the waves. Hera had to keep her eyes peeled for whatever could be around. She also kept using her pulse spell at regular intervals. Several times, she could have sworn that she saw something moving among the trees. Part of her wanted to go after whatever it was, but she knew that there would be a better moment for that. She could see the sun starting to set, and staying in these woods at night seemed like a terrible idea. Hera still had a nagging feeling that something was watching her, but every time she looked around, all she could see was the dense woods. She activated her [Hide] once more and rushed forward, looking for a tree she could climb. A few meters in front of her, there was a large and sturdy oak that seemed big enough to withstand her weight. She bolted for it and started climbing the tree. She hid among the branches and began to scan the area for movement. However, it was too dark for her to see anything clearly. The problem wasn''t only the lack of light. The purple hue that tinted the vegetation in the entire room made things even more complicated. After a while, Hera noticed that something seemed to be approaching. Some leaves and bushes kept moving in ways that didn''t match the direction of the wind. Yet, she wasn''t able to see whatever it was. "Maybe I should try the light spell? No, bad idea, that would give my position to everything around here," Hera reached for her pouch, "What if I use the flashlight?" Hera looked towards the sun. The light was shining right behind her. She grabbed the flashlight and pointed towards the last place she saw some movement. She saw a reflection from behind the trees, a pair of yellow eyes staring back at her. "There you are," Hera activated her [Observe], but whatever was watching her was too far away for the skill to trigger, "Crap, what are you?" The two stared at each other for a few moments. Hera turned the light off, her eyes fixed on the place where the creature was. She managed to see more or less the shape of it as it moved once more. It seemed quadruped and not as long as the crocodiles. She couldn''t see a tail, but she assumed that the face was the smaller part that was pointed at the direction it was headed. Hera turned the flashlight on once more. The creature was hidden behind one of the large trees, and only one of its eyes was visible right now. Hera saw the beast a bit better. It seemed to be some sort of panther. The monster took a step back, and she was able to see more of its body. The massive frame wasn''t only fatty tissue. Hera was in awe by the muscular form of the monster. The small glimpse she was able to catch before the creature hid again made it almost look like it was one of those edited pictures of buff animals she could find on the internet. The panther took a step back and disappeared within the foliage. Hera started to get worried. If there were more of those creatures around, she would have a lot of problems. She kept looking for the monster once more. Maybe she could hit it with one of her poison needles. She waited for a while longer, making sure to keep her [Hide] active. The sun was already going down. If she waited too long, she would have to fight that creature in the night. That felt like the worst outcome of this scenario. Taking a deep breath, Hera jumped off the tree and started running towards the cave entrance. It didn''t take long for her to hear something approaching. She glanced back and saw the large panther rushing towards her. Activating her [Observe] and her elemental sight, she tried to gather any information about the monster. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ??????? (????? Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Shit!" Hera put all her strength into her legs. Seeing that thing made every cell on Hera''s body to scream for her to run away. There was only one reason for a monster to have question marks with an [Observe]. It meant it had a powerful concealing ability. Too powerful to be something from the first layer. "I hope I''m wrong, and that is the only thing it''s good at," she said to herself. Hera tried to move between trees, zig-zagging to confuse the beast. The noise was getting closer, but the movement seemed to help the explorer. A couple of times, she heard the growl of the monster as it attempted to bite her. If it wasn''t for her sidesteps, the panther would''ve gotten her. She finally was able to see the end of the forest after almost twenty minutes of running and dodging. She pushed her body even harder, wanting to leave the forest to see her assailant. As the trees became more sparse, the beast lunged at Hera. The growl warned Hera of the attack, who managed to turn around and block its claws with her axe at the last moment. The explorer fell, rolling in the ground to get up faster. The panther was already rushing at her for the next attack. Hera deflected it once more, being pushed back by the impact. Her arms were shaking after defending. Hera could see the monster more clearly now. It had a deep purple skin, almost like the trunks of the surrounding trees. Its head was that of a panther, but it had four sets of large sharp teeth in place of the canines. Its body looked like that of a bull, the muscles framing its head. The beast moved towards the trees, camouflaging itself with the environment. Fighting in the woods was a bad idea. And it was already getting too dark to see. Hera used her pulse, trying to find the monster once more, but to no avail. Even the magic wasn''t able to see it. The creature seemed comfortable with the dark. Maybe she could use that. Hera got a spell ready, focusing on her hearing. The sound of leather tightening caught her attention coming from her right. She waited a moment, and when the panther jumped from its hiding, she activated her Light spell with all the strength she could, making the floodlight effect once more. At the same time, she dove forward to avoid the attack. The monster fell, growling while it flailed around the spot where it landed. Hera took this opportunity and dashed towards the entrance. If she wanted to have a chance of fighting the monster, she needed to be in an open area. Before the creature was able to see again, Hera left the forest, reaching a rocky open area. She turned around, grabbing her chakram. She already had her weapon tied to Yarnball. Getting into her stance, Hera got ready to face the panther. The monster moved towards her but stopped before leaving the treeline. It just stared at Hera for a long moment before walking back to the dense area, without breaking eye contact. "Was... That it?" Hera said, still looking at the place where she stopped seeing the panther. She kept looking at the woods for a few minutes, but nothing seemed to be moving. Feeling safe, she turned around and moved towards the rocky path that led up and to the right, leaving the cave of Brinefront. 127 Pangolins She looked for a wider area on the path, a place big enough to set up her bed and the perimeter alarm that she had. It was a set of twelve small spikes that she could place it in the ground. If anything crossed the boundary, a loud noise would ring inside the perimeter. That and the monster repellent fire should be enough to keep her safe during the night. Not that she would be able to sleep very soundly. It was one thing to fight monsters during the day and go back to the city at night. Sleeping in the middle of the wild was very different. Hera grabbed the air mattress that came with a mana powered pump. It had enough charge for a single use. Then it would need to be charged again, but at least she wouldn''t need to tire herself inflating her bed. It took her less than thirty minutes to have her small campsite ready. The only thing missing was to light up the fire. She opened the pack and realized that she would also need some wood to keep the fire going. The only thing that came with the package was a set of six green lighters. The instructions said that after light, the repellent would burn for 1 hour, and each 100grams of wood could make it burn for an extra hour to a maximum duration of 12 hours. "I really should have read the instructions earlier," Hera sighed. She looked back to the path. She wasn''t sure if she should go back to look for branches. She didn''t need a lot of wood, but getting near the woods could be a risk. Looking through her belongings, Hera tried to find something that could work as a substitute. The only thing that could potentially burn was the rations that she got. "Crap, it''s either that or sleeping without the repellent," Hera got up, "Screw it. Let me light it, so nothing comes close to the camp, and then I go grab more wood." Hera placed one of the green lighter disks on the ground towards the edge of the cliff and lit it. A green flame formed on the top of the lighter. Hera waited for a moment, expecting something else to happen, but everything stayed the same. It was almost like she had lit up a candle. She avoided going deep into the forest and looked for broken branches or easy to grab pieces of wood. Instead of carrying it all at once, Hera made a small pile a few meters away from the trees. It would take longer, but it was safer than having a bunch of twigs on her hand if something charged at her. There was no way to weight the amount of wood she had, but after grabbing a few twigs, Hera couldn''t find any more branches on the ground. Holding her handaxe, she looked for a tree with low enough arms that she could cut it without having to climb. She had to go a bit deeper into the woods. On the edge of the forest, the trees had tall branches, and she wasn''t too keen on taking down an entire tree just for a bonfire. When she finally found one low enough, she started cutting the branch. Hera was halfway through when Yarnball started to vibrate. She touched the relic, "Why are you..." realizing that it was the Danger Sense triggering, Hera activated her Pulse and managed to see something flying towards the back of her head. Ducking, she turned around and looked for her assailant, but there was nothing there. She activated her Pulse once more. The mana wave that came out of her only hit the trees and foliage. There was no creature there. Or was there? At the edge of her spell, there was an odd formation in the tree. She knew that the trunks were never perfectly cylindrical. They all had their wounds and bumps. Yet, there was a shape that didn''t seem to fit the trees behind her. It was almost like a set of claws of a creature that was hugging the tree. Hera flashed her light towards that direction to make sure she wasn''t going crazy. The claw-like formation had the exact same color as the trees, even following the pattern on the trunk. Still, that was bothering Hera. If the panther were strong enough to hide its name, making an illusion to match the area wouldn''t be impossible. If that really were the monster, it would be better to strike first, "And since you showed me your ranged attack, allow me to reply in kind," Hera thought as she prepared a fire arrow. As the spell went flying towards the formation, she realized the danger of what she just did. If that was really a tree, it could start a wildfire. She held her breath, watching the arrow impact the odd protrusion on the trees. To her surprise, the claw-like shape moved, and something fell behind the trunk. Hera rushed towards it, with her axe in one hand and the flashlight in the other. The creature was purple, with the same pattern as the trees, and it was as big as a pig. When the light hit its face, Hera saw that it could move its eyes individually. Not only that, but its legs were not changing shade and pattern. Instead of the deep purple bark, they were turning into violet, just like the leaves on the ground. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Giant Chameleon (Illusion Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera froze for a moment. It wasn''t the panther. Did it really leave? Or was it still lurking around? She looked to the sides, trying to find the monster that chased her. With its prey distracted, the chameleon attacked with its tongue once more, hitting Hera''s stomach and pulling her towards it. The explorer tumbled forward, using her hand to fight back the pull of the monster. "What is with you lot trying to eat me!" Hera yelled as her axe came down on the monster''s tongue. The impact cut the creature, freeing Hera while it recoiled from the pain. She jumped towards it and gave a few more strikes on the monster''s head, killing the chameleon. "What? That''s it?" Hera stared at the corpse, "I was expecting more." She finished cutting the branch that she needed and dragged the dead chameleon to the place where she left all her twigs. Since she was already there, she could get some meat for dinner. That way, she could save up on rations. But carrying the entire body was a bit much. She cut some fatty bits and stuck it into a smaller twig. Leaving the corpse there, Hera headed back to her camp with what she hoped to be enough wood for the bonfire. As she got close, she saw that the repellent was still burning, and nothing had been disturbed, "Well. Either it works, or nothing came close." She crossed the perimeter set up by the stakes, and a loud high-pitched noise started to ring. "Crap, I forgot about that," she hurriedly placed the wood near her bed and went towards the stakes. Taking one of them out made the noise only grow louder. She hurried to the area where she had left the package and started reading through the instructions. The noise was making it hard to understand what was written. Hera rushed to outside the perimeter, and the noise stopped as she crossed the threshold. Now she could read the instructions. The stakes would make a loud noise to alert the people inside it and confuse any monster entering the area. If a stake were taken out, the noise would increase. To deactivate it, she had to pump some mana inside the one stake and then do the same to the stake on the opposite side in less than a minute. Taking a deep breath, she rushed inside the perimeter once more and deactivated the stakes. She set up the bonfire, hoping it would last ten hours and placed the stakes once more, trying to activate them, but the small light that showed they were on never blinked. Reading the instructions once more, she realized that a two-hour cooldown period was required for the stakes to be used again. With a sigh, Hera prepared her food and stayed up practicing the Mana Reinforcement while waiting for the stakes to be ready for use again. As morning came, the sunrise woke Hera up. The green fire was still burning, and the stakes were all in place. During the night, she got closer to completing the Mana Reinforcement spell, but there was still a long way to go. Hera got up and put away all her camping gear. The air bed would take some time, but after she took all the air out, it was about the size of a deodorant can. The pump was just as small. She already knew how to deactivate the spikes, and according to the instructions, to put out the monster repellent fire, all she needed to do was hit it with her mana. The fire would react with human energy and be snuffed out. She raised one hand, pointing at the bonfire, and sent a fire arrow towards it. The spell impacted the logs, and the green flames started to move more violently until it spews out red and yellow embers towards the sky. "I never expected that fighting fire with fire would make a firework," even the waves that repeatedly crashed against the entrance of the cave seemed to be silent after that phrase, "Fine, Mark is better at it than me. I won''t try to be funny again. Are you happy?" Hera huffed before walking up towards the rocky plateau. It took her another fifteen minutes of waking up before the path became less steep, and another twenty before she could see the plateau. The ground opened to the side, going a long way until reaching the stone surrounding the cave. "Could there be a dungeon around here?" Hera looked around, trying to see anything that could be an entrance, but to no avail. What she did notice were the several creatures that were roaming around. They had thick long legs and thinner arms, a face that reminded Hera of a hairless possum. They varied in size, from small ones about the size of a cat to a massive one walking in the distance, about the size of a horse. Yet, the most incredible thing about them were the scales covering each of their bodies. Each of them had a unique color and pattern. The closest to Hera had orange scales with green stripes. Even with the beauty of it, it seemed a simple design compared to the larger ones. The larger one had such a tapestry on its scales that Hera thought she was staring at a kaleidoscope. She activated her [Observe], but the big one was too far for it to work. "I really need to figure out a way to increase the range," Hera mumbled. She turned her attention to the orange one close to her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prism Pangolin (Earth-Grass Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What the hell does that mean?" Hera gasped. It was the first time she ever heard of something with double affinity. Getting her tablet ready, she activated her [Hide] and started to observe the behavior of the creatures. 128 Field Research "Maybe I should fight one of them. At least to figure out what kind of skill they can use. Although... it seems a bit mean just to attack them." Looking at one of the rock piles, Hera decided to check why those specific stones were so attractive to the pangolins. They didn''t seem to be any different from rubble. She waited for the monster to leave, looking for a new rock before heading to the pile. Inspecting the stones, Hera realized why the beasts picked those specific pieces of rubble. Each of them had a small gemstone embedded inside. In this group, there were only blue, red, and green gems. The same colors that the Prism Pangolin that was gathering them had on its scales. "Maybe this is their food or something," Hera mumbled before activating her [Inspect] in one of the green gems. After seeing the result, she used her Affinity Sight spell to see if it would help. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mana Residue Stone (Nature Affinity) A piece of rock present in mana rich environments. The exposure to magic created a small deposit of elemental mana inside it. The mana can be used as nourishment for creatures or to power spells. However, the process will consume the stone. Mana points: 15 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Wow, this is barely any mana. It would take a lot of those even to cast a spell. Maybe that''s why they need a lot. And it''s not like they have other choices. Not all animals eat their kind. But this rock, I wonder if all the rocks give the same amount of mana, or if they have a weird element." Among the rocks, she found more nature, fire and water affinities, and they all had slight variations in the amount of mana they had. While Hera was analyzing the rest of the pile, the pangolin returned and started growling at her. "Wow, calm there, buddy. I didn''t take any. They are all here," Hera stepped away from the pile, but the monster kept snarling at her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prism Pangolin (Fire - Nature Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The beast charged at her. Its scales glowed brighter as small embers raised from its body. Hera jumped to the side, avoiding the pangolin''s charge. The monster stopped after passing through her. It turned to the side and spun its tail. Large green thorns were appearing on it, forming a mace. Hera raised her handaxe, trying to block the attack. Her armor blocked some of the damage, but she felt something warm covering her arm. She looked at the wound and noticed a small stream of blood running through her arm. The pangolin attempted to headbutt her as the explorer was distracted, but Hera spun around, avoiding the tackle. "Look, this is your last chance. Your stones are all there. Stop this, and we both go our separate ways," Hera was staring down the pangolin. The monster rushed towards her once more, the thorns on its tail growing even larger. Hera gritted her teeth and sidestepped, grabbing the base of the pangolin''s tail. She pulled it back with all her might, making the monster fall ass first in the ground. Taking advantage of the sitting position the creature was in, Hera swung her handaxe straight in the creature''s neck. The attack wasn''t enough to decapitate the pangolin, but she felt the spine breaking with her blade. The only thing that survived the impact was the armored back of the creature. "Sorry," Hera said while looking at the monster. She took one of its scales. They were gorgeous, and it felt wrong to leave the body there. Using her [Inspect], she realized that she might need more than just one scale. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prism Scale (Fire Affinity) The scale of a Prism Pangolin, it works as a storage for the elemental mana accumulated by the creature. It can be used to strengthen spells of the matching element. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Helena is going to love those. Especially if I can get one with double affinity," Hera made sure to get one scale of each color from the pangolin she had just killed. As she turned around, she saw several other pangolins scavenging the pile of stones that belonged to the one she just killed. She still wanted to look at all the types of mana residue stone that the creature had gathered, but fighting a dozen scavengers wasn''t on top of her list. It was better to look for another pile. She moved away from the mayhem that had ensued and started looking for another unattended pile of stones. However, a loud growl caught her attention. The kaleidoscope pangolin had joined the brawl. With a single roar, all the other creatures stopped grabbing the stones. They were still hovering around and howling at the big one, but it didn''t seem to mind. Hera took the opportunity to use her [Observe]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carbuncle - Prism Pangolin (Elemental Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ok, now you are just being weird. What the hell is elemental affinity? All elements?" Hera said to herself. Still, Carbuncle was a name that was she believed she had heard before. She just wasn''t sure when or where. Hera kept watching the creature move. It was clearly the tyrant ruler of the plateau. All other monsters made sure to be far away from it, but at the same time had no qualms about showing their objection to its rule. Hera watched the Carbuncle go through the pile of stones, but it left holding only two rocks. "Why those two? What''s so special about them?" Hera kept staring at the Carbuncle. She wanted to see the pile of stones it was making. She followed from a distance. Luckily, as long as she didn''t bother the other pangolins, they didn''t seem to mind her. As she went deeper into the plateau, she noticed that the creatures had even more complex patterns on their scales. There was one that even had a flower design inside each scale that looked like it was hand drawn by an artist. Hera changed her focus back to the Carbuncle. It was still walking to the other side of the area, towards a pile of rubble about twice its size. "Holy crap, is that its pile?" Hera saw a few glimmers in the middle of the rubble. The creature placed the stones on the stack and started to move the rocks. One of the stones in the top fell and hit an invisible wall behind the rubble before rolling away from the pile, stopping a few meters behind the Carbuncle. The creature seemed too interested in whatever it was looking for to notice the stone that had fallen. Hera activated her [Hide] and walked towards it. There had to be something special about those rocks. She took a while to get to the stone. Every step was taken very carefully, not to make any noise. She had seen that the pangolins had sharp hearings and would confront anyone trying to sneak close to their hoard. Reaching the rock, she crouched and picked it up, moving one foot back to start getting away. At that moment, a pair of pangolins began growling at each other in the distance. By the sound, it was a couple of the larger ones, not as big as the Carbuncle, but big enough to be compared to a pony. Hera snapped back towards the Carbuncle, worried that it might have seen her in her moment of distraction. The creature was still gleefully messing with its stones. The explorer went away from the pile of rubble and hid behind one of the large rocks in the plateau. She wanted to know why that specific rock was so interesting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mana Residue Stone (Light - Shadow Affinity) A piece of rock present in mana rich environments. The exposure to magic created a small deposit of elemental mana inside it. The mana can be used as nourishment for creatures or to power spells. However, the process will consume the stone. Mana points: 45 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Wasn''t this supposed to be impossible? Light and shadow were opposed, right? Maybe I''m confusing things. Helena wanted to be a light-shadow mage. So that should have been possible," Hera looked back at the Carbuncle, "Do all stones there have dual affinities?" "If I want to check, I need to knock out the Carbuncle, at least. I doubt it will be very keen on letting me rummage through its stuff. I''m also not sure if I should kill it. Helena might want to come here later," Hera looked to the sky, the clouds forming various shapes just like they did outside the MAZE, "If I weren''t surrounded by monsters, this would be a great place for a picnic." Hera looked at the Carbuncle one more time. She had an idea on how to neutralize it for a while, but it was a really bad idea. She tapped on Yarnball, "You never let me down, don''t start now, please." Hera grabbed her chakram and walked towards the monster, "Hey!" The Carbuncle turned with an angry expression and saw a human holding one of its stones. Hera saw the monster''s face distorting, its eyes turned red, large veins started to pulsate, and even the teeth grew sharper as the creature rushed towards her. Hera jumped to the side, avoiding the initial attack, "Ok, maybe the stone was a bit much," she threw the chakram, already tied up on Yarnball, towards the monster''s legs. She had to pretend that this was a rodeo of sorts. The Carbuncle jumped, moving away from the string and the blade. Unlike what Hera had seen, the creature was very agile. It had never moved like that while roaming the area. Then again, it didn''t have to. No one was brave or stupid enough to challenge it. Not until Hera showed up. The monster opened its mouth, and a stream of fire and lightning came rushing towards the explorer. She ran to the side, staying a few centimeters ahead of the flames. Seeing a large rock on the path, Hera jumped behind it to wait out the attack. It took some time, but the Carbuncle finally ran out of breath. Hera took that chance and came out of her hiding spot, sending a fire arrow towards it. There wasn''t a doubt in her mind that the spell would barely do some damage, if any, but it would be a good distraction. She went for the sideswipe once more as the arrow hit the creature''s head. This time, it caught its right leg. Hera pulled back the string to avoid wrapping it around the beast. The last thing she needed was to get her chakram stuck. The Carbuncle rushed at her once more. Large bony protrusions appeared around its carapace. Hera rushed to the side, but she wasn''t fast enough. The bones hit the back of her shoulder, creating a large gash on her back. She turned around and hit the monster''s tail with her handaxe, but its scales were too strong too for the blade. Grabbing her chakram, Hera tossed it towards the legs of the beast one more time, pulling the string as the monster skidded to the side, trying to stop its momentum. The weapon wrapped around the creature as the chakram dug deep into its thighs. The Carbuncle tried to move as Hera felt as if someone was pulling her hair. The strength of the string was connected to her, and for the first time, she was feeling the strain. The creature tried to jump towards Hera, but one tug was enough to make it lose balance and fall sideways to the ground. Hera rushed towards it and hit the side of its head using the blunt part of her handaxe. The Carbuncle snarled while its front claw scratched Hera''s leg. She jumped over it and started hitting its head repeatedly. After a few moments, the creature stopped moving. Hera checked if it had any response when she poked it and quickly wrapped more of the thread on its arms, making sure it wouldn''t be able to move easily. Feeling a bit safer about the creature, Hera turned her attention to the pile of rubble. "What am I going to find here?" 129 Collecting Samples She made a few notes on her tablet. A few of the affinities seemed interesting or dangerous. Hera needed to understand them and know how to counter-attack if she ever found a monster with one of them. Among the rocks, there were also a few scales from the Carbuncle. Hera grabbed the stones that she considered to be the more interesting, mostly the opposite elements and the unique ones. Aside from that, she just tossed a bunch of rocks and scales in one of her pouches. Thankfully, the stones weren''t very big, so Hera was able to get a handful of them. The Carbuncle made some noise, and Hera quickly took off her chakram from its legs, untying it before running away from the monster. As she ran by, the smaller pangolins rushed towards the pile of stones that the tyrant had made. She was about halfway through the plateau when a loud roar came from the back. The Carbuncle was back on its feet, and it was angry. Hera could hear the cries of the pangolins as they ran away from the creature. Hera ran towards the path, trying to leave the plateau to ensure that the monster wouldn''t follow her. She ran past the pangolins, even as some attempted to grab her pouch full of rocks. She just slammed her handaxe on its back, pushing the monster away. Yet, they didn''t fight back as hard as the one had fought before. It seemed like they were more vicious when protecting their piles than when trying to steal the stones. Not wanting to have the rocks stolen, Hera kept running towards the path that leads back to the cave. She managed to avoid the small monsters, hitting a couple of pangolins on the way. After leaving the plateau, she walked for another ten minutes before stopping. There were no monsters following her, and now she could do some inventory. She had twenty stones in her pouch. Most had double affinities, but three of them had a single affinity. The number of mana points in them was also very different. Unlike the 40 to 60 points of the others, each of those three had 150 points of mana on them. "I''m guessing it''s just about the mana amount? Or do they have something else special? Let''s seen, they have fire, lighting, and piercing affinities. But they don''t seem to be any different from the rest," Hera spent a few moments pondering what it could all mean. Unable to figure anything out, she shrugged and turned her attention to the plateau once more, "I think I should get more scales. They might be useful to put this all together." Her shoulder had a few cuts. The thorns from the first pangolin she faced had done a number on her arm. The blood had dried up, and she needed to clean it using her water. She still had a couple of bottles, but it would be better to head to the ocean to fill up her filter. It looked like a regular bottle, but a small mana fueled tube in the middle could turn seawater into drinkable water in just a couple of minutes. The problem was that the mana inside the filter. Hera could only fill the bottle twice before having to recharge it, and she needed a thousand mana to refill the filter. It took over one hour of constant mana cycling to restore it completely. "I think It''s better if I go there refill the bottle before the sunset. But not right now," Hera kept focusing on the mend spell to fix both her arm and her back. It was hard to concentrate on the spell in a place where she couldn''t see, yet she felt it working. Hera took a break, taking a moment to eat another protein bar. At the same time, she kept practicing the new way of moving her mana while adding the cycle technique to her muscle like concept. It was an odd situation. She had one part of her mana contracting and expanding while the other gathered on her hands before traveling to her feet. When the two parts of the mana touched each other, Hera could feel more mana being pulled towards the center. However, she had no idea where the mana was coming from. It wasn''t as if she was pulling her mana to a specific point like the cycling required. The mana was just... appearing. Hera did a couple of tests to figure out how much she was recovering and if it was possible to move around while doing that. Her regeneration had increased significantly, from the 16 points per minute while cycling her mana. It jumped to 25 using the two techniques combined. However, it required too much concentration to combine them, and it made it nearly impossible to do it while moving. "Still, I can recharge my mana in under ten minutes. That''s a big help. I need just two minutes to use the mend spell again." Hera waited for another half an hour while eating and practicing this new way to recover her mana. Feeling more rested and with the wound on her back not stinging so much, she went back to the plateau. She wanted to grab a few scales that had similar elements to the stones on her pouch. The pangolins in the entrance were the smaller and had mostly primary colors. Some had one combination of shades, but nothing too complicated. Compared to the Carbuncle fight, the other ones were much easier, even with the unpredictable abilities. Some had considerably weaker breath attacks. Others could harden their scales and make their claws longer. Hera started the fights thinking about knocking the monsters out so she could look for loose scales, but that was taking too long, and she got hit a couple of times while fighting one of the smaller ones. Getting annoyed with the situation, Hera stopped trying to leave them alive. They were monsters. She had to stop caring about killing them. As she walked deeper into the area, the pangolin''s patterns became more complex. She managed to kill a couple of them to gather the scales, but these monsters had more unique skills. One of them even was able to lock her in place while their shadows were connected. Another could create mirror images of itself while it moved. After crossing most of the area, she noticed one pangolin with a single crystal scale on its forehead. Hera got closer to it, but before she was able to do anything, a familiar roar came to the side. The Carbuncle was staring at her. Its eyes becoming bloodshot as the veins bulged on its face. "Oh shit," Hera gasped before turning away and running back to the path. The Carbuncle stomped its feet on the ground, and a large rock went flying towards Hera. She heard the projectile coming towards her and dove to the side. The attack hit her arm, making her tumble to the side. She quickly got up and made sure her rocks hadn''t fallen before using her light spell to make a floodlight once more and bolt towards that path that led her here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell acquired Blinding Flash Rank: Beginner It creates an extremely bright light source to disturb the sight of those who see it. The more mana used on the spell, the stronger the light will be. Base mana cost: 75 mana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera waved off the notification that popped up. She didn''t have time to read it. Zigzagging through the area, she did her best to lose the Carbuncle before heading to the path. She assumed the monster wouldn''t chase her too far from its hoard, since that would create another frenzy from the nearby pangolins. Still, she didn''t want to give it a chance to follow her to the path. That was her only safe spot at the moment. After being sure that the beast had given up on her, Hera went back looking for the pangolin with the crystal scale. This time, Hera made sure to be on the lookout for the Carbuncle. Before even reaching the place where she saw the pangolin with a crystal scale, she had to hide from the plateau''s tyrant a couple of times. She had to search for the pangolin once more. The creature wasn''t as large as the ones around the area, and it seemed much more sneaky. The first time Hera saw it, it growled in a way that lured the Carbuncle to the area. Then the monster vanished inside its own shadow. After a while, Hera had to run back to the entrance to avoid the tyrant once more. On her fifth attempt, she managed to sneak up on the pangolin. Using her poison needle a few times, Hera hindered it enough to allow her to kill the monster. It was odd that she could never find its pile, and the creature didn''t seem to care about the rocks. The fight was much easier than the other ones. Poisoning the monsters was much more effective than she expected. The pangolin didn''t have any special name, and all its scales were brown with no affinity, aside from the single one on its head. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crystal Prism Scale (Mana Affinity) The scale of Prism Pangolin that was crystallized due to a mutation. It can amplify a spell or a magical effect when used through the scale. The crystal can only sustain a certain amount of magical power before shattering. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera grabbed a few more scales and headed back to the path. It was already getting late, and she wanted to get some more water before setting up camp. Around one hour later, she was back in the spot where she camped the first night. This time, she remembered to grab some wood for the bonfire. She practiced her new mana technique some more and wrote down all the notes she made about the creatures before getting ready to sleep. It took her some time to charge up all her camping gear, and she would be with little to no mana while doing that. "I''m glad I have a safe place here, but if I''m in an area with more monsters, it might be better to keep half my mana with me just in case," Hera mumbled after getting her bed ready. Hours later, a loud hip-pitched beeping noise woke Hera from her slumber. The Carbuncle had trespassed the perimeter of her camp. Hera jumped up, but the beast saw her movement. It seemed somewhat disoriented, not only by the noise, but it was avoiding the flames. Hera could even see some large drops of sweat forming on its face. The monster dashed towards Hera, who had to dive to the side, getting not only closer to the flames but also the edge of the cliff. Fighting in this situation was very stressful. One wrong move and she could meet her end in the whirlpool infested waters. "Fine, take the rocks. They are there," Hera pointed at the bag with the stones by the bed. The monster kept staring at her while walking towards the bags. It rummaged through them and only stopped after finding the crystal scale. The Carbuncle moved it with its nose as if it was trying to make it move. When it had no response, it let out a pained cry before turning to Hera. Its face was turning a deep shade of red together with its scales. The monster ran towards Hera, who dashed to the other side of the fire. The creature stopped and moved to the other side, still keeping some distance from the green flames. Hera sent two poison needles towards it, hoping that the toxin would hinder its movement. The two of them started to do a weird dance around the bonfire. Hera kept jumping from side to side while the Carbuncle attempted to get a clear shot at her. The monster started getting more and more impatient, sending rocks, thorns, and even using its fire breathing attack. When the flames hit the green fire, the repellent grew strongest, scaring away the monster enough to allow Hera to jump away from the edge of the cliff. She sent a few poison sprays towards the creature, hoping it would be enough to push it back. The Carbuncle ran towards her and truck Hera with its body. It was moving several times faster than before. Getting angry with the situation, Hera sent her chakram to its legs once more. Not to warp it. This time she wanted to hurt it. At the same time, she walked back to the green fire, not letting the monster out of her sight. The Carbuncle rushed at her, lowering its head. Hera waited for it to get closer and jumped to the side, hitting the monster''s head with her handaxe. There was no damage since she just hit the scales, but it was enough to make the creature take a step to the side and hit the bonfire. It tumbled forward and started trashing while walking away from the flames. Hera saw one of its back legs dangerously close to the edge and rushed towards the Carbuncle. She jumped at the last moment and hit the monster''s side with both her legs, pushing it from the cliff. Hera looked off the precipice and saw the Carbuncle spinning in the air before falling into the water. The monster was instantly caught in one of the whirlpools and pulled underwater. Feeling safer and with the perimeter alarm still buzzing in her ears, Hera lay down, looking at the sky. "This is what I get for trying to be nice." 130 Lurking Hera walked down the path towards the woods once more. She had noticed this the night before, but the chameleon''s corpse was no longer there. Yet, she didn''t see any trail of blood, but she wasn''t sure she would be able to see one. It would be much harder to see the red stains in purple grass. Before stepping into the woods, Hera took a deep breath. She knew that this place had the chameleons, and the panther was probably still lurking around. Her main issue was that she wasn''t in perfect condition at the moment. Her arm was wounded, and the tackle from the Carbuncle created a sizeable purple bruise covering half her torso that made some movements hurt. Even constantly using her Mending spell, the recovery very slow. Yet, she didn''t have a choice. She had to go back somehow. Making sure to be ready, she walked into the forest. The first part of her journey wasn''t as troublesome as she expected. No monster was around, and the path wasn''t difficult to traverse. She only needed to be careful with some random roots growing in odd angles. As the hours went by, Hera was feeling restless. She had to be constantly looking at her map to be sure she was making progress. Walking around confused her a lot. The trees started to look too similar to each other. She also had to keep looking for monsters constantly. At one point, the forest became thicker than a jungle, slowing her travel speed. Since it was so dark in the area, Hera had to use her flashlight to move, which gave away her position. It didn''t take long for her to start hearing monsters coming her way. Using her Pulse, she managed to spot one chameleon approach. Not wanting to give it a chance to attack, Hera rushed towards sending a poison needle as a greeting. The monster wasn''t as quick as the frogs, and as long as she struck it before it was able to camouflage itself, it didn''t pose much of a threat. Chameleons tended to use the stealth approach, but they would resort to headbutts when confronted directly, and those attacks were very easy to avoid. It took only a couple of strikes to kill the monster. After that, Hera kept going, hoping that the creature''s corpse would be enough of a distraction for the incoming beasts. She kept going for another hour, fighting a few chameleons on the way. Hera made sure not to use her poison spells on the last one. She was getting hungry, and eating meat was much better than stuffing herself with protein bars. She was distracted with her meal when a growl came from the left. She jumped up, staring at the direction of the noise. Between the tres, there was a large creature staring at her. The beast had a bulky muscular body with a smaller head and deep purple skin. "You again?" Hera stared at it, grabbing her handaxe once more. The panther growled at Hera and started walking towards her. She got ready to block it, waving the flaming brach towards it. The monster didn''t seem to mind the fire and kept walking towards the explorer. Hera got ready for the attack. The panther started to circle around the explorer. It spent a few minutes moving and headed back to the woods, without breaking eye contact. Hera waited a moment, using her Pulse repeatedly to find where the monster was, but to no avail. After a few minutes, she wasn''t able to see the beast anymore. Unsure of what was going on, Hera decided to keep going. Moving through the woods once more, she had to be even more careful. She had no idea when the creature could appear again. A few hours later Hera reached an open area, with one large tree in the middle of it. She walked towards it as one tongue flew towards her head. She leaned back, falling to the ground. The tongue flew above her head, almost hitting her face. Hera jumped up and ran towards the tree since there was where the attack came from. Getting close to the trunk, Hera noticed a large creature in the middle of it. It was a Chameleon different from the others. A pair of large horns changed colors with the rest of the body in its head. Hera slashed across the monster''s neck, but it raised its head, blocking the handaxe with its horns. She jumped to the side and used her chakram to attack, but the chameleon opened its mouth and lashed out with its tongue again. The attack hit her side, pulling her towards the monster. Hera slashed the creature''s side and tried to pull away from the beast. While they struggled, Hera heard a growl coming from the forest. Looking to the side, she saw the panther heading towards her. "Shit, shit, shit," Hera tried to pull the chameleon to the side, trying to make the panther get in her sight. She threw a poison needle at each of the monsters, hoping it would help her fight. The panther moved quickly through the area, trying to move behind Hera. The explorer kept moving around the tree, trying to maintain the panther in her sight. The chameleon wasn''t very fond of the situation. It pulled its tongue, trying to stop Hera from moving away. Tha panther lunged at Hera, trying to claw her back. She managed to dodge part of the attack, but the strike still cut her left leg. The chameleon took that chance to pierce Hera''s arm while she was distracted by the panther. The fight barely had started, and Hera was already at a massive disadvantage. The first problem was the chameleon''s tongue was still stuck on her, which hindered her movement. Hera pulled the tongue back and slashed it repeatedly until she was able to cut it. At the same time, the panther tried to hit her once more, but the chameleon got in the way with a headbutt directed at Hera. The explorer took a few steps back, staying in a triangle with the two monsters. The panther seemed more interested in Hera. The chameleon, on the other hand, seemed to be torn. It kept staring at the explorer, but it was angry with the panther for attempting to steal its prey. The area was large enough for Hera to use her chakram as a medium-range weapon, and the Wire Trap style had some attacks made to deal with groups of enemies. She had yet to try it out, but now seemed like she had her chance. The panther got closer to the ground and was about to jump when the chameleon sent the remains of its tongue towards it. The panther jumped to the side, avoiding the attack, and growled at the monsters, who hissed back. While the two kept staring at each other, Hera saw a change for her to flee. She took a step back, but the panther lunged towards her. Seeing that, the chameleon struck the purple-skinned beast with its horns, changing its course. Hera jumped back, avoiding the panther, and saw as it turned around to attack the chameleon. With the two starting their brawl, she activated her [Hide] and ran away. She didn''t forget that the panther showed up as a question mark with her [Observe], and she wasn''t too keen on figuring out why. She focused on her ears to be sure that the monster wasn''t about to chase her. Luckily, the only thing she heard was the sounds of the fight between the two creatures. She kept running for close to half an hour. She didn''t want to stop even long after she stopped hearing them fight, but if she wears herself out while the panther was on her heels, it would be much worse. Hera stopped running, but she didn''t stop moving. It was already getting late, and according to what she had seen on the map, a few kilometers in front of her, there was a large open area that she could use to set up camp. The area wasn''t directly ahead. She needed to diverge from the path she was taking. She also made sure to clean possible tracks and roll around in the mud. Hera hoped that along with her [Hide], this would be enough to lose anyone who could be tracking her. Arriving at the large clearing, Hera quickly set up the bonfire and the perimeter stakes. She had lost her bed, but she could still use the remains of the air mattress as a pillow. Hera took a look at her supplies. She was still fine with food, but water would be a problem soon. She only had one more full bottle. The other three were empty. She would need to take a trip to the waters the next day. Looking at the map, she noticed a light blue mark that spread through a few kilometers ahead of her. According to Helena, that area was a place with a small submerged platform, much like the one Hera used when she found the sailor''s cove. It would destroy any boat that got close, but she could move while being by the water if she walked there. That was one option. The second one was going to a lake about twenty kilometers west. Unsure of what to do, Hera picked another power bar for her dinner while going back to practice the mana reinforcement. "When I get back to the city, I want a burger. And a stake, and some chicken, and cake, I can''t forget the ice cream. Anything juicy and seasoned," as much as Hera wanted to focus on the spell, her stomach wasn''t allowing her to do so. She wasn''t hungry. It was more the desire to eat something different from the protein bars. After a couple of hours of practice and reading, Hera went to sleep. However, her rest was abruptly interrupted by a loud high-pitched noise. Hera jumped up and looked around. Before she was able to identify what invaded the camp, she heard a growl coming to the side towards her. Hera swung her handaxe in a large arch, trying to hit the monster. The panther ducked under the blade and jumped towards the explorer. The delay gave enough time for Hera to step away and avoid the monster''s initial attack. She went towards the green fire, hoping it would have the same effect on the beast as it had on the Carbuncle. With the light of the flames, Hera was able to see the panther more clearly. Its massive body had a few cuts on the side, and two small protrusions seemed to be growing from its forehead. The monster growled once more and dashed towards Hera. She waited for it to get close enough and jumped to the side, swinging her chakram to the side, creating a cut on the monster''s side. The beast snarled at Hera and ran to the side, leaving the camp and going back to the woods. Hera stood there, with the noise ringing in her ears, staring at the place where the beast ran off to for a few minutes before believing the panther wouldn''t come back. She looked back at the stakes, "Now I have to wait for them to recharge," she sighed, " Thanks for ruining my sleep," Hera said while staring at the place the panther had run off to. 131 The Panther "Stupid monster, bothering my sleep. Next time I see it. I''m sending a poison needle with all the mana inside the stone," Hera kept grumbling while packing her things. Before grabbing the first stake, she turned towards the woods and started yelling, "Are you still here? Come get me! Come on!" A few moments passed, but there was no reply. She grabbed the stakes and put them in her bag. Before leaving, she considered her options. She needed water, and the two sources were in opposite places. One was to the right, where she would reach the ocean and go along the beach. The other was to head to the left for a long time and get to the lake by the end of the day. The better option seemed to be the ocean. It was an area where she could cover some ground, and it could be safer from the panther. Then again, animals usually had a nonviolence treaty when in places where the water was scarce. But Hera had no way of knowing if the panther would act the same way the animals outside the MAZE did. The better option seemed to be heading towards the ocean. She would be in an open space, and maybe the water could be enough to make the panther lose her trail. Hera went to the right. She wanted to be able to relax, and the area by the sea seemed to be the best place for it. Checking the map for her route, she left the camp, activating her [Hide] to avoid facing even more monsters. She ran through the woods, trying to keep a jogging pace while using her Pulse spell sporadically. A couple of times, she could sense a chameleon on her range, but the creatures were either too distracted or too slow to catch her. When the trees became less dense, Hera could hear the noise of something in the distance. She focused on her hearing, and to her left, she was able to detect something moving at her pace. "Is that you?" she asked the noise without stopping. For a while, the only thing that could be heard in the forest was the sound of two creatures moving at a fast speed. "I guess if you replied, I would be even more worried," she sighed, "Maybe It''s just my echo, and I''m going crazy." Hera screamed and pushed the panther away, throwing a Poison Spray at it, using all the mana she had inside the mana stone. At the same time, she started using the Mend spell to stop the bleeding. After being thrown, the monster got hit with the vibrant orange liquid. The attack hit its torso, going all the way to the lower legs before the panther even hit the ground. Hera followed up the spell with a fire arrow that light up the orange liquid, engulfing the creature in flames. The monster started rolling around on the ground, trying to put out the fire. But the flames were relentless, the poison that was still stuck to it fueled the blaze. The panther bolted to the side and vanished into the woods. "Shit, shit, shit," Hera kept cursing while holding her ear. Tears of pain starting to form in her eyes. The blood wasn''t stopping, and the mend spell was doing almost nothing to stop it. She couldn''t remember if someone could bleed out by having a piece of her ear cut off. Hera looked around and found a broken branch. Biting down on it, she placed one hand by her ear and used a fire arrow to cauterize the bleeding. The spell hit part of her head, burning a chunk of her hair and skin, but that was nothing compared to the pain she felt in her ear. She poured water in the wound, only to realize that the suffering became even worse as the air hit the wound. Hera howled with the pain and held her ear as if it was going to fall off. She looked at the ground and saw a piece of the top of her outer ear. Gingerly touching her ear, she realized that there was an entire thumb missing from the top. She looked around for the panther but wasn''t able to find it. However, she did find its trail. Part of her wanted to go after it. It was wounded and burning. Now was the best moment to fight it, but she held herself back. The monster was strong and smart. It could have been running just to lure her into a trap. "Next time, you won''t be so lucky," Hera barked while looking at the panther footprint. She used her pulse spell and saw the chameleon that caused all her trouble on a nearby tree and rushed at it. If she couldn''t kill the panther, she was going to make sure nothing would try to attack her again. It only took her a couple of strikes to deal with the monster, and in less than five minutes, she was heading towards the ocean once more. She kept using her Pulse, and every time she found a monster on her path, she would take a detour to kill it. The chameleons were very bad at dealing with surprise attacks. As long as Hera got into their blind spots, it was an easy fight. It didn''t take too long before she arrived at the edge of the woods. There, she could see the sea. Although, from her point of view, it looked more like a saltwater river. By the cliff, there was a path just a few centimeters underwater, much like the one she had seen by the Sailor''s cove. To get there, Hera could only see one option. She needed to climb down the rocky wall. She could also try to jump towards the water, but letting her pack get wet was a terrible idea. Hera started climbing down towards the water-filled path. Now that the adrenaline had left her system, she realized how hurt she was. The wounds from the pangolins were far from recovered, and the claws of the panther had created large gashes around her legs. It would take some time before she could get help. Even if she kept going at top speed, she would only reach a settlement tomorrow afternoon. She could try to push for the night and make it in the morning, but it would be the second day without proper sleep. Yet, if the panther were still following her, it wouldn''t let her rest anyway. Walking through this path was the first time since going inside the woods that Hera felt genuinely safe. Not as safe as she would be inside a town but safe nonetheless. The path would spread for a few kilometers, and it gave her the chance to refill her water bottles. Yet, after walking for about an hour, she was feeling restless. "I think there is something wrong with me. Why in blazes am I bored? I''m alone by a monster-infested forest and having to fight against the small waves that crash here. This place is beautiful and amazing, and I''m complaining that It''s not exciting enough? Seriously, since when I turned into an adrenaline junkie?" Hera sighed and took a bite from her protein bar, "Maybe I should see if they have shrink in here. I think I might need one." After a few minutes of monologuing to herself, Hera stopped walking, "And why the hell I''m talking to myself!? Since when was that a thing? During the test, at least, I talked with my weapon that was better, right?" She asked Iris, her handaxe, "I''m definitely going crazy. Or the wounds are infected, and I''m delirious. Well, at least you are not replying. The moment you do is when I lose it completely." Hera finally reached the end of the platform. There was a small drop on the cliff, giving way to a path she could use to climb back up to the woods. Hera climbed up, struggling a bit with the slippery rocks and the wound on her back, stopping her from using all her strength. Hera kept going towards the settlement. Thankfully, the forest here became less dense, and even with the sun starting to set, she still had enough light to keep going. She kept using her Pulse to find out monsters nearby, but the place seemed free of threats. When the sun went down, she kept going for another hour, using the flashlight to move. Hera wanted to keep going for longer, but the batteries of her light had run out. She could use the spell, but if something came after her while she was low on mana, it could be a big problem. Hera found a tree in the middle of a clearing and set up her camp there. The perimeter had to be smaller, but she still could use the monster repellent fire and climb the tree to sleep among the branches. That way, if something came after her, she wouldn''t be caught off guard. The only issue was how to avoid falling from the tree while she slept. She used the air mattress remains to build a makeshift net, and after making sure it wouldn''t tear with her weight, she got ready to sleep. She slept with her pack and pouches strapped to her chest. It wasn''t very comfortable, but if she had to run, it would be easier. In the middle of the night, the alarm triggered, waking Hera up again. She carefully looked down towards the camp and saw the panther. Its legs still showed signs of burning, and the wound on its side was in the process of healing. Hera tried not to move too much and give away her location since the monster seemed not to know where she was. She grabbed her pack, but doing so made its contents shift, creating a small noise. Hera stopped breathing while holding the bag close, hoping the panther didn''t hear that. Almost as a reply, the monster jumped up, climbing the trunk of the tree, and sent out its tongue towards the black net between two branches, making the air mattress that Hera was using as a bed to rip. The explorer fell from the tree, doing her best not to hurt herself too much with the impact. She rolled just as she hit the ground and spun around to face the panther again. The wound on her back was acting up, and she felt that the fall worsened the situation on her legs. The monster jumped from the tree, stumbling as it hit the ground. It wasn''t in good shape, either. The panther growled and rushed towards Hera. She was waiting for it to get closer, but suddenly, it opened its mouth and the tongue went flying towards her. The attack hit her shoulder with a force several times stronger than any frog or chameleon she faced before. The monster followed up by jumping to the side as she tried to run to at the last moment, lunging at her. She raised her handaxe to block the claws, and the two rolled into the ground. Hera pushed the monster with both her legs and tossed it to the side. The panther fell on the bonfire and roared as the green flames licked its body. Hera sent another full powered poison spray towards it. The moment the orange spray hit the fire, it started burning as if it was alcohol. The panther was once more engulfed in flames and started thrashing around, trying to put out the fire. Hera turned back and started running, leaving the stakes behind. The monster seemed more intelligent. The strength of its attack was also different. The only thing she knew that could grow like that were the wendigos that appeared after the wall fell. If that thing was one of them, fighting it was suicidal. ---------------------- Ten minutes after the explorer ran away, the panther was finally able to put out the fire around its body. It sniffed the area and caught the scent of the mana that it was hunting. That prey was irritating, and not it had hurt it too much. It wasn''t going to let it end like that. 132 Lured to a Trap Her mind was in overdrive, thinking of ways to stop it or to have a chance of fighting back. She couldn''t be counting on her luck anymore. The first time, she only was able to run away from it because it was weaker. Then she had to use other monsters as a distraction, or the discovery that her poison spray is flammable. Even so, it was clear that the creature wouldn''t die just by being set on fire. She had to figure out a plan, something that could give her an edge, anything. Her first thought was the crystal scale, but that was a long shot at best. She had no idea how much it would increase the power of a spell or if it would be enough for killing the panther. She was starting to get tired and would have to stop sprinting soon. She needed a plan fast. ''Ok, Hera. Think, what do you know about it? It''s strong and intelligent, so any obvious traps would be useless. Trying to hide is a bad idea. Predators tend to have sharp senses. The thing is chasing after me, so it''s angry? Maybe I hurt its pride. Pride... can I use that? ... no, it''s a monster. Even if I try, there is no guarantee that it would work. But it is chasing me, so I can try to be the bait. But what about the trap? What do I have?'' Hera made a mental inventory of everything she had on her. The stones could only serve as batteries. The water bottles were useless for a fight. It was the same with the rations. The only things that could be used for a fight were her weapons, spells, and relic. ''Yarnball can give me 10 meters of string that takes its strength after me. If I find a good place with a single entrance, I could make a tripwire.'' She grabbed her relic and asked, "Where can I find a place with a single entrance large enough for me to fight the panther?" While waiting, Hera tried to recover both her mana and the mana in the stone. She was going to need every point she had for the fight. The new method got much easier with practice. Every time she had to recharge her camping gear, she would use it to recover. She still kept her ears peeled for any movement coming towards her. When she was halfway through charging the mana stone, a notification popped in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Skill Acquired Mana Recovery (Rank 1) Improves your natural mana recovery. This effect increases as the mastery of the technique used to create the skill increases. The skill increases your passive mana recovery. By activating the skill, you can recover mana at an accelerated pace. However, if the skill concentration is broken, you become unable to recover mana for 30 minutes. The amount recovered by the active effect increases significantly with the mastery of the technique. Passive Recovery: 15 mana per minute Active Recovery: 20 mana per minute Mastery: 10% ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera glanced through the skill and decided not to try its active effect right now. It would still give her less mana than doing the cycling on her own, and losing the mana recovery would be terrible. She tried to use the basic cycling technique and was surprised with the result. Just by using it, her mana recovery went to 25 points per minute. She could cycle and move, even if at a slower pace. Now she would be able to keep a light spell for much longer, although it still wasn''t enough to be sustainable. Hera shook her head and focused on the area once again. When she got home, she could test this as much as she wanted, but now there were more pressing matters. Hera was already feeling more rested when she heard a twig being broken in the forest. Activating her Pulse, she was able to sense the panther on the edge of its range. The monster started rushing towards the ravine and jumped over the rock, avoiding the tripwire. As the creature flew above her, Hera was able to see the extent of the damage the fire had made. Its entire lower body was covered in burns and blisters. She took the opportunity and swung her handaxe upwards, trying to hit its stomach. The attack hit the panther, but its movement worked against the impact. . The monster tumbled to the side and quickly got back up on its feet. It growled at Hera as she held her weapons close to her body. She took Yarnball out of her waist and pulled the tread, making her relic retract, unmaking the tripwire she had set up. The noise made the panther jump to the side as if it was evading an attack. Hera took the opportunity to send a poison needle at the creature. She didn''t place too much mana on it since she didn''t want to be with no mana for the fight. The monster''s hesitation was enough for Yarnball to finish retracing, and Hera clip it to her belt once more. The panther started to move to the side. Hera took a few steps forward since she didn''t want to be stuck in the corner while fighting. The two kept moving around, staring at each other. Hera could only hear the sound of the footsteps she was making, eyes locked with the beast. She noticed the creature''s back legs tensing and jumped forward at the same time the monster did. She tried to slash its face using her handaxe, but the panther sidestepped. Simultaneously, she threw her chakram to the side, making it hit the monster''s face. That created a small cut above the beast''s eye. The panther did something similar, sending its tongue at the same time, making a cut on Hera''s cheek. The monster zigzagged towards the explorer who took a step back, pulling the chakram back to her hand using the string. The weapons'' movement confused the panther. It jumped back not to be hit by the attack. Hera sent another poison needle towards the creature and saw the spell hitting the burned part of the monster''s torso. The panther ran towards the explorer, closing the distance in a flash and trying to bite her legs, Hera stepped to the side, but it was too late. The monster''s fangs dug into her ankle. She started attacking the monster''s face and neck with both her weapons until it finally let go. As the monster moved back, Hera threw the chakram in front of it. The attack was a feint, and just as the blade seemed to miss the creature, she jerked it back in the opposite direction, making the weapon dig deep into her target''s front leg. The panther ran towards her once more, zigzagging and jumping at the explorer''s head. Hera dove under it and pulled back her chakram, causing the creature to fall to the ground on its side. This time, Hera went into the offensive, jumping on top of the monster and slammed her handaxe on its stomach before it could get up again. Simultaneously, she used her chakram as a fist weapon hitting it repeatedly at the creature. The monster tried to get away from the attack, clawing Hera with all its four legs. In between strikes, Hera kept sending fire arrows and poison needles at the panther. The creature''s claws kept digging into Hera''s skin. She could feel the blood coming out of her body and the sharp pain that went with each impact. However, she also noticed that each strike hurt less than the previous one. At first, she thought that her body was too mangled to feel, but the strength behind each claw was also fading. After what felt like an eternity, the monsters finally stopped moving. Hera kept hitting it for a few moments, not realizing that her prey had fallen. What made her snap out of it was the notification that popped while she was attacking. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Level Up Current Level: 5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When she realized that the panther was dead, she let out a long scream in a mix of pain and celebration. Before anything, Hera started using her mend spell on her body. She didn''t want to cauterize any wounds again, but that was still an option. She crawled to her pack and took one of the water bottles out. Using part of the water to clean her wounds, she drank the other part and placed the bottle inside the bag again. She looked back to the panther and saw the creature unmoving as well as the trail of blood that she had made. "What the hell is that thing?" she asked as she activated her [Inspect] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wendigo Remains A creature that grows as it devours its prey. It can absorb part of the abilities of whatever it eats. This specimen had an advanced hiding skill, minor camouflage capabilities, and reptile-like characteristics. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera started laughing, "I''m a fucking idiot." For a moment, she suspected that the creature was a Wendigo, but she was sure it couldn''t be since they were only supposed to exist on the 25th layer. She adjusted herself by the wall, feeling the tiredness wash over her body. This was a secluded place, and there were no monsters around. "I can close my eyes just a little bit, right?" Hera mumbled to herself self, letting the exhaustion take over. "NO!" Hera jolted up, "I''ve bled a lot, and I don''t know if there are monsters around here. I need to go to the settlement. It''s Just a few more hours west." She got up and got her pack once more. Before leaving the ravine, she looked back at the Wendigo. "Shit. You might help Helena," Hera turned around and grabbed the creature''s leg. It would take longer to reach her destination, but the monster''s body could give some clues to healing Helena. It wasn''t something she could just leave here. Since there were no guarantees that another beast wouldn''t show up and eat it. ################# It was close to noon on the settlement by the turtle dungeon. The area had a few places for tents and a small shop that sold food and supplies. The dungeon wasn''t difficult, just annoying to deal with since it required people to protect the baby turtles as they went to the ocean. The entire settlement had the feeling of a campsite. People laughed and told stories as they waited for their meals, while others came back from the dungeon, celebrating a rare drop. It was an area where monsters were scarce, and any who got close just became barbecue for the campers. "Hey, what''s that?" a man pointed towards a figure that was emerging from the woods. It was a blonde woman, covered in dry blood and with a burn on the side of her head. There were several wounds on her legs and arms, and she seemed to be dragging something behind. A few people gathered to see what was going on as the woman got closer. "Is there a healer around?" the woman asked. The man who noticed her looked back at his group and received a nod from their healer. "Yeah, we have one here," he shouted as the woman nodded and approached him. He led her to the healer who immediately started casting spells. "What the hell happened to you? Did you fight a Wendigo or something?" the man asked the woman who needed help even to sit down. "Yeah, actually," Hera replied. "Haha, funny joke," the healer replied. "Don''t believe me? There is the proof." Hera said, pointing towards the corpse she was dragging. The people who were around all used their [Inspect], and the silence washed over the settlement. "By the system. Those things are here?" the healer gasped as her spells started to work on Hera''s wounds. 133 The guild thanks you for your service "No thanks, this shouldn''t take long," the man from the guild replied, turning his attention to Hera, who was sitting in front of him. "I''ll take one, please." Hera turned to Helena with a smile. It''s been two days since she returned, but seeing her friend still calmed her heart. For a moment, Hera honestly thought she would never see anyone else again. "Ms. Kingsley, Can I proceed?" Peter asked. "Hera is fine," she replied. "Very well. First, I would like to thank you for your discovery once again. If we didn''t have the information that Wendigos could appear in any layer, I''m afraid many people would die." "You are accepting this rather quickly, aren''t you?" Helena asked. "Yes, there have been reports of monsters that could grow, but we were not able to confirm if they were real or not. The corpse that Ms. King... Hera brought us is all the proof we need to confirm those reports," Peter replied in a cold mechanical voice. Hera couldn''t help but notice that the usually calm and caring Helena was giving off a menacing aura every time she looked at him. "I''m glad I was able to help. Fighting one of those things is not easy," Hera attempted to break the tension. "Nor should it be done on your own. The main reason for our problems on the 25th layer is for Wendigos that devoured explorers and now possess their skills. You should not have fought this creature but run away from it. If you had perished, others would have paid the price," Peter''s eyes shimmered with a cold, pale light before he looked down to his tablet. "And I''m sure she could have just run away. Oh wait, she did! Hera spent three days running from the creature before being cornered. Or didn''t you even read the report?" Helena scoffed. "I am aware of the circumstances that led to the fight, yes. This is simply a conjecture about what could have happened in case her plan wasn''t successful," his eyes meet Hera''s once more, "However, I do hope you consider this possibility if you find another of those creatures in the future." Hera nodded, "You don''t even have to ask. Fighting another one of those on my own is not on my to-do list." Peter nodded, "Very well. The guild will also like to reward you for your service. Aside from the payment for the creature''s corpse, the guild would like to offer you an upgrade. You will no longer have a bronze card, but a silver one instead, as long as you are willing to participate in a small ceremony." "Why does she need to participate in anything? Since when is that a requirement for a silver card?" Helena asked. Hera smiled at her friend, "That''s ok, Lena. I got this," Helena nodded and headed to the kitchen of their house. Hera turned back towards Peter, "Right, now. Why do I need to participate in anything? Since when is that a requirement for a silver card?" Hera could hear Helena laughing in the kitchen after her question. Peter just stared at her for a moment. "I''m afraid I don''t know. I''m just the messenger here. Your rewards were decided by the people above me. They want to set up an award ceremony and an interview with you." Hera considered for a moment. A silver card was a sign of trust from the guild. With it, she could take some quests that were only available for silver explorers and higher. But aside from that, she didn''t know if there were any benefits for her. "I''m not very interested in doing the interview, or the award ceremony for that matter. I fought to stay alive, not to help anyone else. The only reason I dragged the corpse was in hopes that studying it could lead to a way of curing Helena." Peter nodded, "I understand. You never asked for any of this, but the fact of the matter is that now you are here, and as a result of your actions, the guild feels the need to award you accordingly. The interview is a way to reassure other explorers that these monsters are not invincible and having an explorer with less than two months of experience talking about the fight will help with that. You can also use that opportunity to talk about Helena and how you fought to assist her. It would be a good opportunity to spread the word and have more people on the lookout for possible ways to help. Even if it is a lost cause." Hera looked towards the kitchen, bothered by the man''s comment, "I need some time to think about that. I never wanted to be famous, just to live my own life and waste my time doing helpless things," the words came sharp out of her mouth. "Very well, but we need a reply by the end of the day in order to organize everything quickly," Peter reached for the pocket inside his suit, "You are also receiving this. It''s a voucher worth a tailor-made 10 000 gold worth set of armor. You can make the request at the guild and talk to a very skilled crafter for the specifics of your request. If, by any chance, what your request goes over that value, you can call me. As long as it''s nothing too unreasonable, we can cover the expense." Peter gave the small card to Hera. It looked like a regular gift card from any store. The fact that something like that was worth 10 000 gold sent a little shiver through her spine. "Now the value of the corpse. I ask you to be patient while we are evaluating the actual worth of the materials, be it for crafting or as a research subject," Peter explained. "Wouldn''t it be the same price as one from the 25th layer?" Hera asked. "Nope, the ones there are much stronger. Your weapons wouldn''t even make a dent on their hide. Also, if they gave someone on the first layer the amount of gold that people in the Qeeroni Wilds make, it would break the economy and send everyone in a mad search for the Wendigos," Helena yelled from the kitchen. "But wouldn''t that be a good thing? If more people are after it, they won''t have the chance to grow too much," Hera replied. "The guild is already setting up a quest for tracking down the wendigos and then to kill them, just as they did in the Qeeroni Wilds. But if people think they can become rich in one go, they might try to hunt them on their own and die in the process," Helena explained. "If you are going to keep listening in to the conversation, you might as well stay in the room," Peter sighed. "Not at all. You asked her to leave. It would be impolite to disrespect your wishes like that," Hera said with a cold smile. "Very well. Do you have any more questions?" Peter asked. "No, I don''t." Peter took a business card from his pocket, "If you do, feel free to contact me through this number. I''ll message later about the interview. The guild wishes to have it ready before the announcement of the Wendigos. Let me remind you. This is a time-sensitive issue, as I''m sure you understand." As Hera nodded, Peter got up and headed to the door. Helena rushed right behind him to see him out. Hera adjusted herself. Her legs were still aching. After she reached the settlement, she got in a truck heading to the barge and only arrived back in Hazelpond in the evening. The first aid she received back there helped a lot, but even the guild''s healers could only do so much. Her legs were in bad shape, and now to heal it properly, she was supposed to avoid moving them so much. They even gave her a cane. Not that it would help that much since both her arms were also injured. The wound on her back was the worst one. It was too large, and it started healing wrong. To fix it, they had to reopen the gash and set it up properly. Yet, what was bothering Hera the most was her ear. Very few healers had the ability to regenerate a lost limb. Healing spells used the body''s natural recovery as a blueprint to fix wounds, but growing an appendage back was completely different. The guild didn''t have anyone on call for it, and the price just to get her ear back would be over 100 thousand gold. "At least it''s just the tip. The rest is still there," Hera mumbled while rubbing her ear. Helena sat on the couch by Hera and hugged her. "I''m so sorry, sweetie. This is all my fault." "Why? Did you put Wendigo bait in my bag?" Hera chuckled. "If I didn''t send you there, nothing would''ve happened. Hell, if I didn''t help to break the wall, all the Wendigos could still be in stasis." Hera hugged Helena back, "Lena. This is not your fault, none of this. The wall would go down if not that day then later. You may be amazing. But I highly doubt that your support would make or break the assault." "You are terrible at cheering people up. You know that?" Helena said. "Sorry, what was that? I couldn''t hear it," Hera turned her head, making her wounded ear face Helena. "HERA!" Helena cried. The duo laughed and stayed in each other''s arms for a while. As much as Hera was trying to play it cool, her wounds were still a problem. Luckily, the guild had also sent a healer to take care of her. He was coming from the 13th layer and would only arrive in the evening. But he would be making some house calls for a couple of days in order to heal all her wounds. Or at least that''s what Peter had told her. "Did something happen between you and that guy?" Hera asked, letting go of the hug. "We worked together a while back. He''s just an ass. He thinks that other people are beneath him and treats everyone as being too dumb to know all the information. They offered me his job before he got it and I think he still resent''s me for that," Helena replied as she went to the kitchen to grab Hera''s coffee. Helena went back to her lab, asking Hera to call her if she needed anything. Thanks to the information and materials that Hera acquired during her journey, Helena felt close to a breakthrough in her research. Not only that, but she had been studying and developing new theories during the time she was working as a guild clerk. Hera understood her excitement, and it was nice being left alone. The last thing she wanted was to be treated as a sick patient. Hera was safe in the city and could rest for a while, even if it was incredibly boring. Watching tv, reading, listening to music, everything felt dull and mundane. With something playing on the TV, Hera looked through the medical coverage that the guild offered. She was still finding her reaction odd. No one should miss the feeling of fighting for their lives, right? Hera felt glad when she heard the doorbell ring, at leat that was something to distract her. She was about to get up, but a yell came from the basement, "Don''t you dare get up, Hera! I''m coming." Helena quickly went up the stairs and headed to the door. The healers who treated Hera all said that she should be off her feet, or her wounds could reopen. She had been scolded so many times by Helena already that Hera stopped trying to move around. "Hera, you have visitors," Helena said as she walked back to the living room with Blue, Alex, Bonnie, and Mark following her. Hera rolled her eyes, "Can you not phrase it like I''m in the hospital?" "I''ll do that when you can raise your arms above your head," Helena replied with a playful smile. Hera squinted and attempted to raise her arms, but a sharp pain in her back stopped her from completing the motion. Blue rushed towards her, "Hera! Stop, are you ok?" "I''m fine." "No offense, but I''ve seen zombies that looked less like death," Mark said as he sat on the couch in front of her. "You can''t talk to a girl like this and then complain you''re single," Hera replied. "It''s a free MAZE, of course, I can," he replied. "That is really not the point," Alex shook her head. "It doesn''t matter. What happened?" Bonnie sat beside Hera. The explorer recounted the tale of her adventure to her friends. Talking about the pangolins, the Carbuncle and the one with a crystal scale, and then about the three-day fight with the panther. She avoided commenting about her feelings of boredom, not to seem weird to her friends. She wanted to talk to someone about this, to understand what it was. "Wait, so you leveled up?" Alex asked. "Yep, I''m level five now," Hera replied. "I kind of want to be angry since you didn''t wait for me," Blue pouted. "Did you get anything special for the level up? I mean, five is a milestone, right?" Mark asked. "Not really, just my regular stat up. My mana got a big boost since I kept cycling it to stay awake after the fight." "Really? What is it now?" Bonnie asked. Hera opened her status. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley -- Role: Explorer Level: 5 Stats: Strength: 19 Endurance: 19 Agility: 19 Charisma: 19 Intelligence: 19 Luck: 19 Mana: 311/311 Remaining attribute points: 3 Skills: Passive: Exponential Growth Observe Treasure Map Handaxe Combat, Chakram Combat, Wire Trap Style Dodge, Run, Improved Stamina Mana Recovery Active: All in Inspect Hide Local Guide Weapon Maintenance Etching Role Skills: Explorer''s Assassinate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "It''s at 311," Hera replied with a smile. 134 The Ceremony "Not really. But Peter had a point. If I talk about what happened to you, maybe someone will have an idea. That''s why I set up the email," Hera replied. She was still hurt, but after the treatment she received from Cameron, the high-level healer, she felt much better. Even so, the wound on her back and her right leg were still a problem. She also had a couple of small cuts on her face and the burn on her ear that, according to all the staff that took care of her, it wasn''t worth fixing now since they should focus on the more significant wounds. "If you get too nervous, focus on us, ok? That is a trick that my dad taught me. Focus on a single person in the audience," Blue said. They all had come along with here. Helena had invited the group to stay at their house, living with them. All but Mark had accepted the offer, his workshop was in Brinefront, and the commute would be too much. Bonnie got very excited by the idea of helping Helena with her research, but to her dismay, Helena only allowed Hera inside her lab. Hera spent a lot of time thinking if she would accept the card. Silver cardholders were the majority among the guild. Most people who went past the 5th layer would eventually get it. Helena explained that she would also get a few perks. Discounted services from the guild, priority crossing on any doorway that had a checkpoint set up. And she would even have priorities if she wanted to rent an ATR. Lower layers didn''t have the training rooms exclusive for silver or gold members, but if she was waiting for a reservation and someone canceled theirs. The guild would let her know about it. There were also more crucial quests that would be available to her, but then again, those were rare to come by on lower layers. The main reason she agreed to the ceremony was so she could talk about Helena''s situation. The mage agreed to talk about it. That way, they could have a more extensive network of people with potential leads. No one was expecting much on the subject of actual treatments. But people might have clues about items or skills that could help. People could also share information about legacies, but that was very unlikely. No one was willing to give up the chance of getting one of those skills. As they entered the guild, the group was led to the terrace where their graduation party took place. They were received by a woman with a light tan, long chestnut hair, and thick glasses, wearing a salmon-colored skirt going to her ankles and a flower stamp t-shirt. "Oh, hi! Wow, that''s a big group," she looked around the new arrivals, "Hera must be... you right? I mean, the bruises give it away a bit." Hera nodded, "Yeah, that''s me. Sorry for this. I''m not much of a fan of makeup." "Don''t worry. I get what you mean... Sorry, I didn''t catch your name," Hera said, turning on her customer service switch. When she worked in the bookstore, a few shoppers had similar reactions when talking to new people. Because of that, Hera was their regular attendant. "Oh, I didn''t say it, my fault, not yours. I''m Livia, Livia Erhis. Nice to meet you," Hera shook Livia''s hand, "Ok, so we were supposed to do the ceremony and then the interview. But there was a small change, and we are going to swap that. Is that ok?" Livia asked. "Sure. I''m not exactly excited for either. We can do it in any order," Hera said as Helena sighed. "I know, right? These things are so stuffy. I just want to get it over quickly. Having to dress up is really annoying. I wish I could go like this. But you look great!" Hera was wearing a long grey coat and a purple shirt with jeans and boots. Helena and Blue tried to convince her to use the dress she wore to their graduation, but she refused. Hera was already doing something that made her uncomfortable. The last thing she needed was an outfit that made it worse. "Thanks. So are we ready, or do we have to wait?" Hera asked. "We are all ready. Let me introduce you to the interviewer," she led Hera to the back of the patio. Just before the stage, there was a setup with a few cameras and two chairs. There was a woman with pale blue hair and large white rings painted around her eyes that she recognized in one of them, "Hera, this is Becca Swan." "Hi, I recognize you from the assault. Did you manage to save your crew?" Hera asked while greeting Becca. "Well... save is a strong word. I helped them ran away and held back one of the creatures before the cavalry arrived. It was mostly due to luck that we all get back." Hera nodded, "I can relate." Becca smiled, "I''m sure you do. Are you ready to start?" "Not really, but let''s go." Becca chuckled, "I said the same thing during my first broadcast. Now we are just gone give you some basic makeup for the camera." Hera sat on the chair across from Becca, and the makeup artist came along. A few minutes later, the interview started. Most of the questions were very basic. What was the creature? Where did she find it? How was the fight? Things that Hera had answered more than a few times over the last few days. Then, Becca asked about her origins, where she came from, and how she became an explorer. This was the only question that Hera already knew about. It was also her cue to talk about Helena and the email address. "I know she will say I''m wrong. But I do feel like I owe everything to Helena. Without her, I wouldn''t be here, and the guild might not have this information. That''s why I set up that email, and I hope anyone who has any clues could reach out," Hera turned to the camera when asking for help and said the email address, following Becca''s directions. "That is a very noble thing you are doing. I hope you know that. Not only are you willing to risk your life for your friend, but you are also even reaching out. I think we can all take some inspiration from your selflessness," Becca shifted on the chair, "But now, you brought an interesting point. Do you believe that the guild should remove the stat restriction for new recruits? You said it yourself if it wasn''t for Helena and some luck, you wouldn''t be here. Some people could have died if it wasn''t for you." The question surprised Hera. She wasn''t expecting something so political to be brought up. Removing the restriction was something that she never thought about. If the question were asked before getting her level up, she would''ve said yes in a heartbeat. But now, after that fight and know how dangerous the MAZE could be, she wasn''t sure. Hera started mumbling something in a low voice while trying to think. "It''s ok. Take your time. This is not live. We can cut to your answer," Becca said. Hera took a deep breath and organized her thoughts. When she was ready, she started speaking, "I don''t know. I don''t believe I''m experienced enough to give my opinion on the matter. It''s been less than three months since I started my life as an explorer. I can understand why the restriction is there, but I also know how it is like to be rejected by the guild. Yet, now I can''t say if they are right or wrong." Becca smiled, "Even high-level explorers would have trouble to give such a level-headed answer. Thank you for that. Now, let''s change the topic for a moment. What is it like to be the fastest silver cardholder that the guild ever had?" It was hard to get used to Becca''s way of interviewing. She would ask simple questions and follow it up with more heavy and complex topics. Hera imagined if that was a trick to make people drop their guard or let something slip. "Honestly, I''m not sure. By all accounts, it doesn''t make any sense. I didn''t hunt down the wendigo or went after a rumor. It was a coincidence, and I had to fight to survive. I still don''t know why they gave me the upgrade," Hera replied honestly. Becca turned to her crew and made a motion for them to cut the cameras, "I''m going to say this off the record because I hate when people are used without realizing. I think this is all a publicity stunt. The public''s view of the guild plummeted after the attack on the wall. Very few people actually trust the leadership now. They want to use you for a few things. First, to show that Wendigos are not the boogeymen, since even someone who barely started could beat them. Second, to have something to celebrate. The best way to make people forget a bad thing is to flood the news with other things. Third, they still need to show that Wendigos are not to be toyed with. I say that is even the reason for not healing fully before the interview and why they asked to have your wounded ear on camera." "But it''s the wrong side. The camera is only getting my left ear," Hera said. "Oops, I must have forgotten about their request. Oh, well. We have too much footage to redo the interview. They are going to have to deal with it," Becca waved her hand. Hera chuckled, "Thanks. For the advice too. But is it ok for you to say this here? And how can you be so sure they are doing that?" "Just a professional tip, but avoid asking more than one question at once. It''s easier for them to dodge it. And don''t worry. I trust my crew, and I''m guessing you trust your friends too. Even if someone here reports to a big shot. I''ll be fine. Now, you can keep that reply, and maybe the guild will give you some trouble in the future. Or you can rephrase it and ask the questions without appearing so... aggressive." "And how can you be so sure about all that? I mean about the publicity stunt," Hera replied after considering her options. "I can''t say I''m sure, but I''ve been working with the guild long enough to understand how they think. I''m not just a reporter, but part of the PR team. If you end up doing something that might hinder what they want to achieve, the guild might retaliate. Then again, it won''t be like they will put a hit on you or something. It''s more like being in their good graces or not. For a situation like this, it seems a waste not to take advantage of it." Hera looked at her friends and nodded. Helena already had enough problems. She didn''t need to add the guild''s wrath to the list. "Let me try answering the question again," Hera said after putting some thought on the matter. Becca nodded and made a motion for the crew and spoke as if the interview had never stopped, "Even high-level explorers would have trouble to give such a level-headed answer. Thank you for that. Now, let''s change the topic for a moment. What is it like to be the fastest silver cardholder that the guild ever had? " "I''m not sure that it sank in yet. I mean, it''s a great honor, but am I worthy of it? I did what I did to survive, but at the same time, it helped the guild. I can only hope to prove that I truly deserve the silver card in the future." Becca smiled and asked a few more questions, mostly about her skills and dreams. Hera was focused on helping Helena, and she admitted that in the interview. Having enough content, Becca thanked her for her time and reassured Hera that her first answer wouldn''t be a part of the broadcast. After that, Livia returned wearing a black fitted suit with a white shirt and a black tie. It was like looking at someone else entirely. They set up for the ceremony, and as it was about to start, Livia took the podium. "Today, we are here to honor a member of our guild for her exemplary effort to help us all. As the guild master of the branch responsible for her training, it''s hard to put in words how proud I am of our graduate. She fought and defeated a Wendigo on her own. The creature was found in the first layer, and its body recovered, confirming reports that those monsters are not exclusive to the 25th layer. Yet, we must not forget the sacrifice that was made when these creatures first surfaced, and we must remain steadfast against their attacks...." Her speech lasted another half an hour. She was mostly talking about what the guild was doing to protect people against the Wendigos. At the end of it. Hera received her silver guild card. It had the same design and engravings, but now, her name was glowing. Even with all the weirdness of it all, Hera couldn''t help but feel emotional. Six months ago, her life was awful, and she could only pray for things to get better. Now, just three months after her level up. She was recognized as an honored explorer. 135 After party "Blue, Bluuuee, time to wake up," she said in a soft voice. "But I''m already in makeup," Blue mumbled as she awoke, "What happened? Is it starting?" "It just ended. We were lucky you didn''t start snoring," Bonnie said. "I don''t snore!" Blue turned around to face her. "Yeah, you do. But only when you drink," Hera, being the one who shared a room with the controller for a while, knew her sleeping habits. "So, what now? Can the real party get started?" Mark asked, putting away his tablet. "What party?" Hera looked at him with a puzzled expression. The group smiled, "You just got a silver card, sweetie. You think we are going to let that pass by?" Helena said. They dragged Hera downstairs and left the guild. In front of the building, waiting for them, there was a black limo with Quinn, wearing an open back light blue dress, waiting by the door. She rushed towards Hera as soon as the group arrived and gave her a big hug. "Congratulations! I''m so glad you''re ok," tears were forming in Quinn''s eyes. "Thanks, Quinn. I''m ok," Hera let go of the hug after a moment and saw Quinn''s mascara starting to run, "What''s wrong? Are you hurt?" "Of course not. I''m just terrified. Lena told me how banged up you were. You guys might be used to this, but I''m not," her voice was trembling. Helena walked towards Quinn and gave her a hug, pulling Hera to join her, "I''m sorry. Sometimes I forget how hard that can be for civilians. I''ll be more careful when talking about these things next time." Quinn shoved her head between the two, "You better. Or I''m posting all the pictures I have of you." Helena chuckled, "Deal." Bonnie and the rest were watching the scene. It felt like an intimate moment, and they still had no idea who the woman in the blue dress was. She turned to the side and saw Blue''s and Mark''s expression. "Do you two need help to close your jaws?" Bonnie stared at them. "I''m about to turn into a wolf cartoon, gimme a minute," Mark replied. Blue didn''t even acknowledge the commentary. It was the first time she had seen someone so beautiful. "I think we lost her," Alex said while looking at her friend. A few moments later, Hera turned around and introduced Quinn to the group," These are Alex, Mark, Blue, and Bonnie. They are part of my class and my current party." "It''s a pleasure to meet you all. Sorry for this scene. These two made me very worried the past few weeks," Quinn greeted the group while trying to fix up her running makeup. "Hey! I wasn''t crying," Hera protested. "Yes, you were," Blue and Bonnie replied together. Hera tried to come up with a reply, but her mind was a blank. She turned to Quinn, "Anyway, where are we going?" looking at the limo, Hera started to turn pale, "Oh no. Please don''t tell me we have to change?" "Don''t worry. I''m the only one who dressed up. After all, I''m the only civilian in the group. I need to work more to stand out," Quinn replied while playing with her dress. "Oh, please. Like you need an excuse to dress up," Helena rolled her eyes. "Shush, This is not about me," Quinn grabbed Hera''s hand, pulling her to the limo, "Now let''s go." "Go where?" Hera asked, but no one replied. ################################### A man in a suit opened the door to a large office on the top floor of the building. In the middle of the office, there was a single desk with a stack of paper on one side and a bald man with ebony skin sitting on the other side, rubbing his eyes. The vast skyline of the country''s biggest city could be seen behind him through a glass wall. "Excuse me, sir. The latest report just arrived," the man said while walking towards the desk. "Have you read it?" The man stopped walking. He knew his boss enough to recognize his annoyed voice. "Yes, I have, sir." "Summarize it for me, please. I''m tired of translating that scientist''s jargon." The man gulped. His words might seem polite, but he knew that it wasn''t a request. Yet, he barely understood what the report said. The language was complicated, and most of it talked about things that were previously agreed upon or sent to someone. He had no idea how to explain it. "Yes, of course. The report said that..." he started fumbling through the pages, "after extensive testing, they increased the control group as presented by team A. The results from lab 4 were underwhelming, but they led to a breakthrough in lab 2. Team F reports that the first batch shows promising results, and in the coming months, they will be able to confirm if their system works," the man explained while looking at the file, trying to make sense of all the data. As he raised his eyes, he was met with the cold stare of his boss. "Is that all?" He fumbled through the pages, making sure he didn''t forget anything, "Team F also requested an increase of 15% on their emergency fund. There were more complications than expected with the development." "Very well, leave the report. And you can go." "Yes, sir," he placed the report on the side of the desk, not to disturb the rest of the paperwork, and headed to the door. "Turner." The man froze and turned around slowly. His boss was staring at the paperwork in front of him. "I hope you can improve your presentation skills. If not, we might need to discuss a change in your career at this company." Turner felt his palms sweating. He could only pray that the report didn''t get wet, "I''m sorry, sir. I will do better next time." "Very well. There won''t be a third." The bald man waited for his assistant to leave before pressing a button under his desk. It locked the doors and triggered a soundproof barrier around the room. He got up from his chair and looked to the view. There was a number already dialed on his phone. All it needed was for him to press a button. Staring out of the window, he enjoyed the skyline for a moment before completing the call. "Isn''t it a bit late for a call, Morgan?" the voice on the other side asked. "Not for this. The project seems to be going well. I need you to speed up things on your end. It needs to be done by the end of the month." "Ah, sure. Do you want some coffee while I''m at it? Or maybe I should go to your office and give you a lap dance. Better yet, I can bring some vaseline and you can¡­" There was a moment of silence. Morgan watched a plane that was taking off from the airport. Maybe he should pay his associate a visit. Some people needed to be reminded of who placed them where they are now. "I''m sorry, Morgan. That crossed a line." "At least you still admit your mistakes, Romeo." "But still, Morgan.." Morgan cut him off before the voice on the phone could finish his sentence, "Romeo, I called you as a friend, but after that lack of respect, I would rather continue this discussion as a business partner. Please, refrain from addressing me so casually." There was another pause, "I''m sorry, Mr. Waaberi." "No matter. Now, I will say this only once. We need to change our timeline. We will have results that need to be followed up in the next month. I expect that you will be there to protect our interests." "But sir..." Romeo wanted to protest, but he already had angered Morgan too much. "If you have a valid concern, speak your mind. This is a partnership. Your thoughts on the matter must be considered," Morgan said. Romeo knew that those were just empty words. The only thoughts that matter were Morgan''s, still. It wasn''t the right time, "Mr. Waaberi, sir. This is too soon. We already used the wall to cover one thing. If we put another under it, people might connect the dots." "That''s why we need you in a position where you can scramble the lines that connect to me." "But, Mr. Waaberi..." The voice was cut off once more, "Romeo, this is not a request." There was another moment of silence before the reply came, "I''ll get it done, sir." Morgan hung up the phone. He walked back to his desk and opened the last drawer. Removing the fake bottom, there were a dozen brand new cellphones, all made by his company. He picked one of them and placed it in the charger. Raising the other hand, the phone that he just used to make a call started to float, and then to be crushed by its own gravity, turning into a perfectly smooth and round ball, about the size of a bottle cap. He placed the marble on the top of a small pyramid made of magnets that decorated his desk and went back to his paperwork. ################################### "Man, I forgot how funny that movie was," Alex said as they left the theater. "Me too, ''Just a flesh wound,'' must be the best line in cinema history," Bonnie laughed. "I had no idea you could rent an entire movie theater. This was awesome, guys, thanks," Hera before tripping and having to catch herself. "I had no idea Mai Tais were so gooood. I had like twelve," Mark''s voice was slurped, albeit no one was much better. "I forgot how much I liked popcorn. We need to get some when we are back home," Helena said as she stuffed herself with the leftovers. "YEAH, Let''s get a popcorn machine! What do you think, Blue?" Alex cheered and turned around, "Blue?" "Where is she?" Hera asked. "And where is Quinn?" Mark started looking around. Alex walked back towards the movie theater and suddenly stopped before a small alley. She turned to the group and made a motion for them to stay quiet. They all gathered behind Alex and looked at where she was pointing. Quinn was pressing Blue against the wall in the alley while the two were in a heavy make-out session. Quinn, who was at least 20 centimeters shorter than Blue, and much less muscular, seemed to be taking the reins, while Blue just looked like a toy in her arms. "Oh, no. Not again," Helena sighed, "Sorry, guys. I need to stop this, or we are taking a trip to the police station." Helena walked towards the couple who didn''t notice her presence. Using her cellphone flashlight, she flashed both her eyes and made her voice a couple of levels lower. "Stop doing that in the middle of the street, or I''m taking you in." Quinn quickly let Blue go, "Sorry, officer. We got a bit heated up. It won''t happen again." "Sorry, miss, but you are coming with me. A night in a cell will put out your fire," Helena continued. Blue didn''t understand what was going on. The person holding the light was clearly Helena. She looked back and saw the rest of the group calling her and holding back their laughter. Carefully sneaking out, she joined her friends. "Please office. It won''t happen again, I swear," Quinn begged. "That''s what you said during Mardi gras, New year''s eve, and during your teacher''s farewell party," Helena broke character in the middle of the sentence, letting a small chuckle escape. "How do you..." Quinn blocked the light with her hand, "LENA!" The group started laughing, watching the scene. Even Blue, who was a bit lost, joined in. The two in the alley went back to the group as they walked through the night. After a few moments, Helena and Quinn talked behind the group while Hera pulled Blue to the front. "Hey, are you sure about this? I mean, you are not too drunk to make decisions are you?" Hera asked. "Nah, I''m good. I''m more worried about Mark. He''s a step away from a blackout." "Don''t change the subject. Are you sure? She is much older than you. You know that?" Hera pressed on the matter. "I know. And relax, we talked about this. It''s going to be just a casual thing." Alex, who was walking just a few steps behind them, jumped towards and placed one arm around each of them, "Be honest. Is this just because of the Brazilian chick who gave you blue balls?" Blue let out a sigh, "It''s not. But you know what. I deserve to let out some steam. Being this pent up is probably bad for my health." Hera laughed, "Fine, you are both adults. Just let me say one thing. If you hurt her, the fastest silver cardholder will beat you up." "Hey! What''s with that? I meet you first, and you are defending her? I''m a catch! I''m the one you should be worried about," Blue pushed her friend away, laughing. "Oh, I am, and that''s why I''m telling Quinn the exact same thing," Hera spun around and went to the back of the group to talk to Quinn. She had no problems if her friends decided to hook up, but the first one to mess up would have to answer to her. 136 Boredom Hera watched her friends leave the house. They were going to spend the day hunting around the city with Runir. He and Alex had gotten closer during the time they were working as mercenaries, and the man was starting to get annoyed by how some people would treat him. Unlike how it was in games, Healer couldn''t simply fix any wound. That was something that would only become available later on. Runirs''s abilities consisted of removing status effects like poison, increasing the defense of someone for a few seconds, or creating barriers that could reduce the power of an attack. His actual healing abilities were very simple, much like Hera''s Mend spell. It would work as first aid, but even with the spell''s constant use, the recovery would take a few days, depending on its severity. Hera wanted to go with them, but her wounds still weren''t completely healed. Cameron was still treating her, and according to him, Hera still needed two days to be back in fighting shape. It was to be expected. To let an injury like that heal naturally would take months and leave a permanent scar on her back. Thanks to the guild and Cameron, it would only take a bit over a week for her to be able to hunt again. She was trying to appreciate what everyone had done to her, but staying inside and not being able to train was boring. It gave her too much time with her own thoughts. She spent most of her days practicing spells. Mostly the mana reinforcement, but she still wasn''t quite there. She could cover an entire weapon with the diamond-shaped construct, but every time she tried to close the structure, the energy would break away. Hera asked Helena for some advice, but she only said that Hera should try to understand the spell. Worst-case scenario, she would explain what was going on, but the spell was good practice for the future. She tried it a few more times, and with each attempt, the time needed to cover the weapons reduced. The first time she reached the point where it broke, took Hera ten minutes to make the construct. Now, in two minutes, she was able to cover the weapon as she wanted. The only thing missing was the connection at the edge. During several attempts, she had tried various solutions. Creating a separate bridge and then attaching it to close the gap, placing two strands of mana side by side. Now she wanted to see if there was a way to intertwine the mana, it would break the idea of the overall construct, but she had to try something. Yet when the two pieces of mana touched each other, the entire structure broke apart once more. There weren''t a lot of psychiatrists in the MAZE. Because of that, the guild had set up a few rooms in each branch that worked as large-scale video conferences. A screen on the back of the room would transmit the image from the doctor''s office while the patient could stay on the other side. That way, there was no need to employ psychiatrists in every room. Oddly enough, Hera was able to set up an appointment quickly. According to the clerk that helped her with it, not many people would look for the doctors. That seemed insane for Hera. She always had the philosophy that everyone should take care of their mental health. Ignoring that, especially in a place where death was a constant threat, was just plain stupid. When she talked about the appointment, her friends understood that she needed to speak to someone about what happened, but aside from Bonnie, no one seemed interested in the idea. Still, there wasn''t much she could do. Maybe if it helped her enough, they would change their minds. "Lena, I''m heading to the guild. I''ll be back later." "Don''t try to use an ATR. I asked the people there to bar you from renting one," the voice came from the closed basement door. "I''m not going to. I have the session today," Hera replied. "Oh, right. I hope it helps." By the sound of her voice, Hera was sure that Helena was already diving back into her work before even finishing the sentence. The speed at which the mage was able to fall back into high concentration mode was staggering. Hera had to ask if that was an actual skill or just her way of working. Hera left, heading towards the guild. It didn''t take long for her to reach the building, but the crowded streets made her restless. The wound on her back was very delicate right now, and she had no way of protecting the area. She was wearing a leather jacket borrowed from Alex, but still wasn''t enough. She wanted to be wearing armor. Using regular clothes inside the MAZE made her feel like she was naked. She still had time before the session. It would be a good idea to check the voucher. After all, she still had to order and wait for it to be made before actually using it. She talked to the clerk. He explained how to contact the blacksmith. The guild had set up a terminal where she could browse through the crafters'' portfolio and look for someone who matched the style and attributes that she wanted. After that, she could send a message directly to the person asking about whatever she wanted. That was available to anyone, and people could order armor there at any moment. She headed to the terminal and started browsing. The first thing she noticed was the over five million results, and those were only the crafters that worked with commissions for the guild. People who were starting off or were private contractors weren''t on the list. Usually those crafters had specific abilities, or better prices than the ones working for the guild. Not that they were better or worse, it was simply the difference between online shopping and going out to a store. Out of curiosity, she looked at the most expensive armors available. The same person made the top four. They were armors that seemed to come straight out of superhero comic books. They had several moving parts, a guidance system inside it, as well as several defensive and offensive mechanisms. It wouldn''t be weird to call them vehicles instead of armors. When she noticed the price, she almost fell back. Just a single one of those armors, without any added capabilities, would cost 10 million platinum. That was 1 trillion gold! Who could have so much money? Looking at the materials, Hera kind of understood why they were so expensive. Aside from several electronics that had to be custom made by a large company, the ores and substances needed to create the armor all had rare sounding names. 50 Sky dragon emperor''s hearts. 80 square meter of skins of eternal mammoths. 10 souls of the ocean. 1 vial of the blood of the unspeakable. The list went on, quoting another 200 different materials. There was also a note saying that each material provided would reduce the cost by the appropriate amount. If someone could provide all the materials, the price would drop to around 50 billion gold. It was still an absurd amount. To top it all off, after buying the armor, the order would be put on a waitlist, and when it was its turn, the production would take another six months. She stopped looking at something so absurd and changed the filters to match her budget. Aside from the 10 000 gold voucher, she also got 8 500 gold from the wendigo''s corpse. It was supposed to be over 15 000, but after checking its condition, they noticed that her poison destroyed parts that could be used for research. Her chakram also made the price lower. As she fought, the blade broke down the mana circulation of places that it hit. That created the necessity of repairing the connections before using the skin and muscle of the beast. She didn''t want to use all her money in a single purchase, but after facing the Carbuncle and the Wendigo, it became clear that she needed to prioritize her armor. Considering she already a fair amount of money saved up, Hera set her budget to 15 000 gold. That should allow her to get an armor strong enough to last a while. She knew that it wouldn''t be something that would stay with her for a long time. But unlike a game, when it didn''t matter if she saved up for gear at later levels, she couldn''t be stingy when talking about her own life. She set up the filter to match her budget and started searching for her new gear. Scrolling through the options, Hera started to notice some patterns. Every armor had a defense rating, an ability rating, and an overall rating. Among the ones that she could buy, none had an overall rating above D, but a few had C ranked defense. Two things seemed to inflate the prices, the defense rating, and the abilities. Another thing that increased the price was attribute scaling. Armors that could become stronger as the one wearing them grew were a must later on, but now, not all had that option. Buying one with the scaling seemed like a good idea, even if it could be a problem later on. All her statues were at 19, and even someone focusing on a single attribute like Alex only had her agility at 22. In the future, that would be a big issue since her stats would be more balanced. Although she might be able to use armors that scale with multiple attributes, it still wouldn''t be enough to cover the difference in stats. Hera spent almost half an hour looking at the options. They all seemed interesting, but it was hard to decide. She noticed that some armors had a high defense rating and even attribute scaling, but were much cheaper than others. Seeing the options, she understood what happened. Those armors had terrible synergy. One had a skill that would increase the power of spells, but scaled with strength. Another could create a barrier around the user based on its endurance but had charisma scaling. Those felt like armors that someone who had money problems would get since they couldn''t afford anything better or fit only people who had less conventional builds. She wondered for a moment why people would make armor like that. It didn''t take long for her to remember a conversation with Mark. According to him, when a crafter created something new, the results wouldn''t always be what they wanted. Even in those cases, the blueprint would still be saved by the skill. Hera kept looking for something that fit her, but nothing felt right. She had only twenty minutes before her appointment and was about to give up for now when she saw a different armor among the works of one particular crafter. The gear had scaled with Intelligence and Agility. Its defense rating was D+, and when hit, the armor would let out an energy blast as a counter-attack. She could toggle the skill on and off, and while on, the burst would happen with any impact that crossed a certain threshold. If she had that, the carbuncle wouldn''t have made such a large gash on her back. The only thing that bothered Hera about the armor was its design. The chest and legs were in a single piece. It was tight fitting and had a skirt with a large opening in the middle on both sides. The armor also covered the neck, leaving just a small gap that started just above the collarbone. The arms would go just above the elbow, having some loose on the edges, and there was a pair of armguards that accompanied it. The crafter would also throw in boots to match, but they had no special effects, just like the armguards. The price was only 13 000 gold. She could use it and still have some left. Hera sent a message to the crafter asking about the strength of the energy blast considering her attribute and if he would be able to make the boots or the armguards have some special effect while staying under her budget. She also asked if there was a way to change the color of the armor. In the picture, it was bright gold and blue that would be too easy to spot in the wild. She left the terminal after sending the message, already heading to her doctor''s appointment. While she was in the waiting room, the crafter replied. To Hera, the blast would be as strong as the bounce of a basketball. It wouldn''t harm anyone, but it could push them away. He couldn''t make the boots or armguards better, but he could make them easier to enchant, which would raise the price by 1 000. Changing the color would also cost between 500 to 750 gold, depending on her choice. He attached a list of colors available and told her that he could have it done in two days and another day to deliver since it was a guild commission. Hera agreed to the terms and would create the order as soon as she returned to the guild. She remembered that she could reach out to Peter to get more funds, but she rather pay herself than to owe that obnoxious man anything. "Hera Kingsley, please come in," a voice came from the doctor''s office. 137 Home Cooking Before leaving the guild, she stopped by the commission terminal and requested her new armor. Unlike the shop she visited in the Carpon Caverns, the payment had to be made in full as she completed the order. It didn''t bother her as much since it was all guaranteed by the guild. If something happened, she would be reimbursed, or they would commission a new armor following her request. The order also required a full-body scan. Luckily for Hera, she had made a few of those during the last few days of treatment. Even if she had to do it again, it wouldn''t be a problem. This branch of the guild had only a single one of those machines, but people used it mostly to request armors and sometimes as part of a medical procedure so the wait to use it wasn''t very long. As Hera left the guild, she sent a text to Blue and Alex, asking what they wanted for dinner. She would stop by somewhere and pick it up on the way back. It didn''t take long for them to reply, and Hera headed to the market. She had to kill time somehow. Cooking might not be something she excelled at, but at least it was fun, and more importantly, it was a way to stay busy and not thinking about hunting. Hera picked a basket and started gathering the ingredients for spaghetti with meatballs. Since Blue asked for pasta and Alex just wanted some meat, it was a fitting choice. She grabbed some noodles, veggies, and the grounded meat that she was going to use. She splurged a bit and got the cow meat for the meal. It had to be imported from the outside in this room, so the price was steeper than frog meat. Still, she deserved some luxury. Even after all her spending, she still had over 5 000 gold in her account. Buying some meat wouldn''t put her on the red. As she waited in line to pay, Helena sent her a text asking if she could buy food for Runir too, Alex wanted to invite him for dinner, but she asked Helena''s permission first. She was next in line but had to leave to get more ingredients. The amount in her basket wasn''t enough for five people. She grabbed more ingredients, got back in line, and arrived at her home in less than 40 minutes. "Are they here yet?" Hera asked as she walked in. "No, but they should be close. What did you get me?" Helena asked from the basement. "Nothing yet. I''m making spaghetti and meatballs." There was a moment of silence, followed by hurried steps coming from the lab. Helena slammed the door open. "Yeah... I mean, we can order in, but I was in the mood. Is that a problem?" Hera was already setting up the pans on the stove. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we have people coming." Hera stared at Helena, "Lena, I can cook. I''m not a grand chef, but I can make some dishes. Why are you so worried?" "No... I know. I mean, you told me... But... The last roommate I had was Quinn, and let''s just say that we could create some pretty deadly bioweapons." Hera chuckled, "Relax. Let me do my thing. I promise no one is going to get sick. Unless it''s because of an allergy that I don''t know about. Actually, let me check." She sent a text to Blue, who confirmed that the only one with any allergies was Runir. He couldn''t eat shellfish. Since it wasn''t going to matter for the dish she was making, Hera got back to preparing their meal. She was about halfway through when her friends arrived. The meatballs were already in the oven, the pasta was in the pan, and she was making the sauce. "Hey. We''re back!" Blue announced as she walked in with Alex and Runir, "Where did you get the food?" "Nowhere. I''m making it right now. Give me, like, 15 minutes, and it will be done," Hera said, adding garlic, onions, and oregano to the chopped tomato in the pan. "Hold up. You are cooking?" Alex rushed to the kitchen. "Yep. I was in the mood, and the shrink suggested making myself busy while I can''t go hunting." "That''s awesome. What are we having?" Blue asked. "Spaghetti with Meatball surprise," Hera replied, puffing her chest. "What''s the surprise?" Runir asked. "It wouldn''t be fun if I told you guys. But relax, there is no shellfish in the recipe. I promise," Hera was already heating the sauce. "No worries. Even if there was, I''m pretty sure I can keep myself alive until I reach the guild or get a shot." "Let''s not put that to the test today, shall we? I just stopped worrying about her. I don''t want to worry about someone else right now," Helena started setting up the table. The group kept talking by the kitchen door while Hera was cooking. Runir asked a few questions about the Wendigo that Hera fought. He had seen her interview and was curious about a few details. After a few minutes, the food was done, and they all headed to the dinner table. "Holy crap, Hera. This looks amazing!" Blue was already getting her serving. "Wow, it really does. Much better than the charcoal I make," Helena started serving the drinks. "Ok, and what is the surprise?" Alex placed a meatball on her plate and started to cut it. "Don''t do it like that. They are not that big you can bite them," Hera complained since Alex was about to spoil the surprise. Alex squinted at Hera for a moment and put the meatball in her mouth without breaking eye contact. Her expression changed from skepticism to wonder in just a moment, "Is this... Wow, it''s incredible!" "I''m glad you liked," Hera sat down, waiting for her turn to put food on her plate. They all tried the meatballs almost instantly. Hera cut some potatoes in small cubes, fried them, then wrapped it in bacon and cheese, and stuffed the meatballs with them. The result was a golden outside with layers of soft and crispy in the middle. Meatballs were a dish that Hera always enjoyed making. It allowed her to experiment with different flavors without ruining the taste. They kept talking while eating, joking around, and having fun. Hera was interested in the ways the group was fighting the crocodiles around the city. Finishing the meal, the group headed to the living room to talk. Hera had forgotten to make a dessert, but they still had a stash of chocolate and various candies. "Ms. Dittro, do you mind if I ask you a question about leveling?" Runir turned to Helena. She looked around and noticed that he was staring at her, "Do I have something in my teeth?" "No, Runir is just asking if you can answer a question," Blue said, unsure why Helena reacted like that. "Wait. I''m Misterio?" Helena looked confused. "No. I said, Ms. Dittro," Runir explained, embarrassed by the situation. "OH! Sorry. I think you are the first person to call me Ms. Ditrro since... Ever. What was the question?" "I just got a spell that is classified as a battle heal. Do you know if that is something exclusive for healers?" "Not really. I have a couple, but healers have an easier time not going over the residual mana," Helena replied. Hera, Blue, and Alex stared at each other. They had no idea what the two were talking about. "What is a battle heal?" Alex asked. "You know that spell I used during the last fight? To heal the cut that Blue got on her face?" Runir asked. "Yeah, what about it?" "That is a battle heal. A spell that uses the residual mana from an attack to recover. From what I can understand, it uses the mana that the attack left on you, plus my mana, to replicate the cells on your body. But it needs to be used right after the attack hits. Mine has only a three second window," Runir explained. Hera thought about it for a moment, "And isn''t that what happens with regular heals?" "Not quite, sweetie. Regular heals make your body trigger its natural regeneration at an accelerated pace, fuelled by the magic poured in the wound. It''s like giving your cells twenty shots of expresso and energetic," Helena said, taking a piece of white chocolate. "Can anyone learn those?" Hera asked. "Yep, but it''s hard. Spells like that require a deep knowledge of anatomy. If I''m not mistaken, part of the healer''s test is to memorize all the bones in the human body, right?" Helena turned to Runir. "Not all, but we need to memorize about two-thirds. And some anatomy lessons for organs, muscles and everything else. That''s part of the reason I failed the first time. I spent the next week studying like crazy," Runir grabbed a few gummy bears and was throwing them up to catch with his mouth. "Don''t feel frustrated. 40% of the recruits fail the test the first time. The number goes up to 75% for healers. We wanted to make a better way to prepare the students for the role they want, but since the first part of the test gives you a bit of career advice, it''s hard to prepare you guys for it." "Yeah, my entire class failed their role tests, but after we passed the test in the second try, they all were recruited by a company and headed to another branch. I wasn''t too keen on being a goon for a corporation, and a friend of mine is already here in the Carpon Caverns, waiting for me," Runir sat back on the couch. "Speaking of that. When are we going to the next room?" Blue asked. "Blue, we are still level 4. And Hera is out of commission for the next few days," Alex replied. "But we are awesome. You can kill those crocodiles on your own without a problem, and we have Runir. When Hera is clear to go, we might as well try." "Blue, I''m not sure if that is a good idea. The things there will be much stronger," Hera placed one hand on Blue''s shoulder. "Actually, you guys might be fine there. You''ve been working together for a while. And not many parties would have a healer, not to count Runir''s friend. I''m guessing he''s been there a while, right?" Helena asked. "Yeah, he just got to level 7, apparently." "So, you guys might be able to handle there. Just don''t go in a dungeon right away. Fight some monsters that roam the caverns as a test run. If they are too much, you can come back and train more before going there again," Helena finished eating her chocolate bar. "I''m game," Blue said. "Honestly, me too. This place is too slimy. Everything here keeps reminding me of the frogs," Alex joined in. "I''m fine too. Honestly, this past week working with you, Alex was much better than being a merc. I was wondering if I could join your party," Runir admitted. "I have no objections," Blue said. "Me neither," said Hera. "Welcome aboard then," Alex toasted to the new member. "All right, tomorrow we head to the next room!" Blue shouted, throwing a fist into the air. "I''m still prohibited from fighting for the next two days, and my armor only arrives after that," Hera said without getting up. "Aw man," Blue slumped back in the chair. "Are you guys always this rowdy?" Runir asked. "That''s mostly Blue. We are the ones who have to pull her back from the clouds," Alex took a sip of her wine. "Hey!" Blue protested. Helena just laughed at the situation, "I might need to install a noise-canceling field in my lab." "It''s a good idea," Hera chuckled. She knew that there were still some days before she could hunt again, but now there was one more reason to be excited. 138 A gif "I''ll be right there!" she shouted before washing away the soap on her hands. Heading to the door, Hera heard some noises coming from the basement. The first time that happened, she rushed downstairs, but now, Hera was used to the noises Helena made while working. She arrived at the door and opened to see who the visitor was. "Hey, Hera. Glad to see you walking in a straight line again," Mark smiled. "Hi, Mark. It''s nice being able to understand you again. How bad was your hangover?" Hera asked as the two entered the house. "I spent the day cursing and vowing never to drink again. I really need to learn a spell to cure hangovers." "Alex has one. It''s called Bloody Mary, but it didn''t work that well with me," Hera said as they arrived in the living room. "Oh, Mary. How sweet is your taste and how devilish is your grin," Mark joked as he sat on the couch. "Since when are you so poetic?" "Just trying something new. Does it fit me?" "Not in the slightest. Do you want some coffee?" "Can you give me some water? I never liked coffee." "We went to a coffee shop almost every day during training and now you tell me that?" Hera gasped. "Well, they had other drinks. Not my fault no one noticed that I never got coffee," Hera nodded and went to the kitchen. She returned with a cup of water for mark and coffee for her, "How is life as a crafter? We didn''t talk about that during the party." "Honestly, it''s pretty fun. I like working with my hands, and I''m thinking about focusing on accessories. Armors and weapons are fun to make, but I enjoy the delicate work," Mark smiled while he spoke. "I''m glad. Honestly, I still think about the crafter role skill. But I need to get the mage one first," Hera said, staring at her coffee. "Is something going on?" Mark asked. "No, well yeah, but nothing serious. I''m having trouble figuring a spell out," Hera admitted. She felt like she was stuck with the mana reinforcement, but Helena still wasn''t willing to give her the solution. "I''m not Bonnie, but if you want some help, I''m here. I mean, I got a couple of spells, although they are more useful in a forge." "Really? What spells?" Hera asked. Mark raised one hand, making a small fire appeared on his palm, "This one is just called flame. I use it to maintain the temperature of the metal. It doesn''t do the same as the forge, but it helps. And the other is kind like Bonnie''s frost bomb, but just a gust of cold air." "And how did you learn those spells? You got a formula or..." "I use formulas. It''s funny cause I always sucked at math, but using it for spells makes a lot of sense." "I see," Mark thought for a moment, "I can''t say why, but it reminds me of Prince Rupert''s Drop." "What''s that?" "It''s when you drip liquid glass in water. It creates a tadpole-like thing that is close to impossible to be smashed. Even a hydraulic press has some trouble to shatter it. But if you just grab some nail clippers and try to cut the tail, the entire thing explodes. Basically, the pressure inside it is too strong and makes the structure that resilient, but the whole thing collapses if you hit a weak spot. Maybe it''s something like that. The connection is the weak spot." Hera considered it for a moment, it was a way to look at it, but she still felt like something was missing, "Thanks. I''ll try something later. It''s a shame I can''t use formulas for my spells. That flame one would be great for when I''m away from the city. And I wouldn''t need to burn my head to fix my ear," Hera laughed. "Speaking of which. Here is your present," Mark picked a small black velvet box from his bag. "Is that jewelry? Are you coming on to me, Mark?" Hera gave him a playful smile. "Yeah, wanna grab dinner sometime?" Mark replied, looking Hera in her eyes. Hera instantly turned red. She looked to the side, feeling embarrassed. Mark was a good looking man. His messy black hair framed well his face, and his light brown eyes were very beautiful. But it was Mark. Hera didn''t have any romantic feelings for him. "Mark... I''m sorry, I..." Hera started but was interrupted by a laugh. "Oh, man, you should have seen your face," Mark smirked. Hera took a moment to understand it was just a joke, "That was a low blow, man," she sat back on the chair and crossed her arms. "Oh, c''mon, you guys always tease me. Let me have this one," Mark placed the velvet box in front of Hera, "Now seriously. Take a look. I promise it is not a gag." Hera squinted at him and picked the box. Inside it, there were a pair of earrings. However, they were supposed to be attached to the top of the ear, almost like armor for the cartilage. They were made in a silver metal plate with several engravings of weapons. As she picked them up, Hera noticed that one of the earrings was heavier. It was a solid piece instead of a clip-on. If she wore both, it would be impossible to see the missing piece on her ear. She felt tears forming in her eyes, "Mark..." He just smiled, "I may be oblivious to most things, but I doubt you were as chill with that as you appeared. You don''t have to use it, and I honestly hope it comes to a point where you don''t want to. Until then, you have a way to at least pretend and avoid weird stares." Hera brushed away the tears, "You know. My shrink just told me that I should stop running from my problems. But Thanks. Let me go put them on," she got up and headed to the bathroom. As Mark was sitting on the couch, he let out a long sigh, "At least now I know that this a one-sided crush. I hope it won''t take too long for me to move one," he mumbled. A few minutes later, Hera came back, "How do I look?" "Badass, you look like those rocker chicks. Or an explorer that has seen some shit." Hera chuckled, "That''s not wrong." Mark got up and walked to her side, "May I take a look? I wanna be sure it fits properly, and it won''t hurt you." "Sure," Hera moved to the side, letting the light hit her ear. Mark checked the structure of the earrings. He was worried about it being too heavy for the ear, but it seems like making it hollow was the right move. The clips on the side would be enough to hold it in place, and the part that connected to the bottom would make it hard for it to fall off. As he touched her ear, Hera confirmed that she had no romantic feelings for him. She felt a bit awkward, but not embarrassed during the entire time. Her heart also kept a steady beat. "Yeah, I guess this will be ok. If anything happens, please let me know," Mark said. "Will do. And I didn''t check it, but do they have any properties?" Hera asked. "No, sorry. I did try to make something special, but I''m not good enough to do that just yet." "Don''t worry. It''s amazing!" Hera kept touching the earrings. The two talked for some time before Mark leaving. He still wanted to head back to Brinefront today. Hera gave him a big hug and thanked him one more time. She even walked him to the docks so that he wouldn''t be alone for a long time. After going back home, Hera remembered to inspect the earrings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera''s Earguards Created by a beginner crafter, the earings are made to protect both the ear as well as the appearance of someone who has a missing piece on the ear. The materials used have a slight magical affinity, but no effect was created due to the crafter''s lack of experience. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "He even named them after me," Hera smiled as she stared at the earrings, "I''m definitively going to pay him back." During the next few days, Hera kept working on her spells. She had increased her regeneration mastery by 1% and tested her Blinding Flash a few times. She also tried to practice her etching, but she had to be careful not to increase the skill too much since she wanted to get her synch. On the day she was waiting for her armor, the last day she had to wait before hunting again, Hera went to one ATR. She felt rusty after spending so long waiting for her recovery and desperately needed to practice. She rented a room for most of the day. Cameron had given her the all clear to go back to heavy workouts, as long as she stopped if she felt anything wrong. Typically, even with the heals, she would need to stay a few more days resting and doing some light workouts, but this was a perk of having a high-level healer taking care of her. Hera just kept practicing both the Wire Trap style, as well as fighting using her handaxe. She noticed that during most fights, she was relying too much on the chakram attached to Yarnball. When the monsters got close, her movements started to get more frantic and aimless. She had to either figure out a way to make her weapons work together or find a skill to help her do it. Sadly, she only thought about it in the middle of her training, and she had no intention of stopping to do a skill search at the moment. She kept thinking about ways she could use her weapons. There had to be something she was missing. Hera played back all the advice she got during her training, where to aim, her footwork, how to look for openings. Having her trainer as a sparring partner also helped a lot. It would mirror her style to a degree, allowing Hera to notice any big mistakes she was making. When she threw her chakram, her body became too open, but she had to avoid moving around to keep the direction of her throw. That was a problem she had to figure out. Hera shook her head. She was spreading herself too thin. It was better to focus on one thing and improve it than to try to increase all her skills at once. She chuckled with the notion, "Says the girl who is going for an all-rounder build." Hera went back to thinking about how to improve the movements with her handaxe. Even if she couldn''t move, as long as she could make a range of protection around her, it wouldn'' be too much trouble. Thinking about the first training session, Hera kept hearing Mr. Greyson''s voice in her head. ''Don''t forget yer footwork, lassie. Ye need to know the reach of yer weapon. Then you can picture yer moves.'' She remembered the cheese line of ''letting the weapon be an extension of yourself,'' that Mark used during the first days of training. It was at that moment that something clicked in her head. She was treating the mana reinforcement as something detached from, but it was a continuous buff. If it was a persistent effect, she needed to keep giving it mana, just like it was with her Bark Skin or the Affinity Sight. Both spells required her mana to move in different ways. Hera sat down in the training room and started weaving the construct on her handaxe. Instead of making a single structure that gathers at the top, Hera tried to wrap her mana around it, making a loop that would start in her hand. It took her a few times to make the spell the way she wanted. She was going a bit too fast, and the construct broke apart before completing it. Taking a deep breath, she tried once more, carefully knitting the mana around Iris. She made the loop and started to bring the mana around. The energy started to move faster than she wanted, and Hera had to stop it before progressing. Doing the spell this way would make her spend more mana since the mana constantly kept being pushed off her body, but Hera didn''t mind. She pushed herself not to lose her concentration as she placed the final connection in her hand. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell acquired Mana Reinforcement Rank: Beginner By coating an item with mana, you can increase its properties. Controlling the mana allows you to focus on the increase of the desired property. Using different types of mana can lead to unique results. The size of the object can affect the cost. Base offensive increase: 10% Base defensive increase: 20% Base mana cost: 10 mana per second ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "YES!" Hera got up celebrating. It was a skill she spent the last week trying to make it work. Seeing all that practice pay off was incredible. Even so, she wasn''t sure why Helena didn''t just give her a solution. All it required was some out of the box thinking. Hera practiced a bit with the spell activated. Her chakram would spend the 10 mana per second, but using her handaxe would bump it to 12. For now, the best option would be to practice activating it quickly. If she used the spell just before attacking or defending, Hera could avoid wasting any mana. Now all she needed to feel safe while hunting was her armor. 139 New Armor She rushed out of the training room and headed to the counter where she could pick up her order. Her sudden arrival surprised the clerk working there. He had just confirmed her order less than five minutes ago. Hera opened the package and saw her armor. It was a one-piece jumpsuit, with the zipper starting on the right side of the waist and coming up towards the left shoulder. The sleeves would stop before the elbow, just like the legs that stopped before her ankles. The entire thing was made of metal shaped like small scales to give flexibility and protection. According to the crafter, one could even do ballet while wearing the armor. It was also a beautiful shade of purple, getting very close to black. She paid extra to change the color like that. She needed something that would blend well with the shadows. The mineral used in the armor was silver by nature, and this shade of purple was the darkest option available. The armor had shoulder guards that looked like maple leaves in an opaque lavender shade. The same type of ornament was in the middle of the chest, just before the opening by her neck, and following the zipper, the leaf pattern would hide the seams in the armor. She noticed that inside the armor, several parts had thicker padding. The knee, shoulder, waist, and between the legs all had that extra cushioning. Hera touched the inside of the armor. It was soft as a T-shirt, but as she rubbed the cloth together, she noticed that she could feel the metal scales in her fingers. In places where the fabric wouldn''t bend, she would never notice, but it could be a problem in places with a wider range of movement. She looked to the outside of the armor once more. Behind the knee and under the arms, the scales were much smaller than in other places. Those could be weak spots created to give more mobility. "Excuse, miss?" the clerk asked. "Yeah, sorry. I was distracted," Hera snapped out of her trance. "Is everything ok with your order?" "Oh, hang on." She looked at all the pieces. The armor seemed fine, and the boots and armguards were also there, "Everything seems to be here." Hera took out her silver guild card. Every time she looked at it, she had to hold back a smile. The clerk noticed the silver glow of her card, and instantly his expression changed. As Hera confirmed the delivery, he spoke. "Actually, if you need more time. I''m sure we can send it back for adjustments a couple of days from now." Hera shook her head, "No need. If I need to send it back, I''ll come back today. But thank you," she picked the plastic box that her armor came in and headed back to her home. She wanted to try the armor right now, but she was sweaty and dirty. If she was going to wear it for the first time, she at least wanted to be clean. She came home like a hurricane, dashing towards the shower. In less than ten minutes, she was already drying herself in her room with the armor lying in her bed. Now she could see the rest with more clarity. The skirt was made with the same metal, but it was attached to the waist. For some reason, Hera thought that it would be a separate piece. The metal on the skirt was different. Instead of several small scales, there were large plates on the sides with some scales in the mix to help with flexibility. Oddly enough, this armor focused on protecting the lower side of the body. Hera used her [Inspect] to confirm its attributes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Autumn''s Reflection (Reflect Affinity) Rarity: Uncommon An armor created by an exemplary blacksmith. The mix of materials used to craft something this resilient and flexible normally doesn''t work well together. However, due to the effort and mastery of the crafter, this armor was produced=. Defense ration: D+ Attribute Scaling: Agility x 1.2 Intelligence x 1.25 Armor Skill: Repulsion blast Triggers an energy burst as a response to impacts in the armor. This effect can be turned on or off by the user. The potency of the blast is based on the user''s charisma. Attribute Scaling Charisma x 1.4 Mana cost: 25 mana Cooldown: 10 seconds ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Autumn Armguards (Metal Affinity) Rarity: Common Armguards created by an exemplary blacksmith. The materials used are excellent magical conductors. Additional effect: Increased magical compatibility. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Autumn Boots (Metal Affinity) Rarity: Common Boots created by an exemplary blacksmith. The materials used are excellent magical conductors. Additional effect: Increased enchanting effects. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She wasn''t expecting the scaling to be that high. According to the crafter, the base value of the scaling would be 1.2. The increase wasn''t that big, even if it looked like it. Hera''s point of view was that of a beginner. For an experienced crafter, a decimal increase would barely be considered a success. The work put in during the production of the item could affect the item''s effects, but the description of the items they sold was always the same, meaning that it wouldn''t go lower unless they messed up during the production. It wasn''t uncommon for crafters to increase the price if an item had extraordinary results. The boots seemed to be made of the same material, but instead of the scale mail, it had large metal plates. The only engravings were the maple leaves around the tip of the boots. They were clearly made for function instead of appearance. Still, it fitted well with the rest of the armor. The armguards had the same style. Instead of the scale mail, it was the same plates that were used on the boots. However, unlike the boots, they had some decorations. The metal was forged to look like the same maple leaves that decorated the rest of the armor. They were lying on top of each other, making the bracers look like they were made exclusively of those metal leaves. Hera started getting dressed. She was going to wear a long sleeve t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants. As much as she hated wearing those, it was better to wear a tight outfit under the armor. Wearing nothing wasn''t a good option. Even with the cloth that was weaved inside it, everyone recommended the use of proper clothing beneath it all. Hera had bought those two pieces to use with the armor. There were several high-end fabrics, and even some enchanted ones to lower the temperature and such, but for now, she just bought a basic, comfortable outfit. Hera had already spent too much on the armor. She still wanted to save some money, just in case. Getting dressed in the armor, Hera took a look at herself in the mirror. The armor fitted really well. It wrapped around her body without an issue. The only problem was that the armor was tight. Not to an uncomfortable degree, but it showed too much of her body. Hera always made a point of wearing baggy or less revealing clothes, but now, even wearing metal armor, she felt a bit exposed. The armor followed her curves so perfectly that it had little difference compared to wearing a diving suit. At the very least, she was showing very little skin. Only her hands and neck could be seen. Staring at the mirror, Hera had to admit. As long as she could ignore the fact that she was the one wearing it, the armor looked amazing. Her previous armor gave off a feeling of being a ranger or a hunter. This one, however, made her look like a warrior. Hera rushed off downstairs. She wanted to put the armor to the test, but before she was able to leave the house, Helena was already waiting on the living room. "Wow, that armor looks amazing!" Helena rushed towards Hera, "This color looks great on you, and how is the movement? Do you feel restricted in any way?" "Not yet, but I''m going to hunt now to figure out." "Are you crazy? No, no, no. You don''t test that during a fight. What if you need to move to avoid an attack and the armor gets in the way? Try moving around now," Helena commanded. Hera started walking, waving her arms around. The movements felt smooth, and the only restriction was how much she could twist her body. "Ok, now do some side steps and kicks. Make sure the skirt won''t get in the way." Hera followed Helena''s instructions. She could feel the skirt hitting her legs, but it never hurt. Raising her leg, she was able to keep it straight until it reached the height of her chest before not being able to continue. Not because the armor got in the way, but because she wasn''t flexible enough. "Everything seems fine," Hera said after finishing all the tests. "Hang on, let me see one thing," Helena kneeled by Hera and raised the side of her skirt. Although she was wearing pants underneath it, the motion made Hera feel embarrassed, "Here, inside the skirt, there is a strap. You can put your leg inside it, and the skirt won''t be flying everywhere." Hera looked at it. The strap was just above her calf. She placed both legs in the band and moved around. It felt much better. Yet, she wouldn''t be able to say that there were any problems before tying it like this. "Thanks, Lena. I didn''t even notice that." Helena got up and was inspecting the rest of the armor. "Don''t worry. I can imagine how excited you were. And you were lucky you got the armor with an experienced crafter. Most people overlook how a skirt can get in your way. I know that from experience. Anyway, I think you are all set. Did you call Blue and Alex?" "I texted them, but they didn''t get the message yet. I think they are out of range." "I know I won''t be able to stop you from trying the armor out. Just be careful, ok," Helena said with a sigh. "I will. Promise." Hera left the house and went straight towards the swamp. She still had a couple of hours of sunlight. After fighting the toad, Hera understood how dangerous it was to travel at night, and she didn''t want to fight something that dangerous on her own again. It was one thing to be bored, another to be actively chasing monsters that could kill her. Hera could be excited and wanting to test her armor, but she wasn''t suicidal. Walking outside the city, she found one of the smooth crocodiles. It wasn''t very big about the size of a fox. Hera watched it for a moment and decided that it would be a great guinea pig. Looking down, she patted her armor and whispered, "Let''s see what you can do," 140 Carpon Caverns Hera and her friends had decided to go to the Carpon Caverns early the next day. Sadly, due to the high influx of miners, they were already waiting in line to cross over for 15 minutes. Blue wasn''t the only one who was restless. Alex, Hera, and even Runir were trying to distract themselves somehow. "Blue, we are all bored here. You complaining only will make it worse for other people," Alex said, raising her eyes from the tablet. "I know, but still." "Make yourself busy, practice spells, or help us look for information about the Caverns," Runir said. He spoke in a way that made it clear he was already feeling more comfortable around the controller. "I don''t have enough mana to keep practicing, and research is even more boring than waiting here," Blue complained. "I think I can hear Bonnie screaming right now," Hera chuckled, "Watch a video or something. Treat this like the commute to go to the guild." Hera went back to her tablet. She had already seen the area and focused on trying to get more information about it. According to the guild website, the Carpon Caverns was several times smaller than Brinnefront. It would take only 18 hours to walk from one edge of the room to the other. Considering that it would take weeks for someone to do the same in Brinnefront, the difference was massive. However, since it was a place made of several tunnels that could go both up and down, it wasn''t impossible to get lost for several days in there. Their first stop should be in the guild. Hera didn''t want to walk around without a full map of a place like that. Spread around the room, there were several mines. Most of them were close to both the city and the entrance, but some were hidden away in the edges of the room. Each one of those mines was considered a pseudo dungeon. Every week they would be affected by a reset that respawned the minerals inside it. However, the number of minerals would vary from week to week. People who mined in there could also receive extra rewards. Breaking an iron vein could create some rare mineral, almost like killing a monster inside a dungeon. But since there was no entrance or quest, the mines were not actual dungeons. There were only 3 dungeons inside the Carpo Caverns. Hera skimmed through that information. That wasn''t the focus today. They had to hunt monsters around the caverns first to make sure they were up to the task. There were three types of creatures that they could find. First, there were giant moles. They could go from the size of an alligator to the size of a small car. There was also a blind variant that was considered stronger, but they were easily identified. If a mole had a star-shaped nose, it would be the blind variant. Second, bats. The smaller ones could be the size of an adult dalmatian, while the giant version could reach 2 meters tall. Hera pictured a bat bigger than her flying in her direction. That was a terrifying sight. The last type of creature was called ''Digger Elephant.'' However, unlike the other monsters she had seen, they would be the size of a horse. To Hera, it was the first instance of finding a creature smaller than its regular version inside the MAZE. She really wanted to see them, but apparently, they had small numbers and kept roaming around the room. It was likely that her fight would be against the moles or the bats. The group discussed the information they got when it was finally their turn to pass through the doorway. "See you on the other side," Blue said. The warm glow covered them, and the smell of the sea was replaced by the scent of still air and dirt. "Oh, wow, that''s awful," Alex complained. "I don''t know. It kind of reminds me of my home," Runir took a deep breath. "I''m so sorry," Blue replied. "Don''t be rude. Anyway, where is your friend?" Hera asked as they left the doorway. The noise here echoed through the cave. Several men and women were carrying around large pickaxes and wheelbarrows going towards the mines. The reset had just happened, and people were frantic to take the best spots. "He''ll meet us at the guild. And before we get there," Runir made a motion for the group to stay by the side of the open cave, "Look, his name is Thomas, and he is... A lot. But he is a good guy, even though he is a bit weird. We met in high school, and he was one year ahead of me, but we still got close. Some things happened, and I trust him with my life. But... well, it''s hard to describe. If you guys think he is too much, we can part ways at any moment. No hard feelings, but I''m staying with him." "Is he gonna keep hitting on us? Or be violent in some way?" Alex asked. "What? No, of course not! He is a good guy. He''s just... Really into knights," Runir tried to explain. "Why is that a problem?" Hera stared at him with a puzzled expression. "Yeah, knights are cool. Cyrus was a knight," Blue chimed in. "Just... Keep an open mind," Runir said with a sigh. "Don''t worry. Even if we end up splitting up, everything will be fine. We might even meet Leo, the owner of the frog you healed," Hera said, trying to reassure the healer. "Not really. He texted me a few days ago. The room where he is staying is not this one. It''s still on the third layer, but kind of... to the side. We can get there, but it would take a couple of days of moving through doorways," Blue replied. "Still, it will be fine," Hera said. "Yeah, don''t worry. Everything works out in the end," Alex nodded. The group headed to the guild. The first thing they wanted was a map of the area, then the compendium for the monsters. When Hera went after the pangolins, she forgot to get the information for them. Facing monsters without any information wasn''t something she was keen on doing again. They bought the map, but before getting the compendium, a voice rang behind the group. "Runir!" Hera turned around and saw Runir walking towards a man in heavy armor with open arms, "Thomas. How have you been, man?" "Very well, very well. Even better now that I once again am reunited with my brother in arms," the man replied with a smile. Runir let go of the hug and turned towards the rest of the group, "Now, Thomas. These are Alex, Blue, and Hera. Guys, this is Thomas." The man bowed to the three women, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, my Ladies. You have my utmost gratitude for all the aid that was provided to my noble squire." "Hey! Since when I''m your squire?" Runir shoved Thomas to the side, laughing. Thomas was a tall man with dark hair that curled on the tips. Very well kept eyebrows that went well with his dark brown eyes and a chiseled jawline. He was wearing a bronze breastplate with golden engravings. There were a pair of pants with metal plates in front, but its backside was more open, covered only by the straps. There was a beautifully made silver rapier with a pair of lions chasing each other around the guard by his waist. Just like the rest of his armor, all the details and decorations were golden. "Hi, nice to meet ya," Blue put out her hand. "It''s my pleasure," Thomas shook her hand, "I shall say, that is a mighty grip. Your enemies will crumble in your grasp." "Thanks... I guess," Blue said, unsure if that was a compliment. "Not a worry, I would be most grateful if we could have a friendly duel in the future. Nothing is better to know the strength of those by your side than a friendly spar," Thomas turned to Hera, "Especially with you, my Lady. The incredible warrior that bested the fearsome Wendigo." "It was mostly luck and bad decisions," Hera replied. The way Thomas spoke was putting her off. Seeing the reaction of the women, Runir stepped in, "So, let''s go fight some things?" Hera snapped out of her daze, "Oh yeah, let me just get the compendium." "No need, my Lady. I bestow upon you the knowledge gathered by yours truly," Thomas picked his tablet and shared the compendium information about the monsters with the group. "Are you sure? I mean, those are expensive," Alex said. "But of course. You are all Runir''s retainers. I must reward you for your service," Thomas wave his hand while pointing his nose up. "Dude, stop that. No one is my retainer," Runir complained. "What''s a retainer?" Blue asked. Runir stared at her for a moment, "Anyway, we have the compendium. Let''s get going." Hera walked with them, unsure what he meant by retainer, while Alex kept staring daggers at Thomas. They left the guild and headed towards the tunnels. It didn''t take for them to realize that flashlights would be a necessity. Thomas made a few movements with his sword and started chanting, "May the spirits of light guide my path. Come forth, Floating Lamps!" A set of two small globules of pale yellow light appeared around the man. Hera kept staring at him. Why did he need to chant? Was that spell so difficult that it required it? To her side, a noise caught her attention. Runir had just facepalmed and was now holding his head with one hand while groaning. "Is he always like that?" Hera asked. "Yeah, he is. But I promise he is a good guy and strong too. He won a few fencing competitions in high school," Runir tried to explain. "Have you ever talked to him about that?" "I did, I really did. But he said that it was wrong for a knight to act in any other way," Runir replied with a sigh. "Did... something happened to him?" Hera asked. "Not that I''m aware. His dad says it all started when he was a kid and read about King Arthur." Runir said. "Oh, please tell me he doesn''t believe knights are supposed to be like that. Sir Balin blew up a kingdom with a freaking lance," Hera replied. "How do you know the name of the knights?" Runir squinted at Hera. "I like stories about knights too, and I worked in a bookstore. Now is he that far gone?" Hera pressed. "I wouldn''t say far gone. He never pretended to be the reincarnation of Sir whatever, so at least he still is with his feet on the ground. But Tom is... obsessed with the idea of being a knight." "Well... that is harmless. I mean, still weird, but harmless," Hera said. As they walked, Hera noticed a large shadow moving in the tunnel. When Thomas''s light revealed the creature, they could see the large body covered in thick black fur. The monster seemed to have no eyes and large claws in place of its hands. "A ha! We have found our quarry. Now observe my brethren. I shall demonstrate how to defeat this mighty beast," Thomas said as he stared down the giant mole. Before anyone could say anything, he dashed towards the creature. Thomas took a step to the side, stabbing the mole on the nose. The monster recoiled and pushed itself back, but Thomas was faster. He was already by its side. With another two stabs on the beast''s head, the mole stopped moving. "And that is how it is done. Any questions?" Thomas said as he cleaned the blood out of his rapier with a cloth. 141 Fight like a Knigh The mole was clawing towards the controller. Alex, who was on the back, was the first one that noticed the movement. The creature didn''t even change its position. It merely raised its arm and slashed. Blue managed to duck at the last moment, almost falling backward. The attack made a large gash on the ground, showing the strength of the creature. "Careful with the claw. Taking the beast head-on is the most dangerous of tasks," Thomas was watching the group fight. He wanted them to show their abilities while fighting. "I know, just let me work!" Blue shouted before punching the creature''s nose twice. Alex jumped above the mole and slashed her daggers at its back twice. The thick fur lowered the attack''s speed, making what should be a fearsome strike leave just a superficial cut. "Focus on stabbing attacks. The beast''s mighty hide is resistant to slashing attacks," Thomas gave the duo yet another hint. "My daggers are made for cutting, not stabbing" Alex tried to stab her weapon on the mole''s neck, but the blade wasn''t able to pierce deep enough to cause any lasting damage. "Fear not, my Lady. Your weapons are but a part of your craft. Show me your strength," Thomas proclaimed with a big smile. "Stop calling me your Lady! I''m not yours, and I''m not a fucking Lady," Alex snapped and body-slammed the mole. Blue took advantage of the momentum and made the creature spin around, falling to its back while holding the monster''s nose under her arms. The creature started flailing around, trying to reorient itself, but Blue''s nose lock kept it at bay. Alex kept stabbing the monster, trying to hit its neck. In a few moments, the mole stopped moving. Alex was breathing heavily with some blood on her armor. "Are you ok?" Blue asked. "No, I''m not ok! What are we doing here? This was supposed to be a trip to figure out if we could hunt here, not a damn spartan training," she turned to Thomas, "And you. What the hell is this? We fought five of those creatures on our own for what? What kind of sick game are you playing here. And don''t you fucking dare to give me that knight crap." "This may have been a challenging ordeal, but my Lady, you must understand..." Thomas was cut off by Alex, "Call me, my Lady one more time, and I''ll feed you your eyeballs," Hera and Blue instinctively stepped closer to Alex and shared a look. Her reaction was too strange from her usual demeanor. If she truly snapped, they might need to step in and stop her. "Apologies, Alex. To me, calling you that is a sign of respect. Alas, I understand that it might make you uncomfortable, and I should have been more aware of your displeasure with it," Thomas replied in a calm tone. Hera couldn''t help but admire that. She had no idea how she would react if someone made that kind of threat to her. "I won''t, knight''s honor," Thomas replied. "That only works if you are an actual knight," Runir replied with a sigh. "Being a knight is a mindset. Knighthood will come eventually for those who are truly worth it," Thomas scoffed. "Yeah, Yeah, fine. You are a knight and all, but what the hell was that. Why did we have to fight five of those things, and not even to let us use skill or spells?" Blue complained. "It was to prove your mettle. If you fought in perfect conditions, you would never see if you could survive a vicious attack at your weakest. With that knowledge, you can fight much more confidently when all your skills are available." "That''s... kind of smart," Alex said. "Yeah, I''m surprised," Blue agreed. "I''ve told you guys, Tom knows what he''s doing," Runir said. "Yeah, I''m impressed," Hera said. "Thank you, my...," Tom started speaking to Hera but stared at Alex behind him, "Thank you for your kind words, Hera. But now it''s time we confirm your strength. You shall fight the same way as your brethren. Four of the beast, the first with all your capabilities, the second with only skills. The third with only spells, then one with only your bravery. It will be you and Runir fighting this time." "But I''m a healer. I stay in the back line," Runir protested. "Exactly, I need to know the abilities you bring to our cause," Thomas replied. After some protest, Hera and Runir finally agreed to the terms. Thomas wouldn''t tell them, but if anything happened, he would step in to help. It didn''t take long for them to find another giant mole. The first one was on the smaller side of the moles, which took minimal effort. Runir, although being a healer, was trained into hand to hand combat and took the part of a diversion before starting. Hera hid in the shadows and stuck her handaxe in the monster''s head. At the same time, she activated the Mana Reinforcement spell, and her [All In] cutting the mole''s head clean in half. "That is a mighty blow. Can you do that repeatedly?" Thomas asked. "Once every day and a half or so," Hera replied. "It''s a shame, but it is a mighty killing blow when required. Onto the next one," Thomas started to head deeper into the tunnels. While using the spells, Hera focused on keeping the mole''s attention while her poison needle took effect. Runir barely did anything during that fight. He only walked around, throwing a barrier when Hera got close to getting hit, but not a single attack from the mole connected. The third fight started with Hera throwing her chakram. The movement made the mole turn, but it worked as a small distraction only. Hera tried to focus on the monster''s nose since trying to flank it by herself was very complicated. Hera chose guerrilla tactics, going for an attack before retreating. Runir kept feeling more and more useless as the fight went on. Hera was proficient in evading strikes aimed at her, and the opportunities for him to use barriers or heals were nonexistent. Hera rushed toward the beast, striking twice towards its head. Unfortunately, the first attack made the mole take a step back, and with the follow-up, she was too close to be able to run before the next strike. The mole swung its claws at her. Before the impact, Runir sent one of its barriers towards Hera. The attack hit her arm, but the combination of the repulsion blast and the protection from the Healer not only sent the claw back but only pushed Hera half a meter to the side. "Thanks!" she yelled as she turned away to retreat. Seeing its pray move, the mole lunged forward, opening its mouth, revealing four large, yellow teeth. The bite hit Hera''s back, and she rolled forward, away from the mole. Runir used his only battle heal right away, but he felt no effect. "Are you dead?" he asked as Hera finished her tumble. "I''m still not a zombie, so no," she replied, getting back up and turning around, "How big is the damage?" Hera kept facing the mole. She had to know how much she could move around. "It... hit you, right?" Runir asked, staring at her back. "Yeah, can the armor still hold?" "There is... nothing," "What? One strike ripped a 12k armor?" Hera looked around, searching for the missing pieces of armor. "No, I mean, the armor is fine. Not a single scratch. What about you?" Runir asked. "A bit sore, but I still can do it," Hera replied before dashing at the monster again. Frustrated with the situation, Runir flanked the creature and attacked its legs. Since his heals and barriers were close to useless, he might as well do something. In a bit over three minutes, the mole was defeated. "Very good, Runir. You show incredible bravery by jumping into the fray, and Hera, a knight, is nothing without her armor. Yours is truly a work of art," Thomas applauded the duo. "I wasn''t expecting it to be so strong, honestly," Hera was trying to touch her back to confirm any damage. "And I wasn''t expecting to be so useless. I mean, I did nothing most of those fights," Runir sighed. "Don''t be like that. It was a bad matchup. Your barriers help me so much when we fight," Blue tried to cheer him up. "Yeah, and Hera and I are better at taking turns to hide and attack. Our groups were the worst possible combos," Alex said. Hera turned towards Thomas, "Was that planned?" "I would love to be praised by such an exemplary tactic. Alas, it was but a pleasant coincidence. Yet, I must say that your protests did give me a sign that it was an unfamiliar grouping," Thomas explained. "By the way, do we have a way of carrying the monster back?" Blue asked. "We are able to rent some carts in the Guild. However, they must be pulled by hand," Thomas replied before starting to chant once more and recast the floating lamp that was about to vanish. "What about drones? Can we use them to pick up the bodies?" Hera asked. "Unfortunately, that is not possible. The bats that inhabit the area tend to roam around. Any object that crosses a certain height would be a prey for the beasts. The secondary tunnels are much smaller." Blue turned to Thomas, "Ok, so this is fine and all, but can we go eat? I didn''t bring any food." "Yeah, I agree. I''m hungry," Hera said. "Very well. We had not prepared enough supplies for a long journey. Let us return," Thomas spun around and started walking back towards where the group came from. They headed back to the city and looked for places to eat. Thomas had a few suggestions. Among them was a barbecue place that had mostly mole and bat meat that made Blue interested. They head to the restaurant. After the meal, Runir said he wanted to get some extra spells, and he would go to the Guild to use an ATR to learn them. Blue and Alex decided to search the shops for better gear. Blue wanted better armor, and Alex looked for something that would be better to use for stabbing. Hera wanted to talk to Alex, but it was hard to have a moment alone with her friend. She made a mental note to ask about her snap later. Hera suggested the shop where she got her chakram enchanted, but Thomas said that if they were looking for new equipment, it was better to go to one of the bigger stores. The group spent most of the afternoon looking for new gear. Hera looked for a new axe, but she was surprised by how all the weapons she found were either barely an improvement or excessively expensive. The ones in the display were also several times heavier than Iris. If Hera used one of them, her attacks would be much slower. Thomas was incredibly helpful while they were looking for equipment. He made suggestions both for usability and style, but he also talked about maintenance and even offered to help Alex and Hera sharpen their weapons. Alex accepted the help, but Hera wanted to do it herself. She was trying to increase her weapon maintenance skill and taking care of her own gear was the best way to do it. They''ve met Runir a few hours later. He managed to get two more spells, one that increased the target''s strength by 20% for a minute and another that would increase the damage that an enemy received by 10% for a few seconds. With that, he could play a more active role in the fights. They discussed going to look for a group of bats when Helena sent a text in the house group chat. ''Hey, guys, just a head''s up. A rampage is starting to happen in the room. Everyone is gathering up to defend the cities, and they locked the doorways to leave. You guys might want to stay around there for a couple of days. I''m heading to the Guild, and I''ll be there until it passes. Does anyone want me to take anything from the house just in case?'' Hera turned to the group, "What is a rampage?" "A rampage, you say? Oh, that is the most thrilling of challenges. Hundreds and thousands of monsters rush through a room, destroying everything in its path. Months past, we had to face one of such calamities here. We fought for days until the beasts were finally defeated." Hera stared at Alex and Blue, "I have to go back," "Hang on, are the monster stronger in any way during a rampage?" Alex asked. "I can''t say they are, the numbers are a problem, but with several people fighting as one, they were just an incredible treasure. After all, unlike conventional monsters, during a rampage, they disappear as they are defeated, leaving valuable loot behind." "Ok, then we are going," Blue said. "Yeah, Runir, Thomas. We''ll talk to you guys later. We have to go," Hera said. "Nonsense, I''m not one to shy away from a fight. If a rampage is happening, it''s a perfect opportunity to show my valor to all of you," Thomas replied. "Yeah, I''ve never been a part of a large scale fight. And your house is there, right? It''s right to defend it." Hera nodded, and the group ran towards the doorway. 142 Monster Rampage "Everyone, listen, Brinefront is in the middle of a monster rampage. Anyone who goes there won''t be able to leave until it ends. We can''t tell how long that will last. It can be half a day or a couple of weeks. Anyone willing to help can take a quest from the Guild and be rewarded according to your contribution. Before you get all excited, remember. Rampages are unpredictable. We can''t tell if something stronger than the regular monsters will appear. If you know about the giant invasion, that was also a part of a rampage." "We already know that. What''s the reward?" A voice came from the crowd. "5 000 gold for protecting the cities or camps during the attack. Any place that gets destroyed will deduct the pay for everyone. Plus, 30 to 100 gold per monster defeated. The type of monster will change the value of the kill. Also, you get to keep any loot you get, and any item found by the recovery teams after the rampage will be auctioned to those who took part in the defenses." "How many can we expect to get?" Another voice asked. "On the last rampage, 14 months ago, the average reward was 8 000 gold. And among the loot, there was a neckless that increases your mana regeneration by 30% and a Legacy map," the man above the rock said. There was some murmuring around as Hera and her group tried to reach the doorway. "Are you stupid? Why should we go there? If people can''t come in, we can easily make 10k this week," a voice shouted to the side. "You can decide later, but those who wish to stay can use the campsite here since we don''t have enough rooms in the hotels in the city. We will have guards protecting the camps, meals, and any other basic necessities. You can use the showers in the Guild and for laundry..." The man kept talking as most of the crowd headed to the side, wanting to get good spots in the camp. Several people headed out towards Brinefront. Hera and her group arrived at the line, and in a few minutes, a different guild clerk approached. "Were you here during the announcement? A monster rampage is going on." "Yeah, we heard. We want to help." Hera said. The waiting was making her anxious. Helena was a mage with no mana. How would she protect herself there? "Ok, be careful, and don''t bite more than you can chew. Stay close to the city and fall back to the Guild if needed. Well, they''ll give you all the details there. Good luck and stay safe," the clerk said his farewells and moved to the next group. "Are you guys really coming?" Hera asked the others. "I''m a Merc. I always work for good pay," Runir snickered. "I live there. I don''t wanna lose my low rent house," Alex joked. "You are not the only one worried about Lena, you know. Besides, Quinn would kill me if I didn''t help," Blue said. "Oh, so that is still a thing?" Alex poked Blue with her elbow. "Maybe, maybe not. I''m not one to kiss and tell," Blue chuckled. "Right. Making out in an alleyway by a trash can is much more classy," Alex rolled her eyes. "We weren''t by the trash!" Blue protested. "You actually were," Hera laughed, "Thank you guys," she said as they headed towards the doorway. Hazelpond was in a much different state. The streets were less populated, and instead of people shuffling from one place to another, everyone was in a rush. People were yelling orders, carrying stone and wood around, and reinforcing the town''s defenses. Hera sent a text to Helena asking where she was before heading towards their home. Runir and Thomas split up to head to the Guild and gather information and the protection quest. As Hera was arriving at the house, Helena sent a text saying she was already inside the Guild and would be there until the end of the rampage. Since they were already close, Hera, Blue, and Alex headed to their home to make sure they wouldn''t need anything from there. From what Hera understood, the preparation for a rampage was similar to preparing for a natural disaster. People would evacuate their homes and head to a safe location with a few of their belongings. Depending on the city, people wouldn''t even need to evacuate, but since Hazlepond was just a settlement, it didn''t have the same solid structure as a major city like Brinefront. That created a greater need to reinforce the defenses. The walls were already sturdy and wide enough, but people were preparing traps around the city. In less than half an hour, the trio was back at the Guild, each carrying a small bag with a few clothes and some food. As they arrived, the first thing Hera did was to look for Helena. She was already with Runir and Thomas, discussing what they could do to help. "Hera! I told you to stay there. Why are you here?" Helena complained as she saw her assistant. "Last time you were in trouble, I did nothing to help. That won''t happen again," Hera replied, staring Helena in her eyes. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you?" Helena huffed. "Well, for now nothing. We are here, and until the rampage is over, we can''t leave. That''s how it works, right?" Blue stepped in. "Yeah, no use crying over spilled milk," Helena sighed, "Go to the reception and get the quest. See if they have anything urgent and set up your group as a team. That way, the Guild knows where to send you guys. The warning wave is over, and now we have just a couple of hours to get everything ready." "First wave?" Alex asked. "Right, it''s your first time. A rampage always starts with a small wave of a hundred or so monsters attacking the various cities and camps around the room. The bigger the city, the more monsters are attracted to it. After that, we have around 3 hours to prepare, and then the rampage truly starts. We have to fend off constant waves of monsters for some time. The assault will continue around the clock, so we need to work in shifts," Helena explained. Hera nodded, and they went toward the counter to get the quest. The clerk was dealing with a few groups. When it got to their turn, she quickly explained what they needed. The Guild was frantic, but no one seemed scared or worried. It was almost like the preparation for a festival. "Ok, so take the quest and go to one of the defense positions. Please don''t chase the monsters. Wait for them to come to you. If you see a flare, fall back to the second line of defense. It probably won''t happen, but keep it in mind." "So, it''s not dangerous?" Hera asked. "Well, it is. I mean, monsters will be attacking, but everyone here can fend for themselves, and if it gets too dangerous, we can call the cavalry. On deeper layers, rampages are much scarier, but here we can expect just a nice haul. And if we need reinforcements, they are really close," the clerk replied. "Since this happens frequently, why don''t we have traps already?" Blue asked. "Mostly for safety. We place the traps everywhere, and now everyone knows we fill the place with traps. Later, we will have to clean everything up so no one gets hurt by the traps. The reinforcement for the walls is just troublesome to keep after this, so we just keep it in storage. Anyway, you guys go here, at defense point H," the clerk pointed to the map of the city. Point H was to the east, in the road that followed the ocean, "You will have more people there, and someone will be in charge of the flares. If things go south, you shoot it and retreat to the point H2." "Right, and the quest?" Runir asked. "Oh sure, my bad. It''s been a while since people asked about this. Here you go," the clerk sent a file with the quest and the map of the city to everyone''s table. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monster Rampage - Brinefront Protect the city from the waves of monsters that will attack the settlements. Any damage to the structures of the room will be deducted from the basic reward for all participants. Rewards: 5 000 gold Killing a monster will give you increased rewards based on the type of monster. Giant Frog - 20 gold Giant Toad - 25 gold Petite Crocodile - 30 gold Giant Chameleon - 45 gold Prism Pangolin - 50 gold Giant Newt - 60 gold Giant Crested Newt - 70 gold Giant Snapping turtle - 100 gold ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Wow, there are a lot more monsters than I expected," Blue said. "Tell me about it. Those turtles are nasty," Runir sighed. "Very well, then. With the preparations completed, let us go to our fort and ready our defenses," Thomas said. The group headed to the area marked as H on the map. According to the clerk, they had a bit over one hour before the rampage would start. Hera kept thinking about the people near dungeons. "Hey, Thomas. What happens with the people in the settlements? Like near dungeons and stuff? And what about people who are out in the wild?" Hera asked. "I have no knowledge of how things work here. But in the Carpon Caverns, the monsters ignored those away from settlements. By the dungeons, they also had to defend against the villainous monsters that targeted the areas." "So, the monsters only go after places where people live or stay?" Alex asked. "Exactly. From the tales that I''ve been told. If you are out in the wild, the monsters that are a part of the rampage will ignore you completely, but the other will still be as dangerous as you expected," Thomas explained. "What if you try to get to a city?" Blue asked. "At some point, the monsters will turn towards you. Alas, I believe someone with a keen mind would be able to reach a keep before being swarmed by the beasts," Thomas said. As they arrived at the designated spot, they meet the other people who would be a part of their squad. Two hunters, one using a bow and another with a two-handed sword. A couple of mages and a few fighters, as well as one controller, one crafter, and one healer. In total, there were 15 people in the group, counting with Hera''s group. Looking around, they found the leader of the team. "Hey, girls. You are here for the party?" Cassandra said to the group. "Hey Cass, you are the head honcho here?" Alex smiled. "The one and only. Good thing. My spells are mostly long range. That way, I do my job and help the front lines," Cass called a man over, "This is Kenny. He will be the leader of the vanguard. If you are going to fight at close range, you listen to what he says, ok?" The group nodded. They started to hear about the strategy. Anyone with long-range spells would either be by the wooden walls or above on a few wooden platforms put on the top. Along the walls a couple of floodlights had been set up, it would help greatly during the night. People who would be in melee combat had to stay behind the traps. Cass recommended Alex not focus on her hide skills. Since there were many monsters coming around, it would be easy for her to be discovered and be affected by the debuff. They set up everything. Blue and Thomas were part of the vanguard that would focus on attracting the attention of the monsters. Alex and Hera would stay in the back with the ones focused on dealing damage. Runir was near the wall with the mages, the crafter, and the other healer. Even with the veterans feeling excited by the rampage, Hera had no idea what to expect. With a resounding roar, coming from dozens of creatures, Cass yelled from the back, "Everyone get ready. They are coming!" Hera gripped her weapons as the horde of monsters rushed from the treeline. 143 Monster Waves "Do not falter. The beast are many, but we stand as one," Thomas pierced a toad and a chameleon in quick succession. "This should be over soon. Hang on," Kenny yelled as more monsters crossed the trees in the distance. Hera sent a few of her poison needles to the group. Since she didn''t have to worry about the condition of the body, she could use the spell as much as she wanted. She wasn''t the only one who had that idea. The mages in the back, as well as the archer, kept firing all the spells and attacks they could non stop. Several of the monsters were barely recognizable after the assault. The sky was quickly being covered in fire, lightning, and arrows. Hera looked around. They spent the last 50 minutes fighting off the constant assault of creatures. Their group was not the only one. All teams around Hazelpond were defending the city at the moment. According to Cass, even though the rampage was something constant, the pattern would change every hour. The first one would be a heavy assault, then smaller groups would appear, and after the second hour, the heavy assault would begin once more. The plan was for some to rest during the less populated waves and switch 15 minutes before the heavy assault. That way, they would be able to keep the momentum without having the entire team exhausted. "Get ready for the first switch. I need six people still fighting. Runir and Mika, one of you has to rest. I want a healer in each team," Cass commanded. "I''m still good," Blue had just snapped the neck of a chameleon and was moving towards a pangolin. "My spirit will not falter in front of these beasts," Thomas pushed yet another frog to the pile of corpses that he was making before one of the pits that were dug out as a trap. Alex, Hera, and Runir shared the same feeling. The combat wasn''t enough to tire them out just yet. "Very well. Bolton, they lack some cover fire. Can you stay with them?" Cass asked a mage that was in the ramparts with her. "Aye, aye captain," he made a small salute. "Oh, for fuck''s sake. We already have a knight. Don''t you start with the pirate crap," Kenny sliced an alligator that jumped at him. The attack was relentless. Every creature that died was replaced by another one. The bright side was that none of them were particularly strong. It was clear that the issue was the numbers. In one hour, Thomas had killed 36 monsters, Hera and Alex got around 18 each, and Blue got 15. In total, the team killed over 200 monsters. They kept fighting until the monster''s bodies dissolved, signaling the end of a wave. The pile that Thomas made vanished into several pieces of skin, teeth, and gold. Hera realized his plan. Not only was it a way to blockade a path, but it made collecting the loot much easier. Hera and Alex tried to scramble to gather their haul, but the monsters were still coming. Kenny took the job of picking the drops in front while the other team members did the same with the creatures that died closer to the entrance. "Don''t worry about the loot. We''ll split it later. If you guys focus on that right now, we are doomed," Cass said as she helped to get the valuables to a small camp, they made a few meters behind the city walls, "everyone is getting the same share, I promise." Hera wasn''t very worried about that. She was more concerned with the possibility of another wendigo showing up. Even if she didn''t get any of the loot, they would still get a lot of money from the quest. Before she could even consider the options, a large toad jumped from the surrounding bog. Bolton sent five fire arrows in sequence, and Hera used her poison spray, trying to cover the creature with her spell. When most of the toad''s body was painted in the bright orange from the spell, Bolton sent another fire arrow that ignited the beast. Alex was using a new spell called wind cutter. It would surround her dagger and send blades of wind flying as she slashed the air. The toad was sturdy and dangerous when it got close. The assassin seemed to remember that. Blue, on the other hand, seemed to be worried about the idea of fighting barehanded against something that was engulfed in flames. Runir and Tom, were already fighting another monster that popped out. It was a chameleon, and its slow movements weren''t very suited for an offensive assault. The knight only needed a couple of strikes, and a buff from Runir, to dispatch the monster. It quickly became apparent why this wave of the rampage was considered weaker. Instead of the half a dozen monsters that would spawn every minute, they were fighting one at a time. Being able to fight as a group instead of on their own was much less taxing. Hera and her friends kept killing the creatures that rushed towards the city. Some weren''t even able to go past the traps, giving the defenders even more time to rest. "Tom, what kind of spells do you have?" Alex asked after a giant frog fell into a spike trap. "I do not possess spells that deviate from knighthood. My sorcery is focused on strengthening myself," Thomas explained. "Right, but what kind? Do you get like harder armor or what?" Alex used her Wind Cutter once more to kill the frog that attempted to climb up from the hole. "Both, my spells are able to make my attacks true and my enemies to falter. I can also challenge a creature to duel me," Thomas said. "A forced duel? Can you give me the code? I''ll pay you," Blue asked since she was listening to the conversation. "Code? Apologies, brave fighter, but magic comes to me in a more natural way. As long as I can picture how to use it, the sorcery is formed to aid me," Thomas explained. "Oh, you use the subjective approach?" Hera was surprised by the information. It was the first time she met someone who used the same method as she did. "Ah, yes. I believe some call it that. I prefer to call an innate ability," Tom chuckled. "Can we talk about how you feel the magic later? I''m not sure if I''m doing the right thing. Maybe I can even share with you a long-range spell," Hera asked. "Of course, We can discuss the battle tactics later. Now we have a duty to fulfill," Tom cut the conversation as another monster arrived. He was right. It wasn''t time for a training session. The monsters were still a threat, and they couldn''t let a couple of easy kills to make them drop their guard. As time went by, Hera started to wonder if the monsters were getting stronger or if their power was random. The first few were either killed or injured by the traps, but then, the beasts stopped falling into the pits. Could they be getting smarter? Was that the danger of a rampage? She wanted to ask about it, but it didn''t feel like the right moment. It was too much of a distraction right now. Some of the monsters listed in the quest were a mystery to Hera. If one of them appeared, she had to be sharp, especially since the snapping turtle seemed to be a problem. The minutes went by slowly. Facing a single monster as a group was hardly exciting, and thanks to Thomas and Bolton, the fights lasted less than a minute. Blue kept trying to hit the creatures before the veterans had a chance to strike, but as she began to move closer to the traps, the group scolded her for being reckless. They had to stay before the pitfalls, not after. If they were too advanced, it was easy to be overwhelmed. "You guys are worrying too much. We are facing a single monster at a time. There is no way I''m biting more than I can chew," Blue protested. "Boundless bravery is nothing but folly. The monsters can be attacking with fewer numbers, but nothing stops those numbers from growing suddenly. During the Carpon Caves'' rampage, there were several moments when the waves of monsters grew at a moment''s notice. Many could have died if they didn''t follow the commander''s orders," Thomas spoke in a stern tone. Surprised by the unexpected seriousness, Blue gave up the idea of charging at the monsters and stayed with the rest of the group. Hera admired Thomas, Blue could be exceedingly stubborn when she wanted, but the knight could make her understand the situation quickly and without even defending her initial idea. After forty minutes, Cass and the rest of the team came from the camp to trade places. They would have twenty minutes to rest, eat, and do what they needed. After that, the wave would change once more, increasing the number of monsters that appeared at once. As the group changed, Cass walked back to show the base camp to everyone. It was just a couple of large tents spread out in the middle of the street with a small campfire in the middle, a couple of beach chairs to the side, and a large pot with some kind of stew inside it. "There are four beds, two in each tent. If you need, lie down for a moment, but be ready to come back. Try to eat something but avoid stuffing yourself. The last thing we need is someone throwing up in the middle of a fight. In the back, we have some chemical toilets if you need them. The guild delivered them after you got here. We will keep doing these turns for 8 hours. Then another team will come to swap with us. We are closing in the second hour, and the rampage is always weaker at the start," Cass explained. "How long is it going to last?" Blue asked. "We have no idea. Every morning there will be some clouds in the sky. The color of those clouds will tell us if it''s the last day or not. If they are yellow, we keep fighting. The signal for the last 24 hours is when it turns red," Cass said as she grabbed a water bottle. "Is the last day a problem?" Hera asked. "It''s a final push. The last day will be much harder than the rest. There is no wave change. The monsters just keep coming at us non-stop," Cass said before heading back to the entrance. Her group was missing a Mage since she was explaining things to everyone. "I believe I should inform you of one more thing," Thomas sat by the fire and picked a bowl of stew, "If the morning clouds turn black. That''s when we evacuate the room." 144 First Shif Blue grabbed the chameleon by the tail and spun it around before throwing it towards the vanguard. Kenny used his sword like a bat and split the creature clean in half. While that happened, Hera was focusing on her spells. The monster rampage felt like an excellent way to increase her mastery. She joined the vanguard to hit with the poison needle as soon as possible. It took her a few attempts before she found the sweet spot that would kill a monster before it reached the rest of the vanguard. If she hid, the spell would need 50 mana to become deadly enough, but the problem was not triggering the debuff. When any monster saw her, it would roar or make a noise to alert the others. When she used the spell without being hidden, it would take 75 mana to kill the monsters in time. With her passive mana recovery, it was sustainable to use one spell every four minutes. Hera made a point of not letting her mana be at maximum capacity. If her recovery were not being used, it would be a waste. "We have a lot of them incoming. Hera, fall back," Cass shouted from the ramparts. Hera moved away from the vanguard, joining Alex in the back line once more. It was the fourth large wave they faced, and the monsters seemed to be getting stronger, although they were still weaker than the regular creatures that roamed the room. "Did it work?" Alex asked as she returned from killing another crocodile. "Maybe. It''s hard to tell after just one round. I do feel like it''s getting easier to make the spell," Hera flung a fire arrow towards an incoming frog. "Weren''t you practicing the poison needle?" Alex activated the wind cutter, slashing the legs of a toad that Blue was fighting. "Yeah, but what''s the point now? We need raw damage, not something that will kill them eventually," Hera said as she blocked a pangolin from passing by her. "Ladies, focus on the monsters. Don''t get distracted. We still have 10 minutes for this wave," Cass commanded from the rampart. "Yes, Ma''am!" the duo replied and focused on the fight. It didn''t take long for them to understand the leader''s worries. The number of monsters was much more significant than it was previously. There were already 10 creatures engaged with the team, and another one would pop out of the forest every five seconds. Instead of dealing with the creatures alone, the team now fought together. The vanguard would distract them, while the back line would help them finish off the beasts. The ones with long-range spells would aim at the monsters that had yet to cross the traps, thinning their numbers for the melee combatants. Runir''s new spells were helping a lot, even with their low durations. He was mostly focused on the vanguards and the archer, but when Hera got surrounded by four frogs, she received the buff. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will of Power activated ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Attributes diverge from the necessary conditions. The following skills have been deactivated: Exponential Growth ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What?" Hera''s eyes went wide. Did she lose all her stats? Her heart started to beat faster. She was surrounded by monsters. How could she face them with her attributes at 1? A frog sent out its tongue towards her, and Hera dodged to the side. She slashed a second frog, trying to create an opening to run away, but the monsters blocked her once more. Another tongue came lashing out, only to hit her armor and be flung back by the repulsion blast. She shoved her forearm in a frog''s mouth and started to push it towards the city walls. At the same time, she kept hitting her chakram at the monster''s head. By the time she reached the wooden barrier, the frog was already dead. Hera spun around and saw the other three frogs being killed by the rest of the team and quickly opened her status. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera Kingsley -- Role: Explorer Level: 5 Stats: Strength: 19 (21) Endurance: 19 Agility: 19 Charisma: 19 Intelligence: 19 Luck: 19 Mana: 413/413 Remaining attribute points: 3 Skills: Passive: Exponential Growth (Inactive) Observe Treasure Map Handaxe Combat, Chakram Combat, Wire Trap Style Dodge, Run, Improved Stamina Mana Recovery Active: All in Inspect Hide Local Guide Weapon Maintenance Etching Role Skills: Explorer''s Assassinate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera let out a relieved sigh. Her stats were still there. Of course they were. The buff wouldn''t affect her stat distribution. It was stupid to think otherwise. That was the first time she received a buff that would change a specific attribute. It was good to know that her [All In] wasn''t affected by it. "Are you ok?" Runir asked with a worried expression. "Yeah, sorry. I had a weird notification and freaked out," Hera replied. "Are you sure? Do you need a heal?" "Nah, I''m good," she turned back to the monsters coming towards the entrance. The fight kept going, and a minute after Hera received the buff, another notification popped. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Attributes achieve the necessary conditions. The following skills have been activated: Exponential Growth ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera just waved the notification off and kept fighting. That only meant that her buff had expired. The last bit of her worry about her stats vanished with the window. Hera cut the throat of another pangolin a few moments after the buff expired. She was restricted to using spells and close-range attacks during the fight. If she used the Wire Trap style, her team could be hit by the spinning chakram. "Turtle incoming!" a voice rang from the ramparts. Hera looked towards the forest. A massive turtle, about four meters tall, had just broken through the treeline. The monster''s head was large enough to swallow a person whole. As if it was showing its power, the turtle bit a nearby tree and ripped it from the ground, throwing the trunk towards the team. The projectile met a fire spell mid-air, creating a massive explosion. The force was enough the send the blazing tree back towards the monster who just stomped in the trunk, breaking it apart. A rain of arrows and spells went towards the turtle. The entire team understood that if the beast got too close, they would be in trouble. Hera charged a poison needle with half the mana from her poison mana stone. It took a lot of time to recharge it, but it was for this type of situation that she saved the mana. The turtle kept walking even with the barrage of attacks, almost as if they were having no effect, but just as it crossed the traps, it felt to the ground, motionless. The team cheered the death of the monster, but their celebration was short-lived. The turtle''s body was now serving as a bridge for the other creatures to avoid the traps. It has been around half an hour since most of the pitfalls were filled with bodies, reducing the damage it dealt to monsters by a tenfold. Now, the creatures would only be stalled by them. Yet, those few seconds that the team was gaining were more than welcomed. With the turtle''s body there, they lost even that small edge. "Cass, how long?" Kenny tumbled away from a toad that attempted to crush it. "Five more minutes!" Cass kept flinging her spells, "Bolton, your group is resting first. Don''t hold back." "You got it, captain," the man replied as he started to move his hands, almost as if he was practicing tai chi, "May the flames block the path and keep my enemies at bay!" Bolton said, and a few moments later a large wall of fire covered the path that led to the city. The fire began just after the turtle''s corpse, reducing the area that the team could use. The monsters kept charging, but the flames destroyed most of them. The few that crossed the barrier were heavily wounded, and it took only a few attacks to finish them off. Hera looked back at Bolton, the man who had created the impressive spell. He was with both hands up and looked to be in deep concentration, not moving a muscle. A spell that large seemed to take a lot out of him. "How long can you keep it?" Cass asked from the other side of the ramparts. "If I don''t mess up. Five minutes." "Keep your ears peeled, the fire is too high, and we can''t see the other side. If the spell drops before the end, we won''t know what''s coming," Cass commanded. The tension grew during the next minutes. No one was sure if Bolton would be able to keep the spell until the end of the wave. With only 20 seconds remaining, the fire wall disappeared, and they could see another thirty monsters running towards them. Luckily, they were mostly frogs and chameleons, the easiest monsters to deal with. The monsters died, and the bodies disappeared, signaling the end of the wave. Hera''s group rushed to grab some loot and headed back to camp. They would take the first 40 minutes of rest. The group arrived at the camp, dropping the loot inside a large wooden box. Cass came with them since she was the only one who had the key for the crate. They had gotten a lot of loot already. The box was close to full with both gold and materials that dropped from the monsters. The one issue was the large jawbone that the giant snapping turtle dropped. There was no way that it could fit inside the box, so they just let it rest on top of it. "Do these materials have anything special? Or are they just like the ones we harvest normally?" Blue asked. "A bit of both, mostly ordinary materials, but we can get lucky and get something special. But the drop rate is very low. At least during the first day, the longer the rampage lasts, the better the drops become," Cass said as she waited for everyone to place the loot inside it. Blue immediately went towards one of the beds while Alex sat in one of the chairs. Everyone was tired after fighting for close to 8 hours. Thomas was the only one that still had a pep in his step, while Burton needed help even to walk around. Holding the fire wall for such a long time took more than just mana from him. He lay down in one of the beds, and before anyone was back with water, he was already sleeping. "Don''t worry. He''s just sleeping," Runir said after checking in on the mage. "I guess his spell drained his energy," Hera said. "Can that happen?" Blue''s muffled voice came from a tent. "I guess so. My relic did the same with me once. I guess spells can work like that," Hera started getting the stew ready once more. The ingredients were in a bag provided by the guild. "Let me take care of our supper, brave warrior. You have fought valiantly and deserve some rest," Tom said as he grabbed the ingredients. "How are you barely sweating?" Alex asked. "It is but a skill, one that I''m sure you also possess. My Improved Stamina is at rank 5," Tom replied. "Rank 5?! Isn''t that a lot for a year?" Runir gasped. "Mayhap my noble squire. The Rampage in the Carpon Caverns helped me increase my skill by a rank. I expect that all of you, my brethren, will have the skill increased by one or two ranks by the end of this one," Tom said. The group rested for 40 minutes. There wasn''t much talk at first, but even Bolton jolted up after a large explosion came from the entrance. When the time came, they relieved the other team so they could rest. This low wave wasn''t that much different from the first one they fought. Monsters would come in a single file, and the team could deal with them with ease. After fifteen minutes, Cass arrived with another 18 people who came to relieve the team. Their shift was over. Now they could head back to the guild and rest. They headed back, carrying all the loot that they had gathered. Hera was excited to see Helena. It felt like a week since the two had seen each other. 145 Research Results "Hey, is everything ok?" "Yeah, just wondering if you need any help." "Don''t worry, girl, everything is fine. We gave the chest to the guild, and we''ll have the full list soon. When we get it, I''ll call the team, and we can see what we want to do," Cass said as the other people around her kept staring at Hera. "Ok, sorry to disturb you. Call me if you need anything," Hera quickly replied and left her team leader. The way people stared at her made it seem like she was interrupting something important. Unsure what to do, Hera checked the shower line. It was still at 17. With a sigh, she started looking for Helena. It didn''t take long to find her. She was working with the clerks to organize everything and setting up the supply chain around the city. When Helena saw Hera, her eyes went wide for a moment. Her assistant was covered in dried blood and sweet. Helena clenched her fist, trying to compose herself before talking, "Hey, sweetie. How was your first day?" Hera noticed how Helena''s voice cracked as she spoke. And the way she greeted her felt more professional than personal. "Hey, Lena. It was fine. I got few bruises, but Runir and Mika, the healers, were able to help. I''m going to take a shower. Then I''ll head to the infirmary for a checkup." "That''s good. That''s good. And did you have fun?" Helena glanced at Hera but kept working. "I wouldn''t say fun. But it was good. I managed to practice some of my spells. We had to fight a five-meter tall snapping turtle, and the ones that hit me were mostly frogs. Oh, I completely forgot to use the affinity sight, sorry." Helena flinched slightly when Hera talked about the turtle but returned to her regular expression in an instant, "Not so loud, sweetie. That is still a secret. If you can use it, it would be great, but focus on surviving, ok." Hera felt like Helena was odd. Maybe she was scared that she was in a place where a rampage was going on with no magic to help her, "Lena, do you need to talk?" "I''m fine, sweetie. There is just a lot of work to be done," Helena looked around and waved to someone, "Sorry, but I have to run. We''ll talk later, ok," she rushed off before Hera could reply. As she walked to the back of the line, Hera saw Alex, Blue, and the rest of the team waiting to get a checkup. They greeted each other, but Hera had to stay in the end. In less than twenty minutes, it was her turn. She had a few cuts and bruised, but a quick heal from the on-call healers was more than enough to patch her up. As she left, Hera met Blue and the other members of the team. They talked about the fight and looked for a place to rest. Sometime later, Hera already had taken her shower, and the group headed to a large hall that was being used as a cafeteria. They started to eat, but Hera kept searching for Helena. She was worried that the mage was overworking too much. After eating, Hera left the group before going to the training room that was being used as a dormitory. Asking around, she found out that Helena was in one of the laboratories that the guild had. It didn''t take long for her to find the right room and knock on the door. "Lena, are you there?" A moment passed before Helena opened the door, "Hey sweetie, is everything ok?" Hera nodded, "Yeah. I''m worried about you. Weren''t you going to eat with us?" "Oh, right. Sorry, I''m kind of busy right now. We can talk later, ok?" Helena tried to close the door, but Hera stopped her. "Lena. What is going on? You are really weird today." "I''m fin..." Helena started but was quickly cut off. "No, you are not. You can say when something is wrong, Lena." Helena stared at Hera for a moment before letting out a long sigh, "I hate when you use my words against me, you know that?" "I do. That''s why I''m saying it right now." Helena moved away from the door to allow Hera to enter. She paced around the lab for a moment while the explorer looked at equipment. There were several types of scanners, as well as flasks and some chemical compounds all over the room, and a bag with several rocks and the pangolin scales that Hera had brought was lying on the table. She wanted to ask about what Helena had found, but she was still pacing, restless. "If you keep walking like that, we are going to have to pay for a new floor for the guild," Hera said. "Well, what do you expect me to do?" Helena stopped to face Hera. "Talk to me." "Talk about what? How about how I''m taking advantage of you because I know you feel like you owe me something? Or maybe how I almost got you killed for some stupid research. Even better, how about how you came here and are putting yourself in harm''s way for me one more time?" Helena snapped. Hera saw her raise her voice for the first time. "Lena..." "Don''t you Lena me, and don''t you dare tell me I''m wrong. If it weren''t for me, the wendigo wouldn''t have found you. Hell, the damn thing maybe wouldn''t even be around, and the people in the wall could still be alive. How the hell am I supposed to face Quinn or your friends after putting you through all that? How am I supposed to face you?" Helena''s eyes started to water. Hera got up and hugged Helena. "Hera, stop," Helena tried to push Hera away, but the explorer wouldn''t let go. "Lena, what happened to me wasn''t your fault. And no one is blaming you for the wall. If you weren''t there, the guild would still manage to break it," Hera said. "Oh, please. Fine, the guild would do that, but if it weren''t for me, you would..." Hera cut her off quickly, "If it weren''t for you, I would find a way to be in an even worse place. Maybe I would be in the middle of the forest while the rampage was going on, Or I wouldn''t have the camping gear, and the Panther would eat me alive in the middle of the night." "You still wouldn''t be here," Helena said, still holding her arms to the side, not hugging Hera back. "Yeah, I would. This is a great way to make money and to train skills. I never knew this type of thing happened. Besides, I have a silver card. I have to be a good example." "What do you mean you never knew? This is part of the basic training," Helena said. "Well, I never heard about it. Not that I remember, at least." "Dammit, Calvin," Helena sighed. "Yeah, he was better at teaching combat than... well, everything else." "You can say that again," Helena paused and put her arms around Hera, "I''m sorry for letting you get hurt." "You are not letting me get hurt. It''s part of the job," Hera said. Helena took a deep breath, "I don''t want to lose a friend again." "So help me get stronger. Strong enough so that nothing can kill me," Hera replied. "You say like that''s easy," Helena chuckled. "Well, for a genius mage, it can be." "Genius. Yeah, right," Helena rolled her eyes. The two stayed like that for some time. Hera could feel Helena trembling in her arms. She must have been dealing with some of that for a long time. Hera felt ashamed. How could she have been so oblivious to Helena''s feelings? She had to get out of her own head and be more conscious of the people around her. Helena let go of the hug and wiped away her tears. "I''m supposed to be the grown-up here. You know that, right?" Helena said. "That doesn''t mean you can''t be scared. Just promise you''ll talk to me, ok. I''m not doing anything just for you. I needed a goal, and you gave me one. Everything I''m doing I''m thinking about it first, ok? The rampage is on the first layer, so we obviously can take it. The MAZE might be ruthless, but it is always fair, wasn''t that part of the training?" "Well.. yeah, but as you said, it still is ruthless. You need to be careful." "Will do," Hera said. She stared at Helena for a moment, wanting to ask about the friend she had lost, but it felt like a bad moment to do so. She looked back to the table, "So, did you find anything interesting?" "I actually did. The rocks can be used to focus your mana. If you grab the fire stone and pass your mana through it enough times, your own mana can start turning into fire mana," Helena walked towards the table. "Wasn''t changing your mana something that only mages could do?" Hera asked. "Not quite. Most roles can have 20% of their total mana as elemental mana, but that doesn''t lock. So you can keep using fire mana and one day change it to ice. It''s just much harder to use that specific mana, while for mages and explorers with the mage skill, the system just does it for you," Helena grabbed a few rocks and put them in a row. "And how is that different from a mana stone? I have the poison one on me. Can''t I just use that to make poison mana?" Hera walked closer to the table. "Nope, mana stones take mana to change it into something else. These rocks make the mana you pass through them change. If you want, I can teach you how to focus on the type of mana you want, and we can try to figure out the type of mana you have. It will probably be poison," Helena started to look for a specific rock. "Sure, just promise you are going to eat after this," Hera sat on a chair by the desk. "I promise," Helena said while she was setting everything up. "Lena, can I ask you a question about the rampage?" "Sure, shoot." "What happens if the clouds turn black? Thomas, Runir''s friend, said that we should evacuate, but even he wasn''t very sure why." "Oh, when the clouds go black, it means that something from another room came here. Not like people, but monsters or even a dungeon. Most people don''t even know about that because it''s so rare, and it already happened in Brinefront. No one knows if it can happen multiple times in the same room. We are probably ok, but... if that happens, we are all running to the doorway." Hera nodded and kept watching Helena work. After a few moments, she asked one more question, "Lena, if you were that worried about me. Why did you stay in the room when the rampage started? I know they block the doorways so the monsters won''t cross over, but they give some time for people who don''t want to be here. Don''t they?" Helena stopped moving the rocks and kept staring at the table, "I... was busy." "Didn''t you get the message on the tablet? I know you like to listen to music during the research, but the notification makes some noise." "Not in that... I was in the bathroom. When I finally got out, they had already closed the doorways." "You didn''t leave because you were taking a dump?" "I had spicy food for lunch, ok?" Helena gasped while Hera started laughing. 146 Day 2 We told them not to make a sound the streets were covered in red dye That''s what we told them Beneath our bodies rumbled the ground as we looked up to the black sky Our movements stopped when we saw the hound in silence, I pray Why didn''t we ran away? Excerpt from Victims of the Black Cloud (adapted) - 1236 _______________________________________ Hera spent a few hours with Helena in the lab, learning how to pull specific parts of her mana to a spell. She had some trouble trying to find the mana, and it was even more challenging to fuel a spell with that specific mana. Yet, the biggest issue was Helena trying to teach it. Since she was a mage, she never had to worry about manually separating the mana, so all her knowledge was secondhand. Yet by the time the two headed towards the dormitory, Hera was able to grasp the concept of the skill. It was far from being useful in an actual fight, but during the slow waves, Hera could practice that and see the difference in effect. According to the tests, 10% of Hera''s mana had converted to poison, 4% to whatever element her pulse spell was, and 2% to light. With this amount of mana, she could use one poison needle with pure poison mana. And a few pulses. When using the right kind of mana, the spells seemed to be strengthened. She wasn''t sure what the poison needle would do since she didn''t have a target to test it on, but using the 10 points of specific mana for the pulse spell made the range increase by 20%, to 12 meters. If the poison needle would work the same way, the damage it would deal was much higher than when using her regular mana. It should match to when she used the poison mana crystal to fuel her spells. Another thing that Helena showed Hera were the scales that she had brought. Each of them could increase the power of spells that matched its element, and since the affinity sight spell allowed them to see the element that the scale had, they could actually use it. During her tests, Helena gathered that the scales could increase the power of a spell by 7 to 14%, and they were able to withstand around 500 to 1000 mana passing through them. The crystal one still required more testing. Helena managed to use a spell with close to double its strength, but the next few attempts gave underwhelming results, even weakening the spell''s power. Helena ended up sharing the room with Hera, Blue, and the other women of their team. They had a spare bed, and no one wanted to be alone in a group with strangers. Because of that, they would change the teams a bit. Besides teams A through H, they had two backup units, with fewer people than the rest who would keep patrolling the areas and helping any team with some issues. Now they would have only a single group as backup, but the unit would have more members. They were also responsible for taking care of any stragglers that attempted to break the walls instead of going through the entrances. Team H1 wouldn''t see any changes. They were able to hold back the waves without relying on anyone else. "How many people are fighting here? In this room, I mean," Hera asked. "Well, we have around 450 that will fight, plus the 50 people manning the guild. My guess is close to double that in Brinefront, so maybe, 2 000 to 2 500. The outposts near dungeons will have a much easier time defending. The rampage is attracted by big settlements. The one near the frog valley should have maybe 250 people, if that, and it will be more than enough. There is one to the west that is more of a campground with a single store. That one will need like 100 people at most," Cass explained. "Oh, so there are people from the MAZE there?" Blue asked. "That too, but some people just want to live close to home. I know a guy that is staying there because he fell in love with a civilian. It''s actually a cute story how they..." the women kept talking during a large part of the night. The set up made Hera feel like she was traveling with her friends from the school, and the mood felt just like it. No one seemed to be very worried about the situation, and that gave her some comfort, even if she had to stay alert so nothing would go wrong. In the morning, while they were eating breakfast. One of the clerks sent the list of items they had gotten during the defense. There were several materials, including a hefty price of 100 gold for the turtle jawbone. But none of them had any unique properties. Still, for the first day, they got 12 000 gold to split between the team. Cass said that all the earnings would be divided equally, and if someone wanted a material, they could pay the same price that the guild was giving them. No one was interested in the materials, so they all got 800 gold just for the first day. According to Thomas, if this lasted for another week, they would easily get more from the loot than from the rewards. Before leaving, Helena gave Hera, Blue, and Alex a pangolins scale for their elements. Lightning for Blue, Wind for Alex, and Poison for Hera. She explained how to use the scales and asked them to use it only when needed since there was a limit on how much they could do before being burned out. Before thanking Helena, Hera said that maybe someone had found some scales as a drop. If so, they could buy and have more materials for the research. The second day of fighting was close to a repeat of the first one. The monsters were somewhat stronger, but only by the last wave did they feel like regular monsters from the room. They fought two of the snapping turtles this time, but neither of them was able to even reach the vanguard. The entire shift felt much less taxing than the previous one. Yet, by the end of the day, Hera managed to rank up one of her skills. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Improved Stamina (Rank 2): Increases the stamina of the user as well as its regeneration. The effect moderately increases when the user is less active or more relaxed. The effect has a minor increase when standing still. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Oh, is that why Tom stays still when there is no monster around?" Hera said to herself. "Have you called upon me, noble explorer?" Tom walked closer to her while they headed back to the guild. "Yeah. My Improved Stamina increased rank. I just saw that if I stand still, I can recover a bit." "Ah, yes. The skill that increases our fighting spirit. You are correct. The more it grows, the easier it gets for you to rest. Yet, we carry a heavy burden on our shoulders. For all our skills, make us even more tired as we grow. If not for the recovery granted by it, I would fail to use my gallant moves more than a few times," Tom explained. "I see. When our other skills get stronger, they also become more taxing to use. Good to know, thanks. I had no idea that the other skills would become even more tiresome," Hera smiled as they walked through the empty streets. If that wasn''t enough to give an eerie feeling to the town, the noise that came from the teams made it seem like they were hiding in the middle of a war. The roar of beasts was constant even as they got closer to the guild. Looking around, as Hera could see the light and sparks created by large spells, she couldn''t help but worry. Were they really safe in here? Could a black cloud appear? Or a wendigo? She shrugged those thoughts away and focused on her current plans. She wanted a shower again and to eat something other than stew, maybe some chocolate. Hera grabbed her number for the shower. Today she was at 65, so it would take even longer for her turn. Dropping by the infirmary, she saw another five people in rough states. No one was as bad as the man from the first day, but they still seemed to be out of the fight. Hera had a large cut on the back of her hand. Because of that, they placed a couple of adhesive stitches, and she had a twenty-minute session with a healer just to be sure the pain wouldn''t be a problem during the next day. The adhesive helped keep the wound closed while the healer triggered an accelerated recovery. By the end of it, Hera only felt a slight discomfort in some movements, but holding her handaxe wasn''t among them. Being all patched up, Hera went for the room they were using, but someone else had already taken their beds. Since there weren''t enough rooms for everyone, it was on a first-come, first-served basis. Worst-case scenario, they could head to one of the gyms and use the tents in there. Luckily, Cass predicted that they might have some trouble and sent Martel, who usually worked as a scout, and Tisha, the archer, ahead. Thanks to that, the group was still able to get a single room for the team, although Helena wouldn''t be able to join them by the number of beds. That wasn''t much of an issue since she had a shared bedroom with the people working in the guild to maintain everything working. The team ate and discussed some strategies for the next day. After that, everyone started to do some maintenance on their equipment. Hera went to do so in Helena''s lab. That way, they could keep working together on the research. Even if Hera was more or less a guinea pig, it was still worth it. She could feel her control of magic getting better, and if by the end, she found out a new skill. It was all the better. "Lena, how do you make a mana reinforcement with an element?" Hera asked as she was sharpening her handaxe. "There are two ways, one simple, one complicated. The simple one is to pull the type of mana you want for the spell. Of course, that only works if part of your mana is from an element. The complicated one is to finish the spell and then change all the mana inside it to the element you want," Helena replied without looking away from the rocks. She would place each of them atop a solution and wait for the reaction before making notes on her tablet. "Ok... I don''t think I have enough elemental mana to make the spell for too long, so how do I change the mana inside it?" Helena stopped moving and looked at Hera, "Sorry, I really don''t know." "Oh, the perks of being a mage. Not even having to worry about such mundane things," Hera made an overly dramatic gesture, teasing Helena. "Hey! It''s not like that, you know. I know how I do it. There is a long equation to change one type of mana into another. I just don''t know how you should do it." "Oh, right. Sorry, I forget that I''m the weird one that sees magic as a result and not a bunch of numbers," Hera scoffed. "Yeah, if you used math, I could teach you so much. But now I have to keep asking around for ideas on how to help you, and honestly, most of the time, they don''t make a lick of sense," Helena got up and walked to the side, where she had a bottle of water. "Wait, is that why you told me to figure things out myself with the mana reinforcement?" Hera asked. "Yeah, I have no idea what the tips other mages gave me meant. So I took the most basic advice and passed along. What the hell does ''wrap the weapon in a cozy mana blanket'' means?" Helena scoffed. "I agree. It''s more like placing the weapon inside a mana cast," Hera said. "See, right there. If I heard someone talking like that, I would have them committed," Helena said. The two kept working while Hera kept trying to make her Mana reinforcement have poison mana. When it became late, they headed out going to their bedrooms, and soon the time for Hera''s third shift had arrived. 147 New Concep During their first break, Hera tried once more to activate the mana reinforcement with poison mana, using the poison mana crystal. With a couple of tries, she managed to activate the spell. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell acquired Mana Reinforcement - Poison Rank: Beginner By coating an item with mana, you can increase its properties. Controlling the mana allows you to focus on the increase of the desired property. The poison mana can seep into the target, damaging it from the inside. Otherwise, the mana can corrode the area where it hit, reducing the target''s defense. The size of the object can affect the cost. Base offensive increase: 7% Base defensive increase: 17% Base corrosion: 5% These values double if the target is weak against poison. Base mana cost: 100 mana per second ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What?" Hera gasped while reading about the spell. The mana cost was too high. She could only keep the spell up for 4 seconds with her mana. Hera tried to use the poison mana from the mana crystal, and the cost was reduced to 50 mana per second. It was much more cost effective but still too pricy to cast. If she could use her own mana, it would be even better, since to charge the crystal, she had to spend 50% more mana than it could store. On the third wave, a glow covered Alex after she killed a giant orange newt. It was a well know glow, showing that she had just leveled up. Now Blue was the one with the lowest level in the team. The controller kept grumbling about how it wasn''t fair, but that didn''t stop her from fighting. Now she had one more reason to push even harder. With a growl, the pangolin tried to headbutt her but missed as Hera sidestepped. She took a couple of swings at its back, but the scales were too strong to break with her handaxe. Hera activated the Mana Reinforcement and struck again, creating a large gash on the creature''s armor. The attack wasn''t enough to be deadly or even pierce the scales completely, but it was enough to make it angry. The pangolin jumped away and started to shake. Scales fell from its body and began to rotate around it, creating what looked like a moveable barrier. Hera tried to attack once more, but the rotating scales blocked her advances. Getting closer, she noticed that the armor around the pangolin wasn''t missing a single piece, and the barrier was almost translucent. The barrier seemed to have a life of its own every time Hera moved towards the monster. It would shift to block her attacks. "Hera, are you ok?" Runir asked from the back. "I''m fine. This one is just annoying," she replied. "Hang on. I''ll help you," Alex shouted from the other side of the road. "No need. I got this," Hera replied without taking her eyes out of the pangolin. She sent a poison needle towards it, and as the monster dodged to the side, Hera aimed a slash at its legs. The attack created a large cut on the beast. As a reply, the scales flew towards her, hitting part of her armor and making a cut on her face. "Tsk," Hera clicked her tongue. The scales were already annoying when they were just a defense measure, but they could attack too? She had to kill this monster quickly. To the side, Thomas watched the fight. Blue and Kenny were able to hold down the entrance on their own against the small number of monsters that came. He saw Alex, who finished her fight, move towards Hera, but stopped her. "This seems like a foe she wants to fight by herself. We should honor their duel," he said to the assassin. Alex looked at Hera, and it was true. It took only a look at her face to see how focused she was. There was also a smile on her face, "Fine, but I''m staying put. The second she seems in danger, I''m jumping in." "Very well. I leave her in your capable hands. Oh, brave soldier. Fear not, for no beast shall disturb their bout," Tom said as he joined Blue at the front. Alex kept watching. She wanted to understand why that creature had triggered such a reaction from her friend. Hera moved to the side, trying to hit the pangolin flank once more. Yet, the floating scales were in the way. How do those things move? Could it be mana, or was it something else? She triggered her Affinity Sight in hopes of getting a glimpse of what was actually going on. Her vision didn''t change, and nothing was connecting the scales with the body. Or maybe it was too far for her to see. Hera rushed at the monster, trying to get as close as possible from the floating scales. The monster didn''t let the opportunity pass and tried to hit Hera with its tail. She blocked it with her skirt and leg as the repulsion blast was triggered. The scales moved to attack once more, getting in a spear-like formation as they moved to slash her. Hera raised her handaxe to block, but the impact made part of the scales to detach themselves and keep going. The five projectiles that hit her chest were heavy, almost like being hit point-blank by a paintball. Hera had to take a moment to catch her breath as the pangolin went forward to headbutt her. Hera failed to see the attack coming and fell backward with the impact. As she hit the ground, the creature kept running past her. Alex jumped to the fight when Hera got hit by the scales and was already on top of the pangolin as it tried to reach the city. The scales proved to be an issue even for her, and the two fell to the side, tumbling on the ground before Alex managed to toss it back towards Hera. The pangolin felt cornered. One human was already a problem, but now there were two. It shook its body, making even more scales fall, this time showing large gaps on its plate. Alex attacked with her cutting wind, while Hera grabbed her chakram and tossed under it. When the creature passed by her head, she saw small strands of mana connecting the scales with the body. If her idea was right, she could do the same with her chakram. When she threw her weapon, Hera kept Yarnball''s thread on her hand, trying to cover it with mana. As the chakram got under the pangolin, Hera tried to pull back the mana, hoping that the motion would be enough to send her blade up. The chakram hit the creature''s belly and bounced off. The attack was far from being strong enough to cut the beast''s hide, but it was enough to give an opening for Alex, who stabbed the monster''s jaw, killing it at once. "Are you ok?" she asked. "I''m great!" Hera replied with a huge smile. It had worked. Now she could control her chakram using her mana! She pulled her weapon back and threw it to the other side, away from the fight, doing the same thing she had done before as she pulled the mana towards her to make her chakram go up. There was a moment where Hera just kept staring at the chakram on the ground with a large smile. But as the seconds went by, her face turned into a frown. Why was it not working? "Did you hit your head or something? Or is there a monster over there?" Alex asked. "No... I was just... trying to move the chakram," Hera said. "But you are not touching it," Alex replied. Hera had even let go of the thread. "I mean, with my mana." "Either way, we don''t have time for that right now. The monsters are coming," Alex pointed to the treeline that was illuminated by the floodlights. There were a set of four newts coming towards them. "Right, sorry I got caught up in this," Hera replied as she turned around and threw her poison needles. "It''s okay. I got you," Alex winked at Hera and prepared her wind cutter. As they focused on the attack, the rest of the shift went by quickly. To Hera, that was a good thing. She wanted to practice moving the chakram with her mana. It was such a simple concept, and she was amazed by how she didn''t think of it before. Moving back to the guild, the entire vanguard went straight to the infirmary. They all got hit a few times, and it was better to be safe than sorry. Hera had some large purple bruise on her chest and arm, the places where the scales hit her. There was also a cut on her face and several smaller bruises covering her body. Kenny scolded her when she had to stay for a long time to get treated. She was too reckless during the fights. If it weren''t for the armor, she would be in a much worse shape. According to him, Hera got greedy several times, being hit by attacks that she could have avoided. She listened to the complaints in silence. Kenny was right. In hindsight, many of her fights today were unnecessarily taxing. She wasn''t being smart and kept rushing towards the monsters as they crossed the traps. Her armor made her rash. Not feeling the impact as much impaired her judgment. Just because she had a strong protection, it didn''t mean that she could stop caring about being hit. Her armor should be the last line of defense, not the first one. Since they rushed to the infirmary, the team was able to get only a single of the training rooms to sleep. The men would need to sleep in tents. The situation still felt weird to Hera. They had specific times to sleep and had to wait for the previous group to leave the dormitories before going there. To get a room they had to talk to one of the clerks and they would see which room was available. Considering that every team had a different number of people, Hera imagined that assigning rooms for all the teams could be a lot of work, and considering that there were a lot of things to do, the staff didn''t have time to make those arrangements. Still, they had 4 hours before ''bedtime'' and then another 4 hours to get ready for their next shift. It was the third day, but spirits were still high. No one seemed worried about the waves or the fighting. In total, only seven people were out of commission from all teams and shifts, and they were either new recruits or people who were not used to fight. They were also getting a significant amount of money from the materials. The second day net each member of the team 1 100 gold, and the third day 1 300. It was over 1 000 gold a day. Sure, it was the same as the 1 000 she would get if she were hunting frogs and selling them to Mond. But here, she could train her skills, increase her combat experience, and work in a team instead of alone. Hera left the shower and started to look for Helena. She wanted to talk about the new idea she had. There was a commotion coming from the main hall. People were speaking loudly while others shushed them. The large screens in the lobby all had the same image, and the audio was transmitted through the speaker system. A tall, muscular blonde woman was in front of a podium with the symbol of the guild. "I will keep this brief. After the assault on the wall, we faced a threat like no other, and we were not ready for it. I''m not going to talk about what I could or should have done. The loss we suffered by the wendigos were my fault. Because of that, I''m stepping down as chairperson of the guild." Leliana took a step to the side and kept talking while leaving a space in front of the podium, and spoke in a bland tone, "Please welcome our next leader and the man who will bring the guild to the future, Romeo Ballester." 148 Changes "Hello everyone, I''m Romeo Ballester. First of all. I want to thank Leliana Mihafrey for her years of service as the leader of the guild. She has done commendable work during all the time acting as chairperson. Even when facing an unimaginable situation, she not only rose to the occasion but even surpassed all of our expectations. It''s with a sad heart that I..." As his speech kept going, Alex called Hera to join her, Helena, and the rest of the team. They were all sitting on the side, watching the announcement. "Hey, sweetie. Did you miss much?" Helena asked. "I got here around the time Leliana was stepping down." "Oh, so just the pre-show," Cass joked. "Yeah, I remember that she said she would step down after dealing with the Wendigos. Is that over?" Hera asked. "Yeah, the predictions were that it would take around six months to deal with all the monsters from the room we know. Leliana managed to hunt them all down in less than half that time. I don''t know why she is stepping down," Kenny said. Some people were shushing the group, and they stopped talking. The image was still the same, with Romeo doing his speech. Leliana was also in the frame, while the new chairman kept singing praises for his predecessor. Some of his stories were moving, while others seemed more like those of a fan meeting his idol. "... if that is not proof that even the strongest of us is powerless against the power of the Boba drink, I don''t know that is," he laughed. Having him in charge might be interesting, although Hera wasn''t sure what the chairman could do. Every time she saw Leliana, she had this imposing presence that seemed like a mountain that would never move. Romeo, on the other hand, seemed open and almost... jolly. "When his beard turns white, the only thing missing will be the hat," Hera''s loud though gained some laughs from the people around her. "Now. As an organization, I understand that we have a long tradition, and I intend to uphold it with all my strength. At the same time, some of our rules must be revised and updated. Much like the laws from the middle ages were changed as society became more civilized. But now is not the moment for that. I understand that a great number of people won''t care too much about what I have to say and will just read the summarized version that the press will put out. And that is 100% fine by me. In all honesty, there were several of those announcements that I completely ignored the video and just read what I wanted. I just need to be careful not to skim email anymore. Last time I got the dates confused and almost missed the vote for this position," Romeo laughed. "Can we count on him to lead us?" Tisha asked. "Who cares who the boss is? Nothing that the guild ever did actually affected us. In five years, the first thing that could affect me was the Wendigo that Hera fought," Bolton snickered. "Oh, right! You were the one. I knew I had seen you somewhere. How was the fight?" Martel asked Hera, only to be shushed by the people around them. "We''ll talk later," Hera replied quietly before focusing on the screen once more. There was a small ceremony where Leliana passed the leadership to Romeo. She picked a banner with the guild''s symbol engraved in a flag and passed on to him as a gesture of transferring the position. Then he walked to the side and made an oath in front of a stained glass portrait of the three heroes. Placing the standard to the side, Romeo picked a pair of chairs and put them in the frame under the three heroes. "Is it good here?" he asked someone off-camera, "two more steps? Ok, what about that one? Ok, hang on." "Mr. Ballester, we have people to do that," a quiet voice came from behind the camera. "Oh right, now I have people to do this kind of thing, right? Sorry, I''m not used to it. What''s done is done. Are we good?" Romeo looked around and sat on the right chair with a satisfied smile, "Very well. Now, if you rather wait for the overview, please don''t stick around and come back in like a couple of hours. I''m sure we will be done by then. For those who like watching the videos, we have today one of the best reporters from the guild and someone I''m a fan of. Miss Becca Swan," he clapped and got up the chair to shake her hand while Becca walked into the frame. She wore a red and green outfit with golden details that made it impossible not to compare with the stained glass in the back. "Mr. Ballester, thank you for inviting me. It''s not often that my scoops reach out to me," she sat on the opposite chair. The scene felt far from a serious interview. It looked like more of a talk show than anything else. They started talking about Romeo''s origins and how he climbed the ranks of the guild. Most people were uninterested in that, and the mood in the hall changed. A few even got up and left. Team H stayed around while Hera divided her attention between the talking about the wendigo fight and the interview. "Let''s get into the main topic. What are your plans for the future of the guild?" Becca asked. "Well, I have a few ideas, for starters. I''m reaching out to the new dawn group so we can upgrade our facilities throughout the MAZE. With the Wendigos appearing in all layers, we need some way to contact help at any point. The towers we use are good, but with a little investment, the New Daw can make them have a much larger coverage. I''ve been in talks with a few of scientists, and they showed me some fantastic things. One tower can cover over 300 kilometers, even in mana rich environments," Romeo said. "This is unusual. I''m sure you are aware that the New Dawn is not well seen by the majority of explorers. Why reach out for a partnership with them?" Becca had a serious expression. She seemed to be among the ones that had issues with the New Dawn. "I understand your point. Many explorers feel that New Dawn has predatory tendencies. But let me ask you this. Have we ever given them a chance to be different?" Romeo stared at Becca for a few moments. Even the people in the great hall around Hera were silent. "I''m not old enough to say," Becca finally answered. "Well, I am. And I''m sure many others can say that they remember when the New Dawn wasn''t a thing. Not like today, at least. Ever since day one, no one gave New Dawn a fair chance. We were all too set in our ways to allow for a new corporation to be a sponsor. People took jobs from them, got funded, and then sold the results to the highest bidder. New Dawn couldn''t do much since they were still a small fish in the middle of the ocean. We ended up abusing them, and well. That tiny baby company grew up to abuse others. I''m not saying to forgive and forget everything, just to give everyone a chance to make things right. Besides, they have some spectacular advances in electronics, farming, and magic engineering. I see an alliance as a major benefit." Becca replied with a cold smile, "Forgive me for saying this, Mr. Ballester, but it seems like you are giving some free advertisement for them. If I dig into your finances will I find any money trail connecting you and the New Dawn?" "Yeah, there are a few. I had to make a few donations to get in touch with the scientists. Some galas and fundraisers, stuff like that. But I don''t make any money from them if that''s what you''re suggesting. I genuinely believe in their values," Romeo replied without missing a beat. "Where does that belief comes from? Or is it just from the goodness of your heart?" Becca pressed. "Oh, not at all. I''m not that naive. I''ll try to keep it short. As a child, I lived in a small city in Spain. One day, a landslide destroyed most of the town and buried my family and me. We only had food and water for five days, and on the second day, I hear my father saying that if by the fourth day there was no sign of help, he would make the ultimate sacrifice so that my mother and I could have a better chance. The next day we were rescued by people from the New Dawn. They came to negotiate lands for a few farms, but when they saw what happened stopped to help. The New Dawn helped us rebuild the city and even paid more than they should for the lands they wanted. It wasn''t for the current produce they were making now. They needed the place to test sustainable practices, fertilizer, and mana based farming techniques. And I know what you are going to say, ''they caused the landslide.'' No, they didn''t. There was an earthquake in the middle of a storm. As far as I''m aware, no one can make either of those things. Not on the scale that happened. The storm covered most of western Spain, and the earthquake was felt for almost 100 kilometers," Romeo explained. Becca nodded and changed her demeanor, "I see, and I understand your point of view. Still, it will take some time for others to see that," she was already setting up an article about his finances on her mind. If Romeo Ballester would receive a single gold from the New Dawn because of this, Becca would find out. "I''m fully aware of that. I don''t intend to push everything at once. We will do some testing and see if everyone is up for it. And, of course, the contract will be conditional. The New Dawn will have to respect our way of working. But that is something for the future. There are other changes that I intend to make sooner," Romeo shifted on the chair, placing one leg on top of the other. Becca smiled after Romeo''s pause, "You can''t say something like that and stop talking. What are the changes?" "I intend to share the information we have about the MAZE and what happens inside to civilians. Basically, I''m lifting the ban on information sharing effectively immediately." People started talking around Hera. "So we can start posting things from inside here?" "What? Are you going to be an influencer now?" "I got suspended for posting a picture I took inside here, and now they are letting it go? That''s bullshit!" "Now I can show my niece the monsters we see here." "Great parenting, bro. You''ll give her nightmares for life." There was another wave of shushing as the interview was still going. "That... is big. Although, as a journalist, I like the idea of sharing as much information as possible. What''s the reason for this?" Becca asked. "We spend too much time and resources trying to hide what we do here, and for what? So people won''t get scared? All the governments of the world already see us as a potential threat, and keeping everything hidden will only increase the suspicion. If we share what we can, they will have less reason to suspect us. Besides, it will be nice to talk about other races outside without people staring at you like you are crazy. Also, the guild is fully aware that people still find ways of sharing information about the MAZE. Instead of working towards silencing them, is easier, and cheaper, to just destroy their demand." "You mentioned resources. Is the guild having financial troubles?" Becca asked. "What? Oh no, not at all. I mean, I don''t think so. None of the preliminary reports I have access to say anything about it. If there are any issues, I''ll let you know in our next interview," Romeo scratched his head while thinking, "When I say resources, I mean people. With the wendigos appearing in all layers, we need to have more eyes in the rooms. Most people that have those jobs are high level, and I rather have them in rooms than sitting behind desks. Of course, if they don''t want to we''ll find other places for them to work. That also ties in with my other immediate change." Romeo paused once more, enjoying the tension, "I''m removing the stat restriction for new recruits." As the words came out of his mouth, the great hall roared in questions. "Wasn''t that supposed to be for protection?" "What the hell? How can we work here if people start flooding in?" Hera kept staring at the screen. Was that why Becca asked about the restriction? 149 Unfair "What?" Hera snapped out of her daze. "Are you ok, sweetie?" "I... I think so," she replied, still staring at the screen. How was that fair? She spent years trying to become an explorer, studying, making money, participating in contests, and now, everyone would be able to join? Hera could feel her heart beating faster and a buzzing noise in her ear. Wasn''t the raffle an apology from the system? That was the only little thing that made her special, and now everyone would be just like her. Becca was also taken aback by the statement. It took a few seconds for her to compose herself and follow it up, "I''m sorry, Mr. Ballestar, but can you repeat that. You are removing the restriction? So everyone will be able to become an explorer, even if they have bad attributes?" "Oh, no, sorry. English is not my first language. I don''t mean everyone. I meant that..." Romeo started to snap his finger while trying to find the right word, "Lessen, that was the word. I intend to lessen the attribute requirements. The ultimate goal is to allow anyone to become an explorer, but for now, that''s just a dream." "We are going to need a bit more than that," Becca smiled, "What exactly is your plan?" "Why now? Why make the change now that we have a more serious situation with the wendigos?" Becca asked. "It might seem ruthless of me, but it is precisely because of this situation. We need more eyes in the MAZE. There are places where no one goes for months, maybe even years. We can''t have that anymore, not if a wendigo could be hiding there. The guild set up quests across all the rooms to patrol every nook and cranny of the MAZE. And we don''t have the workforce to do that in a reasonable frequency," Romeo''s eyes avoided both the camera and Becca. He spoke while staring at the ground the entire time. "The entire point of the restriction is to avoid unnecessary deaths. Are you going back on that sentiment?" Becca was staring at Romeo with cold eyes. Her question was on most of the viewers'' minds. They knew how the MAZE could be dangerous. How could someone expect to face that if they didn''t have the right attributes? Especially if someone had less than 10 points in a single stat, the debuff would be ruthless. Hera clenched her fists. He was using her as an excuse to change the rules. Wasn''t that an even bigger slap on the face? And the events he talked about, none of them were useful, none of them gave her any hope of becoming an explorer, they were just how to be a better civilian using mana crystals and MAZE materials. He even talks like there were many. There were only three in the five years since she got her stats checked for the first time. Hera could feel tears forming in her eyes. "So what will they do?" Becca asked. "Whatever they want. We won''t policy them that closely. The only caveat will be that before they get the clear from who is in charge of them, they can''t leave the city without supervision. But after that, we can increase the number of explorers that we have. There is so much for us to find. Having people searching the rooms will allow us to see more rooms, more treasures, more skills, more legacies, just more," this time, Romeo looked into Becca''s eyes. Helena took Hera''s hand, "Sweetie?" Hera snapped her neck towards her, tears rushing through her face. "Are you crying?" Kenny asked. "She just changed the world, of course, she is," Cass said. Helena got up and pulled Hera by the arm, "Come with me sweetie, Let''s get some ice, or your eyes will be swollen tomorrow." Helena didn''t say a word and pulled Hera all the way to her lab, closing the door behind them. Giving the shaken explorer some water, Helena sat in front of her and said, "Talk to me." Hera bit her lip. She was trying to calm herself, "I... just think it''s not fair." "Why?" "Because what about me?" Hera stopped when she heard herself. This sounded incredibly selfish. "Stop holding back and say what you want to say," Helena said with a stern expression. "I spent five years crying almost every night for being rejected, and now they say, ''Oh, we were wrong, let''s let everyone be a part of it.'' What the hell is that? And they use me as an excuse? And the events, they were just propaganda, the guild does jack shit for civilians, and he has the gall to call others predatory?" the more Hera spoke, the louder her and more frantic her voice became, "How is this fair? I''m not saying that everyone has to suffer just like me, but why now?" Helena listened to Hera, trying not to seem judgmental, she gave her assistant a glass of water to help her calm down, "Hera, are you really angry because of this? Remember what your doctor said, you need to find the real cause of your feelings." Hera stared at Helena for a while until she slumped back on the chair, "I thought I was special." "What do you mean?" "I mean meeting you, the raffle, finding the poison crystal, the Pangolins, even the Wendigo. I thought it was a way for the system to say that I''m important and special in some way. It was like an apology for making me wait for five years before letting me go back to my dream." "Hera..." Helena reached towards Hera. "No, stop. I know it''s stupid. I know it''s just a coincidence, and it''s not like that. I know it''s silly, and this is just a child''s dream. Still, it was mine," Hera got up before Helena could reach her. "Tell me this, will they do what you did? Will they find me, the Wendigo, and the items you have?" Helena asked. "I don''t know." "Even if they do, until they get here, you will have found more things. Fought more monsters, discovered more secrets. You will be even more incredible than you already are. And it doesn''t matter who gets here. I doubt one of them will be the fastest silver cardholder," Helena got up and hugged Hera. Hera didn''t reply for a while, accepting the hug but not hugging back, "Still stings that he used me to make that change." "I''m guessing they planned that even before you got the card. The whole ceremony was to make you the poster girl for this move," Helena was stroking Hera''s hairs. "Politics sucks," Hera said. "Politicians suck more," Helena replied. The two stood there for a few minutes, without speaking. Hera was still angry, but her frenzy had stopped. She filled up her water once more and downed it in a single gulp. "Better?" "Not really, but we should go. I''m hungry," Hera replied. In reality, she just wanted to do something to forget her anger. "Thank you. I''m starving!" Helena said as the two left the lab. Outside, Blue and Alex were waiting for them. "Hera, are you ok?" Blue rushed towards her. "We saw how shaken you were by all that. How are you feeling?" Alex said. "Oh, thanks, guys. It''s just.." "Moronic," Blue replied, cutting Hera off, "They use you as an example but don''t consider all the work you put in and how everyone helped you grow. It''s like they are considering you to be the average when you are clearly above it." Hera chuckled, "Yeah, right." "No, no, no, I''m with her this time. You are amazing, Hera. I mean, look at the pangolin you fought today. I doubt anyone would be able to find a spell in the middle of a rampage," Alex said. "Stop joking. I''m sure anyone could have done that," Hera said as they headed towards the cafeteria. "Think again, sweetie. Even high-level mages have trouble doing that," Helena said. "Sorry, but everything you said to me right now will just sound like an excuse. I''m still pissed." "Yeah, using you like that is just low," Blue said. "Not that, I don''t care if they use me. I just feel like I''ve been cheated. Like they stole everything that I did so far." "Why?" Alex asked. "Because I spent years trying to become an explorer, and now everyone will be able to? How is that fair?" "That''s.. stupid," Blue said. Hera stared at her with an angry expression, "Be mad all you want, but that is like being mad for buying something, and then it goes on sale a week later. Sure it feels terrible, but what can you do?" "Besides, it''s not like you would be able to be an explorer on day one. Your stats wouldn''t reach the 11 average, right? You would have to wait for all this workout, and they open for everyone. Even then, you need to put your name on the list, and it would take a long time before they call you, I''m sure of it. Just enjoy the glory and see if you can get some perks for it," Alex said. "I guess," Hera''s reply was weak as they arrived in the cafeteria. As they ate, she talked to Helena and her group about the idea of controlling her chakram with mana, and together they found some ideas on how she could achieve it. After that, they headed out to the training room they would use as a dormitory. Helena said her goodnights, even though the sun was just rising, and went to the room she had as a guild worker. Hera had some trouble sleeping. As much as she was trying her best to forget everything about the announcement, she still felt betrayed. Six hours after they entered the room, a clerk came rushing in, waking them up. "Up, up, up. You all need to get up now! Is Hera Kingsley here?" "Yeah, she''s in that top bunk... What is this?!" Cass gasped. "Hera, did you tp the guild?" Blue asked, still half asleep. "Of course not, what''s the matter with you?" the pillow on her face muffled Hera''s voice. "Get up now!" Cass shouted, making everyone get up at once. "What is going... on?" As Hera opened her eyes, a notification was floating in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rampage Quest Wendigo''s Assault - Hazelpond Three Wendigos are mixed with the monsters that are attacking the city. If left unchecked, the monsters can become strong enough to destroy the entire town. Kill them to ensure the success of the Rampage''s defense. The amount of damage you inflict on the wendigos will determine your reward. Rewards ???????? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 150 The last day Rampage Quest Wendigo''s Assault - Hazelpond Three Wendigos are mixed with the monsters that are attacking the city. If left unchecked, the monsters can become strong enough to destroy the entire town. Kill them to ensure the success of the Rampage''s defense. The amount of damage you inflict on the wendigos will determine your reward. Rewards ???????? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera kept staring at the notification. Why had the wendigos appeared? Was that going to be a regular occurrence now? "Hera, please come with me. Cassandra, you too. The rest of the team, get ready to leave. The clouds turned red. We are on the last day of the Rampage." The team members hurried to get ready, Blue and Alex just followed their lead, but Hera and Cass were only allowed to change into casual clothes before heading out. "We just got reports that a similar quest appeared in Brinefront. Since you are the only one who ever fought a Wendigo here, we need you to give us all a briefing on what to expect," the clerk spoke as they walked through the hall. "Wait, what do you mean?" Hera stopped walking. The clerk moved back and grabbed Hera''s arm, pulling her toward the conference room, "We don''t have time for stage fright. Let''s go." "No, wait. Why me?" Hera asked. "I''ve just told you. You are the only one with first-hand knowledge of fighting those things. We don''t have time to read through all the reports to figure out how to fight them." "Wait," Hera gasped. "We don''t have time to wait. We need the intel now!" the clerk kept pulling Hera''s arm. "I''m not the only one who fought those things," as Hera said those words, the man who was pulling her arm finally stopped. "What? Who else fought them?" "Helena was in the Qeeroni Wilds. She spent a week fighting those things," Hera explained, pulling her arm away. "Why isn''t she fighting then?" the clerk asked. "We have no time to discuss that. She was in one of the rooms that you guys are using. Call her to the meeting. She will have much better intel," Hera huffed. The clerk scoffed and called someone on his tablet, asking to bring Helena to the conference room. Hera walked inside the room and saw 50 people spread around in the tight area. There was a small podium on the other end of the room with a large screen behind it. She was guided towards the front, and they placed her behind the stand. "Quiet, everyone. Hera is here, and she will tell us what she can about the wendigos," another clerk said and gesture for Hera to start. She felt her heart thumping and her hands starting to sweat. She always hated to do presentations in front of a crowd. She tried to push through and remember what she knew about the monsters. "We don''t have time to listen to a greenhorn. This is the middle of the last day, and that kid won''t give us anything important. All we need to know is that they can be killed," A man with a large black coat said. "He''s right. Let''s not waste time here," another man wearing heavy armor got up and moved towards the entrance. "Now, hold on. Please, everyone, we need to be careful with those things," the clerks tried to stop the group from leaving. "If they want to leave and to be eaten alive, let them. We are the ones who will need to fix their mistakes," Helena said as she walked into the room. "Who are you to say we are making a mistake?" the man in a long coat asked. "I''m someone who survived one week in the Queeroni Wilds after those things appeared. If you want to live and not make your team die with you, sit down and listen," Helena didn''t even look at him. She just walked towards Hera, "Take a deep breath, sweetie, you can have a panic attack later." Hera nodded as Helena took the podium. The mage explained the wendigo''s behavior. Unlike how they appeared after the wall break, they were a scavenging species. Unless in a group large enough to overwhelm their enemies, they would run around looking for bodies they could eat and grow their strength before attacking someone on their own. They all started as pure white creatures with some blood-red markings, but even their skin could shift as they ate. The wendigos could go through three types of evolution. The minor one would make them stall for two seconds and assimilate whatever power they got. Those mostly were basic characteristics, like increased senses or increasing their strength. The medium one would make them stop for 5 seconds to a minute, but it wasn''t instant. They could control when that change would start. Those could give them more skills and make minor physical changes. The last one was when they would have a significant difference in their abilities and physical form. However, to change like that, they needed from one hour to a few days, and they would create a pupa like a shell before changing. They would be very vulnerable during that time, but the cocoon is several times tougher than the creature itself. "Remember, the most dangerous part of those creatures are the abilities they consume. Since we won''t know what to expect, everyone needs to be ready for everything. After that, the biggest issue is their strength, even a Wendigo that devoured only agility based creatures will be incredibly strong," Helena finished explaining. "I disagree," Hera said. The entire room looked at her. "I mean. I don''t think strength is the second biggest issue. The one I fought was smart. Too smart. It waited for me to sleep before attacking and took advantage of another monster''s attack to catch me off guard," Hera explained. "That''s not new. Many monsters would do the same," the man in heavy armor said. "Just stay quiet and let someone with experience talk, girl," the one with a long coat snickered. "The wendigo could tell the difference between an attack and a feint, and it matched my footsteps so I wouldn''t hear it following me," Hera stared at the man with the long coat, "Does that count as experience?" "Hera was able to kill one of them. I only ran. Thanks to my magic, I was able to conceal my hideout from the Wendigos. My information is based on watching those who walked by. Not first-hand combat. We would do well to follow Hera''s advice. And what she saws does make sense. I''m talking from the perspective of someone under leveled for the area. The strength I saw can be just my own bias," Helena said. "Did the wendigo showed any abilities that the monsters in this room didn''t have?" a voice came from the speakers. Only now, Hera noticed the cameras set up on the back. They were transmitting the meeting to Brinefront since a similar quest appeared for the people there. "No, not really, at least. It was more muscular than any monster here, but that could be just the accumulation of strength from several kills," Hera replied after considering it for a moment. "Do you have any suggestions?" the man in heavy armor asked. There was a long pause. Hera''s mind went into overdrive, trying to come up with a plan, "Yeah. We need to be careful with the corpses. We, I mean our team, fought while using the monsters'' bodies as barricades, and we killed many before they would even reach the traps. If we leave them like this, the wendigo''s will have a feast without us even seeing them. As bad as it sounds, we should let the normal monsters get closer so we can stop them from eating, and we absolutely can''t let them eat the pangolins. If they do, we won''t know the type of skill the Wendigos will have since the pangolins have random abilities. I''m not sure what to do with the monsters that are not from the Rampage and with the pile of bodies. Do they still vanish after one hour?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Yeah, but the wave won''t stop," Cass said. The group inside the conference room thanked the two who spoke about the wendigos and started to discuss strategies. Cass approached Hera, who discretely waved the notification away, "Go eat and change into your gear. We are heading to point H in half an hour." Hera nodded and left the room, followed by Helena. The two walked in silence for a moment, leaving the noise of the conference room behind. "Lena, thanks for the help back there. I don''t know what... Are you ok?" Helena was trembling, and she kept looking around. "No... just.. be safe ok sweetie?" her voice cracked several times during that small sentence. Hera hugged Helena, "I will, and I promise that not a single monster is going to get close to you, ok?" Helena nodded, "I know, it''s just.." "Hard. I can tell. Stay inside the guild, and if we end up having to leave, I''m the one taking you to the doorway. I promise nothing will hurt you," Hera didn''t let go of the hug for a while. It was Helena who broke the embrace. "I''m ok, eat. You need to get ready for the fight," Helena kissed Hera''s cheek and walked away. She was going to keep herself busy until everything was over. Hera watched her friend walk away. She wanted to be with her at this time, but it would be for nothing. Even if she were able to comfort Helena, she would still be scared. The best way to help her was to kill the Wendigos as fast as possible. She rushed to get ready and eat before leaving the guild. Looking to the sky, Hera could see the ominous red clouds covering the entire roof of the cave from the moment she stepped outside. It was the middle of the afternoon, and the light of the sun that lit the clouds gave the entire area an eerie crimson glow. 40 minutes after leaving the guild, Hera and the team arrived at the point H, the road by the ocean that led outside the city. Since it was the last day of the Rampage, all the teams would fight together. However, the team that came after them had just returned and had to rest before coming back. After all, they were already fighting for 8 hours. The team protecting the entrance was fighting alone for close to one hour and would need to take a break soon. Hera was surprised when she saw the other team fighting. They were all working together against the monsters. The wave was much larger, as well. Just at a glance, Hera could count about twenty monsters engaged in the front line, and at least double that coming from the bog. This team had only one mage and one healer, but four archers aside from the vanguard. The ones in the melee were hard to identify, and aside from the healer, she could only tell what they were using to attack, not their roles. Still, the twelve people either worked together for a long time or were experts at teamwork. "Jessica, we are here. Wanna switch now?" Cass yelled as her team approached. "We''ll stay until the bodies disappear. Hera is in your team, right?" the woman who was creating barriers on her team asked without looking away from the fight. "Yep, she''s right here. She''s the blonde with the purple full body armor," Cass said, winking at Hera. "We are following your idea. We stopped focusing on the ones coming from the trees and only kill them after they pass through the traps. The ones in the walls keep an eye out for the Wendigos or any monster behaving in a way it shouldn''t. If you think about anything else, let us know," Jess created two barriers and slowed a monster while talking. "Will do," Hera said as they jumped into the fight. The set up that both teams used was similar. There was the vanguard in front, blocking and distracting the monsters, a line of damage dealers responsible for killing the creatures. The healers stayed in front of the entrance and the ones capable of long-range attacks on the ramparts. Hera looked around the area. The monsters kept coming without stopping, and even with both teams fighting, they still were outnumbered. She helped clean up the ones that had passed the traps and looked towards the treeline, only to see another thirty creatures coming from the swamp at once. 151 Rampage Ques They were fighting for over one hour. Their team was defending on their own right now, with the second team resting on the camp. After that, the breaks would be as needed, with smaller groups resting at a time so the teams would have more people in the combat. When the third team arrived, more people could rest at a time. Hera had lost the count of how many monsters she had killed. She, Alex, and Martel ran around behind the vanguard to kill all the monsters that went through the five people in front. Another frog jumped over Kenny, and Hera dove towards it. She slashed its head with her handaxe, buffed by the mana reinforcement. The attack split the monster''s skull in half, and Hera pushed the body towards the entrance. As she looked back toward the horde, another five frogs had run past the vanguard. Alex jumped towards one while Martel managed to pull two to combat. Hera sent a poison needle to one of the remaining ones and attacked the other with her handaxe. She tried the same move and was able to break the monster''s spine. The frog who got hit by the spell kept moving towards the entrance, but Alex sent a wind cutter towards it, finishing it off before reaching the Healers. Looking to the walls, Hera couldn''t believe how many corpses were reinforcing the barriers. A few of the piles were twice her size. "Hera, duck!" Runir yelled. She lowered her body, going almost completely flat on the ground as a Giant Crested Newt flew by her head. Hera quickly got up to attack the monster''s tail, trying to distract it from its objective. The creature didn''t seem to mind and kept running towards the entrance. Hera jumped on top of it. Holding the large fin-like protrusion on its back and started to hack at its body. Each strike slowed the beast until it finally stopped moving. Before Hera could get off from the monster, its body dissolved into the ground, together with all the bodies that were spread around. Several materials fell into small piles, some in the middle of the area they were using to fight, others by the walls. Apart from those atop the walls, everyone scrambled to grab the materials and toss it towards the piles by the walls. It wasn''t about the loot''s value, but about making sure that there was nothing on the ground that could hinder the combat. "Alex, Hera, Martel, go take a break. You are the ones that seem most tired. Take a break," Cass commanded as the other team arrived. "Take some of the loot if you can," Jessica said as the other team got into position. Hera just nodded and started walking towards the camp. She picked a handful of materials, not even sure what was what. Martel flopped into one of the beds inside the tents while Alex collapsed into a chair. The guild had set up a hose to wash the blood and dirt from their gear.. Hera took off her armguards and opened her armor. She took off only the top part of it and turned the hose on. Leaning forward, she let the water fall to the back of her neck to cool herself off. Her armor was amazing, but after some time, it got very hot inside it. She was careful not to let the water inside her armor. The last thing Hera needed right now was to fight in a wet suit. "Hera, are you done?" Alex asked. "Yeah, do you want to use the hose?" Hera asked while the water fell on her neck. "Not really. I just want to ask you something, and it''s kind of weird to talk to your ass." Hera got up quickly, her face turning red with the comment. She didn''t realize that her butt was sticking out. "Sorry," Hera walked towards the chairs and sat down, avoiding Alex''s eyes, "What''s up?" "I know this is not the time to be worrying about this but, are you and Bonnie, ok? I mean, did you two had a fight or something?" Alex grabbed a second bottle of water. The first one was already empty by her side. "What? No, we are good, at least I think so. Why?" "Well, she said it''d been a while since you stopped replying to her messages. I said it was probably just you being busy and not replying to anyone, but I wanted to make sure since apparently, she sent you a couple of messages that you didn''t reply." "What? No, she hasn''t," Hera picked her tablet and went to the chat app. There was no notification, but as she opened it, several unread messages appeared, "What the hell!?" she gasped. "What happened?" "The messaging app bugged. It didn''t show a single notification," Hera kept looking through the messages, "Crap, there are things here from the day the rampage started even Leo asked about it." "Wow, really? You should let the guild know." "Wait. Seriously?" Hera sighed, "Apparently, I removed the notification for the app.." "Does the granny need help with technology?" Alex laughed. "Bite me," Hera replied with a smile. "Don''t say that here. The monsters might hear you," Martel said from the tent. "Dude, this is a private conversation!" Alex tossed the empty bottle at him. "I got here first," he replied. "Anyway. Can you reply, Bonnie? She''s kind of worried," Alex asked. "Doing it right now. She left the room when the rampage started. On the other hand, Mark is working as a repairman in Brinefront," Hera said as she caught up with her texts. "Yeah, I know. They told me about it the day this all started," Alex picked her tablet to distract herself while resting. The trio stayed there in silence for close to twenty minutes before Alex spoke again, "By the way. How many monsters did you kill?" "One moment," there was a message from Ms. Kahele, thanking Hera and saying that Amanda had woken up. She was feeling better, and the doctors said that she could leave the hospital soon. It was a good thing. Amanda''s birthday was getting close and spending it in a hospital bed would be awful. Hera replied that she would visit as soon as she could and opened the quest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monster Rampage - Brinnefront Protect the city from the waves of monsters that will attack the settlements. Any damage to the structures of the room will be deducted from the basic reward. Rewards: 5 000 gold Killing a monster will give you increased rewards based on the type of monster. Giant Frog - 53 kills Giant Toad - 22 kills Petite Crocodile - 31 kills Giant Chameleon - 24 kills Prism Pangolin - 12 kills Giant Newt - 13 kills Giant Crested Newt - 10 kills Giant Snapping Turtle - 6 kills ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here, take a look. The list is too long," she passed her tablet to Alex. "Hum.. yeah, I have 6 turtles on mine too. I''m guessing that it counts if you hit them even once." "I don''t think so. I''m positive I fought more than 10 crested newts. But most of them reach me already pretty banged up," Hera replied. "It''s about contribution," Martel left the tent, grabbing a bottle of water. "Like, how much damage we deal to them?" Hera asked. "Sort of. The guild sets the quest up in a way that the system identifies if you helped with the kill or not. So like, if your attack helps to finish the monster off, it counts, but if the thing is already on death''s door and has no way of recovering, it doesn''t count," Martel explained while he opened the pan of stew, taking a look inside. "How do they do that?" Alex asked. "I have no idea. Try to ask the guild. I''m sure they have people trying to figure out what the system is," Martel picked a bowl and served himself a reasonable amount of stew. "How are you still hungry? You went back for seconds and thirds," Hera stared at the bowl. "Don''t judge me. We are spending a lot of energy here. Besides..." "WENDIGO!" the shout came from the entrance. The three dropped everything and ran towards the entrance. Hera felt her heart racing. A part of her hoped that the Wendigos never appeared here and would be dealt with by the other teams. "Where is it?" Cass''s voice rang. "Oceanside, by the rocks on the side. It looks like a white frog but moves much faster," someone replied. "I see it!" Tisha sent a couple of arrows towards the monster. "It''s on the road. Light it up!" Bolton yelled. The sounds of spells hitting something roared through the area. The noise kept going even after Hera had arrived in the area. She looked around, trying to see the Wendigo from between the horde of monsters in the front. The Wendigo looked like a giant rain frog but had blood-red eyes and pale white skin. Only its legs had some color, with some hints of black and purple. The monster kept jumping to the sides, avoiding most of the attacks. It tried to retreat a couple of times, but a large flaming explosion cut off its path. "Alex, cover me," Hera said as she moved to the side to get a better angle. Even at the edge of the traps, she couldn''t find a good position to hit the monster. She looked towards the side. No creatures were trying to move to the walls at the moment, which gave her a clear path. Hera jumped over the traps and kept running to the side, making sure that no monster followed her. "Hera, wait!" Alex yelled. She ran past the area until she was able to see the side of the Wendigo. Stopping, she charged a poison needle and aimed at the creature. The small spell flew towards it at high speed, but the monster looked at it and jumped to the side, being hit by three arrows in the process. Hera frowned. Her spell was supposed to be a stealth thing. No monster ever noticed the projectile before. For a moment, she could swear that the Wendigo was staring at her. Getting another spell ready, Hera waited for it to evade other attacks before launching it. When the Rainfrog Wendigo was about to dash to the side, Hera pulled the trigger. The poison needle flew through the air and hit the Wendigo''s head. She prepared yet another spell to keep the assault, but the Wendigo turned around in the air and jumped through the flames behind it, vanishing in the bog. "Hera, we have to go back!" Alex pulled Hera''s arm. Some monsters were starting to converge on their position. The two ran toward the entrance, with part of the team giving them some cover. "That was very stupid, but your distraction gave us the chance for a few hits. Good work," Cass yelled from the ramparts. "What about the Wendigo?" Hera asked. "It''s gone. It vanished into the swamp, but I think we gave it a good thrashing," Tisha replied. "We still have to deal with the rest of the monsters, look alive people!" Jessica shouted as the team got back into formation. Hera stared at the bog that was spawning the monsters, trying to find the Wendigo there. Yet, this time, she didn''t feel any eyes staring back. 152 Things just keep coming Hera had to forget the idea of controlling her chakram for a while. This was no time for testing things out. She got distracted for a moment with that when a giant newt jumped at her, trying to bite her arm. With no time to dodge, Hera tightened the grasp on her handaxe and braced for the impact. Just before it hit her, a soft yellow light covered her arms and shoulder. Runir had just placed a barrier on her. As the monster attacked, and the shield did its work at first, but it didn''t take long for the barrier to break, making her armor block the rest of the blow. The repulsion blast triggered, pushing the monster away. Hera followed it up with two strikes at the creature, making it tumble back. Before she could deliver the killing blow, an arrow flew through the air, hitting the monster between its eyes. The creature stopped moving. Hera looked up and nodded towards one of the archers that she didn''t know before looking towards the entrance. Runir was breathing heavily and sweating a lot. "Runir, go take a break," Hera said as she turned around to face an incoming toad. "I''m fine!" he replied. "Dude, you can barely stand. Go, rest!" Alex shouted. "My friend, your strength has left you. You should retire for a moment," Thomas killed another chameleon, "As a matter of fact, I shall accompany you if that is ok with our brave leaders." "Yeah, I''m taking a break too. Out of mana. Is that ok with you, Jess?" Cassandra said from the top of the walls. "Go for it. We can afford to let someone else rest too. Is anyone feeling tired?" Jessica replied. "Yeah, can I take a break?" Blue asked. "I''ll go next then," Kenny shoved a monster towards a trap. "Hera, help me get some loot that is in the middle of the area," Cassandra said as she got down from the ramparts. Hera quickly grabbed everything she could, tossing a few materials towards the walls. Cass joined in, but she didn''t throw anything to the side. The two quickly moved back towards the camp, carrying a lot of materials in their arms. "Hera, just one thing. Even though I praised you earlier, I want to know what was going through your head there. Why did you leave the trap area to attack the Wendigo?" Cass asked. Hera looked at the mage, "I wanted to get a better angle. We were having trouble hitting it, and I thought that maybe a pincer attack could help." "Is that all?" They arrived at the camp and placed the materials inside the box. Even without the piles that were by the wall, they had already completely filled one of the crates available. "Oh, good. I was worried it was something else." "Like what?" "Revenge? Rage? I don''t know, some reckless impulse decision. But since it was a reckless calculated decision, everything is fine. Now go, you have to get back there. You just had your break," Cass said. "Sir, yes, sir," Hera saluted Cass before running back. "Why do you all keep treating me like different things? Pick one and go with it!" Cass complained as Hera walked off. Going back to the entrance, Hera saw a different scene. Instead of the several explosions, there were lightning bolts, wind blades, and icicles flying everywhere. Without Cass''s flashy fire spells, the magic wasn''t hidden behind the flames. The monsters kept moving towards the entrance. No one could count how many they had already killed, but the rampage didn''t care. Half an hour later, two giant snapping turtles emerged from the swamp. It was the first time that these species appeared in a group, and the one in the back of them was much larger than the other. Hera started charging a poison needle. At the same time, a couple of spells hit the first turtle. "Don''t kill it before it gets close!" Jessica yelled from the back as she used a spell to make the second turtle even slower. The monsters hid behind the large three-meter tall creature. That created a problem for the group since they couldn''t see the beasts coming and prepare in advance. "This is just annoying. The turtle is just walking at us menacingly, and it''s already messing up with our entire strategy," Alex said as she and Hera killed a pangolin together. It was easier to kill the creatures in a group than fighting on their own. "Yeah, but it''s not like we have other options," Hera said, throwing a poison needle at a chameleon that had latched on to Kenny. "Wait for my signal!" Jessica yelled. The turtles started to get closer and closer. More and more monsters seemed to flood from behind them. As the first turtle crossed the traps, came the command, "Fire!" Ironically, the first thing that hit the turtle was a giant icicle that became embedded in a part of its shell. The lighting spells were aimed at the massive ice spike to help to penetrate the creature''s defense. The arrows were aimed at its eyes while the vanguard worked on the legs. The turtle was very sluggish, but the force behind it was massive. Each step made the ground shake, and with a stomp, it felt like a small earthquake. Luckily, the number of spells and attacks aimed at its face was enough to kill it before it managed to hit anyone. The other turtle kept walking towards the entrance but moved more to the side, standing directly behind the corpse of the first one. It was still too far to start hitting it, and Jessica commanded everyone to wait before attacking. The turtle''s corpse was in the middle of the area, making the vanguard and the damage dealers split into two groups. On the one hand, that set up helped since the monsters would come in a line. On the other one, the agglomeration of people made the healer''s job harder. Hera and Alex stayed on the left. It was harder to use spells with so many people around, so the two focused on using their weapons to kill the incoming monsters. A group of three pangolins came running from behind the second turtle. The two on the edges started to spark with flames and lightning, while the one in the middle just stared at the defenders. As they got close, the two on the edges slammed against the vanguard, while the one in the middle jumped over the front line, parkouring through part of the turtle''s body. A few arrows flew at it with the monster in the air, but its scales blocked the projectiles. Hera jumped up and tried to hit it, but only managed to make the monster miss a step and fall from the turtle''s shell. The pangolin dropped to the ground and head-butted Hera before trying to rush at the entrance once more. The only ones blocking the monster now were the healers. Mika jumped in front of the creature as Jessica triggered her slow spell. That was enough for one of the fighters from the second team to intercept it, slamming the pangolin into the wall. Before the monster fell to the ground, Alex''s body slammed it and shoved her daggers on its torso, killing the beast. Hera focused on the monsters coming. The second turtle was close to the point where they could attack it. The giant monster adjusted itself, placing its head directly behind the first turtle''s corpse, almost as if it was using it as a shield. The turtle moved its head and bit down on the corpse''s shell. The body rose a few centimeters from the ground, and the turtle swung its head, using the first one''s body as a club, tossing it to the side. Most people who were on the left side were flung to the side. Hera got hit and stumbled back, falling into one of the traps on the ground. Luckily for her, the hole was filled with bodies from different monsters, which allowed her to avoid the sharp wooden spikes at the bottom. The turtle''s body fell over fifty meters away from the entrance, hindering close to half of the defenders. The mages sent several spells towards the turtle, while the people on the ground kept attacking its legs. Hera did her best to get up from the trap, but even with the bodies, it required some climbing, and the impact hurt her arm. "Watch out!" a voice rang, followed by a scream. Hera recognized the second voice. It was Alex''s. She grabbed the ledge and climbed back up, despite her wounded arm. The turtle was very close to the entrance, but it was too large to go through the gates. Alex was on the ground to the side of the walls, she was struggling to get up. Hera escaped the trap and rushed towards her. On the way, she flung a poison needle at the turtle pumped with 200 mana from the mana crystal. If it managed to infect the monster, that attack would deal a lot of damage. The beast didn''t notice the attack and kept walking towards the gate. Hera took that chance to grab Alex and pull her to the side, so the turtle''s movement wouldn''t hit her. After making sure that she was in a safe spot, Hera turned around, sending a poison spray on the monster''s front leg. When the orange liquid covered most of her target, she sent a fire arrow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell acquired Grease Fire Rank: Novice Creates a spray of flaming grease. The liquid can adhere to some surfaces, creating a continuous damaging effect without an extra mana cost. Range: 5 meters Base mana cost: 35 mana per second. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera waved the notification off and focused on the monster. She got closer to it, aiming at its face, and was about to use the new spell to cover the creature in the grease, but before she was able to do so, the barrage of attacks that the beast was receiving since it crossed the line, proved to be deadly. She turned back to Alex and helped the assassin to reach the healers. With her safe, Hera started to help the rest of the members who were tossed to the side. Halfway through rescuing the people hurt, the third team arrived. Seeing the situation, they took over the vanguard while the now four healers helped everyone who was injured. In total, four people got hurt and had to take a break to tend to their wounds, and another three were out of commission. Kenny took the brunt of the attack and ended up with a broken arm. Hera got lucky and only had a dislocated shoulder aside from some minor bruises accumulated over the day. It hurt like hell to put her arm in place, but Mika had a spell to lessen the pain. Blue, Runir, Thomas, and Cassandra had joined into the fight once more. Alex just needed a quick first aid, and she back in the fray as well. The battle continued for a couple of hours. The extra 14 people helped alleviate the pressure that the group was feeling. The issue now was mostly space. The area was large, but not large enough for all the 20 melee warriors to have a comfortable room to fight. Another hour went by, and the eerie crimson glow coming from the clouds became more intense. Even the dark purple trees started to look red with the light. "Keep it up, everyone! We are getting close to the end," Cass yelled from the ramparts. Hera smiled. The extra people were helping a lot. With them, defending the city felt almost a sure thing. 153 Lets try it again No one knew precisely how long the rampage would still last. After the red clouds appeared, the last day started, and when the red became brighter, it meant that it was close to an end. However, the time from the increase in the glow to the end of the wave could go from a couple of minutes to the rest of the 24 hours since the red clouds first appeared. Worst-case scenario, they would still have over 12 hours of fighting before the end of the rampage. Time went by, and the battle never had the same intensity. The high number of people changed the dynamic of the entire defense. The vanguard now consisted of two rows of people, one facing the monsters and another facing the entrance. While the ones blocking the monsters still worked to stop them, they would let some pass by for the second row, who would distract the monsters for the damage dealers to kill them. The ones who managed to pass all that still had to face another row of people specialized in killing the beasts. All that with the constant spell and arrows coming from the ramparts. Even when another turtle showed up, no one was seriously injured. The vanguard did suffer some minor cuts and bruises, but all in all, they had a much easier time than when the previous two appeared. It helped that the turtles only came in ones and not as a pair again. Hera just finished killing one toad when a loud squeaky noise came from the bog, alerting all the defenders. Alex, Blue, and Hera stared at each other. "What''s that, the cry of a rain frog?" Alex asked. "Yeah, it''s kind of hard to forget that sound," Blue replied after tossing a newt to the ground. "So that must mean.." Hera started to speak, but a yell interrupted her. "WENDIGO!" The entire team looked towards the swamp. Emerging from the trees, there was a massive rain frog. It had black skin, red eyes that moved independently, and a deep green spiked shell, much like a snapping turtle''s back. The Wendigo let out another squeak, even louder than the one before. Some of the defenders even placed their hands in their ears due to the high pitch of the sound. The creature started to walk towards the entrance, squeaking a couple more times in the process. At the same time, the number of monsters was reduced. It seemed like even they feared the Wendigo. "We can''t see it!" an archer yelled from the ramparts. "Look to the edges. If you see it, shoot," Cass said. As the defender scrambled to move around and try to find the monster, the Wendigo jumped towards the middle of the group. Everyone was surprised by the move. The creature put itself in a disadvantageous position. It seemed smarter than that. As if to reply to everyone''s thoughts, the monster let out another cry, twice as high as the previous one, making those directly in front of it fall to the ground holding their heads. Hera was on the edge of the area and wasn''t hit as badly as those in the middle. Still, the sound was enough to make her ears ring for a while. The frog dashed towards one of the vanguards on the ground, slamming her into the sharp rocks it had created. Some arrows flew, but the monster dodged by going behind the people on the ground. Not only was it smart enough to change a situation to its advantage, but it also could use its enemies as meat shields. The Wendigo had grown too much. Hera prepared a poison needle and hoped flung in front of it. Trying to catch it in the middle of a dash, but just before the spell hit, a gust of wind raised the creature, making it do a flip on the air then landing between Blue and Thomas. The monster withdrew its legs into its body and started spinning. With another gust of wind, the spinning shell flew towards Hera. Thomas attempted to stop it, but his rapier wasn''t strong enough to do anything against the spiked carapace. Hera dove to the side, avoiding the initial strike as the rest of the team was jumping to join the fight. Alex used her wind spell, trying to counteract the wind that was moving the creature. It had some effect, but nowhere near enough to stop the spin. One of the vanguards moved to the side and slammed its shield, creating a large hexagonal barrier with only the monster and him inside. At that moment, the spells and arrows coming from the ramparts rained down in that area. The man who created the arena went down on one knee and placed his tower shield covering him from the blasts. The Wendigo charged at the barrier but was pushed back. The spinning shell started to ricochet around the arena, almost like it was inside a pinball machine. Every time it would hit the shield or the barrier, the man flinched. The skill seemed to direct any damage to the barriers towards him. Inside the area, there was a storm of fire, lightning, ice, light, and thorns. That lasted for only 30 seconds before the vanguard wasn''t able to keep the barrier up anymore. The Wendigo flew away from the now broken arena and hurled at other defense team members. Ten people got slammed by the spinning shell before Tom, Blue, and another three vanguard members managed to stop it from moving around. The Wendigo put its limbs back into the ground, removing them from inside its body, and let out a gurgling croak that created several wind blades around it and sent them flying in random directions. Hera saw a few people evading an unseen attack and jumped to the side. The spell hit the spot where she was, raising a large cloud of dust that clouded the view of anyone behind her. She looked back at the monster who now was kicking and headbutting the group while being attacked by the defenders. The scene felt like something from a movie. People screamed and assaulted a creature that stood at their chest''s height while it not only fought back but looked like it was enjoying the situation. Hera moved to the side, trying to get a better angle, when she noticed the rock formation that the monster had created. "Alex, come with me," she said as she rushed towards the rocks. The duo ran around the formation, killing a couple of regular giant frogs in the way, and jumped on top of the rocks. Up there, they had a better angle at the creature being attacked by the vanguards, and since all the spells they had didn''t have a large area of effect, they could hit the Wendigo without hurting the defenders if they were careful. Hera and Alex started working on the monster, sending spell after spell aimed at it. Seeing her positioning, other members of the ground team followed their idea, while the ones with no long range capabilities pulled the people who got hurt towards the healers. For the first time since the Wendigo appeared, the fight seemed to be going to the defender''s side. The creature had a tough time hitting anyone and was mostly being tossed around in the circle of people around it. "Don''t be greedy. If you feel tired or hurt, swap with someone on the outside the ring," Jess commanded from the entrance. The Wendigo retracted once more, staying motionless on the ground. Unlike an actual turtle, it only had a shell on its back, leaving its belly and sides mostly exposed. People started kicking it or using swords and spears to hit the places where the shell didn''t protect. That lasted almost a minute. Pools of blood were forming around the monster. Suddenly, the creature jumped so high that even the walls of the city were under it. The wind picked up once more, and the Wendigo started spinning before flying towards the ramparts at high speed. "Like hell, you are!" Cass yelled and raised both her hands, pointing at it. A soft purple glow covered the Wendigo and Cass''s hands, and she moved as if she was catching the shell mid-air, even though the monster was still ten meters away. She stopped the creature two meters before reaching the ramparts. It kept trying to spin, but it was like a gear that was stuck trying to repeat the same impossible motion over and over again. "FIRE!" Cass yelled, gritting her teeth. Her voice was showing the struggle she was having with the monster. All mages and archers started firing everything they had, joined by the people on the ground that had ways of hitting it. "There are still monsters coming. If you can''t help with the Wendigo, stop watching and fight!" Jess shouted as she had to push away one pangolin who went by the defenders. Hera sent a poison needle with all the remaining mana on her crystal towards the Wendigo before turning around to the incoming monsters. In the back of her mind, Hera didn''t want to leave the beast alone while Blue was still fighting it. She was the one who knew how it was to fight those things. If someone close to her got hurt because she wasn''t there, Hera wouldn''t be able to forgive herself. Now that her friend wouldn''t be able to be engaged it with, she felt somewhat relieved. It was considerably easier to face the monsters that were coming now. The waves reminded Hera of the first day where the entire team was fighting. Having the advantage of a higher ground while still in the frontline also helped to see what was coming. The most unnerving thing was the loud noise that came from behind her. It was the sound of the spells hitting the Wendigo. More creatures appeared, and the barrage of attacks kept going. Hera kicked a toad away while Alex stabbed its head. She saw a crocodile charging towards her and hear a voice coming from the ramparts. "Clear the rocks!" Hera looked back and saw the people waving for everyone to get out of the way. She jumped to the side, dropping from the makeshift platform. Right after she got down, a loud noise came from the edge of the rocks. Looking at the source of the noise, Hera saw that the Wendigo was slammed against the formation, being impaled by the sharp stones. The monster pushed itself off the edge and struggled to stand up again. Alex jumped towards it, slamming one of her daggers against the monster''s throat. She pulled down, managing to create a sizeable gash on the monster''s neck. A few other defenders joined in attacking the creature. Moments later, the Wendigo went limp on top of a pool of its own blood. People stared at it for a moment, worried that it could be a trap. "Are you all brain dead? The waves are still going! Clear a path so the healers can tell if that thing is dead," Joseph, the third team''s leader, commanded as he pushed away a couple of people. Jess ran towards the Wendigo, and after a moment, she raised her hand," It''s dead! We are all clear." "Hera, you fought one of those on your own?" Thomas asked. "Yeah, but this one is way stronger," she replied. The people who heard the discussion looked at her in awe. Fighting a monster like that alone meant that you were either incredibly brave, very stupid or extremely unlucky. "Stop staring. The monsters are picking up again!" Tisha yelled from the ramparts. Hera thanked her for making people stop staring and focused once more on the incoming monsters. 154 Crimson Sky To their luck, the floodlights around the area helped the group to see what was going on. When the monsters got closer, everyone was able to see them moving. The ones who had more problems were the archers who aimed at the creatures that were far away. After the death of the Wendigo, they all had started attacking monsters farther away from the traps. The team leaders checked with the other teams, and the other wendigos had appeared on the west and north sides of town. Still, they weren''t shooting the ones that just left the swamp. Only after the monsters were far enough away for the bodies to be in clear sight that the arrows flew from the bows. A Giant Crested Newt rushed towards Hera, trying to whip its tail at her. She took a step to the side and cut the monster''s back with her chakram, following it up with her handaxe aimed right at its head. With the monster dead, she looked to the side. The Wendigo''s corpse was still there, even after the other corpses had vanished. Could this be a new one instead of the one that came with the rampage? It''s been three hours since they defeated the Wendigo. Blue had leveled up after the kill, and sometime later, Hera''s stamina skill increased its rank once more. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Improved Stamina (Rank 3): Increases the stamina of the user as well as its regeneration. The effect moderately increases when the user is less active or more relaxed. The effect has a minor increase when standing still and a slight increase while moving at a slow pace. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hera was breathing heavily. She was one of the few who didn''t stop ever since the Wendigo fight. Alex, Blue, and Thomas were just the same. Even with the skill increase, it was hard for them to keep fighting nonstop. They were waiting for one of the wounded groups to come back so they could take a break. "Hera, Tom, Blue, Alex, Jess, Ed, Al, and Kat. Your turn to rest," Cass called from the wall. "Finally," Blue gasped. "I must say, this constant struggle is quite tiring. I do hope that Runir is taking care of himself," Thomas said as he left the vanguard. "Me too. He seemed to be taking this a bit hard," Hera replied while cleaning her handaxe. Blue looked around and saw Alex fighting one of the giant toads, "Hey, do you need help?" "Hey, you leveled up for killing a frog. They are not so bad after all," Blue said. "YES, THEY ARE!" "What is the matter with our dear companion?" Thomas watched as Alex stomped towards the city. "She hates frogs," Hera explained. "I see." Tom stared at Alex as they walked towards the camp. The camp was a mess. There was no stew left, and the water bottles had to be refiled with a hose. They sat down to rest while everyone checked if they were too hurt. Runir was sitting in one of the chairs and barely noticed them arriving. He had been helping treat the ones wounded for the last hours and had finished his last patient a few minutes ago, depleating his mana yet again. "My friend, are you ok?" Tom asked. "What? Yeah, I''m fine," Runir replied, yet he seemed down. "Are you sure? You don''t seem your usual self," Alex sat on the chair by his side. "It''s just weird. I never had to hold back on healing or placing barriers before. My job is to make sure no one gets hurt and fix the ones who do. What kind of doctor would let sick people suffer while he does nothing?" he said. "ER doctors," Hera said, "Doctors know that sometimes it''s better to be on standby for something big than to treat every single cold that shows up. It''s the same thing." "You have a good heart, my friend. Yet, asking so much of yourself will lead to nothing. Hera is correct. This fight was unlike everything we ever faced," Thomas said, placing one hand on Runir''s shoulder. "When you put it that way..." Runir said with a sigh. They all sat down to rest. They were too tired to talk, so the entire group, including the three who Hera didn''t know, were just sitting there fiddling with their tablets. "Hey, Tom, since we have some time. Can we talk about magic?" Hera asked. "I would be delighted to have a conversation with someone who understands the true nature of magic as I do," Tom pulled his chair closer to Hera. The two started talking about how they created spells. Hera explained how she saw the spells and the two trade notes on the subject. Thomas used the chant to give directions for the mana, telling it what to do and what he expected. His magic would then form after the mana left his body, unlike Hera, who would create the spell on her hands almost like she was shaping clay. All spells he had were buffs or debuffs or something that could bring utility like the dancing light, and they all followed that structure, a chant that would guide the mana to the desired effect. The issue was finding the right wording for the spell. He couldn''t say something like ''Create a light that follows me.'' He had to create a chant that would make his mana respond. They attempted to use a spell following the other''s direction but were unable to activate it. Still, Hera felt that it was a productive talk. She had no idea that the subjective approach could be so broad and considering things from a different angle could help her figure out some things. "Tom, if you don''t mind me asking. What happened with the way you speak? It seems less... medieval now," Hera asked. "Apologies, noble warrior. When I face a battle as difficult as this one, my mind becomes cloudy, and to follow the proper language of a knight takes some concentration," Thomas replied. "Then why do it at all? I mean, just now, it was much easier to talk to you than normal. Don''t take this the wrong way, but when you speak like a knight, it takes some effort to understand what the hell you want to say." "I wish not to give an improper impression to those around me. When I feel that I''m among my peers, I tend not to worry about such things." "Oh, so you trust me already? Isn''t that a bit soon?" Hera chuckled. "You have proven your bravery during this combat, not just that. I must believe in the hero who fought a fearsome Wendigo on her own," Thomas replied. "Yeah, no. Go back to the casual way, please. I''m too tired to translate," Hera waved her hand. Thomas laughed, "Very well, I''ll do my very best to avoid addressing you with such formalities." Before Hera could reply, the glow coming from the clouds vanished, giving way for a dark sky. Everyone in the camp froze. The clouds were still there, but they were dark. Hera jumped up, "We need to take Helena out of..." She was interrupted by a notification that appeared in front of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rampage Quest Complete Wendigo''s Assault - Hazelpond The three wendigos are no more. The defenders managed to stop their advance. With the death of the last one, the Rampage has come to an end. The contribution of all those involved in the fight has been tallied. Your reward will be proportional to your contribution. Rewards 10th place - Rare weapon enchantment material ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For a few moments, no one said a word. "Did we win?" Blue asked. Loud cheers came from the entrance. "I guess we did," Alex said. "We won!" Kat, a tanned fighter, yelled as she hugged Ed. "We did it... We really did it..." Al started laughing on his own. They started celebrating, but it didn''t take long before a voice came from the entrance, "Guys, come help us get the loot," Cass asked. At that moment, their hearts sunk. The piles of materials almost formed a second wall by the entrance. If they were going to bring all that to the guild, it would take ages. Before the resting group went towards the gate, Tisha, Martel, and a few other scouts ran past them, heading to the guild. "Hey, no fair!" Blue gasped. Martel was among the ones who had just rested. "Relax, they are probably going to the guild to get some carts. We could leave it all there for the recovery teams, but this is a way to make sure we all get what''s ours, and to help to get everything back to normal," Jess replied. They started hauling the mountain of loot towards the camp. In reality, it wasn''t as big as they pictured. It was still a considerable haul, but a single cart would be enough to bring it all back to the guild. What happened was that as people tossed the materials towards the back, some of the larger bones got stuck in odd angles. That led to the piles to appear much bigger than they actually were. As they returned, Hera and her friends talked about the rewards they received from the quest. They made a small ranking of who got a higher spot among them. Runir 35th Alex 75th Thomas 136th Blue 139th Hearing their ranks, Hera got confused. Why did she get such a better placement than the rest of the group? She and Alex did close to the same amount of damage to the creature. "Well done, everyone. You got really nice places," Cass said as she walked by. "Thanks! What was your position?" Blue picked a piece of leather that fell from the cart and placed it on the box she was carrying. "I got 6th place," Cass smiled. "That''s amazing!" Alex gasped. "Do you know how those things are calculated?" Hera asked. "More or less. It counts the damage you deal to it and how much what you did affect the fight. For instance, Erick, the vanguard who made the shield at the beginning, got 12th place. He barely dealt any damage to it, but thanks to him, we all managed to wail on the Wendigo," Cass explained. "Still, my rank doesn''t make sense," Hera mumbled. "Oh yeah, you never said it. What''s your rank?" Blue asked. "I got 10th place." "I expected nothing less from the fearsome Wendigo hunter," Runir said. "Shut up, Tom!" Hera snarled. "Apologies, my friend, but it wasn''t I who just spoke," Tom chuckled. "I think you two are spending too much time together," Blue stared at Runir, who was laughing to the side. As they arrived in the guild, Hera placed the materials she had on hand in a spot designated for the H teams. Since everyone fought, they all would share the spoils. Even with the third team not being there for the entire fight, no one complained about they getting their cut. Not only their help was invaluable, but it would be too much work to figure out the split. Hera walked towards the showers, wanting to take off her armor and clean the sweat, blood, and dirt off her when coming out of nowhere, Helena jumped and hugged Hera. "I''m so glad you''re ok." "Lena, stop. I''m a mess. Let me take a shower first." "Shut up and stay there. I don''t care about the smell." "I smell!?" "Like trash that stayed a day under the sun, now quiet." Hera wanted to complain, but she had no more strength, and Helena''s assessment was probably right. An entire day of fighting nonstop left her in a disgusting state. After a couple of minutes, Helena finally let go. "Now I need a shower too. But before that. What rank did you get?" Helena asked. "I got 10th," Hera smiled. Helena pouted, "Oh, really..." "What''s wrong?" "I got 20th, I was going to show off, but you beat me to it." "Wait. Did you fight?" Hera''s eyes went wide. "Of course not, sweetie. It is probably because of the meeting we had before the fight. Our information helped everyone fight the Wendigos. I bet that if the quest were for the entire room, we would be first and second in the rankings," Helena said. She was holding Hera''s hand ever since they let go of the hug. A commotion started to form at the guild''s entrance, with several gasps and a couple of yells. Hera gave up on her shower, for now, worried that it could mean that the clouds had turned black. As she and Helena got close to the entrance, they saw one of the teams carrying stretchers, all of them with someone under a white sheet. Blue noticed the arrival of the duo and walked closer to them. "What happened?" Hera asked. "Team C got hit hard. Some people died." "How many?" Helena asked. "Twelve in total and five are in critical condition," Blue replied. 155 Heavy Price Hera considered helping, but there were already more than enough people lending a hand. The only thing she could do was carry the loot from their defensive position, and that was a long walk. She was still exhausted, especially since her group only rested for ten minutes before the rampage ended. Unsure what to do, she asked if Cass needed some help. Receiving a negative answer, she headed to the showers to get in line. Unlike the other days, where they had to hose down their weapons and armor, today, the guild offered a full clean up service for everyone''s gear. Hera wanted to put her gear there soon since she had no idea how long it would take to clean all the blood and grime that got stuck between her armor''s metal scales. But before that, she wanted to take a shower and change. There were only two people in front of her to use the showers, and Hera and her group decided to wait there for their turn. Twenty minutes later, they had already cleaned up and were dropping off their armor to be washed. Hera would take care of her weapons on her own. Helena was helping out the guild with the situation, trying to calm people down and prepare a small ceremony for the deceased. The guild would still keep the room locked for up to a day while they recovered all the loot, dismantled the traps, and did any needed emergency repairs. But for those who lived there, they were free to return to their homes. Blue and Alex grabbed their things while Hera went to the lab that Helena was using to pack up. She grabbed what she could, but Helena was the one who would be sure that there wasn''t anything left behind. Still, it was a way to do some heavy lifting. They headed out of the guild, going back to their home. The area around the house was intact. It was close to the walls but in the middle of two entrances. Hera walked in, feeling as if she came back from a trip. Blue looked around the kitchen and prepared some instant noodles for everyone. Alex and Hera placed everything in their rooms and headed back to the living room, sitting down to rest. "I think I''m selling mine," Blue said. "Why?" "The shell is not enough to make armor or something. I think, at most. I could make some knuckles, which are kind of useless for me. I''m also thinking about getting other types of spells. Focusing on lighting doesn''t seem like a good fit for how I fight. I mean, in a battle like this one, my spells did jack shit." "That''s not..." Hera started. "Yeah, it is. My buffs were up every time I had mana, and they did nothing. It is a good thing for a battle of attrition, but let''s face it. The monsters that took a long time to kill were the turtles, and it''s not like I could be on melee with them." "I guess that''s valid, and it''s early enough to change styles without much issue. Any ideas where you want to do?" Alex put down the fork, having finished her noodles. "No clue. I want to ask Helena for some ideas later." "That''s a good call. I think I have to see if I want to keep going this poison route," Hera kept fiddling with her last noodle. "Well, we can experiment. Might as well. Besides, we are probably going to get quite a lot of money from this last haul. It was what? 6k for the last few days," Alex nodded. "Yeah, plus the 5k from the quest, that''s already more than we made in the frog valley, right?" Hera said. "I think so, well that''s without the penalty for the damages. But we still have to wait for that," Blue said. They finished eating and rest for a while before heading back to the guild. Helena had sent a text about the small ceremony for the deceased. It was a rush job, but that would be mostly for the explorers. The bodies would be sent back to the outside and sent to their families. Arriving on the guild, Hera was stopped by a man in heavy armor that she recognized. It was the team C leader and one of the men who almost walked off during the Wendigo meeting. "Excuse me, Hera, right?" the man asked. "Hi, yeah, that''s me..." Hera replied, worried about why he would be coming towards her. "My name is Joseph. I am... was the leader of team C3. I want to apologize for my behavior during the meeting. Your ideas and suggestions were invaluable for our defense. The fact that you faced one of those creatures on your own is unbelievable. You have my utmost respect," he said, and put out his hand for Hera to shake. "Oh, you really don''t have to be so formal. I just did the best I could to help," she shook his hand and looked at the line of people walking towards the great hall, "I wish I could have done more." "You''ve done more than enough, and if we had faced a single Wendigo, everything would have worked out," Joseph replied. "You guys fought two of them?!" Hera gasped. "Yes, we killed the one we saw from the beginning, but the second one came from another entrance. A team who didn''t finish the job, nor took your advice seriously." "That''s a pretty heavy accusation, Joseph. Can you prove it?" a man with a long black coat approached. Hera recognized that it was the other man who complained during the meeting. "I can prove that you and your team are a bunch of fucking cowards," Joseph stared the man down, clenching his fist so hard that the veins in his arm popped. "How are you going to do that, exactly? This was a very unpredictable situation. We all did our best," the man in a long coat replied, not breaking eye contact. "Fuck you, George! I''m sure you pushed that thing away just to save your own ass." George shrugged, "We were all doing what we could to survive. Don''t blame me for being a better leader than you." Joseph grabbed George by the collar, "My team would have survived if you had done your fucking job and killed the fucking Wendigo! Their blood is in your hands!" George didn''t even flinch as the burly man got close to his face, " No, it wasn''t. If you want to blame someone, blame the Wendigo, or yourself. I had nothing to do with it." Hera understood what George meant. If a monster kills someone, it''s not the fault of the person who let the creature live, even if it was a Wendigo. Still, it was hard to agree with him when looking at him. He had a cocky attitude and a smirk on his face. It felt like he was taunting Joseph with the entire situation. "You son of a..." Joseph pulled back and was about to punch him when a male voice came from behind him. "What is going on here?" ten of the team leaders were standing behind the two men. "Joseph, this is not the time. We should respect the deceased," a man in front of the group stared at him. "Tell that to this little shit," Joseph looked back at George. Cass was in the middle of the group with the leader, made a sign to Hera for her to move away. She quietly moved back, not wanting to be in the middle of a situation like that. "It''s better if you go. This might get messy quickly," Cass whispered to Hera as she walked by. Hera nodded and headed to the great hall. The actual bodies of the fallen explorers weren''t there. Every guild branch had a small morgue for situations like this. There was a table with a piece of equipment from each deceased in the middle of the hall. It was just a symbolic thing to represent them. The gear would be either sold or passed along to their family, as long as there was an explorer among them. If not, the money from the sales would go to the families, plus the life insurance payout. Helena was by the side, along with Blue and the rest. Hera imagined that most people were here to show solidarity. But in reality, about 1/5 of the people in the hall knew someone among the fallen. To her surprise, even Runir and Alex were familiar with one of them. "That double axe is... was Timmy''s right?" Alex asked. "Yeah... he loved that thing," Runir replied, staring at the table. "Where you guys close?" Hera asked. "Not really. We did a few missions together. He was a good guy, even if a bit reckless," Runir said, turning to face Hera. "And loud. Don''t forget that," Alex chuckled. "Yeah, but that''s because he was born in Italy. He said that his entire family was loud," Runir said. "Isn''t that just a stereotype?" Blue asked. "Well, in this case, it was true," Alex said. The ceremony began. It was much like a funeral service. Joseph, as the leader of team C, spoke a few words. Very few, actually. When he went to the front and faced the audience, he could only muster an ''I''m sorry.'' No one complained or thought he was in the wrong. Rumors about what happened were already circling. Apparently, the second Wendigo appeared after they killed the first one, taking advantage of the small celebration. It started by pulling one of the archers from the ramparts with its frog-like tongue. The archer who fell broke his neck with the fall. He was Joseph''s oldest friend, someone who was a veteran of the first layer. Yet, the Wendigo was able to hide from everyone''s sight. The rest of the fight was just as chaotic as the start. They only were able to kill the creature when it tried to eat the dead Wendigo, giving Joseph an opening to deliver the finishing blow. All twelve people died because of the second Wendigo. After the service, Helena went to the lab to grab the last of her belongings while Hera and her group took a quest to help clean up the traps from around the city. It was a way to distract themselves from the thoughts that were creeping on their minds. What if they were the ones who fought the second Wendigo? A few hours later, they had not only finished the quest, but Cass sent a message letting them know that the guild had finished the inventory of the materials and they could get their cut and the rewards for the defense. The list of materials was enormous, and most of the items had some special properties. Hera chose not to buy anything. Not just because she was able to upgrade all of her gear, but she could pay for the healer to take care of Grandma Triss if she got all the money. In total, the rampage quest would give 4 230 gold as the base reward and another 7 380 for the monster kills. While the materials from all the five days were worth 9 250. That was over 20k gold, just for five days of work. A very stressful and dangerous work, but still. Very few people would be able to get that money during the same amount of time outside the MAZE. "Guys, after this. We deserve a weekend, right?" Blue asked. "Yeah. I think so." Runir replied, looking at his earning. "It has been quite a while since I last visited my household," Tom nodded. "Are you saying this just because you wanna see Quinn?" Alex smirked. Blue stared at her for a long moment before turning back to the group," So we can take the weekend off?" Hera nodded. She might as well visit her grandma and see if they can get her legs checked out. 156 Down Time Hera rang Triss''s doorbell early in the morning, and her grandmother was ready to go. It''s been a few years since she went to Brilansis, where Hera lived, and she was excited to see the big city once more. They took the express train to the town, cutting the travel time in half. The tickets were a bit expensive, but it was better for Triss. A couple of hours later, they arrived at the hospital. As much as Triss wanted to look around the city, she struggled to walk. Hera considered that and made the appointment early. That way, they wouldn''t have much time to walk around. The healer was already waiting for them. His name was Ian, and he was a short man in his forties, with brown hair and chestnut eyes. He greeted his patients and got a wheelchair for Triss, leading her to a body scanner so he could see her situation. Hera and the healer were in the room beside the scanner behind thick glass while the machine worked. "Don''t worry. You know how healers work. I can see that she isn''t close to death," Ian said as the machine worked. "Well, I hope so. I mean, healers can only see people who are about to die, right?" Ian chuckled, "At first, yes. But since I''m also a doctor, my skill changed a bit. I can tell if they have any terminal conditions or diseases that would end their life. I still can''t say when someone will die of old age or because of an accident, but your grandmother is a healthy 80-year-old." "Thanks. I''m glad to hear that," Hera smiled at Grandma Triss, who smiled back. "Also, if you don''t mind. I just want to say. You are incredible." Hera froze for a moment. The healer was a nice man, but that felt weird. Still, she had to be polite. After all, he was still going to treat her grandmother. She cleaned her throat and asked with a smile, "Sorry, what do you mean?" "I saw your interview about how you faced the Wendigo. It was incredibly brave of you to fight that monster, especially being so new at all this." Hera was relieved when she heard him speak. However, it still felt weird to be recognized by a random person, "It wasn''t bravery, more like desperation. The monster was following me and didn''t want to let me go." "Will do," Triss replied. Hera waited for the healer to let go of the microphone before going back to the subject, "Sorry, but what pictures?" "The guild published some pictures along with the information they have about the Wendigos. There was a large hole in the wall of Brinefront. A weird rock formation in Hazelpond and a tunnel under the Frog Valley campsite, if I''m not mistaken." "Shit, they were even in the campsite? I hoped it was just the cities," Hera said. "Oh, you were there? Damn, you fought one and wanted more?" Ian laughed. "Not really, but a friend of mine was stuck in the room during the rampage. I wasn''t about to let her be there alone." "That''s even more impressive. I know many people who were glad they ran after hearing about the Wendigo." Hera thanked him again and looked back at her grandmother. There were more problems with the rampage than she realized. It was weird because Brinefront seemed fine when she got there, but people might have prioritized fixing the hole, maybe even calling some high-level crafters to do it. The exam ended, and Ian led Hera and Triss towards his office to discuss the result. As they walked through the hall, Hera noticed a door that had a tag with a familiar name. Amanda Kahele "Oh," she gasped. "What''s wrong?" Triss asked. "Nothing, I just have a friend here," Hera said, walking by the wheelchair. "Do you want to stop?" Ian asked. "I have to get permission for a visit, right?" Hera looked around, searching for a reception of sorts. "Yeah, but that can be arranged. If you want, I''ll help you later. Let''s check the results first," Ian said as they kept walking. Checking the exam, Ian confirmed Triss''s diagnosis, "Ok, it''s not bad. There are quite a few issues, but they are all caused by your arthritis that triggers tendonitis and other muscle pain. There are also some small issues with your eyes, nothing major, but we can have that taken care of. Now, we can set up a date for the treatment, or we can do it today." "Today?" Triss asked. "Yes, the treatment will take a couple of hours, but since we are dealing with a silver explorer, I cleared my schedule for the day," Ian smiled while speaking to Triss. "My, my. You are moving up quickly in the world," Triss held Hera''s hand and leaned on her shoulder. "Only because you have my back. Now, do you want to do the treatment today, or are you busy?" Hera asked. "Will it hurt?" Triss turned to Ian. "Not at all. You might feel a bit woozy, but we can give you some painkillers if you would like. It helps you if you are awake, but it won''t be a problem if you sleep," Ian proceeded to explain the procedure. He would use his mana to help Triss''s body to regain some of its ability to regenerate. Then Ian would guide the magic to the places where the disease was stronger and remove the ailment. For Hera, he explained that the room would have a few mana crystals to fuel the spell for the duration. "If you want, we can set up a television or an audiobook for you as long as you are ok with using headphones. Too much noise might be a distraction for the procedure." "Can I be there with her?" Hera asked. "Yes, but if you want to be holding her hand. I''ll give you some gloves that block mana. Having another mana source touching the patient can create some disturbances with the spell." "Oh, don''t worry. You can visit your friend while I''m here. I''ll be in the good hands of the handsome doctor," Triss winked at Ian, who responded with a chuckle. "If you would like, I''ll show you the room where I''ll be treating her, so you know where to find us after checking up on your friend," Ian offered. "Well, if you are ok with this, grandma." "Of course," Triss turned to Ian, "One more thing. How is the recovery? Will I have to be committed?" "Not really. We will do another exam after the procedure to see if everything is ok. I expect that you will feel much better after the treatments and will be ready to move around. Although, I do recommend light exercise for the first few weeks since your muscles won''t be as strong as they used to." Ian reinforced that he used the word treatment because the disease would be significantly reduced almost to a point where it wouldn''t be there but, in the future, it could return. It wasn''t a complete cure or a vaccine, but he expected an improvement of at least 80%. After a couple of minutes of talking, Triss decided she would do the treatment today. The room where Triss would stay wasn''t like a surgery room, or a hospital room, for that matter. It looked much more like a shrink''s office. There was a very comfortable-looking chair in the middle, some paintings on the sides, a television, a cucumber water jug and some and a small fountain on the side. Ian explained that if Triss wanted water or to go to the bathroom, it was just to let him know. There was no problem stopping it in the middle, but she would only feel the effects after completing the procedure. Hera stayed there until the spell started, and after some insistence from grandma Triss, she headed out to meet Amanda. The girl was feeling better. She got afflicted by mana overload because of the New Daw Oranges. The healers had to keep pulling mana from her body for a few days since she couldn''t control it. When it stabilized, she would still need to drop by the hospital to have the mana drained every few days. That would last only until her birthday, a couple of weeks from now when the New Dawn would pay for her level up even if she didn''t want to be an explorer. At level 2, she could get her mana stat, and the issue would solve itself, just giving her an increased starter mana pool. The New Dawn was also willing to pay for any degree she wanted to pursue or to fund her early years as an explorer, no strings attached. She could even start working for one of their competitors. This was all a way to apologize for what happened to her. "Speaking of which, what happened?" Hera asked. "I don''t know. They said that a product from an R\u0026D lab ended up mixing with the products for sale. It was supposed to be a part of an experimental crop that could grow anywhere or something like that. But one of the crates ended up being taken to the farm distribution center, and some bags had these oranges with way too much mana," Amanda replied while eating her jelly. "Wait, a full crate? Doesn''t that mean that a lot of people got sick?" "I have no idea. I wasn''t exactly looking for other people who got infected. I can say that I''m the only case here in the hospital. Or at least that''s what they told me. Not that they would tell me the truth anyway," Amanda replied. Hera chuckled, "I''m glad to see you''re still the same." Amanda laughed, "What, you expect me to change just for that? I thought you gave me more credit," there was a moment of pause, "Hera. Can I ask you something?" "Sure." "Do you regret becoming an explorer?" "No," Hera replied in a heartbeat. "Really? I mean, it''s much more dangerous than I imagined. Like, the guild lifted the ban on info, right? I saw a video about the assault on a wall or something. And after it, these weird white monsters appeared and started eating everyone. It was terrifying." "Oh, tell me about it. If I had figured out the one I fought was a Wendigo before killing it, I would have frozen. I guess it is like they say, ignorance is bliss." Amanda''s eyes went wide as she stared at Hera, "You fought one of those things?" "Two actually, one on my own and another as a group. But here is the thing. What you saw was on the 25th Layer. It''s like very deep inside the MAZE. These monsters, called Wendigos, are appearing everywhere, but their strength matches the layer they are on. So if you just started, you won''t face something as quick as the ones in the video," Hera explained. "So... it''s not that dangerous?" Amanda asked. "It is. Very much so. A few days ago, twelve people died during a quest. Most of the time, I''m fighting for my life, but honestly. I can''t imagine doing anything else. I know it sounds crazy, but being there, exploring, finding new things. It makes me feel... alive." "You sound like my grandma," Amanda said with a smile. "Well, I can finally understand her. Although, I''m still not interested in jumping from a plane, even with a parachute," Hera chuckled. The two spent some more time talking until Hera decided that it was better to stay with her grandma. As she was about the leave, Amanda stopped her one more time. "Hera... Do you think I would be a good explorer?" "You know how your grandpa always says that you act like your grandma?" Hera said after thinking for a moment. "Yeah," Amanda replied. "If he is right, you will be great. Just be careful. If you need anything, I''m just a text away, ok?" "Ok, thanks," with the reply, Hera went back to Triss, wondering if it was normal to be so excited about being in the MAZE even after everything she went through. 157 Back to the main topic The next day Hera was already back at Hazelpond. It didn''t feel right to stay in her flat, not when she had a big house waiting for her inside the MAZE, even if she had to take the last boat of the day leaving Brinefront. Hera was worried about her skills. Improved stamina was rank 3, just like her hide skill that ranked up when the assassin''s role quest was over. If she weren''t careful, the skill would improve once more and trigger a new role quest. Stamina sounded like something that a fighter would need, but it could be what she needed for the controller role. Still, none of those sounded interesting for now. With her focus on spells and Helena''s work, Hera wanted to get either the mage role or the researcher one. Now, with the increase in the skill, she had to focus on something else before it was too late. If not, she would end up with a role that she wasn''t too keen on getting. At the same time, ignoring the quest seemed counterproductive. Even if she refused the new role, she would still need to increase another skill to rank 4 before getting another role skill. Her only skill that could trigger the mage role was mana recovery. She had confirmed that with other explorers in the order of the lost court. The easiest other options would be acquiring an elemental damage boost or resistance, and the magic sensitivity skill, which helped her notice magic around her. Other skills that could trigger the mage role quest were more complicated to get and could take years to reach rank 4. Talking to Helena, she understood that mana recovery would increase its rank as the mastery increased. So it was something she could actively see growing. Unlike how it was with spells, Helena was able to help Hera with the skill. There was no formula or code for them. It was all about the flow of mana through their bodies. There were just two issues. First, Helena reached a barrier., her mana recovery was stuck at rank 4 for a few years already. Second, not being able to use magic at the moment made it, so she had to take everything from memory. With Helena''s guidance, Hera was able to increase her mastery by 1%. It seemed little, but considering that she could barely grasp the concepts, it was a significant improvement. Not just that, but that 1% increase was enough to make the skill rank up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mana Recovery (Rank 2) Improves your natural mana recovery. This effect increases as the mastery of the technique used to create the skill increases. The skill increases your passive mana recovery. By activating the skill, you can recover mana at an accelerated pace. However, if the skill concentration is broken, you become unable to recover mana for 25 minutes. The amount recovered by the active effect increases significantly with the mastery of the technique. Passive Recovery: 30 mana per minute Active Recovery: 39 mana per minute Mastery: 11% ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There seemed to be no change in the actual skill aside from the reduced penalty if the concentration was broken and the difference in her maximum mana. During the rampage, her mana had increased by over 100 points, now sitting at 435. Helena explained that the skill worked like that. Unlike others who just grew as they were used, the mana regeneration was something that people had to learn and figure out. It was closer to the development of fighting styles. Only after becoming more proficient with the moves and understanding how it worked, the skill would increase. The two had the house all for themselves. But Helena didn''t want to leave her research, and now that the rampage was over, she could actually focus. It was a shame that Hera had forgotten to use her elemental sight during the defense, but at the same time, she wasn''t in a position to be thinking about other things. Hera practiced the mana recovery for a few hours when Helena emerged from the basement. "Want some tea, sweetie?" "Sure," Hera said as she walked towards the kitchen. Helena placed a kettle on the stove, "You said you wanted to ask me about something else, right? Something about a monster that you saw doing something." "Oh, right. This pangolin was controlling its scales with strands of mana. Do you know the name of a spell that can do that? I forgot to check the guild or the order store," Hera replied, getting the teacups and the infuser. "Give me more details. How did the scales move? Where did they come from? What you described is too broad," Helena said. Hera explained, trying to remember every detail that she could about that fight, "... then I tried to make my mana pull the chakram. My idea was to make it move around without pulling the string. It jumped up, but I can''t do it again." "Humm... there are a few ways. You can have an elemental manipulation spell and use another to coat the scale with that element. Telekinesis works, but it''s very mana heavy. But the mana connection being as small as a strand of hair... Maybe the scales themselves were part of the spell. That is a thing. You can invoke elemental objects and control them with your mana. It takes a lot of concentration and a quick mind, but it works almost as if you have some backup, even without anyone around. Those are called elemental projections. If you search for that in the guild or a store, you should find it." Hera considered the possibilities. More interesting than having some sort of telekinesis, having a magic weapon following her would be incredible. Of course, a spell like that should take a lot of mana, but if she could increase her mana regeneration enough, it could work. "By the way, how was the effect of the scales?" Helena asked after a few moments where Hera was quietly contemplating her options. "Sorry, what?" "The scales, sweetie? How the spells behaved going through them?" "Oh... I didn''t use it," Hera looked away. "Seriously? That was supposed to help with the defense!" Helena gasped. "There was too much going on. I completely forgot about that," Hera tried to explain herself. "Look at this girl. She used to be so kind, now she even talks back to me," Helena clicked her tongue. "Sorry, Ms. Ditrro. It won''t happen again," Hera said with a serious expression. Helena rolled her eyes, "You are no fun, you know that?" "It''s hard to be fun when you are about to burn our tea," Hera chuckled. Helena looked back and saw the string of the tea bag catching on fire. She quickly put it out, tossing the bag in the sink and opening the faucet. After a few moments with the water still running, Hera asked, "Do you want me to make the tea?". Helena didn''t even look back, "Yes, please." During the afternoon, Hera looked for the spells that Helena mentioned. As she said, telekinesis was very costly. It would take 10 mana to lift a single gram for one second, which means that just raising her handaxe for a second would cost almost 14 thousand mana each second. That was a no go. The elemental manipulation was more cost-effective. To control one element, she would need from 10 to 100 mana per second, and it was more about size than weight. A rock the size of her fist would cost only 10 mana per second, while a person''s life-sized statue would be 50 mana per second. This was just to move it around, it wouldn''t be possible to raise it too far from the ground, and to use it as an attack required much more mana. Yet to control her chakram as she wanted, it would require a solid element. She wouldn''t be able to use fire, lightning, or poison. It had to be rock, wood, ice, or something like it. Wind and water could work, but it would be less about moving the blade around than tossing it from one place to another. She looked at her last option, the elemental projection. As Helena said, it was very different than the rest. Using this spell, she would be creating a new weapon or object to move around instead of using something she already had. Hera looked at the mana projection to understand the core of it. Reading the description, it was a relatively straightforward spell. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mana Projection Rank: Novice Gives a form to your mana. The size and shape affect the cost of mana to maintain the projection. The projection can affect the world to an extent, and it can have different properties. The user can give simple commands to the projection. With an increased rank, the projection can acquire more complex and unique characteristics. Range: 2 meters Base mana cost per second: 10 mana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The mana cost was minimal. She could be able to make the projection last over seven minutes. That was already a significant amount of time for a fight. The problem was the cost. She was using the guild store, and a training module for this spell costs 35 000 gold. She tried the Order store, where she could trade contribution points for spells, and found the mana projection for just 8 000 points. It was still expensive, but much more manageable than gold. Yet, right now, for the few jobs she did for the Order of the Lost Court, she only had 300 points. Thinking for a moment, Hera realized that she never got her reward for the scales. With her being attacked by the Wendigo and everything, she completely forgot about that. Heading down to the basement, Hera called Helena. "Lena, how is the best boss in the world doing?" Helena raised her head from her notes and stared at Hera dead in the eye, "What did you do? Or what do you want? No one is that nice without a reason." "I''m hurt. Do you honestly think that I wouldn''t say nice things about you?" "You would, just not like that. What is it?" Helena replied. "Fine. What''s the reward I''m getting for the scales and the data I brought you from the pangolins?" Hera asked. Helena stared at her for a moment before her eyes went wide, "I''m soooo sorry. I completely spaced out. Let me check it." She grabbed her tablet and made a few notes, "For the scales, all the data and everything, hum... Can I give you tomorrow? I have to do some math." "Sure. Any chance it will be 8 000 points for the order?" "What?" Helena stopped, "Why that many?" "I found the mana projection for sale there. I could get from the guild, but that''s 35k. It''s cheaper if I get from the order," Hera explained. "Do you have the store opened in the tablet?" Helena asked. "Yeah, here," Hera showed the page. Helena read something," Forget it. This one is only for the formula." "What?" Hera looked at the page. In the description of the product, it did state that it was a formula for the spell. The code would cost 12 000 points, and the compendium for a trainer 28 000 points, "Oh, man." "Sorry, sweetie, and the mana cost of that one is sneaky. It says only 10 mana, but that is to make a leaf. If you want to make something like a sword or a shield, the cost increases by tenfold. Besides, there is no reason for you ever to buy those things. Your biggest advantage is being able to figure out spells on your own. Just try to make it work," Helena turned back to her research. "What do you mean?" "C''mon, sweetie. All your spells come from you trying to make something happen. You think about the effect, which triggers it, just like the grease fire you learned. Stop thinking about getting the spell through other people. Just figure out. Conceptual mages have that edge above everyone else. You should try to use that advantage on purpose instead of by luck." Hera had to admit, Helena was right. People always said that her way of learning spells was all about creativity, and the talk she had with Tom confirmed that. It sucked that she wasn''t able to learn new spells through other people like Helena or Bonnie, but if she could master the ability to create the spells, it could work really well. Maybe it was time to figure out how to start that. 158 Once more, with feeling Alex wanted to make a cloak with the chameleon skin, while Blue was looking for a wind armor. Since Blue wasn''t thrilled with her choice of spells, Helena suggested that she could try wind. It was a more or less common element for people who focused on grapples, and among other options, several gap closers were relatively cheap. The three women first headed into the city, in the Carpon Caverns. Hera suggested the store where she got her chakram upgraded. Blue wanted to look at some armors, but her main focus was the new spell she got. As they arrived at Ronan''s smithy, Hera greeted Clayton, who was operating the store''s front once more. After a few minutes, Alex agreed to leave the hide so Ronan could make her a cloak with it. While looking around, Blue found a pair of shoulder guards that seemed very interesting. It was very flexible, and it could activate a unique effect that would make her arms look like smoke when activated. That would be very useful to confuse her enemies. It also had agility scaling, and for a while now, that had become Blue''s second-highest attribute, only losing to endurance. Paying 15 000 for the shoulder guards after trying them on to be sure they didn''t restrain her movements. Alex and Blue thanked Hera for the suggestion. The small shop had no lines, and the crafter looked very worried about what they wanted. Ronan even offered to make some small adjustments for Blue''s old gear that was starting to feel a bit tight. After the moment of shopping, the three headed to the guild to meet up with the rest of their party. Before heading out, they all talked about what had changed after the rampage. Alex was now level 5, just like Hera. She got two rank ups for the [Improved Stamina] and one for a skill called [Pinpoint Weak Spot] that helped Alex to find weakness on her enemies'' bodies. Her cutting wind also increases in rank, from beginner to novice. Blue was level 4. She leveled up on day 3. Her skills got some upgrades, including a [Taunt] that could make a monster target her. It wasn''t like Thomas forced duel spell, but thanks to her controller role, it had some special effects. She also had an increase with the [Improved Stamina] but only to rank 2, unlike Hera and Alex. Runir was level 6. He got a level up on the second day of the rampage. His shields spells increased in rank to novice as well, and the skills he had to perceive danger and increase the effect of barriers and heals also improved. His buff spells could now target two people at once, the same with the debuffs. Hera expected him to be strong, but the information surprised her. The way he fought made it seem like he was over level 10 already, but in reality, the source of his strength was the skills and his gear. That was the second rampage he ever participated in, and a year hunting on the second layer would mean that he should have a lot of money to spend. "Before we advance in our noble hunt. Let me inquire. What are your goals? What do you wish to accomplish?" Tom asked the group while they were eating in a small restaurant. "I want to help Helena. I told you about the parasites. I want to find a way to get rid of them," Hera replied. "I want to be the fourth hero. I know I''m kind of asking for a crisis in the world, but yeah. That''s my dream," Blue said. Tom scratched his cheek with an embarrassed expression, "Apologies. I should have been clearer. My question was about more immediate desires. Not that thy goals are not noble. Yet, what I wish to know is what do you want to do at the moment? Are we hunting just for gold and glory or looking for something specific?" "Oh... I don''t know. I mean, the only quest I have is my role quest right now," Blue said. "Same, I have that and Helena''s tasks, but those are more to the side of ''go out and find some stuff.'' I do have my role quest too, but I have no idea how to do it," Hera looked at her tablet to confirm her role quest. Where would she find a secret? "Mine is a bit tricky. I need to find and kill a named monster before it is able to notice me," Alex explained. "I''m already halfway through mine. I need to heal and protect a number of people. You would think that the rampage gave me a nice boost, but it didn''t even give me half of what I need," Runir took a sip of his drink. "Does each person only counts once?" Hera asked. "Nope, but it only counts if they are hurt, or I stopped them from getting hurt." "That''s not so far from mine. I need to change the battlefield a set number of times. Whatever that means," Blue scoffed. "Very well. We all have short-term goals, and only two of those have specific requirements. I suggest that we face some beasts as one to familiarize ourselves with our peers'' combat style. I believe that during the rampage, we all were unable to focus our attention on the fight of others," Tom suggested. It was an interesting idea, giving Alex''s cloak a chance to be ready. Runir and Tom were also waiting for orders they had placed during the last few days. Runir had ordered some accessories that would give him minor buffs to his barriers and his mana regeneration. Thomas was waiting for a new rapier. He got frustrated that his current weapon wasn''t strong enough to pierce the Wendigo''s shell and wanted to rectify that. The group left and went hunting once more. Hera and Alex checked with the guild if they had any quests to hunt and gather small materials from the monsters. They had quests for both, but the rewards were pretty low compared to the quests that asked for the hide and monsters'' meat. But carrying all that back would be too much trouble. None of them had any intention of doing that, and with just the rewards from the hunting quests, it would be more than enough to get by. While hunting, Hera felt much more confident in what she was doing. After fighting nonstop for almost a week, facing a single monster wasn''t much of a threat. Now Hera, Blue, and Alex started to focus on the fight in a different way. They could not just react to the monster and try to find an opening, but focus on their own movements and see where they were making mistakes. Their teamwork had improved a lot, especially between Hera and Alex. The two fought together for most of the rampage, so it wasn''t much of a surprise. Blue became much more proficient in holding back the monsters. Now the creatures would hardly ever change their focus when she started fighting them, allowing the rest of the group to focus on dealing damage. Her shoulder guards also helped a lot. Even the moles who focused more on smell than sight had a hard time seeing her arms through the smoke cloud that wrapped her arms. Runir''s timing with his barriers was incredible. He was able to cast it just as they were about to be hit. On the other hand, It was hard to gauge Tom''s improvement since they didn''t see much of his abilities before the rampage. They spent two days fighting around the city in the Caverns. During that time, Hera kept trying to figure out how to make the mana projection. It was hard to make an object out of thin air. The mana kept dispersing since it had nothing to hold it together. She tried to coat her weapons with the mana and then split it, but the shape would break just the same. However, while covering her chakram with mana and trying to pull it away, she managed to pull it to the side using only her mana. She started to test that idea while the weapon had the mana reinforcement buff. After several tries, Hera figured out a way to make her mana work almost like a propulsion system. Making small bursts, as if she was emptying an oxygen tank in space, she could move the chakram around. That would increase mana cost of the buff by a lot, but as she practiced it, it became clear that she would be able to use the wire trap style without having to control the thread directly. After a couple of days, Hera had some information to share with Helena. The moles had smell, earth, and blind affinities, which seemed to vary even among the same types of moles. The only difference that Hera noticed was in the skills that they used. The ones with blind affinity were more perceptive than others at close range, while the ones with smell affinity were more elusive. The ones with the earth affinity had stronger hide and claws. After everyone got their gear and took it for a spin, the group talked about what they could do and since Hera wanted to find one of the MAZE''s secrets while Alex had to kill a named monster. Thomas had one suggestion. "We could attempt one of the dungeons in this room. I am familiar with one that might have what two among us are searching for." "What''s the dungeon like?" Blue asked. "It is a cave, as one is to expect. It is a place filled with fungi and elemental spirits. They are sneaky little creatures that are very difficult to hit. That is a great tool to increase our accuracy. In there, I know of both a named monster that our silent assassin can attempt to kill at once and a secret that could help our brave adventurer." "Ok, I''m in. Is there anything else we need to be on the lookout for while there?" Alex asked. "Our maps will not work until the boss has fallen. The glowing mushrooms lit up the entire area, and as they change colors, the paths are hidden or revealed. Not just that, but the lights make seeing the spirits something very difficult. People tend to refer to this dungeon by a different name because of this," Thomas explained. "Stop being cryptic, man. What name?" Runir asked. "The proper name is Underground Forest, but it is more commonly known as Mushroom Rave," Tom said with a smile. 159 Underground Fores To reach the Underground Forest, which was the group''s destination, they had to circle the city''s entrance and walk up a path on the side of a large wall. On top of there, a tunnel with moss ground around it would signal the dungeon''s entrance. It took around one hour to arrive but just 30 to 40 minutes to go back. The climb was very long and steep, making most groups stop by the entrance before heading in. There was a small procession of people climbing the path. In the platform above, several benches were carved from the stone walls where people were resting before entering the dungeon. Even though most people in this room worked in the mines or the forges, there was still a considerable amount going for the dungeons. According to Tom, the Flood was the most popular dungeon. Since it was very straightforward and with a few strong earth spells, it was easy to complete the quest with minimal effort by just blocking out the area they had to protect. Then it was the Underground Forest. People didn''t run it so much because of the difficulty of hitting the small spirits. The secret tunnel was the less populated dungeon, despite being the one with the best rewards. Since people would appear randomly inside the labyrinth, anyone who challenged it would need to be prepared to sleep inside the dungeon and to face something unpredictable right from the start. At the same time, it was the favorite place for people who liked to gamble. If they got lucky, they could appear right by the entrance, allowing them to finish the quest in minutes. The unlucky ones could be stuck inside the labyrinth for days. "Is there anything else we need to know before going inside?" Hera asked. "I do not believe so. The monsters we are about to face are not much of a threat. Just watch out for the tendrils. In the moments where other information becomes relevant, we shall stop and discuss strategy," Tom explained. They nodded and headed inside the moss-covered tunnel. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Underground Forest Entrance Area type: Dungeon A tunnel leading to the underground mushroom forest. The extreme elemental forces inside the forest destroyed all the flora inside, which allowed the fungi to grow with the elements. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Before stepping inside, Tom turned around, "I need to confirm one thing. Is there someone prone to seizures among us?" As they stepped outside the tunnel, Hera saw an enormous expanse filled with mushrooms. Their sizes varied wildly, from small ones that could fit on her hand to massive ones going up five meters and only stopping at the ceiling. The most strange thing about them was that all the mushrooms glowed in different colors. Some had a static hue, while others would shift slowly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have discovered a mutation triggered by elemental forces. Dungeon Quest: The Fungi around the forest have mutated and acquired bioluminescence proprieties. This effect has disturbed ancient elemental spirits that were resting in the forest. Appease the spirits and return them to their slumber. First completion rewards: Rewards: 7 000 gold, Elemental Accessory ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Tom, what kind of accessory we get here?" Hera asked after seeing the rewards. It was the first time the system was giving an actual piece of equipment. "The system allows us to choose the type of adornment we want, but the element is restricted to those we see inside the dungeon," Tom explained. "Ok, but what it does?" "It allows your spells or attacks to be imbued with damage that matches the element." "So. What element did you get?" Runir asked. "I chose the light element, for a shining knight is a beacon of hope. Alas, it was but a foolish endeavor. While chasing the icon of a knight blessed by the light, I overlooked the basics of knighthood and became too reliant on its power. To correct my misgivings, I sold the amulet and trained my fundamentals," Tom looked away while he spoke. "Hold up. Why did you sell that? Couldn''t you keep it around until you trained enough?" Blue asked. Thomas gave Blue a sad smile, "An addict will always relapse while its stash is around." Hera and Alex looked at each other, Runir seemed not to be bothered by the comment, but it was clearly a sore spot for Thomas. "Ok, so what type of monster can we expect here? And these mushrooms, are they edible? Do we need to be careful with spores or something?" Alex tried to change the subject. "The denizens of the forest are the small elemental spirits, called sprites. They are small light globes with wings. Not all are aggressive. However, they are easily disturbed. A change in the color of a mushroom or a loud noise can send them into a frenzy. I suggest that we first conclude our mission and, on a subsequent attempt, we chase your quests," Tom gestured to both Hera and Alex. It was a good idea. Not only would they be able to understand how the dungeon worked but also they would have the accessory after completing the quest. "The fungi present in this forest are not proper for consumption. Spores are not an existing issue, but I recommend a check-up when we return, just as a way to calm our minds," Tom concluded before the group headed deeper into the forest. Entering the mushroom forest was a bizarre experience. It was easy to see why people called this the rave dungeon. All the colors had a neon hue, while the only difference was their intensity. Hera felt lucky her gear didn''t have any bright colors. At least she wouldn''t be a beacon in the middle of this area. Alex''s cloak was having trouble adjusting to the surroundings. Instead of triggering a chameleon''s camouflage effect, the colors started to mix, creating a kaleidoscope on her back. Blue triggered her shoulder guards, creating the white smoke around her arms. The lights made it look like her arms were clouds from an alien planet. Even Tom was having fun with the lights, moving his new rapier around, making it shine in different hues. Walking around, they went deeper into the forest, still not seeing anything aside from glowing mushrooms until the forest started to open more, now showing three different tunnels for them to go through. "Where to now?" Runir asked. "The quickest path would be to the right. But the one where we face the least trials is the one through the middle. However, the route will be longer," Tom said. "Should we go to the middle then? Since it''s about seeing how this works." Alex suggested. "If we want to see how this works, wouldn''t it be better to go to the left then? So we can explore everything," Blue walked towards the left tunnel. "It''s better if we make sure we can finish the entire dungeon before exploring other branches. That way, even if we can''t beat everything, we can at least complete the quest," Hera replied. "Why worry? The monsters in the room are easy. We can beat them without even getting hurt," Blue scoffed. "Yeah, it''s not like a frog could headbutt you and make you fall to the ground. Right?" Alex replied, rolling her eyes. "That was during the rampage! I''m much better now," Blue protested. "I admire your bravery, Blue. But do not allow your hubris to be your downfall. Monsters are dangerous creatures. It doesn''t matter if you are strong or used to fighting them. We must always stay vigilant," Tom said. The entire group was staring at Blue with a serious expression. Even with the improvement, they all understood the dangers of fighting these creatures. "I think you guys are overreacting, but fine. We can do it the safe way." Hera sighed as they walked towards the middle tunnel. Blue was already showing some signals of being careless since the rampage, but Hera didn''t have a chance to talk to her about it. Hopefully, it won''t be long before Hera could speak to her friend about that. According to Thomas, the right path would take around 25 to 40 minutes, but there would be many monsters and twisting paths. It had been some time since he attempted this dungeon, and he didn''t remember the correct route to arrive at the boss. The middle path would take about one hour to cross, but the walk would have fewer creatures, and they would be less clumped together, allowing the group to fight with more ease. They walked for five minutes in the middle tunnel when the lights coming from the mushrooms started to blink faster. As if they were dancing with the beat, ten small globules of shifting lights, about the size of a tennis ball, circled one of the smaller fungi in the middle of the tunnel. Hera triggered her [Observe] as well as the elemental sight spell while watching the monsters. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Fire affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Water affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Wind affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Earth affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Grass affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Light affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Lightning affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Psychic affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Ground affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elemental Sprite (Ice affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Even though all monsters had the exact same appearance, their affinities varied. Among all 10, not a single one shared an affinity. Hera warned everyone about the elements present among the monsters before they started to approach. "It is best to dispose of these creatures before we arrive at the boss. They can, at times, follow us and help their leader when we are in combat," Tom explained. The group nodded and approached the monsters. Hera felt bad for attacking creatures that seemed to be harmless. However, as they got close, the small balls of light started to spread tendrils around their bodies, starting to look like glowing jellyfishes. As Thomas moved closer, the tendrils lashed out towards his armor, sparks of fire and lightning flying with the impact. As the monsters attacked, all of Hera''s worries vanished. When she was little, she got stung by a jellyfish, and the pain was still vivid in her memory. Tom took charge of holding a couple of the Sprites back. Blue taunted a couple of the other ones while Alex and Hera attacked the remaining Sprites. The monsters moved around like flies, and using their weapons to hit the creatures was very difficult. Spells also missed the target frequently. Hera considered using the Grease Fire spell, but since she was in a forest, even one made out of mushrooms, it seemed like a bad idea. The tendrils kept moving, lashing out at anyone who got close, even the other sprites. Hera and Alex worked together, pushing the monsters close to each other while trying to attack them. Tom had a much easier time to hit the creatures. He had spent a fair amount of time here, practicing his aim here, and had the skills to prove it. When the two monsters that Hera and Alex were pushing together finally died. The explorer turned her attention to one chasing Runir. Using her chakram to attack, Hera activated the mana reinforcement and used the makeshift propulsion system to correct the direction of the strike. Tossing the weapon while holding the thread allowed the bursts to be used only to change directions instead of spending all that mana to move it around. When the monster moved to the side, her chakram went above it, pushing the elemental to dodge down. Hera followed up with a strong burst of mana that made the chakram crash down on the sprite. Alex overwhelmed her opponent with her speed, slashing around it so quickly that the monster couldn''t dodge. A couple of minutes later, all ten sprites were dead. In total, that small group gave 150 gold and two small white mushrooms. Blue grabbed the drops and started laughing after reading the description. "What is going on?" Hera asked. Blue cracked one of the mushrooms and shook it in her hand, making the fungus start to glow in a bright neon green light. "They drop glowsticks!" Alex started laughing, "Sure you can call them that. But they look like something very different for me." Hera joined in in the laughter "Yeah. Boys, if yours ever start glowing like that, please go see a doctor." Blue gasped and dropped the mushroom, turning instantly red as she got the joke. Thomas turned to Runir, "You have found quite an entourage, my friend. I can see no day will be dull." "I just want to meet some normal people," Runir sighed. When the laughter died down, they started walking towards the boss once more. 160 Tendrils everywhere "Does anyone have an aspirin?" Hera asked. "Don''t have one. But, like we have a healer, you know," Alex replied. "Yeah... I don''t know how to fix a headache. I would need to figure out the cause first and then trigger the healing of the affected part, and honestly? I have no intention of touching on a brain with a five-foot pole," Runir said. "You measure a pole in how many feet are in it? How does that work?" Blue turned around. "Nah, that''s an old expression I learned with my mom. When she was little, they used foot, yards, and miles to measure distance," Runir explained. "That is true. If I recall correctly, a foot was about 30 centimeters," Tom added. "What''s the point of that? It feels like they are being weird for no reason," Blue scoffed. "Well, you are not wrong with that. I think the US was the last place in the world to adopt the metric system," Runir said. "Yeah, but what''s with the saying?" Alex asked. "My mom used to say it when she meant that she would never do something. It''s one of those old sayings that never translated after the change. Saying ''I wouldn''t touch it with a 3-meter pole'' doesn''t have the same ring to it." "So no cure for a headache?" Hera asked. Runir cleared his throat, "No, sorry." "Ok, Can we keep going? These lights are messing with my head," Hera asked. She didn''t want to seem cranky, but it was hard to have fun when the lights kept blinking. "Do you wish to return? It will not be an issue if we leave the dungeon now to challenge it at a later time," Thomas said. "No. We are close to the boss, right?" "We should arrive in around fifteen minutes." "Then let''s keep going. It''s not hurting that bad. But before we do this again, I need some aspirin, and maybe some sunglasses," Hera said as they kept walking. As Thomas had said, the middle path was far from difficult. It was mostly a stroll through the forest. During the entire forty minutes or so they spent walking, the group only found 30 sprites, including the first group they''ve met. The only slightly complicated part was when they reached what looked like a dead-end, but the path was hidden behind one of the large mushrooms. Tom reminisced as they arrived at the dead end. Apparently, several parties he was a part of when doing the dungeon were unaware of this hidden path, and only after some time, he discovered its existence. Thanks to that discovery, he could bring a much smaller group to the dungeon and even fight alone in it as long as he left before triggering the boss. "Are you well enough to talk strategy, Hera?" he asked, receiving a nod as a reply, "Very well. The ruler of this land can appear in one of three different forms. First, it would be a gigantic sprite, like the ones we already faced. That beast will have multiple tentacles instead of those tendrils, be careful, for they are not merely glowing lights but scorching to the touch. That is the only attack it possesses, but the many tentacles can pose a difficult battle. The second monster is a powerful light spirit, angry at seeing its brethren stolen by the fungi. It will cast light spells around the area, trying to blind and damage us. Avoid staying in the same place for long, and if you see a floating light, look away as not to be overwhelmed by a bright flash." "Ok, which one is the strongest?" Blue asked. "That would be the light elemental. Its spells are unpredictable and have a minimal delay before activating. If we feel the challenge to be too difficult, we can run away, and it will be unable to come out of its nest. That is applied to all three elementals," Thom continued. "And what is the last one? You only talked about two," Hera asked while rubbing her head. "The last one is somewhat of a tricky situation. It is the spirit of a tree, who once lived here. It can be reasoned with, and as long as we are able to fulfill its request. The wood spirit will be soothed. If not, the beast will attack, and we must fight it. It attacks by creating small plants to assail us. We must destroy all of them, so the main body appears. It will be a large tree that uses its roots and branches to attack us. We shall aim our efforts at its core, located by the base near the roots. Depending on the request, this can be the easiest or hardest boss." "The fight is that difficult?" Alex asked. "Not quite. The request might be something like killing all the sprites or making all the mushrooms turning the same color using magic or something it gives us," Tom concluded. "In that case, isn''t it better for us to just kill it?" Alex asked. "We can receive some rewards from the request aside from what the dungeon gives. Sadly, I can''t say what they are. The only time I''ve received one such request, the team was unable to fulfill it." Tom kept talking about the times he challenged the dungeon, discussing how each team he came with faced the monsters. Hera tried her best to pay attention, but her headache was still a problem. She would need something to protect her from the light if they were going to rerun the dungeon. Or some aspirin, at least. She knew that right now, the group was only waiting around because of her. None of them was tired. She took another gulp of water got up. "I''m feeling better. Let''s go," she said. "Are you sure?" Runir asked, staring at her. "Yeah. Not 100%, but I don''t think I can get to that point right now. It''s better if we finish this and head back to the city to find something that could help." The group nodded and got up, heading deeper into the path. It didn''t take long for the lights start to blink once more, this time even more rapidly than before. They faced another group of sprites, this time with 12 of them, but Hera wasn''t even able to trigger her affinity sight spell. It required too much concentration, and she was already using most of it to keep on fighting. It took five minutes to kill all the monsters and continue to the last chamber. Hera was already sweating with the pain and feeling restless. Part of her wanted to give up and go back right now. But it would still take another hour and a half to reach the city, not to mention going all the way back through the mushroom forest again. According to Thomas, after the boss was defeated, all the lights would dim and stop blinking. The best thing she could do right now was to finish the dungeon. The boss chamber was very different from the rest. Instead of the large mushrooms, there were several greenstone pillars spread around a circular arena. At a glance, the room was large enough to accommodate several basketball courts inside, with another set of four in the middle of the stone circle. As they entered, a small sprite appeared from behind one of the pillars and moved to the center of the chamber. The light started gathering around it from all directions, as if thousands of tiny sprites were converging together. Looking back, Hera saw that the mushrooms stopped blinking and were now losing some of their glow. The sprite in the middle started to expand. In just a couple of seconds, the monster, which started the size of a cotton ball, had already gone past a watermelon''s size. "Shouldn''t we start hitting it?" Alex yelled over the crackling noise coming from the monster. "Not yet. If we don''t wait for it to finish its growth, another will be created with the rest of the sprites," Tom replied. "Wait, are we fighting all the sprites inside here gathered in one?" Hera asked. "Yes, but not the ones that moved around. We are facing the sprites that took residence inside the mushrooms!" "And that is the easiest boss?!" Blue shouted as the sprite became a meter tall sphere and was still growing. "Don''t be afraid of its size, noble warrior. Its attacks are simple and easy to dodge. Unlike the other rulers, the sprite only has its tentacles to fend off invaders." "Those tentacles?" Alex gasped. The sprite was the size of a hippo already, and the small tendrils had turned into a dozen of larger tentacles, each the size of a palm tree. Unlike the small ones, who only had the tendrils to the sides of its body, the tentacles came from all around. The lights stopped gathering, and the monster shivered, lashing out with all its limbs making that could reach the pillars of stone from the center of the chamber. Hera activated her affinity sight. Even with Tom''s strategy, any information she could get could help. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sprite Amalgamation (Eart...Fir...Wate...Win... Affinity) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The element kept switching. Whatever that creature was, it could change its affinity. Or maybe it didn''t have a fixed one since it was made of several different sprites. "I can''t see its element. It keeps changing!" Hera warned the group. The tentacles slammed into the ground, making the giant spite float up. Alex used her wind cutter to slash at it from a distance. Hera flung a poison needle at it, hoping the poison would affect the creature. Blue triggered her [Taunt], making the monster go down towards her as two tentacles stabbed towards the controller aiming at her legs. The strength of each attack was massive. The creature was able to dig deep into the ground with each attack, but Blue was faster, taking a step back and hitting the tentacles twice. "Hot, hot, hot, hot," Blue shook her hands after hitting it. "The beast is covered by a scorching heat. Careful with your strikes," Tom said. "How am I supposed to hit it then?" Blue asked. Runir placed two barriers, one of each of her hands, "Try again." Blue punched the tentacles two more times. The heat was still there, but she could manage to touch them without burning her hands. "Yeah, that helps, but I really need to find smaller monsters to fight," Blue kept moving from side to side, avoiding the tentacles that tried to stab and slam her. Hera jumped away from one of the limbs that aimed at her, making it slam against one of the pillars in the area, cracking it with the impact. She moved behind it, throwing another poison needle at the creature. She still wanted to use the grease fire spell, but since Blue was so close to the monster, it still wasn''t a good time to do so. As she hid behind the pillar, two tentacles tried to hit her, slamming the sides of the rock, cracking it even more. Hera took a few steps back to get away from the monster''s range. She tried to push the pillar towards the gigantic sprite, hoping that it would be smashed under it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [All In] effects deactivated, the cooldown will now start ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Even using her [All In] skill, it wasn''t enough to topple the rock column. Changing tactics, Hera threw her chakram, tied up in Yarnball. Activating the poison reinforcement, Hera''s weapon flew under the Giant Sprite before a burst of mana launched it upwards. The blade cut deep into the monster''s underbelly, making it spasm uncontrollably and bounce around the pillars while its glow grew brighter than any of the mushrooms they had seen in the forest. The sudden increase made Hera''s headache grew stronger, making it harder for her to keep her eyes open. The monster''s reaction surprised Hera, who just watched in awe as the giant creature crashed against the pillars. Her attack wasn''t supposed to deal that much damage. The monster slammed against the cracked column that she was hiding behind, but Hera had to close her eyes because of the bright light coming from the sprite. "Hera!" "Watch out!" "Move!" Hera forced her eyes to open, only to be greeted by the falling green stone pillar about to crush her.